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Despite being immanent within us from birth, suffering is perpetuated in our minds

through the pursuance of pleasure and comfort. This is the sublime truth of suffering right

now. Pain is a component of all life processes, including conception, degradation, disease, and

death. Both union with the disagreeable and detachment from the pleasurable are painful.

Unfulfilled cravings are painful as well. The five elements that emerge from attachment are

painful, to put it briefly. For example, the pain that I experience from a dislocated shoulder is the

result of my arm being yanked out of its normal position. The first truth is that life is suffering

(John D).The Pali term for suffering can also mean stress or annoyance. All pain stems from

some twisting or distorting of our genuine essence.

The process of giving birth is a powerful example of misery. We are surrounded by

sorrow from the minute we are born. While worried friends and family members watch

helplessly, the mother is overcome by what may be the worst physical pain she will ever feel

with each contraction. The newborn, physically twisted as it emerges, is made to sob in order to

start breathing. The mother experiences prolonged postoperative discomfort and the fragile infant

needs constant care at the danger of dying. We are surrounded by sorrow from the minute we are

born. Buddhist teachings present a never-ending list of the sufferings we endure throughout our

lives, such as that brought on by illness, old age, fear of death, unfulfilled desires, being apart

from loved ones, and being around people we don't like. Our lives are still dominated by

proactively averting misery, even on our best days when we are able to avoid a genuine human

tragedy. We try to stick to an exercise schedule, watch what we eat, drive carefully, lock our

doors, and avoid confrontation with obnoxious people.

Desire is the source of all unhappiness, which is the second noble truth. This is the noble

truth regarding the current source of sorrow. Along with sensory pleasure and the search of
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satisfaction here before elsewhere, this want or craving encourages the renewal of life. In other

words, it is the want to state one's desires, the desire for a better life in the future, or the drive for

success in the present(William). Thus, the magnificent truth regarding the root of misery is as

follows. This noble truth's main message is that every kind of pain we go through has some

erroneous longing at its root. My anguish grows in proportion to how many things I want and

hold to. Why do we feel the need to cling so tenaciously to so many things? Buddhism offers a

solution. Five different aspects of human nature interact to cause desire. They include matter,

sensation, perception, disposition, and consciousness. In order to put an end to suffering, we

must extinguish our desire, (Paramabandhu). This is the condition of nirvana, which is a phrase

that literally means, "to extinguish." My aim should be to destroy these, as the Buddha says, out

of the seemingly endless number of cravings that arise from my five components.

According to Buddha, nirvana is a condition in which "no passion remains." We all

recognize the value of letting go of at least certain cravings, like the urge for unhealthy meals.

However, the underlying premise is that in order to achieve enlightenment, we should put an end

to all wants. The eightfold path, also known as the eighth noble truth, is a group of ethical

beliefs, actions, and attitudes that Buddha refers to collectively as the ways in which we can put

a stop to our desires. This is the noble truth regarding the path that leads to the sensation of

suffering. It follows the ethical eightfold principle. We should adopt accurate views that are

unclouded by superstition, have correct goals that are lofty and worthy of an intelligent and

sincere person, and behave appropriately. Use proper language that is respectful, truthful, and

transparent. We must conduct ourselves in a way that is morally righteous, tranquil, and pure.

We ought to adopt a lifestyle that respects and does not hurt living things.
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The right degree of self-control and self-improvement work should be put out. We should

also practice correct concentration, which is appropriate meditation that leads to the nirvana

experience. Right concentration requires complete present-matter awareness and the absence of

hopes or worries as sources of distraction.

Speculative questions that are difficult to prove receive a lot of attention from

philosophers and theologians all over the world (Bronson). What is the nature of God? How did

the universe form? Is there an afterlife? What sort of existence can I anticipate having after I die?

In fact, a lot of religions believe that their major purpose is to provide clear solutions to these

issues and disseminate those solutions to as many people as possible. We are aware that some

theological theories, such as those about the number of angels that can dance on the top of a pin,

are extraneous to religion's primary goal. Nevertheless, where do we draw the line between what

is unnecessary and what is necessary? The first step is to identify the actual primary objective of

religion. Buddha's one and only criticism of the formal religion of his time was that its rituals

and speculations distracted people from the real purpose of religion, which is to achieve

enlightenment.

Buddha offers an analogy to express his opposition to the ideas of an eternal world and

life after death. He claims that such theories do not address the fundamental issue of the human

predicament. We are in a state of seemingly endless suffering, and the only way to overcome this

is to extinguish our desires (Bronson). Ultimately, these are the truths that matter. Buddha

therefore distinguishes between essential and non-essential religious theories based on whether

they result in the cessation of suffering through nirvana. How the Buddha responds to inquiries

about personal identification, such as "Do I exist?" and "What does myself consist of?"
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demonstrates his opposition to unimportant speculations. My normal understanding of my

conscious self is that it is a set and constant aspect of my identity.

According to him, our typical concept of the self is made up of five parts or aggregates,

including substance, sensation, perception, predisposition, and consciousness. If we look at each

of these separately, we can see that none of them can serve as the basis for a lasting self. For

instance, feelings are considerably too transient to be permanent because they occur quickly one

after the other. I experience pleasurable sensations at one instant and unpleasant ones at the next.

The other four parts of the self are also transient and mutable. The self ultimately lacks any

permanence, and these five elements will only result in pain for us. We liberate ourselves from

connected pain by rejecting this prevalent conception of the self and its five constituents. Thus,

accepting the no-self theory is crucial to the very act of nirvana, which requires us to burn our

identities and sets us free from pain.

Conclusion

Like any therapist, Buddha's goal was to recognize, comprehend, and eradicate human

suffering, earning him the moniker "the great physician." Most therapists do have the same

objectives. The first Noble Truth defines the sickness, the second Noble Truth offers an etiology,

the third Noble Truth offers a prognosis, and the fourth Noble Truth recommends a solution. The

Four Noble Truths are a diagnostic framework for explaining suffering and its cure (William).

Returning to your life, your very own small life, with a "fresh attitude" is what Buddhism

is actually all about. This existence can be made at least tolerable by becoming more at peace

with oneself, more self-aware, morally upright, and having given up greed, enmity, and other
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such vices. It can also be made bearable by realizing that nothing lasts forever and that sadness is

the price we gladly pay for love. We cease torturing ourselves and permit ourselves to savor the

good life. Buddha is thought to aid individuals in developing their wisdom and aid in the

promotion of their progress while removing distressing and uncomfortable feelings. His

treatment approaches are unique and effective at any moment.

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Works Cited

Bronson, Eric. ENCHANTED WISDOM : Enduring Ideas of World Religions. S.L., Rock’s

Mills Press, 2021.

Groves, Paramabandhu, and Roger Farmer. “Buddhism and Addictions.” Addiction Research,

vol. 2, no. 2, Jan. 1994, pp. 183–194, 10.3109/16066359409109142. Accessed 13 Mar.

2020.

Mikulas, William L. “Four Noble Truths of Buddhism Related to Behavior Therapy.” The

Psychological Record, vol. 28, no. 1, Jan. 1978, pp. 59–67, 10.1007/bf03394510.

Accessed 6 Apr. 2019.

Teasdale, John D., and Michael Chaskalson (Kulananda). How Does Mindfulness Transform

Suffering? I: The Nature and Origins of Dukkha. 2013. 2013.