The Buddha’s Teachings

The heart of the Teachings of the Buddha which remains as a universal message to humankind is contained in the teachings of

The Four Noble Truths, namely,

The First Noble Truth
The Noble Truth of Dukkha, or suffering (unsatisfactoriness);
We undergo many dissatisfactory experiences which should be identified: Birth, aging, sickness, dealth. Departure from who/what we like, Being with who/what we dislike,

The Second Noble Truth
The Origin or Cause of suffering
These unsatisfactory experiences have causes which should be identified: Craving (Greed or Wanting), Aversion (Hatred or Not Wanting) and Ignorance (Delusion or Lack of Wisdom)

The Third Noble Truth
The End or Cessation of suffering
There is a peaceful state where there are no unsatisfactory experiences. Enlightenment or Nirvana(the extinguishment of Craving, Aversion and Ignorance)

The Fourth Noble Truth
The Path which leads to the cessation of all suffering.
There is a path to lead us to True Happiness, which is:
The Noble Eighfold Path.

To understand the true nature of our self we need to purify the mind. The Buddhist approach to purification of mind is called

The Noble Eightfold Path

which consists of:

Moral Conduct:
Perfect Speech
Perfect Action
Perfect Livelihood

Mental Development (Concentration)
Perfect Effort
Perfect Mindfulness
Perfect Concentration

Wisdom
Perfect Understanding
Perfect Thought