Buddhist Beliefs

Buddhists do not believe in a personal god; their beliefs are to do with the nature of life and human existence.

The Three Signs of Being

Buddhists believe that these three signs are at the root of all human existence:

Annica -(impermanence) everything is unstable, changing and, eventually ceases to exist.
Anatta - (no soul) there is no permanent, unchanging soul in any one. In effect, existence is an illusion.
Dukkha - (suffering) suffering is part of the human condition.

The Four Noble Truths

The teaching of Siddartha Gautama (who became known as the Buddha) is summarised in the Four Noble Truths.

Dukkha - (suffering) all life is suffering. All are born to suffer.
Samudaya - (cause of dukkha) suffering is caused by Tanha, which means 'craving' or 'desire'. Because Buddhists believe there is no permanent self/soul and nothing has any real existence, then no desire can be really satisfied. Misery and suffering are the result.
Nirodha - (cessation of dukkha) suffering can be eliminated if people learn to live without craving or desire.
The Middle Way - Gautama had lived, as a prince, in luxury. Then he had lived as an ascetic in extreme deprivation. Neither satisfied him. He, therefore, concluded that the answer was to be found in the Middle Way, between the two extremes. He mapped out such a life style in the Eightfold Path.
1. Right Understanding - viewing things as they really are (Annica, anatta, dukkha)
2. Right Thought - compassion and love towards all.
3. Right Speech - no lies or insults.
4. Right Action - no harm to others.
5. Right Livelihood - earning living in morally right way.
6. Right Effort - to follow Eightfold Path without distractions.
7. Right Mindfulness - full attention to own actions and to needs of others.
8. Right Concentration - mind focussed on one thing through meditation.

The Triple Refuge

Buddhists, when they need help or encouragement, say that there are three Jewels (Trisharana). They say that for refuge they go to the Buddha, they go to the Dhamma and they go to the Sangha. This is the Tiratana, the Triple Refuge.

Buddha: Gautama was the man who claimed to have been enlightened, and taught the way for others to follow.
Dhamma: This means the Universal Law, and is the teaching of Buddha as contained in the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
Sangha: The community of those who try to live according to the teachings of Buddha.

Past, Present and Future

Kamma (aka Karma) is the idea that past actions (from previous existences) are responsible for the person's present state. Similarly, present actions will affect future ones.
Samsara is the continual and repeated cycle of life, suffering, death and re-birth.
Nibbana (aka Nirvana) is the ultimate goal of Buddhists. It represents that final state when the Buddhist has extinguished all desire and is freed from the illusion of existence. Ideas of nibbana vary from a peaceful state of existence to its not being a state of existence at all - i.e. non-existence.

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