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GLOSSARY-Cont. - 14229_106
BRANCHES  OF  BUDDHISM

Religious Program Specialist 3 & 2, Module 01-Personnel Support
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Ummah Zakat Any group of people living within the Islamic state and under its protection, but which has its own religion and laws, its own institutions and customs—for example, the Muslims,  the  Jews,  the  Christians.  Also  the  totality  of the Islamic state. The  Muslim  institution  of  wealth  sharing  which  pre- scribes   that   two   and   one-half   percent   of   one’s   total wealth be distributed to the needy. BUDDHISM To the extreme northeast of India, stretching along the southern slope of the  Himalayas  and  then  southward  again  on  the  plain,  lies  Nepal.  Here  in Nepal  can  be  found  the  ruined  sites  of  cities,  temples,  and  ancient  monu- ments associated with one of the great figures in religious history—Gautama Buddha.  Buddha  is  a  Sanskrit  word  that  means  “to  become  enlightened.” Buddha is the title given to Siddhartha Gautama, the teacher, founder, and leader  of  the  Buddhist  religion. HISTORICAL   BACKGROUND Siddhartha  Gautama  was  born  around  563  B.C.,  at  Kapilavastu,  a  town now in Nepal. His family belonged to the Kshatriya caste, the second highest caste  (hereditary  social  order)  in  Indian  society.  Although  born  into  a  well- to-do  and  influential  family  he  revolted  against  the  caste  system  of  the Hindus. He gave up his palace and inheritance to search for the truth which could overcome the sorrow he felt was inherent within human existence. He began his search by practicing yoga, a system which demanded severe living and rigid exercises to control the mind and body. He tried fasting and living as a hermit in the forest. After 6 years, he was almost ready to give up his search in despair. As he sat under a certain sacred fig tree, frequently called the  bohdi  or  bo  tree,  what  he  considered  to  be  the  truth  that  he  had  been seeking  so  long  came  to  him.  His  search  for  truth  or  enlightenment  was complete. After  Gautama’s  death  (483  B.C.),  his  teachings  spread  rapidly  until Buddhism  became  the  faith  of  the  majority  of  the  people  in  India.  Around 200 B.C. Buddhist missionaries established Buddhism in Ceylon (the present Sri   Lanka).   At   about   the   same   time,   it   extended   into   Thailand   and Cambodia,   which   were   influenced   culturally   by   India.   By   A.D.   100, Buddhism  had  spread  into  China.  It  became  established  in  Korea  around A.D.  300,  in  Japan  around  A.D.  500,  and  in  Tibet  around  A.D.  600.  The 1900s have seen a revival and restatement of Buddhist doctrines. Buddhism  is  the  predominant  religion  of  Burma,  Sri  Lanka,  Japan,  and Southeast   Asia.   Outside   Asia,   Buddhists   are   present   in   North   America (approximately  200,000  members)  and  Europe  (approximately  18,000). Buddhism  throughout  the  world  has  more  than  300  million  adherents. 2-79







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