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How often do you spend your time thinking that life is unfair or that sometimes you can’t breathe?
Many of us often worry about unresolved problems and our inability to achieve positive results.
At such moments, we seek reassurance in different things.
We try to find the answer through books, films and music.
We puzzle over how to become better.
Buddhists believe that there is always a reason why a person suffers, that suffering has a beginning and an end.
Here are 3 Buddhist truths that will bring you peace and help you feel freer.
Truth no. 1: Dukkha ("Suffering", "sadness" or "disappointment")
Buddhist doctrine says that life is suffering.
However, many of us perceive this statement as something negative. What this doctrine actually means is that there are always difficulties in life, and that is normal.
The Buddhist Explanation of Why People Constantly Experience Difficulty and Suffering
, lies in the fact that we refuse to understand the spiritual aspect of an event or situation.
We often experience repetition of the same events
, which are associated with feelings of loss, sadness, fatigue, boredom and anxiety. The desire to overcome these feelings leads some of us to take medications or engage in unhealthy habits.
We do our best to suppress our suffering and sadness
, not realizing that they are also part of our development. The first thing to do in order to get rid of suffering is to accept it, accept Dukkha.
What is suffering
Suffering, from the point of view of Buddhist philosophy, permeates our entire lives. In Sanskrit it is referred to as dukkha. It means desires, addictions in our life that lead to unpleasant sensations and become painful.
There are four noble truths associated with the concept of suffering. They are spoken of in one of the first sermons of Shakyamuni Buddha, which was recorded in the Dhamma-chaka-pavattana-sutta in Pali, better known to us now as the “Running the Wheel of Dharma Sutra.”
These truths say that in the world:
- there is suffering;
- the cause of suffering is also present;
- the end of suffering is possible;
- there is a path that leads to this.
The first noble truth speaks about suffering - the truth about dukkha. On the path to the main goal - enlightenment - a person invariably encounters anxiety, dissatisfaction, and disorders, which in the language of Buddhist philosophy can be called in one word - “suffering”.
Creatures in all worlds suffer: both gods and spirits in hell. The degree of their suffering differs: life in the heavenly worlds and the human world is happier, but in hell it is completely filled with pain. They suffer because this is the nature of life.
At the same time, happiness is not the opposite of suffering. On the contrary, happiness also ultimately leads to suffering, because it, like everything in this life, tends to end.
The teaching describes 4 main sufferings:
- birth;
- aging;
- disease;
- death.
It turns out that we are born into this world and already suffer. Moreover, the last three sufferings are combined into the most severe type of suffering. Next in strength come inconstancy and conditionality, along with the rules and norms of life that follow from it, which do not depend on us.
“What is the noble truth about suffering? And birth is suffering, and old age is suffering, and death is suffering, and sadness, lamentation, pain, despondency, despair - suffering. Connection with the unloved is suffering, separation from the beloved is suffering, and not getting what you want is suffering” (Sutra of Launching the Wheel of Dharma).
However, according to Buddhist philosophy, you cannot simply run away from suffering or stop thinking about it. It is important to come to an understanding of its nature.
Truth no. 2: Anitya (“Everything in our world is in constant motion and nothing is constant”)
The only constant in life is change. Life is always moving forward.
Buddhist teachings suggest
that we can never return to that day that has already passed. They also believe that the future is an illusion and is only a reflection of what we are doing in the present moment.
From a biological perspective, we change a little every day.
Our nails and hair grow, skin cells die to give way to newer cells. Our body undergoes many changes every day. Our consciousness changes in the same way, whether we notice it or not.
It is difficult for us to understand that nothing in this life lasts forever.
The moment we accept that everything is changeable, disappointment gradually disappears. For example, if you accept the fact that the situation you are in now can change at any moment, this will ultimately help you achieve your goals.
You may not see the changes happening,
but they still keep happening.
So what will happen if you take Anitya? Will you be close to being free from suffering?
When we are happy
, we just don't want the happiness to end. But our ever-changing lives constantly hint that everything will come to an end sooner or later, and this thought can cause some anxiety.
But what if you change your point of view?
What if you focused your maximum attention on the present, precisely because this present will soon end? If you can understand the power of changing your thoughts, and especially realize that life is constantly changing, it will free you. All you need is to be aware of your current circumstances.
