Tag: buddhism

What are the Four Types of Lotus in Buddhism

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white lotus flower in bloom during daytime

For centuries, the lotus flower has been revered in both Hinduism and Buddhism as a sacred promise from birth in mud to growth through time – indeed the entire lotus plant is considered holy by Buddhists. Flowers have long been used as symbols of purity and spiritual perfection. The lotus flower has long been used as inspiration in paintings and sculptures as well as being featured as a design motif in furniture and decor items. The lotus represents renewal and rebirth as it rises from its murky roots, rises above water’s surface and blooms with bright, clear light. This represents how human souls emerge from materialism and ignorance into enlightenment and higher consciousness.

Buddhism recognizes four types of lotuses:

  • white
  • pink
  • red 
  • blue

Each color symbolizes an aspect of Buddha’s teachings:

  • white for mental purity and spiritual perfection;
  • red for love and compassion;
  • blue for wisdom and intelligence;
  • gold enlightenment itself – along with partial opening or closing of petals to symbolize various stages on the path toward it.

One important symbolism of the lotus is its seed pod, often depicted as an empty receptacle similar to a watering can. This symbolizes Buddha’s teachings on attaining Nirvana through practice of the Noble Eightfold Path and can even contain a jewel symbolizing skillful means to achieve enlightenment.

A Symbol of Rebirth

photo of about to bloom lotus flower

Lotus seeds have long been regarded as a symbol of rebirth. Each year, lotuses produce hundreds or even thousands of seeds which either float to the surface and are eaten by wildlife or sink to the muddy bottom and remain dormant until conditions allow growth. Above-water lotus are symbolic of intelligence and creativity and will eventually come into bloom; while underwater lotus require time to understand things before emerging as fully fledged blooming buds – eventually though.

Nelumbo nucifera is native to Asia

Nelumbo nucifera, native to Asia and parts of Australia, is by far the most beloved lotus species; however, two other living lotus species – Nelumbo lutea and Nelumbo niviformis – also hold religious significance; Nelumbo niviformis, found natively throughout North and Central America and not as large than its Asian counterpart can reach heights over 10 feet! Used extensively as inspiration in Buddhist art and sculpture for centuries now; making these flowers perfect choices to decorate any home!

What We Think We Become – Quick Explanation

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man sitting in the top of the mountain

What We Think We Become

For over 2,500 years, Buddha has taught the transformative power of thought through Buddhism. In his first sermon he spoke of two tendencies of mind a monk may pursue through their thinking and contemplation and which they may abandon; whatever one pursues becomes part of his awareness and this is why Buddhism advocates Mind cultivation to alleviate suffering by altering our minds.

How to Become a Buddhist Monk in the USA

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Buddhist monk

Becoming a Buddhist monk or nun is a life-long commitment that should not be taken lightly, yet can be enormously fulfilling and transformative if this is what you seek. Benefits may include peace of mind, increased understanding of Dharma principles and greater empathy towards others. There are various pathways available to those looking to join monastic ranks.

As your first step toward monastic hood, will be becoming acquainted with Buddhism and its teachings.

  • Read as much as you can and find a teacher with whom to discuss your questions. Once familiar, begin researching monastic communities that resonate with your philosophy;
  • schedule an appointment with their abbot or leader to discuss becoming monk; this gives them an opportunity to see if you would fit well as an incumbent while learning more about them, their philosophies, and daily activities.

Once you feel connected with a community, the abbot may invite you to observe his monastery for several weeks or months as an assessment to see if you could live within its rules and follow them – similar to shadowing a school to see if you would enjoy being there.

The period of observation

During your period of observation, you will receive an aspirant’s robe and share a room with other aspirants. Furthermore, personal belongings should be surrendered along with any financial ties (some monasteries freeze bank accounts of their members). Training in mindfulness, concentration and insight will occur here while you also learn about Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path and Lamrim which represent stages along the path toward enlightenment.

monastery

If monastic life is your vocation, the abbot will grant you novice vows and invite you into the sangha. Once there, you can practice meditation and chant with others while deepening your understanding of Dharma through interactions with members of your sangha and others outside. Even as a novice you can already start building community through helping bring happiness and peace.

Shaving your hair and taking off jewelry are necessary parts of the ceremony as they symbolize giving up one’s sense of identity and personal possessions. Steps can be difficult when it comes to letting go of attachment and the ego; but without these skills you won’t find happiness as a Buddhist monk.

Therefore it is imperative that you understand this and conduct research before making such a substantial commitment. Before taking lifelong vows, it’s wiser to join a monastery which allows for shorter terms of ordination to test out if monasticism is really for you. Many Asian monasteries offer part-time ordination programs so men can experience monastic life for days, weeks or even years at a time before making their decision final.

What Are Some of the Buddha Important Places

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monastery

The pilgrimage sites associated with Buddhism commemorate key moments in Buddha’s life:

  • Lumbini is where he was born; Bodh Gaya, where he attained enlightenment;
  • Sarnath where he first preached Dharma (Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path);
  • Varanasi where he turned Unsurpassed Wheel of Law
  • Kushinagar where he died before entering parinirvana – each location considered holy sites within Buddhism by followers worldwide.
  • Bodh Gaya where he attained enlightenment;

As Buddhism spread throughout India and beyond, monasteries were founded at sites associated with Buddha and his teachings, serving as centers of learning as well as places for monks to reside and train. Over time these monasteries became the cornerstones of one of the most influential religions today – Buddhism.

