Four Noble Truths Talks
In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: चतुरार्यसत्यानि, romanized: caturāryasatyāni; Pali: caturāriyasaccāni; "The Four Arya Satya") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones". The truths are:
dukkha ("not being at ease", "suffering", from dush-stha, "standing unstable,") is an innate characteristic of the perpetual cycle (samsara, lit. 'wandering') of grasping at things, ideas and habits; samudaya (origin, arising, combination; "cause"): there is dukkha (unease, disbalance) when there is, or it arises simultaneously with, taṇhā ("craving," "desire" or "attachment," lit. 'thirst'). nirodha (cessation, ending, confinement): dukkha can be ended or contained by the confinement or letting go of this taṇhā; marga (path, Noble Eightfold Path) is the path leading to the confinement of tanha and dukkha.The four truths appear in many grammatical forms in the ancient Buddhist texts, and are traditionally identified as the first teaching given by the Buddha. While often called one of the most important teachings in Buddhism, they have both a symbolic and a propositional function. Symbolically, they represent the awakening and liberation of the Buddha, and of the potential for his followers to reach the same liberation and freedom as him. As propositions, the Four Truths are a conceptual framework that appear in the Pali canon and early Hybrid Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures, as a part of the broader "network of teachings" (the "dhamma matrix"), which have to be taken together. They provide a conceptual framework for introducing and explaining Buddhist thought, which has to be personally understood or "experienced".
As a proposition, the four truths defy an exact definition, but refer to and express the basic orientation of Buddhism: unguarded sensory contact gives rise to craving and clinging to impermanent states and things, which are dukkha, "unsatisfactory," "incapable of satisfying" and painful. This craving keeps us caught in saṃsāra, "wandering", usually interpreted as the endless cycle of repeated rebirth, and the continued dukkha that comes with it, but also referring to the endless cycle of attraction and rejection that perpetuates the ego-mind. There is a way to end this cycle, namely by attaining nirvana, cessation of craving, whereafter rebirth and the accompanying dukkha will no longer arise again. This can be accomplished by following the eightfold path, confining our automatic responses to sensory contact by restraining oneself, cultivating discipline and wholesome states, and practicing mindfulness and dhyana (meditation).
The function of the four truths, and their importance, developed over time and the Buddhist tradition slowly recognized them as the Buddha's first teaching. This tradition was established when prajna, or "liberating insight", came to be regarded as liberating in itself, instead of or in addition to the practice of dhyana. This "liberating insight" gained a prominent place in the sutras, and the four truths came to represent this liberating insight, as a part of the enlightenment story of the Buddha.
The four truths grew to be of central importance in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism by about the 5th-century CE, which holds that the insight into the four truths is liberating in itself. They are less prominent in the Mahayana tradition, which sees the higher aims of insight into sunyata, emptiness, and following the Bodhisattva path as central elements in their teachings and practice. The Mahayana tradition reinterpreted the four truths to explain how a liberated being can still be "pervasively operative in this world". Beginning with the exploration of Buddhism by western colonialists in the 19th century and the development of Buddhist modernism, they came to be often presented in the west as the central teaching of Buddhism, sometimes with novel modernistic reinterpretations very different from the historic Buddhist traditions in Asia.
