The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. When the Buddha began giving sermons about his enlightenment, the subject of his first sermon was the Four Noble Truths. The teaching of the Four Noble Truths is known as ‘Setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma (Dharma)’. The Pali canon, which is a set of scriptures that Buddhists use to guide them in Buddhist practice and teaching, records the sermon. It is widely accepted that this was the first teaching that the Buddha gave. It is known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. The Four Noble Truths give Buddhists the opportunity to examine and reflect upon why they are suffering in life. For example, this means they may attempt to overcome the Three Poisons, which are hate, greed and ignorance. They may also attempt not to become jealous of what others have.Buddhists widely accept that suffering exists. The teachings of the Four Noble Truths allow Buddhists to accept this suffering as they believe that it can be overcome.
The First Noble Truth - Dukkha, means suffering. It is the idea that everything leads to suffering and therefore unsatisfactoriness. Buddhists believe in three different types of suffering. These are: 1 dukkha, which is ordinary suffering; viparinama-dukkha, which is suffering through change; samkhara-dukkha, which is suffering through attachment (or dissatisfaction). To overcome suffering, a Buddhist may meditate more, in order to attempt to spiritually overcome the Three Poisons. In addition, they may become more charitable, as this will help them to overcome suffering by helping with the root cause of their pain.
The Second Noble Truth is Samudaya, which refers to the cause of suffering. It is related to the concept of tanha, which means ‘craving’. When the Buddha was teaching about the Four Noble Truths, he said that there are three different types of craving: pleasing the senses - this means that people want sense pleasures, for example great views and indulgent meals; something you are not - this means that people desire and crave to be something they are not, for example famous, wealthy or popular; Not-to-be - this means that people want to stop something from happening or get rid of something, for example to not feel pain after a fall. The Buddha taught that nothing is permanent and that everything is impermanent. Therefore, people should avoid getting attached to things as eventually everything will change. People suffer when they crave and when they get attached to people and objects. The Three Poisons only help to deepen people’s desire for craving. The Buddha taught that people don’t understand their cravings. He said that this is why people get stuck in the cycle of samsara and therefore cannot reach nibbana.
The Third Noble Truth is Nirodha, which means the end of suffering. The Buddha taught that there is an end to suffering and that this can be obtained through the right effort and through the right actions. Nirodha is linked to the concept of nibbana. Nibbana is a challenging concept to explain. However, the Buddha taught it in two different ways. Nibbana with remainder - when a Buddhist comes to realise and understand nibbana during their life, their mind and their heart have reached nibanna. However, the physical body remains on Earth (ie the person is still alive). Nibbana without remainder - this happens when a Buddhist dies. The heart, mind and body have all now achieved nibbana. In doing this, they escape the cycle of samsara, which is the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Buddhists engage in meditation to end their cravings and become more aware of what they are. This allows them to make changes in their lives to stop feeling cravings. It is important to note that the Buddha taught that people can attain nibbana in their life and in death.
The Fourth Noble Truth - Magga (the Middle Way), which is also known as the Eightfold Path, is the Fourth Noble Truth. Buddhists believe this is both the way to wisdom and the mental training they need to achieve the way of morality. Buddhists believe it is the ‘cure’ that was given by the Buddha for suffering. It provides them with the ideal way to live. Through overcoming suffering, a Buddhist can achieve nibbana. The Eightfold Path contains eight practices that a Buddhist must do to reach nibbana. The Eightfold Path is often shown as a wheel. However, it can also be split into three (this is known as the Threefold Way) to allow Buddhists to understand a way to overcome suffering. Buddhists following the Eightfold Path may choose a vocation or a career that enables them to live according to the Threefold Way. Therefore, they are likely to choose jobs that enable right effort and right speech such as a charity fundraiser or a teacher. They aim to live morally right lives in order to achieve nibbana.
The 4 Noble Truths are arguably the most important concepts in Buddhism as they are the foundation of all of the Buddha’s teachings and the first teachings to be revealed to the world at the Deer Park Sermon which the Buddha held after being enlightened. As a whole the concepts of the 4 Noble Truths are said to be a diagnosis of the Human condition and in turn also provides the necessary guidance so as to achieve deliverance from this condition and achieve Moksha which is freedom from Samsara. In order to properly explain the concepts of the 4 Noble Truths(4NT) one must first examine them individually.
The 1st NT is that there is Dukkha in the world; Dukkha literally means suffering in is the suffering which every unenlightened being must endure. Dukkha includes all mental and physical pain which one will encounter in their lifetime. However Dukkha is not necessarily an unpleasurable experience for example the joy which one gets on holiday can be considered Dukkha as the thought of the holiday ending brings mental anguish. the 2nd Noble Truth focuses on the origins of is Dukkha is a result of Tanha. Tanha translated means craving it is the idea the craving and attachment that we have towards worldly objects(i.e Money) or certain sensual experiences such as love, vengeance, and even the craving to be enlightened leads to the suffering which binds us to Samsara. Tanha also underlying cause which are known as the Three Poisons, these three poisons are Greed, Hatred, and Delusion and they are what in a sense binds us to Samsara as they are disturbing emotions which lead to this sense of craving which leads to this suffering .The 3rd Noble Truth is Nirodha which is understood the be the truth of the cessation of Tanha, this is the way in which Buddha tells that it is possible for some to eradicate suffering from their lives and the eradication of Dukkha is the immediate cause for the attainment of Nibbana. The 4th Noble Truth is that in order for one to eradicate Dukkha one must follow the Eightfold Path(8FP) otherwise known as Maggi. The 8FP is the path which will lead to Enlightenment, it advocates 8 principles which a Buddhist must follow so as to achieve Nibbana among these principles are things such as Right Speech, which would be perceived as being courteous and respectful of others, Right meditation which implies dedicating a necessary of time to meditation and mindfulness activities, and Right Action which would be seen as not doing anything which conducive to unwholesome Kamma; by following the 8FP one will eliminate the Three Poisons from one’s lifestyle therefore eliminating Tanha, and therefore eradicating Dukkha which is the most direct cause to achieving Nibbana.
As whole the concept of the 4NT is that it provides us with answers as to why we feel disappointed with life and always are in search of more pleasurable or thrilling experience which we think will bring us a sense of satisfaction. In a way the concept of the 4NT is a very honest appraisal of the human condition which are a result of the Buddha’s own experiences. However although the concept of the 4NT may seem negative in a way it does provides us with the practical tools which will bring about the cessation of Dukkha is the Buddha said “ above all is the deliverance from Dukkha that I teach”
One teaching that impacts upon the life of a Buddhist is the 4 Noble Truths. The 4 Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhism and represent the insight the Buddha achieved whilst meditating under the Bodhi tree. The Buddha begins by stating that all life is suffering. He then explains that the cause of suffering is our cravings. Therefore the only way to reduce suffering is to reduce our cravings. The final truth is the truth of the eight-fold path which is the Buddha’s recipe for happiness made up of wisdom, morality, and meditation. The 4 Noble truths impact upon the life of a Buddhist because they teach them to be accepting of what cannot be changed. This helps Buddhists to reduce their dependency on material possessions and to therefore react more positively to difficult situations. Whilst there is no omnipotent God in Buddhism who is able to eliminate suffering, the 4 Noble Truths teach Buddhists that they can reduce their suffering by controlling the way they react to suffering. This therefore impacts positively on the life of a Buddhist.