The word Buddha means The Awakened One,comingfrom the Sanskrit root budh – 'to wake'. He is a man who haswokenfully, as if from a deep sleep, to discover that suffering,like adream, is over. The historical Buddha was however a man likeanyother, but an exceptional one; what he rediscovered was a waythatanyone can walk, providing that they are so inclined.

The historical Buddha Gautama was not the first Buddha. Therehadbeen others who had walked the way before him. He was not agod, aprophet or any kind of supernatural being. He was, as wehave seen,one who was born, lived and died a human being. Aremarkable humanbeing, who discovered a way of achieving truewisdom, compassion andfreedom from suffering. He 'rediscovered anancient way to anancient city' that had been covered up andforgotten. Through hisown efforts he was able to find the way outof suffering toliberation, and those that have followed him havekept that wayopen.

The Buddha did not teach that a God created the Universe.Hepointed to a great Law or Dharma running through everythingthatexists. It is by living in accordance with this Law thattrueWisdom and Compassion and hence freedom from suffering maybeachieved. Suffering may only be overcome, however, bybeingconfronted and lived through. In the Buddha's words:'Suffering Iteach and the way out of suffering.'

This app will teach you the basic teaching of The Buddha.