Why does life suck ?and how to overcome suffering? (According to Buddhism)

[Someone here]

This is an important topic that I feel qualified to talk about as I studied Buddhism and the concept of suffering in Buddhism. 

So, Why Does Life Suck? Have you noticed yet that suffering and misery is inseparable part of life ? And if you haven't ,don't worry, you are for a rude awakening as you grow up and gain experience.  This wisdom goes back 5000 years in the Buddha's teaching "life is suffering "  .

But why ? Why does life suck fundamentally?  According to Buddhism its because of your desires and cravings. 

There are so many more things that make life so hard. It also feels like they come in waves. one bad thing happens, and then they keep coming, like the world wants to kick you when you are down.

So why does life suck sometimes? There are times when it has nothing to do with you, how hard you are trying in life, or how good of a person you are. Life gets hard, bad things happen, and sometimes it just plain sucks.

The fact that life sucks sometimes is never going to stop because life is filled with challenges and difficult moments that we simply can’t avoid. Even if you had unlimited money, fame, or fortune, you wouldn’t be able to avoid the inevitable difficulties.

The Good News:

If life is always going to suck, and adversity is always going to be coming for you, you can’t control that.

So stop trying. You can’t control anything in this world except your reactions. It’s time to stop focusing on the suck and begin focusing on the good in your life. Life is all about perspective, and perhaps right now you are choosing to obsess about the negative, the lack, the suck.

This is addictive because we are biologically programmed to do so, to assess all situations for danger through the negativity bias.

We are biologically programmed to focus on negativity because it keeps us safe and forces us to avoid things that may cause us harm or discomfort. We have evolved since the days of constant physical threats coming from wild animals or ominous sounds, but our survival instincts have remained intact. Because of this, we focus on the negative, and we now have to learn how to fight with the feelings that naturally arise from this.

The First Noble Truth in Buddhism is the idea that everyone suffers and that suffering is part of the world. Buddhists believe in the cycle of samsara, which is the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. This means that people will experience suffering many times over. All of the things a person goes through in life cause suffering and they cannot do anything about it. Instead, they have to accept that it is there. People may use temporary solutions to end suffering, such as doing something they enjoy. However, this does not last forever and the suffering can come back when the enjoyment ends. Buddhists want to work to try to stop suffering. However, the first step is to acknowledge that there is suffering :it happens and it exists.

The Second Noble Truth is the concept that something causes suffering to happen. For example, when a person is ill, they can only end the illness by understanding the cause. To do this, they may go to see a doctor, who may be able to diagnose the problem. This enables them to begin to understand the cause of their suffering.

Similarly, the Buddha taught that people need to understand the cause of suffering in order to move forward and leave it behind. The Buddha believed that most suffering is caused by a tendency to crave or desire things. A person might crave something nice to eat or desire to go on a nice holiday or earn lots of money. Buddhism teaches that through being dissatisfied with their lives and craving things, people suffer.

If a Buddhist wants to end suffering, they should search for ways to avoid ignorance, hatred and cravings. If they can do this then they will become free from samsara and reach enlightenment.

The Third Noble Truth is knowing that suffering can end. Buddhists must recognise that there is a way to stop suffering and move away from it, because by doing this they can get closer to reaching enlightenment. Buddhism teaches that people should not be too focused on wanting many different things as the enjoyment won’t last. Buddhists must try to stop craving as much as they can in order to work to end suffering.

If you have any questions. Feel free to ask ? 

[r0ckyreed]

6 hours ago, Someone here said:

But why ? Why does life suck fundamentally?  According to Buddhism its because of your desires

 

[Breakingthewall]

9 hours ago, Someone here said:

suffering in order to move forward and leave it behind. The Buddha believed that most suffering is caused by a tendency to crave or desire things. A person might crave something nice to eat or desire to go on a nice holiday or earn lots of money. Buddhism teaches that through being dissatisfied with their lives and craving things, people suffer.

If a Buddhist wants to end suffering, they should search for ways to avoid ignorance, hatred and cravings. If they can do this then they will become free from samsara and reach enlightenment.

