The Four Noble Truths and some Modern Variations

(anonymous)

[Various quotes in this selection are obviously not of Buddhistic origin, but are meant to clarify the Buddhistic truths. I appologize for the mixing of sources in this text, but also think the whole text here is worth studying.
Katinka Hesselink]

"Suffering, origin of suffering and getting over suffering, and the noble Path of eight elements that brings one to the cessation of sufferings ... one is liberation from all sufferings."

(from the Dhammapada, chpt 14, verses 13 & 14)

"Light arose in me about things not heard before."

1) The Buddhist original:
- I do proclaim
  - that suffering exists
  - the origin of suffering
  - the cessation of suffering
  - the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
- I do proclaim
  - the world
  - the origin of the world
  - the cessation of the world
  - the path leading to the cessation of the world.
  "Just as one looks at a bubble, just as one looks at a mirage, one who looks at the world in this way, him the Lord of Death, will not find out."
  - 1. There is suffering.
  - 2. There is a single cause of suffering.
  - 3. The complete cessation of suffering is possible.
  - 4. There exists a path to the ending of all suffering, to immortality
  - (5. and I have walked that path to its end, to the other shore, beyond the reach of death.).
  dukkha = (du - difficult) (kha - to endure)
  - 1. suffering:
    - a) birth (separation)
    - b) decay
    - c) disease (hunger is the greatest illness)
    - d) death
    - e) impeded wishes, ungratified desire
    - f) accumulation of what is evil (even a water jar gets filled by drops of water falling in)
    - g) skandhas, residual impressions, residues of activity
  - 2. origin of suffering:
    - a. thirst, desire, craving, attachment
    - b. separation
    From craving springs grief,
    from craving springs fear,
    For him who is wholly free from craving,
    there is no grief, nor fear.
    
    All desire springs from separation,
    from separation springs all fear,
    For him for whom separation does not exist,
    there is neither desire nor fear.
    
    Cut the forest (of desires), not the tree;
    from that forest there arises fear.
  - 3. the complete cessation of suffering, a state called Nirvana, is achieved by the eradication of all thirsts, of all forms of craving.
  - 4. the noblest path leading to the cessation of suffering is the eightfold path:
    - I) wisdom (panna):
      - 1.. Right Understanding: the knowledge, the perception, of the four noble truths.
        nil illusory views: idols; ignorance; superstition
      - 2.. Right Thoughts, right ideas:
        
        a. self-less-ness
        
        b. benevolence
        
        c. harmlessness, compassion
        
        d. nil
        
        he abused me;
        
        she injured me;
        
        he overcame me;
        
        she deprived me
      "Without study, without having earned wealth,
      they lie down completely wasted, wailing"
      
      Action is best after discrimination
      between the goal and what is other than the goal.
      
      "One shall employ oneself in such a way
      that there will be the growth of knowledge."
      
      "Hesitant study yields no great fruit."
    - II) morality (sila)
      - 3.. Right Speech:
        
        kind,
        
        truthful,
        
        helpful
        nil
        
        falsehood;
        
        gossip;
        
        harsh words;
        
        frivolous talk;
        
        slandering
        
        "Not the shortcomings of others.
        not what is done or not done by others"
        
        "It is easy to perceive the avoidable things in others,
        it is difficult to perceive in oneself"
      - 4.. Right Action - with forbearance
        nil:
        
        a. killing
        
        b. stealing(taking that which is not offered in this world)
        
        c. sexual misconduct (sensory immoderation)
        
        d. idleness
        
        e. injuring, punishing by beating
      - 5.. Right Livelihood
        nil:
        
        a. manufacturing or trading in weapons & munitions
        
        b. trading in human beings: forced labour, slavery prostitution, conscription
        
        c. raising or trading animals for slaughter
        
        d. manufacturing or trading in intoxicants: fermented drinks, drugs
        
        e. manufacturing or trading in poisons
    - III) Meditation (samadhi)
      - 6.. Right Effort - (nil defaulting) the endeavour to:
        
        a. discard evil that has already arisen (ripe, fruiting, sprouted)
        
        b. prevent the arising of unarisen evil
        
        c. develop unarisen good
        
        d. promote the good which has already arisen
      - 7.. Right Mindfulness - (continuous: nil occasionally; when I remember; if convenient, most days, when my partner is away) awareness of, restrained in
        
        a. body
        
        b. feelings
        
        c. thoughts
        
        d. & mind-objects kept steady, guarded, vigilant, self-controlled, self-limited, disciplined without haste, without rest
      - 8.. Right Concentration, one-pointedness of the mind

Having noticed some similarity in the form, I include two appendices:

HP Blavatsky; p435 CW volume 12:
Daily practical wisdom consists of four things:
- To know the root of truth
- to know the branches of truth
- to know the limit of truth
- to know the opposite of truth.
James Redfield; The Celestine Prophecy: from the table of contents:
- chpt 3 There is Energy
- chpt 4 There is conflict (for energy)
- chpt 5 There is a path to the cessation of all conflict
- Redfield's (three chapter) Noble Path:
  - chpt 6 Clearing the Past (nil control dramas)
  - chpt 7 Engaging the Flow
  - chpt 8 The Interpersonal Ethic

The Four Noble Truths and some Modern Variations

(anonymous)

"Light arose in me about things not heard before."

"Just as one looks at a bubble, just as one looks at a mirage, one who looks at the world in this way, him the Lord of Death, will not find out."

dukkha = (du - difficult) (kha - to endure)

From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear, For him who is wholly free from craving, there is no grief, nor fear.

All desire springs from separation, from separation springs all fear, For him for whom separation does not exist, there is neither desire nor fear.

Cut the forest (of desires), not the tree; from that forest there arises fear.

"Without study, without having earned wealth, they lie down completely wasted, wailing"

Action is best after discrimination between the goal and what is other than the goal.

"One shall employ oneself in such a way that there will be the growth of knowledge."

"Hesitant study yields no great fruit."

"Not the shortcomings of others. not what is done or not done by others"

"It is easy to perceive the avoidable things in others, it is difficult to perceive in oneself"

Having noticed some similarity in the form, I include two appendices:

From craving springs grief,
from craving springs fear,
For him who is wholly free from craving,
there is no grief, nor fear.

All desire springs from separation,
from separation springs all fear,
For him for whom separation does not exist,
there is neither desire nor fear.

Cut the forest (of desires), not the tree;
from that forest there arises fear.

"Without study, without having earned wealth,
they lie down completely wasted, wailing"

Action is best after discrimination
between the goal and what is other than the goal.

"One shall employ oneself in such a way
that there will be the growth of knowledge."

"Not the shortcomings of others.
not what is done or not done by others"

"It is easy to perceive the avoidable things in others,
it is difficult to perceive in oneself"