4 noble Aryan truths. Buddha's Teachings: The Four Noble Truths

At some point, suffering began to fill my life, maybe I began to pay attention to it. The joys I longed for dissolve like mirages. Life is full of suffering - why deceive yourself? You can try not to notice this, look for something new, but I don’t want to, I want to understand myself. If life is meaningless, then death is even more meaningless. Therefore, undoubtedly, there must be meaning in life itself. But I wasn’t born to suffer. It is necessary to find a way out of this labyrinth of suffering. Where is the way out? So a person begins to look for a way to get rid of suffering, and, most often, this ends in turning to a “national” religion. People don't want suffering, but who knows how to end it forever?

Two and a half thousand years ago, the Sage from the Shakya tribe, Arhat, the Most Revered, Tathagata, Teacher of gods and people, Knower of all Worlds, Unsurpassed, Buddha Shakyamuni declared that there is a way to get rid of all suffering. The Buddha proclaimed to his disciples, who were at first five, the Four Noble Truths: the Truth about suffering, the Truth about the origin (cause) of suffering, the Truth about the cessation of suffering, the Truth about the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.

In the Buddhist scripture “Dhamma-chakka-pavattana sutta” (“Sutra of Launching the Wheel of the Law”) we find such prophetic lines.

“What is the middle path, comprehended by the Tathagata, which, generating vision, generating knowledge, leads to tranquility, to direct comprehension, to personal Awakening, to Liberation? This is the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes right view, right determination (in another translation - right intention), right speech, right actions, correct image life, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration (samadhi). This is the middle path, comprehended by the Tathagata, which, generating vision, generating knowledge, leads to tranquility, to direct comprehension, to personal Awakening, to Liberation.

(1) And here, monks, is the Noble Truth about suffering. And birth is suffering, and aging is suffering,<и болезнь — страдание,>and death is suffering. And sadness, and lamentation, and pain, and grief, and despair are suffering. Connection with the unloved is suffering, separation from the beloved is suffering, not getting what you want is suffering. In short, the five groups of attachments (Sanskrit: skandha, Pali: khandha) are suffering (Pali: dukkha).

(2) And here, monks, is the Noble Truth about the origin of suffering. It is grasping (tanha, lit., “thirst”), which leads to subsequent becoming (bhava, lit., “becoming”; is the link leading to existence), accompanied by passionate desire and pleasure, seeking pleasure here, now there, then there is a thirst for sensual pleasures, a thirst for becoming (i.e. for being), a thirst for non-becoming (i.e. for non-being).

(3) And here, monks, is the Noble Truth about the cessation of suffering. Complete calmness and cessation, refusal, separation, liberation and distance from precisely this thirst (tanha).

(4) And here, monks, is the Noble Truth about the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering. This is the Noble Eightfold Path,<а именно>: right view (ditthi), right determination (sapkappa), right speech (vaca), right action (kammanta), right lifestyle (ajiva), right effort (vayama), right mindfulness (sati), right concentration (samadhi).

Let's decipher these texts.

The first of the four “noble truths” is stated as follows: “What is the noble truth about suffering?

Birth is suffering;

health disorder - suffering;

death is suffering;

sorrow, lamentation, grief, misfortune and despair - suffering;

union with the unloved - suffering;

separation from a loved one is suffering;

In short, the five categories of existence in which attachment (to earthly things) manifests itself are suffering.

Many pages of Buddhist literature are devoted to the frailty of all earthly things. Individual elements of consciousness replace each other with tremendous speed. One can only trace rather long “chains of moments”, which in their totality constitute the “stream of conscious life” of each individual.

Buddhism requires moving away from considering the world external to human consciousness. According to Buddhist theologians, there is no need to consider it, because consciousness does not reflect this world (it does not exist), but generates it through its creative activity. The world of suffering itself, according to the teachings of Buddhism, is only an illusion, a product of “ignorance”, “lost” consciousness.

Not getting what you passionately want is suffering.”

The “Second Noble Truth” states that the source of suffering is “the thirst for pleasure, the thirst for being, the thirst for power.”

“What is the noble truth about the end of suffering? This is the complete attenuation and cessation of all desires and passions, their rejection and renunciation of them, liberation and separation from them.”

In its basic main meaning, the Pali word "nibbana" or the Sanskrit "nirvana" means "attenuation", "extinction", "calm".

In other words, this is the ultimate goal of religious salvation, that state of “complete non-existence” in which “rebirth - suffering” ends.

The whole spirit of Buddhism forces us to bring the concept of nirvana closer to the achievement of a state of complete non-existence.

and the Eightfold Path of Buddhism - the basis of the entire Buddhist worldview. These things need to be understood by everyone without exception.

The Middle Path of the Buddha: “Four Great Truths” and the Path of the Eight Steps

The path to enlightenment that Gautama offered people is called the middle path, that is, in order to achieve the state of nirvana, a person, on the one hand, should not torture himself with strict asceticism, as prescribed by the religious system of Jainism, and on the other hand, in contrast to Hinduism and, just as Jainism preached, is able to do this within one human life, freed from the chain of reincarnations.

However, the middle path of Buddhism is not easy in its own way. To achieve liberation, a person should not enjoy luxury, as Gautama himself did in his life before he left his family. It is best to stick to an average standard of living. Enlightenment can be achieved through accepting the Buddha's teachings and practicing his advice.

Four Great Truths

1. Suffering. The first great truth declares that life is full of suffering and pain, which manifests itself in birth, in suffering of all kinds, in illness, old age and death. The absence of what we would like to have and the presence of what we would like to get rid of are also sources of pain.

2. Cause of suffering . The second great truth says that the cause of suffering and pain is the desire to enjoy and the desire to satisfy sensual impulses.

3. Relief from suffering . The third great truth teaches that in order to be liberated from suffering, a person must rid himself of all kinds of aspirations and renounce all his desires.

4. The path leading to liberation . Finally, the fourth great truth for achieving liberation offers a path consisting of eight steps, which involves the consistent fulfillment of strictly defined requirements.

