Comparrison between Buddhist beliefs

[MaroonBlue&Gold]

I am at an early stage of research into Buddhism and I'm finding it quite overwhelming.

I'm searching for some kind of comparison chart in regards to the beliefs of the many branches of Buddhism.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I am at an early stage of research into Buddhism and I'm finding it quite overwhelming.

I'm searching for some kind of comparison chart in regards to the beliefs of the many branches of Buddhism.

Any help will be appreciated.

Just sit.

 

[crossfire]

Reading the descriptions in each of the Buddhist subforums (Mahayana, Theravada, Vajrayana, and Zen) might be a good place to start. You can also check out Western Buddhism.

Each form of Buddhism will adhere to the Four Dharma Seals, which you can plug into your favorite search engine to search for, or use the link in my signature. (Understanding the Four Dharma Seals will make everything less overwhelming.)

 

[Twilight Hue]

In 6000+ years, you can get a lot of material compiled together so it's no surprise that it's so overwhelming.

I tend to approach dharma in the same way I look at that scraggly grape vine I have in the backyard that's in a wrestling match with my blackberry bush. Oh what a tangled conflagorationexpeldicious it leaves.

 

[Aupmanyav]

And Buddhism developed in India (with a free spirit of inquiry). How would it not be overwhelming?
Understand the Four Dharma Seals as Crossfire said.

 

[MaroonBlue&Gold]

Thank you for your replies.

This is the sort of comparison I am looking for:
Buddhist Schools: A Comparative Study of the Schools

Except that I would like to see mahayana broken down into specific schools such as zen, tibetan etc.

I would also like to see comparison between the views on topics such as rebirth, deities or gods, and other supernatural beliefs.

 

[crossfire]

Here is a link from another forum where a friend of mine detailed the different philosophical schools of Buddhism:
Buddhist Philosophy

 

[Spirit of Light]

if you can understand this 4 noble truths. and live by the 8 folded path. then you will understand the path of Buddha Sakyamuni. But remember Sakyamuni was not founder of all Buddhist paths

"I teach suffering, its origin, cessation and path. That's all I teach", declared the Buddha 2500 years ago.

The Four Noble Truths contain the essence of the Buddha's teachings. It was these four principles that the Buddha came to understand during his meditation under the bodhi tree.

1. The truth of suffering (Dukkha)
2. The truth of the origin of suffering (Samudāya)
3. The truth of the cessation of suffering (Nirodha)
4. The truth of the path to the cessation of suffering (Magga)

The Buddha is often compared to a physician. In the first two Noble Truths he diagnosed the problem (suffering) and identified its cause. The third Noble Truth is the realisation that there is a cure.

The fourth Noble Truth, in which the Buddha set out the Eightfold Path, is the prescription, the way to achieve a release from suffering.

The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi ('meditative absorption or union').

 

[Morning Star Dhamma]

I'm searching for some kind of comparison chart in regards to the beliefs of the many branches of Buddhism.

Any help will be appreciated.

This may help, although it uses the offensive term "hinayana" Schools of Buddhism - The Zen Universe