How Buddhism appeared - the history of the birth of the first world religion. The history of the emergence of Buddhism in ancient India “Philosophy of Ancient India”

Another religious system of India, which formed in 5 thousand BC. - this is Buddhism. Buddhism is one of the three world religions; it arises as a consequence of certain real-life events. This religious system has a founder, his name is Siddhartha Gautama. According to the teachings of Buddhism, anyone can become a Buddha (enlightened), and anyone can walk a path similar to that of Gautama. This is one of the features of Buddhism as a religion, in which, in fact, there is no God as an initially given unit, as a transcendental force that stands above people living on earth, the force of an unattainable and incomprehensible deity. Gautama turns into Buddha, achieves eternity, immortality. But the entire path that precedes this is real, understandable, and achievable by other people.

According to the teachings of Buddhism, a person goes through stages of spiritual development, in Buddhism they are called the eightfold path. In the Buddhist artistic system, the eightfold path is represented in the form of eight disks strung on a rod, as steps of ascent from lower to higher. A Buddhist comprehends all these stages of a noble and righteous life in the course of his life and step by step approaches enlightenment, to nirvana.

Two main schools have emerged in Buddhism. The first school is called Hinayana, this is a school according to which only a representative of the brahmanas, only a priest, reaches the state of nirvana. The second school is Mahayana, a school according to which any person, if he sets his mind, can achieve nirvana. Hinayana is translated as small vehicle or small path, i.e. the path for the chosen ones, for the brahmans, for the priests, and Mahayana is the big path, the big chariot. This school makes virtually no distinctions for representatives of different castes and gives the opportunity to any person to go through the path of spiritual improvement, master the basic techniques of Buddhist teachings and achieve enlightenment, and become a righteous person in the course of spiritual development.

Buddhism has had a very strong influence on the culture as a whole. Buddhism is a religion that puts a person in conditions of spiritual growth. It depends on him, in accordance with what values ​​his life path will be, what priorities he will highlight in his actions. Buddhism had a very great influence on sculpture and painting, where there was a certain canon for the image of Buddha, which determined in what position the Buddha should be depicted, what the movements of the fingers should be, the position of the body, what clothes should be. The type of hairstyle and facial expression were raised to strict law. The most consistent canonization of both the image of Buddha and Buddhist buildings and sculptural structures occurred during the reign of Ashoka, one of the outstanding representatives of the Mauryan dynasty, during which Buddhism was declared the official religion. Ashoka issued a series of decrees according to which everyone had to become familiar with this teaching. Buddhism did not deny Hinduism, and the inhabitants of Ancient India, who traditionally professed Hinduism, could easily find themselves supporters of the new religion. These two teachings do not contradict each other. In Buddhism, as well as in Hinduism, we encounter those concepts that constitute the essence of the worldview of the people of Ancient India. These are concepts about reincarnation, about the dual essence of man, about samsara. Under Ashoka, the construction of religious buildings of Buddhism begins. Buddhist structures began to be created, a kind of architectural and sculptural signs of this religious system: stupas, stambhas, chaityas. Stupas are memorial structures that resemble ritual hills, hemispheres lined with stone. Most often, they were built on platforms in the form of a drum, and on the top of this hemisphere a reliquary was placed - small rectangular structures in which Buddhist relics were kept, rituals and sacrifices were performed. Stambhas were Buddhist pillars ending in capitals. Initially, they were created everywhere along the path of pilgrims, those people who went to the stupas. A person who made a multi-day journey to a sacred stupa, meeting a stambha on his way, could perform ritual actions. Texts, hymns, and Buddhist commandments were inscribed on the stambha. Chaityas are Buddhist temples, which were usually not built, but hollowed out in caves in the mountains. They were hidden from human sight. Magnificent decorative work was carried out inside the temples, marble floors and columns were polished to a shine, walls were decorated with frescoes, and magnificent sculptures were created. Few knew about the existence of these temples, so the most important rites and rituals of Buddhism were performed here. Viharas were built next to the chaityas - small cells for Buddhist hermit monks. Both viharas and chaityas were a sign of remembrance of the Buddha's years of seclusion. Sometimes there are complexes that contained not one chaitya, but several structures. One of the largest of these architectural monuments is the Ajanta complex.

Hello, dear readers and seekers of truth!

Over its long history of existence, Buddhism has told the whole planet about itself and has found its way into even its most unexpected corners. So where does it come from, in what century did it originate, why did it appear, how far has it gone and which famous people profess it?

