Page 291

Alexandr Korol
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Page 291

Post by Alexandr Korol »

Saturation of arising (prabhava): the intensification of suffering — defilements (kleshas), like oil poured into a fire, contribute to the increase of suffering; the stronger the desires and attachments, the stronger the suffering that accompanies them.
Meditation on the four aspects of the truth of the source, as with the four aspects of the truth of suffering, is intended to generate aversion to samsara.

The Third Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

Nirodha, the truth of the cessation of suffering — “cessation,” “extinguishing,” “suppression.” The Third Noble Truth states that true and lasting happiness is the mind completely purified of defilements. This is the most “religious” of the four truths, as it proclaims the possibility of salvation from dissatisfaction and the finiteness of existence. It represents liberation from desires and the defilements that give rise to them — the attainment of nirvana. It can be described as follows: “It is the complete calming (of agitation) and cessation, renunciation, detachment; it is liberation through withdrawal from that very craving (liberation-through-withdrawal).”
And now, O brothers, the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering. Truly! — that cessation of suffering is the destruction of craving, the final victory over passions, healing, liberation, dispassion. Such, O monks, is the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering.
The state in which there is no dukkha is attainable. The removal of the mind’s defilements (unnecessary attachments, hatred, envy, and intolerance) — this is the truth about the state beyond “suffering.” But it is not enough to simply read about it. To understand this truth, one must apply meditation in practice in order to purify the mind. How to realize this in everyday life is what the Fourth Truth speaks about.
Some monks who traveled with the Buddha misunderstood the Third Truth as a complete renunciation of all desires whatsoever, self-mortification, and total restriction of all needs. Therefore, in his discourse, the Buddha warns against such an interpretation (see the second quote below in the section “The Fourth Noble Truth of the Path”). After all, even the Buddha himself had desires — to eat, to drink, to wear clothes, to realize the truth, and so on.