The 8 Ways To End Suffering According To Buddhism

Buddhism has a very peculiar way of dealing with pain. This philosophy promotes the idea that it is possible to end suffering, even though it is an inevitable part of life. Even though life causes us pain, we are not doomed to passively suffer through it. There are 8 ways to end suffering.

According to Buddhists, in order to end suffering, the first thing we must do is accept that it exists. All people, sooner or later, are affected by pain. Resisting only makes it worse.

That said, accepting pain does not mean surrendering to it. Buddhism makes it clear that suffering is born out of desire, therefore, learning to resist desire is the shortest way to end suffering. In turn, this philosophy points out that there is a noble “eightfold path”, or 8 ways to end suffering, which should be practiced freely so that peace and harmony can prevail in our lives.

Correct vision – the first of the 8 ways to end suffering

The best way to be fair is by simply not judging. Rather than judging whether something is good or bad, you should try to understand its nature. Many people act in the wrong way. But, who are you to judge them?

In order to end suffering, it is necessary to cultivate a comprehensive attitude, rather than to judge. It is not up to you to evaluate, approve or condemn the behavior of others. Nor do they have the power to do that to you.

2. Right intention – form noble intentions

There is a big difference between setting successful goals and setting noble goals. The former are motivated by the desire for individual recognition, which in the end often leaves a void. Your own triumphs allow you to give yourself a round of applause, but does it have any purpose for the universe?

Buddhists, for their part, invite people to form noble purposes. It is a way to end suffering because it always leads to a deep satisfaction that can be shared with others. Feeling useful and purposeful makes more sense to your efforts.

3. Correct speech – be honest and careful with your words

Words give life, but they also take life. They can create you and they can crush you. When words come from a pure soul, they are balm for the world. Words convey understanding, love and brotherhood. They comfort, motivate and elevate the greatest values ​​in life.

However, sometimes words can be used to lie, hurt, or humiliate. No one can be happy if they hurt others with their words. At some point, it will backfire on the person who chooses to use such harmful language.

4. Right action – do not hurt others or indulge in abundance

A principle is present in the ethical codes of almost all cultures. You must not kill others or threaten their lives. Besides, this does not only apply to what is physical, it is also symbolic; it can be spiritual.

In order to end suffering, it is important not to cause others to suffer as it would be a great contradiction. Nevertheless, any kind of abundance will harm your well-being and should be avoided. There is no better way to achieve harmony than to maintain balance in your own way of life.

5. The right way of life – earn a living by working hard

It is not appropriate to try to build lifestyles based on anything other than your own work. When this happens, the sense of personal pride is diminished and changed.

Work transforms people and makes them feel better. It is a way to build dignity, grow and serve others. Idleness will sooner or later lead to dissatisfaction and anxiety. We stagnate, and it leads us to lose our best virtues and abilities.

6. Make the right effort – cultivate the virtue

It is not possible to end suffering if you do not embark on a path towards constant development. Virtue, in general, is not something that falls from the sky, but in fact the fruit of patient cultivation. It is a direct result of striving.

Cultivating virtue will also increase your love for yourself. It makes you look at yourself as a real person in the process of learning and growing. It allows you to be open to criticism and mistakes and see the possibility of development.

7. Proper attention – open observation

If you want to end suffering, then it is necessary that you remain aware of the messages that the body sends. Our body warns us against imbalance. It makes us aware that lifestyles can be harmful.

Still, it is a good idea to become aware of how you shop. You should not try to judge yourself or accept or punish yourself. Instead, it is important that you see yourself in the way a spectator would do in an effort to get to know yourself better.

8. Right samadhi – learn to calm the mind

When the mind is hung up on emotions, it loses its power. And if we give in to uncontrolled emotions and desires, you can quickly end up sinking into situations that, after all, cause more pain.

Everyone needs to find the tool that helps them calm their minds in times of confusion, fear and anxiety. When you act under these influences, that is when you make the most mistakes. That is why it is so important to learn to control these emotions.

The eight ways to end suffering are the result of ancient wisdom. They are also a detailed guide to meeting the world and life. If you use them with perseverance, they can lead to inner balance, harmony and peace in your heart.