The Four Noble Truths The four things that Siddhartha kept hidden his entire life are what forced him to find the Four Noble Truths. When Siddhartha set out to see the outside world, he saw images of old age, illness, death, and the wandering monk. Siddhartha's ultimate goal was to end all the suffering he had experienced and what he had seen others experience. His discovery of the solution began with the recognition that life is suffering. The First Noble Truth is that the suffering of birth, old age, disease and death is inevitable: this suffering or discomfort is also known as dukkha. This general suffering is everywhere and can be physical or mental. Physical pain can be seen and experienced by anyone, as simple as the aches and pains of delicate skin. For example, as we age we find it more difficult to see and carry out daily activities. Even in the miracle of birth, the mother feels incredible pain, even though she knows she will have to endure it. Furthermore, even the happiest and most carefree people will sooner or later experience some kind of suffering. The Buddha taught people to recognize that suffering is a part of life and that it cannot be avoided. However, this suffering does not only come from the body, but also from within. Those who experience loneliness, depression, anxiety, or are unable to meet their needs and desires are suffering. Despite the negative aspects of suffering, Siddhartha also talked about happiness through friendships, family life or health. However, the flip side is that happiness is impermanent – ​​or annihilation – and will not end all suffering. Buddhists believe that the way to end suffering is to first accept the fact that suffering is a fact of life. The next thing to recognize is what causes such suffering? Observing people, Siddhartha discovered that suffering is caused by selfish desires and craving – i.e. tanha – as well as ignorance. Desire can be explained as the strong desire that people have to satisfy their senses. The truth is that none of the things we crave last long, and in fact let's say it's your favorite food, once it's gone it's forgotten as if it never happened, so you move on to craving something else. People constantly crave, but ultimately they will never be completely satisfied; this is why people repeat acts like eating delicious food or having sex over and over again.