Hello dear readers - seekers of knowledge and truth!

As you know, knowledge of any subject begins with the study of its foundations. Therefore, we suggest that today you talk briefly about the main ideas of Buddhism: learn the most important thing about this storehouse of wisdom, go back two and a half thousand years ago, get to know Buddha Shakyamuni and study the main provisions of his philosophical heritage.

Also, this article will tell about the fundamental truths, commandments, scriptures and outline the boundaries between different schools of Buddhism.

A bit of history

The concept of "Buddhism" was introduced not by adherents of this trend, but by European leaders about two centuries ago.

Today Buddhism is known on all continents. He is especially revered in Asian countries, in the Far East. But Buddhists, who number nearly half a billion people, also live in Western countries.

Many large European cities have Buddhist communities. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Russia - this is not the whole list of countries where Shakyamuni's heritage is revered.

Key ideas

It is important to understand that Buddhism is not a religion in the usual sense, it is rather a philosophy, tradition, a system of views on life, the main goal of which is to achieve enlightenment.

There is no God here, whose origin is transcendental and whose worship is uncomplaining. Buddha is not God, he is a man who managed to achieve nirvana, and he tells his disciples his way.

The emphasis is on the fact that a person himself must have the desire to change, understand the nature of this world, clear the mind of vain thoughts, indulge in deep reflections, achieve harmonious relationship with the outside world, get rid of passions, desires and be saved. This is called nirvana - complete liberation from suffering.

Nirvana can be achieved through adherence to strict ethical precepts, constant meditation, recitation of mantras, a humble, ascetic manner of behavior, as well as with the support of various bodhisattvas and Buddhas - beings who have already attained Enlightenment.

Nirvana ends the rotation of the wheel of samsara - a series of rebirths. Buddhists do not doubt the idea of ​​reincarnation, but in every life people are born, get sick, die, which in itself is suffering. Coming out of, you can get rid of it forever.

An important concept of the Buddhist tradition, known to many, is. Any of our actions, feelings and even thoughts are reflected in the future. They, good or destructive, will leave a karmic imprint and will inevitably lead to consequences.

The laws of cause and effect are inextricably linked with this view. Shakyamuni taught that everything has conditions for its appearance and entails certain consequences.

Buddha said: “ Good reason forms good result. Bad reason- poor result. My reason is my result. "

Philosophy defines core values:

• Buddha is a great Teacher, and also everyone who has reached the truth by his path is called a Buddha;
• - doctrine, its provisions, concepts;
• The Sangha is a Buddhist community that teaches correct adherence to rules and immutable principles.

On the path to liberation, one must learn to resist difficulties, sweep away the so-called "three poisons":

• ignorance, departure from the truth;
• indulgence of passions and bodily desires;
• angry, unrestrained behavior.

Buddhist tradition adheres to the main ideas:

• four noble truths;
• five commandments;
• middle way;

Truths

Shakyamuni taught four noble truths to his disciples:

• there is much suffering in the world - dukhi;
• they have a reason behind them - desires;
• there is a way to get rid of suffering;
• this path leads to nirvana.

Commandments

• do not harm living beings, do not kill them;
• do not steal;
• dont lie;
• not commit adultery;
• do not use intoxicants.

Middle way

Buddha instructed descendants to adhere to the "middle path". This means that one should not rush to extremes from a life entirely consisting of pleasures to complete austerity, which can harm a person. Need to find the golden mean, which will contribute to spiritual and physical development.

Eightfold path

You need to go through eight stages on the road to self-improvement, the main reward in which will be the highest stage - nirvana. All steps are important, they interact, so it is important to direct in the right direction:

• understanding, vision of the world;
• thoughts, intentions;
• the words;
• actions;
• Lifestyle;
• efforts, efforts;
• attention, mental and sensory control;
• concentration, which is achieved by meditation.

Sacred books

The main book, like the Bible for Christians, like the Koran for Muslims, for Buddhists, is Tripitaka. It is a collection of scriptures organized in three different volumes. Hence the name, which translates as "three baskets".

• Vinaya Pitaka. Describes the rules of behavior for monks within the community, about five hundred rituals conducted, gives examples from the life of the Awakened One and curious parables about some traditions.
• Sutra Pitaka. It stores in itself over ten thousand famous sayings of the Teacher, reveals the details of his life.
• Abhidharma Pitaka. The section on the theory of philosophy, which systematizes the concepts, knowledge, fundamental principles of the Dharma.

Schools

Over the centuries, the Buddhist view has spread far beyond the borders of the homeland, drawing thousands of adherents along with it. It transformed, changed, flowed from one form to another. The basis of Buddhism remains intact, but nevertheless, some views on the world order may differ from one direction to another.

In one of them, for example, Buddha personalities worship and deify boddhisattvas, while in another, no authority may be recognized except for their own heart. According to one school, only monks who have accepted asceticism can become a Buddhist, the other accepts into its ranks everyone who sincerely believes.

There can be a lot of such examples, therefore it is customary to separate the main currents, which, in turn, are divided into smaller directions.

Theravada

The oldest school, which appeared soon after Shakyamuni's parinirvana. She is considered the strictest and most conservative. According to Theravadins, only a monk can achieve nirvana.

There are no special rituals, a pantheon of saints, or images in the form of sculptures. Everything is based on the actions, thoughts and correct behavior of a person.

Mahayana

A school that gives hope even to the laity to break out of the circle of rebirth, which means suffering, and to achieve Awakening. It is also known as the Great Chariot.

This direction presents the images of saints - boddhisattvas, buddhas, so that they help believers in such a difficult task.

Vajrayana

Familiar to many also as the "Diamond Chariot", she places tantra at the center of the dharma - the art of self-development, healing through various practices, meditation, self-control, and self-awareness.

Nowadays, the geography of Buddhism is incredibly wide, there are several classifications of its currents, and in their listing, many call the average figure eighteen. Among them are Tibetan schools, for example, Gelug, Kagyu, Nyingma, as well as Japanese Shingon, Zen , neo-Buddhism and many other ramifications.

Conclusion

Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! The Buddhist world is amazing, we are just beginning to discover it. Share this article on social networks and we will seek the truth together.

Buddhism, along with Islam and Christianity, is considered a world religion. This means that she is not identified by the ethnicity of her followers. Any person can practice it, regardless of their race, nationality and place of residence. In this article, we will briefly review the main ideas of Buddhism.

A summary of the ideas and philosophy of Buddhism

Briefly about the history of the emergence of Buddhism

Buddhism is one of the most ancient religions in the world. Its origin took place in opposition to the then dominant Brahmanism in the middle of the first millennium BC in the northern part of India. In the philosophy of Ancient India, Buddhism occupied and occupies a key place, closely intertwined with it.

