The Noble Truth of Suffering: the First Noble Truth

ISBN 983-9439-75-8
IJ082/04
Size: 5.75” X 8.25”
Pages: 214 pages

"And what, bhikkhus, is birth?
The birth of the various beings
into the various orders of beings,
their being born,
descent,
production,
the appearance of the aggregates,
the acquisition of the sense bases:
this is called BIRTH.

And what, bhikkhus, is ageing&death?
The ageing of various beings
in the various orders of beings,
their growing old,
brokenness of teeth,
greyness of hair,
wrinkling of skin,
decline of vitality,
degeneration of the faculties:
this is called AGEING.

The passing-away of the various beings
from the various orders of beings,
their perishing,
break-up,
disappearance,
mortality,
death,
completion of time,
the break-up of the aggregates,
the laying down of the carcass,
the cutting off of the life-faculty:
this is called DEATH.

~Digha Nikaya ii.9 "Maha-Sati-Patthana-Suttam" (Great Mindfulness-Foundation Sutta)
~Samyutta Nikaya II.i.2 "Vibhariga-Suttam" (Analysis Sutta)
~Majjhima Nikaya I.i.9 "Samma-Ditthi-Suttam" (Right View Sutta)


"These are five talks that were, upon request,
delivered to the devotees of a Buddhist temple in Malaysia.
They requested publication of the talks,
which were modified to that end."
From Preface by Ekacco Bhikkhu