Some people have asked us about buddhism.. so, what is the fundamental teaching of the buddha?

Often my main teacher, Jamyang Khyentse, (pictured above) will say that the essence of the views of buddhism are the four seals.

“The four fundamental views of Buddhism, called the Four Seals of the Dharma, will never change.

1. Fashion will change, trend will change, feeling will change, but never one day will there be an occasion when someone will find one or two compounded phenomena that are actually permanent. That will never happen. All compounded phenomena are always going to be, have always been and will always be impermanent. That will not change and that is one of the fundamental teachings of the Buddha.

2. All emotion that stems from the ego is always going to lead you to pain. Never will someone one day find emotion coming from ego that actually gives you lasting bliss forever. That will never happen.

3. Never will someone find one or two phenomena actually, truly existing, which Buddha missed. That will never happen.

4. Also, no one will find that nirvana does have some truly existing attribute. Nirvana is beyond extremes.”

(Extremes here are: is [something or nothing or neither or both], is not, both is and is not, neither is or is not)