Page 284

[Alexandr Korol]

“The Four Noble Truths, the Four Holy Truths, the Four Truths of the Noble One (Sanskrit: chatvari arya-satyani, Pali: chattari ariya-saccani, Tibetan: pakpé den shi) — one of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism, adhered to by all its schools. The Four Noble Truths were formulated by Buddha Shakyamuni, and can briefly be stated as follows:
There is suffering.
There is a cause of suffering — craving, passionate desire.
There is cessation of suffering — nirodha, nirvana.
There is a path leading to the cessation of suffering — the Noble Eightfold Path (arya-ashtanga-marga).
They are presented in the “Sutra on Turning the Wheel of Dharma” (Pali Canon, Samyutta Nikaya, 56.11), which conveys the Buddha’s first sermon. The formulations of the Four Noble Truths are comparable to a physician diagnosing and prescribing treatment: 1) recognizing the illness and diagnosing it; 2) identifying the cause of the illness, its etiology and pathogenesis; 3) giving a prognosis indicating the possibility of recovery; 4) prescribing the course of treatment to the patient.” Interesting, such a comparative comparison. “The four ‘truths-realities’ are not an object of faith for a Buddhist; they require an active attitude toward them: the first truth requires understanding, the second — rejection, the third — realization, the fourth — following.” You see, there is no such thing here as locking yourself in a cave and awakening — you see how much effort is needed, you have to do as many as four types of work on yourself. “All biographies of the Buddha mention that the Four Noble Truths were realized by him in the place of Bodh Gaya, located about 10 km south of the city of Gaya (India, Bihar state), under the Bodhi tree on the night of Enlightenment: on the 14th day of the month of Vaishakha, on the full moon. According to legend, Mara fiercely opposed Shakyamuni all that night in performing his spiritual feat: he sent hordes of evil spirits upon him, sent his seductive daughters to tempt him, brought down earthquakes and hurricanes (according to some texts, Mara’s daughters came to seduce the Buddha the night after Enlightenment). But Shakyamuni was protected by the ten perfect qualities he had acquired in this and past lives: generosity, moral purity, ability to renounce, intuitive wisdom, selflessness, patience, truthfulness, determination, love and compassion for all living beings, and equanimity.