Most of Buddhist Cosmology supports these principles: The universe has no specific creator; There is no definite limit to the universe. The universe comprises various realms of existence. All beings are continually reborn in the various realms in accordance with their past Karma (action); the only escape from this endless round of Rebirth, known as Saṁsāra, is the knowledge that constitutes the attainment of Nirvāṇa.

The Saṅgha (community) is the third of the 3 Buddhist Refuges, or Jewels (tri-rātna), of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. The word Saṅgha literally means “that which is well struck together”; it derives from a Sanskrit root, han (to strike), with the prefix sam conveying a sense of togetherness and completeness. The idea is that the true Buddhist community is well hammered together, impervious to schism

The oldest literature preserved in Pāli is the Canon of the Theravāda Buddhists, the only Buddhist canon extant in its entirety in an Indian language. Consequently, it is linguistically the oldest form of Buddhist scriptures known. According to the Theravāda tradition, the texts committed to writing comprised the complete Tipiṭaka (Sanskrit, Tripiṭaka), the Threefold Basket—the designation for the canon in all Buddhist schools.

History | Buddhism | Folder. We cannot say with assurance when pilgrimage first became a part of Buddhist tradition. However, the fact that the canonical collections of several early Buddhist schools include a Sūtra in which Gautama Buddha himself exhorts his followers to visit sites associated with his life indicates the centrality that pilgrimage came to have in the early centuries of the Buddhist movement.

We will give next a general historical account of the chief branches of Buddhist thought in India such as Vaibhāṣikas, Sautrāntikas, Yogācāras and Mādhyamikas and briefly show their relation to the central teachings of the Buddha such as 3 fundamental principles of Impermanence (anitya), Sorrow (duḥkha), and Non-self (anātman). First schism in early Buddhist community occurred with the separation of the Mahāsaṁghika School

Buddhists pursue meditation as part of the Path toward Liberation from defilements (kleśas) and clinging and craving (upādāna), also called Awakening, which results in the attainment of Nirvāṇa. And this Path usually includes a variety of meditation techniques. These techniques aim to develop Equanimity and Sati (mindfulness); Samādhi (concentration) Śamatha (tranquillity) and Vipassanā (insight). The meditation-techniques of Early Buddhism are described in the Pāḷi Canon

Dharma probably is the most significant term that we should understand, when we want to understand the Buddhist philosophy. You probably have seen statements like: - “Buddha dharma”, - “go for a refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha”, - or if you love to read books, you may find that “all dharmas are empty”. All Buddhist schools of thought classify according to views on Dharmas.