The Four Noble Truths contain the essence of the Buddha's teaching. At the
Mahāparinibbāna Sutta states, it is the ignorance of these truths that make all beings wander
in this saṃsāric round of births and deaths. In fact, the Buddhist explanation is that
ignorance (avijjā) which is the primary cause of suffering is our lack of knowledge regarding
these truths. On the contrary, vijjā is defined as knowledge of the Four Noble Truths.
Its importance is such that the Buddha announced these Four Noble Truths in his first
discourse itself. When analyzed deeply it is seen that the presentation of the Four Noble
Truths is another way of presenting the Buddha's central teaching of dependent origination. It
is accepted that the Buddha's main concern was about man's dukkha and its cessation
(nirodha). He says: »Pubbe cāhaṃ etarahi ca dukkhaṃ paññāpemi dukkhassa nirodhaṃ.«
The doctrine of the Four Noble Truths is about that, what is about the causally conditioned
nature of dukkha and its cessation. The Four Noble Truths are:
1. Dukkha ariya sacca
2. Dukkha samudaya ariya sacca
3. Dukkha nirodha ariya sacca
4. Dukkha nirodha gāminī paṭipadā
In the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta the Buddha says that the Four Noble Truths
should be
apprehended in three phases and twelve aspects. Three phases (ti-parivatta) mean:
(a) saccañāna – knowledge of each truth
(b) kiccañāna – knowledge of the approach to be applied to each truth
(c) katañāna – knowledge about the fulfillment of such approach.
When these three modes are applied to the Four Noble Truths then we get the twelve
aspects.
It is only when the Four Noble Truths are comprehended and understood in manner
that one becomes free from dukkha. Such understanding makes one truly see what dukkha
is, how it arises, how it could be ceased and the way leading to its cessation. This enables
one to see the dukkha originating and ceasing within one's own mind. Then one knows that
dukkha and sukha are neither punishments nor rewards given by any external agency. One
understands that they are one's own making. When one sees the causal origin of dukkha he
realizes that its cessation is possible through the removal of causes. This is the realization:
»Yam kiñci samudaya dhammaṃ sabbaṃ taṃ nirodha dhammaṃ.«
The path lays down the means of achieving this cessation. It is not by washing away
externally all defilement but by having a complete internal bath that one can clean oneself of
all the defiling forces and achieving happiness. It is our failure to understand and apply a
proper approach towards the Four Noble Truths that we suffer. We take them as separate
truths. The Buddha has clearly shown that understanding the Four Truths separately is like
the attempt of the blind men to understand an elephant.
The Four Noble Truths have to be taken together, for they are not four different truths,
but one truth with four aspects. The key point is dukkha. But, according to Buddhism
whatever arises has to invariably/inevitably(?) cease. Therefore, there is cessation of dukkha.
For this, the cause – tanhā has to be eliminated. This could be done by following the Noble
Eightfold Path consisting of the threefold training with sīla aiding samādhi, and samādhi
supporting paññā. One will be able to see the āsavā or defiling forces that one is kept bound
to saṃsāra. These knowing and seeing (jānaṃ – passaṃ) once, āsavā get completely
destroyed by seeing with paññā: »paññāya ca disvā āsavā parikkhīnā honti.« The aim of the
Four Noble Truths is to direct one to end.
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