The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhism. Four Truths of Buddhism

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is deliverance from suffering and reincarnation. The Buddha said: "Both in the past and in the present, I say only one thing: suffering and the annihilation of suffering." Despite the negative initial position of this formula, the goal set in it also has a positive aspect, because it is possible to put an end to suffering only by realizing one's human potential for kindness and happiness. One who attains the state of complete self-realization is said to have attained nirvana. Nirvana is the greatest good in Buddhism, the ultimate and highest good. It is both a concept and a state. As a concept, it reflects a certain vision of implementation human capabilities, outlines the contours and forms of an ideal life; as a state, over time, it is embodied in a person striving for it.

The desire for nirvana is understandable, but how to achieve it? The answer is partially contained in the previous chapters. We know that a righteous life is highly valued in Buddhism; to live virtuously is a necessary condition. However, some scientists reject this idea. They argue that accumulating merit through doing good deeds actually prevents the attainment of nirvana. Good deeds, in their opinion, create karma, and karma leads to a series of rebirths. Then, they reason, it follows that in order to achieve nirvana it is necessary to transcend karma and all other considerations of ethics. There are two problems with this understanding of the issue. First, why, if a virtuous act is an obstacle to nirvana, do the sacred texts constantly call for the performance of good deeds? Second, why do those who have attained enlightenment, such as the Buddha, continue to live a highly moral life?

The solution to these problems is possible if a highly moral life is only a part of achieved by man perfection necessary for immersion in nirvana. Then, if virtue (strength, Skt. - sila) is one of the main elements of this ideal, then it cannot be self-sufficient and needs some kind of addition. This other necessary element is wisdom, the ability to perceive (panya, Skt. prajya). "Wisdom" in Buddhism means a deep philosophical understanding of the human condition. It requires an insight into the nature of reality, achieved through long and deep reflection. This is one type of gnosis, or direct realization of the truth, which deepens over time and eventually culminates in the enlightenment experienced by the Buddha.

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha).

But, monks, what is the Noble Truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering. Pain, grief, sorrow, sadness, despair is suffering. Union with the unlovable is suffering, separation from the beloved is suffering. The unattainability of the desired is suffering. Thus, the five states (skandhas) of personality are suffering.

So, nirvana is the unity of virtue and wisdom. The relationship between them in the language of philosophy can be expressed as follows: both virtue and wisdom are “necessary” conditions for nirvana, the presence of only one of them is “not enough”. Only together they make it possible to reach nirvana. In one of the early texts, they are compared with two hands, washing and cleansing each other, a person deprived of one of them is imperfect (D.i.124).

If wisdom is indeed an absolutely necessary companion of virtue, what does a person need to know in order to achieve enlightenment? To know the truth perceived by the Buddha on the night of enlightenment and subsequently set forth in the first sermon, which he delivered in a deer park near Benares. This sermon speaks of four points known as the Four Noble Truths. They state that: 1) life is suffering, 2) suffering is generated by desire or craving for pleasure, 3) suffering can be stopped, 4) there is a way leading to getting rid of suffering. Sometimes, as an illustration of the relationship between them, a comparison is made with medicine, while the Buddha is compared with a healer who found a cure for the ailment of life. Firstly, he diagnoses the disease, secondly, he explains its cause, thirdly, he determines the remedies for it, and fourthly, he proceeds to treatment.

American psychiatrist M. Scott Peck opens his best-selling book The Road Less Traveled with the words: "Life is hard." Speaking of the First Noble Truth, he adds: "This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths." Known in Buddhism as the "Truth of Suffering", it became the cornerstone of the Buddha's teachings. According to this truth, suffering (dukkha, Skt. - duhkha) is an integral part of life, and defines the state of a person as a state of "dissatisfaction". It includes many kinds of suffering, beginning with the physical, such as birth, aging, sickness, and death. Most often they are associated with physical pain, and there is a much more serious problem - the inevitability of repeating this cycle in each subsequent life, both for the person himself and for his loved ones. People are powerless in the face of these realities and, despite the latest discoveries in medicine, are still subject to illness and accidents due to their bodily nature. In addition to physical pain, the truth of suffering indicates its emotional and psychological forms: "grief, sorrow, sadness and despair" . They can sometimes present more painful problems than physical suffering: few people have a life without grief and grief, while there are many severe psychological conditions, such as chronic depression, which cannot be completely eliminated.

In addition to these obvious examples, the Truth of Suffering mentions a more subtle form of suffering that can be defined as "existential." This follows from the statement: “The unattainability of what is desired is suffering”, that is, failure, disappointment, the collapse of illusions experienced when hopes do not come true and reality does not correspond to our desires. The Buddha was not a pessimist and, of course, he knew from his own experience when he was a young prince that there can be pleasant moments in life. The problem, however, is that Good times do not last forever, sooner or later they go away or a person gets bored with what seemed new and promising. In this sense, the word dukkha has a more abstract and deeper meaning: it indicates that even a life devoid of hardships may not bring satisfaction and self-realization. In this and many other contexts, the word "dissatisfaction" expresses the meaning of "duhkha" more accurately than "suffering."

