Confucianism / Kait Scharringhausen

What is the human condition? What is the solution to this condition? How do we move from problem to solution? And how is it best to live the solution in our own lives?

The core of Confucianism is the belief that human beings are teachable, improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor especially including self-cultivation and self-creation. Confucianism focuses on the cultivation of virtue and maintenance of ethics, the most basic of which are jen, chun tzu, li, te, and wen. Jen is an obligation to altruism and humaneness for other individuals within a community. Chun tzu is the upholding of righteousness and the moral disposition to do well. Li is a system of norms and propriety that determines how a person should properly act within a community. Te surrounds power within positively in all circumstances so oppression has no room to overrule. Wen is the concept of “the arts of peace.” Confucianism holds that one should give up one's life, if necessary, either passively or actively, for the sake of upholding the cardinal moral values of jen and chun tzu. Confucianism is humanistic and non-theistic.

Confucianism holds to believing that you are doing your job in this life if you are upholding moral and ethical code in your work with school, family, and career. So my question to the Confucian scholar would be what then? After all the hard work in this life, what then? What am I investing my moral and ethical in code in my life for? What is the goal? Why would I work in this life for nothing in the next?

Confucius saw the self as always growing and changing for the benefit of social roles of becoming fully human. His repeated calls to self-examination and introspection generally show that he not only recognized an interior side to the self but considered it important. As long as all are working for the sake of humanity together inside the five constant relationships of jen, chun tzu, li, te, and wen then the inner world deepens and grows more satisfying. “In the course of one’s training, one finds that mastering a role in one of the five sheds light on the other roles. To improve as a parent throws light on what being a good child entails. The nuances of the other roles likewise illuminate one another.”(Smith, 183). This seems relative to this life and this life only. What is the core ethics striving for? Moment after moment of temporary enlightenment of being a child on their best behavior?

One would have to be curious as to where they are going to end up after living this works based lifestyle unless the teaching of the entire religion is distracting enough to have one not care about where their soul is going to end up when they die in this life. Confucianism seems to live in the present with depending on oneself to perform a life pleasing to what we really want which is righteousness, morality, and peace instead of not working at all for a life of eternal worth in the eyes of God.

Confucianism/ Caleb Hoey

In Confucianism, the human condition is split between two outlooks. There are Realists and Mohim. The Realists believe that people are naturally bad. They have to be controlled with consequences for their actions. The Realists also believe that people are logical and act in their own best interests. However, the Realists say that we only rationalize in the present and do not account for the future, and this is what leads to problems. The opposite of the Realists is the Mohim. They feel that people are generally good and can be left alone. They think that people can’t be forced to do anything. They say people should feel towards other people how they feel towards their own people. Ironically, Confucius himself did not follow either school. The solution to the human condition is to follow five steps. Jen(Ren), Chun Tzu, Li, Te, and Wen. Jen is being well intentioned and to do good deeds. This is how you make your choices and live your life. Chun Tzu means the mature person. It means to not be vain, and have a big heart. Li is the order in which things should be done. Every process has a set of steps that should be followed. It also means “constant”, referring to the five relationships in life: Parent to child, husband to wife, older sibling to younger sibling, older friend to younger friend, and ruler to subject. Te refers to power, and respecting the parties in power. It also reminds you to be virtuous and righteous. Wen is the arts of peace, like music and art and literature. Learning these arts helps your mind in Confucianism, and makes you higher in the Confucian order. These five steps are the way to solve the human condition. There is no afterlife in Confucian beliefs. So your entire life is just order and law until death. There is no ultimate goal, only to go day to day with good intentions. This is not something I necessarily agree with. I feel like there is something more than just this material world. I do, however, understand all the structure in the relationships. Things like parent-child and sibling-sibling interactions can get confusing and Confucianism helps give order to that. I also respect the mental discipline and concentration that comes with Confucian philosophy. The golden rule also is a key component of Confucianism that I agree with. That really puts the rest of its ideas on a base of solidarity that many of us can understand.

Confucianism / Derrick Baker

What is the human condition? I think in Confuciaism the human conditon really focuses on ethics and morality, and this is based around three groups. Realists- Who believe everyone is bad. What do you do when people don't behave? Him them. You have to control them, and there are penalties and rewards. They also believe that people are fundamentally rational, meaning they know what is in their own best interest. So why doesn't this work? Because people are not looking toward the future. Their concern is what is happening now. On the other hand you have the Mohim- Who believe that people are good and if left alone people would do well. They believe that you can't force people to do something, and that one should "feel toward all people under heaven exactly as one feels toward one's own people, and regard other states exactly as one regards one's own state." Then there is Confucius who didn't agree totally with either.

What is the solution to this condition, and how do we reach this final goal? By following five key terms. Confucius being steeped in tradition, thinks we should follow Jen (Ren), Chun Tzu, Li, Te, and Wen. Jen- being benevolent, good hearted. This is a life style choice and affects the decisions that you make now. Chun Tzu- Is a mature person. "Being the opposite of a petty person, a mean person, a small-spirited person." Li- The way things are done. You have to have models and direction and there is a way everything should be done, and has lots of rules on how things are done. Other meanings of Li are Chung Yung. This literally means "Middle" and "Constant". This goes to the five constant relations. Parent-Child, Husband-Wife, Older Sibling- Younger Sibling, Older Friend-Younger Friend, Ruler-Subject. Parents should be loving, children reverential, elder sibling's gentle, younger siblings respectful, etc. This shows that you are never alone when you act, every action affects someone else. Te- Power. You have to trust the government. It also means virtue. Wen- Arts of peace. You train yourself in the art of music, art, poetry, etc. There is something positive about learning the arts of peace. You also move up in Confucianism as you become good in a certain field in the art.

How is it best to live the solution in our own lives? The way according to Confucius is to live your life around these five key terms. My problem with this is what happens after that? They believe in no heaven or hell. What are the rewards for living a life according to this? Confucius says, "We haven't yet finished studying life to delve into the question of death." What? Never the less death is still there, and what's worse is that you don't really know when death would come. If you were sitting outside having lunch and see balls of fire crashing into the earth and see a giant one headed your way with people yelling RUN, do you say...run...I can't, I haven't finished my lunch. Maybe that was a bad question, I think some people would. Rationally you would be missing the big picture. Your lunch really isn't going to matter; the same goes with your life in the end. Yes it matters while you are here and how you live it, but in the end it matters where you will spend eternity in a real place called heaven or a real place called hell.

