UGC 111 Chapter Reading: The Word

• School: University at Buffalo
• Department: Undergraduate College
• Course: UGC 111
• Professor: Maureen Donnelly

Document Summary

The first noble truth is that suffering exists, a natural part of life. There are four unavoidable physical sufferings; birth, old age, sickness and death. There are also three forms of mental suffering; separation from the people we love; contact with people we dislike and frustration of desires. While happiness is exists and comes in many ways, does not stop suffering nor does it last forever. The second noble truth is that suffering arises from attachment to desires and only way to end suffering in life is to understand what causes it. The two main causes of suffering are cravings and ignorance. People crave pleasuring their senses in every way possible and are only disappointed until they can replace their cravings with new ones. People suffer from being unable to see the world as it really is and live with illusions about life and fears, hopes, facts and behaviors based on ignorance.