Dharma Rain Zen Center - Buddhism - Practice
Our
Practice
Buddhism
The religious tradition called “Buddhism” began in 588 B.C.E.
with a man named Siddhartha Gotama, heir to the throne of the Shakya clan.
He was
born a prince, but came to feel that the power, riches, and duty of kingship
that were to be his inheritance were a great burden. So he renounced his
position, fled the palace, and took to the forest on a religious quest. His
one desire
was to find the cause of suffering, and a way to cure it.
After many years of ascetic practice, he realized he was no closer to answering
these basic questions about life, or satisfying his deep spiritual need
to understand suffering. Concluding that the truth was not to be found in
extremes
of self-indulgence or self-denial, he resolved to follow a middle path.
In time he experienced a great awakening, called enlightenment, and began
to
teach. Thereafter he was called Buddha (“awakened one”) Shakyamuni
(“sage
of the Shakya clan”).
The experience of enlightenment, and the compassionate wisdom cultivated
during his years of training, formed the base of his philosophy. He taught
the role
of wisdom, compassion and morality as the basis of an enlightened life,
and have supplied inspiration to Buddhists for more than 25 centuries.
Learn
more about Soto Zen
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