Buddhism Erica Price

What is the human condition?

In Buddhism the human condition exists around the pain and the suffering. Meditation is a key part to the Buddhism religion along with the process of self-realization and the constant state of change that one goes through. In order to achieve enlightenment one must understand and realize the four noble truths. The four noble truths include that life is suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end is suffering, and lastly that the path to cessation is also suffering. The four noble truths are the foundation to Buddhism. From the four noble truths comes the eightfold path which looks at wisdom, the ethical conduct, and the mental development. These three groups are composed of eight points.

What is the solution to this condition?

The solution to this condition is to learn and understand the four noble truths. The four noble truths lead to enlightenment and enlightenment can only be achieved through those. From the four noble truths stems the eightfold path. The eightfold path consists of eight different parts that all work together in order to liberating the human condition.

How do we move from Problem to Solution?

The moving from process to solution is not one simple answer it is a path that one has to take. Once self-realization takes place and the realization of the four noble truths is realized then the person begins their journey on the eightfold path. The eightfold path along with the practice of mediation can lead to the achievement of nirvana. Nirvana is a state of bliss that trumps all other feelings and exceeds reality.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

The best way to live the solution in one’s own life is to follow the practices and the outlines of Buddhism. One needs to mediate and removes thoughts and work towards achieving nirvana and practice self- realization. Peace is a major theme in this religion. The basic outlines of the religion include no lying, no drunkenness (which varies among different groups), no killing, no stealing, etc. While a person can do good things they must also have good intent in ones heart and mind.

Similar to that of Hinduism, I find Buddhism appealing in similar ways. I find it appealing from the aspect of bettering oneself. Learning about this religion made me realize how much meditation and good intent is important. I like how the majority of this religion is internally focused. The one aspect that I’m baffled by is the lack of life after death. Personally, it is hard for me to process that after we die we don’t go and belong somewhere else directly but are rather reincarnated. Overall I think of Buddhism to help one become a better person while on Earth. I could see myself practicing Buddhist ways while living in physical form but following Christianity instead. I find Buddhism as a way to live life and as a set of guidelines to live a positive life by.

Buddhism / Kait Scharringhausen

What is the human condition? The human condition according to Buddha is to get to a liberation to be kind, compassionate and loving - to get to a complete state of nirvana. This set goal is to blow out all craving we as humans may have whether it be excessive gambling or eating.

What is the solution to this condition? Meditation to get enlightenment to the point of nirvana where all cravings cease so you can be liberated from your cravings or desires that get in the way of becoming in full surrender to a loving, kind, and compassionate lifestyle.

 The solution to get to the Buddha lifestyle is through the eight-fold path. Buddhists move from problem to solution best through meditation and right views encompassing intent, speech, conduct, livlihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. To live this out best you must keep the right views such as in speech, you would stay away from slander and gossip; in your conduct, you would stay away from killing, stealing, lying, unchastity, and drunkeness.

In Buddhism, the belief is that there is no eternal soul, no atman, but that we are made up of heaps of scandas, five in fact: materialism, sensation, perception, moods and thoughts, and feelings.

Buddhism claims that there are Four Noble Truths in this life. The first one declares that life is dukkha - suffering. Buddha asks, "What is causing these abnormal symptoms? Where is the seat of the infection? What is always present when suffering is present, and absent when suffering is absent?" The Second Noble Truth is supposedely the answer: tanha, the drive private fulfullment. The Third Noble Truth is that there is a cure to this disease; overcoming  the egosistic drive for seperate existence. The Fourth Noble Truth provides the cure. "The way to the overcoming of self-seeking is through the Eightfold Path. Practice of the eight paths to enlightenment is key.

Nirvana is inevitably an untouchable state for a complete peace and freedom that people try to hold on to but cannot unless they continue to practice the Eightfold Path. Nirvana is not claimed to be their God but that is the life goal to get to because we apparently have no eternal soul.

It is interesting that in Buddhism you tend to have to go in cycle after cycle, work after work, to get to a place of rest when Jesus claims that all who come to Him will be given rest. Christianity is the only religion that people tend to say that something is wrong with it. Christ claims to be the way, the Truth, and the Life. Followers of all other religions claim that they may have a way to enlightenment or self-fulfillment. Jesus said he finished it at the Cross, meaning we don’t have to work to get our freedom. Jesus died for all of humanity as a gift to give freedom and eternal life to all who believe He is the son of God, the one who died and rose again to give Life to His people. Jesus died and rose again to tell you He loves you. He was and is the ultimate sacrifice, the only way to set us free from the disease which we were born into. We are a mess without His Grace. Buddhism recognizes the desires and cravings we have, they proclaim nirvana to make them cease. Christianity proclaims Jesus’ blood once and for all made them cease for all who acknowledges He is the way, the Truth, and the Life.

Buddhism / Elisabeth Vincent

What is the human condition?
According to Buddhism, the human condition is centered around suffering and the pursuit of the cessation of suffering. The goal of Buddhism is Enlightenment, and the human condition is also that we are kept from reaching Enlightenment in part by the five Skandas: materialities, sensation, perception, moods and thoughts .
We, as humans, are also intertwined with what Buddhists term the Four Noble Truths. The first of these truths is Dukkha – physical and mental suffering. This stems from the fact that in life a person does not always get what he or she desires. This, in turn, causes suffering. The second of the Four Noble Truths is Trishna – an uncontrollable craving that leads to layers of suffering. This truth basically states that any intense desire, or craving, will lead to suffering. Thirdly, Nirvana is the cessation of suffering. This is the beginning of the solution to the human condition. Marga is the fourth of the Four Noble Truths, and also fits the description of the solution to the human condition according to Buddhism. Marga outlines that the way to end cravings and in turn to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.

What is the solution to this condition?
The solution to the human condition begins with a complete understanding of the Four Noble Truths. When one understands the cyclical nature that craving leads to suffering, as well as how to end this by the latter two Truths, one is able to reach Enlightenment – a peaceful mental state. In other words, the solution is to end craving and, in turn, end suffering that stems from not getting what it is a person craves.

