1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:06,410 Buddha was a philosopher, a spiritual leader and is credited as the founder of Buddhism. 2 00:00:06,410 --> 00:00:12,019 He was born as Siddhartha Gautama into an aristocratic family in Lumbini, Nepal, in 3 00:00:12,019 --> 00:00:17,980 566 BC, and when he was twenty-nine years old, he left the comforts of his home to seek 4 00:00:17,980 --> 00:00:23,070 the meaning of the suffering he saw around him, to search for a life beyond life and 5 00:00:23,070 --> 00:00:24,520 death. 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:29,880 After six years of self-mortification, he realised that the search for divinity lies 7 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,890 not in worldly things but in the mind. 8 00:00:33,890 --> 00:00:40,710 Thus, he abandoned the way of self-mortification and instead sat in mindful meditation beneath 9 00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:42,670 a bodhi tree. 10 00:00:42,670 --> 00:00:48,829 On the full moon of May, with the rising of the morning star, Siddhartha Gautama became 11 00:00:48,829 --> 00:00:53,319 the Buddha, the awakened one. 12 00:00:53,319 --> 00:00:59,079 For the next 45 years, the Buddha wandered the plains of northeastern India and taught 13 00:00:59,079 --> 00:01:03,239 the path or Dharma he had realised in that moment. 14 00:01:03,239 --> 00:01:09,050 The teachings of Buddha revolve around Dukkha, which means suffering, and the end of Dukkha, 15 00:01:09,050 --> 00:01:12,190 which is regarded as the state of Nirvana. 16 00:01:12,190 --> 00:01:17,470 The philosophy’s most essential teaching includes the Three Marks of Existence, which 17 00:01:17,470 --> 00:01:20,550 are as follows: 1. 18 00:01:20,550 --> 00:01:25,860 Annica which means that life is in a constant flux, we have already made a video on this, 19 00:01:25,860 --> 00:01:28,570 and you can find the link to it in the description. 20 00:01:28,570 --> 00:01:29,600 2. 21 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,590 Dukkha which means that life is painful and causes suffering, and finally 22 00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:36,590 3. 23 00:01:36,590 --> 00:01:41,040 Anatta which means that the self is always changing 24 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:46,060 After the Buddha gained enlightenment, he traveled to Sarnath in the present-day district 25 00:01:46,060 --> 00:01:51,110 of Varanasi, where he met with five monks, he previously practiced with and gave his 26 00:01:51,110 --> 00:01:55,440 first sermon, the four noble truths. 27 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,770 These four Noble Truths are the foundational tenets of Buddhism, which spark awareness 28 00:02:00,770 --> 00:02:07,230 of suffering as the nature of existence, its cause, and how to live without it. 29 00:02:07,230 --> 00:02:13,330 In this video we are going to talk about dukkha, the second mark of existence, to better understand 30 00:02:13,330 --> 00:02:18,420 the suffering that we all go through and how we can use these 4 noble truths to deal with 31 00:02:18,420 --> 00:02:21,560 suffering in our modern day life. 32 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,150 The four noble truths are as follows - 33 00:02:24,150 --> 00:02:26,799 1. 34 00:02:26,799 --> 00:02:29,220 The truth of Dukkha 35 00:02:29,220 --> 00:02:33,750 Buddha says “What is the Noble Truth of Suffering? 36 00:02:33,750 --> 00:02:41,560 Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, dissociation from a loved is 37 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:49,700 suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering: in short the five categories affected by clinging 38 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:52,280 are suffering”. 39 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,290 The first truth is the truth of Dukkha. 40 00:02:55,290 --> 00:02:57,739 Dukkha means "suffering". 41 00:02:57,739 --> 00:03:03,930 According to Buddha, “All life involves inevitable, unavoidable suffering”. 42 00:03:03,930 --> 00:03:08,960 That suffering could be in the form of pain, illness or trauma we can all imagine, such 43 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:14,560 as a broken arm, stomach flu, or getting the diagnosis of a terminal disease. 44 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:19,670 Even during childbirth for example, even though it's supposed to be a joyful occasion, both 45 00:03:19,670 --> 00:03:24,709 the mother and baby are in some sort of physical discomfort at first. 