THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: DUKKHA Four Noble Truths

The Foundation of Buddhism The four noble truths are considered as the foundation of the Buddha’s teaching. The first sermon of the Buddha presents a brief account of them. The Buddha expounded this sermon to five ascetics at Isipatana in Benares. Four noble truths: 四聖諦 expound: 詳細述說 Account: 解釋 ascetics: 苦行者

The four noble truths are: 1. Dukkha (suffering/conflict) 苦諦 2. Samudaya (arising or origin of dukkha) 集諦 3. Nirodha (the cessation of dukkha) 滅諦 4. Magga (the way/path leading to the cessation of dukkha) 道諦

translations and interpretation Suffering : is not a correct translation for dukkha Interpretation: life according to Buddhism is nothing but suffering and pain This is a misleading interpretation. Interpretation: 詮釋 Misleading: 誤導、使人誤解

Is Buddhism pessimistic? Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. It is realistic. It does not lull you into a fool’s paradise It does not frighten and agonize with imaginary fears and sins. Pessimistic – 悲觀的 optimistic- 樂觀的 Realistic- 如實的、現實的 lull- 使安靜 Frighten 使害怕 agonize – 使煩惱

It is a way to reality of life and to tranquility and happiness. The figure of physician i. pessimistic – exaggerate 誇大 ii. optimistic- false consolation- 假的安慰 iii. Realistic- diagnoses symptoms correct understand cause and nature of illness, sees can be cured, administers course of treatment (bhaisajya-guru) Diagnose: 診斷 symptoms 症狀

Dukkha represents the world view of the Buddha. In addition to the basic meaning of ‘suffering’, it includes the meanings of ‘ impermanence’, ‘ emptiness’, ‘insubstantiality’.

Happiness is not denied by Buddhism. There are different types of happiness: spiritual-material happiness of family life happiness of recluse happiness of attachment happiness of detachment etc. But all these included in dukkha. Detachment- 捨離

Jhana/dhyana is also suffering Higher spiritual states such as dhyana (trance), which are only pure equanimity and awareness counted as dukkha. The reason is that these are subject to impermanence, dukkha and change(anicca dukkha viparinamadhamma). Spiritual states- 精神狀態 trance- 禪定 equanimity- 平等心 awareness- 覺知

Three aspects of sense-pleasure Concerning sensual pleasures, one has to understand three things: i. Attraction or enjoyment (assada) ii. Evil consequence (adinava) iii. Freedom or liberation (nissarrana) (Mahadukkhakkhandha sutta) Sensual pleasures – 感官快樂 enjoyment- 享受 Consequence – 結果 liberation- 解脫

Enjoyment and unsatisfaction with enjoyable object both are facts of experience. Detachment from the sensual object is freedom or liberation (nissarana). To see things in these three aspects, neither is pessimism nor optimism. Understanding things from this point of view is the way to see life completely and objectively. Objectively- 客觀地

Without understanding three aspects of sense pleasure, it is not possible for him to understand desire for sense –pleasures, to a make person understand the desire for sense- pleasures the instructed person’s understanding it.

Three aspects of dukkha i. ordinary suffering (dukkha-dukkha) ii. Suffering of change (viparinama dukka) iii. Suffering as conditioned states (samkhara- dukkha) (Visuddhimagga)

i. Ordinary dukkha What is experienced in life like birth Old age Sickness Death Association with unpleasant persons and conditions Separation from the beloved Not getting what one desires This type mental –physical suffering accepted universally as suffering and pain.

ii. Suffering of change The vicissitude of suffering due to change of pleasant situations is called suffering of change(viparinama-dukkha) Vicissititude- 變化無常 / 變換

iii. Suffering as conditioned states This concept is involved in the ideas of ‘ a being’, ‘individual’, or as ‘I’. According to Buddhist philosophy, individual or I is only a combination of ever-changing physical and mental forces or energies. They are divided into five groups or aggregates (pancakkhandha). Aggregate- 蘊 combination- 結合 Involve- 有關

In short, five aggregates of attachment are dukkha What is dukkha? It is the five aggregates of attachment. Five aggregates and dukkha are not two different things; these five themselves are dukkha. five aggregates- 五蘊