Buddhism

[ boo-diz-uhm, bood-iz- ]

/ ˈbu dɪz əm, ˈbʊd ɪz- /

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noun

a religion, originated in India by Buddha (Gautama) and later spreading to China, Myanmar (Burma), Japan, Tibet, and parts of Southeast Asia, holding that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject.

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Compare Eightfold Path, Four Noble Truths, Hinayana, Mahayana.

Origin of Buddhism

Buddh(a) + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM Buddhism

an·ti-Bud·dhist, adjective, nounBud·dhist, adjective, nounBud·dhis·tic, Bud·dhis·ti·cal, adjectiveBud·dhis·ti·cal·ly, adverb

non-Bud·dhist, adjective, nounnon-Bud·dhis·tic, adjectivepre-Bud·dhist, adjectivepro-Bud·dhist, adjective, nounpseu·do-Bud·dhist, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Buddhism in a sentence

It almost mirrors the Buddhist cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
The Buddhist Business of Poaching Animals for Good Karma|Brendon Hong|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Buddhist "I feel like my body is borrowed, and this life is very temporary."
The Beyoncé Manifesto: Quotes on Nihilism and Feminism|Amy Zimmerman|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then, he decided to give it all up and become a Buddhist monk.
From Fashion Player to Photographer Monk|Nina Strochlic|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Buddhist and Hindu literature is rich with stories of disciples finally learning to surrender in this way.
Is India’s Fallen ‘God-Man’ So Different From a Megachurch Pastor?|Jay Michaelson|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And while guru literally means “teacher,” in Hindu and Buddhist contexts, it often means much more.
Is India’s Fallen ‘God-Man’ So Different From a Megachurch Pastor?|Jay Michaelson|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The columns in the courts are of Buddhist origin; the bell with long chain is sculptured on them in relief.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
Pleasure they regarded as an evil, having a tendency to enchain man to earthly enjoyments, a peculiarly Buddhist tenet.
Ancient Faiths And Modern|Thomas Inman
The following exposition of modern Buddhist belief well deserves attention.
Ancient Faiths And Modern|Thomas Inman
As this example shows well the Buddhist veneration for memorials of the dead, I will not quote more.
Ancient Faiths And Modern|Thomas Inman
To the thoughtful reader of our christian history, this note upon Buddhist processions of images is painfully pregnant.
Ancient Faiths And Modern|Thomas Inman

British Dictionary definitions for Buddhism

Buddhism

/ (ˈbʊdɪzəm) /

noun

a religious teaching propagated by the Buddha and his followers, which declares that by destroying greed, hatred, and delusion, which are the causes of all suffering, man can attain perfect enlightenmentSee nirvana

Derived forms of Buddhism

Buddhist, noun, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Buddhism

Buddhism

[ (booh-diz-uhm, bood-iz-uhm) ]

A religion, founded by the Buddha, that emphasizes physical and spiritual discipline as a means of liberation from the physical world. The goal for the Buddhist is to attain nirvana, a state of complete peace in which one is free from the distractions of desire and self-consciousness. Buddhists are found in the greatest numbers in eastern Asia.