The historical Buddha was born about 2570 years ago in Northern India. At the age of thirty five, after six years of deep meditation, he realized the true nature of mind - thus becoming Buddha, the "awakened one". As enlightenment dissolved the last veils that covered his mind, the perceived separation between space and energy in and around him disappeared, and he became timeless, all-knowing awareness. Through every atom of his body he knew everything and was all.

During the forty five years following his enlightenment, Buddha taught different methods for realizing the nature of mind - the origin of all phenomena. These methods, which make beings fearless, joyful and kind, aim at the full development and freedom of body, speech and mind, while Buddha is seen as a timeless mirror of mind's inherent potential.

It is unique that Buddha relies on the maturity of his students and that he sees no need to control them with punishing and judging gods. On the contrary, he wishes them happiness, he wants beings to develop, work with their minds and ultimately become Buddhas themselves.

"The Buddha enjoyed unique circumstances for passing on his teachings. Born into a highly developed culture, he was surrounded by exceedingly gifted people. After reaching enlightenment, he shared his methods for discovering the mind for a full forty-five years. It is for this reason that his teachings, called the Dharma, are so vast.

The Kanjur, Buddha's own words, consists of 108 volumes containing 84,000 helpful teachings. Later commentaries on these, the Tenjur, amount to another 254 equally thick books. This makes Buddha's final evaluation of his life understandable: "I can die happily. I did not hold one single teaching in a closed hand. Everything that may benefit you I have already given." His very last statement sets Buddhism apart from what is otherwise called religion: "Now, don't believe my words because a Buddha told you, but examine them well. Be a light onto yourselves."

Such statements show the practical approach of Buddhism which is meant for real life. When people asked Buddha why and what he taught, he replied: "I teach because you and all beings seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. I teach "the way things are."

So, what is Buddhism? Buddha used the best description himself. During the 1,500 years the teachings existed in India, they were called Dharma, and for the last 1,000 years in Tibet, the name was Cho. Both mean "the way things are".   Understanding "the way things are" is the key to every happiness. Buddha himself is both teacher, example, protector and friend. His help allows beings to avoid suffering and to enter a state of increasing bliss while also liberating and enlightening others."

The Buddha gave methods by which full enlightenment may be attained. In a way that makes Buddhism directly relevant to our lives, he explained what exists ultimately and what is conditioned. The Buddha showed his students how to use all experiences in life as steps towards enlightenment, giving teachings which lead to deep and lasting happiness. He encouraged his students to be sceptical, inviting them to thoroughly check for themselves whether his teachings were dogmatic or truly liberating.

Buddhist meditation methods can generate powerful inner change enabling experiences to be integrated directly towards enriching our lives. These skillful methods allow the levels of consciousness already reached through meditation to become anchored in a way that they are never again lost.

Buddha's highest teaching - Vajrayana - involves the deep transformation of body, speech and mind. It moves on from the level of concepts and ideas to complete identification with enlightenment and spontaneous activity. Vajrayana allows us to open to the experience of total non-separation between subject, object and action. Acting from this level one does whatever brings growth, meaning and joy.

Since the early seventies, Buddhist profound view and vast number of methods have inspired and fascinated a growing number of people in Western cultures.

Karma is the universal law of cause and effect, meaning, that what we experience now is a result of our previous actions of body, speech and mind; and what we will experience in the future is determined by our current actions. This knowledge naturally encourages us to act in a meaningful way and to help others as much as we can.

Karma is not a fate. The understanding that each of us is responsible for our own lives, makes it possible to consciously generate positive impressions, which brings happiness and helps us to avoid the causes of future suffering. Positive states of mind may be strengthened effectively through the methods of the Vajrayana, while negative impressions waiting to mature, can be transformed into wisdom.

It is important to remember that accumulation of positive karma is instrumental in the beneficial circumstances for the future practice to arise. In the similar way the purification of negative karma eliminates obstacles to Dharma practice.

In Buddhism, meditation means "effortlessly remaining in what is". This state may be brought about by calming and holding the mind, when compassion and wisdom are realized, or by working with our bodies' energy channels and meditating on light forms of Buddhas.

However the most direct way to recognize the true nature of one's mind is the Guru Yoga meditation, as practiced in the Karma Kagyu centers around the world. Also called "the way of identification" - this is the essence of the Kagyu transmission where students realize their full potential in the stream of their teacher's blessing.

Since a total identification on the level of perfection presses countless "enlightenment buttons" in one's subconscious, it is a very fast way to realize one's original awareness. Here, the mutually conditioned, dependently originating nature of things is clearly recognized - a precondition to the ultimate insight that seer, seeing and object seen are inseparable parts of the same totality.

Being able to maintain this view during and between the times of meditation brings about the goal of Vajrayana - realization of the Mahamudra. All concepts fade when it is imparted, and the self-liberation of all dualistic processes becomes completely natural. Translating as "The Great Seal" the Mahamudra authenticates the mind's space, clarity and limitlessness to be the only reality.

In the process of becoming liberated, one first discovers that body, thoughts and feelings are in a constant state of change and flux. There is therefore no basis for a real existing ego or "self". One stops feeling like a target, taking one's suffering personally. When one thinks "there is suffering" instead of "I suffer", one becomes invulnerable and free.

Enlightenment is the second and ultimate step. On these highest levels of realization one stops to separate things according to one's likes and dislikes. One's projections, attachment and ill will disappear and for the first time things are seen the way they really are.

Here, the clear light of mind radiates through every experience. Past, present and future, "here" or "there", - all are expressions of mind's timeless richness. In enlightenment, mind naturally manifests fearlessness, joy and active compassion while remaining effortless and spontaneous in whatever happens.

Buddha gave instructions for three different types of people. Those who wanted to avoid suffering received the outer teachings about cause and effect called Hinayana or the "Small Way". Those who wanted to do more for others were given the Mahayana or the "Great Way", the inner teachings on wisdom and compassion.

For people with strong confidence in their own and others' Buddha nature, Buddha taught the Vajrayana or the Diamond Way. Here, he manifested as forms of energy and light or directly transmitted his enlightened view as a flow of awareness. On this highest level the aim is the complete development of mind, the spontaneous effortlessness of the Great Seal - Mahamudra. The basis, way and goal of this highest view are transmitted under varying names by Tibet's three old Buddhist transmissions, the Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu schools.

Among many Buddhist centers of various lineages active in the West, there are more than five hundred lay Diamond Way Buddhist centers of the Karma Kagyu Lineage which have been started by Lama Ole Nydahl. They are under the spiritual guidance of H.H. the 17th Karmapa, Thaye Dorje, who now resides in Kalimpong, India.

These groups have a democratic structure and function through unpaid, voluntary work on the basis of idealism and friendship. The members share the responsibility for guiding meditations, answering questions and giving teachings. Lama Ole has so far trained about 50 students who are now traveling and teaching in many countries.

The Diamond Way opens the most skillful methods of the Buddha to the modern world. Using them one learns to experience the world from a rich and self-liberating viewpoint. Its meditations develop a deep inner richness and lead to non-fabrication and an unwavering mind. They help us to discover and finally unfold all our enlightened qualities for the benefit of all beings as well as ourselves.