The historical Buddha Shakyamuni gave 84,000 teachings for people to reach enlightenment. His methods include meditation, the study of philosophy, psychology, skilful debate, and above all, the cultivation of a pure view in all situations. All Buddhist methods develop mind’s inherent richness and clarity, enabling people of varying interests and abilities to avoid suffering and find lasting happiness.

In Buddhism, one distinguishes between three main ‘vehicles.’ They are Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.

Hinayana (or The Small Vehicle) places great importance on calming and focusing the mind. The goal is liberation from the suffering of conditioned existence or samsara. This occurs through realising that the ‘self’ has no lasting nature. Without this understanding, liberation cannot be reached. This form of Buddhism emphasises the avoidance of all harmful actions.

Mahayana (or The Great Vehicle) is especially useful for people living full lives in society. It holds vast teachings on Buddhist philosophy and psychology, and aims for full enlightenment through the development of compassion and wisdom. The teachings explain that situations, thoughts and feelings change all the time, and thus, are ultimately empty of any lasting reality.

Zen Buddhism is related to the Great Vehicle. In the practice of Zen, one simplifies one’s life, sits for long periods of time in a non-distracted state, and ponders paradoxical questions known as koans. These methods help to free mind from habitual intellectual tendencies and allow spontaneous insights to arise.

Vajrayana is Buddha’s ultimate teaching. By using methods with and without form, he initiated his students into the experience of their inherent Buddha nature. In the Diamond Way, the teacher is the direct link to enlightenment, and is considered as important as the Buddha himself. The view is that all phenomena are inherently pure, and that enlightenment is our natural state. What makes Diamond Way unique is the variety of methods to attain full enlightenment.

Throughout history, Buddhism has influenced and become part of many different cultures. It is currently developing and making its mark in the West, proving its timeless relevance. The late Bhutanese meditation master, Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche said, “In each culture, the teachings of the Buddha find the form that best suits them. You can compare it to a raw diamond: on red cloth it shines red, on a blue cloth it looks blue. Regardless, the diamond stays the same.”