Buddhism is a Vedic religion, which came at a time when religious freedom and different forms of beliefs had infiltrated the Asian societies. Buddhism ushered in a fragment of different religious beliefs, philosophical ideas, and practices. The religion came at a period in history, when various factions were divided over philosophical beliefs and, thus, philosophical disputes erupted as a result of divided opinionated individuals doing their best to drive their viewpoints and beliefs to the forefront. Buddhism influenced those, who had outrageously subscribed to asceticism. Buddhism borrowed most of its doctrines from the variety of traditions such as Hindu; it is a religion attributed to its founder Buddha, who was also known as Siddhartha Gautama.
Akshobhya was a Buddha, who hailed from the East and was of the Vajra family. The Buddha originated from a family tree, which was not angered. Buddha Akshobhya is blue in color and hails from Dhyani Buddha Mandalas lineage. Buddha Akshobhya is represented by the element of water and charka; which means a center of energy. He is known to avert disasters and misfortunes and to transforms one’s life to dharma and lengthening of a believer’s life. Buddha Akshobhya possesses deep affinities with each and every spirit of the believers. Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism is a school of Buddhism, which encompasses esoteric expressions of Buddhism thought practices or rituals. Vajrayana spiritual leader is known as Guru, which is translated by Tibetan as Lama.
Amitabha is a Buddha, who leads the Buddha fields of the West. He is represented by the red color. Amitabha is known as a Buddha of Infinite light and in order for one to receive enlightenment, one needs to recite his name to make the way for his realm to be re-bred into the individual’s life. Amitabha is also known in Japanese as Amida Nyorai. Devotees believe that reciting the Amitabha Buddha mantras will earn them a place in the Western paradise. The rebirth represents karma; an Indian philosophy and a universal law that embodies an individual existence on his or her morals or evil deeds. The recitation of the mantras will grant them a rebirth in the paradise.
A rebirth in the paradise provides the right atmosphere for ultimate attainment of enlightenment. The devotees practice the rituals and doctrines that include Sadhanas (meditative teachings), which is essential for the visualization of the Western paradise. Pure Land Buddhism is the religion practiced in Japan and widely revered in China and India.
Bodhisattva is a Buddha, who is enlightened or awakened. The Buddha is considered to have attained a state of supreme enlightenment. The Bodhisattva core purpose is to save all beings during the birth and death (samsara). Bodhisattva Buddha helps all beings to attain the state of enlightenment or awakening, which means being cleansed and transformed to a more pure being, free of wrong doings or imperfection. Avalokitesvara is one of the most powerful beings of the Bodhitasvva Buddhism. Avalokitesvara is part of celestial Bodhisattvas. His name is interpreted as “The Lord looking down in every direction”. He is self-less as he sacrifices away his pursuit of Buddhahood for the emancipation of every being on Earth.
Nirvana (Nibhana), unlike Bodhisattva, is commonly centered on the Buddha. The Buddha through the “unbinding, extinguish of fire”, represents a self-seeking ritual and not the emancipation of the other fellow beings from samsara.
Alaya vijnana is translated in Sanskrit as “Storehouse consciousness”. It states that knowledge itself is an object of consciousness. It lays assumption that knowledge exists freely and rubs off the belief that there exists no external reality. It maintains the school of belief that the universe possesses stupendous numbers of ideas, which are inactive. It illustrates that for the release of these boundless ideas, the latent consciousness, which is a sequence of projected thoughts and, which can only be prevented by an influx of karma; a cumulative effect of the past deeds that need to be destroyed to make way for it to work effectively.
Tantric Buddhism or as it is referred to as Vajrayana uses sadhana (“realization”) a practice, which a devotee evokes divine orchestration whereby the spiritual exercise is immersed into his spirit. Sadhana is where the body takes part in sacred expressions and utterances, while the mind is deeply immersed in inner visualization; a connection between the two worlds is established. The right state of mind is achieved, when a devotee has full concentration (Samadhi), the mastery of this practice enables a devotee to vividly visualize the divinities for realization of the powers, knowledge of the deity.
A tradition common in South East Asia is the practice of Theravada commonly known as “The Way of the Elder”. Theravada is deeply rooted in Uposatha, a ritual, which is observed during the full moon and the New moon. The practice is marked by monastery meeting fortnightly in the sanctuary by monks for the purpose of instilling discipline. Theravada is widely practiced in Sri Lanka and includes presenting offerings to Buddha portraits and sculpture, as well as recitations.
