In this article we bring you a lot of information about the Characteristics of Buddhism, a philosophy of life that spread throughout the world to teach the value of meditation, in addition to teaching you to live in an austere way through the knowledge of the four noble truths if you want to know more about the religion of Buddhism Follow reading this article and learn more!
Characteristics of Buddhism
Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, but it is also defined as a philosophy of life, since it is a method of spiritual training and a psychological system. It was developed in northwestern India between the 500th and XNUMXth centuries BC, then it spread throughout Asia until it was found in every corner of the world. According to the figures that are available, it is the fourth most important religion with some XNUMX million practitioners worldwide.
The one who began to practice Buddhism was the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. That he was a hermit, that is, a person who decided to profess a solitary and austere life. He became a very wise person and founded Buddhism and taught it in the Indian subcontinent for forty-two years. The teachings that the Buddha professed were based on a vision of suffering and the end of suffering (nirvana).
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was born into a high-society family in the Sakia republic that no longer exists today. The Buddha renounced all the pleasures of secular life, in order to live for a long time in begging, meditation and asceticism, living in this way he managed to experience a spiritual awakening. That is why he has been known as the Buddha which means "The awakened one".
During all that time the Buddha dedicated himself to traveling throughout the gangetic plain and in this way teaching all women and men about spiritual living, so he built a community that included laymen and monastics. Through the Buddhist religion, the Buddha taught them the path between sensual gratification and asceticism that was practiced by the Sramana movement and became very common throughout India.
With the Buddhist philosophy, one has the objective of overcoming the suffering that is known as the dukkha, and then know the cycle of death and rebirth samsara, this is to be done by the attainment of nirvana or by the path of buddhahood. This is why today there are many Buddhist schools that teach different characteristics of buddhism.
But its main goal must be the path to liberation, giving great importance to the various texts that exist on the characteristics of buddhism, in addition to the various practices and teachings that exist on spiritual awakening.
Among the main practices that are carried out in Buddhist philosophy are those of taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, as well as meditating and cultivating skills such as the perfections or skills that one has. But to reach spiritual awakening there are two main branches of Buddhism that are known as Theravada What does the school of the elderly mean and Mahayana What does the great way mean?
Currently, the branch of Theravada Buddhism is spread throughout Southeast Asia, mainly in the countries of Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. This branch has as its main objective the liberation of the spirit by following the practices of the four noble truths and in this way reaching nirvana.
While the other Mahayana branch is practiced in Southeast Asia mainly in the countries of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other locations. It is understood that this branch of Buddhism focuses on the practitioner's enlightenment and this can be accomplished in a single lifetime. This is why Mahayana reaches 53% of practitioners with respect to the other branches of Buddhism.
Another branch of Buddhism is known as Tibetan Buddhism which is practiced in the Himalayan region, Mongolia and Kalmykia and other areas. It is another branch of Buddhism that is followed by 6% of Buddhist monks and is one of the most widely practiced and best known schools in the West.
Buddhism today
When talking about the characteristics of Buddhism, one of the main objectives is focused meditation, since it should be meditated as a daily routine, but the majority of the population is so busy that they do not get the time to dedicate themselves to this. That is why Buddhist philosophy focuses on the development of habits for meditation.
In this way we have the knowledge that the Buddhist philosophy has influenced a large part of the world population since since the time of Buddha "The Awakened" who was five hundred years before the religion of Christianity, he gave the foundations to have a life clarified, although it was until the middle of the XNUMXth century, where this philosophy and the main characteristics of Buddhism began to be known more closely.
Although many people believe that religion is to blindly believe in a God, one of the characteristics of Buddhism is that it is not going to speak of any god. That is why many people worldwide wonder the following: Is Buddhism a religion? So that the answer that is given is that Buddhism is going to make a philosophy of life, having as a perspective a particular vision of the world, living with ethical behavior and with guidelines by which to abide.
On the other hand, some practitioners of this philosophy of life have come to affirm that one of the characteristics of Buddhism is that it can be accepted as a psychotherapy since it is a way of being able to understand ourselves and be able to face the different challenges and dilemmas that arise. they will present us in life. For all this, Buddhism is a philosophy that encompasses the aforementioned and at the same time much more.
The philosophy of Buddhism encourages the practitioner to reconsider all the ideas that he has formed throughout his life about Buddhism since it focuses on the truths that are beyond the rational, thus revealing a transcendental vision of reality. that is lived and surpassing all the normal categories of thought.
Since one of the characteristics of Buddhism is spiritual training and in this way reach the direct and personal understanding of a transcendental life. In order to follow the path of Buddhism, the practitioner must begin with his own potential, in this way we will have the ability to be more awake, happier, wiser and freer than we are.
That is why one of the characteristics of Buddhism is to have the ability to penetrate the direct essence of the reality that is being lived and to be able to know things as they are happening, that is why the practitioner of Buddhism through the teachings and techniques will have as its ultimate goal the ability to have a full understanding of our own potential.
Since its history, the Buddhist philosophy spread first to all the countries of the Asian continent, at that time there was an interaction between the Indian culture of the region and the new teachings that the Buddha was teaching, which was causing profound effects in the practicing population. .
The union of Indian culture with the teachings of the Buddha gave the Asian continent a cultural renaissance to the different people who were practicing Buddhism. There were many situations like what happened in the Tibet region that became a legacy in their culture.
As Buddhist philosophy spread throughout the Asian continent, changes were being experienced, adapting to the specific cultures of each region of the continent, and it was done in this way in order to express its principles directly.
Buddhism is currently distinguished in the countries of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Tibet, China, Mongolia, Russia and Japan. It is also stated through some research and recent archaeological finds that many countries in the Middle East also had a Buddhist period.