The truth of suffering makes it possible to discover what is the main reason why human life is not fully satisfying. The statement that "the five skandhas of personality are suffering" refers to the teaching given by the Buddha in the second sermon (Vin.i.13). We list them: the body (rupa), sensation (vedana), images of perception (samjna), desires and drives (sanskar), consciousness (vijnana). There is no need to consider each in detail, since it is not so much what is included in this list that is important to us, as what is not included. In particular, the doctrine makes no mention of the soul or "I", understood as an eternal and unchanging spiritual entity. This position of the Buddha departs from orthodox Indian religious tradition Brahmanism, which claimed that every person has an eternal soul (Atman), which is either part of the metaphysical absolute - Brahman (an impersonal deity), or identical to it.

The Buddha said that he did not find evidence of the existence of either the human soul (Atman) or its cosmic counterpart (Brahman). On the contrary, his approach - practical and empirical - is closer to psychology than to theology. His explanation of human nature, which is formed from five states, is much like explaining the structure of a car, consisting of wheels, gearbox, engine, steering, body. Of course, unlike scientists, he believed that the moral essence of a person (which can be called "spiritual DNA") survives death and incarnates again. Claiming that the five states of personality are suffering, the Buddha pointed out that human nature cannot become the basis of permanent happiness. Since the human being is made up of five ever-changing "attributes", sooner or later suffering will inevitably arise, just as a car eventually wears out and breaks down. Suffering is thus woven into the very fabric of our being.

The content of the Truth of Suffering is partly explained by the fact that the Buddha saw the first three signs - the old man, the leper, and the dead - and realized that life is full of suffering and unhappiness. Many, turning to Buddhism, find that its assessment of the human condition is pessimistic, but Buddhists believe that their religion is not pessimistic or optimistic, but realistic, that the Truth of suffering only objectively states the facts. If she seems pessimistic, it is due to the long-standing tendency of people to avoid unpleasant truths and "look for the bright side in everything." That is why the Buddha noted that the Truth of suffering is extremely difficult to understand. It is like a person realizing that he is seriously ill, which no one wants to admit, and that there is no cure.

If life is suffering, how does it arise? The second noble truth, the Truth of Origination (samudaya), explains that suffering arises from craving or "thirst for life" (tanha). Passion ignites suffering like fire fuels firewood. In his sermon (C.iv.19) the Buddha spoke of how all human experience is "blazing" with desires. Fire is an apt metaphor for desire, as it consumes what feeds it without being satisfied. It spreads quickly, moves to new objects and hurts, like unsatisfied desires.

2. The truth of arising (samudaya).

Here, O monks, is the Truth of the origin of suffering. This lust for life, attachment to illusory earthly values ​​(tanha), which leads to rebirth, is associated with a violent delight in form. 1) sensual pleasures, 2) thirst for "prosperity", being, 3) thirst for "destruction", non-existence.

It is the desire to live, to enjoy life, that is the cause of rebirth. If we continue to compare the five "attributes" of a person with a car, then desire is the fuel that sets it in motion. Although rebirth is generally thought to occur from life to life, it also happens moment to moment: a person is said to be reborn in seconds if these five elements change and interact, driven by the desire for pleasurable experiences. The continuity of man's existence from one life to another is simply the result of the accumulated power of desire.

The truth of arising states that craving manifests itself in three main forms, the first of which is the craving for sensual pleasures. It takes the form of a desire for pleasure through objects of perception, such as pleasant tastes, sensations, smells, sounds. The second is the desire for "prosperity". It is about the deep, instinctive longing for existence that propels us into new lives and new experiences. The third type of manifestation of passionate desire is the desire not for possession, but for “destruction”. This is the reverse side of the thirst for life, embodied in the instinct of denial, the rejection of what is unpleasant and undesirable. The desire for destruction can also lead to self-denial and self-denial.

Low self-esteem and thoughts like “I can’t do anything” or “I’m a failure” are manifestations of such an attitude directed at oneself. In extreme forms, it can lead to physical self-destruction, such as suicide. Physical self-torture, which the Buddha eventually abandoned, can also be seen as a manifestation of self-denial.

So does this mean that any desire is evil? One must be very careful in approaching such conclusions. Although the word tanha is often translated as "desire" (desire), it has a narrower meaning - desire, in a sense perverted by excess or bad purpose. It is usually directed towards sensual arousal and pleasure. However, not all desires are like this, and Buddhist sources often speak of positive desires (chanda). To strive for a positive goal for yourself and for others (for example, to achieve nirvana), to wish happiness to others, to want the world that remains after you to become better - these are examples of positive and beneficial desires that are not defined by the concept of "tanha".

