In Buddhism we try not to take things for granted. We try to examine all preconceptions. For example, what is this world after all?

The Buddha says that in this fathom-long body with its perceptions and thoughts there is the world and the world’s origin and the world’s end and the way to the world’s end. It’s all right here!

Also he says that the “all” is only the eye and visible forms, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and tangible impressions, and the mind and mental objects.

This world is a put-together thing that depends on conditions, and we should try to understand it in order to remove suffering and realize peace.

I don’t mean we have to torment ourselves with speculations about ultimate reality or unreality. What matters is understanding our experience as it happens, as it presents itself to us right in the present moment.

The world we live in and need to understand is, according to Buddhism, not a permanent entity but only the built-up result of innumerable conditions, which we are aware of through the functioning of our senses.

Light falls on the eye, or sound on the ear, and consciousness occurs. Out of the many operations of our senses there comes to be our idea of the world.

— Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano, Two Dialogues on Dhamma

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