14 The Four Noble Truths

1-4 The Four Noble Truths (Ariya Sacca) top

In the preceding Section (1.3), we saw that the goal of the thirty-seven Enlightenment Qualities was the Four Noble Truths (Figure 1-1). The Noble Truths consist of:

(1) Dukkha Sacca (The truth of suffering. The five Khandas, or rupa and nama, are suffering.)

(2) Samudaya Sacca (The cause of the arising of dukkha = tanha or craving.)

(3) Nirodha Sacca (Cessation of defilements = nibbana)

(4) Magga Sacca (Eight-Fold Path)

1.4.1 Characteristics of the Four Noble Truths top

1) Dukkha-Sacca: Characterized by restlessness, inability to stay the same. Both body and mind are restless. Body is restless from dukkha-vedana, and mind ever seeks to find a new object of pleasure – to be happy, when they are in fact just curing suffering. The one who ends suffering doesn’t seek constantly and compulsively for different objects of pleasure but has peace and contentment.

(2) Samudaya-Sacca: The cause of this restlessness and pleasure-seek-ing is Samudaya (the three tanha). Rupa and nama never stop working; seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, investigating, determaining, etc.

(3) Nirodha-Sacca: Characterized by freedom from restlessness, be-cause it is free of tanha; has the peacefulness of nibbana.

(4) Magga-Sacca: Characterized by having the proper qualities neces-sary to realize the Four Noble Truths and reach nibbana.

1.4.2 Applying the Noble Truths top

(1) Realizing suffering (suffering is the Five Khandas:rupa and nama). This is not ordinary suffering (aches and pains) but inherent suffering (dukkha-sacca).

(2) Samudaya is the cause of suffering.

(3) Nirodha (suffering is extinguished: cessation)

(4) Following the Eight-Fold Path leads to realizing the Four Noble Truths.

1.4.3 How this Practice Fits the Four Noble Truths top

(1) It shows the truth of suffering:And so we practice to realize suffer-ing. Suffering is rupa and nama.

2) It shows defilements lead to suffering: So we practice to eradicate tanha. The more we realize suffering the more craving (tanha) is eradicated – because tanha has the wrong view that rupa and nama are “we”, and that “we” suffer.

3) Reducing defilement leads toward cessation (nirodha) because the more craving is eradicated, the closer you get to nirodha, or nibbana.

4) The more we reach cessation, the more the 8-Fold Path is deve-loped.

If panna realizes dukkha sacca, then all Four Noble Truths are real-ized, and the practice is perfect.

1.4.4 Dukkha-Sacca top

We (nama-rupa) are suffering in this existence all the time. This is dukkha-sacca and cannot be remedided. (Only dukkha-vedana and sankhara-dukkha can be remedied). Rupa and nama are always suffering in every position, all the time.

There are two basic kinds of dukkha sacca:

a) Dukkha with kilesa, or mental dukkha

b) Dukkha with vipaka, or physical dukkha.

The first kind can be got rid of in this life, right here and now, by practicing vipassana until Arahatship is reached. The second kind, with vipaka, can’t be eliminated in this life. If and arahant is alive, he still has dukkha with vipaka. Vipaka means “fruit or result”, and in this case refers to suffering which is the natural result of being reborn through having rupa and nama (caused by samudaya).

Nama and rupa are themselves the result of rebirth, caused by avijja (ignorance) and tanha (craving). This can only be eliminated by not being reborn (reaching full nibbana), and thus being rid of the five khandas.

1-4-4-1 Four Types of Dukkha:

1) Dukkha Vedana (regular pain in body – and the nama that knows it – and mental suffering caused by the body pain. Except with an arahant, who feels only body pain).

2) Sankhara Dukkha (in practice, pain that is being changed or cured, by changing position. This is harder to see than dukkha vedana).

3) Dukkha Lakkhana (the knowledge that suffering as seen in rupa and nama has the three characteristics. This is realized at the fourth of the sixteen yanas – knowledge of contemplation on rise and fall (udayabbaya-nana).

4) Dukkha Sacca is the truth that suffering is inherent, and we can’t change anything – and this is the real truth. And we can’t change getting old, getting sick, and dying. Dukkha with kilesa can be erased by reaching the Arahatta Path; but this is dukkha with vipaka (see Glossary) and can only be changed by not being reborn.

Dukkha vedana is like a patient in a hospital.

Sankhara dukkha is like a nurse who feels unpleasant from having to take care of the patient.

The beginning practitioner must realize dukkha vedana first, because it is easier to see. Then, sankhara dukkha will follow, which is more difficult to see than dukkha vedana. Dukkha lakkhana requires vipassana wisdom.

When dukkha sacca is realized by wisdom, then the yogi will see there is only suffering in the world, and no happiness. When dukkha sacca is seen, all Four Noble Truths are realized

1.4.4.2 Eleven Kinds of Dukkha Sacca that the Buddha Discovered.

All dukkha is clinging - caused by the Five Khandas.