If bad desires restrain and fetter a person, then good ones give him strength and freedom. To see the difference, let's take smoking as an example. The desire of a heavy smoker to smoke another cigarette is tanha, since it is aimed at nothing more than momentary pleasure, obsessive, limited, cyclical, and will lead to nothing but another cigarette (and as a side effect - to poor health). On the other hand, the desire of a heavy smoker to quit smoking will be beneficial, as it will break the vicious circle of an obsessive bad habit, and will serve to promote health and well-being.

In the Truth of Origination, the tanha represents the "three roots of evil" mentioned above - passion, hatred and delusion. In Buddhist art, they are depicted as a rooster, a pig and a snake, rushing in a circle in the center of the "wheel of life", which we spoke about in the third chapter, while they form a circle - the tail of one holds in the mouth of the other. Since the thirst for life generates only another desire, rebirths form a vicious cycle, people are born again and again. How this happens is explained in detail by the theory of causation, which is called patikka-samuppada (Sanskrit - pratitya-samutpada - dependent origination). This theory explains how desire and ignorance lead to a chain of rebirths consisting of 12 stages. But for us now it is more important not to consider these stages in detail, but to understand the underlying main principle, which refers not only to human psychology, but also to reality in general.

3. Truth of cessation (nirodha).

Here, O monks, is the Truth of the cessation of suffering. This is the renunciation of the thirst for life (tanha), the withdrawal from it, the renunciation of it, the liberation from it, the deliverance from attachment to it.

In the most in general terms the essence of this theory is that every effect has a cause, in other words, everything arises in interdependence. According to this, all phenomena are part of a causal chain, nothing exists independently, in and of itself. Therefore, the Universe is not a collection of static objects, but a plexus of causes and effects that is in constant motion. Moreover, just as a person's personality can be completely decomposed into five "attributes", and all phenomena can be reduced to their constituent components without finding any "essence" in them. Everything that arises has three signs of existence, namely: misunderstanding of the frailty of earthly life (dukkha), variability (anigga) and lack of self-existence (anatta). "Deeds and things" are not satisfying, because they are impermanent (and therefore unstable and unreliable), because they do not have their own nature, independent of universal cause-and-effect processes.

It is obvious that the Buddhist universe is characterized primarily by cyclical changes: at the psychological level - the endless process of desire and its satisfaction; on the personal - a chain of deaths and rebirths; on the cosmic one - by the creation and destruction of galaxies. All this is based on the principles of the Patikka Samuppada theory, the provisions of which were later thoroughly developed by Buddhism.

The Third Noble Truth is the Truth of cessation (nirodha). It says that when you get rid of the thirst for life, suffering stops and nirvana comes. As we know from the story of the life of the Buddha, nirvana has two forms: the first occurs during life ("nirvana with a remainder"), and the second after death ("nirvana without a remainder"). Buddha reached nirvana at the age of 35 while sitting under a fig tree. When he was 80, he plunged into the last nirvana, from which there is no return through rebirth.

"Nirvana" literally means "extinguishing" or "blowing out", just like the flame of a candle goes out. But what exactly is "extinguishing"? Maybe this is the soul of a person, his "I", his individuality? It cannot be the soul, since Buddhism generally denies its existence. It is not “I” or self-consciousness, although nirvana certainly involves a radical change in the state of consciousness, freed from attachment to “I” and “mine”. In fact, the flame of the triad is extinguished - passion, hatred and delusion, which leads to reincarnation. Indeed, the simplest definition of "nirvana with a remainder" is "the end of passion, hatred and delusion" (C.38.1). This is a psychological and moral phenomenon, a transformed state of a person, which is characterized by peace, deep spiritual joy, compassion, refined and penetrating perception. Negative mental states and emotions, such as doubt, anxiety, worry, and fear, are absent in an enlightened mind. Some or all of these qualities are inherent in saints in many religions, to some extent, some of them may have ordinary people. However, the Enlightened Ones, like the Buddha or the Arhat, are inherent in full.

What happens to a person when he dies? There is no clear answer to this question in the early sources. Difficulties in understanding this arise precisely in connection with the last nirvana, when the flame of the thirst for life goes out, reincarnations stop and a person who has achieved enlightenment is not born again. The Buddha said that asking where the Enlightened One is after death is like asking where the flame goes when it is blown out. The flame, of course, does not "leave" anywhere, the combustion process simply stops. Getting rid of the thirst for life and ignorance is tantamount to cutting off the supply of oxygen necessary for combustion. However, one should not assume that the comparison with the flame means that "nirvana without a trace" is annihilation. The sources clearly indicate that such an understanding is erroneous, as well as the conclusion that nirvana is the eternal existence of the soul.

Buddha was against various interpretations nirvana, attaching primary importance to the desire to achieve it. He compared those who asked about nirvana to a person wounded by a poisoned arrow, who, instead of taking out the arrow, persistently asks meaningless questions in this situation about who released it, what was his name, what kind of family he was, how far he stood etc. (M.i.426). In full accordance with the Buddha's reluctance to develop this theme, early sources define nirvana primarily in terms of negation, i.e., as "the absence of desire," "suppression of thirst," "quenching," "extinguishing." Fewer positive definitions can be found, including such as "auspiciousness", "good", "purity", "peace", "truth", "distant shore". Some texts indicate that nirvana is transcendent, as "unborn, unarisen, uncreated and unformed" (Udana, 80), but it is not known how this should be interpreted. As a result, the nature of "nirvana without a trace" remains a mystery to all who have not experienced it. However, what we can be sure of is that it means the end of suffering and rebirth.

