BUDDHISM
The original Buddha is Siddhartha Gautama, a royal prince who was unhappy despite his riches and non-belief in a god.
He searched many years for happiness, meditated under a bodhi tree for days, found enlightenment and became the Buddha.
After many years of trying for a child, his mother, Queen Maya, had a dream in which a white elephant, holding a white lotus flower in its trunk, circled her 3 times, entering her womb through her right side. This is seen to be the conception of Siddhartha. After 10 lunar months Maya gave birth, and it is said that the baby emerged from her right side.
On May 6thJapanese Buddhists celebrate the festival Hana Matsuri. This festival celebrates the Buddha's birth and the start of spring with a flower festival. A model of a white elephant is used in the festival as a reminder of the dream that the Buddha's mother had before his conception.
The most important of all the Buddhist festivals is the Wesak, which takes place in May/June. Buddhists all over the world celebrate the birth of the Buddha, his enlightenment and his death, which all fell on the same day but in different years.
Buddhists use meditation as a way to achieve inner peace and enlightenment. They sit cross-legged and concentrate on one object, usually a Thanka (an embroidered cloth with symbols it)and a mantra may also be chanted.
Buddhists do not have one sacred book, but a collection of texts. The Tipitaka (the 3 baskets) is an important collection which was originally written in Sri Lanka on palm leaves which were put in to the 3 baskets.
The Buddha's first sermon was called the 'Sermon of the Wheel', which represents the endless circle of life, death and rebirth.
Tibetan Buddhists have 'prayer wheels' and 'prayer flags'. Inside a prayer wheel is a paper scroll on which Buddhists write messages of good thoughts. The same is also written on material flags. The flags are strung together and flown from every Tibetan temple, ensuring that prayers are sent to all corners of the world.
Some Buddhists are vegetarians. Buddhism emphasises the avoidance of intentional killing.
The language spoken based upon the country of origin.