BUDDHA'S PRIMARY TEACHING EXPLAINED

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

This is the Buddha's first and

fundamental teaching about the nature of our experience and spiritual potential.

1. Ordinary life brings about dukkha (suffering)

2. The origin of dukkha is attachment

3. The cessation of dukkha is attainable

4. Dukkha can cease, by following the Noble Eightfold Path

THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH, THE MIDDLE PATH

The Buddha teaches that to attain liberation one practices

Wholesome/Right Sammā o (“right," "proper," "thorough," "balanced," or "as it ought to be."):

1. View (diṭṭhi) 

2. Intention (saṅkappo)

3. Speech (vācā)

4. Action (kammanto)

5. Livelihood (ājīvo)

6. Action (vāyāmo)

7. Mindfulness (sati)

8. Concentration (samādhi)

THE SIX WHOLESOME AND

UNWHOLESOME ROOTS OF MIND

The mind is always under the influence of one of these states.

1. Generosity

2. Love

3. Wisdom

4. Greed

5. Hatred

6. Delusion

THE EIGHT VICISSITUDES

According to the Buddha, we will

experience these vicissitudes throughout our lives no matter our intentions or actions.

1. Pleasure and pain

2. Gain and loss

3. Praise and blame

4. Fame and defame

THE THREE KINDS OF SUFFERING

The Buddha teaches that we can

understand different kinds of suffering through these three categories.

1. The suffering of pain

2. The suffering of change

3. The suffering of conditionality

THE SIX SENSE DOORS AND THREE FEELING TONES

Everything we experience comes through these portals

1. Eye (Seeing) 

2. Ear (Hearing)

3. Nose (Smelling)

4. Tongue (Tasting)

5. Body (Touching)

6. Mind (Cognizing) 

Experience is felt in one of three tones

1. Pleasant 

2. Unpleasant 

3. Neither pleasant nor unpleasant

THE FIVE KHANDHAS

The five aggregates or heaps of clinging are:

1. form, material body (rūpa)

2. sensations/feelings (vedanā)

3. perceptions (sañña)

4. mental construction, formation (sankhara)

5. consciousness (viññāṇa)

THE FIVE PRECEPTS

An ethical life is founded on these fundamental standards of conduct:

To refrain from

1. Killing.

2. Taking things which are not given.

3. Sexual misconduct.

4. False, harsh, and idle speech.

5. Intoxicants that cloud the mind.

THE EIGHT PRECEPTS 

An ethical lifestyle conducive for mind cultivation: 

To abstain from

1. Destroying life.

2. Taking things which are not given.

3. Sexual activities.

4. False speech.

5. Consuming anything that causes murkiness of mind.

6. Eating at improper times.

7. Dancing, music, shows and

beautifying with cosmetics.

8. Use of high and large seats and beds.

THE FIVE HINDRANCES

These are the classical hindrances

to meditation practice

1. Sensual desires

2. Aversion, anger, hatred, ill-will 

3. Sleepiness, sloth

4. Restlessness

5. Doubt

THE FIVE JHANA FACTORS

1. Initial application (vitakka)

2. Sustained application (vicāra)

3. Joy (pīti)

4. Bliss (sukha)

5. Unification of mind (ekaggatā)

THE FIVE SPIRITUAL FACULTIES (INDRIYA)

1. Faith (saddh-indriya)

2. Energy (viriy-indriya)

3. Mindfulness (sat-indriya)

4. Concentration (samādhi-indriya)

5. Wisdom (paññ-indriya)

THE SEVEN FACTORS OF ENLIGHTENMENT 

1. Mindfulness (sati)

2. Investigation of the nature of reality (dhammavicaya)

3. Energy (vīriya) also determination, effort

4. Joy (pīti)

5. Tranquility (passaddhi)

6. Concentration (samādhi)

7. Equanimity (upekkhā)

THE FIVE LOWER FETTERS

1. belief in a self (sakkāya-diṭṭhi)

2. doubt or uncertainty, about the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha (vicikicchā)

3. attachment to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa)

4. sensual desire (kāmacchando)

5. ill will (vyāpādo or byāpādo)

THE FIVE UPPER FETTERS

6. desire for material existence/rebirth in a form realm (rūparāgo)

7. desire for immaterial existence/rebirth in a formless realm (arūparāgo)

8. conceit (māna)

9. restlessness (uddhacca)

10. ignorance (avijjā)

THE 31 REALMS OF EXISTENCE

1. Sensual Realms (Kamaloka) 11

2. Fine-Form Realms (Rūpaloka) 16

3. Formless Realms (Arupaloka) 4

THE FOUR BRAHMA-VIHARAS

These are the four "best abodes”:

1. Loving Kindness (mettā)

2. Compassion (karuṇā)

3. Altruistic Joy (muditā)

4. Equanimity (upekkhā)

THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF EXISTENCE IN SAMSARA

1. Aniccā (impermanent)

2. Dukkhā (unsatisfactory)

3. Anattā (non-self)

THE FOUR STAGES OF ENLIGHTENMENT 

1. Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna)

2. Once-returner, to the sensual world (Sakadāgāmi)

3. Non-returner (Anāgāmi)

4. Fully awakened. (Arahant)

Nibbāna

1. Freedom from care or passion, a sense of bodily well-being; ease, happiness.

2. Health, the sense of bodily well-being (probably, at first, the passing away of feverishness, restlessness).

3. The dying out in the heart of the threefold fire of rāga, dosa & moha; lust, ill-will & ignorance. 

4. The sense of spiritual well-being, of security, emancipation, victory and peace, salvation, bliss.