Buddha teaching about the 4 noble truths. Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

The Buddha himself formulated his religious program in the form of four main provisions ("four noble truths»).

1. Life is suffering.

2. There is a reason for suffering.

3. Suffering can be ended.

4. There is a path leading to the end of suffering.

The cause of suffering is a terrible thirst, accompanied by sensual pleasures and seeking satisfaction here and there; it is the desire for sense gratification, for well-being. The variability and inconstancy of a person who is never satisfied with the fulfillment of his desires, starting to desire more and more - that's true reason suffering. According to the Buddha, truth is eternal and unchanging, and any change (including the rebirth of the human soul) is evil, acting as a source of human suffering. Desires cause suffering, since a person desires what is impermanent, changeable, and therefore subject to death, because it is the death of the object of desire that causes the greatest suffering to a person.

Since all pleasures are transient, and false desire arises from ignorance, then the end of suffering comes when knowledge is achieved, and ignorance and false desire are different sides of the same phenomenon. Ignorance is a theoretical side, it is embodied in practice in the form of the emergence of false desires that cannot be fully satisfied, and, accordingly, cannot give a person true pleasure. However, the Buddha does not seek to substantiate the need to obtain true knowledge, as opposed to those illusions that people usually entertain themselves with. Ignorance - necessary condition ordinary life: there is nothing in the world worth truly striving for, so any desire is, by and large, false. In the world of samsara, in the world of constant rebirths and variability, there is nothing permanent: neither things, nor the "I" of a person, because bodily sensations, perception and awareness of the world external to a single person - all this is only an appearance, an illusion. What we think of as "I" is just a succession of empty appearances that appear to us as separate things. By isolating the individual stages of the existence of this stream in the general stream of the universe, considering the world as a collection of objects, not processes, people create a global and all-encompassing illusion, which they call the world.

Buddhism sees the elimination of the cause of suffering in the eradication of human desires and, accordingly, in the cessation of rebirth and falling into a state of nirvana. For a person, nirvana is a liberation from karma, when all sadness ceases, and the personality, in the usual sense of the word for us, disintegrates to make room for the awareness of its inseparable involvement in the world. The very word "nirvana" in Sanskrit means "fading" and "cooling down": damping resembles complete destruction, and cooling symbolizes incomplete destruction, accompanied not by physical death, but only by the dying of passions and desires. According to the expression attributed to the Buddha himself, “the liberated mind is like a fading flame,” that is, Shakyamuni compares nirvana to a fading flame that straw or firewood can no longer support.

According to canonical Buddhism, nirvana is not a state of bliss, since such a sensation would only be an extension of the desire to live. The Buddha is referring to the extinction of false desire, not of the whole existence; destruction of the flames of lust and ignorance. Therefore, he distinguishes between two types of nirvana: 1) upadhisesha(fading of human passion); 2) anupadhisesha(fading along with passion and life). The first kind of nirvana is more perfect than the second, because it is accompanied only by the destruction of desire, and not by the deprivation of a person's life. A person can achieve nirvana and continue to live on, or can achieve enlightenment only at the very moment when his soul is separated from the body.

Deciding which path is preferable, the Buddha came to the conclusion that the true path cannot be traversed by those who have lost their strength. There are two extremes that one who has decided on liberation from the constricting bonds of samsara should not follow: on the one hand, the habitual commitment to passions and pleasures derived from sensually comprehended things, and, on the other hand, the habitual commitment to self-mortification, which is painful, ungrateful and useless. There is a middle path that opens the eyes and endows with reason, leading to peace and insight, higher wisdom and nirvana. This path is called in Buddhism noble eightfold path, because it includes the required eight stages of perfection.

1. Right View are in the first step because what we do reflects what we think. Wrong actions come from wrong views, therefore, the best way to prevent wrong actions is the right knowledge and control over its observation.

2. Right aspiration is the result of right seeing. This is the desire for renunciation, the hope of living in love with all things and beings that are in this world, the desire for true humanity.

