Four Noble Truths
After the Enlightenment the Buddha walked over one hundred miles to India’s holy city of Benares. In a deer park near the city, he preached his first sermon to the five followers who had previously renounced him. This sermon formed the basis of his teaching from then on. He spoke about The Four Noble Truths.
The Four Noble Truths which came to the Buddha at the enlightenment, revolves around the logical process of seeing life, seeing all actions, not as we wish to see them, but as they really are.
The first truth is that life always incorporates suffering or Dukkha. Dukkha has a broader meaning than suffering. It can be the feeling you experience when you encounter pain, old age, sickness, loss, or separation from loved ones, but it can also represent a general unsatisfied feeling.
The second noble truth is that suffering comes from desire, and specifically, desire for meeting our expectations and for self fulfillment as we see it. By desiring for ourselves rather than the whole, we will always have suffering.
So far, that’s the bad news. In other words "Life Sucks" and "Shit happens" but rest assured Buddhism is not a complete downer!
The third noble truth tells us that if our attachment to desire ends, so too will the suffering. Specifically, if we change our perception and reduce our attachment to desire, suffering will also reduce. This is not intended to lead to a cancellation of the zest for life, but to an understanding of the nature of life and to controlling those desires which come from that lack of understanding.
The fourth noble truth shows the way to the ending of suffering. The Buddha said that the way to cease suffering is to follow the middle way, the Noble Eightfold path. This provides the guidelines for day to day living. The eightfold path is meant as a guideline rather than a strict rule.
When the Buddha gave this first sermon to the world, he is said to have set in motion the Wheel of the Law. And the wheel as a Buddhist symbol appears over and over again in Buddhist art, symbolising the cyclic nature of existence.
The Eightfold Path
The eightfold path, although referred to as steps on a path, is not meant as a sequential learning process, but as eight aspects of life, all of which are to be integrated in every day life. Thus the environment is created to move closer to the Buddhist path. The eightfold path is at the heart of the middle way, which turns from extremes, and encourages us to seek the simple approach.
The eightfold path is
Right Understanding,
Right Intent,
Right Speech,
Right Action,
Right Livelihood,
Right Effort,
Right Mindfulness, and
Right Concentration.
In Buddhism, the eightfold path is meant as a guideline, to be considered, to be contemplated, and to be taken on when, and only when each step is fully accepted as part of the life you seek. Buddhism does not ask for blind faith. Students are encouraged to question that which they are told and not simply accept the word of others. It seeks to promote learning and a process of self-discovery. The meaning of Right has several aspects, and includes an ethical, and a balanced, or middle way.
1. Right Understanding: The first step of the eightfold path is Right Understanding or Right View. This relates to seeing the world and everything in it as it really is, not as we believe it to be or want it to be. The Buddha says "my teaching is not a dogma or a doctrine, but no doubt some people will take it as such." The Buddha goes on to say "I must state clearly that my teaching is a method to experience reality and not reality itself, just as a finger pointing at the moon is not the moon itself. A thinking person makes use of the finger to see the moon. A person who only looks at the finger and mistakes it for the moon will never see the real moon." Knowing reality is of very little value if we don’t put it to personal use in our lives.
2. Right Intent: The second step on the Eightfold Path is Right Intent. This is the step where we become committed to the path. Right Intent urges us to decide what our heart wants. Right Intent must come from the heart and involves recognising the equality of all life and compassion for all that life, beginning with yourself. Right Intent means persistence and a passion for the journey.
To summarise, Right Understanding will eliminate ignorance. With Right Intent and correct understanding, we then remove desire, which in turn causes the suffering defined in the Four Noble Truths.
3. Right Speech: Right Speech is the next step of the Path. We tend to underestimate the power of the spoken word, and often regret words said in haste. Each of us has experienced the disappointment associated with harsh criticism, whether justified or not, and we also are likely to have felt good when kind words encouraged us. Right speech involves recognition of the truth, and also an awareness of the impact of idle gossip and of repeating rumours. Communicating thoughtfully helps to unite others, and can heal dissension. By resolving never to speak unkindly, or in anger, a spirit of consideration evolves which moves us closer to everyday compassionate living.
4. Right Action: Right Action recognises the need to take the ethical approach in life, to consider others and the world we live in. This includes not taking what is not given to us, and having respect for the agreements we make both in our private and business lives. Right Action also encompasses the five precepts which were given by the Buddha, not to kill, steal, lie, to avoid sexual misconduct, and not to take drugs or other intoxicants. This step on the path also includes a whole approach to the environment, with Right Action being taken whenever possible to safeguard the world for future generations.
