Influence of Buddhism Thought and Culture in India

English

The system of Buddhist thoughts consists of Hinayanic and Mahayanic ideas. Generally, Hinayanic thought only mentions the relative truth (samvrti satya). It means that Hinayanists only talk about the impermanence, sufferings and selflessness of all conditioned things. The absolute truth (Paramartha satya) has not been mentioned in their doctrines. The main doctrines of Hinayana are Four Noble Truths, the Theory of Dependent origination, five aggregates, karma, rebirth and Nirvana. All these doctrines are explained according to the relative aspects. Theravddin school is said to be the orthodox school that was established directly by the Buddha at Deer park of Sarnath. Theravadins do not believe in the absolute truth, they only believe in the relative truth. According to Theravadins, the universe was made by four material elements (earth, water, fire and air) and it goes on without maker, without the known beginning, continuously exists by nature of relations of cause and effects, and man was constituted by five aggregates (skandhas). His body belongs to material and his mind consists of feeling, perception, mental function, and consciousness. The so-called body is subject to birth, old-age, sickness and death. Mind is always disturbed by sorrow, grief, sufferings and lamentation.

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