4. Truth of the path (magga).

Here, O monks, is the Truth of the path (magga), which leads to the cessation of suffering. This is the noble "eightfold path", which consists of 1) right view, 2) right thinking, 3) right speech, 4) right behavior, 5) right way of sustaining life, 6) right exertion of strength, 7) right memory, 8) correct concentration.

The Fourth Noble Truth - the Truth of the Path (magga, Skt. - marga) - explains how the transition from samsara to nirvana should take place. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, few people stop to think about the most fulfilling way of life. These questions worried the Greek philosophers, and the Buddha also contributed to their understanding. He believed that the highest form of life is a life that leads to the improvement of virtue and knowledge, and the "eightfold path" defines a way of life with which this can be put into practice. It is also called the "middle way" because it passes between two extremes: a life of excess and strict asceticism. It includes eight steps, divided into three categories - morality, concentration (meditation) and wisdom. They define the parameters of human good and indicate where the sphere of human prosperity lies. In the category of "morality" (sila), moral qualities are improved, and in the category of "wisdom" (panya), intellectual qualities are developed. The role of meditation will be discussed in detail in the next chapter.

Although the "path" consists of eight parts, one should not think of them as stages that a person goes through, approaching nirvana, leaving them behind. On the contrary, the eight steps represent the paths of continuous improvement of "morality", "meditation" and "wisdom". "Correct views" means first the recognition of the Buddhist teachings, and then their empirical confirmation; "correct thinking" - commitment to the formation of correct attitudes; “correct speech” is speaking the truth, showing thoughtfulness and interest in conversation, and “correct behavior” is refraining from evil deeds such as killing, stealing or bad behavior (sensual pleasures). " The right way sustaining life” means refraining from acts that harm others; “correct application of forces” - gaining control over your thoughts and developing positive mindsets; “correct memory” is the development of constant understanding, “correct concentration” is the achievement of a state of the deepest peace of mind, which is the aim of various methods of concentration of consciousness and integration of the personality.

1. Right View Wisdom

2. Right thinking (panya)

3. Correct speech Morality

4. Right Conduct (Sila)

5. The right way to sustain life

6. Proper application of forces Meditation

7. Correct memory (samadhi)

8. Correct concentration

The Eightfold Path and its Three Parts

In this respect, the practice of the Eightfold Path is a kind of modeling process: these eight principles show how a Buddha will live, and by living like a Buddha, one can gradually become one. The Eightfold Path is thus a path of self-transformation, an intellectual, emotional and moral restructuring in which a person is reoriented from narrow, selfish goals to the development of the possibilities of self-realization. Through the pursuit of knowledge (panya) and moral virtue (sila), ignorance and selfish desires are overcome, the causes that give rise to suffering are eliminated, and nirvana sets in.

Said by Gautama Buddha in his first sermon in the city of Benares. This teaching was recorded in a separate sutra and gave not only a written creed, but also a visual one. The sermon was delivered by the Buddha in a deer park, so after that a deer or a pair of deer became one of the symbols of Buddhism.

The middle path is defined as the path of consciousness that remains far from two extremes: one extreme is the exaltation of sensual pleasures, and the other is complete asceticism, voluntary self-destruction. The view of the middle path leading to enlightenment and nirvana expresses the universal religious idea of ​​the golden mean and the observance of the measure in everything. So consider these truths spoken in the deer park.

The truth about suffering

“Birth is suffering, just like sickness, death, old age, separation (from someone you like) what you want, but do not achieve. In general, there are five groups of attachments that involve the being in the cycle of rebirth and cause the accumulation of so-called samskaras (impressions and consequences of experience). This truth states the presence of suffering as an essential attribute of this world.

The truth about the origin of suffering

Suffering arises from aspirations, thirst for existence and leads to rebirth. It is the need to ensure certain aspirations that ensures the accumulation of karma (positive or negative) and always leads to the cycle of samsara. The reason for this is the ignorance of man. He allows himself to cling to the earth, lust and lust, anger, vanity, stupidity. This again pushes him to existence, therefore - to a new rebirth, and so on without stopping, always ending up in suffering.

The Truth about the End of Suffering

Suffering can be ended by eliminating the passions; if a person does not contact them, he eliminates his aspirations. Since suffering comes from a person's desire for existence and the provision of passions, the victory of his own desires can lead to the cessation of this suffering. If he manages to achieve impartiality, he will deprive suffering of support, that is, his consciousness will not be attached to the cycle of rebirth and the suffering of this world. In Buddhism, no one relies on grace or expects help from above. Therefore, everyone must concentrate his strength in order to achieve personal liberation from suffering.

