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Moustafa El-Mattrawy

Mr. Diaz-Williamson

World History: 1

1 March 2019

How Buddhism Answers Life’s Questions

Every religion attempts to answer one of the most important questions of life: What is the

essential nature of human beings? Different religions come up with different answers, and most

of the time, they also have their own solution. Some religions say people exist to serve a higher

power, while others, like Buddhism say humans exist to suffer. Although Buddhism's outlook on

life may seem pessimistic, they do offer a way out of the continuous cycle of suffering and

desire, and the simplicity of it may be quite surprising. Buddhism’s answer to the question of

human’s intrinsic nature, the eightfold path, was attractive to people of the classical era, and it is

still compelling to people today because of its rather simple and all-inclusive principles.

Buddhism started when a curious prince, Siddhartha Gautama, saw pain and suffering

and wished to find a solution. As a result, he meditated for a very long period of time to reflect,

and eventually, he found the answer for himself. After his meditative period, the Buddha came to

four simple conclusions which are known as the four noble truths. The four truths are as follows:

Suffering exists within everyone, suffering comes from desire, you can escape suffering by

ending desire, and the way to escape it is called the eightfold path. The Buddha then taught these

relatable, all-inclusive truths to the people of classical India, spreading Buddhist practices all

throughout Asia, and it started to catch on.

One reason why Buddhism flourished was because of how appealing the ideas were. At

the time, there was a caste system in India which determined a person’s job, social status and
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even who they were friends with. At first, this may not sound that unappealing, but for the people

at the bottom, it was extremely so. However, Hinduism offered a way out through fulfilling their

dharma, or cosmic duty, and if one did so, they could be reincarnated into a better caste in their

next life through the cycle of Samsara, but there was an issue. Hinduism also created the idea of

the caste system and perpetuated it through the idea of Karma. Buddhism on the other hand,

offered a more direct, inclusive solution to happiness by escaping the cycle entirely, no matter

who they were or what caste they were in. This was much more accessible to the lower castes,

and it meant anyone could reach enlightenment in a simple way. This simple way, also known as

the eightfold path is a big reason why Buddhism is still compelling today.

The eightfold path, which allows anyone to escape suffering and desire, is a very

appealing idea to most, and is most likely less farfetched than the solutions offered by other

religions. Instead of basing the solution on deities or otherworldly beings, the solution is based

on the self, which gives each person a sense of control over their fate, and it seems much more

achievable than having to wait multiple lifetimes to achieve happiness. In addition, there is no

one person who requires worship or sacrifice, so it is a breath of fresh air for the lower classes

since who constantly feel like they are below others. In conclusion, Buddhism was and still is a

very appealing answer to one of life’s most difficult questions: What is the essential nature of

human beings? because it is simple, all inclusive, and focused on the self instead of relying on

otherworldly powers.

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