History UsefulNotes / Buddhism

** King Ashoka, converting [[{{WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility}} in the wake]] of one of his [[{{BloodKnight}} greatest battles]] and [[{{RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething}} dedicating his reign]] to the betterment of humanity.
** [[{{NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast}} Ravana, demon king]] of the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/RamayanaRakshasas Rakshasa]] becomes a student of the Tathagatha in Buddhist tradition.
** [[{{TheCorrupter}} Mara]] himself in some stories.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatt%C4%81 Non-Self]]: There's no 'real' self in living things nor any kind of fixed essence in anything.[[note]]This is a very technical point of Buddhism whose exact meaning and implications are hotly debated. In short, it cautions against the belief in any 'ultimate' or 'true' self beyond the physical body and mind.[[/note]]

These concepts form much of the basis of Buddhism. Note, however, that while the Four Truths are a key part of Theravada Buddhism, they are not that prominent in the Mahayana schools.

* That life is suffering.[[note]]By this it is meant that to exist in any form is to eventually feel suffering and loss, no matter how happy one may be at the moment. Even gods must eventually die and be reincarnated. The Abrahamic idea of a permanent heaven is not generally recognized in Buddhism. Even Nirvana is more akin to a state of pure knowing than a true afterlife.[[/note]]

* That life involves suffering.[[note]]By this it is meant that to exist in any form is to eventually feel suffering and loss, no matter how happy one may be at the moment. Even gods must eventually die and be reincarnated. The Abrahamic idea of a permanent heaven is not generally recognized in Buddhism. Even Nirvana is more akin to a state of pure knowing than a true afterlife.[[/note]]

* There is no concept of a "soul" in Buddhism, at least not as most people define it. This is because – in contrast to orthodox Hinduism – Buddhism rejects the existence of any unchanging, permanent ‘self’. On a related note, Nirvana (see below) is not ''technically'' CessationOfExistence, as there never was a 'you' to begin with.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Mahayana]]: The "Greater Vehicle." Mahayana Buddhism is the largest in terms of numbers and possibly the most mainstream. It teaches the "Bodhisattva-path," where a being seeks Nirvana not for their own benefit but chooses to return to existence to help others until all are freed from the cycle of rebirth. This school tends to be more liberal in terms of theology: various higher beings are revered or worshiped, and it is not quite so harsh in terms of non-existence of the self. In Mahayana, the Buddha is not considered a "mere human," but an incarnation of the Ultimate Reality who came to help humans on their path to Enlightenment. Further unlike Theravada, negative karma can be purged not only by meditation, but also by the recitation of mantras or sacred names. Several of the most representative schools in most East Asian countries and pop culture alike, like Japanese Zen, Chinese Buddhism, or Pure Land Buddhism, follow this path. Remember also the fat, laughing fellow everybody thinks to be Buddha? It originated in this vehicle, and his name is Budai.

There is also:

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navayana Navayana]]: The "New Vehicle." Used to refer to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement Dalit Buddhist movement]], or various forms of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_West Western]] or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_modernism Modernist Buddhism]]. Dalit Buddhism was founded about 100 years ago by Untouchables in India. In addition to Buddhist teachings, Dalit Buddhism defines itself by its opposition to Hinduism, which it sees as responsible for the propagation of the caste system and the Dalit position at the bottom of the social totem pole. While Dalit Buddhists take their teachings from all three schools, they tend to emphasize what they see as the Buddha's role as a political and social reformer, rather than on him as a spiritual teacher. In this sense, it has much in common with Christian [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology Liberation theology]], a form of Christianity that heavily emphasizes political and social justice for the poor. Modern "reinterpretations" of Buddhism meanwhile, mostly found in the West, tend to be benign forms of "spirituality" and "self-improvement," often jettisoning much of the cosmological and theological baggage of Buddhism found in Asia, and refocusing attention from Nirvana onto how one can improve one's life here on Earth.

There is no concept of a "soul" in Buddhism, at least not as most people define it. This is because – in contrast to orthodox Hinduism – Buddhism rejects the existance of any unchanging, permanent ‘self’. On a related note, Nirvana (see below) is not ''technically'' [[Cessation of Existence]], as there never was a 'you' to begin with.

The Hindu ascetics ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Arama%E1%B9%87a Sramanas]) were extremely severe, and they ate and drank so little that some of them would even die of starvation. Siddhartha himself almost died of hunger and misery while pursuing the ascetic lifestyle, but one day a peasant girl brought him a bowl of rice to eat and he accepted her generosity. His five ascetic companions were scandalized. Fed up, Siddhartha renounced athe path of the Sramanas, lamenting that not only had he not grown spiritually, but this self-mortification might make him see himself as being [[HolierThanThou superior to others]]. In his desperation, he planted himself under a banyan tree in Gaya, and refused to budge until he had received enlightenment.

