The Four Noble Truths are foundational teachings of the Buddha. It is a great place to start as Insight Astoria begins a new Dharma studies group at Astoria Gateway. The four truths provide an understanding that helps us deal with the our complex and changing lives and to create lives of meaning, connection, and contentment.
The first truth in a nutshell explains that life is very stressful. Stress comes with of old age, when we get sick, when we or loved ones face death and die. We get stressed when we don’t get what we want, when we don’t want what we get, when we want to be something or somebody special or when we want things to end.
The second truth explains that attachment to things causes life experiences to become stress and suffering. We are attached to trying to get and keep what we want. Attachment is how we hold on to things; it’s about rejecting what happens to us, to others, to our world. Things are always changing, and we resist change–this causes our pain and stress and suffering.
The third truth is that it is possible to not have stress and suffering. What? Can we really lessen our sadness and difficulty, our stress and pain? The Buddha says YES! We don’t have to get stressed out about things. Our pain and difficulty does not have to become suffering and stress.
The Fourth Noble Truth is how we get out if our chains of stress and suffering. The fourth truth explains the Eight-Fold Path, which includes: right view, right resolve or intention, right speech, right action, right effort, right livelihood, right mindfulness, right concentration.
The Eight-Fold path is an ongoing guide, not a linear progression, and it is useful to remember the many facets of the wheel of causality. When we remember this guidance, we can inspire and encourage ourselves to grow in kindness and compassion day-by-day.