BUDDHISM
also see (Buddhism for Beginners - what is meditation?)
also see ( FUNDAMENTALS OF BUDDHISM Four Lectures by Nyanatiloka Mahathera )

The Buddha taught to benefit all beings in the universe. Buddhism’s virtuous teachings, therefore, extend to all cultures or people: It is multicultural.
There are many different variations which have developed with little conflict. This has been because at its core is a philosophical system to which such additions can be easily grafted. Buddhism explains the reality of life and the universe: that all beings are equal by nature and that all teachings are equal. The Buddha said many times that the wisdom to understand the true reality of life and the universe, and the virtuous abilities to cultivate are all already within our true nature. Buddhism teaches us to have a broad mind, one that overflows with sincerity, purity, equality, proper understanding, and compassion. Everyday, we must strive to awaken to this reality. Being contented with all conditions and settings is a good example for all, and striving for attainment of freedom of mind and spirit will help to awaken. From this, we can see that the Buddha is a compassionate multicultural educator who is worthy of emulation.

Buddhism is Not a Religion. According to the Webster's Dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows, "An organized system of beliefs, rites, and celebrations centered on a supernatural being power; belief pursued with devotion."
Buddhism is not a religion because:

Buddhism is a philosophy of life expounded by Gautama Buddha ("Buddha" means "enlightened one"), who lived and taught in northern India in the 6th Century B.C. The Buddha was not a god and the philosophy of Buddhism does not entail any theistic world-view. The teachings of the Buddha are aimed solely to liberate sentient beings from suffering.

Gautama Buddha taught the four noble truths: that there is suffering, that suffering has a cause, that suffering has an end and that there is a path that leads to the end of suffering. He saw that all phenomena in life are impermanent and that our attachment to the idea of substantial and enduring self is an illusion which is the principle cause of suffering.

Freedom from self liberates the heart from greed hatred and delusion and opens the mind to wisdom and the heart to kindness and compassion.

In order to understand Buddhism it is helpful to be familiar with some specific aspects of Buddhist teaching:

MERIT AND ITS TRANSFER. There are benefits to be derived from the non-attached practices of Wisdom and Compassion; these practices include the Buddhist Precepts which are guidelines for enlightened living. These benefits, or "merit," may be accumulated and subsequently transferred to any or all sentient beings for their benefit (transpersonal) or rededicated so as to transform it into a benefit for one's self (personal).

A BODHISATTVA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH A BUDDHA. Bodhisattvas are "Enlightenment Beings" who are on the path toward Nirvana, the end of suffering, the realm of Perfect Peace. They work not only for their own Enlightenment, but also for the Enlightenment of all sentient beings. Once Bodhisattvahood is attained, the Bodhisattva is instructed by a Buddha.

The Five Aggregates. The five aggregates (skandhas) are the scheme the Buddha chose to describe the nature of the individual human existence. It is a common doctrine among virtually all schools of Buddhist thought, being basic to the Buddha's philosophical teachings. The remarkable aspect of it is that it describes the human existence as a combination of physical and mental elements without recourse to the idea of a soul that is distinct from the mind, and -- most especially -- does not assert any governing agent that can be identified as a self within the individual. That is to say, each of the five aggregates is an equal component of the individual, which amounts to a conventional self only when all are present and functioning.

Briefly, the five aggregates are: the material organism (ruupa); sensation (vedanaa); conception (sa~nj~naa); volition (sam.skaara); and consciousness (vij~nana).

Many Buddhisms, One Dhamma-vinaya

The Buddha — the "Awakened One" — called the religion he founded Dhamma-vinaya — "the doctrine and discipline". To provide a social structure supportive of the practice of Dhamma-vinaya (or Dhamma for short [Sanskrit: Dharma]), and to preserve these teachings for posterity, the Buddha established the order of bhikkhus (monks) and bhikkhunis (nuns)— the Sangha — which continues to this day to pass his teachings on to subsequent generations of laypeople and monastics, alike.