For 49 days, Siddhartha struggled with his ignorance under the tree. Tempted by the demon Mara, assaulted by flies, distracted by all of the drama that comes with being human, he refused to give in to any illusion and continued seeking absolute enlightenment. At age 35, under a Bodhi tree, Siddhartha reached enlightenment and became the "Buddha," a Sanskrit word meaning "One who is awake."

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatt%C4%81 Non-Self]: There's no 'real' self in living things nor any kind of fixed essence in anything.[[note]]This is a very technical point of Buddhism whose exact meaning and implications are hotly debated against. In short, it cautions against the belief in any 'ultimate' or 'true' self beyond the physical body and mind.[[/note]]

* There is no concept of a "soul" in Buddhism, at least not as most people define it. There's a lot of theory behind it, but basically Buddhism doesn't allow for the existence of such an independent object. While Nirvana (see below) is not ''technically'' CessationOfExistence, this is more because, in Buddhism, there never was a "you" to begin with. It can get rather complicated.

The story of Buddhism begins with the birth of Siddhartha Gautama in modern-day UsefulNotes/{{Nepal}} around the year 500BCE. As was the fashion of the time, his father, King of Shakya, took his newborn son to an oracle to have his future read. The oracle told the King that the child would grow up to either be a great king if he experienced no suffering, or a great spiritual teacher if he did. King Suddhodana preferred that his son follow in his own footsteps, and so young Siddhartha was raised [[{{Gilded Cage}} with every desire fulfilled but without being allowed to leave his father's palace]].

Fast forward 29 years. Siddhartha is now married and is in the prime of his life. But he wonders how he can be an effective king if he has never even left the palace to see his kingdom. So his father relents and allows Siddhartha a single day outside the palace. But King Suddhodana secretly sends his ministers to pre-arrange every sight that Siddhartha will see, removing from public view all of the beggars, lepers, and dying subjects.

As Siddhartha walks the street greeted by his subjects, though, he catches sight of an old man. Having been sequestered in a false, perfect world up until this point, he is forced to ask his chariot-driver what is wrong with the elderly individual. He is told that it is an old man, and all men will someday grow old like him. Siddhartha is shocked and continues looking into the crowd in earnest, whereupon he sees a leper. Again, he is shocked by the unhappiness that is visited upon humanity, and embarrassed by his naiveté. The third sight that he sees is a decaying corpse and is told by his driver that it is the fate of all human beings to die. At last, he comes upon the fourth sight -- a Hindu ascetic monk. Siddhartha abandons everything to follow this monk, who he hopes will lead him out of the cycle of misery that afflicts all humankind, leaving behind his kingdom and a father who is probably somewhat ticked off at the BrokenMasquerade.

The Hindu ascetics were extremely severe, and they ate and drank so little that some of them would even die of starvation. Siddhartha himself almost died of hunger and misery while pursuing the ascetic lifestyle, but a peasant girl brought him a bowl of rice to eat and he accepted her generosity. His five ascetic companions were scandalized. Fed up, Siddhartha planted himself under a Bodhi tree and refused to budge until he received enlightenment.

The Buddha had realized that the trouble with being human came from clinging and attachment. Everything that comes into existence goes out of existence -- all our friends, lovers, family, video game consoles, health, our lives, and even ''TV Tropes''. The trouble wasn't that these things happen to us, but that we approach life with a flawed set of expectations. One who can accept what happens to them without complaint and without craving will never, ever be disappointed. People who find happiness within themselves can be happy no matter what the external circumstances of their lives are, and can eventually achieve the perfection of equanimity, beyond even happiness.

* That life is suffering.[[note]]By this it is meant that to exist in any form is to eventually feel suffering and loss, no matter how happy one may be at the moment. Even gods must eventually die and be reincarnated. The Abrahamic idea of a permanent heaven is not generally recognized in Buddhism. Even Nirvana is more akin to a state of pure knowing than a true afterlife.[[/note]]
* That suffering has an origin and this is attachment or desire.

These concepts form much of the basis of Buddhism.

Those are philosophical traits of existence which we regular humans might not be able to realize, which brings us suffering.

