Buddhism
The Human Condition – o The 3 Marks of Existence o The 4 Noble Truths oThe 1 st Noble Truth (Life is Dukkha) o The 2 nd Noble Truth (Dukkha is caused by Tanha) o The Life of the Buddha
The Goals o Karma o The 3 rd Noble Truth (You can stop Dukkha by stoping Tanha) o Nibbana
The Means – o The Three Jewels o The Noble Eightfold Path / The 4 th Noble Truth oThe 5 precepts oMeditation and Prayer

• The Three Jewels are part of the means

• The Three Jewels are the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha
• Also known as Three
Refuges.
• The Dhamma could not have been taught without the Buddha, and could not have been followed without the
Sangha, so the three are inseparable.

• They are known as the Three
Refuges, because the Buddhist promise of devotion says:
“I take refuge in the Buddha,
I take refuge in the Dhamma,
I take refuge in the Sangha.”
• Taking refuge is making a promise to be devoted to the Buddha and his teachings.
• It is also a sign of the support structure of the religion – a refuge is somewhere you turn for security and guidance

• Can mean ‘teachings’ / truth / way / etc
• It is sometimes used to mean Buddhism
• Usually seen as Four Noble Truths and
Eightfold Path
• Scriptures can be dhamma
• Central to Buddhism
• Like a raft – to be used to reach enlightenment

• Community of Buddhists
• Specifically monks
• Monks = bhikkus
• Can become a monk for life, or just a short time
• Monks live by 10 Precepts and many other rules in Vinaya Pitaka scriptures
(laity only use 5 Precepts)
• Differences between monks and laity will differ depending on school of
Buddhism