Buddhism

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Buddhism is an ancient philosophy founded by Gautama Siddhartha Buddha in the sixth century BC in India, from where it was taken to China in 520 AD by a monk named Bodhidharma. It still flourishes as a practised religion in Asia, particularly in the Far East, and has elicited much interest in recent years amongst westerners searching for self-knowledge and inner tranquillity.

It could be said that of all the recognized religions practised today, Buddhism is the one that most embodies the healing ethic, as the ideal of 'wholeness' as we have come to understand it. The central teachings of Buddhism are concerned with exactly the ideas that are the mainstay of spiritual healing, in that it seeks to give its followers a new understanding of life through peace of mind.

Buddhism aims to eliminate the general feelings of dissatisfaction that pervade many people's lives, causing distress and, perhaps, illness.

Its teachings hinge on the 'noble truth' that life is unsatisfactory and engenders inescapable suffering. This inherent unsatisfactoriness is called dukkha, a word that suggests restlessness and suffering. Dukkha manifests itself in the individual as a kind of thirst for selfish desire, which is linked with ignorance, greed and hatred. This belief in the inevitability of strife and suffering may sound negative and extremely pessimistic, but it is also believed that the individual is capable of achieving a state in which no selfish desire arises.

As it is the unfulfiiment of selfish desires that make one's life unsatisfactory, an absence of these desires leads to an acceptance of the world as it is.

In order to achieve this state of 'no dukkha', one must follow certain moral and spiritual disciplines, which are laid down in the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

  1. Right understanding-here one acknowledges life as it is, in all its imperma-nence and unsatisfactoriness.
  2. Right thought-this involves realizing the power of one's mind, which should be filled with positive thoughts of loving kindness and compassion.
  3. Right speech-this includes not telling lies or saying anything that could be harmful to another, such as gossip.
  4. Right action-such action as not taking life, stealing or engaging in sexual misconduct.
  5. Right livelihood-one must be careful to have a job that does not involve one in destroying life or hurting others.
  6. Right effort-this is needed in order to think about what one does and says.
  7. Right awareness-one must be entirely alert or awake in life.
  8. Right concentration-this is required to achieve a deeper level of attentive-ness, characterized by peace and calm.

As you can see, each of the eight stages must be 'right', which means appropriate or effective. Through this 'rightness', the practising of an ethical lifestyle and meditation, the Buddhist hopes to find insight into the nature of existence and to transcend suffering.

As stressed before, this state of acceptance is not a resigned or indifferent one but a joyful one. Similarly, being without dukkha is not simply a passive, but a positive, dynamic state of contentment and compassion. Indeed, compassion is fundamental to a Buddhist way of life.

Alongside the emphasis on personal development, concern for other people and for life is paramount. A Buddhist develops 'mindfulness', starting with greater consciousness of oneself, one's body, mind and emotions, and radiating out to other people and the surrounding environment.

Meditation plays a vital role in developing mindfulness and is an important part of a Buddhist's daily routine. Meditation can take many forms and is a key factor in many healing therapies, as it encourages relaxation as well as self-awareness. (See the passage on Zen for more details of Buddhist meditation techniques.)

Buddhism is a non-doctrinal religion that does not require its teachings to be forced upon its followers-its main concern is in the quest to help people achieve a full and aware life. So, in a sense, it is a philosophy that allows you to pick and choose the attitudes and practices that you wish to incorporate into your own life. Followers claim that through the teachings of the Buddha they find a special, personal path that will eventually lead them to realize their own enlightenment.

This kind of understanding transcends the intellectual and reaches deep into the self, a profound experience that leads to complete freedom.