* Non-Self: There's no real self in living things nor any kind of essence in anything.[[note]]Don't worry if you don't immediately get what this means. This is a very technical point of Buddhism whose exact meaning and implications are hotly debated against.[[/note]]

'''Decline of Buddhism in India'''

'''Life of the Buddha'''

'''The Four Noble Truths'''

'''The Noble Eightfold Path'''

'''The Four Dharma Seals'''

'''Reincarnation and Karma'''

'''Nirvana'''

'''Three Vehicles of Buddhism'''

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Theravada]]: The "School of Elders." Found mostly in Southeast Asia, Theravada is the oldest existing vehicle and therefore most similar to the earliest forms of Buddhism. It emphasizes self-liberation through enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path. This school is also the most conservative in terms of theology: the non-existence of Self is emphasized, and the worship of gods and higher powers is discouraged. In fact, Theravada claims the Buddha specifically rejected (or judged to be irrelevant) the existence of any "divine foundation" or Creator, whether this be called "Brahman" or something else. In this school, the Buddha is considered a mere human who reached Enlightenment through his own efforts. Karma is a natural and impersonal process, beyond the ability of humans to influence. This path is the most popular in Thailand, Cambodia, UsefulNotes/SriLanka, and the rest of Southeast Asian countries.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Mahayana]]: The "Greater Vehicle." Mahayana Buddhism is the largest in terms of numbers and possibly the most mainstream. It teaches the "Bodhisattva-path," where a being seeks Nirvana not for their own benefit but chooses to return to existence to help others until all are freed from the cycle of rebirth. This school tends to be more liberal in terms of theology: various higher beings are revered or worshiped, and it is not quite so harsh in terms of non-existence of the self. In Mahayana, the Buddha is not considered a "mere human," but an incarnation of the Ultimate Reality who came to help humans on their path to Enlightenment. Further unlike Theravada, negative karma can be purged by meditation, or by the recitation of mantras or sacred names. Several of the most representative schools in most East Asian countries and pop culture alike, like Japanese Zen, Chinese Buddhism, or Pure Land Buddhism, follow this path.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Vajrayana]]: The "Diamond Vehicle." It is the smallest denomination, being practiced almost exclusively in UsefulNotes/{{Tibet}} and a couple schools in other countries, particularly Central Asia (an offshoot of Tibetan Vajrayana is the dominant traditional religion in UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}). It is sometimes considered a sub-sect of Mahayana. Defined as esoteric Buddhism, Vajrayana features a wide set of ritual practices called Tantra, which includes a lot of recitation of mantras and sacred names (though it can include much weirder things, like the famous Tantric sex, which is often the only thing Western people know about it). Really hammers home the impermanence of the material world and the importance of spiritual devotion (outsiders have noted that there are no "casual" Vajrayana believers), and like Mahayana, the Buddha is revered as a divine being. This is the branch that includes Tibetan Buddhism (the one the Dalai Lama follows), Mongolian Buddhism, and a few lineages in East Asia (a prominent example being Japanese Shingon Buddhism).

Labelled variously as a religion, a philosophy, or a "way of life," Buddhism is probably one of the world's more confusing religions, philosophies or "ways of life." A few things to note first:

As Siddhartha walks the street greeted by his subjects, though, he catches sight of an old man. Having been sequestered in a false, perfect world up until this point, he is forced to ask his chariot-driver what is wrong with the elderly individual. He is told that it is an old man, and all men will someday grow old like him. Siddhartha is shocked, and continues looking into the crowd in earnest, whereupon he sees a leper. Again, he is shocked by the unhappiness that is visited upon humanity, and embarrassed by his naiveté. The third sight that he sees is a decaying corpse, and is told by his driver that it is the fate of all human beings to die. At last, he comes upon the fourth sight -- a Hindu ascetic monk. Siddhartha abandons everything to follow this monk, who he hopes will lead him out of the cycle of misery that afflicts all humankind, leaving behind his kingdom and a father who is probably somewhat ticked off at the BrokenMasquerade.

** Right livelihood: To live your life without disadvantaging other beings. For lay Buddhists, this includes abstaining from work that deals with weapons, living beings, meat, alcoholic drink or poison.

** Right mindfulness: To develop attention and remain mindful, especially of one's body, feelings, mind and phenomena.

Two more important concepts key to Buddhism are those of reincarnation and karma. In Buddhist theology, there is no fixed soul, so there is nothing that could actually be reborn. Instead what we perceive as a person's soul or a person's self is rather a continuous stream of thoughts which continues even after a body has died and will continue in another newly born body. (For a great number of lay Buddhists this is mostly a technicality, though, and not given much thought, if any.) The body which the person is reborn in is determined mostly by karma, although skilled practitioners can control to a certain extent which realm they are reborn in, as can higher beings.