5. Right Livelihood: If your work has a lack of respect for life, then it will be a barrier to progress on the spiritual path. Buddhism promotes the principle of equality of all living beings and respect for all life. Certain types of work were discouraged by the Buddha, in particular those where you deal in harmful drugs and intoxicants, those dealing in weapons, and those harmful to life. In his time, he also discouraged the slave trade, which dealt in human workers. He was also against the practice of fortune telling as this made assumptions about a fixed future, where his teaching stresses that the future is created by what we do today. Right Livelihood also implies that a Buddhist who is able, will undertake some work, either as part of a Buddhist community, or in the workplace, or, alternatively, do home based or community service.
6. Right Effort: Right Effort means cultivating an enthusiasm, a positive attitude in a balanced way. Right Effort should produce an attitude of steady and cheerful productivity. Clear and honest thoughts should be welcomed, and feelings of jealousy and anger left behind. Right Effort equates to positive thinking, followed by focused action.
7. Right Mindfulness: While Right Effort is a very easy concept for most of us, Right Mindfulness is somewhat trickier to grasp, and may involve quite a change of thinking. Right Mindfulness means being aware of the moment, and being focused in that moment. Right Mindfulness is not an attempt to exclude the world, in fact, the opposite. Right Mindfulness asks us to be aware of the moment, and of our actions at that moment. By being aware, we are able to see how old patterns and habits control us. In this awareness, we may see how fears of possible futures limit our present actions.
8. Right Concentration: Right Concentration is turning the mind to focus on an object or a concept. This forms the next part of the meditation process. Right concentration implies that we select worthy directions for the concentration of the mind, although everything in nature, beautiful and ugly, may be useful for concentration. At deeper levels, no object or concept may be necessary for further development.
The benefits of Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration are significant as they teach the mind to see things, not as we are conditioned to seeing them, but as they really are. At the same time, they also lead to a feeling of calm and peace with the world. By being in the moment and being able to concentrate effectively, a sense of joy is the moment is felt. Release from the control of past pains and future mind games takes us closer to freedom from suffering.
Dependant Origination
The topic of Dependant Origination sounds complex, and it is one of the most important concepts of the Buddhist teaching. However, in essence, it is quite simple. The Buddha said that to become enlightened, you need only to understand The Four Noble Truths and Dependant Origination.
Dependant Origination is also called the law of causality and was the other main revelation which came to Buddha at his enlightenment. In this teaching, he says that nothing exists on its own, but always has come from earlier circumstances.
A piece of paper does not come into existence spontaneously. It is made from wood pulp and water. The wood comes from trees, which comes from seeds from earlier trees. If you burn paper, it becomes smoke and ash, so it has not disappeared but transformed. The essential components of that piece of paper were always there, and will always be there. In the same way, we did not spontaneously come into existence, every thing is always a consequence of something before, that is, the origin of everything is not unique, it is dependent on a particular sequence of events occuring.
Dependant origination is similar to cause and effect, and closely links to the Four Noble Truths. Desire causes suffering, one is dependent on the other. Following the path causes desire to reduce and so causes suffering to be reduced.
If you begin to see everything as dependant on everything else, then you will need to look to the larger picture where everything we think and do affects the future. As in the writing of Thich Nhat Hanh "the world is woven of interconnected threads".
In essence, the Buddha did not see a separate and benevolent creator who could act on our behalf. He saw the interdependence of all life and the cause and effect of actions which create their own future.
This is why Buddhism, at its inception, was more of a way of life than a religion. While now it is accepted as a religion by many followers who seek divine guidance from the Buddha, essentially Buddhism is more a series of teaching than a system of worship.
The Three Jewels and Five Precepts
Three Jewels:
Even though there are differences in the varieties of Buddhism, the same three cornerstones, the Three Jewels, support all schools of thought.
These are:
the Buddha,
the Dharma
which is the teaching of the Buddha, and
the Sangha,
which is the community who follow the teaching.
When a person accepts the Buddhist philosophy and wants to make it part of their life, the traditional way is to say
"I take refuge in the Buddha,
I take refuge in the Dharma,
I take refuge in the Sangha."
The Dharma is based on the Four Noble Truths and this is symbolised by the wheel. Originally, the Sangha was the monastic community and this was later to include all those following the Buddhist path.
The first jewel is the Buddha. To take refuge in the Buddha is moving to a new perspective, to a new awareness of the possibility within us all, not hiding in the shelter of a Divine being. By taking refuge in the Buddha, we align ourselves with the ability to become a Buddha ourselves, to seek the capacity to be awakened to what the Buddha experienced. This precious jewel reminds us to find our own Buddha nature.
The Dhamma is the path which follows the teaching of the Buddha, and which will ultimately lead to awakening. The Dhamma teaches us compassion for ourselves and others through an understanding of The Four Noble Truths and leads to a release from fear and ignorance. The path to enlightenment involves embracing the teaching of the Buddha and applying that understanding to everyday life.