That is why a set of various traditions, schools and sub-schools can be observed, that is why it is necessary to know what is true Buddhism and where they are focused since many Buddhist schools have a common element that is their ancestral origin, and It is in this way that they all flourish like branches from the trunk of the first Indian Buddhism taught by the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Although different characteristics of Buddhism are always highlighted.
This is why the Buddha started Buddhism, and every practitioner who wishes to learn the knowledge of Buddhism should approach the teachings of the Buddha "The Awakened One" as closely as possible. To do this, the practitioner must know and study the first texts where all his dialogues and points that are important to understand life are written.
Currently, practitioners of Buddhism are heirs to the teachings of the Buddha, they also comply with Buddhist traditions and can coexist and respect by practicing elements of Japanese Buddhism, as well as Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism or Thai Theravada. That is why Buddhist monks must know the original foundations of Buddhist philosophy and know its roots in order to have the knowledge of where everything came from.
Although there were some complications after the death of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Well, the Buddhist philosophy disappeared from India a thousand years ago, but then it was reborn and the Buddha's teachings spread throughout the South of Sri Lanka and throughout the Southeast of the Asian continent. Where the branch of Buddhism known as Theravada grew up and continues to flourish.
Buddhism also spread throughout the north of the Asian continent, with the Buddha's teachings reaching Tibet, China, Mongolia and Japan. And the second branch of Buddhism known as Mahayana is practiced but Buddhist philosophy has currently suffered a severe blow with the effects of consumerism and communism. But the Buddhist philosophy has reached many countries in the world turning many people into Buddhist monks.
The beliefs of Buddhism
Although there are many manifestations and beliefs about Buddhist philosophy, all schools that impart the knowledge of Buddhist teachings have many philosophical principles in common with each other and this is one of the characteristics of Buddhism. That is why all the elements of the philosophical teachings are closely related by the contents that must be practiced daily in order to achieve understanding, the Buddhist monk must have a holistic vision of everything he must know to reach the path of the spiritual freedom.
For this reason, all the studies that are carried out on the teachings of Buddhist philosophy are oriented so that the Buddhist practitioner is guided or pointed out the dharma, This means that the cosmic or universal order must be followed, but whoever must realize it will do the same practitioner through the constant practice of guided meditation.
That is why the practitioner must focus on the practice of constant meditation, but many Buddhists have read the large number of texts that are available and many have affirmed that the core of philosophy is The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism and Noble Eightfold Path, that are known throughout the world as they do not mention any God or worship deities what is done are meditative ethics and guidelines based on truths.
By doing this, Buddhism is considered as a religion that does not have to be central to a god, and that is why it is known as a non-theistic religion. But if he accepts the existence of spiritual realities such as the rebirth of the person and karma and that there are spiritual beings, such as spirits or some deities, but he does not worship any, nor the gods that are seen by people as nature permanent.
For Buddhist philosophy, deities are enlightened people who achieved enlightenment through their ethical and moral actions, as well as through the constant practice of focused meditation, such as the Buddha "The Awakened" and the treatment given to the Buddha. It has a great difference to the concept that is given in the Western world.
The Four Noble Truths
After the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama reached spiritual awakening, he gave a first discourse known as the sutra, gave it to his fellow meditators, this became known as "The setting in motion of the wheel of dharma" (Dhammacakkappavattana). In his first discourse, the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama laid the foundation for understanding the reality of suffering and how to stop it.
The four noble truths that Siddhārtha Gautama made known, are one of the main characteristics of Buddhism and with them it is verified that Buddhism is a philosophy of life, these four noble truths are named after him duḥkha; existential angst. And they are the following:
There Duhkha: suffering, dissatisfaction or discontent exist
In Buddhist philosophy, Dukkha has a very important concept and can be translated as the inability that the person has to satisfy and to have a lot of suffering. Since life is imperfect, dissatisfaction and suffering are both real and universal.
With this point begins the practices of Buddhist meditation, which are one of the main characteristics of Buddhism, that is why this truth carries the teachings on the three marks of existence and it is as explained below since we perceive the nature of the world by all its phenomena, which are:
- “Birth is suffering”
- “Old age is suffering”
- “Illness is suffering”
- "Death is suffering"
- "Association with the undesirable is suffering"
- “Separation from the desirable is suffering”
- "Not getting what you want is suffering"
With these seven characteristics of Buddhism, it can be expressed that people yearn for and cling to imperfect things and situations in life, which are known as the seven aggregates of the clinging of suffering. That is why practitioners come to be in a state called samara, which is known from the philosophical traditions of India; Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Bön, Sikhism as the cycle of birth, where there is birth, death and incarnation.
In this way, people want to achieve happiness through the search for material goods and situations that are not permanent and that is why true happiness is never reached.
The origin of the duhkha is the tṛṣṇā (in Sanskrit: the desire, the want, the longing, the thirst)
At this point it is recognized that suffering is due to the cravings that will cause desires in people, in addition it is also caused by sensual pleasures and the senses, the purpose is to look for any situation or condition that is pleasant and gives us a satisfaction in the now and later.
That is why there are three forms of longing in Buddhism which are known as the longing for sensory pleasures, (kama-tanha). The first one is known as Craving for sense pleasures (bhava-tanha). The second is known as the longing to continue in the cycle of life and death. The third (vibhava-tanha) the longing not to experience the world and the feelings of pain.
That is why the human being believes that some act, achievement, object, person or in the environment will lead him to satisfy his needs of what we call the "I" but this is nothing more than a fabrication of the mind which is impermanent. That is why craving and clinging tend to produce karma and in turn we tie ourselves to the Samsara fleet which is the round of death and rebirth.
the cessation of Duhkha, which is known as nirvana
To reach nirvana (Liberation from suffering) it is necessary to extinguish or abandon the longing and the absence of passion and not harbor more. This is a more specific concept of nirvana, this characteristic of Buddhism says that suffering can be put to an end, since nirvana is to extinguish samsara from our lives, just as we can extinguish the fire of a candle with a blow and gives it end to renaissance.
