The Four Noble Truths
Sutra
TWO YEAR TRAINING MEDITATION #55
SATIPATTHANA SUTRA MINDFULNESS OF DHAMMAS/MIND OBJECTS
FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS – #1
Again, one dwells contemplating mind-objects (dhammas) as mind-objects (dhammas) in terms of the Four Noble Truths. And how does one dwell contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the Four Noble Truths?
Here, one understands as it actually is: “This is suffering”; one understands as it actually is: “This is the origin of suffering”; one understands as it actually is: “This is the cessation of suffering: one understands as it actually is: “This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering”; one understands as it actually is.
Insights
“In this way, one dwells contemplating mind-objects (dhammas) as mind-objects (dhammas) internally, or dwells contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects externally, he dwells contemplating mind-objects as mind both internally and externally.
Or else one dwells contemplating in mind-objects their arising factors, or one dwells contemplating in mind-objects their vanishing factors, or dwells contemplating in mind-objects both their arising and vanishing factors.
Or else mindfulness that “there are mind-objects”(dhammas) is simply established to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and continuous mindfulness. And one abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. That is how a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the Four Noble truths.
The Four Noble Truths are the final objects of contemplation in the Mahasatipatthana Sutra. They are called “Noble Truths” since they are realized by those who are “Noble.” They are also referred to “Noble” since they were discovered by the Buddha, the “Noble One.” And they are ennobling to us as well.
It is said that when the Buddha and his immediate disciples pass away, his teachings will gradually disappear and these Four Noble Truths will disappear. All conditioned things are impermanent. Then they will be discovered once again in the future by another Bodhisattva. What a fortunate time for us to be living in, since these Truths are still with us today.
The Four Noble Truths has an underlying structure that parallels a fourfold method of diagnosis and cure that is still in use today by physicians. The Buddha diagnoses the disease (Suffering), he explains the cause (Craving), he offers a prognosis (Freedom from Suffering), and suggests a cure (The Noble Eight-Fold Path).
Just as the footprints of all animals can fit within the footprint of an elephant, so too, whatever (mind) states there are, all of them are embraced by the Four Noble Truths. On the other hand, to believe that one can realize awakening without having understood the Four Noble Truths, is like trying to construct the upper floors of a house without having first constructed its lower floors and foundations.
The Buddha
According to the Buddha, the discovery and penetration of these truths is what constituted his own enlightenment. The First Truth states that life is inherently problematic. The Second Truth explains how ignorance leads to craving which creates and perpetuates suffering. The Third Noble Truth reveals that the way to end the suffering is to end the craving and to experience the freedom of the unconditioned reality. The Fourth Noble Truth describes the Noble Eightfold Path, which directly leads to the end of craving and hence to the end of suffering.
Despite all the different approaches in the various schools of Buddhism, they all agree that the Four Noble Truths is the very foundation of Buddhism, and that this foundation is indispensable for awakening to occur.
There is a specific task to be fulfilled in association with each truth: Truth #1 – suffering is to be fully understood; Truth #2 – craving is to be fully abandoned; Truth #3 – the unconditioned reality, nibbana, is to be fully realized; and Truth #4 – The Noble Eightfold Path is to be fully developed.
Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the Simsapa tree grove. Then, picking up a few Simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked his disciples, “What do you think friends: Which are more numerous, the few Simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the Simsapa grove?”
“The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those overhead in the grove are far more numerous.”
“In the same way, friends, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous than what I have taught. And why haven’t I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to unbinding. That is why I haven’t taught them.
“And what have I taught? This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; and this is the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering. This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to unbinding. This is why I have taught them.”
“Therefore your duty is the contemplation, “This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; and this is the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.” The Buddha
Dear Yogis, The Four Noble Truths are not abstract ideas. They are mind objects and therefore, are to be found and understood with the mind.
The First Noble Truth: The Unsatisfactory Nature of Existence
Sutra
Here, a bhikkhu understands as it actually is: “This is suffering”
Commentary: In the First Noble Truth, the Buddha describes the scope of suffering that we experience.
