Today 16th October, 30th Day of the Lunar Calendar, is a very holy and auspicious day and a very good day to pray and pay homage to Buddha Shakyamuini.
Four Noble Truths(Foundation of all Buddhist teachings):
-The Buddha Taught the Four Noble Truth which was the Truth of suffering, The Truth of the Origin of Suffering, the Truth of the path leading to Cessation of Suffering, and the Truth of Cessation of Suffering.
“Now, this is the noble truth concerning suffering: Birth comes with pain, decay is painful and death is painful. Union with the unpleasant is painful; painful is separation from the pleasant; and any craving that is unsatisfied, that too is painful. In brief bodily conditions, which spring from attachment, are painful. This is the noble truth concerning suffering.”
When the Buddha expounded on the Truth of Suffering, he declared that suffering should be seen through the lens of wisdom. Ordinary beings are not able to see the true nature of suffering, and thus are tormented by suffering over and over again. They do not have the right view to see the Truth of Suffering. the Truth of refers to all three types of suffering: the suffering of pain, the suffering of change and pervasive compounded suffering. All Human beings experience the four streams of suffering in one way or another, the four streams being; the suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death. Gods undergo the suffering of knowing the date of their death at the very last moment and seeing the unimaginable suffering of the lower realms into which they will be reborn. Demigods suffer endlessly from fighting and jealousy. Animals suffer from being mute and being subject of exploitation. Hungry ghosts suffer from starvation and thirst. Hell beings suffer from extreme heat and bitter cold, along with numerous other agonies.
“Now this is the noble truth concerning the origin of suffering: verily, it is that craving which causes the renewal of existence, accompanied by sensual delight, seeking satisfaction now here, now there the craving, the craving for the gratification of the passions, the craving for a future life, and the craving for happiness in this life. This is the noble truth concerning the origin of suffering.”
All sentient beings recognize the existence of suffering, but most live in ignorance of the cause of suffering and do not know how to alleviate suffering. This is why the Buddha taught the Truth of the Origin of suffering. If one knows about suffering and understands why we must suffer, then one is able to abandon the root cause of suffering, which is ignorance leading to attachment and anger. On has to practice the Path.
“Now this is the noble truth concerning the destruction of suffering. Verily, it is the destruction, in which no passion remains, of this very thirst! It is the laying aside of, the being free from, this thirst. This is the noble truth concerning the destruction of suffering.”
The third line of teaching is the Truth of the Path. The Truth of Path has four features: path, awareness, achievement of definite freedom and the practice of the eight abandonments (condensed as) ignorance, desire, anger, pride, doubt, miserliness, jealousy and wrong view.
“Now, this is the noble truth concerning the way, which leads to the destruction of sorrow: Verily! It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is to say; right views; right aspirations; right speech; right behavior; right livelihood; right effort; right thoughts; right contemplation. This is the noble truth concerning the destruction of sorrow.”
The last line, the Truth of Cessation, is the fruition of practicing the Path. It is the conscious development that occurs through practicing the Path, which leads to the purification of all Karmas and delusions. Suffering should be regarded as an ailment whose root cause need to be expurgated as if it were a poison, and the path as the medicine that needs to be administered. Only then can cessation be achieved.
The Buddha said. “People cleave to their worldly possessions and selfish passions so blindly as to sacrifice their own lives for them. They are like a child who tries to eat a little honey smeared on the edge of the knife. The amount is by no means sufficient to appease his appetite, but he runs the risk of wounding the tongue.”
Mantra of Buddha Shakyamuni: Tayatha Om Muni Muni Maha Muni Ye Svaha
“A heart untouched by worldly things, a heart not swayed by sorrow, a heart passionless, secure – that is the greatest blessing”~ Lord Buddha, Sutta Nipata
“As a flame blown out by the wind
Goes to rest and cannot be defined
So the wise man freed from individuality
Goes rest and cannot be defined
Gone beyond all images-
Gone beyond the power of words” ~ Lord Buddha, Sutta Nipata
