Buddhism teaches "that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth". Thus this already answers the question let me elaborate a little more about this fascinating religion (or just a philosophical way of life). Buddha was Siddhartha Gautama (Nepal, aprox. between 556 and 486 AC), is also knowm as the "Enlightened", the "Awaken One" and "Who that shows the way". Follow Buddhism is simple and straight-forward, you only need to: -Know the "Four Noble Truths". -Based on them, follow the "Eight-fold path". -Respect the "Five basic precepts". The Four Noble Truths are: -Life is suffering (Duhkha) -Suffering is due to attachment (Trishna) -Attachment can be avoided (Nirvana) -There is a way to accomplish Nirvana. The Eight-fold Path: PRAJNA (or Wisdom) -Correct Vision (Know the 4 noble truths) -Right Aspiration (Want to avoid attachment) SHILA (or Morality) -Right Speaking (no lies, no gossip, no word-hurting) -Good Conduct (no hurting, no killing, no stealing) -Correct Living (be honest) SAMADHI (or Meditation) -Right Effort (abbandon defects, keep virtues) -Right Mind (take care of your body, feelings and thoughs) -Richt Focus (understand imperfection and non-permanence) The Five Basic Precepts (kind of commandments): -Do not kill man or beast -Do not steal -Do not lie -Do not cheat on your spouse -Do not do drugs (including alcohol and bad habits) Happiness for Buddhism means "enlightment" or reaching Nirvana, meaning living without suffering cause you have learn how to avoid it. They use meditation and relaxation as a way of learning and live in harmony with their environment.

A very brief answer: That every [human] being has the capacity to experience enlightenment and be liberated from the cycle of clinging and suffering. Buddha means "the one who has awakened."

'Suffering, caused by attachment, can cease by following the middle way.' Many in the west have great difficulty in understanding buddhism because it is fundamentally different from most other religions. Other religions are full of answers, Buddhism is a religion of questions. Other religions claim to be an end, Buddhism is a path (yana means vessel) The way of buddhism (best achieved with a teacher) is to realize that all things in this world are evanescent and all the things we think are all-important are really illusionary. Indra's net is the buddhist conception of reality. Imagine a spider's web in the early hours of the morning with dew drops on every cross of it. Each drop reflects the image of every other dew drop on the web and every reflection reflects the other reflections and so on ad infinitum. There are innumerable different points of view in this world not only in the vast number of religions in the world but also each person sees reality differently and each one of us clings desperately on to our part of the net afraid that they will fall if they let go. It is your mind that creates this world. --The Buddha Through meditation, whether in the western or eastern sense of the word, one realizes that there is no where to fall to. SO LET GO! Breathe out and your breath will come back to you, breathe out and it comes back... Everything Flows Impermanent are all created things; Strive on with awareness --- The Buddha

Shunyata: Reality is "empty" of independently existing "things". Dependent Origination: The apparently separate "things" in existance, are inextricably intertwined. Impermanence: The things we think are solid and real are constantly in flux, coming into existance and going out of existance. Karma: What happens to one, happens to all. What goes around, comes around. As ye sow, so shall ye reap. The love you take, is equal to the love you make. Samsara: Living in a state of denial of the above. Dukka: Living in Samsara results in great suffering. Tanha: Craving imaginary things (rejecting Shunyata), and is the cause of Dukka. Nirvana: A way of being that is free of craving and suffering. Eightfold Path: To attain Nirvana, eight areas of our lives must be addressed: Understanding, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, and Concentration.

Buddhism isn't about believing anything, it's about learning to SEE reality clearly -- and to do that, you have to change your relationship with beliefs. Normally beliefs act like a filter: sort of like wearing colored glasses... the mind distorts its perceptions in order to ensure that the beliefs are reinforced and not challenged. Buddhism is very much about undoing that kind of distortion, and so it would be inappropriate for Buddhism to advocate a closely-held set of beliefs. Buddhism is about *practicing* so that one can "wake up" from this kind of sleepwalking. There are two main forms of sleepwalking: beliefs and conditioning. Beliefs are ideas one is holding on to, conditioning is automated behavior and thought patterns which numb and dull the mind, which prevent us from engaging each moment newly and authentically. So Buddhism is something to DO not something to BELIEVE.

This is strictly from memory, but... Buddhism is following the teachings of Buddha. The basic core of Buddhism is that attachments to this world cause suffering, so in order to attain enlightenment, one should let go of all attachments.

Buddhism as based on the meditations of Siddhārtha Gautama (the Buddha) is more of a philosophy than a religion. Siddhārtha was born circum 560 BC, son of a Shakya tribal chief on the borders of Nepal. Dissatisfied with the aristocratic life, he left home (at about age 29) and joined a band of ascetics seeking a solution to the suffering they observed around them - especially the miserable life of poor peasant cultivators in the lowest ranks of the Hindu caste system. After several years, Buddha decided that asceticism was not the way, and turned instead to meditation. It is said that in Deer Park at Sarnath, Buddha gave his sermon, the “Turning of the Wheel of the Law” in which he spoke of the Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Buddha’s eight principles of behaviour included the practice of the right belief, right thought, right speech, and right action. The Buddhist code was upon moral conduct without discrimination by caste, class, occupation or wealth. Buddha’s teachings led to a real humanitarian revolution with the arrival of Chandragupta Maurya, who founded the Mauryan Empire in 322 BC, following the retreat from India of Alexander the Great. Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism was open to all without discrimination. Buddha made no claim to be a god, and was represented in temples by symbols, such as footprints, the Wheel of the Law, an empty throne, or the tree under which he received enlightenment. The first sculpture of the smiling Buddha with the closed eyes was probably made circum AD 100. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha

Buddhism isn't a belief system. It does not have beliefs. What it does have are ways to wake up to reality.