Namo tassa bagawato arahato samma sam buddha sa

Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life. There are 376 million followers worldwide.

Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for Enlightenment around the sixth century BC.

There is no belief in a personal god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is always possible. The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.

Buddhists believe that life is both endless and subject to  anicca (impermanent), Dukkha (suffering) and anatta (non-srlf). These states are called the tilakhana, or the three signs of existence. Existence is endless because individuals are reincarnated over and over again, experiencing suffering throughout many lives.

The last words of the Lord Buddha

   

Key facts

·         Buddhism is 2,500 years old
·         There are currently 376 million followers worldwide
·         There are over 150,000 Buddhists in Britain
·         Buddhism arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautama's quest for Enlightenment in  
      around the 6th Century BC
·         There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centred on the relationship  
      between humanity and God
·         Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is always possible
·         The two main Buddhist sects are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana 
      Buddhism,  but there are many more
·         Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple
·         The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality,
       meditation and wisdom.