The Four Noble Truths
By peace | May 19, 2008
Dharmacakra, wheel of life: The rim of the hub is divided into two sides. One side is the White Path or Path of Bliss, and represents how souls may move upward to the World of Gods. The other side is the Dark Path, which represents how souls may move downward to the World of Hell. In the hub, the center of the wheel, a pig, snake, and rooster turn in a circle, each biting the tail of the next animal. The pig represents greed, desire, or attachment; The snake represents hatred and envy; The rooster represents ignorance or delusion; These are the evils which are responsible for the trapping of souls within the Six Realms.
We live each day of our life in pursuit of things that we believe bring us happiness, a condition though arguable by definition, is generally agreed to be one that gives us a sense of well-being and fulfilment. And depending on different circumstances, our pursuit could express itself as a need for things physical such as for food, finance and comfort; or social need for companionship, for entertainment; or emotional and spiritual need such as for understanding and recognition, for challenge, for self-esteem and the like.
Desires Give Rise To Sufferings. This is a truth about the human condition that holds so true today. During his lifetime, Buddha taught all who wanted to listen, men and women, rich and poor. His message was always the same: “Suffering, the causes of suffering and the way out of suffering”. He did not talk about God or the soul, or encourage speculation in matters that could not be proved. Rather, he specifically told people to believe and practise only those things that were helpful and led to freedom and peace of mind. It was a combination of profound wisdom and deep compassion and a practical way that could be followed by those who wished. This teaching he called the Dharma. Many of his disciples chose to follow the Buddha into the homeless life, and thus was born the Sangha, or community.
The Four Noble Truths are:
- Life is suffering.
- Suffering is caused by craving for things that are impermanent by their very nature.
- There is a way out of suffering: Craving Can cease.
- The way itself: The Noble Eightfold Path Leads the way to the end of suffering.
The Noble Eightfold Path is also called the “Middle Way”, which involves living in moderation — avoiding strict austerities or extreme indulgence. It comprises eight ‘paths’ that guide a person through the purification of thought, speech and action.
The final Truth, The Noble Eightfold Path of the way out of suffering:
Cease to do evil; learn to do good, and purify your heart.
- Right view (understanding, attitude)
- Right aim (intention, resolve, motive or thought)
- Right speech (not lying, slandering or gossiping)
- Right action (or conduct)
- Right livelihood (means of living)
- Right effort
- Right mindfulness (awareness of things as they are)
- Right concentration (contemplation, meditation)
Buddha observed that all beings suffered. The cause of this suffering is selfish desire, and a misunderstanding of the nature of ’self’, which is not the fixed, separate and enduring entity that it appears to be. What we call ’self’ is actually a collection of skandhas (heaps or particles) that are constantly changing. These are form, feelings, perception, mind-contents and consciousness. The relationship of these skandhas constitutes our ’self’ at any moment, and creates karma, which influences our birth, life and rebirth. One of the skandhas is form, so rebirth is always in some form, which need not be human.
Buddhahood is defined as the highest state of life condition characterised by wisdom, hope, courage, confidence, compassion, vitality and endurance. These are traits forming a spiritual strength that enables people to live truly as human beings regardless of changes and challenges of the times and of society.
Being born as a human being offers the most ideal opportunity for one to attain Enlightenment. The form in which one is reborn depends on one’s karma, and this is dependent on the good or bad intentions that gave rise to one’s past actions. The outcome is the cessation of craving and the attainment of the Ultimate Wisdom.
Guided fundamentally by wisdom, one will be able to enhance his concept of the value of good as against evil, and will thus actively direct his or her life on the path of good. Tapping into these inner resources in the course of our daily life is equivalent to walking the way of a true human being, and is also the way of the Buddha. Living one’s life according to the Noble Eightfold Path requires discipline and compassion in thought and action, and detachment from the sense of self. Only under these circumstances can one be freed from cyclical reincarnation and achieve nirvana, a state of absolute bliss.
Topics: Achieving Peace, Religion, Spiritual Articles, View All Post |
June 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
[...] Buddhism considerably after it was brought in from its native India, the devout Buddhist often saw the way to Nirvana interrupted all the same by the bitter wind of everyday [...]