What noble truths the Buddha proclaimed briefly. Four Truths of Buddhism

(Skt. chatvari aryasatyani) - four main provisions (axioms, truths) expressed by the Buddha after achieving enlightenment. These truths are the foundation of all Buddhist schools, regardless of region and name.

Four noble truths

Seeing Siddhartha under a tree, they wanted to say something offensive to him, as they believed that he had betrayed their teachings. However, as they got closer to him, they were unable to say anything other than, "How did you do that? Why are you glowing like that?"

And the Buddha gave his first teachings, which they called the four noble truths:

First truth

Descriptions and explanations in books

Joyful Wisdom book

After completing his observation, he realized that true freedom does not lie in withdrawal from life, but in a deeper and more conscious participation in all its processes. His first thought was, "No one will believe this." Whether motivated, as the legends say, by the calls of the gods or by overwhelming compassion for the people, he finally left Bodh Gaya and traveled west to ancient city Varanasi, where in an open area known as the Deer Park, he met his former ascetic companions. Although at first they almost rejected him with contempt, because he betrayed the path of severe austerity, yet they could not help but notice that he radiated a confidence and contentment that surpassed anything they had achieved. They sat down to listen to what he was going to tell them. His words were very convincing and so logical that these listeners became his first followers and students.

The principles that the Buddha outlined in Deer Park are commonly referred to as the Four Noble Truths. They comprise a simple, direct analysis of the difficulties and possibilities of the human condition. This analysis constitutes the first of the so-called "Three Turns of the Wheel of Dharma," the successive cycles of teachings penetrating the nature of experience, which the Buddha preached at various times during his forty-five years of wandering through ancient India. Each of the turns, building on the principles expressed in the previous turn, offers a deeper and more insightful understanding of the nature of experience. The Four Noble Truths form the core of all Buddhist paths and traditions. Indeed, the Buddha considered them so important that he recited them many times before the most varied audiences. Together with his later teachings, they have been handed down from generation to generation to our times in a collection of texts called sutras. It is generally accepted that the sutras are records of conversations that actually took place between the Buddha and his disciples.

Book Overcoming Spiritual Materialism

These four noble truths are: the truth about suffering, the truth about the origin of suffering, the truth about the goal, and the truth about the path. We will begin with the truth about suffering, which means that we must begin with the delusions of the monkey, with his madness.

We need to first see the reality of dukkha; this Sanskrit word means "suffering", "dissatisfaction", "pain". Dissatisfaction arises due to a special rotation of the mind: in its movement, as if there is no beginning or end. Thought processes go on uninterruptedly; thoughts about the past, thoughts about the future, thoughts about the present moment. This circumstance is irritating. Thoughts are generated by dissatisfaction and are identical to it. It is dukkha, the recurring feeling that something is still missing, that there is some kind of incompleteness in our life, that something is not going quite right, not quite satisfactory. Therefore, we always try to fill the gap, somehow correct the situation, find an additional piece of pleasure or security. The incessant action of struggle and preoccupation turns out to be very irritating and painful; in the end, we are annoyed by the very fact that "we are us."

So, to understand the truth of dukkha is really to understand the neurosis of the mind. We are drawn with great energy first in one direction, then in the other. Whether we eat or sleep, work or play, in everything we do life contains dukkha, dissatisfaction and pain. If we experience some pleasure, we are afraid to lose it; we achieve more and more pleasure or try to keep what we have. If we suffer from pain, we want to get rid of it. We are disappointed all the time. All our activities involve dissatisfaction.

Somehow it turns out that we arrange our lives in a special way that never allows us to have enough time to really taste it. We are constantly busy, constantly waiting for the next moment; life itself seems to have the quality of constant desire. This is dukkha, the first noble truth. Understanding suffering and resisting it is the first step.

Acutely aware of our dissatisfaction, we begin to look for its cause, its source. As we examine our thoughts and actions, we find that we are constantly struggling to preserve and sustain ourselves. It becomes clear to us that struggle is the root of suffering. Therefore, we try to understand the process of struggle, i.e. understand the development and activity of the "I". This is the second noble truth, the truth about the origin of suffering. As we have established in the chapters on spiritual materialism, many people make the mistake of thinking that since the root of suffering lies in our ego, the goal of spirituality should be to conquer and destroy this self. They struggle to get rid of the heavy hand of the ego, but as we found out earlier, such a struggle is nothing but another expression of the ego. We go in circles trying to improve ourselves through struggle until we realize that this drive to improve is itself a problem. Flashes of insight come to us only when we stop fighting, when there is a light in our struggle, when we stop trying to get rid of thoughts, when we stop taking the side of pious, good thoughts against bad and impure ones, only when we allow ourselves to simply look at the nature of these thoughts.

We begin to understand that within us lies a certain healthy property of wakefulness. In fact, this property is manifested only in the absence of struggle. Thus we discover the third noble truth, the truth about the goal, about the end of the struggle. We only need to drop efforts and strengthen ourselves - and the state of awakening is evident. But we soon realize that simply "leaving things as they are" is only possible for short periods. We need a special discipline that will lead us to what we call peace, when we are able to "leave everything as it is." We must follow the spiritual path. Wandering from suffering to liberation, the ego wears out like an old shoe. Therefore, let us now consider this spiritual path, i.e. the fourth noble truth. The practice of meditation is not an attempt to enter into a special state of mind like a trance; nor is it an attempt to occupy oneself with some particular object.

The Four Truths (Skt: catvari aryasatyani; Pail: cattari ariyasaccani), also commonly known as the "Four Noble Truths", explains the core orientation of Buddhism. These are truths understood by the "worthy," those who have attained enlightenment or nirvana. Four truths - dukkha (truth of suffering); the emergence of dukkha (the cause of suffering); stopping dukkha (end of suffering); and the path leading to the cessation of dukkha (the path to freedom from suffering).

DUKKA (SUFFERING)
Dukkha is defined in more detail as the human tendency to cling to or suffer from impermanent states or objects that keep us in samsara, the endless cycle of rebirth, suffering and death. The Buddha is believed to have taught the Four Truths in the very first teaching after he attained enlightenment, recorded long after his physical death in the Dhammakakkappattanata Suta ("The Discourse that Sets the Turning of the Wheel of Truth"), but this is still in dispute. They were recognized as perhaps the most important teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha only at the time the commentaries were written; 5th century AD On his deathbed, he also emphasized their importance:

Not seeing the four noble truths
It was a long weary journey from birth to birth.
When they are known, the cause of birth is removed,
Root of sadness plucked; then the revival ends.

