Four Noble Truths: Foundation of Buddha’s Teachings

According to the legend, when Buddha was practicing as an ascetic monk, he made friends with

five other ascetic monks. They all had practiced in a very hard way and in hard condition. Then,

Buddha realized that practicing in an ascetic way could not lead him to liberation. So he stopped

practicing in an ascetic way, and he decided to practice in the middle way. When he left his

friends, he promised that he would return to teach them if he could achieve liberation. Therefore,

after achieving enlightenment, Buddha taught the first teaching for his friends who, very soon

after that, became his first students. Four noble Truth is the first teaching that Buddha taught to

five his first monks of Buddhism. Mainly, Four Noble Truth is the teaching about suffering and

how to deal with suffering, and it is separated into four categories, suffering, origin of suffering;

cessation of suffering and path of practice.

Truth of suffering

What is the truth of suffering? Truth of suffering is simply the traits of a pointless circle

of rebirth and death. In other words, the truth of suffering is the characteristics of Samsara and

the sentient beings who reside in this Samsara. Moreover, the truth of suffering is eight kinds of

suffering which is a natural and inevitable emotion of us, sentient beings.

First, what are the characteristics of Samsara? Characteristics of Samsara are the habitual

tendency of thinking of all sentient beings. It is the duality of assumption and formulation of us

about phenomena and things. We, sentient beings, always stereotype the emergence, remaining

and disappearance of things and phenomena by these two factors. This habitual tendency of
thinking is adopted during the process of growing. For instance, when we were babies, at that

time, we did not know what is called ‘table’, what is called ‘chair’ since we had not had any

concepts about the table or the chair. When we were children, we gradually understood

everything around us. We started to know what is called ‘’ table '’, what is called ‘chair’ because

during the time of growing up, we started to study things and phenomena around us. Moreover,

this habitual concept not only helps us to recognize things that we studied about them, but it is

also fundamental knowledge for us to know new things; we are bound to know new phenomena

by observing, comparing and proving; all these are the function of assumption and formulation.

In another way of explanation, traits of Samsara are stereotyped by the duality of

perceiver and perceived. We are perceivers and phenomena are the objects perceived. By six

faculties, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, we perceive outside objects, and then we

realize them by our habitual concepts or habitual tendency. For example, when we look at a red

rose, we immediately know that it is a red rose. This result includes many conditions, firstly we

should have well- conditioned eyes; second, we should have well- functioned perception; thirdly,

the red rose should be seen by our eyes. When eye faculty catch an image of the rose, it

immediately sends data about the red rose to the mind; the mind analyzes the data (by formation

and consciousness), and immediately, we realize the quality and color of the rose.

Moreover, traits of Samsara are the characteristics of the universe in which sentient

beings reside. According to Buddhist view, the universe is separated into three parts: desire

realm, form realm and formless realm. Desire realm is the place in which all sentient beings are

reborn again life after life by Karmic creation and they often suffer. Moreover, according to

Buddhist concepts, the six realms, the hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, angry god and heaven

god realm, belong to this desired realm. Form realm is the place in which sentient beings reside
in the power of meditation but they are lax of desire, so they do not live with suffering. It is

mentioned that those who want to be reborn in this form realm have to practice four

immeasurable or meditation hard. Formless realm is the refuge of sentient beings who live with

consciousness only.

In addition, the truth of suffering is a characteristic of sentient beings who live in

Samsara or pointless circles of rebirth. There are many kinds of sentient being in the universe,

but in general, there are four kinds of sentient beings, sentient beings that are born by eggs,

sentient beings that are born by mother’s wombs, sentient beings that are born by appearance,

and sentient beings that are born by heat and moisture. Snakes, birds and so on belong to birth by

eggs. Birth by heat and moisture is characteristic of Viruses, worms, microbes, bacteria, etc.

Birth by appearance is a trait of gods, angry gods, and beings in hell.

