Buddhism

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Buddhism \Bud"dhism\, n.
     The religion based upon the doctrine originally taught by the
     Hindu sage Gautama Siddartha, surnamed Buddha, "the awakened
     or enlightened," in the sixth century b. c., and adopted as a
     religion by the greater part of the inhabitants of Central
     and Eastern Asia and the Indian Islands. Buddha's teaching is


     believed to have been atheistic; yet it was characterized by
     elevated humanity and morality. It presents release from
     existence (a beatific enfranchisement, Nirv[^a]na) as the
     greatest good. Buddhists believe in transmigration of souls
     through all phases and forms of life. Their number was
     estimated in 1881 at 470,000,000.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Buddhism
       n 1: a religion represented by the many groups (especially in
            Asia) that profess various forms of the Buddhist
            doctrine and that venerate Buddha
       2: the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering
          caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire
          ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right
          conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire
          and suffering and rebirth