Bodhi is the last phase of the Buddhism transmigration process. It is the final phase of enlightenment that leads to one becoming a Nirvana. It places compassion and deep devotion on Bodhisattva, a spiritual process with high level of discipline to attain Bodhi.
Meditation plays an integral part in the lives of Buddhist. One of the earliest forms of meditation is Samanna-phala schema. The meditation was commonly performed by Monks (bhikku) as they were referred to in Sanskrit. The meditation used to be performed in a secluded sacred place. The monk would sit down cross-legged and embark on a Boddhicita, an aspiring journey to achieve the Awakening and enlightenment (Bodhi). The first sutta of the samanna-phala schema was performed by Nikaya; the early school of Buddhism. The meditation was performed in secluded places such as forest, open air, a cave and deserted homes among many other places. The meditation made one to possess a state of tranquility, happiness, heightened joy and content with oneself (jhanas). The mastering of this practice can render one to possess some powers such as water walking and flying high in the skies. The powers included amassing wealth of superior knowledge (abhinna). The knowledge was religious in nature; it encompassed understanding of suffering, remission of transgressions. To understand early Buddhism one needs to understand Satipatthana Sutta, as it breaks down and unlocks the path walked by these early Buddhists. The study of ancient Buddhism, early Buddhism to be precise will reveal a correlation of all Suttas and how they give insight to the early Buddhism meditation techniques. It is through the understanding of the early Buddhism that will give unsolicited truth to the culmination of the modern day Buddhism. It is a process of unraveling the truth and culmination of meditation and its techniques. The essence of meditation involves watching (anupasassati), it involves watching various kind of objects and establishing a deeper connection between these objects. The objects are a state of consciousness, body, mental qualities, feelings and body. To achieve a mindful state of mind, where a meditator can see objects clearly and deeply, requires immense amount of efforts and application. The meditator has to be able to see outside the context, for this kind of meditation to work. A meditator, who has mastered the practice, is called an atapin, he can see clearly and deeply. At this level, a meditator graduates to become mindful, a state referred to as (satimant) to a fully conscious state or awakening called Sampajana. This levels suggests an outside the context of meditation. This level of heightened awareness also implicates one to overcome unhealthy emotions and witnesses cut offs of any feelings of discontent associated with ordinary or normal life (loka). The satipatthana sutta gives a clear low down instructions on how the meditation is effectively executed. The sutta outlines the six different steps to pull off when conducting the practice of watching the body. The steps includes breathing (in and out deeply), maintain an upright posture (whether walking, sitting or standing), his body maneuvers such as when turning back, looking up, looking ahead, looking around, straightening of his limbs, bending ,putting on his inner and outer robe, drinking, swallowing, defecating, urinating, among many other practices.
Meditation is Buddhism cardinal rule and sense of pride. The faculty of mindfulness is the focal point of Satipatthana practice. The sutta shows hidden inherent power in mental consciousness, which, if fully utilized, can produce immense potential to whoever practices it. The inherent and inert powers of the mind can provide deliverance and alleviate suffering. It has been shown how the satipatthana sutta possesses tremendous power. However, systematic cultivation and harnessing of the mindful power is necessary for it to bear tangible benefits. A perfect combination of mind, the right proportion of energy and clear comprehension is the magic wand for the unraveling of the four arousing powers of mindfulness; body, feelings, consciousness and mental objects. Satipatthana meditation can be used to perform and produce conclusive insights (vipassana), as well as to generate and achieve utmost concentration (samadhi). Unlike other forms of meditation, Satipatthana harmonizes the two faculties (vipassana and Samadhi) sequentially. Gaining the both mental faculties in Satipatthana requires a development process; achieving concentration needs a degree level of stability before insight can exercise full penetration. Mastering Satipatthana creates a mental stability whereby a meditator can even maintain a sharp focus and concentration when the object of the attention is constantly changing, while on the other hand, observation of the object together with its variables such as its characteristics, qualities helps to bring forth the required insight knowledge. Satiphatthana’s essence is the insight. The insight to understand and grasp the true nature of things where our mental reality takes place engages a complete transfiguring, which combines giving a lift off the glyphic birth and death. Understanding nature of things is the essence of transience knowledge and subjecting of the sorrow by all components substances as well as emptiness of all things.
