Buddhism: Overcoming Human Suffering

Buddhism would not be considered as a religion regard to worshipping gods or believing in any spiritual being. One might wonder what makes Buddhism a pure tradition rather a religion? The answer is: Buddhism is a way of individual living to overcome human suffering, which Buddhist refer as dukkha and earn nirvana, meaning extinguishing suffering rather than worshipping any forms or god or spiritual ideals. Unlike many other monotheistic or polytheistic religion which believes in spirituality and holds their faith in gods or gods sent texts to earn a better living, Buddhist believes that “human beings can solve the human problem on their own, without recourse to god or divine revelation” (Prothero, 172). Contradicting common religions that depend upon the practitioner's beliefs in god or spirituality, Buddhists faith relies on their life experiences, because “Buddhist tradition is its emphasis on experience over belief”

Gautama Buddha is not a savior or saves others through his own salvation. Believers of Buddhism does not believe that they can ease their sufferings just by mere faith on Buddha. Buddhists understand that there’s no human being or even Buddha can earn them nirvana and only themselves can find a way to end hardship. Buddha has never considered himself as a spiritual body to his followers rather acted as a teacher for others to guide them find a way to end the cycle of samsara by creating the Eightfold Path. Unlike heaven, samsara or ending the vicious cycle of life and death and earning nirvana is the ultimate goal of Buddhists. The teaching of Buddha, Dharma, and sangha does not mean one's self-surrender or relying on any human or spirituality to earn salvation. Buddhism does not require its followers to have any undeniable faith. Through the teachings of Buddha, Buddhists puts a priority on one's self-reliance, self-discipline, and individual