Buddhism - The Four Noble Truths Explained

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Buddhism - The Four Noble Truths

00:00 Intro
About two and a half millennia ago in 563 B.C. Siddhartha Gautama was born to a noble family in Lumbini which is situated in present-day Nepal. His father was the chief of the Shakya clan. Siddhartha enjoyed an affluent life until the time he chose mendicancy. It was the suffering that he observed in his surrounding which had his heart and view towards world change. He wondered as to why there were sufferings? There is a story associated with his renunciation of living a luxurious and privileged life. He once saw a funeral going and looking at people crying and sobbing got him to think about man’s suffering. In addition to that, he thought that his physical body is subject old age, disease, and eventual death and there should be a remedy for liberation and that went to become a doctrine of nirvana.

Buddhism took up a form of religion after the demise of Siddhartha Gautama. He had started to be called as Buddha the enlightened one. The whole world knows Siddhartha as Buddha. There are some basic concepts of Buddhism. The adherents of Buddhism do not in God in essence. Their focus remains on inner peace and wisdom. Mediation remains the main tool for achieving inner peace. Morals are stressed upon in Buddhism. Adherents are encouraged to avoid self-indulgence. There is a concept of Karma that suggests what goes around comes around. Reincarnation is also one of the important concepts of Buddhism.

However, on top of all the most important of Buddha’s teaching are the four noble truths. He meditated for a long time under the Bodhi tree and came to deduce the four principles. The four truths are known as Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, and Magga. These four forms the essence of Buddha’s teaching and they hold a central position in the achievement of inner peace and enlightenment. The truths fundamentally deal with suffering.


02:38 1. The First Truth of Suffering (Dukkha)

The first truth talks about the apparent and obvious suffering which are physical. A person will grow old, he will fall sick, and last he will eventually die. These are three apparent and inevitable suffering that a person is bound to go through.

Buddha stressed upon suffering and described that suffering is deeply entrenched in the lives of humans. He said that life is perfect and not everything pans out the way we want them. Many times things turn out against our expectations. This saddens us and that is suffering.

04:40 2. The Second Noble Truth-Origin of suffering (Samudāya)

The second truth is the origin of suffering which is called Samudaya. In our daily lives, we encounter many things that can be termed as the causes of our suffering. Having no water to drink when thirsty, get oneself injured and experience pain, and losing someone we loved.

All these are ostensibly identifiable causes of suffering. Irrespective of the identification of the causes of suffering, the roots are some other place. The roots of the causes of suffering are deep. The suffering, according to Buddha, primarily sprouts from Tanha, which means desire. It’s the desire which is a real evil. There are three roots of evil.

07:12 3. The Third Noble Truth-Cessation of suffering (Nirodha)

The third truth is the cessation of suffering which is called as Nirodha in scriptures. Nirodha deals with dealing with the suffering and putting an end to them. Buddha believed that there is a possibility that one can be liberated from one’s desires. In order for extinguishing the desires which are the main cause of suffering, Nirvana comes into play.

08:58 4. The Fourth Noble Truth- the Path to the cessation of suffering (Magga)

The third that talks about the cessation of suffering, the fourth noble truth which path will lead towards achieving the objective of cessation of suffering. The fourth truth is called Magga. Magga is a set of principles and rule which will help in the termination of suffering from the life of an adherent.

There are eight factors and steps which rely on each other and help a person achieve his objective. The eightfold path is also known as the moderate or middle way. It takes a middle approach.

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