What is Buddhism? (พระพุทธศาสนาคืออะไร?)

ผู้เยี่ยมชม

What is Buddhism?
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By Phramaha Surasak Suramedhi (Chamaram)

4th Year Student of Humanities’ Faculty, Majoring in English
Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Nakhonratchasima campus
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Buddhism, one of the great world religions, has been in the world for more than 2,500 years. It has been practiced by millions of people in various parts all over the world. It was founded by the Buddha (His personal name’s was Siddhattha), who was neither a God nor a Prophet, or received any divine messages.

The term Buddhism, which is known as Buddhasasana in Thai, literally means the Buddha’s teachings. All of his teachings– the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Paths, the Five Precepts, Independent Origination and so on – are natural truths, which were not created or invented by himself. Whether he was born or had discovered them or not, they always exist by themselves in nature. The goal of Buddhism is Nibbana, which means to overcome sufferings such as Birth, Death, Pain, Sickness, Sorrow, and so on.

At the present time, Buddhism is divided into two schools, namely; Mahayana School (New form) and Hinayana or Theravada School (Old form). The Mahayana School, which is called the Great Vehicle, has been mostly practiced in Tibet, China, Japan, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, and some countries in Europe. The other is Hinayana or Theravada School, which is called the smaller vehicle, has been mostly practiced in Thailand, Cambodia, Loas, Nepal, Burma, etc...

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