What are the Four Noble Truths?
The First Noble Truth states that “Life is Dukka”. “Dukka” is very often translated as “sufferings”, but I feel it’s a very inadequate translation. A much better translation is “Unsatisfactoriness”. Basically, the First Noble Truth states that life is unsatisfactory and imperfect. How so? All of us are subject to pain and sufferings. All of us cannot avoid disease, old age and death. We are subject to impermanence and uncertainty. Very often, we have to associate with things that are unpleasant and disassociate with things that are pleasant. All these are unsatisfactory. The Second Noble Truth explores the source of unsatisfactoriness. Why is it that our lives are unsatisfactory? The answer is within us. Our lives are unsatisfactory because of “Tanha” and “Avija”. “Tanha” is very often translated as “Cravings”, but a much better translation should be “Thirst”. “Avija” means “Ignorance”. What is “thirst”? Thirst is our natural tendency to clinging on to the pleasant and be aversed to th
Ads by Google ‘ + ‘ ‘ + ” + ” + ”; } else if (google_ads[0].type == “image”) { s += ‘Ads by Google ‘; } else if (google_ads[0].type == “html”) { s += google_ads[0].snippet; } else { if (google_ads.length == 1) { s += ‘Ads by Google ‘ + google_ads[0].line1 + ‘ ‘ + google_ads[0].line2 + ‘ ‘ + google_ads[0].line3 + ‘ ‘ + google_ads[0].visible_url + ‘ ‘; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { s += ‘Ads by Google’ for(i = 0; i ‘ + google_ads[i].line1 + ‘ ‘ + google_ads[i].line2 + google_ads[i].line3 + ‘ ‘ + google_ads[i].visible_url + ‘ ‘; } } } document.write(s); return; } google_ad_client = ‘pub-6862193364834946’; // substitute your client_id (pub-#) google_ad_channel = ‘9414407487’; google_ad_output = ‘js’; google_max_num_ads = ‘2’; google_ad_type = ‘text_html_image’; google_image_size = ‘468x60_as_new’; google_feedback = ‘on’; // –> The Four Noble Truths encapsulate the central essence of Buddhism. Considered as the most fundamental teaching of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths was the
The Four Noble Truths are a foundational part of Buddhism. They are said to arise directly from the insights and thoughts of Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) right after he achieved enlightenment, and they’re present in some of the earliest Buddhist texts, especially the Pali Canon. This is the collection of works that is said to be the written record of Buddha’s and his disciple’s teachings, 500 years after Buddha’s death. This would date the canon to approximately 2000 years ago. The Four Noble Truths may have been the subject of Buddha’s first sermon. In the Pali Canon and in other works, the Four Noble Truths are the essential underpinning of Buddhism, but some contend they cannot be realized or accepted by everyone. You may need to be “ready” to hear them. However, readiness to hear the truths and appreciate them as non-negotiable things rather than good ideas is important toward achieving enlightenment and continued following of a Buddhist path. In brief, the Four Noble Truths begin w