How do we move from problem to solution?
A person moves from the problem of suffering to the solution of liberation from this suffering and craving by following the Eightfold Path. This is considered by the Buddhists to be the “ideal” way to live life. The Eightfold path consists of:
1) The Right Views: realizing that everything is interconnected, there is no Atman, the Four Noble Truths are essential to the cessation of suffering
2) The Right Intent: The “right” intent is to become Enlightened
3) The Right Speech: Don’t slander, don’t gossip, be honest, don’t cause harm verbally
4) The Right Conduct: Don’t steal, kill, lie, be unchaste, do anything that would cause harm to another
5) The Right Livelihood: Don’t have a job that directly or inadvertently causes harm to another being
6) The Right Effort: One must make a wholehearted effort to improve
7) The Right Mindfulness: Vippassana; The meantal ability to see with a clear conscience
8) The Right Concentration: Shikantaza; the reaching of Enlightenment

How to best live the solution in our own lives?
It seems that the recurring theme in the Eightfold Path is to not cause harm to other beings. This is easily put into effect. I strive not to cause harm to others, although I had not thought about avoiding this to the point of re-thinking my current livelihood—which I suppose could indirectly cause harm. It is also prudent to follow the Right Speech – no slandering, gossiping, etc. I think that the pursuit of making the Right Effort is potentially the most important to me. I have a hatred of complacency and the wholehearted effort to improve rings a clear bell to me. Also, the Buddhists practice extensive meditation, which can also be adapted to fit in our own lives.

I didn’t relate as much to Buddhism as I did to Hinduism, and I don’t have a clear answer as to why. I appreciate that the Buddhists don’t postulate about life after death, although I now see that I found some reassurance in the Hinduist’s views of reincarnation. I also really like the Buddhists’ concentration on the self, and that “success” in Buddhism relies purely on one’s mental state. What I took away the most from this study of Buddhism is the practice of meditation in which everything is dismissed as either feeling, thought, or sensation. I will try to take the time and practice this whenever I feel stressed or worried.

Buddhism // Keith Songer

What is the human condition?

To put it bluntly, the human condition according to Buddhism is simply a mass of chemicals, both physical and mental, that are both ever changing, and constantly flawed. Beneath all of these false notions that we deem to be ourselves, we don’t have what can be viewed as our Self (big “self”), but are instead focused on the small self of the here and now. We live our lives laboring over things that ultimately don’t matter, which just creates more and more confusion and negativities, both in ourselves and those around us.

What is the solution to this condition? How do we move from problem to solution?

The solution to this is to reject ourselves as a whole. Because life is suffering, and we, who are a part of life and suffer because of it, we need to reject ourselves, which essentially rejects all that is negative about us. We are to avoid cravings, wants, desires, and anything that causes us to create more negative chemicals in ourselves. Trying to focus on the greater Self, instead of the commonly attuned self, is the key to attaining nirvana, which is the state of total rejection resulting in complete happiness. We are to try and focus on the fact that one day we will be free from this temporary five-component shell (body, emotions, thoughts, actions, and awareness), and prepare ourselves to get to our non-person...person.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

I think that the best way to live this solution in our own lives is to realize that we are essentially born with everything that we could ever need; everything else is just flawed behavior that is inherently passed down from one person to another, creating desires for unnecessary things, actions, and states of mind that any third party would view as crazy. Do we really need these new phones that have a .01 larger width on the screen? No, but our inherently flawed selves tell us that it’s “the best out there,” so in our worlds that makes us part of “the best,” which is utterly ridiculous (even if my phone is better than yours... >.> [I kid {no, really} ] ). We should instead focus on what is needed, such as food and shelter, rather than what style of shoes we’d like to wear today. We should also try to realize that we can’t fix the fact that we can’t, well, fix anything within ourselves, and instead ought to reject the negativities instead of trying to convert them.

Buddhism / Leah Mattix

What is the human condition?

Buddhism takes an extremely straightforward approach to the human condition. There is no theology, deity or worship to follow within the realm of Buddhism, no heaven, no hell. There is simply reflection, rejection of self, and meditation resulting in eventual, and extremely hard to attain, Enlightenment. The human condition is a state of constant change and suffering. Throughout life, we continue in this state and pass through the four noble truths: life is frustrating and painful, suffering has a cause, suffering can be ended, Enlightenment can be achieved.

What is the solution to this condition?

By acknowledging and understanding the four noble truths, one is taking the right path towards Enlightenment. Once there is an acknowledgment and understanding of the four noble truths, the path to liberation of the human condition begins to open with the eightfold path. The eightfold has (you guessed it!) eight points. These points include the right way to view the world, the right intention, possessing right speech, pursuing right discipline, continuing with a right livelihood, following through with right effort, keeping right mindfulness, and finally being captivated by right concentration.

How do we move from Problem to Solution?

To move from problem to nirvana, one needs to accede to both the four noble truths as well as the eightfold paths. One also should take note of the impermanence of life and the idea that nothing in this world stays the same, everything is ever-changing. To reach enlightenment, Buddah took himself and his problems out of the equation. He fasted and meditated until Enlightenment could be reached.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

The best way to live for this solution is to remain simple. People too easily overcomplicate situations, interactions and any other aspect of life. Buddhism teaches to look at exactly how things are, not just how they seem. Don’t allow stressors to stress you out (which is much easier said than done), have only what you need. Be happy to be alive.

Buddhism/ Ashlyn Chadd

What is the human condition?

In Buddhism the human condition is pretty much just a bunch of pain and suffering. They believe that everything is constantly changing and a person is made up of different heaps. They don't believe in any afterlife and there is no God that they pray to. The only way they think they can help ease their suffering is to acheive liberation.

What is the solution to this condition?

In order to acheive liberation one must realize the four noble truths. The four noble truths basically say that suffering is going to happen and it's caused by desire. However, there is a cure to the suffering which is acheiving liberation by following the eight fold path.

How do we move from problem to solution?

Once a person accepts the four noble truths they begin to follow the eight fold path. This talks about a person applying all the following: right views, right intent, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. They believe that the eight fold path, along with meditations, leads a person into reaching nirvana. Nirvana is considered a reality beyond anything physical and is what Buddhists always try to acheive.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

In order to try to live the solution, people must follow the eight fold path and practice meditations. A person must have the right views which can sometimes be tricky knowing what exactly the right views are and a person must have good intent. It's not enough to just go through the motions of being a good person who does good things, you have to really mean for the things you do and the things you say to be good and helpful to others. No killing, stealing, lying, unchastity, or drunkness. A person can't try to harm others. Plus, a person must be mindful and concentrate on things. It's a very demanding religion.