There is a path to cessation known as the Noble Eightfold Path.
One of the characteristics of Buddhism is this method or path with which the practitioner tries to prevent the extremes of the phenomenal search for satisfaction on the one hand and mortification on the other. This is going to be the path of wisdom, the path of ethical conduct and the training or cultivation of the heart and mind.
This path will be carried out through meditation and mindfulness of being in the present moment and continuously. But to be able to fulfill this goal, the practitioner needs to practice continuously and to eliminate ignorance, yearning and this leads to duhkha, this will lead him along the path of wisdom, ethics and meditation and that goes to be his noble path.
Cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth (Samsara)
One of the characteristics of Buddhism is what is known as Samsara, which refers to a theory of rebirth and the circle of life, since this means in Buddhism as something unsatisfactory and painful that lives disturbed by desire and avidya which means ignorance and from this results karma.
For the practitioner to be able to free himself from this cycle, he must focus on nirvana, which is the basis and the most important and historical justification in Buddhist philosophy. In Buddhism, rebirth is not seen as something desirable and it does not mean determinism or the destination that must be reached.
The path of Buddhist philosophy serves so that people can free themselves from that set of causes and effects. As long as this cycle can exist, we will lead a life full of duhkha (life is imperfect), since the person has to experience what he has to live and be responsible for everything he does in life.
In India there was a lot of belief in reincarnation and it was part of the context of Buddhist philosophy, which is why the thought is that rebirth should not involve any soul, since there is a doctrine of anattā (Sanskrit: anātman, not-self), which is against the concepts of the permanent self or that there is an unchanging soul, as stated in Hinduism.
What is known as the Buddhist rebirth is the process called karma, which makes the consciousness of beings manifest, but it will not have an eternal spirit or soul. That is why in the traditions of Buddhist philosophy it is affirmed that the vijñāna (a person's consciousness) must change and evolve and is the base where rebirth is experienced.
In this way, the term rebirth is used more in Buddhist philosophy than reincarnation, since the actions are of the body, but the thought has effects that will be experienced over time either in the current life or in the life next, because there is a flow of consciousness that connects over time, and at the same time connects with the previous consciousness of the person.
When there is continuity between individuals, it is known as a casual current, which will manifest itself as a trend in life through certain circumstances. Since rebirth is achieved in one of the five kingdoms according to the branch of Buddhism called Theravada, or in six according to philosophy and tradition in other schools that teach the philosophy of Buddhism, these can be: celestial kingdoms, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hell realms.
Karma in Buddhism
A very important characteristic of Buddhism is karma, which in Sanskrit translates as taking action or work. This in turn will promote Samsara, which will be the good actions (Pāli: kusala) and by rebound also the bad actions Pāli: akusala), and over time seeds remain in the consciousness of the people who go to mature in this life or in the subsequent rebirth.
That is why it should be noted that karma is a very important belief in Buddhist philosophy, since in the religions that exist in India they do not take into account fatalism or what it can cause a person because of karma.
Like any intentional action in Buddhist philosophy, karma is going to create various effects when certain things are going to happen that are prone to maturation in life. That is why karma is held as a doctrine in the Buddhist religion, like any action that comes from speech, from the body and from thought carried out with intention.
But movements that are made by volition or that have been unintentionally, such as reflexes, are exempt. These movements are known as karmic neutral movements.
It is important to note that in the Buddhist traditions the aspects of life that are affected by the law of karma will be included in the past and current births of the person in rebirth. Although in the Cula-kamma vibhanga Sutta Buddha, it is understood that this will not exist by chance but by karma. This will work as the laws of physics work in our world without any outside intervention.
In this way, in each realm of existence where human beings and gods are included, good karma and bad karma will be distinguished by how people will act from their hearts, which is why in the Kukkuravatika Sutta, the great Buddha is going to classify them in the following way:
- Dark with dark result.
- Brilliant with brilliant result.
- Dark and shiny with a dark and shiny result.
- Neither dark nor bright with a result that is neither dark nor bright.
In the doctrine of karma of Buddhist philosophy, it does not mean that there is a destiny or a predetermination, since there is no automatism in Buddhist philosophy, nor should one be blind in will and follow trends and it is not possible to anticipate what is about to happen. . In the practices of Buddhism it is allowed to observe and become aware of what can happen to you and take responsibility for these tendencies.
For many people it is necessary for them to know that karma is not a punishment, it is an impersonal law and there is no divine intervention, that is why there are types of karma that are immutable that not even the Buddha himself can affect once he is born and have a body
Conditioned arising in Buddhist philosophy
Conditioned emergence is another characteristic of Buddhism, which is very important since it is going to be a theory of Buddhism, which tries to explain the nature and relationships of the person, from birth to existence, for this reason Buddhist philosophy is going to affirm that there is nothing independent, only the state of nirvana.
In this way all the mental and physical states that are going to be there are going to arise from other states that already exist and everything is going to arise from an already conditioned state, that is why the theory of conditioned arising is going to be a formulation elaborated in the process of exist and many people will be stuck in their ignorance following a cycle of suffering.
Therefore, this process will be constant and it must be assumed that it will cover the entire duration of past lives as well as that of the current life. It will appear at each moment and therefore it must be assumed that it will be an area that is created and destroyed at each moment.
There is a Buddhist belief known as Pratītya-samutpāda, which is going to be a relationship of dependency and a basis of ontology, since there is no God who creates everything, nor is there the Vedic concept of a universal being such as (Brahman), and there is also no other transcendent principle in the Buddhist religion.