(Mahaparinirvana Sutra)

Understanding or accepting transmigration (reincarnation-captivity in samsara) and karma (all freely chosen and assumed moral deeds inevitably entail consequences) is a requirement for gaining the Four Truths.

All rebirth is due to karma and is impermanent. Before reaching enlightenment, in each rebirth, a person is born and dies to be reborn in another place in accordance with the completely impersonal causal nature of one's own karma. (Williams, Buddhist Thought, 54)

Four truths are often best understood using a medical framework: Truth 1 is the diagnosis of a disease or condition; Truth 2 identifies the main reasons for this; Truth 3 - her prediction or result; The 4th truth is his cure.

Truth 1: The Truth of Suffering

All people experience surprises, disappointments, betrayals, etc., which lead to unhappiness and suffering. Recognition or acceptance that we will face difficulties in everyday life as an inevitable and universal part of life, since man is the first truth. There are two kinds of suffering in this: a) natural suffering - disasters, wars, infections, etc.; b) arrogant suffering - habitual reaction and unnecessary worry and regret.

Truth 2: Causes of Suffering

All suffering is connected not with external events and circumstances, but with how we react to them, with their perceptions and interpretations. Suffering arises from the desire for life to be other than it is, which comes from 3 poisons: Ignorance (Illusion) of the fact that everything, including myself, is impermanent and interdependent; Desire (Greed) for objects and people that will help us avoid suffering; Aversion (Anger) to what we don't want, thinking that we can avoid suffering. We can learn to look at each experience as it happens and be ready for the next.

Truth 3: The End of Suffering

We limit ideas about ourselves, others, and the world that we need to let go of. We can unlearn everything from our social conditioning and thus knock down all barriers or separations.

Truth 4: The path that frees us from suffering

The mind forces us to live dualistically, but if we are aware of and embrace our habits and illusions, we can give up our expectations of how things should be and instead accept what they are. We can use mindfulness and meditation to examine our perspectives and gain an accurate perspective.

This Truth contains the Eightfold Path leading from samsara to nirvana. It consists of

1. Right view (samyag-drusti) - acceptance of fundamental Buddhist teachings
2. Right decision (samyak-samkalpa) - adopting a positive outlook and a mind free from lust, ill will and cruelty
3. Right speech (samyag-vac) - using positive and productive speech as opposed to lying, flippant or harsh speech
4. Right action (samyak-karmanta) - observance of the five precepts (panka-sila) - refraining from killing, stealing, misbehaving, false speech and taking intoxicants
5. Right Bank (samyag-ajiva) - avoiding professions that harm others, such as prostitution slavery
6. Right Effort (samyag-vyayama) - directing the mind towards healthy goals
7. Right Mindfulness (samyak-smriti) - awareness of what a person constantly thinks, does and feels
8. Proper meditation (samyak samadhi) is concentration of attention to enter into meditative states (dhyanas).

These eight aspects of the path are often divided into 3 groups or aggregates: 3-5 are moral; 6-8 - meditation; and 1-2 - insight. This eightfold path is not linear, progressing from one stage to the next, but cumulative, so ideally all eight factors are practiced at the same time.

DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS
There are many different Buddhist schools that have developed over many centuries in different parts of the world.

Early Indian and Theravada Buddhism (First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma)

The Buddha transcended physical existence after his death, declaring that he was eternally enlightened and essentially non-physical. Accordingly, the words of the Buddha had only one meaning, and therefore the Four Truths must be understood simultaneously in one moment of understanding, and not in four separate stages. It is liberation or enlightenment itself.

Mahayana (second turn of the wheel of Dharma)

The Four Truths gradually became less prominent due to the importance of cultivating sunyata (insight/emptiness) and adopting the Bodhisattva path (altruism or service to others).

Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism(Third Turning of the Wheel of Dharma)

The Four Truths are learned from Mahayana commentaries such as the Abhisamayalamahara Sutra and the fourth Truth is presented as five aspects rather than eight. These teachings also present the 16 characteristics of the Four Truths taken from the sutra, providing more detail to aspirants in order to facilitate the realization of their goals such as awareness, attainment, peace, and deliverance.

Nichiren Buddhism from Japan bases its teachings on the Lotus Sutra, the penultimate teaching of the Buddha. It states that the Four Truths are a temporary teaching that the Buddha taught to fit the ability of the people of that time, while the Lotus Sutra is direct evidence of Shakyamuni's own enlightenment.

FOUR TRUTH TODAY
Cultivating an awareness of reality allows Buddhists to deal effectively with delusional interpretations and perceptions. Through meditation, this awareness develops so that they can escape from samsara and take all sentient beings with them. Thus, the habitual view of the human condition can be transformed, and a deep understanding of the meaning of life can be obtained.

The fearless have crossed the river of sorrow. Life unexplored, imperceptible, unenlightened, is nothing but a river of sorrow, and we all drown in it. (Osho, (Dhammapada, The Way of the Buddha, Volume 6.)

From this article you will learn:

How did the teachings and truths of Buddhism originate?

What is the essence of the great truths of Buddhism

What is nirvana

What is the noble eightfold path

What are the main holidays in Buddhism

Since ancient times, Buddhism has been considered one of the main world religions that has a significant impact on the life and development of such eastern countries as Mongolia, India, China and Tibet. The trend of the modern world has become the adherence to the teachings of many European representatives who support the foundations of this religion. In our article, we will take a closer look at the basic truths of Buddhism and their origin.

The history of the emergence of the truths of Buddhism

The origin of Buddhism is associated with ancient India during the 6th century BC. The term "Buddhism" is translated from Sanskrit as "teaching of the enlightened".

The history of the emergence of Buddhism is associated with the biography of its progenitor. It says that one day a boy was born in a large family of rajahs, who was immediately able to rise to his feet and call himself a being superior to gods and people. His name is Siddhartha Gautama. Further, various transformations awaited him, but it was he who was the founder of Buddhism.

After the birth of Siddhartha, his parents called a seer to the house, who was supposed to bless the child on happy life. The hermit Asit became such a seer. Seeing 32 marks of the greatest person on the body of a child, the hermit predicted his great fate. Such a boy, according to Asita, was waiting for either the throne or reckoning among the saints.

Having learned about the prediction, the father decided to protect his son from any religions and information about human grief. Siddhartha grew up in luxury and prosperity until the age of 29. It was at this age that he realized that he had not yet known the truth and purpose of life, so he decided to secretly go wandering.

