Buddhism Essay Research Paper Buddhism1 The

Buddhism Essay, Research Paper

Buddhism

1.) The First Noble Truth – “Dukkha”

A.) The First Noble Truth seems to be an intrinsic understanding that all

things are impermanent. This impermanence causes us to feel frustrated when we

can’t hold on to people or things we think we need. This need helps us feel

wanted and/or important.

Dukkha can also be described as the suffering we experience and see in

our lives. Unpleasant conditions such as being sick, seeing our loved ones get

sick and die, getting aggravated over things our children do, losing a job, etc.

cause us to experience Dukkha. The Buddha felt that this suffering was brought

on by our attachment to people and things. Only by detachment and selfless acts

can we become free from the unpleasantness of Dukkha.

Another aspect of Dukkha deals with the belief in the

importance of oneself. The Five Aggregates are the foundation of this aspect.

The “I” saying “I” creates the illusion of “I” which consists of matter,

sensations, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. These five items

produce the compound being that experiences Dukkha.

B.) I Believe I give significance to things or events that aren’t intentionally

producing Dukkha. I’m leaving my house to go to work and I happen to leave a

couple of minutes late knowing that there is a possibility that I might be late.

As I’m driving someone pulls in front of me and is maybe doing the speed limit.

I immediately go into reaction mode. This is where I have to realize that the

person in front of me is not intentionally trying to make me late for work. (not

until I flash my highbeams or honk my horn)

Looking at situations objectively and being more proactive can help

us deal with Dukkha better. I believe the Buddha understood that “Dukkha

Happens” so its how we deal with it that can cause the frustration, sadness, and

suffering.

C.) I have mixed feelings on the concept of Dukkha. Specifically with the

element of detachment.

I agree with the idea of detachment from material things but I don’t agree

when it comes to people. Although I believe material things come and go with

memories of them fading as time goes on, I feel as people come and go

through our lives, the memories of attachment stay with us embedded in our

hearts as well as in our mind. (Darshana .)

The idea of everything being an illusion or Maya is tough to

conceptualize. I do believe we are the thinker behind the thought. The “I”

creates the illusion of who we are and how we behave. I also believe that by

combining the Five Aggregates, The “I” saying “I” helps us to be “Ever-

changing physical and mental forces” capable of realizing our potential

but within our limitations.

2.) The Second Noble Truth – “Tanha”

A.) I’m struggling to find differences between the first and second Noble Truths.

I see the definition of Dukkha encompassing all the elements of Tanha. I guess

that’s why it is so important to remember when trying to understand Dukkha that

“The arising of Dukkha is within Dukkha itself, and not outside”. Also, “The

destruction of Dukkha, is also within Dukkha, and not outside”.

Within Tanha, the concept of Karma is explained. The force to continue

whether good or bad is the cause of Karma. It’s not the effect when something

happens but the act that causes something to happen.

The idea of life after death is also discussed within Tanha. The Buddha

explains that because there is no self, only a combination of the Five

Aggregates which the “I” creates, “One thought moment conditions the next

thought moment”. We are in a constant state of change which explains why nothing

is permanent. B.) Our Ego causes us to want to have things our way. This desire

or craving is apparent in our everyday lives. When I feel I have an idea on how

my children should behave, there is a desire for them to do something as I would

do it. Not letting them grow in there own way and watching as a helpful observer

causes Dukkha within me. If the craving for a new car causes me to lose track of

immediate needs, frustration knowing that I have a need that has a priority over

a want also causes Dukkha.

When I saw a colleague get a job that I thought I was more capable and

qualified to do my reaction was to become angry. “Who is He getting the job over

a more qualified Me.”. C.) For the same reasons I wrote about in question 1

section C, there are ideas within Tanha I agree with and ideas I don’t agree

with. Maybe the items I don’t agree with I just don’t understand fully. I feel

the objectiveness the Buddha spoke of is real important although I don’t believe

there can be true objectivity. I try to back away and see situations as

objectively as possible. Everything we see or do is based on our view from our

experience which is our frame of reference. It seems to be alm

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