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buddhavacana

The Four Realisations (`cattāri ariyasaccāni`)

The Four Realisations (often called Noble Truths) form the core of Buddha’s soteriology, and framework for the rest of his teachings. The framework states that life itself is suffering, provides the cause and the way out of suffering through the Eightfold Path.

The basic teaching of the Four Realisations (dukkham samudayo nirodho magga) can be expressed as a medical diagnosis (The Dawn of Abhidharma p. 113):

  • disease: dukkha (suffering)
  • pathogen: taṇhā (desire)
  • health: nibbāna (extinguishment)
  • cure: eightfold path

The four realisations can also be expressed in terms of the well known consulting framework SCQA (Situation - Complication - Question - Answer)

  • Situation: life is dukkha (suffering)
  • Complication: suffering is caused by taṇhā (desire)
  • Question: how to achieve nibbāna (extinguishment) of suffering?
  • Answer: follow the eightfold path

The Buddha’s exposition of the four realisations follow the Minto Pyramid.

References

Section titled “References”

Other references (expansions):

The Realisation of Suffering (dukkhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ)

Section titled “The Realisation of Suffering (dukkhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ)”

This, bhikkhave, is the realisation of suffering. Suffering is:

  • birth,
  • aging,
  • illness,
  • death;
  • sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair;
  • association with the disliked;
  • separation from the liked;
  • not getting what one wants is suffering.

In brief, the five collections acting as fuel are suffering.

The Realisation of the Cause of Suffering (dukkhasamudayaṃ ariyasaccaṃ)

Section titled “The Realisation of the Cause of Suffering (dukkhasamudayaṃ ariyasaccaṃ)”

This, bhikkhave, is the realisation of the cause of suffering:

  • craving leading to renewed existence,
  • accompanied by delight and desire,
  • seeking delight here and there;

In other words:

  • craving for sensual pleasures,
  • craving for existence,
  • craving for non-existence.

The Realisation of the Cessation of Suffering (dukkhanirodhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ)

Section titled “The Realisation of the Cessation of Suffering (dukkhanirodhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ)”

This, bhikkhave, is the realisation of the cessation of suffering: it is the:

  • complete fading away and cessation of that same craving,
  • its abandonment,
  • relinquishment,
  • release, and
  • non-attachment.

The Realisation of the Path Leading To The Cessation of Suffering (dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṃ)

Section titled “The Realisation of the Path Leading To The Cessation of Suffering (dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṃ)”

This, bhikkhave, is the realisation of the path leading to the cessation of suffering: it is this Eightfold Path, that is:

  • Right View,
  • Right Intention,
  • Right Speech,
  • Right Action,
  • Right Way of Living,
  • Right Effort,
  • Right Awareness,
  • Right Focus.

Other references (expansion):

Three Phases (tiparivaṭṭaṃ) and Twelve Aspects (dvādasākāraṃ)

Section titled “Three Phases (tiparivaṭṭaṃ) and Twelve Aspects (dvādasākāraṃ)”
graph LR
    subgraph N[caturāriyasaccāni]
        N1[dukkha ariyasacca]
        N2[dukkhasamudaya ariyasacca]
        N3[dukkhanirodha ariyasacca]
        N4[dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasacca]
    end
    subgraph Aspects
        P1-1[realisation]
        P1-2[is to be fully understood]
        P1-3[has been fully understood]
        P2-1[realisation]
        P2-2[is to be given up]
        P2-3[has been given up]
        P3-1[realisation]
        P3-2[is to be personally experienced]
        P3-3[has been personally experienced]
        P4-1[realisation]
        P4-2[is to be undertaken]
        P4-3[has been undertaken]
    end
    subgraph Arose
        direction TB
        R1["cakkhu <br> (Vision)"]
        R2["ñāṇa <br> (Knowledge)"]
        R3["paññā <br> (Wisdom)"]
        R4["vijjā <br> (Understanding)"]
        R5["āloka <br> (Light)"]
    end
    N1 -->|Phase 1: dukkha realised| P1-1
    N1 -->|Phase 2: dukkha understanding| P1-2
    N1 -->|Phase 3: dukkha understood| P1-3
    N2 -->|Phase 1: origin realised| P2-1
    N2 -->|Phase 2: origin giving up| P2-2
    N2 -->|Phase 3: origin given up| P2-3
    N3 -->|Phase 1: cessation realised| P3-1
    N3 -->|Phase 2: cessation experiencing| P3-2
    N3 -->|Phase 3: cessation experienced| P3-3
    N4 -->|Phase 1: path realised| P4-1
    N4 -->|Phase 2: path undertaking| P4-2
    N4 -->|Phase 3: path undertaken| P4-3
    P1-3 & P2-3 & P3-3 & P4-3 --> R1 & R2 & R3 & R4 & R5
graph
    NT["caturāriyasaccāni<br>(4 realisations)"] --> P3["tiparivaṭṭa<br>(3 Phases)"] --> A12["dvādasākāra<br>(12 aspects)"] --> A & B & C --> D["abhisambuddha anuttara sammāsambodhi<br>(woken up to perfect understanding)"] -->|surpassing| L --> O["*akuppā me vimutti, ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo*<br>(Unshakeable is my liberation, this is the final birth, there is now no more future existences.)"]
    A["yathābhūta<br>(reality)"]
    B["ñāṇadassana<br>(total understanding)"]
    C["suvisuddha<br>(total purification)"]
    subgraph L["Loka (World)"]
        L1["devas"]
        L2["Māra"]
        L3["Brahmā"]
        L4["ascetics and brahmins"]
        L5["*pajā* (living beings)"]
        L6["*sadevamanussa* (kings and commoners)"]
    end