I would say that there are two types of desire. a desire that comes from your true nature, which makes you seek more life, more love, more beauty, more depth. it is the desire that makes you exist, and it comes from love. And another wish that makes you want to be more. it is the same desire, it comes from the same source, but it is confused, perverted. focuses on the idea of the self, which is a mental creation that appears through social interaction, false by definition, and which is the source of all the problem.

another thing is that the cessation of desire leads you to enlightenment as the Buddhists say, i don't think so. The desire of be more, yes,  but the true desire is the one that makes you go deeper, and the one that allows you to erase everything that is false, purify yourself, and be what you really are. and yet you will always wish for more life, more love, more depth, since this wish is the source of life

Edited June 21, 2022 by Breakingthewall

[The0Self]

To be free from samsara is simply to be free from delusion and attachment to illusion — illusions include: solidity, permanence, controllability, non-spontaneity, inherent existence.

[Someone here]

7 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

I would say that there are two types of desire. a desire that comes from your true nature, which makes you seek more life, more love, more beauty, more depth. it is the desire that makes you exist, and it comes from love. And another wish that makes you want to be more. it is the same desire, it comes from the same source, but it is confused, perverted. focuses on the idea of the self, which is a mental creation that appears through social interaction, false by definition, and which is the source of all the problem.

another thing is that the cessation of desire leads you to enlightenment as the Buddhists say, i don't think so. The desire of be more, yes,  but the true desire is the one that makes you go deeper, and the one that allows you to erase everything that is false, purify yourself, and be what you really are. and yet you will always wish for more life, more love, more depth, since this wish is the source of life

 

 Well..according  to my research The Buddha  identified three types of craving, which in turn are related to what are called the three poisons : ignorance , attachment and aversion  The types of craving are:

Craving for pleasure:  the desire for sense-pleasures, wealth and enjoyment. The basis is ignorance as to the Four Noble Truths and impermanence.

Craving for existence :an ego driven desire for becoming, continued survival, identity, importance, and so on. The basis is attachment.

Craving for non-existence :the desire not to experience unpleasant conditions, situations or people. The basis is aversion.

The path to liberation from Samsara (the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth) and its suffering involves extinguishing deluded craving and the “fires” of attachment and aversion. Cultivating equanimity can pave the way, whereby we accept pleasant and painful experiences equally, and abandon striving to gratify and reaffirm our ego.

[Someone here]

7 hours ago, The0Self said:

To be free from samsara is simply to be free from delusion and attachment to illusion — illusions include: solidity, permanence, controllability, non-spontaneity, inherent existence.

There is no easy way out of samsara, if there were, everyone would do it, but there is a simple way.

To just sit, free of thoughts, bringing the awareness to the heart, and remain there until eventually we will see who we are, beyond the mind and body mechanisms.

To meditate on the heart is to expand the awareness of our beingness, that is the self, the I am of God within.

Everything else is illusory, just a dance of love and light experience.

[Someone here]

So to summarise..

Why so much suffering in the world, so much suffering on your path?

1 self-awareness. Do you think a rock will suffer if you torture it? 

2 survival. The movement of survival and the struggle to keep the body in homeostasis.  Ever renewed needs. Etc. Pain and pleasure are like guiding signals to push you away from what threats your survival and towards what keeps it. 

3 judgment. Attachment. Likes and dislikes.

  See when you were a little kid you were peaceful most of the time. Because you were pure. As you grow up you get attached to all kinds of shit. You form a whole identity out of your attachments. And shit will not always go your way. And when your attachments get threatened you will suffer. 

[RMQualtrough]

Thank you.

For ease:

Desire = Not being entirely content with the moment. It means you want something about it to change.

When you are freed from desire (mind and senses purified), you are entirely content with the moment. There is no discontent anymore.

[Razard86]

On 6/21/2022 at 4:58 AM, Someone here said:

This is an important topic that I feel qualified to talk about as I studied Buddhism and the concept of suffering in Buddhism. 

So, Why Does Life Suck? Have you noticed yet that suffering and misery is inseparable part of life ? And if you haven't ,don't worry, you are for a rude awakening as you grow up and gain experience.  This wisdom goes back 5000 years in the Buddha's teaching "life is suffering "  .