This is why in Buddhist philosophy there is an emergence that is aimed at conditions that have been created and at the same time there are very dependent phenomena that will lead to rebirth. That is why Buddhism as a philosophy of life will seek to explain all the cycles of rebirth through the doctrine known as the twelve links that establishes that ignorance does exist.
As long as ignorance is not eradicated from the practitioners of the philosophy of Buddhism, the process will be repeated endless times, that is why by eradicating ignorance this chain will be broken, which will be known as nirvana the cessation of the chain.
Nirvana awakening
The Buddha "The Awakened" who was the one who affirmed that the circle where dependent and rebirth begins can be stopped. Therefore, the general objective of Buddhist philosophy is the awakening of Samsara so that the practitioner can cease or stop the use of negative emotions (kleshas), suffering (dukkha) and be able to know the true nature of his existence.
Everything mentioned above will be able to be carried out reaching nirvana, this has been the main path that Buddhist monks must follow in this philosophy since the time of the Buddha, which means the awakened one.
The concept or word nirvana means that it is "become extinct or go out, In the first manuscripts on the Buddhist religion, comments are made on the state of moderation and self-control that the Buddhist monk must have, which will lead him to stop or cease the cycles of suffering. It is also stated in many texts that nirvana is associated with the wisdom that will know the self-not (anata) and simplicity (sunyata).
What is known as the state of nirvana in Buddhist philosophy, and which is described in various manuscripts since the time of the Buddha, and which is very similar to what is used in other religions, is that nirvana is going to be a state of complete liberation on the part of the practitioner, while others liken it to the state of enlightenment, complete happiness, supreme bliss, fearless freedom, and unfathomable and indescribable permanence.
Likewise, nirvana has been described as the unborn, the unoriginated, the uncreated, the uncompounded. However, this does not mean that it is an annihilation or isolation of the Buddhist practitioner or similar to nihilism, which is a philosophical doctrine where everything is going to be reduced to nothing.
That is why the philosophical current of Buddhism will consider nirvana as the supreme spiritual goal that the Buddhist monk must reach, a characteristic of primordial Buddhism that every person must desire as the final goal in Buddhist philosophy.
For this reason, in the daily and traditional practice of meditation that lay Buddhist monks focus on, is to seek and accumulate good through doing good deeds, such as donations to other monks and the different rituals that they perform and this will favor them so that they can have a better rebirth.
What is known as the NO-YO and emptiness
It is going to be a doctrine of Buddhist philosophy, which is going to be related to a term called (Anatta) which translates as insubstantiality or the absence of the soul. This in turn is related as that which does not exist in a permanent self, an immutable or permanent soul or essence. Some philosophers of the Buddhist religion, such as Vasubandhu and Buddhaghosa, who have a position on this doctrine of the vision that one has of the schemes of the five aggregates.
These philosophers will try to show that these five components of the personality are not going to be permanent or absolute, as they are evidenced in Buddhist discourses such as the Anattalakkhana Sutta.
Since the concept of emptiness or emptiness is going to be a concept that represents many interpretations throughout the different philosophies that Buddhism has. Since in the early days of Buddhism the five aggregates are said to be empty (kittaka), hollow (tuchanka), coreless (asāraka). In the same way, in the branch of Theravada Buddhism, it is affirmed that the five aggregates are empty in their being.
There is also another widely used concept known in the branch of Mahayana Buddhism, especially used in the Madhyamaka Buddhist school of Nagarjuna, which is known as (sunyata), which is the vision that is sustained in all phenomena (dharma) that they will not have any nature of their own and in this way there is no deep essence, so they are empty of independence.
The Three Jewels of Buddhism
In the teachings of Buddhist philosophy it has been affirmed that the three jewels of Buddhism are very important when the Buddhist monk surrenders to the trust of Buddha, Dharma and Shangha. Which in western terms have the meaning of beauty, truth and goodness respectively. Which to the Buddhist monk must mean his nature that will have to manifest itself inside and outside of him, these being the three jewels of Buddhism.
When the Buddhist monk surrenders to the devotion of these three jewels of Buddhism, it is one of the most outstanding characteristics, since the obstructions that arise due to our ego will be dissolved and purified.
That is why the devotion to the three jewels of Buddhism will remind us that we must always surrender to humility before all the immensity that surrounds us and holds us, since the ladder of life is lacking an "I" and the rungs of life are lacking this element and an attachment is generated and at the same time a rejection and configuring the different stages of the personality creating our ego.
While the ego is being configured, it reaches a point where it finally finds itself in an inner void. The self leaves aside that ladder of life and settles into different areas such as inside, outside, an object, form and emptiness and everything loses meaning.
Therefore, the practicing monk of Buddhism, when surrendering to the three jewels, will give him the knowledge to be able to understand the teachings of Buddhism through experience and reasoning and by this means he will confirm that the teachings of Siddhārtha Gautama or Buddha will be true. Among the three jewels we have:
Buddha: In all the varieties of Buddhism that exist today, they will worship the Buddha, which means "the awake” Among which we have different points of view, for example we have the branch of Theravada Buddhism which affirms that the Buddha is someone who has already awakened through his meditations and practices, reaching awakening by his own effort and insights.
Although the practitioners of Buddhism must end their cycles of rebirth and all the mental states that are not going to be healthy and that are going to lead to bad actions.
According to the Buddha, he was also subject to the limitations of the human body in various ways, as has been written in the different texts of Buddhism, where it is stated that the Buddha suffered from a lot of back pain and it was very difficult to understand since the Buddha it was very deep like the great ocean, but at the same time it had great psychic powers.
