Download Buddhism - Teachings Some scholars believe that some portions of

Buddhism - Teachings
Some scholars believe that some portions of the Pali Canon and
the Agamas could contain the actual substance of the historical
teachings (and possibly even the words) of the Buddha.[20][21] This
is not the case for the later Mahayana sutras.[22] The scriptural
works of Early Buddhism precede the Mahayana works
chronologically, and are treated by many Western scholars as the
main credible source for information regarding the actual
historical teachings of Gautama Buddha.
Some of the fundamentals of the teachings of Gautama Buddha are:
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The Four Noble Truths: 1. Suffering is universal; 2. The cause of suffering is craving, or selfish
desire; 3. A cure for suffering is the elimination of craving; 3. The way to eliminate craving is to
follow the Middle Way, the technique described in the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path: (Wisdom) 1. Right View 2. Right Intention; (Ethical) 3. Right speech 4.
Right action 5. Right livelihood; (Concentration) 6. Right effort 7. Right mindfulness 8. Right
concentration The noble eightfold path is, from this psychological viewpoint, an attempt to
change patterns of thought and behavior. It is for this reason that the first element of the path is
right understanding (sammā-diṭṭhi), which is how one's mind views the world. Under the wisdom
(paññā) subdivision of the noble eightfold path, this worldview is intimately connected with the
second element, right thought (sammā-saṅkappa), which concerns the patterns of thought and
intention that controls one's actions.
Dependent origination: that any phenomenon 'exists' only because of the ‘existence’ of other
phenomena in a complex web of cause and effect covering time past, present and future.
Because all things are thus conditioned and transient, they have no real independent identity.
Rejection of the infallibility of accepted scripture: Teachings should not be accepted unless they
are borne out by our experience and are praised by the wise.
Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things are impermanent.
Anatta (Sanskrit: anātman): That the perception of a constant "self" is an illusion.
Dukkha (Sanskrit: duḥkha): That all beings suffer from all situations due to unclear mind.
According to tradition, the Buddha emphasized ethics and correct understanding. He questioned
the average person's notions of divinity and salvation. He stated that there is no intermediary
between mankind and the divine; distant gods are subjected to karma themselves in decaying
heavens; and the Buddha is solely a guide and teacher for the sentient beings who must tread the
path of Nirvāṇa (Pāli: Nibbāna) themselves to attain the spiritual awakening called bodhi and see
truth and reality as it is. The Buddhist system of insight and meditation practice is not believed to
have been revealed divinely, but by the understanding of the true nature of the mind, which must
be discovered by personally treading a spiritual path guided by the Buddha's teachings.