Introduction to Buddhism: Seeing Through the Root of Suffering — 'Attachment to Desire'! Are You Just a 'High-Level AI'? Seeing Through the Illusion of Human Cognition from the Concept of 'Non-Self'! How to Distinguish a Wise Philosophy? How to Identify the Trap Logic of 'Superstition' and 'Cults'?

Sun, 03 May 2026 22:27:00 +0800

In modern society, we live in an era of extreme material abundance and near information overload. Behind those glamorous social media photos, at the moment we put down the fatigue of the day late at night and turn off the screen, a nameless sense of emptiness and anxiety often washes over us like a tide.

You might ask: “My life is pretty good, so why do I still feel unhappy?”

In fact, this psychological state is not exclusive to modern people. Over two thousand years ago, a young man who would later be known as "the Buddha" had the very same confusion.

But he did not look down upon all beings as a deity; rather, he was more like a calm, profound “psychologist.”

He shed his princely robes, walked among the people, and attempted to conduct a thorough “diagnosis” of the essence of human existence.

The Buddha discovered that our unease does not stem from a lack of material possessions, but rather from our cognitive biases about the truth of life.

This conversation across time and space begins with redefining the word we fear the most — “suffering.”

The Countdown of Happiness: Understanding the Delayed Effect of “Viparinama-dukkha”

In the contemplation of Buddhism, the core concept is Dukkha (suffering). But don’t be misled — in its original context, this word refers not only to physical pain or emotional sorrow, but describes a universal state of “the inability of body and mind to achieve lasting satisfaction.”

The Buddha masterfully divided it into “Dukkha-dukkha” (the suffering of suffering) and “Viparinama-dukkha” (the suffering of change).

Dukkha (Suffering)	Brief Description	Explanation
Dukkha-dukkha	Immediate impact	This is the most intuitive form of suffering, such as illness, job loss, or present anxiety.
Viparinama-dukkha	The destructive power of change	This is Buddhism’s most insightful aspect. Why is happiness also suffering? Because there exists an absolute law in the world — “impermanence.”

Try to recall the scene of going home for the Lunar New Year: the first few days are full of laughter, but by the last two days of the holiday, a subtle shift occurs in the atmosphere — though the meals are still plentiful, you’ve already begun to realize that “the holiday is about to end,” and your mood starts to feel gloomy.

This premonition that happiness is about to disappear is “Viparinama-dukkha.”

Attachment Is the Mind’s “Forceful Possession” of Desire — Guarding a Non-Existent “Bubble”

If “suffering” is the symptom, then where exactly is the cause?

The Buddha pointed out that the root of suffering lies in “Craving” (Tanha). It lies in our intense attachment to this “illusory self.”

Our minds are often like a hand, trying to forcefully grasp and control these things that are “inherently in flux.”

The only constant in the world is “change”, and our resistance to “change” is the source of suffering.

The Buddha believed that “suffering” is a purely subjective phenomenon, born from “my own mind” and driven by “my own mind.”

Attachment is essentially us tormenting ourselves.

We irrationally force ourselves to possess that insatiable “longing.”

We chase after fame and fortune, agonize over success and failure, and fear death — all for this illusory “bubble.”

Once you realize that the “you who wants to win, fears losing, and cares about face” is actually just a series of sensory reactions produced by various coincidental conditions —

Once you begin to “go with the flow,” no longer clinging to any outcome — no need to win, no shame in losing, no face to save — simply immersing yourself in the present experience and accepting all possibilities, the suffering built upon the “self” instantly loses its fulcrum.

You Might Just Be a “High-Level AI”: Deconstructing the Illusion of “Self”

In the Cartesian tradition of cognition, “I think, therefore I am” is the cornerstone of how we understand the world.

We firmly believe that beneath our skin lives an independent, real, thinking “conscious subject.”

But the Buddha proposed a shocking argument: it is not that a “self” first exists and then experiences the world, but rather the sum of various sensory reactions collectively creates the illusion of a “self.”

Buddhism’s most thorough subversion of human cognition: “Non-self” (Anatta).

Let’s draw a comparison using AI logic: large language models (such as ChatGPT) appear to have independent personalities, but behind them are only algorithms and hardware.

The Buddha believed that the human “self” works the same way — it is a “bubble” produced by the collaboration of senses, memory, and will, with no permanent, unchanging core inside.

Deconstructing the Composition of “Self”: The Awakening Experiment of an AI Robot

Let’s use the logic of modern technology to compare human consciousness, and you’ll find a striking alignment between us and AI:

Human	AI	Explanation
Six Senses	Sensors	AI relies on cameras and sensors; humans rely on “eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body” to interact with the world. Without this hardware input, there is no content of consciousness.
Reaction	Function responding to variables	AI’s responses are the computational results of mathematical functions on environmental variables; human emotions are essentially the brain’s instant reactions to external stimuli.

