The Four Noble Truths

• The Dharma


  The four noble truths are the diagnosis of the human condition, identifying the problems and solutions on how to be content with the world.
• The Deer Park sermon


  The Buddha's first sermon: "I teach suffering, its origin, cessation and path. That's all I teach.
• The Diagnosis


  The Problem: Dukkha

  The Cause: Tanha

  The Cure: Nirvana

  Advised route to the cure: Magga
• Dukkha


  Best translates into 'discontentment' and identifies the ill human condition. Dukkha is a psychological state of mind, an incorrect mindset and must be eliminated.

  Wide-ranging and covers a scale of things that cause humans to suffer.
• Ordinary Dukkha

  From stress and anxiety to worldly suffering like war, poverty, sickness and death that one cannot necessarily do on an individual basis.
• Dukkha caused by change


  could include a change in the environment, change in status, or relationships, referred to as Anicca. The Buddha observed that humans do not adapt to change well. We cling to material things, people, relationships and ourselves, and this clinging stops us from seeing the true nature of reality.
• Dukkha caused by conditioned states


  comes from the lack of ability to control aspects of life. A more subtle dissatisfaction with life due to there being no certainties to life. Can lead to existential angst but must be accepted.
• Tanha

  The second truth asks for the cause of this illness that keeps the person bound to the cycle of samsara. Constant thirst and desire leads to the wrong perception of the world. It keeps the person away from the moment they are in which can lead to ignorance regarding the realities of a situation. The cause of suffering is due to craving.
• Dalai Lama


  '[Man] is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present.'

  You have to act now, in the moment.
• First level of Tanha: Kama


  Thirst for sensual pleasure: the craving of sense desires, food, sex, addiction.

  Buddhism is about balance, enjoying sensual pleasures but in moderation/ balance. Craving is bad when it leads to ignorance and hinders spiritual development
• Second level of Tanha: Bhava


  Thirst for existence: the craving for family, money, success, and unachievable expectations. The idealised idea that a different lifestyle would make you happy. The idea of success becomes a driving force and you lose sight. Only bad when things become detrimental or obsessive.
• Third level of Tanha: Vibhava


  Thirst for non-existence
• Nirvana


  The cessation of dukkha. The literal meaning is 'extinguish', which refers to cooling down the ego and putting out the fires.

  Being free from attachment, desire and craving. Escaping the constant cycle of the redeath and rebirth of desires, where one is free of false views and false perceptions.

  One would have to be alive because it is a psychological state of mind, but once passed, they won't enter the cycle again (the final pari-nirvana).
• Two levels of nirvana


  With substrate: alive, with body

  Without substrate: When the person passes away and escapes rebirth.
• Magga (The Eightfold Path)


  Buddhism is an experiential religion based on human observation and practice, lived experience.

  'Magga' means 'path' and this path should be persued for the ethical lifestyle rather than a guaranteed method to attain enlightenment.

  Happiness is the middle of surplus and deficiency
• Right View/ Understanding:

  • The world should be understood from the right view, through the 4 noble truths and an understanding of the Dharma.
• Right Intention

  • Actions should be driven by the three virtues: Compassion, wisdom and generosity. Promotes Ahimsa.
• Right Speech

  • How we speak can be a source of great harm.
  • We should also be mindful of not rambling, if one has nothing meaningful/useful to say.
• Right Action

  • Outlined in the 5 precepts where one must 'abstain from':
  • Harming any living being
  • Taking what is not given
  • False and harmful speech
  • Abuse of the sense pleasures
  • Intoxicants that can cloud the mind
• Right Livelihood

  • Abstain from professions that harm others or encourage greed, deceit or exploitation
• Right Effort

  • Willingness to cultivate/grow the mind into a state of wisdom from ignorance.
  • Reflection helps progression.
• Right Mindfulness

  • Awareness of the external world as well as the arising of feelings. A person should be aware of what causes them dukkha or tanha and seek to extinguish the causes.
• Right Concentration

  • Needed for meditation
• Magga Strengths

  2 Wisom, 3 Morality, 3 Meditation

  • The path is advised, not the only route
  • It is a lifestyle change
  • Promotes compassion
  • Accessible to both the monastics and the laypeople
  • Better people = Better society
• Magga Weaknesses

  Difficult to follow in the modern world

  Challenges of society as it is consumer-driven

  Social media, peer pressure

  Time constraints
• The story of Kisa Gotami and the Mustard Seed (Dukkha explanation)

  the Buddha counsels a grieving mother unable to come to terms with her son's death to visit her neighbours door-to-door and to collect a mustard seed from each household untouched by death. The Buddha asked her whether she got the mustard seed, and she replied, “No Lord Buddha, I have not. Mustard seed is easy to obtain, but a house untouched by death cannot be found.” Buddha taught her through an activity that death and suffering are common to all. He said that there was no way that one could avoid death or suffering.