What are the core beliefs of Buddhism for beginners?

Buddhism centers on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha. The foundation rests on the Four Noble Truths: life involves suffering or dissatisfaction, suffering arises from craving and attachment, suffering can end, and there is a path to end it. That path is the Eightfold Path, which guides followers toward right understanding, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Buddhism also emphasizes impermanence, the idea that nothing lasts forever, and the concept that there is no fixed, permanent self. Karma, the law of cause and effect, teaches that actions have consequences. The ultimate goal is nirvana, a state of liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth. Compassion and mindfulness are central practices in daily life.