The 4 Noble Truths

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!