
Whispers of awakening
In our fast-paced modern world, the Buddha's teachings serve as a timeless compass, guiding seekers toward inner peace and awakening. At the heart of his wisdom lie the Four Noble Truths , a profound yet practical framework for understanding suffering and liberation. The first truth acknowledges the universal presence of suffering, not just physical pain but the subtle discontent that lingers even in joy. The second truth reveals craving as the root cause; our endless desires and attachments that chain us to dissatisfaction. Yet, the Buddha offers hope: the third truth declares that liberation is possible when craving ceases, leading to profound peace. The fourth truth presents the Eightfold Path , a transformative way of living through right understanding, ethical conduct and mindful awareness.Buddha emphasised direct experience over blind faith, urging followers to test his teachings through practice. His insights into karm remind us that we shape our destiny through choices.Today, as the world grapples with distraction and division, the Buddha's message of mindfulness, compassion and wisdom remains profoundly relevant. His teachings invite us on a journey of self-discovery, leading not to escape from life but to a richer, more awakened way of being. The Dalai Lama 's life exemplifies this path, proving that these ancient truths still hold power to transform hearts and minds in our modern age.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Deccan Herald
11 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Disfigured Buddha statue fished out from Kadri temple pond in Mangaluru
The seated Buddha idol, dating back to about 4th-6th century AD is about 68 cm in height and 48 cm in width including the prop of the image, is in a meditative posture, and is highly corroded.

New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Free speech and criticism in the age of hurting sentiments
How can one predict what will hurt the sentiments of someone or another? Anyone can claim that his or her sentiment is hurt because of some statement or act of another person. Is there a sentiment meter that has been developed to measure how much sentiment is hurt over some social media post or a remark in an interview by random individuals? Is your religion, language, and culture of many thousands of years so fragile that you feel so insecure, weepy and murderous about a remark by a stranger? I wonder how Adi Shankaracharya would have fared in modern-day India if he continued to criticise, debate, and win arguments like he did against various philosophies and religions of his time. Would a Prince Sidhhartha, who criticised the Vedas, ever become Buddha or rot in jail without bail, had he been a citizen of the secular, democratic, socialist republic of India instead of living 2,600 years ago? In a civilised society, if sentiment is hurt, one would ignore such comments or criticise back. In theocratic autocracies, blasphemy is punishable by death. We are marching there from the light of Buddha, Gandhi, Shankara and countless other great souls. Indian culture was based on free speech and debates. The freedom to criticise, debate, discuss and even mock or deny is what made the Indian religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism unique. Had I been born 200 years ago and lived under the King of Cochin or the East India Company, I would have said we are far removed from that classical society and are so near to the witch hunts of medieval Europe or those of Islamic theocracies like Afghanistan. However, since that statement might hurt someone somewhere in these times, and I am scared, I am apologising profusely and sincerely in advance. Everything is perfect, and we are living in golden times.


Hans India
4 days ago
- Hans India
Dalai Lama urges peaceful dialogue with China
Dharamshala The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) reported that His Holiness the Dalai Lama's message for the convention was delivered in Tokyo by Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang of the 17th Tibetan Parliament in Exile during the opening session of the ongoing 9th World Parliamentarians' Convention on Tibet. According to the CTA report, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in his message, 'The support of people's representatives is something that I particularly value and is of enormous significance to us Tibetans,' while extending greetings to all the attending parliament members from many nations. 'Today, the world is going through very challenging times. Sadly, there seems to be no end in sight to the use of violence in settling problems and disputes between nations and even between opposing groups within individual countries. History shows that violence only breeds more violence. We must therefore make concerted efforts to resolve problems and disputes through dialogue in a spirit of reconciliation and understanding. We Tibetans are committed to seeking a mutually acceptable solution with a peaceful, non-violent path to achieve freedom and dignity for the Tibetan people,' stated CTA report. The message continued, 'The spirit of Tibetans in Tibet remains firm like a mountain. Their dedication to our cause is strong, unwavering, and determined as it is based on truth and justice. I am hopeful that the Chinese people will recognise this. Ours is the peaceful struggle of a people with their language, profound philosophy, and rich culture. Tibetan Buddhism is a complete form of Buddhism based on reasoning and logic. It is a tradition that preserves and develops the pure teaching derived from the historic Indian University of Nalanda. Central to this is the cultivation of compassion and concern for the welfare of all being,' as quoted by the CTA report. The message also emphasises how Buddhism is becoming more and more popular among Chinese people, who acknowledge it as an essential component of their spiritual history. His Holiness has also acknowledged the importance of Buddhist philosophy and psychology in modern research and the increasing interest of scientists in these fields. The message emphasised the value of education that fosters both intellectual and emotional growth and recognised His Holiness' genuine support of programs like social and emotional learning instruction in schools. In the pursuit of a better future, His Holiness stated, 'I hope that over time, we will be able to incorporate such human values as kindness and integrity into mainstream education curricula,' according to the CTA report. His Holiness concluded by expressing gratitude to everyone for their unwavering support of the Tibetan people's noble struggle. 'I think the truth will win out in the end,' the CTA report emphasised.