The Four Noble Truths

Question 1

What is the ultimate goal of Buddhism:

Answer 1

To put an end to suffering and rebirth by becoming enlightened and reaching nibbana by transcending kamma, leading a moral, virtuous life (sila) and having wisdom (pana) - a direct apprehension of the truth. You need both - neither works alone

Question 2

What are the four noble truths in simple terms:

Answer 2

Dukkha - suffering - the disease
Tanha - craving - the cause
Nirodha - suffering can end through the cessation of craving - the existence of the cure
Magga - the actualisation of nirodha - the cure itself

Question 3

Dukkha:

Answer 3

Suffering, unsatisfactoriness, dis-ease. Three types - dukkha-dukkha - actual sensual pain, also about stuff we’re attached to mentally, viparinama-dukkha - suffering due to change, sankhara-dukkha - dissatisfaction with life in general, cause stuff is contingent y’know

Question 4

Samudaya:

Answer 4

Other name for tanha, like the wood for the fire (of desire) - consumes without satisfaction, spreads, destructive. We’re all addicted to life basically even tho it’s Bad. Three types - kamha tanha - for sensual stuff, bhava tanha - for existence, to want to see new stuff, vibhava tanha - the desire to reject what we dislike and destroy. Not all desire is bad tho

Question 5

Nirodha/nibbana:

Answer 5

Nirodha precedes nibbana but doesn’t cause it - it’s the removal of craving not the accumulation of good stuff - wheel of life stops turning - two forms - in this life and afterwards. After death, an enlightened person is like a flame that’s been blown out - it hasn’t stopped, but the combustion has - it’s pointless to ask where it is now - gotta tread the line between positive desc which causes craving and negative that makes it paradoxical

Question 6

Magga:

Answer 6

Includes 8fold path - explains the transition from samsara to nibbana, known as the middle way, path of self transformation - also raft analogy

Question 7

Eightfold path:

Answer 7

Wisdom - right view - aware of the realities of life
Wisdom - right thought - only thinking good stuff
Morality - right speech - say good stuff not bad, be nice not mean
Morality - right action - don’t do bad stuff, do good stuff
Morality - right livelihood - do a job that doesn’t harm others, not like trading in bad stuff
Meditation - right effort - try and avoid bad stuff
Meditation - right mindfulness - be aware of ones motives
Meditation - right concentration - meditate

Question 8

Eightfold path+:

Answer 8

Sometimes a tenfold path was mentioned, with right knowledge (knowing the benefits from living the path) and right release (let go of yourself and be free)
But this isn’t widely followed