Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Buddhist thought for the week
The first step of the Eightfold Path is Right Views, which means Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths.
The Four Noble Truths (Pali: Cattāri ariyasaccāni, Sanskrit: Catvāri āryasatyāni, Chinese: Sìshèngdì, Thai: อริยสัจสี่, Ariyasaj Sii) are one of the most fundamental Buddhist teachings. They appear many times throughout the most ancient Buddhist texts, the Pali Canon. They are among the truths Gautama Buddha is said to have realized during his experience of enlightenment.[1]
Why the Buddha is said to have taught in this way is illuminated by the social context of the time in which he lived. The Buddha was a Śramaṇa, a wandering ascetic whose "aim was to discover the truth and attain happiness."[2] He is said to have achieved this aim while under a bodhi tree near the Ganges River; the Four Noble Truths are a formulation of his understanding of the nature of "suffering",[3] the fundamental cause of all suffering, the escape from suffering, and what effort a person can go to so that they themselves can "attain happiness."[2]
These truths are not expressed as a hypothesis or tentative idea, rather the Buddha says:
“ These Four Noble Truths, monks, are actual, unerring, not otherwise. Therefore, they are called noble truths.[4] ”
The Buddha says that he taught them...
“ ...because it is beneficial, it belongs to the fundamentals of the holy life, it leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation of suffering, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nirvana. That is why I have declared it.[5] ”
This teaching was the basis of the Buddha's first discourse after his enlightenment.[6] In early Buddhism this is the most advanced teaching in the Buddha's Gradual Training.
Mahayana Buddhism regards these as a preliminary teaching for people not ready for its own teachings.[7]
Strictly speaking, "truths" is a mistranslation; "realities" would be better: these are "things", not statements, in the original grammar.[8]
The Four Noble Truths (Pali: Cattāri ariyasaccāni, Sanskrit: Catvāri āryasatyāni, Chinese: Sìshèngdì, Thai: อริยสัจสี่, Ariyasaj Sii) are one of the most fundamental Buddhist teachings. They appear many times throughout the most ancient Buddhist texts, the Pali Canon. They are among the truths Gautama Buddha is said to have realized during his experience of enlightenment.[1]
Why the Buddha is said to have taught in this way is illuminated by the social context of the time in which he lived. The Buddha was a Śramaṇa, a wandering ascetic whose "aim was to discover the truth and attain happiness."[2] He is said to have achieved this aim while under a bodhi tree near the Ganges River; the Four Noble Truths are a formulation of his understanding of the nature of "suffering",[3] the fundamental cause of all suffering, the escape from suffering, and what effort a person can go to so that they themselves can "attain happiness."[2]
These truths are not expressed as a hypothesis or tentative idea, rather the Buddha says:
“ These Four Noble Truths, monks, are actual, unerring, not otherwise. Therefore, they are called noble truths.[4] ”
The Buddha says that he taught them...
“ ...because it is beneficial, it belongs to the fundamentals of the holy life, it leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation of suffering, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nirvana. That is why I have declared it.[5] ”
This teaching was the basis of the Buddha's first discourse after his enlightenment.[6] In early Buddhism this is the most advanced teaching in the Buddha's Gradual Training.
Mahayana Buddhism regards these as a preliminary teaching for people not ready for its own teachings.[7]
Strictly speaking, "truths" is a mistranslation; "realities" would be better: these are "things", not statements, in the original grammar.[8]
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