Four Noble Truths .

When we get sick, we go to a doctor. A good doctor finds out what illness we have based on symptom. 

Next he finds out what has caused it. Then he decides what the cure is.Lastly he prescribes the medicine that will make us well gain. In the same way ,The Buddha showed that there is suffering in the world . he explained the cause of this suffering. He taught that this suffering could be ended .Finally  he showed the way leading to the end of suffering, this is the four Noble truths.

1st Noble Truth - Suffering, exists 

Before we go any further, let's make a clarification the Buddha is not advocating pessimism. Buddhism brings our attention to the many different types of suffering we face in our life. Suffering is a part of life. It is like an unlimited heat source burning our body and mind. Once we know the truth of suffering, we will seek the way to overcome suffering. Once we accept suffering exists we are on the path to liberate ourselves. 

The Buddha's discover of the solution to the problem of suffering began with the recognition that life is suffering. This is the first of the four noble truths.If people examine their own experiences or look at the world around them,they will see that life is full of suffering or unhappiness.

3 Type OF Suffering (DUKKHA) 

1 Suffering of Suffering (Dukkha‐dukkha)

Physical and mental suffering associated with birth,

growing old, illness and dying.

Physical  suffering = Its take many forms. People must have observed at one time or another,how their aged relatives suffer.Most of them suffer aches and pains in their joints and many find it hard to move about by themselves.Also advancing age, the elderly find life difficult because they cannot see, hear or eat properly.The pain of disease which strikes young and old alike, can be unbearable.

Birth can be a painful experience. This starts from the moment we were born, the forceful discharge from our mother's womb. The painful sensation of a newborn's tender skin, which has come in contact with the external environment after many months nestled inside the womb. 

Mental suffering =Losing those we love. We all have or will experience the loss of someone we love some time in our live.The suffering that comes when one has to work with people we dislike and despise, talk to them or even live under the same roof that we try so hard to avoid associating with them. Not getting what one desires. People chase after material wealth, power, fame, or position etc, very often these things are out of bound for many of us. To desire something and not being able to get it is painful. 

2 Suffering of Change (Vipariṇāma‐dukkha) 

The anxiety or stress of trying to hold on to things that

are constantly changing.

The agony of growing old. Vitality, vigor and freshness of youth gives way to fear of getting old, fear of being unloved and unwanted, fear of loneliness and dependence, financial insecurity as well as the physical feebleness. The suffering that comes when one has to work with people we dislike and despise, talk to them or even live under the same roof that we try so hard to avoid associating with them. 

3 Pervasive Suffering (Saṃkhāra‐dukkha) 

A basic unsatisfactoriness pervading all forms of

existence, because all forms of life are changing,

impermanent and without any inner core or substance.

On this level, the term indicates a lack of satisfaction, a

sense that things never measure up to our

expectations or standards.

This suffering come from the Five Aggregates( Skandas). The Five Aggregates (Skandas) are life components, which are made up of the elements of forms, sensation, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. They make up our body and mind. These Five Aggregates( Skandas) are like armed robbers invading and robbing our peace of mind. Giving rise to the various kinds of suffering and afflictions.

2nd Noble Truth - The Cause of Suffering 

The cause of suffering is desire based on greed and selfishness.Also cause of suffering is our attachment or clinging. The many dissatisfaction of life are caused by our greedy nature of wanting something our own way, and when things don't turn out the way we expected them to, we get angry. This is due to our ignorance, which is the root of all afflictions and turmoil. In Buddhism, ignorance doesn't mean not knowing anything. It means certain knowledge we generally have is distorted, for example, perceiving impermanence as permanence, believing false as true. When we don't understand cause and effect, karma and its outcome, we crown our illusion as reality and live in a world of confusion and suspicion. 

However , greed is endless, like a bottomless pit that can never be filled. the more you want  more you clinging, the more unhappy life is.Thus our limitless wants and desires are the cause of our suffering.

3rd Noble Truth - The Cessation of Suffering 

To end of suffering ,craving ,selfish desire must be removed.Just as a fire dies when no fuel is added,so unhappiness will end when he fuel of craving, selfish desire is removed.We live in a world of delusion assaulted by life's affliction. This is caused by our craving and dissatisfaction. Attachment to selfish desire plagues our peace of the mind. The Third Noble Truth aims at annihilation of craving so that we are no longer enslaved by it. When cessation of craving is attained, the cessation of suffering will follow. 

Affliction is like a big tree. To get rid of this tree we have to chop it down. This requires first of all cutting the various branches and finally its root. If we leave the root untouched, it will sprout and grow into another big tree when conditions such as sunshine, water and fertilizer are available. 

The root of affliction is ignorance, which gives rise to craving and craving in turn brings out attachment. Attachment to a deceptive ego/self is the cause of our misery. However, ego does not exist by itself. When we realize there is no self that we can identify with and cling to, we will set aside the illusory self. As attachment is dissolved, craving is relinquished, wisdom and compassion will arise spontaneously. there will be no more suffering. our mind will be in a state in which all suffering is ended Nirwana.It is an everlasting state of great joy and peace. It is the greatest happiness in life.

 4th Noble Truth - The Path to the Cessation of Suffering 

Although the Buddha throws responsibility back on to the individual he also taught methods through which we can change ourselves, for example the Noble Eight fold Path of Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.Buddhism is called the Middle Way because it teaches us to travel on a path that lies midway between the extremes.There are eight steps to follow and they are all linked to each other. Also the Buddha emphasized that we are responsible for our own happiness, he taught methods through which we can transform ourselves into a cheerful , pure and good person.

1. Samma-Ditthi — Complete or Perfect Vision, also translated as right view or understanding. Vision of the nature of reality and the path of transformation.

2. Samma-Sankappa — Perfected Emotion or Aspiration, also translated as right thought or attitude. Liberating emotional intelligence in your life and acting from love and compassion. An informed heart and feeling mind that are free to practice letting go.

3. Samma-Vaca — Perfected or whole Speech. Also called right speech. Clear, truthful, uplifting and non-harmful communication.

4. Samma-Kammanta — Integral Action. Also called right action. An ethical foundation for life based on the principle of non-exploitation of oneself and others. The five precepts.

5. Samma-Ajiva — Proper Livelihood. Also called right livelihood. This is a livelihood based on correct action the ethical principal of non-exploitation. The basis of an Ideal society.

6. Samma-Vayama — Complete or Full Effort, Energy or Vitality. Also called right effort or diligence. Consciously directing our life energy to the transformative path of creative and healing action that fosters wholeness. Conscious evolution.

7. Samma-Sati — Complete or Thorough Awareness. Also called "right mindfulness". Developing awareness, "if you hold yourself dear watch yourself well". Levels of Awareness and mindfulness - of things, oneself, feelings, thought, people and Reality.

8. Samma-Samadhi — Full, Integral or Holistic Samadhi. This is often translated as concentration, meditation, absorption or one-pointedness of mind. None of these translations is adequate. Samadhi literally means to be fixed, absorbed in or established at one point, thus the first level of meaning is concentration when the mind is fixed on a single object. The second level of meaning goes further and represents the establishment, not just of the mind, but also of the whole being in various levels or modes of consciousness and awareness. This is Samadhi in the sense of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

Further Reading

What the Buddha Taught, by Theravadin Walpola Rahula,

Four Noble Truthsby Ven Ajan Sumedha

(http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/4nobltru.pdf)

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