The Noble Truths and Suffering

Hi.

     This will be the third blog in the series on the Four Noble Truths. We have discussed the first two and the translation has come to this thought.

"TRANSIENCE IS ALL AND RESISTANCE TO TRANSIENCE THROUGH ATTACHMENT BECOMES THE SOURCE OF SUFFERING. "

     This brings us to the third of the Noble Truths and in Pali the word used is "Nirodha." Sometimes Nirodha Sacca. Sacca is translated to the words reality or truth. Again as previously pointed out the translations vary with some overlap of meaning. Nirodha translates into liberation, cessation, disbanding, stopping, estrangment, indifference, control, confine, corral, and restrain. Some defining words correlate and some are conflicting.

     So we ask how does the third truth translate so it fits into the first two translated meanings in a cohesive way?  In order to keep the thread going I prefer to translate Nirodha into the following: "IT MEANS THE MOVEMENT OF LIBERATION FROM ATTACHMENT." Nirodha is pointing to the means and the way to stop being attached which is the root of all suffering. Nirodha indicates a movement to a way to finally give us some relief from suffering. You will note that unlike some of the classical interpretation and writing I am not suggesting the anyone is able to terminate suffering. We can be in the process and aspiring to reduce suffering. My belief system is that we will experience suffering unless the world takes a major psychological turn and I don't see that happening for a while. Thousands of years of conditioning is not going to be erased due to a concept, it needs to be processed via time, some action, and concrete changes in thinking. So we ASPIRE to freedom and liberation and stay in the movement towards.

     I have some comments on that. Do you know anyone, or met anybody, who has reached Nirvana? Me either. We are not going find that person. Currently in "spiritual" publications we see people and organizations that are headed by people who allude to being enlightened but they will continue to allude to something that simply cannot be proven. It's unfortunate that once a person attains popularity and power no one is willing to challenge them. They protect their vague claims by never stating anything as fact but only alluding to their position and for the most parting "acting as though" for the public. Historically speaking we have the "stories" about people who were enlightened but honestly my belief system is that they are stories and not particularly true. Nice stories though. And I think my second point is so what? Even is someone managed to achieve some sort of miraculous freedom how does that really affect the rest of humanity? It's obvious that context, content, and time have changed our position and what may have been so no longer is. We have not seen any fantastic long term changes in humanity from the historical enlightened ones. Just watch the news at night if your doubting me. Dukkha is everything. The third point is that if anyone has reached a "point of no suffering" they are unable to translate it to the rest of us in plain language. I think it's fun and intriguing but the whole "yes I am enlightened but it doesn't translate into language so you will have to take my word for it" thing just doesn't mean much to me. 

     So the third truth points directly to the fact that there is a way to diminish suffering. What great news that is for anyone who follows this path. The next blog will start to cover the Eightfold path which happens to be a more intricate and detailed part of the initial message. Although the Eightfold path appears to be a really direct answer we need to look at the meaning and intent of the initial message. 

     As always I am hoping that this translation of the Four Noble Truths helps simplify and reduce the confusion concerning the message and it's application. I am always happy to hear from you, all thoughts and ideas are welcome. 

Sincerely,

Bryan S. Wagner