The Four Noble Truths are the foundational tenets of Buddhism, which spark awareness of suffering as the nature of existence, its cause, and how to live without it. They are the essence of Buddhas teachings, though they leave much left unexplained. The Four Noble Truths are:
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Suffering exists: The First Truth identifies the presence of suffering. The word ‘suffering’ here is dukkha in Sanskrit, which can also be translated as pain, unsatisfactoriness or discontent.
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Suffering has a cause: The Second Truth seeks to determine the cause of suffering. In Buddhism, desire and ignorance lie at the root of suffering. By desire, Buddhists refer to craving pleasure, material goods, and immortality, all of which are wants that can never be satisfied.
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Suffering has an end: The Third Noble Truth, the truth of the end of suffering, has dual meaning, suggesting either the end of suffering in this life, on earth, or in the spiritual life, through achieving Nirvana. When one has achieved Nirvana, which is a transcendent state free from suffering and our worldly cycle of birth and rebirth, spiritual enlightenment has been reached.
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There is a path that leads to the end of suffering: The Fourth Noble truth charts the method for attaining the end of suffering, known to Buddhists as the Noble Eightfold Path. The path includes right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
The Four Noble Truths are accepted by all schools of Buddhism and have been the subject of extensive commentary.
