Right View – Four Truths

Excerpts for Four Truths

“And what is the noble eightfold path?
“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo?

It is right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
Seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

And what is right view?
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi?

Knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.
Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ—
This is called right view.
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi.

SN 45.8 Analysis, Bhikkhu Sujato translation

First Noble Truth – suffering exists
>“Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.”
>Bhikkhu Bodhi translation, SN 56.11 Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma

云何苦聖諦？所謂生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、愛別離苦、怨憎會苦、求不得苦乃至五取蘊苦。
(T24n1450_p0128b04-T24n1450_p0128b07. )
Chinese Tripitaka T24

Second Noble Truth – craving/wanting causes suffering

Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination.
Bhikkhu Bodhi translation, SN 56.11 Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma

云何名集聖諦？所謂愛欲更受後有，愛、喜、貪、俱行愛，彼彼欣樂染愛，為捨離故，應修習八正道。
T24n1450_p0128b07-T24n1450_p0128b09
Chinese Tripitaka T24

Third Noble Truth – when craving/wanting ends, suffering ends

Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it.
Bhikkhu Bodhi translation, SN 56.11 Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma

云何滅聖諦？所謂愛欲更受後有，喜愛相應攀緣染著，為滅壞、休息、永沒、離欲、見證故，修習八正道。
Chinese Tripitaka T24

Fourth Noble Truth – the Path leading to the end of suffering

Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is this Noble Eightfold Path;that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration (samadhi).
(Note: samadhi has been translated as ‘concentration’. Other alternatives that are more aligned with the modern understanding of the term samadhi are: collectedness of mind, stillness [which is aligned with the Chinese translation], calmness).
Bhikkhu Bodhi translation, SN 56.11 Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma

云何道聖諦？所謂八聖道，應當修習。 如此應知修習八聖道：所謂正見、正思惟、正語、正業、正命、正精進、正念、正定。
Chinese Tripitaka T24

Discussion

If you remember from the Introduction, the Four Truths and Eightfold Path are mutually recursive. The first factor of the Eightfold Path is Right View. In turn, a central aspect of Right View is the Four Truths.

The Four Truths are frequently phrased in this order:

  1. Knowledge of suffering
  2. The origin of suffering lies with wanting or craving
  3. The cessation (or ending) of suffering
  4. The way leading to the ending of suffering, which is the Eightfold Path.

The Four Truths is actually a very powerful diagnostic framework:

  1. The problem
  2. The cause of the problem
  3. What happens when the problem disappears
  4. The way to remove the problem
    The Four Truths as a diagnostic framework is very powerful in troubleshooting your suffering: if you’re suffering, that must mean you are wanting or craving something! And if you remove or let go of that wanting or craving, then your suffering will disappear.

This might give an impression that Buddhism is all about suffering. But Truth number 3 is talking about ending ALL suffering… and if you don’t suffer, what is the opposite of suffering? Happiness (or contentment, or peace)!

Hence, my teacher Ajahn Brahm has suggested this re-ordering of the Four Truths

  1. There is happiness (i.e. ending of suffering)
  2. There is the way leading to happiness (i.e. Eightfold Path)
  3. There is the absence of happiness (i.e. suffering)
  4. There is the cause of the absence of happiness (i.e. origin of suffering)
    This is, imo, also a valid way of looking at the Four Truths.

One thing to note is the definition of suffering. The definition of suffering includes important life milestones (birth, ageing, illness, death), but also two important mental aspects

  • “union with what is displeasing is suffering;” – i.e. being forced to be with something or someone unpleasant or dislikeable
  • “separation from what is pleasing is suffering;” – i.e. being forced apart from something or someone pleasant or beloved
  • “not to get what one wants is suffering;” – this should be self-evident!

This suffering is caused because we want or crave: that’s the Second Noble Truth. The Pali word for wanting/craving is tanha, which literally translates as thirst. And if you’re in the flood of desire, the craving or wanting does fill one up with the same urgency, like a parched throat driving one towards drinking water.

The third Noble Truth points to the fact that, when we don’t have this thirst, this wanting or craving, suffering ends. This can be quite simply demonstrated to you with a simple mental exercise, which is listed below: I encourage you to try this out for yourself.

What is slightly missing from the English translation are the four ways of letting go of craving/wanting/thirst, explained in this Third Noble Truth.

  • caga – generosity
  • patinissiga – giving things up
  • vimutti – to be free of things
  • analayo – to not let things stick (to one’s mind)

The last Noble Truth, that the Eightfold Path leads to the ending of suffering, is something which needs time and patience in order for one to experience and see for oneself.

Suggested Reflection Questions & Exercises

  1. Third Noble Truth exercise: Take a moment to recall the happiest moments of your life.Bring yourself back to those moments. Now, ask yourself: in those moments, did you want to be anywhere else? Did you want anything else? What did you want, if at all?
  2. What things are you attached to? Take one of the things you are attached to, and try giving it to someone else (sincerely!) as a gift. Notice how do you feel before and after giving the gift.
  3. What suffering do you have right now?
    What wanting or craving is causing your suffering?

Orbit Prompts for Review