buddhism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, academic, religious, cultural
Quick answer
What does “buddhism” mean?
A major world religion and philosophical system founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in ancient India, emphasizing the elimination of suffering through ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom to achieve enlightenment (nirvana).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A major world religion and philosophical system founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in ancient India, emphasizing the elimination of suffering through ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom to achieve enlightenment (nirvana).
The cultural, philosophical, and religious traditions, practices, and institutions associated with the teachings of the Buddha, which vary across schools such as Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant orthographic or semantic differences. Both varieties use the term identically for the religion/philosophy.
Connotations
Both carry the same connotations of peace, meditation, and Eastern spirituality.
Frequency
Comparatively similar frequency, though potentially slightly higher in US media due to greater discussion of mindfulness practices.
Grammar
How to Use “buddhism” in a Sentence
Buddhism teaches that...Buddhism originated in...Buddhism spread to...Buddhism is based on...Buddhism emphasizes...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “buddhism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Buddhism has significantly influenced British spiritual life.
American English
- Buddhism continues to attract many followers in the United States.
adverb
British English
- The community lives Buddhistly, emphasising compassion.
American English
- He approached the problem almost Buddhistly, with great detachment.
adjective
British English
- The Buddhist monk led the meditation session.
American English
- She follows Buddhist principles in her daily life.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts of mindfulness training or corporate wellness programmes ('The company introduced Buddhism-inspired meditation sessions').
Academic
Very common in religious studies, philosophy, anthropology, and history departments.
Everyday
Common in discussions about religion, spirituality, travel, and culture.
Technical
Used in theological, historical, and philosophical discourse with precise reference to doctrines, schools, and texts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “buddhism”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “buddhism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “buddhism”
- Incorrect: 'He is a Buddhism.' Correct: 'He is a Buddhist.' / 'He practises Buddhism.'
- Incorrect capitalisation: 'buddhism' (should be capitalised as a proper noun).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is considered both. It functions as a major world religion with rituals and institutions, but its teachings are also studied and practised as a philosophical and ethical system.
Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince who attained enlightenment and became known as the Buddha ('the awakened one').
The three major branches are Theravada (prevalent in Southeast Asia), Mahayana (prevalent in East Asia), and Vajrayana (prevalent in Tibet and Mongolia).
Buddhists show great respect to the Buddha as a teacher and enlightened being, but they typically do not worship him as a god in the theistic sense.
A major world religion and philosophical system founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in ancient India, emphasizing the elimination of suffering through ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom to achieve enlightenment (nirvana).
Buddhism is usually formal, academic, religious, cultural in register.
Buddhism: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbʊd.ɪ.zəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbuː.dɪ.zəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a calm Buddha sitting under a tree. The 'Buddh-' is the Buddha, and '-ism' makes it the system or religion of the Buddha.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE PATH (e.g., 'the path to enlightenment', 'the Buddhist path'); THE MIDDLE WAY (avoiding extremes).
Practice
Quiz
What is the ultimate goal in Buddhism?