You will learn about all this from the article below, and as a pleasant addition, you will get acquainted with the beautiful story about Siddhartha, a handsome prince from the Shakya family.

The Birth of Buddhism

Buddhism is the oldest world religion. There are legends about how Buddhism came to be, and they may seem like funny fiction, but there are also verified facts on this topic.

There is no dispute about the country in which Buddhism originated. Its historical homeland is the northeast of India, where the state of Bihar is located today. Then - in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. – on these lands were the countries of Magadha, Vaishali and Koshala. It was here that he began to preach, it was here that the “hearth” of the future world religion was located.

The history of Buddhism is inextricably linked with the name of its founder, or rather, with several of his names, and their roots go back to Sanskrit:

• Gautama;
• Siddhartha - translated as “Who has fulfilled his purpose”;
• Shakyamuni - means “Sage from the Shakya tribe”;
• Buddha means “Enlightened by supreme knowledge.”

The root “buddh” in Sanskrit is also found in Russian and means the same thing as the word “wake up”. Our language is generally very similar to Sanskrit. This may seem incredible if you do not delve into linguistics - Russian belongs to the group of Indo-European languages.

The founding date of the Buddhist tradition is the death (parinirvana) of the Buddha. But there are still disagreements among Buddhist scholars about exactly what year this happened. UNESCO accepted the date - 544 BC, and in 1956 the whole world joyfully celebrated the holiday - 2500 years of Buddhism.

Other scientists give different dates. One thing is certain - Buddha lived and preached before the Indian campaigns of Alexander the Great, which took place in the 20s of the 4th century BC.

Reasons for the emergence of the Buddhist tradition

Firstly, at that time a crisis of the ancient Vedic culture was approaching in India. It dominated for a long time and was distinguished by ritualism, sacrifices and the formal piety of the Brahmin priests. The old tribal foundations ceased to correspond to the consciousness of people, and society needed new, alternative teachings and religions.

Secondly, at the same time state power was strengthened. The Varnov (class) system underwent changes. The kshatriya varna, which embodied the noble power of the Indian kings in ancient times, became stronger and began to oppose the brahmana varna.

In north-eastern India, the privileges of the Brahmins were already less compared to the rest of the country, and during the crisis this area became open to new trends and traditions. Because of this, in the Indian northeast, in the “weak link” of Brahmanism, a source of the Buddhist religion appeared, which gradually spread throughout the country and further throughout Southeast Asia, and its flow brought renunciation and deliverance to everyone.

As Buddhism grew, it was divided into different types: Hinayana, Mahayana and other smaller types, and later it came to Tibet, firmly rooted there and transformed into a new form - Lamaism.

By the XI-XII centuries. Buddhism was almost completely “expelled” by Hinduism from its historical homeland. Today, only 0.7 percent of Indians are Buddhists.

The Legend of the Charming Prince Siddhartha

For almost 26 centuries, Buddhist teachings, or dharma, have brought inner peace and spiritual harmony to millions of people. But who was this Buddha?

By now, the life story of Buddha has become intertwined with both scientific biography and beautiful, fairy-tale-like plots. It is impossible to separate them, and maybe it makes no sense at all. The story of the heir to the crown, and later the great Awakened One, is told in various hagiographic texts, for example, “The Life of Buddha” by the Indian poet Ashvaghosa (1st century AD) or “Lalitavistara” in the Mahayana traditions.

A boy was born to the family of King Shuddhodana and Queen Mahamaya. When, after conception, the queen saw in a dream an unusual elephant that had six tusks, she realized that she was destined to give birth to a great man.

The astrologer Ashita, invited by the king after the birth of his son, saw signs on the baby that are characteristic only of a great man. For example, his palms, feet and eyebrows were crowned with wheel signs, and his fingers were connected by webs.

The boy was named Siddhartha Gautama. The title of world ruler or Awakened One was prophesied for him. The father wanted the baby to inherit the throne, and in every possible way protected him from the vicissitudes of life, protected him from the sight of illness, old age and death.

The prince lived for 29 years in a flourishing palace, far from mortality, and took the beautiful Yashodhara as his wife, with whom they had a son, Rahula. But one day Siddhartha went outside the palace and saw a man beaten by illness, a very old man and a funeral procession. It slashed across his heart like a sharp knife, and he realized the futility of existence.

And then he saw a samana - a detached, poor, thin monk - and realized the serenity that can be achieved by renouncing worldly worries and desires.

