What is the Purpose of Buddhism?

For some, Buddhism is a religion linked to the teachings of the Buddha after his spiritual awakening. And, for others, Buddhism is a spirituality combined with several practices whose objective is to have Zen thinking.

What are the goals of Buddhism?

The basic principles of Buddhism

Guatama Siddhartha is the reference in Buddhism. He is none other than the famous Buddha, the spiritual reference for Buddhists after his Awakening. Becoming an awakened being, he taught the truths that he discovered during his meditation under the bodhi, that is to say the pagoda of the Fuigiers where he meditated. The number of practitioners and followers has increased over the past decade. Buddhism is based on fundamental principles such as salvation, life, the law of change and reality.

Indeed, each of these principles has its own meaning, significance and objective. However, a link is established between them and creates the universe of Buddhism. Therefore, the spread of this religion is limited neither in time nor in space. What is the role of salvation, life, the law of change and reality in Buddhism?

The role of salvation in Buddhism

“Impermanence is the universal law. Work for your own salvation”, these are the last words of Buddha. According to him, every human being must value salvation and must deploy his own means to achieve it. Buddhist doctrine is certainly complex, but it is easy to understand. Never forget that to understand it, it is imperative to focus on yourself before knowing others or what is happening around you.

This recognizes the importance of personal experience, which is essential for dealing with any situation and the reality of life. Indeed, every man must have within himself the goal of helping those around him because he himself suffers the consequences of his own actions. In Buddhism, monks serve as models and references for practitioners, but they do not serve as intermediaries between the practitioner and reality.

The role of life in Buddhism

According to Buddhism, life has no purpose or meaning if you do not know the truth and understand its principles. The three Buddhist precepts of wisdom, love and kindness help one understand the meaning of life and overcome human inadequacy. On the one hand, wisdom, this precept aims to simplify life and is beneficial for man. Generally speaking, we respect these precepts without knowing it.

Moreover, each person serves as a point of reference for everyone and corresponds to a state of mind that allows them to develop virtuous and just conduct. Buddha said: “Accept what is, let go of what was and trust in what will be”, this quote well demonstrates and explains the role of wisdom in life. On the other hand, love and kindness are added; the three are interdependent and complementary.

The role of the law of change in Buddhism

This law is considered fundamental to the existence of human beings. Indeed, human life conforms to a life cycle which integrates the notions of beginning and end, and which takes place as follows:

• Birth: which marks the beginning of the life cycle of man and all living beings. It is the starting point of all relationships with others;
• Growth: this is the stage where man undergoes physical, psychological and emotional development;
• Reproduction: this is the phase during which man proceeds and contributes to the perpetuation of the human being;
• Aging: this is the phase of decline of the human species, which is a sign of the end of the life cycle;
• Death: this last phase of the cycle also marks the end of man's existence. Everything stops at death, including activities, projects, etc.

The role of reality in Buddhism

In Buddhism, reality is detached from its abstract aspect to emphasize its concrete aspect. The latter is represented by the materialization of facts, from which Buddhist practices are all visible and palpable, that is to say materialized. In other words, practices must be felt and manipulated by the hands. Reality is translated by:

- Shunyata, which means “empty or empty” or “real or not real”;

- Dharmakaya, which conveys the message of “Lotus Drinking”. It manifests itself in two modes of communication, on the one hand the concept and the abstract and, on the other hand, the myth and the parabolic language;

- Tathata, also called "age" means "reality as it is". This term refers to the true nature of Dharma in its reality and dimension.

According to Buddhist doctrine, reality cannot be described. However, when Buddha became the Enlightened One, the purpose of life converged with Buddhism and the teachings of Buddha.

The contributions of Buddhism to the lives of Buddhists

When you are a Buddhist, the main benefit is to cultivate your mind daily. Additionally, in a Tibetan context, religion refers to adaptation, improvement and progression. The original name used to define it is “chö”. nirvana is the ultimate goal of Buddhism and to achieve this, several factors must be taken into account, such as the adoption of rules of virtuous conduct or the prevention of homicide.

Also, Buddhist practices protect us from misfortunes, bad karmas, suffering and free us from all negative emotions and thoughts. On this subject, the Tibetan sage Tsongkhapa said: “If you are subjective, prejudice condemns you to not seeing the real benefits.” This means that it is imperative to face reality, whatever it may be. Liberation is the very foundation of this spirituality.