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THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 四圣谛 (CATTARI ARIYA SACCANI)

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The Four Noble Truths - Cattari Ariya Saccani (Samyutta Nikaya 56:11 - Dhammacakkapavatthana Sutta)

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1ST NOBLE TRUTH - WHAT IS DUKKHA (DUKKHA ARIYA-SACCA)

 

  • Birth

  • Aging

  • Death

  • Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair

  • Association with what is unloved

  • Separation from what is loved

  • Not getting what is wanted

 

In short, the craving, clinging and attachment to the 5 Khanda (Aggregates) lead to Dukkha.

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It is important to know what is the definition of Dukkha, as most people have the distorted mentality, not knowing that the worldly pleasures are in fact traps for future suffering.

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The Five Aggregates

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The Five Aggregates (Samyutta Nikaya 22:48 - Khandha Sutta)

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Attached (Sammyutta Nikaya 22:53 - Upaya Sutta)


The Six Properties (Majjhima Nikaya 140 - Dhatu-Vibhanga Sutta)

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The Six Sense Media (Majjhima Nikaya 137 - Salayatana-Vibhanga Sutta)

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The Great Discourse On The Six Sense-Media (Majjhima Nikaya 149 - Maha-Salayatanika Sutta)


The Six Sextets (Majjhima Nikaya 148 - Chachakka Sutta)

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The Fire Sermon (Samyutta Nikaya 35:28 - Adittapariyaya Sutta)

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2ND NOBLE TRUTH - THE ORIGINATION OF DUKKHA (DUKKHA-SAMUDAYA ARIYA-SACCA)

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The Law Of Dependent Origination (Samyutta Nikaya 12:2 - Paticca Samuppada Vibhanga Sutta)


The Great Discourse On Causes (Digha Nikaya 15 - Maha-Nidana Sutta)

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Prerequisites (Samyutta Nikaya 12:23 Upanisa Sutta)

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3RD NOBLE TRUTH - THE CESSATION OF DUKKHA (DUKKHA-NIRODHA ARIYA-SACCA)

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Thirty-Seven Requisites For Awakening (Samyutta Nikaya 22:101 - Nava Sutta)

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The Four Noble Truths - Cattari Ariya Saccani (Samyutta Nikaya 56:11 - Dhammacakkapavatthana Sutta)

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The Four Great Efforts : Padhana (Samyutta Nikaya 45:8 - Magga-Vibhanga Sutta)


The Four Bases Of Power : Iddhipada (Samyutta Nikaya 51:20 - Iddhipada Vibhanga Sutta)


The Five Mental Faculties : Indriya (Samyutta Nikaya 48:10 - Indriya Vibhanga Sutta)


The Five Strengths : Bala (Samyutta Nikaya 50:1)


The Seven Factors For Awakening : Bojjhanga (Samyutta Nikaya 46:1 - Himavanta Sutta)

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The Noble Eightfold Path : Ariya Atthangika Magga (Samyutta Nikaya 45:8 - Magga Vibhanga Sutta)

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4TH NOBLE TRUTH - THE PATH TO THE CESSATION OF DUKKHA (DUKKHA-NIRODHA-GAMINI-PATIPADA ARIYA-SACCA)

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The Noble Eightfold Path : Ariya Atthangika Magga (Samyutta Nikaya 45:8 - Magga Vibhanga Sutta)

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​Magga-vibhaṅga Sutta (In Pali & English)

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THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH ARIYA ATTHANGIKA MAGGA 八正道

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1) Samma-Ditthi 正見解 (Right Understanding, commonly translated as Right View)

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Understanding:

  • Dukkha

  • The origination of Dukkha

  • The cessation of Dukkha

  • The path leading to the cessation of Dukkha

  • Understanding the Paticca-Samuppada

  • Understanding unwholesome mental states: Ill-will, aversion, greed, lust

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Most people do not realize the importance of Samma-Ditthi.

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The Buddha emphasized that Samma-Ditthi is the forerunner of the Buddhist practice. Without Samma-Ditthi, anything else that we do will not lead us to Nibbana.

Just as the other spiritual practitioners during the Buddha's time, despite their spiritual attainments, could not attain Nibbana as they lacked Samma-Ditthi.

One of the definitions of Samma-Ditthi as mentioned by the Buddha:

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"Understanding dukkha, how dukkha arises & ceases, and the practice of ceasing dukkha"

 

In other words, understanding Paticca-Samuppada is the core of Samma-Ditthi.

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Right Understanding Is Of Utmost Importance (Majjhima Nikaya 9 - Samma-Ditthi Sutta)

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The Great Forty (Majjhima Nikaya 117 - Maha-Cattarisika Sutta)

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2) Samma-Sankappa 正思惟 (Right Intention, commonly translated as Right Thought)

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  • Nekkhamma : Renunciation of worldly pleasures, and altruism. This is opposed to unwholesome desires & attachment.

