Buddism

             In the third chapter of Huston Smith's book, The World's Religion, the author explores the Buddhist religion. Although many have heard of Buddha, they do not understand who he really was, and do not understand his religious beliefs. Huston Smith gives a clear explanation of who Buddha was, why he became a religious man, and identifies the four noble truths.
             Huston Smith writes in this chapter that many people question who Buddha was. Through the reading, one finds that Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was the son of a very wealthy king. He was a man who was known to have a good heart, was very confident, and was a very sophisticated man who respected everyone. His father's vision for him was to become a world conqueror, yet he became something very different.
             Although his father tried to keep him connected to the ways of the world, and shield him from its devastation, he still learned about old age, disease, and death. Once he learned of these things, he left his family and worldly possessions in search of enlightenment. Through his searching, he gave up everything. He would only use or consume what he needed to survive. .
             Another question people have regarding Buddha is why he became a religious man. Some would say he was born or destined to become a religious man, or leader. Although his father did everything in his power to keep him connected with the world, including giving him all the worldly possessions, including women, his efforts were in vain. He had tried to keep Siddhartha from sickness and death, but the gods made these realities of life known to him. Once he saw death and disease, his worldly treasures became very unimportant to him. He decided to get rid of all his distractions and go on a search for enlightenment.
             After learning who Buddha was, and why he became a religious man, Smith discusses the four noble truths. These truths identify the cause of peoples" suffering and why they face it.