Main teaching of buddhism (8mark)

The teachings of Buddha are as follows:

• The world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing. It is also soulless as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.
• Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence.
• By following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence, human beings can use above these worldly pleasures.
• He advised kings and gahapatis to be humane and ethical. Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than of divine origin.
• He emphasised individual agency and righteous action as the means to escape from the cycle of rebirth and attain self-realisation and nibbana (literally means the extinguishing of ego and desire).
  This ends the cycle of suffering for those who renounced the world.
• The words to his followers were “Be lamps into yourselves as all of you must work out your own liberation.”