Eightfold Noble Path was a practical synthesis of all aspects of Buddhist teachings recorded in the canon.

The path includes:

§ Correct views.

§ The right determination.

§ Correct speech.

§ Correct actions.

§ The right way of life.

§ The right effort.

§ Correct attention.

§ Correct concentration.

Teaching on the 4 Noble Truths

Under correctglances refers to the knowledge and correct perception of the four noble truths. It follows that if a person has never heard of them, he cannot be saved until he happens to be reborn in human form in one of Buddhist countries. Only a Buddhist is able to understand the truth and overcome samsara.

Correctdetermination- this is the determination of a person who has learned the noble truths to act in accordance with them, to practically implement them in his life. One of the manifestations of determination is correctspeech, i.e. speech devoid of lies, slander, and rudeness.

Righteous determination must also materialize in correctbehaviore, in refusing to destroy living beings, from theft and other harmful actions. Under correctway life is understood as the manifestation of determination in an honest way of earning a living.

The named links in the path are often misunderstood, because... they bear a deceptive resemblance to a “moral code.” Buddhism does not share the Western belief that there is some moral law, prescribed by God or nature, which man must obey.

Buddhist rules of conduct - abstaining from taking over life, from taking over what is not given, from exploiting passions, from lying and intoxication - all these are expedient instructions that are accepted voluntarily in order to remove interference that impedes clarity of consciousness.

4 Noble Truths of Buddhism in Brief

Violation of these precepts gives rise to bad karma, but not because karma is a law or some kind of moral retribution, but because all purposeful and motivated actions, whether from a conventional point of view they are good or bad, it makes no difference, are karma, since they are directed to “own” life.

Generally speaking, “bad” deeds from a conventional point of view are more aggressive in nature than “good” ones. But at higher stages, Buddhist practice is concerned with liberation from both “good” and “bad” karma.

The last three links relate directly to a person’s consciousness, to his inner spiritual world.

Under greatvilnyby effort implies the determination to constantly overcome bad thoughts and impulses, that which binds the consciousness to earthly objects, to the existence of samsara, which Buddhism recognizes as illusory.

Under correctattention one should understand, according to Buddhists, a constant focus on what has already been realized and achieved on the path to salvation. Memory should serve not as a storehouse of earthly impressions, facts, connections, but as a means of strengthening detachment from worldly affairs and attachments. One must contemplate not the external, illusory, rapidly changing and doomed to disappear, but the internal, purified and freed from “illusions.”

Finally, greatVilnoeconcentration(Sanskrit - " diakhna", often translated into Western languages as "meditation") - this is the final link in the gradual self-improvement of thought, the path of ever deeper detachment from everything earthly, the acquisition of such unshakable inner peace and such equanimity, in which there is no room even for the joy of liberation from earthly things. bonds and the emergence of the prospect of imminent final salvation, the achievement of nirvana.

The last link is the most important and decisive in the entire “noble middle path”, its result and essence, the highest and most important task of a Buddhist, the fundamental step that leads from being to non-being.

The division of the “path of salvation” into eight links and a detailed interpretation of each of them was needed by Buddhists for a consistent and comprehensive justification of the special “way of life” that is necessary for salvation. After all, all the links considered cover a concept that can be expressed sufficiently an absurd phrase: “How to live in order to stop living.”

4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path

Therefore, to understand the Buddhist requirements for “those who have entered the path”, it is important to focus not so much on individual links, but on the common thing that unites them, their qualitative certainty, in other words, the content of the Pali term “samma”, which colors each link of the path. The epithet “righteous” was used here to translate this definition. In the literature you can often find another translation - “correct” (“right”).

Other ideas of the Buddha

Gautama Buddha did not recognize the existence of one eternal God. He believed that various deities and demons lived in the Universe, but he looked at them as temporary beings who, like people, are born and die. And therefore he considered it useless to hope for their help and turn to them in prayer. Gautama rejected the path of salvation of Hinduism - the path of initiation.

While recognizing the law of karma, the Buddha was at the same time convinced that a person belonging to any caste could achieve perfection during one earthly life and avoid retribution for evil deeds committed during past incarnations. Only those who do not seek enlightenment, the Buddha taught, are destined to learn the consequences of their karma.

Although the Buddha believed in the theory of reincarnation, he had his own, special view of the soul. In Hinduism, the soul is indestructible and passes, without violating its integrity, from one incarnation to another, carrying its karma. According to the teachings of the Buddha, the soul consists of a kind of psychological components.

Each new incarnation does not leave their composition unchanged, but the relationship between the present and past incarnations is preserved. This ratio determines the nature of karma. Just as a seal leaves its shape when you press it on wax, so each incarnation passes on something of its own to the next.

Dharma

The most important concept for Buddhists is dharma - it personifies the teachings of the Buddha, the highest truth that he revealed to all beings. The word “dharma” has many meanings: law, doctrine, religion, truly real, etc. But its main meaning in Buddhist philosophy is “the bearer of one’s attribute,” that is, the bearer of spiritual properties. A person has many such carriers of properties, dharmas.

The 4 Noble Truths of the Buddha and the Eightfold Path

Among them are “sensual”, associated with the perception of the material world (visible, audible, etc.), dharmas of “consciousness” (abstract ideas) and several more categories, including “not subject to being” and striving for peace - nirvana.

After the death of a person, the dharmas that make up his personality disintegrate, but under the influence of the dharma that was created by all the activities of a person during his life and previous rebirths, they are united again, in new combinations, and give rise to a new personality.

This is how the eternal cycle of dharmas takes place, this painful “wheel of existence”, from which a person can only escape by following the commandments of the Buddha. The doctrine of dharmas forms the basis of the foundations of Buddhist philosophy.

Buddha, like no one else, understood that people are not alike from birth and cannot be approached with the same standard. There is no single universal body of Buddhist teaching that is suitable for everyone. No universal formula Dharmas for all occasions; is the Dharma expounded taking into account individual characteristics every group of believers.

Therefore, Buddhist teachings can be expressed in a high scholarly style and simple folk speech, in poetry and prose, depicted in a sacred diagram and in a colorful painting. The highest goal always remains nirvana, but it is difficult to achieve - only the most persistent and gifted can do it.

Three Turns of the Wheel of Dharma

IN first turn The Buddha explained the Four Noble Truths, which, on the one hand, clearly show our situation in the cycle of existence and the reasons for it, and, on the other hand, also explain liberation from suffering and difficulties and the reasons for it.

In the second turn wheel of Dharma, he further showed that the nature of all things is empty of actual, independent existence. Here he taught the highest truth - Prajnaparamita. AND in the third turn , The Buddha gave teachings about the inherent Buddha-nature of all beings, which is already endowed with all the perfect qualities of enlightenment.

Buddha's Teachings on the 4 Noble Truths

If we look at these three turnings of the Wheel of Dharma from the perspective of different traditions of Buddhism, then first turn will be the basis for the Theravada tradition, which, in the context of the Great Vehicle, Mahayana, is described as the Lesser Vehicle, or Hinayana.

This tradition is practiced mainly in southern countries Buddhism, such as Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Here the emphasis is on positive external behavior and liberation from the suffering of conditioned existence through the awareness of the absence of self in the individual.

Second and third turn The Wheels of Dharma form the basis of the Great Vehicle - Mahayana. She practiced mainly northern countries Buddhism: Himalayan - Tibet, Lhadak, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, as well as in Mongolia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea, etc.

The name Mahayana refers to the great spirit of this Vehicle, the desire to achieve Buddhahood in order to free all beings from suffering. Within the Mahayana there is a further division into the Vehicle of Sutra and the Vehicle of Tantra. To put it simply, the second turning of the Wheel of Dharma basically forms the Vehicle of Sutra, which is also the main practice of most Mahayana countries.

The Vehicle of the Sutra is also called the Vehicle of Reason, since here the reasons for enlightenment are created. Realization of the emptiness or non-self of all phenomena is achieved through careful examination of things and through the practice of appropriate meditation. The third turning of the Wheel of Dharma is the most important basis for the Vehicle of Tantra, which in its full form practiced today only in Tibetan Buddhism.

Some other traditions, such as most sub-schools of Chan Buddhism in China and Zen Buddhism in Japan, teach aspects of the Vehicle of Tantra. It is also called the Vehicle of Fruition, since in it the student is identified directly with the fruit - the perfect state of Buddha.

In the Tantras the Buddha taught that highest quality enlightenment is already in the mind, and we just need to remove the superficial veils that keep us from experiencing the Buddha-nature of our own mind.

Philosophy

Through the development of Buddhism, more abstract ideas began to emerge regarding the ultimate reality achieved by the Buddha's insight. Two philosophical schools. The school founded by Nagarjuna (2nd century AD) was named "middle way systems" . Another, founded by the brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu (4th century AD), was called “a school of consciousness only” .

Nagarjuna argued that the ultimate reality is not expressible in any terms of finite existence. It can be described exclusively negatively as empty (shunya) or emptiness (shunyata). Asanga and Vasubandhu argued that it can also be defined positively - through the term “consciousness”.

Who proclaimed the 4 noble truths

In their opinion, everything that exists is only ideas, mental images, events in the all-encompassing universal Consciousness. A mere mortal's consciousness is clouded by illusions and resembles a dusty mirror. But to Buddha the consciousness is revealed in complete purity, free from clouding.

Both schools distinguish between absolute and relative truths. Absolute truth is correlated with nirvana and is understandable only through the intuition of the Buddha. Relative truth lies within the transitory experience inhabited by unenlightened beings.

Conclusion

The traditions of Buddhism spread from India to all Asian countries and cultures and from there to other parts of the world. There are centers of various Buddhist traditions all over the world.

The total number of Buddhists, according to most sources, is about 400 million people. Many more come here who various reasons cannot officially call themselves Buddhists. Thus, in China alone there are about 150 million Buddhists, who, due to existing circumstances, can hardly openly practice and declare this. This number is constantly growing. First of all, interest in Buddhism has been increasing in the West in recent years.

In our country, entire regions in Siberia profess Buddhism. This religion has not been “overseas” for Russia for a long time. It has been with us for several centuries. Entire nationalities, such as: Buryats, Chuvashs, Udmurts, etc. They consider Buddhism to be their primordial, national religion. In terms of the total number of its followers, Buddhism in Russia ranks third after Christianity and Islam.

The teachings of Buddhism say that the source of evil for a person is his desire. Therefore, this religion teaches people to suppress their desires. Indeed, people often suffer from their desires. But it is wrong to say that all desires lead to suffering, and even more so to evil.

In addition, even if the desire experienced is accompanied by suffering (for example, due to its impossibility), one cannot think that it is harmful in nature. Thus, a mother who wants to see her son or daughter suffers if her desire is not fulfilled.

But it’s still better that this desire full of love, it was better than not to have it. The Bible, in principle, is not at all against desires. The main thing is that people have good desires, not evil ones. The teachings of Gautama Buddha clearly give an erroneous interpretation of desire.

Buddhism, following the personal example of its founder Gautama, was and remains a missionary religion. Together with Hinduism, it has a great influence on the people in modern times. Western countries- Europe and America.

Buddhism is the cause of the emergence of various cults and syncretistic movements, so we must pay special attention to the dangers of the errors of Buddhism.

On our website we talked in detail about Nepal. Much in this country is incomprehensible to the average Russian, and this short series of articles about Buddhism will help you better understand what you will see during.

The Four Noble Truths can be called the “axioms of Buddhism.” This is knowledge that does not require proof. They were formulated by Buddha Shakyamuni 2500 years ago and have not lost their relevance. Their translation into Russian is not accurate due to the difference in concepts in our language and Sanskrit. Therefore, we will devote this article to accurately deciphering them.

