Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. Eightfold Path of Buddha

Spoken by Gautam Buddha in his first sermon in the city of Benares. This teaching was recorded in a separate sutra and gave not only a written creed, but also a visual one. The sermon was delivered by Buddha in a deer park, so after that a deer or a pair of deer became one of the symbols of Buddhism.

The middle path is defined as the path of consciousness that remains far from two extremes: one extreme is the exaltation of sensual pleasures, and the other is complete asceticism, voluntary self-destruction. The view of the middle path leading to enlightenment and nirvana expresses the universal religious idea of ​​the golden mean and observance of measure in everything. So consider these truths spoken in the deer park.

The truth about suffering

“Birth is suffering, as well as illness, death, old age, separation (from someone you like), what you want but do not achieve. In general, there are five groups of attachment that involve the being in the cycle of rebirth and cause the accumulation of so-called samskaras (impressions and consequences of experience). This truth states the presence of suffering as an integral attribute of this world.

The Truth About the Origin of Suffering

Suffering arises from aspirations, thirst for existence and leads to rebirth. It is the need to ensure certain aspirations that ensures the accumulation of karma (positive or negative) and always leads to the cycle of samsara. The reason for this is human ignorance. He allows himself to cling to the ground, lust and lust, anger, vanity, stupidity. This again pushes him towards existence, therefore - to a new rebirth, and so without stopping, always in the end in suffering.

The Truth About Ending Suffering

Suffering can be stopped by eliminating the passions; if a person does not associate with them, he eliminates his aspirations. Since suffering comes from a person's aspirations for existence and the provision of passions, his victory own desires can lead to an end to this suffering. If he succeeds in achieving impartiality, he will deprive suffering of support, that is, his consciousness will not be tied to the cycle of rebirth and the suffering of this world. In Buddhism, no one relies on grace or expects help from above. Therefore, everyone should focus their energies in order to achieve personal liberation from suffering.

The Truth About the Way to End Suffering

This is an eightfold path and climbing it requires mastery in each of the stages. The eight stages are: correct view (view), correct intention (or thinking), correct speech, action (behavior), lifestyle, effort, correct mindfulness (in the sense of awareness, that is, you remember what everything really is including yourself), correct concentration or concentration.

1) Right view means accepting the four noble truths. Of course, the acceptance of the basic tenets of the teaching should also be added here. At the very least, it is often required to read a lot of commentaries about the four noble truths and meditate on them in order to really gain or even come closer to the correct view.

2) Right thinking (intention) presupposes a conscious desire to live in accordance with these truths. In fact, it comes about the determination to follow the Buddhist path. In addition, the development of friendliness towards others is essential here, part of which is the acceptance of the so-called ahimsa - such a person cannot harm living beings (not only people). When noble truths and the Buddhist path is accepted in consciousness, then friendliness is actually cultivated in a completely natural way, without additional effort.

3) Correct speech means that a person should refrain from meaningless words and words of vanity, do not speak rudely, do not lie, do not use speech to quarrel people or mislead.

4) Correct action is the norm according to which a person must refrain from unjustified negative actions - from theft, from murder, etc. In fact, this part of the eightfold path is a kind of analogue of the commandments of behavior from other religions.

5) The correct way of life does not speak about behavior as such, but about the choice of a profession and main activity. A Buddhist should not choose professions that directly or indirectly harm others. For example, make or sell alcohol, cheat. There are actually many such examples. In order to understand what it is about, you just need to analyze whether the activity is actually harmful for some people, in modern world, this rule is related to ecology. Accordingly, one should avoid behavior and especially work that harms the ecology of the planet.

6) Right effort requires the full mobilization of will and human thought in order not to create negative thoughts, words and actions. Also, the Buddhist makes an effort to produce various aspects of goodness into this world. Also, this effort is aimed at cultivating positive qualities in itself. There are more specific and detailed explanations in the literature, it is said here in simple words.

7) Correct mindfulness actually implies complete self-control and introspection. One should continuously maintain awareness, clearly observe the phenomena of the external and internal world, but this is actually not as easy as it might seem.

8) Correct concentration- this extreme degree implies the achievement of deep meditation, full concentration and self-sufficiency. This is similar, but also different from the mystical states of other religions. Comprehension of samadhi - the highest stage of meditation leads to nirvana, that is, liberation.