The truth about the way to end suffering

This is the eightfold path and climbing it requires mastery in each of the stages. The eight stages are: right view (view), right intention (or thinking), right speech, action (behavior), way of life, effort, right mindfulness (in the sense of awareness, that is, you remember what everything really is including yourself), right concentration or concentration.

1) Right view means accepting the four noble truths. Of course, here we should add the acceptance of the basic postulates of the doctrine. At the very least, it is often necessary to read and meditate on the Four Noble Truths in order to actually gain, or at least approach, the right view.

2) Right thinking (intention) involves a conscious desire to live in accordance with these truths. In essence, it is about the determination to follow the Buddhist path. In addition, the development of friendliness towards others is essential here, part of which is the acceptance of the so-called ahimsa - such a person cannot harm living beings (not only people). When noble truths and the Buddhist path are accepted in the mind, friendliness is actually cultivated quite naturally, without any extra effort.

3) Correct speech means that a person should refrain from meaningless words and words of vanity, not to speak rudely, not to lie, not to use speech to quarrel people or mislead people.

4) Right action is a norm according to which a person must refrain from unjustified negative actions - from theft, from murder, etc. In fact, this part of the eightfold path is a kind of analogue of the precepts of behavior from other religions.

5) The right way of life does not speak about behavior as such, but about the choice of profession and main activity. A Buddhist should not choose professions that directly or indirectly harm others. For example, to make or sell alcohol, to cheat. There are actually many such examples. In order to understand what it is about, you just need to analyze whether the activity is actually harmful to some people, in modern world, this rule is related to ecology. Accordingly, behavior and, moreover, work that harms the ecology of the planet should be avoided.

6) Right effort requires the full mobilization of the will and human thought in order not to create negative thoughts, words and actions. Also, a Buddhist makes an effort to produce various aspects of goodness in this world. Also, this effort is directed to the cultivation of positive qualities in oneself. There are more specific and detailed explanations in the literature, here it is said in simple words.

7) Right mindfulness actually involves complete self-control and self-observation. One should continuously maintain awareness, clearly observe the phenomena of the external and internal world, and this is actually not as easy as it might seem.

8) Right concentration - this ultimate degree implies the achievement of deep meditation, full concentration and self-sufficiency. This is similar to, but also different from, the mystical states of other religions. Comprehension of samadhi - the highest stage of meditation leads to nirvana, that is, liberation.

The eight stages of the path are usually distributed on three levels: adherence to ethical standards (correct speech, behavior and lifestyle); level of wisdom (view and intention); level of concentration and meditation (remaining stages of the path).

The Four Noble Truths are the Foundation of Buddhism

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The teachings of the Buddha were given the form of the Four Noble Truths.

"First Noble Truth states that the main characteristic of human existence is duhkha, that is, suffering and frustration. Disappointment is rooted in our unwillingness to acknowledge the obvious fact that everything around us is not eternal, everything is transient. "All things come and go" - said the Buddha, and the idea that fluidity and variability are the basic properties of nature is the foundation of his teaching. According to Buddhists, suffering arises if we resist the flow of life and try to keep some stable forms, which, whether they are things, phenomena, people or thoughts, are still maya. The principle of impermanence is also embodied in the idea that there is no special ego, no special "I", which would be the constant subject of our changing impressions. Buddhists believe that our belief in the existence of a separate individual self is another illusion, another form of maya, an intellectual concept devoid of connection with reality. If we adhere to such views, as well as any other stable categories of thinking, we will inevitably experience disappointment.

Second Noble Truth explains the cause of suffering, calling it trishna, that is, “clinging”, “attachment”. It is a mindless attachment to life that springs from ignorance, called avidya by the Buddhists. Due to our ignorance, we try to divide the world we perceive into separate independent parts and thus embody the fluid forms of reality in fixed categories of thought. As long as we think like this, we will be disappointed after disappointment. By trying to establish relationships with things that seem solid and permanent to us, but are actually transient and changeable, we fall into a vicious circle in which any action creates further action, and the answer to any question raises new questions. In Buddhism, this vicious cycle is known as samsara, the cycle of birth and death driven by karma, the unceasing chain of cause and effect.

According to the Third Noble Truth, you can stop suffering and disappointment. You can leave the vicious cycle of samsara, free yourself from the bonds of karma and reach the state of complete liberation - nirvana. In this state, there are no longer false ideas about a separate "I" and the constant and only sensation is the experience of the unity of all that exists. Nirvana corresponds to Hindu moksha and cannot be described in more detail, since this state of consciousness lies outside the realm of intellectual concepts. To achieve nirvana means to awaken, that is, to become a Buddha.