Leaving the palace walls, he saw the true course of life, and four spectacles that became a turning point in his life. He saw dead man, beggar, hermit and sick. This is how Siddhartha Gautama came to know about the existence of suffering. His journey was long and hard. He learned various directions, strove for self-knowledge, concentration and austerity. But wherever he moved, he did not achieve the desired result. His companions abandoned him.

In search of the Truth, Siddhartha decided to stay under the ficus until he knew it. It took him 49 days to reach the state of Nirvana, to understand the origins of human sorrows and to know the Truth. From that moment on, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha. From Sanskrit "Buddha" is translated as "enlightened". Only Gautama Buddha was able to formulate the four truths of Buddhism.

The Noble Truths of Buddhism and Their Essence

Basic truths of Buddhism:

Dukkha or suffering.

According to the essence of the first truth of Buddhism, human life is the embodiment of suffering. Everything in life is impermanent, everything passes. Whatever appears, it will be destroyed. Existence has no substance, so Buddhists depict it as a fire that destroys itself. The flame can only be a source of grief and suffering.

Samudaya or the cause of Dukkha.

Our desires are the root cause of all suffering. Man loves life, he wants to exist, hence suffering arises. Existence is sorrow, and since man's desire to live is indestructible, there is no end to suffering.

Nirodha, or the cessation of Dukkha.

By eliminating desires, suffering can be avoided. The extinguishment of these aspirations, the containment of passions is possible only by immersion in nirvana. But wouldn't that be the end of life? There is no answer in Buddhism to such a question. Nirvana is recognized by the teachings as a negative phenomenon, being neither life nor death, neither desire nor consciousness. It frees a person from the transmigration of the soul. Later Buddhism interprets nirvana as bliss associated with gaining freedom and spiritualization.

Magga, or the road to the cessation of Dukkha.

The fourth truth of Buddhism is the eightfold path of salvation, which helps to eliminate all desires. The basis of the teaching is the passage of these stages on the path to nirvana. Another name for it is the middle way. Moving along it, a person avoids both indulging his desires and sensual pleasures, and torturing the flesh. The name of the eightfold path of salvation comes from the eight states that a person must master. As a result, calmness is achieved, and intuition and mind are purified.

Nirvana and the path to it - the goal of the existence of the truths of Buddhism

Nirvana is the liberation of man from his karma. When it is reached, compassion is eliminated and the person disintegrates, realizing himself as a particle of the world. The Sanskrit word "nirvana" means "attenuation" and "cooling down". Complete destruction occurs as a result of attenuation, and cooling causes only the destruction of desires and passions. The Buddha said that "a liberated mind is like a dying flame." Nirvana is analogous to a dying flame, which can no longer be revived with the help of firewood or straw.

According to the main truths of Buddhism, nirvana cannot express bliss, symbolizing the desire to live. Buddhism presupposes exclusively the destruction of false desire. In this case, existence does not fade. Only the flames of ignorance and lust are eliminated.

There are two types of nirvana:

upadhisesha (extinction of human passion);

anupadhisesha (extinction along with passion and life).

If we consider the first type of nirvana, it is perceived from the point of view of Buddhism as more perfect. Here, a person does not lose his life, but only all the desires and sufferings mentioned in the four noble truths of Buddhism are eliminated. As a result, having reached the state of nirvana, you can continue your life path. Either a person reaches enlightenment at the moment of separation of the soul from the body.

Reflecting on the choice of the path, the Buddha says that one cannot pass the true path without losing strength. One should not fall into extremes that can haunt a person who wants to free himself from the bonds of samsara and cognize the Truth. It is not necessary to fall into sensual pleasures and passions, but it is also not worth engaging in self-mortification.

In Buddhism there is another, middle path leading to the enlightenment of the mind. It is then that a person can comprehend the Truth and achieve nirvana. In Buddhism, this path is called noble eightfold path. Following it, a person on the path of cognition of the Truth goes through the obligatory eight stages of perfection.

Correct ininsights are the first step, because our thoughts provoke our actions. Wrong actions are the result of wrong views. To eliminate this requires precise knowledge and exercise control over them.

Right Aspiration achieved with the right vision. According to the noble truths of Buddhism, one should hope for a life of love with all beings and surrounding things. He should strive for renunciation and true humanity.

Correct speech. It is important to be able to express your aspirations accurately, and then they will bear the necessary results. Only the right speech will lead to the result. You should not swear, lie or indulge in empty chatter.

Right Action do not imply excessive worship of the gods. It is more about willingness to sacrifice oneself for the good of others. The main truths of Buddhism lead to the fact that a person who has earned immortality is able to help in the enlightenment of others by sharing his merits.

Right Life is the result of right action. It is devoid of lies, intrigues and deceit. It has no place for fraud. This implies not only external moral behavior, but also the internal purification of a person. It is complete cleansing that will avoid sorrow and suffering.

Right effort is built on the concentration and detachment of the mind, achieved by complete control over one's passions. Such power over oneself will not allow the manifestation of bad qualities, activating the morality of a person. To concentrate, you need to think about something good, understand the reasons for the appearance of bad thoughts and the danger of their implementation. Bodily tension should be used to divert the mind from evil thoughts.

Right Thinking is inextricably linked with the right efforts on the path of cognition of the Truth. By fully controlling our mind, we can prevent any kind of mental fickleness, distraction, and distraction from arising.

Proper calmness- is the final stage of the eightfold path. Qualitatively having gone all the way, a person plunges into a contemplative state, completely abandoning emotions.

The first and second stages of the eightfold path in Buddhism are the period of attaining wisdom or prajna. Then three more stages follow, signifying the manifestation of moral behavior - sewed. The final three stages of the eightfold path demonstrate the manifestation of mental discipline or samadha.

These stages cannot be considered separately from each other. They are very closely related. The knowledge of the Truth in Buddhism comes only with moral behavior, which, in turn, will not appear if the discipline of the mind is not achieved. Only a wise person is able to show compassion, and only a compassionate person acts wisely. Such moral behavior is achievable only with the discipline of the mind.

The term "bodhi" in Buddhism means "awakening", corresponding to the ensuing Enlightenment. It is believed that the potential to go beyond the usual perception of reality lies in every person. Once having gained Enlightenment, it is impossible to lose it.

Anthologies of Buddhist thought, including the four noble truths formulated by the Buddha, have a clear indication that all this is not a dogma that must be followed unquestioningly by students and followers. The Buddha himself came to these conclusions by analyzing his life path.