Karma is an action or energy created through action that drives a person's life, death, and rebirth. The concept of karma is like that of cause and effect -- Buddhists believe that whatever actions are taken by the individual will have an impact on the individual's future. Buddhism makes special emphasis on the mental intent behind an action -- it is possible to accrue positive or negative karma through emotions and thoughts alone. Karma can be both short term, which arises as the near immediate consequences of one's actions in the physical world (for example, anger at another person can lead to hate from that person) and long term, which will decide a person's future circumstances and rebirth.

A person is responsible for his or her own karma, and it is their actions which will ultimately decide their future.

Nirvana literally means "blowing out," as in a candle. It is freedom from the cycle of rebirth and painful existence that affects all beings. In Nirvana, one experiences neither heaven, nor hell, nor any form of existence. It is an existence ''beyond'' existence. In this way all one's cares and anxieties are swept away. One experiences a perfect stillness of mind and eternal peace. This is not a peace in the sense that we know it, as a reprieve from suffering or as a fulfillment of one's desires, but as a freedom ''from'' any desire or emotion whatsoever. A commonly used metaphor is of a drop of water falling into a still pool. While the drop was once perceived as separate, and in some sense can still be found in the pool, it is now entirely subsumed into the wholeness of the pool itself. (The extent to which one keeps one's personality varies by school.) In Hinduism this is called ''Moksha'', and is described as reunion with Brahman -- the divine foundation of all things -- when one understands that one's true self and Brahman are the same.

The extent to which reincarnation, karma and Nirvana are taken literally or viewed as extended metaphor varies wildly. In Asia these are more likely to be accepted parts of Buddhist theology; in the West they're generally dismissed as illustrative.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Theravada]]: The "School of Elders." Found mostly in Southeast Asia, Theravada is the oldest existing vehicle and therefore most similar to the earliest forms of Buddhism. It emphasizes self-liberation through enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path. This school is also the most conservative in terms of theology: the non-existence of Self is emphasized, and the worship of gods and higher powers is discouraged. In fact, Theravada claims the Buddha specifically rejected (or judged to be irrelevant) the existence of any "divine foundation" or Creator, whether this be called "Brahman" or something else. In this school, the Buddha is considered a mere human who reached Enlightenment through his own efforts. Karma is a natural and impersonal process, beyond the ability of humans to influence. This path is the most popular in Thailand, Cambodia, UsefulNotes/SriLanka and the rest of Southeast Asian countries.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Mahayana]]: The "Greater Vehicle." Mahayana Buddhism is the largest in terms of numbers and possibly the most mainstream. It teaches the "Bodhisattva-path," where a being seeks Nirvana not for their own benefit, but chooses to return to existence to help others until all are freed from the cycle of rebirth. This school tends to be more liberal in terms of theology: various higher beings are revered or worshiped, and it is not quite so harsh in terms of non-existence of the self. In Mahayana, the Buddha is not considered a "mere human," but an incarnation of the Ultimate Reality who came to help humans on their path to Enlightenment. Further unlike Theravada, negative karma can be purged by meditation, or by the recitation of mantras or sacred names. Several of the most representative schools in most East Asian countries and pop culture alike, like Japanese Zen, Chinese Buddhism, or Pure Land Buddhism, follow this path.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Vajrayana]]: The "Diamond Vehicle." It is the smallest denomination, being practiced almost exclusively in UsefulNotes/{{Tibet}} and a couple schools in other countries, particularly Central Asia (an offshoot of Tibetan Vajrayana is the dominant traditional religion in UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}). It is sometimes considered a sub-sect of Mahayana. Defined as esoteric Buddhism, Vajrayana features a wide set of ritual practices called Tantra, which includes a lot of recitation of mantras and sacred names (though it can include much weirder things, like the famous Tantric sex, which is often the only thing Western people know about it). Really hammers home the impermanence of the material world and the importance of spiritual devotion (outsiders have noted that there are no "casual" Vajrayana believers), and like Mahayana, the Buddha is revered as a divine being. This is the branch that includes Tibetan Buddhism (the one the Dalai Lama follows), Mongolian Buddhism and a few lineages in East Asia (a prominent example being Japanese Shingon Buddhism).

