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Essence of World Religions
Adherents Over 300 million in China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Indonesia, Korea, and Tibet.
Goals The primary goal of Buddhism is Nirvana, defined as the end of change, and literally meaning "to blow out” as one blows out a candle. The Theräväda tradition describes the indescribable as peace and tranquility. The Mahäväna tradition views it as emptiness and the unchanging essence of the Buddha and ultimate reality. Nirvana is synonymous with release from the bonds of desire, ego, suffering, and rebirth. Buddha never defined the term except to say, "It is unborn, unoriginated, unmade, and uncompounded”. Nirvana is not a state of annihilation, but of peace and reality. Buddhism does not believe in a creator God and thus no union with God.
Path of Attainment Buddhism takes its followers through progressive stages of spiritual progress, namely Dhyana, Samapatti, and Samadhi.
Dhyana is meditation, which leads to moral and intellectual purification, and to detachment, which leads to pure consciousness. Samapatti, or further Dhyana, leads to a state that is perfect solitude. This leads further to Samädhi. Samadhi is the attainment of supernatural consciousness and finally to Nirvana.
Synopsis The goal of life is Nirvana. Buddha's essential teachings contain the four Noble Truths: Suffering: Life is permeated by suffering or dissatisfaction. Being born, old age, sickness, and death are all suffering. Union with what we dislike is suffering; separation from what we desire is suffering. This is the essential nature of life. Cause of Suffering:
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