Gautama Buddha was born sometime around the sixth century B.C., in India. Buddha Shakyamuni is also known as Gautama Buddha, and he is considered by many to be one of the greatest Buddhist philosophers in the history of the world. Buddhism is often called a religion, and many different philosophies are based on its teachings. It is also commonly known as the teachings of Lord Krishna, or Lord Dhritarajah.
Buddhism uses meditation to realize the truth of life. Its primary texts include the Heart sutra, Lotus sutras, and the fascicle of the Jewel Mirror wisdom. The teachings can be divided into three main categories: yoga, jnana, and sutras. All three refer to the same path, but there are significant differences between them.
The term “yoga” means “the way”. The word “yoga” first appears in the Sanskrit language. It is usually translated as “the way to the Subconscious” or “the path of nibbana”. The most common form of yoga in the West is Hatha yoga. It is usually practiced as a form of physical exercises, using mainly asanas (postures).
The word “Sudan” comes from a combination of two Sanskrit words: “sa”, meaning “action” and “nu”, meaning “people”. The idea is that through yoga, we can achieve self-actualization. The word Sudan also applies to the Indian discipline of painting. The word itself means “that which transforms”. The art in which we see the transformed forms comes from tantra yoga.
Gautama Buddha realized that all conditioned realities are actually part of the Truth. He then said that by tapping the source of conditioned thought (cetas) he could realize the unchanging nature of the True Mind. Gautama Buddha didn’t just “teach” the meditation techniques – he shared the insight that all conditioned thoughts are part of the truth. So really, it’s not so much what you do, but that you already are doing it. The key here is to understand this.
Everything you think, say, or do has an effect on others. It is therefore inescapable that our thoughts and actions will have an effect on other minds and their corresponding actions. It is inevitable that we will meet with resistance, rejection, failure, and opposition. The mind is dynamic, always changing, and the only static reality it can realign itself to is the empty feeling of sameness.
The “way” to liberation is the nondual practice of all said Yoga postures, in the absence of any object of desire. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you get it right or not, as long as you do it at all. And when you do it with complete sincerity, dedication, and seriousness, then you are already liberated from the cycle of birth and rebirth. The meaning of this is that all conditioned conditions are already freed.
The path to Nirvana is the path not taken, not the destination. It’s a series of footsteps that need to be walked. The most important point is to learn how to let go of the entire attachment for material possessions. This can only happen when you start living in sync with nature. You have to let go of the need to have things, whether they are pleasing to you or not. Only when you give everything a meaning in opposition to its true value, will you gain freedom.
In the sutras, Buddha teaches about the four noble truths: “karma,” “truth,” “paramitas,” and “practical wisdom.” In practical yoga, these terms mean “wisdom,” “duty,” and “duty-based thinking.” The first two, truth and wisdom, are always given priority over the other two. Practical wisdom, which Buddha teaches, is basically knowledge of reality. The goal of yoga is to achieve a state of supreme awareness – niyamas – which is nothing other than the knowledge of truth.
The primary aim of yoga, in the perspective of both Buddha and the Yogis, is to merge the human being completely with the cosmic energy of Oneness. The ultimate liberation from the grasp of egoism, or self-interest, is achieved when all conditioned reflexes are eliminated. This is what the Yogis refer to as “Karma Yoga.”
It is true that the Gautama Buddha knew all this ages ago. However, his words live on in the hearts and minds of people around the world today. The Gautama Buddha’s legacy lives on in the teachings of millions of Yoga students all over the world.