The first truth. The entire life of living beings is suffering

When I say such a phrase, most people immediately take it with hostility, declaring that they do not suffer, but live a completely normal life.

The translation itself is inaccurate. By the word “suffering” we mean something very bad - loss loved one or unbearable pain. The ancient languages use the word “dukkha,” which is better translated as “dissatisfaction.”

Indeed, our whole life is constant dissatisfaction, such is human nature. Having bought a new car, we enjoy it for only a few months, and then disappointment sets in.

You can experience the joy of delicious food, but you can eat a limited amount of it, and after that the meal will turn into torture. A person is susceptible to illness, experiences pain, is attached to other people and has compassion for them.

All this is meant by the word “suffering” in the first noble truth. In this aspect, it is difficult to disagree with this truth. Few people can claim that they are happy and not lie to themselves and others.

The second truth. The cause of suffering is thirst

Of course, the word “thirst” is used not to mean the desire to drink water, but more in a general sense. Most people want something all the time, and we're talking about not just about the physical need to eat, drink and sleep.

In people's lives there are many desires that are not determined by physical needs. Some people have a great “thirst” to have a lot of money, to be beautiful or thin, to have power or influence over people.

The important thing to say in this part of our article is that Buddhism is not at all against the realization of these desires. No way! Simply, the second noble truth states that they are the sources of suffering. Buddhism does not call for being a beggar and not communicating with anyone, you just need to treat all this “without fanaticism,” this is what the Great Buddha called the “Middle Way.”

At the beginning of his spiritual quest, Buddha Shakyamuni himself turned to the teachings of ascetics. These people deliberately limited themselves in everything, believing that the body prevented them from gaining spiritual strength. At that time, this movement was very widespread in India.

Buddha followed their path and almost starved himself when he ate one grain of rice a day (note: this expression is most likely a metaphor). The girl saved him by bringing him milk and rice. The Buddha realized that this path does not lead to relief from suffering.

In Russian, the second noble truth can be expressed as follows: “you cannot be a slave to your desires, they lead you to suffering.”

Truth three. Suffering can be stopped by curbing “thirst”

The third truth is the most difficult to understand correctly. It suggests to many that the way to end suffering is to renounce desires and needs. But we have already written above that this is the wrong way. They need to be curbed so that they cannot cause suffering.

It is important to understand that there is no point in fighting your “thirst”. In fact, you will be fighting with yourself, and in this battle there can be no winner.

Looking ahead, let's say that for this you need to clear your mind. This is what Buddhist pilgrims do when they spin prayer wheels near a stupa or walk around a temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.

By the way, Buddhism does not prohibit anyone from doing these actions. You can walk around yourself, read a mantra or spin the drums, no one will judge you for this.

Many desires in a person’s life are not even products of his own mind, but are introduced by society or, one might say, imposed. During the cleansing journey, many realize that this part of the “thirst” in their life is simply unnecessary. And awareness is the first way to get rid of them.

Truth four. The way to get rid of “thirst” and suffering is the Eightfold Path

To get rid of thirst, one should follow the Eightfold Path. These are right views, right aspirations, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right direction one's efforts, right self-awareness and right concentration.

Essentially, the Eightfold Path is a comprehensive and complex set of ethical rules that allow us to follow the path to enlightenment and freedom from suffering.

In one of the following articles we will look at the Eightfold Path in detail, but now we will only outline the main points.

As you noticed, unlike many religions, Buddhism provides guidelines not only for a set of positive and negative physical actions of a person, but also for his spiritual life and quest.

The Buddha's recommendations relate to a person's spiritual life much more than they regulate his actions. This seems strange to many, but in fact it is very logical. It is in our mind that the motivation for any action is born. If there is no negative motivation, there will be no bad deeds.

Buddhism leads a person to happiness precisely through his inner world. Let's think for ourselves. In our life there are a lot of objects that do not even have a physical shell. Things like authority or popularity exist solely in our heads. But for us they are more than real.

The inner world of people is the basis of their happiness or unhappiness.

We will continue our story on the following pages. Read our other articles about Buddhism and Nepal ( links below).

Read about Nepal on our website

About 2.5 thousand years ago, the beginning of one of the greatest known to mankind spiritual experiences. The Indian prince Siddhartha achieved a special state, Enlightenment, and formed one of the world's oldest religions - Buddhism.

A little about Buddha

Legends of early years The life of Prince Siddhartha is well known. He grew up in luxury, without knowing deprivation and anxiety, until one day an accident forced him to face simple human suffering: illness, old age and death. At that moment, Siddhartha realized how illusory and impermanent what people call “happiness” is. He went on a long solitary journey to find a way to relieve people from suffering.

Information about the life of this person is based mainly on numerous legends, and there is very little accurate information. But for modern followers of Buddhism, the spiritual heritage of Gautama is much more important. The teaching he created explained the laws of earthly existence and affirmed the possibility of achieving Enlightenment. Its main points can be found in the Dharmachakra Launching Sutra, a source that details what are the main 4 truths of Buddhism as formed by Gautama.

One of the sutras says that throughout the history of mankind, about 1000 Buddhas (that is, those who have achieved Enlightenment) will appear on Earth. But Shakyamuni was not the first and had three predecessors. It is believed that a new Buddha will appear at the moment when the teaching formed by the previous one begins to decline. But they all must perform twelve special feats, as Gautama did in his time.

The emergence of the doctrine of the 4 noble truths

The 4 Noble Truths of Buddhism are revealed in detail in the Sutra of Launching the Wheel of Dharma, which has been translated into many languages and is now well known. According to the surviving biographies of Shakyamuni, he gave his first sermons 7 weeks after Enlightenment to his ascetic companions. According to legend, they saw Gautama sitting under a tree surrounded by a bright glow. It was then that the provisions of the teaching were first voiced, which was traditionally recognized as the main one by both early and modern Buddhism - the 4 noble truths and the Eightfold Path.

