The Buddha, the enlightened one, rediscovered the path to liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth and made it known to the world. The Buddha’s teachings, or Dhamma, are the universal truth and laws governing all living beings. The Buddha’s life, from his privileged upbringing as Prince Siddhartha to his enlightenment, serves as a reminder that spiritual awakening is accessible to all.

Siddhartha, the future Buddha, experienced four pivotal encounters with old age, sickness, death, and a renunciant monk. These encounters sparked deep reflections on the nature of existence and suffering, leading him to question his privileged life as a prince. Ultimately, Siddhartha renounced his royal life, seeking enlightenment and the path to liberation from suffering.

The Four Noble Truths, as expounded by the Buddha, outline the nature of suffering, its cause (craving), the possibility of its cessation (Nibbāna), and the path to achieve it through the Eightfold Noble Path. By understanding and aligning with these truths, individuals can awaken to the Dhamma and find a way to alleviate suffering. This awakening involves recognizing and addressing one’s own suffering, cultivating intention, and developing qualities like faith, trust, mindfulness, and concentration.

(00:00:00 ) Welcome

(00:00:21 ) What is Dhamma?

(00:03:36 ) What does "Buddha" Mean?

(00:04:37 ) The Function of The Buddha and his Qualities

(00:08:25 ) Siddhartha Gautama

(00:11:57 ) The First Encounter - Old Age

(00:13:25 ) The Second Encounter - Sickness

(00:14:50 ) The Third Encounter - Death

(00:16:39 ) The Fourth Encounter - A Renunciant

(00:22:42 ) Siddhartha Faces his Father, King Suddhodana

(00:27:07 ) Siddhartha Abandons the Palace

(00:27:48 ) Reflection

(00:30:18 ) Rediscovering the Dhamma

(00:33:43 ) The Buddha's Gift to the World - The Four Noble Truths

(00:34:26 ) The First Noble Truth - Suffering

(00:36:40 ) The Second Noble Truth - Craving

(00:38:07 ) The Third Noble Truth - The Cessation of Suffering

(00:39:24 ) The Fourth Noble Truth - The Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering

(00:41:46 ) The Work Ahead for Liberation

(00:51:26 ) Homage to the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha