Comparing Buddha, Zhuangzi, And Abraham Maslow

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Philosophers have been intrigued by the natural phenomenon of happiness since the beginning of recorded time. Buddha, Socrates, Zhuangzi, and Abraham Maslow all have their own take on it. Buddha taught his followers to find happiness through the Four Noble Truths. The first truth is that life is suffering. Suffering comes from want. Want can be destroyed, and the Eightfold Path is the way to eliminate it. The Eightfold Path is cut into three steps. Step One, Wisdom, includes the right view and intention. Step Two, Ethical Conduct, includes right speech, behavior, and livelihood. Step Three, Mental Cultivation, includes right effort, conscientiousness, and concentration (www.pursuit-of-happiness.org, Buddha). According to Buddha, the way to find happiness is to eliminate dissatisfaction with one’s life. To do that, one needs to practice self-discipline and …show more content…

Socrates saw three arguments over how to find happiness: Symposium, Republic, and Euthydemus. In Euthydemus, happiness is always good because it is the goal of all that we do. It also concludes that it is only dependent on what is done with one’s response to circumstances, not the circumstances in themselves. No matter what advantages a person has in life, whether its beauty, skill in art, or wealth, they can be utilized in a way that causes that person unhappiness. On a different note, Symposium decides love and desire are the paths to happiness. However, it also states that following this path to happiness always leaves one half-satisfied. In order to gain a happy and satisfied life one must experience a realization of true beauty. Socrates thought true beauty was found in a

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