Many religious traditions attempt to answer the difficult questions of human existence:

Why is there evil? Why is there suffering? How are humans supposed to treat each other?

Buddhism is no different, and it offers a compelling answer to questions about the reality of

human suffering and ways to overcome it.

One of the ways Buddhists attempt to answer the questions of human suffering is by

telling stories about the life of the Buddha. ​Siddhārtha Gautama was born in Nepal in 6th century

B.C., to royalty. When he was born a holy man prophesied he would either be a wealthy king or

some sort of a spiritual guide. His father wanted him to become a king, so Siddhārtha stayed in

the castle surrounded by wealth, until the day he decided to go out on his own. While Siddhārtha

was out he saw the truth of the people, they were being overcome by ​suffering. After that,

Siddhārtha​ strived to reach enlightenment, which is a completely meditative state free from

desire. For six years, all he ate was a grain of rice and a drop of water, following the ascetic

practices. After he realized this wasn't the way to enlightenment, and he was too weak for

spiritual practices and mediation, he began eating normally again. After continuing his ascetic

practices, his mind came upon the four noble truths. ​The first noble truth is about how life is

suffering, the second is about how suffering comes from desire, the third is that you can destroy

your suffering by destroying your desires. To destroy your desires you need to follow the

eightfold path, which is last noble truth. The eightfold path, also known as the middle way, is

“the pursuit of desire and pleasures which leads to rebirth.” The eightfold path consists of: right

understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right

mindfulness, and finally right concentration. All of eight of these aspects are linked together to

help an individual perfect the practices of ending their suffering to reach enlightenment.
 Buddhism was highly appealing to people in india because of the flawed caste system and

the intimidating and powerful empires of classical India. People in the caste system had a desire

to move up in system into a higher class. The emperor's that run the empires desired more land

and power. All of this desire was causing immense suffering to the empires and many people

with them. Buddhism was a way for people to free themselves from suffering. It promised to the

people who followed, an ending. If someone asked if you wanted a way to rid your desire and

suffering, wouldn't you try it?

Buddhism today is still a widely practiced religion. It offers the same idea of people

being able to end all of their suffering, but is it actually Possible to remove all desires? People

want things these days, more than ever. There are new electronic launches, new makeup

launches, and new clothing launches all of the time. Everyone always wants more advanced,

bigger, and better things. Wanting to not wnat is still a form of desire. Wanting to reach

enlightenment is still a form of desire as well. All in all, there is no way to completely relinquish

desire, especially not in the modern era we live in.