Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths (Pali, "cattari ariya saccani") are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy.

Related Topics:
Pali - Buddhism - Enlightenment - Sakyamuni - Buddha - Philosophy

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1. Dukkha: There is suffering. Suffering is an intrinsic part of life also experienced as dissatisfaction, discontent, unhappiness, impermanence.

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2. Samudaya: There is a cause of suffering, which is attachment and desire (tanha).

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3. Nirodha: There is a way out of suffering, which is to eliminate attachment and desire.

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4. Magga: The path that leads out of suffering is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

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This outline form is exactly that used by doctors of the Buddha's culture when diagnosing and prescribing for a disease: identify the disease, its cause, whether it is curable, and the prescribed cure. Thus the Buddha treats suffering as a "disease" we can confidently expect to cure.

Related Topics:
Buddha - Cause

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Because of its focus on suffering, Buddhism is often called pessimistic. But since Gautama Buddha presented a cure, Buddhists consider it neither pessimistic nor optimistic but realistic.

Related Topics:
Gautama Buddha - Cure

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The Four Noble Truths was the first sermon given by the Buddha after his enlightenment. He gave the sermon to the ascetics with whom he had practiced austerities.

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