The Second Noble Truth, Attatchment

The second noble truth.

Attachment.

The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things.

Not only the physical objects that surround us. But also the ideas and objects of our perception.

Ignorance of not comprehending how our mind is attached to impermanent things causes suffering.

The reasons for suffering are craving and clinging. Attachment.

Heres a head spinner. We can not actually be addicted to anything. Only the act of craving is addictive.

Because the objects of our desires are transient.

Loss is inevitable.

Suffering will follow.

Objects of attachment include the idea of a "self" or what we call self.

Suffering includes everything from great physical pain or the grief of losing a loved one, to the slight thought in the back of your mind that something is not quite right.

The End of Suffering

The third noble truth.

The cessation of suffering is attainable.

The cessation of suffering is possible.

The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining non attachment.

This means that suffering can be overcome by removing the cause of suffering at the root.

Meditation can take you safely to the root of your suffering so that you can observe it. See it for what it is and let it pass without becoming attached to it. You are like the sky watching the clouds pass by.

Like the root of a weed. Once it is removed it wont return.

Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas.

The Middle Way

The fourth noble truth.

The cessation of suffering and the middle way.

There is a pathway to the end of suffering.

A path of self-improvement.

Which is described in more detail in the Eightfold Path later on in the text.

It is the middle way between the two extremes.

That of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism). And excessive self-mortification (asceticism).

It is taught that the pathway to the end of suffering can stretch over many lifetimes. But immediate alleviation and lessening of suffering is possible today

Craving, ignorance, delusions and the effects (karma) will disappear gradually as we progress on the path.

Impermanence, The First Noble Truth

The First Noble Truth

Annicca. 

To live means to suffer in one way or another, to a lesser or greater extent.

During our lifetime we experience physical suffering such as pain, sickness, old age, and eventually death.

And we have psychological suffering like sadness grief and fear, as- well as mild dissatisfaction with what is, this is also defined as suffering by the Buddha.

A Sunflower Returns Slowly Back To The Earth

Its not being negative. Its just a fact of life.

There are also positive experiences in life like the appreciation of beauty, and happiness, but these sensations are also subject to the law of impermanence.

Our world, all we know, and our lives are subject to impermanence.

This means we are never able to keep for- ever what we have attained or what we have strived for.

And just as moments come and go.

We ourselves, the planet and all we love will pass away too.

The question then arises; is the soul eternal?