The eight stages of the path are usually divided into three levels: compliance ethical standards(correct speech, behavior and lifestyle); level of wisdom (view and intention); the level of concentration and meditation (the remaining stages of the path).

Four noble truths - the foundation of Buddhism

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4.2. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

Hello dear readers!

Today you will get acquainted with one of the fundamental teachings in Buddhism, which underlies the philosophy of all its schools. The Four Truths of Buddhism, as it is called, but Buddhist adepts prefer a more sublime name: four noble truth.

Starting point

The five novices first recognized them from over 2,500 years ago. It was in Benares' Deer Grove, in northeastern India.

Siddhartha Gautama shared with the Companions with whom he had previously practiced,creedthat was revealed to him after attaining enlightenment. It happened soemergence of Buddhism.

This first sermon, also called the Benares Conversation, is called the Dharmachakra Pravartana Sutra in the Buddhist anthology, which means the Sutra of Turning the Wheel of Teaching.

The canonical source briefly highlights the basic Buddhist principles. Here is what the Buddha said to the monks: “There are two kinks that novices should not allow.

The first is a vulgar and low commitment to lust. And the second is a grievous and senseless exhaustion of oneself. "

What are the ways to achieve knowledge, tranquility, comprehension, enlightenment? It will only lead to them. "

Then he explained to them the essence chatvari aryasatyani – four noble truths, and once again reminded about the importance of the eightfold path, which in Buddhism is still called the middle path, since it lies between two extremes.

Four axioms

Let's take a closer look at the four postulates that, according to Shakyamuni, are at the core of being. He told his fellow believers that it was only by realizing them clearly that he received the confidence that he had attained "the unsurpassed supreme enlightenment."

Buddha also noted that the comprehension of this philosophy is difficult for perception and understanding, that simple reasoning cannot come to it, and it will only open to the wise. Pleasure captivated and bewitched everyone in this world, he said. We can say that there is a cult of pleasure.

Those who admire him so much will not be able to understand the conditionality of everything that exists. They will not understand the rejection of the causes of rebirth, and nirvana. But still there are people "whose eyes are only slightly dusted with dust." Here they can understand.

For the first time, these axioms reached a Russian-speaking reader in 1989 in the interpretation of the Russian translator and Buddhist A.V. Paribka.

1) The first postulate is that life is suffering – dukha... The difficulty in translating this term lies in the fact that in our mentality, suffering is understood as some kind of strong physical illness or powerful negative manifestations on the mental level.

Buddhism, on the other hand, considers suffering more broadly: it is both pain associated with birth, illness, misfortune or death, and constant dissatisfaction with life in the pursuit of satisfying continuously changing desires, many of which are almost impossible to fulfill.

Impossible:

• do not grow old,
• live forever,
• take with you the accumulated wealth after death,
• always be with the one you love
• not to face the unpleasant.

The list is endless. Such is the imperfection of human existence, which leads to constant dissatisfaction... This word more accurately conveys the meaning of the Pali "dukkha".

2) A person is not able to change the existing state of affairs, but he is quite capable of changing his attitude towards him.

He can do this only by realizing the cause of dukkha. The second truth that the Buddha revealed to the ascetics was that cause suffering is ignorance, which leads to the emergence of an irrepressible desires to have everything at once.

There are three types of thirst:

• Desire to enjoy the five senses.
• The desire to live long or forever.
• Desire for self-destruction.

If everything is clear with the first two, then the third desire requires clarification. It is based on a wrong materialistic idea of ​​your real "I". Those who are attached to their "I" think that it is irrevocably destroyed after death and is not connected by any reason with the periods before and after it.

Desire is stimulated by:

• visible forms,
• sounds
• smell,
• taste,
• bodily sensations
• ideas.

If all this is pleasant, then a person who experiences the above begins to feel attachment to him, which leads to future birth, aging, sadness, crying, pain, grief, despair and death. Everything is interdependent in this world. This is how suffering is described in its entirety.

Thanks to the second noble truth, it becomes clear that the seeming injustice of our fate is the result, partly arising in this life, and partly in our previous forms of existence.