The heir to the throne, Siddhartha, abandoned everything, leaving his father, wife and son, renouncing his former comfortable lifestyle and setting off in search of truth. He wandered for a long time, listening to the teachings of various sages, subjected himself to severe asceticism for several years, but in the end, alone with himself, he discovered the Middle Way, which implied, on the one hand, the rejection of complete asceticism, and on the other, the avoidance of excesses.

Siddhartha reached when he was 35 years old. That's how he became Buddha. For 45 years, he preached to everyone, sharing his discovery and his truth. Buddha did not leave his family either. One day he returned to the land of the Shakyas, and everyone rejoiced at him. After talking with the Buddha, his son and wife also accepted monasticism.

At the beginning of his ninth decade, the Buddha achieved the unshakable peace of nirvana. He received the Great Liberation, leaving a huge legacy for many generations on different continents, which over its centuries-old history has become an entire religion.

King Shuddhodana was ultimately left without heirs. Seeing the suffering of his father, Buddha promised to take the only son in the family as a monk only with the consent of the parents. And this condition is still very much revered in Buddhism.

How did Buddhism appear among us?

Over time, the Buddha's teaching spread further, underwent changes, and took on new forms and content. Today, Buddhist teachings extend not only to southeast Asia: Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, Japan, Myanmar, Laos, Bhutan. Since the end of the century before last, it has attracted Europeans and Americans, and the total number of Buddhists on the planet now reaches 500 million people.

The ideas and principles of Buddhism are increasingly taking root in Western culture: modern fiction is replete with book covers about Buddhism, Hollywood is making films about Buddha, and many famous figures consider themselves his followers.

For example, back in 1922, the German Hermann Hesse told the world his interpretation of the story “Siddhartha,” and Jack Kerouac reveals the path of Americans who follow their Zen philosophy. Keanu Reeves inhabits the role of Gautama and seeks liberation in Little Buddha, the full version of the legend briefly told above.

And there are countless Buddhists among famous people: Albert Einstein, Sergei Shoigu, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Jennifer Lopez, Leonardi DiCaprio, Steve Jobs, Sting, Kate Moss - the list goes on and on.

Buddhism has rightfully attracted millions of adherents. Having appeared 2.5 thousand years ago in distant India, it became not just a religion, but an entire philosophy, tradition, teaching, revered throughout the world.

Conclusion

See you in the next post!

In ancient Indian philosophy, there are two directions or two groups of schools:

1) Orthodox schools based on the authority of the Vedas: Vedanta, Mimamsa, Samkhya, yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika;

2) heterodox schools: Jainism, Buddhism, Lokayata, Charvaka.

Read more about one of the schools that influence people’s worldview to this day: Buddhism - a religious and philosophical doctrine that arose in ancient India in the 6th - 5th centuries. BC. The founder of Buddhism is the Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama, who later received the name Buddha, that is, the awakened one, the enlightened one. The emergence of Buddhism in ancient India can be compared with a spiritual revolution that had a pronounced humanistic character: in a country where “... the human personality is absorbed by the external environment. ... The concept of humanity, that is, the meaning of man as a person, was not there at all, because a person from a lower caste in the eyes of a twice-born representative of a higher caste was worse than an unclean animal, worse than carrion; and the entire fate of a person solely depended and was predetermined in advance by the random fact of birth in one caste or another.

And in this country of slavery and division, several solitary thinkers proclaim a new, unheard word: everything is one; all features and differences are only modifications of one universal essence; in every being one must see one’s brother, oneself.”

In Buddhism, the characteristic features of Eastern philosophy were clearly manifested: irrationalism and ethical orientation. The Buddha believed that it is pointless to answer questions that are vague and useless from an ethical point of view, since there are not sufficient opportunities for their resolution and answers; these are questions like:

Is the world eternal? Or is it not eternal?

Is the world finite? Or is it infinite?

Is the soul different from the body?

Is the soul identical with the body? and so on.

Buddha said: “Only those like infants try to find out whether the world is eternal or not, whether it is limited or infinite; he - if they are not Brahmins, concerned about the well-being of the altars - talk about the nature of the Drachma, which they have never seen. The only thing that matters is fighting suffering, finding the path leading to liberation from suffering, being on the path with eight branches. The rest is speculation, mind games, mental fun.”

The Four Noble Truths are the essence of enlightenment:

1. “Here, monks, noble the truth about suffering : birth is suffering, old age is suffering, illness is suffering, not achieving desires is suffering and, in a word, all fivefold attachment to earthly things is the essence of suffering.

