The Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path of Buddhism: Discover the Essence of Buddhism and the Path to Nibbana

by Briggs Cardenas

Buddhism is an agnostic religion. It neither acknowledges the existence of a god nor denies it. It simply teaches that we must live by a moral code because it is our nature to do so, regardless of whether a god exists or not. To choose good in the hopes of reward, while avoiding evil out of fear of punishment, is not true goodness. It is sheer hypocrisy — a selfish desire to do something in return for our own benefit.

Unless we investigate ourselves, we cannot even begin to break out of our own self-destructive cycle.

The Buddha taught that we are all inherently powerful and that our success or failure rests on ourselves, alone:

Life is to be understood as an arena, and if one is to go out there and win, one has to first develop the right mental conditions to become a winner.