Four Noble Truths (cattāri ariya-saccāni)
Skillful qualities / Four Noble Truths
Part of key topic The Four Noble Truths
Also a subtag of Mindfulness of dhammas and Gradual Teaching
Subtags: Noble Truth of Suffering, Cause of Suffering, Cessation of Suffering, Path to the Cessation of Suffering
42 excerpts, 2:33:47 total duration

All excerpts (42) Most relevant (12) Questions about (7) Answers involving (31) Stories (2) Quotes (3) Texts (2)

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“On ‘The Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of The Dhamma,’ toward the end it says, ‘my knowledge and vision of reality of regarding the Four Noble Truths, in their three phases and twelve aspects.’ What are the ‘three phases and twelve aspects?’ Thanks for your teachings.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths ]

Sutta: SN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation)

2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 2, Excerpt 1


Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 16 – Apr. 28, 2001

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4. “His way of teaching was direct....He would use the essential teaching of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths.” Recollection by Ajahn Sumedho. [Teaching Dhamma] [Four Noble Truths] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Human] [Culture/Thailand] [Ageing] [Sickness] [Death] [Spiritual traditions] [Self-identity view]

Quote: “It’s the suffering that awakens you.” — Ajahn Chah [Suffering] [Liberation]


Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 26 – Apr. 29, 2001

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16. Quote: “The Eightfold Path is here within us. Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, a tongue, and a body.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Eightfold Path] [Sense bases] // [Heart/mind] [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Four Noble Truths]


The Gradual Training, Session 2 – Oct. 20, 2012

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7. Comments about the role of heaven as a haven in the practice. [Deva] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Four Noble Truths] [Gradual Teaching]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 5 – Nov. 27, 2013

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9. “Where do the Brahma-Viharas fit into the 4 Noble Truths?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths] [Divine Abidings]


Questions and Answers with Dharma Realm Buddhist University – Nov. 18, 2014

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21. “How do you not objectify this awareness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness] [Proliferation] // [Four Noble Truths] [Suffering] [Relinquishment] [Investigation of states]

Quote: “If you objectify awareness, you’re going to suffer.” [Nature of mind]

Quote: “These Four Noble Truths are not an endpoint, they are something that you’re internalizing and using in your meditation practice and in your daily life.” [Four Noble Truths] [Meditation] [Everyday life]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 2 – Nov. 23, 2014

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1. “On ‘The Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of The Dhamma,’ toward the end it says, ‘my knowledge and vision of reality of regarding the Four Noble Truths, in their three phases and twelve aspects.’ What are the ‘three phases and twelve aspects?’ Thanks for your teachings.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths ]

Sutta: SN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation)


Jhāna: A Practical Approach, Session 3 – Oct. 10, 2015

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5. “Is jhāna only in meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Jhāna] // [Right Concentration]

Quote: “Only farangs [Westerners] go into meditation rock climbing! Does he contemplate the Four Noble Truths?” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Culture/West] [Recreation/leisure/sport] [Four Noble Truths] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Relinquishment]


Jhāna: A Practical Approach, Session 4 – Oct. 10, 2015

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5. “Is the purpose of jhāna aand meditation to build up the strength of the mind so we will be able to contemplate the Four Noble Truths?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Heart/mind] [Four Noble Truths] [Jhāna] // [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation]

Sutta: AN 4.170: In Conjunction


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6 – Nov. 26, 2015

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1. “In working with the Four Noble Truths, to understand suffering, does the Buddha mean knowing for instance the pain in your heart, the stress around your eyes, or does he also mean to see with insight its karmic effect on yourself and others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Kamma] // [Suffering] [Pāli] [Happiness]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 4 – Nov. 22, 2016

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8. “Could you describe the detail of the four noble truths? What are they? How do we apply them to real modern lives?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths]


Two Kinds of Thought and the Removal of Distracting Thoughts, Session 3 – Jun. 4, 2017

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3. Comment: Our group talked about what we use to deal with our thoughts, the Four Noble Truths, and perfectionism. [Four Noble Truths] [Directed thought and evaluation]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “You can’t go wrong by coming back to the Four Noble Truths.” [Four Noble Truths]

Simile: The footprint of all animals fit within the footprint of an elephant. In the same way, all the teachings of the Buddha will fit into the Four Noble Truths. — Sariputta, MN 28 [Four Noble Truths] [Similes] [Teaching Dhamma] [Great disciples]


Developing Skill in Reflective Meditation, Session 1 – Dec. 1, 2019

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5. “I recently went to a Zen gathering. My understanding is that they don’t focus on the Four Noble Truths. They try to be present in the moment and get to some sort of no-mind state. How did this arise and why is it considered Buddhism?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Zen] [Four Noble Truths] [Present moment awareness] [History/Mahāyāna Buddhism] // [Emptiness] [Buddha]

Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits a Dzogchen master who says, “Whatever teachings you hear, if they don’t fit into or fulfill the Four Noble Truths, then it’s just not Buddhism.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Vajrayāna] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Four Noble Truths]