So what is the true Martial Artist? The one with power does not beat the one without power. Moreover, the strong helps the weak, creating peace and harmony."
Buddha was once presented with a golden flower and asked to talk about his beliefs. He remained silent, lifted the flower aloft and looked at it for hours. This is believed to be the start of the philosophy now known as Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism is a technique of deep meditation and intense personal reflection based around a Buddhist philosophy.
Zen initiates train for at least ten years before being accepted as monks and generally reject doctrine, prayers, rituals and sometimes the worship of Buddha himself. Inspiration supposedly comes in a flash. This is known as "satori", and is the goal of all Zen devotees. Initiates are often given a riddle, known as a koan to solve. There are 1,700 koans, including: "You know the sound of two hands clapping. What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
Buddha taught that all men and women are slaves to their egos. He said clinging to the wheel of life, with all its pleasures and pains, would condemn people to an endless cycle of rebirth. The only way out was to eliminate all desires by understanding the truths.
1. Life is dukka
(suffering) 3. The way to end suffering is by overcoming desire
2. The cause of suffering is tanha (desire)
4. To overcome desire, one must follow the Eightfold Path.
THE EIGHT-FOLD PATH
Buddha said these ethical and philosophical guidelines should be pursued in ascending order:
1. Right views
5. Right effort
2. Right thought 6. Right mindfulness
3. Right speech. 7. Right meditation
4. Right conduct. 8. Right life
PARAMITAS (The Six Perfections practiced by Bodhisattvas)
1) Wisdom (prajna)
(wisdom in which discriminating consciousness and all dualism have been transcended.)
2) Patience (kshanti) 5) Effort (virya) (absolute vigour)
3) Generosity (dana) 6) Precepts (sila) (morality)
4) Meditative awareness (dhyana)
THE 16 PRECEPTS
The Three Treasures
1) Be one with the Buddha.
2) Be one with the Dharma (the Law. Means the teachings of the Buddha, the whole body of Buddhist literature, universal truth, self nature, or just "the way".)
3) Be one with the Sangha (The harmonious relationship of all sentient beings.)
The Three Pure Precepts
1) Do not commit evil.
2) Do good
3) Do good for others.
The Ten Grave Precepts
1) Do not kill
2) Do not steal.
3) Do not be greedy.
4) Do not lie.
5) Do not be ignorant.
6) Do not talk about other’s faults.
7) Do not elevate yourself by criticising others.
8) Do not be stingy.
9) Do not get angry.
10) Do not speak ill of the Three Treasures.