Saturday, August 26, 2017
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Friday, August 18, 2017
Thursday, August 10, 2017
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
A written and detailed exposition of
the Dhamma Talk given at the UQ Buddhist Chaplaincy to the University students
on the 7th, August 2017.
Introduction:
Ascetic Siddhartha Gautama, after training the period of
austerities for six years realized that: “By this racking practice of
austerities I have not gained any super human states, any distinction in
knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Could there be another path to Enlightenment
(Mahasaccaka Sutta).” He walked to Bodh Gaya, on the day before the Vesak full
moon day, where he sat himself beneath the Bodhi Tree in the meditation posture
and vowed not to rise from meditation until he had attained perfect
enlightenment. There he had eaten solid food and regained his strength, energy back
and was quite secluded from sensual pleasures and secluded from unwholesome states.
“ There he recalled an earlier incident, living with the
Sakyans under the cool shade of a, rose apple tree, a state he was quite
secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered
upon and abided in the first Jana, which is accompanied by applied and
sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Could that be
the path to enlightenment?’ Then following on that memory came the realisation:
That is indeed the path to enlightenment (Mahasaccaka Sutta, MN).”
The Four Noble
Truths
Before the setting of the sun, he had overcome the force
of mara; in the first watch (6:00- 10pm), started seen his previous states of
existence: “such was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such
was my nutriment, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life term; and
passing away from there, I appeared here. Thus with their aspects and
particulars, I recollected my manifolded past lives (Bhayabherava Sutta MN).”
In the middle watch (10:00pm-2:00am), acquired supernormal vision, “Thus with divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing a way and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortune and in fortune, and I understood how beings pass on according to their actions Bayabherava Sutta MN). In the last watch (2:00am- 4:00am), I directed it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints.”
In the middle watch (10:00pm-2:00am), acquired supernormal vision, “Thus with divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing a way and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortune and in fortune, and I understood how beings pass on according to their actions Bayabherava Sutta MN). In the last watch (2:00am- 4:00am), I directed it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints.”
The Buddha
understood the four Noble Truth “When I knew and saw thus, my mind was
liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, from the
taint of ignorance. When it was liberated, there came the knowledge: It is
liberated, I directly knew: Birth is destroyed, the holey life had been lived, what
had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being
(Bayabherava Sutta, MN).” Thus it was clear the Buddha was focusing his
thoughts on Dependent Origination and at sun rise he obtained complete
enlightenment.
Knowledge
The term vidhya is being used in contrast to avidya,
ignorance or the lack of knowledge, which binds us to samsara. The Mahasaccaka
Sutta describes the three knowledges which the Buddha attained:
1. Insight into his past lives
2. Insight into the workings of Karma and countless Rebirths of his and others
through divine eye
3. Insight into the Four Noble Truths
Dependent Arising:
Patticca Samuppada - By Bhikkhu Bodhi
The Buddha says,
"One who sees dependent arising sees the Dhamma and one who sees the
Dhamma sees dependent arising." The Dhamma is the truth discovered by the
Buddha. In his statement the Buddha makes an explicit equation between the
profound truth he has realized and dependent arising. Again in describing his
own quest for enlightenment, the Buddha says that immediately before his
enlightenment, when he was sitting in meditation he began inquiring into the
chain of conditioning, seeking the causal origination of suffering, and this
inquiry led him to the discovery of dependent arising. So from one angle one
can equate the discovery of dependent arising with the attainment of
enlightenment itself.
The Buddha says this
dependent arising is deep in truth and deep in appearance. It is through not
understanding and not penetrating this truth of dependent arising that living
beings have become entangled like a matted ball of thread, or have to become
like grass and rushes, unable to pass beyond the woeful states of existence,
unable to escape from samsara, the cycle of becoming. Thus dependent arising is
not only the content of the Buddha's enlightenment, not only a philosophical
doctrine, but it is also the truth that has to be realized to gain liberation
from suffering. So this is the key not only to the intellectual understanding
of the Dhamma, but to the attainment of liberation itself.”
The First Discourse
The Dhammachacca Pawatwana Sutta – (Setting
the wheel of Dhamma in Motion (MN)
It was first delivered to the Five Ascetics,
most former colleagues of the Buddha, at the Deer Park in Isipathana, near Benares
on the Esala Full Moon Day, two months after his Enlightenment.
He addressed
the first five Bhikkhus as follows:
There are two extremes which should be avoided by recluse
1. The constant attachment to sensual pleasures which is vulgar, worldly, ignoble and profitless.
2. Constant
addiction to self-mortification which is painful, ignoble and profitless.
Avoiding these two extremes, the Thatagatha has
discovered the middle path which promotes sight, knowledge, and peace, higher
Wisdom, Enlightenment and Nibbana.