I personally liked Buddhism much better than Hinduism. It wasn't as broad of a religion which I liked. I found that their ideas of no God and no after life or reincarnation a nice change of pace because once a religion adds a God or something after you die it just leaves me with a million questions and no answers. However, the thing I didn't understand is if a person believes they only have this one life to live and nothing good or bad is coming after they die then why would they want to waste their life trying to acheive nirvana? Why not go out and do all the fun and crazy things you want while you have the chance instead of worrying about something that in the end won't really change much? I would rather go jump out of a plane or ride a roller coaster or something fun instead.

Buddhism - Hank Pruett

           Buddhism at its core feels like less of a religion than a practical philosophy. To live in the moment and to practice compassion are its most basic tenants. Principals which are meant to improve the life you are living now and not the after. Furthermore, to find truth while in this life is the goal of the practicing Buddhist. Through conditioning your mind to realize that you are what you are, you relieve the self of the human condition, which to Buddhists, is to suffer

Plainly the four main principles in Buddhism are:
Dukkha - all of life is suffering, the suffering in physical pain and emotional pain and the suffering of death and rebirth. We as humans are all trapped in a cycle of suffering.

Trishna - We are all driven by desire. It is the craving for all things (wealth, food, love, success, happiness, etc.) that leads us to suffer.

Nirvana - The end of suffering. This is the state at which our suffering of life can end while we are still human; the mental state in which we strive for.  

The 8fold path is the only way to obtain nirvana. 

Buddhists believe that they are temporary vessels in this world and that until they attain  enlightenment or Buddhahood, they do not know their own self or soul. They believe that this world is an illusion and that as a result, one can not know one’s true nature.

            Like Hindus, Buddhist believe that after the death of your current self you are reincarnated into a different life form. However, unlike Hindus, there is no continuous self that is transferred from life to life. There are four basic elements that make up a being. These separate at our death and none of them individually can be described as you from then on.

                 One of the Tibetan Monks said this of life and death in the film we watched:
 When we come into this world, we come crying while people around us are full of joy. When we leave this world, we leave with relief and resolution while those around us feel pain and sadness. 
         
            That seemed to stick with me. What seems odd though is that we all feel this but don't realize it of eachother.

Heather Mathis... Buddism

What is the human condition?
In Buddhism, life has no point and we are all experiencing the human condition of suffering and desire that causes stress in our lives.

What is the solution to this condition?
We can stop our suffering and achieve enlightenment with the Four Noble Truths. the first noble truth simply says that life is painful. The second noble truth says that the cause of our pain is desire or tanha the desire for private fulfillment. The third noble truth says that if desire is the cause of the problem we should stop it, and finally the fourth noble truth tells us how to stop the desire and suffering by giving us a cure the Eightfold path.

How do we move from problem to solution?
In order to become enlightened and overcome desire you must use the Eightfold path. In our book Huston Smith says, " the way of intentional living, he called the Path. What he proposed was a series of changes designed to release the individual from ignorance, unwitting impulse, and tanha."
The Eightfold Path:
1. Right Views
2. Right Intent
3. Right Speech
4. Right Conduct
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

How to best live the solution in our own lives?
The best way to live this in our lives is to accept the Four Noble Truths and continue to work on and train ourselves to use the Eightfold path. By using this we will stop the desires that stress our lives and not worry about anything but living life.

I enjoyed learning about Buddhism and I liked the philosophy behind it. It was definitely harder to understand than the previous religion Hinduism, but I like being able to see different ways of thinking and different ways of practicing religion.

Buddhism - Arbor Barrow

Life, and living is not easy. Life is dukkha suffering. We all suffer from the slow degrading of our minds and bodies with age. We all catch bugs and get sick for days on end unable to hold a single ounce of food down. We all experience moments of depression and sadness. Our lives can never be set in stone to become permanent. Happiness fades as does sadness. Everything in our lives is transitory. This is the first of Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths: Life is suffering. The human condition is set firmly in a state of push a pull where we are constantly seeking for what we crave and working towards attaining them.

We are selfish creatures. We want, want, want and until we get what we want are we truly happy? And even then there will still be greener grass on the other side and eventually we will want that too. We live our lives on building up whole storage units full of things. This is the second Noble Truth: craving leads to suffering. The desire for things and the resulting attachment to them leads us to suffer because we can never be fully fulfilled. It’s much like a cup with a hole in the side and the cup refuses to fill once it gets past the hold.

The type of wholeness we are seeking is not in the water, but in emptying it. In the Tibetan Buddhist Heart Sutra it states: “Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is form.” We can be free from suffering if we can rid ourselves of craving, of needing our cups filled to the brim. This is the third Noble Truth: the end of suffering is possible. If we can reach Nirvana, the place where the self is BLOWN OUT, therein lies solution suffering and craving.

In order to reach a state of Nirvana, the place, the mindset, the feeling of freedom from self, we require the fourth Noble Truth: The path to Nirvana is in the Eight-Fold Path. In this path you shall gain the tools required to reach Nirvana. Wisdom of the self, wisdom of actions and wisdom of the mind.

• The Four Noble Truths are the first step in the Eight-Fold Path: Right View. The Eight-Fold Path is a method to utilize in life to gradually brush away the things and ideas that cause us suffering.
• Right Intention deals with the intention of thoughts, actions, and desire. Take away your aggression and hatefulness and replace it with compassion and good will.
• Right Speech deals with the use of speech. Speak only when you need to, speak truthfully and carefully, because these things can make or break a friend or an enemy.
• Right Action deals with how you act towards people. Don’t take what’s not yours, don’t deal in sexual misconduct, don’t hurt others. Act kindly and respectfully towards others.
• Right Livelihood deals with how a person should earn their money. Not through the selling of living beings (including animals), weaponry, butchery (of animals) or anything that contradicts Right Speech and Right Action.
• Right Effort deals with removing undesirable traits and working towards maintaining desirable traits. Take away your anger, take away your aggression and if it comes back when you are not mindful of it then push it back and reattain compassion and thoughtfulness.
• Right Mindfulness deals with thinking things through carefully. Spend lots of time considering the mind and the body and you will see things clearly.
• Right Concentration deals with focusing the mind on desirable traits, thoughts, actions, speech, intention and livelihood. Focus singlemindedly on this and maintain the methods of the Eight-Fold Path.

