Concept of God: Buddha it is believed refrained from describing God as the God according to him is indefinable and he didn’t think it important for his followers to give too much importance to this investigation.  But a verse can however be seen as throwing light over the God although the Buddhist might call it Nirvana “Monks, there is an unborn, a not-become, a not-made, a not-compounded. Monks, if that unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, there would be apparent no escape from this that here is born, become, made, compounded. But, monks, since there is an unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded, therefore the escape from this that here is born, become, made and compounded is apparent”.

Teachings: The above mentioned sects claim to follow the original teachings of the Buddha in the Pali scriptures and call for attainment of personal salvation. The followers of the Theravada are expected to follow the 227 rules laid down in a collection of books called the Vinaya. Four of these rules are strictly to be followed by a Bhikshu (Monk). They are not to do the following : Killing a human being, Sexual intercourse, Stealing and Falsely claiming super normal powers.

The central teaching of all schools of Buddhism is grounded in the "Four Noble Truths". The first truth is that life is subject to Dukkha (suffering or frustation)The Second Noble Truth states that the Cause of Dukkha can be attributed to three things - greed, anger and a deluded mindThe third Noble Truth concerns the overcoming of Dukkha, that is, overcoming the greed anger and delusion that are the source of DukkhaThe Fourth Noble Truth is the method taught by the Buddha for attaining the state of Nirvana. 

It is the Noble Eightfold Path- The Path to Enlightenment Right Understanding is knowledge that the Four Noble Truths lead to the overcoming of Dukkha. It does not imply a total understanding of these Truths but a confidence that, by following the Path, the result will be attained. Right Thought is to be constantly aware of one’s thoughts and actions and thereby avoiding harm to any living creature. Right Speech is awareness of one’s speech so that, what one says, is beneficial to the hearer. Right Action is to be aware of one’s actions and observe the five precepts so that one does not cause harm to oneself or any other living creature.

The Five Moral Precepts - Essential for Spiritual Progress To undertake the training to avoid taking the life of beings. To undertake the training to avoid taking things not given. To undertake the training to avoid sensual misconduct. To undertake the training to refrain from false speech. To undertake the training to abstain from substances which cause intoxication and heedlessness.

These are the basic precepts expected as a day to day training of any lay Buddhist. Right Livelihood is to earn one’s living in a way that does not cause harm or sufferingRight Effort is the avoiding of evil which has not already arisen, rejecting evil which has already arisen, the acquiring of wholesome things which have not yet been acquired and the stabilizing of those wholesome characteristics that have already been acquiredRight Mindfulness is training in constant awareness of the effects of one’s actions, whether of body, speech or mind, and thus avoiding harmful actions.Right Concentration is cultivating the mind through concentration and meditation so that one attains intuitive insight or highest wisdom.

Idol worship and MonotheismThe Buddha condemned idolatry. When, just prior to his passing away, he was asked how he could be remembered he replied that those who practiced his teachings would remember him best. It is interesting to note that their used to be no images of Buddha before coming of Greeks who when assimilated in Buddhism prepared Statues of Buddha some of them were even similar to the Greek Gods or at least Buddha looked like a Greek or Roman rather than Indian. The Buddha foresaw that worship of him in any form would result in his deityfication  so gave more emphasis  on seeking salvation from identifying Nirvana, the eradication of greed anger and delusion, as being solely within one's own power. Also this is why the concept of God is so blurred in Buddhism; Buddha wanted his followers to lead a virtues life rather than searching the truth of God. Now Idol worship is prevalent even in Theravada sect and in others it is the most important ritual.

