BUDDHISM
The Madhyamaka school
of Buddhism, the followers of which are called Mādhyamikas, was one of the two
principal schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism in India, the other school being the
Yogācāra. The name of the school is a reference to the claim made of Buddhism
in general that it is a middle path (madhyamā pratipad) that avoids the two extremes of
eternalism—the doctrine that all things exist because of an eternal essence—and
annihilationism—the doctrine that things have essences while they exist but that
these essences are annihilated just when the things themselves go out of
existence. The conviction of the Madhyamaka school, which can be called the
Centrist school in English, is that this middle path is best achieved by a
denial that things have any inherent natures at all. All things are, in other
words, empty of inherent natures. This doctrine of universal emptiness of
inherent natures (svabhāva-śūnyatā) is the hallmark of the school, which places the school solidly
in the tradition associated with the Perfection of Wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) literature of Mahāyāna Buddhism. (Stanford)
Buddhism
is the 4th largest
religion in the world at present. There are about 500 Millions followers of
Buddhism in the world.
Gautam
Buddha was born around 560 BCE in Shakhya clan of king Suddodhan and queen Maya
in Lumbni (Nepal). Since his mother had died in 7 days after his birth, he was
brought up by his mother’s sister Mahaprapati, who became his foster mother. He
was named Siddhartha. He was married at the age of 16 years to Yshodhara and
had a son from her named Rahul. Due to forecast of Astrologers that Siddhartha
may become a recluse, King had confined him in the palace with all the luxuries
for him. However Siddhartha bribed his way out of the palace and went to
Rajgriha then from there to Himalayas and practiced Yoga.
Later
after listening songs from passing by dancing girls, he realised that torturing
of body is wrong for attaining peace.
In Gaya
when he was sitting under a Peepal tree in Meditation, he was said to be
distracted by Maya (delusion) but his earnest meditation brought him
Enlightenment and he danced for 7 days in Ecstasy. His face glowed with Aura,
Compassion and happiness. People called him a Buddha, the awaked and
Compassionate one.
He had
discovered the Middle Path. Magadha king Bimbsar accepted Buddhism and had set
up ‘Viharas’ (places for followers to live & pray) and thus naming his
Kingdom as ‘Vihar’ (Bihar). Buddha’s first discourse was delivered in Sarnath,
Varanasi (Benaras), where his five old companions became his first disciples.
Then onwards he remained in the Gangetic planes and spread his knowledge. He
died in Kushinagar due to some error in his food.
Main
Body of Buddhism:
Buddha
taught on the basis of his four basic premises which he called four truths:
(1) Life
is Dukhah (suffering)
(2)
Suffering is caused by cravings.
(3)
Suffering ends when cravings end; Delusions end.
(4) The
sufferings can be ended by following the Eight fold Path.
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