INTRODUCTION: Did you know that Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world. Well I’m not for sure, I looked on a couple websites and they all said something different so I don’t know? Their symbol is the wheel of life which ,is to the left, means wisdom.
FOUNDER: The founder of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama, piture to the right, or (the Buddha) founded in 520 BC in Northeastern India.
BUDDHISTS: This means follower of Buddhism. After a while it expanded,to increase or grow, and there are now 365 million people who believe, to be persuaded of the truth or existence of,in Asia, China, and Japan. Buddhists can worship, to render religious reverence and homage, as to a deity, both at home and temple.
HOLY BOOKS/SACRED TEXTS: There are two main books that they have. One of the books is the Pali Canon which is basically like the Old Testament. This book is divided into three parts called pakitas. The first part is the Vinaya Pitaka it is heavily constricted on the code of ethics to be followed by monks of the Buddhist faith. The rules contained in this section are often preceded by stories of each rule and the meaning of Buddha’s declaration on a particular issue. According to the stories contained in the Vinaya Pitaka, the rules were developed as necessary by Buddha in regards to the needs and behaviors of his followers. The second part is the Sutta Pitaka which means a basket of threads (doesn’t really make since, but what do I know). It contains accounts of Buddha’s teachings. This part of the Pali Canon is considered authentic by all factions of Buddhism, although other branches might call the section by a different name. The Sutta Pitaka is arranged in five subdivisions, or nikayas. Last but not least the third part would have to be Abhidhamma Pitaka, or higher dhamma. This section contains the basic elements of the Sutta Pitaka reworked into a description of the nature, mind and matter. There are seven books in this collection focusing only on the underlying principals from the previous pitaka. The second book is the Mahayana Sutras. It has like over 10 little books/parts in side of it. There’s a list of the names, another names and notes on it, so I’m going to link you to the website.
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: There are a lot of holidays, and just like above I’m going to name them, give you a little description, then link you to a website too give you more information.
The first holiday is the Buddhist New Year which is celebrated on different days throughout the world; the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in January. We have the same resolutions, they hope the best for the next year, and they reflect upon their past and fix all their mistakes.
The second holiday is the Vesak (Buddha Day) is the holiest day in Buddhism. On this day they celebrate the birth and the death of the Buddha. This day is usually in the middle or last two weeks of May.
The third holiday is Sangha Day (Magha Puja Day or Fourfold Assembly Day) this is the second most important Buddhist festival and it’s on the first full moon day in March. It is celebrating in honor of the Sangha, or the Buddhist community. For some Buddhists Sangha refers only to monks. On this day 1250 enlightened monks gather for an assembly to hear the Buddha preach at Veluvana Vihara. This day also includes chanting, meditation, the lighting of oil lamps.
The fourth holiday is the Dhamma Day (Asalha Puja Day) is one of the most sacred days in Buddhism in July. The day also marks the beginning of the worship of the Lord Buddha, his teachings and his disciples. The preaching delivered by the Buddha is quiet often referred to as "setting into motion the wheel of dhamma,"
The four noble truths:
1) All people suffer
2) Suffer because of rebirth
3) Eliminate desires
4) Follow the Eightfold path
The Eightfold path:
1) Know truth
2) Resist evil
3) Say nothing to hurt others
4) Respect life
5) Work for the good of others
6) Free mind of evil
7) Control thoughts
8) Practice meditation
The Buddhists can practice their faith and get a good understanding on the importance of Buddhism.
The fifth holiday would have to be Observance Day (Uposatha) is determined by the lunar calendar, falling on the first full-moon day, the new-moon day, and the two quarter-moon days of each lunar month. This is meant to discipline your mind and focus your attention to the practice of Dhamma (dutties).
The sixth holiday is the Kathina Ceremony which lasts for three months. The date varies from country to country depending on the rainy season (or between July and October). The Kathina ceremony revolves around the monks, once a year giving them robes and other necessities that they need. It is one of the most important days in the Theravada Buddhist calendar.
The seventh holiday would have to be the Festival of Floating Bowls (Loy Krathong). A Krathong is a bowl made of banana leaves, candles and a three inch stick, and a small coin and let them float in the water. As they launch their krathong, different people take a moment to make a wish and say a prayer. Everyone hopes that their candles keep burning into the night, symbolizing longevity (which means a long individual life) and that their wishes will come true. Lovers hope that their krathongs will float together (<3).>
The eighth holiday/festival is the Elephant Festival (I <3>
The second to last holiday, which is the Festival of the Tooth is in July. This is the most famous events of not only the town but also the Buddhist world. It was beloved that if the Bodhi Tree came in contact with the Buddha that it had the power to bring rains. The sacred tooth relic was brought all the way from Kalinga in India to the Island of Sri Lanka in the fourth century AD. A number of festivals were celebrated to honor the sacred tooth relic. Before this, the tooth relic was property of the king and the common people were not allowed to worship it.
Last but not least is Ancestor Day (Ullambana). It’s celebrated in July and lasts for around half a month. The first day of the festival is considered the one when the Gates of Hell open and the ghosts come and visit the earth for the next fifteen days. The fifteenth day is the Ancestors day and has the families visiting cemeteries to pay respect to their Ancestors.
RITUALS/CUSTOMS: They have a lot of rituals and customs like the exchange of gifts which is when Buddhists persons give gifts to Buddhists monks. Giving to monks is also thought to benefit normal people and to win them merit. Another ritual is meditation it’s a conscious effort to change how the mind works. The word for meditation means ‘bhavana’ which means to grow or develop. The last ritual is the sacred mandaia which is a picture of the universe its one of the richest visual objects in Buddhism. It’s created in colored sand on a table.
PARTICULAR DRESS/CLOTHING: They all dress the same in an orange robe. They also have prayer beads which can be used for meditation or to center your focus. The prayer beads have exactly 108 beads.
HIERARCHY/ORGANIZATION: The hierarchy of Buddhism is a Monk. A Monk is spiritual leader for Buddhists.
