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The Noble Liberation and the Noble Truths Dr. Mehm Tin Mon
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What is the Suffering of Association with the Undesirable and the Unloved? |
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What is the Suffering of Seperation from the Desirable and the Loved? |
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How, in brief, are the five Aggregates of Attachment suffering? |
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THE SECOND NOBLE TRUTH - THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING |
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Threefold Wisdom on the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering |
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THE THIRD NOBLE TRUTH - THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE EXTINCTION OF SUFFERING |
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Threefold Wisdom on the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering |
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THE FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH - THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE PATH LEADING TO THE CESSATION OF SUFFERING |
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What is the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering? |
The Explanation of the Path Factors |
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(1) The Right Understanding (Sammaditthi) |
(2) The Right Thought (Sammasankappa) |
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(3) The Right Speech (Sammavaca) |
(4) The Right Action (Sammakammanta) |
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(5) The Right Livelihood (Samma-ajiva) |
(6) The Right Effort (Sammvayama) |
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(7) The Right Mindfulness (Sammasati) |
(8) The Right Concentration (Sammasamadhi) |
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The Noble Threefold Training |
Practical Training |
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Threefold Wisdom on the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering |
Enlightenment not yet Claimed |
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Enlightinent Claimed |
Venerable Kondanna realized the Truth |
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The joyful Exclamation of Celestial Beings |
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THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH - THE NOBLE TRUTH OF SUFFERING "This, O bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha): Birth is suffering; ageing is suffering; sickness is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; association with the unloved or unpleasant condition is suffering; separation from the beloved or pleasant condition is suffering; not to get what one desires is suffering. In brief, the live aggregates of attachment are suffering." The genesis of mental and physical entities in a new existence is called birth. The continuous arising of mental and physical entities inside the mother's womb or in an egg shell, the gradual development of organs and sense bases, being conceived and confined tightly in a narrow space and being delivered from the womb with great pain are also designated as birth. The decay of beings their becoming aged, frail, grey, wrinkled; the failing of their vital force and physical strength; the wearing out of the senses — this is called ageing. The departing and vanishing of beings; their destruction, the completion of their life-span, the cutting off of the vital force, the cutting off of mental and physical entities, the dissolution of the groups of existence, the discarding of the body — this is called death. What is Worry or Sorrow (soka)? It is the worry or sorrow that arises from the concern for the safety of one's life, shelter and property or for the safety and comfort of one's wife, children and beloved ones. One worries that one's property, wealth, positions authority, beloved ones, etc., may be lost. What is Lamentation (parideva) ? When one's cherished property, wealth, positions authority and beloved ones are lost, one is stricken by grief and one wails and laments. Wailing and the act of wailing, the state of woe and lamentation — this is called lamentation. What is Bodily Pain (dukkha) ? The bodily pain and the unpleasantness of the body such as stiffness, aches, soreness, feeling hot or cold, the painful and unpleasant feeling produced by bodily impression — this is called bodily pain. The mental pain and mental unpleasantness such as dislike, depression, hate and fear, the painful and unpleasant feeling produced by mental impression — this is called grief. When one encounters great loss or misfortune (byasana) such as loss of relatives, loss of property, loss of health, loss of morality and loss of right view, distress and despair arise in one's mind. This distressfulness or desperation produced by excessive mental agony is called despair. What is the Suffering of Association with the Undesirable and the Unloved? In this world when one comes into contact, meet, associate and mix with the unloved and undesirable visible forms, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily contacts and mind objects, and also when one comes into contact, meet, associate and mix with persons who desires for one's ruin, downfall, pain and