| Buddhism is always talked about as unique in the | | | | for him, and it didn't bring the results that he wanted. He |
| religious landscape. We can't find anything like it. What | | | | saw that this wasn't the solution, so, he tried to follow |
| makes it so unique and appealing? Why is it growing in | | | | another path. |
| popularity in our days? Buddhism is a very human | | | | He withdrew from this harsh style of asceticism to |
| religion (if we could call it like that). It addresses | | | | practice the Middle Path. The point of this path is to |
| problems deeply human and common to all people. | | | | avoid two extremes. One is an extreme of self-denial. |
| What does the Buddha teach? He teaches about | | | | To deny yourself too much. Not to care appropriately |
| suffering. Its origin and a solution for it. What could be | | | | for the needs of the body and the personality. The |
| more appealing than ending our suffering? | | | | other extreme is the one of self-indulgence. A form on |
| Siddharta Gautama is considered the founder of | | | | indulgence that affects not only the way that people |
| Buddhism. According to tradition, he lived in Northern | | | | live but also the way people think. Specially the way |
| India around the year 500 B.C. He was born as a | | | | they think about themselves. |
| prince. When he was born, some priests told his | | | | When Siddharta found the Middle Path, things began to |
| parents that his son would be a successful person, | | | | move more quickly for him. He sat down under a tree |
| either as a king, or as a religious leader. Siddharta's | | | | and he fixed himself in meditation. In the dark of the |
| father thought that the path most advantageous was | | | | night, he passed through stages of meditation and |
| that of becoming a great king, so, he protected his son | | | | finally understood what causes the suffering of the |
| and didn't allow him out of the palace. | | | | world and how he could bring it to a definitive end. |
| Siddharta lived like that until he was 29. At that point in | | | | What are the truths he found? He taught to his |
| his life, he witnessed suffering for the first time. This | | | | followers that all in life is suffering. Pretty pessimistic, |
| was one of the most shocking moments in his life. He | | | | isn't it? But that was just the beginning. His message |
| saw a sick person, an old man and a dead body. He | | | | was one of hope. He gave also a solution to our |
| realized that this was the destiny of every human | | | | suffering. His solution is not temporary. His solution is |
| being. This realization was so shocking for him that he | | | | permanent and definitive. His solution is the only one |
| decided to spend his life looking for a solution. | | | | that works. |
| First, he became a monk. He joined a group of other | | | | This is why Buddhism is so appealing. It addresses a |
| ascetics and tried to confront the problems of old age | | | | problem that is common to all of us. The problem of |
| and death by starving himself until he was nothing but | | | | suffering. Buddhism says that we can end our |
| skin and bones. This wasn't particularly a pleasant time | | | | suffering. |