Buddhist religion Essay

The Four Noble Truths are the foundations of the Buddhist religion. From these emanate the rituals and beliefs still practiced today. The Buddhist philosophy centers on the basic truth that with the existence of life, the presence of suffering comes along with it. So, it is a primary aim of a Buddhist to alleviate oneself from the suffering of life. Hence, this contemporary Buddhist practices revolve around the four Noble Truths which explain how to end suffering and guide one’s self into what they call Nirvana, an enlightened state of being. To end suffering, one must overcome ignorance, craving or attachment to worldly pleasures which are rooted to the evils of lust, hatred and delusion. To overcome these evils and hasten their way towards Nirvana, most of Buddhist monks practice celibacy, teaching and preaching. Their days are often spent in rituals, devotion and meditating. What defines the basic moral code of the Buddhist religion is the observance of five precepts which prohibit killing, stealing, harmful language, sexual misbehavior, and getting intoxicated. To counteract these evils and overcome suffering, Buddhists try to instill within their very selves the practices of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. They pray fervently, contemplate, and devote their lives to simple chores and service to others in order to facilitate the achievement of their enlightenment. To encapsulate these practices meant to suppress suffering is to follow Siddhartha Buddha’s Noble Eight-Fold Path which consists of right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-mindedness, and right contemplation. Following this path will lead, eventually, a believer towards Nirvana.