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Class Karma, Concentration, Nirvana, Demons, Four Noble Truths, Faith, Conversation,... |
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Unknown |
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The Fourth Grave Precept (Not Lying) Precepts, Subject-and-Object, Silence, Karmic Consciousness, Four Noble Truths,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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Transformation of ConsciousnessSerial: SF-02707 Final One Happiness, Mindfulness, Cultivation, Four Noble Truths, Peace, Anger, Liberation,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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QuestionsSerial: SF-05126E Tape 3 Summer Sesshin July 1965 - Wednesday July 28 1965 Tape 3 side 2 Wed July 28th 6pm lecture - transcribed; copied June 30 1973; SR001 Sesshin, Question-and-Answer, Four Noble Truths, Emotions, Faith, Passions, Delusion... |
Jul 28 1965 D Sokoji |
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Esalen Institute: First of two lecturesSerial: SF-05870 This is the first of two talks given at Esalen. Dogen, Time, Four Noble Truths, Lotus Sutra, New Year, Continuous, Emptiness, soto,... |
Jun 28 1968 Esalen |
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Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-7Serial: SF-06043 Fall 1968 Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Emptiness, Mahayana, Precepts, Nirvana, Enemies,... |
Oct 1968 Series 2, Talk 7 Tassajara |
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Textual Analysis Delusion, Posture, Nirvana, Four Noble Truths, Karma, Faith, Liberation, Hate,... |
Mar 15 1976 SFZC |
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The Four Truths Happiness, Four Noble Truths, Religion, New Year, Don't Know Mind, Gratitude,... |
Oct 21 1979 |
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The Five Hindrances Four Noble Truths, Anger, Doubt, Demons, Mindfulness, Greed, Hindrances, Balance,... |
Jun 30 1983 SFZC |
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The Fourth Grave Precept: Not Lying Subject-and-Object, Karmic Consciousness, Precepts, Lotus Sutra, Silence, Four Noble... |
Aug 09 1983 SFZC |
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Dzögchen part 2Serial: SF-01940 Speaker surmised from series Anger, Karma, Passions, Happiness, Emotions, Duality, Emptiness, resistance, Four... |
Feb 21 1988 SFZC |
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Yontenzot Duality, confusion, Four Noble Truths, Letting Go, Karma, realization, Observe, Non-... |
Apr 16 1988 SFZC |
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YontenzotSerial: SF-01835 Name added Karma, Four Noble Truths, confusion, Duality, Happiness, Right Speech, realization,... |
Apr 16 1988 SFZC |
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Yontenzot Four Noble Truths, Karma, Duality, realization, confusion, Separation, Attachment,... |
Apr 17 1988 SFZC |
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Yontenzot Karma, Happiness, Duality, Attachment, Enemies, Four Noble Truths, Lay Practice,... |
Apr 17 1988 SFZC |
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Lion's Roar Four Noble Truths, Liberation, Emptiness, Emotions, Letting Go, Enemies, Cultivation... |
Dec 30 1988 SFZC |
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Dzogchen Teachings Transmission, Four Noble Truths, Doubt, Peace, Don't Know Mind, Daily Life,... |
Oct 08 1989 1 San Jose |
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Dzogchen Teachings Happiness, Delusion, Four Noble Truths, Transmission, Dependent Origination, Karma,... |
Oct 08 1989 2 San Jose |
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Sunday Lecture Precepts, Bodhisattva Vow, Big Mind, Vows, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Interdependence,... |
Jul 12 1992 Green Gulch |
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Buddhism and American Culture Emptiness, Forgiveness, Letting Go, Samadhi, training, Emotions, Freedom, Four Noble... |
May 03 1993 City Center |
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Fire Sermon Passions, Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, Delusion, Greed, realization,... |
May 19 1993 City Center |
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Saturday Lecture Four Noble Truths, Six Realms, Bodhisattva Vow, Instruction, Echo, Mahayana, Chanting... |
Jul 31 1993 City Center |
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Saturday LectureSerial: SF-04059 At times in Japanese history, Zen has been interpreted with a fascistic bent - we need to consider our practices carefully Emptiness, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Repentance, Rinzai, realization, Daily... |
Jan 08 1994 City Center |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03675 Includes Q&A and discussion Big Mind, Emptiness, Bell, Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Instruction, Zazen,... |
Mar 13 1994 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Ceremony, Practice Period, Four Noble Truths, Funeral, Fox, Bell, Six Realms, Demons... |
Oct 30 1994 Green Gulch |
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Hungry Ghosts - Seijiki CeremonySerial: SF-03093 Sunday Lecture Four Noble Truths, Ceremony, Letting Go, Peace, Vows, Commitment, resistance,... |
