Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
The first noble truth
i've seen a few variations of this from 'life is suffering' to 'THE EXISTENCE OF IMPERMANENCE'. I have no problem with the (all too obvious) fact that life contains suffering, especially if you cling to things, but is ALL life suffering?
i'm rather enjoying life at the moment and so something doesn't quite ring true.
Thoughts?
i'm rather enjoying life at the moment and so something doesn't quite ring true.
Thoughts?
0
Comments
Sariputta: "Now what, friends, is the noble truth of stress? Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.
"Now what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, descent, coming-to-be, coming-forth, appearance of aggregates, & acquisition of sense media of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called birth.
"And what is aging? Whatever aging, decrepitude, brokenness, graying, wrinkling, decline of life-force, weakening of the faculties of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called aging.
"And what is death? Whatever deceasing, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, dying, death, completion of time, break up of the aggregates, casting off of the body, interruption in the life faculty of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called death.
"And what is sorrow? Whatever sorrow, sorrowing, sadness, inward sorrow, inward sadness of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called sorrow.
"And what is lamentation? Whatever crying, grieving, lamenting, weeping, wailing, lamentation of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called lamentation.
"And what is pain? Whatever is experienced as bodily pain, bodily discomfort, pain or discomfort born of bodily contact, that is called pain.
"And what is distress? Whatever is experienced as mental pain, mental discomfort, pain or discomfort born of mental contact, that is called distress.
"And what is despair? Whatever despair, despondency, desperation of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called despair.
"And what is the stress of not getting what one wants? In beings subject to birth, the wish arises, 'O, may we not be subject to birth, and may birth not come to us.' But this is not to be be achieved by wishing. This is the stress of not getting what one wants. In beings subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, the wish arises, 'O, may we not be subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, and may aging... illness... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair not come to us.' But this is not to be be achieved by wishing. This is the stress of not getting what one wants.
"And what are the five clinging-aggregates that, in short, are stressful? Form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling as a clinging-aggregate, perception as a clinging-aggregate, fabrications as a clinging-aggregate, consciousness as a clinging-aggregate: These are called the five clinging-aggregates that, in short, are stressful.
"This is called the noble truth of stress."
[MN 141]
§ 7.
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, I will teach you the five aggregates & the five clinging-aggregates. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "Now what, monks, are the five aggregates?
"Whatever form is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the form aggregate.
"Whatever feeling is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the feeling aggregate.
"Whatever perception is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the perception aggregate.
"Whatever (mental) fabrications are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: those are called the fabrication aggregate.
"Whatever consciousness is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the consciousness aggregate.
"These are called the five aggregates.
"And what are the five clinging-aggregates?
"Whatever form — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation: that is called form as clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever feeling — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation: that is called feeling as a clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever perception — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation: that is called perception as a clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever (mental) fabrications — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — are clingable, offer sustenance, and are accompanied with mental fermentation: those are called fabrication as a clinging-aggregate.
"Whatever consciousness — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation: that is called consciousness as a clinging-aggregate.
"These are called the five clinging-aggregates."
[SN XXII.48]
§ 8.
The Buddha: "These are the five clinging-aggregates: form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling as a clinging-aggregate, perception as a clinging-aggregate, fabrications as a clinging-aggregate, consciousness as a clinging-aggregate... These five clinging-aggregates are rooted in desire...."
A certain monk: "Is it the case that clinging and the five clinging-aggregates are the same thing, or are they separate?"
The Buddha: "Clinging is neither the same thing as the five clinging-aggregates, nor are they separate. Whatever desire & passion there is with regard to the five clinging-aggregates, that is the clinging there...."
The monk: "What is the cause, what is the condition, for the discernibility of the form aggregate... feeling aggregate... perception aggregate... fabrications aggregate... consciousness aggregate?"