3. Correct speech. Even right aspirations, especially in order for them to lead to proper results, must be expressed, that is, they must be reflected in right speech. It is necessary to refrain from lying, slander, rude expressions, frivolous conversation.

4. Right Action do not consist in sacrifice or worship of the gods, but in the renunciation of violence, active self-sacrifice and the willingness to give one's life for the good of other people. In Buddhism, there is a provision according to which a person who has secured immortality for himself can help another person achieve enlightenment by transferring some of his merits to him.

5. Right life. Right action leads to a moral life free from deceit, lies, fraud and intrigue. If up to now we have been talking about the outward behavior of a saved person, here attention is drawn to the inner cleansing. The goal of all efforts is to eliminate the cause of sadness, which requires subjective purification.

6. Correct force consists in exercising power over passions, which should prevent the realization of bad qualities and contribute to the strengthening of good qualities with the help of detachment and concentration of the mind. To concentrate, it is necessary to dwell on some good thought, assess the danger of turning a bad thought into reality, divert attention from a bad thought, destroy the cause of its occurrence, divert the mind from the bad one with the help of bodily tension.

7. Right thinking cannot be separated from right effort. In order to avoid mental instability, we must subdue our mind, along with its tossings, distractions and absent-mindedness.

8. Proper calmness - the last stage of the noble eightfold path, which results in the renunciation of emotions and the attainment of a contemplative state.

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is deliverance from suffering and reincarnation. The Buddha said: "Both in the past and in the present, I say only one thing: suffering and the annihilation of suffering." Despite the negative initial position of this formula, the goal set in it also has a positive aspect, because it is possible to put an end to suffering only by realizing one's human potential for kindness and happiness. One who attains the state of complete self-realization is said to have attained nirvana. Nirvana is the greatest good in Buddhism, the ultimate and highest good. It is both a concept and a state. As a concept, it reflects a certain vision of the realization of human capabilities, outlines the contours and forms of an ideal life; as a state, over time, it is embodied in a person striving for it.

The desire for nirvana is understandable, but how to achieve it? The answer is partially contained in the previous chapters. We know that a righteous life is highly valued in Buddhism; to live virtuously is a necessary condition. However, some scientists reject this idea. They argue that accumulating merit through doing good deeds actually prevents the attainment of nirvana. Good deeds, in their opinion, create karma, and karma leads to a series of rebirths. Then, they reason, it follows that in order to achieve nirvana it is necessary to transcend karma and all other considerations of ethics. There are two problems with this understanding of the issue. First, why, if a virtuous act is an obstacle to nirvana, do the sacred texts constantly call for the performance of good deeds? Second, why do those who have attained enlightenment, such as the Buddha, continue to live a highly moral life?

The solution of these problems is possible if a highly moral life is only a part of the perfection achieved by a person, which is necessary for immersion in nirvana. Then, if virtue (strength, Skt. - sila) is one of the main elements of this ideal, then it cannot be self-sufficient and needs some kind of addition. This other necessary element is wisdom, the ability to perceive (panya, Skt. prajya). "Wisdom" in Buddhism means a deep philosophical understanding of the human condition. It requires an insight into the nature of reality, achieved through long and deep reflection. This is one type of gnosis, or direct realization of the truth, which deepens over time and eventually culminates in the enlightenment experienced by the Buddha.

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha).

But, monks, what is the Noble Truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering. Pain, grief, sorrow, sadness, despair is suffering. Union with the unlovable is suffering, separation from the beloved is suffering. The unattainability of the desired is suffering. Thus, the five states (skandhas) of personality are suffering.

So, nirvana is the unity of virtue and wisdom. The relationship between them in the language of philosophy can be expressed as follows: both virtue and wisdom are “necessary” conditions for nirvana, the presence of only one of them is “not enough”. Only together they make it possible to reach nirvana. In one of the early texts, they are compared with two hands, washing and cleansing each other, a person deprived of one of them is imperfect (D.i.124).