Fourth Noble Truth indicates a means of getting rid of suffering, calling to follow the Eightfold Path of self-improvement, which leads to Buddhahood. As already mentioned, the first two steps on this path have to do with right vision and true knowledge, that is, right understanding. human life. Four more steps have to do with right action. They contain a description of the rules that a Buddhist must follow - the rules of the Middle Way, which lies at an equal distance from opposite extremes. The last two steps lead to right awareness and right meditation, to the direct mystical perception of reality, which is the ultimate and highest goal of the Path.

The Buddha viewed his teachings not as a coherent philosophical system, but as a means to achieve enlightenment.

His statements about this world have one purpose - to emphasize the impermanence of everything that exists. He warned his followers against blindly honoring any authority, including himself, saying that he could only show the path to Buddhahood and that it was up to each one to follow that path with their own efforts.

The last words of the Buddha on his deathbed characterize his entire worldview and teaching. Before leaving this world, he said: “Decomposition is the lot of all things that are composed. Be persistent."

For several centuries after the death of the Buddha, the leading figures of the Buddhist church gathered several times at the Great Councils, where the provisions of the Buddha's teaching were read aloud and discrepancies in their interpretation were eliminated. At the fourth council, held in the 1st century. n. e. on the island of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the teaching, which had been orally transmitted for five centuries, was first written down. It was called the Pali Canon because the Buddhists then used the Pali language and became the mainstay of orthodox Hinayana Buddhism. On the other hand, the Mahayana is based on a number of so-called sutras, a considerable amount of writings written in Sanskrit one or two centuries later, which expound the teachings of the Buddha in more detail and detail than the Pali canon.

The Mahayana school calls itself the Great Vehicle of Buddhism, as it offers its followers a wide variety of methods, perfect means, to achieve Buddhahood - Buddhahood. These means include, on the one hand, religious faith in the teachings of the founder of Buddhism and, on the other hand, highly developed philosophical systems, the ideas of which are very close to the categories of modern scientific knowledge.

Fridtjof Capra, The Tao of Physics: Common Roots of Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism, M., Sofia, 2008, p. 109-111.

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering
2. The Noble Truth of the Origin of the Causes of Suffering
3. The Noble Truth of the Possibility of Ending Suffering and Its Causes
4. The Noble Truth of the Path That Leads to the End of Suffering

14th Dalai Lama (lecture) - University of Washington

In fact, all religions have the same motives for love and compassion. Although there are often very large differences in the field of philosophy, the underlying goal of improvement is more or less the same. Each religion has its own special methods. While our cultures naturally differ, our systems converge as the world grows ever closer due to improved communication, providing us with good opportunities to learn from each other. I think this is very useful.

Christianity, for example, has many practices for the benefit of mankind, especially in the fields of education and health. Buddhists can learn a lot here. At the same time, there are Buddhist teachings on deep meditation and ways of philosophical reasoning from which Christians could draw useful cultivation techniques. In ancient India, Buddhists and Hindus borrowed many positions from each other.

Since these systems are basically the same for the benefit of humanity, there is nothing wrong with learning from each other. On the contrary, it will help to develop respect for each other, help to promote harmony and unity. So I will talk a little about Buddhist ideas.

The root of the Buddhist doctrine is in the four noble truths: real suffering, its causes, the suppression of the latter, and the path to it. The four truths consist of two groups of effects and causes: suffering and its causes, the cessation of suffering and the ways of its realization. Suffering is like a disease. External and internal conditions that bring pain are the causes of suffering. The state of recovery from illness is the suppression of suffering and its causes. Medicines that cure ailments are the right ways.

The reasons for considering the effects (suffering and its suppression) before the causes (sources of suffering and ways) are as follows: first of all, we must establish the disease, the real torment, which is the essence of the first noble truth. Then it will no longer be enough just to recognize the disease. For in order to know what medicine to take, it is necessary to understand diseases. Hence, the second of the four truths are the causes or sources of suffering.

It will also not be enough to establish the causes of the disease, you need to determine whether it is possible to cure the ailment. This knowledge is precisely the third level, that is, that there is a correct suppression of suffering and its causes.

Now that the unwanted suffering has been identified, its causes established, then it has become clear that the disease can be cured, you are taking medicines which are remedies for the ailment. It is necessary to be sure of the paths that will lead to a state of liberation from suffering.

The most important thing is to immediately establish suffering. In general, there are three types of suffering: suffering from pain, suffering from change, and complex, pervasive suffering. Suffering from pain is what we usually think of as bodily or mental torment, such as a headache. The desire to be free from this type of suffering is characteristic not only of people, but also of animals. There are ways to avoid some form of such suffering, such as taking medication, putting on warm clothes, removing the source of the disease.

The second level, the suffering of change, is what we superficially perceive as pleasure, but it takes a closer look to understand the true essence of suffering. Take as an example what is usually considered a pleasure - buying a new car. When you purchase it, you are extremely happy, delighted and satisfied, but as you use it, problems arise. If the causes of pleasure were internal, then the more you use the cause of satisfaction, the correspondingly more your pleasure should increase, but this does not happen. As you get used to it more and more, you begin to experience displeasure. Therefore, the essence of suffering is also manifested in the suffering of change.

