Buddhism is a religion and philosophy that teaches us a fundamental aspect of life. Buddhism seeks to explore suffering and ways to live a good life regardless. The art of meditation is deeply intertwined and there are various forms involved. There is a long and rich history that brought about
many followers seeking to live a benevolent life.
The founder of Buddhism is known as Siddhartha Guatama. He lived around 500 B.C.E. in Nepal. He dedicated his life to seek the meaning of suffering and ways to alleviate its grasp. By the time he was an adult, he reached a stage of enlightenment. He realized the foundations behind our suffering
and spent the rest of his life teaching this to others.
Suffering is caused by our attachments. We attach ourselves to people, objects, feelings, desires, and life itself. This is explained in The Four Noble Truths. They are as follows:
1. Life, from birth to death, is suffering
2. Suffering is caused by attachment and craving
3. Suffering can be overcome by its cessation
4. The way to overcome suffering is through The Eightfold Path
In order to alleviate our suffering, we must incorporate The Eightfold Path to the best of our ability. This path includes three components: wisdom, ethics, and meditation.
1. Right view: understanding the nature of The Four Noble Truths
2. Right intention: committing to good deeds and giving up our attachment to the world
3. Right speech: speaking in a tone that is not abusive
4. Right action: not engaging in violent acts and immorality
5. Right livelihood: engaging in occupations that cause no harm
6. Right effort: abandoning bad habits and incorporating good ones
7. Right mindfulness: choiceless awareness of what goes on inside and outside of our body
8. Right concentration: meditating in a way that understands the nature of impermanence
Understanding the nature of suffering and the fact that everything is impermanent can help you overcome it. Practicing non-attachment to all things will help you to alleviate suffering. This doesn't mean detachment, where you are not actively engaged in life. But, rather, learning to let go and
be with everything you cherish. Incorporating Buddhism in your life, even just a little, can help you become a better person regardless of your religion.
