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Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Buddha which are referred to as “Dharma” or “the Dharma.”  Those who practice Buddhism engage in a spiritual journey to Nirvana, a state of complete enlightenment.    Over time the Buddhist religion has evolved, fractured and adapted as the religion spread to the continent of Asia and around the globe.  There are three main sects of Buddhism today along with several lesser-known denominations of the religion.

These different Buddhist religions are all united under some core Buddhist principles. In each, the Buddha is considered the spiritual leader.  The Four Noble Truths are core to their philosophies and teachings.  Those who practice Buddhism follow the principles of the Eightfold Path and believe that Buddhahood is the highest possible state that one could achieve.

Around 300 BC, the Theravada, or “Traditions of the Elders” was first established.  Based on the teachings of Buddha, it encouraged it’s followers to use meditation as a means to teach the mind and eliminate suffering with the ultimate goal of reaching Nirvana.  Theravada Buddhism established the canon of Buddhist scriptures and the Ten Precepts which govern the lifestyle of Buddhist monks.

This discipline of Buddhism originated in India and migrated to southeast Asia into Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and other Asian countries.  As this form of Buddhism was embraced by the indigenous people, the Theravada was altered to incorporate the religious viewpoints of the various regions. It is still practiced in Laos, Sri Lanka and Cambodia today.

Eastern Buddhism known as Mahayana expands the Pali Canon and includes other religious philosophies and texts that champion of belief in universal compassion and altruism.  These beliefs are central to their concept of an “Awakened mind.”  Mahayana Buddhism is most popular in Korea, Japan and China. It incorporates elements of cosmology and mysticism.  Mahayana Buddhism itself has splintered into two variants.  Zen Buddhism, which focuses more on internalization of the spiritual path and self-reliance and Pure Land Buddhism which teaches that dedication to the Amitabha Buddha is required to reach Nirvana.

Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism is very similar to Mahayana Buddhism with subtle variations.  Also known as “tantric Buddhism,” Vajrayana melds the scriptures and text of both Mahayana and Theraveda Buddhism along with Buddhist Tantras.  A major difference of Vajrayana Buddhism is that it teaches that Buddhahood can be achieved in a single life time without need for reincarnation.   

the Path to Enlightenment and Buddhahood is the most significant difference between the various Buddhist disciplines.  While all believe in the core principles of meditation and spiritual questing guided by the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the attainment of Nirvana varies considerably.

Are you a Buddhist?  Do you meditate or practice Yoga?  If you’re searching for Asian decor to compliment your meditation space, you’ll find hundreds of Buddha statues at Big Buddha Statue.  It’s a one stop online shop for all your Buddha decor needs.

Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Buddha which are referred to as “Dharma” or “the Dharma.”  Buddhist believe they are on a spiritual journey to Nirvana, a state of complete enlightenment.    Over time the Buddhist religion has evolved, fractured and adapted as the religion spread to the continent of Asia and around the globe.  Today, there are three major sects of Buddhism and several lesser-known denominations of the religion.

Despite their differences, these variations of the Buddhist religion still share core principles. They all accept Buddha as their spiritual teacher.  The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path are core principles and philosophies of the faith.  All believe that Buddhahood is the highest possible state that can be achieved.

Around 300 BC, the Theravada, or “Traditions of the Elders” was first established.  Based on the teachings of Buddha, it encouraged it's followers to teach the mind to eliminate suffering through the use of meditation with the goal of achieving Buddhahood.  Theravada Buddhism gave life to the Tripitaka, the Pali canon of Buddhist scriptures and the laws governing the practices of Buddhist monks referred to as the Ten Precepts.

This discipline of Buddhism began in India and moved through southeast Asia into Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam and other Asian countries.  As it was adopted by the indigenous peoples, the Theravada was altered to incorporate the religious beliefs of the various regions. It is still practiced in Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia today.

Eastern Buddhism known as Mahayana expands the Pali Canon and includes other religious texts and philosophies that champion of belief in universal compassion and altruism.  These beliefs are central to their concept of an “Awakened mind.”  Mahayana Buddhism is most popular in Korea, Japan and China. It incorporates elements of mysticism and cosmology.  This form of Buddhism has splintered into two variants.  The version of Buddhism that puts emphasis on internalization of the spiritual path and self-reliance is called Zen Buddhism. The other form which emphasizes the need for dedication to the Amitabha Buddha in order to reach Nirvana is called Pure Land Buddhism.

Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism is very similar to Mahayana Buddhism with subtle variations.  referred to as Tantric Buddhism, Vajrayana melds the scriptures and text of both Mahayana and Theraveda Buddhism along with Buddhist Tantras.  Vajrayana teaches that it is possible to achieve Buddhahood in a single lifetime without the journey of reincarnation.   

the Path to Enlightenment and Buddhahood is the most significant difference between the various Buddhist disciplines.  each value meditation and spiritual journey guided by the eightfold Path and the four Noble truths, but the attainment of Buddhahood differs in each version of the Buddhist faith.

Are you a Buddhist?  Do you meditate or practice Yoga?  If you're searching for Asian decor to compliment your meditation space, you'll find hundreds of Buddha statues at Big Buddha Statue.  It's a one stop online shop for all your Buddha decor needs.