WHO IS THE BUDDHA?
Shakyamuni is the historical Buddha who founded the Buddhist teachings around 2500 years ago. There are also many other Buddhas in the universe.
WHAT DOES THE WORD BUDDHA MEAN?
It means one who has an enlightened mind and who has generated all good qualities and abandoned all faults.
THE DHARMA
The teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are called the Dharma. In the Tibetan language the Dharma is reserved, among other places, in the volumes called the Kangyur.
The purpose of all these teachings is to eliminate problems and misery and to bring about temporary and enduring happiness for all living beings.
THE SANGHA - THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY
Those who practice the teachings and follow the path of the Dharma are the Sangha. Generally the ordained monks and nuns are called the Sangha.
THE THREE JEWELS OF REFUGE
The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha are called the Three Jewels. Buddhists take refuge in the Three Jew-els. This means we recognize the qualities of the Three Jewels and commit ourselves to follow them with the confi-dence that they teach us effective methods to protect us from misery.
The Buddha and all realized masters have explained, it is important to have a root teacher who has great com-passion and greater knowledge than oneself. First the dis-ciple should test out the teacher and investigate them to ensure they have the right qualities. (There is a great deal of advice in the Buddhist teachings on the necessary quali-ties of a teacher, how to test them and how to rely on them correctly). When the disciple has satisfied themselves about their teacher's good qualities they then have to make a full commitment to the teacher. Through one's teacher, one receives the teachings of the Buddha. The teacher embod-ies the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
When we take refuge from the depths of our heart, we try to apply the teachings in our everyday life.
THE VERY ESSENCE OF THESE TEACHINGS IS TO ABANDON HARMING OTHER LIVING BEINGS.
WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT
The Four Noble Truths lie at the heart of the spiritual mes-sage taught by the Buddha. He stated that:
1. suffering exists;
2. it originates from causes and conditions;
3. the possibility of Its cessation exists;
4. there is a path that can lead to freedom.
It Is important to understand and to realize that all beings in the world suffer, that each being does not want to suffer and that each being wants happiness.
The Buddha taught about the Law of Cause and Effect. This is also called Karma. It means that all our actions of body, speech and mind have results that we ourselves experi-ence. Positive actions bring pleasant results (happiness). Negative actions bring unpleasant results. Such results may not be experienced immediately but may be experienced in subsequent lifetimes.
Buddhism presents a simple but profound understanding of the nature of the human condition and the possibility of its transcendence. An exposition of these four truths will en-able us to appreciate the insights of Buddhist psychology, philosophy and religion.
The Buddha also taught that all beings have Buddha nature and can attain Buddhahood. He explained why this is pos-sible and how to do it. He taught from his own experience having attained Buddhahood himself. Thus it is not a fairy story or an impossible task. Anyone who applies these teachings to themselves correctly will gradually come to attain Buddhahood.
Reincarnation
The Buddha also taught about reincarnation. This means that at the time of death, the consciousness does not cease with the death of the body. It leaves the body and goes to take another rebirth. Where one takes rebirth depends on one's karma - the results of one's own actions of body, speech and mind. Through positive actions we experience happiness in future lives. Through negative actions we experience suffering in future lives. An example of a posi-tive action is to give food and to clothing to a very poor person while a negative action would be shout at or abuse them. If we direct our positive actions TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL OTHER BEINGS then gradually we ourselves come to attain Buddhahood.
Compassion and Wisdom
The Buddha also taught methods to develop universal compassion and wisdom.
The term 'universal compassion' means feeling great love and compassion for all living beings while seeking continu-ally to benefit them. Wisdom means understanding the truth: that suffering and the causes of suffering and of happiness exist and the path to enlightenment exists.
Through such wisdom all confusion is eliminated and the every root of all misery is cut.
Bodhicitta
Bodhicitta is the wish combined with the commitment to attain full enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. It is cultivated on the basis of certain mental attitudes, principal among them being the development of love and great com-passion towards all beings equally.
With sound development of Bodhicitta and wisdom the practitioner can enter the Tantric path (Vajrayna). This pro-vides powerful methods for reaching enlightenment rapidly for those who are motivated by the wish to attain it as quickly as possible in order to be to help all beings more effectively.
HOW DOES ONE BECOME A BUDDHIST?
One becomes a Buddhist by taking refuge in the Three Jewels. This may be done in a formal ceremony with a Lama or qualified monk. Taking refuge is the basis for any Buddhist vows one may make.
WHAT DOES A BUDDHIST PRACTIÑE?
The essence of practice is a good heart. This means we regard others with warmth and affection and work to in-crease our love of others. Reciting the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum reminds us what Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, reminds us of this.
The main non-virtuous actions we try to abandon are:
1 Killing. On the contrary we save life and protect others from harm
2. Stealing. On the contrary we respect other peoples prop-erty and possessions and practice generosity.
3. Sexual misconduct. Simply, sexual misconduct is having sex with other people's partners. This causes much dishar-mony unhappiness, thus we abandon such actions. We cultivate living in fidelity and harmony with our partner.
4. Lying. On the contrary we tell the truth.
5. Slander. On the contrary we encourage harmony be-tween others and praise their good qualities,
6. Harsh speech. On the contrary we cultivate pleasant caring speech.
7. Idle chatter and gossip. This is the least harmful of all these actions but it wastes most time for little benefit.
8. Covetousness. This is the mental attitude that grasps at things for oneself.
9 ill will. This is the attitude that intends to harm others.
10. Wrong views. These are: disbelief in the Law of Cause and Effect, disbelief In the existence of the Buddhas; disbe-lief in the existence of past and future lives. These are non-virtuous because when we have no conviction in these we do not control our body, speech and mind and thus we harm ourselves and others.