The actions of the body, speech and mind determine the formation of a karmic process, which actively influences the formation of destiny.

It should be borne in mind that there are no real “I” passing through the raging sea of ​​rebirth, but there is a stream of continuously changing dharmas, which, as a result of their evil or good essence and activity, manifest themselves in different places now faceless creatures, then people, then animals or other entities.

3) However, there is still hope. In the third truth, Buddha states that suffering can be ended. To do this, you need to give up passionate desire, renounce and free yourself from it, stop and abandon all thoughts of this thirst.

You just need to correctly realize the nature of the desired, as fickle, unsatisfactory and impersonal, to be aware of your restless attraction as a disease. This desire can be extinguished by following the aforementioned middle path.

4) When thirst dies down, attachment will also stop, which means that the karmic process will stop, which will no longer lead to birth, therefore, it will get rid of aging, all forms of suffering and death.

After this, only the highest serenity awaits, the end of the karmic process, the absence of grounds for a new birth, detachment, which is called nirvana. The person no longer experiences either physical or mental pain. The appeal is obvious.

The Buddha was able to avoid the two extremes in life, hedonism and asceticism, and achieve enlightenment by following the middle path. He expounded its stages to his followers as the fourth immutable truth.

The noble eightfold path is sometimes misunderstood, thinking that its steps should be taken in turn, practicing the correct ones:

1. understanding,
2. thinking,
3. speech,
4. activity,
5. earning a living,
6. an effort,
7. awareness,
8. concentration.

But in fact, you need to start with the correct moral attitudes - shila (3-5). Lay Buddhists usually follow the five precepts of the Buddha concerning morality, which are also called virtues, vows or vows:

• do not harm the living and do not kill;
• do not appropriate what belongs to others;
• refrain from inappropriate sexual behavior;
• not lie or abuse someone's trust;
• do not use means that cloud the mind.

After that, you should systematically train your mind by practicing correct concentration (6-8).

Having carefully prepared in this way, a person acquires a mind and character, receptive to correct understanding and thinking (1-2), that is, he becomes wise. However, it is impossible to move on the path without having at least a minimal understanding of the same suffering, which is why understanding is at the top of this list.

At the same time, it completes it when all of the above successfully performed actions will bring a person to an understanding of everything “as is”. Without this, it is impossible to become a righteous person and plunge into nirvana.

This path is free from suffering, it provides a person with a pure vision and you need to go through it yourself, since Buddhas are great teachers, but they cannot do it for someone else.

Conclusion

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The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to get rid of suffering and reincarnation. Buddha said, "In the past and in the present, I only say one thing: suffering and the annihilation of suffering." Despite the negative initial position of this formula, the goal set in it also has a positive aspect, because you can put an end to suffering only by realizing your human potential of kindness and happiness. One who attains the state of full self-realization is said to have attained nirvana. Nirvana is the greatest good in Buddhism, the ultimate and highest good. It is both a concept and a state at the same time. As a concept, it reflects a certain vision of the realization of human capabilities, outlines the contours and forms of an ideal life; as a state, it is embodied in the course of time in a person striving for it.

The striving for nirvana is understandable, but how is it to be achieved? The answer is partly contained in the previous chapters. We know that the righteous life is highly valued in Buddhism; to live virtuously is a prerequisite. However, some scholars reject this idea. They argue that the accumulation of merit through the performance of good deeds actually interferes with the attainment of nirvana. Good deeds, in their opinion, create karma, and karma leads to a series of rebirths. Then, they reason, it follows that in order to achieve nirvana it is necessary to transcend karma and all other considerations of ethics. This understanding of the issue raises two problems. First, why, if a virtuous act is a hindrance to the path to nirvana, the sacred texts constantly call for the performance of good deeds? Secondly, why do those who have attained enlightenment, such as Buddha, continue to live highly moral lives?

The solution to these problems is possible if a highly moral life is only a part of the perfection achieved by a person, necessary for immersion in nirvana. Then, if virtue (strength, Skt. - sila) is one of the main elements of this ideal, then it cannot be self-sufficient and needs some kind of addition. This other necessary element- wisdom, the ability to perceive (panya, Skt. - prajya). "Wisdom" in Buddhism means a deep philosophical understanding of the state of a person. It requires insight into the nature of reality, achieved through long and deep reflection. This is one of the types of gnosis, or direct comprehension of the truth, which deepens over time and eventually reaches the top in the enlightenment experienced by the Buddha.

