What are the 4 truths of Buddhism?

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

About 2,500 years ago, one of the greatest spiritual experiences known to mankind began. Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni achieved a special state, Enlightenment, and formed one of the oldest world religions - Buddhism.

A little about Buddha

The legends about the early life of Prince Siddhartha are well known. He grew up in luxury, not knowing hardships and worries, until one day an accident forced him to face simple human suffering: illness, old age and death. At that moment, Siddhartha realized how illusory and impermanent is what people call "happiness." He went on a long solitary journey to find a way to put people out of their misery.

Information about the life of this man is based mainly on numerous legends, and there is very little accurate information. But for modern followers of Buddhism, the spiritual heritage of Gautama is much more important. In the teaching he created, the laws of earthly existence were explained, and the possibility of achieving Enlightenment was affirmed. Its main points can be found in the Dharmachakra Launching Sutra -a source that reveals in detail what are the main 4 truths of Buddhism, formed by Gautama.

One of the ancient Indian sutras says that in the entire history of mankind, about 1000 Buddhas (that is, those who have achieved Enlightenment) will appear on Earth. But Shakyamuni was not the first and had three predecessors. It is believed that a new Buddha will appear at the moment when the teaching formed by the previous one begins to decline. But all of them must perform twelve special feats, as Gautama did in his time.

The emergence of the doctrine of the 4 noble truths

4 The noble truths of Buddhism are detailed in the Wheel of Dharma Launch Sutra, which has been translated into many languages and is well known today. According to the surviving biographies of Shakyamuni, he gave the first sermons 7 weeks after Enlightenment to his ascetic companions. According to legend, they saw Gautama sitting under a tree surrounded by a bright glow. It was then that the provisions of the teaching were first voiced, which traditionally recognized as the main both early and modern Buddhism - 4 noble truths and the Eightfold Path.

Truths of Buddhism briefly

4 The noble truths of Buddhism can be summarized in a few theses. Human life (more precisely, the chain of successive incarnations, Samsara) is suffering. The reason for this is all kinds of desires. Suffering can be stopped forever, and instead a special state of nirvana is achieved. There is a specific way to do this, which is titled The Eightfold Path. Thus, the 4 truths of Buddhism can be briefly presented as a teaching about suffering, its origins and ways to overcome it.

First Noble Truth

The first statement is the truth about dukkha. From Sanskrit, this term is usually translated as "suffering", "anxiety", "dissatisfaction". But there is an opinion that such a designation is not entirely correct, and the word "dukkha" actually means the whole set of desires, addictions, which are always painful.

Revealing the 4 noble truths of Buddhism, Shakyamuni argued that the whole life passes in anxiety and dissatisfaction, and this is a normal state of a person. “4 great streams of suffering” pass through the fate of each of the people: at birth, during illness, in old age, at the time of death.

In his sermons, the Buddha also singled out "3 great sufferings". The reason for the first of these is change. The second is suffering that aggravates others. The third is unifying. Speaking about the concept of "suffering", it should be emphasized that from the point of view of Buddhism, it refers to any experiences and emotions of a person, even those that, according to the generally accepted opinion, correspond to the idea of happiness as much as possible.

The Second Noble Truth

4 The truths of Buddhism in their second position tell about the emergence of dukkha. The Buddha called the cause of the appearance of suffering "insatiable desire", in other words, desire. It is they who make a person stay in the cycle of samsara. But asit is known that the exit from the chain of rebirth is the main goal of Buddhism.

As a rule, after the fulfillment of the next desire of a person, a feeling of peace visits for a short time. But soon a new need appears, which becomes a cause of constant concern, and so on ad infinitum. Thus, suffering has only one source - ever-arising desires.

The desire to satisfy desires and needs is closely related to such an important concept in Indian philosophy as karma. It is a collection of thoughts and real actions of a person. Karma is something like the result of aspirations, but it is also the cause of new, future actions. It is on this mechanism that the cycle of samsara is based.

