The Buddhas Four Noble Truths: A Logical Basis For Philosophy Essay

The Buddha's Four Noble Truths: A Logical Basis for Philosophy The Buddha Shakyamuni was born in the 6th century BCE in the area presently known as Nepal. During his 80 year lifetime, he systematically developed a pragmatic, empirically based philosophy which he claimed would lead its followers towards an enlightened existence. Buddhism is commonly called a religion; however, it differs from the usual definition of a religion in that it has no deities, does not promote worship of demigods, and is based on logical reasoning and observation rather than spiritual faith. At the heart of Buddhist philosophy is the Buddha's enumeration of Four Noble Truths: Dukkha (suffering), Samudaya (origin of suffering), Nirodha (cessation of suffering), and Magga (path to cessation of suffering). The Buddha's Four Noble Truths are based on archetypal traits that were elucidated through careful empirical observance and intensive introspection. These Four Noble Truths form a logically coherent set of axioms upon which the whole of Buddhism is based, and provide a solid foundation for a philosophy which is applicable several millennia after its formulation.{1} "What we call a 'being,' or an 'individual,' or 'I,' according to Buddhist philosophy, is only a combination of ever-changing physical and mental forces or energies...." - Walpola Rahula{2} In order to fully understand the Four Noble Truths, it is necessary to investigate the Buddhist view of the individual and its makeup. In some respects, the manner in which Buddhism deals with the mind/body problem is much more advanced than most religious views, and closer to science's understanding of the mind and body. Rather than postulating the existence of an eternal soul with no physical manifestation, the Buddha taught that the person is really a collection of five skandhas or aggregates. These include rupa (matter), vedana (sensations), sanna (perceptions), samkhara (mental formations), and vijnana (consciousness). The aggregate of matter encompasses all tangible aspects of the world. The aggregate of sensations is akin to the process of sensory input; e.g., the activation of retinal cells in the eye. Vedana does not include the process of perception, however; the act of perceiving the senses, i.e., recognition of external sensations, is within the realm... ...nbsp; The idea of the cycle of death and rebirth, a central tenet to both Buddhist philosophy and the Hindu religion, will not be brought into this discussion of the Four Noble Truths. While reincarnation was very important to Buddha's formulation of his beliefs, it is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for the Four Noble Truths to hold true. When examined from a purely logical and empirical basis, the Four Noble Truths are still valid without the introduction of reincarnation. {2} Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught. Page 25. {3} Sherab Chà ¶dzin Kohn. The Life of the Buddha. Page 19. {4} Sherab Chà ¶dzin Kohn. The Life of the Buddha. Page 19. {5} Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught. Page 29. {6} Sherab Chà ¶dzin Kohn. The Life of the Buddha. Page 19. {7} B. Alan Wallace. Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up. Pages 40-41. {8} Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught. Page 36. {9} Sherab Chà ¶dzin Kohn. The Life of the Buddha. Page 19.