II. Here, O monks, is the noble one the truth about origins suffering is Trishna (desire, thirst), ... thirst for existence, thirst for decay.

III. Here, O monks, is the noble one the truth about the destruction of suffering : complete liberation from this Trishna (desires), final victory over passions, their destruction, rejection, abandonment.

IV. And so, oh monks, noble the truth about the path leading to the end of all sorrow : This is truly the sacred eightfold path”:

Correct Understanding(samma - ditihi) - this does not mean constantly looking for in the transitory world, beauty in ugliness, happiness in what brings suffering.

Right Determination(samma - sangana) - determination to transform your life and follow three rules:

renunciation of attachment to material “values”,

giving up bad intentions

renunciation of hostility towards people and all living things, not causing them harm.

Correct speech(samma - vaga) - abstaining from lies, slander, cruel words, insults, gossip, empty chatter, frivolous conversations.

Correct behavior(samma - komanta) - refusal to destroy living things (from humans to mosquitoes), from theft; drunkenness, gluttony, debauchery, debauchery, revenge.

Right way of life(samma - ajiva) - you cannot maintain your life by bringing suffering to others - you cannot trade weapons, people, alcoholic drinks, poison; to be a hunter, bird catcher, fisherman, robber, jailer, executioner.

The Right Effort(she herself - sculpted) - renounce temptations, try to look at life calmly, coolly - this is how wisdom is born.

The right direction of thought or attention, or vigilance (sama - kati) the belief that the body, feelings, mind are impermanent, temporary treasures.

Correct Concentration(samma – samadhi) – meditation – experiencing the integrity of being, complete self-absorption.

Now compare your rules with the rules of Buddhists and once again return to the table comparing Eastern and Western types of philosophizing. If you wish, you can supplement it with a table comparing your rules (most likely a person of Western civilization) and the rules of Buddhism.

A person freed from suffering is an Arhat (saint), and the state of liberation is Nirvana. To achieve Nirvana means to “die”, “disappear”, “move on”, “move to another state”, “continue one’s existence”, “unite”, “merge”, “return”.

At the heart of Buddhism is the affirmation of the principle of personality, inseparable from the surrounding world and the recognition of the existence of a unique, psychological process in which the world is involved. The creative principle, the final cause of being, is the psychological activity of man, which determines both the formation of the universe and its disintegration.

Read a short fragment of the text: Dialogue of the Buddha with his disciple and answer the questions:

1. How did you understand what soul reincarnation is?

2. What is the difference in solving the problems of death and immortality in Eastern and Western cultures (in particular, in Buddhism and Christianity)?

3. When did you first think about the problem of death and immortality? How did you solve it for yourself during your life? If you are inclined to answer question 3, you can start a special section in your notebook, which can be called: Philosophy of my life or My spiritual biography , or something else. Your creativity.

Dialogue between Buddha and his disciple about the soul and reincarnation

Student: Do you believe, Teacher, that the soul is reborn and evolves during life and that, according to the law of karma, it reaps what it sows? I ask you this because, as I was told, according to your teaching the soul does not exist, and that your followers strive for the complete destruction of the “I”, as the highest joy of Nirvana. If the “I” remains only a combination of elements, then at death the “I” must decompose and disappear. If “I” is only a combination of ideas, thoughts, feelings and desires, then what will happen to me when my body decomposes? Where is this endless joy that your followers talk about - just an empty word without any meaning - an illusion. When I reflect on my teaching, I see only “nothingness,” annihilation, non-existence, as the ultimate goal of man. It seems to me that you are preaching a high doctrine, but I do not fully understand it. So, let me ask one more question: If the soul does not exist, then how can immortality exist? If you stop the activity of the soul, then our thoughts will stop.

Buddha: Our ability to think will disappear, but our thoughts continue to exist. Thinking will disappear, but knowledge will remain. If a person wants to write a letter at night, he turns on the light, writes the letter, and when it is written, turns off the light. And although the light was extinguished, the written letter remained. So thinking stops, but experience and knowledge remain, and thus the product of our good actions is not lost.

Student: Tell me, Teacher, what will happen to my personality when it decomposes into its component parts. If my thoughts disappear and my soul is no longer mine, what kind of person is this, give me an explanation.

Buddha: Let’s imagine a person who feels the same way, thinks the same way as you, acts the same way as you. Will he be the same as you?

Student: No. There is something about my personality that makes it completely different from other personalities. There may be another person who feels, thinks, acts and even is called like me, but he will not be me.