If wisdom is indeed an absolutely necessary companion of virtue, what does a person need to know in order to achieve enlightenment? To know the truth perceived by the Buddha on the night of enlightenment and subsequently set forth in the first sermon, which he delivered in a deer park near Benares. This sermon speaks of four points known as the Four Noble Truths. They state that: 1) life is suffering, 2) suffering is generated by desire or craving for pleasure, 3) suffering can be stopped, 4) there is a way leading to getting rid of suffering. Sometimes, as an illustration of the relationship between them, a comparison is made with medicine, while the Buddha is compared with a healer who found a cure for the ailment of life. Firstly, he diagnoses the disease, secondly, he explains its cause, thirdly, he determines the remedies for it, and fourthly, he proceeds to treatment.

American psychiatrist M. Scott Peck opens his best-selling book The Road Less Traveled with the words: "Life is hard." Speaking of the First Noble Truth, he adds: "This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths." Known in Buddhism as the "Truth of Suffering", it became the cornerstone of the Buddha's teachings. According to this truth, suffering (dukkha, Skt. - duhkha) is an integral part of life, and defines the state of a person as a state of "dissatisfaction". It includes many kinds of suffering, beginning with the physical, such as birth, aging, sickness, and death. Most often they are associated with physical pain, and there is a much more serious problem - the inevitability of repeating this cycle in each subsequent life, both for the person himself and for his loved ones. People are powerless in the face of these realities and, despite the latest discoveries in medicine, are still subject to illness and accidents due to their bodily nature. In addition to physical pain, the truth of suffering indicates its emotional and psychological forms: "grief, sorrow, sadness and despair" . They can sometimes present more painful problems than physical suffering: few people have a life without grief and sorrow, while there are many difficult psychological states, for example, chronic depression, which cannot be completely eliminated.

In addition to these obvious examples, the Truth of Suffering mentions a more subtle form of suffering that can be defined as "existential." This follows from the statement: “The unattainability of what is desired is suffering”, that is, failure, disappointment, the collapse of illusions experienced when hopes do not come true and reality does not correspond to our desires. The Buddha was not a pessimist and, of course, he knew from his own experience when he was a young prince that there can be pleasant moments in life. The problem, however, is that Good times do not last forever, sooner or later they go away or a person gets bored with what seemed new and promising. In this sense, the word dukkha has a more abstract and deeper meaning: it indicates that even a life devoid of hardships may not bring satisfaction and self-realization. In this and many other contexts, the word "dissatisfaction" expresses the meaning of "duhkha" more accurately than "suffering."

The truth of suffering makes it possible to reveal what is main reason why human life does not bring complete satisfaction. The statement that "the five skandhas of personality are suffering" refers to the teaching given by the Buddha in the second sermon (Vin.i.13). We list them: the body (rupa), sensation (vedana), images of perception (samjna), desires and drives (sanskar), consciousness (vijnana). There is no need to consider each in detail, since it is not so much what is included in this list that is important to us, as what is not included. In particular, the doctrine makes no mention of the soul or "I", understood as an eternal and unchanging spiritual entity. This position of the Buddha departs from the orthodox Indian religious tradition of Brahminism, which asserted that every person has an eternal soul (Atman), which is either part of the metaphysical absolute - Brahman (impersonal deity), or identical to it.

The Buddha said that he did not find evidence of the existence of either the human soul (Atman) or its cosmic counterpart (Brahman). On the contrary, his approach - practical and empirical - is closer to psychology than to theology. His explanation of human nature, which is formed from five states, is much like explaining the structure of a car, consisting of wheels, gearbox, engine, steering, body. Of course, unlike scientists, he believed that the moral essence of a person (which can be called "spiritual DNA") survives death and incarnates again. Claiming that the five states of personality are suffering, the Buddha pointed out that human nature cannot become the basis of permanent happiness. Since the human being is made up of five ever-changing "attributes", sooner or later suffering will inevitably arise, just as a car eventually wears out and breaks down. Suffering is thus woven into the very fabric of our being.