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha).

But, monks, what is the Noble Truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering. Pain, grief, sorrow, sorrow, despair is suffering. Uniting with the dear is suffering, separation from the dear is suffering. Unattainability of the desired is suffering. Thus, the five states (skandhas) of the personality are suffering.

So, nirvana is the unity of virtue and wisdom. The relationship between them in the language of philosophy can be expressed as follows: both virtue and wisdom are "necessary" conditions of nirvana, the presence of only one of them is "insufficient." Only together do they make it possible to attain nirvana. In one of the early texts they are compared with two hands washing and cleaning each other; a person who is deprived of one of them is imperfect (D. i.124).

If wisdom is truly the absolutely necessary companion of virtue, what does one need to know in order to attain enlightenment? To know the truth perceived by the Buddha on the night of enlightenment and subsequently presented in the first sermon, which he delivered in a deer park near Benares. This sermon speaks of four principles known as the Four Noble Truths. They state that: 1) life is suffering, 2) suffering is generated by desire or thirst for pleasure, 3) suffering can be stopped, 4) there is a path leading to deliverance from suffering. Sometimes, as an illustration of the relationship between them, a comparison is made with medicine, while the Buddha is compared with a healer who has found a cure for the ailment of life. Firstly, he diagnoses the disease, secondly, explains its cause, thirdly, determines the remedies against it, and fourthly, starts treatment.

American psychiatrist M. Scott Peck begins his bestselling book, The Path Lost, with the words: Life is Hard. Speaking of the First Noble Truth, he adds: "This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths." Known in Buddhism as the "Truth of Suffering," it became the cornerstone of the Buddha's teachings. According to this truth, suffering (dukkha, Skt. - duhkha) is an integral part of life, and defines the state of a person as a state of "non-satisfaction". It includes many types of suffering, starting with physical suffering, such as birth, aging, illness and death. They are most often associated with physical pain, and there are many more serious problem- the inevitability of a repetition of this cycle in each subsequent life, both for the person himself and for his loved ones. People are powerless in the face of these realities and, despite the latest discoveries in medicine, they are still susceptible to illness and accidents due to their bodily nature. Besides physical pain, the Truth of suffering indicates its emotional and psychological forms: "grief, grief, sadness and despair." ... They can sometimes present more excruciating problems than physical suffering: few people live without grief and grief, and there are many severe psychological conditions, such as chronic depression, which cannot be completely eliminated.

In addition to these obvious examples, the Truth of Suffering mentions a more subtle kind of suffering that can be defined as "existential." This follows from the statement: “Unattainability of the desired is suffering,” that is, failure, disappointment, collapse of illusions, experienced when hopes do not come true and reality does not correspond to our desires. Buddha was not a pessimist and, of course, knew from his own experience when he was a young prince that there can be pleasant moments in life. The problem, however, is that good times don't last forever, sooner or later they go away, or a person gets bored with what seemed new and promising. In this sense, the word dukkha has a more abstract and deeper meaning: it indicates that even a life devoid of burdens may not bring satisfaction and self-realization. In this and many other contexts, the word “dissatisfaction” expresses the meaning of “duhkhi” more accurately than “suffering”.

The truth of suffering makes it possible to reveal what is the main reason why human life does not bring complete satisfaction. The statement that "the five skandhas of the personality are suffering" refers to the teachings set forth by the Buddha in the second sermon (Vin. I.1.3). Let's list them: body (rupa), sensation (vedana), images of perception (samjna), desires and drives (sanskara), consciousness (vijnana). There is no need to consider each in detail, since it is not so important for us what is included in this list as what is not. In particular, the doctrine does not mention the soul or "I", understood as an eternal and unchanging spiritual entity. This position of the Buddha departs from the orthodox Indian religious tradition of Brahmanism, which asserted that everyone has an eternal soul (Atman), which is either part of the metaphysical absolute - Brahman (impersonal deity), or is identical to it.

