Teachings of 'The Four Noble Truths'

The Four Noble Truths
( Suffering, its cause, its extinction and the path )

The physical body is 'Impermanent' and temporary. From realistic and honest view point, we are sometimes suffering from diseases and sorrow. We cannot deny the fact that we sometimes feel pain physically and mentally. Buddha taught us that the origin of human misery and suffering is the physical body. We have a tendency to attach our physical bodies and to have endless desires. But it is delusion to perceive physical existence as the most important part of life. Our human substance are not permanent physical bodies with endless desires, but we are originally spiritual being. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to become aware that our real selves exist beyond the physical being, however that recognition is the first step to enlightenment.

1. Suffering

Four Pains ( Birth, Aging, Illness, Death )
Human beings are born into this world, living a filled with pain and bitterness, and eventually falling to hell - that is suffering. The pain of growing old - as you get older, you are assaulted by all sorts of pains. Also you inevitably face the pain of sickness and the pain of death. No one can escape them while living in this world. Human beings are sure to meet these Four Pains. You will find it impossible to change the law that rules the realities, so you should acknowledge it as such and learn a better way to live your life.

(i) Birth
'Birth' means 'to be born'. We are born into this world from the other world, where we were living happily as human souls. Before we come into this world as a newborn babies, we must persevere, anxiously awaiting the day we are born from dark mother's wombs. No matter how much knowledge or experience we had in the past, we are almost equal when we are born. Everyone needs to start from scratch. In this sense, to be born into this world is to run a great risk.

(ii) Aging
Young and beautiful days do not last long. People come to feel the pain of getting old after the age of forty. they begin to notice a loss of physical vigor year by year as if they were falling down the slope of a hill. Perhaps the pain of getting old may be felt by women more strongly than by men. Even though a person is rich or in a high position, he/she can not escape from aging.

(iii) Illness
Illness is inevitable in this world. No one can evade from illness in the course of life. The causes of illness fall into two types; one is the malfunction of the physical body itself, and the other is that of the mind, which can cause physical disease. It is important for us to admit that we occasionally become ill and then we have to overcome it.

(iv) Death
Human beings are equal in the eyes of death. It seems that people do not very seriously pursue the meaning of death. We do not worry about death until we come to close to death. Many people know at least that death means to leave the world, but they remain ignorant of what will happen after death. They are afraid of after their death. Some people do not know whether their consciousness remain or completely disapear after death. Even if some people know reincarnation, they do not know whether they return to heaven or go down to hell afer their death.

2. Cause

It is need for us to realize that the cause of suffering is our endless desire. Suffering is the result of our uncelestial desire. The more you have worldly desire, the more you feel pain. The energy of worldly desire itself is as same as vital energy to live, so as long as we live in this world with physical body, we can not extinguish desires completely but can control it. Most of problems arise from 'ego'. People often suffer and struggle because their desire have not been satisfied. If you awake spiritually, you will perceive that suffering means living in delusion.

3. Extinction

We should remove the causes of suffering, so that we attain a state of enlightenment and reach the state of emancipation. We should live our lives in this world on the basis of the values of the spiritual world; live, think and act with an awareness of the real self.

4. the Path

The Path is The Eightfold Path or the Middle Way. We should take the time to concentrate our mind and reflect upon ourselves, otherwise we cannot easily experience the state of extinction. The path comprises: Right Seeing , Right Thought , Right Speech , Right Action , Right Living , Right Effort , Right Will , Right Meditation.

(references; 'The Challenge of Religion' , "Buddha's Enlightenment"(monthly message no.4), 'Step-by-Step Teaching'(monthly message no.5))

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