The content of the Truth of Suffering is partly explained by the fact that the Buddha saw the first three signs - the old man, the leper, and the dead - and realized that life is full of suffering and unhappiness. Many, turning to Buddhism, find that its assessment of the human condition is pessimistic, but Buddhists believe that their religion is not pessimistic or optimistic, but realistic, that the Truth of suffering only objectively states the facts. If she seems pessimistic, it is due to the long-standing tendency of people to avoid unpleasant truths and "look for the bright side in everything." That is why the Buddha noted that the Truth of suffering is extremely difficult to understand. It is like a person realizing that he is seriously ill, which no one wants to admit, and that there is no cure.

If life is suffering, how does it arise? The second noble truth, the Truth of Origination (samudaya), explains that suffering arises from craving or "thirst for life" (tanha). Passion ignites suffering like fire fuels firewood. In his sermon (C.iv.19) the Buddha spoke of how all human experience is "blazing" with desires. Fire is an apt metaphor for desire, as it consumes what feeds it without being satisfied. It spreads quickly, moves to new objects and hurts, like unsatisfied desires.

2. The truth of arising (samudaya).

Here, O monks, is the Truth of the origin of suffering. This lust for life, attachment to illusory earthly values ​​(tanha), which leads to rebirth, is associated with a violent delight in form. 1) sensual pleasures, 2) thirst for "prosperity", being, 3) thirst for "destruction", non-existence.

It is the desire to live, to enjoy life, that is the cause of rebirth. If we continue to compare the five "attributes" of a person with a car, then desire is the fuel that sets it in motion. Although rebirth is generally thought to occur from life to life, it also happens moment to moment: a person is said to be reborn in seconds if these five elements change and interact, driven by the desire for pleasurable experiences. The continuity of man's existence from one life to another is simply the result of the accumulated power of desire.

The truth of arising states that craving manifests itself in three main forms, the first of which is the craving for sensual pleasures. It takes the form of a desire for pleasure through objects of perception, such as pleasant tastes, sensations, smells, sounds. The second is the desire for "prosperity". It is about the deep, instinctive longing for existence that propels us into new lives and new experiences. The third type of manifestation of passionate desire is the desire not for possession, but for “destruction”. This is the reverse side of the thirst for life, embodied in the instinct of denial, the rejection of what is unpleasant and undesirable. The desire for destruction can also lead to self-denial and self-denial.

Low self-esteem and thoughts like “I can’t do anything” or “I’m a failure” are manifestations of such an attitude directed at oneself. In extreme forms, it can lead to physical self-destruction, such as suicide. Physical self-torture, which the Buddha eventually abandoned, can also be seen as a manifestation of self-denial.

So does this mean that any desire is evil? One must be very careful in approaching such conclusions. Although the word tanha is often translated as "desire" (desire), it has a narrower meaning - desire, in a sense perverted by excess or bad purpose. It is usually directed towards sensual arousal and pleasure. However, not all desires are like this, and Buddhist sources often speak of positive desires (chanda). To strive for a positive goal for yourself and for others (for example, to achieve nirvana), to wish happiness to others, to want the world that remains after you to become better - these are examples of positive and beneficial desires that are not defined by the concept of "tanha".

If bad desires restrain and fetter a person, then good ones give him strength and freedom. To see the difference, let's take smoking as an example. The desire of a heavy smoker to smoke another cigarette is tanha, since it is aimed at nothing more than momentary pleasure, obsessive, limited, cyclical, and will lead to nothing but another cigarette (and how side effect to poor health). On the other hand, the desire of a heavy smoker to quit smoking will be beneficial, as it will break the vicious circle of an obsessive bad habit, and will serve to promote health and well-being.

In the Truth of Origination, the tanha represents the "three roots of evil" mentioned above - passion, hatred and delusion. In Buddhist art, they are depicted as a rooster, a pig and a snake, rushing in a circle in the center of the "wheel of life", which we spoke about in the third chapter, while they form a circle - the tail of one holds in the mouth of the other. Since the thirst for life generates only another desire, rebirths form a vicious cycle, people are born again and again. How this happens is explained in detail by the theory of causation, which is called patikka-samuppada (Sanskrit - pratitya-samutpada - dependent origination). This theory explains how desire and ignorance lead to a chain of rebirths consisting of 12 stages. But for us now it is more important not to consider these stages in detail, but to understand the main principle underlying them, which applies not only to human psychology, but to reality in general.

