Buddhist beliefs and world-view
Paintings are often used to decorate Malaysian temples and as teaching aids. These depict scenes from Buddha's life. Pictured above is a scene of Prince Siddhartha encountering, for the first time, a dead body being taken to the burial ground.
Both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism are practised in Malaysia. Despite the minor variations in the different schools of Buddhism, there is no divergence in the fundamental beliefs. Like followers of the religion the world over, Buddhists in Malaysia believe in the Four Noble Truths relating to suffering, karma, rebirth, and nirvana. The path to salvation, that is, the end of suffering, is in each person's hands and can be reached by following the Eightfold Path. Buddhist doctrine strongly advocates the middle path of moderation in all things.
- Information in the full article includes
- The dharma or teachings of the Buddha
- Karma and rebirth
- Nirvana
- The life of the Buddha