The Buddha: "The four great existents [the properties of earth, water, fire, & wind] are the cause & condition for the discernibility of the form aggregate. Contact is the cause & condition for the discernibility of the feeling... perception... fabrications aggregate. Name & form are the cause & condition for the discernibility of the consciousness aggregate."
[MN 109]
§ 9.
"And why do you call it 'form' (rupa)? Because it is afflicted (ruppati), thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold & heat & hunger & thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles. Because it is afflicted, it is called form.
"And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called feeling.
"And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it perceives, it is called perception.
"And why do you call them 'fabrications'? Because they fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.' What do they fabricate as a fabricated thing? From form-ness, they fabricate form as a fabricated thing. From feeling-ness, they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. From perception-hood...From fabrication-hood...From consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated thing. Because they fabricate fabricated things, they are called fabrications.
"And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, & unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness."
[SN XXII.79]
§ 10.
MahaKotthita: "Feeling, perception, & consciousness: are these qualities conjoined or disjoined? And is it possible, having divided them, to describe their separateness?"
Sariputta: "Feeling, perception, & consciousness are conjoined, not disjoined, and it is impossible, having divided them, to describe their separateness. For what one feels, that one perceives; and what one perceives, that one cognizes..."
[MN 43]
§ 11. Form.
Sariputta: "And what, friends, is form as a clinging-aggregate? The four great existents and the form derived from them. And what are the four great existents? They are the earth-property, the water property, the fire property, & the wind property.
"And what is the earth property? The earth property may be either internal or external. What is the internal earth property? Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, & sustained: head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach, feces, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, & sustained: This is called the internal earth property. Now both the internal earth property and the external earth property are simply earth property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the earth property and makes the earth property fade from the mind...
"And what is the water property? The water property may be either internal or external. What is the internal water property? Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is liquid, watery, & sustained: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, oil-of-the-joints, urine, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is liquid, watery, & sustained: This is called the internal water property. Now both the internal water property and the external water property are simply water property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the water property and makes the water property fade from the mind...
"And what is the fire property? The fire property may be either internal or external. What is the internal fire property? Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, & sustained: that by which one is warmed, ages, & wastes away; and that by which what is eaten, drunk, consumed, & tasted gets completely digested, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, & sustained: This is called the internal fire property. Now both the internal fire property and the external fire property are simply fire property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the fire property and makes the fire property fade from the mind...
"And what is the wind property? The wind property may be either internal or external. What is the internal wind property? Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is wind, windy, & sustained: up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the stomach, winds in the intestines, winds that course through the body, in-&-out breathing, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is wind, windy, & sustained: This is called the internal wind property. Now both the internal wind property and the external wind property are simply wind property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the wind property and makes the wind property fade from the mind..."
[MN 28]
§ 12. Feeling.
Sister Dhammadinna: "There are three kinds of feeling: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, & neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling... Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as pleasant & gratifying is pleasant feeling. Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as painful & hurting is painful feeling. Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as neither gratifying nor hurting is neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling... Pleasant feeling is pleasant in remaining and painful in changing. Painful feeling is painful in remaining and pleasant in changing. Neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is pleasant when conjoined with knowledge and painful when devoid of knowledge."
[MN 44]
§ 13. Fabrications.
"And what are fabrications? There are these six classes of intention: intention aimed at sights, sounds, aromas, tastes, tactile sensations, & ideas. These are called fabrications."
[SN XXII.56]
§ 14.
"Three kinds of fabrications: meritorious fabrications (ripening in pleasure), demeritorious fabrications (ripening in pain), & imperturbable fabrications (the formless states of jhana)."
[DN 33]
§ 15.
Sister Dhammadinna: "In-&-out breathing is bodily, bound up with the body, therefore is it called a bodily fabrication. Having directed one's thought and evaluated [the matter], one breaks into speech. Therefore directed thought & evaluation are called verbal fabrications. Perception & feeling are mental, bound up with the mind. Therefore perception & feeling are called mental fabrications."
[MN 44]
§ 16. Consciousness.