The truths of Buddhism in brief

The 4 noble truths of Buddhism can be summarized in several theses. Human life (more precisely, a chain of successive incarnations, Samsara) is suffering. The reason for this is all kinds of desires. Suffering can be stopped forever, and in its place a special state - nirvana - can be achieved. To do this, there is a specific way, which is called Thus, the 4 truths of Buddhism can be briefly presented as a teaching about suffering, its origins and ways to overcome it.

First Noble Truth

The first statement is the truth about dukkha. From Sanskrit this term is usually translated as “suffering”, “restlessness”, “dissatisfaction”. But there is an opinion that this designation is not entirely correct, and the word “dukkha” actually means the entire set of desires, addictions, which always feel painful.

Revealing the 4 noble truths of Buddhism, Shakyamuni argued that all life passes in anxiety and dissatisfaction, and this is the usual state of a person. “4 great streams of suffering” pass through the fate of each person: at birth, during illness, in old age, at the time of death.

In his sermons, Buddha also highlighted the “3 great sufferings.” The reason for the first one is change. The second is suffering that aggravates others. The third is unifying. Speaking about the concept of “suffering,” it should be emphasized that from the point of view of Buddhism, it includes any human experiences and emotions, even those that, according to generally accepted opinion, most closely correspond to the idea of happiness.

Second Noble Truth

The 4 truths of Buddhism in their second position tell about the emergence of dukkha. Buddha called the cause of suffering “insatiable desire,” in other words, desire. They are the ones who force a person to remain in the cycle of samsara. And as you know, getting out of the chain of rebirths is the main goal of Buddhism.

As a rule, after the fulfillment of a person’s next desire, short time comes with a feeling of peace. But soon a new need appears, which becomes a cause of constant concern, and so on ad infinitum. Thus, suffering has only one source - constantly arising desires.

The desire to satisfy desires and needs is closely related to such an important concept in Indian philosophy as karma. It is the totality of a person’s thoughts and real actions. Karma is something like the result of aspirations, but it is also the cause of new, future actions. It is on this mechanism that the cycle of samsara is based.

The 4 truths of Buddhism also help explain the cause of bad karma. For this purpose, 5 emotions were identified: affection, anger, jealousy, pride and ignorance. Attachment and hatred caused by misunderstanding of the true nature of phenomena (that is, a distorted perception of reality) is the main reason for the repetition of suffering over many rebirths.

Third Noble Truth

Known as the “truth of the cessation of dukkha” and brings one closer to the understanding of Enlightenment. In Buddhism, it is believed that a state beyond suffering, completely freed from desires and attachments, can be fully achieved. This can be accomplished through conscious intention, using the techniques described in detail in the last part of the teaching.

The facts of the peculiar interpretation of the third noble truth are known from the biography of the Buddha. The monks who joined his wanderings often understood this position as a complete renunciation of all, even urgent desires. They practiced suppressing all their physical needs and engaged in self-torture. However, Shakyamuni himself, at a certain stage of his life, abandoned such an “extreme” embodiment of the third truth. Revealing in detail the 4 truths of Buddhism, he argued that the main goal is to adhere to the “middle path”, but not to suppress absolutely all desires.

Fourth Noble Truth

Knowing what the 4 truths of Buddhism are would be incomplete without understanding the Middle Way. The last, fourth position is devoted to practice leading to the cessation of dukkha. It is this that reveals the essence of the doctrine of the Eightfold (or Middle) Path, which in Buddhism is understood as the only way to get rid of suffering. And sadness, anger and despair will inevitably be generated by all states of mind, except one - Enlightenment.

Following the Middle Way is understood as the ideal balance between the physical and spiritual components of human existence. Enjoyment, excessive predilection and attachment to something are extreme, as well as asceticism, the opposite of it.

In fact, the remedies proposed by the Buddha are absolutely universal. The main one is meditation. Other methods are aimed at using all abilities without exception. human body and mind. They are available to all people, regardless of their physical and intellectual capabilities. Much of the Buddha's practice and preaching was devoted to the development of these methods.

Enlightenment

Enlightenment is the highest goal spiritual development which Buddhism recognizes. The 4 Noble Truths and 8 Stages of the Middle Way are a kind of theoretical and practical basis for achieving this state. It is believed that it has nothing to do with all the sensations available to an ordinary person. Buddhist texts speak about Enlightenment quite generally, in the language of metaphors and with the help of But it is not possible to express it at least in any concrete way through familiar concepts.

In the Buddhist tradition, the term for Enlightenment is “bodhi,” which literally means “awakening.” It is believed that the potential to go beyond the usual perception of reality lies within every person. Once you have achieved Enlightenment, it is impossible to lose it.

Denial and criticism of teaching

The 4 basic truths of Buddhism are the teachings common to all its schools. At the same time, a number of Mahayana movements (Sanskrit “Great Vehicle” - one of two largest destinations along with Hinayana) adheres to the Heart Sutra. As you know, she denies the 4 noble truths of Buddhism. Briefly, this can be expressed as follows: suffering does not exist, which means there are no reasons for it, no end and no way for it.

The Heart Sutra is revered as one of the main sources in Mahayana Buddhism. It contains a description of the teachings of Avalokiteshvara, a bothisattva (that is, one who decided to become enlightened for the benefit of all living things). The Heart Sutra is generally devoted to the idea of getting rid of illusions.

According to Avalokiteshvara, the basic dogmas, which include the 4 noble truths, only make an attempt to explain reality. And the concept of suffering and overcoming it is only one of them. The Heart Sutra encourages understanding and accepting things as they really are. A true bothisattva cannot perceive reality in a distorted way, therefore, he does not consider the idea of suffering to be true.

According to some modern experts on the 4 truths of Buddhism, this is a late “addition” to the ancient version of the biography of Siddhartha Gautama. In their assumptions, they rely mainly on the results of a study of many ancient texts. There is a version that not only the doctrine of the noble truths, but also several other concepts traditionally associated with Shakyamuni, are not directly related to his life and were formed by his followers only centuries later.