In the Theravada branch of Buddhism, Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha is seen as the Buddha of the present age. Although not in this world but he has left us many teachings such as Dharma (Teaching), the Vinaya (Discipline) and the Sangha (Community).
But in the Mahayana branch of Buddhism, which has an expanded level of teaching and cosmology with many Buddhas and other beings who have become saints (aryas), and who are residing in different worlds. Well, the texts of the branch of Mahayana Buddhism pay reverence to different Buddhas such as Sakyamuni, such as Amitabha and Vairochana and at the same time to other transcendental or supramundane beings (lokuttara).
With this, it is affirmed and at the same time maintains that the Buddhas can be contacted and can benefit the beings of this world with their teachings, since there is a Buddha who is like the spiritual king and the protector of all the creatures of this world that he has. a life with countless eons.
That is why the death and life of Sakyamuni Buddha on earth is understood to have been a mere appearance or a manifestation that was skilfully projected by this enlightened being in earthly life, who is available to people to teach through their experiences.
Dharma: It is another of the jewels and a characteristic of Buddhism that is related to the teachings of the Buddha since it includes many ideas that are described in the ancient texts of Buddhism.
These are the true teachings that will reflect the nature of our reality, it should not be a belief to be held on to, but rather a pragmatic teaching focused on action. Many Buddhist monks have compared it to a raft that is used for crossing and not for holding on.
In the same way, this universal law refers to the fact that the teachings will reveal to us the cosmic order on which everything is based. But it will be an eternal principle that is applied to all human beings and to the worlds that exist. This is why it is believed that it will be the ultimate truth and it is the reality on which the universe is based.
Therefore it is the way things really are and the Buddhist monks are certain that all the Buddhas in all the worlds, in the present, in the past and in the future, understand it and that is why they have the desire and the obligation to teach the dharma.
Sangha: It is the third jewel of Buddhism, and it is where Buddhist monks take refuge, since it refers to the monastic community of monks and nuns of Buddhist philosophy who are going to dedicate themselves to the Buddhist discipline taught by Gautama Buddha. This doctrine that was designed in the form of the Sangha as an ideal community for good living. As well as having the optimal conditions for spiritual growth.
The Sangha is made up of all the disciples who have chosen to follow this ideal way of life which is that of the Buddha, which will be a life renouncing all material goods with the minimum possessions such as the robe and his bowl for drinking. food.
This third jewel of Buddhism monks are supposed to abide by the life of the Buddha which is serving and being a spiritual example to other disciples and to the world as well as future generations. That is why there is a rule known as (Vinaya), which forces the Sangha to live in dependence on the rest of the lay community.
Monks must beg in order to lead a sangha life and have a relationship with lay life. Apart from all this, there is another definition of the Sangha which is that all those who have been able to reach any stage of awakening (Nirvana), whether they are monastic or not, will have the ability to worship the aryas who are known as the saints. of the Buddhist religion and are high spiritual beings. They have been able to attain the fruits of following the Buddhist path.
To be able to become an aryas (saints or spiritual beings of Buddhism) is a goal that exists in all forms of Buddhism out there. Also this āryasaṅgha includes holy beings such as bodhisattvas, arhats and sotapannas (“stream-enterers”).
In the Theravada branch of Buddhism and early Buddhism a disciple became a arhat which means a worthy being, and that he could achieve by his own means the awakening that is known as bodhi , or Buddha himself following the teachings of the Buddha. In this way he was able to finish the rebirth of himself and all the mental impurities of him. Meanwhile there are people called Bodhisattva who is going to be a being who is destined to awaken to buddhahood.
In Buddhist schools, as in the branch of Buddhism known as Theravada, to consider a Buddhist monk as a bodhisattva, he must make a vow in front of a living Buddha and in the same way he must receive a confirmation of his future Buddhahood. In Theravada Buddhism the future Buddha will be known as a Metteya and is respected and revered as a bodhisattva.
While Mahayana Buddhism, which is another branch of Buddhist philosophy, generally views the achievement of an arhat as something inferior, it is already seen as a fact that occurs only for the sake of the practitioner's individual liberation, thus originating the path towards being a bodhisattva as the highest and most valuable.
However in Mahayana Buddhism any Buddhist monk wishes to become a bodhicitta (desire to become a Buddha arising from a sense of compassion for all living beings). Thus, bodhisattvas will be considered as a holy being who has already reached a higher spiritual level and is seen as a supramundane being with a lot of power who has the power to provide help to innumerable beings through his advanced powers. .
Other characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism
In the branch of Mahayana, it has characteristics of Buddhism that are very different from Theravada Buddhism and other schools that teach the teachings of Buddhist philosophy, since they teach doctrines that are unique and that have a lot of content in the sutras and in the philosophical treatises of previous eras.
One of these philosophical treatises is the interpretation of the sunyata and the independent origin in which the Madhyamaka school is located. Another characteristic that influences Mahayana Buddhism is the philosophical vision that the Yogacara school of Buddhism has, which it has called the doctrine where there are only ideas or mental impressions, which in turn is also known as the doctrine of consciousness.
A researcher and thinker of Yogacara Buddhism named Mark Siderits, that in our mind we only have conscious images or mental impressions, which appear as external objects but in truth there is no such thing outside the mind.
Since we are aware of mental images or impressions that appear as external objects, but in reality these objects do not exist outside the mind. But there are many interpretations of these theories and some historians and scientists see this as a kind of idealism or a form of phenomenology.
Another characteristic of Buddhism that is noted in the Buddhist branch of Mahayana is going to be the nature of the Buddha or as the matrix of the Tathagata is known, where the nature of the Buddha is defined as a concept that can be found in the manuscripts that come from the first millennium of our era. The same happens with the sutras that are sentient beings with an essence and are of an inner nature.
