Muni's Play(६) The Four Noble Truths (Āryasatyāni)
Sanskrit
तत्र कतमानि चत्वार्यार्यसत्यानि ?
Translation
In that regard, what are the four Noble Truths?
Sanskrit
दुःखम्। दुःखसमुदयम्। दुःखनिरोधम्। दुःखनिरोधगामिनी प्रतिपदा।
Translation
Suffering; the origin of suffering; the cessation of suffering; and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
I. The Truth of Suffering
Sanskrit
तत्र दुःखमार्यसत्यं कतमत् ? जातिः, जरा, व्याधिः, मरणं दुःखम्।
Translation
What is the Truth of Suffering? Birth, old age, sickness, and death are suffering.
Sanskrit
प्रियविप्रयोगो दुःखम्। अप्रियसंयोगो दुःखम्।
Translation
Separation from the loved is suffering; union with the unloved is suffering.
Sanskrit
रूपं वेदना संज्ञा संस्कारा विज्ञानं दुःखम्।
Translation
The five aggregates: form, sensation, perception, formations, and consciousness are suffering.
Sanskrit
संक्षेपेण पञ्चोपादानस्कन्धा दुःखम्।
Translation
In short, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering.
II. The Truth of Origin
Sanskrit
तत्र दुःखसमुदयमार्यसत्यं कतमत् ? येयं तृष्णा पौनर्भविकी…
Translation
What is the Truth of the Origin of Suffering? It is this craving which leads to rebirth.
Sanskrit
नन्दीरागसहगता तत्रतत्राभिनन्दिनी।
Translation
Accompanied by delight and passion, finding ever-new delight now here, now there.
III. The Truth of Cessation
Sanskrit
तत्र कतमद्दुःखनिरोधमार्यसत्यम् ? यदस्या एव तृष्णायाः… अशेषतः प्रहाणम्।
Translation
What is the Truth of Cessation? It is the total abandoning and cessation of that very craving.
Sanskrit
प्रतिनिःसर्गो व्ययीभावः क्षयो विरागो निरोधो व्युपशमोऽस्तंगमः।
Translation
The relinquishing, destruction, fading away, cessation, and vanishing of it.
IV. The Truth of the Path (The Medical Analogy)
Sanskrit
तत्र दुःखनिरोधगामिनी प्रतिपदा… यदुत आर्याष्टाङ्गमार्गः।
Translation
What is the Path leading to cessation? It is the Noble Eightfold Path.
Sanskrit
तद्यथा-कश्चित्पुरुषो ज्वराभिभूतः… वैद्यमुपसंक्रम्य…
Translation
Just as a man overcome by fever approaches a skilled physician for medicine…
Sanskrit
एवमेव जात्यादिमहाज्वरसंतापिताः… तथागतमुपसंक्रम्य…
Translation
Even so, those scorched by the great fever of birth and death approach the Tathāgata (Buddha).
Sanskrit
तेभ्यो भगवान् निदानं समुदयाख्यामाख्याय आर्याष्टाङ्गो मार्गो महौषधं…
Translation
To them, the Blessed One explains the “Diagnosis” (Origin) and prescribes the “Great Medicine” (the Eightfold Path).
Sanskrit
निर्वाणपुरं गत्वा परिशान्तिमवाप्नोतीति॥
Translation
Entering the City of Nirvana, one attains supreme peace.