[Extracts from Bhagavan Baba's Discourses]

Siddhartha was the founder of Buddhism. His family name was Gauthama, He was a prince, son of King Suddhodhana and Queen Maya. He became Buddha or the enlightened one, later in his life and formed the religion of Buddhism. He taught the gospel of four truths: 1) Life is full of suffering. 2) It is desire that is the origin of suffering. 3) It is possible to achieve the suppression of suffering and 4) The way to end suffering is to follow the noble eight fold path. He also said that by torture of the body, Nirvana or salvation cannot be attained. He taught non-attachment and said that a wise man, who is a 'Sama Darshi' who looks upon everything in an objective unattached manner is a real 'Bodhi' or enlightened person.

Buddhists declare, "I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Sangha. I take refuge in Dharma." The first is the involvement with the reality of one's own individual self. The second stage is refuge in Sangha. Just as one yearns for and work towards securing property, welfare and happiness for oneself, one must also yearn for and work towards securing these very things for the sangha (society) to which one belongs. The third stage is refuge in Dharma. Dharma means the vesture of the cosmos, that which is its very nature, namely Prema or Divine Love. When one seeks refuge in Love that sustains and promotes progress, the individual, the society and the world become a sublime Trinity. The wheel is a symbol of this Dharma.