The Four Noble Truths Flashcards
What are the Four Noble Truths
Dukka
Samudaya
Nihroda
Magga
What are the three types of dukkha?
Dukkha-dukkha
Viparinama-dukkha
Sankhara-dukkha
What is dukkha?
Suffering
What causes dukkha?
The three poisons keep us trapped in the cycle of samsara due to our inability to recognise annata
What is Dukkha Dukkha?
natural suffering eg.dying
What is Viparinama-Dukkha
trying to hold onto things that are constantly changing
What is Sankhara-Dukkha?
the unsatisfactoriness of existence as it is constantly changing
What is Samudaya?
The truth of the cause of suffering
What are the types of craving?
Kama-Tanha
Bhara-Tanha
Vibhana-Tanha
What is kama-tanha?
the craving for sense objects
What is the bhara-tanha?
the craving for a certain identity
What is the vibhana-tanha
craving to not experience unpleasant things
What are the counter-parts to the three poisons? (three wholesome mental factors)
Amoha - wisdom
Alobha - genirosity
Adersa - loving-kindness
What is Nirodha?
The truth of the end of suffering
What is Nirodha also known as?
‘the blowing out of the three fires’
What is Nirvana/Nibbana?
enlightenment
What are the different form of enlightened beings in Therevada and Mahayana?
Arthat - does not return
Bodhisattva - returns to help others becoe enlightened
What is Magga?
The path to end suffering
What are the three elements of the eightfold path?
Prajna - wisdom
Sila - morality
Samadhi - concentration
What is within Prajna?
Right understanding
Right aspiration
What is in Samadhi?
Right Effort
Right Mindfullness
Right Concentration
What are the three lakshanas/marks?
- Anicca
- Anatta
- Dukkha
What are the four sights?
sickness, old age, death, a holy man
What did Thich Nhat Hanh say about Dukkha?
That it should be replaced with sunyata or inter-being as this contains both nirvana and samsara
What is paticasumapada?
dependent origination
What are the 12 nidanas
the chain of causes that is responsible for the cycle of samsara
What is paticasumapada?
dependent origination
What are the 12 nidanas
the chain of causes that is responsible for the cycle of samsara
Is Nibbana the goal of Buddhism? Issues?
Yes, but not in an individualist sense
An issue is that those who wish to attain enlightenment become attached to it, causing them to be unable to break the chain.
Denise Cush, Buddhism, page 28 quote
“The more thoughtful and sensitive a person is… the more suffering one is aware of”
Prebish 8 Keown, Foundations,
page 58 Quote
“Dharma means the teachings and doctrines of Buddhism”
D. Santina,
Fundamentals of Buddhism, page 30 Quote
“The Four Noble Truths are a very important aspect of the teachings of the Buddha. Their
importance has been stated in no uncertain terms by the Buddha”
What is the doctor analogy for the four noble truths?
The Buddha’s Four Noble Truths are a path toward healing, for in them lies the recognition of disease, its etiology, its prognosis, and the remedy.
What are the three forms of craving?
a. sensual pleasure (kāma-taṇhā )
b. to be (bhava-taṇhā)
c. not to be (vibhava-taṇhā)
What are the three wholesome virues?
a. wisdom (pranja)
b. generosity (dana)
c. loving kindness (metta)
Summarize the explanation of the 4 Noble Truths in the Deer Park Sermon (as recorded in Samyutta Nikaya 56.11)
- explains the middle way
- explains the 4 noble truths
- the start of the turning of the wheel
define parinibbana
this is nibbana after death for someone who has attained nibbana in life
Explain the structure of the 8 fold path?
Division Eightfold Path factors
Moral virtue[34] (Sanskrit: śīla, Pāli: sīla)
- Right speech
- Right action
- Right livelihood
Meditation[34] (Sanskrit and Pāli: samādhi)
- Right effort
- Right mindfulness
- Right concentration
Insight, wisdom (Sanskrit: prajñā, Pāli: paññā)
- Right resolve
- Right view
What are the 9th and 10th stages of the Boddhisattva?
The good mind/The good intelligence (Sadhumati): On the ninth level, they fully understand the three vehicles: hearers, solitary realizers, and bodhisattvas – and perfect the ability to teach the doctrine.
The cloud of Dharma (Dharmamegha): This level is the level immediately before Buddhahood in which the last traces of afflictions are taken away. They cultivate the perfection of exalted wisdom, which enables them to increase their exalted wisdom. This in turn strengthens the other perfections.
Explain the Chariot Analogy surrounding King Milinda?
One of the King’s first questions is on the nature of the self and personal identity. Nagasena greeted the King by acknowledging that Nagasena was his name, but that “Nagasena” was only a designation; no permanent individual “Nagasena” could be found.
This is the same for the chariot.
What are some general supports for the 4 noble truths?
- they are simple to understand
- the can be reasoned from sense experience
- they are applicable for a modern audience as they do not include any more metaphysical parts
- they are also more applicable to a western audience because of above
- they are a central teaching in the dhamma and the primary sermon of the Buddha therefore should be treated as significant
What is an issue with the first two noble truths on their own?
They are nihilistic and depressing - they do not point people towards how to evade suffering and become enlightened.
They also do not add to the experience we already have of the world and so are nearly useless in our journey.
What denomination of Buddhism would use a different vehicle to magga?
Pure Land Buddhists avoid the need to cultivate this because of the easy path they have taken.
What is a counterargument to samudaya being meaningless because it only refers to sense experience?
because the aim is to gain intuitive knowledge and harness this, not work alone without the aid of the dhamma
if the dhamma were to die there would be another coming of the buddha
Why would Tich Nhat Hanh not agree with dukkha being one of the four noble truths?
he would replace this with sunyata, inter-being as this encompasses both suffering and enlightenment
arguably it could replace all of them
How is the nihilistic aspects of the 4 noble truths not relavent?
They lead us to look at the opposite side of this - the 3 wholesome virtues eg
How do scholars point out Dukkha and Samudaya are the original concentrations of Buddhism?
Ui found that early Buddhists focused on ‘liberating enlightenment’ and meditation…not the truths
Anderson also adds that the Truths were only developed in the 5th CE for Therevada Buddhism…so may not even have been part of the original teachings
How could colonialism have had an effect?
They tried to catagorise the teachings into something that was familiar and manageable so maybe there is a western lense to the way we look at this…eg focusing on suffering like Judo Christian debates
How could colonialism have had an effect?
They tried to catagorise the teachings into something that was familiar and manageable so maybe there is a western lense to the way we look at this…eg focusing on suffering like Judo Christian debates
How is the Pure Land criticism and the 1st 2 truths in conflicts with aspects of Magga?
Right action can never be stasis, nihilism and a lack of effort in Pure Land Buddhism may be wrong.
How is the Pure Land criticism and the 1st 2 truths in conflicts with aspects of Magga?
Right action can never be stasis, nihilism and a lack of effort in Pure Land Buddhism may be wrong.
How is it applicable for Western Buddhists?
There are a lack of metaphysical aspects…you do not even need to believe in reincarnation to follow the path.
Are some aspects of the eightfold path contradictory?
if we have the right effort, we cannot always have the right mindfulness…especially in consideration of parts like Engaged Buddhism