He offered to question and test all his words. This fundamentally contradicts the traditional approach of other religions and beliefs, where the word of God is unshakable and unshakable and requires unconditional acceptance without the slightest hesitation. Everything that relates to personal opinion and rethinking of divine truths is perceived as heresy and must be eliminated. This is what makes the teachings and noble truths of Buddhism so attractive in the eyes of its modern students and followers - freedom of choice and will.

3 main holidays of the followers of the truths of Buddhism

The central theme of numerous holidays and rituals that exist in Buddhism is the figure of Buddha. They are dedicated to the most important events of his life, his teachings and the original truths of Buddhism, as well as monastic communities. In each country, these holidays are celebrated in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the national culture.

All Buddhist holidays are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, and most of the most important of them fall on full moon days. It is generally accepted that full moon has a magical property to indicate to a person the need for diligence and promise liberation.

Vesok

This is the most important holiday of Buddhism. It is based on three significant events in the life of the Buddha at once: the day of his birth, the day of enlightenment and the day of departure to nirvana. Veska is celebrated at the time of the full moon in the second month of the Indian calendar. If we talk about the Gregorian calendar, then this is the period in late May - early June.

Solemn processions and prayers are held everywhere. Monasteries and temples during this period are symbols of enlightenment, so they are richly decorated with paper lanterns and flowers. Oil lamps are placed near the temples. Temple servants pray throughout the night and tell the parishioners the basic truths of Buddhism, its philosophy and stories from the life of the Buddha and his followers.

The laity meditate in the temple and listen to the narration of the monks. At the end of the festive prayer service, people plentifully treat the monks and give them gifts. An invariable attribute of the holiday is the washing of Buddha statues with water or tea with the addition of sugar. They are also covered with flowers.

During the holiday, there is an important prohibition that everyone must observe - it is forbidden to perform any agricultural work and other activities that can harm small living beings.

Lamaism forbids eating meat during the holiday, because this is the most strict ritual day of the year. At this time, people should make a round of temples, stupas and other sacred places in a clockwise direction. In this case, you must bow to the ground. It is a common custom to observe a strict fast on food and speech throughout the week.

Vassa

Vassa is the name of the month in Pali. This is a period of seclusion, which is carried out during the rainy season. The rainy season starts at the end of June and ends by September. At this time it is very difficult to travel, so the Buddha and his disciples would stop their preaching activities and stay somewhere else. For the first time during the rainy season, the Buddha and his followers retired to the Deer Grove (Sarnath).

In the future, it has already become a custom to stop for the rainy season in a secluded place where you can devote all the time to meditation and prayer. Gradually, monastic communities introduced this rule as mandatory for all followers of the teaching. Since then, during the rainy season, the monks remain within the walls of their monastery, where they devote themselves to prayers, deep meditation and comprehension of the 4 holy truths in Buddhism. At this time, the monks practically do not communicate with the laity.

Residents of Southeast Asia who are not permanent members of the monastic community may become monks during the rainy season. In this case, for three months they lead an appropriate lifestyle. There is a restriction on marriage during this period. When the time of seclusion ends, the monks must confess among themselves the sins they have committed and ask for forgiveness. Further, there is a restoration of communication between the monks and the worldly inhabitants.

Festival of Lights

The monastic retreat ends with a great feast of lights. It is celebrated during the full moon on the ninth month. lunar calendar. It lasts a whole month, corresponding to October according to the Gregorian calendar. At this time, various rituals are performed in Buddhist monasteries and temples. They are dedicated to both the fire festival itself and the exit from the community of people who enter it only for the rainy season. For lighting during the holiday, paper lanterns, electric bulbs, and candles are lit.

The lighting of the fires symbolizes the lighting of the road for the Buddha so that he can descend from heaven down after completing the sermon in front of his mother. Sometimes, to depict the process of the Buddha's descent to earth, the monks take a statue of the Buddha and carry it through the streets.

It is customary among the laity to visit guests during the Festival of Lights, visit relatives and friends, and give small gifts. At the end of this Buddhist holiday, the kathina ceremony (clothing in Sanskrit) follows. During it, the monks of the community are presented with clothes. The laity give one robe to the head of the monastery. It is intended for the most virtuous monk in the monastery.

Where did the name of the ceremony "kathina" come from? This is associated with the way the clothes are made. Previously, in order to sew clothes, it was necessary to pull them on a frame, which was called kathina. But this word has another interpretation - "difficult". After all, being a disciple of the Buddha is really a lot of work.

Kathina is the only rite in which the laity can take part.

For the pilgrimage there is a large number of holy places of Buddhism. This includes the place where the Buddha was born - Kapilavatta. In Gaya he attained supreme enlightenment. The first sermons of the Buddha were delivered in Benares, and he plunged into nirvana in Kusinagara.

Books on the teachings and truths of Buddhism

The essence of the four noble truths of Buddhism and the teaching itself are given in several canonical collections. The main source of knowledge is Pali canon "Ti Pitaka" or "Tripitaka", that is "Three Baskets" All the truths of Buddhism were originally applied to palm leaves, which were then placed in baskets. The language used to write the canon Pali.

Despite the fact that the pronunciation of Sanskrit and Pali differs, but it was in this language that all three parts of the Buddhist canon were written, namely:

Vinaya Pitaka, which includes ethical teaching. In addition, here is all the information about the ceremonial and the rules that monks should follow in their lives.

Sutta Pitaka includes the teachings of the Buddha and other literature of Buddhism. For example, " Dhammapada", that is," the path of truth "(an anthology of Buddhist parables), and" Jataka"- a collection of stories about previous incarnations of the Buddha.

Abidhamma Pitaka consists of texts that reveal the 4 truths of Buddhism and the philosophy of this religion. Also included are the metaphysical concepts of Buddhism.

Hinayana recognizes all the above books of Buddhism. Other schools of thought have their own sacred sources.

"Prajnaparalshta Sutra”, being teachings on perfect wisdom, is a sacred book of Mahayana worshipers. It is generally accepted that this source was created by the Buddha himself. Since it was very difficult for Buddha's contemporaries to understand him, they kept him in the middle world in the Serpent Palace. The famous Buddhist thinker Nagarjuna presented these teachings to the human world when the time was right.

Sanskrit became the main language for writing Mahayana sacred books. They intertwine philosophical and mythological subjects. We can distinguish the components of these scriptures: Lotus Sutra, Heart Sutra and Diamond Sutra.

The sacred books of the Mahayana have one interesting feature– they do not recognize Siddharh Gautama as the only Buddha. In their opinion, there were other Buddhas before Gautama, and there will also be after. Separately, one should consider the doctrine of bodhisattva (body - enlightened, sattva - essence). This is a being who already has the opportunity to plunge into Nirvana, but does not go there, because he helps others. The most famous bodysattva is Avalokitesvara.

