The Question and Answer of Suffering..

What causes suffering? According to "Buddhism for Beginners", it is the cyclic existence we are stuck in, specifically attachment, ignorance and anger.

By not being aware of who we are and how we exist along with other phenomena in the world, we remain ignorant. We think we have a clue about what we're doing, who we are as a person in society, our worth, and what we can contribute to society, but sometimes we have that wrong. We create a false world where we think that having the biggest house, the flashiest car and the most expensive clothes will make us happy. We think that by getting that much coveted position in the workplace or having a six-figure salary will make us happy.                            

Is this Happiness?
Does this take illness away?     

    or this...? 

Maybe some more money could buy better friends/a partner/reunite the family? 

When we are ignorant, we project this fantasized way of existence onto ourselves and others, thinking that everything exists independently of itself. We form attachments to people and things that we think possess the qualities that will make us happy (I've mentioned some previously).

Then, inevitably, when we realize that we feel all alone in our big house, and our flashy car is just another 'thing' that doesn't really bring us happiness, we are filled with anger, and understandably so! Everything we were told that was supposed to make us happy, has let us down. We realize that there are other more important things and other ways of finding happiness.

Anger then makes us jealous, resentful, and proud. Once we become like this, all our actions, attitudes, and speech are motivated on jealousy, resentment and pride. This in turn effects our future experiences.

As you can see, this is one vicious, exhausting cycle of unhappiness.

However, to leave this cycle we can generate the wisdom to realize emptiness-we can come to terms with the fact that there is a lack of a solid, independent essence in ourselves, and others, and everything that exists. The more we learn to let go, and accept the impermanence of everything, the happier we will be.

Wisdom eliminates ignorance, wrong conceptions, disturbing attitudes, and negative emotions. When we gain this wisdom, we are no longer misinformed or have contaminated actions. When we leave the cycle, we become liberated beings and reach nirvana.

People, like you and me, who have not yet gained the wisdom are called sentient beings. 

Next time, I will write about the Three Jewels, and then we'll get down to the real ways we can start living out our simple lives and reach the state of nirvana.