The five principles of Buddhism
- The three jewels of Buddhism
- The four noble truths
- The Noble Eightfold Path
- The five precepts of Buddhism
- nirvana and principle of reincarnation
They can be considered major pillars of this religion. As the founder of Buddhism said, the main aim of this religion is to end all suffering of humanity by achieving Nirvana.
Respect, knowledge and putting into practice these 5 fundamental principles allow spiritual awakening. In this article we will present these five fundamental principles.
The three jewels of Buddhism
These three jewels are the very essence of Buddhism. In order to become a Buddhist, one must seek out and take the path of the 3 refuges since they are the fundamental bases of the rite of initiation into Buddhism.
But what does it mean to take refuge?
Taking refuge is first of all respecting and showing gratitude to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, but also proving that there is determination to move towards the truth and the kindness.
In other words, recognize the possession of the ability to love and understand everything around. Taking refuge also means knowing where Buddhism comes from. Buddha is the one who shows the way. Its teachings allow on the one hand the understanding of love and on the other hand to be freed from suffering.
As for Dharma, it is the totality of all the elements that make up this world. But it is also the set of norms, the teachings of the Buddha.
The Dharma has the role of guiding human beings on the path to liberation. He shows the path leading to love and understanding and peace, to a fair and profound vision of things.
As in all religions, Buddhism also has its own community which is called the Sangha. Living and adapting in the Buddhist community is also synonymous with living in harmony, joy and mindfulness.
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The Sangha is composed in particular of what is all around, namely friends, family and the Buddhist master.
The Four Noble Truths
To achieve nirvana, one must first understand and apply certain things in daily life, namely becoming aware of the existence of the four noble truths.
The teachings of Buddha can be summarized through four noble truths, namely:
- The Dukkha
- The Samudaya
- The Nirodha
- The Magga
The presence and awareness of these noble truths help to reduce or even abolish human suffering.
But they do not stop there, since they deliver man from sources of desires which are harmful to him, such as pleasure.
But what really are these four noble truths?
Dukkha is the mark of the existence of suffering. The latter is common in daily life as illness is suffering, existence is another source of suffering.
Then, Samudaya designates the origin of suffering. They do not arrive alone, they are there, because there are things that caused them. It should be noted that ignorance and greed are the immediate sources of suffering.
Henceforth, as far as Nirodha is concerned, it is the way to eradicate suffering. Now that the source of suffering is known, we must at all costs seek to avoid it or even eliminate it definitively and thus put an end to all suffering. We must act on the causes of suffering and thus be freed. Not being in ignorance already allows us to put ourselves on the path to liberation from suffering.
Finally, Magga is a noble path composed of eight very distinct elements. The simultaneous practice of these eight elements allows one to achieve Nirvana. Also known as the Noble Eightfold Path, Magga is the path to follow to end suffering.
The Noble Eightfold Path
The teachings of Buddha are like a great wheel that never stops turning. Of course, the teachings lead to the central point of the wheel, which is Nirvana.
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The eight spokes of the wheel represent the eight parts of the Noble Eightfold Path which are as follows:
- The right vision
- Right thought
- The right word
- Right action
- The right means of existence
- The right effort
- Right Attention
- The right concentration
The Noble Eightfold Path is considered the foundation of Buddhist practice. In order to be able to put the Four Noble Truths into practice, Buddhists seek through these eight concepts the attitudes and behaviors to adopt.
The Four Noble Truths all contain the idea that life is nothing but suffering caused by the desire for fleeting things. There is therefore a very close connection between the four noble truths and the noble path.
Those who are aware of the noble truths are already considered to be on the right path.
Theeight concepts can be classified into three main categories namely
- Wisdom
- Driving
- Concentration
It should be kept in mind that there is no precise hierarchy between these eight elements. Moreover, they must rather be followed at the same timeto reach Nirvana.
The wisdom of the Noble Eightfold Path
First of all we havethe first two paths which are associated with the wisdom of the Noble Eightfold Path. right view involves believing that in the Four Noble Truths life is suffering.
This is caused by the desire for temporary things. Everything is fleeting and renouncing desires is only possible by following the Eightfold Path. Right thinking insists on being ready to always improve in everything positive.
The moral aspect
The following three elements are associated with the moral aspect. We have the right word which emphasizes honest words and speaking honestly. This includes avoiding gossip, lying or verbal attacks.
Right speech applies both orally and in writing. Then we have right action which involves avoiding acts such as theft, adultery and murder.
To distinguish right from wrong, we must ask ourselves whether a given act will harm others. Finally, we have the right means of existence which resemble right actions, but apply specifically to the profession.
Under this principle, one should not cheat, lie or participate in affairs that harm others. This rule also excludes any activity related to the slaughter of animals, the sale of meat, the manufacture or sale of firearms.
Aspects of concentration
In these aspects, we have the right effort which implies an effort of persistence and attention in the application of the other aspects of the Eightfold Path, in order to avoid pessimistic thoughts and negative emotions. Then we have right attention which is partly similar to right effort, but it focuses more on the internal, mental and philosophical aspects of oneself.
