In Buddhism there is a beginning point known as the 4 noble truths. No matter your religion, morals, ethics, or thought patterns there is truth in the idea that we cause our own suffering.
The
4 Noble Truths
1.
Life means suffering.
Struggling
is part of Everyone's life.
To live means to
suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the
world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure
physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old
age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological
suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and
depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and
there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the
opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in
its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is
subject to impermanence. we are never able to keep permanently what
we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and
our loved ones will pass away one day, too.
2.
The origin of suffering is attachment.
The
cause of our Suffering is our own greedy mind that constantly wants
“more” and “better.”
The origin of
suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance That
they are impermanent. Not only Material things, but also Ideas., and
-in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. The reasons for
suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and
prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving
and clinging.
Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self"
which is a delusion, What we call "self" is just an
imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the universe.
3.
The cessation of suffering is attainable.
Suffering
can be overcome.
This means that
suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing
the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a
process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of
Nirvana.
Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes,
fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who
have not attained it.
4.
The path to the cessation of suffering.
There is a path to the
end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, This is the
Eightfold
Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive
self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification
(asceticism); it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. because
these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering
can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual
rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance,
delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is
made on the path. The Buddha taught that through diligent practice,
we can put an end to craving.
Ill write more on the eightfold path in a later entry!