3. Truth of cessation (nirodha).

Here, O monks, is the Truth of the cessation of suffering. This is the renunciation of the thirst for life (tanha), the withdrawal from it, the renunciation of it, the liberation from it, the deliverance from attachment to it.

In the most general terms, the essence of this theory is that every effect has a cause, in other words, everything arises in interdependence. According to this, all phenomena are part of a causal chain, nothing exists independently, in and of itself. Therefore, the Universe is not a collection of static objects, but a plexus of causes and effects that is in constant motion. Moreover, just as a person's personality can be completely decomposed into five "attributes", and all phenomena can be reduced to their constituent components without finding any "essence" in them. Everything that arises has three signs of existence, namely: misunderstanding of the frailty of earthly life (dukkha), variability (anigga) and lack of self-existence (anatta). "Deeds and things" are not satisfying, because they are impermanent (and therefore unstable and unreliable), because they do not have their own nature, independent of universal cause-and-effect processes.

It is obvious that the Buddhist universe is characterized primarily by cyclical changes: at the psychological level - the endless process of desire and its satisfaction; on the personal - a chain of deaths and rebirths; on the cosmic one - by the creation and destruction of galaxies. All this is based on the principles of the Patikka Samuppada theory, the provisions of which were later thoroughly developed by Buddhism.

The Third Noble Truth is the Truth of cessation (nirodha). It says that when you get rid of the thirst for life, suffering stops and nirvana comes. As we know from the story of the life of the Buddha, nirvana has two forms: the first occurs during life ("nirvana with a remainder"), and the second after death ("nirvana without a remainder"). Buddha reached nirvana at the age of 35 while sitting under a fig tree. When he was 80, he plunged into the last nirvana, from which there is no return through rebirth.

"Nirvana" literally means "extinguishing" or "blowing out", just like the flame of a candle goes out. But what exactly is "extinguishing"? Maybe this is the soul of a person, his "I", his individuality? It cannot be the soul, since Buddhism generally denies its existence. It is not “I” or self-consciousness, although nirvana certainly involves a radical change in the state of consciousness, freed from attachment to “I” and “mine”. In fact, the flame of the triad is extinguished - passion, hatred and delusion, which leads to reincarnation. Indeed, the simplest definition of "nirvana with a remainder" is "the end of passion, hatred and delusion" (C.38.1). This phenomenon is a psychological and moral, transformed state of the individual, which is characterized by peace, deep spiritual joy, compassion, refined and penetrating perception. Negative mental states and emotions, such as doubt, anxiety, worry, and fear, are absent in an enlightened mind. Some or all of these qualities are inherent in saints in many religions, to some extent, ordinary people may also possess some of them. However, the Enlightened Ones, like the Buddha or the Arhat, are inherent in full.

What happens to a person when he dies? There is no clear answer to this question in the early sources. Difficulties in understanding this arise precisely in connection with the last nirvana, when the flame of the thirst for life goes out, reincarnations stop and a person who has achieved enlightenment is not born again. The Buddha said that asking where the Enlightened One is after death is like asking where the flame goes when it is blown out. The flame, of course, does not "leave" anywhere, the combustion process simply stops. Getting rid of the thirst for life and ignorance is tantamount to cutting off the supply of oxygen necessary for combustion. However, one should not assume that the comparison with the flame means that "nirvana without a trace" is annihilation. The sources clearly indicate that such an understanding is erroneous, as well as the conclusion that nirvana is the eternal existence of the soul.