In this way, everything related to the doctrines of Buddhism began to be written at the end of the second century and the beginning of the third. These writings will establish that the nature of the Buddha is to teach all those people who are afraid when they listen to the teachings. of anatta.
The paths of liberation
In the Buddhist tradition, many paths and models have been used so that the practitioner has spiritual progress in the different Buddhist schools, but they always share a basic characteristic of Buddhism such as the acronym that means ethics, there is also meditation and wisdom. and these three characteristics of Buddhism are known as the three trainings being one of the characteristics of Buddhism.
Another characteristic of Buddhism that draws attention is the practice called the middle path and it was part of the first sermon that the Buddha gave, where he presented the noble eightfold path as the middle way between austerity and hedonism, which is a moral doctrine. where he establishes the higher end of life is satisfaction.
The so-called early Buddhist texts
They are a form of presentation of the path (marga) that leads to liberation that is written in the first Buddhist texts which is called the guided talk or the gradual teaching in which the Buddha makes a step-by-step presentation of his training.
In these early texts, they are found in various sequences that are different from the graded path. One of the presentations that exist and is very important and one of the most used by the different schools of Buddhism are the well-known Noble Eightfold Path or known as the Eightfold Path of the Nobles is one of the characteristics of Buddhism.
This text can be found in different discourses but the most famous is the one known as Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta which means "The Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma".
But there are others known as the Tevijja Sutta and the Cula-Hatthipadopama-sutta that can be interpreted as schemes that lead the practitioner on a gradual path to becoming a Buddhist monk. But it should be noted that many paths are very similar since he must use meditation and ethics all the time, acting in a good way.
According to another researcher named Rupert Gethin, he refers to the path of Buddhism as an awakening for the practitioner by carrying out a very short formula which is to abandon the five obstacles and constantly practice the four establishments of mindfulness and develop the seven factors in order to reach the awakening this being a characteristic of Buddhism.
The Noble Eightfold Path
This path is presented as a characteristic of Buddhism, which is developed in eight qualities or factors that are interconnected but when they are developed at the same time they will lead the practitioner of Buddhism to a better person allowing him to stop duhkha.
The Eightfold path is made up of right seeing, right thinking, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, mindfulness and last but not least right concentration. and this is a characteristic of Buddhism.
Correct view: it is having the belief that there is a future life and that nothing will end with death since Buddha taught everyone the successful path to reach nirvana. This is a belief that focuses on the principles of Buddhism such as karma, rebirth and the four noble truths.
Correct thought: it is to have the intention to give up thoughts that are sensual and always seek peace, doing and thinking the right thing without ill will and cruelty is an outstanding characteristic of Buddhism.
speak correct: using words at the right time is a characteristic of Buddhism, but without telling lies, not saying words that can hurt other people and not saying what others think about that person and always speaking what will lead you to salvation.
Correct action: you must not kill or injure any living being, you must not take the wrong thing, no sexual acts in monastic life and for Buddhists who are lay people you must not commit inappropriate sexual acts, such as engaging in a sexual act with someone you Whether you are married or with a single woman who is protected by your parents and is an important characteristic of Buddhism.
Right Livelihoods: It is a vital point for monks since it means having the essentials to stay alive and beg for it. For lay Buddhist monks, they must refrain from doing work that is not in accordance with the Buddhist philosophy of life and must not become a means of suffering for other beings:
“The suttas say: “trade in arms, trade in living beings, trade in meat, trade in intoxicants, trade in poison”
Correct effort: the mind must be protected from sensual thoughts, and spiritual obstacles must be avoided since Buddhist monks must prevent states of ill health, because they interrupt the practice of meditation.
Right Mindfulness: the Buddhist monk must never be wrapped up in his thoughts and must always be aware of what he is doing. This will encourage mindfulness of body, feelings, and mind. In addition to this he must be aware of the five obstacles, the four noble truths and the seven elements for spiritual awakening.
Correct concentration: all monks must follow this step to the letter since they must practice daily focused meditation that is explained in the four jhanas since it is a characteristic of Buddhism.
The Theravada Way
It is one of the branches of Buddhism and is a characteristic of Buddhism, which has various traditions and has various explanations to reach nirvana or the so-called path to awakening. However, Buddha gave various teachings that are encapsulated within the framework of the four noble truths and the Eightfold Path that were explained in this article on the characteristics of Buddhism.
Some Buddhist monks who follow the Theravada branch of Buddhism follow the presentation of the path traced by Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa. This path is known as the seven purifications that are accompanied by insight knowledge, but it is widely used by monks who are dedicated to study seeking the best buddha path for liberation.
The bodhisattva path in Mahayana
This path is based on becoming a Bodhisattva, which means that it is the person who is on the path to Buddhahood. In the earliest manuscripts of Mahāyāna Buddhism, the path used to become a Bodhisattva requires first awakening bodhicitta and constant practice of the pāramitās. besides being one of the characteristics of Buddhism.
This was done between the XNUMXst and XNUMXrd centuries AD, this tradition of Mahayana Buddhism gave way to the doctrine of the ten Bhumi, which were ten levels or stages to reach the awakening that took place during many rebirths.
The learned monks practicing Mahayana Buddhism were elaborating a very specific path for monks and laymen, this path is going to include the vow that they must teach their Buddhist knowledge to other people in order to help them to liberate themselves from Duhkha (the cessation of suffering), in order to reach Buddhahood in a next rebirth.
In this path that was created to become a Bodhisattva, the paramita were included, which are the imperfections, transcendent virtues. Although it is important to note that in Mahayana Buddhism the texts are very inconsistent in the discussion that is presented about the paramitas, since some texts list a series of paramitas that the monks must perform.
