Thought of the day - Chapter 1

Buddhism aims to extinguish suffering through investigation,
understanding, testing and validation of the Buddha’s teachings, rather than
through blind faith.

The Buddha, was a man named Siddhattha Gotama; he taught the foundations
of Buddhism around 2500 years ago in Isipatana, India. The central teaching
in Buddhism is the Four Nobel Truths. These are: (1) that there is Dukkha
(roughly translated as suffering), (2) there is a cause for Dukkha, (3)
Dukkha is impermanent, and (4) practicing the Buddha’s teachings will lead to
the cessation of all Dukkha.

Buddhism is a science – it is a process of questioning, validation and
proof which leads to concrete results.

Buddhism is a philosophy – it is a rational framework for understanding
the world which stands up to questioning and evidence.

Buddhism is as true today as when the Buddha taught 2500 years ago, anyone
can follow Buddhist practices and by working diligently on one's Buddhist
practice, Buddhists are the happiest beings in the universe.

- Paul (President of the La Trobe Buddhist Society)