A Crash Course in Buddhism

The son of a wealthy ruler, Siddhartha Gautama was born around 566 B.C.E. in the region now known as southern Nepal. He would go on to leave his life of luxury after bearing witness to the suffering of humankind, heading out on a quest to figure out how to find a solution to that suffering.

Buddhism is the result of that quest.

This is a nontheistic religion that is deceptively simple, and so is often misunderstood. Many of us have a vague idea that Buddhism is about things like inner peace, mindfulness, and meditation, but we know little of the thousands of years of history and sacred texts that it is built upon. Beneath the veneer of trendy buzzwords, Buddhism possesses great depth.

There are few who are better qualified to explain Buddhism than author Arnie Kozak, PhD. A man who took his bodhisattva vows from the Dalai Lama, himself, Kozak is dedicated to translating the Buddha’s teachings into accessible, actionable forms.

His latest book, “Buddhism 101,” is an exploration of Buddhist teachings that anyone can understand, and serves as a great entry point for those who want to know more about the Buddhist way of life. If you’re interested in what he has to say, read on for a crash course in Buddhism.

The Four Noble Truths

At the heart of Buddhism lie the Four Noble Truths.

The first Truth, writes Kozak, provides a “diagnosis for the human condition.” This is the truth of dukkha, which refers to not only suffering, but to the general dissatisfaction which often pervades our lives—that nagging feeling that makes even the happiest life feel “not quite right.” This first truth helps us to become aware that suffering is an intrinsic part of life.

The Second Noble Truth deals with the cause of suffering, which Kozak sums up in one word: “desire.” In the Buddhist tradition, suffering comes from an endless cycle of desire, an attempt to fulfill that desire, and the dukkha which arises when we cannot satisfy our cravings. Our desires trap us in this cycle and keep us from seeing the world as it really is.

In the Third Noble Truth lies the solution to this problem: liberating and separating ourselves from craving. When we reach this state, we reach what Buddhists call “nirvana.” We must, as Kozak writes, “approach life with wisdom instead of desire.”

The Fourth Noble Truth shows us what actions to take in order to apply this solution, and makes the claim that we can liberate ourselves from craving by following a series of actionable steps that Buddhist tradition calls The Eightfold Path.

These are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism—the philosophy behind it all. Now, let’s move on to the next slide to learn more about the steps of the Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path is one of the most popular aspects of Buddhism because it’s incredibly practical. In essence, it’s a step-by-step guide to bring happiness to both yourself and others—it’s the self-help lover’s dream.

According to Kozak, the first step along the path, Right View, means “to have a total comprehension of the Four Noble Truths,” and includes the ability to “experience things beyond conditioned experience.” In essence, this step involves you striving to see the world without harmful preconceptions.

Right Resolve, the second step, is all about intentions—this step involves moving away from an “I”-centered life, and toward a more selfless existence defined by compassion for others.

Next, Right Speech is just what you think it is: a commitment to using your power of speech to do good, and not to use it to do harm. This includes avoiding lies, gossip, and even talking too much.

Right Action can be summed up by the old saying, “Do no harm,” and is a commitment to doing good with your actions. This includes actions which affect the environment and yourself, in addition to those around you.

Right Livelihood means “to avoid harm through your work in the world, according to Kozak. Ask yourself one question in order to follow this step: is what you do for a living causing harm to others or yourself?

Right Effort reminds us to put the right amount of effort into following the Eightfold Path—not so much as to harm ourselves, but enough so that we actually accomplish what we set out to do. Be willing to set expend the effort to get yourself back on track when you slip.

Right Mindfulness means that you strive to live your life in the moment, being neither too focused on the past or the future. It also touches on your need to examine how your mind engages with pain and desire—pay attention to yourself and your thoughts so that you can change them as necessary.

Finally, Right Concentration involves practicing your ability to concentrate through exercises like meditation. This lays the foundation for Right Mindfulness and disciplines the mind.

This is a simple introduction to the Eightfold Path—if you'd like deeper insight into the path, try out "Buddhism 101."

Dependent Origination

Dependent Origination is one aspect of Buddhism that is rarely talked about, but it is an essential element of this belief system.