How can we achieve the desired state of consciousness?
- Enjoy the little things in life. Learn to accept daily changes.
- Don't be afraid of the thought that what you have now will one day disappear. Instead, embrace the endless opportunities that life presents to you every day.
- Understand that all negative circumstances will also end because life is in constant motion.
- Being aware of the present moment is the best thing you can do.
Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
We strive to repeat and strengthen pleasant sensations, despite the fact that this is not always achievable, and to get rid of unpleasant ones, which is also sometimes very problematic. Thus, there arises attachment to what we call “good” and aversion to what we call “bad.”
Attachment (craving)
refers to one of the three poisons that chain a person
to a continuous series of births and deaths:
the Wheel of Rebirth.
These poisons are: passionate desire, ignorance and hatred.
They poison our consciousness, so we are unable to see the truth. The problem with man is that he is so absorbed in satisfying his everyday illusory desires, so mired in his worthless everyday affairs, which he mistakenly considers something incredibly important, that he wastes his time in a precious incarnation.
The only desire that does not bring suffering, does not cause a response that binds us to this world, goes beyond the boundaries of the material world - this is the desire for complete liberation.
Another cause of suffering is karmic reactions,
that is, the result of our past actions. It is believed that for every action we take, we sooner or later receive a response: either in this life, or after acquiring a body in a future life. Finding a new body is called reincarnation.
The Buddhist theory of reincarnation differs from the same theory in Hinduism.
From the point of view of Hinduism, there is a series of “births” and “deaths”, that is, a being/soul comes into this world, stays in it for some time, and then leaves. According to Buddhist teachings (Theravada or Hinayana directions), reincarnation can be explained using the following example: the glass of a kaleidoscope is always the same - they do not come from anywhere and do not disappear anywhere, but with each rotation of the kaleidoscope a new image appears. These pieces of glass are the sets of elements from which the individual is formed. They crumble and fold again with every turn of the kaleidoscope of the samsaric world.
To summarize the above, we can say that the result of our unseemly actions and passionate desires will be degradation, resulting in incarnation into a being with a lower level of development.
Is it possible to gain control over desires and attachments?
Yes, you can extinguish the fire of desires by eradicating attachments and achieving a state of liberation (nirvana, samadhi, non-duality). It is impossible to describe the state of nirvana because, firstly, it is something completely opposite to dukkha (suffering), but it is not a generally accepted paradise for any particular soul. And, secondly, nirvana entails the cessation of everything known in the world of samsara. That is, it is not even the opposite of samsara (as the opposition between good and evil), but something completely different.
In this regard, some people may consider nirvana something negative, because it denies everything that is so dear to the hearts of most of the inhabitants of this world. But the Teachings of the Buddha assert that a person who has achieved nirvana, during his lifetime, gets rid of illusions and misconceptions and the suffering associated with it. He learns the truth and is freed from everything that oppressed him before: from worries and restlessness, from complexes and obsessions, from selfish desires, hatred, complacency and pride, from an oppressive sense of duty. He frees himself from the desire to receive something, he does not accumulate anything - neither physical nor spiritual - because he understands that everything that samsara can offer us is deception and illusion; does not strive for so-called self-realization associated with the absence of one’s own “I”. He does not regret the past, does not hope for the future, living one day at a time. He does not think about himself, he is filled with universal love, compassion, kindness and tolerance.
One who has not eradicated selfish aspirations in himself is not able to achieve the mentioned state.
Accordingly, the one who has achieved it is an independent and free being. But that's not all - he is able to see the needs of other people, is able to share other people's pain, help others live, and not worry solely about his own well-being.
Thus, we have examined three truths out of four.
Namely:
- The first Truth is
dukkha: “Life is suffering.” - The Second Truth is
Samudaya: “The Source of Suffering.” - The Third Truth
is nirodha: “The cessation of suffering.”
The Fourth Noble Truth shows the path to ending the suffering and hardships of this life and is presented as the Eightfold Path (Arya Ashtanga Marga).
- The fourth Truth
is marga: “The path leading to the cessation of suffering.”
Truth no. 3: Ana, “impersonality”, “you change daily”)
Buddhists believe in impersonality, that is, there is no “I.”
