Table of ContentsChapter 1Buddha's The Four Noble TruthsAbout the authorAbout the bookIdeas of Interest from The Four Noble TruthsThe Reading Selection from The Four Noble Truths[Introduction]First Truth: The Noble Truth of SufferingThe Five Groups of ExistenceDependent Orgination of ConsciousnessThe Three Characteristics of ExistenceThe Three WarningsSamsara, The Wheel of ExistenceSecond Truth: The Noble Truth of the Origin of SufferingThe Threefold CravingHeaping up of Present SufferingHeaping Up of Future SufferingInheritance of Deeds (Karma)Third Truth: The Noble Truth of the Extinction of SufferingDependent Extinction of All PhenomenaNirvanaThe Arahat, or Holy OneThe ImmutableFourth Truth: The Noble Truth of the Path that Leads to the Extinction of SufferingThe Two Extremes and the Middle PathTopics Worth InvestigatingIndexTable of Contents1. Buddha’s “The Four Noble Truths”...............................................................1Ideas of Interest from “The Four Noble Truths” ........................................... 2The Reading Selection from “The Four Noble Truths” ................................3[Introduction]........................................................................................3First Truth: The Noble Truth of Suffering............................................ 4The Five Groups of Existence......................................................5Dependent Orgination of Consciousness..................................... 5The Three Characteristics of Existence .......................................6The Three Warnings.....................................................................8Samsara, The Wheel of Existence............................................... 8Second Truth: The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering................10The Threefold Craving...............................................................10Heaping up of Present Suffering................................................11Heaping Up of Future Suffering ................................................12Inheritance of Deeds (Karma) ...................................................12Third Truth: The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering.............13Dependent Extinction of All Phenomena ..................................13Nirvana ......................................................................................14The Arahat, or Holy One ...........................................................14The Immutable........................................................................... 15Fourth Truth: The Noble Truth of the Path that Leads to the Extinctionof Suffering—The Two Extremes and the Middle Path.............15Topics Worth Investigating.......................................................................... 16Index....................................................................................................................18iChapter 1Buddha’s “The Four NobleTruths”Yogi, detail from The Land of the VedaAbout the author...In his Buddha, The Word,1Paul Carus (1852-1919) compiled some of the fun-damental teachings of the Buddhist Canon. The selection here, “The Four NobleTruths,” is briefly abridged and composes an excellent introduction to Buddhistthought. At the World Parliament of Religions in 1893, Carus became deeply in-fluenced by Eastern philosophies and published a number of works seeking tobridge Western and Eastern thought.1. Paul Carus. Buddha, The Word. 1915.1Chapter 1. Buddha’s “The Four Noble Truths”About the book...After his enlightenment, Buddha elucidated the “Four Noble Truths” in his firstinstruction to his disciples; briefly stated, these truths explain how (1) all who livesuffer, (2) suffering is a result of self, (3) suffering can be avoided, and (4) sufferingcan be extinguished by the “Eightfold Path.” The reading selection after this onecontinues Carus’ compilation of Buddha’s teaching with the “Eightfold Path.”From the reading...“Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is anyfirst beginning of beings, who, obstructed by ignorance, and ensnared bycraving, are hurrying and hastening through this round of rebirths.”Ideas of Interest from “The Four NobleTruths”1. Describe in general terms the Four Noble Truths.2. Name and describe the groups of consciousness. Is the Consciousness Group,itself, one of the groups of consciousness or is it dependent upon the othergroups? Explain.3. If the self or Ego-entity is not real, then how does the illusion of it arise andof what kind of phenomena is it composed? Explain Buddha’s comparison ofthe self to an ocean wave.4. What are the Three Warnings? Of what is it that they warn?5. What is Samsara and how is it related to the First Noble Truth? Describe “theWheel of Existence.”6. Name and describe the kinds of craving that form the origin of suffering?What is the cause of evil choices and actions?7. Describe how one escapes from the “Wheel of Existence.” How is sufferingto be overcome?2 Readings in Eastern Philosophy: An Open-Source TextChapter 1. Buddha’s “The Four Noble Truths”8. What exactly is being sought in Buddhism? Is awakening or realization justannihilation of the self? What, then, is Nirvana? Can one experience Nirvanawhile living?The Reading Selection from “The FourNoble Truths”[Introduction]Thus has it been said by the Buddha, the Enlightened One: It is through not under-standing, not realizing four things, that I, Disciples, as well as you, had to wanderso long through this round of rebirths. And what are these four things? They arethe Noble Truth of Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, the NobleTruth of the Extinction of Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Path that leads to theExtinction of Suffering.As long as the absolutely true knowledge and insight as regards these Four NobleTruths was not quite clear in me, so long was I not sure, whether I had won thatsupreme Enlightenment which is unsurpassed in all the world with its heavenlybeings, evil spirits and gods, amongst all the hosts of ascetics and priests, heav-enly beings and men. But as soon as the absolutely true knowledge and insight asregards these Four Noble Truths had become perfectly clear in me, there arose inme the assurance that I had won that supreme Enlightenment unsurpassed.From the reading...And did the thought never come to you that also you are subject to death,that also you cannot