"Buddhism differs from many of the world's major religions in many ways. For example, monks are the holy men of the religion, but they do not act as priests or officials of the church. In fact, many rituals, such as baptism and marriage, are considered family rituals and are not presided over by monks. They do attend funerals, because Buddhists believe death is simply the gateway to another life, and the beginning of a rebirth for another life here on Earth. A central tenet of the Buddhist religion is reincarnation and rebirth, which can occur repeatedly. A person may come back as the same person again and again, or they may come back as many different people, which is more common. However, this does not mean that a person does not have to "pay" for their sins on earth. One writer notes, "Rebirth is thought to take place among all forms of sentient life, and the worlds into which beings can be reborn include a range of heavens and hells." If, during these many lives, a person reaches a plateau, where they live selflessly and with love for others, they can reach a state of Nirvana, or perfection. However, many of the Buddhist sects' different beliefs have blended together to form central beliefs that all sects practice, and some western customs, such as the marriage ceremony, have found their way into Buddhist culture and religion." |