1.2.9. The Four Noble Truths

“As a physician prescribes medicine according to the illness, so the Buddha taught according to the suffering of beings.”

The Four Noble Truths represent Buddhism’s core teaching about the nature and cessation of suffering. Using a medical diagnostic model, this chapter examines how the Buddha identified existence’s inherent unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), traced its origins to craving and attachment, and prescribed a systematic path to liberation. Through understanding these truths, we gain insight into how spiritual transformation occurs and how the alchemical work parallels this ancient wisdom.

Gautama Buddha came up with this succinct definition and solution to the problem facing living creatures. At that time, Indian medical systems had a four-fold approach to sickness: definition, cause, remedy, treatment. The Four Noble Truths follow this pattern.

The First Noble Truth — All is Dukkha

The first noble truth recognises that existence is inevitably caught up with dukkha. Dukkha means suffering, but it includes subtle forms of unsatisfactoriness that permeate existence, even when we feel happiness. As all things change, even joy gives way to loss and craving, thus generating further suffering. Dukkha is unavoidable and tied to existence itself.

The Second Noble Truth — Dukkha arises through craving

Craving arises through a chain of conditions called Dependent Arising. The mind clings to sense objects that bring temporary satisfaction, mistakenly feeling that identity and wholeness depend on these impermanent things. Craving stems from pleasant feeling, which stems from contact, which stems from the six sense bases, which arise from mind and body, which itself arises through choice, which itself arises from delusion. This delusion is bound closely with consciousness itself.

The Third Noble Truth — Liberation is possible once craving ceases

The Buddha realised that liberation is possible once the mind ceases to cling. This cessation frees beings from the cycles of suffering and rebirth known as Saṃsāra. Liberation requires profound insight into the nature of craving, self, and attachment.

The Fourth Noble Truth — The Path leading to liberation is the Eightfold Noble Path

The Eightfold Path provides the method for ending suffering:

1. Right Intention — resolve and commitment to enlightenment.
2. Right Speech — ethical communication, avoiding deceit, slander, and gossip.
3. Right Action — moral conduct, refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct.
4. Right Livelihood — ethical profession, avoiding harmful occupations.
5. Right Effort — cultivating wholesome states and reducing unwholesome ones.
6. Right Mindfulness — careful observation and awareness of experience.
7. Right Concentration — development of meditation and tranquillity.
8. Right View — gaining correct perspective on reality through insight.

Following the path progressively leads the practitioner closer to breakthrough moments of transcendental awareness, where deeply rooted concepts binding one to Saṃsāra are permanently destroyed. These breakthroughs occur in stages, with each cutting off layers of delusion known as the ten fetters. The final stage completely eliminates all clinging, ending suffering and rebirth.

Stages of Transformation

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

The Noble Eightfold Path Components

This text is excerpted from the book Nigredo: A Course in Modern Alchemy. The complete book includes additional study guides, resources, and appendices. View the full book here.