Siddharta Gautama, the Buddha, taught that all existence is suffering, and that all suffering is predominantly caused by want - or desire. In order to be free of suffering, we must rid ourselves of wanting.
The precepts seem quite sensible, but there is a paradox here.
We are told that we must end suffering by ending wanting.
But wanting to end suffering is in itself a further want.
So, by wanting to decrease our suffering we are actually increasing it.
John Visvader refers to this as an uroboric (like a snake swallowing its own tail) philosophy.