“This is suffering” implies that suffering is present here and now in our lives.
There are many kinds of suffering that we experience. One kind is based upon external circumstances – it is the pain that accompanies war, violence, famine, disasters, and injustice.
Another type is called “intrinsic suffering.” These are simple painful physical and mental feelings. For example, stubbing your toe or feeling anxious or depressed or suffering illness and/or injuries.
The next is referred to as “suffering based upon change.” It refers to the impermanent nature of pleasant physical or mental feelings. When these feelings fade away due to their changing nature, we feel sorrow or sadness. Where are all the pleasant things we have experienced in the past?
The last kind is called “suffering due to formations (sankaras, Pali) .” Formations are those experiences produced or caused by the interplay of other experiences (i.e., they are formed). In other words, all our experiences (pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral) are conditioned (caused by) something else. Our entire life experience is a continual series of experiences, events, and mind states, that arise from prior causes and conditions. Since everything in the world of experience is in a constant state of flux, this lack of stability leads to feelings of insecurity and oppression.
Exercise #1
Please spend the next week reflecting on how you have experienced the types of suffering that follows:
Suffering begins at birth with the trauma of being thrust into the world from the relative comfort and security of the womb. Birth marks the commencement of the suffering we will experience during the rest of our life.
Society as a whole suffers from birth. As the earth population increases, so does the pollution of our resources. More forests are cleared to build more roads and houses. Overcrowded conditions contribute to the spread of disease.
On a less mundane level, every moment is a new birth. With the birth of each moment comes the decay (change) and death of that which was present just a moment before (e.g., our feelings, thoughts, consciousness, etc.). Therefore, birth is a source of suffering. Everything is becoming something other than it was a moment ago.
Aging, too, is suffering. As we age, we experience the decay of the physical body; for example, the hair turns gray, the teeth break apart, the body wrinkles, the muscles sag, the senses dull, the limbs become weak, the organs begin to fail, and the energy level declines.
Aging also weakens the mental faculties; for example, the memory begins to fade, it takes longer to recall information, and the mind becomes easily confused. Have you noticed this yet?
When we age, society’s attitude toward us changes. We may be cast aside by our families, placed in nursing homes without our consent, talked about as if we were not in the room, and treated as if we were children. We may also experience anxiety as we consider our impending death. Have you noticed this yet?
Illness is suffering. Having been born, whether young or old or somewhere in- between, we will meet with disease. Any form of disease can create suffering whether it afflicts the body or mind. The Buddha said that we may pass an entire lifetime without bodily disease, but it is rare to find a person who is free from mental disease even for an instant.
Death is suffering because we do not want to leave our loved ones, possessions, and memories. When death approaches, we may feel overwhelmed due to unresolved issues. The process of dying may be accompanied by intense physical pain and mental anguish.
At the moment of death, what is really important to us? This is an important contemplation which leads, paradoxically, to a lightness of heart. It helps to break us out of the grip of “enchantment.”
Suffering also comes from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Sorrow is the sadness that arises when we experience loss or disappointment. Lamentation is the point at which our sorrow becomes so great that we are brought to tears. We experience physical pain as a result of illness, accidents, unfavorable weather conditions, and so on. Grief, or mental pain, arises from unhappiness, fear, and anxiety. Despair, the most profound form of psychological suffering, occurs when we feel helpless to change our circumstances, and life seems hopeless.
Association with what we dislike, such as unpleasant or disagreeable sense objects, thoughts, feelings, individuals, and environmental conditions, is suffering. Separation from what brings us happiness, comfort, and feelings of security is suffering.
Not getting what we want is suffering. We want to stay young and healthy, to never die, and to reach all our goals. However, we age, fall ill, die, and are unable
to realize our aspirations. Even to reach our goals is suffering since that which we acquire is always impermanent.
As a summation of the First Noble Truth, the Buddha states that “in short, the five aggregates of clinging (Form/Body, Feeling, Perceptions, Mental Formations, and Consciousness) is suffering.” By this statement the Buddha is pointing out that everything within the scope of our experience is ultimately a source of suffering.
