Hum 130 Buddhism Final Project

Buddhism

Traci Gentry

Hum 130

01-15-2012

Buddhism is a path one chooses to take and it is not considered a religion. Buddhism is about experiencing the right of life through enlightenment. Meditation is the way of life for a Buddhist; anyone can learn meditation and experience great beliefs. The story of Buddhism begins with Siddhartha Gautama.

Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, approximately 2,500 years ago. He was said to have been born to a royal family and kept in the confines of his royalty. He lived with fine clothes, white umbrellas for shade, a mansion for each season, and a harem of dancing girls. His father the King kept Siddhartha from seeing the “four sights”. Those sights were those of a bent old man, a sick person, a dead person, and a monk seeking eternal rather than tempered pleasure. It is said that Siddhartha had a wife and son.

When it comes to Buddhism and marriage, there are no set rules for such. A Buddhist point of view on marriage is that it is neither, holy or unholy. Siddhartha himself never spoke against marriage, but he simply pointed out that there were difficulties that people could face with the responsibility, and also gave advice on how to live happily. Marriage is supposed to be limited to one husband and one wife. Those are not supposed to think about committing adultery. When one chooses to get married there are no specific rituals or procedures to conduct a marriage. Buddhist people recognize traditions and cultures practiced in different countries. The religious ceremonies differ from place to place. When couples choose to get married you might think that they plan on having children. Buddhist does not have it set in stone anywhere that a couple should have children, and if they choose to do so, there are no set rules on how many they can have. It is said that in some Buddhist communities it is highly thought of to have a son. Some believe that having a son is necessary to perform their funeral rites so...