ABOUT BUDDHISM
Buddhism is a 2,500 year old tradition first taught by Shakyamuni Buddha, in India. The Buddha taught a philosophy and many meditation practices for being more happy in life. Through practicing the Buddhist teachings, we become peaceful and kind, and we are able to benefit others instead of causing them trouble.
Do the Buddha's teachings still apply to us in the 20th century? Well, the Buddha mostly talked about the mind, and the nature of the mind hasn't really changed since the Buddha's time. Even though people in India in 500 B.C. didn't have to deal with things like satellites, computers, and nuclear weapons, they did know what it's like to be
angry,
confused,
hurt,
afraid.
These are the same feelings that trouble us today. Most of the suffering that we experience is mental or emotional suffering. The Buddhist teachings tell us how we can work with negative emotions to overcome suffering and achieve a state of lasting happiness.
Everybody wants to be happy and to be free from suffering. The problem is that most of us think that something outside of us is going to make us happy: if we could only get the right car, the right job, the right boyfriend or girlfriend. Or if we could just get away from the people that make us miserable.
But common sense tells us that none of this is going to give us any lasting happiness. Cars break down, jobs are "downsized", people we care about leave us or die. Somebody will always be around to annoy us. In short, nothing goes the way we want it to for long. If we expect something outside of us to make us happy, we are only going to be disappointed.
Buddhism teaches that happiness depends mostly on the Mind. It is our attitude towards life and what happens to us that decides whether we are happy and relaxed, or worried, uptight and miserable.
Learn More: Sylvia Boorstein's book, It's Easier Than You Think is a good introduction to what Buddhism means in daily life. Awakening the Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das will take you even further. Peace Is Every Step by the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is also a good introduction to meditation and Buddhism.
For an introduction to the teachings of the Buddha and the practices of Tibetan Buddhism, please continue by exploring the links at the top of the page.
This material was written to provide information and answer some basic questions that sincere, open-minded people might have about Buddhism. Aware of its limitations, I offer it with the hopes that it might be of some slight benefit. Any mistakes are due to my own lack of understanding and realization. Everything that is correct is due only to the compassion and kind instruction of my teachers. May all teachers live long lives and continuously turn the wheel of Dharma to relieve the suffering of all beings. May all beings who read this be inspired to practice the spiritual path in all their lifetimes, and attain enlightenment for the benefit of all.