522 The 4th Noble Truth by Miranda Sept. 21 24

The 4th Noble Truth “Setting the Wheel of the Dharma in Motion”

As humans, we can’t seem to find our way to inner peace, our lives are constantly oscillating with ups and downs, and we are so attached to getting what we want (pleasure) and avoiding what we don’t want (pain) that we live in an ongoing state of contracted dissatisfaction. We are constantly manipulated by incessant thoughts coming at us at lightning speed, deluded with the notion that we can control life, holding on to impermanent things, unaware of the truth of interconnectedness, and ignorant of our true nature.

In the first noble truth, the Buddha points to the pervasiveness of dukkha or un-satisfactoriness, In the second noble truth he connects the fact that our attachments to craving, desire, greed, aversion, delusion, and ignorance of genuine Reality, such as our true nature, generate dukkha. In the third noble truth, the Buddha simply points to the fact that the end of our attachments and ignorance brings the end of dukkha and leads to an equanimous, serene life, and eventually awakening. The third noble truth therefore is about the cessation of dukkha, which is known as nirvana. The word itself means “blowing out”, or “extinguishing” – it is the cessation of the activity of the grasping mind and its related unease.

The cessation of attachments is not an easy feat, it requires dedication to a path that gradually opens the way to a profound understanding and way of being. This path was clearly outlined by the Buddha

In the fourth noble truth, which entails the cultivation of The Eightfold Path. The path is typically divided into three categories: wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline. It includes the following elements:

1. Under the wisdom category: proper view, proper resolve, proper speech

2. Under the ethical conduct category: proper action, proper livelihood, proper effort

3. Under the mental discipline category: proper mindfulness, proper concentration

The Buddha laid out the path for us. By understanding their significance and applying them in our everyday lives, we can be freed from dukkha and achieve nirvana. We will explore each of these elements in future dharma talks. THANKS, Miranda.