The Buddha’s main teachings were on nonviolence, love, and compassion, and on how to bring out the good qualities within ourselves and others by exploring our nature and the nature of our environment. He taught about how to live in harmony and peace. In order to do this, one simple teaching is to have a good heart, which is also known as bodhichitta. Bodhichitta is love, kindness, compassion, and wisdom. These qualities are the basic nature of every living being. Practicing bodhichitta begins with having a good intention, the positive aspiration to help all beings. Looking at it this way, all teachings are really about having positive intentions and aspirations that start in the heart and the mind. When we have this foundation, all activities of body, speech and mind become healthy and serene. This is the way we should live and what we should share with others.

Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings range from the foundation instructions of Basic Buddhism to the advanced teachings on compassion of the Sutra Mahayana, and then to the esoteric and secret Vajrayana teachings, which are short, direct, and powerful ways to bring out full realization of one’s goodness qualities.