Overview of Buddhism and the Concept of Suffering

Buddhism is a way of thinking and living that is used as a philosophy, a psychology, a religion, and a spiritual tradition. It began with the teachings from Lord Siddhartha about his experiences and journey toward enlightenment. His teachings were written down approximately three hundred years after his earthly existence. His teachings have since been followed literally or interpreted more broadly. Buddhism has influenced, and in return has been influenced by, other cultures. These cultures took what they felt to be important and integrated them with their own wisdom traditions. Hence, Buddhism and its expression vary throughout the countries that embraced it. The purpose of this paper is to broadly outline Buddhist teachings and their variations. The rest of the paper will focus on the Buddhist concept of suffering, which is the basis and main premise of Buddha’s teachings.