563 BC. At 29, he realised that wealth and luxury did not guarantee happiness, so he explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of the day, to find the key to human happiness. After six years of study and meditation he finally found 'the middle path' and was enlightened. After enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism called the
the Noble 8-fold Path is being moral (through what we say, do
and our livelihood), focussing the mind on being fully aware of our thoughts and actions, and developing wisdom by understanding the Four Noble Truths and by developing compassion for others.
The mandala represents an imaginary
palace that is contemplated during meditation. Each object in the palace has significance, representing an aspect of wisdom or reminding the meditator of a guiding principle. The mandala's purpose is to help transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones and to assist with healing.
The Four Noble Truths contain the essence
of the Buddha's teachings. It was these four principles that the Buddha came to understand during his meditation under the bodhi tree. The Four Noble Truths; state; that life brings suffering, that suffering is part of living, that suffering can be ended and that there is a path that leads to the end of suffering.