The Teacher

The Buddha's Story

When the Buddha started to wander around India shortly after his enlightenment, he encountered several men who recognized him to be a very extraordinary being. They asked him: "Are you a god?" "No," he replied. "Are you a reincarnation of god?" "No," he replied."Are you a wizard, then?" "No." "Well, are you a man?" "No." "So what are you?" They asked, being very perplexed.  Buddha simply replied: "I am awake."

Buddha means “the awakened one.” How to awaken is all he taught.

For 2600 years the practices and teachings of Buddhism have offered a systematic way to see clearly and live wisely. They have offered a way to discover liberation within our own bodies and minds, in the midst of this very life.

The Path

The Triple Gem

1. Buddha - Gautama Buddha, whose teachings Buddhism was founded on.  Also, one's own innate potential for awakening.

2. Dharma - The truth of the way things are.  Nature.

3. Sangha - A community of friends practicing the dharma together in order to bring about and to maintain awareness. 

The Four Noble Truths

1. There is suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is craving.

3. There is an end to suffering.

4. The way to the end of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path

Wisdom (panna) Factors:
    1. Wise View
    2. Wise Intention
Ethical Conduct (sila) Factors:
    3. Wise Speech
    4. Wise Action
    5. Wise Livelihood
Concentration (samadhi) Factors:
    6. Wise Effort
    7. Wise Mindfulness
    8. Wise Concentration

The Three Marks of Existence

1. Impermanence (anicca)

2. Suffering (dukkha)

3. No Self (anatta)

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

1. Mindfulness of the body, in the body

2. Mindfulness of feeling tones, whether something is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral

3. Mindfulness of the mind, in the mind

4. Mindfulness of objects, of the mind

The Four Brahmaviharas (Heavenly Abodes)

1. Loving-kindness (metta)

2. Compassion (karuna)

3. Empathetic Joy (mudita)

4. Equanimity (upekkha)

The Five Precepts

1. To refrain from taking life

2. To refrain from taking that which is not freely given

3. To refrain from sexual misconduct

4. To refrain from unwise/unskillful speech

5. To refrain from intoxication

The Five Hindrances

1. Sensory Desire (kammachanda)

2. Aversion or ill will (byapada/vyapada)

3. Sloth and Torpor (thina/middha)

4. Restlessness (uddhacca/kukkucca)

5. Doubt (vicikiccha)

The Seven Factors of Enlightenment

1. Mindfulness (sati)

2. Investigation of the dharma (dhammavicaya)

3. Energy (viriya)

4. Rapture (piti)

5. Tranquility (passaddhi)

6. Concentration (samadhi)

7. Equanimity (upekkha)