I really enjoyed going over Buddhism. Other than the reincarnation, which I’m in a very agnostic position about that sort of thing, I feel very close to the teachings and methods of Buddhism. I agree with the idea that we cause ourselves suffering by craving things and ideas, and I feel that the Eight-Fold Path is an elegant tool for reaching a state of mind that isn’t burdened by hurtful ideas and useless things. I see a lot of my own personal spiritual journey in Buddhism, as well. I’m still learning how to be a fully compassionate and altruistic person. And get my mind to a state of equilibrium with the world around me.

I don’t so much agree with the not eating animals bit, because I like me a good steak now and then (Horrible!). But for the most part all of the methods of the Eight-Fold Path, and the realizations of the Four Noble Truths I would gladly apply to my life, and do in some small ways.

Buddhism - Nataly Morales

What is the human condition?

Let me start out by saying that Buddhism is a very broad religion that can be interpreted many ways. The human condition is our physical being that goes through the four noble truths. However, I understand that Buddhism centers around the notion that everything we as human beings go through is all created in the mind. Therefore, when we experience dukkha (physical and mental suffering), trishna (desire, craving), nirvana (cease), or the 8-fold path, it’s actually all made up in our minds. So, perhaps, the human condition as a living, breathing human being who is constantly in search of enlightenment is all a figment of our imagination. Therefore, you could say that the human condition for Buddhists is imaginary.

What is the solution to this condition?

The best solution I can gather from the notes is that while a person is a human being, they should try and follow the 8-fold path. It’s basically a set of rules, a core set of beliefs, of how to live a righteous and fulfilling life. Even if everything is made up in our minds and our skandas are always in flux, while on earth, one should probably try and be the best human being they can be.

How do we move from problem to solution?

Again, the best way to move from the problem of continually suffering as a human being is to follow the 8-fold path and try to disconnect from those skandas that wear a person down. It’s probably a struggle that many Buddhists have to overcome after years and years of practice to disconnect themselves from their human ways and desires, like materialities, sensations, perceptions, moods and thoughts. Since they’re always changing, it’s probably difficult to learn how to control those things and be able to meditate and conduct yourself as a true Buddhist. Even though nirvana isn’t a solution to the problem, I think it probably helps in eventually being an enlightened Buddhist.

How best to live the solution in our own lives.

Even though I don’t necessarily agree with Buddhism, I do think that there are certain aspects of the philosophies that I agree with, and there are solutions that I think I could easily apply to my life. I definitely think that at some point during our time on earth or even after we leave the earth we, our souls, or whatever it is that’s left of us reaches a certain point where we escape the everyday obstacles we run into. I guess you could say that I believe in nirvana to some extent. At some point whatever craving we have that hinders us in some way ceases to exist. I also like the 8-fold path. I think anything, like a guide or set of suggestions, that can be used to better oneself is always helpful. The 8-fold path is essentially trying to keep you from doing certain things that can have some very negative impacts on your life. I especially like the fold that mentions the ‘right effort,’ which suggests someone devote their entire lives to something (that’s how I interpreted it, anyway). I like that idea. I hope that one day I find something that speaks loudly enough to me that makes me want to devote myself to it everyday. That could even be something like devoting myself to myself--bettering myself. I could definitely live with that.

Buddhism/ Caleb Hoey

In Buddhism, the human condition is suffering. Our minds crave objects in the material world and this causes us our pain. This is what the first two of the Four Noble Truths deal with. The first states that life is suffering and the second states that suffering comes from our obsessions or cravings. We go through life concerned about our worldly possessions and not our state of mind. Buddhism goes deeper into the human condition by correlating it directly to our state of mind. As you gain higher and higher consciousness, the human condition begins to disappear. This is where the second two of the Four Noble Truths start to apply. One states that nirvana is a plane of consciousness where you become enlightened to the nature of life and your mind and is a state of eternal bliss. The fourth says that the path to nirvana is through the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path preaches to identify life’s correct problem, make up your mind completely, choose your words and actions correctly, put forth complete effort, use your mind correctly, and correct medtation. If you follow the steps of the Eightfold Path, it will solve our human condition of suffering. It requires great mental discipline and people usually spend hours and hours on end meditating. Nirvana is the solution to the human condition. When someone reaches nirvana, they discover the reality of their mind and their ego and the insignificance of this world. The Buddha reached Nirvana after prolonged intense meditation that brought him to the edge of death. He had been a prince who renounced all his wealth to go and find the nature of the world. He then taught how to reach nirvana. To be in nirvana and live with the solution to our condition, we acknowledge the material world and do enough to survive, but never get attached enough to be in pain when you don’t get something. You must realize that your ego is not a necessary part of your mind and can be thrown away. You have to be in tune with the infiniteness of your mind and use that to sustain your life. Buddhism has many tenants that I can agree with. I understand the novelty of this world, in much the same way as Hinduism describes it. I also agree with the Eightfold Path in terms of a path to a clear mind. It tries to get all facets of your psyche focused on the infinite light that is enlightenment. The constant practice of meditation also seems to me to be a good way to attain your spiritual goal. Buddhism is also like Hinduism in that way, where they both rely on extended meditation that leads to heightened consciousness. They both have many similarities, seeing as how the Buddha was raised in Hinduism, and he roamed the Indian subcontinent on his spiritual quest. He was bound to be influenced by Hinduism. Where I differ from Buddhism is where I differ from Hinduism, as well, on the notion of reincarnation. I don’t think that our souls our spirits go on and on until we inhabit a body that finds salvation. Instead a most basic idea of the Atman, where we are not separate souls in a cycle, but we are the same soul at the same time and are not different in any way.

Buddhism - Vermillion

In Buddhism, the human condition is to suffer.  Our desires and attachments keep us grounded in a continuous cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.  Buddhism teaches us that these things we crave are actually empty of the great importance we place on them.  The cartoon we watched in class illustrates this idea well.  The child goes to kindergarten, then grade school, then high school, then college, then graduate school, then enters the workforce, then climbs the corporate ladder, and finally reaches The Goal.  Except the goal is an arbitrary thing that doesn’t actually bring meaningful change to your life.  All of this labor, all of this craving has been toward something that in the end doesn’t actually matter.  This is how Buddhists see the human condition: the things we believe we desire so badly don’t make us happy.

The Buddhist solution to this condition is to realize the true nature of the world, yourself, and your cravings that can’t be fulfilled.  This allows you to reach nirvana, or the end of all suffering.  Essentially, the true nature that Buddhism espouses is that reality is what it is, and all of the turmoil we perceive is of our own creation.  Even death is of no consequence.  If you have succeeded in shedding your earthly cravings and have reached enlightenment; you reach nirvana and cease to be.  If you haven’t, then you’ll be born again and keep existing, and therefore suffering, until you get it right.  There is no great mystery or puzzle to life; the goal is to accept the world and your own existence for what it is and nothing more.

