Why is Buddhism the fastest growing religion in Australia?

In your opinion, do you believe Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in Australia. If so, what do you attribute to it's large growth?|||may be due to its peaceful nature, absense of a personal god and letting others live perspectives|||It is actually about the 5th fastest growing religion





What is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe?"





Answer: Buddhism is one of the leading world religions in terms of adherents, geographical distribution, and socio-cultural influence. While largely an "Eastern" religion, it is becoming increasingly popular and influential in the Western world as well. It is a unique world religion in its own right though it has much in common with Hinduism in that both can be called "eastern" religions, believing in Karma (cause and effect ethics), Maya (illusory nature of the world), and Samsara (the cycle of reincarnation) among other things. Its founder Siddhartha Guatama was born into royalty in India nearly 600 years before Christ. As the story goes he lived luxuriously growing up and even marrying and having children with little exposure to the outside world. His parents intended for him to be spared from influence by religion and any exposure to pain and suffering. However it was not long before his thin shelter was penetrated and he caught a glimpse of an aged man, a sick man, and a corpse. His fourth vision was of a peaceful ascetic monk (one who denies luxury and comfort). Seeing his peacefulness he decided to become an ascetic himself. He abandoned his life of wealth and affluence to pursue enlightenment through austerity. He was very skilled at this sort of self-mortification and intense meditation. He was a leader among his peers. Eventually he let his efforts culminate in one final gesture. He "indulged" himself with one bowl of rice and then sat beneath a fig tree (also called the Bodhi tree) to meditate till he either reached enlightenment or died trying. Despite his travails and temptations, by the next morning, he had achieved enlightment. Thus he became known as the 'enlightened one' or the 'Buddha.' He took his new realization and began to teach his fellow monks, with whom he had already gained great influence. Five of his peers become the first of his disciples.





What had the Gautama discovered? Enlightenment lay in the "middle way," not in luxurious indulgence or self-mortification. Moreover he discovered what would become known as the ‘Four Noble Truths’ – (1) to live is to suffer (Dukha), 2) suffering is caused by desire (Tanha, or "attachment"), 3) one can eliminate suffering by eliminating all attachments, and 4) this is achieved by following the noble eightfold path. The "eightfold path" consists of having [a] right 1) view, 2) intention, 3) speech, 4) action, 5) livelihood (being a monk), 6) effort (properly direct energies), 7) mindfulness (meditation), and 8) concentration (focus). The Buddha's teachings were collected into the Tripitaka or "three baskets." [Win Corduan, Neighboring Faiths (IVP, 1998): 220-224].





Back of these distinguishing teachings are teachings common to Hinduism, namely Reincarnation, Karma, Maya, and a tendency to understand reality as being Pantheistic in its orientation. Buddhism also offers an elaborate theology of deities and exalted beings. However, like Hinduism, Buddhism can be hard to pin down in regards to its view of God. Some streams of Buddhism could legitimately be called atheistic, while others could be called pantheistic, and still others theistic such as with Pure Land Buddhism. Classical Buddhism however tends to be silent on the knowability or reality of an ultimate being and is therefore considered atheistic|||Christianity is in worldwide decline ( http://www.christianpost.com/news/schola… ). I won't even begin to guess at the reasons. However, this being the case. There is a dogmatic vacuum to be filled. This and the proximity of Australia to Asia could explain a rise in Buddhism.|||Buddhism is not a religon. because 'belief' in the Buddha's teachings is not blind belief, blind faith, and far from superstition.he Buddha's teachings flow from his own experience of the way to understand the true face of life and the univ`rse, and show us a path of our own to taste the truth for ourselves.



all the 'rites and celebrations' are not centered on a supernatural being, but rather the people attending the assemblies



buddha's real name is siddartha .son of the famous king in india.buddha is a human person.|||The scriptures tell us "wide is the path that leads to destruction and many will choose that way but narrow is the gate that leads to righteousness and few will go that way. Man because of sin will choose the way of destruction, pride hinders his willingness to bend the knee to the true creator.|||Because it make sense then people accept it. People are looking for something different and when they have found what they want they stick with it. Buddhist still view the world as it is theres no conflict.|||If so, they are self-deluded. There are no civil, social, family or work related guidelines in Buddhism. It is vacant for answers.|||I would guess because it's not as freaking ridiculous as western religions and another thing is it doesn't try to suppress women or gay people|||Because atheists want a taste in their belief by nonsense spirituality known as Buddhism which actually rejects God|||it's not based on a avalance of outlandish fairy tales, for starters|||it would be fastest growing by percent, not by number. probs cause by immegration and all that|||You wish.|||because they are lazy.