But why ? Why does life suck fundamentally?  According to Buddhism its because of your desires and cravings. 

There are so many more things that make life so hard. It also feels like they come in waves. one bad thing happens, and then they keep coming, like the world wants to kick you when you are down.

So why does life suck sometimes? There are times when it has nothing to do with you, how hard you are trying in life, or how good of a person you are. Life gets hard, bad things happen, and sometimes it just plain sucks.

The fact that life sucks sometimes is never going to stop because life is filled with challenges and difficult moments that we simply can’t avoid. Even if you had unlimited money, fame, or fortune, you wouldn’t be able to avoid the inevitable difficulties.

The Good News:

If life is always going to suck, and adversity is always going to be coming for you, you can’t control that.

So stop trying. You can’t control anything in this world except your reactions. It’s time to stop focusing on the suck and begin focusing on the good in your life. Life is all about perspective, and perhaps right now you are choosing to obsess about the negative, the lack, the suck.

This is addictive because we are biologically programmed to do so, to assess all situations for danger through the negativity bias.

We are biologically programmed to focus on negativity because it keeps us safe and forces us to avoid things that may cause us harm or discomfort. We have evolved since the days of constant physical threats coming from wild animals or ominous sounds, but our survival instincts have remained intact. Because of this, we focus on the negative, and we now have to learn how to fight with the feelings that naturally arise from this.

The First Noble Truth in Buddhism is the idea that everyone suffers and that suffering is part of the world. Buddhists believe in the cycle of samsara, which is the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. This means that people will experience suffering many times over. All of the things a person goes through in life cause suffering and they cannot do anything about it. Instead, they have to accept that it is there. People may use temporary solutions to end suffering, such as doing something they enjoy. However, this does not last forever and the suffering can come back when the enjoyment ends. Buddhists want to work to try to stop suffering. However, the first step is to acknowledge that there is suffering :it happens and it exists.

The Second Noble Truth is the concept that something causes suffering to happen. For example, when a person is ill, they can only end the illness by understanding the cause. To do this, they may go to see a doctor, who may be able to diagnose the problem. This enables them to begin to understand the cause of their suffering.

Similarly, the Buddha taught that people need to understand the cause of suffering in order to move forward and leave it behind. The Buddha believed that most suffering is caused by a tendency to crave or desire things. A person might crave something nice to eat or desire to go on a nice holiday or earn lots of money. Buddhism teaches that through being dissatisfied with their lives and craving things, people suffer.

If a Buddhist wants to end suffering, they should search for ways to avoid ignorance, hatred and cravings. If they can do this then they will become free from samsara and reach enlightenment.

The Third Noble Truth is knowing that suffering can end. Buddhists must recognise that there is a way to stop suffering and move away from it, because by doing this they can get closer to reaching enlightenment. Buddhism teaches that people should not be too focused on wanting many different things as the enjoyment won’t last. Buddhists must try to stop craving as much as they can in order to work to end suffering.

If you have any questions. Feel free to ask ? 

Nice long overview and summary of the Buddhist teaching. But while you explained what the teaching says causes suffering, you never described steps for one to stop suffering. You merely said "Buddhists must try to stop craving as much as they can in order to work to end suffering."

That tells someone absolutely nothing. The most important component when discussing an issue is steps to alleviate or solve the issue. The missed the most important point. 

Also I personally believe suffering is a choice. I believe suffering is a perspective. Now for me pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice. I will go further than suffering just being a desire for cravings and such. I believe suffering is the focused attention on what is missing. I can have a desire and shift my focus on the present moment and my being (existence itself) and in that moment all suffering ceases. 

If I were to master meditation even if I was in constant pain I could shift my focus on my being and again I would cease to suffer. Suffering is just the focus on what you lack. For example being in pain and focusing on you lacking no pain. You desire to not have pain. 

All suffering is, is just resistance to what is. Anytime I catch me suffering I can always choose to accept the present moment and focus on my being. Its that simple. The answer to the greatest riddle is how to stop suffering? Focus on your being. That's it. The greater you can get at that, the more at peace you will be.

[Someone here]

1 hour ago, RMQualtrough said:

Thank you.

