The first of the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha held, is suffering, or duhkha. By this, he meant not only that human existence is occasionally painful but that all beings; humans, and animals; are caught up in samsara, “a cycle of rebirth, a maze of suffering in which their actions, or karma, keep them wandering” (Coomaraswamy 53).

The obvious aspect of suffering is immediate pain or difficulty in the moment. Subtle suffering is more difficult to understand because it begins with happiness. But by its very nature this happiness must change because it cannot go on forever.

The Third Noble Truth is that suffering can be overcome and happiness achieved. “We have control over suffering because karma and the defilements take place within us--we create them, we experience them (“The Very Venerable”).” This is perhaps the most significant of the Four Noble Truths because in it the Buddha reassures us that true happiness and contentment are possible. When we give up useless craving and learn to live each day at a time, enjoying without restless wanting the experiences that life offers us, patiently enduring the problems that life involves without fear, hatred and anger, and then we become content and free (Encarta 2). Then, and only then do we begin to live fully. Because we are no longer obsessed with satisfying our own selfish wants we find we have so much time to help others satisfy their needs. This state is called Nirvana. We are free from all psychological suffering as well. This is called Final

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