Born into a highly developed culture, he was surrounded by exceedingly gifted people and after attaining Enlightenment he shared his methods for discovering the mind for a full forty-five years. It is for this reason that his teachings called the Dharma are so vast.

The Kanjur, Buddha's own words, consists of 108 volumes containing 84,000 teachings. Commentaries written after his death called the Tenjur amount to another 254 books. This makes Buddha's final evaluation of his life understandable: "I can die happily. I did not hold one single teaching in a closed hand. Everything that may benefit you I have already given."

His very last statement is what sets Buddhism apart from what is otherwise called religion: "Now, don't believe my words because a Buddha told you, but examine them well. Be a light onto yourselves." Such statements show the practicality of Buddhism. When people asked Buddha why he taught, he replied: "I teach because you and all beings seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. I teach "the way things are."

So, what is Buddhism? Buddha used the best description himself. During the 1,500 years the teachings existed in India, they were called Dharma, and for the last 1,000 years in Tibet, the name was Chö. Both mean "the way things are."

Understanding "the way things are" is the key to every happiness. Buddha himself is our teacher, example, protector and friend. He helps beings to avoid suffering and to enter a state of increasing bliss while also liberating and enlightening others.

The Buddha's teachings, which make beings fearless, joyful, and kind, are the main religion in several East Asian countries. Since the early seventies, the profound Buddhist view with its vast number of methods has inspired and fascinated a growing number of people in Western cultures.

Buddha teaches about ultimate and conditioned existence in a way that makes Buddhism directly relevant to our daily lives. Understanding this makes the experience of lasting happiness possible.

Buddhism does not proclaim dogmas; rather, it encourages critical questioning. Using the right meditations, the intellectual understanding of the teachings becomes a personal experience. Additional methods solidify what is reached in meditation.

The goal of Buddha's teachings is the full development of the innate potential of body, speech, and mind. Through his teachings, Buddha is seen as a timeless mirror of mind's inherent potential.

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