The basis of the worldview is the cosmology of Buddhism. If we proceed from the basic provisions of the teachings of the Buddha, then the universe consists of a number of layers.

The whole world is cylindrical disk. Mountain Meru located in the middle of the world. Around the mountains are seven concentric ring-shaped seas and as many circles of mountains separating the seas. people can see sea behind the mountain range. This sea washes four world islands. Hidden deep underground hell caves.

Above in order six heavens. These heavens became the abode of 100,000 gods. Divine Creations Provided amusement park and meeting room. They gather in the hall on the eighth day of the lunar month. Buddha is recognized as the main god, although he is not the embodiment of the creator of the world. The world, along with the Buddha, is eternal and exists next to him. The appearance of the gods and their death depends on their own will.

20 heavens of Brahma located higher than the previously mentioned six heavens. Depending on the level of the sky, life on it is easier and more spiritual. In the very last layers of the celestial sphere, images and rebirths are absent. At this level, the blessed are immersed in Nirvana. These four skies are named brahmaloka. The rest of the world is called kamaloka. All layers together form the Universe. There are countless such universes.

To study an infinite number of universes should not only be from the point of view of geography, but also from the point of view of history. Every universe has a moment of birth and a moment of death. The period of existence of the universe is called kalpa. The whole course of life takes place against the backdrop of constant birth and destruction.

The teachings of the Great Buddha, including the 4 noble truths of Buddhism, do not lead to metaphysical statements. Within the framework of Buddhism, it does not speak of being or non-being, of eternity or non-eternity, of finiteness or infinity. Buddhism operates with the concept samsara, which includes the entire cycle of incarnations, including causes, forms and images. This includes appearing and disappearing objects.

Samsara is the result of the past and the cause of the future. Everything is subject to the moral law. dhamma. Samsara is a form of implementation of the law, and dhamma is the norm when creating images. They are very closely related to each other. Awareness of these concepts comes when combined with the concept of "karma", which is the main one in the philosophy of Buddhism. Karma is the personification of law and justice.

concept "apshan" is quite significant in the philosophy of Buddhism. It can be translated as "individual soul". But the concept of the soul in Buddhism is absent, and rather we are talking about a certain set of states of consciousness. There are states such as scandas and dharma. A set of certain skandhas causes an act, which in turn initiates the growth of karma. At the time of death, the skandas are lost. But the life of karma does not stop there, on the contrary, a new existence appears as a result of the transmigration of the soul.

Thus, human existence does not end. And this is not at all connected with immortality, but with the unchanging existence of his deeds. Accordingly, karma is a manifestation of the material world, the progenitor of life.

Since karma is created directly by a person, it has an objective basis. Samsara is the form, the embodiment of karma. It is from samsara that karma is formed, while it also influences subsequent samsara. This is the manifestation of the law of dhamma. Achieving nirvana allows you to eliminate karma and stop the process of further incarnation.

Within the framework of Buddhism, there is no exact interpretation of the state of nirvana. Usually, it is understood as a state of rest and complete absence any wishes. It is this understanding of the human essence and the world that became the basis for the 4 great truths of Buddhism, which we mentioned earlier.

There are also books not about the teaching itself, but about the four truths of Buddhism.

The most famous of them:

Joyful Wisdom bookYongey Mingyur Rinpoche).

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, the best-selling author of The Buddha, the Brain, and the Neurophysiology of Happiness, presents his new book, Joyful Wisdom, to the reader. In it, he teaches us how to overcome problems and fears. modern life and find a deep sense of calm and well-being. The focus is on the highly relevant modern world and at the same time the eternal problem of anxiety and dissatisfaction in a person's daily life, human suffering, which is spoken of in the first noble truth of Buddhism and ways to get rid of them.

Book "Overcoming Spiritual Materialism"(Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche).

This edition contains a series of talks by the well-known in the West Tibetan teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He is an outstanding meditation master, scientist, artist. In his work, he explores how people get involved in spiritual materialism, what forms of self-deception lie in wait for those who want to know the Truth. The author considers the main features an authentic spiritual path, outlining the classic Buddhist approach to spirituality.

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Buddhism is one of the world's religious teachings, becoming more and more popular every year and winning new hearts. A radical change takes place in the consciousness of those who have come to this religious and philosophical direction, since Buddhism looks at life and its manifestations differently. Christianity, Judaism and Islam provide for the unquestioning leadership of the divine essence over the human will. God has absolute power and obeying him is the sacred duty of every believer. In these religions, human thoughts and aspirations are directed outward, from the self-personality to the ideal god, who must be served by submission, prayers, offerings, a righteous life built according to the canons dictated by the church. Buddhism, on the other hand, provides for spiritual quests directed inside one's own consciousness in search of truth and unity with the spiritual principle common to all things.

What are the Four Basic Noble Truths of Buddhism

Buddhist teachings (Dharma) are based on four basic postulates, or truths. Here they are listed briefly:

1. Dukkha or suffering.
2. Samudaya or the cause of Dukkha.
3. Nirodha, or the cessation of Dukkha.
4. Magga, or the road to the cessation of Dukkha.

All truths are four stages passed on the way to nirvana.

Dukkha

We must immediately make a reservation that "suffering" in the Buddhist interpretation is devoid of the meaning that is given to it in Christianity. For us, suffering is pain, loss, misfortune, death. In Buddhism, this concept is much broader and includes all spheres of life, not having a direct relationship to its physical manifestations. Yes, dukkha is suffering, but not necessarily physical, but spiritual, associated with the imperfection of human existence. People always have disharmony between the desired and the actual. Roughly speaking, life always has some drawback: if you live richly, you lose loved ones, relatives are alive, but someone is sick, health does not mean financial well-being, and so on ad infinitum. From the point of view of Buddhism, suffering is dissatisfaction with what you have, the inability to achieve the ideal. In this respect, suffering fills life, that is, "everything is Dukkha." Man cannot change the laws of nature, but he can reach agreement with himself. The next stage in comprehending the four truths is understanding the causes of your problems.

Samudaya

The cause of suffering is dissatisfaction, that is, the inability to get what you want. We crave wealth, we get it, but we understand that having achieved our goal, we begin to passionately desire something else. Getting what you want does not eliminate suffering, but only increases it. The more you want, the more you become frustrated or fed up with what you have achieved. Even a state of happiness is inseparable from dissatisfaction. Bringing a child into this world, a woman is absolutely happy, while experiencing physical and spiritual torment from fear for the future of her baby.

