The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are the Buddha's teachings that, once understood, lead to your awakening. These truths are the heart and core teachings of the Buddha. He discovered these truths, through realization, over twenty-five hundred years ago.
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism were the subject of Buddha Shakyamuni's, oft-mentioned, first sermon at Deer Park near Benares. This teaching was given to the five ascetics. These five were the first to embrace the words of the Buddha and grasp the meaning. Truly understanding the meaning is critical to eliminating suffering in your life.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism:

1) The Truth Of Suffering.
2) The Truth Of The Cause Of Suffering.
3) The Truth Of The Cessation Of Suffering.
4) The Truth Of The Path That Ends Suffering.

The Five Ascetics

Legend has it that the five ascetics were, initially, upset with Siddhartha as they believed he had failed. That is, he gave up on neglecting his body and mind. He chose to eat and do the things that are healthy for his mind and body. Siddhartha chose the middle way! He realized neglect and punishment of mind and body is not the way to go. You see, the five ascetics believed in self-neglect as the way to enlightenment. Siddhartha, for a long time, followed this erroneous way, and his five ascetic friends believed him to be remarkable for this -as he was barely clinging to life!
Furthermore, legend has it that he was so weak from self-denial that a gentle river current swept him away. If it wasn't for the good fortune of a tree branch that was hanging low to the water's surface Siddhartha would have drowned. The branch allowed him to get back to shore.
Soon after Siddhartha realized asceticism doesn't work. He gave up this way of existence, or barely existing is a better way to put it. You see, he ate only enough to stay alive. When Siddhartha did awaken to reality, the same five ascetics were upset with him because he gave up their way. But, they noticed something different in his manner and decided to listen to him. The rest is a remarkable and simple path that all people can follow to feeling better.

Dukkha

Dukkha is the Pali word that is translated to English as meaning suffering.
Now, before getting into the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, lets discuss suffering. Some people stop right here because of the negative connotations that are associated with the term suffering.
They say, "Suffering, I want nothing to do with this group. This group (Buddhists) believe and preach suffering, that that's all there is in life."
And, that's exactly the problem with most people. They mask their suffering with anything they can grasp onto. This may be drugs, alcohol, self-illusions, denial... the list goes on and on. This happens at a societal and a cultural level too!
What is really meant is that suffering is a part of life. That people get hurt, get sick, have accidents, and ultimately die, some earlier then they could have or should have and some die late in life. Also, there are mental conditions that affect many people in way of anxiety, panic, fear, shyness, nervousness, etc. These too are sufferings.

Two Truths of Buddhism

Now, it helps to understand the two truths of Buddhism -relative truth and absolute truth. Relative is the truth that all things are relative to other things. Like, tall is to short, big is to small, yin is to yang, sad is to happy, etc. Now, the other truth is where you realize that together relative truths exist as absolute truth. That is, there can and is sad and happy together -that, basically there is a larger picture or scene happening encompassing what constitutes the relative truths.
So, the two truths help us to see that we shouldn't run from suffering, or any of the components that make it up such as fear, death, illness, etc. Yet many people do, and they're always seeking peace of mind and never seem to find it. When you accept that suffering is as much a part of life as joy and happiness is you will begin to experience more joy and happiness. This is because you won't be in denial and avoidance of the perceived bad things in life. You will realize what they are and that it is better to embrace them for what they are then to recoil in disgust and revolt.

Insights:

Now, the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the Buddha's insights, are a tremendous force for the betterment of your life. In fact, you can do better then that. It is possible to let go of suffering, or that which causes suffering, with practice. You can do this by learning and understanding, and then applying the four noble truths to your life you can realize joy.
Again, some say that Buddhism begins on a pessimistic note as the first truth is of suffering. The truth is that this is not the case. Suffering, or unease is reality. This is the very essence of what one has to grasp in order to free oneself and awaken. As the idealism of desiring only optimistic concepts is in itself self-deception and leads to suffering. This is where many belief systems and religions go wrong especially the new-age spiritualism. The reason is plain and simple yet difficult to contend with: reality.
When one denies himself or herself the opportunity to experience reality another curtain of delusion is drawn. The fact that the Buddha states the problem, the cause, the goal, and the cure shows optimistic reality.

Siddhartha's Concern:

There is no doubt the Buddha felt suffering a major concern. He explicitly discusses this in The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. I believe that he is not saying that life is only suffering. What he is saying is that in order to be truly happy you must understand how and why you become unhappy. Then, when you eliminate these things from your life you have freed yourself to experience true happiness. I call it true happiness because there is momentary happiness that is a result of illusory objects. Once this moment of happiness has faded you are again unhappy, discontented, uneasy, anxious, or simply suffering.
This is associated with the truth of impermanance. All things are impermanent. Understand and embody this truth as it is a core aspect of suffering. It is a core aspect of life!

Grasping, Clinging, Craving:

Shakyamuni calls this clinging, grasping and craving. When you attach yourself in any way to some thing due to greed, hatred or delusion, or ignorance, then you experience suffering. He believed and rightly so that suffering is the feeling you have as a direct result of a particular cause, whatever that may be. It could be anything from the death or loss of a loved one to the loss of material possessions, or even financial loss. It could be sickness, yours or others. It could be the final attainment of what you desire such as a new car, home, or object and after-wards having a sense of loss or disinterest due to familiarity.

Enlightenment:

In order to attain enlightenment or some degree of it in the sense of moving along your path of awareness you must know suffering for what it truly is. The Buddha isn't intending that you create suffering in you life. Simply understand it then abandon greed, hatred and delusion or ignorance, the three fires, or the three poisons. If what you do or intend causes suffering in yourself or others then give this way up. Free yourself and realize that this pain can cease. How is this accomplished? The Four Noble Truths includes The Eightfold Noble Path. This path is an actual guide to living your life.
Below are the links to read about the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism as well as the Noble Eightfold Path.

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1) The First of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

2) The Second Noble Truth of Buddhism

3) The Third Noble Truth of Buddhism

4) The Fourth Noble Truth of Buddhism

5) The Noble Eightfold Path.END=OM MANI PADME HUM.( 3 TIMES ).RESEARCH TIBET DHARMA BY VENERABLE GESHE TESERING TASHI.VIETNAMESE TIBET NUN.28/1/2012.