Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Journal 25 - Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths are one of the fundamentals of the Buddhist doctrine. The first truth is that life is full of suffering. This connects with chapter one in Siddhartha, the Brahman's son. In this chapter, we see Siddhartha seeing the bad things in this life. Although he performs the rituals, he is not satisfied. He knows that he will not reach enlightenment this way. With all his worries, we can see that his life is not pleasant for him. For the others, it might be nice but for him, his life is full of suffering. The second truth talks about how suffering comes from attachment and the desires that drive people and keep them from achieving Nirvana. I think that Siddhartha is practicing to take away attachment but he is just losing himself. This is what he says. He says that this way is what he could find by going to the inn and meddling with a prostitute. He sees that he cannot have full self-denial because he keeps finding himself and that wouldn't enlighten him. Finding yourself again in the circle of life will keep you from Nirvana.
The third truth talks about suffering in a way that suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases. This is the chapter where they meet the Buddha. When Buddha teaches the usual teachings, Govinda joins the Buddha and his monks. His attachment towards the knowledge kind of disappears and his study of the Buddha's behavior increases. Siddhartha will try to find enlightenment on his own.
The last truth is this. Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eight fold Path. Siddhartha will practice his own way to achieve his own way of freedom. This is his awakening. He has walked away from teachers, even Buddha, because they couldn't teach him what he wanted. He decides to learn on his own. This actually is a doctrine in Buddhism, like you have to work alone to reach enlightenment. This is how Siddhartha's life reflects the Four Noble Truths.

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