For ease:

Desire = Not being entirely content with the moment. It means you want something about it to change.

When you are freed from desire (mind and senses purified), you are entirely content with the moment. There is no discontent anymore.

Yeah pretty much that sums it up.

It's basically being unable to be satisfied with the current moment, regardless of what you're doing . Its this habit of projecting yourself into the future in hopes that a different moment in time will provide you more than what the current moment has to offer... and it never stops.

It occurred to me this weekend while enjoying the National Park (one of my absolute passions) that i was still not pleased or at peace while doing something i have come to thoroughly enjoy... Even on the side of the park I  was projecting myself someplace else because i felt "this wasn't good enough"...

These emotions cause me to carry out an array of random acts in hopes of satisfying my craving for a new form of stimulation... anything from checking my phone every 5 minutes for social media updates, to engaging in smoking cigarettes , channel surfing for hours without deciding on a program. My brain always finds away to become distracted from the current moment and seek a way out of it.

The fact that im aware of this behavior does motivate me to continue to open this new level of consciousness

 

[Someone here]

1 hour ago, Razard86 said:

Nice long overview and summary of the Buddhist teaching. But while you explained what the teaching says causes suffering, you never described steps for one to stop suffering. You merely said "Buddhists must try to stop craving as much as they can in order to work to end suffering."

That tells someone absolutely nothing. The most important component when discussing an issue is steps to alleviate or solve the issue. The missed the most important point. 

Also I personally believe suffering is a choice. I believe suffering is a perspective. Now for me pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice. I will go further than suffering just being a desire for cravings and such. I believe suffering is the focused attention on what is missing. I can have a desire and shift my focus on the present moment and my being (existence itself) and in that moment all suffering ceases. 

If I were to master meditation even if I was in constant pain I could shift my focus on my being and again I would cease to suffer. Suffering is just the focus on what you lack. For example being in pain and focusing on you lacking no pain. You desire to not have pain. 

All suffering is, is just resistance to what is. Anytime I catch me suffering I can always choose to accept the present moment and focus on my being. Its that simple. The answer to the greatest riddle is how to stop suffering? Focus on your being. That's it. The greater you can get at that, the more at peace you will be.

The understanding of the cause of suffering will automatically allow you to overcome it . If you understand that desire and longing to change your present condition constantly is what sits at the root of your misery and dissatisfaction in life ..then you automatically work on bringing the mind to rest and abandon desires as much as possible. 

Suffering comes from craving things and also from events in a person's life, such as birth, old age and death. People go through various types of suffering. For example:

People go through emotional pain (eg someone says something that upsets someone else) and physical pain (eg when a person has an injury.)

In life things don’t stay the same and are always changing, which can cause suffering. For example, some people enjoy it when the sun is shining. If they are outside enjoying the sunshine and the weather changes, this may make them sad.

People are attached to many different things, including people and material possessions. When they lose these things, they suffer. Buddhists try to realise that people cannot hold on to everything in life as this will bring about suffering.

[Razard86]

7 hours ago, Someone here said:

The understanding of the cause of suffering will automatically allow you to overcome it . If you understand that desire and longing to change your present condition constantly is what sits at the root of your misery and dissatisfaction in life ..then you automatically work on bringing the mind to rest and abandon desires as much as possible. 

Suffering comes from craving things and also from events in a person's life, such as birth, old age and death. People go through various types of suffering. For example:

People go through emotional pain (eg someone says something that upsets someone else) and physical pain (eg when a person has an injury.)

In life things don’t stay the same and are always changing, which can cause suffering. For example, some people enjoy it when the sun is shining. If they are outside enjoying the sunshine and the weather changes, this may make them sad.

People are attached to many different things, including people and material possessions. When they lose these things, they suffer. Buddhists try to realise that people cannot hold on to everything in life as this will bring about suffering.

Did you read what I wrote? Your response is not compatible...

[Someone here]

5 hours ago, Razard86 said:

Did you read what I wrote? Your response is not compatible...

I addressed your two points.  Your first point about me not giving a solution to the problem of suffering. To that i replied that by understanding the root of suffering (which is desire ) you can automatically bring suffering to an end by dropping desire and getting absorbed in meditation( no mind). when you understand the disease fully you automatically know the medication.  So if it's a stomach ache you need to take stomach ache pills and so on ...

