Turning the wheel of Dharma

It took Buddha a whole lifetime to discover and refine the secrets to enlightenment, but a meager forty-nine days after reaching enlightenment he was asked to teach all he had learned. Buddha rose without question from his deep meditation to help the monks in there quest for knowledge. The lesson Buddha taught when he rose from meditation was first the wheel of Dharma.

Among these teachings of the first wheel of Dharma is the sutra of the four noble truths... 1. This is suffering, 2. The causes of suffering, 3. Suffering can end, nirvana is peace, 4. The true path or eight-fold noble path. These truths must be realized and accepted in order to move on to the next stage. This is also the source of the Hinayana known as the lesser vehicle of Buddhism.

The second wheel of Dharma teaches us the perfection of wisdom sutra, which is a profound saying paying homage to the holy Perfection of Wisdom! The third sutra or wheel of Dharma is about discriminating the intention, it is a long conversation about abandoning our self-cherishing personalities and cherishing only others we can begin to experience true peace and happiness.. These two wheels of Dharma make up the Mahayana, or the great vehicle of Buddhism.

The Hinayana teaches us how we can attain liberation from suffering for ourselves, no one can do it for you and it is not for you to force anyone else to follow Buddha's teachings. Wisdom is the end to suffering. In Buddhism wisdom can refer to conventional and ultimate wisdom, these cannot be forced on anyone who does not accept it into their hearts. The Mahayana teaching explains the way to reach full enlightenment or Buddhahood as it is sometimes called for the sake of others.

In Asia, where the Buddha grew and learned both the Hinayana and Mahayana traditions flourished. It started in India and then over time spread in to other surrounding countries like Tibet. Gradually these teachings are spreading in to the west.