Buddhism in Bite Size Lessons: Lesson #4

The Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths are the cornerstone of Buddhism. They are the essence of Buddha’s teachings

1. First Noble Truth=Life is suffering. (dukkha)

2. Second Noble Truth=The cause of suffering is craving n attachment.(samudaya)

3. Third Noble Truth= The cessation of suffering is possible. (nirodha)

4. Fourth Noble Truth=The path to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eightfold path prescribed by Buddha. (Magga)

Buddha is often regarded a pessimist because he said ‘Life is suffering’, but nothing could be further from truth for:

 1. This fact is validated when we examine life n all its experiences closely..birth itself is painful n thus a suffering…then there are suffering of illness, old age n death…there is suffering of not getting what we want & suffering of getting what we do not want..what gives us pleasure also ultimately results in suffering when it is ultimately lost due to the transient nature of reality 

&

2. Buddha has not left the matters here but prescribed a path to overcome this suffering. To realize n accept this fact is the first step in overcoming it..we won’t cease to suffer if we just deny this reality but if we embrace it there is a path to transcend it.~Ritu Khabia