The main ideas of Buddhism are contained in the statements known as the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Way which the Buddha proclaimed in his first teaching at the Deer Park near Benares in the first year of his dispensation.

The Four Noble Truths:

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering - This Truth deals with all the problems of life as represented by birth, old age, disease and death, including sorrows and frustrations of every kind. Obviously these things are unsatisfactory and people try their best to avoid them and to be free of them. However, not only these, but all conditioned things can be unsatisfactory as they are transient, conflicting and phenomenal, lacking an underlying enduring substance. They can cause sorrows and frustrations to anyone who ignorantly clings to them. For those who want to avoid and be free from suffering, this Truth teaches that right attitude, the attitude of knowledge and wisdom, must be maintained towards all things. It is essential to learn to know things as they are. The unsatisfactory facts of life must be observed, located and comprehended.

2. The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering - In this Truth the Buddha examines and explains how suffering arises through various causes and conditions. This second Truth includes the profound law of causes and effects, the practical part of which is the well-known law of Karma. It teaches that all kinds of suffering have their origins in craving and selfish desire rooted in ignorance. Not knowing things as they are or being ignorant of their true nature, people crave for and slavishly cling to things. Through unsatisfied desire or through inappropriate response, they experience sorrows and frustrations. Through craving they also perform various actions with the body, speech and mind, which results in suffering for themselves and others whereby other evils are caused to grow.

3. The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering - This third Truth deals with the goal of Buddhist endeavour. It tells us that when ignorance is completely destroyed through true knowledge and when craving or selfish desire is eradicated and replaced by the right attitude of love and wisdom, Nirvana, the state of perfect peace, absence of defilements and freedom from suffering, will be realized. For those who have not completely destroyed ignorance and craving, the more ignorance and craving are diminished the less suffering will become. The more their life is guided by love and wisdom, by knowledge and compassion, the more their life will become productive of happiness and welfare, both for themselves and others.

4. The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Extinction of Suffering - This fourth Truth defines the Buddhist way of life and contains all the ethical teaching and practices of Buddhism. It provides the way and means to attain the goal as set forth in the third Truth. This way is called the noble Eightfold Path as it consists of eight factors, namely:

Right View or Understanding
Right Thought
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

According to this Truth, a good life cannot be achieved only through the control of and mastery over external factors, be they natural or social environments. The external control must be combined with the internal factors according to the method prescribed under this Truth. This control is worked out by systematic training. The eight factors of the Path are therefore organized into a system called the Threefold Training of morality, concentration or mind development, and wisdom. These practices are sometimes summed up as:
Not to do anything which is hurtful to oneself or another.
To cultivate all that leads to well-being for oneself and others.
To purify the mind from all greed, hatred and delusion.

It is this Noble Path of eight factors or threefold training that is called the Middle Way. Those who follow it avoid the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification, and live a balanced life in which material welfare and spiritual well-being go hand in hand, run parallel and are complimentary to each other.

Such is the Buddhist Way of life, the way that is open to all regardless of caste, sex and race. The Buddha proclaimed the equality of all people, who are to be judged by action or character, by what they think and do, not by birth or color. Everyone reaps what he or she sows according to the natural law of cause and effect. Man is his own master. The way is one of self-effort, free from prayer and superstition. People have the power to improve themselves and reach the highest goal of life through their own efforts. Even the Buddha did not claim to be a savior. He found the Path and showed it to be people. He guides and encourages them along the way, but they themselves must tread the Path. People who have progressed further on the way should be friends and help one another.

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