Biswajit Das, Department of English, Section-B, Roll- 42

Four Noble Truths by Buddha

The four noble truths are regarded as one of the
fundamental doctrines of Buddhism propounded by
Buddha himself after his enlightenment. After the
enlightenment he thought of sharing his thoughts to his
teachers. But in the course of time he came to know that
his teachers were no more. Then he thought about his
five fellow companions who were with him in the time of
Bodhisatyahood. After reaching Sarnath near Benares, he
started sharing his sermon to the five ascetics. The four
noble truths are-
1. The Noble Truth of Suffering.
2. The Noble Truth of the Arising of Suffering
3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
4. The Noble Truth of the Practice Leading to the
Cessation of Suffering.

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering: This is the first noble

truth which is being translated as ‘The Noble Truth
of Suffering.’ On being asked about the numbers of
 noble truth of suffering, Buddha replied that Birth is
suffering; old age is suffering; sickness is suffering;
also death is suffering; grief, lamentations, pain and
despair is suffering; not to obtain what one longs for
is suffering; in brief the five component of mind and
bodily-form that provides fuel for attachment are
suffering. For this, he was thought to be pessimistic
by mistake. But, he is neither pessimistic, nor
optimistic. Buddha’s philosophy is not beyond
human’s understanding, rather it is connected with
the reality of life.
2. After that Buddha shared his second noble truth
which is ‘The Noble Truth of the Arising of
Suffering’. Buddha explained that when we get
connected with our ‘thirst’, desire, enjoyment, and
passion it becomes the arising of suffering and which
also contributes to our continuation of being. Our
craving for the pleasure of sense leads to suffering.
We have our organs and by searching for pleasure
through them can be the cause of suffering. The
thoughts of Buddha help us understand that the
cause of our suffering lies within, not outside and his
preaching paves the way for spiritual solace.
3. Now Buddha shares his third thought which is ‘The
Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering’. This third
noble truth is nothing but the freedom, liberation
from suffering. In order get rid of the suffering, one
needs to reject the causes of suffering which lie
within us. If one achieves ‘Nirvana’ which is the
rejection of thirst then one can lead his way to the
cessation of suffering.
4. Now comes the fourth noble truth which is
translated as ‘The Noble Truth of the Practice
Leading to the Cessation of Suffering.’ This is known
as the 'Middle Path' (Majjhima Patipada), because it
avoids two extremes: one extreme being the search
for happiness through the pleasures of the senses,
which is 'low, common, unprofitable and the way of
the ordinary people'; the other being the search for
happiness through self-mortification in different
forms of asceticism, which is 'painful, unworthy and
unprofitable'. This eight views are not only
applicable to the religious people but also to
everyone who wants to understand the reality of
life.
This Middle Path is generally referred to as the Noble
Eightfold Path (Ariya-Atthangika-Magga), because it is
composed of eight categories or divisions: namely,
1. Right Understanding (Samma ditthi),
2. Right Thought (Samma sankappa),
3. Right Speech (Samma vaca),
4. Right Action (Samma kammanta),
5. Right Livelihood (Samma ajiva),
6. Right Effort (Samma vayama),
7. Right Mindfulness (Samma sati),
8. Right Concentration (Samma samadhi).
These eight factors aim at promoting and perfecting the
three essentials of Buddhist training and discipline:
namely: (a) Ethical Conduct, (b) Mental Discipline and (c)
Wisdom.
The Four Noble Truths of Buddha are widely accepted by
all the Buddhist school of thoughts and these truths are
not only for the persons practicing Buddhism but for
everyone who wants to achieve the path of
Enlightenment.