danger, one experiences suffering. This is called the suffering of association with the undesirable and the unloved. What is the Suffering of Separation from the Desirable and the Loved? In this world when one fails to come into contact, meet, associate and mix with the loved and desirable visible forms, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily contacts and mind objects, and also when one is separated from one's parents, brothers, sisters, friends and relatives who wish one to gain benefits, to be prosperous , to be free from pain and danger, one experiences suffering. This is called the suffering of separation from the desirable and the loved. What is the suffering of not getting what one desires? To beings subject to birth there comes the desire: "How nice will it be if we were not subject to birth, and birth were not before us!" Inspite of this desire, we cannot stop birth from coming to us. This is the suffering of not getting what one desires. Similarly to beings subject to ageing, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair, there comes the desire: "How nice will it be if we were not subject to these things and these things were not before us!" But this cannot be got by mere desiring. This is the suffering of not getting what one desires. Not to get the things that we want daily and to see that our wishes are not fulfilled are also suffering. How, In brief, are the five Aggregates of Attachment suffering? The five aggregates of attachment are the corporeality group, the feeling group, the perception group, the group of mental formations and the group of consciousness that are attached by craving (tanha) and the wrong view (ditthi). Each being is made up of these five groups of attachment. All that really exist in the thirty-one planes of existence are just these five aggregates of attachment. These five aggregates arise dependent on conditions and dissolve very rapidly and incessantly. Since these five aggregates are impermanent, arising and dissolving very rapidly, they are really suffering. (Digha Nikaya, Mahavagga Pali, Mahasatipatthana Sutta) All living beings are subject to birth, ageing and death. No one can escape from the suffering of birth, While they are alive, they encounter occasionally or frequently worry or sorrow, lamentation, bodily pain, mental pain or grief and despair. They also have to associate with the unloved and the undesirable and to separate from the loved and the desirable. There are also many occasions when their desires and wishes are not fulfilled. So it is undeniable that they are also subject to these types of suffering. Now the mental and physical entities that makeup the five aggregates of attachment which in turn represent a being are arising and dissolving at every moment. These phenomena can be observed by the well concentrated mind in insight meditation. Thus to be tortured constantly by the rapid dissolution of the cherished aggregates of attachment really amounts to suffering. So we cannot deny the twelve types of suffering enumerated by the Buddha. But, while we are alive, we also have the chances to separate from the unloved and the undesirable, to associate with the loved and the desirable, to get what we desire, and to enjoy sensual pleasure. Aren't these enjoyments pleasant and joyful? Shouldn't they be designated as happiness (sukha) in stead of suffering (dukkha)? The profound Meaning of Dukkha The meaning of the Pali word 'dukkha' is profound. It cannot be translated adequately into an English word or into an equivalent word of any other language. In Sanskrit, it is called 'du-kha' meaning literally 'hard to bear'. In ordinary usage 'dukkha' means 'suffering, pain, sorrow, grief, misery'. These are the opposites of the meanings such as 'happiness, pleasantness, pleasure, ease, comfort' for 'sukha'. The word 'dukkha' as it appears in the first Noble Truth represents a broader meaning than 'suffering' as it describes broadly the Buddha's perspective of life and the world. In addition to the meaning 'suffering', it also includes such meanings as 'unsatisfactoriness, impermanence, imperfection, emptiness, lack of essence, and insubstantiality'. (Dr. Rewata Dhamma: The First Discourse of the Buddha, 56) When the Buddha preached a sermon, he always examined the state of perfection, the aptitude for understanding his discourse and the inclination of his listeners. In expounding the Dhammacakka Sutta to the Five Ascetics (Panca Vaggi), the Buddha described the four Noble Truths just briefly, because the listeners were quite advanced in fulfilling the ten perfections. Later on, he reexpounded the four Noble Truths in many occasions in Sutta Patheyya and other Suttas, he elaborated dukkha into three kinds. 1. Dukkha dukkha — The obvious type of ordinary suffering. The eleven types of suffering, starting from the suffering of birth to the suffering of not getting what one desires, expounded in Dhammacakka Sutta, are all the obvious types of suffering known as dukkha dukkha. All forms of physical and mental suffering, which are universally accepted as suffering, belong to dukkha dukkha. 2. Viparnama dukkha — the suffering due to change. A happy feeling, a happy condition in life, is not permanent, not everlasting. it changes sooner or later. When it changes, it produces pain and suffering. What people think to be happiness generated from association with the beloved and the desirable, separation from the unbeloved and undesirable, getting what one desires and enjoying sensual pleasure does not last long. It turns to mental suffering as soon as conditions change. So it belongs to viparinama dukkha. 