What is Buddhism?
#Buddhism #Enlightenment #Dharma, #Nirvana #Siddhartha
The term Buddhism originates from the word “buddhi”, meaning "to awaken or to be enlightened," and thus, Buddhism is a religion that leads to enlightenment. This doctrine stems from the experiences of one individual, Siddhatta Gautama (Siddhartha Gautama), who achieved enlightenment at the age of 35 and is revered as the Buddha. To this day, Buddhism has existed for over 2,500 years and has approximately 380 million followers worldwide. Up until about a hundred years ago, Buddhism was primarily an Eastern philosophy, but gradually, more people from Europe, Australia, and America have taken interest in it.

So, is Buddhism just a philosophy?

The word “philosophy” consists of two parts: “philo” meaning love or fondness, and “sophia” meaning wisdom. Thus, philosophy is the love of wisdom, or love and wisdom. Both meanings perfectly describe Buddhism. Buddhism teaches us to fully develop our intellectual capabilities for clear comprehension. It also teaches us to cultivate compassion to become true friends to all living beings. Therefore, Buddhism is a philosophy, but not just any philosophy. It is the supreme philosophy.

Who is Buddha?

In the year 623 BCE, a boy was born into a royal family in the northern region of India. The prince grew up in luxury, but soon realized that material comfort and safety do not guarantee happiness. He was deeply moved by the suffering of those around him and resolved to find the secret to human happiness. At the age of 29, he left his wife and child to seek enlightenment, sitting at the feet of the famous teachers of his time to learn. They taught him much, but none could truly comprehend the root of human suffering or how to escape it. Finally, after six years of ascetic practice and meditation, he had accumulated enough experience to break through ignorance and achieve enlightenment. From then on, he was revered as the Buddha, the Enlightened One. For 45 years, he traveled across northern India, teaching others what he had realized. The Buddha's compassion and patience were truly remarkable, attracting thousands to become disciples of Buddhism. Even at the age of eighty, despite old age and illness, he lived in happiness and peace until his death...