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navayana Navayana]]: The "New Vehicle." Used to refer to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement Dalit Buddhist movement]], or various forms of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_West Western]] or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_modernism Modernist Buddhism]]. Dalit Buddhism was founded about 100 years ago by Untouchables in India. In addition to Buddhist teachings, Dalit Buddhism defines itself by its opposition to Hinduism, which it sees as responsible for the propagation of the caste system and the Dalit position at the bottom of the social totem pole. While Dalit Buddhists take their teachings from all three schools, they tend to emphasize what they see as the Buddha's role as a political and social reformer, rather than on him as a spiritual teacher. In this sense it has much in common with Christian [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology Liberation theology]], a form of Christianity which heavily emphasizes political and social justice for the poor. Modern "reinterpretations" of Buddhism meanwhile, mostly found in the West, tend to be benign forms of "spirituality" and "self-improvement," often jettisoning much of the cosmological and theological baggage of Buddhism found in Asia, and refocusing attention from Nirvana onto how one can improve one's life here on Earth.

Buddhism is almost entirely dead in the land of its birth, comprising less than 1% of the population of India. Various theories have been proposed for why Buddhism declined over the centuries and gradually disappeared, ranging from persecutions by hostile rulers to degeneration of the monasteries. Even as early as the 5th century, visiting Chinese monks commented on the sorry state of Buddhism in India. Ultimately what did Buddhism in was religious syncretism. Over the centuries Hinduism and Buddhism grew closer and closer in religious practice, such that by the Middle Ages it was hard for a layperson to tell them apart. Hindu mystics took the good parts of Buddhism and incorporated them into their belief system. Eventually Buddhism had nothing of its own left to teach. When Indian sages proclaimed that Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu, that was the end for Buddhism. With many Buddhists already worshipping Hindu gods, there wasn't any point in remaining a Buddhist anymore. In the end it wasn't so much "destroyed" as simply absorbed into Hinduism.

* TheAlmightyDollar: The five wealth Jambhalas are different Bodhisattvas, each with it's own practice and mantra to help eliminate poverty and create financial stability

** There is however an actual ascension to a higher plane for very pure people, who are likely to be reincarnated as gods. For many asian Buddhists, this is a great reward in itself, but many others see it as undesirable, as even gods are not immortal and subject to suffering. With their divine powers and extremely long lives, it's easy for gods to forget that all existing is hardship and all things must come to an end, so being reborn as a human is actually more desirable.

*** The big problem with a god rebirth is is not that there still is suffering, as it is very slight, infact the only suffering in a god realm is that it will eventually end. The problem is that there is not enough suffering, and thus you will not be motivated to practice the dharma.

** The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was actually this according to Buddhist scriptures. After a reputed 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, he attained Enlightenment and a state of supreme liberation, or Nirvana. The Buddha described Nirvana as the perfect peace of a mind that's free from ignorance, greed, hatred and other afflictive states of living. Immediately after his awakening, the Buddha debated whether or not he should teach the way to obtain Nirvana to others and eventually decided to leave the state of Nirvana to teach others the knowledge he attained.
* EliteFour: The Four Heavenly Kings are a group under Sakra, the lord of the devas in Trayastrimsa. They serve to protect the domain from the Asuras and to protect the Bhudda, his followers and the Dharma from danger.
* EnlightenmentSuperpowers: Buddhism teaches that as a being becomes enlightened they will gain abilities such as telekinesis or telepathy. It also notes that these aren't the point, and that focusing on them will ruin your chances for further enlightenment.

* ForeignRemake / HijackedByJesus: Believe or not, the story of Siddhartha Gautama. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlaam_and_Josaphat Seriously.]] One of the reasons Buddhism declined in India is because Hinduism co-opted it into its own religion, making the Buddha an avatar of Vishnu. Then when the story of Buddha spread, it came to Medieval Europe and Buddha became the Christian [[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02297a.htm St Josaphat]].

* GoodIsNotSoft: Mahayana and Theravada have various classes and ranks of wrathful entities, fierce and monstrous warrior deities with vicious tempers and powerful bloodlust who attack the abstract enemies of Buddhism, like ignorance and delusion. That said, they are devout Buddhists themselves who protect adherents on the path, preserve ancient teachings and guard temples. Their visage is so fearsome, with snarling, fanged mouths, wreaths of flame and [[{{BFS}} heavy swords]] that many westerners once confused and conflated them with demons, and some still do, though their nature is more akin to militant guardian angels.

* HumbleHero: Many branches of Buddhism (especially the Tibetan variation) teach followers never to value any worldly materials such as wealth, luxuries, sex, fame, etc. and embrace humility and [[IAmWhatIAm accept who you are and your flaws to better yourself]]. In fact, it's one of the requirements of enlightenment.

