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4 noble truths buddhism essay
4 noble truths buddhism essay
Buddhism's first noble truth
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Throughout history, human beings have spent their lives trying to find answers to life’s purpose, the creation of the universe and what happens after death. Will a single answer ever be found? Is there only one answer? These questions have led humans to believe there is a higher being who is in control of everyone and everything. These questions form the basis of the goals of all religions. Religion is set of beliefs and values regarding the cause or foundation, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies. ( Dictionary.com , paragraph 1 ). Through the doctrinal and philosophical, material and ritual dimensions, a Buddhist is offered a way to a world beyond the everyday …show more content…
These four noble truths allow Buddhists to gain a better understanding of life through their connection with the Buddha. The first noble truth, the truth of suffering, is that life is frustrating and painful. We need to be honest with ourselves, there are times when it is downright miserable. Although life can be miserable, there are things that can brighten up our lives. This truth allows people to learn and connect through the beliefs of the Buddha, and learn that life can be painful, but there are good times which we remember forever. (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/intro_bud.htm, paragraph 5). The second noble truth is that suffering has a cause. As humans, we suffer because we are constantly struggling to survive as we attempt to define ourselves. Therefore, the second noble truth allows people to learn and connect through the beliefs of the Buddha and inevitably gain a better understanding of life. (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/intro_bud.htm, paragraph 6). The third noble truth means that the cause of suffering can be ended. Our struggle to survive, our effort to find …show more content…
Buddhists build stupas, beautifully pointed shaped towers, which accommodate sacred remains, and symbolically represents the “enlightened mind of the Buddha.” The tower represents five elements. The base represents the earth, the cone-shape represents the harsh fire, the rounded dome represents the pristine water, the canopy of the tower represents the air of the air and the volume of the stupa represents space itself. The Begging bowl symbolizes the occasion or event when a young woman named Sujata offered the starving Siddhartha Gautauma a bowl of milk-rice, which he then accepted for the reason because he needed more physical strength to reach enlightenment. The bowl represents the Buddhists’ monk's lifestyle by surviving and living off of what people place into their bowls as they move and travel from their monastery into local villages. The base platform represents the earth that embodies 10 virtues and beliefs that a Buddhist practices: protect the sanctity of life, be generous, live a moral and good life, tell the truth, speak in a calmly and gentle manner, be content in any situation no matter what the circumstances, be unselfish and maintain your faith. The first three steps of the Stupa represent three spiritual anchors for your mind and soul: the Buddha, the achieving of Buddha, the Sangha (those who practice the
The statue that will be the focus of this paper portrays the figure “Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Light.” Like many other statues of the Buddha, this Amida Buddha was portrayed to be deep in meditation, sitting cross-legged. A viewer could observe that the Amida Buddha is making a hand gesture while in deep meditation. These gestures, also known as “mudras,” are symbolic in the Buddhist religion, and they are used to convey certain ideas (O’Riley 70). In this case, the Amida Buddha is making the mudra of appeasement (“Amida”). More physical observations could be made by pointing out the “balanced form, divine features, and flowing drapery” (“Amida”) of the Amida Buddha. Those qualities represent the nature of the Buddha, revealing him as “transcendent, graceful, and compassionate” (“Amida”). Features common to other Buddha sculptures show up on this Amida Buddha, like the elongated earlobes, the mole on his forehead, and patterned hair. At first glance, the Am...
The first noble truth of Buddhism is about the truth of suffering and explains that suffering is a part of life. The truth of suffering covers a variety of areas in human life from the inevitability of death to unavoidable sickness; life, by definition, forces people to suffer. The Buddhacarita helps explain the first of the four noble truths in a couple different ways. The first, and most blatantly obvious way, in which these are shown is at the beginning of the story where the bodhisattva first sees suffering in the form of an old man, a sick man and a dead man. While through an enormous amount of luck it is possible to avoid sickness, both old age and death are unavoidable facts of life and the bodhisattva learns this fact from his charioteer who tells him “death is certain for all in this world” disregarding one’s dharma (B 3.59). Not even the bodhisattva, who is destined to become the Buddha and enlighten the world about how to end suffering, is able to break free from the grasp of death and this is of vital importance to the Buddhist doctrine as it stresses that no one, not even the main religious figure, is above the laws of the earth that is the law that all things must eventually succumb to death. Although the Buddha knew that “[he] must die” it was still even hard for the gods themself to understand this fact and not even they were able control
to state suffering as the entirety of the first noble truth, is not enough because the expression of
In addition, the Four Noble truths were created as a guide along this Eightfold path. These informational points interpret suffering simply through the statements: “1. Suffering exists, 2. Suffering is caused by desire and ignorance, 3. Suffering can cease, 4.
