For beginners
If this is your first encounter with the subject, this is a good place to start. No prior knowledge, no requirements.
In short
Buddhism arose more than 2,500 years ago in India, following the insights of Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha, "the awakened one." It does not claim to be a revelation from above, but rather an invitation: to observe our own mind and experience, and to verify for ourselves what brings suffering and what brings liberation from it.
There is no requirement for blind faith. There is an invitation to practice, observation, and gradual change.
Key concepts
Usually translated as "suffering," but more precisely means dissatisfaction, unease — the sense that something is always missing.
A school that emphasizes direct sitting-meditation practice over the theoretical study of texts.
Not a single, dramatic event, but a gradual clarifying of the way we perceive ourselves and the world.
The awakened one
Siddhartha Gautama was born into a royal family in Lumbini (present-day Nepal) around 563 BCE. At the age of 29, he realized that wealth and luxury do not bring true happiness, and he left home to seek the answer among the various religions and philosophies of his time.
After six years of searching, reflection, and meditation, he found the "middle way" and attained enlightenment. He spent the rest of his life — until the age of 80 — teaching his philosophy, called Dharma (Truth). He taught like a physician who diagnoses suffering and offers the cure for it: the Four Noble Truths.
You don't need to "believe" in anything to sit down and observe your own mind.
First step
The best way to understand Buddhism is not through reading, but through practice. Join one of our meditation meetings — you'll receive a brief introduction and support, whether it's your first time or not.
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