Chapter 4 Four Noble Truths

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is liberation from suffering and reincarnation. Buddha said: “Both in the past and in the present, I say only one thing: suffering and the destruction of suffering.” Despite the negative starting position of this formula, the goal set in it also has a positive aspect, because you can put an end to suffering only by realizing your human potential of kindness and happiness. One who achieves a state of complete self-realization is said to have achieved nirvana. Nirvana is the greatest good in Buddhism, the ultimate and highest good. It is both a concept and a state. As a concept, it reflects a certain vision of the realization of human capabilities, outlines the contours and forms ideal life; as a state, it is embodied over time in the person striving for it.

The desire for nirvana is understandable, but how to achieve it? The answer is partly contained in the previous chapters. We know that in Buddhism it is highly valued righteous life; living virtuously is a necessary condition. However, some scientists reject this idea. They argue that accumulating merit by doing good deeds actually interferes with the attainment of nirvana. Good deeds, in their opinion, create karma, and karma leads to a series of rebirths. Then, they reason, it follows that to achieve nirvana it is necessary to transcend karma and all other ethical considerations. In connection with this understanding of the issue, two problems arise. First, why, if virtuous action is a hindrance to the path to nirvana, do sacred texts constantly encourage the performance of good deeds? Secondly, why do those who have achieved enlightenment, such as the Buddha, continue to live highly moral lives?

The solution to these problems is possible if a highly moral life is only part achieved by man perfection necessary for immersion in nirvana. Then if virtue (strength, Skt. - sewed) is one of the main elements of this ideal, then it cannot be self-sufficient and needs some kind of addition. This other necessary element is wisdom, the ability to perceive ( panya, Skt. - pragya). “Wisdom” in Buddhism means a deep philosophical understanding of the human condition. It requires insight into the nature of reality, achieved through long and deep reflection. This is a type of gnosis, or direct insight into truth, that deepens over time and ultimately culminates in the enlightenment experienced by the Buddha.

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha).

But, monks, what is the Noble Truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering. Pain, grief, sorrow, sadness, despair is suffering. Union with the unloved is suffering, separation from the dear is suffering. The unattainability of what is desired is suffering. Thus, the five states (skandhas) of personality are suffering.

So, nirvana is the unity of virtue and wisdom. The relationship between them in the language of philosophy can be expressed as follows: both virtue and wisdom are “necessary” conditions for nirvana, the presence of only one of them is “insufficient.” Only together do they make it possible to achieve nirvana. In one of the early texts they are compared to two hands washing and cleansing each other; a person lacking one of them is imperfect (D.i.124).

If wisdom is indeed an absolutely necessary accompaniment of virtue, what must a person know in order to achieve enlightenment? To know the truth perceived by the Buddha on the night of enlightenment and subsequently set forth in the first sermon he delivered in deer park near Benares. This sermon talks about four points known as the Four Noble Truths. They state that: 1) life is suffering, 2) suffering is generated by desire or thirst for pleasure, 3) suffering can be stopped, 4) there is a path leading to deliverance from suffering. Sometimes a comparison with medicine is made to illustrate the relationship between the two, with the Buddha being compared to a healer who found a cure for the ailment of life. Firstly, he diagnoses the disease, secondly, he explains its cause, thirdly, he determines the means against it, and fourthly, he begins treatment.

American psychiatrist M. Scott Peck begins his best-selling book The Road Not Taken with the words: “Life is hard.” Speaking of the First Noble Truth, he adds: “This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.” Known in Buddhism as the "Truth of Suffering", it became the cornerstone of the Buddha's teachings. According to this truth, suffering ( dukkha, Skt. - duhkha)- an integral part of life, and defines the human condition as a state of “dissatisfaction.” It includes many types of suffering, ranging from physical ones such as birth, aging, illness and death. Most often they are associated with physical pain, and there is much more serious problem- the inevitability of repeating this cycle in each subsequent life, both for the person himself and for his loved ones. People are powerless in the face of these realities and, despite newest discoveries in medicine, are still susceptible to illness and accidents due to their bodily nature. In addition to physical pain, the Truth of suffering points to its emotional and psychological forms: “grief, sorrow, sadness and despair.” They can sometimes present more painful problems than physical suffering: few people live without grief and sorrow, while there are many severe psychological conditions, such as chronic depression, from which it is impossible to completely get rid of.

Beyond these obvious examples, The Truth of Suffering mentions a more subtle type of suffering that can be defined as “existential.” This follows from the statement: “The unattainability of what we want is suffering,” that is, failure, disappointment, collapse of illusions, experienced when hopes are not realized and reality does not correspond to our desires. The Buddha was not a pessimist and, of course, knew from his own experience when he was a young prince that there can be pleasant moments in life. The problem, however, is that good times do not last forever, sooner or later they go away or a person gets bored with what seemed new and promising. In this sense, the word dukkha has a more abstract and deeper meaning: it indicates that even a life devoid of hardships may not bring satisfaction and self-realization. In this and many other contexts, the word "dissatisfaction" more accurately expresses the meaning of "duhkha" than "suffering."

The truth of suffering makes it possible to reveal what it is main reason why human life does not bring complete satisfaction. The statement that "five skandha personality is suffering,” refers to the teaching expounded by the Buddha in the second sermon (Vin.i.13). Let's list them: body ( rupa), sensation (vedana), images of perception (samjna), desires and attractions (sanskara), consciousness ( vijnana). There is no need to consider each in detail, since it is important to us not so much what is included in this list as what is not included. In particular, the doctrine makes no mention of the soul or "I", understood as an eternal and unchanging spiritual entity. This position of the Buddha departs from the orthodox Indian religious tradition of Brahmanism, which asserted that every person has an eternal soul ( Atman), which is either part of the metaphysical absolute - Brahmana(impersonal deity), or identical to him.

