Derived from the word 'budhi', meaning to awaken, Buddhism is a spiritual tradition dating back approximately 2,500 years. Practiced by 376 million people worldwide (as of 2009), Buddhism arose as the result of Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha's quest for enlightenment in the sixth century B.C. The Buddhist philosophy is based on the goal of leading a moral life, being mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and the development of wisdom and understanding.
Dharma
Practicing Dharma is the central principle of Buddhism. Although it literally refers to the teachings of the Buddha, Dharma is also the process by which Buddhists can improve the quality of human life. At its heart, Dharma is about using the Buddha's teaching and the practice of meditation to eradicate delusions and to replace them with virtuous and peaceful states of mind.
Enlightenment
If Dharma is the day-to-day practice and teachings of Buddhism, then enlightenment is the ultimate goal. When the Buddha attained the state of enlightenment at the age of 35, he was fully awakened and had transcended humanness. In other words, this state of enlightenment was free from suffering, craving and the desire for human pleasure, and went beyond the human processes of aging, sickness and death.
Karma and Reincarnation
Karma, the idea that every cause has an effect, is a central principle of Buddhism that explains inequality in the world and is used to demonstrate that all individuals are responsible for their past and present actions. The law of karma is inextricably linked to reincarnation, or rebirth, another of Buddhism's basic principles. It is our karma in this life that will determine our next rebirth; virtuous karma will propel us into the realms of higher humans, while negative karma will ensure a rebirth into the lower realms of life.
Four Noble Truths
Part of the Dharma, the Four Noble Truths were devised by the Buddha after he had become enlightened. The first noble truth teaches that all life is suffering as it includes sickness, death and psychological states like disappointment and loneliness. The second noble truth teaches that suffering is caused by craving and aversion; a desire to get the things we want. Although this appears pessimistic, the third noble truth teaches that this suffering can be overcome and that true happiness and freedom can be attained. This is known as nirvana. The fourth noble truth is that the Noble Eightfold Path leads to the end of human suffering.
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path is another basic principle of Buddhism. In summary, the path consists of being moral, through our thoughts, words and deeds, and focusing the mind on being conscious and aware of our thoughts and actions. The path is also about being wise, through developing an open and objective mind, and acting with compassion towards other people. Buddhists believe that it is only through understanding others than we can truly understand ourselves and achieve the goal of enlightenment.
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