I have never strictly aligned myself with one religion. I don’t consider myself a religious person. Nearly every set of beliefs (and there are about 4,200 different subsets of religions and belief systems worldwide) has its faults: contradictions, errors in translation, antiquated morals and traditions. Religion has been the justification of many terrible acts, as well as the inspiration for many things of beauty and charity.
That being said, I have found that the main tenets of Buddhism provide a philosophy that has made sense to me and brought me some inner peace in my times of need. It is more of a way of life than a religion; it is a mantra repeated to remind one of what is truly important. Instead of pushing for the worship of something outside yourself, Buddhism pushes oneself to master the highest degree of holiness I believe humans can achieve: the art of letting go.
Buddhism was founded on the principals of the Four Noble Truths. The First Noble Truth is that life is suffering; it is unavoidable no matter how you live your life. The Second Noble Truth is that suffering is caused by desire and want, which is rooted in ignorance. At this point, you’re probably thinking that all this is a bit harsh. It is. Life is harsh, and no matter how rich, comfortable, successful, or well-liked you are, some form of suffering will exist in your life.
However, the last two of the Four Truths address the path to overcoming suffering. The Third Noble Truth is the cure for the ailment of suffering. It dictates that the end of suffering follows the removal of want. This can be achieved through the following of the Fourth Noble Truth, which is that one must take a path to end their want; it is not enough to simply believe in the Noble Truths. This path is called the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of eight steps. The steps sound easy enough. One step, “Right Speech,” is not lying or gossiping. Another step, “Right Action,” is not committing any action that hurts anyone, including yourself. All the steps are similarly uncomplicated.
Yet, as simple as they may seem, there are very few human beings who can and will follow all eight of these steps in earnest.
Buddhism may not be the only one true religion. I don’t know what is, and I don’t believe any other person does either. However, I do believe that if everyone at least made a small effort to follow the Eightfold Path, our world would be a much nicer one to live in. Buddhism is tolerant and compatible with other religions; nobody has to convert to live their life with these tenets in mind. Certainly nobody is perfect and everyone gives into desire at some point. A little goes a long way when it comes to mindfulness and consideration of others. I choose to follow the philosophies of Buddhism, but if everyone were to improve their actions to be less selfish, materialistic, and judgmental, then I wouldn’t care what inspires them, as long as they strive for the path that best improves themselves.
