Last week we concluded the exploration of the Factors of
Awakening by defining “awakening” within the cultural context of our everyday
lay lives; living a balanced, kind and skillful life.
Formal meditation practice cultivates the aspects of mind
that lead to awakening by bringing us face-to-face with the sticky, struggling,
contentious mind right alongside the smooth, peaceful and relaxed mind. Getting to know and navigating our own minds so
our actions reflect wise and appropriate choices, are critical elements for
living an awakened life. But it is not the end of the story.
In the next section of the Satipattana Sutta, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Buddha
moves into the seminal teaching of the Four Noble Truths, his profound and
far-reaching understanding of the reality, cause and remedy for the suffering
that is inherent in all our lives. Suffering here refers to the challenge, difficulty
and anxiety that are the result of our natural resistance to the continual and
constant changing conditions of our lives.
The Buddha has been compared to a physician of the mind in
his ability to diagnose, identify the cause, give reassurance for the
possibility of relief, and provide a specific prescription for the ailing mind.[1]
The teaching on the Four Noble Truths was actually the first sermon the Buddha
gave after his awakening. It is known as “Turning the Wheel of Dhamma,” the
text of which can be found in many sources. I particularly like Stephen
Batchelor’s translation in his book Confession
of a Buddhist Atheist. A very common way the Truths are quoted and
translated are as follows:
“There is Suffering. There is the
Cause of Suffering. There is the End of Suffering. There is the Path to the End
of Suffering. These Four Noble Truths teach suffering and the end of
suffering.”
-The
Buddha[2]
I am also particularly fond of how Sylvia Boorstein explains
the Truths. She offers a logical,
accessible and matter-of-fact way of relating them to our lives.
I.
Life is challenging. For everyone. Our physical bodies, our relationships – all of our life circumstances – are
fragile and subject to change. We are always accommodating.
II.
The cause of suffering – is the mind’s struggle
in response to challenge.
III.
The end of suffering – a nonstruggling, peaceful
mind – is a possibility.
IV.
The program – the Eightfold Path – for ending
suffering is:
1.
Wise Understanding: realizing the cause of
suffering
2.
Wise Intention: motivation – inspired by
understanding –to end suffering
3.
Wise Speech: speaking in a way that cultivates
clarity
4.
Wise Action: behaving in ways that maintain clarity
5.
Wise Livelihood: supporting oneself in a
wholesome way
6.
Wise Effort: cultivating skillful (peaceful)
mind habits
7.
Wise Concentration: cultivating a steady,
focused, ease-filled mind
8.
Wise Mindfulness: cultivating alert, balanced
attention[3]
Another intriguing view comes from Stephen Batchelor, a
Western scholar, teacher and former monk. He sees them as Tasks, not Truths
because “truths” can be interpreted as dogma. The Buddha was clear that what he
taught he learned by studying his own mind, not through blind faith in what
someone else insisted as the accepted ‘truth.’ He consistently encouraged his
followers not to believe what he
said, but to explore it for themselves to discover on their own what is true.
This is precisely why the Buddha’s teachings have become so widely known and
practiced. It is specifically not dogma; it’s a practice with tangible,
accessible and profound consequences for decreasing suffering and living a
kinder more peaceful life. Here are the Four Tasks:
1.
Embrace
2.
Let Go
3.
Stop
4.
Act
“This template can be applied to
every situation in life. Rather than shying away from or ignoring what is
happening, embrace it with mindful attention; rather than craving to seize it
or get rid of it, relax one’s grip; rather than getting caught up in a cascade
of reactivity, stop and stay calm; rather than repeat what you have said and
done a thousand times before, act in an empathetic and imaginative way.”
-Stephen
Batchelor,
Confession of a Buddhist
Atheist
This is an overview of the Four Noble Truths. In the coming
weeks we’ll look at each of the factors of the Eightfold Path in detail, the “tasks”
for living an awakened life.
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