To reach this solution, Buddhism teaches people to master themselves through the eight-fold path.  You must have the right views, the right intent, the right speech, the right conduct, the right livelihood, the right effort, the right mindfulness, and the right concentration.  Every part of the eight-fold path is designed to help us suffering humans let go of the cravings that make us miserable.  Not only must we want to be free, but we must live a life that allows us to be free.

I’m on the fence when it comes to Buddhism.  There are parts of if that speak to me, but overall it doesn’t quite gel with my personal logic.  The biggest hurdle I face with every religion I study is that deep down in my heart of hearts, I don’t believe in an afterlife.  I’m quite convinced that my death will be the end of me, my consciousness, my soul, or what-have-you.  Reincarnation is a tough idea for me to swallow.  The idea of nirvana is only slightly easier to accept. Despite my reservations about the ideas of Buddhist death, there are things about the Buddhist life that I truly admire.  My favorite idea is that of the Zen Buddhists being like daruma dolls: the weeble and wobble but don’t fall down.  I crave the ability to react and return to a state of calm without being overwhelmed.

Buddhism - Rebekah Pewitt

     Buddhism can be considered the world’s first great religion. Following the teachings and life of Buddha was the first philosophy and religion to fully move out of it’s own region and country and into others. Buddha was a man named Siddharta Gautama, and he was raised Hindu. However, Buddha throughout his life searched for more answers than the Hindu faith could provide. Most surrounding the human condition of suffering. So he set out on his own path to end this suffering within our own consciousness and mental state.

Buddhism sees the human condition as one of suffering. A state in which all things must end and never remain constant. For Buddha the solution to this problem was enlightenment. Yet it was a path to enlightenment no one had ever gone down before, through meditation of his own mental state and conscious. He taught the way to reach this enlightenment outside of meditation is to implement the eight fold path within the four noble truths. These truths being... 1. Dukkha - all of life is suffering, the suffering in physical pain and emotional pain and the suffering of death and rebirth. We as humans are all trapped in a cycle of suffering. 2. Trishna - We are all driven by desire. It is the craving for all things (wealth, food, love, success, happiness, etc.) that leads us to suffer. 3. Nirvana - The end of suffering. This is the state at which our suffering of life can end while we are still human; the mental state in which we strive for. and 4. The 8fold path is the only way to obtain nirvana.

So now followers of Buddhism must live within the guidelines of the path if they want to achieve a trues sense of enlightenment. Each part of the path is the “right” or “true way” in which each part of one’s life should be lived, and each of these are also lived in such a way as to which no harm is done to others, so that we don’t cause any one else additional suffering. The path includes right intent, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

There are many different sects of Buddhism throughout the world. The religion took on different aspects and importance when spreading through other countries. It has also now taken on new meanings in the western world as well. Many question that it is even a religion, but rather a form of philosophy or and type of psycho spiritual therapy, since in the religion there is no figure regarded as a god or deity nor is there as “soul” in people that they are trying to better or save (for lack of a better word.)

I would be more likely to be a follower of the Hindu faith before I would be a Buddhist. There are too many loose ends that haven’t been tied up for me as far as people not having a “soul or atman.” There are also so many different version of this one original mindset that it seems to be a religion that can adapt to whatever you want it to be, which for me is the complete antithesis of what religion is. For me Buddhism seems to be more like a type of psycho-spiritual therapy, and in that respect I can buy into that. However I can’t buy into the Buddhism ideals as a religion.

Buddhism/ Emma Egli

What is the human condition?

In Buddhism, our human bodies are thought of as heaps - diseased and frail vessels that only age. We go through life suffering, forever living in a false sense of existence and being slaves to our desires. The world is a place of rejection, failure and pain and our suffering is caused by our attachment. The problem is that everything is changing and nothing is permanent. This suffering therefore motivates us to seek liberation. 

What is the solution to this condition?

If we release ourselves from attachment, we can can be released from suffering. It's best to realize the Four Noble Truths: 1. Suffering happens 2. The cause of this is our desire 3. Realize there is a cure 4. The cure is to seek liberation and reach nirvana. One way to seek liberation is to follow the no-self doctrine. But the main way out of this suffering is to follow the Eightfold path. Buddha taught this method because it leads away from a life of self-sustained suffering toward a more enlightened and compassionate life. 

How do we move from problem to solution?

By following the eight pursuits: the right speech, right action, right livelihood, right concentration, right mindfulness, right effort, right understanding and right thought. Through the pursuit of morality, meditation and wisdom, we can reach nirvana - a reality beyond meaning and meaninglessness, beyond knowing, beyond self and beyond suffering. 

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

I definitely agree with the idea that we are ultimately the cause of our own suffering. And if we continue asking the questions "Is there a God? Do we continue living after death? Is there an ultimate meaning to life?" over and over again, we are just wasting our time. Like Buddha first taught, we must first remove the poisoned arrow from our consciousness. We have the ability to counteract the habits that poison our minds - we are born with the potential for knowing this. I also find appealing the idea that Buddhism encourages you to direct love, kindness, progressiveness and love to those close to you, complete strangers and even those who have wronged you. While there is no heaven or hell in Buddhism and their idea of karma is much different than in Hinduism, I still like that regardless of the ultimate consequences, you should always wish well onto others. I also like that nirvana is not really heaven, but more of a cessation - from passion, ignorance, strife and the struggle to prove our existence to the world. Seems like an awesome ultimate goal to me. 

Buddhism/Richel Albright

What is the human condition? 
The human condition within buddhism stems from the journey of Siddhartha Gautama's enlightenment who eventually becomes Buddha. But the key to this religion is enlightenment, though they say life has no actual "point." There is no Atman as there is in Hinduism, you just live life and eventually hope to be enlightened. The Five Scandas or heaps are the human condition -- no internal soul, we are just made up of materiality, sensations, perceptions, moods and thoughts. 


What is the solution to this condition?
Understanding the Four Noble Truths is how one would find a solution to this condition. The four truths say that life is about enduring suffering which is caused by craving, this all ends when the craving stops and and achieves liberation through the Eight Fold Path which if used correctly can eliminate the bad and negative in life so we may lead a satisfactory life. 


