The Dharma is the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha.

• difficult to grasp is the idea of interconnectivity – that all things living and not living are really part of a whole – known as the dharma of dependent origination
• difficult to practice is the idea of looking into ourselves (in the west we often use mindfulness) – achieving a position of belonging to the interconnection
• the Middle Way – living to seek only pleasure or total self denial are not of benefit to us – learn to live in between
• the Four Noble Truths – the True Aspect of Life, the Truth of the Cause of Suffering, the Transcending of Suffering, the Eightfold Path
  • the True Aspect of Life – Buddha saw 8 types of suffering
    • birth
    • old age
    • sickness
    • death
    • being apart from those we love
    • associating with those we dislike
    • not getting what we want
    • the 5 aggregates – form, perception, conception, volition, and consciousness
  • the Truth of the Cause of Suffering
    • worldly desires or blind passions
    • mostly greed, anger, and unawareness (although there are many more)
  • the Transcending of Suffering
    • the seeking of Nirvana (a state in which we are no longer controlled by our worldly desires or blind passions)
      • all things are impermanent and constantly changing
      • everything is connected and dynamic
      • by transcending suffering we have peace of mind
  • the Eightfold Path
    • Right (in the sense of appropriate) View
    • Right Thought
    • Right Speech
    • Right Conduct
    • Right Livelihood
    • Right Endeavor
    • Right Mindfulness
    • Right Meditation
      • there are 3 types of traditional parts to the Eightfold Path (Buddhist Ethics and Deportment, Meditation and Concentration, and Higher Wisdom)
      • additionally in Mahayana tradition there are 6 practices (giving and generosity, ethics and deportment, perseverance, diligence, meditation, wisdom)
• Sutras
  • the written teachings of Buddha compiled after his death are called the Sutras
  • there are more than 17,00 sutras (about 10 major)

(From the writings of the Buddhist Churches of America and the Book “Jodo Shinshu – A Guide”)