If we consider the emergence of Buddhism briefly, then, according to a separate category of scientists, this phenomenon was facilitated by certain changes in the life of the Indian people. Around the middle of the 6th century BC. Indian society was hit by a cultural and economic crisis. Those tribal and traditional ties that existed before that time began to gradually undergo changes. It is very important that it was during that period that the formation of class relations took place. Many ascetics appeared, wandering around the vastness of India, who formed their own vision of the world, which they shared with other people. So, in opposition to the foundations of that time, Buddhism appeared, which deserved recognition among the people.

A large number of scholars believe that the founder of Buddhism was a real person named Siddhartha Gautama , known as Shakyamuni Buddha ... He was born in 560 BC. in a well-to-do family of the king of the Shakya tribe. From childhood he knew neither disappointment nor need, he was surrounded by boundless luxury. And this is how Siddhartha lived his youth, unaware of the existence of disease, old age and death. The real shock for him was that he once encountered an old man, a sick man and a funeral procession while walking outside the palace. This influenced him so much that, at the age of 29, he joins a group of itinerant hermits. So he begins to search for the truth of being. Gautama tries to understand the nature of human troubles and tries to find ways to eliminate them. Realizing that an endless series of reincarnations is inevitable, if not getting rid of suffering, he tried to find answers to his questions from the sages.

After spending 6 years wandering, he tested different techniques, practiced yoga, but came to the conclusion that such methods cannot be enlightened. He considered meditation and prayer to be effective methods. It was when he was spending time meditating under the Bodhi tree that he experienced enlightenment, thanks to which he found the answer to his question. After his discovery, he spent several more days at the site of a sudden insight, and then went to the valley. And they began to call him Buddha ("enlightened"). There he began to preach the doctrine to people. The very first sermon took place in Benares.

Basic concepts and ideas of Buddhism

One of the main goals of Buddhism is the path to nirvana. Nirvana is a state of awareness of one's soul, achieved through self-denial, refusal comfortable conditions external environment... Buddha, after spending a long time in meditation and deep reflection, mastered the method of controlling his own consciousness. In the process, he came to the conclusion that people are very attached to worldly goods, overly worried about the opinions of other people. Because of this, the human soul not only does not develop, but also degrades. Having achieved nirvana, one can lose this addiction.

The Inherent Four Truths Underlying Buddhism:

1. There is the concept of dukkha (suffering, anger, fear, self-flagellation and other negatively colored experiences). Everyone is under the influence of dukha to a greater or lesser extent.
2. Dukkha always has a reason that contributes to the emergence of addiction - greed, vanity, lust, etc.
3. You can get rid of addiction and suffering.
4. One can completely free oneself from dukha through the path leading to nirvana.

Buddha was of the opinion that it is necessary to adhere to the "middle path", that is, each person must find a "golden" mean between a wealthy, satiated with luxury, and an ascetic, deprived of all the benefits of humanity, a way of life.

There are three main jewels in Buddhism:

1. Buddha - he can be either the creator of the teaching himself or his follower who has attained enlightenment.
2. Dharma is the teaching itself, its foundations and principles, and what it can give its followers.
3. Sangha is a community of Buddhists who adhere to the laws of this religious teaching.

To achieve all three gems, Buddhists have recourse to the fight against three poisons:

• detachment from the truth of being and ignorance;
• desires and passions that contribute to the emergence of suffering;
• incontinence, anger, inability to accept anything here and now.

According to the ideas of Buddhism, everyone experiences both physical and mental suffering. Disease, death and even birth are suffering. But such a state is unnatural, so you need to get rid of it.

Briefly about the philosophy of Buddhism

This teaching cannot be called only a religion, in the center of which is God, who created the world. Buddhism is a philosophy, the principles of which we will briefly consider below. Teaching involves help in directing a person to the path of self-development and self-awareness.

In Buddhism, there is no idea that there is an eternal soul that atones for sins. However, everything that a person does and in what way will find his imprint - it will definitely return to him. This is not divine punishment. These are the consequences of all actions and thoughts that leave traces on their own karma.

In Buddhism, there are basic truths revealed by the Buddha:

1. Human life is suffering. All things are impermanent and transient. As it arises, everything must be destroyed. Existence itself is symbolized in Buddhism as a flame devouring itself, and yet fire can only bring suffering.
2. Suffering arises from desires. Man is so attached to the material aspects of existence that he is frantically hungry for life. The more this desire is, the more he will suffer.
3. Getting rid of suffering is possible only through getting rid of desires. Nirvana is a state in which a person experiences the extinction of passions and thirst. Thanks to nirvana, a feeling of bliss arises, freedom from transmigration of souls.
4. To achieve the goal of getting rid of desire, one must resort to the eightfold path of salvation. It is this path that is called "middle", allowing you to get rid of suffering by rejecting extremes, which is something in between torturing the flesh and indulging in physical pleasures.

The eightfold path of salvation presupposes:

• correct understanding - the most important thing to do is to realize that the world is full of suffering and sorrow;
• correct intentions - you need to take the path of limiting your passions and aspirations, the fundamental principle of which is human egoism;
• correct speech - it should be good, so it is worth watching your words (so that they do not ooze evil);
• right actions - one should do good deeds, refrain from non-virtuous actions;
• a correct way of life - only a worthy way of life that does not harm all living things is able to bring a person closer to deliverance from suffering;
• correct efforts - it is necessary to tune in to good, drive away all evil from yourself, carefully following the course of your thoughts;
• correct thoughts - the most important evil comes from our own flesh, getting rid of the desires of which you can get rid of suffering;
• correct concentration - the eightfold path requires constant training, concentration.

The first two stages are called prajna and involve the stage of attaining wisdom. The next three are the regulation of morality and correct behavior (shila). The remaining three steps represent the discipline of the mind (samadha).

Directions of Buddhism

The very first who supported the Buddha's teachings began to gather in a secluded place during that period while it rained. Because they renounced any property, they were called bhiksa - "beggars." They shaved their heads bald, dressed in rags (mostly yellow color) and moved from place to place. Their life was unusually ascetic. In the rain, they hid in caves. They were usually buried where they lived, and a stupa (dome-shaped crypt structures) was erected on the site of their graves. Their entrances were made deafly walled up and buildings for various purposes were erected around the stupas.

After the death of Buddha, a convocation of his followers took place, who canonized the teaching. But the period of the greatest flourishing of Buddhism can be considered the time of the reign of Emperor Ashoka - III century. BC.

