What Buddhism is All About

A brief overview of what Buddhism is and what it sets out to do.

In our fast-paced world, a sense of unease often lurks beneath the surface. We chase deadlines, juggle responsibilities, and strive for success, yet a nagging feeling of dissatisfaction persists. Buddhism offers a profound yet practical perspective on this human predicament.

The Buddha, Siddhattha Gotama, didn’t shy away from these challenges, but instead set himself the task of finding a way to overcome them. His core teaching centers around the universality of “dukkha.” If you’ve come across Buddhism before, chances are you’ve seen this translated as “suffering,” but that’s a bit misleading. Better to think of it as “stress,” “discomfort,” or (my preference, though it’s a clumsy one) “dis-ease.”

That dukkha is universal to the human experience doesn’t mean we live in a constant state of misery. Rather, there’s an undercurrent of dissatisfaction woven into our experience. It’s the yearning for things to be different, the frustration with impermanence, and the fear of loss.

Understanding the Cause

But what causes this dis-ease? The Buddha identified a key culprit: our craving. We crave pleasurable experiences and possessions. Even clinging to self-image fuels our suffering…