THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING

[Buddhism] : [The Eightfold Path]
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WHAT, now, is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering? It is that
craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth, and, bound up with pleasure
and lust, now here, now there, finds ever fresh delight.
In the absolute sense, it is no real being, no self-determined,
unchangeable, Ego-entity that is reborn. Moreover, there is nothing
that remains the same even for two consecutive moments; for the Five
Khandhas, or Groups of Existence, are in a state of perpetual
change, of continual dissolution and renewal. They die every moment,
and every moment new ones are born. Hence it follows that there is
no such thing as a real existence, or "being" (Latin esse), but only
as it were an endless process, a continuous change, a "becoming,"
consisting in a "producing," and in a "being produced"; in a
"process of action," and in a "process of reaction," or "rebirth."
This process of perpetual "producing" and "being produced" may
best be compared with an ocean wave. In the case of a wave, there is
not the slightest quantity of water traveling over the surface of
the sea. But the wave structure, that hastens over the surface of
the water, creating the appearance of one and the same mass of
water, is, in reality, nothing but the continuous rising and falling
of continuous, but quite different, masses of water, produced by the
transmission of force generated by the wind. Even so, the Buddha did
not teach that Ego-entities hasten through the ocean of rebirth, but
merely life-waves, which, according to their nature and activities
(good, or evil), manifest themselves here as men, there as animals,
and elsewhere as invisible beings.
===THE THREEFOLD CRAVING===
There is the "Sensual Craving," the "Craving for
Eternal-Annihilation." Existence," the "Craving for
Self-Annihilation."
The "Craving for Eternal Existence," according to the
Visuddhi-Magga, is intimately connected with the so-called
Eternity-Belief," i.e., the belief in an absolute, eternal, Ego-entity
persisting independently of our body.
The Craving for Self-Annihilation is the outcome of the so-called
"Annihilation-Belief," the delusive materialistic notion of an Ego
which is annihilated at death, and which does not stand in any
causal relation with the time before birth or after death.
But, where does this craving arise and take root? Wherever in the
world there are delightful and pleasurable things, there this
craving arises and takes root. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind,
are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes
root.
Visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily impressions, and
mind-objects, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving
arises and takes root.
Consciousness, sense impression, feeling born of sense impression,
perception, will, craving, thinking, and reflecting, are delightful
and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes root.
If, namely, when perceiving a visual object, a sound, odor, taste,
bodily impression, or a mind object, the object is pleasant, one is
attracted; and if unpleasant, one is repelled.
Thus, whatever kind of "Feeling" one experiences, pleasant,
unpleasant, or indifferent-one approves of, and cherishes the feeling,
and clings to it; and while doing so, lust springs up; but lust for
feelings, means Clinging; and on Clinging, depends the "Process of
Becoming"; on the Process of Becoming (Karma-process), depends
(future) "Birth"; and dependent on Birth, are Decay and Death,
Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain, Grief, and Despair. Thus arises this
whole mass of suffering.
This is called the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering.
===HEAPING UP OF PRESENT SUFFERING===
Verily, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous
craving, impelled by sensuous craving, entirely moved by sensuous
craving, kings fight with kings, princes with princes, priests with
priests, citizens with citizens; the mother quarrels with the son, the
son with the mother, the father with the son, the son with the father;
brother quarrels with brother, brother with sister, sister with
brother, friend with friend. Thus, given to dissension, quarreling and
fighting, they fall upon one another with fists, sticks, or weapons.
And thereby they suffer death or deadly pain.
And further, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous
craving, impelled by sensuous craving, entirely moved by sensuous
craving, people break into houses, rob, plunder, pillage whole houses,
commit highway robbery, seduce the wives of others. Then, the rulers
have such people caught, and inflict on them various forms of
punishment. And thereby they incur death or deadly pain. Now, this
is the misery of sensuous craving, the heaping up of suffering in this
present life, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous
craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on sensuous
craving.
===HEAPING UP OF FUTURE SUFFERING===
And further, people take the evil way in deeds, the evil way in
words, the evil way in thoughts; and by taking the evil way in
deeds, words, and thoughts, at the dissolution of the body, after
death, they fall into a downward state of existence, a state of
suffering, into perdition, and the abyss of hell. But, this is the
misery of sensuous craving, the heaping up of suffering in the
future life, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous
craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on sensuous
craving.
 Not in the air, nor ocean-midst,
 Nor hidden in the mountain clefts,
 Nowhere is found a place on earth,
 Where man is freed from evil deeds.
===INHERITANCE OF DEEDS (KARMA)===
For, owners of their deeds (karma) are the beings, heirs of
their deeds; their deeds are the womb from which they sprang; with
their deeds they are bound up; their deeds are their refuge.
Whatever deeds they do-good or evil-of such they will be the heirs.
And wherever the beings spring into existence, there their deeds
will ripen; and wherever their deeds ripen, there they will earn the
fruits of those deeds, be it in this life, or be it in the next
life, or be it in any other future life.
There will come a time, when the mighty ocean will dry up, vanish,
and be no more. There will come a time, when the mighty earth will
be devoured by fire, perish, and be no more. But, yet there will be no
end to the suffering of beings, who, obstructed by ignorance, and
ensnared by craving, are hurrying and hastening through this round
of rebirths.
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Category:Buddhist texts
Category:The Eightfold Path