“Buddha” means “one who is awake.” The Buddha who lived 2,600 years ago was not a god. He was an ordinary person, named Siddhartha Gautama.
The Four Noble Truths
Buddhist teacher and scholar Jan Willis on the Buddha’s central teaching — his diagnosis and cure for suffering.
Everything Is Enlightenment
Enlightenment is everywhere we look, says Joan Sutherland — we can choose to notice it, but at the same time, we can also trust that it will find us, wherever we are.
Lots of Buddhas
Professor Donald Lopez on how the understanding of buddhahood evolved and expanded in the centuries following the death of the historical Buddha. In Sanskrit, the word buddha can mean “awakened,” “expanded,” and “understood.” It was the title bestowed on an itinerant teacher about whom little is known, apart from the teachings that have been attributed […]
The Buddha’s Journey
Scholar Andrew Olendzki on how the Buddha discovered a path to liberation that we can take too.
What Is Suffering?
Nine teachers explain what suffering is, how we feel it, and why it isn’t a condemnation — it’s a joyous opportunity.
Women in Buddhism: Profiles, Conversations, and Teachings
For International Women’s Day, here’s a collection of our best teachings from, profiles on, and conversations with women in Buddhism.
Buddhist Glossary
Definitions of key Buddhist terms, from Abhidharma to Zen.
Buddhism by the Numbers
Buddhism is full of lists and numbers. Find explanations of some of the most important of these, how they connect, and why they’re important.
What Are the Four Brahmaviharas?
The brahmaviharas are four prized emotions or mindstates that give us a framework to cultivate positive behaviors and minimize harmful ones.