Buddha said that he found no evidence of the existence of any human soul (Atman), nor its space counterpart ( Brahman). On the contrary, his approach - practical and empirical - is closer to psychology than to theology. His explanation of human nature, formed from five states, is in many ways similar to the explanation of the design of a car, consisting of wheels, gearbox, engine, steering, body. Of course, unlike scientists, he believed that a person’s moral essence (which can be called “spiritual DNA”) survives death and is reincarnated. By arguing that the five states of personality are suffering, the Buddha pointed out that human nature cannot become the basis of permanent happiness. Since a human being is composed of five constantly changing “attributes,” suffering will inevitably arise sooner or later, just as a car will eventually wear out and break down. Suffering is thus woven into the very fabric of our being.

The content of the Truth of Suffering is partly explained by the fact that the Buddha saw the first three signs - the old man, the leper and the dead - and realized that life is full of suffering and misfortune. Many, turning to Buddhism, find that its assessment of the human condition is pessimistic, but Buddhists believe that their religion is neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but realistic, that the Truth of suffering only objectively states facts. If she seems pessimistic, it is due to the long-standing human tendency to avoid unpleasant truths and “look for the bright side of everything.” This is why the Buddha noted that the Truth of suffering is extremely difficult to understand. This is similar to a person’s awareness of the fact that he is seriously ill, which no one wants to admit, and that it is impossible to recover.

If life is suffering, then how does it arise? Second Noble Truth - The Truth of Origination ( samudaya)- explains that suffering arises from craving or "lust for life" (tanha). Passion ignites suffering like fire ignites firewood. In his sermon (C.iv.19), the Buddha said that all human experience is “blazing” with desires. Fire is an apt metaphor for desire because it consumes what feeds it without being satisfied. It spreads quickly, moves to new objects and causes pain, like unfulfilled desires.

2. The truth of emergence (samudaya).

This, monks, is the Truth of the origin of suffering. It is the thirst for life, attachment to illusory earthly values (tanha), which leads to rebirth, associated with violent delight in form. 1) sensual pleasures, 2) the thirst for “prosperity”, existence, 3) the thirst for “destruction”, non-existence.

It is the desire to live, to enjoy life that causes rebirth. If we continue to compare the five “attributes” of a person with a car, then desire is the fuel that sets it in motion. Although rebirth is generally believed to occur from life to life, it also occurs from moment to moment: a person is said to be reborn in seconds if these five elements change and interact, driven by the desire for pleasant experiences. The continuity of human existence from one life to another is simply the result of the accumulated power of desire.

The truth of emergence states that craving manifests itself in three basic forms, the first of which is craving for sensual pleasures. It takes the form of a desire for pleasure through objects of perception, for example, pleasant tastes, sensations, smells, sounds. The second is the thirst for “prosperity.” It concerns the deep, instinctive desire for existence that pushes us towards new lives and new experiences. The third type of manifestation of passionate desire is the desire not for possession, but for “destruction.” This is the other side of the thirst for life, embodied in the instinct of denial, the rejection of what is unpleasant and undesirable. The thirst for destruction can also lead to self-sacrifice and self-denial.

Low self-esteem and thoughts like “I can’t do anything” or “I’m a failure” are manifestations of such a self-directed attitude. In extreme forms, it can lead to physical self-destruction, such as suicide. Physical self-torture, which the Buddha eventually abandoned, can also be seen as a manifestation of self-denial.

So does this mean that any desire is evil? We must approach such conclusions very carefully. Although the word tanha often translated as "desire", it has a narrower meaning - a desire in some sense perverted by excess or evil purpose. It is usually aimed at sensual stimulation and pleasure. However, not all desires are like this, and Buddhist sources often talk about positive desires ( chanda). Striving for a positive goal for yourself and for others (for example, achieving nirvana), wishing happiness for others, wanting the world that remains after you to become better - these are examples of positive and beneficial desires that are not defined by the concept of “tanha”.

If bad desires restrain and fetter a person, then good ones give him strength and freedom. To see the difference, take smoking as an example. The desire of a heavy smoker to light another cigarette is tanha, since it is aimed at nothing more than momentary pleasure, obsessive, limited, cyclical, and will not lead to anything other than another cigarette (and as a side effect - to poor health). On the other hand, the desire of a heavy smoker to quit smoking will be beneficial because it will break vicious circle obsessive bad habit, will promote health and well-being.

In the Truth of Origin tanha represents the “three roots of evil” mentioned above - passion, hatred and delusion. In Buddhist art they are depicted as a rooster, a pig and a snake rushing in a circle in the center of the “wheel of life”, which we talked about in the third chapter, while they form a circle - the tail of one is held in the mouth of the other. Since the thirst for life gives rise to only the next desire, rebirths form a closed cycle, people are born again and again. How this happens is explained in detail by the theory of causality, which is called pathikka-samuppada(Sanskrit - pratitya-samutpada - interdependent origination). This theory explains how desire and ignorance lead to a chain of rebirths consisting of 12 stages. But for us now it is more important not to consider these stages in detail, but to understand the main principle underlying them, which applies not only to human psychology, but also to reality in general.

3. The truth of cessation (nirodha).

This, O monks, is the Truth of the cessation of suffering. This is the renunciation of the thirst for life (tanha), leaving it, renouncing it, liberation from it, getting rid of attachment to it.

In the most general outline The essence of this theory is that every effect has a cause, in other words, everything arises in interdependence. According to this, all phenomena are part of a cause-and-effect series, nothing exists independently, in itself and by itself. Therefore, the Universe is not a collection of static objects, but something located in constant movement interweaving of causes and effects. Moreover, just as a person’s personality can be completely decomposed into five “attributes,” all phenomena can be reduced to their constituent components without finding any “essence” in them. Everything that arises has three signs of existence, namely: lack of understanding of the frailty of earthly life ( dukkha), variability ( anigga) and lack of self-existence ( anatta). “Actions and things” do not give satisfaction because they are impermanent (and therefore unstable and unreliable), because they do not have their own nature, independent of universal cause-and-effect processes.

