Four Noble Truths

1. Four Noble Truths By Henry Chu Temple Master

2. Introduction • Last week we visited the Eightfold Path so this week we will visit the other foundational Buddhist teaching, the Four Noble Truth • The Four Noble Truth is intimately connected to the Eightfold path because the Fourth Truth is the Eightfold Path • Therefore the two teachings are essentially one

3. Introduction • The Four Noble Truth are: Life is suffering (dukkha), Origin of Suffering, The Cessation of Suffering, and the Path Leading to Cessation of Suffering • The gist of Four Noble Truth is the understanding and the way to evade Suffering • This is the foundational teaching--the advance teaching of Buddhism takes a different turn on the perspective of suffering

4. Four Noble Truth • The First Truth—Life is suffering • Buddha’s initial motivation to seek enlightenment is due to suffering • The eight inevitable sufferings of life are: • Birth --Aging • Sickness --Death • Unfulfilled desires --Overwhelming senses • Separation of beloved --Gathering of hateful

5. Four Noble Truth • The First Truth—Life is Suffering • The Buddhist perspective is that life is a suffering sea and that sufferings are inevitable part of life • Therefore the evasion of the sufferings of life is the primary goal of Buddhist practitioner and that the subsequent works are gearing toward this goal

6. Four Noble Truth • The Second Truth—The Origin of Suffering • There are many types of desires, all of which can lead to suffering • Types of desires: • Sensual desires--cravings (i.e. food, sleep, sex) • Emotional desires—desire for love, power, dominance • Spiritual desires—need to exist (physical attachment) • Desire arise out of “ignorance” • Ignorance arise out of ego

7. Four Noble Truth • The Second Truth—The Origin of Suffering • By understand the origin of suffering, the practitioner gains a perspective on suffering and realize their pursue of desires are the root cause of their sufferings • With the new found perspective, the practitioners can begin to reverse the cycle of suffering and transcend out of suffering

8. The Four Noble Truth • The Third Truth—The Cessation of Suffering • The eradication of all desires is the way toward the cessation of suffering • When a person achieved the state of without desires, then the Nirvana experience will occur, by which the person will no longer get caught in the cycle of suffering • The way to achieve the state without desire is the Fourth Truth

9. The Four Noble Truth • The Fourth Truth—the Path toward the Cessation of Suffering • The Eightfold path is the path toward the cessation of suffering • The Eightfold path are: • Right perspective --Right thought • Right speech --Right action • Right livelihood --Right endeavor • Right mindfulness --Right meditation

10. The Four Noble Truth • The Advance Perspective • The Hinayana tradition (the small vehicle) is totally focused on the Four Noble Truth so their entire focus of practice is on the evasion of sufferings • The Mahayana tradition (the great vehicle tradition) is less focus on the evasion of suffering, rather it focus on the expansion of the capacity to endure suffering • The Bodhisattva way is the enduring of sufferings for others so they too can attain Nirvana

11. Conclusion • The Four Noble Truth (along with the Eightfold path) are the foundational teachings of Buddhism. • The entire focus is on the evasion of suffering and the ways to achieve the state of non-suffering (or Nirvana) • The Mahayana tradition expanded on the teaching to the embrace of sufferings

12. Question