Buddhism - Madeline Burford

What is the human condition?

       The current human condition is that the human being is a being driven by desires and cravings which ultimately lead to disappointment and suffering. According to Buddha, as humans, our minds are in darkness, hindered from enlightenment. We understand this condition through the teachings of the 4 Nobel Truths. The first truth is that in this world, there is dukkha, or suffering, of both the mind and the body. Dukkha is shown and experienced through fear, pain, sickness, old age, and even mental suffering. The second truth is that in this world there is trishna or desires and cravings, which Buddha points out as the cause of all suffering. These desires attach us to things that are not truly reality, but physical objects of impertinence.  The third truth is where Buddha becomes slightly optimistic in that he tells us that you can attain the ceasing of suffering, or nirodha. Nirodha extinguishes the cravings of attachment and desires of humans in order to reach Nirvana. Nirvana is the freedom from all trouble, worries, ideas, and pain but can only be gained through a path of gradual self-improvement through the Eightfold Path.

What is the solution to the human condition and how do we get there?

         The goal of this perspective from Buddha is to release oneself from the distractions of craving and desires in order to reduce suffering and so one can become truly enlightened towards reality. In order to get to this understanding of reality, Buddha gives us the Eightfold Path, which I will try to describe in a nutshell.  1) There is the Right view which is the start and end to the path and it means to see and understand things as they really are, that life is impermanent and imperfect. 2) There is the Right Intention which refers to the commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. 3) There is Right Speech which means to abstain from false speech, to abstain from slanderous speech, to abstain from harsh words, and to abstain from idle chit chat. 4) There is Right Action which means to have wholesome actions to lead to sound states of mind. 5) Right Livelihood says one should earn a living in a righteous way, peacefully and legally. 6) Right effort is through which everything can be achieved with positive mental energy. 7) Right mindfulness controls the use of cognition and consciousness.  8) Right Concentration allows for the development of consciousness through direction to a purpose, usually trained through meditation.

What is the best way to live out the solution?

            Well, the Buddha would say check it out for yourself, be your own authority and do not simply accept truth for truth, but test it. So, the best way to live out the solution would be to test the Eightfold Path, see if you believe in the Four Nobel Truths, and see if you accept it. Personally, I am still testing this out. I do not want to accept teachings though from someone who simply dismisses good solid questions of theology as trifle issues not worthy of being dealt with. While I appreciate his truths and his desire to rid suffering, it seems to me that he only has the answers to become really chill and just goes with the flow, which I am sure works for people in their lives and that’s all they want to accept, is the moment.  I feel like Buddhism challenges the discipline of meditating the mind, but not truly enlightening, unless enlightenment is that rocks are hard, crap happens, and life is life. I would hope we are breathing and here for something more than Nirvana, that there is a purpose to our human existence.