The third level of suffering serves as the basis for the first two. It represents our own mental and physical polluted complexes. It is called complex, pervasive suffering, because it pervades and applies to all types of rebirth of beings, is part of the basis of present suffering, and also causes future suffering. There is no way to get out of this type of suffering other than to stop the series of rebirths.

These three types of suffering are established at the very beginning. Thus, not only are there no feelings that would be identified with suffering, but also there are no external or internal phenomena, depending on which such feelings would arise. The combination of minds and mental factors is called suffering.

What are the causes of suffering? What does it depend on? Among these, karmic sources and disturbing emotions are the second of the four noble truths about the true cause of suffering. Karma or action consists of bodily, verbal and mental deeds. From the point of view of the present reality or essence, deeds are of three kinds: virtuous, non-virtuous and indifferent. Virtuous deeds are those that bring about pleasant or good consequences. Non-virtuous deeds are those that cause painful or bad consequences.

The three main disturbing passions are defilement, desire and hatred. They splash out and many other types of disturbing emotions, such as envy and dislike. In order to stop karmic actions, these disturbing passions, which act as a cause, must be stopped. If we compare karma and violent emotions, then main reason suffering will be the last.

When you ask yourself whether it is possible to eliminate restless passions, you are already touching on the third noble truth, true cessation. If disturbing emotions were in the very nature of the mind, they could not be removed. For example, if hatred were in the nature of the mind, then we would feel the need for hatred for a long time, but this clearly does not happen. The same is true for attachment. Therefore, the nature of the mind, or consciousness, is not contaminated by defilements. Defilements are removable, fit to be eliminated from the ground, the mind.

It is clear that good relationships are the opposite of bad ones. For example, love and anger cannot occur simultaneously in the same person. As long as you feel anger towards some object, you will not be able to feel love in the same moment. Conversely, as long as you experience love, you cannot feel anger. This indicates that these types of consciousness are mutually exclusive, opposite. Naturally, as you become more inclined towards one type of relationship, the other will weaken and weaken. That is why, by practicing and multiplying compassion and love - the good side of the mind - you will automatically eradicate the other side of it.

Thus, it is established that the sources of suffering can be gradually eliminated. The complete disappearance of the cause of suffering is right cessation. This is the final liberation - this is the true, world-soothing salvation. This is the third of the four noble truths.

What path must you take in order to achieve this cessation? Since faults are predominantly due to the actions of the mind, the antidote must also be mental. Indeed, one must know about the ultimate existence of all phenomena, but the most important thing is to know the final state of the mind.

First you need to realize anew, directly and perfectly, the non-dual, absolute nature of the mind exactly as it is. This is the way of seeing. Then, at the next level, this perception becomes ordinary. This is already the path of meditation. But before these two levels, it is necessary to achieve a dual meditative stability, which is the unity of tranquility and special insight. Speaking in general terms, this must be done in order to have a forceful wise consciousness, for which it is necessary first of all to develop the stability of consciousness, called tranquility.

These are the levels of the path - the fourth noble truth, required for the realization of the third noble truth - the truth of cessation, which in turn eliminates the first two noble truths, namely: suffering and its causes.

The Four Truths are the core structure of Buddhist doctrine and practice.

Question: At least outwardly, there seems to be a difference between the Buddhist principle of elimination and the importance for the West of having a purpose in life, which implies that desire is good.

Answer: There are two types of desire: one is devoid of reason and mixed with violent passions, the second is when you look at the good as good and try to achieve it. Last type desires is correct given that any living person is involved in the activity. For example, to believe that material progress, based on the understanding that this progress serves humanity and, therefore, is good, is also true.

Hello dear readers!

Today you will get acquainted with one of the fundamental teachings in Buddhism, which underlies the philosophy of all its schools. The Four Truths of Buddhism is what it is called, but Buddhist adepts prefer a more exalted name: the four noble truth.

Starting point

The five novices first learned them from over 2,500 years ago. It was in the Deer Grove of Benares, in northeastern India.

Siddhartha Gautama shared with the companions with whom he had previously practiced,creedthat was revealed to him after gaining enlightenment. That's how it happenedemergence of Buddhism.

This first sermon, also called the Benares Discourse, is called the Dharmachakra Pravartana Sutra in the anthology of Buddhism, which means the Sutra of the Turning of the Wheel of Teaching.

The canonical source briefly highlights the basic Buddhist principles. Here is what the Buddha said to the monks: “There are two excesses that novices should not allow.

The first of these is a vulgar and low adherence to lust. And the second is a heavy and senseless exhaustion of oneself.

What are the ways to achieve knowledge, tranquility, understanding, enlightenment? It will only lead to them.

Then he told them the gist chatvari aryasatyani – four noble truths, and once again reminded of the importance of the eightfold path, which in Buddhism is also called the middle path, since it lies between two extremes.

Four axioms

Let's take a closer look at the four postulates that, according to Shakyamuni, are at the core of being. He told his fellow believers that only by clearly realizing them did he gain the assurance that he had attained "unsurpassed supreme enlightenment."

