What? Why? Where? How?
What is life? — Suffering.
Why is there suffering? — Because of craving.
Where does suffering cease? — In Nibbana.
How do you get to Nibbana? — By practicing the Path.
Four Noble Truths as questions
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
Hi Stefan
Looks good, however, I have a little bit of a problem with:
What is life? — Suffering.
It appears to be annihilationism to suggest that life is suffering, that there is no escape except through death.
kind regards
Ben
Looks good, however, I have a little bit of a problem with:
What is life? — Suffering.
It appears to be annihilationism to suggest that life is suffering, that there is no escape except through death.
kind regards
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
Hi Ben!
But Ajahn Brahm said it too:
Metta!
But Ajahn Brahm said it too:
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books ... nsight.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;In the same way, when you've had a good meditation, everything's nice and peaceful, you've got so much happiness, then you're much more open to seeing those insights which you would normally never allow yourself to contemplate. There's no-one here. Life is suffering. Everything is impermanent.
Metta!
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Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
Greetings,
Suffering is caused by craving.
Metta,
Retro.
Hmmm... where in the 4NT does it say anything about life being this, or life being that?Stefan wrote:What is life? — Suffering.
Suffering is caused by craving.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
OK, one more:
http://dhammatimes.blogspot.com/2007/09 ... ng-by.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;To use wisdom power means remembering the Teachings and looking at your experience in the framework of those teachings, the framework of the Four Noble Truths. The Lord Buddha taught that birth is suffering, old age, sickness and death are suffering. And all that goes in between is also suffering. In brief, life is suffering. So when suffering comes – as disappointment, as frustration, as loneliness or depression, or as wondering what you're supposed to be doing – you're seeing here a basic truth of nature which every human being, whether in a monastery or outside, must come across from time to time in their lives.
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
Hi Stefan
metta
Ben
I understand its something that Ajahn said. I do not wish to deflate your confidence in his words or instructions.Stefan wrote:But Ajahn Brahm said it too
metta
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- retrofuturist
- Posts: 27860
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:52 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
If life is suffering, the Buddha suffered.
Is that what the Dhamma is about?
Metta,
Retro.
Is that what the Dhamma is about?
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
retrofuturist wrote:If life is suffering, the Buddha suffered.
Is that what the Dhamma is about?
Metta,
Retro.
http://www.pathandfruit.com/Books3/Ajah ... NATION.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;Even Arahants, Enlightened monks and nuns, experience suffering. They are not released from suffering, they are still in the world, in jail. The main difference between an ordinary 'prisoner' and an Arahant is that the latter is certain to leave soon.
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Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
So says Ajahn Brahma...They are not released from suffering, they are still in the world
That's not how the Buddha defined the world.
SN 12.44: Loka Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Metta,"And what is the ending of the world? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. Now, from the remainderless cessation & fading away of that very craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering. This is the ending of the world.
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
Perhaps the question could be phrased better as: "What does life contain?"
What do you think?
What do you think?
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Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
Greetings Stefan,
Somewhere there's a sutta (and it's doubtlessly worded much better than this) where the Buddha says that there is both happiness and suffering in this world. He speaks about if there were all happiness, or if there were all suffering... but says that there is both. Alas, I can't quite remember exactly what he said, nor can I think of appropriate keywords by which to search for it online. I put that forward in the hope that you or someone else recognise the sutta I'm referring to and have better luck at finding it than me.
Metta,
Retro.
Somewhere there's a sutta (and it's doubtlessly worded much better than this) where the Buddha says that there is both happiness and suffering in this world. He speaks about if there were all happiness, or if there were all suffering... but says that there is both. Alas, I can't quite remember exactly what he said, nor can I think of appropriate keywords by which to search for it online. I put that forward in the hope that you or someone else recognise the sutta I'm referring to and have better luck at finding it than me.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
You mean the sutta on gratification, danger and escape? AN 3:102
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
How about this one Stefan:
"What is personality?" - Suffering!
"Why is there suffering?" - Because of craving!
"What is the end of craving?" - The end of suffering!
"How do we end suffering?" - By practicing the path!
The clinging-aggregates (pañc'upādānakkhandhā) are personality (sakkāya) [see: MN44] and the clinging-aggregates are suffering [see DN22], so personality is suffering, too.
best wishes, acinteyyo
"What is personality?" - Suffering!
"Why is there suffering?" - Because of craving!
"What is the end of craving?" - The end of suffering!
"How do we end suffering?" - By practicing the path!
The clinging-aggregates (pañc'upādānakkhandhā) are personality (sakkāya) [see: MN44] and the clinging-aggregates are suffering [see DN22], so personality is suffering, too.
best wishes, acinteyyo
Thag 1.20. Ajita - I do not fear death; nor do I long for life. I’ll lay down this body, aware and mindful.
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
It is important to note that the Buddha did not say life is suffering, as retrofuturist points out, but only said that here is this problem of suffering. If any Ajahn says that life is suffering, they are wrong and quoting them won't change that. "Life is suffering" it is nowhere attested in the Suttas. I also have a problem with 'nibbana' being an answer to a 'where' question.
In fact, I disagree with framing the Four Noble Truths as all being answers to questions in the first place. The first noble truth is in fact an assertion that "there is suffering", which is almost obvious (except perhaps for the nuance of separation from pleasure being suffering, alongside the common-sense 'contact with the unpleasant is suffering'). The second noble truth is an assertion dealing with the cause of the suffering outlined in the first noble truth, and so on: no questions, only assertions to do with suffering and the cessation of suffering, assertions to be actively investigated and then put into argent and diligent practice.
In fact, I disagree with framing the Four Noble Truths as all being answers to questions in the first place. The first noble truth is in fact an assertion that "there is suffering", which is almost obvious (except perhaps for the nuance of separation from pleasure being suffering, alongside the common-sense 'contact with the unpleasant is suffering'). The second noble truth is an assertion dealing with the cause of the suffering outlined in the first noble truth, and so on: no questions, only assertions to do with suffering and the cessation of suffering, assertions to be actively investigated and then put into argent and diligent practice.
Re: Four Noble Truths as questions
On the four noble truths
A senior monk of the meditation tradition came to pay his respects to Luang Pu on the first day of the Rains Retreat in 1956. After giving him instruction and a number of teachings on profound matters, Luang Pu summarized the four noble truths as follows:
"The mind sent outside is the origination of suffering.
The result of the mind sent outside is suffering.
The mind seeing the mind is the path.
The result of the mind seeing the mind is the cessation of suffering."
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books ... Legacy.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A senior monk of the meditation tradition came to pay his respects to Luang Pu on the first day of the Rains Retreat in 1956. After giving him instruction and a number of teachings on profound matters, Luang Pu summarized the four noble truths as follows:
"The mind sent outside is the origination of suffering.
The result of the mind sent outside is suffering.
The mind seeing the mind is the path.
The result of the mind seeing the mind is the cessation of suffering."
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books ... Legacy.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
- BB
- BB