Who was Siddhartha Gautama?

The first noble truth is the pervasive presence of Suffering in our lives. This truth teaches that life always involves suffering, in obvious and subtle forms. Even when things seem good, we still feel an undercurrent of anxiety and uncertainty inside.

The cause of suffering is fundamental ignorance or misunderstanding about our own nature and the nature of reality. We suffer because of our mistaken belief that things, including us, are separate, independent, and solid. The painful and futile struggle to maintain this delusion of ego is known as Saṃsāra, or cyclic existence.

The good news is that our obscurations are temporary. Therefore, suffering can end because our obscurations can be purified, and the awakened mind is always available. This state is referred to as Enlightenment, or Nibbana, which is the complete cessation of suffering. It is a state of freedom, peace, and liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

The fourth and final truth tells us that by spiritual practice, living ethically, and developing wisdom, we can take the same journey to enlightenment and freedom from suffering that the buddhas do. By following the Noble Eightfold Path, we, too, can become Enlightened.