The Four Noble Truths

by Leace, Poven; Nomine, Sine; Ruthandest, Thony; Hanh, Lieu

• ISBN13: 9781463799199
• ISBN10: 1463799195
• Edition: Large
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-06-28
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub

Summary

The nature of a human life in the material world that Buddha clearly explicated in detail in The Four Noble Truths bears a resemblance to the nature of the "Copernican-Galilean-Newtonian Revolution" that the science claimed as the paradigm shift in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.As soon as we accept this body and live on this earth, we experience the gravitational force exerted by the earth and go through "birth, aging, sickness, death" along with four others (see Chapter Two of The Four Noble Truths) with absolutely no exceptions. Regardless of whether Buddha shared his personal experiences with us or not, regardless of whether Galileo Galilei advocated Heliocentrism or not, and regardless of whether Sir Isaac Newton confirmed the existence of gravitation or not, as long as we exist in this earth-that has always been and will always be rotating around the sun, we have no other choice.Many of us often wonder . . . (1) Is Buddhism a religion? (2) Will Buddha grant us things if we regularly go to Buddhist temples, make generous donations, and then sincerely beg him? (3) Will Buddha welcome us who routinely chant his name to heaven when we die?The answers to these three questions depend on "who we are" and "what we are looking for in life". However, we will definitely find fully appropriate explanations and perfectly logical answers in The Four Noble Truths.Before taking a journey into our existing self with The Four Noble Truths, let us take a moment to analyze obvious facts . . . (1) Straightforwardly, Sakyamuni Buddha is neither God nor the Supreme Being. He is simply a "complete awakened oneness" whose wisdom transcends "far beyond infinity" and conscience attains "absolute perfect enlightenment". (2) Indeed, Buddha did not create anything, did not invent anything, did not conceive anything, did not establish any law, did not set up any rule, and did not make up any commandment. (3) More conspicuously, Buddha did not insist us to do anything to make him famous, did not demand us to follow any Dharma's he taught, did not expect us to donate any offerings, and did not need us to enthrone him.(4) Most recognizably, Buddha did not grant a miracle to any of us, did not authorize any of us to enter heaven, did not threaten to deny any of us, did not punish any of us, and did not send any of us to hell. (5) Buddha only shared his personal experiences with us. Believe him or not, it is our own choice. Follow his advices and/or teachings or not, it is our own decision. We have full control over our life!Regardless of whether we believe or not, notice or not, realize or not, and agree or not, as soon as we accept this physical body and live on this earth, we suffer.(1) Do we really suffer?(2) What do we suffer?(3) Do we notice that life is a series of seas full of miseries?(4) Why do we suffer?(5) Who makes us suffer almost all the time?(6) Which factors that make life become a series of seas full of miseries?(7) Can we be free from all forms of afflictions in life? (8) Do we realize that we are the only ones who can rescue our very own?(9) Who else can save us and bring us to the heaven of joys and tranquility?(10) Why can no one else liberate us except for ourselves?To appreciate the real nature of a human life in this material world, to realize what the real nature is like, and to recognize "why and how" we-the only ones-can completely emancipate ourselves from miseries, let's spare a few moments of our valuable time to read on The Four Noble Truths.