Arnold Kozak - Buddhism 101

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Cover design by Heather Mckiel

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kozak, Arnie, author.

Buddhism 101 / Arnie Kozak, PhD.

Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2017.

Series: 101

Includes index.

LCCN 2017015053 (print) | LCCN 2017017217 (ebook) | ISBN 9781507204290 (hc) | ISBN 9781507204344 (ebook)

LCSH: Buddhism. | BISAC: RELIGION / Buddhism / General (see also PHILOSOPHY / Buddhist). | PHILOSOPHY / Buddhist. | RELIGION / General.

LCC BQ4012 (ebook) | LCC BQ4012 .K675 2017 (print) | DDC 294.3--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017015053

ISBN 978-1-5072-0429-0

ISBN 978-1-5072-0434-4 (ebook)

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Simon & Schuster, Inc., was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Contains material adapted from the following title published by Adams Media, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.: The Everything Buddhism Book, 2nd Edition by Arnie Kozak, PhD, copyright 2011, ISBN 978-1-4405-1028-1.

Buddhism, one of the worlds five great religions, has upward of 500 million followers worldwide. The wisdom that Buddhism has accumulated in its 2,500 years of existence still transforms lives today, as it did in ancient India where it originated.

A contemporary translation of the beloved poetry volume, the Dhammapada , by Gil Fronsdal, starts with these words, All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. This idea is at the heart of Buddhism. Buddhists practice mindfulness and compassion in all they do.

The Buddha was an Indian prince, Siddhartha Gotama. Although he lived in pampered luxury, he recognized that everything we see around usincluding ourselveswill pass away. By prolonged meditation on this he realized that to achieve happiness we must put aside desire for the things of this world, both material and immaterial. Buddhism identifies the three most valuable things in life:

Buddha everyones potential for awakening

Dharma the collection of the Buddhas teachings

Sangha the community of practitioners

The path to freedom is realized by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, eight disciplines (view, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration) through which a practitioner can achieve cessation of suffering, a condition Buddhists call nirvana .

Buddhism 101 will introduce you to this religious tradition. Youll learn the basic principles of Buddhism and the various Buddhist traditions, ranging from Zen Buddhism in Japan to Tibetan Buddhism, practiced in temples high in the majestic Himalayas. Youll see that although theres a core set of beliefs common to all Buddhists, there is not a single Buddhism; instead, there are a wide variety of Buddhist beliefs and practices, depending on the country and tradition.

Today, Buddhism is spreading in the West and provides a way to look at many of the challenges that face society. You may already be familiar withand even engage insome Buddhist practices such as meditation and mindfulness without even realizing where these practices came from.

Whether youre interested in the origins of Buddhism, the nature of its practices, or if you want to find out how you can begin to live a mindful life filled with lovingkindness, Buddhism 101 will answer your questions.

Happiness, says the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. In Buddhism 101 youll learn more about this way of looking at the world and discover how those who practice Buddhism create their own happiness and find inner peace.