Buddhism is a religious system that involves a variety of beliefs, spiritual practices, and traditions that are centered on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. According to Robson (2015) Gautama Buddha lived in the Northern India between 6th and 4th BCE.Buddha hailed from the Magadha Kingdom and was highly regarded as an enlightened and divine educator who shared his wisdom to help conscious individuals to bring their sufferings to an end. Buddha held an opinion that the only way of ending people's afflictions was through the elimination of ignorance. Haynes (2014) noted that Buddha accomplished his mission through the teaching of the Four Nobel Truths and the direct perception of the dependent origination.
Hood (2010) opines that the Nobel Truths are critical in expressing the basic orientation to Buddhism. Buddha in his teachings emphasized that the worldly existence is unsatisfactory. However, there is alleyway for liberation from the recurring worldly way of life. Buddha taught the four Nobel truths in all his teachings after acquiring the enlightenment. The doctrine of Buddha was centered on the sufferings that human being encounters in the world and on how to end the afflictions. Buddha taught his followers on how to identify various problems that they encounter in their daily life and the root cause of the problem. Also, the teachings encouraged the followers to identify the solutions to the problems.
Dukkha is the first Nobel truth of Buddhism, which emphasizes that people should have a realistic view of the world and life.Buddism encourages people to interrogate issues with an objective mind. It discourages the instilling of fear in people with a promise of a false paradise. Besides, the teachings of Buddha were centered on telling people the objective nature of the surrounding world and the possible ways that one can use to enhance his freedom, happiness and tranquility. Despite the fact that Buddha acknowledged the fact that the world has both happiness and sorrow, he taught his followers that even during happiness, it is important for one to note that the condition of happiness is not permanent. According to Kitagawa (2013), people should strive to gain insights into the truth and subscribe to those values that can provide happiness that is long-lived
The second Nobel Truth of Buddhism stated that the cause of suffering in the world is desire. Buddha noted that suffering comes from greed and desires which always exceeds the available resources thus leaving us unsatisfied and unhappy. Despite the fact that most of the suffering originate from desires, not all desires cause suffering. Only those desires that are geared towards selfish gains generate suffering. Buddhism recommends that human desires should be directed towards the general good of the whole society. In China for example, selfish acts like corruption are not tolerated and those found engaging in the act are punished severely.
The third Nobel truth explains that human suffering automatically stops when one stops selfish desires. Buddha advises his followers not to attach too much value to material things. For instance, Hood (2010) noted that all human beings are destined to undergo a life cycle which involves aging and death.
According to King (2015), Buddha recommended that people should subscribe to Eightfold path that encourages people always to adopt right intentions, livelihood, mindfulness, and actions so as to avoid suffering. According to some religions like Christianity, human suffering is as a result of the sins. However, Buddhism does not recognize anything like sin. Buddha highlighted that ignorance is the origin of the human suffering. Also, Buddhism does not recognize faith since faith alone is not enough for one to overcome ignorance and, therefore, human suffering.
Buddhism does not recognize the concept of god in its teachings. However; the religion does not acknowledge nor deny the existence of God. This is evident by the fact that in some Japanese and Chinese monasteries, the monks are required to think that Buddha never even existed. The Monks are required to delink Buddhism from Buddha but more emphasis on his teachings. torch (2015) reiterates that individuals who want to understand Buddhism and are interested in the Buddha are mistaken. The monks requested not focusing on the Idol by imagining that Buddha never even existed. This strategy has enabled the monks to focus on the ideas and not the person. Many countries in the East and Central Asia like China and Korea have highly developed due to embracing the ideas and technological advancements of other nations that they perceive to be enemies. By not focusing on the countries where the new technology originates, Countries like China have been able to become one of the global leading economies a fact that has threatened the world superpowers like the United States.
The initial form of Buddhist was centered on personal salvation through rigorous meditation so as to attain enlightenment. However, as Buddhism advanced over years, the ideals of individual salvation and perfection was increasingly viewed as being inconsistent with the inherent ethical message of Gautama Buddha who was a teacher.Xinyi (2012) reiterates that Buddha did not strive for his enlightenment. In his post-enlightenment life, Buddha dedicated most of his time awakening others through the teaching of Dharma. Through his teachings, Buddha showed concern for the suffering of others. The proponents of this new form of Buddhism called Mahayana encouraged their followers to be compassionate so as to liberate others from suffering. Mahayana continues to exert a major influence in countries like Korea, Japan, and China.
In the third century, Emperor Ashoka sent missionaries to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The mission was a success as the region became the center of Buddhism learning. The spread of the Buddhism was enhanced when the merchants from Central Asia came to contact with Buddhism and accepted it. With the help of the merchants, many monasteries were established along the trade routes in the central Asia. Chinese people first came into contact with Buddhism through the merchants' from Central Asia, who had already converted to Buddhism. These explain why Chinese are successful business with multinational business corporations that trade with countries all over the world (Xinyi, 2012).