As the Dhamma continued its spread across India after the Buddha's passing, differing interpretations of the original teachings arose, which led to schisms within the Sangha and the emergence of as many as eighteen distinct sects of Buddhism.3 One of these schools eventually gave rise to a reform movement that called itself Mahayana (the "Greater Vehicle")4 and that referred to the other schools disparagingly as Hinayana (the "Lesser Vehicle"). What we call Theravada today is the sole survivor of those early non-Mahayana schools.5 To avoid the pejorative tone implied by the terms Hinayana and Mahayana, it is common today to use more neutral language to distinguish between these two main branches of Buddhism. Because Theravada historically dominated southern Asia, it is sometimes called "Southern" Buddhism, while Mahayana, which migrated northwards from India into China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea, is known as "Northern" Buddhism.6

Types of Buddhism:

The main branches:

Theravada (pronounced — more or less — "terra-VAH-dah"), the "Doctrine of the Elders," is the school of Buddhism that draws its scriptural inspiration from the Tipitaka, or Pali Canon, which scholars generally agree contains the earliest surviving record of the Buddha's teachings.1 For many centuries, Theravada has been the predominant religion of continental Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar/Burma, Cambodia, and Laos) and Sri Lanka. Today Theravada Buddhists number well over 100 million worldwide.2 In recent decades Theravada has begun to take root in the West. Timeline of Theravada Buddhism from Buddhanet.

Theravada emphasizes the life of the monk and serious meditation practices that demand extended time and isolation which became difficult for millions and as Buddhism moved into new countries outside India it also had to compete with other religions. A new strand developed which was known as Mahayana.

Mahayan accommodated and change it’s religious beliefs and practices to the religious expectations and ideas of people. They moved away from considering monks as the only elite and beyond the monastery. The Mahayan interpreted and transformed the Buddha and his teachings into divine being of personal nature and transcendence.

The Lotus Sutra, a sacred Buddhist writing states that there are infinite numbers of Buddha saving people. Many people can achieve Buddha hood based on their ethics, enlightenment and compassion and one may become a Bodhisattva, a savior, who helps others.

Mahayana speaks of a Buddha land (heaven) faithful Buddhist go after death.

The Amida Buddha with a great following amongst Japanese Buddhists has a heaven bliss called “Pure Land” and offers compassion to people who honour him and heavenly reward in paradise. Mahayana philosophy is drawn from various scriptures however the two most important are the Madhyamaka which teaches the emptiness of all things that nothing is anything in or by itself but only in relation to others. The Yogachara teaches that all things are consciousness only.

Variants of Mahayana Buddhism:
also see Mahayana Links Page

A mixture of Buddhism, Tantrism and the ancient Bon religion of Tibet. They have a vast collection of scriptures (tantras), which describe powerful rituals. Their teachers (Lamas) are said to be reincarnations of holy teachers who lived in earlier times.

The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists is the Dalai Lama who is believed to be the reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara.

Four Schools Of Tibetan Buddhism

discussion group: alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan

reference: Tibet.com

Timeline of Tibetan Buddhism from Buddhanet

Developed from CH’an a school of Chinese Buddhism formed in the Seventh century from a blend of Taoism (Chinese philosophy outlined in the TaoTeChing). It aims is to achieve harmony with all that is by pursuing inaction and effortless) and Mahayana teachings. The school stressed experience rather than learning. One of the heroes of Zen is the fierce – looking Indian monk Boddhidharma who brought Buddhism to China.

Absolute faith is placed in a person’s own inner being. Zen came to Japan in the 13^th century five centuries after the orthodox forms of Buddhism. It appealed because of its emphasis on the uselessness of words and the insistence of action without thought.

Zen teaches the possibility of enlightenment in the here and now, unlike the tendency that have developed in other strands of Buddhism as far off goals. It teaches that enlightenment is a spontaneous event, totally independent of concepts, techniques or rituals. Zen Monks are based on doing things, learning through experience.

Esoterically regarded, Zen is not a religion but rather an indefinable, incommunicable (fukasetsu) root, free from all names, descriptions, and concepts, that can only be experienced by each individual for him- or herself. From expressed forms of this, all religions have sprung. In this sense Zen is not bound to any religion, including Buddhism. It is the primordial perfection of everything existing, designated by the most various names, experienced by all great sages, saints, and founders of religions of all cultures and times. Buddhism has referred to it as the "identity of samsara and nirvana." From this point of view zazen is not a "method" that brings people living in ignorance (avidya) to the "goal" of liberation; rather it is the immediate expression and actualization of the perfection present in every person at every moment.

Timeline of Japanese Buddhism from Buddhanet

Schools of Zen Buddhism and their temporal and doctrinal relationships

 

LINEAGES

Buddhist sect founded by a Chinese monk called Hui Yuan (AD 334 –416). It focuses on one particular scripture which tells of a living Buddha who inhabits another world system, a far off place known as the Pure Land. The Buddha is Amitabha and his followers believe that through faith they will be transported there after death.

Pure Land, like all Mahayana schools, requires first and foremost the development of the Bodhi Mind, the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

From this starting point, the main tenets of the school can be understood at the main levels, the transcendental and the popular - depending on the background and capacities of the cultivator.

