How does Buddhism help society?

The teachings of Lord Buddha and his unbroken community of faithful followers has existed for over 2,500 years. The Buddhist faith is characterized by two profound teachings encapsulated in the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhism teaches it’s adherents a sublime message of peace through understanding the nature of suffering, its causes, and its resolution. In practical terms, Buddhists strive to learn about themselves and the nature of their mind to uncover the seeds of suffering and extinguish their source.

This has profound effects on the actions and behavior of Buddhists that continually strive towards perfecting the virtues of the mind and releasing the bonds that tie the self to suffering.

Buddhists learn contentment with themselves and the world around them, accepting the fate they were born into and the responsibility their prior actions have led them to in the present moment. Lord Buddha’s teachings take this even farther with a path of discipline and the liberation to be gained from renouncing the causes of suffering including violence, sexual misconduct, intoxicating substances, harsh speech, and other causes of discontent. The Five Precepts of Buddhism are the following:

1. I undertake to abstain from taking life.
2. I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given.
3. I undertake to avoid sensual misconduct.
4. I undertake to abstain from false speech.
5. I undertake to abstain from drugs and alcohol that causes heedlessness.

The basic love of life and cultivation of modesty leads many Buddhist people to be content with a simple lifestyle, cultivate exceptionally morality, and not live in constant desire of material things. With these attitudes spread across millions of people around the globe, an untold amount of suffering is removed from society and long lasting social harmony can be assured.

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