Let’s study together thru the conversation of the students who really need to know about “Buddhism”

Tim :  Rob, have you finished reading these books ?

Rob : Yes.  I will give them back to you

          so that I can borrow some new ones.

Tim :  All right.  Please choose what you like.

Rob : Tim, what is the real heart of Buddhism ?

          I wondered why I had not found mention of

          the heart of Buddhism in these books.

Tim :  Actually, the Buddha did not state

          Which one of His teachings was

          the heart of Buddhism.

          Therefore, several Buddhist teachings,

          e.g. the Four Noble Truths,

          The Three Universal Characteristics,

          Dependent Origination,

          the Three Admonitions and Heedfulness

          have been considered by Buddhist scholars

          to be the heart of Buddhism. 

          However, the Buddha has said that

          it is because we fail to understand

          the Four Noble Truths, that we have continued

          so long in the cycle of birth and death.

          In addition, in this first sermon given to the five ascetics,

          The Buddha spoke primarily about the Middle Path

          and the Four Noble truths.  These indicate

          how important the Four Noble Truths are.

          Apparently, the Buddha never delivered

          this sermon again except for explain it

          in greater detail and in different ways.

Rob : So you think that the Four Noble Truths

          are the heart of Buddhism.       

Tim :  Yes, of course.

Rob : What do they include ?         

Tim :  The Four Noble Truths include

          the truth of suffering,

          the truth of the cause of suffering,

          the truth of end of suffering, and

          the truth of path leading to the end of suffering.

Rob : I am wondering why Buddhism begins with

          the truth of suffering.  It sounds so pessimistic !         

Tim :  Well, suppose I get seriously ill, I may say to you,

          “Oh, why do I have to face this suffering?”

          Will you think that I am pessimistic ?

Rob : No, not at all.  You speak the truth.

          Illness always causes a lot of suffering.        

Tim : Who can avoid illness ?

          Who can avoid aging ?

          Who can avoid sorrow and death ?

          No one can avoid suffering.

          Consequently, I would say that Buddhism is

          neither pessimistic nor optimistic but realistic !

Rob : That’s true.  The longer we continue in

          this cycle of existence, the more we face suffering.

Tim : Actually, the Buddha has not stated only

          the truth of suffering, He has also pointed out that

          the great cause of suffering is craving.

          Finally, He has taught how to remove craving.

          When craving has been removed, then suffering ends.  

          If we take the Four Noble Truths into consideration,

          we can see that the main concept of this sermon is

          the relationship between cause and effect :

          the second truth is the cause of the first truth,

          while the fourth is the cause of the third.

Rob : The first and the third truths are the effects of

          the second and the fourth truths respectively.          

Tim : That’s right.  Now, Rob, do you see that the idea of

          cause and effect is the real heart of Buddhism and

          is at the heart of the “Four Noble Truths” ?

Rob : Yes, I agree with your analysis.

          Thank you very much, Tim. 

Tim : It has been my pleasure.

Thanks & regards : AJ S.Srisopa (Cr. All Dhamma teachers) &  TCDC Thailand