CHAÂN NHÖ

WHAT A BUDDHIST SHOULD KNOW

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This document explains in simple terms the various concepts of Buddhism, so anyone interested in bringing joy and peace to his or her own life will find out that it is quite possible to do so owing to a true understanding of self-evident concepts that have a direct bearing on life.

Sakyamuni Buddha is a human being who has attained complete freedom, and has taught other humans the way to be like him.

You will find below some very basic notions that he has taught in numerous sutras.

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

First, SUFFERING is a fact of life.

Second, the CAUSE of suffering is because of the accumulation of desire, anger and ignorance.

Third, the SOLUTION to suffering is to destroy the cause.

Fourth, the REMEDY is to practice the Buddha’s admonitions.

THE PRACTICE

To avoid evil acts

To do good things

To keep your mind serene.

THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECTS

Nothing is incidental. Everything has a reason. You reap what you sow, in this life or in another subsequent life.

INTERCONNECTIVITY

Everything is made up of parts, and is subject to combination and deconstruction. Thus, nothing is permanent. There’s a time of birth and a time of death. Birth is when the elements are combined. Death is when the elements decompose or deconstruct.

THE FIVE ELEMENTS

Human beings and animals are made up of five elements: materials (earth), liquids (water), heat (fire), motion (wind), and electromagnetism (karma). Beings without an earthly body are electromagnetic fields that can only be seen by especially sensitive receivers.

REINCARNATION

Humans are not born once and die once. They are bound by the cycle of birth and death since time immemorial, and will continue to be bound by this cycle until they become buddhas, at which time they free themselves from every kind of bondage.

THE SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM

The universe as we see it is but one of zillions of universes. It was born and it will die. The universe expands and then contracts, and expands again and contracts again, the way we breathe.

THE EIGHT-FOLD PATH

To live the good life, you should have the right way of seeing things ( see everything as they are, right at this moment) right method of thinking, right speech (no lying, no evil words, no useless words, no insinuation), right acts (no killing, stealing, having wrongful sex, etc…), right way to make a living (no killing, no exploitation, no swindling, etc…), right efforts (trying to improve oneself), right concentration of the mind, and right stillness of the psyche.

FOUR IMMEASURABLE STATES OF THE PSYCHE

Friendship

Compassion

Sharing the joy of others

Letting go of hard feelings