The Basic Beliefs of Buddhism

The basic beliefs of Buddhism are straight forward and comprehensible. They are an actual path for happiness that was realized by Siddhartha Gautama more that 2500 hundred years ago. These basic beliefs are comprised of the Four Noble Truths with the last truth being the Noble Eightfold Path. As well there are supporting beliefs that enhance your understanding of the Buddha's teaching.Now, before we get to these truths there are some things that need to be explained regarding Buddhism. There are many confusing and contradictory beliefs that exist. I often see or hear something that isn't really a Buddhism belief or it doesn't apply to all the traditions. For instance, Buddhism followers are said to not believe in God.
Yet, some Buddhist sects or traditions believe in many magical entities that are considered gods. As well Buddhism beliefs are becoming fairly common amongst other religions, in particular, Christianity. People from other faiths are maintaining their belief in God as a creator as well as the strong attributes of love and compassion that they find in their practice of Buddhism.
Another aspect to consider is the popularity of the Dalai Lama and how this sort of popularity enhances a Buddhist tradition. In this case the Tibetan Buddhism traditions. The Dalai Lama is a very popular representative of Buddhism. Now, the Dalai Lama is a teacher of the Tibetan Buddhism. That is, the Buddhist traditions of the Tibetan schools.
As a result of the conflict with China the Tibetans were forced into a different way of life. Tibetan Buddhism would not have gained the popularity it has if not for this. There are many schools of Buddhism in existence. Many with completely different beliefs.

Question Everything

The Buddha, the founder of this way of life, teaches that you should not believe anything until you have used your intelligence and common sense to prove its merits. Everything in Buddhism is open to question. This is one of the great basic beliefs of Buddhism as other religions and philosophies do not offer this luxury.
The Buddha teaches not to accept tradition nor the advice of a great sage or guru until you have tested their teachings for yourself. In other words, Siddhartha Gautama said to experience for yourself and then decide.
This is a bold statement for a sage of any creed. It's bold because there are no threats or manipulations of any sort. There are no false promises. This is unlike many other religions. The realizations of Siddhartha Gautama were of a nature that meant happiness could be attained by you if you choose to follow the path.

No Fear

Buddhism is a path of enlightenment right here, right now. There is no dogma that states that you or anyone you know suffers because of the sins of others or your ancestors. Buddhism teaches that you are responsible for your own pain and pleasure. It does not instill any sort of fear into you.
It teaches that for each of your actions there is a reaction that good allows for good and bad allows for bad. This is karma and it is better written that good decisions allow for good results; whereas, bad decisions allow for bad results. This is the law of cause and effect.

A Real Person

The founder of this way of life, Siddhartha Gautama, was a real person that experienced and realized suffering as a human being. He never presented himself as supernatural. He presented himself as a person that experienced the extremes of both self-indulgence and self-neglect. He found that neither allowed for the realization of absolute truth. He found that neither allowed for the experience of true joy and bliss right here, right now. It was in this way that the Buddha realized the true path to lasting happiness. This is a basic belief of Buddhism.

The Path

The Buddha revealed a noble path that allows for the freedom from suffering of any sort. He revealed a path that allows for joy and happiness right here, right now, not at some later date, say after death. This path is an actual path to be followed. It is explained in detail. He called it the Eightfold Noble Path. He also realized that it takes mental or mind development in order to gain this truth, to understand it, and to experience it.
The original teachings of Siddhartha Gautama are capable of withstanding any challenge without reversing or having to give new interpretations. The teachings are as true today as they are twenty-five hundred years ago. They also bring about the same joy and freedom from suffering for the one that follows the path as it did twenty-five hundred years ago.

Open To Everything

Another of the basic beliefs of Buddhism is that the followers do not regard themselves as the chosen people. They do not consider themselves as the only ones that may attain heavenly bliss. What they do believe is that you attain your own hell or heaven according to your actions and ultimately your wisdom.
That is, your karma is created by your actions. It isn't necessarily that if you do good, good will follow you or that if you do bad, bad will follow you. It is more that you have a better chance of reaping good rewards if you do the right thing. If you do the wrong thing then you have a greater chance of reaping bad rewards.

Love, Kindness and Impermanence

As a Buddhist you will develop tolerance and patience for all living beings. You will show kindness, compassion and sympathy to others by living the middle way. In this way you will understand why people do what they do both in good and bad ways.
You will understand that their ignorance is why they suffer. This is why they do what they do, good or bad. That is why you suffer as well, and why your existence is the way it currently is. With wisdom your ignorance is lessened and you begin to experience the truth of reality. This is how it is for all of us.
The truth of impermanence, once realized fully, deepens our understanding of letting go of issues. The Buddha realized that all things that arise will also cease to be. This includes the birth and death of people, but also the birth and death of emotions. Many people don't realize that your thoughts give rise to your emotions and that these very same emotions cease to be as well. Along with this is the birth and death of empires, civilizations and everything in existence.
The Basic Beliefs of Buddhism begins with the Four Noble Truths. The truth of the existence of suffering, the nature of it, what causes it, and how to eliminate it. The last truth is the path that sets you free from suffering. Read about the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path here. The other basic beliefs of Buddhism is meditation. Believe me, mediation will help to control and improve your mind and body. Some people believe they can't meditate. This is a fallacy.

More of the Basic Beliefs of Buddhism .END=OM MANI PADME HUM.( 3 TIMES ).RESEARCH TIBET BUDDHIST DHARMA BY VENERABLE GESHE TESERING TASHI.VIETNAMESE TIBET NUN.NEW ZEALAND.( NHA TRANG ).