And to your next point about suffering not depending much on desire but rather "focusing on what's missing ". Yeah that's the same thing as craving.  You crave something because you feel that something is missing and you want to fill the gaps in your life with all kinds of material possessions. But it always falls short .

The Buddha said, “All I teach is suffering and the end of suffering.” Suffering in his teaching does not necessarily mean grave physical pain, but rather the mental suffering we undergo when our tendency to hold onto pleasure encounters the fleeting nature of life, and our experiences become unsatisfying and ungovernable.

The  simple teaching of the first noble truth,ls the truth of suffering, may be the most difficult to understand and accept. But it's enough into itself to put an end to suffering.

We keep thinking that if we just fix this or fix that, tweak here or there, we can avoid it. We think that if we were smarter, prettier, wealthier, more powerful, living somewhere else, younger, older, male, female, with different parents....you name it...that things would be different. But things are not different.they are as bad as they seem. Since it is unrealistic to hope for a stress-free life, and that would not be all that good in any case, it makes more sense to learn how to deal with the stresses that inevitably arise.

Edited June 23, 2022 by Someone here

[Razard86]

1 hour ago, Someone here said:

I addressed your two points.  Your first point about me not giving a solution to the problem of suffering. To that i replied that by understanding the root of suffering (which is desire ) you can automatically bring suffering to an end by dropping desire and getting absorbed in meditation( no mind). when you understand the disease fully you automatically know the medication.  So if it's a stomach ache you need to take stomach ache pills and so on ...

And to your next point about suffering not depending much on desire but rather "focusing on what's missing ". Yeah that's the same thing as craving.  You crave something because you feel that something is missing and you want to fill the gaps in your life with all kinds of material possessions. But it always falls short .

The Buddha said, “All I teach is suffering and the end of suffering.” Suffering in his teaching does not necessarily mean grave physical pain, but rather the mental suffering we undergo when our tendency to hold onto pleasure encounters the fleeting nature of life, and our experiences become unsatisfying and ungovernable.

The  simple teaching of the first noble truth,ls the truth of suffering, may be the most difficult to understand and accept. But it's enough into itself to put an end to suffering.

We keep thinking that if we just fix this or fix that, tweak here or there, we can avoid it. We think that if we were smarter, prettier, wealthier, more powerful, living somewhere else, younger, older, male, female, with different parents....you name it...that things would be different. But things are not different.they are as bad as they seem. Since it is unrealistic to hope for a stress-free life, and that would not be all that good in any case, it makes more sense to learn how to deal with the stresses that inevitably arise.

Exactly....you didn't read what I wrote, you skimmed and attempted to teach me and basically reiterated what I already stated. Notice this....

[Someone here]

17 hours ago, Razard86 said:

But while you explained what the teaching says causes suffering, you never described steps for one to stop suffering. You merely said "Buddhists must try to stop craving as much as they can in order to work to end suffering."

That tells someone absolutely nothing. The most important component when discussing an issue is steps to alleviate or solve the issue. The missed the most important point. 

I did give a solution.  You suffer because you desire endlessly. The solution then is to drop desire and to accept reality unconditionally. It doesn't get any simpler and clearer than this .

The idea of acceptance as an antidote to suffering may seem counterintuitive and difficult to grasp. However, take a second to think about it. When you suffer, like when having your heart broken or experiencing grief, more pain arises from resisting or denying that you feel bad in the first place. Suppressing those strong emotions can only make things worse and even cause us to act out in unhealthy, destructive ways.

17 hours ago, Razard86 said:

Also I personally believe suffering is a choice. I believe suffering is a perspective. Now for me pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice. I will go further than suffering just being a desire for cravings and such. I believe suffering is the focused attention on what is missing. I can have a desire and shift my focus on the present moment and my being (existence itself) and in that moment all suffering ceases. 

I basically agree partially. Focusing on what's missing is the second side of desire coin. 