Moreover, there are four kinds of food, according to Buddhist concept, and sentient

beings nourish themselves by those four kinds of food. They are material food, intention, feeling,

and meditation. Material food is all kinds of food that we can touch and hold. Feeling is the

inevitable food of sentient beings in desire realm and form realm; all kinds of emotion are food

for sentient beings, but in general, it is separated into two kinds, positive and negative. Intention

plays an important role in our daily activities. By intention, we are high-motivated to step

forward, and by intention, we have something to cling to overcome difficulty and trouble.

Meditation is the most nutrient for the spirit. All sentient beings in the desired realm often use

three first kinds of food, material, intention, and feeling. Sentient beings in the form realm and

formless realm only use meditating food.

suffered in many ways, but, to base on the cause, there are eight kinds of suffering which are

categorized by their individual characteristics,

1. Suffering causes by birth

2. Suffering causes by old age

3. Suffering causes by sickness

4. Suffering causes death

5. Suffering causes by living with those we hate very much

6. Suffering causes by being unable to live with those we love very much

7. Suffering causes by not being able to get what we want

8. Suffering causes by none-cooperation between five aggregates

Truth of origin of suffering

First truth is the explanation of suffering in which we have a full understanding about

Samsara and sentient beings. Origin of suffering is background causes that make up Samsara and

sentient beings. In this second truth, Buddha pointed out clearly how suffering arises, and how

Samsara and sentient beings are active. This second truth is to modify and detail the truth of

suffering.

In many teachings, Buddha talked that the three poisons, greed, hatred, and ignorance,

are the causes of rebirth into Samsara or pointless circles since three poisons generate the seed of

karmic creation. By ignorance, sentient beings cling to wrong understanding about themselves
and the nature of phenomena, and, especially by wrong understanding about their individual

selves, they consider that the body or the mind or both of them are the individual self of them.

And, by nature, they do everything to protect and serve what they consider as ‘’ the self’’.

Moreover, in the process of serving their desire, they have to face difficulty and dissatisfaction,

which are causes of suffering. In addition, when sentient beings try to protect themselves, they

make others angry or they get angry. Therefore, ending ignorance is the best way to stop our

suffering.

Moreover, in Maha Sakya Muni Gotama sutta, Buddha mentioned that all sentient beings

always suffer from the four causes, birth, old age, sickness, and death. They die and are born

repeatedly for indefinite lives. Like that, they suffer forever. Apparently, according to this

teaching of Buddha, rebirth repeatedly is also the inevitable cause of suffering. Because of

rebirth, we are bound to suffer by causes of birth, old age, sickness, and death for indefinite time.

Furthermore, in interdependent origination sutra or Patica Samupadda vibhanga Sutta,

Buddha talked about twelve links as the nuts of the chain of death and rebirth, and this chain is

the pointless circle because these twelve links are active as the circle, there is no beginning point

neither ending point. It is as Buddha said, from ignorance as a requisite condition comes karmic

creation. From karmic creation as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From

consciousness as a requisite condition comes name and form. From name and form as a requisite

condition come the six senses. From the six senses as a requisite condition comes contact. From

contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes

craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging. From clinging as a requisite

condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a
requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into

play. Such is the origin of this entire mass of stress & suffering.

Cessation of suffering

After talking about the truth of suffering and the truth of the origin of suffering, Buddha

gave us teachings on how to relinquish suffering. As we talked above, death and rebirth

repeatedly is one of inevitable causes of suffering, and ignorance is the first point of this circle.

Therefore, if we want to stop suffering, we should end ignorance first. As we mentioned above,

twelve links of co-arising interdependence are nuts of the chain of death and rebirth. Whenever

we still keep this chain going on, at that time, we still have to be reborn time after time.