* MeditationPowerup: Tranquility leads to enlightened asskicking. The legendary Shaolin monastery is a Chan (also known as Zen in Japan and the US) Buddhist monastery that uses martial arts as a form of meditation. In a broader view, Zazen and other forms of meditation allow for impressive feats of concentration, which allow for other, equally impressive, feats. Also, various supernatural powers are said to be gained by meditation.

** An interesting note is how matter of fact the treatment of the supernatural can be in some Buddhist traditions. For example, in many Tibetan monasteries part of the oath you take when you become a monk is that you are not a spirit disguised as a human being. Other monasteries are placed specifically to be bindings for demons, oracles and divination are fairly common practice for lamas, and there are many lamas who have repeatedly reincarnated and continued their teaching. Part of the reason China's destruction of monasteries and abuse of monks during the Cultural Revolution was so devastating was the way knowledge of the spiritual landscape and the whereabouts of reincarnated lamas was lost.

* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_unanswerable_questions 14 Unanswerable Questions.]] These aren't actually meant to be deep secrets or eldritch lore. Instead, they are things that can't be answered and so you shouldn't waste time worrying about. Basically four questions, or not, or both or neither. This obviously leaves 16 rather than 14 due to varying counts or whether or not including the boths and neithers or only for some questions.

*** Though Mahayana and Vajrayana consider the answer to be: yes, the Tathagata exists after death. Buddha says in the Brahma Net Sutra: "Now, I, Vairocana Buddha am sitting atop a lotus pedestal; On a thousand flowers surrounding me are a thousand Sakyamuni Buddhas. Each flower supports a hundred million worlds; in each world a Sakyamuni Buddha appears. All are seated beneath a Bodhi-tree, all simultaneously attain Buddhahood. All these innumerable Buddhas have Vairocana as their original body." Such a statement may imply that a Buddha is immortal. Even though he descends in the samsara to preach Dharma and save sentient beings from suffering, his original body remains in a transcendent realm. That body will not die upon the death of the physical body of Buddha, and hence a Buddha is beyond arising and passing away. The idea that the physical death of a Buddha is the termination of that Buddha is graphically refuted by the movement and meaning of the Lotus sutra, in which another Buddha, who passed long before, appears and communicates with Shakyamuni himself. In the vision of the Lotus Sutra, Buddhas are ultimately immortal. A similar doctrine of the eternality of Buddhas is repeatedly expounded in the tathāgatagarbha sutras, which share certain family resemblances with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra

* The Republic of Buryatia, Tuvan Republic and Republic of Kalmykia in UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} (the last being the only Buddhist-majority polity in Europe)

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Vajrayana]]: The "Diamond Vehicle." It is the smallest denomination, being practiced almost exclusively in UsefulNotes/{{Tibet}} and a couple schools in other countries, particularly Central Asia (an offshoot of Tibetan Vajrayana is the dominant traditional religion in UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}). It is sometimes considered a sub-set of Mahayana. Defined as esoteric Buddhism, Vajrayana features a wide set of ritual practices called Tantra, which includes a lot of recitation of mantras and sacred names (though it can include much weirder things, like the famous Tantric sex, which is often the only thing Western people know about it). Really hammers home the impermanence of the material world and the importance of spiritual devotion (outsiders have noted that there are no "casual" Vajrayana believers), and like Mahayana, the Buddha is revered as a divine being. This is the branch that includes Tibetan Buddhism (the one the Dalai Lama follows), Mongolian Buddhism and a few lineages in East Asia (a prominent example being Japanese Shingon Buddhism).

* UsefulNotes/{{Malaysia}} (Mostly eroded by UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}, but Buddhism is still practiced by various ethnic minorities)

[[quoteright:229:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/buddha.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:229: [[NonNaziSwastika It's not what you think.]]]]

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Vajrayana]]: The "Diamond Vehicle." It is the smallest denomination, being practiced almost exclusively in UsefulNotes/{{Tibet}} and a couple schools in other countries, and it is sometimes considered a sub-set of Mahayana. Defined as esoteric Buddhism, Vajrayana features a wide set of ritual practices called Tantra, which includes a lot of recitation of mantras and sacred names (though it can include much weirder things, like the famous Tantric sex, which is often the only thing Western people know about it). Really hammers home the impermanence of the material world and the importance of spiritual devotion (outsiders have noted that there are no "casual" Vajrayana believers), and like Mahayana, the Buddha is revered as a divine being. This is the branch that includes Tibetan Buddhism (the one the Dalai Lama follows), Mongolian Buddhism and a few lineages in East Asia (a prominent example being Japanese Shingon Buddhism).

