Main Ideas of Buddhism

Kaye Jones

Kaye Jones has been a freelance writer since 2009, specializing in history, education and mental health. Her undergraduate dissertation was published by the Internet Journal of Criminology. Jones has a first-class honors Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Manchester.

By Kaye Jones, eHow Contributor

Buddhists often pay respect to the image of the Buddha.

Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that originated in India more than 2,500 years ago. Buddhism arose as the result of Siddhartha Gautama's quest for enlightenment. Although many Buddhist traditions exist, such as Theravada, there are certain ideas that are common to and shared by all Buddhists. As of 2009, there were approximately 375 million Buddhists in the world.

Four Noble Truths

Developed by the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths are a main tenet of Buddhism. The truths teach that all life is suffering and that this is caused by craving and aversion. You can overcome this suffering, however, and attain true happiness. When you learn to give up useless cravings and desires, you can dedicate more time to helping others. This is known as nirvana: the liberation and freedom from suffering.

Eightfold Path

The Buddha taught that following the Eightfold Path is the way to reach the state of nirvana. In essence, this path consists of understanding and following the Four Noble Truths, conquering negative thoughts, being mindful and practicing meditation. Living life according to the Five Precepts is an important part of following the Eightfold Path.

These are the rules that Buddhists live by: Do not harm others; do not steal; do not lie; do not misuse sex; and do not consume alcohol or drugs.

Read more: Main Ideas of Buddhism | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8542583_main-ideas-buddhism.html#ixzz2BeOdOGld