Throughout the world there are many religions, all of which have are unique and contain rich and amazing history. A few religions predate the founding of Christianity, but the one of the oldest and most interesting is Buddhism.
Buddhism was founded by Buddha Shakyamuni. He was born as a royal prince in 634 B.C. in what is now Nepal and was given the name Siddhartha. While reliable information is scarce, it is believed that when he was born a holy man prophesied that Siddhartha would either be a great king, a military leader, or a spiritual leader. He was raised in solitude so that he would not see the hardships and pain of the world so that his father could hopefully direct his future away from spiritual leadership and although he got married, …show more content…
The main two divisions are Theravada and Mahayana. These two differ as much as the different branches of Christianity, while their core beliefs might be the same they are very different. Theravada Buddhism can be found mostly in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. Mahayana Buddhism can be found mostly in China, Japan, Taiwan, Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, Korea and most of Vietnam (O’Brien). Theravada translates to "Doctrine of the Elders," (findingdulcinea) and it centers around the Pali scriptures which were from the Buddha. By meditating, and following the eightfold path, they try and achieve Enlightenment. They place strong emphasis on monasteries and becoming monks.
Mahayana Buddhism is an off shoot of Theravada Buddhism, and many more have branched out of Mahayana. Mahayana Buddhism focuses on bodhisattvas, which are the Buddhism equivalent of saints. Bodhisattvas are individuals who have can reach nirvana but decide to postpone doing so to help others find the correct …show more content…
In the bible the very first story is about how suffering entered this world because man desired what he could not have, and the bible reaffirms this in the book of James when it said “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” This trend continues with bible stories such as David and Goliath, when King David killed Uriah to take his wife, and many
Buddhism was founded by Buddha Shakyamuni. He was born as a royal prince in 634 B.C. in what is now Nepal and was given the name Siddhartha. While reliable information is scarce, it is believed that when he was born a holy man prophesied that Siddhartha would either be a great king, a military leader, or a spiritual leader. He was raised in solitude so that he would not see the hardships and pain of the world so that his father could hopefully direct his future away from spiritual leadership and although he got married, …show more content…
The main two divisions are Theravada and Mahayana. These two differ as much as the different branches of Christianity, while their core beliefs might be the same they are very different. Theravada Buddhism can be found mostly in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. Mahayana Buddhism can be found mostly in China, Japan, Taiwan, Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, Korea and most of Vietnam (O’Brien). Theravada translates to "Doctrine of the Elders," (findingdulcinea) and it centers around the Pali scriptures which were from the Buddha. By meditating, and following the eightfold path, they try and achieve Enlightenment. They place strong emphasis on monasteries and becoming monks.
Mahayana Buddhism is an off shoot of Theravada Buddhism, and many more have branched out of Mahayana. Mahayana Buddhism focuses on bodhisattvas, which are the Buddhism equivalent of saints. Bodhisattvas are individuals who have can reach nirvana but decide to postpone doing so to help others find the correct …show more content…
In the bible the very first story is about how suffering entered this world because man desired what he could not have, and the bible reaffirms this in the book of James when it said “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” This trend continues with bible stories such as David and Goliath, when King David killed Uriah to take his wife, and many