1. In its popular form, i.e. for ordinary practitioners in this spiritually Degenerate Age, some twenty-six centuries after the demise of the historical Buddha, Pure Land involves seeking rebirth in the Land of Amitabha Buddha. This is achieving within one lifetime through the practice of Amitabha recitation with sincere faith and vows, leading to one-pointedness of mind or samadhi.

Thus at the popular level, the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha is an ideal training ground, an ideal environment where the practitioner is reborn thanks both to his own efforts and the power of Amitabha Buddha's vows. No longer subject to retrogression, having left Birth and Death behind forever, the cultivator can now focus all his efforts towards the ultimate aim of Buddhahood. This aspect of Pure Land is the form under which the school is popularly known.

2. At the advanced level, i.e. for cultivators of high spiritual capacity, the Pure Land method, like other methods, reverts the ordinary, deluded mind to the Self-nature True Mind. In the process wisdom and Buddhahood are eventually attained.

The high-level form of Pure Land is practiced by those of deep spiritual capacities:
"When the mind is pure, the Buddha land is pure ........to recite the Buddha's name is to recite the Buddha of the self-mind."

In its totality, Pure Land reflects the highest teaching of Buddhism as expressed in the Avatamsaka Sutra: mutual identity and interpenetrating, the simplest method contains the ultimate and the ultimate is found in the simplest.

Timeline of Chinese Buddhism from Buddhanet
 

A Japanese Buddhist reformer whose teachings are based on the Mahayana Sutra (scripture) known as the Lotus Sutra which contained the ultimate truth and that it could be compressed into a sacred formula NAMO MYOHO RENGE KYO (homage to the Lotus of the wonderful law).

The central practice of Nichiren Buddhism is reciting the mantra of the namo myoho rengye kyo. Nichiren denounced all other forms of Buddhism and when the Mongols threatened Japan preached a fiery nationalism, urging the nation to convert to true Buddhism.

see also (Survey of the Basic Forms of Buddhism) A look at some of the distinctive features of the Theravada, Chinese and Tibetan forms of Buddhism as representative of the major systems extant today. Originally published as part of Berzin, Alexander. Buddhism and Its Impact on Asia. Asian Monographs, no. 8. Cairo: Cairo University, Center for Asian Studies, June 1996.

discussion group: alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren.shoshu.news

FUNDAMENTAL BUDDHISM

Siddhartha Gautama was born a prince in a kingdom around what is now the border area between India and Nepal. At the age of 29, desiring to know the path that lead to the ending of all impermanence and anguish, to ensuring his permanent well-being, he renounced everything of the world, becoming a homeless ascetic, vowing to find the way to True Ultimate Reality.

He was a Bohdisattva, which is one who goes through an intense period of development and practice in order to attain the realization of Perfect Wisdom, Total Supreme Enlightenment, Buddhahood.

At the age of 35, by way of total focus of his entire being on this single goal, he accomplished his purpose and attained the realization of Perfect Wisdom. He found the answer that lead to the complete cessation of all impermanence and anguish, that lead to reaching the other shore that is Permanent True Reality – Nirvana. He then began to teach, instruct and guide others who similarly were seeking Wisdom and Enlightenment. It is the teaching of The Buddha that is the foundation of Buddhism.

In fundamental Buddhism, the emphasis is on seeing Truth, on knowing it, and on understanding it. The emphasis is NOT on BLIND faith. The teaching of Buddhism is on "come and see" but never on come and believe. Buddhism is rational and requires personal effort, stating that by only one’s own efforts can Perfect Wisdom be realized. Each individual is responsible for his or her own emancipation from anguish and suffering.

Buddhism allows each individual to study and observe Truth internally and requires no blind faith before acceptance. Buddhism advocates no dogmas, no creeds, no rites, no ceremonies, no sacrifices, no penances, all of which must usually be accepted on blind faith. Buddhism is not a system of faith and worship but rather it is merely a Path to Supreme Enlightenment.

The Buddha referred to his teaching as simply a raft to leave this shore of suffering and impermanence, and to get to the other shore of bliss and safety, True Permanent Reality, Nirvana. Upon realization of Nirvana, the raft is no longer needed.

The Buddha referred to his teaching as the Middle Path, called this because it avoids the extremes of both self-indulgence in the world and the self-mortification of strict asceticism. The path he taught incorporates both intellectual progress plus spiritual progress with practice that reflects compassion, morality, wisdom and concentration while at the same time seeing and understanding the world of existence as it truly is.

It should be noted in this dialogue, which attempts to outline what Buddhism really is, that no coercion, no persecutions and no fanaticisms play any part in Buddhism.