"Consciousness is classified simply by the condition in dependence on which it arises.
"When consciousness arises in dependence on eye & forms, it is classified simply as eye-consciousness.
"When consciousness arises in dependence on ear & sounds, it is classified simply as ear-consciousness.
"When consciousness arises in dependence on nose & smells, it is classified simply as nose-consciousness.
"When consciousness arises in dependence on tongue & tastes, it is classified simply as tongue-consciousness.
"When consciousness arises in dependence on body & tactile sensations, it is classified simply as body-consciousness.
"When consciousness arises in dependence on intellect & ideas, it is classified simply as intellect-consciousness.
"Just as fire is classified simply by the condition in dependence on which it burns — a fire burning in dependence on logs is classified simply as a log fire... a fire burning in dependence on rubbish is classified simply as a rubbish fire; in the same way, consciousness is classified simply by the condition in dependence on which it arises."
[MN 38]
~ Taken from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html
Is it not just as possible that one will come to realise the truth of our suffering through walking the Noble Eightfold Path of the Fourth Truth? Indeed, without the skillful means of the Noble Eighfold Path, how can we understand, grasp, see, hear, feel and taste the origins of our suffering, as taught in the Second? Or, perhaps we hear the Buddha's triumphant announcement, in the Third, that karma and rebirth need nor recur. As a result, we may suddenly become aware of what is unsatisfactory in our lives and begin to grasp the First.
In fact, of course, these are not a circle, they are a celtic knot, a sacred labyrinth. Nor can one be fully comprehended without comprehension of all four, because, after all, they are only the subheadings of the overarching truth of the Dharma.
It is supposed to convey things like: insubstantiality, impermanence, unsatisying. Insight meditation is intended to help "see" this more clearly.
Like you, I am generally happy at the moment....at the moment.. That could change literally in a heartbeat, say, if my wife or daughter were to die.
Once we get too comfortable with our present situation, we get complacent.
I'm cool with the whole "Life is suffering" statement.
There was nothing that said, "during your entire life span, each agonizing second will be filled with suffering."
I think, back in the time of Siddartha, there was a lot more suffering. Caste systems, religion, social issues, servitude, slavery, making a living or providing food for the family. There were no Wal-Mart, or K-Marts or grocery stores or StarBucks, etc. To quote an old Bible scripture, "Man lived by the sweat of his brow."
It is a little different nowadays, there are some things that are easier - but we have our own issues and strife to deal with in our Modern Times. Siddartha roamed the Earth for six years before his enlightenment - with no job, no mortgage, no income tax to pay, etc. - which I don't think is as easy today. In fact - people in Siddartha's time might go mad if they had to deal with our life styles today.
So - back to my point...
In todays' society we hear so much about people being stressed out, unhappy, worn thin, a drug for this or a therapy for that. These things are the sufferings of Today.
We're unhappy with our jobs, our home, our apartment, how someone treats us at work, why our spouse doesn't treat us like we think they should, children issues, school issues - the list goes on. And this doesn't even cover the MAJOR suffering in our life of loss of loved ones, terminal illnesses, disease, famine, natural disasters, etc.
But, I feel, that with MY issues, I use the teachings of Buddha and meditation to put "my issues" into perspective.
Should I be causing myself to suffer because of my attachment to the woman I love because she does something I don't like? Or because of some attachment I HAVE placed on her? Or what happens at work? Or a myriad of things?
I try to use Buddha's teachings to realize that much of the things that bother me or cause me anger or hurt or whatever (ie. "suffering") are because of my views or expectations.
If I change my "view" - these things don't seem so significant anymore. If someone pops off at me at work - if I realize that it's okay for them to do that. Does their action need to create a negative reaction within me? Should I let these comments ruin my peace? Or if you're really looking forward to buying a certain house or new car - and it doesn't happen - should your attachment to this material thing cause you to end up angered or frustrated? Please realize, these are just some examples - and probably poor examples - but they're just examples.
