What is the essence of Buddhism?
The Buddha answered this question with a powerful simile. He said that just as from whatever sea, whatever ocean, one were to take a sample of water, it would always have the same salty taste, so every one of the Buddha’s teachings reveals the single taste of liberation. Liberation, freedom from dukkha and its causes, is the essence of Buddhism.
What is the ultimate goal of Dhamma practice?
The results of Dhamma practice can be expressed both in the negative and the positive sense. In the negative sense, the result is freedom from suffering and from all the causes of suffering, namely the toxic mental states rooted in greed, hatred and delusion. In the positive sense, it is the perfection of wisdom, compassion and inner freedom.
More questions and answers HERE
Source:
- Without and Within – Ajahn Jayasaro
Ryokan Says
“Liberation, freedom from dukkha and its causes, is the essence of Buddhism”, usually we relate the essence of Buddhism with the Four Noble Truth, the first sermon of the Buddha and an elemental premise to Buddhism.
Because of that maybe you will be interested in the following subjects: The Four Noble Truth and the Eightfold Path. The Buddhist Enlightenment
About the second question, we put both together because the ultimate goal conforms with the essence of Buddhism, in part that’s why the Buddha simile. One of the characteristics of Buddha’s teachings is that they adapt to the needs of the people he teaches, as humans beings we are full of particularities and in that same way the many teachings of the Buddha can affect us differently, in direct dependence with our development and level of understanding that we have, and yet, the ultimate goal is always the same, liberation of dukkha.