Buddha was against various interpretations nirvana, attaching primary importance to the desire to achieve it. He compared those who asked about nirvana to a person wounded by a poisoned arrow, who, instead of taking out the arrow, persistently asks meaningless questions in this situation about who released it, what was his name, what kind of family he was, how far he stood etc. (M.i.426). In full accordance with the Buddha's reluctance to develop this theme, early sources define nirvana primarily in terms of negation, i.e., as "the absence of desire," "suppression of thirst," "quenching," "extinguishing." Fewer positive definitions can be found, including such as "auspiciousness", "good", "purity", "peace", "truth", "distant shore". Some texts indicate that nirvana is transcendent, as "unborn, unarisen, uncreated and unformed" (Udana, 80), but it is not known how this should be interpreted. As a result, the nature of "nirvana without a trace" remains a mystery to all who have not experienced it. However, what we can be sure of is that it means the end of suffering and rebirth.

4. Truth of the path (magga).

Here, O monks, is the Truth of the path (magga), which leads to the cessation of suffering. This is the noble "eightfold path", which consists of 1) right view, 2) right thinking, 3) right speech, 4) right behavior, 5) right way of sustaining life, 6) right application of strength, 7) right memory, 8) correct concentration.

The Fourth Noble Truth - the Truth of the Path (magga, Skt. - marga) - explains how the transition from samsara to nirvana should take place. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, few people stop to think about the most fulfilling way of life. These questions worried the Greek philosophers, and the Buddha also contributed to their understanding. He believed that the highest form of life is a life that leads to the improvement of virtue and knowledge, and the "eightfold path" determines the way of life with which this can be put into practice. It is also called the "middle way" because it passes between two extremes: a life of excess and strict asceticism. It includes eight steps, divided into three categories - morality, concentration (meditation) and wisdom. They define the parameters of human good and indicate where the sphere of human prosperity lies. In the category of "morality" (sila), moral qualities are improved, and in the category of "wisdom" (panya), intellectual qualities are developed. The role of meditation will be discussed in detail in the next chapter.

Although the "path" consists of eight parts, one should not think of them as stages that a person goes through, approaching nirvana, leaving them behind. On the contrary, the eight steps represent the paths of continuous improvement of "morality", "meditation" and "wisdom". "Correct views" means first the recognition of the Buddhist teachings, and then their empirical confirmation; "correct thinking" - commitment to the formation of correct attitudes; “correct speech” is speaking the truth, showing thoughtfulness and interest in conversation, and “correct behavior” is refraining from bad deeds such as killing, stealing or bad behavior (sensual pleasures). "The right way of sustaining life" means refraining from doing things that harm others; “correct application of forces” - gaining control over your thoughts and developing positive mindsets; “correct memory” is the development of constant understanding, “correct concentration” is the achievement of a state of the deepest peace of mind, which is the aim of various methods of concentration of consciousness and integration of the personality.

1. Right View Wisdom

2. Right thinking (panya)

3. Correct speech Morality

4. Right Conduct (Sila)

5. The right way to sustain life

6. Proper application of forces Meditation

7. Correct memory (samadhi)

8. Correct concentration

The Eightfold Path and its Three Parts

In this respect, the practice of the Eightfold Path is a kind of modeling process: these eight principles show how a Buddha will live, and by living like a Buddha, one can gradually become one. The Eightfold Path is thus a path of self-transformation, an intellectual, emotional and moral restructuring in which a person is reoriented from narrow, selfish goals to the development of the possibilities of self-realization. Through the pursuit of knowledge (panya) and moral virtue (sila), ignorance and selfish desires are overcome, the causes that give rise to suffering are eliminated, and nirvana sets in.

In everyone's life there are problems and unhappiness. Throughout history, various methods of dealing with suffering have been proposed. AT modern 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

It is best to start your acquaintance with Buddhism with the four noble truths, because the Buddha himself began to teach 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 lives are filled with suffering, and even what we consider happiness in our 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 this 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 did not say what they actually said, and become angry because of this. 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 perpetuate 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, the true cause, then we will eliminate the true problems - ups and downs, as well as the uncontrolled cycle of rebirths that underlies 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 - the projection of my mind was not about the apple strudel itself, but about the way 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", complete absence 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 terms, 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 doesn't 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.

4.2. "Four Noble Truths" of Buddhism

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.)