Buddhism Portal

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religion. Buddhism is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" (the Awakened One), who lived in the northeastern region of the Indian subcontinent and likely died around 400 BCE. Buddhists recognize him as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering by understanding the true nature of phenomena, thereby escaping the cycle of suffering and rebirth (saṃsāra), that is, achieving Nirvana. Among the methods various schools of Buddhism apply towards this goal are: ethical conduct and altruistic behaviour, devotional practices, ceremonies and the invocation of bodhisattvas, renunciation of worldly matters, meditation, physical exercises, study, and the cultivation of wisdom. Buddhism is broadly recognized as being composed of two major branches: Theravada, which has a widespread following in Southeast Asia; and Mahayana (including Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren and Vajrayana), found throughout East Asia. While Buddhism remains most popular within these regions of Asia, both branches are now found throughout the world. Buddhist schools disagree on what the historical teachings of Gautama Buddha were, so much so that some scholars claim Buddhism does not have a clearly definable common core. Significant disagreement also exists over the importance and canonicity of various scriptures. Various sources put the number of Buddhists in the world between 230 million and 500 million. While formal conversion or membership varies between communities, basic lay adherence is often defined in terms of a traditional formula in which the practitioner takes refuge in The Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the Teaching of the Buddha), and the Sangha (the Community of Buddhists).

More about Buddhism...

Selected article

Chinese society during the Song Dynasty was marked by political and legal reforms, a philosophical revival of Confucianism, and the development of cities beyond administrative purposes into centers of trade, industry, and maritime commerce. The inhabitants of rural areas were mostly farmers, although some were also hunters, fishers, or government employees working in mines or the salt marshes. Contrarily, shopkeepers, artisans, city guards, entertainers, laborers, and wealthy merchants lived in the county and provincial centers along with the Chinese gentry—a small, elite community of educated scholars and scholar-officials. The military also provided a means for advancement in Song society for those who became officers, even though soldiers were not highly-respected members of society. Although certain domestic and familial duties were expected of women in Song society, they nonetheless enjoyed a wide range of social and legal rights in an otherwise patriarchal society. Women's improved rights to property came gradually with the increasing value of dowries offered by brides' families. Daoism and Buddhism were the dominant religions of China in the Song era, the latter deeply impacting many beliefs and principles of Neo-Confucianism throughout the dynasty. The Song justice system was maintained by policing sheriffs, investigators, official coroners, and exam-drafted officials who acted as magistrates.

...Archive/Nominations

More...

Selected picture

Credit: Philipp Roelli, uploaded by Dieter A. Bachmann

The Bhavacakra (Sanskrit, भवचक्र) or Wheel of Becoming (Tibetan srid.pa'i 'khor.lo) is a complex symbolic representation of saṃsāra in the form of a circle (mandala), used primarily in Tibetan Buddhism.

...Archive/Nominations

More...

In this month

• 4 January 2007 - Hank Johnson (pictured) takes office as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he is one of the first two Buddhists in American history to serve in the United States Congress
• 9 January 1957 - Kalmykia becomes an autonomous oblast again; Kalmykia is the only state in Europe where the dominant religion is Buddhism
• 18 January 2004 - Gurudas Sunyatananda, theologian, philosopher, teacher and postmodern Buddhist monk, was consecrated as a bishop by Bishop Carlos Harvin of the African American Catholic Congregation, in Washington, D.C.
• 29 January 1921 - Birth of Myokyo-ni, born Irmgard Schloegl, she was a Rinzai Zen Buddhist nun and head of the Zen Centre in London

In the news

Buddhism at Wikinews

• August 30: Dalai Lama begins trip to Taiwan
• July 3: President Bush plans to attend opening of Beijing Olympics