 Buddhist psychology makes a clear distinction between pain and suffering. Pain is an unavoidable aspect of the natural world. It is physical, biological, and social, woven into our existence as night is with day, as inevitable as hard and soft, as hot and cold. In this human incarnation we experience a continuous ebb and flow of pleasure and pain, gain and loss. Inhabiting our human society is the same: we encounter praise and blame, fame and disrepute, success and failure, arising and passing constantly. 

 this thread is titled "according to Buddhism ". so I'm specifically highlighting the Buddha's perspective on what causes suffering.  The Buddha attributes all forms of suffering, whether physical pain or an emotional struggle, to two factor: impermanence. And desire .

I talked about desire enough. Now let's However talk about impermanence 

 people feel better when having a sense of predictability. This makes them deny the simple truth that nothing stays the same. Rather than surrender to change, people fight against it. We try to keep things the same; our job, our partners, our friends, our homes, our communities. Then, when the world around us changes, as it will eventually, this causes anger, sadness, and frustration.

And yet, change is inevitable. Rather than constantly clinging to the past, or grasping for something better, the Buddha recommends accepting things as they are, at this very moment, by living fully in the present.  

That means letting go of the past so we can fully appreciate all that exists right now. In this way, we live in harmony with nature, always changing. We open ourselves to all that the present moment has to offer and do not struggle against the current of impermanence.

17 hours ago, Razard86 said:

If I were to master meditation even if I was in constant pain I could shift my focus on my being and again I would cease to suffer. Suffering is just the focus on what you lack. For example being in pain and focusing on you lacking no pain. You desire to not have pain. 

All suffering is, is just resistance to what is. Anytime I catch me suffering I can always choose to accept the present moment and focus on my being. Its that simple. The answer to the greatest riddle is how to stop suffering? Focus on your being. That's it. The greater you can get at that, the more at peace you will be.

I basically agree and that's also what the Buddha teaches. 

@Razard86  

Edited June 23, 2022 by Someone here

[Razard86]

8 hours ago, Someone here said:

I did give a solution.  You suffer because you desire endlessly. The solution then is to drop desire and to accept reality unconditionally. It doesn't get any simpler and clearer than this .

The idea of acceptance as an antidote to suffering may seem counterintuitive and difficult to grasp. However, take a second to think about it. When you suffer, like when having your heart broken or experiencing grief, more pain arises from resisting or denying that you feel bad in the first place. Suppressing those strong emotions can only make things worse and even cause us to act out in unhealthy, destructive ways.

I basically agree partially. Focusing on what's missing is the second side of desire coin. 

 Buddhist psychology makes a clear distinction between pain and suffering. Pain is an unavoidable aspect of the natural world. It is physical, biological, and social, woven into our existence as night is with day, as inevitable as hard and soft, as hot and cold. In this human incarnation we experience a continuous ebb and flow of pleasure and pain, gain and loss. Inhabiting our human society is the same: we encounter praise and blame, fame and disrepute, success and failure, arising and passing constantly. 

 this thread is titled "according to Buddhism ". so I'm specifically highlighting the Buddha's perspective on what causes suffering.  The Buddha attributes all forms of suffering, whether physical pain or an emotional struggle, to two factor: impermanence. And desire .

I talked about desire enough. Now let's However talk about impermanence 

 people feel better when having a sense of predictability. This makes them deny the simple truth that nothing stays the same. Rather than surrender to change, people fight against it. We try to keep things the same; our job, our partners, our friends, our homes, our communities. Then, when the world around us changes, as it will eventually, this causes anger, sadness, and frustration.

And yet, change is inevitable. Rather than constantly clinging to the past, or grasping for something better, the Buddha recommends accepting things as they are, at this very moment, by living fully in the present.  

That means letting go of the past so we can fully appreciate all that exists right now. In this way, we live in harmony with nature, always changing. We open ourselves to all that the present moment has to offer and do not struggle against the current of impermanence.

I basically agree and that's also what the Buddha teaches. 

@Razard86  

Ok....that's a lot to read. I didn't mean to put your fingers to work with so much text. I apologize if I came off critical. 

Also...just a suggestion....who cares what Buddhism says... what do YOU say. I care about YOUR perspective, Buddha is Buddha

and you are YOU. lol. 