Buddha said that he does not find evidence of the existence of either the human soul (Atman) or its cosmic counterpart (Brahman). On the contrary, his approach - practical and empirical - is closer to psychology than to theology. His explanation of human nature, formed from the five states, is in many ways similar to the explanation of the construction of a car, consisting of wheels, gearbox, engine, steering, body. Of course, unlike scientists, he believed that the moral essence of man (which can be called "spiritual DNA") survives death and is reincarnated. By arguing that the five states of personality are suffering, the Buddha pointed out that human nature cannot be the basis of permanent happiness. Because human consists of five constantly changing "attributes", sooner or later suffering will inevitably arise, just as the car will eventually wear out and break down. Suffering is thus woven into the very fabric of our being.

The content of the Truth of suffering is partly explained by the fact that the Buddha saw the first three signs - the old man, the leper and the dead - and realized that life is full of suffering and misery. Many, turning to Buddhism, find that his assessment of the human condition is pessimistic, but Buddhists believe that their religion is not pessimistic or optimistic, but realistic, that the Truth of suffering only objectively states the facts. If it seems pessimistic, it is due to the long-standing tendency of people to avoid unpleasant truths and "look for the bright side in everything." This is why Buddha pointed out that the Truth of suffering is extremely difficult to understand. It is like a person's awareness of the fact that he is seriously ill, which no one wants to admit, and that there is no cure.

If life is suffering, how does it arise? The second noble truth, the Truth of Arising (samudaya), explains that suffering arises from longing desire or "thirst for life" (tanha). Passion ignites suffering as fire ignites wood. In his sermon (C.iv.19) Buddha spoke about how all human experience “burns” with desires. Fire is an apt metaphor for desire, as it consumes what feeds it without being satisfied. It spreads quickly, moves on to new objects and hurts, just like unquenched desires.

2. Truth of origin (samudaya).

Here, oh monks, is the Truth of the origin of suffering. This lust for life, attachment to illusory earthly values ​​(tanha), which leads to rebirth, is associated with frantic delight in form. 1) sensual pleasures, 2) thirst for "prosperity", being, 3) thirst for "destruction", non-being.

It is the desire to live, to enjoy life that causes rebirth. If we continue to compare the five "attributes" of a person with a car, then desire is the fuel that sets it in motion. Although rebirth is generally believed to occur from life to life, it also happens moment to moment: a person is said to be reborn in seconds if these five elements change and interact, driven by the desire for pleasant experiences. The continuity of a person's existence from one life to another is simply the result of the accumulated power of desire.

The truth of emergence states that craving manifests itself in three basic forms, the first of which is craving for sensual pleasure. It takes the form of striving for pleasure through objects of perception, for example, pleasant taste, sensations, smells, sounds. The second is the thirst for "prosperity." It concerns a deep, instinctive yearning for existence that pushes us towards new lives and new experiences. The third type of manifestation of passionate desire is the desire not to possess, but to "annihilate." This is the flip side of the thirst for life, embodied in the instinct of denial, rejection of what is unpleasant and undesirable. The desire for destruction can also lead to self-denial and self-denial.

Low self-esteem and thoughts like “I can’t do anything” or “I’m a failure” are manifestations of such an attitude aimed at oneself. In extreme forms, it can lead to physical self-destruction, such as suicide. Physical self-torture, which the Buddha eventually abandoned, can also be seen as a manifestation of self-denial.

So does this mean that any desire is evil? One must be very careful when approaching such conclusions. Although the word tanha is often translated as "desire" (desire), it has a narrower meaning - desire, in some sense, perverted by immoderation or a bad purpose. It is usually aimed at sensory arousal and pleasure. However, not all desires are like this, and Buddhist sources often speak of positive desires (chanda). Strive for a positive goal for yourself and for others (for example, to achieve nirvana), wish others happiness, want the world that will remain after you to become a better place - these are examples of positive and wholesome desires that are not defined by the concept of tanha.

If bad desires restrain and fetter a person, then good ones give him strength and freedom. Let's take smoking as an example to see the difference. The desire of an inveterate smoker to smoke another cigarette is tanha, since it is aimed at nothing more than momentary pleasure, obsessive, limited, cyclical, and will not lead to anything but another cigarette (and how side effect- to poor health). On the other hand, the desire of the heavy smoker to quit will be beneficial as it breaks the cycle of obsessive bad habit and will serve to promote health and well-being.

