Four Noble Truths: The Philosophy of Buddhism
Niyati Shrestha (Grade 11, HEB High School, Texas)
Introduction
In most religions practiced around the world, faith is centered around the idea of a core self. Our core identity is emphasized as the matter which shapes our soul. It embodies our person and is the object of salvation. However, this idea of an innate self is denied in Buddhism. The Buddha points to our distortion of the existence of self as the reason why humans suffer. This false perception of self is the idea on which the Four Nobles Truths are centered around. The Four Noble Truths are part of the most important teachings of Buddha and an instrumental part of understanding the philosophy of Buddhism. Siddartha Gautama realized these truths as he meditated under a Bodhi tree and finally understood how to achieve freedom from the cycle of Samsara humans are trapped in. As he peeled away the layers of deception that blanketed our vision of life, he became the enlightened one and shared his wisdom to help others attain liberation as well.
The First Noble Truth: The Reality of Suffering (Dukkha)
When young Prince Siddhartha Gautama ventured beyond the gates of his extravagant palace to wander the outside world, he became disheartened by his witness of the stark difference between his privileged life and the reality his subjects endured. Devastation consumed him as he observed the misery hidden from him all this time. With this experience transforming his vision of reality, he formulated the foundation to the first noble truth: the acknowledgment that suffering is the state of our existence.
In Buddhism, suffering or ‘dukkha’ is defined as not only overt physical pain but also buried mental and emotional difficulties resulting from an endless dissatisfaction with life. This truth is not meant to convey a cynical or nihilistic worldview but meant as recognition that suffering will always be present in the cycle of Samsara. Buddha intended that through this acknowledgment, a desire to reach a path to liberation will arise.
As the 14th Dalai Lama wisely proclaimed, “To change our lives we must first acknowledge that our present situation is not satisfactory”(Thondup, 41). Human beings crave change and desire to transform their lives from their current state, which is a state of underlying dissatisfaction. Although, due to the self-deception that plagues our minds, this actualization of a path to cessation is often hindered. Many use intoxicants or indulge in distractions as escapism from their dissatisfied state. Through this truth, Buddha urges his followers to wake up from the spell of denial they cast themselves under and walk the path to change.
The Second Noble Truth: The Origin of Suffering (Samudaya)
Acknowledging the existence of suffering is the first step to liberation; identifying its cause is the next. While teaching Shakyamuni Buddha stated to his students, “You are your own master, You make your future”. This statement also means that we are the perpetrators of our own misery.
Buddha’s second truth, the truth of suffering or ‘samudaya’, states that our suffering is caused by our afflictive emotions stemming from desire and ignorance. These toxic emotions act as a poisoned arrow that infects our minds and causes a loop of endless dissatisfaction. In this scenario, we are the archer and also the prey.
Buddhism states that feelings of desire and attachment are influenced by delusions made up by the mind, from our ignorance of the impermanence of all things in existence. For instance, when a person sees a material object that catches their eye, such as a golden mala (necklace) or a shiny new car, they are instantly enchanted and crave its possession. Hypnotized by desire, they develop an attachment to this object due to the self-fulfillment they believe it will bring them. However, this sense of craving creates an illusion of gratification due to the object’s impermanent nature. When the object loses its allure by rusting, breaking, or becoming old-fashioned, dissatisfaction rises again, and the cycle continues.
The Dalai Lama emphasizes how this initial pleasure will always cause pain since this sense of satisfaction “always eventually ceases”(Thondup, 23). These delusions trick us into thinking that this fleeting happiness is constant, leading us to disappointment when the illusion is broken.
This concept leads to the mystery of the foundation that these destructive feelings are fabricated upon. Buddha underscores our false sense of self as the answer to this case. Feelings of desire and attachment are cultivated by clinging to the notion that it will bring our “self” happiness. This grasping of self leads to a self cherishing mind and promotes aversion to things that threaten our happiness. Many Buddhists emphasize how our “self-grasping ignorance”(Thondup, 22) is the cause of our unenlightened existence within Samsara. We are entrapped by an endless craving for things that we think will bring us pleasure, forever setting us up for disappointment and a craving for self-fulfillment. Buddha taught that in order to be freed from this suffering, we must change our perception of ourselves fundamentally.