  • Metta : Loving-kindness, good-will towards all sentient beings; as opposed to ill-will, aversion & hatred.

  • Avihimsa : Non-aggression, as opposed to cruelty and aggressive behavious..

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3) Samma-Vacca 正語言 (Right Speech)

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Abstaining from:

  • Untrue speech (Lies and information being told as if it is the truth)

  • Divisive speech (Speech with the intention to create quarrels and disharmony)

  • Harsh speech (Insults, personal attacks etc)

  • Idle speech (Gossips)

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4) Samma-Kammanta 正行為 (Right Action)

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Abstaining from:

  • Killing

  • Stealing

  • Sexual misconduct

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5) Samma-Ajiva 正生活 (Right Livelihood)

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Avoid jobs related to:

  • Weapons production

  • Human slavery

  • Breeding of animals for slaughter / slaughtering animals per se

  • Intoxicants such as drugs and alcohol

  • Poisons

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6) Samma-Vayama 正精進 (Right Effort)

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  • Prevent unwholesome qualities yet to arise

  • Reduce and eliminate unwholesome qualities that has arisen

  • Promote wholesome qualities yet to arise

  • Maintain wholesome qualities that has arisen

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7) Samma-Sati 正意念 (Right Reference, commonly translated as Right Mindfulness)

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The 4 Satipatthana (4 Frames Of References)

  • Body

  • Feeling

  • Mind

  • Dhamma

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8) Samma-Samadhi 正禪定 (Right Absorption, commonly translated as Right Concentration)

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  • The 1st Jhana

  • The 2nd Jhana

  • The 3rd Jhana

  • The 4th Jhana

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ANICCA (IMPERMANENCE)

 

Anicca is not simply knowing that nothing lasts forever. It is understanding the existence of all conditioned fabrications are dues to the coming together of various conditions leading to its existence. And not just applying to physical manifestation, it also applies to thoughts, emotions and mental concepts.

And to do so is through understanding the Paticca-Samuppada.

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Impermanence (Samyutta Nikaya 36:9 Anicca Sutta)

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The Lion Discourse on Impermanence (Samyutta Nikaya 22:78 - Anicca Siha Sutta)

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ANATTA (NOT-SELF)

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One must be clear that the Buddha never taught the concept of "no-self" or "no-soul".

Modern Buddhism has been teaching something that the Buddha himself did not teach.

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In the Sutta, when the Buddha is explaining Anatta, it is always as follow:

  1. Nama-rupa is not Atta,

  2. Vedana is not Atta,

  3. Sanna is not Atta,

  4. Sankhara is not Atta,

  5. Vinnana is not Atta.

In short, the 5 Khanda are not Atta.

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The Buddha is telling us that none of the 5 Khanda is Atta, but he did not say that there is no Atta.

If there was no "Atta", the Buddha would have simply said "There is no Atta".

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In fact, Anatta is correctly translated as "not-self" and not "no-self".

The Pali word for "no-self" is Natthatta, and not Anatta.

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Moreover, the Buddha also taught:

Attadipa = Atta/Atman (Self) is our light:
Attasarana = Atta/Atman (Self) is our refuge.

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The Discourse On Anatta (Samyutta Nikaya 22:59 - Anatta-Lakkhana Sutta)

​Anatta-lakkhaṇa Sutta (In Pali & English)

Discourse to Yamaka (Samyutta Nikaya 22:85 - Yamaka Sutta)

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SUNNATA (EMPTINESS)

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Do note that Sunnata, often translated as "emptiness", does not mean "nothingness" or "void".

Sunnata means that conditioned fabrications are without an unchanging core, simply the coming together of various conditions leading to its existance.

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The Discourse On Sunna (Samyutta Nikaya 35:85 - Sunna Sutta)


The Short Discourse On Sunnata (Majjhima Nikaya 121 - Cula-Sunnata Sutta)


The Great Discourse On Sunnata (Majjhima Nikaya 122 - Maha-Sunnata Sutta)

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SILA (VIRTUE)

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The Buddhist Precepts are not commandments. They are more like guidelines for you to follow in life.

You create your own kamma, and thus reap what you sow. It is like the Law of Cause & Effect.

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If you are ordained as a bhikkhu/bhikkuni, it is important not to break any of the major rules in order to continue as a bhikkhu/bhikkuni.

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The Three Refuge & The Five Gifts (Anguttara Nikaya 8:39 - Abhisanda Sutta)


The Five Precepts ( For Lay Followers ) : Panca-Sila


The Eight Precepts : Ajiva-Atthamaka-Sila / Atthanga Uposatha Sila


The Ten Precepts : Dasa-Sila

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Uposatha : The Special Observance Days

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Pindapata (Alms-Rounds)
 

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