Essentials of Buddhism

Buddha

Four Noble Truths
Noble Eightfold Path
Three Characteristics of Existence
Four Boundless States
Seven Factors of Enlightenment
Five Hindrances
Ten Perfections
Five Aggregates
Ten Fetters of Existence

BuddhaFour Noble Truths

  1. Suffering exists
  2. Suffering arises from attachment to desires
  3. Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
  4. Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path
[Go To Top]

 
 

Noble Eightfold Path

Three Qualities Eightfold Path
Wisdom (panna) Right View
. Right Thought
Morality (sila) Right Speech
. Right Action
. Right Livelihood
Meditation (samadhi) Right Effort
. Right Mindfulness
. Right Contemplation
[Go To Top]

Three Characteristics of Existence

  1. Transiency (anicca)
  2. Sorrow (dukkha)
  3. Selflessness (anatta)
[Go To Top]

  Four Boundless StatesWheel


The boundless states or brahmaviharas are considered friends on the way to Nirvana. They help in dissolving the idea of a separate self.

  1. Loving kindness
  2. Compassion
  3. Sympathetic Joy
  4. Equanimity
Near enemy is a quality that can masquerade as the original, but is not the original. Far enemy is the clearly opposite quality. The boundless state serves as an antidote for the quality mentioned as the far enemy.
 
 
Pali English Description Near Enemy Far Enemy
metta loving kindness good-will, friendship, unconditional love for all beings selfish love hatred
karuna compassion empathy, to feel with someone instead of for someone pity cruelty
mudita sympathetic joy spontaneous joy in response to others success hypocrisy envy
upekkha equanimity even-mindedness based on insight into the nature of things indifference anxiety
[Go To Top]

   Seven Factors of EnlightmentDhyana

  1. Mindfulness
  2. Investigation
  3. Energy
  4. Rapture
  5. Tranquillity
  6. Concentration
  7. Equanimity
[Go To Top]

Five Hindrances

  1. Sensuous lust
  2. Aversion and ill will
  3. Sloth and torpor
  4. Restlessness and worry
  5. Sceptical doubt
[Go To Top]

Ten Perfections (paramis)

  1. Generosity (dana)
  2. Morality (sila)
  3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)
  4. Wisdom (panna)
  5. Energy (viriya)
  6. Patience (khanti)
  7. Truthfulness (sacca)
  8. Resolution (adhitthana)
  9. Loving-Kindness (metta)
  10. Equanimity (upekkha)
[Go To Top]

 Five Aggregates (skandhas)

  1. Form (rupa) is made up of
  2. Feeling (vedana) is one of Feelings arise when there is contact between the six internal organs and the six external objects.
     
    Internal Organs External Objects
    Eye Sight
    Ear Sound
    Nose Odor
    Tongue Taste
    Body Touch
    Mind Mental Object
  3. Perception (samjna)is related to the six external objects
  4. Volition (samskara) is the response of the will to the six external objects
  5. Consciousness (vijnana) grasps the characteristics of the six external objects
[Go To Top]

Ten Fetters of Existence

  1. Self-delusion
  2. Doubt
  3. Clinging to Ritual
  4. Sensuous Lust
  5. Ill Will
  6. Greed for Fine Material Existence
  7. Greed for Immaterial Existence
  8. Conceit
  9. Restlessness
  10. Ignorance
[Go To Top]

Links

Row of Buddhas

Site Comments
Dhamma 101 from Tricycle Good starting point
Dhammapada (part of the Theravada Pali Canon) John Richard's translation
Meditation and Mental Culture Meditation instructions for mindfulness meditation
Stillpoint, Dharma Rain Zen Center (DRZC) Newsletter of the DRZC, and other resources
Tricycle, Buddhist Journal Buddhist Quarterly magazine
http://sunsite.unc.edu/zen/ Koans, Zen texts and more
The Lotus Sutra, Soka Gakkai International Introduction to one of the Buddhist sects
MiningCo's guide to Buddhism Good collection of online resources
[Go To Top]

 Books


A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche

Mindfulness in Plain English by Venerable Henepola Gunaratana

The Miracle of Mindfulness : A Manual on Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh

Journey of Awakening : A Meditator's Guidebook by Ram Dass

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

Check out the most popular books on Buddhism.

The books listed above are available in association with Amazon.com. They are for sale and you can buy them now from amazon.com by clicking on the title.


Amazon
[Go To Top]

Affiliate Member of DharmaNet International WebRing

DharmaNet
International
Member

Webmaster:
Suresh Ramaswamy. 		 DharmaNet International

Amazon Honor System Click Here to PayLearn More
Join our mailing list!
Enter your email address below,
then click the 'Join List' button:
Powered by ListBot
Eye on the webYour feedback on this web page is appreciated!
 
Last Updated: May 2001
URL:http://home.earthlink.net/~srama/index.html
Copyright 2000-01, Suresh Ramaswamy (srama@earthlink.net)