Can be distinguished three main philosophical schools of Buddhism , formed in different periods of the existence of the doctrine:

1. Hinayana... The monk is considered the main ideal of the direction - only he can get rid of reincarnations. There is no pantheon of saints who could intercede for a person, there are no rituals, the concept of hell and heaven, religious sculptures, icons. Everything that happens to a person is the result of his actions, thoughts and lifestyle.
2. Mahayana... Even a layman (of course, if he is pious), on a par with a monk, can achieve salvation. The institution of bodhisattvas appears, who are saints who help people on the path of their salvation. The concept of paradise, a pantheon of saints, images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas also appear.
3. Vajrayana... It is a tantric teaching based on the principles of self-control and meditation.

So, the main idea of ​​Buddhism is that a person's life is suffering and one should strive to get rid of it. This teaching continues to spread confidently across the planet, gaining more and more adherents.

The smallest of the three major denominations. Belonging to it does not depend on the race, nationality or place of residence of its followers. That is why hundreds of millions of its adherents are found not only in all regions of Asia and Of the Far East, but also in many states on other continents. An essay on the origin and formation of Buddhism is no less fascinating than information about Christianity and Islam. The emergence of Buddhism as a religious and philosophical movement dates back to ancient times, but the name itself arose quite recently - in the 19th century, in Europe. His homeland was India, but in the modern world he is recognized huge amount peoples with all kinds of customs. Various scholars define Buddhism as:

• religion;
• philosophy;
• ethical teaching;
• cultural tradition;
• civilization;
• the science of consciousness.

Consider what lies in its essence.

Historical background

If you do not know the basics of Buddhism, you cannot understand the greatest Eastern civilizations: India, China, Tibet, Mongolia, which are literally saturated with its philosophy. The emergence of this confession dates back to the 1st millennium BC. How old Buddhism is was determined in 1956, when UNESCO decided to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of this teaching. Symbolically, its appearance dates back to 543 BC - the year of Buddha's entry into parinirvana. Modern research has established that the date of Buddha's death is 486 BC.

As usual, the origin of Buddhism is associated with Prince Siddthartha Gautama, who lived in abundance and splendor, delivered by his father from all bad things. Encounters with the elder, with the leper and with the funeral procession became an incentive to spiritual changes for the king's son. They informed Gautama that old age, illness and death are the lot of humanity. After that he met a serene poor traveler who did not demand anything from fate. This lesson made a deep impression on the prince and made him reflect on the fate of humanity. Leaving the palace in secret, he decided to pursue the meaning of life and, at the age of 29, became a hermit.

For 45 years, Buddha spread his theory, which was the teaching of the four sublime truths. His followers called him Buddha, which means "enlightened, awakened" in Sanskrit. After his death, not a single written treatise remained. Later, other clarified individuals appeared - Buddhas, who contributed to the religious formation of civilization. Adherents of certain schools of Buddhism revered as mentors and founders of other teachings.

Fundamental views

Over the course of several years, observing his mind, Buddha concluded that people themselves become the source of human torment and sorrow: their passion for life, property and finances, belief in the inviolability and eternity of the soul. This was an experiment in creating a fallacy against global mutability. The end of torment (entry into nirvana) and awakening, in which life appears truthful and natural, can be achieved by eliminating all attachments and delusions of stability, which is facilitated by the experience of concentration and limitation, observance of the five commandments.

The Buddha stated that his theory is not a sacred prophecy, but was acquired by him as a result of meditation and observation of his own soul and other things. The position did not become dogmatic, taken on faith without criticism, and the effect depends on the follower himself. The Buddha instructed to accept his teachings only through testing by his own experience, comparing this process to the procedure for a merchant to verify the authenticity of gold upon purchase. He advised accepting his theory only after being convinced of its reliability.

Over the 25 centuries of its existence, Buddhist philosophy has absorbed a lot of various spiritual practices and rituals. Some adherents of Buddhism consider the main reflection based on meditation, others prefer to do useful things, and still others emphasize the worship of Buddha. The dissimilarity in the concepts and ideas of different Buddhist schools obliges to accept as Buddhism any teaching that traditionally becomes Buddhist and is based on the principles established by the Buddha himself. But the interpretation of concepts in different theories is sometimes strikingly different. The Theravada adherents affirm the finality of the doctrines, and the Mahayana adherents insist on their conventions, they consider them a transitional stage in the comprehension of the teachings. The same for different teachings is:

• biography of Shakyamuni;
• acceptance of retribution and transformation (samsara);
• 4 sublime truths and the eightfold path;
• theory of dependent arising.

The interpretation of these components in different schools is also ambiguous. Some Mahayana documents describe these elements only as skillful tools to draw attention to Buddhism for people of ordinary spiritual potential.

Concept of God

A few Buddhist schools worship Buddha as God, but other adherents of the teachings see in him their founder, teacher and civilizer. They profess that the attainment of enlightenment will be possible only at the expense of the resources of the universe. Therefore, Buddhism does not recognize a creator God, omniscient and omnipotent. Every person is an element of deity. Buddhists do not have one unchanging God; every enlightened person can receive the title of Buddha. This concept of God distinguishes this denomination from many Western spiritual teachings.

Buddha himself in every possible way denied the idea of ​​the existence of a creator who created the Earth and life on it. Buddhist meditators generally believe that belief in God is a hindrance to the path to nirvana.

Although Buddhism does not recognize God, the teachings feature creatures that are roughly close to the divine essence - devas. But one cannot understand them in the same sense as deities in Western religions. They pass the test of sorrow and anguish like people, undergoing reincarnation in the wheel of samsara. Buddha becomes the wisest in the host of deities, he is called the teacher of the gods. Various teachings of Buddhism have representations that are likened to deities. God in Buddhist teachings is called by various names:

1. the creator, or the origin - the basis of the origin of the world and all living things, which cannot be understood with the help of reason;
2. brahmin - a spiritual being who realizes himself after the resurrection;
3. ideal, identical to the absolute mind.

What is the practice

Followers of Buddhism strive to free themselves from the clouding of mind, which distorts the true reality. They try to get rid of negative qualities:

• anger,
• bitterness,
• anxiety,
• horror,
• ignorance,
• lack of culture,
• pride,
• egocentrism,
• laziness,
• distrust,
• envy,
• greed,
• discontent.

The merit of the doctrine is the education in its adherents of pure and exalted qualities:

• humanity,
• generosity,
• gratitude,
• mercy,
• sympathy,
• diligence,
• prudence.

