Four 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

Six realms

If ego decides it likes the situation, it begins to churn up all sorts of ways to possess it. A craving to consume the situation arises and we long to satisfy that craving. Once we do, a ghost of that craving carries over and we look around for something else to consume. The six realms are

• Ghost realm
• Animal realm
• Hell realm
• Jealous god realm
• Human realm
• God realm

Elements of life (Skandhas) & buddhist ego

In Buddhism ego is a collection of mental events (skandhas) classified into five, bundles or heaps, very different from Freudian ego. The five Skandhasare

1. Form (rupa)
2. Feeling (vedana)
3. Perception (samjna)
4. Volition (samskara)
5. Consciousness (vijnana)

Eightfold path (Middle path)

The path to liberation from these miserable states of being, as taught by the Buddha, has eight points and is known as the eightfold path, these are of three categories.

Wisdom (panna)

• Right View
• Right Thought

Morality (sila)

• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood

Meditation (samadhi)

• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Contemplation

Reincarnation

Karma plays out in the Buddhism cycle of rebirth. There are six separate planes into which any living being can be reborn - three fortunate , and three unfortunate realms.

The boundless states -Brahmaviharas

These considered friends on the way to Nirvana, ending of all sufferings. They help in dissolving the idea of a separate self.

The ten perfections - Paramis

Paramita means gone to the other shore, it is the highest development of each of these qualities.

Buddhist compassion

Compassion includes qualities of sharing, readiness to give comfort, sympathy, concern, caring. In Buddhism, when we can really understand ourselves through wisdom we will be able to understand others .

Karma

Karma refers to good & bad actions a person takes during the lifetime.

Buddhist wisdom

In Buddhist teaching, wisdom should be developed with compassion.

• At one extreme, you could be a good hearted fool
• Or, you could attain knowledge without any emotion. Hence, Buddhism takes the middle path.

The highest wisdom is seeing that in reality, all phenomena are incomplete, impermanent and do no constitute a fixed entity.

True wisdom is not simply believing-in what we are told; instead, experiencing and understanding truth and reality. Wisdom requires an open, objective, unbigoted mind. Buddhist path requires courage, patience, flexibility, & intelligence.