The Word of the Buddha: Four Things

Ven. Nyanatiloka, The Word of the-Buddha (BPS.lk) edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

The Four Ennobling Truths

Prajna Paramita: Wisdom (Java)

Thus has it been said by the Buddha, the Enlightened One: It is through not understanding, not realizing FOUR THINGS that I, disciples, as well as you, have had to wander so long through this round of rebirths.

What are these four things? They are:

1. The noble truth of suffering (dukkha)
2. The noble truth of the origin of suffering (dukkha-samudaya)
3. The noble truth of the extinction of suffering (dukkha-nirodha)
4. The noble truth of the path that leads to the extinction of suffering (dukkha-nirodha-gámini-patipadá) (DN 16).

The Buddha-to-be or Bodhisattva traveled long

As long as the absolutely true knowledge and insight as regards these Four Noble Truths was not quite clear in me, so long was I not sure that I had won that supreme enlightenment which is unsurpassed in all the world with its heavenly beings, evil spirits, and devas, among all the many of wandering ascetics and temple priests, heavenly beings and humans.

But as soon as the absolute true knowledge and insight as regards these Four Noble Truths had become perfectly clear in me, there arose in me the assurance that I had won that supreme unsurpassed enlightenment (SN 56:11).

And I discovered that profound truth, so difficult to perceive, difficult to understand, tranquillizing and sublime, which cannot be gained by mere reasoning and is visible only to the wise.

The world, however, is given to pleasure, delights in pleasure, is enchanted with pleasure. Truly, such beings will not understand the law of conditionality, the Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppáda) of all things; incomprehensible to them will also be the end of all formations, the forsaking of every substratum of rebirth, the fading away of craving, letting go, extinction, nirvana.

Yet there are beings whose eyes are only a little covered with dust: they will understand the truth (MN 26).

The First Ennobling Truth: Suffering

What, now, is the ennobling truth of suffering? Rebirth is suffering; decay is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not getting what one desires is suffering; in short, the Five Groups clung to as self are suffering.

What now is rebirth? The birth of beings belonging to this or that order of beings, their being born, their conception and springing into existence, the manifestation of the Five Groups clung to as self, the [again] arising of sense activity: this is called rebirth.

And what is decay? The decay of beings belonging to this or that order of beings; their becoming aged, frail, gray, and wrinkled; the failing of their vital lifeforce, the wearing out of the senses: this is called decay.

And what is death? The departing and vanishing of beings out of this or that order of beings, their destruction, disappearance, leaving, the completion of their life-period, dissolution of the Five Groups clung to as self, the discarding of the body: this is called death.

Life sucks then you die? - No.

And what is sorrow? The sorrow arising through this or that loss or misfortune that one encounters, the worrying oneself, the state of being alarmed, inward misery, inward woe: this is called sorrow.

And what is lamentation? Whatsoever, through this or that loss or misfortune that befalls one, is wailing and crying, moaning and lamenting, the state of woe and tears: this is called lamentation.

And what is pain? The bodily pain and unpleasantness, the unpleasant and difficult to endure feeling produced by bodily impression: this is called pain.

And what is grief? The mental pain and unpleasantness, the unpleasant and difficult to endure feeling produced by mental impression: this is called grief.

And what is despair? Distress and despair arising through this or that loss or misfortune that one encounters, loss of hope, and desperation: this is called despair.

And what is the “suffering of not getting what one desires”? To beings subject to rebirth there comes the desire: “Oh, that we were not subject to rebirth! Oh, that no new birth was before us!”

Subject to decay, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, the desire comes to them: “Oh, that we were not subject to these things! Oh, that these things were not before us!”

But this cannot be got by mere desiring; and not to get what one desires is suffering (DN 22).

The Five Groups Clung to as Self (pañcupádánakkhandhá)

And what, in brief, are the Five Groups clung to as self? They are:

1. form (corporeality, the Four Elements);
2. feelings (sensations),
3. perceptions (impressions),
4. formations, and
5. consciousness (DN 22).

All corporeal phenomena [tangible material form, composed of ultimate particles called kalapas, dense or subtle], whether past, present, or future, one’s own or external, gross or subtle, lofty or low, far or near, all belong to the group of corporeality [aggregate of form]; all feelings belonging to... More