Buddhism

The Founder
Buddhism is a religion which was founded by Siddhartha Gautama about twenty-five hundred years ago. The word buddha is a title meaning "one who is awake". He was born the son of a wealthy family snd lived a plush life until he came to the realization that old age, sickness, and death are facts of life. He eventually left his home and wandered pondering the meaning of life. He practiced meditation and finally attained Enlightenment which means he achieved a state of being beyond anything else in the world. From then on until he died he travelled through India spreading his understanding.

The Four Noble Truths
1.Life is dukkha.-->Dukkha can be translated as suffering. All of the parts of life are suffering.
2.The cause of our suffering are the desires and the cravings in our world. -->The material objects and non-material goods such as fame and fortine cause us to suffer.
3.By ridding yourself of desire you rid yourself of suffering.-->In order to end our suffering we must not desire things.
4.The way to rid yourself of suffering is to follow the eightfold path.-->By following the eightfold path you will end your suffering because you will end your desires.
The Eightfold Path
The eightfold path is divided into three categories which are wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline.
Wisdom

Right Understanding-->One must understand the Four Noble Truths in order to have right understanding.

Right Thought-->Deals with the practitioners' reason for practicing Buddhism, requires a renunciation of worldy things and a greater commitment to spiritual matters.

Ethical Conduct

Right Speech-->Deals with the way in which a practitioner must make use of his or her words.

Right Action-->Deals with the way in which a practitioner should act in their daily life.

Right Livelihood-->States that practitioners must not engage in trades or occupations which harm other living beings.

Mental Discipline

Right Effort-->States that practitioners must keep their minds clear of thoughts which may impair their ability to put other parts of the eightfold path into practice.

Right Mindfullnes-->Means keeping the mind able to practice Buddhist meditation.

Right Concentration-->Concerned with the practice of Buddhist meditation as well.

The Five Precepts of Buddhism

I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life (killing) of living beings.

I undertake the precept to refrain from stealing.

I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct (adultery, rape, etc).

I undertake the precept to refrain from false speech (lying).

I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicants which lead to heedlessness.

Cosmology-->description of the shape and evolution of the universe according to Buddhist Scriptures

Skandha-->the five aggregates which categorize or constitute all individual experiences beyond which there is no self.

Dharma-->the teachings of Buddha which led to enlightenment and the constituent factors of the experienced world.

Shunyata-->emptiness meaning everything in life is empty of soul.

Karma-->those actions which spring from mental intent and mental obsession.

Samsara-->the continuous movement of the cycle of life(antithesis of nirvana.)

This moral system says...about...
Alcohol/Drugs-->They are not to be used if they cause any heedlessness.
Sexuality-->You are to refrain from sexual misconduct.
Honesty-->You are to refrain from false speech.
The Poor-->You are to help them.
Material Goods-->You should be a giving person and should not have many material goods.
The Human Condition-->The human condition is that we are all suffering.
The Cause of our Problems-->Our desires/cravings cause our sufferings.
The Answer to Our Human Condition-->The only way to rid yourself of suffering is to rid yourself of desire.