The middle path generally refers to the avoidance of two extremes of practical life, namely, indulgence in sensual pleasures on the one hand and severe asceticism on the other. According to the religious biography, the Buddha was supposed to have lived a very comfortable and affluent life before renunciation.
In this sutta, the Buddha describes the Noble Eightfold Path as the Middle Way which steers clear of the extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification: Monks, these two extremes ought not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the household life.
Existence and non-existence are extremes, Purity and impurity are extremes as well, Thus, having relinquished both extremes, The wise do not dwell even in the middle.
The two extremes that Buddha warns his disciplines about are the pursuit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, and the pursuit of self-mortification. They are not honorable and ignoble. What does the Buddha suggest his disciples strive for instead of the "two extremes?"
The Middle Path that emphasizes emptiness and Dependent Origination avoids perverted views. The Noble Eightfold Path avoids the two extremes of suffering and luxury, and emphasizes non-attachment.
The Fourth Noble truth charts the method for attaining the end of suffering, known to Buddhists as the Noble Eightfold Path. The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path are Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.
Buddhists must recognise that there is a way to stop suffering and move away from it, because by doing this they can get closer to reaching enlightenment. Buddhism teaches that people should not be too focused on wanting many different things as the enjoyment won't last.
Buddhists believe that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but that if one achieves a state of enlightenment (nirvana), it is possible to escape this cycle forever. Siddhartha Gautama was the first person to reach this state of enlightenment and was, and is still today, known as the Buddha.
One of the biggest religions in the world, Buddhism has its roots in India and dates back 2,500 years. Buddhists hold that enlightenment, or nirvana, can be attained by meditation, hard work—both spiritual and physical—and good conduct. They also hold that human life is one of suffering.
When asked "what's the biggest mistake we make in life?" The Buddha Replied "The biggest mistake is you think you have time.
Buddhist teachings describe three main “levels or types of suffering. The first is called 'the suffering of suffering', the second, 'the suffering of change', and the third is 'the suffering of conditioning'” [5,6].
In his early teachings, the Buddha identified “three poisons,” or three fires, or three negative qualities of the mind that cause most of our problems—and most of the problems in the world. The three poisons are: greed (raga, also translated as lust), hatred (dvesha, or anger), and delusion (moha, or ignorance).
Buddhist followers believe that dukkha, or suffering, is an inevitable part of life. Examples of dukkha include the constant suffering of birth, aging, dying, sorrow, loss, and separation from the beloved.
They are: Temples - These places allow communities of Buddhists to come together. By coming together, they can deepen their faith and feel a sense of belonging with others who are on a similar spiritual journey. Shrines - These remind Buddhists of the key teachings of Buddhism.
In Buddhism, the main problem of existence is dukkha, which means “suffering” or “unsatisfactoriness,” and all the Buddha's teachings aim at finding an end to dukkha.
Some high level Buddhists have drawn analogies between Jesus and Buddhism, e.g. in 2001 the Dalai Lama stated that "Jesus Christ also lived previous lives", and added that "So, you see, he reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva, or an enlightened person, through Buddhist practice or something like that." ...
Actually, the Buddha exposed something very important. He acknowledges that suffering is just a part of life, and the more you accept life's imperfections, the less stressful it becomes. The idea of acceptance as an antidote to suffering may seem counterintuitive and difficult to grasp.
The lesson on death and suffering that Buddha taught Kisa Gotami through an activity is that death and suffering are common to all. He said that there was no way by which one could avoid death or suffering. He compared it to an earthen vessel made by a potter, which would sooner or later die.
Suffering is often categorized as physical or mental.
four sufferings ［四苦］ ( shi-ku): The four universal sufferings: birth, aging, sickness, and death. Various sutras describe Shakyamuni's quest for enlightenment as motivated by a desire to find a solution to these four sufferings.
The kleshas are considered the cause of suffering in yogic and Buddhist philosophy and are to be actively overcome. The five Kleshas are Avidya (ignorance), Asmita (egoism or I-am-ness), Raga (attachment), Dvesha (repulsion and aversion), and Abhinivesha (fear of death and the will to live).
“The Root of Suffering is Attachment” is a commonly cited quote from the Buddha. When the Buddha used attachment multiple times in the same composition he often substituted the word acquisition in its place. Becoming attached the things we acquire is pretty easy to understand, especially in our materialistic culture.