Whoso delights in corporeality in seeing or hearing, or perception or mental formation or consciousness, he delights insuffering, and whoso delights in suffering will not be freed of suffering
(Samuttanikaya, XXII, 29)

The above quotation refers to the opposite of dukkha, which is sukha (pleasure). Because sukha is impermanent and can’t stay the same, it is dukkha; and since it is out of control, it is anatta.

In order to end suffering we have to realize dukkha through practice. Seeing dukkha with wisdom will lead you out of vata (rebirth). Because kilesa is very strong and tenacious, it is necessary to use wisdom that realizes dukkha to eliminate it.

When observing dukkha, one has to use rupa and nama in the present moment as object, because rupa and nama are dukkha sacca. The more dukkha is seen by wisdom, the more benefit will be gained from the practice.

This benefit is the erasing of tanha. The more sukha (happiness) is seen, the more suffering will be obscured and the less benefit will come from the practice.

Some practitioners instead of seeing dukkha, indulge in sukha instead (samadhi), and they grow to like it. What they like, actually is the Five Khandas. The Five Khandas have dukkha vedana, sukha vedana, and upekkha vedana – so specifically they like sukha vedana in the Five Khandas. Experiencing this, practitioners think it is nibbana. This feeling (sukha vedana) can’t get rid of kilesa, and bring disgust with rupa and nama, as true nibbana does. (Nibbana is out of the Five Khandas.)

1.4.4.3 Dukkha in the Six Senses

The birth of the Five Khandas (nama-rupa) is dukkha-sacca. Dukkha-sacca occurs by the six sense doors (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind). For example, when eye meets object it is rupa-khanda. But seeing (or hear-ing, etc.) is vinnana-khanda. Vinnana-khanda is composed of three cetasikas: vedana-khanda, sanna-khanda and sankhara-khanda. So all together, it makes five khanda, and when the five khanda occur, it is dukkha-sacca. The same goes for the other sense doors: ear, nose, tongue, etc. When we say “the world” in Buddhism, we mean the world of the Khanda, or the world of ayatana.

Vashira Their, a bhikkuni (nun), and Arahant in the time of the Buddha, said, “Only dukkha occurs. only dukkha exists. only dukkha has been. Without dukkha there is nothing.”

1.4.5 Samudaya-Sacca (Second Noble Truth) top

The second Noble Truth is the truth of the cause of suffering (Samu-daya) – which is craving or tanha.

There are three kinds of tanha:

1) Kamatanha (sensual craving) of the five senses (form, sound, odor, taste, touch) for kammacunda (sensual pleasure or sensual objects). If there is no pleasure in sensual objects, there is no kamatanha. For example, if you have indriyasamvarasila (sense restraint) with all five senses, you will have no kamatanha at that time. Kamatanha is completely erased at the Anagami Path (Once-Returner)

2) Bhavatanha (craving for existence). “Bhava” means literally “be-coming,” which refers to repeated and successive existence from rebirth. There are thirty-one bhava, or states of becoming, ranging from birth in the states of unhappiness and going up to the highest heavenly state. Bhavatanha causes people who are even mortally ill or seriously injured or handicapped to cling to life and fear death. Bhavatanha is erased at the Arahatta Path.

3) Vibhavatanha (craving for non-existence). This is the “annihila-tionist” view that there is only one life and it ends at death. Thus, because there is only one life, the annihilationist wants to have as much pleasure as possible, while still alive. The Stream-Winner path moment eradicates vibhavatanha.

Everyone has kamatanha, but with kamatanha they either have bhava-tanha or vibhavatanha that is, they crave existence or non-existence.

All of the 3 types of tanha above result in rebirth in a new existence. (“bhumi”).

1.4.6 Nirodha-Sacca (Third Noble Truth) top

Nirodha is the cessation or extinction of suffering. Nirodha and nib-bana are the same. Nibbana is the dhamma that extinguishes kilesa, and so dukkha.

This is done by extinguishing the cause of dukkha – samudaya (or the three tanha). In nibbana momentarily there is no dukkha, because the five khandas are extinguished. This occurs briefly in the thought moment called magga-citta (see 1.1.1.). When the practitioner realizes dukkha by wisdom then he knows that tanha is the cause and so he knows that he must get rid of tanha. When the cause is extinguished, the result is extinguished.

If tanha is completely eradicated, then final nibbana is reached, and Arahantship. If the practitioner doesn’t realize tanha is harmful, he can’t reach nibbana – and thus extinguish dukkha. Nibbana is The extinction of the fires of greed, of hatred, and of ignorance; the unconditioned; the supreme goal of Buddhism; the Summum Bonum of Buddhism; the final emancipation; the extinction of all defilements and suffering.
(A Dictionary of Buddhism, Rashavoramuni Mahachula Buddhist University, Bangkok.)

The characteristic of nirodha (nibbana) is peacefulness, quietude and freedom from kilesa. The one who realizes nibbana is good and desirable is also the one who will realize suffering in the world (the Five Khandas). If one thinks the world is happy, nibbana has no meaning for him.

