What is Buddhism?

     Generally speaking, there are two main types of Buddhism. They are, Mahayana which means, "greater vehicle" and Theravada which literally means, "elders-speech".

     Sometimes, Mahayana Buddhists use the term Hinayana, ("lesser vehicle") for Theravada but it's not right. Mahayana is called "greater vehicle" because it appeals to more people, because they use stories about wise old men, the Bodhisatta and imaginary Buddhas. Theravada is the more strict practices of meditation, morality and The Four Noble Truths that the Buddha taught for beings to be free from suffering, now and later. Sometimes, Mahayana also includes these practices.

     Simply speaking, we can call Mahayana, "Northern" Buddhism because it is found in China, Tibet, Korea and Japan. Theravada, may be referred to as "Southern" because it is found mainly in Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Each country has its own style because it has different traditions, culture and environment.

     Buddhism is now growing as a modern religion in Europe, America, Canada, Australia and becoming popular again in India and parts of South East Asia.

     The Buddha

     Buddha means, awake or enlightened. The Buddha was a man who lived over 2500 years ago in Northern India. His name was Siddhatta Gotama, his father was a king, therefore he was a prince. He was healthy, handsome, strong and clever. He had everything he wanted and one day, he would be the king. His father always kept him protected from the world. Many kings and rich people in the land offered their daughters to him for marriage, he chose his own beautiful cousin, Yasodhara.

     The young prince and princess had everything they wanted, they lived in great luxury, in three different palaces, for the three different seasons. They had hundreds of young maids, musicians and servants to keep them happy. But one day he left the royal palaces and he saw four types of people. They were old, sick, dead and an ascetic (monk). He thought about these people and he realised that everyone including himself would become old, sick and die. He decided to find out why and if there was a way to be free from this suffering. When he came back to the palaces he was not interested in all the beautiful things anymore, he wanted to know about the reality of life, Siddhatta was only interested in becoming an ascetic. His family and especially his father, the king were worried because they wanted Siddhatta to become the greatest king ever so they tried to make him stay by having lots of beautiful girls sing and dance all around him but eventually they became tired and gave up. They fell asleep but the prince was wide awake, when he looked at them sleeping with their make-up smudged, hair messed up, mouths open, even snoring, he thought to himself, 'They're only beautiful when they're dancing, singing and smiling, now they're a mess ...... I'm out of here!'

     He had made up his mind to leave the royal family and become a monk. That day his son had been born but he knew that if he went to see him and his wife, he might not leave, so he left without even saying goodbye. This must have been a very difficult thing for him to do but he wanted to free himself and everyone else from suffering, old age, sickness and death. He left the palaces for the last time and he became an ascetic.

     He found a great teacher and learnt everything from him but he was not free yet so he found another teacher but he too could not answer all of Siddhatta's questions. Finally, he went off to the forest to meditate and find the answers and the right way, by himself.

     After about six long years of begging, starving himself, living like an animal and practising meditation in all the wrong ways,he finally found the right way, the middle way. That is, not too easy, like a prince and not too tough, like an animal but in balance, natural harmony.

     He knew that in his mind there was no more greed, hatred or confusion so he knew he was free. Then he taught The Four Noble Truths, including The Noble Eightfold Path which he had discovered to other people and when they practised his way, they also became free in their minds, by themselves, without the help from any gods.

     After six, hard, long years of learning, meditating, searching for the truth and even nearly dying from starvation, he sat under theBodhi tree and said, "I will not move from this place until I have discovered the Truth" or something like that. That was the hardest time of all. That night he thought about everything, it was like an attack from the devil, in Buddhism we call it Mara, the evil one but it's only in your mind and anyone can win against Mara if they are strong enough. He won! His mind was clear, pure and calm, no greed, hatred or delusion, no defilements, he was free from Dukkha! At this time, he discovered the Four Noble Truths.

     From that time on, he told everyone about the truth that he had found and many other people also became Arahants (attained to Nibbana) by practising his way of meditation, the Noble Eightfold Path and becoming pure in their minds and free from attachment and suffering.

     Siddhatta's father, the king, had heard about him and he sent a messenger to bring him back to the Kingdom but the messenger liked the Buddha so much, that he became a monk. When that messenger didn't come back, the king sent another one but he too became a monk. This happened nine times and the tenth messenger also became a monk but he pleaded with the Buddha to return to his family, so he did.

     The king and others greeted the Buddha warmly. The next day, the Buddha went for alms-round for his one meal as usual and when the king found out, he was very angry. He said to the Buddha that princes don't go for alms-round, the Buddha said he was right, princes don't go for alms-round but Buddhas do!

     Soon, the Buddha's step brother, Nanda was getting married so they invited the Buddha to their new mansion to offer him food. After the meal the Buddha left without his alms-bowl, so Nanda followed him to give it back to him but the Buddha didn't stop. Nanda's new wife saw him following the Buddha, carrying his bowl and thought he was going to become a monk, she cried out for him to stop. Nanda kept thinking, "The Buddha will stop, the Buddha will stop" but he kept going. When they got out to the forest monastery, the Buddha finally stopped, turned around and said something like, "So you want to be a monk? " Nanda was too afraid to say no to a Buddha so he became a monk right away. Ever since his wife, Yasodhara heard about what the Buddha was doing, she did the same. She loved him so much, that she cut off her hair, wore yellow robes, only ate one meal a day from one bowl and so-on.

     The Buddha taught with great care and loving kindness to anyone who wanted to learn, for about 45 years and then he died when he was about 80 years old.

     We respect what the Buddha did in his life and we try to do the same.

     Venerable Dhammarakkhita

Related Articles for further reading selected by the Course Organiser:

      1. ‘The Buddha’, by Venerable Sayadaw U Thittila,

      2. ‘Biographical Facts of the Buddha’, Nibbana.com Website,

      3. ‘What Buddhism is: part 1’ by Sayagyi U Ba Khin