Awakening the Buddha Within _ Eight Steps to Enlightenment - Lama Surya Das [35]
—FROM THE DHAMMAPADA
(SAYINGS OF THE BUDDHA)
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
The Facts of Life from a
Buddhist Perspective
How wonderful!
How wonderful!
All things are
perfect
exactly as they
are!
—THE BUDDHA
When the Buddha realized perfect enlightenment, the veils of illusion fell from his eyes. Free of the snares of desire, he had finally achieved lasting happiness. His wisdom-eye fully opened, the truth of “what is” became evident. He said he perceived and remembered hundreds of his past lives; he knew and understood the intricate and precise laws of karma and rebirth; and he recognized the workings of ignorance, attachment, and desire. The awakened Buddha finally realized why life often seems so troubling.
Imagine for a moment that you suddenly knew everything that could be known about all things seen and unseen—the true and ultimate secret of life. What would you do if the gossamer curtain that stands between you and complete understanding was pulled back? Some even say the Buddha attained omniscience through his enlightenment experience. For a moment, try to imagine what the Buddha must have felt when the clouds obscuring his vision suddenly parted, and the ever-present shining sun of reality broke through.
For the first few weeks after the Buddha’s great awakening, he continued to meditate at the bodhi tree, reflecting upon what he had realized. He wasn’t immediately sure what to do with this unique remarkable truth, this Dharma that was now one with his being; he hadn’t yet decided whether to teach or remain silent. Initially he thought he might not find others who would be able to perceive and understand what he taught. Then he recalled five mendicants, seekers who had been his companions. Remembering that their eyes had been only thinly veiled by delusion’s dust, he determined to find them. He would share what he knew, and they would inevitably benefit from it.
The Buddha then traveled northwest toward the town now known as Benares. Crossing the Ganges, he walked for several days until he arrived at the Deer Park in Sarnath. There he met the five mendicants who would become his first disciples. To them he gave his first Dharma talk explaining the Four Noble Truths, the facts of life from an enlightened perspective. We are told that the Buddha’s message was so transformative that they became enlightened on the spot.
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
The Four Noble Truths are the core of the Buddhist Dharma. Yet they are probably the most misunderstood of the Buddha’s teachings. On the face of it, the Four Noble Truths have a clear and simple message: It is the nature of life that all beings will face difficulties; through enlightened living one can transcend these difficulties, ultimately becoming fulfilled, liberated, and free.
The First Noble Truth: Life is difficult.
The Second Noble Truth: Life is difficult because of attachment, because we crave satisfaction in ways that are inherently dissatisfying.
The Third Noble Truth: The possibility of liberation from difficulties exists for everyone.
The Fourth Noble Truth: The way to realize this liberation and enlightenment is by leading a compassionate life of virtue, wisdom, and meditation. These three spiritual trainings comprise the teachings of the Eight-Fold Path to Enlightenment.
The above is a brief summary. Now let’s unpack the Four Noble Truths in a more thorough way.
FACT OF LIFE #1
The First Noble Truth is known as the truth of dukkha. Etymologically speaking, the literal meanings of dukkha are “hard to bear,” “dissatisfactory,” “off the mark,” “frustrating,” and “hollow.” The word dukkha, however, is frequently translated as suffering. This concept, the so-called “bad news” of Buddhism, has led some people to misconstrue Buddhism as pessimistic and life-denying. Yet Buddha’s primary message, the “good news” of Dharma, is that there is a way to be free of suffering. The message of the Dharma