Buddhism encompasses a number of unique qualities that are highly practical and directly relevant to daily living. Without question, the understanding and practice of these noble qualities can bring one immediate benefits, irrespective of one’s ethnic, cultural, or social background, gender, or religious beliefs.
The Dhammapada (The Path of the Truth) which is an anthology of the Sayings of the Buddha, regarding living a virtuous, successful, and meaningful happy life, contains some of the most insightful excerpts of His Noble Teachings. It clearly underpins the uniqueness of Buddhism as a practical and highly applicable world religion.
Buddhism is the only world religion that places the utmost emphasis on the cultivation of one’s mind as the key to human development, success, well-being, and happiness. Indeed, the very first two verses in the Dhammapada stresses the cultivation of one’s mind. Whether we believe it or not; every human being is made up of a mind and body that are inter-dependent and inter-twined. That is to say that a healthy body needs a healthy mind. Likewise, a healthy mind requires a healthy body. This is the reality of the human condition and that of human nature that the Buddha underlined and repeatedly reminded us to take heed for our well-being and happiness.