Comparing Buddhism And Life

When asked what a person desires most from their life, the answer may be success, love, or even money. For a Buddhist the one thing they strive for in life is to achieve a life without suffering, known to them as the Enlightenment. Buddhism is based on the present and through direct observation. Unlike many other religions there is no super natural being they believe in, instead they follow the teachings of Buddha who learned everything through real life experiences. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was born in modern day Nepal into a large group of people called the Shakyas. His father was the king of the tribe and chose to raise him in isolation from the realities of the real world. He finally began to explore the world outside of his palace in his early twenties. He began to realize all the sufferings that people faced in life and wanted to find the cause. After about six years of searching …show more content…
It was then that he realized the truths of the world and officially became Buddha. After being hesitant to teach at first, he found five ascetics that listened to his first sermon which consisted of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. These first ascetics became his disciples and became monks who followed him. All people were allowed to follow these teachings and there were no barriers to race, gender, or class. Buddhists believe that if they follow Buddha’s teachings of the Four Noble Truths that they will reach their goal of Enlightenment, which is a life without suffering.
Buddhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, following popular religions like Christianity and Hinduism. The Four Noble Truths are the basic teachings of Buddhism which