Transcript Lesson 1: Buddhism for Today

PKSSSS CY2010
Level: J4
Lesson 7: The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of
Suffering
- Chapter 10: The Four Noble Truths:
(II) Cause of Suffering
The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of Suffering
- Understanding The Cause of Suffering
• One needs to identify the
cause of their problem
first before they are able
to do something to avoid
the suffering arising from
the problem.
What happen
to this man?
Cause of the
pain…
How to avoid
this suffering?
BIRTH
Page 1
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
Renunciation
Control the
number of
sweets you
eat…
Search for
Truth
+
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of Suffering
- The Cause of Suffering
• The Buddha had observed that life is
suffering.
• He like a good doctor who first carefully
diagnoses a patient’s illness and identified
the causes of the suffering of mankind
before providing a cure.
• The Buddha discovered that the main
causes of suffering are desire or craving
and ignorance.
• This is the Truth of the cause of suffering,
which is the Second Noble Truth.
BIRTH
Page 2
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
Renunciation
Search for
Truth
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of Suffering
- Craving
• Craving is the desire for
pleasures of the senses and for
life itself.
• Craving for pleasures of the
senses are classify in 2 ways
– Craving for good experiences
such as the enjoyment of food,
music and friendship.
– Craving for possessions.
• Craving for the pleasures of the
senses causes suffering
because desires can never be
fully satisfied.
BIRTH
Page 3
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
Renunciation
Search for
Truth
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of Suffering
- Craving
• Craving leads to greed, ill will, anger and
unwholesome actions.
• Examples:
What happen when you
lick off the honey from the
knife?
BIRTH
Page 4
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
– Because of greed and desire, one may lie,
cheat or steal to get what one want.
– If prevented, one feel angry and can lead to
harsh words, fighting, quarrel or even
killings.
– All this is suffering.
• Despite inevitable suffering of old age,
sickness and death, one crave life more
than anything else.
• This deep-seated craving for life leads one
to suffer birth and death, again and again.
Renunciation
Search for
Truth
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of Suffering
- Ignorance
Harsh word
Greed
Anger
Ill will
Desire / Craving
Suffering
Ignorance
BIRTH
Page 5
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
Renunciation
Search for
Truth
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths: (II) Cause of Suffering
- Ignorance
•
•
•
Craving grows our of ignorance.
Ignorance is the inability to see things as they
really are.
So long as people are ignorance, they will
suffer from all kinds of misunderstandings and
delusions.
– Unable to see radio waves, scientist develop
equipment to detect them.
•
•
BIRTH
Page 6
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
Renunciation
When they develop their minds through
study/meditation and acquire wisdom, they will
understand the suffering and impermanence of
life, the law of cause and effect and the Four
Noble Truths.
By overcoming craving and ignorance, one will
attain true happiness and Enlightenment just
as the Buddha did 2500 years ago.
Search for
Truth
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana
Summary
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
To remove suffering, one must know its causes.
Craving and Ignorance are the two main causes of suffering.
Craving for pleasures of the senses, like the enjoyment of good
food, beautiful music and pleasant company.
These pleasures do not last and one become restless and
dissatisfied. One may even turn violence to satisfy their uncontrolled
desires. All this lead to sufferings.
One also crave life and this leads to birth and death, again and
again.
Craving is rooted in ignorance which means not knowing the truth
about things.
When wisdom is acquired, ignorance is removed and suffering
ends.
BIRTH
Page 7
Growing Up &
Four Encounters
Renunciation
Search for
Truth
Enlightenment
Learn. Practice. Realise. Share.
Teaching
Final
Nirvana