Three Minute Philosophy: Buddha

I remember when I was five I was looking through a toy catalog I got in the mail to see what I could get for Christmas, despite being in the middle of the Summer, and one of the items caught my eye: A giant Millennium Falcon model from Star Wars!

I thought that it was the coolest toy ever and that I just had to get my hands on it. So, I dropped the catalog on the table, and bolted straight to my dad's office to see if he could get it for me. But like most parents response, he said no. Yet despite what he said, I told myself that I would do whatever it takes for him to get it for me. And after a lot of crying, more crying, and just a bit more crying, he said that he would buy it if I helped my mom do a few chores. And I was thrilled!

But once it arrived, I played with it for a few days, then eventually got bored of it.

Now you might think that I was just acting like a silly spoiled kid who had no value or gratitude for what he had. And it's true. However, looking back, I realized that my actions, though they may be immature, have a much deeper philosophical meaning.

Specifically the philosophy of Buddha.

Siddhārtha Gautama, AKA The Buddha, was born in Nepal around 11th Century BC, and spent the majority of his life studying methods of maintaining everlasting happiness as well as the art of suppressing suffering.

He took part in several acts throughout his life, testing the meanings of pleasure and pain, such as nearly starving himself to death, blocking out all physical comforts, or performing deep introspection on his past, focusing on the moments which brought him peace and tranquility, and the ones that brought sadness.

And through these tasks he developed the what is known as the foundation of his teachings: The Four Nobel Truths, which outlined the path to transcending suffering,

Truth Number 1: There is Suffering and Constant Dissatisfaction in the World

This insight, though slightly depressing, is the truth that I think is the easiest to understand. Our lives are a struggle, and we do not find ultimate happiness or satisfaction in anything we experience. And according to Buddha, this is the problem of existence.

He also said something on this matter that ties into the next two truths:

"Pain is Inevitable. Suffering is optional" Buddha ???

Truth Number 2: This Suffering is Caused by Our Desires

The natural human tendency is to blame our difficulties on things outside ourselves (AKA having a passive mindset, but people won't know what that is until many years later!). However, Buddhist teachings state that their actual root is in our tendency to desire certain aspects of life.

This hedonistic mental model of constantly grasping at things that will only give us temporary happiness never truly fulfills us, and always leads to a state of dissatisfaction in the end. Instead, one should pursue a life of self-understanding in order to achieve a state of constant happiness or joyful fulfillment.

Truth Number 3: We can Transcend Suffering by Eliminating or Managing our Desires

In this Nobel Truth, Buddha explains that (and I quote) we should change our outlook, not our circumstances. The reason most are unhappy is not due to a lack of love or money, but because we are vain and greedy, constantly desiring more hedonistic objects.

However, if we were to readjust our look on life, we can learn to become content and better people in general. We should look at anger as a way to show compassion and empathy, ignorance as an opportunity for wisdom, greed as a method of showing generosity to the less fortunate.

Truth Number 4: The Nobel Eightfold Path

In order to move on beyond pain and suffering, we must follow what Buddha termed The Nobel Eightfold Path. In it, he explains the ways of having a "wise" life, such as having certain views and intentions, taking part in a certain lively hood, and put in a certain amount of effort depending on the work at hand (more info on this truth can be found here).

He states that practicing these notions will allow one to come to the conclusion that wisdom is not a type of realization that will eventually dawn on everyone, but one that has to be practiced and exercised in people's day to day lives.

Knowing these four truths, it's become much more clear to me now on what the true meaning of happiness can be and how to live the most optimal life.

It's perfectly okay to have the urge to buy things every once in a while, but you can't let yourself go overboard. Understanding that our desires will never provide us everlasting happiness should turn us away from gluttony and open ourselves up to the world of self understanding and joyful fulfillment.

And looking back on how my five year old self behaved when I wanted just a silly toy, though I was young, we can all look at the fault in behaving the way I did and use it as platform to act the complete opposite way.

Or as Buddha said:

"There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires"

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