Buddha’s Four Great Noble truths; – which are “Akalico” (meaning Timeless) – True in the Past, True in the present and shall be true in the Future
Life consists of Suffering (Dhukka), was the first Noble Truth which Lord Buddha realised and it was this Truth which led him to search for the answer to putting an End to that Suffering, which is inherent in all Life, even if sometimes it may hardly be noticeable, there is always some unsatisfactoriness and discomfort.
The Root of suffering is Attachment. The second Noble Truth – There must be a Cause of Suffering (Samutaya). The Third Noble Truth ( If there is a beginning (cause) to suffering, then there must be an End to that suffering, and therefore a Way to End the Suffering). There is a Path to the End of all Suffering, and that Path is the Dharma. The fourth Noble Truth was that the renunciation of desires and attachments, and practise of the Dhamma according to the Eightfold Path is the way to the end of all suffering.
Life is Dhukka (suffering).
To live is to suffer countless forms of pain, anguish, fear, and physical torments,as well as psychological maladies and emotional discomforts. One reason for this is because the nature of incarnate life is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lives, we unavoidably must endure physical sufferings such as body pains, sicknesses, injuries, fatigue, old age, and eventually death; Also, there are many disagreeable psychological forms of Suffering, like Sadness, Fear, Frustration, Disappointment, and Depression.
Although there are different levels of Dhukka and there are also pleasurable experiences whilst living, which we generally like to perceive as the opposite of suffering. Conceptual abstractions such as Ease, Comfort and Happiness, for example, are seen as opposing extremes to Displeasure. Life in its Complexity is Utterly imperfect and incomplete, because our world, and every Living Being in it are subject to Impermanence.Impermanence means we are never able to keep permanent hold of the things that we strive for, even as we enjoy pleasurable moments, the sadness and maladies of misfortunes to come are looming, and even we ourselves and our loved ones will have to pass on and leave this body and life behind.
The Root of all suffering (Samutaya), is Attachment.
The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a “self” which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call “self” is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
The Cessation of suffering is attainable (Nirodha).
The Cessation of suffering can be attained through Nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.
The path to the cessation of suffering.
The Renunciation of Desire is the path to End Suffering (Maggha).
There is a path to the end of suffering – a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely “wandering on the wheel of becoming”, because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.
Links; The Four Noble Truths A Study Guide by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