In the Truth of the origin, tanha represents the above-mentioned "three roots of evil" - passion, hatred and delusion. In Buddhist art, they are depicted as a rooster, a pig and a snake, rushing in a circle in the center of the "wheel of life", which we talked about in the third chapter, while they form a circle - the tail of one holds the other in the mouth. Since the thirst for life only generates another desire, rebirths form a closed cycle, people are born again and again. How this happens is explained in detail by the theory of causality, which is called patikka-samuppada (Skt. - pratya-samutpada - interdependent origin). This theory explains how desire and ignorance lead to a 12-stage chain of rebirth. But for us now it is more important not to consider these stages in detail, but to understand the main principle underlying them, which applies not only to human psychology, but also to reality in general.

3. Truth of cessation (nirodha).

Here, oh monks, the Truth of the cessation of suffering This is the rejection of the thirst for life (tanha), the abandonment of it, the renunciation of it, liberation from it, the release of attachment to it.

In the most general outline the essence of this theory is that every effect has a cause, in other words, everything arises in interdependence. According to this, all phenomena are part of a cause-and-effect series, nothing exists independently, in itself and by itself. Therefore, the Universe is not a collection of static objects, but a plexus of causes and effects in constant motion. Moreover, just as a person's personality can be completely decomposed into five "attributes", and all phenomena can be reduced to their constituent components, without finding any "essence" in them. Everything that arises has three signs of existence, namely: a lack of understanding of the mortality of earthly life (dukkha), variability (anigga) and the absence of self-essence (anatta). "Deeds and things" do not give satisfaction, because they are impermanent (and therefore, unstable and unreliable), because they do not have their own nature, independent of universal causal processes.

It is obvious that the Buddhist Universe is characterized primarily by cyclical changes: at the psychological level - the endless process of desire and its satisfaction; on the personal - a chain of death and rebirth; on the cosmic - the creation and destruction of Galaxies. All this is based on the principles of the patikka samuppada theory, the provisions of which were later thoroughly developed by Buddhism.

The Third Noble Truth is the Truth of cessation (nirodha). It says that when you get rid of the thirst for life, suffering stops and nirvana comes. As we know from the history of Buddha's life, nirvana has two forms: the first occurs during life ("nirvana with a remainder"), and the second after death ("nirvana without a remainder). The Buddha attained nirvana at the age of 35 during his lifetime, sitting under a sap. When he was 80, he plunged into the last nirvana, from which there is no return through rebirth.

Nirvana literally means "extinction" or "blowing out", just as a candle flame is extinguished. But what exactly is "fading away"? Maybe this is the soul of a person, his "I", his individuality? It cannot be a soul, since Buddhism generally denies its existence. This is not “I” or self-consciousness, although nirvana certainly presupposes a radical change in the state of consciousness, freed from attachment to “I” and “mine”. In fact, the flame of the triad is extinguished - passion, hatred and delusion, which leads to reincarnation. Indeed, the simplest definition of "nirvana with a remainder" is "the end of passion, hatred and delusion" (p. 38.1). This is a psychological and moral phenomenon, a transformed state of personality, which is characterized by peace, deep spiritual joy, compassion, refined and heartfelt perception. Negative mental states and emotions such as doubt, anxiety, worry and fear are absent in an enlightened mind. Some or all of these qualities are inherent in saints in many religions, to some extent, some of them may be possessed by ordinary people. However, the Enlightened Ones, like Buddha or Arhat, are fully inherent.

What happens to a person when he dies? There is no clear answer to this question in early sources. Difficulties in understanding this arise precisely in connection with the last nirvana, when the flame of the thirst for life is extinguished, reincarnations cease and a person who has attained enlightenment is not born again. The Buddha said that asking where the Enlightened One is after death is like asking where the flame goes when it is blown out. The flame, of course, does not "go away" anywhere, the combustion process simply stops. Getting rid of the thirst for life and ignorance is tantamount to cutting off the oxygen needed for combustion. However, the comparison with the flame should not be considered to mean that "nirvana without residue" is annihilation. The sources unequivocally indicate that such an understanding is erroneous, as well as the conclusion that nirvana is the eternal existence of the soul.