There is not only no stability in life, there is also no constancy in the global sense of the term. Everything is in constant motion, constantly changing, transforming and transforming. Even human desires change and are rethought over time. What we passionately desired and strived for with all our soul with the last of our strength turns out to be unnecessary and uninteresting at the next stage of life. As a result, we experience disappointment - one of the varieties of suffering from the point of view of Buddhism. In this sense, the cause of suffering is ourselves, or rather what lies in the depths of us, our passions, desires, aspirations and dreams.

Nirodha

The word itself means control. The only way to change your condition and get rid of torment is to stop suffering. To do this, you need to get rid of the cause that gives rise to these feelings. These are our desires, passions, attachments, dreams. Property also gives rise to dissatisfaction, since it is associated with fears of losing it, hopes of increasing it, and the need to maintain it in a decent condition. Dreams create problems both when they come true and when they collapse. To stop feeling torment, you need to get rid of fruitless dreams and enjoy what you have - the very fact of being. Passions must be controlled, for the fire of desire is the cause of the greatest frustration and dissatisfaction in this life. How often do we strive to take possession of a loved one and how quickly sometimes enthusiastic love and affection turns into its complete opposite - denial and hatred. There is a way not to suffer from passions - to subordinate them to your control.

The cessation of suffering by controlling one's passions, desires and attachments frees the follower of Buddhism from the fetters and plunges him into a special state called "nirvana". This is the highest bliss, free from Dukkha, merging with the divine spirit and the universal self. A person ceases to feel like a specific person and becomes a part of the spiritual and material Universe, a part of the total deity.

Magga

Trying to get rid of Dukkha, one person throws himself into the abyss of passions, trying to drown out the pain of loss and disappointment with new connections, things and dreams. The other, being in constant fear of Dukkha, renounces everything in general and becomes an ascetic, exhausting and torturing his flesh in vain attempts to escape from a series of losses and pain, to find happiness. Both of these paths are extremes, carrying nothing but self-destruction and only multiplying sorrows and sorrows. True Buddhists choose the so-called middle path, which lies between two extremes. It is aimed not at external manifestations, but at the concentration of one's own internal forces. It is also called differently, since it consists of eight states, after passing through which you can reach the state of nirvana. All these states can be divided into three stages, which must be passed gradually and systematically: shila (morality), samadhi (discipline) and panya (wisdom).

Noble Eightfold Path

On the way to nirvana, many obstacles are scattered, which are not so easy to overcome. They are connected with the earthly, carnal essence of a person and interfere with his spiritual emancipation and liberation. They can be briefly summarized as:

• Illusory personality
• Doubts
• superstition
• carnal passions
• Hatred
• Attachment to earthly existence
• Thirst for pleasure
• Pride
• Complacency
• Ignorance

Only by overcoming these obstacles can the Eightfold Path be considered completed. Three aspects of Buddhism are indicators of this:

Panya - wisdom

1. Right view.
2. Right thinking.

Shila - morality

3. Correct speech.
4. Correct behavior.
5. The right way of life.

Samadhi - discipline

6. Right diligence.
7. Proper self-discipline.
8. Correct concentration.

Going through all these stages, a person gains well-being, happiness and solves his life problems, and then enters nirvana, getting rid of all types of suffering.

Despite the heterogeneity and diversity of currents within Buddhism, which sometimes contradict one another, they are all based on four basic noble truths. These principles are believed to have been understood, defined and formulated by the Buddha himself. He associated the four truths with the relationship between the doctor and the patient, in which he himself acted as a doctor, and all of humanity - as suffering from numerous diseases. The first truth in this light appears as a statement of the fact of the disease, the second is the establishment of a diagnosis, the third is an understanding of the possibility of a cure, the fourth is the prescription of a course of drugs and therapeutic procedures. Continuing the chain of associations, we can say that the Buddha and his teachings are an experienced doctor, the four noble truths are the method and method of healing, and nirvana is complete health, physical and psychological.

The Buddha himself insisted that his teaching was not a dogma that must be followed unquestioningly by his disciples and followers. He came to his conclusions on his own, analyzing himself and his life path and offered to question and verify all his words. This is fundamentally opposed to the traditions of other religions and beliefs, where the word of God is unshakable and unshakable and requires unconditional acceptance without the slightest hesitation. The rest of personal opinions and rethinking of divine scriptures are heresies and are subject to radical eradication. This is what makes the Buddhist teachings so attractive in the eyes of his modern students and followers - freedom of choice and will.

In everyone's life there are problems and unhappiness. Throughout history there have been different methods fight against suffering. In today's world, the Internet provides instant access to the teachings of numerous schools of thought, and here we look at the Buddha's unique 2,500-year-old approach to why we suffer and how to find peace and happiness.

Introduction

Acquaintance with Buddhism is best to start with four noble truths, because the Buddha himself began to teach precisely from this. In the time of the Buddha, there were many religious and philosophical systems, and today there are even more spiritual teachings. Therefore, when we encounter Buddhism, it is extremely important to try to understand what distinguishes the Buddhist approach. Buddhism, of course, has many teachings in common with other systems, such as the importance of being kind, good, loving person not harm anyone.

We will find similar things in almost every religion or philosophy, and to learn about this, we do not need to turn to Buddhism, although it has enough methods for developing kindness, love and compassion. Such practices will benefit us whether we accept everything else in the Buddha's teachings or not. But if we ask: "What is the peculiarity of Buddhism?" - then you need to turn to the four noble truths. And even in these teachings we will find much in common with other systems.

We are faced with the concept of "noble truth", and this is a rather strange translation. The word "noble" may be reminiscent of medieval aristocrats, but in fact it refers to those who have achieved high insight. The Four Noble Truths are four facts whose truth is seen by those who have a non-conceptual vision of reality. While these four facts are true, most people don't really understand or even know about them.

First noble truth

The first fact is usually called "suffering". The Buddha said that our life is full of suffering and even what we consider happiness in the usual sense, is fraught with many problems. The word translated as "suffering" is a Sanskrit duhkha. Sukha means happiness and duhkha- suffering. Kha means "space" spirit- a prefix meaning unsatisfactory, trouble. Don't use the judgmental word "bad," but the line of thought is clear. This means that something is wrong with "space" - by space we mean the space of our mind, our life. This is an unfortunate situation.