46 00:03:24,709 --> 00:03:30,480 He then goes on to talk about suffering that comes from milder but common forms of discomfort 47 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:37,319 and distress, like long hours of work, feeling let down by a partner, feeling frustrated, 48 00:03:37,319 --> 00:03:44,099 disappointed, hurt, inadequate, depressed, upset, and so on. 49 00:03:44,099 --> 00:03:49,499 He includes the suffering that comes from the subtlest qualities of tension in the mind, 50 00:03:49,499 --> 00:03:57,279 restlessness, sense of contraction, preoccupation, unease, boredom, a sense of being an isolated 51 00:03:57,279 --> 00:04:03,870 self, a fear of aging, that something missing in life, or something is just not fulfilling, 52 00:04:03,870 --> 00:04:05,250 etc. 53 00:04:05,250 --> 00:04:10,569 Buddha never denied that there was joy in our lives, he is just highlighting that suffering 54 00:04:10,569 --> 00:04:16,090 is a natural part of our existence, that we are subjected to some sort of suffering in 55 00:04:16,090 --> 00:04:21,829 our life from time to time from little moments to tragic incidents. 56 00:04:21,829 --> 00:04:27,380 We all constantly seek happiness, hence we overlook the fact that life is really the 57 00:04:27,380 --> 00:04:30,389 mixture of happiness and pain. 58 00:04:30,389 --> 00:04:36,050 The Buddha wants us to acknowledge this fact so when we do experience suffering, we don’t 59 00:04:36,050 --> 00:04:40,080 take it so shockingly or personally. 60 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:46,280 Instead of accepting this fundamental truth, we resort to alcohol and substances to reduce 61 00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:51,139 the pain of losing someone, use cosmetics and treatments to reverse and decrease the 62 00:04:51,139 --> 00:04:53,620 effects of aging. 63 00:04:53,620 --> 00:04:59,080 Because suffering is uncomfortable, we may suppress or minimize it in our own lives. 64 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:05,810 We blame others and ourselves, that we chose the wrong career or chose the wrong partner. 65 00:05:05,810 --> 00:05:11,900 We also live in a culture that tends to ignore the everyday suffering of poverty, illness, 66 00:05:11,900 --> 00:05:18,139 stress that comes with work, aging, and dying while our media presents us with an endless 67 00:05:18,139 --> 00:05:24,050 parade of promises that you can avoid suffering through looking younger, upgrading your internet 68 00:05:24,050 --> 00:05:29,940 connection, drinking beer, getting pills, losing weight, etc. 69 00:05:29,940 --> 00:05:34,790 When we start acknowledging that suffering is just a natural part of our existence, we 70 00:05:34,790 --> 00:05:41,300 are at peace during times of great difficulty because with time this suffering will turn 71 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:44,250 into happiness again. 72 00:05:44,250 --> 00:05:46,260 2. 73 00:05:46,260 --> 00:05:49,020 The truth of Samudaya 74 00:05:49,020 --> 00:05:56,240 According to The Buddha “The origin of suffering, as a noble truth is this: It is the craving 75 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:01,889 that produces renewal of being accompanied by enjoyment and lust, and enjoying this and 76 00:06:01,889 --> 00:06:11,560 that; in other words craving for sensual desires, craving for being, craving for non-being”. 77 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:16,699 Fortunately Buddha did not leave us with just the first noble truth that there is suffering 78 00:06:16,699 --> 00:06:18,159 in life. 79 00:06:18,159 --> 00:06:23,820 He also taught us the second, third and the fourth noble truth which was to identify why 80 00:06:23,820 --> 00:06:29,180 we suffer, how we can free ourselves from all suffering and the steps we need to take 81 00:06:29,180 --> 00:06:31,090 to get there. 82 00:06:31,090 --> 00:06:36,751 The Second Noble Truth is Samudaya, which refers to the cause, the origin of suffering 83 00:06:36,751 --> 00:06:39,360 or dissatisfaction. 84 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:44,150 Buddha teaches us that we suffer not because of things that are happening to us but because 85 00:06:44,150 --> 00:06:46,180 of our mental state. 86 00:06:46,180 --> 00:06:50,979 In our daily lives, there can be many things that we consider the causes of our suffering 87 00:06:50,979 --> 00:06:57,120 like having no food when hungry, falling off a bike and experiencing pain, or your partner 88 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:58,699 leaving you. 89 00:06:58,699 --> 00:07:04,530 Irrespective of the particular details of any specific suffering, Buddha teaches us 90 00:07:04,530 --> 00:07:11,690 that all suffering and non-satisfactory experiences in our life comes from 3 main causes, which 91 00:07:11,690 --> 00:07:17,479 he identified as “the three poisons,” or three negative qualities of the mind that 92 00:07:17,479 --> 00:07:23,659 cause most of our problems and most of the problems in the world. 93 00:07:23,659 --> 00:07:26,740 The three poisons include: 94 00:07:26,740 --> 00:07:31,560 Cravings - Cravings meaning our desire, greed or wanting. 