Buddha was against different interpretations nirvana, attaching primary importance to the desire to achieve it. Those who asked about nirvana, he compared with a man wounded by a poisoned arrow, who, instead of taking out the arrow, persistently asks questions meaningless in this situation about who released it, what is his name, what kind of family he is, how far he stood etc. (Mi426). In full accordance with the Buddha's reluctance to develop this theme, early sources define nirvana primarily through denial, that is, as "lack of desires", "suppression of thirst", "extinguishing", "extinction". Fewer positive definitions can be found, including such as “auspiciousness”, “good”, “purity”, “peace”, “truth”, “distant shore”. Some texts indicate that nirvana is transcendental, as "unborn, unarisen, uncreated and unformed" (Udana, 80), but it is not known how this should be interpreted. As a result, the nature of "nirvana without a trace" remains a mystery to all who have not experienced it. However, what we can be sure of is that it means the end of suffering and rebirth.

4. Truth of the path (magga).

Here, oh monks, is the Truth of the path (magga), which leads to the end of suffering. This is the noble "eightfold path", which consists of 1) correct views, 2) correct thinking, 3) correct speech, 4) correct behavior, 5) correct way of maintaining life, 6) correct application of forces, 7) correct memory, 8) correct concentration.

The Fourth Noble Truth - the Truth of the path (magga, Skt. - marga) - explains how the transition from samsara to nirvana should take place. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, few people stop to think about the most fulfilling way of life. These questions worried the Greek philosophers, and the Buddha also contributed to their understanding. He believed that the highest form of life is life leading to the improvement of virtue and knowledge, and the "eightfold path" determines the way of life with which this can be put into practice. It is also called the "middle path" because it runs between two extremes: a life of excesses and strict asceticism. It includes eight steps, subdivided into three categories - morality, concentration (meditation) and wisdom. They define the parameters of human good and indicate where the sphere of human prosperity is. In the category of "morality" (shila), they improve moral qualities, and in the category of "wisdom" (panya), intellectual qualities are developed. The role of meditation will be explored in detail in the next chapter.

Although the "path" consists of eight parts, one should not think of them as the stages that a person goes through, approaching nirvana, leaving them behind. On the contrary, the eight steps represent the paths of continuous improvement of "morality", "meditation" and "wisdom." "Right views" mean first the acceptance of Buddhist teachings and then their empirical confirmation; "Correct thinking" - commitment to the formation of correct attitudes; " correct speech"- telling the truth, showing thoughtfulness and interest in the conversation, and" correct behavior "- refraining from bad deeds, such as murder, theft or bad behavior (sensual pleasures). " The right way sustaining life ”implies giving up actions that harm others; “Correct application of strength” - gaining control over your thoughts and developing positive mindsets; “Correct memory” is the development of constant understanding, “correct concentration” is the achievement of a state of the deepest peace of mind, which is what various methods of concentration of consciousness and integration of the personality are aimed at.

1. Correct views Wisdom

2. Correct thinking (panya)

3. Correct speech Morality

4. Correct behavior(Sheela)

5. The right way to maintain life

6. Correct application forces Meditation

7. Correct memory (samadhi)

8. Correct concentration

The Eightfold Path and Its Three Components

In this respect, the practice of the "eightfold path" is a kind of modeling process: these eight principles show how a Buddha will live, and by living like a Buddha, a person can gradually become one. The "Eightfold Path", therefore, is a path of self-transformation, an intellectual, emotional and moral restructuring, during which a person is reoriented from narrow, selfish goals to the development of opportunities for self-realization. Through the striving for knowledge (panya) and moral virtue (sila), ignorance and selfish desires are overcome, the causes that give rise to suffering are eliminated, and nirvana ensues.

On our website, we talked in detail about Nepal. Much in this country is incomprehensible to an ordinary Russian and this short series of articles on Buddhism will help you better understand what you will see during.

The four noble truths can be called the "axioms of Buddhism." This is knowledge that does not require proof. They were formulated by Buddha Shakyamuni 2500 years ago and have not lost their relevance. Their translation into Russian is not accurate due to the difference in concepts in our language and Sanskrit. Therefore, in this article we will devote them to exactly decoding.

