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The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

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Discussion 1: "Desire." Please respond to the following: Explain what you think your life would be like if you did not make decisions or act on the basis of your desires. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism suggest that suffering is caused by desire, and to eliminate suffering, it is essential to eliminate desire. This concept is so simple, and yet so difficult to achieve. From the moment we wake up, desire consumes our thoughts. Desire can inspire us to achieve great things, but desire can also weigh us down and prevent us from achieving those same goals. The key is to be in control of one's mind, so that we are not slaves to desire. We can watch the ebbs and flows of our longing, and act with full awareness that what we do is a conscious choice and not a habitual behavior. My life would be much more peaceful and happier if I did not make decisions on the basis of habit, and were more mindful. I would not instantly reach for a drink at the party. Instead, I would observe how I felt. My anxiety and fear would become a part of my conscious awareness, rather than suppressed and turned into the desire for numbness. Ideally, I would like to transcend desire so that I am free and liberated. I would not get anxious when I did not get what I wanted. Desire creates a state of never being happy, because there is always something "out there" that I need in order to feel fulfilled. To eliminate desire means to be fully present in the here-and-now. There is nothing to be desired

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