The Four Noble Truths : 2. Explanation of the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering

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The Four Noble Truths: Explanation of the

Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering  

 

 

The Origin of Suffering as compiled

 

The Lord Buddha’s explanation of the Origin of Suffering includes all four of the Origin of Suffering’s implications in the light of the Four Noble Truths:

 

        2.1 The Origin of Suffering as compiled

        2.2 The Origin of Suffering as a cause

        2.3 The Origin of Suffering as a controller

        2.4 The Origin of Suffering as an anxiety

 

 

 The Origin of Suffering as a cause

 

2.1 The Origin of Suffering as Compiled

 

This is the direct explanation of the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering. It implicates craving as the universal initiator and the elaborator of Suffering with all living beings as its victims. Craving itself can be divided into two sorts:

 

        2.1.1 Self-centred craving [attatthatanha]: The craving for advantages for oneself in terms of possessions and retinue.

 

        2.1.2 Retinue-centred craving [paratthatanha]: The craving for advantages for those who are close to oneself, such as one’s wife and children.

 

  If one is unfulfilled in either or both of these two forms of craving, then one will suffer from continuous misery. Even if one gets everything one wants, it is never as quick as one if one gets every thing one wants, it is never as quick as one wants, bringing one disappointment, anxiety and confusion and it is the same for every sort of living being in the Three Planes of Existence. All have craving at the root of the suffering they experience. Even the smallest of animals has to eke out advantages for itself and its nearest and dearest, in spite of the intervening dangers. The resulting outcome is always suffering. Thus craving is at the root of every form of suffering.

 

 

 The Origin of Suffering as a controller

 

  2.2 The Origin of Suffering as a Cause

 

In explaining the Origin of Suffering, the Buddha intended to make clear that the suffering experienced by living beings has craving as its cause. As soon as there is craving then the repercussion its cause. As soon as there is craving then the repercussion is suffering, from the suffering of birth onwards. Furthermore, the Lord Buddha wished to underline the inter-relation between the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering and the Noble Truth of Suffering.

 

2.3 The Origin of Suffering as Controller

 

  With the objective of showing the inter-relation between the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering and the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering, the Lord Buddha taught that craving is able to take control of living beings, keeping them endlessly in the Cycle of Existence because those living beings have failed to attain Nirvana. Those living beings are still polluted with greed, hatred and delusion, so craving is able to keep those beings under its control, to keep them being born and reborn without end. 

 

 

 The Origin of Suffering as an anxiety

 

2.4 The Origin of Suffering as Anxiety

 

The Lord Buddha taught that the anxieties which bring living beings misery are caused by the mind being caught up in two sorts of sensuality: mind-side sensuality [kilesakama] and object-side sensuality [uatthukama]. Living beings are unable to release themselves from these anxieties and sensualities because they have not got down to following the Noble Eightfold Path. By practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, they would be able to overcome their obsessions with sensuality. In this way, the Buddha shows the inter-relation between the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path.  

 

to be continued...

 

 

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