Buddhism is a major world religion that originated in India around the fifth century B.C. and spread throughout Asia before arriving in the West in the nineteenth century. There are three main traditions, or "vehicles," of Buddhism: Theravada, or "the way of the elders," the dominant form of Buddhism in Southeast Asia; Mahayana, or "the great vehicle," dominant in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam; and Vajrayana, or "the diamond vehicle," found mainly in Tibet. All three traditions, including a variety of their sects, lineages, and national forms, are represented in Georgia.

Buddhism arose from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, which means the "awakened one" or "enlightened one." Siddhartha was born into a wealthy and powerful Indian family but abandoned his life of luxury to become a wandering monk and seek liberation from the suffering and dissatisfaction that pervade human existence. Having found a way to nirvanato peace and satisfactionthe Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching this way throughout northern India.

Buddhism is a practical religious tradition that focuses on liberation from suffering. Buddhism is known as the "Middle Way" between self-indulgence and self-mortification, that is, between the unrestrained satisfaction of desires and extreme forms of self-denial.

The Buddha taught that suffering is caused by cravingby attachment to self-centered desires. The way of freedom is the Eightfold Path, which includes ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom. At the heart of Buddhist wisdom is the realization of "no-self," or "selflessness": experiencing the ultimate interconnection and interdependence of all things. According to the Buddha, true satisfaction cannot be found in satisfying the desires of a "self" viewed as separate from everything else; true satisfaction can be found in each moment if life is viewed from the perspective of "no-self."

In Asian immigrant communities, the Buddhist temple generally functions not only as a place for religious activities but also as a cultural and community center, helping to maintain an ethnic group's heritage and way of life. The Buddhism practiced by American convertspeople who have adopted Buddhism instead of or in addition to the religious or secular worldview of their upbringinggenerally focuses on meditation.

The Shambhala Meditation Center of Atlanta, in Decatur, offers both Tibetan Buddhist meditation training and secular meditation training, in the tradition of Chgyam Trungpa Rinpoche, one of the most important teachers in establishing Tibetan Buddhism in the United States. Other Tibetan Buddhist centers in Georgia include the Rameshori Buddhist Center and Drikung Kagyu, both in Atlanta, and Dorje Ling in Chamblee.

Two other Buddhist groups attracting converts in Georgia are Soka Gakkai and Nipponzan Myohoji. Soka Gakkai is based on the Japanese Nichiren school of Mahayana Buddhism and has a community center in College Park. Nipponzan Myohoji is a branch of Japanese Nichiren Buddhism; its Atlanta group is involved in peace walks and social activism.

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Buddhism | New Georgia Encyclopedia