95 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:36,969 Buddha puts a very special emphasis on cravings here and says that there are three different 96 00:07:36,969 --> 00:07:39,120 types of craving: 97 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:40,229 1. 98 00:07:40,229 --> 00:07:45,379 Craving of pleasing the senses - this means that we want sensory pleasures, for example 99 00:07:45,379 --> 00:07:48,460 tasty food, or melodious music. 100 00:07:48,460 --> 00:07:49,810 2. 101 00:07:49,810 --> 00:07:55,069 Craving to be something you are not - this means that we desire and crave to be different 102 00:07:55,069 --> 00:08:01,740 to who we are, for example an influencer, celebrity or wealthy entrepreneur, and, 103 00:08:01,740 --> 00:08:02,840 3. 104 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,979 Craving of Not-to-be - this means that we want to stop something from happening or get 105 00:08:07,979 --> 00:08:14,249 rid of something, for example to not experience pain after a fall. 106 00:08:14,249 --> 00:08:21,599 The second poison is aversion, our hatred towards things against us or against our beliefs. 107 00:08:21,599 --> 00:08:27,090 One can hurt others if not satisfied by their beliefs or if those beliefs lead them to threatening 108 00:08:27,090 --> 00:08:29,039 us with their actions. 109 00:08:29,039 --> 00:08:35,700 The third poison is characterized as ignorance or delusion; one always chooses to ignore 110 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:42,599 the truth behind life; for instance, one chooses to ignore the impermanence of life, or ignores 111 00:08:42,599 --> 00:08:48,410 the fundamental nature of reality, to protect one’s own beliefs or greed. 112 00:08:48,410 --> 00:08:54,250 In Buddhism these three poisons are depicted at the center of the bhavachakra, also known 113 00:08:54,250 --> 00:09:00,839 as the wheel of life, a visual representation of the sorrows of samsara, the cycle of rebirth 114 00:09:00,839 --> 00:09:03,110 and death. 115 00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:08,860 Craving is depicted as a rooster, hatred as a snake, and delusion as a pig. 116 00:09:08,860 --> 00:09:15,420 Importantly, they feed off one another; each animal consuming the tail end of the other, 117 00:09:15,420 --> 00:09:19,060 making it a vicious cycle of interdependence. 118 00:09:19,060 --> 00:09:24,880 This vicious cycle of all three poisons is something we experience daily from both externally 119 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:26,740 and from within. 120 00:09:26,740 --> 00:09:33,750 Our craving to earn more money and buy materialistic things, for example, leads to greed and showcases 121 00:09:33,750 --> 00:09:38,690 hatred and anger towards anything that denies them those luxuries. 122 00:09:38,690 --> 00:09:43,610 One will go the extra mile to achieve those things ignoring everything that tells them 123 00:09:43,610 --> 00:09:44,610 otherwise. 124 00:09:44,610 --> 00:09:50,820 The Buddha taught that people whose understanding of life is darkened by ignorance, craving, 125 00:09:50,820 --> 00:09:56,850 and aversion condemn themselves to spinning round and round on this wheel, dying only 126 00:09:56,850 --> 00:10:04,860 to be reborn in the same suffering state eternally, and therefore cannot reach nirvana. 127 00:10:04,860 --> 00:10:10,839 These three poisons are opposed by three wholesome, or positive attitudes essential to liberate 128 00:10:10,839 --> 00:10:16,190 oneself from this painful cycle of rebirths and reach Nirvana. 129 00:10:16,190 --> 00:10:23,160 They are generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdom and all the buddhist practices are 130 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:30,800 directed toward the cultivation of these virtues and the reduction or destruction of the poisons. 131 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:32,500 3. 132 00:10:32,500 --> 00:10:35,889 The Truth of Nirodha 133 00:10:35,889 --> 00:10:42,490 In the words of The Buddha “The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering is this: it 134 00:10:42,490 --> 00:10:49,240 is the complete cessation of that very craving, giving it up, renouncing it, emancipating 135 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:55,180 oneself from it, detaching oneself from it”. 136 00:10:55,180 --> 00:11:00,200 After the Buddha realized the truth about suffering and its causes, he spent six years 137 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:05,800 committed to discovering a realization about the end of suffering. 138 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,829 Eventually he found the solution to end all suffering is to remove it from its roots, 139 00:11:10,829 --> 00:11:15,050 which is to remove all desire, ill will and ignorance. 