3. Sankhara dukkha — the suffering due to conditioning. It is the type of suffering associated with constant effort to relieve discomfort, pain, sickness, hunger, thirst, sense desires, etc. We have to take care and exert constant effort to protect ourselves from heat and cold, from insect bites, etc. Hunger and thirst are the greatest diseases that can never be cured throughout our life. Sabbe sankhara dukkha 'All conditioned things are suffering." All conditioned things are nothing but physical and mental entities. They constitute the five aggregates of attachment, being attached by craving and wrong view. These five aggregates arise and dissolve constantly. Conditions or causes condition the five aggregates to arise. The five aggregates exist only while the causes exist. They cease to exist when the causes dissolve. To be constantly conditioned by causes is suffering. The dissolution of aggregates is also suffering. Having to be alive with the impermanent five aggregates is very worrisome arid dreadful like living in a collapsing old building. What Sense Enjoyment really Is Worldlings are very much fond of and attached to sense enjoyment, thinking that such enjoyment gives them real happiness. All animate and inanimate sense objects, if we took at them analytically, are by nature disgusting and loathsome. However, the ignorance (avijja— a mental factor) blinds over vision not to see their true nature and deceives us to think they are persons, objects, beautiful and desirable. Ditthi (wrong view — another mental factor) takes these to be true and believes that they really exist and are desirable. So craving (tanhaor lobha — another mental factor) likes them and craves for them. When we come into contact with these sense objects, pleasant feeling arises and we enjoy this feeling with joy (piti), attachment (lobha), wrong vision (moha) and wrong view (ditthi) because we make the unwise reflection that the sense objects are beautiful and desirable. If we make wise reflection that the sense objects are in reality not beautiful and not permanent, unwholesome mental states (moha, ditthi, lobha) will not arise. Again the pleasant sensation, joy and enjoyment last just for a short moment. Then they dissolve and disappear. Since we become attached to them and crave for them, we exert constant effort to enjoy them again and again. Now to exert constant effort to enjoy sensual pleasure again and again is suffering; the dissolution of the pleasant sensation and joy is suffering; to be burnt with the fire of greed (lobha) and the fire of ignorance (moha) while we enjoy the - sensual pleasure is suffering, to be burnt with the fire of anger (dosa) and the fire of ignorance (moha) when our sense desires are not gratified inspite of our constant effort is also suffering. Therefore, if we reflect carefully with the knowledge of the Dhamma, sense enjoyment is really suffering. The Delightfulness of Sensuality The Buddha looked at everything realistically and objectively He said in Mahadukkhakkhandha Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya, MuIapannasa) with regard to enjoying the senses in daily life, that we should clearly understand three things: 1. the delightfulness of sensuality or sense enjoyment (assada), 2. the evil consequences of sensuality (adinava), 3. the freedom or liberation from sensuality (nissarana). Sensuality refers to the five senses—visible object, sound, smell, taste and tangible object. The pleasant sensation, joy and happiness that arise from contact with these sense objects represent the delightfulness of sensuality. The evil Consequences of Sensuality To enjoy sense pleasure, money is needed. To get money, one has to acquire an education or skill and has to work or find ways and means to earn money. Inspite of his effort, if he fails to realize his expectation or fails to get enough wealth and property, he is stricken with sorrow, grief, fatigue, and suffering. If, because of his effort and hard work, he acquires some wealth and property, he has to be concerned with their safety and has to guard them against five enemies — viz, water, fire, ruler, thief and unbeloved ones. This gives rise to fatigue and suffering. If, inspite of his effort, his property is lost, he experiences great sorrow, lamentation, despair and suffering. Again on account of sensuality, one has to argue and quarrel with others; some resort to stealing and robbing; some even wage wars causing many to die. And after death, many are cast into woeful abodes because of sensuality. This mass of the present suffering and the suffering after death are the evil consequences of sensuality that arise on account of sensuality. The Freedom or Liberation from Sensuality If one can abandon the desire for sensuality and eradicate that desire, one shall gain liberation from sensuality. To eradicate craving completely, we must walk along the Middle Path and undertake insight meditation. The freedom from the entanglement of craving — tanha means the freedom from all suffering and the enjoyment of peace and happiness. Illustration of the three Aspects of Sensuality When a handsome young man meets a beautiful maiden, they like each other and they make the effort to see each other again and again. When they fall in love to each