Buddhism is the PATH OF ESCAPE for those seeking the permanent end here and now of all anguish. And what exactly is anguish? Anguish is birth, suffering, pain, sorrow, sickness, disease, old age, decay, death, grief, despair, poverty, evil, lamentations, woe, tribulations, misfortune, war, insanity, hunger, unfulfilled wants, unfulfilled basic needs, association with the unwanted, disassociation from the wanted, and is what is unstable and uncontrollable. Buddhism is for those who have come to see that what has been CREATED is IMPERMANENT; and that whatever is impermanent is inherently ILL. No permanent bliss or happiness is to be found in what is impermanent, only pain and peril.

The aim of living the path of the doctrine of Buddhism is to plunge into Nirvana. It has Nirvana as its goal. Nirvana is its ending. True Reality realized. The Uncreated, the Unborn, the permanent bliss of Nirvana. The Eightfold Noble Path of Buddhism is the means to this end. Eight activities – a very specific course of actions – that must be simultaneously developed to realize the goal, Nirvana.

The first part of the Eightfold Noble Path is RIGHT VIEW or RIGHT UNDERSTANDING. This means knowing the Four Noble Truths.

The First Noble Truth is the knowledge that ALL that has been CREATED is IMPERMANENT. And whatever is impermanent is inherently ILL. And what is impermanent and ill is SELFLESS.

Two is the knowledge that the arising of ill is based on ignorance and it is perpetuated by the craving and intoxication for sensuality and sensations, becoming and rebecoming, delusion and ignorance.

Three is the knowledge that the CEASING of this ill that has arisen, the stopping of all future becomings, is Nirvana. True Reality realized, freed of this ill.

Four is the knowledge of the Eightfold Noble Path that leads to the cessation of this ill and to winning the goal: Nirvana. True Permanent State of Self, Permanent Changeless Absolute Reality ITSELF, Suchness, Perfect Wisdom.

The second part is RIGHT THINKING or RIGHT AIM. This means to aspire to attain realization of Perfect Wisdom, the Ultimate True Permanent Reality. To abstain from all evil acts of thought. To attain the total destruction of all cravings. To renounce all manifesting, all constructions, all that is "created" make-believe.

To develop dispassion, total detachment, absolute renunciation, self-surrender. To bring about the cessation of all "created" realities. To Self-Realize the Incomparable Awakening of Self. To win the freedom of Mind, the freedom through Perfect Intuitive Wisdom, the sane and immune emancipation of Will.

The third part is RIGHT SPEECH. To abstain from all lying speech, all perjurious speech, all evil abusive speech and all frivolous speech. To engage in speech and discussion that pertains to and leads to Nirvana, to what’s actually PERMANENT and REAL.

The fourth part is RIGHT ACTION. To abstain from all killing of all creatures. To abstain from all stealing. To abstain from all sensual and sexual misconduct. To abstain from all evil acts. To abstain from all forms of intoxication.

The fifth part is RIGHT LIVING. To abstain from all evil ways of living; to abstain from all evil methods of livelihood.

The sixth part is RIGHT EFFORT. To destroy all EVIL STATES OF MIND that have already arisen; to keep NEW evil states of mind FROM arising; to maintain and grow GOOD STATES OF MIND that have already arisen; and to make grow NEW good states of mind that have not yet arisen, such as loving kindness for ALL Beings, compassion and pity for ALL creatures, sympathetic joy and equanimity.

The seventh part is RIGHT MINDFULNESS. To contemplate as impermanent, ill and Selfless: Body, Feelings, Perception, Mind, Consciousness, Thought, Mental States, Mental Objects and Mental Activity. To grow revulsion for the world, seeing it for the decaying creation that it is, and to grow dispassion, total detachment, calm, tranquility, seeing that everything is not Self. To disregard all that is perceived, remaining aloof from both the pleasures as well as the pains arising from the creation of senses and sensuality.

The eighth part is RIGHT CONCENTRATION. Aloof from the world, aloof from evil states, aloof from all sensations from the senses, dwelling in solitude, seclusion, ardent, diligent, Self-resolute, develop one-pointedness of Mind through intense meditation and reflection.

To enter in, AND THEN TRANSCEND, eight higher states of consciousness that lead to increasing Intuitive Wisdom, Insight and Direct Super-Knowledge, and to destroying the addictions and cravings, and to realizing True Reality, effectively piercing the shell of ignorance and delusion. As one attains the higher states of Mind, Consciousness, the true nature of how things really are can be seen clearly, both intuitively and with supreme effort, by direct Super-Knowledge. True Reality unfolding, Self-Enlightenment of Self by Self.