What is unpleasant about her? First, we experience ordinary suffering - pain, unhappiness, sadness. We can all understand this, and everyone wants to avoid it, even animals. In this sense, Buddhism has nothing new to say, arguing that pain and unhappiness are undesirable and it is better for us to get rid of them. The second type of suffering is called the suffering of change, and it refers to our daily, ordinary happiness. What is the problem here? It is changeable and does not last forever. If our ordinary happiness were genuine, the more we got it, the happier we would become. If we are happy when we eat chocolate, then we could eat it for hours without stopping, and the more we ate it, the more happy we would feel. But it is obvious that this is not the case. Or if our lover strokes our hand for hours, the pleasant sensation will soon turn into a painful one, or at least we will get the feeling that this is strange. This happens simply because ordinary happiness is changeable. And of course, it is never enough: we never feel satisfied. We always want more chocolate - if not right away, then after a while.

It is interesting to ask the following question: “How much of our favorite food should we eat in order to feel pleasure?” In principle, if we try just a little, it will be enough, but we always want more and more. The desire to overcome this problem of ordinary, worldly happiness is also present not only in Buddhism. Many religions teach to go beyond worldly pleasures to heaven, where there will be eternal bliss.”

The third type of suffering is called all-pervading suffering or all-pervading problem, and this is where Buddhism is different. The third type permeates everything that we perceive, and this term refers to the uncontrolled cycle of rebirth, which is the basis of everyday ups and downs. In other words, recurring births with such a mind and body are the basis of the first two types of suffering. This is related to the theme of rebirth, which we can explore later.

Of course, many other Indian philosophical systems also teach about rebirth, that is, the teaching of the Buddha is no exception in this. But the Buddha understood and described this mechanism much more deeply than other philosophical and religious teachings of that time. He explained in great detail how rebirth happens, how our mind and body experience ups and downs - from pain and unhappiness to ordinary happiness.

Second noble truth

The second truth considers the cause of all our suffering. Now there is no need to talk in detail about rebirth. Instead, consider the words of the Buddha simply by logic. Suffering and ordinary happiness have causes, and the Buddha was interested in "true causes". We may think that happiness and pain are rewards and punishments, but the Buddha called them the true cause of destructive and constructive behavior.

What is meant by destructive behavior? Is it just harm? You can talk about harming others or yourself. It is very difficult to tell whether our behavior will harm others or not. We can give someone a lot of money, but as a result they will be killed in order to rob. We want to help, this is our goal, but desire alone is not enough. However, it is safe to say that certain actions will harm us ourselves. This is what the Buddha meant by destructive behavior: it is destructive to us.

This refers to the actions of the body, speech and mind under the influence of disturbing emotions - emotions that disturb us. Because of them, we lose our peace of mind and self-control. This refers to anger, greed and attachment, jealousy and envy, arrogance, naivety, and so on, a long list. When our thinking is captivated by such emotions and we speak and act under their influence, it makes us unhappy. Maybe not immediately, but in the long run, because over time it becomes a habit. On the other hand, creative behavior is when we act without being influenced by disturbing emotions, or even guided by positive emotions such as love, compassion, and patience.

When we act creatively, it leads to happiness. Our mind is more relaxed and calm. It is easier for us not to lose our temper, that is, we do not behave unreasonably and do not say stupid things that can cause problems. In the long run, again, not necessarily instantaneously, constructive behavior brings happiness. However, behind it lies a naivete about how we and others exist, about reality in general.

Misfortune and ordinary happiness are not a reward and punishment from some judge, an external figure. Rather, it works like a law of physics. What is the basis of this causal process? Delusion, especially about one's "I". We think: "I am the most important person. Everything should always be the way I want. In line at the supermarket, I have to be ahead of the others. I have to be first." Hungry for a seat ahead, we get angry at the people in front of us. We are very impatient when someone makes us wait a long time: our mind is filled with all sorts of unpleasant thoughts about that person. Even if we act creatively, there are many misconceptions about the "I" behind it. Often we help others because we want them to like us, or because we want them to do something for us. Or we help in order to feel needed. At least we want thanks.

When we provide such help, it makes us happy, but at the same time we feel anxiety. We experience happiness - if not immediately, then in the long term, but it does not last forever. It is replaced by dissatisfaction. This is repeated over and over again throughout life, and from the Buddhist point of view, it will continue into future lives.

Looking deeper, we are deluded about everything. When we fall in love, we greatly exaggerate the good qualities of the other person. Or when we strongly dislike others, we exaggerate their bad traits, we do not see anything good in them. And the more we analyze, the more delusion we find at the basis of all our perception.

Looking even deeper, it's all based on the limitations that arise because we have just such a body and mind. When we close our eyes, it seems that the world does not exist, that there is only "I". There is a voice in my head, and it seems that it is “me”, as if there is another me inside me. It's really weird. However, we are identified with this "I", because someone constantly complains: "I should be ahead. I have to do it". "I" is the one who always worries. For some reason, it seems that this voice in my head is special and exists independently of all the others: after all, when I close my eyes, nothing remains - only “I”.

This is a big misconception, because we obviously do not exist independently of others and there is nothing special about anyone: we are all people. Imagine a hundred thousand penguins crowding the icy Antarctic. What makes one of them special? They are all the same. So are we. Perhaps for penguins, all people are the same. Thus, thinking: “I am so special, and I do not depend on anyone,” we want everything to be our way, and we are angry if this does not happen.

In general, our "equipment" - the mind and body - contributes to delusion. It may sound strange, but we look at the world through two holes in the front of our heads. We do not see what is behind us. We only see what is happening now. We cannot see what happened before or what will happen later. These are big restrictions. In addition, as we age, we no longer hear as well as we used to. We may think that the other person said something different from what they actually said, and become angry about it. If you think about it, it's pretty sad.

The pervasive problem is that we are constantly born with a body and mind that only perpetuates delusion. On the basis of delusion, we perform destructive or ordinary constructive actions, which lead to unhappiness or ordinary happiness.

it difficult topic, if you delve into it, and there is no need to do it now, but it is delusion that lies at the basis of the uncontrolled cycle of rebirths. This is the true cause of our true problems. Delusion, or unawareness, is often translated as "ignorance." I prefer not to use this word because it implies that we are stupid. But this is not the problem, and the connotation of this word is different. "Unawareness" simply means that we do not know how we exist and how phenomena exist. In this sense, we are not aware: for example, we think: “I am the most important, I am the center of the universe,” although this is the exact opposite of reality. The reality is that we are all here together. This does not mean that we are stupid, but because of the limited body and mind, we think in this way.