* The Republic of Buryatia, Tuvan Republic and Republic of Buryatia of UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} (the last being the only Buddhist-majority polity in Europe)

Labelled variously as a religion, philosophy, or a "way of life," Buddhism is probably one of the world's more confusing religions. A few things to note first:

* AntiVillain:[[SlidingScaleOfAntiVillains Type I]] Mara has been shown to have lots of noble qualities at times. This makes him a NobleDemon plus the fact that he has never been shown doing anything worse than stopping people from becoming Buddhas.

* No form of Buddhism explicitly teaches the existence of a ''creator'' god, and some believe that even wondering about it is useless, even harmful. Some schools believe in the existence of gods and demons simply as other forms of life and no better than humans, while others reject the existence of all godlike beings. On top of that, some schools have practices that call on higher powers (including the Buddha). Sometimes this is symbolic, while other times it is indistinguishable from prayer. In all cases, however, whether one believes in gods or not, or whether one worships them or not, they are considered irrelevant to the actual point of Buddhism -- the attainment of Enlightenment, which even gods must strive for.

* No form of Buddhism explicitly teaches the existence of a ''creator'' god, and several of them believe that even wondering about it is useless, even harmful. Some schools believe in the existence of gods and demons simply as other forms of life and no better than humans, while others reject the existence of all godlike beings. On top of that, some schools have practices that call on higher powers (including the Buddha). Sometimes this is symbolic, while other times it is indistinguishable from prayer. In all cases, however, whether one believes in gods or not, or whether one worships them or not, they are considered irrelevant to the actual point of Buddhism -- the attainment of Enlightenment, which even gods must strive for.

* No form of Buddhism explicitly teach the existence of a ''creator'' god, and several of them believe that even wondering about its existence is an useless, even harmful topic. Some schools believe in the existence of gods and demons, understood simply other forms of life and no better than humans, while others reject the existence of all godlike beings. This can get pretty confusing, as many schools have practices to call on higher powers (sometimes including the Buddha) which are for all intents and purposes indistinguishable from prayer, but they sometimes refer only to ''symbolic'' deities and concepts, while other times they do call them to summon their help. In all cases, however, whether one believes in gods or not, or whether one worships them or not, they are considered irrelevant to the actual point of Buddhism -- the attainment of Enlightenment, which even gods must strive for.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Vajrayana]]: The "Diamond Vehicle." The smallest denomination (practiced almost exclusively in UsefulNotes/{{Tibet}}), and arguably the most demanding of the paths. Vajrayana is sometimes said to be a sub-set of Mahayana. Put simply, Vajrayana is Mahayana's NintendoHard cousin. Really hammers home the impermanence of the material world, and the importance of spiritual devotion (outsiders have noted that there are no "casual" Vajrayana believers.) Like Mahayana, in Vajrayana the Buddha is revered as a divine being, and the recitation of mantras and sacred names is widely practiced. For reference, this is the branch that includes Tibetan Buddhism (the one the Dalai Lama follows), Mongolian Buddhism and a few lineages in East Asia (a prominent example being Japanese Shingon Buddhism).

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navayana Navayana]]: The "New Vehicle." Used to refer to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement Dalit Buddhist movement]], or various forms of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_the_West Western]] or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_modernism Modernist Buddhism]]. Dalit Buddhism was founded about 100 years ago by Untouchables in India. In addition to Buddhist teachings, Dalit Buddhism defines itself by its opposition to Hinduism, which it sees as responsible for the propagation of the caste system and the Dalit position at the bottom of the social totem pole. While Dalit Buddhists take their teachings from all three schools, they tend to emphasize what they see as the Buddha's role as a political and social reformer, rather than on him as a spiritual teacher. In this sense it has much in common with Christian [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology Liberation theology]], a form of Christianity which heavily emphasizes political and social justice for the poor. Modern "reinterpretations" of Buddhism meanwhile, mostly found in the West, tend to be benign forms of "spirituality" and "self-improvement," often jettisoning much of the cosmological and theological "baggage" of Buddhism found in Asia, and refocusing attention from Nirvana onto how one can improve one's life here on Earth.

* Buddhism is not necessarily a form of UsefulNotes/{{Atheism}}. Some variations are perfectly compatible with atheism, but not all. Buddhism is, more or less, an offshoot of UsefulNotes/{{Hinduism}}, so the oldest schools pretty much teach the existence of the same gods. Even most schools that lack "gods" still retain supernatural elements. Those that dispense with the supernatural entirely tend to be found mostly in the West.
* No forms of Buddhism explicitly teach the existence of a ''creator'' god. Nevertheless, some schools have practices that call on higher powers, sometimes including the Buddha. While these devotions have been called "prayer-like," they are for all intents and purposes indistinguishable from prayer. Other schools reject the existence of all godlike beings. Others believe that gods (and demons) are simply other forms of life and no better than humans. In all cases, however, whether one believes in gods or not, or whether one worships them or not, they are considered irrelevant to the actual point of Buddhism -- the attainment of Enlightenment, which even gods must strive for.
* Siddhartha Gautama was the first declared-by-that-name Buddha (perfectly enlightened one) but there have been many others before him, and many beings of various stages of enlightenment since.

