The Four Noble Truths
We can experience these truths, which lie at the heart of the Buddha’s teachings, through direct experience. They can be viewed as:
- Diagnosis of an illness;
- Prognosis;
- Recovery; and
- Medicine to cure the disease.
The first 2 truths deal with the way things are; the last 2 point the way to freedom from suffering.
1. The Noble Truth of Suffering
Besides “suffering,” other translations of the Pali word dukkha include unsatisfactoriness, dis-ease, and instability. All these words point to the fact that no conditioned phenomenon can provide true (lasting) happiness in our lives. The first step in a spiritual life is to look very closely and honestly at our experience of life and see that there is suffering. We tend to overlook or ignore or just blindly react to the unpleasant, so it continually haunts us. Yet although physical suffering is a natural aspect of our lives, we can learn to transcend mental suffering.
2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
Through a lack of understanding of how things truely exist, we create and recreate an independent self entity called “me.”
The whole of our experience in life can be viewed through this sense of self. In consequence, various cravings govern our actions. Cravings arise for sense experiences, for “being” or “becoming” (e.g. rich, famous, loved, respected, immortal), and to avoid the unpleasant. These cravings are the root cause of suffering.
3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
The mind can be purified of all the mental defilements that cause suffering. Nibbana, the ultimate peace, has been compared to the extinction of a three-fold fire of lust, ill-will, and delusion. One who has realised cessation has great purity of heart, ocean-like compassion, and penetrating wisdom.
4. The Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering
The Way leading to cessation contains a thorough and profound training of body, speech, and mind. Traditionally it’s outlined as the Noble Eightfold Path:
- Right Understanding;
- Right Intention;
- Right Speech;
- Right Action;
- Right Livelihood;
- Right Effort;
- Right Mindfulness; and
- Right Concentration.
On the level of morality (sila), the Path entails restraint and care in speech, action, and livelihood. The concentration (samadhi) level requires constant effort to abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome, to increase mindfulness and clear comprehension of the mind-body process, and to develop mental calm and stability. The wisdom (panna) level entails the abandonment of thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and cruelty; ultimately it penetrates the true nature of phenomena to see impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and impersonality. When all 8 factors of the Path come together in harmony to the point of maturity, suffering is transcended. In summary, the Four Noble Truths can be thought of as that which is to be (1) comprehended, (2) abandoned, (3) realized, and (4) developed.
Source: TheBuddhism.Net
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Thank you.
The Four noble Truths, heart of Buddha’s Teaching is a primary knowledge that I think every Buddhist should know. Knowing the truth of these sufferings, will help us to be more aware, mindful and most of all our mentality calmness. ?
This is a wonderful post to recap the basics of Buddhism and a good read for those just embarking into Buddhism as this is the first teaching expounded by Shakyamuni at Deer Park.
By understanding this important teaching well, we will see the reality of our life and how important it is for us to focus on our Dharma practice.
Thank you very much for this post, Rinpoche. This is a good one to revisit time and again.
The Four Noble Truths are: true suffering, true cause, true cessation, and true path. These are often referred to as the four central tenets of Buddhism. It was the first teaching (or first turning of the Dharma Wheel) given by the Buddha in which he explained the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering and the truth of the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. They are truths because they are real and form an undeniable fact of life. They are called “noble” because those who have penetrated the Four Noble Truths are called aryas or “noble ones.”
The Noble Eightfold Path is the Fourth Noble Truth, the noble truth of the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. It is also referred to as the Buddhist way of life: (1) right view/understanding, (2) right thought/intention, (3) right speech (4) right conduct/action, (5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, and (8) right concentration. In Tibetan Buddhism, the Noble Eightfold Path is implicitly taught as part of the Thirty-Seven Paths to Enlightenment. In Mahayana, the emphasis is on the practice of the Three Higher Trainings and the Five Paths and less on the Noble Eightfold Path.
Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Paths are profound teachings in Buddhism. These teachings really can cut off three poisons (hatred, desires and ignorance).Practicing both teachings will motivate us and transcend suffering and achieve liberation. Besides that, Eighthfiold path can train our mind become more concious and mindfulness so whatever action we did wil be virtuos and benefit others.
Start practice today and we will benefit from the teachings.
Thanks Sarah Yap for sharing.
Jason
The Four Noble Truth is the basis of Buddhism, and from here, we understand our cyclic existence in this samsaric realm. Only by applying Buddha’s way of the Noble Eightfold Path that we have a chance to be liberated. In essence, we stop ourselves from creating bad causes for us to stay in samsara by engaging only in the right actions, speech, and thoughts. Thank you, Rinpoche, for this sharing.
The 4 noble Truths for the pillar and foundation for Buddhist philosophy and practice. From this 4 noble truths it leads to all the other dharma teachings of the Buddha.
Thank you Tsem tulku la. I always listen your teachings, reading your books (that you kindly send for me to Brazil). Anything you need we are close to you.