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Buddhism—, Siddhārtha Gautama himself be-
    came the Buddha (the “Enlightened One”). He also enjoys other ti-
    tles, such as, Shākyamuni (“Sage of the Shākya tribe”), Shūnyamūrti
    (“Manifestation of the Void” or “Exteriorization of the Inward”), and
    Tathāgata (the “Thus-Gone” or the “Ful y-Arrived”, i.e., the one who
    has himself accomplished, and now “incarnates” both the path and
    the Goal). The Buddha is also identified with Mahākarunā ,the “Great
    Compassion”.
    The Buddha’s life story, as outlined in the preceding pages, provides
    the framework for the central doctrine of the Buddhist religion, which
    the Buddha himself expressed in the following words: “I teach two
    things only, O disciples, suffering and release from suffering.” His life
    story likewise provides the background for his doctrine of the “Middle
    Way” (Sanskrit: madhyamā-pratipad /Pali: maj hima-pātipadā ),that is
    to say, the golden mean between asceticism and self-indulgence.
    All the Buddha’s essential teachings were given in his famous First
    Sermon, “the First Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Law” ( Dhar-
    machakra Pravatana ),and are enshrined in what are known as “The
    Four Noble Truths” and “The Eightfold Path”.

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    Stone Wheel of the Law ( Dharmachakra ), Thailand, 7th-8th century

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    The Four Noble Truths
    (1) Suffering is universal.
    (2) The cause of suffering is craving or selfish desire ( trishnā ).
    (3) The cure for suffering is the elimination of craving.
    (4) The way to achieve the elimination of craving is to follow
    the Middle Way, the technique of which is described in the
    Eightfold Path.
    The Eightfold Path
    (1) Right views
    (Right understanding)
    wisdom ( prajñā ) section
    (2) Right intention
    (3) Right speech
    (4) Right conduct

    morality ( shīla ) section
    (5) Right livelihood
    (6) Right effort
    (7) Right mindfulness
    realization ( samādhi ) section
    (8) Right concentration
    The Eightfold Path, with its three sections—“wisdom”, “realiza-
    tion”, and “morality”—thus exemplifies the three elements that are
    necessarily present in all religions: truth, spiritual way, and virtue.
    Opposite page : T’hanka of Amogasiddhi Buddha, Central Tibet, c. 1200-1250

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    An Illustrated Outline of Buddhism
    The element “conduct” in the morality section is made explicit in
    the practical code known as “The Five Precepts”.
    The Five Precepts

    (1) To abstain from the taking of life.

    (2) To abstain from the taking of what is not given.
    (3) To abstain from all illicit sexual activity.
    (4) To abstain from lying.
    (5) To abstain from intoxicants.
    The doctrine of karma (“as a man sows, so shall he reap”), which is
    integral to Hinduism, is also present in Buddhism. For further discus-
    sion of karma ,“karmic continuity”, and the related doctrine of “rein-
    carnation”, see pp. 123-125.
    *
    * *
    Like virtual y every other religion, Buddhism sees mankind’s history as
    a gradual, but accelerating, decline and envisages a forthcoming “end
    of the world”, at which time the Buddhawill return as Maitreya Bud-
    dha. Asimilar apocalyptic expectation exists in Hinduism in the form
    of the Kalki-Avatāra , and in Christianity and Islam in the form of the
    second coming of Christ.
    *
    * *
    The Supreme Buddha ( Ādi-Buddha )is said to have manifested Him-
    self many times for the salvation of men. The Buddhavamsa (part of
    the Khuddaka Nikāya )lists ten manifestations of the Ādi-Buddha who
    “turned the Wheel of the Law in a deer sanctuary”, eight of them pre-
    ceding, and the tenth one (Maitreya)following, Gautama.

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    Standing Maitreya Buddha, Mongolia, early 18th century

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    These ten Buddhas are as follows (names in Pali, with Sanskrit