The Truths-The Path-The Supreme Happiness
“In the past, monks, and also now, I teach suffering and the cessation of suffering.”
-The Buddha-
It is a common misunderstanding that Buddhists believe that life is all about Dukkha (suffering). This misconception can be changed once a person has a chance to understand the deeper meaning of the Buddha’s teaching. In Buddhism, happiness is both means and end. The first implies a principle by which one should organize one’s life, living peacefully and non-violently. The latter points to the ultimate goal of Buddhism which is to achieve the highest happiness, Nibbana.
The Buddha discovers the universal truth of the nature of life – The Four Noble Truths. His core teaching principle is illustrated in this concept which aim at thoroughly understanding the true nature of life -Dukkha, its causes, its cessation and the way that lead to the end of Dukkha.
These four universal truths are simile to the treatment of disease in conventional medicine. Following a medical pattern, a disease is identified, its cause diagnosed, a cure is declared to exist, and then the treatment process is prescribed. The Buddha is likened to a physician who diagnoses and treats the illness.
The word dukkha is a Pali language – usually translated as suffering, unsatisfactoriness or oppression- which means “that which is difficult to be endured”. Dukkha can also mean feeling of physical or mental pain, incapability of satisfying, and inability to bear or withstand. Since nothing lasts forever and everything is subject to change, people themselves create this suffering by trying to cling on to worldly pleasures.
The Buddha reveals that our perception is being distorted from the reality cause by mental defilements. We are enslaved to them namely craving (Taṇhā) clinging (Upādāna) and ignorance (Avijja) which lead to all form of sufferings in life. To achieve the ultimate happiness, all of mental defilements must be totally removed from our mind by following the Noble Eightfold Path namely: Right View (sammā-ditthi), Right Thought (sammā-sankappa), Right Speech (sammā-vaca), Right Action (sammā-kammanta), Right livelihood (sammā-ajiva), Right Effort (sammā-vayama), Right Mindfulness (sammā-sati) and Right Concentration (sammā-samadhi).
Why Ordination:
In Buddhism, there are two groups of people- laypeople and bhikkhu (monk & nun). Both groups are looking for true peace and happiness following the instructions of the Buddha.
Laypeople live life in the world of sense pleasure. Their happiness come from whatever they can experience through the five sense doors: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, physical touch. In other words, the happiness of the laypeople depends on material possessions such as money, fame, or relationship etc. This kind of happiness is impermanent and unreliable, and in the long term will bring suffering in life when the owner is inevitably separated from those possessions, leaving them the state of worry, anxiety, grief, pain or loss.
A bhikkhu is the one who sees some drawbacks in the world of sense pleasure, therefore, he decides to detach himself from this form of happiness and walk down the fast track of liberation to realize the supreme happiness – Nibbana. His happiness comes from inside and it doesn’t depend on material possessions. This kind of happiness is more refine and sublime than sensual happiness. It can be attained by practice of virtues like generosity, keeping precept and meditating. Ultimately, it helps overcome all form of suffering. It is an expansive, enduring, and transformative happiness suitable for one who pave the way for the journey toward the real freedom-Nibbana.
We are so used to suffering that we don’t realize its presence,
just as fish so used to water don’t notice the water.