The key to stop suffering rots from the Four Noble Truths. The first truth is the idea that life is full of suffering and this is unavoidable. Next, he claims that all suffering stems from desires. Whether physical or mental desires, all result in suffering. Therefore, the next noble truth is to stop desiring all together.
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism capture the ethos of the spirituality and its teachings. By just these four lessons, Buddha preaches the principles of tranquility within meditation, not mere concentration. From these truths he developed a guidance referred to as the Eightfold Path, a series of principles that lead to awakening when practiced and understood. He preaches that inevitable suffering comes from desire, however he concludes with a solution to a life lived in nirvana. The first two of the Four Noble Truths are Dukha and Avidya, focusing on the primitive presence of suffering within day to day life.
This means that much of life has to simply be accepted. When life is accepted as it is, suffering is eliminated or at least decreased. One only has power to change one’s self and one’s perceptions, viewpoints, and responses to experiences. A sense of satisfaction is found when one chooses to see life and accept life as it is because it brings inner peace, not mere happiness which can be fleeting. The fourth noble truth states “release from suffering is possible and can be attained by following the Noble Eightfold Path”.
Defining Buddhism as a religion may unwittingly undermine its validity: Buddhism does not fulfil many religious criteria, most strikingly obedience to or faith in a deity. Moreover, many of the seemingly ‘religious’ aspects of Buddhism such as devotional rituals and Buddha Imagery are traceable to political and cultural developments rather than Buddhist teachings- for example Buddhism became institutionalised under Emperor Asoka who developed a more cultic and devotional form of Buddhism, and added to by foreign influences such a Hellenic art, Iranian symbolism . Core Buddhist doctrines and practices therefore, may not fit neatly into religious categories. Indeed, a potential conclusion of labelling Buddhism as a ‘religion’ and its way of life ‘religious’, therefore, is to view it as less religious than other religions, for example Christianity, which fulfils more religious criteria. This, then, creates a hierarchy of religions, and perhaps even a hierarchy of truth, and favours the western/Abrahamic traditions over eastern traditions like Buddhism.
This is because Siddhartha (the prince) went out side of the castle walls and saw suffering. This lead him to create the four noble truths. Also known as the enlightened path. The four noble truths The truth of suffering:
The first of the Four Noble Truths identifies that the presence of suffering exists. This suffering is known as dukkha and is the viewpoint which states that life inevitably consists of many forms of suffering and dissatisfactions. It defines that the world, consisting of human nature, is flawed and that it is inevitable that throughout our lifetime we will have to endure some form of suffering including: sorrow, grief, wish, despair, old-age, pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, and eventually death (Aich, 2013). Buddha explains that "All existence is characterized by suffering: birth, sickness, death; coming together with what one does not like; separating from what one does like; not obtaining what one desires; and the five aggregates of attachment
Tanha can equal to selfishness which explains how going after personal desires instead of desires for everyone (like the example of satisfying the ego that Smith uses) will cause more “pain” (98). The Third Noble Truth is simply “overcoming” selfishness (98). Smith states that “when we are selfless, we are free”, so the only the way to overcome is to let go of any egoistic ideas and desires to rid the pain which is practically the third truth (97,98). Lastly, the Fourth Noble Truth gives a detailed guide , or what is called the “ Eightfold Path”, to “overcoming tanha” or the pain inflicted by selfishness (98). This is technically training for life and include two distinct paths to living: the first is what Buddha calls “wandering about” or being pulled wherever life takes you; the second is what he calls the “Path”, or “intentionally” living the life you want (99).
After understanding the Four Noble Truths, the next part of the path is the right intention. Right intention meaning living a life of love and nonviolentness. Also, not to only better ourselfs but to better others. The third part of the path is the right speech. Speak postiviely, because words have life and power.
The third noble truth is the truth of the end of suffering. This truth is that there is a way to freedom from suffering. This truth is sometimes called the Cessation of dukkha. To become free of dukkha.
A stupa is not a building in any traditional sense. Initially a burial or reliquary mound, it became a symbolic object, a symbol of the Buddha, a symbol of his final release from the cycle of birth and rebirth – the Parinirvana or the “Final Dying” to the
A stupa is a mound-like structure with its initial function for veneration and safe-guarding of the relics of the Buddha. Stupas originated as pilled-up burial which constituted the most characterised Buddhist monument. Three main Stupas rest on top of the Sanchi hill with an aspect of circular form-as a particular Buddhist symbol and built of earth covered of stone and bricks, strong structures raised on one or more terraces with railed pavilion contouring stories of Buddha and his mother’s dreams could be told from the