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The First Noble Truth

Buddhism is a very practical "religion" that does not promote deification and theology. It is about straightforward and simple truths which, if followed in everyday life, can help people overcome suffering and achieve an inborn sense of happiness. While Buddhism does not encourage blindly following rules and principles, it is important to know the teachings and philosophies of Buddha to understand the discipline that Buddhism is all about.

 

The First Noble Truth 

The first of the Four Noble Truths propounded by Sakyamuni soon after he attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree was: “Life is suffering”. A depressing statement, indeed! “Suffering” however does little justice to the original, many layered Pali word, “dukkha”, which includes all things transient and conditional. In this sense, the most precious things and happiest of experiences in life ultimately bring dukkha – because they are impermanent and our attachment to them is strong.

The Buddha’s reflection was based on what he observed as Prince Siddhartha and later, a wandering monk – that the one factor uniting humanity was suffering.

The beginning of life is marked by suffering in the pain experienced by mother and child. As people age, their senses deteriorate and bodies grow weaker, causing suffering.  Disease brings dukkha; finally, death is the cause of much grief and pain. No one can avoid the suffering involved in being born, aging and dying. Worse, dukkha, whether in the form of a fever or loss of a loved one has to be endured alone. No one can fully experience the suffering of another.

The Buddha spoke of three types of mental suffering.

1. People feel dukkha when they are separated or lose loved ones.
2. The discomfort or stress felt in the company of unpleasant or hostile people is also dukkha. 
3. Being unable to get everything we want causes dejection and frustration – dukkha by another name.

The Buddha also reflected on the many kinds of happiness that exist – friendships, family life, good health, the joys of celebrating and sharing. But as real as these are, they are impermanent. Typically, people try escaping from dukkha by filling their lives with transient pleasures; when these fade, they are left struggling with reality.

Is there a way out? Buddhism teaches that the first step to end dukkha is simply to accept it.

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The Concept Karma in Buddhism

Karma (or kamma) in Buddhism means “action”. In popular discourse, it is often linked to fate or predestination. Karma however, refers to actions that are undertaken consciously. Stated simply, the Law of Karma decrees that every deed we perform knowingly will eventually produce similar results.

Just as the physical universe is governed by the laws of cause and effect, so too in the moral sphere. In Buddhist philosophy, Karma Vipaka is voluntary, willed action and the entire scope of its effects. Karma Phala is intentional action and its result. The Law of Karma in its entirety therefore, refers to both conscious action and its consequences in the fullness of time.

In Buddhism, the notion of Karma goes beyond a simplistic division into ‘good’ or ‘evil’.  Instead, Buddhist texts speak of ‘Kushala karma’ and ‘Akushala karma’. Kushala means ‘skilled’, ‘intelligent’ and ‘wholesome’, while Akushala means the opposite. Wholesome actions benefit oneself and society at large. They arise from wisdom, feelings of love, kindness, compassion and lead to happiness. Unwholesome actions on the other hand, originate from desire (in the sense of greed), ignorance and ill-will; their consequence is suffering.

All actions emanate from three sources – the body, mind and speech. Buddhist texts list ten negative actions from these sources that comprise Akushala Karma:

Actions of the body: Killing, robbing, sexual misconduct
Actions of the mind: Avarice, anger, delusion
Actions of speech: Lying, harsh words, spiteful gossip, slander

The fruits (Phala) of Karma may manifest themselves during one’s present life, the following life, or after several rebirths. While the short-term results of Karma can be easily verified by us, it takes an enlightened being like the Buddha to perceive long-term effects of Karma.

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What does Samadhi mean?

 

Samadhi refers to a highly evolved level of meditation. Yoga schools call this Dhyana.

Etymologically, Samadhi is divided into three parts. ‘Sam’ means holistic, ‘a’ is going towards and ‘dha’ is achievement. Together, Sam-a-dhi translates as the attainment of wholeness. Samadhi is generally associated with complete control of the mind.

The Yoga Sutras classify Samadhi into four stages. Laya Samadhi begins in intense meditation and manifests as a wellspring of joy akin to that experienced during dancing or singing.

In Savikalpa Samadhi, the meditator briefly experiences space and time in a different way. His/her imagination (kalpa) remains active and hence he/she ‘sees’ the myriad desires that remain unfulfilled in his/her life. In this Samadhi however, the realization comes that he/she is but an instrument in their completion. Ideas flood in, but are observed detachedly. 

In the third stage – Nirvikalpa Samadhi – such attachments and the actions that give rise to them (karma) dissolve.  The heart ceases to beat. The meditator is filled with infinite bliss and becomes both the object of joy and the one who rejoices. There is a sense of tremendous power accompanied by the sensation of containing the universe within. This may endure for a few hours or several days and is achieved only by a few spiritual masters. Emerging from Nirvikalpa Samadhi, one may not recall his/her name or communicate normally and may experience reluctance to return to functioning like an ordinary human being.

Sahaja Samadhi Is the supreme level of meditation where the meditator attains the highest levels of consciousness yet is able to function effectively in the material world. Such an individual has conquered reality, a rare feat. To experience Sahaja Samadhi, it is necessary to become one with the divine.

Mahasamadhi is the term used to describe a spiritual master’s deliberate leaving of his body to unite with divine.