It is important to understand that everything changes every day. So how can we achieve Anatma? How do we find peace in accepting what is?
Many of us fail to grasp the greatest truth
, which can help achieve inner peace - all our suffering is temporary. Buddhists believe that the desire for pleasure, material wealth and immortality are the root of suffering.
Suffering is inevitable, but it happens to teach us a lesson.
which we must internalize in order to achieve enlightenment. Suffering can end if we accept the fact that we change every day, just like our lives.
What is its reason
This question is answered by the second noble truth - “dukkha samudaya”. It reveals the origin, the emergence of suffering.
And here we learn that the cause of all suffering is attachment. And attachment, in turn, consists of constant thirst, aspirations, attractions - “tanha”.
They can be expressed both in the most ordinary desires (physical and material), for example, to eat deliciously, sleep well, buy a house or a new car, and in more sublime ones - the will to life itself, in the pursuit of happiness. After all, if a person wants something very much, it means that he really lacks it, which often causes feelings such as sadness, envy, fear or anger.
At the same time, desires also include their complete opposite - hatred. Attraction to what seems beautiful and aversion to what is unpleasant - this, to one degree or another, characterizes the life of people, animals, birds, insects, fish and all living creatures.
Moreover, human nature is such that he is insatiable in his desires. Having achieved the fulfillment of one thing, people already begin to dream of another. In such a stream of constantly growing desires, they cannot become fully satisfied, which leads to disappointment, and therefore suffering.
Desires force you to do things, to materialize thoughts, good or bad. This leads to the emergence of karma, which links cause and effect. Karma does not allow one to escape from the wheel of samsara - an endless series of rebirths.
Negative karma is a consequence of bad thoughts, aversion and even attachments. And their source, in turn, lies in ignorance - “avidya”, delusion, misunderstanding of the true nature of the universe.
Dalai Lama XIV, leader of Tibetan Buddhists
The current Dalai Lama XIV Tenzin Gyatso once wrote an essay “Buddhism of Tibet”. There he named two reasons for suffering:
- deluded actions;
- filth.
Darkened actions are bad deeds that were committed under the influence of dark thoughts, evil intentions, and clouded consciousness.
Defilements are negative feelings that darken consciousness. The most important defilements are anger and desires. These also include selfishness, pride, false views, arrogance.
How to stop it
The Third Noble Truth tells us that it is possible to end suffering. First of all, you need to renounce desires, cleanse yourself of polluted consciousness - attachments, defilements, aversion.
But a theoretical understanding of truth is not enough. It is necessary to constantly practice meditation, calm the mind in order to be completely cleansed. The Fourth Truth will tell us how to achieve this.
It is worth correctly understanding the difference between renouncing desires and renouncing needs. After all, even Teacher Buddha experienced needs: to eat, sleep, and go towards the truth. On the Buddha's path it is important to follow the "Middle Way". Needs are dictated by necessity - this is what life is impossible without. However, most of what we want is not necessary.
Adhering to the “Middle Way” means avoiding extremes from complete asceticism and self-denial to satiety with pleasures and material wealth. In your life you need to find a balance between the material and spiritual world.
This path is also called the Eightfold Path. It suggests eight components that must be correct from a Buddhist point of view and become the basis of a person’s life path:
- understanding - views that are built on the four noble truths;
- thought, determination - the intention to follow the right path, to go towards liberation;
- speech - words filled with kindness, sincerity, truth and rejecting lies, intolerance, abuse;
- action - behavior that denies causing harm, lying, theft, adultery, alcohol;
- lifestyle - only honest sources of income, peaceful ways of earning money;
- effort – constant improvement, self-education;
- attention – renunciation of passions, calming the mind;
- concentration - constant practice, meditation, contemplation.
When a person succeeds in the eightfold path, he can get rid of suffering, subsequent rebirths, and therefore achieve complete liberation, or nirvana.
By the way, the word “nirvana” is translated from Sanskrit as “gradual extinction of fire.”
The main goal of Buddhism is freedom from suffering
In these religions, a person’s thoughts and aspirations should be directed exclusively from the believer to God, through prayers and life, which is built in accordance with church laws. Buddhism, on the other hand, views life in a different way and preaches spiritual quests that are directed inside one’s consciousness in order to find the truth and achieve harmony with the spiritual principle.