That is why we call them "noble truths." Those who see reality see it differently than everyone else. It seems to us that our delusions and projections correlate with reality, we believe in their truth. We never even think about it, we just have these instinctive feelings: “I am the most important. Everything should be my way. Everyone should love me." Or vice versa: "Everyone should hate me because I'm bad." They are one and the same, two sides of the same coin. That is the real reason.

The Third Noble Truth

The Third Noble Truth - true cessation. This means that delusion can be got rid of, stopped in such a way that it will never arise again. And if we get rid of delusion, true reason, then we will eliminate the true problems - ups and downs, as well as the uncontrollable cycle of rebirths underlying them. Then we will achieve the so-called "liberation". I am sure you are all familiar with the Sanskrit words "samsara" (uncontrolled cycle of rebirth) and "nirvana" - liberation.

Other Indian systems at the time of the Buddha also spoke of liberation from samsara. In India, this was a common theme in the teachings. But the Buddha saw that other systems did not get to the true cause of samsara. Although it is possible to get a respite from the unruly cycle of problems, for example, by being born in the heavenly world, where for aeons your mind will be completely empty, nevertheless, it will still end. That is, with the help of other systems it was impossible to achieve liberation.

The Buddha taught true cessation, and it is very important to understand and achieve the certainty that it is indeed possible to get rid of delusion forever. Otherwise, why try to fix it at all? If we are not interested in stopping delusion, we can simply shut up, accept this situation and try to use it to the best of our ability. This is the ultimate goal of many therapeutic systems: "Learn to live with it or take a pill."

The Fourth Noble Truth

The fourth noble truth is usually translated as "true path", and it helps to understand the third. It is a state of mind which, if we develop it, becomes the path to liberation. That is why I use the term "way of the mind" (pathway mind, a path-like state of mind), but it is very difficult to translate into other languages.

Our mind projects complete nonsense, and there are many levels of projection. Extreme cases are projections of paranoia ("everyone is against me") and schizophrenia. There are not so extreme cases: “This is the most wonderful piece of chocolate cake that I have ever seen. If I eat it, I will be truly happy.” A similar thing happened to me during the flight to Bucharest. I had a layover in Vienna and thought, "Viennese apple strudel must be the best in the world." I ordered a piece and it was not the best in the world. My projections of what it should be were wrong. The apple strudel existed - my projection of the apple strudel was not itself, but how it exists: as if it were the most wonderful thing that would actually make me happy.

In the same way, I exist and you exist. Buddhism does not say that we do not exist. He simply says that we are projecting onto everything a way of being that does not correspond to reality at all. It seems to us that phenomena exist independently, by themselves, but this is an impossible way of existence. Phenomena arise from causes and conditions, and they change all the time. But we do not see this: we see only what is before our eyes. For example, we have a meeting scheduled, but the other person did not come. We think that he is a terrible person who always lets us down and no longer feels sympathy for us. We think that his or her life exists regardless of traffic jams, extra work at the office, or whatever. In fact, this happened due to causes and conditions, so this person cannot be terrible in himself, regardless of everything else. But our mind projects it, gets hung up on it, and the disturbing emotion of anger appears. And the next time we meet this person, we see him completely differently, and then we scream and do not even give him the opportunity to explain himself. And at this time we are actually quite unhappy, aren't we?

So, we exist, but the way this existence appears to us - that we are special and independent of anyone - is nothing more than a projection, nonsense, it has nothing to do with any real object. This is what we call in Buddhism "voidness"- this is often translated as "emptiness". In Sanskrit, the same word is used for "zero", it means "nothing", the complete absence of anything real. For example, we may have a projection that our new partner is a perfect prince or princess on a white horse, like in a fairy tale. It's impossible. No one exists this way, but we are constantly looking for a prince or princess. And when others don't match our projection, we get frustrated and start looking again, even though we're looking for the impossible.

So the true way of the mind is to understand that this is rubbish, that the projection does not refer to anything real. If you look at the true cause of suffering, it is the belief that the projection is related to reality. The true path is a deep understanding that it does not refer to anything real. The projections of our fantasy and reality are mutually exclusive. To be deluded is to think that a projection is related to something real. The correct understanding is that there is no such thing. The projection has nothing to do with anything. talking in simple words, or there is such an object corresponding to our projection, or it does not exist. Either yes or no: they cannot be true at the same time.

Now let's analyze what is stronger - "yes" or "no". If we investigate with logic, obviously "no". The "yes" option does not stand up to the test of logic. Do everyone else cease to exist when I close my eyes? Of course no. Does everything always have to be my way because I'm the most important person in the world? No, this is ridiculous. The more we explore, the more we begin to question that little "I" in our head. If we examine the brain, where is the “I” in it, whose voice do we hear in the head and which makes decisions? What exactly is going on? In the process of analysis, we realize that there is nothing findable there that can be called "I". Of course, I function: I perform actions, I speak. We do not deny this. We deny that there is a solid "I" in our head and everything should be the way it wants. The option that there is no such thing is supported by logic. Upon examination, we can see that such a thing does not exist, which means that our delusion that a solid "I" refers to a real object is not supported by anything.

What is the consequence of thinking that we exist in such an impossible way? We doom ourselves to misfortune. What is the result of the opposite thinking - that there is no such existence? We are freed from all these problems. When we think, "This does not exist, this is nonsense," at the same time we cannot think that the projection corresponds to reality. Right understanding replaces wrong. And if we can keep right understanding all the time, then delusion will never arise again.

Again, the Buddha's teaching that a wrong understanding can be replaced with a right one and thereby achieve liberation from suffering and rebirth was not unique to Buddhism. The same is stated in other Indian systems. The peculiarity of Buddhism is what kind of understanding can completely eliminate the subtlest level of delusion about reality. In order to achieve perfect concentration in meditation, to acquire through this the correct understanding of deep level and to achieve a true cessation of delusion, the Buddha used methods common to all other Indian traditions. With their help, one can achieve the true cessation of the true cause, and therefore the true cessation of suffering.

In order for our mind to have the ability to maintain a correct understanding of reality and break through destructive emotions, we need motivation. That's why love, compassion and so on are needed. We are all interconnected and equal in that everyone wants to be happy. Therefore, we need to get rid of delusion so that we can fully help others.

This is the general explanation of the four noble truths. To understand this topic on a deeper level, one needs to learn more about the Buddhist understanding of mind and karma.

Video: 14th Dalai Lama - "Peace of Mind from a Buddhist Perspective"
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Summary

Although Buddhism shares many similarities with other major religious and philosophical systems, the Four Noble Truths, the first teaching of the Buddha, is a unique explanation of how we exist, what suffering we experience, and how we can get rid of these problems.