Nevertheless, to end this circle of death and rebirth, we should understand its

characteristics. Because each point of this circle is the cause for the next nut to arise and to be

active, so it is a seemingly pointless circle. However, Buddha pointed out that ignorance is the

first nut of this pointless circle, and, because its defect is that every link has to depend on the

point that it follows. So when we stop ignorance, the next close link is not able to arise; it is a

similar method for other links. For example, craving is the cause of clinging, so if we want to

stop clinging, we should stop craving first. This is the cessation of the circle of death and rebirth

of Samsara, and it is proved by Buddha’s teaching, cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of

karmic creation. From the cessation of Karmic creation comes the cessation of consciousness.

From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name and form. From the cessation

of name and form comes the cessation of the six senses. From the cessation of the six sense

media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of

feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of
craving comes the cessation of clinging. From the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of

becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of

birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the

cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering.

Furthermore, according to Buddha’s teaching, there are also many other causes that can

make us suffer in the present life. And almost all of those causes originate from desire and

hatred. Such as suffering caused by living with those we hate very much, suffering caused by not

being able to live with those we love very much, suffering caused by not being able to get what

we want. Because these kinds of suffering come from desire and hatred, relinquishing desire and

hatred is the way to free from these kinds of suffering.

Finally, when five aggregates are unable to work well together, we also suffer. It can be

sickness of the body or the spirit.

Truth of the path

Truth of the path is simply the methods for practice to be able to cut down the root of

suffering. During 49 years of teaching according to Mahayana belief and 45 years according to

Theravada belief, Buddha taught many methods just on the purpose of relinquishing the root of

suffering. It is believed that there are more than 84, 000 methods for practice in Buddhism, but it

is undocumented number since nobody can name enough 84,000 methods for practice in

Buddhism. However, we do not need to know and find out enough 84,000 methods since it is

useless to us. The necessary thing is to apply methods that suit us best in practice.

Systematically, the truth of the path is the accumulation of three categories, morality,

concentration, and wisdom. Alternatively, the truth of the path is the way of training three kinds
of action, action of body, action of speech and action of the mind. For those purposes of practice,

there are so many methods that we can apply; for instance, practicing disciplines, counting the

breath, contemplation on the body, feeling, mind, phenomena etc. In addition, to make it easy for

us in practice, Buddha gave us grand teaching on how to practice, and on how to navigate our

practice correctly; it is teaching of the Eightfold path.

What is the Eightfold Path? Eightfold path is eight right factors for practice.

1. Right view is the right understanding about the self and nature of phenomena. It includes

right understanding about the non-self, Cause and Effect, Impermanence and so on.

2. Right thought is logical and reasonable thinking about phenomena and matters concerning

them.

3. Right livelihood is the right way to earn a living.

4. Right action is to behave in a moral way.

5. Right speech is the way of using words to avoid making others harmful or painful.

6. Right effort is the right manner of practice; it is considered a middle way.

7. Right concentration is the right purpose when we meditate; it is also the right method in

practicing meditation.

8. Right wisdom is the way of living in the present moment or the way to live with ourselves

Eightfold path is not the method to practice, but it is the essential teaching for us to verify our

mistakes. If we can find the best teacher as the Buddha, we do not have to worry about getting

lost in the process of practice. Unfortunately, it is hard for us to meet teachers who have similar
qualities as the lord Buddha. Therefore, the Eightfold path is the crucial map or best guide for us

on the way to practice. Eightfold path should be applied when we are just on the basic level of

practice until we complete our practice.

Conclusion

Four noble truths are fundamental and crucial teachings of Buddha on suffering; it can

help us to end suffering by understanding the nature of suffering deeply and clearly. Buddha is

an extremely great doctor in healing with suffering. Buddha gave us a logical map on how to

heal with suffering. It is similar to solving the problem of a kind of sickness. At first, the doctor

has to test to know the cause of sickness, origin of sickness, and then the doctor finds out the

way to heal the sickness and methods to heal the sickness. Buddha is considered a great doctor in

healing with suffering.

References:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html

Thich Nhat Hanh (1999). The heart of Buddha’s teaching: Transferring suffering into joy and

liberation.