The Word of BUDDHA (Variety Art Works)
- Thread starter MangaDex
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Buddhism is an intellectual faith, which neither preaches the existence of any "gods", afterlife, nor any other supernatural forces/existences. Rather, the core teachings of Buddhism relate to the correct way of living our present lives, which allow us to overcome the fundamental sufferings of living beings -- birth, aging, sickness, and death -- as well as the fundamental sufferings of society -- separation, conflict, unfulfillment, and disappointment. In Buddhist teaching, "Buddha" is all people who have achieved enlightenment, which in turn is the potential of all humans, in their current lives, regardless of birth or upbringing.
The fundamental tenets of Buddhism are formulated through logic and universal truth. "Enlightenment" is the state of intuitively understanding these truths. Anyone can become enlightened by genuinely engaging with the questions Buddhism raises, and considering the answers it offers. The "Eightfold Path" is the route to ingraining these understandings on a deeper than intellectual level, allowing "Enlightenment", or peace, to permeate all facets of one's life.
As with all religions, institutionalized Buddhism has been used to pacify masses, oppress minorities, and serve political interests. Popular forms of worship have been distorted with legends of gods and supernatural powers to maintain heirarchical structures based on blind faith rather than understanding. That's why texts such as this one, which allow one to engage directly with Buddha's teachings on an individual level, are so valuable. As Buddha said: "Make yourself a light... Rely upon yourself. Make my teachings a light... Rely upon them. Do not rely upon anything else."
Buddha's teachings are of deep value to any person who has realized the fundamental natures of suffering and impermanence in human existence. They are a separate thing from organized religion, which may or may not be complete bullshit. I encourage ANYBODY to give this a read. Osamu Tezuka's great classic, Buddha, is a more dramatized take on this same topic:
https://www.amazon.com/Buddha-Osamu-Tezuka/dp/0007942486
The fundamental tenets of Buddhism are formulated through logic and universal truth. "Enlightenment" is the state of intuitively understanding these truths. Anyone can become enlightened by genuinely engaging with the questions Buddhism raises, and considering the answers it offers. The "Eightfold Path" is the route to ingraining these understandings on a deeper than intellectual level, allowing "Enlightenment", or peace, to permeate all facets of one's life.
As with all religions, institutionalized Buddhism has been used to pacify masses, oppress minorities, and serve political interests. Popular forms of worship have been distorted with legends of gods and supernatural powers to maintain heirarchical structures based on blind faith rather than understanding. That's why texts such as this one, which allow one to engage directly with Buddha's teachings on an individual level, are so valuable. As Buddha said: "Make yourself a light... Rely upon yourself. Make my teachings a light... Rely upon them. Do not rely upon anything else."
Buddha's teachings are of deep value to any person who has realized the fundamental natures of suffering and impermanence in human existence. They are a separate thing from organized religion, which may or may not be complete bullshit. I encourage ANYBODY to give this a read. Osamu Tezuka's great classic, Buddha, is a more dramatized take on this same topic:
https://www.amazon.com/Buddha-Osamu-Tezuka/dp/0007942486
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