These properties contribute to the gradual mastery of the truth and purification of the mind, the result of which is a stable feeling of well-being. By working on their mind, strengthening, ennobling and making it brighter, Buddhists relieve anxiety, irritation and discontent, which ultimately lead to unhappiness, despondency and depression. This is why Buddhism is becoming an indispensable condition for enlightenment and the irrevocable release of consciousness. Buddhism is considered a religion of a worldview, not a supernatural plan.

Morality and ethical standards

The edification and ethics of Buddhism are based on the rules that prohibit harm and require a sense of proportion and modesty. These precepts instill in people prudence, thoughtfulness, concentration and moral behavior. Meditation helps the cognition and development of the adaptations of the action of the mind and logic between physical, metaphysical and speculative operations. Buddhist theories served as the foundation for many diverse schools, united by an understanding of the life of the Buddha and his concept, and focused on the multifaceted evolution of man - the rational exploitation of flesh, word and intellect.

The universality and versatility of Buddhist teachings is based not on religion, but on practice. That is why the mere presentation of its essence does not give a complete picture of this denomination. The specificity of this religious trend will be clear only in comparison with other ideologies and beliefs. One can comprehend the concept of Buddha only by freeing the energy of consciousness from harsh ethical stereotypes.

Worldwide distribution

The appeal to independence from sorrow and belief in the activity of space led to the emergence in the West in the past and the century before last, new theories of mentality and perception of the world based on the concept of Buddhism. The original followers of Buddhist philosophy were immigrants from Asian and Eastern powers, dejected by hidden anxieties. Later, they were joined by non-believers of various stripes.

Buddhism was considered the official faith in Tibet until the moment when China occupied the country in the 1950s. The Dalai Lama, the head of the Buddhists, was also the state leader of the region. As a result of the intervention of the Celestial Empire, he had to emigrate. After settling in India, he continued to lead his followers from there.

Overseas and in European countries, the teaching became very popular in the form of Zen Buddhism. This trend came from Japan, where it was formed in the XII century. This trend gained recognition after a bright speech by his follower, a Japanese monk, during the Chicago religious congress. Since then, Zen Buddhism, along with yoga, has become the most widespread orientalist theory in the West, in which the preference is given to the regulation of consciousness over the body.

In Zen practices, there is no authority of divine texts, prayers and instructions, but heightened interest is paid to personal meditations. As in traditional Buddhism, in Zen the mind is cognized through practice, the highest manifestation of cognition is enlightenment. The increased attention to Zen Buddhism is due to the simplicity of this teaching.

Concept and worldview

Buddhist teachings cannot be ranked among the creeds, the center of which is the deity - the creator of the world. This is a philosophy that assumes assistance in orienting a person to the path of self-improvement and self-knowledge. There is no idea about the existence of an immortal soul, about the atonement of sins, but it is argued that all the deeds and thoughts of a person come back. And this is not a sacred punishment, but only the result of actions and thoughts that leave imprints on personal karma.

The Buddha's discovery was that human life is sorrow, and all creation is changeable and short-lived. Sorrow is due to desire. It will be possible to avoid suffering only through detachment from passions. The goal of the followers of Buddhist teachings becomes nirvana - a position, the achievement of which allows passions to fade away, as a result of which a feeling of pleasure and independence awakens. This goal can be achieved by following the eightfold path of deliverance.

Buddhist teaching is very universal and remarkable in that it does not rely on faith. This is a philosophical theory. Practice is a significant part of it. Buddhism is too complex to be briefly described. When comparing this teaching with other world religions and ideologies, all its specific originality is revealed. This teaching can be accepted only if the consciousness is freed from ethical patterns.

BC, in the middle of the 1st millennium, as a counterbalance to the prevailing Brahmanism, Buddhism originated in the northern part of India, which is still considered one of the oldest ideologies in the world. Having taken the main position in philosophy, Buddhism originates from the preaching of Buddha (Prince Siddhartha Gautama) about the four sublime truths that were revealed to him at the moment of Enlightenment. Buddha, which is translated from Sanskrit, as enlightened.

At first, Buddhism was a teaching, ideology and philosophy, only after it became a religion. V rational system justified views on the world around, on man and knowledge, lies the Buddhist philosophy, which has developed within the framework of different directions and schools of Buddhism. The course of events that shaped the philosophy of Buddhism and the philosophy of Brahmanism differed in the way of speculation.

The Brahminist worldview was guided by the age-old power of religiosity and mythopoetic traditions, which developed a special concept of way of life and thinking. The philosophy of Buddhism, however, determines the nature of human consciousness and psyche during the accumulation of knowledge received. The founder of Buddhism reasonably explains the subtle and deep morality that comprehended him at the moment of Enlightenment, transforming the consciousness of people and changing the structure of their psyche to work in a new order of salvation or liberation. The basis of Buddhist philosophy is three points:

1. Anitya or the theory of all-round transformation and instability

Everything that exists is subject to modification and dynamism. “All things are subject to change and decay, all that exists is created by special conditions, disappearing with their elimination. Everything that has a beginning has an end, ”said Buddha;

2. Pratya Samutpada or Theory of Dependent Arising

The variability inherent in everything that exists is not chaos, for it obeys the rule of the interdependent emergence of dharma. A single and instinctive rule of communication determines all the events of the spiritual and material worlds. Without the support of a conscious leader, the Dharma acts intuitively. The arising root cause accompanies the consequence. Everything that exists is predetermined and has a foundation. Nothing happens without a reason;

3. Anatmavada or the theory of the non-existence of the soul

The state of denial of the absolute higher "I" or Atman. Buddha does not deny the indivisibility of the identical substance (soul) in a person and a single series of streams of situations. The ongoing stream of situations is life, depending on the previous conditions, giving rise to the next states. The formation of vital unity is most often interpreted as a burning lamp throughout the night, because its flame is subject to the conditions of the moment of burning. The soul, in this theory, is replaced by a continuous stream of consciousness. In such a situation, transmigration of souls into other bodies does not exist.

Ideas of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni was not the Creator or God, he was an ordinary person who found the opportunity to understand life - the source of external and internal difficulties. Overcoming his own difficulties and limitations, he realized the effective opportunity to help other people, becoming a Buddha - fully Enlightened. He proved by his own example that any person can achieve Enlightenment, because he has the abilities, capabilities and factors that allow transformation to take place - in everyone, "Buddha nature" prevails.

All have intelligence, capacity for understanding and knowledge; there is a heart and a gift for showing feelings towards others. Everyone is gifted with communication and energy, that is, the ability to act. Teaching people individual systems and methods, Buddha understood that people are not identical and are characterized by different inclinations, therefore he did not put forward any one dogmatic teaching. Stimulated people to accept faith and test it by their own experience.