140 00:11:15,050 --> 00:11:21,550 Thus the third noble truth is Nirodha, which refers to the cessation of craving, letting 141 00:11:21,550 --> 00:11:25,529 go of the mind’s desires to end suffering. 142 00:11:25,529 --> 00:11:31,160 This particular truth moves the teachings of the Buddha from being an exercise in analysis 143 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,920 to an invitation to transform ourselves. 144 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:40,540 In order to stop craving, we must understand what it is that we are actually craving and 145 00:11:40,540 --> 00:11:47,540 recognize that if nothing is truly permanent, then it can never satisfy one’s needs. 146 00:11:47,540 --> 00:11:52,399 The end of suffering comes with an end to craving when one realizes that what one is 147 00:11:52,399 --> 00:11:59,690 craving is not true reality, but merely a fantasy that imitates and exaggerates reality. 148 00:11:59,690 --> 00:12:05,110 Putting an end to our desires and cravings is a simple thought to conceptualize. 149 00:12:05,110 --> 00:12:10,880 However, actually realizing and letting go of our desires is a completely different matter, 150 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,690 and a difficult state to achieve. 151 00:12:14,690 --> 00:12:20,100 Imagine an individual who smokes cigarettes habitually and knows they need to quit. 152 00:12:20,100 --> 00:12:25,290 Nevertheless, they continue to smoke and have trouble giving up. 153 00:12:25,290 --> 00:12:29,649 Buddha says that it is possible to end craving – in the same way a therapist or support 154 00:12:29,649 --> 00:12:34,650 group encourages someone to stop smoking by first letting the person know that it can 155 00:12:34,650 --> 00:12:35,839 be done. 156 00:12:35,839 --> 00:12:41,010 It requires an individual to possess a mental state that can recognise and understand the 157 00:12:41,010 --> 00:12:46,310 meaning of their suffering, their craving for cigarettes and how their craving is further 158 00:12:46,310 --> 00:12:48,899 adding to their suffering. 159 00:12:48,899 --> 00:12:54,630 By recognising and reflecting on one’s actions and emotions, asking questions about the reason 160 00:12:54,630 --> 00:13:01,250 behind the emotions felt, helps one gain insights into the root cause of their suffering. 161 00:13:01,250 --> 00:13:07,680 Most importantly, this helps gain an understanding of the relationship between craving and suffering. 162 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:13,380 For instance, if one loses a material object or their car suffers damage, they experience 163 00:13:13,380 --> 00:13:14,380 dukkha. 164 00:13:14,380 --> 00:13:19,830 But, what if that person reflected on the emotion by asking themselves questions like, 165 00:13:19,830 --> 00:13:22,630 what’s the reason behind this suffering? 166 00:13:22,630 --> 00:13:25,520 What made me so attached to the object? 167 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:27,079 Why do I feel this way? 168 00:13:27,079 --> 00:13:30,440 And Why is this act making me suffer? 169 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:35,850 Such thought-provoking questions help individuals gain insights into how our mind craves desires 170 00:13:35,850 --> 00:13:40,750 and attachments, and how we can let go of such feelings and emotions. 171 00:13:40,750 --> 00:13:45,250 This could start from something as small as not being in a state of unhappiness when we 172 00:13:45,250 --> 00:13:49,019 lose a material object or fail to achieve a target. 173 00:13:49,019 --> 00:13:55,430 Instead, one can build an attitude of calmness and peacefulness, no matter the consequences. 174 00:13:55,430 --> 00:14:01,670 By achieving such insight and understanding, one can eventually let go of cravings and 175 00:14:01,670 --> 00:14:04,060 desires. 176 00:14:04,060 --> 00:14:06,460 4. 177 00:14:06,460 --> 00:14:09,199 The truth of Magga 178 00:14:09,199 --> 00:14:15,600 In our final quote from Buddha for this video, he says, “What is the path that leads to 179 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,490 the cessation of suffering? 180 00:14:17,490 --> 00:14:24,600 It is the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of right view, right thought, right speech, 181 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:32,339 right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right contemplation.” 182 00:14:32,339 --> 00:14:38,460 The fourth truth is magga, meaning "the path", by which Buddha means his "middle way" in 183 00:14:38,460 --> 00:14:40,490 navigating life. 184 00:14:40,490 --> 00:14:45,589 The third noble truth talks about the cessation of suffering, whereas this fourth noble truth 185 00:14:45,589 --> 00:14:51,410 talks about the path that will lead towards the objective of cessation of suffering. 