The Third Noble Truth: The Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha)
The third noble truth is the truth of the end of suffering, in which Buddha states that cessation of suffering is achieved when its causes cease to exist. This cessation of the cycle of samsaric misery is called Nirvana, a state of peaceful clarity free of suffering, afflictions, and a sense of self.
Removing our deep attachment to our unrealistic perception of self eradicates the core origin of the selfishly-induced emotions that toxify the mind, therefore removing the cause of suffering. Although letting go of the idea of an independent self might seem perplexing to believers of theistic religions, in Buddhist philosophy it is a central principle to achieving true happiness.
This is one of the hardest pills to swallow for practitioners of Buddhism since the idea of a core self is deeply embedded in our minds since birth. For example, babies learn to cry whenever they need food, attention, and anything to satisfy themselves. Similarly, we commit actions that originate from self-cherishing and a desire to protect our happiness.
Deconstructing this mindset and habits that derive from it is a process that takes many lifetimes of spiritual practice to achieve. Followers of Buddhism devote themselves to eradicating this cause of misery to follow in Buddha’s footsteps into the path of Nirvana.
The Fourth Noble Truth: The Path to Liberation (Magga)
In the fourth and final truth, the truth to the path of suffering’s cessation, Buddha illustrates the method by which humans can achieve liberation from Samsara and overcome suffering. This spiritual training is called the Noble Eightfold Path, represented by the eight spokes on the Wheel of Dharma.
Buddha believed that all humanity had an opportunity to achieve enlightenment and that this aspect is what makes being born human unique to the other realms of existence. All human beings are born with the cause of suffering in their nature, but they are also born with the chance to escape the cycle of destruction they bring upon themselves. Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightened existence is proof of the truth of this path, as well as the millions of people inspired by his teachings over the millennia.
Buddhism divides the path into eight divisions. The Right View is the mindset that suffering torments all unenlightened beings. By acknowledging that we are all affected by our ignorance of the world, we can sympathize with others and cultivate selflessness instead of promoting selfish behavior. Next, Right intention means letting go of that inflated sense of self and confronting this delusion by developing a sense of compassion, which acts as an antidote to a poisoned mind. Right speech and Right action mean using your words and actions to bring others happiness instead of harming them. Moreover, Right livelihood signifies dedicating your life to providing service to others, straying away from professions meant to deceive people. The last three divisions concern training in spiritual practice. Right effort means putting effort into mental discipline, letting negative emotions pass, and embracing positivity. Right mindfulness represents constant awareness and monitoring of the thoughts that travel through the mind. Lastly, Right concentration is developing a deep focus and understanding of reality during meditation. These parts of the Eightfold Path are essential in turning the Wheel of Dharma and finding inner peace.
Conclusion
Buddha’s Four Noble Truths represent intellectual keys to unlock the path to Nirvana. Instilling knowledge of these truths and putting them into practice helps transform our view of life from a Buddhist perspective.
Buddha’s teachings can help us find the answers to the deepest questions of our lives, even if some of us are not followers of Buddhism or follow an ascetic lifestyle. His doctrine acts to serve as a moral map that guides humans as they navigate their way through life, reminding them of the path if they get lost.
Buddha taught these truths from that day beneath the Bodhi tree to his last day on earth, devoting himself selflessly to helping others with the hope that one day, they could alter their mindset from being the cause of their suffering to the source of their salvation.
References
Bodhi, V. B. (2020, August 25). What are the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism? Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. https://tricycle.org/magazine/four-noble-truths/
History.com Editors. (2017, October 12). Buddhism. History.com. A&E Television Networks. https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism
Landaw, J., Bodian, S., & Editors of the Complete Idiot’s Guides. (2019). Buddhism for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
PBS. (n.d.). Basics of Buddhism. Public Broadcasting Service. https://www.pbs.org/edens/thailand/buddhism.htm
Thondup, L., & Vreeland, N. (2011). A profound mind: Cultivating wisdom in everyday life. Hodder & Stoughton.
Editor’s note: This article was submitted to the First Essay Competition on Buddha and His Teachings for K–12 students, organized by the Nepalese Buddhist Association Texas in 2021. The author, Niyati Shrestha, is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin. It is published in its original form.
