Dukkha
Dukkha
“And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of Suffering?” (p. 344). The Noble Truth of suffering is the first Noble Truth of four Noble Truths. Buddhists use the term dukkha to refer to life as suffering. Dukkha is something you must overcome in a lifetime to reach a higher stage in the next lifetime. The ultimate stage is called Nibbana. Nibbana is ultimate peace and the goal of every Buddhist. In order to reach Nibbana, there are several stages you must learn about and overcome. One of these stages is called the Four Noble Truths. I will focus on the first Noble Truth. The first Noble Truth will focus on the fact that life is dukkha. I will analyze the three types of dukkha; ordinary dukkha, dukkha from our experience of change, and dukkha from our resistance to change. Each of these kinds of dukkha are essential in overcoming the first Noble Truth and leading to the right pathway of Nibbana. Dukkha contains three parts, the first being ordinary dukkha. Ordinary dukkha is everyday suffering. “Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness and distress are suffering. Being attached to the unloved is suffering, being separated from the loved is suffering” (p. 344). Although all these examples are everyday suffering, the focus will be on the second half of this quotation. Attaching yourself to the unloved causes suffering. “Here, whoever has unwanted, disliked, unpleasant sight-objects, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles or mind objects, or whoever encounters ill-wishers, wishers of harm, of discomfort, of insecurity, with whom they have concourse, intercourse, connection, union, that, monks, is calling being attached to the unloved” (p. 345). This quotation defines someone who will only bring you down and not help or support you while trying to obtain Nibbana is a person considered to be unloved. By putting yourself in a position of attachment, or association, to an unloved person will cause suffering and also
“And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of Suffering?” (p. 344). The Noble Truth of suffering is the first Noble Truth of four Noble Truths. Buddhists use the term dukkha to refer to life as suffering. Dukkha is something you must overcome in a lifetime to reach a higher stage in the next lifetime. The ultimate stage is called Nibbana. Nibbana is ultimate peace and the goal of every Buddhist. In order to reach Nibbana, there are several stages you must learn about and overcome. One of these stages is called the Four Noble Truths. I will focus on the first Noble Truth. The first Noble Truth will focus on the fact that life is dukkha. I will analyze the three types of dukkha; ordinary dukkha, dukkha from our experience of change, and dukkha from our resistance to change. Each of these kinds of dukkha are essential in overcoming the first Noble Truth and leading to the right pathway of Nibbana. Dukkha contains three parts, the first being ordinary dukkha. Ordinary dukkha is everyday suffering. “Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness and distress are suffering. Being attached to the unloved is suffering, being separated from the loved is suffering” (p. 344). Although all these examples are everyday suffering, the focus will be on the second half of this quotation. Attaching yourself to the unloved causes suffering. “Here, whoever has unwanted, disliked, unpleasant sight-objects, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles or mind objects, or whoever encounters ill-wishers, wishers of harm, of discomfort, of insecurity, with whom they have concourse, intercourse, connection, union, that, monks, is calling being attached to the unloved” (p. 345). This quotation defines someone who will only bring you down and not help or support you while trying to obtain Nibbana is a person considered to be unloved. By putting yourself in a position of attachment, or association, to an unloved person will cause suffering and also