According to the Buddhist traditional records, the historical Buddha Siddharta Gautama at the age of 35, while meditating under a fig tree, now known as the Bodhi tree, he attained Enlightenment. He was then known as Gautama Buddha, or simply “The Buddha”, which means “the enlightened one”.
Buddha then endeavored to share [...]
Archive for December, 2008
History of Buddhism
Posted in Buddhism History on December 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Insight Meditation
Posted in Buddhist Meditation on December 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Introduction to Insight Meditation
Amaravati Buddhist Centre, U.K.
The purpose of Insight Meditation is not to create a system of beliefs, but rather to give guidance on how to see clearly into the nature of the mind. In this way one gains first-hand understanding of the way things are, without reliance on opinions [...]
Buddhist Meditation
Posted in Buddhist Meditation on December 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Buddhism is unique among the major religions in the emphasis it gives to meditation.
There are many types and forms of meditation used in the various schools of Buddhism. Buddhaghosa enumerated 40 methods of meditation in the Theravadin Visuddhimagga; nowadays there are many more in the various schools. The various methods of [...]
Buddha’s First Sermon
Posted in Buddha's Teachings on December 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
These two extremes, monks, are not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the world. What are the two?
That joined with the passions and luxury— low, vulgar, common, ignoble, and useless, and that joined with self-torture— painful, ignoble, and useless.
Avoiding these two extremes the one who has thus come [...]