It is this Middle Path, the Noble Eight-fold Path: namely:
Right view/ Understanding, Right thoughts, Right speech,
Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right
Samadi (concentration).
The Buddha realised the facts regarding the Four Noble
Truths, namely:
dukka – suffering/ un-satisfactoriness
Samudaya- the arising of origin of dukka,
niroda- the cessation of dukka and
margaya – the way leading to the cessation of
suffering.
According to Buddha’s teaching the entire world which is
in a state of flux is full of suffering. The Buddha has shown the path to end
the suffering. According to Sachcha Vibanga Sutta, there are 12 ways the
suffering could be explained.
"Now this, monks, is the Noble Truth of birth is dukkha, ageing is dukkha, death is dukkha, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, & despair are dukkha; association with the unpleasant is dukkha; separation from the loved is dukkha; not getting what is wanted is dukkha. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are dukkha (SN)."
The first Noble Truth contains the ordinary meaning of suffering. It also includes deeper ideas such as, un-satisfactoryness, imperfection, impermanence, emptiness, insubstantially etc.
Here the Buddha does not deny happiness in life, when he says there is suffering. He admitted all forms of happiness, both material and spiritual, for lay men & women as well as monks and nuns.
In Anguttara Nikaya, There is a list of happiness described by the Buddha.
The happiness of family life & life of a recluse, The happiness of sense pleasure, The happiness of renunciation, The happiness of attachment, The happiness of detachment, Physical and mental happiness etc.; But all these are included in dukka. Even the very high spiritual happiness in Jana states are included in dukka.
Suffering is a part of human existence. Knowing that, we should learn to gain some relief during the times of difficulty. After some time, your dissatisfaction will disappear and change into happiness.
The conception of dukka can be viewed from three aspects:
1. Dukka as ordinary
suffering (dukka, dukka)
2. Dukka produced by change (viparinama dukka)
3. Dukka as conditional
state (samkara dukka)
1. Dukka, dukka
All
kinds of suffering in life, birth, old age and sickness etc.
2. Dukka produced by change
A
happy feeling a happy condition in life is not permanent, not everlasting. It
changes sooner or later. When it changes it produces pain suffering and
unhappiness. This vicissitude is indulged in dukka as suffering produced by
change.
3.
The third form of dukka as conditioned states (samkara dukka) is the most
important philosophical aspect of the 1st Noble Truth.
In
Buddhism, man or woman is a living creature that has come into being as a
result of his/her actions and un-quenched desires as a combination of physical
and mental constituents.
It
need an analytical explanation of what we consider as a “being” as an
individual or as I. They are a combination of ever changing physical and mental
forces or energies, which may be divided into five groups or aggregates.
The
Buddha says in short, these five aggregates of all attachment are dukka. Dukka
and five aggregates are not two different things.
Five
Aggregates:
The purpose of this analysis is to create the wisdom of non- self
1. Rupa – Matter or
Foam
Five
aggregate of matter are included in the four great essentials:
Solidity
or earth, fluidity or water, air and heat
2. Feelings: pleasant,
unpleasant and neutral (aggregates of sensations)
3. Perceptions:
cognising objects with contact
4. Mental formations:
Included in all volitional activities both good and bad (karma). “It is
volition that I call Karma.” said the Buddha.
5. Consciousness:
awareness of the presence of an object. Consciousness arises out of conditions.
There is no arising of consciousness without conditions.
A
being or an individual or I is only a convenient name or a label given to the
combination of these five groups. They are all impermanent, all consistently
changing. Whatever is impermanent is dukka. In brief the five aggregates of
attachment are dukka.
“
Oh Brahman it is just like a mountain river, flowing far and swift, taking everything
along with it, there is no moment, no instant no second when it stops flowing,
but it goes on flowing and continuing. So Bramana is human life, like a
mountain river. The world is in continues flux and is impermanent (the
Buddha).”
One
thing disappears, conditioning the appearance of the next in a series of cause
and effect. The five aggregate which we
called namely is the idea of a self.
2. The Second Noble
Truth of the Cause of Suffering
It
is the craving which produces rebirth, accompanied by passionate clinging,
welcoming this and that. The dissatisfaction arise not because of the things
that arise out there. But because of our mental state that we suffer. The cause
of suffering comes from three main saucers, our mental craving, hatred and
ignorance. It is the craving that produces renewal of being accompanied by
enjoyment and lust, enjoying this and that.
1. It is the craving for
sensual pleasures (kama tanha)
2. Craving for being
(bava tanha)
3. Craving for non-being (vibava
tanha)
In
Pali the word used is “Tanha” means “thrust.” All cravings lead to dissatisfaction or suffering. Each one of us are caught up in this craving and
we can’t see it until we come to realise that every conditioned thing is
unreliable and impermanent. This is because our desires don’t match with
reality.
3. Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
It
is the complete separation of and destruction of this very craving,
renunciation, the liberation and non-attachment. Suffering can be given up by
relinquishing and letting go of our craving.
4. The Path leading to
the Cessation of Suffering:
It is the Noble Eight
Fold Path
“As long as , O Bhikkhus, the absolute true
knowledge regarding these Four Noble Truths under their three aspects and
twelve modes was perfectly clear to me, so long I did not acknowledge, in this
world, together with gods, Maras, and Brahmins, amongst the hosts of ascetics
and priests, gods and men, that I gained the incomparable, Supreme
Enlightenment. The absolute truth regarding these four noble truths, under
their three aspects and twelve modes, became perfectly clear to me, then only I
acknowledge in this world, together with gods, maras, and Bramins, amongst the
hosts of ascetics and priests, gods and men, that I gained the incomparable,
Supreme Enlightenment.”
“And there arose in me the knowledge and insight Unshakable is the deliverance of my mind, this is my last birth, now there is no more rebirth.”
12 modes
This is the Noble Truth of Suffering
This Noble Truth of Suffering should be perceived
This Noble Truth of Suffering has been perceived
This is This Noble Truth of cause of
Suffering
This Noble Truth of Cause of Suffering should be
eradicated
This Noble Truth of cause of Suffering has been
eradicated
This is the Noble Truth of Cessation of
suffering
This Noble Truth of Cessation of suffering should be
realised
This Noble Truth of Cessation of suffering has been realised
This is the noble truth of the path leading
to the cessation of suffering
This Noble Truth of the path leading to the Cessation of
suffering should be developed
This Noble Truth of the path leading to the Cessation of
suffering has been developed
The absolute true intuitive knowledge regarding these
four noble truths and their three Aspects and 12 modes became perfectly clear
to me.
The Buddha was realistic and objective with regard to life and enjoyment of sense pleasures:
One should clearly understand three things and reflect on these three modes often:
If we can understand this reality of nature, letting go of this being, ego or I, even to a limited extent, as students, we can be careful and skillful in all our actions performed through our body speech and mind. Treading the Noble Eight Fold Path is the path leading to peace and happiness. We should determine not to get over indulged in unnecessary worldly pleasures and be mindful of our livelihood. Meditation is practiced to purify our mind, gain peace and to perform our duties and studies mindfully. It will help us to get rid of our anxieties and stress and is the only way to end all defilement s.
In our next session we will discuss about the Eight Fold Noble Path.
The Buddha was realistic and objective with regard to life and enjoyment of sense pleasures:
One should clearly understand three things and reflect on these three modes often:
1. Attraction of sense
pleasure (aswadaya)
2. Evil consequence of
danger or un satisfactoriness (adinawa)
3. Freedom from
liberation (nissaranaya)
We can always reflect on the teachings of the Four Noble Truths into our day to day life. We can be watchful of how attachment clinging, and greed cause sadness in us. How do they arise and disappear? They arise due to attachment and clinging. We can watch how these conditions arise and when freed, how much relief can we gain from letting go of them. We can watch how causes and conditions affect our mind. We can observe the way leading to the cessation of this dissatisfaction in life, and realise that treading the Eight Fold Noble Path can ease a lot of pain and suffering.
We can always reflect on the teachings of the Four Noble Truths into our day to day life. We can be watchful of how attachment clinging, and greed cause sadness in us. How do they arise and disappear? They arise due to attachment and clinging. We can watch how these conditions arise and when freed, how much relief can we gain from letting go of them. We can watch how causes and conditions affect our mind. We can observe the way leading to the cessation of this dissatisfaction in life, and realise that treading the Eight Fold Noble Path can ease a lot of pain and suffering.
If we can understand this reality of nature, letting go of this being, ego or I, even to a limited extent, as students, we can be careful and skillful in all our actions performed through our body speech and mind. Treading the Noble Eight Fold Path is the path leading to peace and happiness. We should determine not to get over indulged in unnecessary worldly pleasures and be mindful of our livelihood. Meditation is practiced to purify our mind, gain peace and to perform our duties and studies mindfully. It will help us to get rid of our anxieties and stress and is the only way to end all defilement s.
In our next session we will discuss about the Eight Fold Noble Path.
NOTE:
A truth seeker attains this stage through seven stages in
consequence. This progress is characterized as Sapta Visuddhiya. “The Seven Stages
of Purification.”
Or the “Relay Chariots” in “Ratavinitha Sutta” (MN 24)
Refer to:
http://pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404506
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)