Buddhism comes from the teachings of the Buddha. There are many schools or flavours of Buddhism, so it can be confusing at times, especially to anyone unfamiliar with the subject. This category is about the religion Buddha founded, and includes information on the schools, people, practice, philosophy, and study of Buddhism. The fundamental ideas of Buddhism are: 1.) All human life is "dhukka" (impermanent unsatisfactoriness). 2.) All suffering is caused by human desire, particularly the desire that impermanent things be permanent. 3.) Human suffering can be ended by ending human desire. 4.) Desire can be ended by following the "Eightfold Noble Path": right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. From a metaphysical standpoint, these Noble Truths make up and derive from a single fundamental Truth (Dharma). The Buddhadharma is based on the idea that everything in the universe is causally linked. All things are composite things, that is, they are composed of several elements. Because all things are composite, they are all transitory, for the elements come together and then fall apart. It is this transience that causes human beings to sorrow and to suffer. We live in a body, which is a composite thing, but that body decays, sickens, and eventually dies, though we wish it to do otherwise. Since everything is transient, that means that there can be no eternal soul either in the self or in the universe.
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