Human Birth: A View of Suffering in the Theravada Buddhist Worldview for the Development of a Peaceful Life

Abstract

This academic article aims to analyze the value and ontological significance of human birth under the philosophical paradox between the views that birth is suffering and human birth is difficult to obtain according to Theravada Buddhist philosophy. The results of the study show that attaining the human state is considered a happy realm and a golden opportunity of perform present karma to rectify or alleviate the consequences of past kama. The positive dimension of suffering in Buddhist philosophy is not viewed in a discouraged or pessimistic way but is viewed according to reality to be used as a driving force through the process of creating samvega functions as a catalyst that links the cycle of the birth of suffering to the path of the cessation of suffering or the supramundane path by relying on yonisomanasikara to help adjust attitudes and create a sense of urgency in Dhamma practice to fundamentally revolutionize the way of life.

However, amidst the current trends of globalization, a paradoxical situation is found where most humans still fall under the power of the three defilements which are tanha focusing only on benefits, mana focusing on power, and ditthi clinging to one’s own thoughts, resulting in a spiritual crisis and violent persecution in contemporary society. Such crisis has its foundations in the education system that focuses only on creating economic animals for competition but neglects spiritual development according to the threefold training, until self, causing stress and complex suffering. The research therefore presents a new body of knowledge through the WARM MODEL as a guideline for developing right view systematically, consisting of W which is the development of right view toword all things with wisdom, A which is the development of right view by desiring auspiciousness according to the thirty-eight blessing, R which is the development of right view according to reality through the principles of growth oriented wisdom, and M which is the development of right view through the middle path or majjhimapatipada

The posititive worldview in Theravada Buddhist philosophy indicates that life begins from emptiness without a permanent self or anatta, which opens opportunities for humans to have unlimited potential in creating meaning and value for life, like an artist who receives a blank paper to create beautiful artwork. In conclusion, human birth is beneficial because it is the only realm that can use suffering as a lesson in study and self-development to elevate the mind from a mundane state to a noble human and access true freedom which is nirvana, the state of sustainable liberation from suffering and the true ultimate goal of human life.