The Basic Tenets Central to all Buddhist sects are the principles laid out by Siddhartha Gautama after achieving enlightenment. One must be aware of and understand the four noble truths. Fourth, one must follow the eight-fold path to attain nirvana. The eight-fold path begins with wisdom. To attain wisdom, one must have right understanding and right intention or thought.
Moral conduct is addressed through right action, right speech and right livelihood.
Meditation is completed by right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. The crux of Buddhism lies in meditation. The practitioner learns to look within to become fully attentive and fully present in the moment. An ethic of compassion and elimination of suffering are important as well, Wessinger said. Unlike Catholicism, Buddhism is not a religion based on complex rules and doctrines.