Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

The Buddha: Did he really reach enlightentment? There are many metaphysical theories that we have touched on this semester. The concept of Buddhism is the one that intrigues me the most seeing that there are many crucial beliefs that I agree with but I also find fault with some of the other tenets of the religion. The ideas behind the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path are not only attainable but should be the aim of any person seeking to become a decent human being. Within the Buddhist faith there is a strong sense of morality and control over self-destiny through the practice of meditation as suggested in the behavioral guidelines put forth by the Buddha. A concept that is troubling to me is that the causes of suffering (i.e. old age, sickness, and death) is something that no one can escape, which the Buddha teaches that you can escape.. If and only if the suffering of one’s life is removed, enlightenment is not only possible but it is achieved according to Buddha. So then how can enlightenment be achieved if the impeding forces cannot be removed? This is the weakness of the Buddhist doctrine pertaining to the way of life, and possibly shows us that the purpose of his doctrine was to teach us how to lead