Religous studies - Short course

1. Anicca - All things are constantly changing - nothing is fixed.

2. Anatta - There is no permanent self.

3. Dukkha - Means "suffering" in the sense that everything is changing.

1. All life is suffering - Dukkha

2. The origin of suffering is craving

3. There is an end of suffering

4. The way to stop suffering is to follow the eightfold path

The eightfold path deals with the three aspects of the Buddhist life: wisdom, morality and meditation .

1. Right View - to have a right understanding about the nature of life

2. Right Intention - Right intention for following the Buddhist path and for all actions

3. Right Speech - Buddhist should avoid speech that cause harm e.g. lying and gossiping

4. Right Action - The precepts that indicate what constitutes right actions are the five moral precepts

5. Right Livelihood - A Buddhist should earn a living in a way that does not break any of the other Buddhist teachings

6. Right Effort - A Buddhist should make a conscious effort to rid his mind all of negative thoughts

7. Right Mindfulness - Buddhists have to become more aware of themselves and everything around them

8. Right Concentration - Buddhists try and cultivate Right Concentration in order to aid there concentration

A Buddhist takes refuges in three things before being admitted to Sangha (Buddhist Community). They are called refuges because they are a place of safety and it means a Buddhist is putting his energies into the right things. They are:

The Buddha

The Dharma - all the teachings of the Buddha

The Sangha - the Buddhist Community

there are five moral precepts that all Buddhists observe. They are not absolute rules but guidelines for how to behave in a way that develops good karma.

1. I will try not to take life - Against harming any living thing including animals

2. I will try not to take what isn't given - not just physical objects and stealing, but includes time or a persons sense of worth or self - esteem

3. I will try no to use wrong speech - a Buddhist should avoid lying ,gossip, slander, harsh speech and idle chatter

4. I will try not to misuse senses - a general precept about overindulgence including food and drink, also includes sex.

5. I will try not to take drugs and alcohol which will cloud the mind - Buddhists can drink alcohol, but they should not use it as a way of escaping reality

Nirvana - is the state of peace achieved when the fires of greed, hatred and ignorance are extinguished, it literally means to see things as they rally are