The most studied paramitas are listed and are six and are the most studied by Buddhist monks which are Dāna (Charity), Śīla (Ethics), Kṣānti (patience), Vīrya (strength), Dhyāna (Meditation), Prajñā (Wisdom). In Mahayana Sutra Buddhism also includes ten paramita, and four additional imperfections which are "skillful means, vow, power and knowledge". In this way, the paramita that is most discussed and the one with the best value is found in the texts of Mahayana Buddhism and is that of the perfection of compression.
Eastern Buddhism: It is the Buddhism that was born in East Asia, and is influenced by the Buddhist traditions of India, as well as by Mahayana Buddhism such as that found in the Da zhidu lun. In the same way, there are many presentations of what is called soteriology that includes many paths and the so-called vehicles (yana), since there are various traditions to reach the spiritual path, but there is no predominant one, besides being a characteristic of Buddhism.
A very important example of Eastern Buddhism is Zen Buddhism, where the four practices and the two entrances can be found, in order to become a Bodhidharma, we can also find The Five Ranks» by Dongshan Liangjie.
Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: it is another characteristic of Buddhism that will lead the disciplined practitioner to the path of liberation, per se described in a literary genre known as Lam-rim, which means the stages of the path. In the Tibetan schools of Buddhism they are all going to have their own presentation of the Lam-rim. This literary Buddhism dates back to the manuscripts written by the Indian master Atiśa, who became known as "The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment" (Bodhipathapradīpa, XNUMXst century).
The most used Buddhist practices
Buddhist practices are techniques and characteristics of Buddhism that the monks of Buddhism as well as the disciples constantly carry out in order to reach the path of spiritual awakening among them we can identify that the monks will be in a state of spiritual awakening and over time they will to attain the compassion, wisdom, skillful means, and many other aspects of the enlightened mind of a Buddha, and we also review the gradual path to enlightenment. (LamRim).
Listening to the Dharma: In order to start the path towards spiritual awakening, one must know what the Buddha has taught, and it is a characteristic of Buddhism found in the texts Samaññaphala Sutta and the Cula-Hatthipadopama Sutta, this being the first step, after this You must get a lot of trust and faith in the Buddha.
The most experienced Buddhist teachers of the Mahayana branch and the Theravada branch agree that the Dharma should be listened to and the Buddhist discourses of previous times be disciplinedly studied and have gone so far as to affirm the following: "if one wants to learn and practice the Buddha Dharma." In the same way in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism the texts of the stages of the path (Lam Rim) are used and it is a very important stage to hear everything about Buddhist knowledge.
Refuge: It is another very important Buddhist practice and in schools where Buddhist knowledge is taught, the "Three Refuges" should be taken as the first study, which are also known as the three jewels that have already been explained in this article on the characteristics of Buddhism.
In Tibetan Buddhism, a fourth refuge is added, which is the well-known lama. Buddhist monks believe that three refuges are the protectors of the entire monastic and lay community and, as a form of reverence, they worship him. There is an ancient formula that states the following:
“I go to the Buddha for refuge, I go to the Dhamma for refuge, I go to the Sangha for refuge”
A researcher named Harvey has come to recite this mantra and has stated that it is not a place to hide but that by constantly reciting it, it will purify and elevate the forces of the heart.
In Buddhist schools there is a ceremony that is officiated by a monk or a teacher who offers the taking of refuge to the three jewels, this is done as a public manifestation and it is also a commitment but it does not become something unthinkable in order to achieve awakening spiritual.
Many monks and practitioners of Buddhism can take shelter of the three jewels themselves with discipline and sincerity and it may be enough for some Buddhists.
Devotion: In Buddhism, devotion consists of trust and faith, which must be a quality that must be balanced with wisdom and as a companion for the monk, since it is a characteristic of Buddhism that must be practiced continuously is meditation. That is why devotion must be a very important part of Buddhist practice in order to reach spiritual awakening.
Devotional practices may also include ritual prayer, prostration, offerings, pilgrimage, and chanting. In Buddhist devotion, it will always focus on some object or image that will be considered sacred or that spiritually influences the Buddhist monastery. Some examples are: paintings or statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, stupas, and bodhi trees.
It should be mentioned that devotional singing groups have always existed in Buddhist monasteries to pay thanks to the Buddha. Since this dates back to India, since thanks to singing it helps to memorize the teachings that the Buddha transmitted in his time.
There are also rosaries that bear the name of mala, and are used to be able to tell a song that is repeated, in the same way the song is used to carry out a group meditation and to formulate common mantras and this in turn will lead to the tranquility and peace of the Buddhist monastery.
Buddhist Ethics: It is known as sila, it is a very fundamental characteristic of Buddhism since it is founded on the principle of never doing harm, and the middle path is going to be the best option since it is taken in moderation and one should not cling to anything either.
In the teachings of Buddhist philosophy, ethical principles must be determined by the action that the person takes, since actions can have a harmful or detrimental consequence for oneself or for another person, that is why Buddhist ethics consists of speaking and doing the right thing.
In Buddhist texts there are five precepts that every Buddhist monk and practitioner must follow as a minimum in order to have a Buddhist morality, since the moral system and monastic rules are one of the most important points for a monk and for Buddhist philosophy. The five precepts apply to both male and female devotees, and these are:
- Do not kill any being.
- Do not take what does not belong to me.
- Do not engage in harmful sexual behavior.
- Don't tell lies.
- Do not use alcohol or drugs that lead to inattention.
In addition to these five precepts, all Buddhist monks and nuns must comply with some 200 more rules that are written in detail in the Vinaya pitaka, which is the correct document for leading a monastic life and, in turn, is described in the Shanga.