Buddhism contains the idea of ​​equality of all people in terms of their possession of the same opportunities. In Buddhism, there is no idea of ​​the kingdom of an infinite soul that atones for sins, but a person's actions will certainly return, causing karma, but not divine punishment. Human actions are the result of thoughts and actions.

The Dalai Lama is the supreme head, the Guru of all Guru and the spiritual mentor of all Buddhists in the world of the present time. According to him, the path to happiness lies through three stages: knowledge, humility and creation. Everyone has the will to choose what is closest to him. The Lama chose two paths: knowledge and creation. Buddhism tells people about themselves, arousing true interest, stirring up consciousness and reason, helping a person find harmony with himself and being the shortest path to understanding his own existence.

Despite this, not everyone is given to understand and achieve full-fledged knowledge, only those who see the root of their failures will be able to see the highest design of the Universe. The desire to establish contact between themselves and the Universe, asking the question "Who are we and where did we come from?" Gives people the opportunity and strength to improve themselves. The main and paramount ideas of Buddhism are:

• The world is a deep ocean of suffering and sorrow that surrounds us everywhere;
• The basis of suffering lies in the selfish desires of man;
• Internal work on oneself, getting rid of desires and egoism - allows you to achieve Enlightenment and liberation from suffering or Nirvana - bliss and freedom of thought, which are the primary source of all troubles.

Each person is given the opportunity to fulfill simple rules leading to happiness, but in the modern world this is difficult to follow, because there are many temptations that weaken our will. Most adherents of Buddhism leave their homes and go to monasteries, ridding themselves of thoughts of temptation. This is the right, but difficult path to knowing the meaning and achieving nirvana.

Buddhist Belief - Truths and Foundations

There are basic concepts of Buddhist doctrine:

• Karma - as a fundamental principle that explains the causes and effects of events that happen to a person. "What goes around comes around";
• Incarnations are the rule of rebirth of some living beings into others. This rule differs from the "transmigration of souls", since it does not recognize the existence of a permanent soul, as. Karma passes from one living being to another.
• Four noble truths articulated by Shakyamuni.

The attainment of Nirvana is one of the basic goals of Buddhism. Nirvana is the highest degree of awareness achieved by renouncing oneself and comfortable conditions. After spending long meditations and deep reflections, the Buddha comprehended self-control over consciousness, which led him to the conclusion about human attachments to worldly goods and immoderate concern about the opinions of others.

In this regard, the human soul stops improving and begins to degrade, but only the achievement of nirvana will help to get away from the "slave" behavior. There is a circle of basic beliefs that serve as the foundations of Buddhist teachings. These basic considerations contain 4 noble axioms:

1. About suffering. Every person is influenced to one degree or another by Dukhi - negative thoughts, anger, fears and suffering;
2. The root cause of suffering. Dukhi has a cause that contributes to the emergence of dependence on greed, weak will, lust and other destructive desires;
3. About self-elimination of the root causes of suffering. Everyone is given a chance to get rid of Dukha;
4. About the path of liberation. Complete liberation from Dukha lies on the path to Nirvana.

The first truth says about the existence of a person in suffering, dissatisfaction, disappointment and happy moments, in the future, also lead to suffering. Suffering or torment is the reason, in the form of a great desire to master something, lying in attachment to people and people to the existing world.

The meaning of the first two axioms is overcome by the next two, where they speak about the generation of reasons for suffering and their subservience to human will - in order to interrupt the vicious circle of suffering and disappointment, it is necessary to give up desires. The key to getting rid of the causes of suffering lies in the fourth axiom, which is confirmed in the eightfold noble path. "The good eightfold path is about right views, intentions, speech, unmistakable actions, lifestyle, right efforts, awareness and concentration." The eightfold path has three main components:

• culture of behavior (unmistakable thoughts, words and actions), including the commandments: do not kill, do not steal, do not lie and do not commit adultery; and virtues; generosity, good nature, humility and purification;
• the culture of meditation (conscious concentration) - a set of exercises aimed at achieving inner peace, detachment from the world and pacification of passions;
• culture of wisdom (correct views) - knowledge of 4 noble truths.

Of all the noble axioms, the eightfold path forms Buddhist philosophy. But not a single religion in the world recognizes the possibility of man by his own efforts to become a god-like being. You should not rush to extremes, keeping the "middle path" or "golden" mean of the spiritual and material worlds, you can approach God.

A brief history of the emergence of Buddhism

In the philosophy of ancient India, Buddhism, which allows you to comprehend Zen, is and was in the leading position of society. Considering briefly the origin of Buddhism, we note that its emergence was facilitated by changes in life situation people of India. Roughly, in the middle of the sixth century BC, the society was affected by economic and cultural crises. The generally accepted customs that existed before the emergence of a new religion have undergone a transformation.

Most important was the fact that at that time class relations were forming in society. The emergence of ascetics, who formed their own vision of the world, served the emergence of Buddhism, which opposed the traditions of the past. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who was born into the family of a wealthy king of the Shakya tribe in 560 BC, was the future founder of Buddhism. The rich prince, from childhood to young years, did not feel disappointment and need, was surrounded by luxury, being unaware of the existence of disease, old age and death.

Once, while walking outside the palace, the prince faced a real shock: old, sick people and a funeral procession. The sight he saw had such a strong influence on Siddhartha that at the young age of 29 he joined the wandering hermits. Since then, he began to search for the truth of being, trying to contemplate the nature of human problems, looking for ways to exclude them. In search of answers from the sages to questions of interest, he realized that an endless string of reincarnations is inevitable if one does not free oneself from suffering in the present incarnation.

During 6 years of pilgrimage, Gautama tried various techniques and yoga practice, moving on to other ways to achieve Enlightenment. The way that worked was meditation and daily prayer. In the moment of meditation under the famous Bodhi tree, he comprehended Enlightenment and found the long-awaited answers to his questions. For several days he was in one place, after this and unexpected understanding. Then, having gone to the valley of the Ganges, he received the name "Enlightened One" and began to preach the doctrine to the people, starting from the city of Varanasi in the north-east of India.

It originated in the middle of the first millennium BC in the north of India as a movement opposed to the dominant Brahmanism at that time. In the middle of the VI century. BC. Indian society was going through a socio-economic and cultural crisis. The tribal organization and traditional ties disintegrated, the formation of class relations took place. At this time in India there was a large number of wandering ascetics, they offered their vision of the world. Their opposition to the existing order aroused the sympathy of the people. Among the teachings of this kind was Buddhism, which acquired the greatest influence c.