The Four Basic Noble Truths of Buddhism
Drachma (Buddhist teachings) are based on the following core truths:
- Dukkha (suffering).
- Samudaya (cause of suffering).
- Nirodha (cessation of suffering).
- Magga (the path to the cessation of suffering).
Essentially, these are the four stages on the path to achieving nirvana
Dukkha - the first truth
From the point of view of Buddhism, “suffering” does not have the meaning that is given to this concept in Christianity. For Christians, the concept of “suffering” is associated with grief, disaster, loss, illness. The philosophy of suffering in Buddhism is much broader and affects all areas of life, and is not limited to just physical manifestations.
Dukkha is suffering, but not so much physical as spiritual, generated by the imperfection of existence. In human society there is always an imbalance between what is desired and what is real. In other words, in life there is always a lack of something that leads to suffering. For example, if you have material wealth, then you lose your relatives, if your loved ones are alive, but someone is sick, etc. In Buddhism, the idea of suffering is dissatisfaction with the present, with what you have, the unreality of achieving an ideal. In this sense, suffering fills life and man cannot change the laws of nature. He can only find harmony with himself. Then follows the second stage - awareness of the causes of one’s own life difficulties.
Samudaya
The reason for suffering is that a person cannot get what he wants. We want wealth, but when we acquire it, we realize that this is not enough and we want something else. Getting what you want does not replace suffering, but only aggravates it. The more we desire, the more disappointment we experience when we achieve what we want. A person's desires also change over time. What there was a desire for and a desire to achieve at any cost, in fact, turned out to be unnecessary in the subsequent stages of life. As a result, we become disappointed, which is essentially a type of suffering. Therefore, we ourselves are the main cause of suffering, that is, what is inside us (our thirst, passion, thoughts, etc.).
Nirodha
"Nirodha" is translated as "control". It is possible to free yourself from torment and correct your condition only by stopping suffering. To do this, you need to eliminate the cause that affects the occurrence of these feelings. These are our wishes, dreams, hobbies, passions. Property also brings a feeling of dissatisfaction, because we have a fear of losing what we have, a desire to increase what we have today and make sure that the property is maintained in good condition.
Dreams are a source of suffering in any case: both when they come true and when they are broken. In order to get rid of torment, you need to give up meaningless dreams and enjoy what you have today, the very moment of being. Passions must be kept under control, since unbridled desires are the cause of the greatest worries and dissatisfaction with reality. Often, we are overcome by the desire to possess a loved one at any cost, however, often, passionate love tends to degenerate into hatred. An effective way not to suffer is to control your feelings.
The path of liberation from suffering through control over one’s desires and passions makes a Buddhist free and brings him closer to a special state called “nirvana.” This is the highest pleasure, free from suffering, meaning complete interaction with the spiritual principle and the universal Self. A person feels not like a separate person, but a part of the Universe.
Magga
The ways of getting rid of Dukkha may be different for each person. Some people prefer to plunge into the abyss of passions in order to rid themselves of the pain of loss, trying to drown out disappointment with other connections and dreams, others are in constant fear of suffering, choosing asceticism and renunciation from everything, trying to find happiness through the torture of their flesh. Both of these methods are extremes that cannot bring satisfaction.
The concept of Buddhist philosophy is to choose the middle path, which consists of concentrating one’s internal strengths and capabilities. In other words, it is the Noble Eightfold Path, which contains eight states. Having overcome these states, a person can achieve the state of nirvana. The eight states are divided into three stages (stages), which should be overcome thoughtfully and gradually.
They are called: sila (morality, which includes perfect speech, perfect conduct and perfect lifestyle), samadhi (discipline, which consists of right effort, self-control and full concentration) and panya (wisdom, which includes right view and right thinking).
Having overcome the listed stages, a person feels pleasure and well-being, and then enters nirvana, freed from all types of suffering.
The basic principles of Buddhism were formulated by the Buddha himself. All four truths are interconnected: the first is presented as the fact of the disease, the second is the definition of the diagnosis, the third is the definition of the treatment process, the fourth is the prescription of medications. Following the logical chain, one can imagine that the Buddha is an experienced specialist, and his teaching (the four noble truths) is a method of treatment, and nirvana represents health, both physical and psychological.
