The Four Noble Truths Of Buddhism

Buddhism is a nontheistic religion that was founded in India by a man named Siddhartha Gautama. From all of his teachings, Siddhartha Gautama adopted the name Buddha, which means the “enlightened one.” Gautama, or the Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent between 566 B.C.E. and 480 B.C.E. Since then Buddhism has expanded to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia in the form of Theravada and to East Asia in the form of Mahayana. Today, both these forms are found throughout the world. Buddhism is comprised of a range of traditions, practices and dogmas. Buddhism consists of several main ideals. First, there is the idea of the Four Noble Truths. Karma is another aspect of Buddhism. The last ideal is the cycle of rebirth.

The Four Noble Truths are comprised of the central teachings of Buddhism. They provide the structure for Buddhist philosophy. The Four Noble Truths explain the causes of dukkha and how one can overcome it. Dukkha is suffering, anxiety and discontentment. The Four Noble Truths are as followed: the truth of dukkha, the truth of the origin of dukkha, the truth of the ending of dukkha, and finally, the truth of the path leading to the ending of dukkha. More simply put, the Four Noble Truths are a contingency plan for dealing with the suffering humankind undergoes.

The Buddha realized there was suffering but did not find the answer to suffering until he deprived himself of worldly possessions and meditated. The first truth recognizes the existence of suffering. The second looks to find the cause of suffering. It has been said that suffering occurs through desire and ignorance. Mankind tends to desire what it can’t have. We ignorantly believe that the world is something that it is not. The third...

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...all based on an ethical system as seen in the main ideals I discussed above. Buddhism does not challenge the beliefs of cultural and national restrictions. It also pertains to a variety of diverse cultural conditions. Buddhism teaches how to reach peak satisfaction. It can be applied individually to benefit ones own religious development and emotional security. Therefore, the main ideal of Buddhism in the contemporary world is the notion that regardless of political and social environment, one is capable of finding happiness. Buddhism is valued in the world today because it does not focus on social and political endeavors. Instead it involves one reaching a state of happiness. The ideals mentioned above can be easily incorporated into all societies. That is why Buddhism in the modern world is so strong. It has easily adapted to fit what the modern world has become.