These days, the word Buddhism can be confusing. Is it a religion, a philosophy, or just a way of living?
Buddhism is about practical insight, not about following rules or believing things without question. It offers a clear path to understanding ourselves and growing as people. The idea is straightforward: find real insight, end suffering, and discover lasting peace of mind. Here at Skylike Minds, we focus on how to use these teachings in daily life.
The Founder: Who Was the Buddha?
Buddhism begins with a teacher, not a god. That teacher was Siddhartha Gautama.
Siddhartha was born a prince in what is now Nepal, around the 6th century BCE. He grew up in comfort and was shielded from life’s difficulties.
The Prince Who Saw Suffering
Even though he had everything he could want, Siddhartha was curious about life outside the palace. When he finally left, he saw four things that changed him: someone who was sick, someone who was old, someone who had died, and a wandering spiritual seeker.
These four sights made him realise that suffering, ageing, and death are part of life for everyone. This changed his outlook completely. He chose to leave his family and his comfortable life to search for a real answer to human suffering.
The Great Awakening
After years of searching and trying different ways to find answers, Siddhartha sat down to meditate under the Bodhi tree. He was determined to understand reality fully.
He reached enlightenment and woke up free from ignorance and suffering. This is when he became the Buddha, which means “The Awakened One.”
The Core Commitment: The Three Jewels
The Buddha’s path is often summed up as taking refuge in the Three Jewels. This is not something mystical. It simply means recognising the main things that support us on the path:
1: The Buddha: The Teacher
Taking refuge in the Buddha means we trust that enlightenment is possible for people like us. We look to his example as our main guide.
2: The Dharma: The Teaching
The Dharma is the truth. It gives us practical ways to end suffering. At Skylike Minds, we use the Dharma to help us find lasting calm and clarity.
3: The Sangha: The Community
The Sangha is the community of people who practice together. It offers support, inspiration, and friendship as we learn to live more mindfully.
Buddhism in One Simple Sentence
At its core, Buddhism is practical. The whole teaching can be summed up like this:
Avoid harm, do good, and purify the mind.
This means we begin by living ethically, doing good, and working to clear the mind through regular meditation and awareness.
What’s Next? Bridging the Gap
To truly live the Dharma, begin by facing the truth of suffering. This is the first step toward real freedom and inner peace.
Our next article examines the Buddha’s most basic teaching and explains the source of our dissatisfaction.
Move on to our next guide, Understanding Suffering, and start to discover the core truths of Buddhist wisdom.
