At their core, the Buddha's teachings are a prescription for ethical conduct in the world. By cultivating wisdom you minimize harm to yourself and the people and planet around you. By embracing meditation, you find a path to find peace in the midst of everyday chaos and a world riddled with uncertainty. Ethical conduct is a foundation for meditation and wisdom, but this is not morality for the sake of morality or social control. You act in the ways described in this chapter because you know that it leads to greater happiness.