The Buddha also noted that the comprehension of this philosophy is difficult to perceive and understand, that simple reasoning cannot come to it, and it will be revealed only to the wise. Pleasure captivated and bewitched everyone in this world, he said. We can say that there is a cult of pleasure.

Those who admire him so much will not be able to understand the conditioning of everything that exists. They will not understand the rejection of the causes of rebirth, and nirvana. But still there are people "whose eyes are only slightly powdered with dust." Here they can understand.

For the first time, these axioms reached the Russian-speaking reader in 1989 in the interpretation of the Russian translator and buddhologist A.V. Parybka.

1) The first postulate is that there is life suffering – dukkha. The difficulty of translating this term lies in the fact that in our mentality suffering is understood as some kind of severe physical illness or powerful negative manifestations at the mental level.

Buddhism, on the other hand, considers suffering more broadly: it is both pain associated with birth, illness, misfortune or death, as well as constant dissatisfaction with life in the pursuit of satisfying constantly changing desires, many of which are almost impossible to fulfill.

Impossible:

• don't get old
• live forever,
• take with you the accumulated wealth after death,
• always be with the one you love,
• don't face bad things.

The list can be continued indefinitely. Such is the imperfection of human existence, which leads to constant dissatisfaction. This word more accurately conveys the meaning of the Pali "dukkha".

2) A person is not able to change the existing state of things, but he is quite capable of changing his attitude towards it.

He can do this only by realizing the cause of dukkha. The second truth that the Buddha revealed to the ascetics was that cause suffering is ignorance, which leads to the emergence of an irrepressible desires have everything at once.

There are three types of thirst:

• Desire to enjoy the five senses.
• The desire to live long or forever.
• Desire for self-destruction.

If everything is clear with the first two, then the third desire requires explanation. It is based on an incorrect materialistic idea of ​​your real "I". Those who are attached to their "I" think that it is irretrievably destroyed after death and is not connected by any reasons with the periods before and after it.

Desire is stimulated:

• visible forms,
• sounds,
• smell,
• taste,
• bodily sensations,
• ideas.

If all this is pleasant, then the person who experiences the above begins to feel attachment to him, which leads to future birth, aging, sorrow, crying, pain, sorrow, despair and death. Everything is interconnected in this world. This describes suffering in its entirety.

Thanks to the second noble truth, it becomes clear that the seeming injustice of our destiny is the result of partly arising in this life, and partly in our previous forms of existence.

The actions of the body, speech and mind determine the formation of the karmic process, which actively influences the formation of destiny.

At the same time, it should be borne in mind that there are no real “I” passing through the raging sea of ​​rebirths, but there is a stream of constantly changing dharmas, which, as a result of their evil or good essence and activity, manifest themselves in different places as faceless creatures, then people, then animals or others. entities.

3) However, there is still hope. In the third truth, the Buddha states that suffering can be ended. To do this, you need to give up a passionate desire, renounce and free yourself from it, stop and leave all thoughts about this thirst.

You just need to correctly realize the nature of what you want as impermanent, unsatisfactory and impersonal, realize your restless desire as a disease. This desire can be quenched by following the aforementioned middle path.

4) When thirst dies away, attachment will also stop, which means that the karmic process will stop, which will no longer lead to birth, therefore, it will relieve aging, all forms of suffering and death.

After that, only the highest peace awaits the person, the end of the karmic process, the lack of grounds for a new birth, detachment, which is called nirvana. The person no longer experiences either physical or mental pain. The attraction is obvious.

The Buddha was able to avoid the two extremes in life, hedonism and asceticism, and achieve enlightenment by following the middle path. He outlined its stages to his followers as the fourth immutable truth.

The Noble Eightfold Path is sometimes misunderstood, thinking that its stages should be taken in turn, practicing the correct ones:

1. understanding,
2. thinking,
3. speech,
4. activity,
5. earning a living,
6. an effort,
7. awareness,
8. concentration.

But in fact, you need to start with the right moral attitudes - sila (3-5). Lay Buddhists generally follow the Buddha's five moral precepts, which are also called virtues, vows, or vows:

• do not harm the living and do not kill;
• do not appropriate what belongs to others;
• refrain from indecent sexual behavior;
• do not lie or abuse someone's trust;
• do not use drugs that cloud the mind.

After that, you should systematically train your mind by practicing right concentration (6-8).

Carefully prepared in this way, a person acquires a mind and character receptive to right understanding and thinking (1-2), that is, becomes wise. However, it is impossible to set off on the path without having at least a minimal understanding of the same suffering, which is why understanding tops this list.

At the same time, it completes it when all of the above successfully completed actions lead a person to an understanding of everything that exists “as is”. Without this, it is impossible to become righteous and plunge into nirvana.

This path is free from suffering, it provides a person with pure vision and you need to go through it yourself, because the buddhas are great teachers, but they cannot do it for someone else.

Conclusion

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