Buddhism Beliefs: The Four Nobel Truths

Question 1

What are the four noble truths?

Answer 1

• The Four Noble Truths were discovered by the Buddha while he was meditating during The Three Watches at his Enlightenment
  1) Truth of Suffering
  2) Truth of Cause of Suffering
  3) Truth of End of Suffering
  4) Truth of path which leads to end of suffering

Question 2

1) Truth of Suffering

Answer 2

• Buddha taught that suffering (Dukkha) exists and that everyone experiences it during their lives
• There are seven types of suffering:
  
  • Four types of physical suffering
  • Three types of mental suffering
• People will have to experience these many times over a number of lives as part of the cycle of Samsara
• Temporary pleasures do not solve the root cause of unhappiness
• Suffering is an unavoidable part of life. He said that the key to reducing suffering is not to personalise it

Question 3

2) Truth of Cause of Suffering

Answer 3

• Buddha taught that one of the main causes of dukkha (suffering) is tanha, which means craving
• There are three main types of craving, according to the Buddha
  
  • Sensory Craving
  • Craving for being
  • Craving for non-being

Question 4

3) Truth of end of Suffering

Answer 4

• When people crave things and get attached to things that are impermanent, they will become frustrated
• Thinking that impermanent things are the source of complete fulfilment is a sign of ignorance
• People must let go of their cravings for temporary pleasures
• This means people should enjoy good things but recognise that they can’t last, and therefore avoid becoming too attached to them

Question 5

4) The truth of the path which leads to the end of suffering

Answer 5

• The Eightfold Path is the middle path that the Buddha said people must follow to avoid the extremes of asceticism and luxury
• Buddhists must follow these eight different aspects to overcome suffering and achieve enlightenment

Question 6

The Three Poisons

Answer 6

• Buddhism teaches that people are driven by the three poisons
• These are the forces that deepen people’s desire for craving and mean that they get trapped in the cycle of Samsara and cannot reach Nibbana
• They are Greed (Cockerel), Hatred (Snake) and Ignorance (Pig)