by Sunshine Ross

Created on: June 26, 2010

The Buddha himself summarized the teachings (dharma) well when he said, "Avoid evildoing (harming), practice virtue well, subdue your mind". This is the core of Buddhist beliefs. It is based on the principles of karma and the wisdom realizing emptiness.

Karma, Nirvana and Emptiness

Buddhists do not believe in a Creator God. The Buddha was a man called Shakyamuni. He developed his mind to such an extent that he became enlightened -someone who is omniscient (all-knowing) and perfectly understands what to give up and what to take up completely ending all suffering, and can emanate anytime, anywhere  as anything to help other beings reach that same state.

All buddhists, from all schools of buddhism all believe in the selflessness of persons and selflesness of things. What does this mean? Things do not come from their own side, exuding their own unique qualities, existing in and of themselves. All things depend on causes and conditions. All things depend on their parts. According to the highest philosophical school of buddhism, all things are mere projections based on our past karma.

Who created the world? You did. Your actions (karma) of body, speech and mind created the projection that is this world. If two people or a million people see the same thing like the sun rising, it is their karma is the same for perceiving it so. If one person sees one thing and another person sees another, such as in any argument, likes or dislikes, it is because of their karma is different for perceiving it so.

Shakyamuni, the prince who later on became buddha (an enlightened being) realized this and was able to reach a state "beyond grief" or no more suffering. This state is called nirvana- the permanent cessation of mental afflictions due to the analysis of the four arya truths.

The Four Arya Truths and the Path to Enlightenment (Buddhahood)

What are the Four Arya Truths? These are the realizations of the Buddha Shakyamuni as he sat under the bodhi tree and reached enlightenment : The Truth of Suffering, The Truth of the Origin of Suffering, The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering, The Truth of the Path to End Suffering.

In other words, a buddhist believes that our current state, the realm we live is in suffering. A buddhist does not believe in some permanent happiness to be had in this world or that somehow "life isn't so bad". A buddhist has renunciation (the first of the three principle paths) meaning day and night he is thinking of how to get out of this life and reach

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