Karma and Rebirth Most Buddhists believe that, upon the dissolution of the body, rebirth may take place in a state consistent with the qualities of the consciousness energy, or resultant of past actions (karma) at the time of death. This rebirth may occur in human form, animal form, as a ghost, in a blissful state (deva) or in a woeful state. Each of these states is impermanent and lasts as long as the karmic energy, which was the cause of that rebirth, sustains it. In other words, we are subject to a constant round of rebirths (Samsara) until Nirvana, or the release from rebirth is attained. The Theravada tradition believes that rebirth is instantaneous upon the death of the individual, Karma is not a reward or punishment for past actions but rather a natural result or outcome of them. Buddhists do not accept the concept of a creator god who sits in judgment on his creation. We are our own creator by our past actions. Law of Karma states "We are what we have done and we will be what we are now doing". On a popular level as taught in institutionalized Buddhism, whenever misfortune or happiness befalls us, it is due to our past karma. This tends to imply a punisher or rewarder, in other words a judging god, an idea which Buddhists reject. That is why many modern Buddhist scholars interpret Karma as a psychological phenomenon. Bad actions cause remorse, regrets and feelings of guilt which disturb our peace of mind, whereas good actions bring joy and happiness and peace of mind.

The Brahma Viharas or Four Immeasurables Another important doctrine is that of the Heavenly States or Four Immeasurables (Brahma Vihara) which all Buddhists should cultivate. They are Boundless Loving-kindness (Maitri, Sanskrit, Metta, Pali), Boundless Compassion (Karuna), Boundless Joy (Mudita) and Boundless Equanimity (Upekkha). The practice of these four should be directed towards all living beings. The Buddha describes "Boundless Loving-kindness" as that unconditional, selfless love that a mother has for her only child. Boundless Compassion is the feeling of wishing to take onto oneself the sufferings and sorrows of others. This compassion is especially emphasised in the Mahayana school where followers will take the Bodhisattva Vow which promises to postpone the attainment of Enlightenment until all suffering creatures may be saved. Boundless Joy is rejoicing in the good fortune of others. It is the opposite of envy or covetousness. Boundless Equanimity is the cultivation of an even mind - one that is unmoved by either happiness or misfortune.

Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem - The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha Buddhists of all schools regularly perform the action of ‘Taking Refuge’. A refuge is a shelter or safe haven and similarly, in Buddhism, taking refuge is considered to be a protection. The refuges are:- The Buddha - the teacher, is referred to in the scriptures as "Teacher of gods and men". The Dharma (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pali) - his teaching. Before the Buddha passed away, he told Ananda, his chief disciple, that after his passing, the Dharma would be the teacher. The Sangha - is the community of followers. More specifically, it refers to those who have left home to follow the spiritual life, the Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis. In the broader sense, it includes those who are following his teachings whether they be monastic or lay. The initial recitation of the "Three Refuges", before a member of the monastic Sangha, constitutes formally becoming a Buddhist. In the Tibetan tradition, an additional refuge is added, that of taking refuge in the Guru (teacher), who initiates the Cela (student).

Practices and rituals Buddhism, starting from being a complete non ritualism at the time of Budhha, has now become a highly devotional religion. A Buddhist ceremony will usually start with the offerings of lights, incense and flowers on the shrine. Occasionally, fruit, cakes and drinks will also be offered. Other important devotional practices are the chanting of sutras (sermons of the Buddha or other great teachers), prostrations before a Buddha image, and, most importantly, practicing meditation. The chanting of sutras is often, mistakenly, referred to as Buddhist prayers. Buddhists do not pray to a god, however, Buddhists from the Mahayana tradition will sometimes pray to Bodhisattvas for assistance and blessings.

 Meditation or Mental Cultivation Meditation (Bhavana) is a central part of Buddhist practice. In the Theravada tradition, two forms of meditation, calm (Samatha) and insight (Vipassana) are recognised as essential practices in achieving spiritual progress. Calming the mind is achieved by concentration on a specific object and excluding all other thoughts. Often, the breath or the movement of the diaphragm is used as a suitable object for concentration. At other times, objects, such as coloured discs (Kasinas) or meditation beads (Mala) or even counting the breaths are used to fix the mind.

Yasser Iqbal Kidwai