Download What the Buddha Taught

-1What the Buddha Taught
A series of lecture-discussions sponsored by
Oxford Soto Zen
Suggested by Les Kaye
Led by Jimmyle Listenbee
Based on What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula
-2Lecture 3
Chapter 2:
The Four Noble Truths
The 1st Noble Truth: Dukkha
-3The Four Noble Truths
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Dukkha
Samudaya, the arising or origin of dukkha
Nirodha, the cessation of dukkha
Magga, the way leading to the cessation of
dukkha
-4The 1st Noble Truth: Dukkha
Dukkha has two translations:
“Suffering” – pain, in the ordinary
sense
Also “impermanence”, “imperfection”,
“emptiness”, “insubstantiality.
Everyone experiences dukkha.
Whatever is impermanent is dukkha.
-5Focus on Dukkha as
Pain, Suffering, Misery
• Has led many to think of Buddhism as
pessimistic, negative, morbid.
• Neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
• REALISTIC. Does not lull us into a fool’s
paradise.
• Story of the good physician.
-6Happiness
• Sense – pleasure & renunciation,
• Attachment & detachment,
• Even the highest states of enlightenment –
All are dukkha.
-7Buddha’s Realism: 3 things to understand
with regard to life & sense pleasures
1 Attraction or enjoyment – these are
wonderful if there is no attachment!
2 Evil consequence, danger, or dissatisfaction –
result from clinging.
3 Freedom or liberation – comes with the full
acceptance of continual change.
-8…discussion…
• Enjoyment of people you like and love…
• Death, change of heart, change of
circumstances – if you are attached – there is
danger of sadness, unreasonableness, foolish
behavior.
-9…discussion…
• If you are liberated, you accept the pain and
sorrow of separation as necessary – leading to
acceptance and eventual freedom from pain
and sorrow.
• These three things are true with regard to all
enjoyment in life.
• This realistic knowledge allows more joy!!
-10Three Aspects of Dukkha
1 Ordinary Suffering (dukkha-dukkha)
2 Dukkha as produced by change (viparinamadukkha)
3 Dukkha as conditioned states (samkharadukha)
-11Discussion: Ordinary Suffering
Birth – Old Age – Sickness – Death –
Association w/Unpleasant Persons
& Conditions – Separation from Beloved
Ones & Pleasant Conditions – Not
Getting What We Want – Grief – Distress
ALL SUCH FORMS OF PHYSICAL & MENTAL
SUFFERING OR PAIN
-12Discussion: Dukka Produced by Change
A happy feeling, a happy situation,
changes sooner or later.
It is not permanent.
When it changes, it produces pain,
suffering, unhappiness.
-13Dukkha produced by Conditioned States
EGO – “I” – One’s “Self” – “Being”:
According to Buddhist philosophy is
ONLY A COMBINATION OF EVER-CHANGING
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FORCES & ENERGIES.
These are divided into 5 groups known as
The Five Aggregates.
-14The Five Aggregates
1 Matter (The 4 Great Elements & their
Derivatives)
2 Sensations
3 Perceptions
4 Mental Formations
5 Consciousness
-15st
1 Aggregate: Matter
The 4 Great Elements (Solidity, Fluidity, Heat & Motion)
The Derivatives of the 4 Great Elements: Senses
Sense
Organ
Perceptual Object
1. Sight
Eye
Visible Form
2. Hearing
Ear
Sound
3. Smell
Nose
Odor
4. Taste
Tongue
Food, etc.
5. Touch Body
Tangible Objects
6. (also some concepts or mind-objects)
-162nd Aggregate: Sensations
• All physical sensations (as experienced through
the 5 senses of the 1st aggregate)
• Plus Mind-objects (conceptions, thoughts, ideas)
Buddhist “Mind” is a faculty or organ, like the eye
or ear. It is not spirit as opposed to matter.
Buddhism does not recognize a “spirit” as opposed
to matter.
-173rd Aggregate: Perceptions
The recognition
of sensory information,
including mental conceptions
-184th Aggregate: Mental Formations
• Volitional activities: “Having willed, one acts
through body, speech and mind.”
• Mental construction, activity which directs the
mind in good, bad, or neutral activity includes
attention, will, wisdom, hate, (see full list p.
23) often carried into action in the world.
• AKA Karma
-195th Aggregate: Consciousness
• Awareness – NOT RECOGNITION – of the
presence of an object [an other]
• Named according to the condition upon which
it arises. [Example of the wood fire]
• Depends on matter – may wax or wane
through the other 4 aggregates.
-20Discussion: The 5 Aggregates
What we call a ‘being’ or ‘individual’ or ‘I’ is only
a convenient name for the [momentary arising
and disappearing] of the combination of these
five groups.
A ‘Flashing into the universe!’
-21No Atman
• There is no unchanging substance within the
aggregates –
• Nothing that can be called a permanent self.
• There is no unmoving mover behind the
movement.
-22Not Melancholy or Scary
• The Buddhist is happy,
• Calm & Serene
• Although there is suffering in life, the Buddhist
is neither gloomy, angry, not impatient with it
[for “self” or others].
• Nevertheless, he/she works to end suffering.
-23No Sin, but some evils
• Repugnance
• Hatred
• Ill-will toward living beings, and
[their]suffering