| Beneath the Bodhi tree the future-buddha | | | | optimistically, that there is an end to |
| entered four subsequent states of meditation, | | | | suffering. By dispelling ignorance and |
| and from these, he remembered his previous | | | | quenching the flames of sense-desire, the |
| lives and gained understanding of the | | | | realm of conditional existence, along with |
| processes of samsara that all forms of life | | | | all impermanence and suffering that |
| are subject to. He saw that the cause of | | | | distinquishes it, can be transcended:There is |
| rebirth was ignorance which would only cease | | | | an island which you cannot go beyond. It is a |
| when the need for sense-pleasures were | | | | place of nothingness, a place of |
| quenched. As his ignorance of the truth was | | | | non-possession and of non-attachment. It is |
| dispelled he was set free, and seeing things | | | | the total end of death and decay, and this is |
| as they truly are, he became an enlightened | | | | why i call it Nibbana (the extinquished, the |
| being. A Buddha.After the Buddha had | | | | cool). |
| singlehandedly found the path that leads to | | | | |
| freedom, he returned to his former ascetic | | | | 'Kappas Question in the Sutta-Nipata' |
| companions and shared with them the truth | | | | |
| (Dharma/Damma) of his discovery, at the deer | | | | (Saddhatissa. H, in Beckerlegge, 2001, |
| park in Benares. This was the setting for his | | | | p.349)The root meaning of Nirvana, or |
| first sermon known as the | | | | Nibbana, is to 'blow out' such as the blowing |
| Dhamma-cakka-pavattana sutta, which means | | | | out of a fire. The word 'skanda' means 'heap' |
| 'discourse on the setting in motion the wheel | | | | or 'bundle' and can refer to a bundle of |
| of truth'. The Buddha revealed the Four Noble | | | | wood. As already mentioned, the burning of |
| Truths concerning Dukkha/Duhkha, a word, | | | | individuals by their desire for sense-objects |
| originally sanskrit, that can be translated | | | | has them caught up in samsara and a state of |
| as meaning 'suffering' or alternatively as | | | | ever-becoming. the skandas which constitute |
| 'anguish', 'unsatisfactoriness' or 'ill'.The | | | | the self, or rather, the no-self, can be |
| first noble truth is that the nature of | | | | compared to a burning bundle of wood that |
| existence, as experienced by all living | | | | needs to be extinquished. And when the |
| things is suffering. this truth was the cause | | | | desires for sense-objects are 'blown out' |
| of the Buddha's initial agitation when he | | | | Nirvana is attained.The fourth noble truth is |
| first encountered old age, disease, and | | | | the path that is to be followed if there is |
| death. Everything that is born is subject to | | | | to be an end of suffering. It is the practice |
| decay and death and is therefore recognized | | | | of Buddhism Itself, known as the Eight-Fold |
| as 'Anicca', that is, impermanent. within | | | | Way, which is often divided into three |
| samsara all are fated to suffer this process | | | | categories.These are:A) wisdom. which |
| repeatedly, not only in this world, but also | | | | includes, 1) perfect understanding and 2) |
| in the other various levels of existence that | | | | perfect resolve, which are both related to a |
| can be both heavenly and hellish, the | | | | correct knowledge and application of the |
| destination determined by an individuals | | | | Buddha's teachings in the life of an |
| particular karma. Greed, Hatred, and | | | | individual.B) morality, which includes, 3) |
| Delusion, being specific to the nature of | | | | perfect speech, that is, talking in a kind |
| samsara, are also states of suffering.Both | | | | and truthful manner, and 4) Perfect action by |
| dukkha and anicca are categorized as two of | | | | dealing honestly with others and avoiding |
| the 'three marks of conditioned existence', | | | | sense-pleasure. Also 5) perfect livelihood, |
| the third being 'Anatta' or 'no-self'. | | | | that is, earning an honest living that |
| According to Buddhism the individual self is | | | | doesn't exploit other human beings or cater |
| not really a 'self' at all but an illusionary | | | | for sense-pleasures.C) mental discipline, |
| construct of five aggregates known as | | | | which includes 6) Perfect effort, which is |
| Skhandhas/skandas. these are; 1)Rupa (form); | | | | the development and maintenance of skilled |
| 2) Vedana (feeling); 3) Sanna (perception); | | | | mental states and ridding oneself of |
| 4) Sankaras (skilled or unskilled actions or | | | | unskilled mental states; 7) perfect |
| tendencies); and 5) Vinnana (consciousness). | | | | mindfulness of the body, feelings, mind and |
| It is these skandas, in interaction with one | | | | mental states, and finally 8) perfect |
