Buddhism: Understanding Life through the Four Noble Truths

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Buddhists have a realistic approach to life. They acknowledge suffering and pain, yet are not pessimists. This is why, if they were to see the Michael Leunig comic they would concur that the comic reflects some Buddhist values. The satirical comic depicts an older male figure, looking at two signs. One reads “The way life is supposed to be” and the other “The way life actually is”. The second one is in poor condition, messy lettering and incorrect spelling, some letters not even on the sign. It 's torn sign and broken post add more emphasis to the disheveled appearance. The juxtaposition of the signs and the man in the comic represents the human condition and expectations for life. This essay will discuss the core beliefs of Buddhism and how
The First Noble Truth, Dukkha, characterises the human condition as suffering (Mackenzie, 2013). The human condition is said to be the positive and negative aspects of existence as a human being’ (Dictionary Lexicon, 2014).‘ The Second Noble Truth is Samudaya, Nirodha is the Third Noble Truth and Magga, the Fourth Noble Truth. These truths say that one must follow the Eightfold Path in order to attain happiness. Their role in Buddhism is to guide and assist those on a path to enlightenment.The Second Noble Truth, Samudaya states that suffering is caused by attachment and craving, the more a person craves the more their life will be complex. However, Nirodha explains that suffering can be overcome with the help of Magga. It says that one must follow the Eightfold Path in order to attain
They are guidelines as to how a good Buddhist should behave. There are three main sections: Panna which refers to wisdom and discernment, Sila which refers to virtue and morality and Samadhi which means concentration and meditation. The Eightfold Path is said to awaken someone to their unconditioned state, as their conditioned state is just a distraction from the true reality (Allan, 2016). As Buddhists believe that there is no self, only the illusion of self, Nirvana is the ultimate goal. It is considered the state of nonexistence in all aspects. In death, a Buddhist would hope to reach Nirvana if they had correctly followed the Eightfold Path. It is freedom from the cycle of life and reincarnation. Karma affects the life cycle and rebirth. Karma is a Buddhist doctrine of cause and effect, based on conscious actions and decisions (Sayadaw,

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