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THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS1

Ven. S. M. Sujano

INTRODUCTION
Buddhism is a western term for Buddha dhamma (Stk: Buddha
dharma), which means the teachings of the awakened one. Buddha is
not a name of particular person but a title to one who awakened or
enlightened one. Today, Buddhism is one of the major religions in the
world. It is a religion to about over 400 million people around the
world. It has its history about over 2500 years ago when Siddharth
Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened at the age of
35. His enlightenment was the beginning of Buddha dhamma or the
religion known as the Buddhism. Today Buddhism become popular in
west for a number of reasons; a way life and answers to many
problems of modern materialistic age. Founder of Buddhism was not
the God, nor he claim to be. He was neither the son of God nor the
messenger of the God. He was a human being, who cultivates himself
and attained enlightenment. He taught a path to enlightenment from
his own experience.

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Published by Punjab Buddhist Society UK, www.punjabbuddhistsocietyuk.com, www.ambedkartimes.com
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THE BUDDHA AND BUDDHA DHAMMA

The prince Siddharth Gotama was born about 2600 years ago
(six century B.C.) in Kapilavatthu of modern Nepal. He, at the age of
29 renounced the palace after a luxurious and sensual life for search
the way to salvation of life. He went to different teachers and practice
different ascetics methods for nearly six years but couldn‟t attain
enlightenment. Finally, he discovered the middle way of life and
became Enlighten at the age of 35 and known as the Buddha. He
introduced this middle way (majjimapatipada) for the happiness and
benefit of the many. Later, it is known as the Buddhism.
He, the Buddha preached the doctrines for 45 years in various
ways and different places. His main massage or teachings are The
Four Noble Truths (Catu Ariya Sacca), Dependent Origination
(Paticca Samuppada), and Three Characteristics (Tilakkhana) and so
on. But the heart of Buddha‟s teachings is the Four Noble Truths. The
Buddha says in Hatthipadopama Sutta or the discourse of Elephant‟s
foot that Four Noble Truths is includes all his doctrines like every
animal‟s foots are including in elephant‟s foot. Therefore, all his
teachings which are known as Dhamma are based on this Four Noble
Truths. Moreover, he says that if one wants to teach dhamma or
Buddhism to others he should teach to understand this Doctrine of
Four Noble Truths.
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“One thing only does the Tathagata teach, namely

suffering and the cessation of suffering.” (Sutta Nipata)

His whole teachings were compiled and called Tipitaka (skt.

Tripitaka) the three baskets of doctrine. It was first compiled after the
three months of Buddha‟s entered Parinibbana at the age of 80 and in
time to time Buddhist councils were held in order to purify and
checked. The Tripitaka consists of Vinaya pitaka, a code of conducts;
Sutta pitaka, a set of discourses; and Abhidhamma pitaka, a set of
higher doctrines or Buddhist psychology. This Tripitaka is known as
the Theravada Buddhist scripture or Pali Buddhist scripture.
Therefore, Theravada Buddhism based on this scripture; Tripitaka.
„Whether I (the Buddha) arises in this world or not the Dhamma
is exists in the World.‟(Dhammaniyama Sutta) says the Buddha.
Therefore, Buddhism is not based or accepts its doctrines on trust.
Everyone is invited to try them out, to experiment with them. No
matter what is in the scripture or with hearsay or with tradition or with
logical or with the thought „he/she is our teacher etc. study it with
right views and keeps in practice. If it is work in practice and
profitable then should practice them and abide in them. (Kesaputtiya
Sutta). Because of this freedom of dogma Buddhism is accepted in
every culture, tradition and countries of the world.
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“Striving should be done by yourselves. The Tathagtas are

only teachers.” (Dhp. 276)

Therefore, there are three ways of education according to the

Buddhism; Pariyatti = Study, preparatory, Patipatti = Practice, real
practice and Pativeda = realization, Result, called Tisikkha (Skt.
Trisikksya). Right understand is needed for right practice. So, pariyatti
or study here means to development of right view and right
understanding of the way of practices. The whole scripture is taken in
this stage or road map for practice. Buddha never demanded that
anyone accepts its teachings on trust or in terms of blind faith. „Come
and See‟ if beneficial keep practice it. So, Right View is bases for the
development of right practice and right practice is bases for
achievement of ultimate happiness; Nibbana Dhamma.
The understanding of real Buddha dhamma is realization
through practice. The term practice is called meditation or Bhavana in
Buddhism. Bhavana here means mental cultivation of wholesome
deeds. According to Buddhism, Bhavanamaya panna or the
knowledge that is gain from the development or cultivation is true
knowledge and leads to end of all kinds of sufferings. In other word
„Buddhism was discovered from meditation and should be known
deeply only by practice meditation‟. Therefore, in this respect right
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understanding on practice or meditation is crucial in Buddhism. Right

meditation leads to understand of the real teachings of the Buddha.
That is why meditation is important in Buddhism.
The Buddha‟s whole mission was started from the Isipatana
Migadaya Vana, a deer park, where he preached his first sermon
called Dhamma-cakkappavatana Sutta. Reportedly, in this discourse,
he gave out line of Buddhist view or core Buddhist teaching. The first
sermon is explained the way of freedom from universal suffering or
the Buddha teaches only two doctrines that are the existence of
suffering and the cessation of the sufferings. This discourse mainly
focused on „The Four Noble Truth and the Middle Path; the way to
overcome from sufferings and free from the two extremes.
The Buddha had taught for 45 years is “One thing only does the
Tathagata (Buddha) teach, that is suffering and the cessation of
suffering”.
Further, the Buddha‟s “Dhamma is good in the beginning, good
in the middle and good in the end.” (Suttapitaka)”.
May you all be happy and peace…