4 Noble Truths on the Leaf

[Rev R]

chickens and eggs

[will]

:lol:

Man, I love this forum.

G,W

[Lynn]

Good day to all…

Wow! This one thread is rich and lovely! Juicy stuff on many levels. I pulled some quotes from several replies as follows:

QUOTE: “ (Relationship to Four Noble Truths: There is another aspect of the Four Noble Truths and Dukkha here: We are tempted to say that, because life contains sickness, old age and death, the world stinks, is pointless and depressing, and life is bleak. The Buddha said that, no, that judgment based on Dukkha is also wrong. Just because things like sickness, old age and death exist does not mean that "life is suffering", pointless, a dead end hell with no exit, etc.)”

This is so beautifully put. And how refreshing to see the phrase “life is suffering” in quotes. Many are the conversations I have been involved in whereby you hear this phrase given as the actual meaning of the First Noble Truth.

Here is a translation offered by Bikkhu Bodhi: (from: “In The Buddha’s Words”)

“Now this, monks, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.”

It doesn’t seem to me that the Buddha is saying that life is suffering. More like, life is life, the vessel provided for our aggregates to play within. Isn’t life more than discreet events which only serve as ornamentations of time? I think we suffer when we measure and judge these events according to John Lennon’s assessment of “all through the day: I, me, mine; I, me, mine; I, me, mine.”

QUOTE: I think that we have this tendency to write off the four noble truths as beginner stuff, or something that is just very basic. . but in reality they are very profound teachings, worth a lifetime of contemplation and effort.

My biggest errors in judgment in my practice have always resulted the moment “I” have stepped off the path of Beginner’s Mind and thought “I” knew “something” about “anything.” :roll: When I have done so I have always, inevitably, caused some harm to myself, and sometimes to others as well.

During my monastic training my teacher was always using the verbal kyosaku of “you could be wrong” to help wake me up, get the blood flowing, clear the cobwebs out of my hamster brain. I’m getting better only in that I am now occasionally able to remind myself of this *before I open my mouth.

QUOTE: PS - Are you surprised that I might say, of my own teacher, that I do not agree with him on every single thing??

If you did I’d be running like hell in the direction you are not. I believe the Buddha was big on scrutiny of one’s teachers rather than idol (idle?) worship. Stone Buddhas and all that. :wink:

Whoa! That joe must’ve kicked in!! :lol:

In Gassho~

*Lynn