Selected biography

Seung Sahn Haeng Won Dae Soen-sa (Korean: 숭산행원대선사, Hanja: 崇山行願大禪師) (c. 1927—November 30, 2004), born Dok-In Lee, was a Korean Jogye Seon master and founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen—the largest school of Zen present in the Western world. He was the seventy-eighth teacher in his lineage. As one of the first Korean Zen masters to settle in the United States, he opened many temples and practice groups across the globe. He was known for his charismatic style and direct presentation of Zen, which was well tailored for the Western audience. Known by students for his many correspondences with them through letters, his utilization of Dharma combat, and expressions such as "only don't know" or "only go straight" in teachings, he was conferred the honorific title of Dae Soen Sa Nim in June 2004 by the Jogye order for a lifetime of achievements. Considered the highest honor to have bestowed upon one in the order, the title translates to mean Great honored Zen master. He died in November that year at Hwa Gae Sah in Seoul, South Korea, at age 77.

...Archive/Nominations

More...

Did you know...

• ...that the Buddhist Library (pictured), which is located in a shophouse, is Singapore's first dedicated Buddhist library and is unique in that it is neither an association nor a temple?
• ...that the Chinese government requires any living Buddha who wishes to reincarnate to submit a Reincarnation Application?
• ...that one of the stories of the Jain teacher Haribhadra relates how he ordered some Buddhist monks to leap into a vat of hot oil for killing his nephew?

  ...Archive/Nominations

  More...

Categories

Wikiprojects

Parent project

Wikipedia:WikiProject Religion

Main project

Wikipedia:WikiProject Buddhism

Descendant projects

WikiProject Tibetan Buddhism

Selected quote

When other sects speak well of Zen, the first thing that they praise is its poverty. — Dōgen

...Archive/Nominations

More...

Topics

Buddhism (book)

Outline of Buddhism

History of Buddhism: Timeline • Buddhist councils

Major Figures: Gautama Buddha • Disciples • Later Buddhists

Dharma or Concepts: Four Noble Truths • Noble Eightfold Path • Three marks of existence • Dependent Origination • Saṃsāra • Nirvana • Skandha • Cosmology • Karma • Rebirth

Practices and Attainment: Buddhahood • Bodhisattva • 4 Stages of Enlightenment • Wisdom • Meditation • Precepts • Pāramitās • Three Jewels • Monastics • Laity

Countries and Regions

Schools: Theravāda • Mahāyāna • Vajrayāna

Texts: Pali Canon • Tibetan Canon • Chinese Canon

Related topics: Criticism • Comparative Studies • Cultural elements

Featured content

Featured articles: Angkor Wat • Borobudur • Shen Kuo • Society of the Song Dynasty • Thích Quảng Đức • Tibet during the Ming Dynasty

Things you can do

Add {{Portal|Buddhism|Dharma Wheel.svg}} to the See also section of Buddhism-related articles. Tag the talk pages of Buddhism-related articles with {{WikiProject Buddhism}} Join WikiProject Buddhism and list yourself as a Participant in the project. Add all new articles within the scope of the project to the list at Wikipedia:WikiProject Buddhism/Articles articles needing non-English scripting support & specialist attention: Check the recent changes page for improvements, other changes, and vandalism to these articles Attention: A list of articles needing immediate attention is available. Cleanup: A cleanup listing for this project is available, updated by WolterBot. More information... Deletion discussions: listed at Wikipedia:WikiProject Deletion sorting/Buddhism Notability: Articles with notability concerns, listed at WikiProject Notability Rate the Unassessed Buddhism articles in the Buddhism WikiProject. Requested articles: East West Foundation; Gedatsu Church of America; Jodo Mission; Neo-Dharma; Pansophic Institute; Shingon Mission; Yaoshan Weiyan Stubs: Buddhist biography stubs, Zen stubs, More... See also: {{BuddhismOpenTask}}

Related portals

Hinduism	Shinto	Taoism	Jainism	Religion	Spirituality	Asia

Associated Wikimedia

Buddhism on  Wikinews	Buddhism on  Wikiquote	Buddhism on  Wikibooks	Buddhism on  Wikisource	Buddhism on  Wiktionary	Buddhism on  Wikiversity	Buddhism on Wikimedia Commons
News	Quotations	Manuals & Texts	Texts	Definitions	Learning resources	Images & Media

What are portals? · List of portals · Featured portals