The arousal of the mind or the arousal of mindfulness brings from full emancipation from the bondage and shackles of ignorance to the ultimate attainment of heightened happiness. Patisambhida Magga (The Way of Analytical Knowledge) is well sought after for the answers to life’s karmical conformations, the giving up of the obstacles to rebirth, cessation, and detachment and Nibhana- supreme void. For one to reach summum bonum of Budhhism, he needs to be a master in “The way of arousing the Mindfulness” (Satipatthana Magga)..
Mindfulness is having salient characteristic and the state of possessing a focal point towards an object, thus seeing, it manifests. It is mandatory for one to own yogavacara; a state of unlimited and sharp alertness. Sati nepakkam, “Prudence of Mindfulness” is a state, where wisdom is connected with a clear and strong mindfulness. It is a free from the shackles of flesh cognition; it makes one to be free of hatred, lust and other forms of bondage of this world. It rejuvenates one’s life with freedom, grants clarity and objectivity in handling and responding to various circumstances and situations. It is a phenomenon called yathabhuta nanadassana,-“Knowing as it is”.
Buddha’s main goal of emancipation is achieved by the extermination of all flesh cravings and spiritual ignorance. It’s a battle won with great gains, in terms of mental pliancy and strength and contentment. Attaining this means possessing equanimity and tranquil peace. Extirpation of lust, hatred and ignorance is replaced by heightened joy, contentment and a clear and wise understanding of the world within oneself. The Virtue of the Way of the Mindfulness is enabled and designed to make one attain innermost freedom and peace. A successful student of this practice is not lured and satisfied with the confines, comforts and conforms of the external world. He or she possesses before him/her a spirit realm, which has true and fulfilling value, unlike the conformity and products of the external world.
He or she is in a state of oneness (ekatta) with him/herself of the enduring (dhuva), which transcends all diversity (nanatta) and demands the change (aniccata) of oneself. The emancipation of the mind removes all the sways of conditioned phenomena and elevates one to liberation (vimutti). Mindfulness is a source of shelter and refuge of the mind as it ushers in episodes of transition from ignorance to knowledge. It radiates freedom, awakening and enlightenment. It not only results in rational gains but intuitive as well. This property of significant proportions aids and guides the mind towards how to response to objects. The Right understanding and Right concentration and its cognates comes mental steadfastness, serenity, wisdom, sharp analysis, intense knowledge, wittiness, and non-distractions.
The path to Buddhahood is a life-changing experience. It is a path, which culminates to enlightenment. It is a path of practice and spiritual development that leads to sharp insight into the true nature of the reality before one’s eyes. It requires willpower in order to develop the qualities and ability of awareness and wisdom. The tradition has over thousands of years of a follow path to a spiritual realm of purity and mental strength. To see the reality in the scope of enlightenment means being enlightened at a very deep level and understanding. A Buddhist spiritual life represents a life emancipated from the suffering. Buddhism firmly believes that in order to change one’s outer world one must emancipate his or her mind to a spiritual realm, which culminates to awareness and enlightenment. The basic tenets of Buddhism are that every action has a consequence, and a change in one’s life is possible. The three noble qualities of Buddhism are Wisdom (Pana), Morality (Sila), and Meditations (Samadhi). Buddhists have cardinal believes that, suffering exists, suffering arises from attachment to desires, freedom from suffering is possible by practicing mindfulness and contemplation.
Mindfulness is all about understanding the workings of the mind, which undergoes great precision through the step by step teachings of the Buddhahood. Mindfulness realizes that there is suffering and the truth behind how to deal with each and every form of suffering. There are four noble truths and the noble eightfold path. The first noble truth is that life is suffering. The sufferings include getting old, pains, and death. The second noble truth is commonly caused by craving and aversion. This kind involves conforming to the external world expectations. Another aspect is that material possession does not guarantee happiness. Relentless pursuit of material possession usually deprives one of contentment and happiness. The third truth is that one can overcome suffering and happiness can be attained. As well, true happiness and contentment are attainable. The fourth noble truth is the path of emancipation from suffering.