Life is full of obstacles that we need to overcome in order to survive. We sometimes try to reject these obstacles as we are not able to cope with them. However, as difficult as they are to cope with, we need to confront them if we want to have a fulfilling and happy life.
According to Buddhism, happiness means holding and accepting the different aspects of life, even though they may be negative. Moreover, Buddhism claims that we will experience numerous benefits if we accept these 5 truths about life:
1. It is useless to worry
If we worry, we will not achieve anything. Even if we worry twenty times more, we will not change the situation. Namely, our anxiety only aggravates the things. Even if things are not as we would like, we can still be satisfied, knowing that we are doing our best.
Worrying is not valuable, because it cannot change what is happening in our lives. When we worry, we only waste our time. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist master, thinks that we should live in the present without putting label on our future terms of happiness.
By worrying we do not accomplish anything. If we cannot smile, breathe and live our life deeply, we will not be able to help other people. We should be happy in the present moment, without expecting anything else. Not grasping and running after the things is the most important thing in life.
2. If we want to be happy, we should see the reality as it is
Disappointment, anger, irritation, embarrassment, resentment, fear and jealousy rather than bad news are clear moments that teach us where we are stuck. Namely, they teach us to be cheerful and lean in whenever we feel we would collapse and hold back. The present moment is a teacher, who is always with us.
If we want to be free, we need to see reality as it is. We need to be open to truth instead of being focused on our opinions and ideas. Most people try to stay positive by rejecting negative people and emotions. However, we should confront them and accept them if we want to be happy.
According to Buddhism, we always have two options. Either we accept our reality or we challenge it. Either we question our thoughts or we do not. Buddhism claims that we need to learn to stay curious and open and to try to solve our assumptions.
3. We have to accept changes
Each morning we are born again. However, what we do is what is important.
Everything is life changes. We were born and we will all die. Also, the weather changes every day. Life changes, no matter of our perspective of life. Nevertheless, most people try to remain fixed and constant. However, this is opposite to the forces of the Universe.
By accepting change, we get energy to create our own life. Diasakos Ikeda, a Buddhist, stated that embracing change allows us to take action and make positive changes in our lives.
According to Buddhism, everything changes. Therefore, the question is if we are going to accept the change and be taken off by it or if we are going to take action and make positive changes in our lives.
4. The cause of suffering is following temporary feelings
The root cause of suffering is the long-lasting following of temporary feelings that cause us to experience tension, dissatisfaction and restlessness.
Many people look for the feelings of happiness. We believe that happiness includes joy, euphoria and excitement, but these feeling do not last long. And the constant following of these feelings only cause suffering.
On the other hand, true happiness derives from the inner peace – being satisfied with who we are and what we have.
Yuval Noah Hariri, a Buddhist, stated that neither the feeling of pain nor the feeling of sadness is the root cause of suffering. The constant following of ephemeral feelings, which make us experience tension, restlessness and dissatisfaction, is the main cause of suffering. The mind is never content with this pursuit. Even when we are happy, the mind is not content, as it fears that this happiness will fade away. People are free from suffering when they realize the nature of their feelings and stop looking for them.
5. Meditation is a way to reduce suffering
Mediation is a way to understand the mind. It represents a way of witnessing the mind. Mediation tries to teach us that everything is temporary, even our feelings. It teaches that only the present moment exists. When we understand this, we will be satisfied and happy.
While mediating, we are supposed to observe the body and the mind, witness the appearance and passing of our feelings and understand how meaningless it is to pursue them. When we stop to pursue them, our mind will be content, clear and relaxed. All feelings – anger, joy, lust, boredom – are passing, but when we stop pursuing them, we can accept them as they are. We should learn to live in the present moment and to stop imagining what may have happen.