Life is Suffering

             Buddha felt that life is suffering. He put an emphasis on achieving nirvana through recognizing the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path. He believed that by following the Eightfold Path a person could put an end to suffering or Dukkha. I will review what he thought was the cause of suffering and his soultion for it.
             The Four Noble Truths were discovered by Buddha, and are the foundation of Buddhism. They are; 1) Dukkha exists, 2) Dukkha arises from attachment, 3) Dukkha ceases when attachments are severed, and 4) freedom from Dukkha is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path also comes from Buddha. It teaches to practice moderation. It is the sensible side of Buddhism. If followed, a person may find true enlightenment or nirvana. Nirvana is the complete cessation of craving. To complete the Eightfold Path, a person must follow the main parts: right views, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation. It is a Buddhist belief, that if a person breaks one part of the Eightfold Path, he or she cannot achieve nirvana.
             The first of the Four Noble Truths, seems to be an understanding that all things in life last for a limited time only. This limited time causes, us to feel frustrated when we can't hold onto to people or things we think we need. Our needs are what cause us to feel wanted or important. Dukkha can be described as the suffering we experience and see in our lives. Unpleasant conditions such as being sick, seeing our loved ones grow old or get sick, losing a job, etc. causes us to experience Dukkha. Buddha felt that this suffering was brought on by our attachment to people and things. He felt that only by detachment and selfless acts can we become free from the unpleasantness of Dukkha.
             I have mixed feelings on the concept of Dukkha. I do not agree with Buddha on
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Life is Suffering. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 05:55, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/9107.html