Most researchers believe that the founder of Buddhism was real. He was the son of the head of the tribe shakyev, born in 560g. BC. in the north-east of India. Tradition says that the Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama after a careless and happy youth, I acutely felt the frailty and hopelessness of life, horror at the idea of ​​an endless series of reincarnations. He left home in order to communicate with the sages to find the answer to the question: how can a person be freed from suffering. The prince traveled for seven years and once, when he was sitting under a tree Bodhi, an insight descended upon him. He found the answer to his question. Name Buddha means "enlightened." Shocked by his discovery, he sat under this tree for several days, and then went down to the valley, to the people to whom he began to preach a new teaching. He gave his first sermon in Benares. First, he was joined by five of his former students, who left him when he abandoned asceticism. Subsequently, he gained many followers. His ideas were close to many. For 40 years he preached in North and Central India.

Truths of Buddhism

The main truths revealed by the Buddha were as follows.

All human life is suffering. This truth is based on the recognition of the impermanence and transience of all things. Everything arises to be destroyed. Existence is devoid of substance, it devours itself, therefore in Buddhism it is designated as a flame. And only sorrow and suffering can be borne out of the flame.

The cause of suffering is our desire. Suffering arises because a person is attached to life, he longs for existence. Since existence is filled with sorrow, suffering will exist as long as one longs for life.

To get rid of suffering, one must get rid of desire. This is possible only as a result of achieving nirvana, which in Buddhism is understood as the extinction of passions, the cessation of thirst. Isn't this the end of life at the same time? Buddhism avoids answering this question directly. Only negative judgments are expressed about nirvana: this is not desire and not consciousness, not life and not death. This is the state in which one is freed from the transmigration of souls. In later Buddhism, nirvana is understood as bliss, consisting in freedom and spiritualization.

To get rid of desire, one must follow the eightfold path of salvation. It is the definition of these steps on the path to nirvana that is fundamental in the teachings of the Buddha, which is called middle way, allowing to avoid two extremes: indulgence of sensual pleasures and torture of the flesh. This teaching is called the eightfold path of salvation because it indicates eight states, by mastering which a person can achieve purification of the mind, tranquility and intuition.

These states are:

• correct understanding: one should believe Buddha that the world is full of sorrow and suffering;
• correct intentions: you should firmly determine your path, limit your passions and aspirations;
• correct speech: you should watch your words so that they do not lead to evil - speech should be truthful and benevolent;
• doing the right thing: one should avoid bad deeds, restrain and do good deeds;
• correct lifestyle: one should lead a worthy life without harming the living;
• correct efforts: you should follow the direction of your thoughts, drive out all evil and tune in to the good;
• correct thoughts: it should be understood that evil is from our flesh;
• correct focus: one should constantly and patiently train, achieve the ability to concentrate, contemplate, go deep in search of truth.

The first two steps mean the attainment of wisdom or prajna. The next three are moral behavior - sewed. And finally, the last three are the discipline of the mind or samadha.

However, these states cannot be understood as the steps of a ladder that a person masters gradually. Everything is interconnected here. Moral behavior is necessary for the attainment of wisdom, and without discipline of the mind, we cannot develop moral behavior. Wise is he who acts compassionately; compassionate is he who acts wisely. Such behavior is impossible without discipline of the mind.

In general, we can say that Buddhism brought personal aspect, which was not previously in the Eastern worldview: the statement that salvation is possible only through personal determination and willingness to act in a certain direction. In addition, in Buddhism, it is quite clearly traced the idea of ​​the need for compassion to all living beings - the idea most fully embodied in Mahayana Buddhism.

The main directions of Buddhism

The early Buddhists were only one of many rival sects of the unorthodox trend at the time, but their influence increased over time. Buddhism was supported primarily by the urban population: rulers, warriors, who saw in it an opportunity to get rid of the supremacy of the brahmins.

The first followers of the Buddha gathered in some secluded place during the rainy season and, waiting for this period, formed a small community. Those who entered the community usually renounced all property. They were called bhikkhus which means "beggar". They shaved their heads, dressed in rags, mostly yellow, and had only the essentials with them: three items of clothing (top, bottom and cassock), a razor, a needle, a belt, a sieve to filter the water, choosing insects from it (ahimsa) , toothpick, begging cup. They spent most of their time on the road collecting alms. They could eat only until noon and only vegetarian. In a cave, in an abandoned building, the bhikkhus went through a rainy season, talking on pious topics and practicing self-improvement. Dead bhikkhus were usually buried near their habitats. Subsequently, at the places of their burials, monuments-stupas were erected (dome-shaped crypt structures with a tightly walled up entrance). Around these stupas were built various buildings... Later, monasteries arose near these places. The charter of monastic life was formed. When Buddha was alive, he himself clarified all the difficult questions of the teaching. After his death, the oral tradition continued for a long time.

Soon after the death of Buddha, his followers convened the first Buddhist council to canonize the teachings. The purpose of this cathedral, which took place in the city Rajagrih, was to work out the text of the message of the Buddha. However, not everyone agreed with the decisions taken at this council. In 380 BC. a second council was convened in Vaishali, in order to resolve the disagreements that have arisen.

Buddhism flourished during the reign of the emperor Ashoka(III century BC), thanks to whose efforts Buddhism became the official state ideology and went beyond the borders of India. Ashoka did a lot for the Buddhist faith. He erected 84 thousand stupas. During his reign, the third cathedral was held in the city Pataliputra, on which the text of the sacred books of Buddhism was approved, which was Tipitaku(or Tripitaka), and a decision was made to send missionaries to all parts of the country, up to Ceylon. Ashoka sent his son to Ceylon, where he became an apostle, converting many thousands of people to Buddhism and building many monasteries. It is here that the southern canon of the Buddhist church is established - hinayana, which is also called theravada(by the teachings of the elders). Hinayana means "small vehicle or narrow path of salvation."

In the middle of the last century BC. in the north-west of India, the Scythian rulers created the Kushan kingdom, the ruler of which was Kanishka, a zealous Buddhist and patron of Buddhism. Kanishka convened a fourth council by the end of the 1st century. AD in the town Kashmir. The Council formulated and approved the main provisions of a new trend in Buddhism, which received the name mahayana -"Great chariot or wide circle of salvation." Mahayana Buddhism Developed by a Famous Indian Buddhist Nagarajuna, made many changes in classical teaching.

Features of the main directions of Buddhism are as follows (see table).