The developed links of the Eightfold Noble Path are these: Purity of Moral Habit is of purpose as far as Purity of Mind; Purity of Mind is of purpose as far as Purity of View; Purity of View is of purpose as far as Purity through Crossing Over Doubt; Purity through Crossing Over Doubt is of purpose as far as Purity of Knowledge and Insight into the Path and what is NOT the Path to True Reality; Purity of Knowledge and Insight into the Path and what is NOT the Path to True Reality is of purpose as far as Purity of Knowledge and Insight into the Course, into Progress along the Path; Purity of Knowledge and Insight into the Course, into Progress along the Path is of purpose as far as Purity arising from Knowledge and Insight; Purity arising from Knowledge and Insight is of purpose as far as Nirvana realized, without any attachment remaining for what was created, impermanent, ill and without essence, Selfless.

The Seven Links of Enlightenment to cultivate begin with MINDFULNESS, contemplating body and feelings, mind and mental states, thought and ideas, ardent, clearly conscious of them and mindful of them so as to control the covetousness and dejection common in the world; followed by INVESTIGATION of the Dharma, learning and remembering the doctrine that leads to True Reality, the Uncreated; followed by ENERGY of effort; followed by ZEST; then TRANQUILITY; then CONCENTRATION; and finally EQUANIMITY.

The Five Controlling Factors are: The Power of Faith, the Power of Energy, the Power of Mindfulness, the Power of Concentration, and the Power of Insight.

The Basis of Psychic Power are the features of Desire, Energy, Thought and Investigation, together with the co-factors of Concentration and Struggle, with the focus of will: "I WILL win, attain, realize and abide in Nirvana, the Deathless, the Unborn, True Permanent Absolute Reality Realized, right here and right now." And the practice that leads to the cultivation of Psychic Power to win the goal is the Eightfold Noble Path.

The Three Controlling Faculties are: The Consciousness that says: I shall know the unknown, the Unborn, the Uncreated, ALL of what is to be known, THE True Permanent State of Reality; then followed by the Consciousness of Knowing; and then followed by the Consciousness of One who HAS the knowing.

And the "knowing" by Intuitive Wisdom, Insight and Direct Knowledge is this:

The True Permanent State of Reality is Nirvana, THAT which is the Unborn, the Unmade, the Unmanifested, the Not-Made, the Unconditioned, the Truth, the Uncreated, the Unconstructed, the Not-Created, the Subtle, the Stable, the Undecaying, the Unaging, the Undying, the Deathless, the Taintless, the Peace, the Bliss, the Purity, the Excellent, the Perfection and Grandeur of Wisdom, the State of Freedom from Ill, the Release from Ill, the Nameless, the Serenity and Purity of Absolute Changeless Reality ITSELF, the Norm, the Wonderful, the Goal, the REAL.

In short, THE END – what always was, not compounded, permanent and IS with ALL that has been CREATED, compounded, impermanent and fleeting, CEASING TO BE. Existence, with its realms of sense, form and formlessness, the physical universe and all realms from the hells to the heavens ARE ALL CONSTRUCTIONS.

Fabricated artificial realities, with Self, THAT WHICH IS ABSOLUTE PERMANENT REALITY ITSELF, experiencing "vicariously" senses, sensations and sense experiences through incalculable manifested creations of Body and Mind -- "Beings" – in incalculable varieties of manifested created worlds of both materiality and immateriality – low, middle and high – realms ranging from the heavens to the hells.

But ALL that is created is impermanent, subject to decay and ending, and thus inherently a state of ill-being, and therefore Selfless, for the true nature of Absolute Reality ITSELF is not truly part of or in these manifestations, this round of playing "sand-castles" -- this vast puppet show of make-believe fiction, this delusion supported by a state of Self-Ignorance.

According to Buddhism, any "Being" that does not resolve to attain Self-Enlightenment and True Reality will continue to "reform" these constructed fabricated realities of sense desire, form and formlessness. Continuous future rebirth will be and each "life" will be good or bad, happiness or unhappiness, pleasure or pain, or a combination of the two, all according to the good or evil PAST deeds done of act, speech and thought, with MIND being the forerunner of all manifestations of constructed realities and created fabricated individual entity within such conditioned, made states of existence.

In short, a pendulum of rebirth, going back and forth continuously between hells, heavens and the physical universe, UNTIL the SELF of each "Being" decides to make an end of all manifesting, an end to living vicariously through constructions of artificial realities, to make an ESCAPE from what has been created, from what has become a tangled decayed, putrid manifested mass of suffering, pain and anguish perpetuated by craving, hatred, lust, delusion, illusion and ignorance.

