BUDDHISM

BUDDHISM

Buddhists are found most commonly in Asia, the following countries have the highest percentage: Thailand 95%

Cambodia 90%

Myanmar 88% (Burma) Bhutan 75%

Sri Lanka 70%

Tibet 65%

Laos 60%

Vietnam 55%

Japan 50%

Macau 45%

Taiwan 43%

Buddhist belief in the afterlife, Nirvana and karma

Buddhism is divided into a number of different traditions. However, most traditions share a common set of fundamental beliefs.

A fundamental belief of Buddhism is reincarnation which is the concept that people are reborn after dying. The religion of Buddhism differentiates between reincarnation and rebirth. In reincarnation, the individual may recur repeatedly. In rebirth, a person does not necessarily return to Earth as the same entity ever again.

If a person releases their attachment to desire, they can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering.

Karma is also a Buddhist belief, that all actions have consequences.

Every time a person acts there is some quality of intention at the base of the mind and it is that quality rather than the outward appearance of the action that determines its effect.

The practices of Buddhism Sila: Virtue, good conduct, morality. This is based

on two fundamental principles; the principal of equality and the principal of reciprocity (do onto others as you wish them to do onto you)

Samadhi: Concentration, meditation, mental development. Developing one's mind is the path to wisdom which in turn leads to personal freedom.

Prajna: Discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment. This is the real heart of Buddhism. Wisdom will emerge if your mind is pure and calm.

Dukkha: ‘Suffering exists’; suffering is real and universal

Samudaya: ‘There is a cause for suffering’; it is the desire to have and control things

Nirodha: ‘There is an end to suffering’; suffering ceases with the final liberation of Nirvana

Magga: ‘In order to end suffering you must follow the Eightfold Path’ (the Buddhist beliefs)

Do not kill: An absence of violence, do not harm.

Do not steal: interpreted as including the avoidance of fraud

Do not lie: Interpreted as name calling, gossip

Do not misuse sex Do not consume

alcohol or other drugs: The main concern here is that intoxicants cloud the mind.

The Four Noble Truths: The Five Precepts:

Buddhist dietary needs Buddhists are generally vegetarian, though not all are. The reason for this

is that the killing of animals violates the First Moral Precept and meat is considered an intoxicant to the body, which violates the Fifth Moral Precept.

When eating foods, Buddhists consider five basic but essential questions: 1. What food is this? - The origin of the food and how it reached me.

2. Where does it come from? - The amount of work necessary to grow the food, prepare it, cook it and bring it to the table.3. Why am I eating it? - Do I deserve this food or not? Am I worthy of it? 4. When should I eat and benefit from this food? - Food is a necessity and a healing agent because I am subjected to illness without food. 5. How should I eat it? - Food is only received and eaten for the purpose of realizing the proper way to reach enlightenment.

Other foods that may fall into the "forbidden" category include "the Five Pungent Spices." This refers to onions, scallions, chives, garlic, etc. Traditionally, Buddhists have believed that a person who eats these foods will suffer the following ill effects:

- His blood and flesh will be rejected by the gods, and the heavens will distance themselves far from him.

- His breath is always foul; therefore, all gods and saints will reject him.

- If eaten cooked, these foods will arouse lust and cause explosive temper.

- If eaten raw, they will increase one's anger and cause bad body odour that will not please the gods but will stimulate interested "hungry ghosts" who will hover around and kiss one's lips. Being near ghosts is believed to hinder one's enlightenment.

For these reasons, at a multicultural event it is necessary to have a wide array for vegetarian foods and information about the food served and what is in them. Buddhists also choose to not eat because they believe hunger is the minimal expression of compassion that can be offered, so they do not often snack or indulge in eating when it is not necessary.

Environmental Needs Buddhists often like to meditate and

partake in other rituals. Due to this is it important to have a section devoted to meditation and prayer at a multicultural event. This area should be large, quiet and uncluttered so that Buddhists can focus on Zen and be uninterrupted.

Buddhists in Australia In Australia, Buddhism is a small but growing religion.

According to the 2006 census, 2.1 percent of the total population, or 418,749 people, identified as Buddhist. It was also the fastest growing religion by percentage, having increased its number of adherents by 79 percent between the 1996 and 2001 censuses. Buddhism is the second largest religion in the country, after Christianity.

In 1952, the Buddhist Society of NSW was formed, and their Queensland and Victorian counterparts in 1953. These organisations sponsored and supported visits from Buddhist monks in Asia. The first Buddhist monastery was set up in 1971 in the Blue Mountains in NSW. The first new wave of immigrants arrived in 1975, from Vietnam and South-East Asia; in 1991, nearly one-third of Buddhists in Australia were born in Vietnam.

http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/practices.htmhttp://www.quangduc.com/English/vegetarian/12health.htmlhttp://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/bstatt10.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_by_countryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Australiahttp://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s796474.htm