When we say "Buddha" it is often not clear who or what we are talking about.

This can be especially confusing to those new to Buddhism. From a Mahayana perspective, "Buddha" can refer to truly awakened individuals, the teachings manifesting form all around us or ultimate, formless reality. We can also say that this is how we encounter the teachings, the Dharma, within our lives: through teachers, through form (sight and sound) or through direct experience of formless reality (silence and intuition). All three represent the activity of awakening. This highlights an India belief, that ultimate reality is constantly striving to make itself known to living beings. This course discusses making contact with this activity in our everyday lives.