Does this sound familiar? You wake up in the morning and fall into your usual routines. But deep down you want to curl up in bed and stay there all day long, walled up from life.
It’s tempting to forget all your worries and pretend like you don’t have a job you hate, bills you need to pay, or boss you need to please.
But you also know that avoiding life is not going to make your problems go away. Tomorrow they will still be there, waiting for you.
This brings us to this question:
Is there a secret, or rather secrets to life that can make us stronger, more resilient, and happier?
Yes, there are 3 of them, and Buddha realized them thousands of years ago.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to become a monk and move to a monastery to benefit from these Buddhist principles.
All you need to do is learn what they are and then practice them in your daily life.
Let’s dive in.
#1. Buddhist Principle that States Everything Is in Constant Flux (And How that Benefits Your Daily Life)
Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t give up, it will get better”?
I’m sure that at some point in your life someone told you those words in a very comforting way.
But did you think deeply about why these words are so soothing and healing?
Because they express one of the most powerful Buddhist principles: everything is impermanent.
Here’s the Buddha’s quote from Dhammapada (Words of Truth):
Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā.
All conditioned things are impermanent.
(Dhammapada, Chapter XX, verse 277)
Whatever adversity you’re facing right now, whatever painful emotions you’re experiencing, they will all pass because they are impermanent.
And they do pass, don’t they?
This brings us to the next truth….
#2. Buddhist Principle that Uncovers a Simple Cause of All Unhappiness (And What to Do About it)
What is unhappiness?
We use this word so often, but do we know it’s true meaning?
Or better yet, do we know what causes it?
The answer to this question is linked to one of the previous Buddhist principles – impermanence. And here’s how…
You feel unhappy when you cling or attach yourself to something that is impermanent.
As Buddha puts it:
Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā.
All conditioned things are dukkha.
(Dhammapada, Chapter XX, verse 278)
When someone breaks your heart, you’re unhappy because you’ve attached yourself to a person whose feelings have changed and he or she does not love you anymore.
When you experience a financial loss, you’re unhappy because you’ve attached yourself to material things which are subject to change and unstable.
When you get older, you’re unhappy because you’ve attached yourself to a body that was young and attractive, but now it’s old and wrinkled.
But wait, there is a deeper cause of unhappiness, which brings us to the next point…
#3. Buddhist Principle that Shows There Is No Fixed Self or “I” (And How That Can Make You The Happiest Person in the World)
What’s the first thing you say when you meet someone new?
You say “Hi, my name is…..”
Whatever comes after that phrase is your identity. It’s your sense of self, a sense of who you are in this world.
We believe that this self or “I” is constant and unchangeable but this is the biggest delusion of our lives.
By completely identifying yourself with your name, occupation, social status, you cling to an illusion created by your mind.
And what happens when you attach yourself to an illusion? Eventually it dissolves and you suffer.
Here’s the Buddha’s original saying:
Sabbe dhammā anattā.
All dhammas are without self.
(Dhammapada, Chapter XX, verse 279)
Buddhists believe that everything is impermanent and changing, including your “self”.
Once you realize this through a practice of mindfulness and meditation, it will give you the power to stop worrying and create your own reality every single moment of your life.
4 Steps to Deeper and Better Meditation
Yes This is true everything is impermanent We are born live and dye this is the circle
Hi Hema, I’m glad you found this post insightful.
I also think that impermanence is one of the most important principles that can give us strength and resilience to face not only major challenges but even small things that go wrong in our daily life.
By the way, one of the readers sent me a private message about this post saying that there are more Buddhist principles than the ones I mention here and he was right. There are more, but for this post I chose only these three.
I plan to write more article about Buddhism and I will announce them in my weekly newsletter. I hope you’ll enjoy them too.
I thought only when we human realise the rationale behind reincarnation and decided to get away from this mechanism that we can start to talk about buddhism
Hi, it is true that Buddha’s teachings were mainly directed to monks, who left everything behind and dedicated their lives to achieving enlightenment.
But I firmly believe that we also can benefit from this wisdom to make our lives better.
I read your post & related to each principle. Im in hospital recovering from subdermal hematoma aneurysms surgeries & (giant sized surgeries on brain) believe my life as I knew it is over & maybe it is BUT maybe with Buddha’s principles I can learn to live again…just differently & maybe better?!? Thank you kindly my friend.
Hi Judith, I’m so sorry this happened to you. I hope you recovered quickly and doing well right now. And yes, sometimes, it’s the painful things like this that change our lives in unexpected and better ways.
It’s so true no situation is permanent. The universe is constantly changing and we must continue to adapt to make a meaning.
Hi Chris, I agree with you. When I look back, I remember some situations that seemed impossible to overcome, but here I am, alive and well. When facing new difficulties, I always remember that they are not permanent, and I can take the right action to resolve them.
Thank you gavril, for your wonderful insight into Buddhism. For a long time, since I was a child I was fascinated by Asian people and their philosophy of life. For many years, I had felt very u happy regarding my work situation and the constant voice in the back of my head making me believe I couldn’t do anything about it.
Buddhism and mediation has taught me that you can be who ever you want to be, be the change of yourself. I’m now in college studying, so I believe in that I can do anything.
Keep posting the positivity of the Buddha teaching and thank you so much. Wish you a very happy and peaceful life.
Stephen.
Hi Stephen, yes, repetitive negative thoughts can prevent us from moving forward. I’m glad that Buddhism and meditation are helping you make a positive change in your life. I wish you all the best in your studies, and I hope to see you again.