How do we move from problem to solution? 
When coming to grips that you will endure suffering in life to be liberated only then can you practice the Eight Fold Path. This path consists of "right" or "true way" of thinking: views, intent, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration. These eight paths help eliminate negativity. Intent and speech helps grow within wisdom, conduct and livelihood we become more attuned to our bodies, mindfulness and concentration helps find peace to end the suffering. Ways to practice these paths are through chanting or meditation, doing this daily will help bring us at peace with the world. 


How to best live the solution in our own lives? 
Between staying stressfree and not living in a materialistic world will help to live the solution. There is nothing to work towards at the end of life other than enlightenment so you can never lose site of your path. This can be achieved through daily mediation which also helps control stress in life. 


I enjoyed this teaching though, to me, it was a little more confusing than Hinduism but I still enjoyed it. I really loved the quote "zen is like a weeble wobble, you never get knocked off center. This is beyond encouraging and seems that this religion is good at being open-minded and not judgmental of peoples paths because in the end we end up in the same place.  

Buddhism / Christopher Hamby

What is the human condition? What is the solution to this condition? In Buddhism, the human condition is that all our suffering comes from our confusion and negativity. As human beings, we must work toward a positive condition that will lead us to true happiness and peace. The Four Noble Truths are the way to get to this nirvana. These truths include: life is suffering, suffering is caused by craving, suffering ends when craving ends and finally, reaching this final truth is by finding liberation through Buddha. Acts such as meditation, fasting and yoga can help guide people even further to nirvana or “enlightenment.” Similar to Hinduism, Buddhists believe very deeply in the inner connection between the physical state and consciousness. If one is truly wanting to follow the path of Buddha, the person must also follow the Eight-fold path. These can be achieved by practicing all of them or tackling each truth one by one as they come. 

Personally, I really enjoy the practice of Buddhism and it seems like a very realistic way of life to live. As I mentioned earlier, it is very similar to Hinduism and that is something I really enjoy about the religion. I have noticed since taking this class, that the Eastern religions are more like lifestyle traditions and I enjoy that aspect more. The concepts of reincarnation and karma sound better to me than any heaven or hell. Also, I really enjoyed the video we watched today. The 49 days after death is a lot to handle, especially knowing that you could potentially pick the wrong path! Hopefully, over time, you would find your way back to the right light and find your “enlightenment.” Many Western religions have placed a fear of death in people. This is through the ideas of hell and punishment and suffering. But in Buddhism, the suffering is NOW and that is something that we can overcome once we do die. Death is anything but suffering. When we die, we shall be happy and alive. The video tonight finished with a very lovely quote. “When you are born, you cry and the world is filled with joy. When you die, the world cries but find the great liberation.” 

Buddhism-Aronne McCoy

Buddhism is both religion and philosophy. The first of three World Religions, it is equal parts psychological and spiritual therapy. While Buddhism has different sects like most religions, the main pillars remain the same. Buddhism sprang from Hinduism, the religion by birth of the Buddha. He renounced religious authority, ritual, metaphysics/explanations, tradition, grace and mystery, all the markers of typical religions. His religion was one of intense self control, therapeutic, scientific, empirical, egalitarian, pragmatic, psychological, and it was directed to individuals. This religion is based on the Four Noble Truths. The first is that life is dukkha, or suffering. The second is trishna or tanha which is the specific desire for personal fulfillment. This craving or desire is the cause of our life's suffering or dukkha. The third noble truth is nirvana, to cease or blow out, which is the cure for the craving. The fourth noble truth is the way to reach the cure- the 8 fold path. The 8-fold path is as follows:

1. Right Knowledge

2. Right Aspiration

3. Right Speech

4. Right Behavior

5. Right Livelihood

6. Right Effort

7. Right Mindfulness

8. Right Absorption

The first, right knowledge, specifically refers to the Four Noble Truths. In order for us to reach nirvana we must first understand life's problem. The second, right aspiration, means to find what we really want. The single-minded pursuit of liberation is the way to continue on the Path. Number 3, right speech, is fairly self-explanatory. We have to, according to Smith, "notice our speech and what it reveals about our character... False witness, idle chatter, gossip, slander and abuse are all to be avoided." He also notes in one of my favorite quotes, "[the covert forms of the aforementioned forms of speech to be avoided] -subtle, belittling, "accidental" tactlessness and barbed wit - are often more vicious because their animus is veiled." Right behavior, the fourth step on the Path, is pretty familiar to most religious or spiritual people. Do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste, or take drugs/intoxicants are all precepts of any moral policy. Step five, or right livelihood, counsels us to choose an occupation that promotes life instead of destroying it. Personally, I think in the modern age this is one of the hardest steps to follow given that for the majority money is of the utmost importance. Right effort, or step six, can best be described in the wonderful William James quote : "the slow dull heave of the will." Moral exertion is imperative to reaching enlightenment. Right mindfulness, step 7, counsels us to maintain a steady self-awareness. It is only through self-examination that we can recognize the finite nature of ourselves and everything around us. Last is right absorption, the goal is to be absorbed only in our own liberation and the practices that will get us there. 

Over all, I love Buddhism and could extol it's virtues to most everyone. My biggest problem with Buddhism is that for me it's so clear that there is a unifying force in all of us. The Hindus call it Atman, and most Westerners would call it the Soul. Whatever name attached to it, it is the foundation of my spirituality. And while it could be argued that I need to feel connected to a Higher Power that cares for me in order to comfort myself, it is nonetheless very real to me. I love the Namaste, the recognition of God in myself and all others. This is not to negate the beauty in Buddhism, of which there is much. 

Buddhism/ Andrew Yousef

     According to the Buddhist faith, suffering is the current state of the human condition.  The Buddha noticed that everyone in life is in a mental state of suffering.  Therefore, aging, sickness, poverty, and death, cause humans dukka or suffering.  When the Buddha had the opportunity to explore the human condition, he noticed a reality in life he had never noticed before.  While observing out in the country, he saw a very old man and a very sick man.  When he saw these people, they did not simply pass by like anything else he has seen before.  These images made a difference in the life of the Buddha.  He then left the wealth he had, his wife, and his child, and went to find a solution for that state of suffering.

     The Buddha sat under a tree and did not move for a very long time.  During that time he reached a state of consciousness he has never reached before in his life—a state he never even heard about.  He reached that state of consciousness where he was above any human desire or craving.  That state is referred to as nirvana, or to cease the craving.  At that state, the Buddha came to complete satisfaction where he had no craving for anything on earth.  According to Buddhism nirvana is the solution to suffering.  At nirvana there is no suffering; it is a high level of consciousness that makes human rise above all temptations and cravings.