other, they think that the world is a very splendid thing. This is the delightfulness of sensuality. But the worldly conditions are not stable. Because of a change in conditions, if they cannot meet each other again, they will be very sad and stricken with grief. If they cannot control their minds, they might commit grievous actions. In a play written by William Shakespeare, the world-famous play- writer, Romeo and Juliet met and fell in love with each other. They thought that their lives were very pleasant and joyful when they were together. But their parents separated them and they were stricken with grief and lamentation. As they could not stand against the vicissitudes of life, both of them committed suicide. If they had understood about the evil consequences of sensuality and the vicissitudes of life and tried to suppress the craving for and attachment to each other by doing some beneficial work while waiting for a favourable condition, they could have relieved their grief and misery. That would be a temporary escape from sensuality and the entanglement of craving. Alexander the Great, the Greek king of Macedon and one of the greatest generals of all time, conquered many lands and established a great empire in 324 B.C. But he died of a fever the next year at the young age of 33. Julius Caesar, one of the most renowned military commanders in world history and Roman Statesman, while exercising dictatorial powers, was murdered in 44 B.C. by a conspiracy group. Mark Antony, a Roman political, leader and general, won the love of Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen and one of the most beautiful women in the world and ruled from Alexandria in great luxury. But, not long after, his army was defeated by the Roman army led by Octavian and both he and Cleopatra committed suicide in 30 B.C. Thus dominion over the whole world will not produce happiness lasting for long. Death may strike at any moment. Thus Shakespeare is correct when he says: "The head that wears the crown is uneasy." Three puppies were playing and wrestling joyfully in front of our apartment building. A speeding car soon ran over them, killing them tragically. A grandfather and a grandson were walking home from school along the platform of Prome Road in front of the Medical Institute where I worked. A speeding saloon car got out of control, ran over the platform and killed the grandfather and the grandson on the spot. While I was on duty at the international Buddha Sasana Meditation Centre at Thanlyin, Yangon, a counsellor from American Embassy and his wife came to the centre. The counsellor went to the Dhamma Hall to meditate while his beautiful wife sat waiting for him at the office parlour, smoking a cigarette, "Madam, while you are here, won't you like to meditate? " I tried to persuade her. "Oh, only people with trouble need meditation. I have everything I want and, indeed, I'm very happy. I don't think I need meditation. My son is also attending the New York University happily," said the lady eloquently. Just at that moment, the telephone rang. I went to answer the phone. Then I came back to her with a sad face and said: "Madam, I'm sorry to tell you. The American Embassy has just informed us that your son had a car collision in New York and he was seriously hurt. He was now in the hospital. The Embassy will ring us again as soon as they get further information. Before I finished speaking the lady broke down and was very much shaken. She suddenly asked me, "What did you say? What happened to my son... Is he unconscious? Oh, it's miserable... I have to tell his father..." Then I tried to be cheerful and said solemnly, "I beg your pardon, Madam. What I said was not true. I just said what can happen at any time. If you have undertaken meditation, when a frightening incident like the one I mentioned arises, you can handle it calmly and correctly." "All right. I'll do meditation next time." "I am glad, Madam." Family happiness can be enjoyed only while favourable conditions exist; it turns to grief and despair when the conditions change to the worst. Sankhara Dukkha is most important Though sankhara dukkha is hard to see and hard to understand, if we examine analytically, we shall see that sankhara dukkha is the most important key factor of the first Noble Truth. According to the Buddha's philosophy, a being or a man is a combination of five aggregates. The five aggregates are made up of ultimate physical and mental entities. These ultimate physical and mental entities arise incessantly dependent on the corresponding conditions and dissolve incessantly. These physical and mental entities are both conditioned and conditioning. Because the physical and mental entities have to be conditioned constantly by the corresponding causes, they are called 'sankhara' As 'sankhara' arises and dissolves incessantly, the five aggregates also arise and dissolve incessantly. None of them are self-existing. There is nothing which does not dissolve. As these aggregates incessantly arise and dissolve and keep changing, there is none to be designated as 'person, being, I'. The absence of 'person, being, I', the absence of any substantial entity to be called 'atta or soul', the incessant arising and dissolving in conformity with their intrinsic nature without complying to one's wishes or commands, and the nature of not being controlled by anyone constitute the very important philosophical aspect called 'anatta or non-self'.
