It is believed that Gautam Buddha passed away from earthly existence after achieving nirvana in Kushinagar (a town in Uttar Pradesh, a town in northern India). Since then there have been many others following his teachings who have attained enlightenment and become buddhas.
Gautam Buddha was a Bodhisattva who taught others the practice of great love. He meditated deeply on loving kindness and gave people the opportunity to experience it themselves. His presence caused the beings in the ten directions to rejoice. All these Buddhas embodied the qualities of universal love, peace, and compassion, and their actions are imprinted on the hearts of many people.
The path to this enlightenment involves practice of moral & just conduct and meditation to gain deep insight as well as profound wisdom into the nature of our own ultimate reality. This allows one to deeply understand the mysteries of the cosmos. By following these principles of Buddhism, one can awaken truth in their mind and experience ultimate bliss.
These teachings of The Gautam Buddha and other Bodhisattvas over the centuries, make up important Buddhist texts. In addition to the teachings, the Buddhas themselves, and the Sangha, which include the Buddhist monastics and nuns, are sacred all in Buddhism.
According to Buddhist traditions, Maitreya is the future Buddha of this world. The name Maitreya is derived from the Sanskrit word 'maitrī', which means the 'friendly one'. The word 'maitrī' comes from the Deva (Divine Being)- Mitra, who is considered as the Lord of Friendship. It is written as Metteyya in Pali.
In future, when the world situation degrades to the point where past and current teachings of The Gautam Buddha are not adhered to, it is believed that the Maitreya Buddha will appear on Earth to teach pure dharma- the righteous way of living.
Maitreya Buddha will be the Bodhisattva who advances through all the levels of spiritual development until he became a fully enlightened Buddha. It is believed that he currently lives in the heavenly abode of Tushita. Tushita is the fourth of the six heavenly realms in the Buddhist tradition. It is believed to the place where future Bodhisattvas reside before taking birth as a Buddha on the earth plane.
continue reading...
- Understanding the Basics of Buddhism and The Four Truths which lead to Nirvana (Enlightenment)
- Origin and progress of Buddhist Tantra and the various Buddhist Tantric Texts
- 11 Amazing Thought Provoking Quotes by Gautama- The Buddha
- Introduction to Tibetan Medicine- an alternative way to health & healing
- What are the spiritual benefits of hoisting and displaying the Tibetan Prayer Flags?
|