Solar Eclipse (April 8), Four Noble Truths

American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans), SuttaCentral.net; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Here & Now Podcast (NPR, 3/8/24), Sky & Telescope

Kelly Beatty, a senior editor at Sky & Telescope made it onto the "Here & Now" podcast carried by NPR (scpr.org, LAist.com) to talk about the impending glory (or foreboding disaster) that is the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024.

What's the big deal? The sun blinks

The U.S. will be able to see a partial eclipse, but a lucky or unlucky strip will get more than 4 minutes of totality, which could change lives, leaving many spectators in awe. In India, it's bad luck to look or have the shadow hit you, so many retreat inside until the celestial battle between the bodies -- Rahu swallowing Surya (Suriya, Sol, our sun). Prayers may be uttered to secure Surya's release. But it's all right because Buddhist monastics will utter them to save the world, from atop the Himalayas in Tibetan temples and on the plains and jungles across South and Southeast Asia.

• Where will you be on Eclipse Day? (skyandtelescope.org)
• "Tour of April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse" (Michael Zeiler)
• VIDEO: Get ready for April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse!

SUTRA: "Proclamations"

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans) Paññatti Sutta (AN.4.15, The Book of the Fours 4.15) "Proclamations" edited by Wisdom Quarterly

Rahu devours sun and moon

“Meditators, there are these four proclamations of the foremost. What are these four?

(1) “The foremost of those with bodies is Rāhu, lord of the asuras (chief of the demigod titans).

(2) The foremost of those who enjoy sensual pleasures is King Mandhātā [a World Ruler, Hindu Sanskrit Mandhatri?].

(3) The foremost of those who exercise authority is Māra the Tempter.

(4) In this world with its devas, māras, and brahmās (angels, devils, and divinities), among this generation (population) with its wandering ascetics and temple priests (Brahmins), its devas (light beings, "shining ones") and humans, the Tathāgata [Wayfarer], the Arahant [Fully Enlightened], the Supremely Enlightened One [the Buddha] is declared foremost.

“These are the four proclamations of those who are foremost.”

Rāhu is foremost among those with bodies,

Mandhātā, among those enjoying sense pleasures;

Māra [the Evil One] is foremost among rulers,

blazing with power and glory.

In this world together with its devas

above, across, and below,

as far as the world extends,

the Buddha is declared foremost.

• 

  Inside the January 2024 issue

  AUDIO: HERE & NOW ANYTIME (March 8, 2024): We're counting down to the total solar eclipse of 2024 with Sky & Telescope editor Kelly Beatty, plus many more stories. It's "the news you need to know today — and the stories that will stick with you tomorrow" with special series and behind-the-scenes extras from Here & Now hosts Robin Young, Scott Tong, and Deepa Fernandes with help from Producer Chris Bentley and the team at NPR and WBUR.

SUTRA: The [Buddha is like the] Sun

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Suriya Sutta, "The Sun (2)" (SN 56.38); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

“Meditators, so long as the sun and moon have not arisen in the world, for just so long there is no manifestation of great light and radiance.

“Then blinding darkness prevails, a dense mass of darkness; for just so long

• day and night are not discerned,
• the month and fortnight are not discerned,
• the seasons and the year are not discerned.

“But, meditators, when the sun and moon do arise in the world, then there is the manifestation of great light and radiance; then there is no blinding darkness, no dense mass of darkness;

• then day and night are discerned,
• the month and fortnight are discerned,
• the seasons and year are discerned.

“So too, meditators, so long as a Tathagata [a supremely enlightened buddha] has not arisen in the world, an Arahant [Fully Enlightened One], a Supremely Enlightened One, for just so long there is no manifestation of great light and radiance.

“Then blinding darkness prevails, a dense mass of darkness; for just so long there is no

• explaining,
• teaching,
• proclaiming,
• establishing,
• disclosing,
• analyzing, or
• elucidating of the Four Noble [Ennobling = Enlightening] Truths.

“But, meditators, when a Tathagata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Supremely Enlightened One,

• then there is the manifestation of great light and radiance;
• then no blinding darkness prevails,
• no dense mass of darkness;

“Then there is the explaining, teaching, proclaiming, establishing, disclosing, analyzing, and elucidating of the Four Noble Truths.

• What precedes the arising of the sun? The dawn. What precedes the arising [penetrating] of the Four Noble Truths? Right view (SN 56.37)

“What are the four?

1. The [first is the] noble [enlightening] truth of that all things are disappointing [unsatisfactory, incapable of fulfilling]…
2. the [second is the]
3. the third
4. the [fourth is the] noble truth of the way leading to the end of all disappointment.

“Therefore, meditators, an effort (exertion) should be made to understand:

• ‘This is disappointment [dukkha].’…
• ‘This is the cause of disappointment [samudaya].’ ...
• ‘This is the end of disappointment [nirvana].’ ...
• ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering [Noble Eightfold Path].’”

Who cares about the Four Noble Truths?

• Gavampati Sutra: The Buddha taught Ven. Gavampati at Sahajāti in the Land of the Ceti. Senior monks were talking about disappointment (dukkha) he tells them that he knows from the Buddha that whoever understands dukkha knows all its aspects: its true nature, its arising, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation (S.v.436).

(SN 56.30) “...Ven. Gavampati said to the elders [theras, senior monastics of ten rains retreats or more]: “Friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I have heard and learned this: ‘Meditators,

1. one who sees dukkha (disappointment, pain, suffering, ill)
2. also sees the arising (origination) of dukkha,
3. also sees the ending of dukkha,
4. also sees the way (path) leading to the ending of dukkha.

“One who sees its origin also sees its ending, also sees the way leading to its ending.

“One who sees its ending also sees it, also sees its origin, also sees the way leading to its end.

“One who sees the way leading to its end also sees it, also sees its origin, also sees its ending.’” More

Why they matter in practice, not theory

• The "Four Noble Truths" are not "Buddhist Kindergarten Basics" for everyone to memorize and "believe," repeat, and accept as so many people seem to think.
• When people undertake to understand them in that way, they invariably argue about the first truth: "Not everything is suffering!" they say, completely misunderstanding, misconstruing, and throwing away everything the Enlightened One is about to say as a nutshell teaching of the Dharma, the teachings that lead to that awakening (enlightenment, bodhi) he enjoys, right view, going-and-gone beyond all suffering.
• Do not memorize these Four Truths by rote; penetrate them by practice. Leave them, set them aside, and sit in stillness instead. A mind composed by samma-samadhi (the first four absorptions), turning to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, will penetrate these things and see all psycho-physical phenomena as bearing these marks, these characteristics of existence. Then one can let go. Then one can awaken. Then one will not need the Buddha nor any other teacher to see that these four are true.
• They are fundamental truths leading to awakening IF one could only penetrate how true they are! We are too used to them to notice them. Finding them unpleasant, we look everywhere else but at them, even though they color all of life in this existence (as well as other rebirths in the 31 Planes of Existence).
• What then is needed? First, we must purify the mind/heart, intensifying it through mastery of the first four absorptions (jhanas). Then we can quickly and successfully undertake to penetrate these truths with insight.
• How? We must discern ultimate-materiality (kalapas, "particles") and ultimate-mentality (cittas, "mind-moments") directly.
• Then the heart/mind with no effort other than looking will grow disenchanted, will become dispassionate, will turn away from (let go of) to anything it clings to, any phenomena that arise only to perish, all dependently-originated constituent things (1) beset by disappointment (dukkha),(2) radically impermanent (arising, turning, and passing away at every moment and submoment), and (3) and ultimately impersonal.