"The cause of suffering is greed, selfishness and stupidity. If people get rid of these negative emotions, they will be happy."

During a full-moon night in May, Siddhartha went into deep meditation. As the morning star appeared in the eastern sky, he became an enlightened one, a Buddha. He was thirty five years old.

When the Buddha stood up at last, he gazed at the tree in gratitude, to thank it for having given him shelter. From then on, the tree was known as the Bodhi tree, the tree of Enlightenment.

(http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/pbs2_unit03.htm)

The Dharma

Dharma means Truth and is sybolised by a wheel. The Dharma Wheel is a symbol of the continuous spreading of the Buddha's teachings to help people live more happily.

The basis of the Buddha Dharma or the Buddha's teachings are the Four Noble Truths:

1. The Truth of Suffering

The Buddha's discovery of the solution to the problem of suffering began with the recognition that there is suffering in life. If people examine their own experiences or look at the world around them, they will see that life is full of suffering or unhappiness. Suffering may be physical or mental.

2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering

The Buddha saw that the cause of suffering is selfish desire and greed. People want all kinds of things and want to keep them forever. However, greed is endless, like a bottomless pit that can never be filled. The more you want, the more unhappy life is. Thus, our limitless wants and desires are the cause of our suffering.

3. The Truth of the End of Suffering

To end suffering, selfish desire must be removed. Just as a fire dies when no fuel is added, so unhappiness will end when the fuel of selfish desire is removed. When selfish desire is completely removed, there will be no more suffering. Our mind will be in a state of perfect peace. Buddhists call this state Nirvana.

4. The Truth of the Path leading to the End of Suffering

The way to end suffering is to follow the 'Noble Eightfold Path':

RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
means to have a correct understanding of oneself and the world.

RIGHT THOUGHT
means to think in the right way.

RIGHT SPEECH
means to avoid lying, tale telling, gossiping, backbiting, idle talk and harsh words.

RIGHT ACTION
means not to harm or destroy any life, not to steal and not to use sex in a harmful way.

RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
means not to live on work that would in any way bring harm to living beings.

RIGHT EFFORT
means to do our best to become a better person.

RIGHT MINDFULNESS
means to be always aware and attentive.

RIGHT MEDITATION
means to keep the mind steady and calm in order to see the true nature of things.

Loving-kindness is one of the Four Immeasurables taught by the Buddha.

The other three are sympathetic joy, equanimity (equal spread of feelings) and compassion.

Loving-kindness means you want all beings to be well and happy.

Not just people you know and like, but all beings - including strangers, people that annoy you, even animals.

Loving-kindness Meditation

Loving-kindness meditation is wishing yourself and all other living beings happiness. In other words, you send out thoughts of kindness towards yourself and love and goodwill towards others, including animals.

Whatever good things we wish for ourselves, we also wish for everybody else. It is like a song, that you can sing to yourself and to others.

Here is a practice you may like to try:

1. Sit down or lie down comfortably and close your eyes.

2. Now turn your attention to yourself and say in your mind: "May I be well, may I be happy."

3. Then recall in your mind someone very dear to you and say in your mind: "May (s)he be well, may (s)he be happy."

4. Then recall to your mind your friends and also wish them well: "May they be well, may they be happy."

5. Next turn your attention to the whole world, to all people around you and say in your mind: "May all people be well, may all people be happy."

6. Finally turn your attention to the whole world, to all beings around you and say in your mind: "May all beings be well, may all beings be happy."

7. Finish by saying: "Peace, peace, peace"

You're a Buddhist if you've taken refuge in the Triple Gem, and you do your best to live by the Five Moral Precepts. That doesn't mean you don't make mistakes sometimes. The important thing is your commitment. And not giving up when the going gets tough.

The Triple Gem is the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

It is called the Triple Gem because it represents three qualities which are excellent and precious like a gem.

They pay respect to the Buddha, learn the Dharma, and follow the advice of the Sangha.

By doing this, Buddhists believe they can become wise and happy.

The Buddha is the first gem

- He is the founder of Buddhism.
- He found the Truth.
- He is the most honoured person in Buddhism.
- He represents wisdom.
- He taught us how to find happiness through wisdom and love.

The Dharma is the second gem

- It is the teachings of the Buddha.
- It shows the Truth.
- It helps us gain happiness.

The Sangha is the third gem

- It is a group of monks or nuns, or lay followers.
- It represents purity.
- It sets a good example for Buddhists to follow.

The Five Moral Precepts

Following the ancient tradition, the two steps needed to become a student of the Buddha are: taking refuge in the Triple Gem and undertaking the training of the Five Precepts. These are:

1. Avoid Killing
2. Avoid Stealing
3. Avoid Misusing Sex
4. Avoid Lying
5. Avoid Using Intoxicants

"The moon is looking at you"

Zen master Shunryu Suzuki wrote in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind during an introduction to Zazen,

"Kill the Buddha if the Buddha exists somewhere else. Kill the Buddha, because you should resume your own Buddha nature"