Initiation Rights of Buddhism

The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, founded Buddhism in Northern India. He was born circa 563 in Lumbini, which is in modern-day Nepal. At the age of 29, he left his wife, children and political involvements in order to seek truth; this was an accepted practice at the time for some men to leave their family and lead the life of an ascetic. He studied Brahmanism, but ultimately rejected it. In 535 BCE, he reached enlightenment and assumed the title Buddha (one who has awakened). He is also referred to as the Sakyamuni, (sage of the Sakya clan). He promoted The Middle Way, rejecting both extremes of the mortification of the flesh and of hedonism as paths toward the state of Nirvana. He had many disciples and accumulated a large public following by the time of his death in his early 80's in 483 BCE.

Two and a half centuries later, a council of Buddhist monks collected his teachings and the oral traditions of the faith into written form, called the Tripitaka. This included a very large collection of commentaries and traditions; most are called Sutras (discourses). (1)

Buddhism, like most of the great religions of the world, is divided into a number of different traditions. We will deal in this essay with Theravada Buddhism. (2)

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Now I am even more pleased and satisfied when the Lord says to me:'Make a proper investigation first. The cessation of dukkha comes with the cessation of craving. The Buddha was concerned that people should follow his teachings as a result of understanding and conviction. For example, they do not believe in a transcendent or immanent or any other type of God or Gods, the need for a personal savior, the power of prayer, eternal life in a heaven or hell after death, etc. Steve Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple, Broadway Books, December 1998

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“The Buddha's Four Noble Truths may be described (somewhat simplistically) as:

1. Although the Buddha throws responsibility back on to the individual he also taught methods through which we can change ourselves. The Buddha said:

"To take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and to see with real understanding the Four Noble Truths, ~ Suffering, the Cause of Suffering, the Transcending of Suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path that leads to the transcending of suffering, This indeed is a safe refuge, it is the refuge supreme. Steve Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple, Broadway Books, December 1998

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2. Steve Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple, Broadway Books, December 1998

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3. ' For if members of another religion had secured me as a disciple they would have paraded a banner all around the town saying: 'Upali has joined our religion.

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