The main directions of Buddhism

Buddhism originated and flourished in India, but by the end of the 1st millennium A.D. he is losing his position here and is being ousted by Hinduism, which is more familiar to the inhabitants of India. There are several reasons that led to this outcome:

• the development of Hinduism, which inherited the traditional values ​​of Brahmanism and modernized it;
• enmity between different directions of Buddhism, which often led to open struggle;
• a decisive blow to Buddhism was struck by the Arabs, who conquered many Indian territories in the 7th-8th centuries. and brought Islam with them.

Buddhism, on the other hand, having spread in many countries of East Asia, became a world religion, retaining its influence to the present day.

Sacred literature and ideas about the structure of the world

The teachings of Buddhism are presented in a number of canonical collections, the central place among which is occupied by the Pali canon "Tipitaka" or "Tripitaka", which means "three baskets". Buddhist texts were originally written on palm leaves, which were placed in baskets. Canon written in language Pali. In pronunciation, Pali is related to Sanskrit in the same way as Italian is to Latin. The Canon has three parts.

1. Vinaya Pitaka, contains ethical teaching, as well as information on discipline and ceremony; this includes 227 rules by which monks must live;
2. Sutta pitaka, contains the teachings of the Buddha and popular Buddhist literature including “ Dhammapadu", Which means" the path of truth "(an anthology of Buddhist parables), and" Jataku"- a collection of stories about the previous lives of Buddha;
3. Abidhamma Pitaka, contains metaphysical representations of Buddhism, philosophical texts that set out the Buddhist understanding of life.

The listed books from all directions of Buddhism are especially recognized by the Hinayana. Other branches of Buddhism have their own sacred sources.

Mahayana followers consider their holy book Prajnaparalshta sutra”(Teachings on perfect wisdom). It is considered a revelation of the Buddha himself. Due to the exceptional difficulty for understanding, the contemporaries of the Buddha deposited it in the Palace of Serpents in the middle world, and when the time was right to reveal these teachings to people, the great Buddhist thinker Nagarajuna returned them back to the world of people.

The Mahayana scriptures are written in Sanskrit. They include mythological and philosophical subjects. The individual parts of these books are Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra and Lotus Sutra.

An important feature of the Mahayana sacred books is that Siddtarha Gautama is not considered the only Buddha: there were others before him and there will be others after him. Great importance has the doctrine developed in these books about the bodhisattva (bodi is the enlightened one, sattva is the essence) - a being who is already ready to go to nirvana, but delays this transition in order to help others. The most revered is the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.

The cosmology of Buddhism is of great interest, since it underlies all views on life. According to the basic tenets of Buddhism, the universe has a multi-layered structure. In the center of the earthly world, which is cylindrical disc, there is a mountain Measure. She is surrounded seven concentric ring-shaped seas and as many mountain circles dividing the seas. Outside of the last mountain range is sea, which is accessible to the eyes of people. Lie on it four world islands. In the bowels of the earth are hellish caves. Towering above the ground six heaven, which are inhabited by 100,000 thousand gods (the pantheon of Buddhism includes all the gods of Brahmanism, as well as the gods of other peoples). The gods have conference hall where they gather on the eighth day of the lunar month, and amusement park. Buddha is considered the main god, but he is not the creator of the world, the world exists next to him, he is as eternal as Buddha. Gods are born and die at will.

Above these six skies - 20 Brahma Heaven; the higher the heavenly sphere, the easier and more spiritual life in it. In the last four, which are called brahmaloka, there are no more images and no rebirths, here the blessed are already partaking of nirvana. The rest of the world is called Kamaloka. All together make up the universe in the aggregate. There are an infinite number of such universes.

An infinite number of universes is understood not only in a geographical, but also in a historical sense. Universes are born and die. The lifetime of the universe is called kalpa. Against this background of endless generation and destruction, the drama of life is played out.

However, the teaching of Buddhism evades any metaphysical statement; it does not speak of infinity, or finiteness, or eternity, or non-eternity, or being, or non-being. Buddhism talks about forms, reasons, images - all this unites the concept samsara, the cycle of incarnations. Samsara includes all objects that arise and disappear; it is the result of former states and the cause of future actions arising according to the law of dhamma. Dhamma- it is a moral law, the norm by which images are created; samsara is the form in which the law is implemented. Dhamma is not a physical principle of causality, but a moral world order, the principle of retribution. Dhamma and samsara are closely related, but they can only be understood in conjunction with the basic concept of Buddhism and the Indian worldview in general - the concept of karma. Karma means specific the embodiment of the law, retribution or reward for specific Affairs.

An important concept in Buddhism is the concept "Apshan". It is usually translated into Russian as “individual soul”. But Buddhism does not know the soul in the European sense. Atman means the totality of states of consciousness. There are many states of consciousness called scandals or dharmas, but it is impossible to find the carrier of these states, which would exist by itself. The aggregate of skandas leads to a certain action, from which karma grows. Skandas disintegrate at death, but karma continues to live and leads to new existences. Karma does not die and leads to the transmigration of the soul. continues to exist not because of the immortality of the soul, but because of the indestructibility of his deeds. Karma, therefore, is understood as something material, from which all living and moving things arise. At the same time, karma is understood as something subjective, since it is created by the individuals themselves. So samsara is form, the embodiment of karma; dhamma is a law that becomes clear by itself through karma. And vice versa, karma is formed from samsara, which then influences subsequent samsara. This is the manifestation of dhamma. Freeing from karma, avoiding further incarnations is possible only by achieving nirvana, about which Buddhism also does not say anything definite. This is not life, but also not death, not desire and not consciousness. Nirvana can be understood as a state of desirelessness, as complete peace. From this understanding of the world and human existence, four truths revealed by the Buddha follow.

Buddhist community. Holidays and ceremonies

Followers of Buddhism call their teachings Trirate or A tyrant(threefold treasure), meaning Buddha, dhamma (teaching) and sangha (community). Initially, the Buddhist community was a group of mendicant monks, bhikkhus. After the death of Buddha, there was no head of the community. The unification of monks is carried out only on the basis of the word of the Buddha, his teachings. There is no centralization of the church in Buddhism, except for the natural hierarchy - by seniority. Communities living in the neighborhood could unite, monks acted together, but not on command. Monasteries were gradually formed. The community united within the framework of the monastery was called sangha. Sometimes the word "sangha" was used to denote Buddhists of one region or an entire country.

At first, everyone was accepted into the sangha, then some restrictions were introduced, they stopped accepting criminals, slaves, minors without parental consent. Teenagers often became novices, they learned to read and write, studied sacred texts, received a considerable education for that time. Those who entered the sangha during their stay in the monastery had to give up everything that connected him with the world - family, caste, property - and take five vows: do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, do not commit adultery, do not get drunk; he also had to shave off his hair and put on monastic clothes. However, at any moment the monk could leave the monastery, for this he was not condemned, and he could be on friendly terms with the community.

