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Contribution of Śramana Tradition to Indian Culture : 167
Like Jainism, Buddhism also teaches us to lead a restraint and controlled life. The Buddha's main concern was to eliminate suffering, to find a cure for the pain of human existence. Gautama Buddha introduced four Noble Truths which talks about the Duḥkha, its cause and means of cessation.
Four noble truths (Ārya-satya)
1. Suffering (Duḥkha) - Human life is full of miseries such as poverty, diseases, old age, death, greed, anger, hatred conflict, exploitation etc.
2. Cause of suffering (Duḥkha-Samudaya) - In the world nothing happens without cause. All things found in this world are conditional and relatives. Therefore suffering has a cause.
3. Cessation of suffering (Duḥkha-nirodha) - If there is cause of suffering, it may be removed when the cause is removed.
4. The way leading to the cessation of suffering (Duhkhanirodha-gāmini pratipat) - This noble truth is eight-fold.
(a) Right faith (Samyak dṛṣṭi) (b) Right resolve (Samyak Sankalpa) (c) Right speech (Samyak Vāk) (d) Right action (Samyak Karmanta) (e) Right living (Samyak Ajiva) (f) Right effort (Samyak Vyāyāma) (g) Right thought (Samyak Smṛti) (h) Right concentration (Samyak Samadhi)
Out of these eightfold path the first two steps constitute Wisdom. Right faith (or right views) is the grasping of true reality, and a direct insight and penetration into the nature of things. Right resolve is that frame of mind which is selfless, detached and free of malice; that generosity of spirit which extends loving benevolence to all beings. The next three steps on the eightfold path constitute ethical conduct. Right speech involves abstaining from lies, from rude or malicious language. Right action requires abstaining from killing and all violence, stealing, dishonest practices, intoxicating drinks and improper sexual behavior. Right livelihood means that one should abstain from any profession that brings harm to others, such as weaponry, butchering animals or selling liquor. The last three steps on the path are those which promote mental discipline. Right effort is the will to cultivate wholesome states of mind and eliminate evil
