Teachings of Buddha

Buddha’s teachings were based on ahimsa and love for all living beings. Buddha taught four great truths. According to him

1. World is full of sorrow and miseries.
2. The desire is the root cause of our sorrows.
3. Misery can be avoided by overcoming desire.
4. The remedy to these sufferings are the eight fold path or Ashta Marga
The following constitute the Eight Fold Path
1. Right Thought 5. Right Living
2. Right Belief 6. Right Efforts
3. Right Speech 7. Right Knowledge
4. Right Action 8. Right Meditation.

The teachings of Buddha have been compiled into three books called Tripitakas. (Three baskets). The three volumes are Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka and Abidhamma Pitaka. Gauthama Buddha had faith in the theory of Karma. Buddha neither accepted nor rejected the existence of God. He condemned violence against others in any form. He tried to remove caste distinctions. Attaining Nirvana or enlightment is the basic principle of Buddhism. The successors of Buddha were called Bodhisathvas.