Universal human rights

Do you ever think about your trials and tribulations and wonder if life is worth the daily effort you must put forth? You’ve probably noticed that as soon as one desire is satisfied a new one pops up and demands satisfaction. You feel as if you are on an endless treadmill of attempting to satisfy wants and desires.

Are you familiar with the ‘Four Noble Truths” of Buddhist philosophy? They are:

1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The Buddhist path to the cessation of suffering.

Of course, the Buddhist path is the relinquishing of all attachment.

Do you have any idea why life is filled with suffering? Well, there are three reasons.

1. You don’t get what you want.
2. You get what you don’t want.
3. You get what you do want.

Certainly, you understand why the first two reasons cause suffering. Who needs lack and frustration. However, you’re probably wondering why getting what you want causes suffering.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately depending how you look at it, everything exists in time. Whether it’s a love relationship, your favorite music, the delicious dinner on your plate, a sip from an old bottle of fine wine, it must all eventually pass away.

Think about this. You are born, you mature, you grow old and you eventually wear out and die—that is if you’re lucky and some terminal disease or unfortunate accident doesn’t kill you prematurely. Looking at it from the point of view of your mortality could cause you to feel that maybe life is not worthwhile. Why struggle when everything you cherish and value eventually turns to dust? Maybe the ascetic Buddhist monks are correct when they attempt to gain peace of mind and serenity by renunciation and resignation. Possibly, non-attachment actually could eliminate most human suffering.

Before, we go any farther down the road of non-attachment, let me explain an important fact about existence. Since you are alive, you possess vital energy—the irresistible force of life. Renunciation and resignation indicate a person who has escaped into a dreary existence of anti-life. Obviously, if everyone adopted the life of an ascetic, the human race would quickly perish.

Let’s face it. We are alive at this very moment. Here’s a quote from the great praxeologist Ludwig von Mises, page 882 of his masterpiece “Human Action.” “Whatever the future may have in store for him (man or woman), he cannot withdraw from the necessities of the actual hour. As long as a man lives, he cannot help obeying his cardinal impulse, the élan vital. It is man’s innate nature that he seeks to preserve and to strengthen his life, that he is discontented and aims at removing uneasiness, that he is in search of what he may call happiness.”

If desire is the cause of all suffering and desire is inherent in all human action, what are we to do? Maybe we should renounce all action and live in a near vegetative state, similar to an ascetic Buddhist monk. But wait a minute, Mises just stated it’s impossible to withdraw from the necessities of the actual hour. Our cardinal impulse, the élan vital doesn't allow it.

You probably know living without desire and satisfaction of your desires is anti-life. After all, why be here if you aren't at least attempting to capture the fruits of existence. Think about it. Your desires and attachments are the spice of life.

Are you somewhat confused? How can attachment be both suffering and the spice of life. Isn’t this a contradiction?

Let’s discover how to attain universal harmony—at least as much as is humanly possible.

Attaining what advanced metaphysicians experience as universal harmony requires discovering how to handle attachment. Here are the two paths of attachment.

1. You become attached to people and things unconsciously.
2. You consciously choose your attachments.

Tragically, most people default to the thorny path of unconscious attachment, which causes them much suffering. The enlightened person joyously chooses his or her attachments, knowing and accepting that one day they will vanish into eternity.

The unaware individual feels guilt about yesterday and worries about tomorrow. His attachments enslave him to a life of suffering. The enlightened individual plans for the future, but lives for the moment—knowing right now is all that matters. After all, each moment you live is the moment you’re currently enjoying—or possibly you’re allowing it to mundanely pass you by—or maybe you’re unhappily finding it rather unpleasant.

Happily, there are pleasurable methods that allow you to become aware of what you consciously choose or don’t choose.