The core of Buddha’s teachings is centered on the cessation of suffering and the principles that guide the path to enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path are the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. In the book The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh, the foreword includes the following lines:
"Buddhism, which today is practiced by millions as a religion, was originally a way of life and a philosophy established by Buddha Sakyamuni around 500 BCE. The teaching has one singular purpose, which Buddha repeatedly emphasized after attaining enlightenment:
‘I only teach about suffering and how to end it.’"
The Four Noble Truths are explained in the book as follows:
Dukkha (Suffering) – The First Noble Truth acknowledges that suffering exists. The root meaning of the Chinese character used for suffering is "pain." Happiness is sweet; suffering is bitter. We all experience suffering to some degree. There is discomfort in both our body and mind. We must recognize, accept, and come into contact with this suffering. To do this, we need a teacher and a sangha—a community that practices this understanding together.
Samudaya (Origin) – The Second Noble Truth identifies the source, roots, nature, and causes of suffering. Once we acknowledge our pain, we need to look deeply to understand how it arises. We must recognize and identify the mental and physical "foods" we consume that contribute to our suffering.
Nirodha (Cessation) – The Third Noble Truth is about stopping the creation of suffering by avoiding actions that lead to pain.
Magga (Path) – The Fourth Noble Truth presents the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is the path we most need. Buddha called it the Noble Eightfold Path.
The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path are outlined as follows:
Right View
Right Thought
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
Buddha explained the difference between pain and suffering using the metaphor of arrows. This metaphor, shared by David Cornwell in his mindfulness training, was particularly illuminating for me, so I’d like to share it with you as well.
Buddha describes pain as the first arrow. In life, the first arrow—pain—is inevitable. Loss, illness, natural disasters, wars… Every human being who has ever lived and will ever live will face pain, loss, and hardship. For example, imagine experiencing a personal loss. This is the first arrow. It has already happened. However, thoughts like "I didn’t deserve this," "If only…," "Why does life have to be so hard?" "This pain will never go away," "It should have been this way," or "It shouldn’t have happened"—these are the second, third, fourth, and fifth arrows. Buddha defines all arrows beyond the first one as suffering. He teaches that while pain is unavoidable, suffering is a choice.
Merely understanding this metaphor intellectually is not enough to bring change. The key is to embody this understanding and integrate it into our daily lives. When faced with challenges, if we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by thoughts that create suffering, we may feel as if we are being pulled into a downward spiral. At this moment, remembering is crucial. By recalling this wisdom, we can create space for ourselves to stop the mental arrows that perpetuate our suffering. Developing emotional resilience helps prevent us from creating and sustaining unnecessary suffering.
Practices such as meditation, mindfulness, using the body as an anchor when emotions and thoughts become overwhelming, shifting our mental and thought patterns, transforming our beliefs, and learning to be present with pain rather than resisting it—these are some of the ways to navigate suffering.
I wish for everyone the awareness to recognize their self-created suffering and the freedom to release it.
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