「Buddhism is a pessimistic, world-hating religion that views existence purely as suffering and urges followers to abandon all joy, life, and worldly engagement in pursuit of emotional detachment and non-existence.」

This view understandably arises because Buddhist teachings emphasize suffering (dukkha), impermanence, and detachment from worldly cravings. However, identifying a disease is not hating life; it is the prerequisite for healing. Equating the Buddhist critique of conditioned suffering with emotional pessimism misses its true intention. Buddhism does not harbor hatred toward the world; rather, it exposes illusions so that mind can be liberated from greed, anger, and delusion.

The sutras illustrate that recognizing suffering aims to inspire diligent practice, not despair. Failing to realize the Four Noble Truths is described as remaining in 'great darkness' 【Source 3】. The cessation of conditioned impermanence is praised as ultimate peace 【Source 2】, achieved through non-anger, purity, and transcending defilements 【Source 1】. Far from world-hating withdrawal, the path demands boundless compassion. The texts detail how the Bodhisattva spent countless lives actively sacrificing his own wealth, body, and life to rescue lost travelers, heal the sick, and alleviate the suffering of all living beings out of deep loving-kindness 【Source 5】.

If a friend feels Buddhism is world-hating, you might gently say: 'It is easy to see why it looks pessimistic at first, given how directly Buddhism talks about pain and impermanence. But diagnosing an illness isn't despising life—it is the first step toward curing it. The Buddha didn't urge us to hate the world, but to see it clearly so we aren't crushed by loss. In fact, his teachings urge active, tireless compassion to help relieve the suffering of others.'