Buddha: That's right, this person won't be you. Your personality nature does not lie in the matter from which your body is made, but in the shape or configuration of your body, in your feelings and your thoughts. Your personality is a combination of elements. You exist wherever this combination is. Thus, you recognize in a certain sense the identity with yourself of that personality of yours, the existence of which continues depending on your karma (that is, previous actions). How should this continuation of existence be called, death or destruction, or life, or the continuation of life?

Student: It should be called life or a continuation of it, for this is a continuation of my existence. But what worries me is the continuation of my personality, because... every other person, whether he is identical with me or not, is a completely different person.

Buddha: How strong is your attachment to a person? But it is your mistake that is causing you trouble. One who is attached to personality must undergo many births and deaths. You will die constantly, for the nature of personality is continuous death.

Student: Like this?

Buddha: Where is your identity? The person you respect so much is constantly changing. Many years ago you were a child, then a young man, and now you are a man.

Student: I see my mistake, but still not everything is clear to me. It seems unfair to me that others should reap what I now have.

Buddha: Do not you understand. That these other personalities are yourself. You, and no one else, will reap what you sow. Neither in the heights of the sky nor in the depths of the earth will you hide from the results of your actions.

As a religious movement, Buddhism originated in the northeastern part of India. Its founder was Prince Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, who later became known as Buddha, i.e. "awakened".

From birth he was predicted to become a great ruler or a mystic and ascetic. Siddhartha's father believed that if the prince was protected from the negative aspects of life, he would make a choice in favor of the worldly rather than the spiritual.

Until the age of 29, Siddhartha lived a luxurious life in his father's palace. The prince did not know any worries; he was surrounded by servants and beautiful girls. But one day the young man secretly left the palace and during his walk for the first time he could observe grief, illness and poverty. Everything he saw shocked the prince.

Buddha began to think about the vanity of existence, he came to the conclusion that earthly joys are too insignificant and fleeting. Siddhartha left the palace forever and began to live as a hermit. For many years he led an ascetic lifestyle until he achieved enlightenment.

For reference: the history of the emergence of Buddhism does not reveal exactly the moment of the birth of this religion. According to the Theravada traditions (one of the oldest Buddhist schools), Buddha lived from 624 to 544 AD. BC. The Ganges Valley, located in India, became the historical homeland of the religious movement.

Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

These Truths are the essence of Buddhism. They should be known to anyone interested in this Eastern religion:

• Dukkha - suffering, dissatisfaction
• Causes that give rise to dukkha
• Ending Suffering
• The Path Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha

What do the four noble truths of Buddhism teach us? First of all, they testify that life, birth and death are suffering. Dissatisfaction is inherent in every person, be he a beggar or a king. Everywhere and everywhere people are faced with death, illness and other misfortunes.

According to Buddhist traditions, suffering is caused by human desires. Until the thirst for pleasure leaves a person, he will be forced to reincarnate on earth again and again (go through the circle of Samsara). The inability to get what you want, as well as the loss of what you want or satiety causes dissatisfaction.

The Third Noble Truth teaches that it is possible to end all suffering once and for all and achieve the state of nirvana. Buddha was very reluctant to explain what nirvana is. This is an indescribable state of fullness of being, liberation from bonds, attachments and desires.

The Fourth Truth shows adepts the way in which nirvana can be achieved. This is the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes a set of moral and ethical instructions. One of the attributes of the “Path” is “right concentration”, i.e. meditation practice.

Death and rebirth

In the course of his life, every person commits good and bad deeds. By this he is either positive or negative. Until karma is exhausted, a person cannot achieve nirvana and gain freedom.

Adherents of Buddhism believe that the law of karma largely determines the human condition. Past actions determine whether an individual will be born rich or poor, healthy or sick, and whether his parents will love him.

It is noteworthy that not only bad, but also good karma binds a person to the earth. Therefore, in order to free oneself, an individual must not only get rid of accumulated “debts”, but also receive a reward for good deeds.

Indian culture is one of the most original and unique. Its originality lies, first of all, in the richness and diversity of religious and philosophical teachings. In this, Indian culture has no equal. That is why, already in ancient times, India was called “the land of the sages.” The second feature of Indian culture is associated with its appeal to the Universe, its immersion in the secrets of the universe. The third important feature of Indian culture, which outwardly seems to contradict the previous one, is its inward focus on the human worldview, self-immersion into the depths of the human soul. A striking example of this is the famous philosophy and practice of yoga. The unique uniqueness of Indian culture is also due to its amazing musicality and danceability. Another important feature is the Indians’ special reverence for love - sensual and physical, which they do not consider sinful.