It is obvious that the Buddhist Universe is characterized primarily by cyclical changes: on the psychological level - the endless process of desire and its satisfaction; on the personal level - a chain of deaths and rebirths; in cosmic terms - the creation and destruction of Galaxies. At the heart of all this are the principles of the theory pathikka-samuppada, the provisions of which were later thoroughly developed by Buddhism.

Third Noble Truth - The Truth of Cessation (nirodha). It says that when you get rid of the thirst for life, suffering stops and nirvana comes. As we know from the life story of the Buddha, nirvana has two forms: the first occurs during life (“nirvana with remainder”), and the second after death (“nirvana without remainder”). Buddha achieved nirvana during his lifetime at the age of 35, sitting under a savory tree. When he was 80, he plunged into the final nirvana, from which there is no return through rebirth.

"Nirvana" literally means "extinguishing" or "blowing out", just as the flame of a candle goes out. But what exactly is “fading away”? Maybe this is the soul of a person, his “I”, his individuality? It cannot be the soul, since Buddhism denies its existence at all. It is not “I” or self-consciousness, although nirvana certainly involves a radical change in the state of consciousness, freed from attachment to “I” and “mine”. In fact, the flame of the triad - passion, hatred and delusion, which leads to reincarnation - is extinguished. Indeed, the simplest definition of “nirvana with a remainder” is “the end of passion, hatred and delusion” (C.38.1). This is a psychological and moral phenomenon, a transformed state of personality, which is characterized by peace, deep spiritual joy, compassion, refined and soulful perception. Negative mental states and emotions, such as doubt, anxiety, worry and fear, are absent in an enlightened mind. Some or all of these qualities are present in saints in many religions, and some of them may also be present to some extent. ordinary people. However, the Enlightened Ones, like a Buddha or an arhat, are inherent in their entirety.

What happens to a person when he dies? There is no clear answer to this question in early sources. Difficulties in understanding this arise precisely in connection with the last nirvana, when the flame of the thirst for life goes out, reincarnations cease and a person who has achieved enlightenment is not born again. The Buddha said that asking where the Enlightened One is after death is like asking where a flame goes when it is blown out. The flame, of course, does not “go” anywhere; the combustion process simply stops. Getting rid of the thirst for life and ignorance is tantamount to cutting off the oxygen needed for combustion. However, the comparison with flame should not be taken to mean that “nirvana without remainder” is annihilation. The sources clearly indicate that such an understanding is erroneous, as is the conclusion that nirvana is the eternal existence of the soul.

The Buddha was against various interpretations of nirvana, attaching the main importance to the desire to achieve it. He compared those who asked about nirvana to a man wounded by a poisoned arrow, who, instead of taking the arrow out, persistently asks questions that are meaningless in the given situation about who released it, what his name is, what kind of family he is from, how far away he stood etc. (M.i.426). In full accordance with the Buddha's reluctance to develop this topic, early sources define nirvana primarily through negation, that is, as “lack of desire,” “suppression of thirst,” “quenching,” “extinction.” Less to be found positive definitions, including such as “auspiciousness”, “good”, “purity”, “peace”, “truth”, “far shore”. Some texts indicate that nirvana is transcendental, as "unborn, unarisen, uncreated and unformed" (Udana, 80), but it is not known how this should be interpreted. As a result, the nature of “nirvana without remainder” remains a mystery to everyone who has not experienced it. However, what we can be sure of is that it means the end of suffering and rebirth.

4. Truth of the path (magga).

This, O monks, is the Truth of the path (magga), which leads to the cessation of suffering. This is the noble "eightfold path", which consists of 1) right view, 2) right thinking, 3) right speech, 4) right conduct, 5) right livelihood, 6) right effort, 7) right memory, 8) correct concentration.

The Fourth Noble Truth - The Truth of the Path (magga, Skt. - marga)- explains how the transition from samsara V nirvana. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, few people stop to think about the most fulfilling way of life. These questions worried the Greek philosophers, and the Buddha also contributed to their understanding. He believed that highest form life is a life leading to the perfection of virtue and knowledge, and the Eightfold Path defines the way of life by which this can be put into practice. It is also called the “middle path” because it passes between two extremes: a life of excess and strict asceticism. It includes eight steps, divided into three categories - morality, concentration (meditation) and wisdom. They define the parameters of the human good and indicate where the sphere of human flourishing lies. In the category "morality" (sewed) moral qualities are improved, and in the category “wisdom” (panya) intellectual qualities develop. The role of meditation will be discussed in detail in the next chapter.

Although the "path" consists of eight parts, they should not be thought of as stages that a person goes through approaching nirvana, leaving them behind. On the contrary, the eight steps represent paths of continuous improvement in “morality,” “meditation,” and “wisdom.” "Right View" means first accepting the Buddhist teachings and then empirically confirming them; “right thinking” - commitment to the formation of the right attitudes; “right speech” is speaking the truth, showing thoughtfulness and interest in conversation, and “right behavior” is abstaining from bad deeds, such as murder, theft or bad behavior(sensual pleasures). " The right way maintaining life” implies the renunciation of actions that harm others; “correct application of forces” - gaining control over your thoughts and developing positive attitudes; “correct memory” is the development of constant understanding, “correct concentration” is the achievement of a state of deepest peace of mind, which is what various techniques of concentration of consciousness and personality integration are aimed at.

1. Right View Wisdom

2. Right thinking (panya)

3. Correct speech Morality

4. Right Conduct (Sheela)

5. The right way to maintain life

6. Correct application of forces Meditation

7. Correct memory (samadhi)

8. Correct Concentration

The Eightfold Path and its three components

In this regard, the practice of the Eightfold Path is a kind of modeling process: these eight principles show how a Buddha will live, and by living like a Buddha, a person can gradually become one. The Eightfold Path is thus a path of self-transformation, an intellectual, emotional and moral restructuring, during which a person is reoriented from narrow, selfish goals to the development of opportunities for self-realization. Through the pursuit of knowledge (panya) and to moral virtue (sewed) ignorance and selfish desires are overcome, the causes of suffering are eliminated, and nirvana comes.