4 The truths of Buddhism also help explain the cause of bad karma. For this, 5 emotions were distinguished: attachment, anger, jealousy, pride and ignorance. Attachment and hatred caused by a misunderstanding of the true nature of phenomena (i.e. a distorted perception of reality) is the main reason for the repetition of suffering for many rebirths.

The Third Noble Truth

Known as "the truth of the cessation of dukkha" and brings one closer to understanding Enlightenment. In Buddhism, it is believed that a state beyond suffering, completely liberated from desires and attachments, may well be achieved. This can be done through conscious intention, using the techniques described in detail in the last part of the teaching.

The facts of the peculiar interpretation of the third noble truth are known from the biographyBuddha. The monks who joined his wanderings often understood this position as a complete renunciation of all, even vital desires. They practiced the suppression of all their physical needs and engaged in self-torture. However, Shakyamuni himself at a certain stage of his life refused such an "extreme" embodiment of the third truth. Expanding on the 4 Truths of Buddhism, he argued that the main goal is to keep the “middle path”, but not to suppress absolutely all desires.

The Fourth Noble Truth

Knowing what the 4 Truths of Buddhism are would be incomplete without an understanding of the Middle Way. The last, fourth position is devoted to the practice leading to the cessation of dukkha. It is it that reveals the essence of the doctrine of the Eightfold (or Middle) Path, which in Buddhism is understood as the only way to get rid of suffering. And sadness, anger and despair will inevitably be generated by all states of mind, except for one - Enlightenment.

Following the Middle Way is understood as the perfect balance between the physical and spiritual components of human existence. Pleasure, excessive addiction and attachment to something is an extreme, as well as asceticism opposite to it.

In fact, the remedies proposed by the Buddha are absolutely universal. The main one is meditation. Other methods are aimed at using all the abilities of the human body and mind without exception. They are available to all people, regardless of their physical andintellectual possibilities. Much of the Buddha's practice and preaching was dedicated to developing these methods.

Enlightenment

Enlightenment is the highest goal of spiritual development recognized by Buddhism. 4 noble truths and 8 steps of the Middle Way are a kind of theoretical and practical basis for achieving this state. It is believed that it has nothing to do with all the sensations available to an ordinary person. Buddhist texts talk about Enlightenment in a rather generalized way, in the language of metaphors and with the help of philosophical parables. But it is not possible to express it in any concrete way through the usual concepts.

In the Buddhist tradition, Enlightenment corresponds to the term "bodhi", which literally means "awakening". It is believed that the potential to go beyond the usual perception of reality lies in every person. Once having attained Enlightenment, it is impossible to lose it.

Rejection and criticism of the doctrine

4 The basic truths of Buddhism are a teaching common to all its schools. At the same time, a number of Mahayana movements (Skt. "Great Vehicle" - one of the two largest movements along with Hinayana) adhere to the "Heart Sutra". As you know, she denies the 4 noble truths of Buddhism. Briefly, this can be expressed as follows: there is no suffering, therefore, there is no reason for it, no cessation and no way for this.

The Heart Sutra is revered in Mahayana Buddhism as one of the main sources. It contains a description of the teachings of Avalokiteshvara,bodhisattva (i.e., one who has made the decision to become enlightened for the benefit of all living beings). The Heart Sutra is generally about the idea of getting rid of illusions.

According to Avalokiteshvara, the basic tenets, which include the 4 noble truths, only give an attempt to explain reality. And the concept of suffering and its overcoming is only one of them. The Heart Sutra calls for understanding and accepting things as they really are. A true bodhisattva cannot perceive reality in a distorted way, therefore, he does not consider the idea of suffering to be true.

According to some modern experts in Eastern philosophy, the 4 truths of Buddhism is a late "additive" in the ancient version of the life story of Siddhartha Gautama. In their assumptions, they rely mainly on the results of the study of many ancient texts. There is a version that not only the doctrine of noble truths, but also several other concepts traditionally associated with Shakyamuni are not directly related to his life and were formed by his followers only centuries later.