When the Hayan Dynasty extended its powers to central Asia, Cultural ties and trade between the Chinese and the Central Asians who were Buddhist and the Chinese increased. As the interest in Buddhism increased, the demands for translated Buddhist texts increased. When the Hayan Dynasty fell, China experienced political disunity. Despite the unrest, Buddhism continued to spread. In the northern China, for example, Buddhism flourished a fact that saw some monks get employed in the government.( 0 highlights that the Buddhist culture of painting and carving flourished in China. Today, Chinese are among the best craftsmen and painters in the fact, a tradition that was borrowed from the interaction with the Buddhist culture.
With the establishment of the Chinese Buddhism schools in the seventh century, Buddhism became an integral part of the Chinese culture. Buddhism had a significant influence on the Chinese Literature, art, and architecture. Buddhist scholars also helped in enhancing civilization in China through the introduction of the western education.
According to Rozman (2014), Korea had three kingdoms namely; Koguryo, Silla, and Packche.All Korean Kingdom embrace Buddhism except the Sillas Kingdom, who resisted held their indigenous religion firmly. However, the Sillas accepted Buddhism in the sixth century.
In the sixth century, Many Korean Monks traveled to China to learn and brought back with them Chinese teachings from the Buddhism schools in China. The Buddhist culture was critical in unifying the three kingdoms a fact that saw the creation of the Korea as one nation. Buddhism continued to flourish. Great works of art were created and many monasteries built. Also, a lot of the Chinese translations were carved in wooden blocks in Korea. Wealthy monasteries supervised the craftsmen a fact that led to the production of spectacular artistic works that marveled Koreans.(McBride (2015) argues that Buddhism was critical in enhancing the Korean art of sculpture. Initially, Korea did not have a strong indigenous tradition of sculpture.
The art of painting and printing is another significant legacy of Buddhism in Korea. According to the Buddhist teaching; one way of spreading Buddhism was through the production of the images of Buddha and the sacred texts. The increase in the demand for the printed sacred texts enhanced the development of the printing technology in Korea. Today; Korea has the most sophisticated printing technology in the world.
Buddhism in Korea inculcated awareness of India as a palace worth visiting in pursuit of knowledge. With time, Buddhism became a dominant culture and language in the East Asia. Buddhism shaped the political landscape in East Asia. Also, the export trade which is the main economic activity of the countries in the Central and East Asia flourished due to traveling in search for Buddhist teachings overseas.
Royal houses in Korea supported the monks so as to help in the spread of Buddhism.Robson (2015) contends that the royal families were desperate to for ruling ideologies that would help them to centralize the political power. Buddhist ideologies encouraged the respect of power and authority. Most of the rulers in Japan and China sponsored people to travel to India to study Buddhism so as to help in the spreading of the teachings of Buddha. Many rulers in East Asia admired the political authority that was invested in the King of India by the Buddha. King (2015) contends that countries in East Asia emulated the Indian political system that had a centralized political power.
Buddhist ideologies encouraged its followers to have a comprehensive understanding of the universe. Through the use of many moral injunctions, Buddhism formed the foundation of the Ethics of the Republic of Korea. A good example is the non-violent military training that was given to the youths. Buddhism is a peaceful religion that does not Condon violence a fact that formed the foundation of the Chinese military that does not encourage the use of violence in resolving disputes.
Buddhism also had an effect on the religion in the East Asia. Before the introduction of Buddhism, Chinese used to believe that the smoke that comes from the burning wood is a symbol of a bridge between the spiritual and the human world. The arrival of the Buddhism in China saw the evolution of the wood into the sand wood incense. Originally, the Indian Buddhists used to burn the sandwood so as to enhance their concentration while worshiping. Today, incense burning is a common worshiping culture across many nations in East and Central Asia, a tradition that was adopted through the merger of the Buddhist and the Chinese cultures (Xinyi, 2012).
References
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Haynes, J. (2014).An introduction to international relations and religion. New York: Routledge.
Hood, A. (2010). The Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution - By Albert Low. Reviews in Religion & Theology, 17(4), 563-565. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9418.2010.00690.x
Kitagawa, J. (2013).The religious traditions of Asia: Religion, history, and culture. New York: Routledge.
King, M. (2015). Buddhism in Central Asia. Oxford Bibliographies Online s. doi:10.1093/obo/9780195393521-0211
McBride, R. D. (2015). The Impact of Translated Esoteric Buddhist Scriptures on Chinese Buddhism. Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia, 307-314. doi:10.1163/ej.9789004184916.i-1200.116
Storch, T. (2014).The history of Chinese Buddhist bibliography: Censorship and transformation of the Tripitaka.London: Cambria Press.
Robson, J. (2015). Mediums in Esoteric Buddhism. Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia, 251-254. doi:10.1163/ej.9789004184916.i-1200.93
Rozman, G. (2014).The East Asia region. Confucian heritage and its modern adaptation. New York: Princeton University Press.
Xinyi, O. (2012).The successful integration of the Buddhism with the Chinese culture. Grand Valley journal of history, 1(2), 1-8.
