Buddhism Research Paper

Buddhism is a stunning religion concerned primarily with wisdom regarding the nature of humans and their suffering and how this knowledge can be used to emulate kindness and awareness. Buddhism started in the 5th century B.C.E. in Nepal with an enlightened man known as Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha or “One who is awake”. With his teachings of the plasticity of life and one’s responsibility over it, he garnered a rich following that remains to this day, these forthright and concrete lesson becoming the tenets of Buddhist life, both then and now. A vital tenet of Buddhism is the Three Jewels. It consists of three entities, these entities being something a Buddhist must accept into their life in order to fully delve themselves into the religion.

This is the basic doctrine of Buddhism which covers what life is, the trials it has and how to reach enlightenment. “These Four Noble Truths, monks, are actual, unerring, not otherwise. Therefore, they are called noble truths.” (Samyutta Nikaya 56.27) The first Noble Truth is Dukkha or Suffering. All life is suffering. It is every form of anguish one experiences, from the minor to the weighty. “Wanting wealth when one is poor, that’s suffering. Desiring youth when one is middle aged, that’s suffering, Feeling pain but wanting to be free of pain, that’s suffering” (Chakraretreat, Tenets of Buddhism) This is seen as the issue of existing, there being a gap from what we desire and what the world allows us to have. The second truth is Samudaya or Causation. This is the craving and wanting of things in order to improve a situation or make it perfect. It is to ignore the things we’ve caused. These human traits are what obscure our view on what reality is and increase our suffering. “Why do what you will regret? Why bring tears upon yourself? Do only what you do not regret, and fill yourself with joy.” (Dhammapada, ch. 5) The third is Nirodha or Cessation. It is knowing that we are what creates the desires within us and we are the ones who can eliminate them. It is known that we cannot control what the world throws at us, but it is very possible to control how one reacts to these obstacles. “The ability to eliminate

The first is Samma ditthi or Right Understanding. This is the understanding of your suffering and why you have it and how you can change it. It is also the understanding of how others create their own suffering and by doing this, ones knowledge develops further. This involves the idea of karma. The questions surrounding your unresolved suffering will come back in your next life. The next is Samma sankappa or Right Thought. It is to know which of your thoughts contain desires and to be able to eliminate them. These alleviations of suffering allow ones thoughts to be filled with harmony and serenity. Even thoughts about trivial things should be replaced with productive thought. “If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise person leave the small pleasure and look to the great.” (Dhammapada 290)The third path is Samma vaca or Right Speech. Talking about desires can solidify them and spread them to other people. Language that is frivolous, hurtful, agitated alongside gossip should be eliminated and be replaced with talk that is necessary to spread learning or the get ones basic needs. The next is Samma kammanta or Right Action. Actions should have a purpose and a meaning. To do something insignificant or harmful is seen as a wasted action. Only actions that help others, teach others or fulfils basic needs are seen as