The culture of Ancient India existed approximately from the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. and until the 6th century. AD The modern name “India” appeared only in the 19th century. The history of Ancient India falls into two large periods. The first is the time of the Harappan civilization, which developed in the Indus River valley (2500-1800 BC). The second period - Aryan - covers the entire subsequent Indian history and is associated with the arrival and settlement of Aryan tribes in the valleys of the Indus and Ganges rivers.

After the decline of the Harappan civilization, Aryan tribes came to the valleys of the Indus and Ganges rivers. With the arrival of the Aryans in Indian history and culture, a new, Indo-Aryan period begins, the main source of information about which is the Vedas created by the Aryans (from the verb “to know”, “to know”). They are a collection of religious texts.

At the new - epic stage (1st millennium BC), Vedism is transformed into Brahmanism - a more harmonious doctrine of the world, in which the former multitude of gods is reduced to a trinity: Brahma is the creator of the world; Vishnu is the protector of the world; Shiva is the destroyer of the world.

With the decomposition of tribal relations in India, there is a stratification of society, which is entrenched in castes. In this hierarchy, the leading position was occupied by the Brahmin priests. Brahmanism as a religion reflected a new situation.

In the religion of Brahmanism, the performance of rituals was entrusted to the Brahmans. A person could turn to God only through a brahman, because the rituals themselves were very complicated and not everyone could master these rituals. For example, a large place in ritual sacrifices was given to hymns that had to be memorized, and in large quantities.

In the middle of the century, Brahmanism transformed into Hinduism, which assimilated many Indian beliefs - from pagan to Buddhism. Hinduism is the most widespread religion in India, comprising more than 80% of believers. It exists in the form of two main directions: Vaishnavism and Shaivism. At the same time, today an independent branch of Hinduism is Krishnaism.

Indians believed that you cannot become a Hindu - you can only be born one; that varna, the social role, is predetermined forever and changing it is a sin. Hinduism gained particular strength in the Middle Ages, becoming the main religion of the population. The “book of books” of Hinduism was and remains the “Bhagavad Gita”, part of the ethical poem “Mahabharata”, in the center of which is love for God and through this the path to religious liberation.

In the 6th century BC. Buddhism appears in India - one of the three world religions. Its creator was Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, who at the age of forty achieved a state of enlightenment and received the name Buddha (enlightened). The basis of Buddhism is the doctrine of the “four noble truths”: there is suffering; its source is desire; salvation from suffering is possible; there is a path to salvation, to liberation from suffering. The path to salvation lies through renunciation of worldly temptations, through self-improvement, through non-resistance to evil. The highest state is nirvana and means salvation. Nirvana (extinction) is a borderline state between life and death, meaning complete detachment from the outside world, the absence of any desires, complete satisfaction, inner enlightenment. Buddhism promises salvation to all believers, regardless of belonging to a particular varna or caste.

There are two schools of thought in Buddhism. The first - Hinayana (small vehicle) - involves complete entry into Nirvana. The second - Mahayana (big vehicle) - means getting as close as possible to Nirvana, but refusing to enter it for the sake of helping and saving others.

Early Buddhism is distinguished by its simplicity of ritual. Its main element is: the cult of Buddha, preaching, veneration of holy places associated with the birth, enlightenment and death of Guatama, worship of stupas - religious buildings where the relics of Buddhism are kept. Mahayana added the veneration of bodhisattvas to the cult of Buddha, thereby making the ritual more complex: prayers and various kinds of spells were introduced and began to be practiced

sacrifices, a magnificent ritual arose.

Like any religion, Buddhism contained the idea of ​​salvation - in Buddhism it is called “nirvana”. It is possible to achieve it only by following certain commandments. Life is suffering that arises in connection with desire, the desire for earthly existence and its joys. Therefore, one should give up desires and follow the Eightfold Path—righteous views, righteous conduct, righteous efforts, righteous speech, righteous thoughts, righteous remembrance, righteous living, and self-improvement. The ethical side played a huge role in Buddhism. Following the Eightfold Path, a person must rely on himself, and not seek outside help. Buddhism did not recognize the existence of a creator god, on whom everything in the world depends, including human life. The cause of all man's earthly suffering lies in his personal blindness; inability to give up worldly desires. Only by extinguishing all reactions to the world, by destroying one’s own “I,” can nirvana be achieved.