Very simple Buddhism

The Buddha was an ordinary man who lived 2600 years ago in northern India who thought of a very sensible philosophy for living with ourselves and each other. He is not a god nor is he worshipped as such, he is more of a founder of a way of life.

What did he teach?

He taught that there are four noble truths to be recognised in life and that there is also a path that can be followed that will help us to live with these truths.

 The truths are:-

 1.     That life is full of discomfort for us because we can never keep the things that we possess or the things we want. Eventually by whatever means we will be separated from the objects and people that we love and treasure.

2.     We cause our own suffering by always wanting more and never being satisfied with the things we have here and now.

3.     We constantly grasp because we cause this suffering ourselves, it is within our power to change so that we don't feel like this anymore.

4.     The way to help ourselves is to follow the eightfold path, which is a set of suggestions that will help us change the way we feel

 The eightfold path:-

1.      Right understanding...taking on the four noble truths and what they mean

2.     Right thought...changing the way we think about things so that we can change our reactions and actions

3.     Right speech...speaking wisely, with thought for ourselves and others.

4.     Right action...doing the right thing for others and ourselves

5.     Right livelihood...not having a job that is likely to cause harm of any sort.

6.     Right effort... following the path with good intentions.

7.     Right mindfulness...cultivating an awareness of our behaviour and living in the now.

8.     Right concentration....using meditation to help us attain a mind clear enough to making these changes and understanding ourselves