The evidence of perpetuating, continuous rebirth and reforming, with future "lives" determined according to former deeds done in PAST lives, can be readily seen in the wide diversity of Beings born into this world who immediately have great good fortune or have great misfortune, EVEN THOUGH NO DEEDS OF ANY KIND HAVE YET BEEN DONE IN THEIR NEW LIFE! Think about this and then compare your "present" life to the lives of the other five billion "human" Beings in this world, and indeed to the lives of ALL the world’s different types of Beings.

The goal of Buddhism is to escape this REPEATING ILL that has arisen, this repeating rebirth and reforming, via the destruction of the "craving" for senses and sensations of the senses, for rebecoming as this or that, for delusion and for ignorance.

And if you think the world is NOT really full of despair, suffering, pain and anguish, YOU NEED TO EXAMINE CLOSELY the nature of this world you live in without the "rose-colored glasses."

Just because in this life YOUR suffering and anguish are not "too bad" you may not yet be immune from rebirth where your next life is as horrible as tens of millions of human lives are NOW this very day throughout this world.

Think of "life" and ALL THAT HAS BEEN CREATED as sort of like an addictive repeating daydream – very, very old, incalculable in age, long corrupted, perverted, debased, become tainted by decomposition.

To awake from the fantasy, the first step is for the Self to investigate, analyze and reflect on what is really going on around here, and thus see, that ALL IS IMPERMANENT, and then to see and know that what is impermanent, fleeting and subject to change is inherently ILL, ANGUISH and UNHAPPINESS.

Then, with Perfect Intuitive Wisdom, KNOW that whatever is impermanent, subject to change and therefore ill cannot be SELF IN ITS TRUE NATURE. The Self THEN must begin to look for a means of escape from this addictive daydream, this nightmarish artificial reality that has arisen that IS pain, anguish and suffering.

Has it not yet occurred to you: WHY do I, liable to birth, disease, anguish, decay, aging and death seek those things likewise liable to birth, disease, anguish, decay, aging and death, that which too is impermanent.

Would it not be to my assured permanent well-being that I, although being liable to birth because of Self, to disease, anguish, decay, aging and death, having seen the peril of what is likewise liable to birth, should instead seek Nirvana, TRUE PERMANENT ABSOLUTE REALITY, the permanent security from this CREATED manifested mass of pain, anguish and suffering.

Material shape, feelings, perception, activities and mind/consciousness are an addictive lure to perpetuating false realities within these fabricated realms of existence, these conditioned, made, artificial, temporary, transitory, fictitious states of existence. Ultimately, desire for these constructions MUST be put away in order for the permanent bliss of True Reality to be realized.

And WHAT IS SELF, True Permanent Absolute Reality? From the perspective of a constructed creation in a constructed world in a fabricated reality, a "Selfless" mind could never know the nature of the Uncreated. True Reality of Self is unfathomable, inconceivable, immutable, inscrutable, deep, boundless, unmeasurable, markless, singleness, undefinable, incomprehensible.

Only Self, Supremely Awake, can know ITSELF. And the Self of a given manifested created "Being" that is FULLY awake, that is called a BUDDHA.

Now what is seen, heard, sensed, known, attained, sought after, thought out by Mind is impermanent. Perfect "CORRECT" views cannot be created from something created, a construction that is Selfless. Only True Permanent Absolute Reality, through ITS Self-Realization, Intuitive Wisdom and FULL Self-Awakened Enlightenment can KNOW.

Absolute True Reality IS Self. But since ABSOLUTE TRUE REALITY is incomprehensible, is not the view then that "this" – a manifested BEING after dying, I as this personality, this individuality -- will become permanent, lasting eternal, not liable to change, I will stand fast unto the eternal, is this not complete folly since ALL that is created and impermanent is essentially fantasy, a mental puppet show. This is why a Buddhist eliminates all false views and the vain conceit that "IN" what is CREATED and IMPERMANENT there is "anything permanent" that can truly say, "I AM, MINE, I SHALL BE and I AM THE DOER."

But… "through" what is manifested, the following can be said:

Body, feelings, perception, activities and mind/consciousness are not the Self. Self does not have body, feelings, perception, activities and mind/consciousness. Body, feelings, perception, activities and mind/consciousness are not in the Self. The Self is not in the body, feelings, perception, activities, mind/consciousness. These constructed things in fabricated fantasy realities, according to a Being who follows fundamental Buddhism, are looked at as, "These CREATED things are NOT mine, these am I not, these things are not the Self of me, and are not the Self of all Beings in all fabricated realities."