It is also said that monks should compare themselves and in this dilemma do not harm other people. They must have a lot of compassion and a firm belief that there is karmic retribution that forms the basis of these Buddhist precepts.
It is important to note that the five precepts mentioned above are to be followed by monks who live in a monastery as well as monks who are lay and have their own home. But it should be noted that the precepts are not commandments and the transgressions that are made to the precepts do not bring religious sanctions.
But if it brings karmic sequels in the rebirth, an example is that someone who kills another person in the rebirth can do it in the realm of hell. And if the victim is another Buddhist monk, it will last longer and in more severe situations.
That is why these precepts were developed with the mission of being able to develop the mind and have the character to be able to progress on their way towards the spiritual awakening of the individual. The life that is carried out in the monastery does not have additional precepts, only follow what is called the Viyana (Discipline) and the code of monastic rules that exist.
Unlike lay monks, these transgressions made by monks will have sanctions. The strongest is total expulsion from the sangha, if he has committed any murder or engaged in sexual intercourse, theft, or false claims of knowledge of another Buddhist monk.
If the Buddhist monk has participated in some minor crime, he can be expelled for some time and allowed to enter again. Sanctions may vary according to the school, monastery and fraternity to which the offending monk belongs.
Those who are beginning monastic life as well as lay monks in many fraternities must observe eight to ten precepts from time to time. Four of these precepts are the same that any Buddhist monk or devotee of Buddhist philosophy must comply with, which are not to kill, not to steal, lie and not to become intoxicated. And the other four that must be fulfilled to the letter are:
- No sexual activity;
- Refrain from eating at the wrong time (after noon);
- Refrain from jewelry, perfumes, ornaments, entertainment;
- Refrain from sleeping on a high bed.
These eight precepts must be fulfilled to avoid problems in the next rebirth, all these precepts are remembered on the day of the precepts, it is a historical day that was established in the times of the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama. In the world this day is compared to the Judeo-Christian notion of the Sabbath.
Resignation: It is another important and characteristic practice of Buddhism that was taught since the time of Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama, this means that it is the restriction of the senses and it is a practice that is taught before formal meditation, since knowing it the monk supports in renunciation to improve your meditation.
Since knowing this practice the monk weakens the sensory desires that can be an obstacle. According to Bhikkhu Anālayo, it is when desires are restricted that the Buddhist monk can “protect the doors of the senses to prevent sensory impressions from leading to desire and sadness»
In order to carry out this practice of conscious attention to sensory impressions, the Buddhist monk must prevent harmful influences from entering his mind. Many Buddhist monks have stated that the constant practice of renunciation can achieve a sense of peace and great inner happiness and in turn forms a significant basis for a better understanding and concentration of the Buddhist monk.
This Buddhist virtue refers to the fact that Buddhist monks must give up desires and actions that are considered unhealthy in order to carry out their spiritual path, such as sensual desires and things that are worldly.
Buddhist monks cultivate renunciation in different ways, one example is to practice donation, another example is to renounce lay life and dedicate oneself to monastic life and last but not least, to practice celibacy either temporarily or in monk's life It is one of the forms of renunciation that exists.
Other Buddhist monks, in order to cultivate renunciation, use the way taught by the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama, which consists of contemplating dangers and sensual pleasure, which are part of a speech he gave to his companions. This practice is taught after the disciple already knows the practice of donation and Buddhist ethics.
Another practice that should be known that goes with renunciation is the one that Buddha taught which is called "moderation when eating for the monks it means that they will not eat anything else after noon. For lay monks they follow this rule on special occasions that are of religious observance.
Mindfulness and clear understanding: It is the training that the Buddhist monk has that will allow him to literally remember and store important information in his memory and it is a characteristic of Buddhism since in Buddhist philosophy it is essential to use memory.
A Buddhist philosopher known as Asanga went so far as to define mindfulness and clear understanding as “It means that the mind does not forget the experienced object. Its function is non-distraction» in the same way the researcher Rupert Gethin, sati is also «an awareness of the relationships between things and therefore an awareness of the relative value of each phenomenon«.
Buddhist Meditation: one of the characteristics of Buddhism that stands out the most in Buddhist philosophy, although there is a large number of meditation techniques and they will all depend on the school, monastery and fraternity to which the Buddhist monk belongs.
Although all Buddhist meditation is focused on two elements which are called samatha (mental calm, tranquility) and vipassana (direct knowledge, intuition). In Buddhist meditation there is a central nucleus and it is the calm but attentive observation of the processes and phenomena that the Buddhist practitioner may experience.
In the first Buddhist manuscripts it referred mainly to achieving the unification of the mind, it is also said that it must be in a state of stillness where the consciousness is concentrated and unified without distractions Asanga defines it as «a mental focus on the investigated object. Its function is to be a basis for knowledge (jñāna). "
In Buddhist meditation it is taught from various approaches such as breathing, the physical body, pleasant sensations and unpleasant sensations of the mind itself. The meditation methodology used in India is described in the Rigveda and in various texts of Buddhism that have been able to survive today.
Although many have affirmed that this methodology is still used today, but in any case there is knowledge from the manuscripts of the time that the Buddha taught meditation as an approach and a theory to be able to free oneself and this gave way to meditation. integration of the four jhānas together with mindfulness.
The discussions that have been held about Buddhist meditation is that there is no official concept, and that there is no inner self in meditation, in addition to this is that the excessively ascetic meditation of Jainism like the Hindu meditations that seek access to a Self eternal and universal.
The four jhanas: Although there are many forms of meditation, there is a characteristic of Buddhism that many monks use to be able to meditate in the best way and it is known as the four «rupa-jhānas» (four meditations in the field of form), they are a set of stages that are arriving at the concentration of the monk to be able to enter a state of perfect attention, stillness and lucidity.
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