Buddhism Explained in Four Simple Thoughts
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS OF REALITY
2,600 years ago, a wealthy prince purposely left his life of leisure to discover the truths of everyday life and started a movement that originated with these four simple truths of our existence. His name was Siddhartha Gautama, but when he experienced his awakening, his followers called him the Buddha, or the ‘one who is awake.’
For thousands of years following the Buddha's death, his teachings (the Dharma) and practices related to living an awakened life were passed on by oral tradition. After centuries of oral transmission, the Dharma was recorded in written records.
The most fundamental teachings of the Dharma came to be known as The Four Noble Truths.
They are sometimes called guidelines, truths, and principles. However, understanding what they offer regarding living free of suffering and dissatisfaction matters more than their labels.
Noble Truth #1: Life is Suffering - Forever in a State of Change
One translation of dukkah, t…
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