The first truth. All life of sentient beings is suffering

When I say such a phrase, most people immediately perceive it with hostility, declaring that they do not suffer, but live a completely normal life.

The translation itself is inaccurate. By suffering, we mean something very bad - loss loved one or unbearable pain. In ancient languages ​​the word “dukkha” is used, which is better translated as “dissatisfaction”.

Indeed, our whole life is a constant dissatisfaction, such is the nature of man. Having bought a new car, we enjoy it for only a few months, and then disappointment comes.

You can feel the joy of delicious food, but you can eat a limited amount, and then the meal will turn into torture. A person is susceptible to disease, in pain, attached to and compassionate to other people.

All this is meant in the first noble truth by the word "suffering." In this aspect, it is difficult to disagree with this truth. Few people can claim that they are happy and not lie to themselves and those around them.

The second truth. The cause of suffering is thirst

Of course, the word "thirst" is used not in the sense of the desire to drink water, but in a more general sense. Most people want something all the time, and it's not just about the physical need to eat, drink, and sleep.

There are many desires in people's lives that are not determined by physical needs. Some have a great "thirst" for a lot of money, to be beautiful or slim, to have power or influence over people.

The important thing to say in this part of our article is that Buddhism is not at all against the realization of these desires. In no case! It's just that the second noble truth states that they are the sources of suffering. Buddhism does not call to be a beggar and not to communicate with anyone, it is just that all this must be treated “without fanaticism,” this is what the Great Buddha called the “Middle Way”.

At the beginning of his spiritual quest, Buddha Shakyamuni himself turned to the teachings of ascetics. These people deliberately limited themselves in everything, believing that the body prevents them from gaining spiritual strength. At that time in India, this movement was very widespread.

The Buddha got in their way and nearly starved himself to death as he ate one grain of rice a day (note: this is likely a metaphor). He was saved by a girl who brought him milk and rice. Buddha realized that this path does not lead to deliverance from suffering.

In Russian, the second noble truth can be expressed as follows: "You cannot be a slave to your desires, they lead you to suffering."

Truth three. Suffering can be ended by curbing thirst

The third truth is the most difficult to understand correctly. She suggests to many that the way to end suffering is to give up desires and needs. But we already wrote above that this is the wrong way. They must be bridled so that they cannot bring suffering.

It is important to understand that there is no point in fighting your “thirst”. In fact, you will be fighting with yourself, and in this battle there can be no winner.

Looking ahead, let's say that for this you need to clear your mind. This is what Buddhist pilgrims do when they spin prayer drums near a stupa or walk around a temple in Kathmandu in Nepal.

By the way, Buddhism does not prohibit anyone from doing these actions. You can walk by yourself, read a mantra or spin the drums, for this no one will blame you.

Many desires in a person's life are not even products of his own mind, but are brought in by society or, one might say, imposed. On the path to purification, many realize that this part of the "thirst" in their lives is simply superfluous. And awareness is the first way to get rid of them.

The fourth truth. The way to get rid of "thirst" and suffering - Eightfold path

To get rid of thirst, one should follow the Eightfold Path. These are the right views, the right aspirations, the right speech, the right actions, correct methods earning a livelihood, right direction their efforts, correct self-awareness and correct concentration.

In essence, the Eightfold Path is a voluminous and complex set of ethical rules that allow us to walk the path to enlightenment and deliverance from suffering.

In one of the following articles, we will look at the Eightfold Path in detail, but for now we will only outline the main points.

As you noticed, unlike many religions, Buddhism provides guidelines not only for a set of positive and negative physical actions of a person, but also for his spiritual life and quests.

Buddha's recommendations concern the spiritual life of a person much more than regulate his actions. This seems strange to many, but in fact it is very logical. It is in our mind that the motivation for any action is born. If there is no negative motivation, there will be no bad deeds.

Buddhism leads a person to happiness precisely through him inner world... Let's think for ourselves. In our life there are a lot of objects that do not even have a physical shell. Things like authority or popularity exist exclusively in our heads. But for us they are more than real.

The inner world of people is the basis of their happiness or unhappiness.

We will continue our story on the following pages. Read our other articles about Buddhism and Nepal ( links below).

Read about Nepal on our website