Buddhist Summer School w/ Bhikkhu Bodhi (2)

This is Part 2 of our Buddhist Summer School with American scholar monk Bhikkhu Bodhi, from his recorded series As It Is. See Part 1. The topic today is the outline or summary of the Teaching (Dharma) famously known as the Four Noble Truths (Four Ennobling Truths).

• AUDIO: Buddhist Summer School: Bhikkhu Bodhi (Part 1)

The (united) Buddhist flag

What is the Dhamma (the Buddha's Dharma or "Doctrine")? It is the Teaching of the Buddha relating to liberation (moksha), freedom from suffering (dukkha), awakening from illusion (maya), and enlightenment in a benighted universe of ignorance. There are stages to this awakening. And there are many related teachings concerning enlightenment/awakening (bodhi).

The whole of the Buddha-Dharma may be summarized in four densely packed statements called the Four Noble Truths. Noble means "enlightened," so it is more useful to call them the Four Ennobling Truths, as direct realization of them leads to awakening.

1. There is disappointment.

   

   American Bhikkhu Bodhi

2. There is a cause of this.
3. There is an end to this.
4. There is a path leading to the end of disappointment.

When one awakens from ignorance, what one knows for certain is the deep meaning of these four statements. The first is very troubling to us as "ordinary, uninstructed worldlings." Who can say that all things are ultimately disappointing, unfulfilling, or "suffering"? What does this mean? What about pleasure, of which there are many kinds?

There is suffering, okay. That makes sense. We can feel that even in our own comfortable lives. We have no idea how far it goes, so it's nice to know that there's a reason or cause of all this disappointment or dukkha.

Hooray, there's an end to it at some point. When we know the cause, we can stem it and arrive at the cessation of ALL suffering. How?

There is a path leading to the cessation of all suffering, and it is called the Ennobling (Noble) Eightfold Path. Each of its factors are explained with the Four Ennobling Truths. (Enlightenment is said to depend on the cultivation of the 37 Requisites of Enlightenment or bodhi-pakkhiyā-dhammā). There is much to unpack. And Bhikkhu Bodhi lays out the basics.