Therefore, the Buddha described the First Noble Truth in Dhammacakka Sutta as
This is equivalent to saying that all forms of existences whatsoever are nothing but suffering. Is Buddhism Pessimism or Realism? Because of the statement "all existences are nothing but suffering", some people would like to designate Buddhism as 'Pessimism'. Pessimism is the practice of not looking on the bright and good side but on the dark and bad side of things. It expects misfortune or the worst outcome in any circumstance. It is the belief that the evil in life outweighs the good and that evil will always triumph over good. Buddhism is neither 'Pessimism' nor 'Optimism'. It is 'Realism' for it takes a realistic view of life and of the world. It looks at all things objectively. It does not falsely lull you into living in a fool's paradise, nor does it frighten and torture you with all kinds of imaginary fears and sins. It tells you exactly and correctly what you are and what the world around you is. Then it shows you the way to perfect freedom, tranquility, peace and happiness. In diagnosing the illness of a patient, one physician exaggerates it to be very serious and gives the impression that there is no hope for curing it. Another physician, being ignorant of the illness, says: "There is no illness, no medical treatment is required." So he deceives the patient with false consolation. The first physician may be called a pessimist and the second physician, an optimist. But both of them are ignorant. The third physician diagnoses the symptom of the disease correctly and tells the truth about the disease and its cause. Then he prescribes the right medicine and the patient is cured and happy. The Buddha is like the third physician. He knows the universal disease of the world together with its cause. He is a wise and scientific doctor (bhisakka) for the ills of the world. He is truly benevolent and compassionate, and he really wants beings to be free from suffering. The Buddhists, who understand the true nature of life and of the world, accept the real worst condition of life and, therefore, they are not frightened and shaken by the normal vicissitudes of life. They can serenely and calmly solve the problem of life and live happily without any worry and anxiety. Just as a man, who has been drifted in the wide ocean for more than thirty days without food and water, can calmly face any situation of life calmly, so too Buddhists can confront bad situations in life serenely. The noble persons who have fully understood the four Noble Truths are the happiest persons in the world. Threefold Wisdom on the Noble Truth of Suffering "O bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of suffering. Thus, concerning the Noble Truths not heard before, there arose in me the vision that sees the truth of suffering, the knowledge that knows the truth of suffering, the wisdom that clearly discerns the various forms of suffering, the insight that penetratively sees the truth of suffering, and the light of wisdom which destroys the darkness of ignorance shielding the truth of suffering." "O bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of suffering which should be fully understood. Thus, concerning the Noble Truths not heard before, there arose in me the vision that sees the truth of suffering, the knowledge that knows the truth of suffering, the wisdom that clearly discerns the various forms of suffering, the insight that penetratively sees the truth of suffering, and the light of wisdom which destroys the darkness of ignorance shielding the truth of suffering." "O bhikkhus, this is the Noble Truth of Suffering which has been fully understood. Thus, concerning the Noble Truths not heard before, there arose in me the vision that sees the truth of suffering, the knowledge that knows the truth of suffering, the wisdom that clearly discerns the various forms of suffering, the insight that penetratively sees the truth of suffering, and the light of wisdom which destroys the darkness of ignorance shielding the truth of suffering." (Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta) The three aspects of wisdom mentioned above are called saccanana, kiccananaand katanana, respectively. It is very important to understand the First Noble Truth clearly, because "he who sees dukkha sees also the origin of dukkha, sees also the cessation of dukkha, and sees also the path leading to the cessation of dukkha." (SV, 457) In fact, the Buddha says that he who sees any one of the four Noble Truths sees the other three as well. These four Noble Truths are interrelated. |
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