[Breakingthewall]

9 hours ago, Someone here said:

I did give a solution.  You suffer because you desire endlessly. The solution then is to drop desire and to accept reality unconditionally. It doesn't get any simpler and clearer than this .

On 22/6/2022 at 3:43 PM, Someone here said:

 

Yes, We think this is obvious, but we are continually wishing things were different. having the constant intention to accept reality and melt into it makes a big difference

[hyruga]

 

3. The Truth of Extinction - The Cause of Pain and Anxiety Caused by Extinction

The Truth of Extinction tells people that they must learn, perceive, and practice right view, pursue the truth, transcend vulgar pursuits, eliminate vulgar passions, pursue uprightness and lightness, and be transcendental, so that they can get rid of suffering and obtain spiritual liberation and reach the state of nirvana.

4. The truth of the Tao - correctly control the boat of life, get out of the sea of misery, and reach the other side of happiness

Knowing that life is suffering, knowing the cause of suffering, and having set the mind to end suffering, how do you end suffering?

Dao Di answered, "Dao" has two meanings: method and approach, which are specifically divided into the Noble Eightfold Path.

**

This is a direct translation from Chinese to English. Yes indeed when Buddhism mention desires, they are referring to the lower forms of desires like lust and greed. 

However, it is fine to seek knowledge and to seek the truth.

[Someone here]

13 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

Yes, We think this is obvious, but we are continually wishing things were different. having the constant intention to accept reality and melt into it makes a big difference

I often say that life is like a play and this play revolves around one theme : want and desire. Our desires are like a bottomless pit. We’re always seeking, never satisfied. This plays out in all aspects of our life. When eating, we don’t just eat to sustain our bodies and appease hunger; we crave good-tasting food. For our home, it isn’t enough to have a modest place that shelters us from the elements; we desire comfortable surroundings, the bigger and more luxurious the better.

All our life, we work hard to fulfill our desires. One dream fulfilled spawns another. We seek happiness, but for most of us, we think happiness comes with having more.  Instead of being content with an ordinary, simple life, our vanity causes us to want more wealth, success, glory, power, and so on. Our ambitions are endless. But the truth is, more isn’t necessarily better and it can have adverse effects. In our endless pursuit of our desires, we actually create much suffering for ourselves.

The Buddhist sutras tell us that people with many desires suffer greatly because they’re constantly seeking self-benefit and gain. When we give rise to desire, we act in order to seek things. When we can’t get what we want, afflictions arise and we suffer. We might get into arguments with people over what we want. We might tire ourselves out scheming to get what we want. Our efforts to fulfill our desires bring us much affliction. Those with few desires don’t suffer like this.

If we want to get rid of our afflictions, we have to know their source : our desires. We can then get rid of them by being content. Contentment leads to spiritual riches and a sense of satisfaction and happiness with what we already have. With fewer desires, we can sleep soundly at night without worries. Our heart can be at peace.  After all, what do we really come into the world for? What is life really about? Only by turning toward the Dharma can we begin to understand life’s true value and purpose.

[Someone here]

12 hours ago, hyruga said:

 

3. The Truth of Extinction - The Cause of Pain and Anxiety Caused by Extinction

The Truth of Extinction tells people that they must learn, perceive, and practice right view, pursue the truth, transcend vulgar pursuits, eliminate vulgar passions, pursue uprightness and lightness, and be transcendental, so that they can get rid of suffering and obtain spiritual liberation and reach the state of nirvana.

4. The truth of the Tao - correctly control the boat of life, get out of the sea of misery, and reach the other side of happiness

Knowing that life is suffering, knowing the cause of suffering, and having set the mind to end suffering, how do you end suffering?

Dao Di answered, "Dao" has two meanings: method and approach, which are specifically divided into the Noble Eightfold Path.

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This is a direct translation from Chinese to English. Yes indeed when Buddhism mention desires, they are referring to the lower forms of desires like lust and greed. 

However, it is fine to seek knowledge and to seek the truth.

Taoists sought happiness or supreme good by severing themselves completely free from worldly interests and passionate desires until release from all activity was attained (wu wei ).so its simmiar to Buddhism in this regard .