Kozak writes that the concept of Dependent Origination “describes the process that perpetuates the suffering and pervasive dissatisfaction of dukkha.” In essence, this is simply the idea that nothing springs into existence by itself—it is always caused by something else.

The twelve steps of this process lead from one to another, and while listing them goes beyond the scope of this guide, they can be summed up in this: all actions and feelings affect one another in an endless process, and if you don’t pay attention to this process, you will suffer for it.

But we can break free of this unconscious process by becoming conscious. And how do we do this? We become intimately acquainted with the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path!

The idea of Dependent Origination opens our eyes to the way the world works. Every action we take has a consequence over which we must take ownership if we are to escape dukkha.

The Three Jewels

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In the Buddhist tradition, the three ideals known as the “Three Jewels” or the “Three Treasures” are the keys to truly becoming a Buddhist.

The buddha, known as the yellow jewel, refers to the ideal set by the historical Buddha—freedom from suffering in the form of enlightenment.

The red jewel is the Dharma, which is the collected teachings of the Buddha. While this word holds multiple meanings, but the most important of these is “unmediated Truth,” and refers to the ability to see the reality of the world around you.

And finally, Sangha is the red jewel. This is the Buddhist community, comprised of people who share their spiritual lives with one another, and help each other along the path to enlightenment.

Becoming a Buddhist involves beginning your quest to become enlightened, studying Buddhist teachings, and finding your place amongst the community of Buddhists. Thus, are the Three Jewels obtained.

The Five Precepts

The Five Precepts are Buddhism’s guide to ethical living, and aren’t done out of a sense of self-righteousness, but because they alleviate suffering and lead to happiness.

In following the Five Precepts, Buddhists strive to hold to the following vows.

Do not destroy life.

Do not steal.

Do not commit sexual misconduct.

Do not lie.

Do not become intoxicated.

These things are forbidden not to control a Buddhist, but to set him or her free from suffering. Each of these actions, deemed unwholesome in Buddhist tradition, is a major cause of pain and anguish—life is simply better when they are not committed.

In many Buddhist traditions, according to Kozak, aspiring Buddhists take vows to adhere to the Precepts, doing so not simply to be outwardly good, but because they truly recognize the value of each.

The Five Precepts can be compared to Christianity’s Ten Commandments—they give a few essential ethical guidelines, establishing the boundaries of beneficial behavior.

Karma

The word “karma” means “action,” in Sanskrit, and is, according to Kozak, one of the most misunderstood concepts of Buddhism.

Many understand karma as a sort of cosmic balance—someone cuts you off in traffic, but later get into a fender bender that ruins the front end of their shiny hotrod.

In reality, karma is a lot more complicated than this, and is intimately associated with the Buddhist concept of rebirth. Above all, though, keep in mind that it’s not the universe retaliating against those who have wronged you.

Instead, it’s more about personal responsibility. As Kozak writes, this is a simple concept, which he sums up neatly for us: “karma is the process by which your actions shape your life.” What happens in the present will affect the future—for good or ill.

It’s that simple.

For example, if you insult someone, you may later feel badly about it and become angry, making you more likely to lash out again. You’ve built destructive karma, and it’s affecting you—and those around you—in a destructive way.

The same idea applies to the Buddhist concept of rebirth—you choose the conditions of your next life through your actions in this one. Move on to the next slide to learn about rebirth and Buddhism's end goal: Nirvana.

Rebirth and Nirvana

Although Buddhist tradition does not hold to the existence of the soul, rebirth is often a part of Buddhist beliefs. This is based upon the rebirth of an impersonal consciousness rather than something that retains personality and memory.

Kozak likens it to a candle flame—one candle is used to light another, and the flame can pass on without carrying the candle with it.

For Buddhists, there are infinite worlds into which one can be born, and infinite forms to be taken upon rebirth. A person could be reborn as a god, a spirit, an animal, or even a denizen of hell.

This cycle of rebirth is halted when one reaches what is called “nirvana,” which is a permanent release from this cycle. Nirvana translates to “blowing out,” and is achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

Nirvana is achieved during life by freeing oneself from desire and want, and this state is carried on into death. While it isn’t clear whether the Buddha taught that Nirvana after death takes the form of eternal bliss or eternal nothingness, one thing is clear—suffering stops.