The Ten Fetters that "bind" Beings to perpetuating themselves in artificial, manufactured, fictitious realities are:

Notions of a permanent individual personality, soul or self
Attachment to wrong views, rites, rituals, dogma, superstitions
Doubt and confusion
Liking, attachment, passions, sense desires, lust, greed
Disliking, aversion, hatred, malice, ill will, spite
Lust and craving for perpetuating forms and hereafter’s of Fine Materiality
Lust and craving for perpetuating formlessness and hereafter’s of Immateriality
Wrong views of conceit plus pride and arrogance, declaring "I am the doer"
Excitement for constructions and perpetuating artificial realities, Self-Delusion and Self-Illusion
Addiction to Self-Deception and a complete state of Self-Ignorance, necessary for the ILLUSION of artificial realities and individuality to seem real, necessary for not seeing the impermanence and ill for what it is, and the pain and peril associated with these addictive, ill-conceived, conditioned, fleeting states of fabricated fictitious existence.
This comprises "the engine" that drives the continuation and repetition for each Point of View of Self.

The goal is to destroy the addictions, the cravings, that perpetuate the manifesting of constructed realities where there is the VICARIOUS experience of senses, sensations and feelings within constructed worlds within fabricated realms, all of which are impermanent, ill and Selfless. This ending of all cravings, addictions and manifesting equals Nirvana, the True Permanent State of Reality, FREED from what has arisen.

Buddhism and the Dharma (dhamma) or doctrine is the Path to ending the addictions, the craving, the becoming again and again of constructed false states of existence; and instead, attaining the goal, THE TRUE STATE OF PERMANENT REALITY. And with the realization of that true state of permanent reality, that is the end of all suffering and anguish, the ending of all rebirth, the ending of all that is created, impermanent, ill and Selfless.

All craving, all addictions, all fetters MUST ultimately be renounced, destroyed, ended, forsaken and abandoned in order to end all rebirth, to end all renewal of false manufactured realities, and to win Nirvana, the Deathless, the true permanent state THAT IS IN FACT THE ONLY TRUE REALITY.

All constructed false states of existence and all constructed creations of all elements of both materiality and immateriality, material shape, body, sense organs, internal and external sense fields, sensations, feelings, experiences, perception, activities, mind, consciousness, thought and mental states are impermanent, ill and without Self. All constructions from a Buddhist perspective are looked at as, "Not mine, these creations am I not, these are not for me the Self, the Self of me." The true nature of Self, which is not OF or IN these things is the Unborn, the Uncreated, the Deathless, THAT which is inconceivable.

"Whatsoever, anywhere, in anything that has become, manifested; is put together, constructed; is thought out and affected, mentally created; is dependent on something else, on anything else, IS IMPERMANENT. What is impermanent that is inherently unhappiness, anguish, ill. What is impermanent, unhappiness, anguish and ill that is not mine, or of me, that am I not, that is not the Self of me."

SELF IS; but this, all else, is not. What is permanent is what is real. What is impermanent is what is not real.

All "this" – everything -- is created, thought out and affected, fleeting, impermanent, and is but a Selfless fantasy, an exhausted intellection, a notion, an imagining, a state of delusion, ALL made of thought, which must inherently end in dissolution. Everything is a decomposing round of make-believe fiction. And for one who no longer has any attachment or desire for what does not exist in truth, there is no longer mental anguish or rebirth.

Things are created, they are inherently subject to decay, and then finally, they are dissolved again.

For a very long, long time each Mind, each "point of view" of Self in this round of make-believe, has been tainted by craving, by lust, by hatred, by delusion and by illusion. And by a tainted Mind, and point of view of Self, "Beings" are tainted. By Purity of Mind, and point of view of Self, Beings are made pure. Mind and each point of view of Self have been ensnared in delusion, addicted to illusion, craving the pleasures of the concept of six spheres of sense; craving individuality and continuing rebirth as this or that; craving false views that support the delusion; and craving ignorance to continue what has been created, what has arisen.

Consider this: If the cravings and fetters of a given Being – a point of view of Self – had been destroyed in the previous "expression" of a constructed reality, there would have been no becoming again, NO new rebirth, no reforming of a new body and mind and continuing point of view. And thus, there would have been no new struggle, no new suffering, pain, anguish, grief, sorrow, lamentations, despair, sickness, disease, old age, decay and death. Each Being, each point of view of Self, must resolve, sooner or later, that IT SHALL NOT BE AGAIN, AND MINE IT SHALL NOT BE. This point of view has come to closure – Nirvana.