It is important to recognize that the five aggregates themselves do not suffer. They are quite neutral. It’s when they become the focus of a clinging mind that they become a source of suffering.
We view material forms, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness as being our self, and desperately cling to these aggregates. Since they are impermanent, conditioned (arising from something else), follow their own laws, and are beyond our control, a subtle but deep sense of loss is continuously being experienced. These mini-deaths, which occur during every moment of our lives, are the most profound and pervasive source of our suffering.
Three Warnings from Buddha
Did you never see in the world a man, or a woman, eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old, frail, crooked as a gable-roof, bent down, resting on crutches, with tottering steps, infirm, youth long since fled, with broken teeth, grey and scanty hair or none, wrinkled, with botched limbs? And did the thought never come to you that you also are subject to decay, that you also cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world a man, or a woman who being sick, afflicted, and grievously ill, wallowing in his own filth, was lifted up by some and put to bed by others? And did the though never come to you that you are also subject to disease, that you cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world the corpse of a man, or a woman, full of corruption, and decay? And did the thought never come to you that you also are subject to death, that you also cannot escape it? The Buddha
We shrink from suffering but are attached to its causes. Shantideva
The Noble Truth of Suffering needs to be fully understood. Many people would call this a pessimistic view of life and wonder why the Buddha did not focus on the joys of living. It is quite pleasant to eat delicious foods, to listen to good music, to raise a family, or to successfully reach our goals. Please, by all means enjoy these pleasant and joyful experiences. However, since everything in the world is impermanent, even the greatest joy ultimately leads to an unsatisfactory experience. In order to acknowledge the pleasures that exist while still pointing to their limitations, some commentators use the word “unsatisfactoriness,” as opposed to “suffering” to describe the First Noble Truth.
Examining our suffering is often the antithesis of what we try to do in our life. Therefore, in a sense, looking at our suffering tends to create more suffering. However, the purpose of facing the extent of our suffering is to motivate us to uncover its cause and to end this suffering once and for all. There are several exercises that expose the scope of the unsatisfactory nature of experience. These are not intellectual exercises. We need to be careful to avoid making any judgments, decisions, or commentary based on what we experience and to allow the results of the contemplations to speak for themselves.
Exercise #2
For this exercise, mentally note each time you experience physical or mental suffering throughout the day. On the physical level, you may feel headaches, pains in your body, chest congestion, stomach cramps, and so forth. Psychologically, you may feel frustrated, sad, guilty, fearful, disappointed, worried, irritated, anxious, and so on. Practice this contemplation until you come to recognize just how pervasive the experience of physical and mental suffering actually is.
Exercise #3
For this contemplation, mentally note each time you are engaged in an activity for the express purpose of maintaining the body. For example, note each time you feed the body, provide the body with liquids, clean the body, answer the calls of nature, clothe the body, take medication, blow the nose, cough to remove congestion, and so forth. Continue with this exercise until you realize how bound up your life is with catering to the incessant demands of the body.
Exercise #4
For this contemplation, mentally note when a pleasant feeling arises. Observe the impermanence of the feeling and focus very precisely on the subtle sense of sorrow, disappointment, frustration, or loss that may arise as a consequence of
having that pleasant experience disappear. The objective of this contemplation is to realize the more subtle forms of mental suffering, which we frequently experience.
Ongoing Practice
During these contemplations, the thought may spontaneously arise that “just as I experience these forms of suffering, so does everyone else.” From this meaningful realization, allow feelings of loving-kindness and compassion will begin to flow from our hearts.
The meditation on the First Noble Truth leads to great compassion for all humanity which suffers in a similar way, as well and to final liberation.
Suffering, as a noble truth, is this.’ Such was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the finding, the light, that arose in regard to ideas not heard by me before. ‘This suffering, as a noble truth, can be understood.’ Such was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the finding, the light, that arose in regard to ideas not heard by me before. ‘This suffering, as a noble truth, has been understood.’ Such was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the finding, the light, that arose in regard to ideas not heard by me before. The Buddha
Please take the time to contemplate this most important subject matter. May you be well, happy and peaceful.
