The Most Common Cause of Suffering According to Buddhism (and What You Can Do About it)

The four noble truths of Buddhism are the four principles of life that govern Buddhism philosophy. They are,

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha)
2. The truth of the cause if suffering (samudhaya)
3. The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha)
4. The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga)

Here we are going to discuss about the second noble truth on what causes our suffering and then discuss strategies we can do to overcome it.

What Causes Our Suffering

Suffering causes by attachment to desires says the Buddhism. Material objects, sensual pleasure or even your relationships are different desires. The attachments are transient and loss in inevitable is the reason desiring cause suffering.

According to Buddhism, change is the only constant in the universe and you are trying to control and make something fixed by desiring. As you are going against the forces of the universe, which is what causes anxiety, depression and negative emotions can cause suffering.

Suffering Ceases When Attachment To Desire Ceases

When the mind experiences freedom from attachment it is the end of suffering. Then you let go of any craving or desiring. “Nirvana” is this state of enlightenment which means freedom from all worries, anxieties, and troubles. But it’s not comprehensible for people who have not attained it.

How Do You Eliminate Desire?

You should remember that it’s impossible to eliminate desire completely. Most of the people that come on this was face the obvious dilemma that when you try to eliminate desiring, you are desiring not to desire.

So, we need to eliminate attachment and desire as much as possible.

According to Buddhism, we must follow the Eightfold Path to en suffering. The liberation from suffering is what many people mean when they use the word “enlightenment.”

You need to follow eight attitudes or paths to find freedom from suffering,

1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration

What Are Some Practical Strategies?

Here are 6 ways to decrease suffering from Tiny Buddha. You can read this as here are some most important points.

1. Let go of creating stories.

We tend to create stories about what happens when we experience suffering. Just think of this simple example, when we face the end of a relationship, we make our own stories such as ‘I will never find someone as good again ’and‘ there is no way out of our suffering. They don’t live in the original feeling. But you can practice self-talk and live in the moment. You should exist only in each moment and find that things are not bad as you think.

2. Embrace change.

According to Buddhism, the only low in this universe is changing. Remember that, each and every feeling, positive or negative will surely change. So, keep hope during bad times, and enjoy the moment as they don’t last forever.

3. Smile, even if you don’t feel like it.

Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of joy.” It means that we have more power to change our mood than we realize.

4. Jolt yourself out of your usual routine.

There can be things that may pull you out of your rut, but just give it a try and see how it changes the nature of your suffering.

5. Soften someone else’s suffering.

Every person experiences suffering, so you need to realize that someone is probably suffering more than you right now. Think about others too, so, you can improve your well being.

6. Remember your basic goodness.

A wonderful concept that comes from the Shambhala Buddhist tradition is the “Basic goodness.” There’s a ground of basic goodness in us and in the universe that we can count on no matter how chaotic or negative the circumstances of our life.