The Gist of Buddha’s Teachings

The Sarnath sermon, based on, and also known as The Four Noble Truths is the nucleus of Buddha’s teachings. 

1. Suffering is omnipresent in our life; all forms of existence are subject to it. It is inextricably bound to individual existence, making life basically a succession of suffering experiences.

2. Suffering is caused by all kinds of desires such as desire for possessions, desires for   pleasures and enjoyment, desires for selfish identification and separate individual-centred existence. Desires are rooted in ignorance.    

3. The end of misery can be achieved by conquering over and through total annihilation of desires, cravings and passions of all kinds.

4. The way to end misery is the eight-fold path, which consists of the 1. right views, 2. right intentions, 3. right speech, 4. right action, 5. right livelihood, 6. right kind of effort, 7. Right  consciousness or awareness and 8. right meditation or concentration. In other words: good morals, mental concentration and wisdom. This path is called The Middle Way because it opposes the extremes of both self-indulgence and of ascetics.

Thus, the early Buddhist doctrine is mainly an agnostic ethical discipline, a system of self-training and mind-cultivation, with no theology, dogma or belief in super-natural power. There is also no permanent ego or soul. Self is eternally changing.