What did the Buddha Teach?

What did the Buddha Teach?
Eighty years before the commencement of the Buddhist Era, a great man was born in to the world. He was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Siri Maha Maya of Kapilavastu of the Sakka country which is now within the boundaries of Nepal. His name was "Siddhattha" Thirty-five years later, Prince Siddhattha attained Supreme Enlightenment and thereafter became known as the "Enlightened One" or the "Lord Buddha" as he is called in Thai. He proclaimed his "Dhamma" or Universal Truth to the people; and, thereafter, the Buddhist religion (the Teachings of the Buddha) and the Buddhist community of disciples came into existence. The community was composed of Bhikkhus or monks (including samaneras of male novices), Bhikkhunis or nuns (including samaneris of female novices), Upasakas or male lay followers Upasikas or female lay followers. A present, in Thailand, we have only monks and novices, Upasakas or Buddhist layman and Upasika or Buddhist laywomen. A monk is a man who has been ordained and conducts himself in accordance with the precepts laid down for a monk. A novice is a person under or over 20 years of age who has been ordained and conduct himself in accordance with the precepts laid down for a novice. A Buddhist layman or laywoman is one who has taken refuge in the Triple Gem, i.e. the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, and observes the precepts applicable to laymen and laywomen. At present we call laymen and laywomen, whether of age or under age, "Buddha-mamaka" and "Buddhamamika" respectively, mean "he or she who believes in the Buddha". Buddhism has spread from its place of birth into the various countries of the world.
The focal point of worship in Buddhism is the ti-ratana (the Triple Gem) namely the Buddha who by himself discovered, realized and proclaimed the Dhamma (Universal Truth) discovered, realized and proclaimed by the Buddha are the sangha or community of those who hear, follow and realize the Buddha's Teachings. Some members of sangha become monks and help in the dissemination of Buddhism and the perpetuation of monkhood up to the present time.