186 00:14:51,410 --> 00:14:56,089 The Biddha says that there is a path which leads one away from craving and suffering 187 00:14:56,089 --> 00:15:02,550 and he calls this path “the middle path”, the path that leads to Nirvana. 188 00:15:02,550 --> 00:15:08,899 This middle path is the line between luxury and extreme poverty, a balance between overindulging 189 00:15:08,899 --> 00:15:12,190 and depriving ourselves of the things we desire. 190 00:15:12,190 --> 00:15:17,510 To practice the Middle Way, one must free oneself of one’s desires. 191 00:15:17,510 --> 00:15:21,790 Buddha never said not to have goals, not to want something. 192 00:15:21,790 --> 00:15:27,940 He tells us not to get attached to these desires and to celebrate the idea of “just enough” 193 00:15:27,940 --> 00:15:32,420 and embrace a more balanced, sustainable lifestyle. 194 00:15:32,420 --> 00:15:38,820 This path is not a quick fix; it requires a radical shift of one’s mindset and perception 195 00:15:38,820 --> 00:15:39,949 of the world. 196 00:15:39,949 --> 00:15:44,910 This path has some set of principles and rules that leads to the cessation of suffering as 197 00:15:44,910 --> 00:15:50,500 it focuses on the Eightfold Path, the eight factors that rely on each other which leads 198 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:56,810 to new insights and understanding and is marked by discipline and wisdom. 199 00:15:56,810 --> 00:16:03,399 The Eightfold Path is divided into three disciplines, “Prajna”, the wisdom path, “Sila”, 200 00:16:03,399 --> 00:16:08,579 the ethical path, and “Samadhi”, the mental discipline path. 201 00:16:08,579 --> 00:16:14,519 The three disciplines lead towards a path that can ultimately free a person from Samsara. 202 00:16:14,519 --> 00:16:20,079 The three disciplines are divided into eight practice areas, each part of a wheel, the 203 00:16:20,079 --> 00:16:21,540 eight-spoked “Dharma Wheel”. 204 00:16:21,540 --> 00:16:28,870 Buddha’s Eight Fold Path is explained as, “Prajna”, the wisdom path, under that 205 00:16:28,870 --> 00:16:32,009 we have Right View, which emphasizes understanding 206 00:16:32,009 --> 00:16:34,160 and gaining insights into the true reality, and; 207 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:40,860 Right Intention, which are thoughts that are selfless and generous. 208 00:16:40,860 --> 00:16:46,100 Under “Sila”, the ethical path, we have Right Speech, which is always indulging in 209 00:16:46,100 --> 00:16:50,720 communication that promotes harmony and is free of malice. 210 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:55,890 Right Action, which is taking righteous actions and not causing others harm, and; 211 00:16:55,890 --> 00:17:00,649 Right Livelihood, which is making a living through actions and work which doesn’t harm 212 00:17:00,649 --> 00:17:02,009 others. 213 00:17:02,009 --> 00:17:05,459 And under “Samadhi”, the mental discipline path, we have 214 00:17:05,459 --> 00:17:11,750 Right Effort, practicing and cultivating wholesome qualities, and not practicing qualities that 215 00:17:11,750 --> 00:17:12,939 are selfish. 216 00:17:12,939 --> 00:17:17,300 Right Mindfulness, which is a mental state where one is mindful and aware of their body, 217 00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:22,199 actions, and thoughts, and; Right Concentration, which is an area that 218 00:17:22,199 --> 00:17:27,630 is associated with indulging in meditative practices. 219 00:17:27,630 --> 00:17:32,409 According to Buddha, the significance of the wheel is essential. 220 00:17:32,409 --> 00:17:38,230 It denotes that all areas of practice are equally important, with no beginning or an 221 00:17:38,230 --> 00:17:44,230 end, and when practiced all at once, each area supports the other and helps us to use 222 00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:50,030 the three doors - our body, mind and speech carefully. 223 00:17:50,030 --> 00:17:55,220 Buddha taught that when we learn to use our body, speech and mind carefully, it would 224 00:17:55,220 --> 00:18:00,750 lead to present and future happiness as it helps us to refrain from harmful actions, 225 00:18:00,750 --> 00:18:03,640 thus it would remove unnecessary suffering. 226 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:08,740 By controlling our body, speech and mind in ways that help others, instead of harming 227 00:18:08,740 --> 00:18:13,909 them and by pursuing wisdom, we can end suffering. 228 00:18:13,909 --> 00:18:19,360 Therefore true happiness is achievable through personal effort. 229 00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:23,280 If you enjoyed this video, please make sure to check out our full philosophies for life 230 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:28,559 playlist and for more videos to help you find success and happiness using ancient philosophical 231 00:18:28,559 --> 00:18:31,070 wisdom, don’t forget to subscribe. 232 00:18:31,070 --> 00:18:33,500 Thanks so much for watching.