1.

Life on Earth includes suffering.

• Sickness, illness, and injury are a part of earthly life.
• Social problems and wars must be expected no matter how avoidable they are.
• Our bodies were destined to eventually fall apart, if you live long enough.

2.

Desires are at the root of all suffering.

• To "want" something is to "desire" something.
• People are attracted to/want things that can be dangerous or self-destructive.
• The desires of one person may cause many others to suffer.

 3. 

Desires can be controlled, so, suffering can be controlled.

• When we desire something, we formulate "expectations" which can lead to disappointment.
• Controlling desires is more difficult than just prohibiting desires. (That's why most religions prohibit desires instead of teaching people how to control them).
• The first Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha (whose born name was Siddhartha Gautama) also taught that eliminating unnecessary desires eliminates unnecessary disappointments.

 4.  

 Buddhism can teach people how to control their desires.

• Buddhism TEACHES people to understand their desires. We can better control what we understand.
• Shaolin Zen, founded by Buddha Zhen, teaches people to understand their LIFE PATH so that only appropriate desires will put your contentment at risk.
• The Four Noble Truths help people to detach themselves from their desires so that you can let go of your desires or expectations when they are more trouble than they are worth.

SHAOLIN CHI MANTIS Traditional Buddhist Gongfu

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Truth, wisdom, and courage.™

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