| another, that are to be understood as being | | | | concentration, which is to be acheived |
| subject to samsara rather than the | | | | through the disipline of 'Jhana', that is, |
| individual, who does not really exist.In a | | | | meditaion......The forth noble truth is also |
| Buddhist text known as 'Milinda's Questions' | | | | known as the Middle Way. Buddhist meditation |
| the body is likened to a chariot. Here, the | | | | should conform with the middle way, as |
| monk Nagasena demonstates for the benefit of | | | | reflected in the legend of the Buddha when he |
| the inquiring King Milinda that as the | | | | positioned himself beneath the tree of |
| individual parts of the 'self' do not contain | | | | awakening. the mind needs to be balanced if |
| the 'self' within themselves, then "How can | | | | the realm of extremes is to be transcended. |
| there be a self?", when the individual parts | | | | the middle way lies "between the two extremes |
| are viewed collectively? Likewise, the | | | | of self-indulgence..." as reflected in the |
| seperate parts of a chariot have no 'chariot' | | | | person of Siddhartha the prince, "...and |
| within them, so how is it that a chariot | | | | self-torture" as reflected in the person of |
| exists when the parts are connected? The | | | | Siddhartha the emaciated ascetic (Horner, |
| answer is "there is no chariot" and similarly | | | | I.B, in Zaehner R.C 'ed', 2001,p.271). The |
| neither is there a self. the 'self' is merely | | | | Hindu practice of extreme self-denial, that |
| a convenient label of no real substance | | | | was, and continues to be performed by |
| (Horner, I.B 'trans', in Beckerlegge, 2001, | | | | ascetics in the pursuit of Moksha/Mukti was |
| p.349-51). And so, the individual is seen as | | | | rejected by the Buddha. Such overt zelousness |
| anatta.The second noble truth concerns the | | | | is concidered to be without true value, as is |
| cause, or 'Uprising', of suffering. Dukkha is | | | | indifference towards spiritual |
| born from ignorance and perpetuated through | | | | attainment.However, individuals must apply |
| our desire for sense-pleasures. Existence is | | | | themselves to the way of the Buddha, and are |
| perceived as a series of conditions that | | | | encouraged to investigate spiritual matters |
| function within a wheel of cause and effect | | | | for themselves, and not blindly accept what a |
| known as Paticcasamuppada, which means | | | | prestigious teacher may claim, out of |
| 'Dependent Origination' or 'Conditional | | | | respect. It is when you know the truth |
| Arising'. It is all wrong desires that keep | | | | yourself, that it is to be accepted |
| the wheel turning. As all wrong desires have | | | | (Woodward, F.L 'trans', 'Kalama Sutta' in |
| adverse causes, they also have adverse | | | | Beckerlegge, 2001, p.348). Also, the monastic |
| effects, which in turn become causes of more | | | | lifestyle can be viewed as embodying the |
| forms of suffering. The Buddha regarded | | | | principle of the middle way. For two and a |
| individuals to be 'on fire' through their | | | | half millennia it has remained the prefered |
| attachment to objects of desire (Horner, I.B | | | | enviroment conducive to the attainment of |
| 'trans', in Beckerlegge, 2001, p.344). In | | | | Nirvana. Harvey observes that it lies between |
| feeding the flames of the senses, we | | | | the extremes of a reclusive existence and the |
| perpetuate the false belief that we are real, | | | | life of a brahmanic householder. |
| and as we persist in 'Ever-Becoming' samsara | | | | |
| retains its awful hold:If this is, that comes | | | | Concerning the four noble truths, cousins |
| to be; | | | | tells us that the first truth is to be 'fully |
| | | | comprehended'; the second is to be |
| From the arising of this, that arise; | | | | 'abandoned'; the third is to be 'made |
| | | | visible'; the fourth is to be 'brought into |
| However; | | | | being'.It is for the transformation from a |
| | | | negative to a positive state that the path of |
| If this is not, that does not come to be; | | | | Buddhism is the be followed. It requires the |
| | | | rejection of what is unskilful and the |
| From the stopping of this, that is stopped | | | | cultivation of what is skillful, such as |
| | | | generosity, compassion for all beings, and |
| 'Majjhima-Nikaya 2.32' | | | | wisdom (the opposites of greed, hatred, and |
| | | | delusion mentioned above). It is a path that |
| (Horner, B.I 'trans', in Zaehner, R.C, 'ed', | | | | leads to calm, balance and detatchment from |
| 2001, p.277)With the third noble truth the | | | | desire, and the indescribable Nirvana that |
| Dharma of Buddhism makes the transition from | | | | awaits beyond.BibliographyBeckerlegge, Gwilym |
| darkness to light as it reveals, | | | | (Ed), 2001 'The world Religions Reader. |