What is Buddhism? | Learn More About Buddhism

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TRICYCLE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.<br> Design by <a href="http://point5.com " target="_blank">Point Five</a> </p> </div> </header>  <header class="print-header" style="display: none;"> <div class="print-header__site-title"> <img class="print-header__logo" src="https://tricycle.org/beginners/wp-content/themes/beginners/images/img/tricycle-logo.png"> <div class="print-header__title">Buddhism for Beginners</div> </div> </header> <main class='main-home'> <div class="intro-card stack"> <h1 class="intro-card__heading">What Is Buddhism?</h1> <div class="intro-card__body"> <p>Buddhism is variously understood as a religion, a philosophy, or a set of beliefs and practices based on the teachings of the Buddha, or “Awakened One”—the title given to the Indian spiritual seeker Siddhartha Gautama after he attained enlightenment more than 2,600 years ago. The Buddha’s best-known teachings, the four noble truths and the eightfold path, describe the nature of human suffering and a way to liberate oneself from the existential pain of living and achieve nirvana.</p> <p>These teachings spread from India throughout Asia and eventually the rest of the world. While the broader Buddhist family includes many different schools with their own beliefs and practices, these various traditions share a conviction that one can come to understand the truth of existence by living an ethical life dedicated to spiritual development.</p> <p>That’s the short answer, but there is a lot more to say about it. Click on the questions below to dive deeper into Buddhist teachings, history, and practices.</p> </div> </div> <div class="level" id="9"> <header class="level-titles"> <div class="main-rule"></div> <h1 class="h4">Level 1</h1> <p>Let’s get started.</p> <span class="icon-level-arrow show-next-level" id="11"></span> </header> <main class="level-list"> <ul class="level-list-inset"> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/the-buddha-himself/"> <h1 class="h2">Who was the Buddha?</h1> <p> Who are we talking about when we say “the Buddha”? While most scholars agree the Buddha was a real person who lived in ancient India, the term also refers to many other enlightened beings. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>11</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/teachings/"> <h1 class="h2">What did the Buddha teach?</h1> <p> The Buddha had a lot to say about how to understand life. As his teachings spread, they picked up parts of local religious traditions and cultures, and naturally adapted to reflect that. Here are some key points of the Buddha’s teachings. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>15</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/meditation/"> <h1 class="h2">What Do Buddhists Do?</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400">Many associate Buddhism with meditation, and for good reason, but other practices are also important, and some Buddhists don't meditate. Read about some of the most prevalent Buddhist practices and how to meditate.</spa... </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>11</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/history/"> <h1 class="h2">The Many Buddhist Traditions</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The variety of Buddhist traditions across the globe is astonishing. Learn how Buddhism spread worldwide and what that means for those of us interested in it now.</span> </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>12</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/misconceptions/"> <h1 class="h2">Common Misconceptions about Buddhism</h1> <p> Are all Buddhists really vegetarian meditators? Is Buddhism pessimistic? Conflicting information about Buddhism is common. Read on to learn more about the most popular misconceptions. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>11</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/modernity/"> <h1 class="h2">Buddhism in the 21st Century</h1> <p> Buddhism has come a long way from its roots. How does Buddhism understand a modern-day issue like abortion or grapple with advances in science? Find these answers and more here. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>14</p> </div> </a> </li> </ul> </main> </div> <div class="level" id="11"> <header class="level-titles"> <div class="main-rule"></div> <h1 class="h4">Level 2</h1> <p>Discover the major Buddhist traditions.</p> <span class="icon-level-arrow show-next-level" id="22"></span> </header> <main class="level-list"> <ul class="level-list-inset"> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/traditions-overview/"> <h1 class="h2">What’s the difference between Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana?</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Buddhist schools have proliferated and evolved over time. Though the resulting variety is astounding, all schools share a common foundation. Learn about the two major traditions and the largest sub-tradition here.</spa... </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>4</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/theravada/"> <h1 class="h2">Inside the Theravada tradition</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Theravada, the “way of the elders,” rests on core Buddhist teachings and is the predominant form of Buddhism practiced in Southeast Asia.</span> </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>12</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/zen/"> <h1 class="h2">What makes a Buddhist a Zen Buddhist?</h1> <p> Zen is a Mahayana tradition that emphasizes simplicity, <i>zazen</i> meditation, nonduality, and nonconceptual understanding. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>10</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/nichiren/"> <h1 class="h2">Who was Nichiren and what is the Nichiren school?</h1> <p> Nichiren Buddhism is a Mahayana school named after a 13th-century Japanese priest who stressed the <i>Lotus Sutra.</i> </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>10</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/pure-land/"> <h1 class="h2">What does it mean to be a Pure Land Buddhist?</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400">The Pure Land schools, found primarily in East Asia, revere the Amida Buddha, or Buddha of Infinite Light, and put their faith in him to be reborn in the Pure Land, where enlightenment comes swiftly.</span> </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>14</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/tibetan/"> <h1 class="h2">What do Tibetan Buddhists practice?</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Tibetan Buddhism, also known as Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism, embraces a wide variety of experiences and mental and physical energies for use on the path to enlightenment. </span> </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>11</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/secular-dharma/"> <h1 class="h2">Can someone be a secular Buddhist?</h1> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Secular Dharma is a recent movement that aims to reinterpret the Buddha's teachings in the context of the global, modern world. </span> </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>9</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/followers/"> <h1 class="h2">Who were the Buddha’s first followers?</h1> <p> The significance of the Buddha’s teachings often depends on who he was talking to. Get to know some of his disciples who appear throughout Buddhist texts. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>6</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/teachings-2/"> <h1 class="h2">What else did the Buddha teach?</h1> <p> Here are some more core teachings in Buddhist philosophy, including the eightfold path, the middle way, dependent origination, and more. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>14</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/practices/"> <h1 class="h2">What are the different kinds of practice?</h1> <p> Mindfulness meditation isn’t the be-all end-all of Buddhist practice. Dive into more practices here. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>15</p> </div> </a> </li> </ul> </main> </div> <div class="level" id="22"> <header class="level-titles"> <div class="main-rule"></div> <h1 class="h4">Level 3</h1> <p>Delve deeper into Buddhist teachings.</p> <span class="icon-level-arrow show-next-level" ></span> </header> <main class="level-list"> <ul class="level-list-inset"> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/precepts/"> <h1 class="h2">What are the precepts?</h1> <p> These five guidelines for ethical living are integral to the Buddha’s path of practice: refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false and harmful speech, and intoxication. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>6</p> </div> </a> </li> <li class="stack"> <a href="https://tricycle.org/beginners/decks/holidays/"> <h1 class="h2">What holidays do Buddhists celebrate?</h1> <p> In Buddhist communities, the annual calendar is populated with holidays and festivals, times for celebration, reflection, and gathering together. Learn about these holidays here. </p> <div class="stack-count"> <span class="icon-stack"></span> <p>10</p> </div> </a> </li> </ul> </main> </div> </main> <div class="print-footer" style="display: none;"> <p>Buddhism for Beginners is an initiative of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to making Buddhist teachings and practices broadly available.</p> <p>COPYRIGHT 2023. TRICYCLE. 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