Nietzsche´s Life and Survival: Buddha´s Meaning of Suffering

Introduction

“To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” Friedrich Nietzsche’s articulate definition of life and survival serves in tandem to Buddha’s teachings of suffering, the meaning of suffering, and it’s applicability to real life. In essence, one must commit to realizing suffering, the causes of suffering, and finally, the means of escaping it. Suffering can be physical or psychological, yet it must yield the same end of stifled human experience. The cause of suffering can be many, but must stem from the subsections of: Craving to Be, Craving Not to Be, and Sensual Experience . The focus of analysis will be on the aforementioned three. What are the specifics of these three experiences, their applications to experiential encounters, and how one escapes this seemingly inescapable cycle.

Siddhartha’s Introduction to Suffering

“…suffering is something that transcends the present and permeates the past and future of one’s existence. Suffering can become an inescapable aspect of one’s life if one does not take tangible steps to remove it as an albatross on the mind, body and spirit...” The Buddha strove to educate believers and non-believers alike on the all-to-real effects of suffering on the human experience. Yet, the Buddha knew only a comfortable life before he became “the Buddha.” In his previous life, the Buddha was known to his fellow Nepalese royals as Siddhartha Gautama . Traditionally, Siddhartha was raised in an environment of destined glory, riches and endless pleasures. Specifically, Siddhartha expected to live out his days as a prince, coupled with three palaces, each one for meant for transitions in seasons. Yet, his father, King Suddhodana, wished for his son to live a life shiel...

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