Liberation Is Not Ending Life, but Psychological “Decoupling”

After understanding that “life is full of suffering,” the most common misconception among modern people is:

Since everything is illusory and painful, isn’t suicide the fastest liberation?

The Buddha gave a stern no.

True “Nirvana” (liberation) is by no means ending the body, but rather psychological “decoupling.”

Imagine you are watching an extremely realistic movie in a fully immersive way — liberation is not about smashing the projector, but about realizing “this is just a movie.”

When you “decouple” from the plot and are no longer immersively controlled by its emotions, love, hatred, gains, and losses, the desires and suffering attached to the false self naturally extinguish.

The Stream of Consciousness and Energy Transformation: Death Is Not the End

From Buddhism’s perspective, life is not an isolated journey, but a continuous “stream of consciousness.”

Death is not the end, but rather an “energy transformation” in a different form.

If you end your life carrying intense attachment and anxiety, that unfinished momentum (karma) will still propel you into the next cycle.

This is like a program being restarted without fixing the bug — the problem still exists.

Cognitive Science’s “Decoupling”: Formatting the Illusory Plot

True liberation is not about destroying the brain — this processor — but about thoroughly understanding, from logic to experience:

“All phenomena are illusory” — everything is false!

When you realize that “this is just a movie woven from sensory reactions,” you can decouple yourself from the plot of that false self.

When that illusory “self” no longer dominates your emotions, the desires and suffering attached to it naturally extinguish.

Maintaining the Boundaries of Rationality: The Buddha Was a “Human” and “Teacher,” Not a “God”

We must subject Buddhism to “Demystification.”

“Buddha” is the abbreviation of Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), meaning “the Awakened One.”

The Buddha was a teacher who discovered the laws governing the universe, not a deity who performs miracles for people to beg for wealth.

Buddhism provides a diagnosis of life’s truth, guiding us to reduce attachment and return to a clear state of mind.

Identifying the Trap Logic of “Superstition” and “Cults”

To protect ourselves from being misled by unscrupulous individuals, we can refer to a key “boundary of experience” framework to distinguish wisdom from superstition:

Domain	Scope	Explanation
Experiential Domain	Suffering, desire, attachment, emotional reactions	These are psychological phenomena that anyone can verify through self-observation. This is the cornerstone of rationality.
Non-experiential Domain	Reincarnation, nirvana, supernatural powers	These exceed most people’s direct experience.

The logic of cults typically is: first using some psychological theories that resonate (such as “life is short” or anxiety management) to win your trust, then establishing absolute authority in the unprovable “non-experiential domain” to brainwash and control you.

To distinguish wisdom from superstition, we must be wary of those who attempt to establish absolute authority in the “non-experiential domain” (such as reincarnation or supernatural powers).

Cults typically first win trust using psychological theories, then proceed to control, not allowing doubt or questioning.

A true awakened one will encourage doubt and questioning, rather than demanding unconditional belief and blind personal worship.

Practicing “Impermanence” in Daily Life: Letting Go Gracefully

Buddhism’s wisdom is not about making us renounce worldly life, but about finding balance in an impermanent world.

Understanding “Viparinama-dukkha” (the suffering brought by the fading of happiness) allows us to cherish the present more when we have it, and face loss more gracefully when it comes.

This is especially important in interpersonal relationships and career pursuits.

When you understand that “attachment” is the mind’s forceful possession of changing things, you can learn to let go gracefully, no longer trapping your heart in the torment of the unattainable.

The Vision of Heritage: The Wisdom of Theravada and Mahayana

Buddhism has formed different schools throughout its historical evolution, but its core aspiration remains the same:

School	Description
Theravada Buddhism	Focuses on personal self-liberation, providing precise methods for introspection.
Mahayana Buddhism	Advocates not only self-liberation but also helping others achieve enlightenment together, embodying a grander vision of compassion.

Regardless of the school, the goal is to inspire all beings to reduce attachment and escape the sea of suffering.

Conclusion: Living in Awakening, Returning to a Clear Life

The best faith is returning to a clear life.

Buddhism’s wisdom ultimately is not about retreating into the mountains, but about giving us the ability to “not be led around” in the noisy mundane world.

When you understand the law of impermanence behind happiness, you can cherish more when you have it, and be more at peace when you lose it.

When you understand that “the self” is just an illusory program like AI, you can gain release from those self-imposed anxieties.

You are no longer an automatic response function to environmental variables, but the one who has found clarity and freedom in this chaotic world — a Buddha.

When you can rationally view the comings and goings of life, you no longer need to rely on external miracles for peace.

May you find, in this chaotic world, that freedom and happiness that depends on nothing external.

References

用一節課的時間，從零入門了解【佛學】概要，清晰易懂！ - YouTube

Buddhism on Story TLDRLSS