Buddhism Courses: Learn About Buddhism

Considering a Buddhism Course? 

If you want to learn more about Buddhism, you should consider doing a Buddhism course. A Buddhism course will teach you everything you need to know about Buddhism. Buddhism is a very interesting religion to learn about and the good news is there are lots of Buddhism courses currently available. They are very flexible too, offering part-time options in person and online.  

What is Buddhism? 

Buddhism is a faith that was founded more than 2,500 years ago in India by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). Having around 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism to be one of the major world religions. The practice of Buddhism has been most prominent in Southeast and East Asia; however, its influence is growing in the West also. Most Buddhist ideas and philosophies overlap with those of other faiths too. Buddhists have many beliefs.  

One of which being that followers of Buddhism do not acknowledge a supreme god or deity. Rather, they focus on achieving enlightenment which is a state of inner peace and wisdom. Once followers reach this spiritual echelon, they are said to have experienced nirvana. In addition, the religion’s founder, the Buddha, is considered to be an extraordinary man but not a god. The word Buddha means enlightened. The path to enlightenment is attained by using meditation, wisdom and morality.  

Buddhists meditate regularly because they believe that it helps awaken truth. There are many interpretations and philosophies within Buddhism too, making it both a tolerant and evolving religion. Some scholars do not view Buddhism as an organised religion, rather they view it as a spiritual tradition or a way of life. Buddhism also encourages its followers to avoid self-indulgence and self-denial. One of the Buddha’s most important teachings is known as the Four Noble Truths and this is essential to understanding Buddhism.  

Buddhists embrace the concepts of karma, in other words, the law of cause and effect and reincarnation, in other words, the continuous cycle of rebirth. The followers of Buddhism can worship in their own homes or in temples. Buddhist monks or bhikkhus follow a strict code of conduct, one that includes celibacy. Also, there is no single Buddhist symbol. However, there are a number of images that have evolved that represent the Buddhist beliefs. They include the lotus flower, the eight-spoked dharma wheel and the Bodhi tree. 

What Will I Learn? 

Each course will vary depending on the course provider, however there are some things you can expect to learn in any Buddhism course. Therefore, you can expect to learn about the history of Buddhism, the founder of Buddhism, the beliefs of Buddhism, the different kinds of Buddhism and about Dharma. In addition, you will explore the four noble truths, philosophy, meditation, how to practice Buddhism and about life change.  

If you’re serious about doing a Buddhism course, check out courses near you in the Nightcourses.co.uk national course finder.