     The main problem humans have, according to the Buddha, is craving or trishna.  This unquenchable thirst humans had was the root of the human condition which caused suffering.  If people did not have trishna they would not be in the state of dukka.  It is in the human nature to be tempted to love things and crave them, and that causes us to suffer.  To move from the problem to the solution the Buddha prescribed the eight fold path.  A human needs to have the right views, intent, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.  By following these eight things, the human will eventually start to move towards nirvana.  Mindfulness and concentration, unlike the six other paths, are unique in that they are types of meditation that leads to a high level of consciousness.  Mindfulness, or vippassana, is to see things the way they really are.  In vippassana, the meditator focuses on different parts of his body one part at a time and learns how to be aware of its sensation.  Concentration, or shikantaza—which literally means just sitting, is the simple form of meditation where the meditator just breathes regularly while focusing his mind on his current state.  These paths are the prescribed paths to the man who wants to leave the current state of suffering in an effort to reach nirvana.

     To live out the solution in our lives, according to the Buddhist faith, is to practice the eight fold path.  Although different sects of Buddhism emphasize different parts, a recurring theme is compassion and reality.  A Buddhist aims to have compassion for the people and tries to do the most unselfish acts he possible could.  For a Buddhist, reality is another important theme; in here a Buddhist would do his best to become aware with what is around him and at the same time try to act in proactive ways.  Essentially Buddhism is more concerned with how to solve a problem rather than finding out why the problem occurred.

     Reflecting on these philosophical religious ideas, I see Buddhism as a realistic religion.  Buddhism tries to see things the way they really are without interfering with the seriousness of the matter.  What kind of confused me when reading about Buddhism, is its emphasis on the mind.  It seems that these two things conflict—reality and the mind.  Reality is concerned with what is external and the surroundings while the mind is very internal and has little to do with the surroundings.  Yet, to see how one religion incorporates both of these and manages to place much emphasis on the both of them causes some confusion.

Buddhism-Justin Wesson

     Buddhism traces its origin back to Siddhartha Gautama, the son of a wealthy family. He was shielded from the realities of the world, in particular the suffering of the world.  One day he went out to see the world and he was awakened to the reality of all the sufferings that go on during our lives, sufferings that he had been shielded from. Giving up the life of wealth for the life of a poor man, he went out into the world to find the cause of this human suffering and the solution. During this journey he became enlightened by taking the “middle way”, a way that was not of indulgence, nor asceticism.  Having become enlightened Siddhartha became known as Buddha. He started teaching the dharma way of living; a way that was free of extremes and open to all and that leads to enlightenment. In the teaching of Dharma are the four noble truths and the Eightfold path. These areas explore the cause of the human condition and the solution. The four noble truths are:

1.Duhkha- All of life is suffering; birth, life, death, and rebirth. Karma has in a sense trapped life in this cycle of suffering.

2.Tanha-Desire and cravings cause or suffering with our attachment to people and things not understanding the impermanence of these things

3. The third noble truth recognizes the need to rid our self of these desires and craving. One author I read said to extinguish the flames of our desires.

4.The fourth truth acknowledges the way to rid ourselves of these desires, the Eightfold path.

The Eightfold path points to the areas of one’s life that need to be completely free to desires and cravings. Each step is the “Right” way or the “true way”. They are right view, right intention, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. These are broken down into three areas: wisdom, ethics, and mental discipline. The Wisdom areas are right view and right intention. These areas deal with an understanding of life and the four noble truths. Right views isn’t so much as intellectual views as it is about understanding the world and right intentions and commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. The ethics of the Eightfold path are right speech, right conduct, and right livelihood. The areas of the path that deal with mental disciplines are right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

                The Four Noble truths establish the problem of suffering and give the way to rid ourselves of suffering through the Eightfold path. To achieve the extinguishing of our desires and cravings is done though meditation, chanting, and following more of the Buddha’s teachings. Our desires and craving cause our suffering because they are impermanent; they too will pass away and/or let us down. We solve this problem by severing attachment to them, when we do this we are truly free. I find this belief very interesting and at times felt like I was hearing the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes.  I do believe that our attachment to thing can cause us suffering. Letting go of those things can at time feel like greater suffering but when we realize how free we are without it can bring great healing.   

Buddhism/ Clacey Farley

When I think human condition in Buddhism my mind goes to the cycle of life, suffering, death, and rebirth. Humans live, toil away at life, they get sick and then they die. It is the human condition to suffer and to crave things in this world. This craving, this personal, very individual obsession leads to unhappiness. However the human has no “soul” so while rebirth happens one would have no recollection of past lives lived. So the point of being human, having a condition, is to realize you have no condition. You are inconstant and it is important to live this life as well as you can because you only get it. So the solution to the craving would be to remove yourself from it. Get in touch with the bigger higher you that doesn’t crave or want things it knows will not last. The solution to suffering is enlightenment.

In order to let go of earthly craving and attain enlightenment, one is instructed essentially to be compassionate. The four noble truths and the eight fold path are what the enlightened one, the Buddha, instructed his followers to live by. It seems that to become enlightened one must spend extended periods of time with oneself. Meditating, understanding ones own thoughts and demons and joys. One must take time to completely explore the mind and then come to the understanding that our reality is relative. Once enlightenment is achieved one is free from the constant cycle of death and rebirth and simply ceases. I really like this aspect of Buddhism. It isn’t eternal, there is an end, and eventually we just stop. I suppose consciousness dies with the body but it’s a nice change from the conventional desire to live forever. The simplicity of you live, you die is appealing.

I think the best way to use Buddhism in our lives if to remember everyday to live life because this is what we get. We can help others daily. Do things just because they are right. Hold doors for people and smile at strangers. Instead of focusing in on things we don’t like in our fellow beings we can see what good they expel. In our lives we can remember that life is just life, we can play the game. Enjoy the good limes, roll with the bad times because we know nothing will stay forever. All things pass. Its important to remember that death is a part of life, and not shy away from it. I think Buddhism places importance with accepting death.  “When we are born we cry, and our loved ones rejoice. When we die our loved ones cry and we are free,” it is a comforting thought.  After all we are all we have in this world, and death will always be the last great adventure. It is good to know it to will end.