Those monks who decided to devote their whole life to religion underwent a rite of passage. The novice was subjected to a severe examination, testing his spirit and will. Admission to the sangha as a monk imposes additional duties and vows: do not sing or dance; do not sleep on comfortable beds; do not eat at the wrong time; do not acquire; do not use items with a strong smell or intense color. In addition, there were a large number of minor prohibitions and restrictions. Twice a month - on the new moon and on the full moon - the monks gathered for mutual confessions. The uninitiated, women and lay people were not admitted to these meetings. Depending on the severity of the sin, sanctions were also applied, most often expressed in the form of voluntary repentance. Four major sins entailed exile forever: fleshly intercourse; murder; theft and the false statement that someone possesses superhuman strength and the dignity of an arhat.

Arhat - this is the ideal of Buddhism. This is the name for those saints or sages who have freed themselves from samsara and after death will go to nirvana. An Arhat is one who has done everything that he had to do: he has destroyed desire in himself, the striving for self-realization, ignorance, and wrong views.

There were also women's monasteries. They were organized in the same way as for men, but all the main ceremonies in them were performed by monks from the nearest monastery.

The robe of a monk is extremely simple. He had three items of clothing: underwear, outerwear and a cassock, the color of which is yellow in the south and red in the north. He could not take money under any circumstances, even he did not have to ask for food, and the laity themselves had to serve it to the monk who appeared on the doorstep. Monks who renounced the world went into their homes every day ordinary people, for whom the appearance of a monk was a living sermon and an invitation to a higher life. For insulting the monks, the laity were punished by the fact that they did not accept alms from them, overturning the alms bowl. If in this way the rejected layman was reconciled with the community, then his gifts were again accepted. The layman has always remained for the monk a being of a lower nature.

The monks had no real manifestations of worship. They did not serve the gods; on the contrary, they believed that the gods should serve them because they are saints. The monks did not engage in any kind of work, except for the daily walk for alms. Their activities consisted of spiritual exercises, meditation, reading and rewriting sacred books, performing or participating in the performance of rituals.

The already described penitential assemblies, to which only monks are allowed, belong to Buddhist rites. However, there are many rituals in which lay people participate. Buddhists adopted the custom of celebrating a day of rest four times a month. This holiday was named uposatha, something like Saturday for Jews, Sunday for Christians. During these days, the monks taught the laity and explained the scriptures.

In Buddhism, there are a large number of holidays and rituals, the central theme of which is the figure of Buddha - the most important events of his life, his teachings and the monastic community organized by him. In each country, these holidays are celebrated in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the national culture. All Buddhist holidays are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, and most of the most important holidays fall on the days of the full moon, since it was believed that the full moon has magical property point out the need for diligence to the person and promise deliverance.

Weight

This holiday is dedicated to three important events in the life of Buddha: birthday, day of enlightenment and day of departure to nirvana - and is the most important of all Buddhist holidays. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the second month of the Indian calendar, which falls at the end of May - beginning of June in the Gregorian calendar.

On the days of the holiday, solemn prayers are held in all monasteries and processions and processions are organized. Temples are decorated with garlands of flowers and paper lanterns - they symbolize the enlightenment that came into the world with the teachings of the Buddha. On the territory of the temples, oil lamps are also placed around sacred trees and stupas Monks read prayers all night and tell believers stories from the life of Buddha and his disciples. The lay people also meditate in the temple and listen to the instructions of the monks throughout the night. The ban on agricultural work and other activities that may harm small living creatures is especially carefully observed. After the end of the festive prayer service, the laity arrange a rich meal for the members of the monastic community and present them with gifts. A characteristic ritual of the holiday is washing the Buddha statues with sweetened water or tea and showering them with flowers.

In Lamaism, this holiday is the most strict ceremonial day of the calendar, when meat is prohibited and lamps are lit everywhere. On this day, it is customary to go around stupas, temples and other Buddhist shrines in a clockwise direction, spreading over the ground. Many vows to observe strict fasting and remain silent for seven days.

Vassa

Vassa(from the name of the month in the Pali language) - seclusion during the rainy season. The preaching work and the whole life of the Buddha and his disciples was associated with constant wanderings and wanderings. During the rainy season, which began in late June and ended in early September, travel was impossible. According to legend, it was during the rainy season that Buddha first retired with his disciples in Deer grove (Sarnath). Therefore, already at the time of the first monastic communities, the custom was established to stop during the rainy season in some secluded place and spend this time in prayer and meditation. Soon this custom became an obligatory rule of monastic life and was observed by all branches of Buddhism. During this period, the monks do not leave their monastery and are engaged in a deeper practice of meditation and comprehension of Buddhist teachings. During this period, the usual communication of the monks with the laity is reduced.

In the countries of Southeast Asia, lay people themselves often take monasticism during the rainy season and for three months lead the same way of life as monks. During this period, marriage is prohibited. At the end of the seclusion period, the monks confess to each other their sins and ask for forgiveness from their fellow community members. Over the next month, contacts and communication between the monks and the laity are gradually restored.

Festival of lights

This holiday marks the end of monastic seclusion and is celebrated on the full moon of the ninth month. lunar calendar(October - according to the Gregorian calendar). The holiday lasts for a month. In temples and monasteries rituals are held, dedicated to the holiday and the withdrawal from the community of those who joined it during the rainy season. On a full moon night, everything is illuminated with lights, for which candles, paper lanterns, and electric lamps are used. The fires are said to be lit in order to illuminate the path of Budtse, inviting him to come down from heaven after he preached a sermon to his mother. In some monasteries, the statue of Buddha is removed from the pedestal and carried through the streets, symbolizing the descent of Buddha to earth.

On these days, it is customary to visit relatives, visit each other to pay their respects and make small gifts. Celebration ends with ceremony kathina(from Sanskrit - clothing), which consists in the fact that the laity donate clothing to members of the community. One robe is solemnly presented to the head of the monastery, who then hands it over to the monk, recognized in the monastery as the most virtuous. The name of the ceremony comes from the way the clothes were sewn. Pieces of fabric were pulled over the frame and then stitched together. This frame was called kathina. Another meaning of the word kathina is “difficult,” which implies the difficulty of being a disciple of Buddha.

The kathina rite has become the only ceremony to which lay people are involved.

There are many sacred places of worship in Buddhism. It is believed that the Buddha himself identified cities as places of pilgrimage: where he was born - Capilavatta; where he attained the highest enlightenment - Gaia; where he first preached - Benares; where entered nirvana - Kushinagara.