Buddhism is not only a religious-philosophical teaching. If you adopt it, it can help you get rid of unnecessary worries completely, begin to enjoy the little things and forget about anxiety and stress. The five rules, broadcast by some of the most famous spiritual guides, the Dalai Lama XIV and Titus Nath Khan, are an uncomplicated guide to understanding Buddhism that will surely come in handy in your daily life.
Principle One: Suffering as a Cause for Development
No one is immune to pain, worry and discomfort. Buddhists say that depression and despair are caused by our inability to control our desires. Meditation, strict adherence to simple rules, and most importantly, accepting and using your pain as a valuable resource can help you achieve nirvana.
Principle Two: Responsibility
Everything you do, think and feel is solely the result of your desires and efforts. There is no higher power or providence that can determine your destiny, but you alone are responsible for how your life turns out. The adherents of Buddhism are sure: the highest goal of a person who has decided to tie his life to this doctrine in one way or another is to achieve Enlightenment. And the first step on the way to the final point is to learn to be responsible for each of your deeds.
Principle Three: The Variability of Life
Life energy is not static. And he who makes attempts to grasp this or that form, no matter how beautiful it is, is doomed to suffer. Only impartiality and the ability to observe will help a follower of the Buddhist teachings to accept all changes with equal serenity, as if they were only small pieces of a giant mosaic.
Principle Four: There is no separate self
The Buddhist law of change also applies to the separate self. Just like everything else that touches our eyes, the individual is subject to permanent transformation. It takes place, however, in close connection with all universal processes – in other words, it is not possible to exist on its own. So it would be fundamentally wrong to believe in a separate “I” and its selfish desires, because it will bring nothing but disappointment.
Principle Five: Love is joy and goodwill
Buddhists believe there are four elements of love that make it true. Benevolence allows you to be tolerant of your loved ones, compassion allows you to understand your partner’s worries and pain, tranquility allows you to avoid unnecessary conflict, and the joy that your feeling brings you will preserve your spiritual unity for years to come.