Alongside their religious significance, these places also contain important archaeological and cultural heritage sites – some even World Heritage Sites! Early Buddhist temples consisted of simple structures built of brick and wood with a stupa at their center; over time these evolved into complex buildings featuring images, reliefs and paintings depicting Buddha and other deities.

Early Buddhist monasteries were constructed during the 1st century BCE and are considered examples of early Buddhist architecture. Over time, however, monasteries adorned with elaborate decorations like golden statues were added over time, often being situated near rivers or lakes which were thought to provide spiritual energy sources.

Best-known monastery is Mahabodhi Temple

an aerial view of a temple

One of the world’s best-known monasteries is Mahabodhi Temple, believed to be home to what may be the actual bodhi tree where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became Buddha. This symbol of Buddhism is revered worldwide.

Sanchi Stupa by Emperor Ashoka during the 3rd century BCE

Sanchi Stupa was constructed by Emperor Ashoka during the 3rd century BCE and remains one of the oldest and best preserved Buddhist stupas in India today. At nearly 66 feet high and protected by four guardian lions, its central shrine features a large Buddha image while flanked by two pillars bearing inscriptions, it stands as a remarkable testament to Buddhist religion and practice.

Other key buddhism locations include Rajgir, where Buddha subdued Nalagiri the angry elephant through kindness. Rajgir is home to one of three World Heritage Sites for Buddhism: Nalanda Mahavihara where most streams of thought originated; additional spots include Shanti Stupa with four beautiful Buddha statues; Gridhakuta Hill where the Lotus Sutra and Prajnaparamita were delivered; Jivakameavan Gardens are also nearby.

Buddhism and the 12 Steps Recovery Program

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12 steps recovery

Some 12-step recovery programs in Alcoholics Anonymous share similarities with the spiritual practices associated with Buddhism, leading to several books which bridge both concepts.

Examples include

Buddhists believe that life can often be filled with suffering; meditation, spiritual and physical labor and good behavior are ways to relieve that suffering and reach Nirvana enlightenment or Nirvana. Their teachings come from Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha himself who attained Nirvana over two millennia ago in India.

The middle path

middle path

The Buddha sought a middle path between dogmatism and skepticism, encouraging personal experience while taking an open-minded approach to all forms of knowledge. Within ethics he advocated a threefold understanding of action – mental, verbal, and bodily. Additionally in metaphysics he challenged soul-based identities by emphasizing how everything arises or depends upon others.

He emphasizes the significance of morality and cultivating loving-kindness (metta) as foundational Buddhist principles. For instance, feeding hungry individuals is more meritorious than building temples; and taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha as well as abiding by the Five Precepts is even more advantageous.

One aspect of Buddha’s philosophy was teaching his followers about their karma–the sum total of their positive and negative actions–can have lasting repercussions, even here in this lifetime. Furthermore, he believed humans were born into an environment with multiple species and living things, each offering different chances for spiritual bliss; each individual must decide upon an approach best suited to them according to what we know and feel is right.

Buddhism Vs Stoicism What are The Differences?

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stoicism

One of the most widely practiced philosophies nowadays is Buddhism, and many modern Westerners have integrated aspects into their daily lives. While similarities with stoicism may exist due to both being focused on mental training, there are distinct distinctions between the two approaches that should be noted.

  • Stoicism focuses on developing an increased understanding of what causes happiness and suffering;
  • Buddhism aims at cultivating inner calm through meditation on the Noble Eightfold Path; these are principles devised by Siddhartha Gautama following his enlightenment experience. Additionally, Buddhist philosophy also offers instruction about various kinds of meditation practices as well as their benefits, with advice for how best to incorporate them into everyday life.

Though Buddhism is a religion, its core philosophy – impermanence of all things and our ability to control our actions and reactions alone – cannot be overemphasized. Buddhism emphasizes living in the present while curbing cravings – similar to stoicism.

Buddhism emphasizes kindness over any other philosophy, which may explain why it has more followers worldwide. Buddhism stresses our interdependence, teaching that everyone deserves basic human dignity. Furthermore, its followers must look after sick or elderly members of society and behave in accordance with this ideology that all humankind is related together.

They share some common values

Stoicism and Buddhism share several characteristics in common, with mindfulness playing an essential part in helping individuals to reach a state of tranquility regardless of external conditions. Stoicism often associates itself with rational thought processes – something Buddhists also highly value.

Stoicism’s view on how we can develop virtue is that of having a dispassionate affection for all things, which means appreciating that good and evil coexist, as well as not letting our emotions dictate by false judgments (often known as emotions).

Buddha statue

Both Buddhist and Stoic philosophy emphasize the need for practical application, and offer training techniques to assist us in applying their principles to real-life situations. Buddhist techniques involve meditation exercises while Stoicism incorporates reading texts aloud as well as daily reflection on virtues and values.

Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Citium after experiencing a shipwreck and loss of wealth and property in 300 BC, leading him to see that suffering exists in this world and founding his philosophy: Stoicism. Crates of Thebes taught him prior to developing his own ideas – initially known as Zenoism but changed later so as not to create a cult of personality around Zeno.

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