What's in a word ? Quite a lot. A miss is as good as a mile. Take the following example of the Four Noble truths found in a text on Western philosophy.
“Four Noble Truths” of Buddhism ( as given in the text )
1. Life is suffering.
2. Suffering arises from desire.
3. Desire can be eliminated.
4. One can eliminate desire by following the “right way.”
I will give one version which is closer to the intent and then illustrate how the wording or thought distorts the whole thing.
“Four Noble Truths” of Buddhism ( as given in the text )
1. Life is suffering.
2. Suffering arises from desire.
3. Desire can be eliminated.
4. One can eliminate desire by following the “right way.”
I will give one version which is closer to the intent and then illustrate how the wording or thought distorts the whole thing.
According to K.R. Norman, the basic set(of four truths) is as follows:
- idam dukkham, "this is pain"
- ayam dukkha-samudayo, "this is the origin of pain"
- ayam dukkha-nirodha, "this is the cessation of pain"
- ayam dukkha-nirodha-gamini patipada, "this is the path leading to the cessation of pain"
The first truth answers the question what is suffering. It explains or illustrates the nature of suffering.
What is the Noble Truth of Suffering? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering: in short the five categories affected by clinging are suffering.
In the text what the Buddhists considered as suffering is converted into the meaning of life = suffering and hence Life is suffering. Like it or not pain (dukkham or suffering) is an integral part of the life of all humans. It starts with the cry at birth.
But to say Life is suffering is a far cry from 'there is suffering in life' . Roughly the part whole confusion part = suffering. Whole = life. If you know or remember math it is the confusion between a set and it's subset.
2. Now contrast Suffering arises from desire. with 'origin of pain' (The cause of dukkha is craving or clinging). What a joke craving is equated with desire. craving = superlative desire. (powerful desire akin to thirst) . The cause of suffering is not desire but uncontrolled or excess desire. Nothing wrong with desire as such but with clinging.
3. Desire can be eliminated. does not equal 'cessation of pain' . The former postulates that pain can be eliminated whereas the latter lays the path (The cessation of dukkha comes with the cessation of craving ) See the cascading effects of wrong use of words and thoughts. ( Little difference according to Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)
4. Compare One can eliminate desire by following the “right way.” with This is the path that leads to the end of all suffering or pain. We are not talking so much about eliminating desire as eliminating suffering.
