Buddhism (Pali and बौद्ध धर्म Buddha Dharma) is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, "the awakened one".
The following outline is provided as an overview of, and topical guide to, Buddhism.
Gautama Buddha
Tathāgata — meaning "Thus Come One" and "Thus Gone One" simultaneously, the epithet the Buddha uses most often to refer to himself; occasionally it is used as a general designation for a person who has reached the highest attainment
Buddha's Birthday
The Four Sights — observations that affected Prince Siddhartha deeply and made him realize the sufferings of all beings, and compelled him to begin his spiritual journey
An old man
A sick man
A dead man
An ascetic/Monk
Qualities of the Buddha
Abandonment of all defilements (kilesa — principally greed, hatred and delusion) together with their residual impressions (vasana)
All defilements have been abandoned totally — all defilements have been destroyed with none remaining
All defilements have been abandoned completely — each defilement has been destroyed at the root, without residue
All defilements have been abandoned finally — no defilement can ever arise again in the future
Acquisition of all virtues
Great Wisdom (Mahapaññā)
Extensiveness of range — understanding the totality of existent phenomena
Profundity of view — understanding the precise mode of existence of each phenomenon
Great Compassion (Maha-karuṇā)
Physical characteristics of the Buddha
Buddha footprint
Buddha statue (Buddharupa)
Iconography of Gautama Buddha in Laos and Thailand
Depictions of Gautama Buddha in film
Miracles of Gautama Buddha
List of places where Gautama Buddha stayed
Colours of Buddha's aura (prabashvara)
Sapphire blue (nila)
Golden yellow (pita)
Crimson (lohita)
White (odata)
Scarlet (manjesta)
Family of Gautama Buddha
Śuddhodana (father)
Māyā (mother)
Yasodharā (wife)
Rāhula (son)
Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī (foster mother)
Nanda (half-brother)
Ānanda (cousin)
Anuruddha (cousin)
Devadatta (cousin)
Teachers of the Bodhisatta Gotama
Āḷāra Kālāma — taught Gautama the Jhanic Stage of nothingness
Uddaka Rāmaputta — taught Gautama the Jhanic Stage of neither perception nor non-perception
Gautama Buddha in world religions
Gautama Buddha in Hinduism
Schools of Buddhism
Theravada — literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", it is the oldest surviving Buddhist school.
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Chan (; () of ), from Sanskrit dhyāna (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and Song dynasties. Chan is the originating tradition of Zen Buddhism (the Japanese pronunciation of the same character, which is the most commonly used English name for the school). Chan Buddhism spread from China south to Vietnam as Thiền and north to Korea as Seon, and, in the 13th century, east to Japan as Japanese Zen.
There were links between Buddhism and the pre-Christian Mediterranean world, with Buddhist missionaries sent by Emperor Ashoka of India to Syria, Egypt and Greece from 250 BC. Significant differences between the two religions include monotheism in Christianity and Buddhism's orientation towards nontheism (the lack of relevancy of the existence of a creator deity) which runs counter to teachings about God in Christianity, and grace in Christianity against the rejection of interference with karma in Theravada Buddhism on.
The Buddhist traditions have created and maintained a vast body of mythological literature. The central myth of Buddhism is the life of the Buddha. This is told in relatively realistic terms in the earliest texts, and was soon elaborated into a complex literary mythology. The chief motif of this story, and the most distinctive feature of Buddhist myth, is the Buddha's renunciation: leaving his home and family for a spiritual quest.