There is no rebirth in nibbana and no death. There is no rupa and nama anymore, or Five Khandas; rupa and nama are no longer the object of meditation. Nibbana is not a place, but it still exists. It is like the wind; you only know it by its effect.

Nibbana is an object of an excellent or special citta, which is maggacitta. The ordinary person is saturated in kilesa and maggacitta cannot arise in him – unless he takes up the practice of vipassana. So when he practices vipassana the citta of the one who practices becomes purified, and that is called maggacitta, which has nibbana as an object. Nibbana is not citta, nibbana is the object of citta, which is maggacitta.

The one who reaches nibbana knows by himself – he does not need a teacher to tell him. Nobody can reach nibbana until he practices vipassana and vipassana panna becomes maggacitta.

Nibbana is the end of dukkha, but you can’t reach nibbana unless you follow the Eight-Fold Path. There are two kinds of nibbana:

1) Saupadisesanibbana (nibbana realized with the body remaining). This is with kilesa extinguished but Five Khandas remaining.

2) Anupadisesanibbana (nibbana realized with both kilesa and Five Khandas extinguished.) This is the death of body and mind of one without defilement, and is called parinibbana

1-4-7 Magga-Sacca (Fourth Noble Truth) top

Magga-Sacca is the Eight-Fold Path leading to the way out of suffering. ‘Magga’ means path, and that path leads to nibbana, which is the dhamma that extinguishes suffering. There is only one way to follow the Eight-Fold Path and that is by practicing Satipatthana, which is the first path of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma, and leads to purification, or the elimination of kilesa. The Eight-Fold Path is composed of Sila, Samadhi, and Panna and is the only way to end suffering.

The Eight-Fold

Path Wisdom (Panna):

1) Right Understanding (Samma-ditthi) Realizing the Four Noble Truths, which is to realize the sabhava-dhamma of the truths as they are. If it is mundane, rupa-nama is the object. If it is supra-mundane, nibbana is the object.

2) Right Thought (Samma-sankappa) Nekkhama: self-denial; abyapada: non-hatred; and ahimsa: non-harm-ing. The function of right thought is very important. It is used to help atapi-sati-sampajanna to work correctly in Satipatthana.

Morality (sila):

3) Right Speech (Samma-vaca) No lies, obscenity, idle talk, or talk harmful to others. (The root of these four akusula actions is lobha, dohsa and moha. It there is right thought they cannot occur).

4) Right Action (Samma-kammanta) Precepts – for example, no harming of living things. (Right thought assures right action).

5) Right Livelihood (Samma-ajiva) No harmful occupation, such as selling guns etc. (Even eating to cure suffering is a form of right livelihood).

Concentration (Samadhi):

6) Right Effort (Samma-vayama) Four great efforts to get rid of kilesa. The Four Great Efforts (see 1.3.2) help concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna) to occur

7) Right Mindfulness (Samma-sati) Refers to mindfulness in Satipatthana. Right mindfulness depends on Right Effort in order to develop.

8) Right Concentration (Samma-samadhi) one-pointedness, or collectedness , in the present moment , in Sati-patthana. To be perfect , Right Concentration needs help from Right Effort and Right Mindfulness.

In order for Right Concentration ( samadhi ) to be correct , its object must be from the four foundations of Satipatthana.

What do we mean by “Path”?

There is only one Path , the way to enlightenment . But the “Path” contains eight elements. Thus, the Eight Fold Path is like a medication that contains eight ingredients, but it is necessary to take only one pill.

The Eight-Fold Path was discovered by the Lord Buddha, and did not exist before his time.

The Eight - Fold Path is Majjhimapatipada – the Middle Way . T he Middle Way destroys moha (delusion). When moha is destroyed completely, the Four Noble Truths are realized.

The Eight-Fold Path is actually eight cetasikas (mental properties). It has no self or soul, is not man or woman. It is sabhava.

Thus nobody realizes dukkha-sacca, nobody eradicates samudaya sacca, nobody reaches nirodha sacca, nobody develops magga sacca.

1.4.8 Wisdom that Realizes the Four Noble Truths top

1) The wisdom that realizes dukkha also extinguishes vipallasa (per-versity of perception – i.e. “body and mind are permanent”, etc.)

2) The wisdom that realizes samudaya (cause of suffering) changes the wrong view that we were created by a higher power, instead of being the result of causes.

3) The wisdom that realizes nirodha corrects the wrog view about false nibbana, which is created by samadhi.

4) The wisdom that realizes magga erases any clinging to wrong practice and shows the true path that ends suffering.

Because tanha is eradicated (the cause), the “world” of the five Khan-das is extinguished, and so dukkha is extinguished. The wisdom that realizes the Four Noble Truths is found only in Buddhism.

Conclusion top

As the Visuddhi - Magga says,
- Dukkha - sacca is like a heavy load.
- Samudaya-sacca is like carrying the heavy load.
- Nirodha-sacca is putting down the load, so we feel better.
- Magga-sacca is the way to put down the heavy load.
(Samyutta-Nikaya, iii, 26).

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