I know this may seem to make Buddhism seem small and microscopic in the big scheme of things - but "I am" not the "big scheme" of things. I'm rather insignificant. So, I need to deal with issues that affect me in my life.
-bf
"Life is what you make it." But on inspection, it is really quite a deep statement.
It's not what happens to us which can be classified as Positive/Negative, Good/Bad 'Suffering/Non-Suffering..... It's our perception of the event, how we permit it to affect us.
If we can grasp - and I mean, REALLY, TRULY grasp - that all things are impermanent and transitory - the "This too shall pass"ness of it all, then our loads will be lighter.
We each take complete responsibility for our own Thoughts, Words and Deeds. We are constantly Aware that everything we Think, Say and Do will affect us - and others.
With this in mind, we can then proceed to eliminate Suffering....
Through our perception of what happens around us, and through our mindful treatment of its effect on us, Life is indeed, what we make it.....
One thing though, is happiness or serenity (or whatever you want to call it) just a feeling like any other feeling so something which should not be sought or clung to?
Or is happiness a perception? Or is feeling, perception and concsiousness, like you say, the same, or... :banghead:
Try not to get too knotted up in these terms or definitions... you WILL end up with scrambled eggs for brains.
Just try to understand that in essence, Whatever it is you feel, is impermanent and transitory. Abraham has a quotation in his signature to the effect thet happiness is triggered by outside influences, but that Joy arises from within. This joy, whatever you're going through, is always present, always underlying... it is the 'Joy' that understands that all is illusory... all that matters is the Present Moment.
The Dalai Lama states that the Purpose of Life is to be Happy and to make others Happy. His religion is 'Kindness'. two extremely simple and wonderful things to hold on to.
develop the Inner Joy. Be serene. Let Life Flow and observe how, with the changing of the seasons, the weather and the days, your Joy can be constant.....
One extreme: Suffering! Middle: Peace Other extreme: Joy!
I've always just looked at "peace" as being the middle way. I don't think people like to live their lives with the majority of their existance in "suffering" nor do I think it's a good idea to live life with a manic "Joy" being the majority of your existance.
I think "peace" allows for one to see clearly both extremes. It allows a person to see and appreciate the joy there is in life as well as see and appreciate what suffering causes in life.
I believe, just like when we were children, some of the things our parents made us do seemed to cause us suffering. Little did we know or maybe we were too impatient to see what positive fruits our little bit of suffering would bring later in life. Things that seem like sufferingnow, that we must go through, may end up bringing joy in the future.
-bf
For me, the simplicity of "dukkha" and the complexity of "dukkha" can be summed up quite nicely - Dukkha merely refers to the conditionality of all phenomenon.
If you take apart the sentence the broader meanings become increasingly apparent. You start to see that all things (dhammas) are conditioned. All things follow dependent origination (paticca-samuppada), in other words they are conditioned on their separate parts in order to exist. Happiness, sadness, love, joy, anger, lust, sky, trees, river, earth, sun, moon, universe......all things are compounded and interlinked in this chain. As with all things conditioned - they follow the course of their conditions. They are without a "master" or "Self". They follow as far as they are allowed to go. If there is this, there is that. If this arises, that arise. If this is not, that is not. If this ceases, that ceases. The unsatisfactoriness comes from our lack of control, lack of permanence, and lack of a "Self".
The way I see it, our minds are also conditioned and subject to dissolution. It is merely afraid of being what it is, and following its own nature because it is so attached to its own fleeting conditions through 'conciousness'. Wisdom arises to dispell this confusion which allows the mind to see what it is grasping is not worth grasping at all.
That is all.
Free of grasping it becomes free of all things. Like in physics - no resistance, no friction. No friction, no heat. No heat, no problem - Cessation!
And I didn't have to use the word suffering once.
Whether or not this is a correct view of dukkha, that is how I see it as opposed to defining it as "suffering".
Jason