Buddhism therefore encourages a strong self-awareness, with particular attention paid to the way in which humans respond to experiences and the environment. This attention should be focused on the present rather than the past or future. The last element is right concentration.
The practice of meditation is at the heart of Buddhism and involves breathing techniques, and other means of concentration. The goal is to completely empty the mind, so that the object of concentration takes all the space. You must only focus on the essential in order to achieve Nirvana.
In conclusion, the Eightfold Path states that a person who fails to follow all of these aspects is simply a person incapable of following the Path. In this case, his only hope is to see his desires, intentions and efforts change on their own.
The five precepts of Buddhism
- Do not kill any living creature
- Don't steal
- Not engage in sexual misconduct
- Don’t lie
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Do not use drugs
All world religions are founded on fundamental principles of good conduct and prohibit their followers from engaging in wrongdoing and behavior that may harm society at large.
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Having taken refuge in the three jewels, Buddhists must now take a vow to respect 5 fundamental precepts of Buddhism.
1. Do not kill, we must respect life
In the precept, one must not commit murder. Do not kill a living being, do not intend to destroy a life. Failure to follow this will result in bad karma.
2. Do not steal, respect for the property of others is essential
In the world of Buddhism, theft is not tolerated. Stealing the wealth or property of others is strictly prohibited. Theft can manifest itself in different ways. It can be direct, that is to say that it is the practitioner himself who has the intention and desire to appropriate the property of others either by force or by deception. It can also be indirect through others.
3. Do not engage in sexual misconduct, keep our nature pure
The practice of sexual misconduct or lust is prohibited. Adultery is logically forbidden. In addition to this, we must keep in mind that there is lust if it is related to a person placed under the protection of a parent or to someone who is already married. All three are unhealthy, because they are at the same time expressions of greed and violence.
4. No lies, you have to be honest
Lying is also not tolerated. Disguising the truth is already considered lying.
This precept invites us to give a sacred value to the word, because according to Buddhism, truthfulness is a source of confidence. False speech is that which is rooted in greed, hatred or fear.
5. Do not use intoxicating substances, respect for a clear mind
The consumption of drugs or alcohol is also prohibited among Buddhists. Consumption will therefore lead to a loss of awareness. This is why Buddhists are in favor of the practice of meditation, the latter which is an essential means of achieving the joy that emanates from liberation.
Moreover, in certain Buddhist countries this last precept is interpreted as requiring total abstention from alcoholic beverages.
In contrast, in other Buddhist countries it is interpreted as requiring moderation in taking anything; taken to excess would likely result in intoxication.
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The five precepts of Buddhist ethics are not there to repress, but on the contrary to liberate the human being.
In Buddhism, it is very important to break attachments and allow consciousness to open as much as possible. It is for this reason that all these norms seek to promote individual well-being and not submission to moral authorities.
Nirvana and the principle of reincarnation
Nirvana is defined as the end of the cycles of reincarnation.
In Buddhism, the ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to achieve Nirvana. Achieving the latter will put an end to all suffering and illusions which are sources of unhappiness for human beings.
Nirvana can also be defined as the end of ignorance. According to Buddhists, the human being reincarnates until reaching Nirvana. You should know that reincarnations take different forms.
In other words, a human being in this life may not be reincarnated as a human in his next life, but as vegetation or other sources of life.
In Buddhism, Nirvana is this stage where the soul manages to detach itself from all the desires of the body and where the cycle of Karma is interrupted to make way for Awakening.< /p>
But how can we achieve Nirvana and thus end the cycles of reincarnation?
To reach Nirvana, only one path is available to Buddhists which is detachment from all desires. The rules of Buddhism all make sense in this situation, because they constitute the tools to achieve Nirvana.
To successfully deny his desires, the Buddhist does not seek wealth, he does not succumb to carnal desires, he shows kindness to others and he devotes himself to meditation.
Be that as it may, meditation represents the last means of reaching the Nirvana especially meditationwhich precedes death.
During this practice, the Buddhist abstracts from the world in order to understand what is important, what has real value. He thus strengthens his mind in order to facilitate the repression of his desires.
Understand how to achieve Nirvana via Buddhist Meditation
12 comments
Alamba
Maître Je veux apprendre à profondeur Prenez-moi comme disciple
Nouan
Merci pour les informations
Nouan
Merci pour les informations
loboue
ravis de vous ecrire et vous connaitre
Gbah Christian
Merci pour les enseignements. Mais comment faire pour être en parfaite accord avec les 5 préceptes du bouddhisme.
Djo
Je vais devenir un bouddhiste et je vais que vous m’aidiez en devenir.
Lazare Gbalet
Comment faire pour un culte bouddhique ?
Alan
Gratitude à vous 🙏🙏🙏
paco kohsamui
Merci
vincent
j’aimerai me renseigner si comment peut on transformer sa vie la méditation
Beaup
ou peut on dans la drome rencontrer des gens boudhistes ?
Fernande bourboin
Tres interessent je cherche un endroit pour apprendre le boudiste