* Every sentient being has the potential to achieve Nirvana (a state of permanent peace, liberation, and "consciousness without feature, without end" beyond suffering and desire,) if not in this life, then another.

* That life is suffering.[[note]]By this it is meant that to exist in any form is to eventually feel suffering and loss, no matter how happy one may be at the moment. Even gods must eventually die and be reincarnated. The Abrahamic idea of a permanent heaven is not generally recognized in Buddhism. Even Nirvana is more akin to a state of pure knowing than a true afterlife. [[/note]]

Two more important concepts key to Buddhism are those of reincarnation and karma. In Buddhist theology, there is no fixed soul, so there is nothing that could actually be reborn. Instead what we perceive as a person's soul or a person's self is rather a continuous stream of thoughts which continues even after a body has died and will continue in another newly born body. For a great number of lay Buddhists this is mostly a technicality though, and not given much thought, if any. The body which the person is reborn in is determined mostly by karma (although skilled practitioners can control to a certain extent which realm they are reborn in, as can higher beings.)

Karma is an action or energy created through action that drives a person's life, death, and rebirth. The concept of karma is like that of cause and effect -- Buddhists believe that whatever actions are taken by the individual will have an impact on the individual's future. Buddhism makes special emphasis on the mental intent behind an action -- it is possible to accrue positive or negative karma through emotions and thoughts. Karma can be both short term, which arises as the near immediate consequences of one's actions in the physical world (for example, anger at another person can lead to hate from that person;) and long term, which will decide a person's future circumstances and rebirth.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Theravada]]: The "School of Elders." Found mostly in Southeast Asia, Theravada is the oldest existing vehicle and therefore most similar to the earliest forms of Buddhism. It emphasizes self-liberation through enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path. This school is also the most conservative in terms of theology: The non-existence of Self is emphasized, and the worship of gods and higher powers is discouraged. In fact, Theravada claims the Buddha specifically rejected (or judged to be irrelevant) the existence of any "divine foundation" or Creator, whether this be called "Brahman" or something else. In this school, the Buddha is considered a mere human who reached Enlightenment through his own efforts. Karma is a natural and impersonal process, beyond the ability of humans to influence. This path is the most popular in Thailand, Cambodia, UsefulNotes/SriLanka and the rest of Southeast Asian countries.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Mahayana]]: The "Greater Vehicle." Mahayana Buddhism is the largest in terms of numbers. It teaches the "Bodhisattva-path," where a being seeks Nirvana not for their own benefit, but chooses to return to existence to help others until all are freed from the cycle of rebirth. This school tends to be more liberal in terms of theology: various higher beings are revered or worshiped, and it is not quite so harsh in terms of non-existence of the self. In Mahayana, the Buddha is not considered a "mere human," but an incarnation of the Ultimate Reality who came to help humans on their path to Enlightenment. Further unlike Theravada, negative karma can be purged by meditation, or by the recitation of mantras or sacred names. Several of the most representative schools in most East Asian countries and pop culture alike, like Japanese Zen, Chinese Buddhism, or Pure Land Buddhism, follow this path.

* The Republic of Buryatia, Republic of Kalmykia and the Tuvan Republic of UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} (the second being the only Buddhist-majority polity in Europe)

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Theravada]]: The "School of Elders." Found mostly in Southeast Asia, Theravada is the oldest existing vehicle and therefore most similar to the earliest forms of Buddhism. It emphasizes self-liberation through enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path. This school is also the most conservative in terms of theology: The non-existence of Self is emphasized, and the worship of gods and higher powers is discouraged. In fact, Theravada claims the Buddha specifically rejected the existence of a Divine Foundation or Creator, whether this be called "Brahman," "The Ultimate Reality," or something else (as distinct from lesser gods, who Buddha accepted existed). In this school, the Buddha is considered a mere human who reached Enlightenment through his own efforts. Karma is a natural and impersonal process, beyond the ability of humans to influence. This path is the most popular in Thailand, Cambodia, UsefulNotes/SriLanka and the rest of Southeast Asian countries.