Oct 29 1995 Green Gulch |
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Old Age, Sickness and DeathSerial: SF-03633 One-day sitting - Katagiri in Returning To Silence - Three kinds of thirsting desire Two Truths, Four Noble Truths, Emptiness, Funeral, Zazen, Continuous, Obstacles,... |
Apr 20 1996 Green Gulch |
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Lotus Sutra Class Lotus Sutra, Nirvana, Emptiness, Offering, Four Noble Truths, Birth-and-Death,... |
May 21 1996 Green Gulch |
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Jewel Mirror Samadhi Class confusion, Four Noble Truths, soto, Rinzai, Absolute-and-Relative, Soto Zen, Five... |
Sep 10 1996 Green Gulch |
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September 21st, 1996, Serial No. 01886 Suzuki Roshi, Four Noble Truths, Dragons, Aspects of Practice, Zazen, Emptiness,... |
Sep 21 1996 Unknown |
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Willingness To Be With Our Difficulties Hate, Four Noble Truths, Suzuki Roshi, Right Speech, Conversation, resistance,... |
Dec 28 1996 Unknown |
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Mindfulness SutraSerial: SF-00069 January PP Class; introduction of Mindfulness Sutra; quotes from Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman; Walden and Leaves of Grass. Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Four Noble Truths, Forgiveness, Concentration, Letting... |
Jan 08 1997 Green Gulch Farm |
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On Breath and BreathingSerial: SF-03114 Sunday Lecture - if you pick up one piece of dust, the whole universe comes with it Emotions, Mindfulness, zen meditation, Four Noble Truths, confusion, Hindrances,... |
Jan 12 1997 Green Gulch |
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Song of Jewel Mirror SamadhiSerial: SF-00072 5:00 class Buddha Ancestors, Four Noble Truths, Absolute-and-Relative, Emptiness, Samadhi,... |
Feb 04 1997 |
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Mothers' DaySerial: SF-03101 Sunday Lecture: being born from a mother guarantees two ingredients, a bit of love and suffering, both necessary for enlightenment. The essential point of zen is questioning;... Manjushri, Commitment, Karma, Four Noble Truths, Letting Go, Religion, zen meditation... |
May 11 1997 Green Gulch |
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Genjo Koan workshopSerial: SF-03175 Presentation and discussion of the first four lines of Genjo Koan Delusion, Letting Go, Birth-and-Death, realization, Attachment, Discrimination, Hate... |
Jun 14 1997 Green Gulch |
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Majjhima Nikaya ClassSerial: SF-03195 Middle-length Discourses Attachment, Addiction, Mindfulness, confusion, Four Noble Truths, Emptiness, Zazen,... |
Oct 14 1997 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Four Noble Truths, Chanting, Funeral, Conversation, Precepts, Anger,... |
Jul 01 1998 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Four Noble Truths, Anger, Ordination, Right Effort, Right Speech, Letting Go, Peace,... |
Jul 12 1998 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Lotus Sutra, Samsara, Precepts, training, Four Noble Truths, Hate, Vows, Right Effort... |
Jan 31 1999 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Liberation, Vows, Four Noble Truths, Dragons, causation, realization, Birth-and-Death... |
Jun 26 1999 Green Gulch |
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2000.01.02-serial.00033Serial: SF-00033 Sunday dharma talk. Dragons, Faith, New Year, Doubt, Mahayana, practicing generosity, Karma, Four Noble... |
Jan 02 2000 |
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January Practice Period Class Emptiness, Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, Blue Cliff Record, Posture, Two... |
Jan 15 2000 Green Gulch |
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January Practice Period Class Heart Sutra, Duality, Non-duality, Four Noble Truths, Six Realms, Liberation, Two... |
Jan 19 2000 Green Gulch |
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March 1st, 2000, Serial No. 01110 Vows, Big Mind, Bodhisattva Vow, Bodhisattva Way, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Four Noble... |
Mar 01 2000 City Center |
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Wednesday Lecture Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Ordination, Suzuki Roshi, Patience, Liberation, Zazen... |
May 03 2000 Green Gulch |
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Women Ancestors Class Nirvana, Peace, Four Noble Truths, Ordination, Funeral, Demons, Lay, Happiness,... |
Aug 08 2000 Unknown |
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Surangama Sutra Class confusion, Four Noble Truths, Don't Know Mind, Delusion, Discrimination, Heart... |
Sep 11 2000 Unknown |
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Sunday Lecture Four Noble Truths, Right Effort, Greed, Attachment, Bodhidharma, Karma, Triple... |
Sep 17 2000 Green Gulch |
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September 23rd, 2000, Serial No. 02734 confusion, Four Noble Truths, Interdependence, Renunciation, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Sep 23 2000 Unknown |