14 Big Ideas of Buddhism

byAlanWeller28/2/14 Podcast: http://www.spreaker.com/user/alwell/14bigideasofbuddhism

1.Allphenomenainlifeareconditioned.Onephenomenaisunconditionednibbana. 2.Dependentorigination.Phenomenaaredependentononeanother.Weareinthecycle ofbirthdeath.Breakingignorancebreaksusoutofthedependentorigination. 3.Thereisconventionaltruthandabsolutetruth.Thereareconventionalrealitiesand absoluterealities.Thereareideasandrealities. 4.ThepurposeofBuddhismistherealizationofabsolutetruthbydeveloping understandingofabsoluterealities.Thisismeditation.Theeightfoldpathisthemeans throughwhichthishappens.Theunderstandingwhichunderstandstheseconditioned realitiesisalsoconditioned. 5.Allabsoluterealitieshavethreecharacteristics,anatta,dulkkha,annica.Theeightfold pathleadstounderstandingthesethreecharacteristics.

6.Whenthesethreecharacteristicsareunderstood,theunconditionedrealitynibbanacan beunderstand.Highlydevelopedunderstandingofrealitycanexperiencenibbana. 7.Byexperiencingnibbanaourfaultsareforevereliminated.Wewillnotcontinueinthe cycleofbirthanddeath.Theendofthecycleofbirthanddeathisparanibbana. 8.Lifeisfair.Kammaconditionstheexperienceofphenomenaaccordingtoprevious deeds.Thephenomenathemselvesarenotnecessarilyproducedbykamma.Iea stomachachecanbecausedbybadfoodbuttheexperienceofitiscausedbykamma. Ourrebirthisconditionedbykamma. 9.Weareinfatuatedwiththeobjectsthrough6doorways.Sights,sounds,touches,tastes, smells,mind.Itislikeatangledspidersweb. 10.Birthissuffering,becauseitlastsonlyamoment.Happinessissufferingbecauseit doesnotstay.Truehappinessisfreedomfromenslavementtotheobjectsweexperience. Contentmentisthegreatestwealth. 11.LIfeisveryshort,veryfragile.Itisamatterofurgencytodevelopthepath. 12.Ourmanyfaults,greed,jealousy,anger,hinderthedevelopmentofunderstanding. Thesefaultsarelikehavinganillnesswhentravelingtoadestination. 13.Buddhismdoesnotdependonfaith,butonthedevelopmentofunderstandingofthe presentreality.Thehighestformof'worship'isthedevelopmentofthepath. 14.TheteachingsoftheBuddhaareencompassedbythefourNobleTruths.Suffering,its cause,it'scessationandthewayleadingtoitscessation.