There are many metaphysical theories that we have touched on this semester. The concept of Buddhism is the one that intrigues me the most seeing that there are many crucial beliefs that I agree with but I also find fault with some of the other tenets of the religion. The ideas behind the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path are not only attainable but should be the aim of any person seeking to become a decent human being. Within the Buddhist faith there is a strong sense of morality and control over self-destiny through the practice of meditation as suggested in the behavioral guidelines put forth by the Buddha. A concept that is troubling to me is that the causes of suffering (i.e. old age, sickness, and death) is something that no one can escape, which the Buddha teaches that you can escape.. If and only if the suffering of one’s life is removed, enlightenment is not only possible but it is achieved according to Buddha. So then how can enlightenment be achieved if the impeding forces cannot be removed? This is the weakness of the Buddhist doctrine pertaining to the way of life, and possibly shows us that the purpose of his doctrine was to teach us how to lead

a good life and not to really achieve some sort of “nirvana”.

Buddha gives his disciples the direction to achieve the supreme good and to release them from the suffering of this world. He outlines the way in the Eightfold Noble Path. This path denotes that if a person demonstrates right thought, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration/meditation that it will release them from this world and into harmony. None of these ways eliminates old age, sickness, and death. They may lead to the minimization of desire, attachment, and passion, but nothing is eliminated, yet again leaving the person short of enlightenment. I find that Buddha gives us a goal and that the goal of enlightenment is not attainable by the methods he prescribed. The Eightfold Noble Path gives us a sense of morality and ethics that many different religions have taught us, and maybe this was the true aim of the doctrine.

To understand the Buddhist life, one needs to understand the Four Noble Truths: All is suffering; the root of suffering is desire, attachment, and personal clinging; there is a way to eliminate desire, and thereby eliminate suffering, namely nibbana; the way to the supreme good is the Eightfold Noble Path. (Solomon, 65) Craving is the root of all that is suffering. Attachment, passion and desire all stem from this. They cannot be eliminated only minimized, but through the doctrine left by Buddha there is NO way to reach enlightenment unless one is “free” of these sufferings. I find fault in the elimination of desire. For someone to become devoted to a way of life, in fact for someone to want to become enlightened, they have

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