The Sangha comprises those who come together in any size group to study, discuss, practice meditation with a desire to help and be helped by that group. The Buddha saw that the interaction with others who are on the path as being essential for practice. He saw this as being important for ordained monks as well as those of the general community. The Sangha is the third precious jewel.
In the original teaching and in current Theravada communities, the Sangha refers only to the monks, nuns and other ordained teachers. The concept of Sangha is more broadly interpreted in many Mahayana and Western groups to include all those who embrace the Dharma as a community.
Five Precepts
The Three Jewels forms the simple framework for the transmission of Buddhist philosophy. The Five Precepts are the basic ethical guidelines for the followers of the Buddhist philosophy.
The Five Precepts provide a basis for good, ethical living which will produce the right environment in which to seek out our own truths but are nt a rigid set of rules.
1. Not intentionally killing living beings. Premeditated killing of other human and senseless killing of animals for sport certainly is not desirable for Buddhists. The primary goal of this precept is to develop concern for the safety and welfare of others and to have compassion for all living things.
2. Take only what has been given. This is broader than not stealing, as it means returning borrowed items, and not taking unfair advantage even when it is still within the law. This means that you develop a sense of fair play, and generosity towards others.
3. Not misusing the senses & sexual misconduct. The strongest drive after the survival instinct is sexual drive. Such a strong drives will dominate our lives and cause much suffering unless directed wisely and skillfully. Simply, living to excess causes grief. This precept encourages us to be content with more simple lives.
4. Not to speak falsely. This menas not to lie, slander, misrepresent or to gossip maliciously; to speak truthfully and kindly and to have positive motives when we approach a discussion. However, speaking kindly does not prohibit a Buddhist from being truthful when necessary.
5. Avoid intoxicants. This includes alcohol, unnecessary drugs, and stimulants. This precept is important to develop rational thinking and will allow the development of inner clarity needed for mindfulness.
The Buddha was compassionate and pragmatic, and recommended these rather than dogmatically insisting that these five precepts were essential. As with most basic rules for living, the precepts are based on good sense. By living with them every day, the follower of any philosophy, not just Buddhism, is able to focus on the personal search for enlightened understanding.
Kamma and Intention
An early Buddhist teaching says: "What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind".
Kamma means intended action. It is not fate or predestination, but a consequence of what has gone before. In other words, you are now in circumstances because of your thoughts and decisions, and this is an on-going process. That is, new actions create new Kamma. Intention is a major part of Kamma. The Buddha saw this as an explanation of the different circumstances that all living beings find themselves in.
Kamma is closely linked with dependant origination, where it is the consequence of the law of cause and effect. In the Bible, it says that we reap what we sow, and kamma has the same definition. Obviously, we also are subject to non-karmic forces such as the ageing of our bodies. And there are circumstances, which are natural and also affect our lives.
The Buddha said that we are subject to this kammic effect where the ethical actions and thoughts we have will have a positive effect on the future and on our spiritual development. The Buddha said: "Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain."
And the Buddha also said: "Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel."
In the West, we often associate Kamma with fate and it has this idea of a future which is predetermined. In Buddhism, Kamma is the reaping of past actions, but also offers the possibility of determining our own future with our actions and thoughts today. This means that no future event is locked in, and what happens today and tomorrow will create the personal and global world of the future.
Rebirth
In the process of becoming enlightened, the Buddha is said to have recognised all his previous lives. At the same time, he also said that nothing from one life goes on to the next.
Buddhists understand life as samsara, meaning perpetual wandering, and describe the transition like a billiard ball hitting another billiard ball. While nothing physical transfers, the speed and direction of the second ball relate directly to the first. So the term most often used is rebirth, rather than reincarnation. Reincarnation implies the transfer of an essence, or a soul, while rebirth follows the law of causality, or dependant origination, where this arises because of circumstances which happened before.
A primary aim of Buddhism is to break free of the wheel of samsara, and to reach a new level called Nirvana.
Nibbana
Nibbana is the most misunderstood term in Buddhism. The Buddha described Nibbana as the ultimate goal, and he reached that state during his enlightenment. At this point, he chose to teach others so that they might also experience this realisation, and so when he died, forty-five years later, he then passed through pari nirvana, meaning completed nirvana.
Nibbana literally means extinguishing or unbinding; it does not mean Heaven. The implication is that it is freedom from what ever binds you, from the burning passion of desire, jealousy, and ignorance. Once these are totally overcome, a state of bliss is achieved, and there is no longer the need the cycle of birth and death. All kammic debts are settled.
The Buddha refused to be drawn on what occurred then, but implied that it was beyond word and without boundaries. Certainly, he saw it in a much different state than our current existence, and not a simple parallel to the process of individual rebirth.
