Sutta Meditation Series

WHY IS SUFFERING (DUKKHA) A NOBLE TRUTH? - Dhamma Q&A

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Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

A question received following the Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths:

“What is stuck in my mind from the session is the question about of ‘what makes suffering a noble truth?’ The way I’ve been taught to practice the first noble truth is more along the lines of observing moment-to-moment suffering, which is usually centered on personal suffering. And to be honest, I’ve always wondered why suffering, which we all experience day-to-day, is called a noble truth. Could you to explain this a bit more?”  

The key to understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha) comes down to the activating the Right View. It's important to recognise through wisdom that suffering (dukkha) must be understood as a universal truth, common to all living beings,  and not simply through grasping from personal experience of dukkha.  

To answer the question we examine: 

  • — the urgency of understanding the bigger predicament
  • — the perception of suffering in impermanence (anicce dukkhasaññā) and the perception of not me and mine in suffering (dukkhe anattasaññā);  
  • — what happens when we take dukkha personally 
  • — how arahants consider Noble Truth of Dukkha 
  • — the importance of seeing Nibbana as not false or deceptive as it is not constructed, subject to change, nor deathbound 
  • — reminding ourselves of the three kinds of dukkha arising from objects, sense contact and feelings 
  • — taking a brief look at the doorways to Nibbana through the Four Noble Truths  

    • To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz

    **This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**

    Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to: 

    • — Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) 
    • — Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (DN 22) 
    • — Dukkha Sutta (SN 46.72) 
    • — Anatta Sutta (SN 46.73) 
    • — Yadanicca Sutta (SN 22.15) 
    • — Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9) 
    • — Ādittapariyāya Sutta (SN 35.28)  

      • Bohoma pin to the person that asked this question.  

      A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTXNRTWPTpU

      A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g

      Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai.

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