English
中文Introduction
Buddhism is a Western term used to describe those who follow the religion or philosophy of Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Kingdom of Lumbini (born circa 563, BCE), which is now known as Nepal. Siddhartha’s mother died in child birth and it was foretold by a sage known as Asita that Siddhartha would grow up to be an enlightened Buddha. The meaning of the word ‘Buddha’ is literally ‘the awakened one’. (Billington, 51:1997) Siddhartha’s father protected his son from seeing the reality of suffering in the world, which might tempt him to follow a religious path and instead surrounded him with luxury, beauty and opulence. (Snelling 20-23:2000) Eventually, though, Siddhartha encountered, sickness, death and old age for the first time, and aged 29, troubled by his discovery, he left the royal palace in search of a solution to the problem of suffering. (Rahula, xv: 1967)
At first, Siddhartha exposed himself to the most extreme forms of asceticism, leaving behind him not only the comforts of the palace, but a cherished wife and child, to seek a meaning to life. Realising that neither a life of indulgence or asceticism was the answer, he decided to try a middle way between the two. Whilst meditating under the shade of a Bodhi tree, in an attempt to discover the solution to life’s suffering, he is said to have achieved a state of meditative concentration known as ‘Samadhi’, which enabled him to see the world for the first time through a non-dualist perspective. (Snelling 23:2000). Siddhartha became known hitherto as the ‘Buddha’ or the ‘Perfectly Enlightened One’. (Kyokai, 8:1992).
The Buddha’s Teachings
The teachings of the Buddha provide a transcendent moral law, known as the dharma, by which his followers strive to find the ultimate meaning of life (Cantwell-Smith, 57-68:1962). The ‘Three Jewels’ which comprise of the Buddha, the dharma, and the Sangha (community), are the central elements of Buddhism, commitment to which is known as ‘entering the stream’. On doing so the follower expresses a desire to follow the Buddhist path and accepts the truth of anatta (egolessness). (Billington, 66:1997)
Briefly Buddhists believe that a person is a single psycho physical organism made up of five aggregates, namely the material organism; sensation; conception; volition and consciousness. The ‘I’ is often represented in Buddhism has being like a flickering candle. At death the flame is not extinguished but continues on as one flame ignites another. (Momen, 238:1999) The Buddha taught that there are three features of our earthly life which we need to understand if we are to attain enlightenment, which he called ‘marks of existence’. These are anicca (impermanence), anatta (egolessness) and dukkha (unsatisfactoriness). Anicca and anatta are interconnected in Buddhist teaching, which states that not only is nothing in the physical world permanent but that the same applies to the spiritual or mental side of human beings. (Billington, 6:1997)
The Four Noble Truths
The Buddha was initially reluctant to teach the dharma to his followers as he believed it was too difficult for the untrained mind to understand. However, in his first discourse, given to the ascetics who had originally accompanied him on his quest for enlightenment, but had abandoned him when he had turned away from the extremes of asceticism towards a middle way, the Buddha emphasized the importance of the Four Noble Truths, which lead to the Noble Eightfold Path.
These are eternal truths which are taught by a Buddha and which exist whether Buddhism is extant in the world at any particular time or not. (Goonewardene, 1991)
Dukkha, the third mark of existence, is linked to the First Noble Truth, which says that our world is pervaded by suffering and impermanence. Understanding the nature of dukkha is very important to Buddhists, because only by doing so will they be able to eliminate it. The Buddha taught that it is ‘craving’ for material things, power and sensuous pleasure which produce dukkha. This is linked to the concept of anatta, i.e. the Buddha taught that as the human body and mind cannot survive death, seeking immortality or eternal life can only lead to dukkha. (Billington, 62:1997)
The First of the Noble Truths therefore outlines the ‘Truth of Suffering’, which is that,
The ‘Cause of Suffering’, which is the Second of the Noble Truths, is craving or desire (trishna). There is no end to our craving because as one craving is satisfied so another takes its place. The Five Skandas or aggregates which make up the human being, mentioned earlier, are what trishna attaches itself to. Our ignorance regarding our sense of self as a physical and mental being, which craves physical, sensual and material satisfaction is what prevents us from becoming enlightened and ending samsara (continual rebirth). (Billington, 62:1997)
The ‘Cessation of Suffering’, which is Third Noble Truth, is that dukkha can cease if we put an end to our cravings, because dukkha is caused by trishna. The cessation of trishna leads to a state of Nirvana. This is a transcendent state, void of suffering and desire, where there is realisation of no ‘self’. Rahula states that it is often misconstrued that Nirvana means the annihilation of self, whereas this is not true as there is no self. Nirvana is realisation of the truth, freedom from illusion, and from
The law of karma says that our actions in this life determine in what form we will be reborn into the next. In this way ‘…every sentient being is responsible for its own future according to its actions…’ (Herbrechtsmeier, 4:1993) Attaining enlightenment involves realization of the three marks of existence and the Four Noble Truths.
Earlier, it was stated that the Buddha had discovered that the way to enlightenment could be reached by following a ‘middle’ way or path, a way which avoids the extremes of self gratification and self-mortification. The Fourth Noble Truth, known as ‘magga’ or the path, makes the Buddha’s teaching complete. It teaches that the way to enlightenment is through following the Noble Eightfold Path. (Goonewardene, 1991) Virtually, the whole of the Buddhist’s teachings are concerned with the ‘magga’, which entails perfecting the three disciplines, Sila (ethical conduct); Samadhi (mental discipline, achieved through meditation) and Panna (wisdom). (Rahula, 45-46:1967) The Buddha emphasized the importance of living your life by the Noble Eightfold Path. Thus the Four Noble Truths advocate that Buddhism is not just a philosophy but a ‘way of life’, which should be followed in earnest. In addition it is important that followers understand the dharma to give meaning to its practice. (Goonewardene, 1991)
In conclusion, the basis of all Buddhist teaching is that true enlightenment, release from samsara and the attainment of Nirvana can only be achieved through an understanding of dukkha. The Four Noble Truths are central to the teachings of the Buddha and indeed knowledge of these are said to be ‘…the culmination of his Awakening experience’. (Burton, 71: 2004) The recognition of the three ‘marks of existence’ and the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths is the way forward for all those who wish to attain enlightenment, through following the Noble Eightfold Path. Thus the Four Noble Truths are ‘the’ central tenet of Buddhism and the core teaching of the Buddha, and as such it is important that followers not only understand the teachings but also follow the ‘magga’ in order to realize Nirvana.
