Buddhists who follow Theravada, or The Way of the Monks, are following the first and earliest Buddhist school, which was founded by the Buddha himself. While all divisions of Buddhism embrace the Four Noble Truths, it is in Theravada where they take most precedence. The Four Noble Truths are the fundamental concept of the Buddha s enlightenment, and consist of insights into the nature of life itself. The Four Noble Truths are elementary yet profound, and form the basis for all Buddhist schools of thought. Life is painful.
Any person can see that much of human life is made of pain and suffering.
Birth itself, the way by which all humans enter the earth, is painful both for the person being birthed as well as the mother. Once we have entered into the world, we all know the bitterness of sorrow, loss, old age and grief. Selfish desire is the origin of pain and suffering. Human cravings are bound up in pleasure and desire by way of the five senses. Our taste, sight, hearing, smell and touch are the root causes of selfish desire, and can produce an attachment to material things and worldly pleasures.