What are we trying to stop? Suffering

How is the Buddha like a doctor? The Buddha is often compared to a doctor who diagnoses the suffering of the world and then offers a cure. His diagnosis is summed up in the Four Noble Truths. When people are ill they go to a doctor to find out what is wrong. Think of an illness, and try to think of the steps you go through to find a cure.

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS FIRST NOBLE TRUTH ( The facts ) Copy into books. FIRST NOBLE TRUTH ( The facts ) All of life is unsatisfactory because there is so much suffering. SECOND NOBLE ( The reason ) Suffering is caused by wanting things to stay the way they are and by craving. THIRD NOBLE ( The cure) Suffering can be ended by overcoming craving and becoming detached. FOURTH NOBLE ( the medicine ) Follow the code given in the Noble Eightfold Path in order to achieve true happiness and end suffering.

Relationship Breakdown Birth The symptoms. Dukkha: All of life is unsatisfactory because there is so much suffering. Aging Teenage Years Death Times of illness Relationship Breakdown

Relationship Breakdown The symptoms Dukkha: We suffer because we do not accept that everything changes Birth Aging Teenage Years Death Times of illness Relationship Breakdown

Dukkha There are many forms of suffering Humans are not perfect and the world is not perfect Therefore everywhere there is suffering

Suffering is caused by; The second noble truth. Suffering is caused by; Being unsatisfied with what we have Wanting what we don’t have Losing what we have become attached to.

What do you crave in life? Write down 3 things you crave for in life These can be addictions, habits, wants etc.

The third Noble truth Suffering is overcome by overcoming the desire to have everything remain the same It is overcome by stopping our cravings It is overcome by overcoming attachment

The third Noble truth. The story of Kisagotami: Listen to the story and decide what the Buddha thought the cure to suffering was.

Kisagotami was married to a rich young man and a son was born to them Kisagotami was married to a rich young man and a son was born to them. The boy died when he was just a toddler and Kisagotami was stricken with grief. Carrying the dead body of her son, she went about asking for medicine that would restore her son to life from everyone she happened to meet.

But a wise man seeing her condition thought that he should be of some help to her. So, he said to her, “The Buddha is the person you should approach, he has the medicine you want; go to him.” Thus, she went to the Buddha and asked him to give her the medicine that would restore her dead son to life.

The Buddha told her to get some mustard seeds from a house where there had been no suffering. Kisagotami was now extremely happy and went from house to house in the village, asking for some mustard seeds. Everyone was willing to help her, but she could not find a single house where suffering had not occurred.

Then, she realized that her's was not the only family that had suffered. As soon as she realized this, her attitude changed; she was no longer attached to her son. She was now able to cremate her son and returned to the Buddha and told him that she could not find a house where suffering had not occurred. Buddha told her that everyone suffers.

Soon afterwards, Kisagotami became a nun Soon afterwards, Kisagotami became a nun. One day, as she was lighting the lamps she saw the flames flaring up and dying out, and suddenly she understood that everything is impermanent.

Quick questions Are the three noble truths that you have studied relevant today? What was Buddha trying to teach in the story of Kisagotami? Do you agree that ‘everywhere there is suffering?’ Do you think that disattaching ourselves from things would be beneficial or harming?

Activities Buddha taught that the way to control suffering was to become detached and control our cravings. Write a few sentences in which you state whether you agree with him or not and explain why you do or do not agree. Create a flier on the three universal truths and the three noble truths that you have been taught today.

The Middle Way