A question about buddhism?

Question

Buddhism in short, says that unhappyness is caused by want, desires and material earthly things. How does one live in this world today free of desires? Can a buddhist live life peacefully and modestly while still wanting things occasinally? we all want sometimes so is want OK in moderation.

I am interested in buddhism

2nd person. Please don't preach. I don't need nor want that.

Answer 1

*An Excellent Book to read on What Buddhism believes is called:
"Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness."
By: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana.
It makes no attempts to convert anyone, only shares what Buddhism believes, and is based on Loving-kindness.
*Thank You for giving me the opporutnity to provide you with an answer to your most excellent question.
*Have a great week, and coming weekend.

Answer 2

What is a faith? If this can be a notion process which entails a number of deities, then Buddhism is not strictly a faith. Buddha is respected as a God in a few branches of Buddhism, however as a instructor in others. The latter are philosophies no longer religions.

Answer 3

We can if we train. Normal people studies Buddhism so that they can live a simple, better life without being possessed by the evil desire and material world. They can be generous to offer help to the poor and understand the difficulties of the people. When you can be gentle and merciful, you are better person. I see some people tries to rescue some ugly bugs which wander in their houses and free them not kill them like us. Buddhists, who are in the temple, train to go to Nirvana can be free from all desires in many years of training!

Answer 4

Desire and aversion both cause suffering.

When you want something, or want something to be a certain way, or want to feel a certain way, you are unhappy, because your happiness relies on conditions that you can't control. Likewise when you don't want things to be the way they are.

Pain, sadness, anger, hunger, and thirst (for example) do not have inherent negative qualities. They in themselves don't cause us to suffer. The aversion that we have toward these feelings is what causes us to suffer.

Comfort, happiness, gladness, and satiation don't have inherently good qualities, we just enjoy those feelings. The problem is, those things are always temporary, and we can't feel them all the time. So, we suffer when we lack them, when we have them we suffer because we know we'll lose them, and when we lose them, we suffer because we've lost them.

There's nothing wrong with material possessions. They don't cause us to suffer. Our desire to gain and keep them, and our suffering at losing them are what causes suffering.

Everyone does want things, that is true. Buddhism doesn't require a person to give away everything they own, but a Buddhist might choose to do that because it is helpful, if he decides to devote his life to following the Buddha's path. People who do that are usually monks. But Buddhism also has a lot to offer to people who don't renounce the world. I'm not Buddhist myself, but I've learned a lot from reading about it and talking to Buddhists, so Buddhism even has a lot to offer people who aren't Buddhists.

To sum up: wanting things, and suffering because of it, is unavoidable in life. According to Buddhism, following the Buddha's path will lead to freedom from desire and suffering.

I don't know if that answers your question. There are a lot of other people in R&S who are more knowledgeable on the subject than I am.

Answer 5

Freedom from worldly desires means to live sustainably without excess unnecessary "things". Desire for fame and fortune leads us to do unvirtuous things. The point is to live peacefully without all the complications of wealth and want; keep things basic.
Just because you desire something doesn't automatically quarantine you from becoming a buddhist. You can still live in great pleasure as a buddhist and have humanly needs.

Answer 6

That's why the Buddha had shown us the way to differnt paths towards our spiritual journey. We may not 'abandon' everything right here and now, but learn to understand and see that these are just natural states of our mind 'here-and-now' just as it is.

There's nothing that we can 'leave' but to accept and understand that these worldly desires are our very own natural defilements as being 'human being'. It teaches us to be more human than anything else.

You are right with the 'ok in moderation' but it is too subjective to say which is 'ok' or not in terms of defining it in order to 'feed' our desires. So we refer to the 'Noble Eightfold Path' that the Buddha had taught that is:

Sammã Ditthi - Right View
Sammã Sankappa - Right Thought
Sammã Vãcã - Right Speech
Sammã Kammanta - Right Action
Sammã Àjiva - Right Livelihood
Sammã Vãyama - Right Effort
Sammã Sati - Right Mindfulness
Sammã Samãdhi - Right Concentration

The Eightfold Path can be summarised under three groups, namely, sila (morality), samãdhi (concentration) and paññã (knowledge) ---kindly go to this link to learn more: http://www.buddhanet.net/wheeld03.htm

I do not wish to make this answer lengthy, so you may understand better from these basic principles of practice. It may be 'difficult' to comprehend at first but do be patient and continuously reading it from time to time and reflecting it upon your mental states help you to understand them better.

Buddhists live life comprehending that life by itself is a non-permanent state of 'being' so whatever comes in life is a natural occurance, not created, not self and is a state of suffering. To understand the nature of suffering you have to understand the nature of craving and the nature of our mental defilements.

On the surface, these are just descriptions and names only in order to point out to you the examples of our mental states. It has to be experienced in order to understand. The time in order to realise this depends on how much effort and time that we put into practice.

So, you can also say that Buddhists do emphasize on practice too, as the complementary to learning. Realisation comes as a result. It cannot be taught or given since realisation comes from our own effort and understanding.

As for now, there is nothing to worry or fear since these are natural states of the mind and if you do keep up to observing the mind, then you will come to your own understanding and comprehension.

Answer 7

if you are interesting in buddhist religion
this may help you to understand it better

http://www.11meditation.co.nr

there is no deep detail but it should make you get a big picture of this religion

hope it helps

Answer 8

Budd ism is based on a philosophy it does not show you how to have eternal life. Jesus said I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man comes to the Father except through me. If you want to spend eternity in heaven and not hell there is only one way, accept the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and ask Him to forgive you from your sins. He will not fail you nor forsake you. It is written " neither is there salvation in ANY other for there is no other name under heaven given to man whereby you must be saved" only though Christ, Budd ah can't do it for you nor Allah only Christ whom God has sent.

Answer 9

oooo
if u love buddism then u will pray for statue

Answer 10

not sure, but an interesting topic