What does this mean in practice?
The BuddhaThe founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, after his enlightenment. It is a title which means the enlightened or awakened one. key teachings are the Four Noble TruthsThe truths discovered by the Buddha during his enlightenment. and the Eightfold PathThe teachings of the Buddha that can lead to the end of suffering: 1 - Right Views; 2 - Right Thinking; 3 - Right Speech; 4 - Right Action; 5 - Right Livelihood; 6 - Right Effort; 7 - Right Mindfulness; 8 - Right Meditation.. Buddhists may accept and follow these teachings in order to achieve enlightenmentThe realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth.. There are differences within Buddhist traditions concerning how they understand ideas about life after death.
Theravada Buddhism
TheravadaMeaning ‘teachings of the elders'. It is primarily focused on the Arhat path to enlightenment. This branch of Buddhism can be found in Sri Lanka and South East Asia. Buddhists may strive to become arhatA person who has achieved enlightenment following the Buddha’s teaching. – enlightened people who have achieved Nirvana (also spelt Nibbana)An indescribable state, held by Buddhists to be the ultimate goal of religious practice, involving breaking free from the cycle of samsara., who will not be born again. They teach that it is very likely that only monkA person who is a member of a monastic order, living under religious obedience. and nunA member of a religious community of women, living under communal rules. can ever achieve this because:
- the Buddha gave up his normal, earthly life and did eventually achieve release from samsaraIn Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, this is the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
- in a normal household lifestyle there is too much to be attached to and to distract you from the ultimate aim of Nirvana
Mahayana Buddhism
Mahayana BuddhismOne of the major schools of Buddhism, it includes Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. may strive to become a bodhisatta - a person who wants to become enlightened but who decides to be reborn and help others attain enlightenment.
Some Mahayana Buddhists believe that enlightenment can be achieved in one lifetime, and that this is possible by a layperson (someone who is not a monk or a nun). They make a vow stating that they will try to gain enlightenment and return life after life until every person has achieved enlightenment. They believe this because:
- the Buddha was a BodhisattvaSomeone who has attained enlightenment but will not rest until the end of suffering of all sentient beings. To become a Bodhisattva is the goal of many Mahayana Buddhists. in one of his previous lives
- they accept different Buddhist sources as containing useful teachings about the afterlifeLife after death. and not just the Pali canonThe collection of scriptures preserved in the Theravada Buddhist tradition., accepted by Theravada Buddhists
- they believe that everyone can and will become a Buddha
