The Basic Expression of the Teaching of Buddhism
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
As we all know, everyone has his/her beliefs, faith, and philosophy in life. And such diversity implies that these beliefs and religions differ from each other. Each has its own history and founder. Christianity has Jesus Christ [of Nazareth] and his apostles; Buddhism has Buddha; Confucianism has Confucius; and this goes on in other religions and philosophies as well. Needless to say, these religions also vary a lot (if not all) from each other in regards to their teachings – that which is known as the philosophical and doctrinal foundations. This particular paper will be discussing the basic teachings incorporated in Buddhism. This is the Four Noble Truths which Buddha1, its founder, taught to his followers.
The first one is the Noble Truth of Suffering. In Buddha’s teaching acknowledges that pain and suffering – along with other things associated with it such as adversities, sadness, fear, disappointment, depression, etc. – is in reality a part of human life. Most of the people often make negative impression with this particular teaching. However, this only reveals what Buddha (the one whom they call as “the Enlightened/Awakened One”) has observed in human life, and throughout his teachings, he finds and establishes necessary ways on how to deal with it.
This first Noble Truth covers mainly the thought of true suffering. Buddhism holds that true suffering far more than the gross physical suffering which any of us experience2. It talks about the suffering’s nature itself. This is categorized into three: the suffering of suffering, suffering of change, and pervasive suffering. The suffering of the suffering is all about the condition of the individual experiencing the suffering. It is the reality of the inner person which is full of discomfort, pain, disappointment, disgust, anxiety, etc. The suffering of change, on the other hand, points out to the change of happiness into pain/grief. Although things are often perceived and acquired [initially] as good, things turn out to be bad or ill in the end. This is greatly expressed in nature, in which all has been well in the beginning but in the end, because of its destruction from human activities, has become a disaster – even to the point that nature seems to be an enemy to us (natural calamities, landslides, floods, etc.). Pervasive suffering talks about the progression of the illness taking place. One expression of this is in the manner pain begins in the body and eventually goes in to the mind/conscience of the person itself. Pain grows and spreads until the entire human faculty is affected.
The second Noble Truth is the cause of suffering. In this particular teaching, Buddha lays down the reality of man’s nature in relation to the things of this world and this life. This teaching discusses that the cause of such sufferings is craving or thirst (tanha). Because of our senses towards the things around us, we are much capable of desiring them. Yet here lies the problem. At first, it seems not harmful to look and desire these things, but sooner or later we are naturally drawn into desperately longing to have them. People are not free from sensual pleasures; people are devoured by unending cravings. However, the more we indulge in such cravings, the more we are “burned by the fever of sensual pleasures”3. Due to such great effort the inner man makes and the dissatisfaction of his/her longings, the person “burns” painfully in desire. This reality of dissatisfaction never stops. And because of this nature of us, needs and wants seem impossible to reach and have – which takes us deeper into great misery, disappointment, despair, and illness.
The third basic teaching in Buddhism is the Noble Truth of the End of Suffering. Buddha points out to man that suffering, which is caused by man’s nature of sensual cravings, can be dealt with; there is a hope to this problem. This third truth shows that this can be done through nirodha. This means abstaining from any sensual desires and conceptual bonds. As aforementioned in the second truth, when one starts to make desires, his/her focus finally gets captive to the desire itself – which only makes him/her desire more without any satisfaction and/or contentment. Hence, this third truth lays down the basic rule that the way out from suffering is simply learning and living out intensive satisfaction or contentment here in this life. Of course, this can be overcome only through human activities and this process comes in many levels. The end state of the person that undergoes such process is Nirvana – which implies freedom from any pain, illness, worry, troubling ideas, disappointments, and more.
The fourth Noble Truth covers the teaching of the Eightfold Path, which is the way to the end of suffering. This is seen as the finale of Buddha’s teaching. In the Eightfold Path, the person should have the following: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Without these eight things, the person longing to see and acquire real happiness (the state of Nirvana) will only attain failure and greater pain/sadness. However, in order to clearly understand and view the Eightfold Path as the “noble” way to real freedom, man should fully grasp the other Noble Truths. Nevertheless, morality – defined as the actions in accordance to the Four Noble Truths – is necessary for every spiritual development. Without it, nothing of this Eightfold Path will work out in every person4.
The Four Noble Truths are not merely for the understanding of suffering and pain in man’s life. It covers the human life itself. Theses teachings of Buddhism not only invite us to believe its conceptual and doctrinal positions, but also to live them out.
Bibliography
Bodhi, Bhikkhu. In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon.
Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publishing, 2005.
Gunaratana, Bhante. Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha’s Path.
Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2001.
Tsering, Geshe. The Four Noble Truths: The Foundations of Buddhist Thought. Somerville,
MA: Wisdom Publications, 2005.