But until "a point of view of Self" awakes, makes an end of the craving for senses, sensations and pleasures of the senses; for perpetuating continued individuality, the rebecoming again and again of point of view in these manifestations; for delusion and false views; and for ignorance; then these artificial "created" realities will continue, and the pain and anguish and suffering of them.

And while these fabricated artificial existences continue, there is the CONTINUED PERIL of future pain, anguish and suffering, of future rebirth, manifesting AGAIN within LOWER fabricated worlds of increasing anguish because of past EVIL deeds of thought, word and action.

Until a created "Being" wins Nirvana, comes to closure, winning the Deathless, then for that Being what has been CREATED will continue, each Being wayfaring among constructed worlds and realms – high, middle and low.

There will be fruition of GOOD deeds of thought, speech and action; AND ALSO there will be fruition of EVIL deeds of thought, speech and action.

There will be MERIT in deeds of giving, sacrifice, offering and of loving kindness and compassion in thought, speech and actions toward other Beings (of all types); and there will be DEMERIT in such deeds as lying, slander, gossip, abusive speech, killing, stealing, sensual and sexual misconduct, wrong views and malevolent thought, speech and actions toward other Beings (of all types).

Beings ARE the heirs of their deeds. Deeds determine karma and karma determines future births and future events. This is how things work. This is what determines the different "storylines" for each Being for each life.

And this world is, and the world beyond is. And in this world there are "Beings" who have properly traveled THE RIGHT PATH OF ESCAPE TO NIRVANA, who have won THE GOAL, who have completed "the great quest" for the ultimate truth. They have destroyed the addictions, the cravings, the delusion and illusion, and they have reached Perfection, who of themselves by Supernormal Knowledge have fully realized this world, the world beyond, and WHO SEE THE WAY THINGS TRULY ARE, and proclaim it.

In conclusion, think of Buddhism as a correct means of ESCAPE from a state of make-believe. And escape from the satisfaction of the senses and the peril of the senses. It could be thought of like this: It is like being in a DARK theatre, vicariously enjoying the "make-believe experience" of a movie – fabricated existences in a fabricated reality. But the theatre is very old, decayed, on fire and now a source of pain. The Dharma of Buddhism is the EXIT SIGN.

If you want to escape permanently the pain, anguish and suffering, and continuous cycle of rebirth, struggle, anguish, decay, dying and death, and all the future pain and peril that go with it, you follow the exit sign. Buddhism IS the sign that says: THIS IS THE WAY TO SAFETY, THIS IS THE WAY OUT OF ANGUISH. The choice of when to escape is the decision of each Being.

If you want to pursue this education, you should reflect on what you have read – investigating, analyzing, testing and weighing up the meaning for yourself.

A good source for continued reading would be the Pali Text Society translated discourse volumes, beginning with the Middle Length Sayings, for more detailed study; and it is recommended to pursue the teachings of the Eightfold Noble Path, a course leading to practice and concentration where Knowledge, Insight and Intuitive Wisdom WILL arise within the SELF of YOU as you progress along the Noble Path, to be maintained until you win The Goal, Nirvana, True Reality Self-Realized, freed from ill, freed from all that has become, freed from all that is created, freed from all that has arisen, freed from this state of Self-Delusion, freed from this round of make-believe fiction.

References:
Timeline of Theravada Buddhism from Buddhanet
Timeline of Tibetan Buddhism from Buddhanet
Timeline of Japanese Buddhism from Buddhanet
Timeline of Chinese Buddhism from Buddhanet

1. Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction (fifth edition) by R.H. Robinson, W.L. Johnson, and Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 2005), p. 46.
2. This estimate is based on data appearing in » CIA World Factbook 2004. South Asia's largest Theravada Buddhist populations are found in Thailand (61 million Theravadans), Myanmar (38 million), Sri Lanka (13 million), and Cambodia (12 million).
3. Buddhist Religions, p. 46
4. Mahayana today includes Zen, Ch'an, Nichiren, Tendai, and Pure Land Buddhism.
5. Guide Through The Abhidhamma Pitaka by Nyanatiloka Mahathera (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1971), pp. 60ff.
6. A third major branch of Buddhism emerged much later (ca. 8th century CE) in India: Vajrayana, the "Diamond Vehicle." Vajrayana's elaborate system of esoteric initiations, tantric rituals, and mantra recitations eventually spread north into central and east Asia, leaving a particularly strong imprint on Tibetan Buddhism. See Buddhist Religions, pp. 124ff. and chapter 11.
 

One of the Five Precepts of Buddhist practice is to make no statement that is untrue; therefore:

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