Regardless of your beliefs when it comes to Buddhist teachings and philosophies there is a lot we can all learn. Because Buddhism is grounded in making our own lives better and being kind to others it can be applied to the lives of just about everyone.

The word Buddha itself means ‘The Awakened One‘ and comes from the Sanskrit word budh which for those who want to know means ‘to wake.’ The Buddha is someone that many can relate to as he was not a dog or a prophet. He was simply a man who realized that the way we lived was not the way we had to live and that through making a real effort we can find freedom from things like suffering within reason.

Below you will find a list of Buddhist teachings that I believe everyone should know about and have a good understanding of. These things are quite interesting and useful for just about everyone. While they may be simple, they are quite profound and I felt, well worth sharing.

7 Buddhist Teachings That Will Change Your Life:

1. Everything changes and we cannot do anything about that.

Change is inevitable; you cannot avoid change and you cannot stop it. This is something we all need to understand and come to terms with.

2. Ignorance and greed cause suffering.

While suffering is not something we can completely avoid it is something we can work through and reduce drastically. If we stop being ignorant and greedy completely we won’t be suffering. If we are greedy and ignorant we will always be obsessing over things we do not have and be angry about things others have.

3. The things we do affect the things that happen to us.

Everything we do in this world causes a reaction. If you want good things to happen to you then you need to do good things yourself. While this might be a bit frustrating it is a concept we all need to get behind.

4. Nothing is lost in the universe.

Matter turns into energy and energy turns into matter. We are in a cycle that goes on many many times over. Nothing in the universe is ever truly gone or lost in the ways most might think it is.

5. We should be aware of our thoughts, actions, and words.

We should always be aware of the things we do and the things we say. Your thoughts and words matter and if you want good things to happen you need to make them happen through your actions. Cultivating positivity is a much better idea than wallowing in the negative side of things.

6. If we change ourselves we can change the world.

If we change ourselves in positive ways we can make a difference in this world. Everything we do matters and we can decide to be the change we want to see if we believe in ourselves.

How many of these do you already live by? I for one think living by them all is a wonderful way to move forward. If you haven’t already looked into Buddhism you should give it a chance, even just pulling through some of the ideas can benefit you on your journey in this life.