To abandon non-virtue and to cultivate virtue: this is the teaching of the Buddha.
WHY DO WE PRACTIÑE BUDDHISM
If we look at ourselves and others closely, we can see that we all want happiness and do not want even small problems. However, just wanting happiness doesn't bring happiness. Likewise just wanting to be free of problems isn't enough. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS AND TO BE FREE OF PROBLEMS WE NEED TO USE A METHOD. For example if we want to be a teacher, just wanting to be a teacher isn't enough. We need to practice teaching to be-come good at it.
Worldly things such as wealth, medicine, science and etc. can bring temporary happiness but only in this life and even then not continuously. The only method that brings long-term and enduring happiness to both oneself and others is Dharma. This why we engage in practicing Dharma.
To think that we do not used Dharma because only this life is important, is thinking it is enough to be happy today and tomorrow doesn't matter. In reality everyone wants to have food tomorrow, to have somewhere to live tomorrow and to have money tomorrow. Likewise we need to think about future lives and practice the Dharma to bring about happiness for future lives.
When we realize that everyone wants happiness just as ourselves then we see there are no reasons only to look after oneself. Everyone wants happiness too. They are no different from us. So we practice Dharma to benefit all sen-tient beings. This good heart is the root of the Dharma prac-tice.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT IMAGES OF THE BUDDHA
Each statue represents different qualities of the Buddha's mind. Examples are:
Chenrezig represents universal compassion, Manjushrl represents wisdom, Vajrapani represents the power to overcome obstacles, Green Tara represents the enlight-ened activity of all Buddhas.
WHY DO PEOPLE CIRCUMAMBULATE THE STUPAS AND TEMPLES?
The stupas represent the Buddha's mind. The temples con-tain many representations of the Buddha's body, speech and mind. When we walk around them and remember their qualities, this creates positive imprints for developing those ourselves. It also generates positive potential or merit.
WHY DO PEOPLE PROSTRATE?
To decrease pride that prevents our own good quali-ties improving. It also purifies the negative karma we have accumulated in the past.
WHY DO PEOPLE RECITE MANTRAS?
Briefly the syllables of the mantras refer to certain qualities like compassion or wisdom. The complete mean-ing of any mantra is very complex and profound Reciting them arid concentrating on the meaning or on the Buddha embodying that quality is cause of generating such qualities oneself.
WHY DO PEOPLE MAKE OFFERINGS?
To overcome miserliness and develop generosity. Generosity is a cause of wealth. To think that practicing generosity is only for one's own benefit is a very limited thought. Like other practices, the best and most powerful motivation is to think of benefiting all beings.
WHY DO WE MEDITATE?
Meditation is tool or method used to develop one's qualities on the spiritual path. It means familiarizing one's mind with a virtuous object, for example love, compassion, wisdom.
There are two types of meditation - insight and stabilizing (shamatha).
Insight meditation involves reflection on a topic to develop greater understanding of it.
Stabilizing (shamatha) meditation is placing the mind on a virtuous object to develop very deep lev-els of effortless concentration.
To mediate correctly on Buddhism it is very important to listen to the explanations of the topics, the motivation and the way of meditating from a qualified teacher.
HOW CAN DHARMA HELP MY COUNTRY?
Practicing Dharma produces positive karma and merit that act as a basis for the country to develop well. Without positive karma and merit even though a country may have great potential and assistance, development remains very difficult.
One good practice for benefiting the country is that of taking one day householder vows (tib. nyenney). These are one day vows and can be taken on the full moon day of every month or even on three days a month - the first quarter day, the full moon day and the new moon day. Initially they are given by a qualified monk on request. The monk explains what they are and how to keep them. In the history of these vows, there are many stones of places that benefited by the results of keeping these vows.
THE LINEAGE OF THE BUDDHIST TEACHINGS
The teachings of the Buddha concern both the knowledge and the realization of the teachings, therefore an unbroken transmission of the teaching from the Buddha to now is essential. Due to the efforts of past Mongolians and Tibet-ans such lineages exist. In Mongolia many lineages come down through Lama Tsong Khapa, founder of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism.
This means THAT ALL THE CONDITIONS EXIST FOR THE PRACTISING AND REALISATION of the teachings of the Buddha. As humans we have great intelligence and ability to understand and apply these teachings. Humans are so sharp that when we use our intelligence to harm, we inflict great pain. When we use it in spiritual directions we can bring great benefit and ultimately gain Buddhahood. To have a human rebirth is to have a jewel of great price in one's own possession. The opportunity to make use of it is in one's own hands.
HOW DID THE UNIVERSE DEVELOP?
Buddhism explains that the universe evolves from cause and conditions. There are many world systems going in and out of existence at any one time. This is similar to the scientific view of the universe. Buddhism does not assert an external creator of the universe and sentient beings.
HOW DO THINGS EXIST?
Phenomena of things exist in dependence on causes and conditions - somewhat as science asserts - with no permanent, separate, inherently existing identity.
WHO CREATED SENTIENT BEINGS?
No one created sentient beings. The mindstream of each being is unbroken from beginningless time. Through their karma beings continually take various rebirths. By practicing one can have a direct experience of how the mindstream of oneself continues unceasingly from moment to moment and life to life.
DEDICATION
May this brief explanation of the Buddha's teachings cause all to make use of the priceless jewel of human life and constantly work to benefit all beings. It is also dedicated to the long life of the Holder of the Lotus - His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama - and that all his activities to benefit all beings may be accomplished just as he wishes.
Brief notes about the author.
Celia Smith became a Buddhist in 1981. She studied one and a half years in India, four years In France under two Lharamba Geshes and seven years under Gomang Khen-sur Tharkhey in New Zealand - covering Lam Rim, Pra-mana (Logic Teachings), Tantra and Tibetan language.