Buddhist Philosophy shares many of its main principles with Epicurean Philosophy. To begin, all Buddhists believe that individuals are plugged into Dharma Kya, or the true nature of Mind. Individuals are one with the absolute nature of existence and therefore the true nature of our Mind manifests the true nature of the universe. All things are of one whole. Buddha is one with the universe and is embodied to aid humankind in living with nature. A common Buddhist saying explains that we all have "Buddha nature," meaning we can see the true essence of Buddha in each individual being. Like Buddhists, Epicureans believe that all of the universe is one whole and all things in the universe arose from this whole. The nature of the universe is in each individual for both the Epicurean and the Buddhist.
Buddhism is a 99% philosophy and 1% theology. Buddhism is guided by the Noble Truth, which follows as:
1) Life involves suffering
2) there is a reason suffering and this is desire
3) breaking the link between desire and suffering is possible
4) there is a way to end suffering and Buddhism is the way
Like Buddhists, Epicureans argue that through following a certain path or philosophy, one may avoid pain and achieve pleasure. Unlike the Epicureans, however, Buddhists believe that an ascetic life, one based on spiritual pleasure is the way to live the good life. By understanding the nature of desire and rejecting this desire through asceticism, one gains true happiness.
