The First Noble Truth says the rebirth process is dominated by suffering, with relatively few rebirths of ‘mind-made pleasure’. Living beings maintain the rebirth process by engaging in immoral deeds to acquire ‘mind-made sensory pleasures’. Anything built on a ‘faulty platform’ can only lead to suffering in the long run; that statement encompasses the First and Second Noble Truths.
September 19, 2026
‘Suffering’ Refers to ‘Overall Suffering’ in the Rebirth Process
1. The teachings of the Buddha must be understood based on their core tenets. Life does not end at the death of the physical body, but unlike in other religions, there is no permanent soul-type entity that would live forever.
- Instead, the Buddha taught that the rebirth process is sustained by ‘kammic energy’ accumulated over past lives and the current life. That kammic energy is of two types: the ‘good variety’ gives rise to existences in one of 27 ‘good realms’, and the ‘bad variety’ gives rise to existences in four realms, including the animal realm (collectively called the ‘apāyās‘). Of course, we can see only the human and animal realms.
- Most living beings are trapped in the ‘suffering -filled’ apāyās for unimaginably long times. Rebirths in the ‘good realms’ happen rarely for a given living being, because most of the ‘kammic energies accumulated’ are of the ‘bad variety.’
- Furthermore, even those living in the ‘good realms’ are destined to be reborn in the apāyās in the future. Lifetime in any realm is finite, and thus, death or the ultimate suffering is associated with the good realms, too.
Kammic Energy Is Acquired Based on Ignorance of the Noble Truths
2. What is the basis of accumulation of kammic energy? The answer is easy to realize when we think about the goal of life for any human.
- From childhood, we are encouraged to study hard to get a good education and, eventually, a good job. The goal is to make money so that one can live a ‘good life’.
- What is a ‘good life’? If one can afford a big house, high-end cars, nice clothes, delicious meals, etc., then one is supposed to live a ‘good life’.
- In other words, the goal is to optimally satisfy the five physical senses, which, in turn, makes one’s mind happy.
- But what if that ‘perceived happiness’ is based on an untruth? What if there are no such attractive houses, cars, or attractive people of the opposite sex? What if there are no tasty foods or ‘good music’?
- It turns out that all those so-called ‘pleasurable things’ do not exist in the world. The Buddha offered many analogies to show that ‘sensual pleasures’ are mirages devoid of value; he compared them to a meatless bone, dry grass, a pit of burning red-hot coals (because immoral deeds done to acquire them lead to rebirths filled with suffering), among others. See “Alagaddūpama Sutta (MN 22).”
Seeing the ‘Anicca Nature’ Comes First for Most People
3. Before one can understand the last two Noble Truths (how suffering can be eliminated and the Noble Eightfold Path to accomplish that), one must understand ‘what suffering means’ (Dukkha Sacca) and ‘how suffering arises’ (Dukkha Samudaya Sacca). Note that ‘sacca‘ is pronounced ‘sachcha’; see “Pāli Words – Writing and Pronunciation.”
- As we have discussed, Dukkha Sacca (the First Noble Truth) is not about the vedanā felt at the present time, but the unimaginable suffering possible/likely to occur in the future due to one’s current actions. See “Is Suffering the Same as the First Noble Truth on Suffering?“
- Behind that ‘First Noble Truth’ is the fact that all such future suffering arises via attachment to ‘worthless and mind-made sensory experiences’. That truth reveals the ‘false foundation’ (the mirage of sensory pleasure generated via ‘distorted saññā‘) on which the world operates.
- At the time of the Buddha, most people began their efforts with faith (saddhā) in the Buddha’s word that our sensory experiences are mind-made. That was not blind faith, but was based on their belief in the cycle of rebirth and the laws of kamma. Those people were the ‘saddhānusārī‘.
- Thus, most people first glimpsed how future suffering (‘dukkha‘) arises through faith in the Buddha’s words (‘saddhā‘) that attachment to sensory pleasures is the root cause of dukkha, as stated in many suttās. An example is the “Alagaddūpama Sutta (MN 22)” mentioned in #2 above. Another sutta is the Upanisa Sutta, which we will discuss now.
Upanisa Sutta – Saddhā by ‘Seeing Dukkha‘
4. The “Upanisa Sutta (SN 12.23)” discusses factors that indirectly help clarify related concepts. It begins by noting that Nibbāna is reached by comprehending the origin (samudaya) and ceasing (atthaṅgama or nirodha) of ‘mind-made rūpa‘, and subsequently the corresponding ‘mind-made’ entities of vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra, and viññāṇa. As we have discussed, rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra, and viññāṇa refer to the corresponding upādānakkhandha or their ‘mind-made parts’; see “Rupa, Vedanā, Saññā, Saṅkhāra, Viññāṇa – Mostly Misunderstood.”
- Then, @marker 1.9, it starts discussing the ‘immediate supporting condition’ to reach Nibbāna, starting with vimuttī, which in turn is helped by virāga. The subsequent supporting conditions are nibbidā, yathābhūtañāṇadassana, samādhī, sukha, passaddhi, pītī, pāmojja, saddhā, and dukkha. Note that starting with dukkha, the sutta also lists each of the ‘immediate supporting conditions’ for dukkha. Those are jātī, bhava, upādāna, taṇhā, vedanā, phassa, saḷāyatana, nāmarūpa, viññāṇa, saṅkhāra, and avijjā.
- Note that the latter set in red describes how dukkha originates; those entities are the steps in Paṭicca Samuppāda (in reverse order).
- The initial set in blue represents the opposite, i.e., how one reaches Nibbāna, starting with saddhā (again listed in reverse order). Read this sutta carefully. The English translation in the link is good enough.
- The sutta, in essence, states that a ‘saddhānusārī‘ starts by seeing the ‘anicca‘ (and ‘dukkha‘) nature. That leads to pāmojja, pītī, etc., as listed in reverse above, ending in Nibbāna.
- Those people (saddhānusārī) confirm that initial partial conviction by grasping some aspect of the ‘anatta nature’ at the Sotāpanna phala moment. More on that below.
Different People Reach the Sotāpanna Stage in Their Own Way
5. Even though the ‘saddhānusārī path’ is the more common, it is not the only way. Different people may see the ‘anicca, dukka, anatta nature’ of the world (and the ‘mind-made sensory pleasures’) in different ways on the way to attaining the Sotāpanna stage.
- Once, a bhikkhu went around asking other bhikkhus who had declared the attainment of the Sotāpanna stage how to describe it. They gave different descriptions of what they understood.
- That bhikkhu got confused and complained to the Buddha. The Buddha gave the analogy of asking someone to describe a tree with a unique trunk (black), unique flowers (bright red, resembling pieces of red meat), and unique leaves (a specific, distinctive shape). Some people would identify the tree by its unique trunk, while some others would describe it by its flowers. Others might identify it by the uniqueness of its leaves. But they all had seen the tree! See “Kiṁsukopama Sutta (SN 35. 245).”
Three Ways to ‘See the Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta Nature’
6. We can think of at least three ways in which one could reach the Sotāpanna stage by ‘seeing the anicca, dukkha, anatta nature’ of sensory experiences.
- The first is what we discussed above in #1 through #3, i.e., ‘first seeing the ‘anicca nature’ of accumulating ‘bad kamma‘ that can lead to ‘bad rebirths’ and ‘much future suffering’.
- In previous posts, I discussed a second way to ‘see the anicca nature’ by comprehending the Idappaccayatā Paṭicca Samuppāda process (or equivalently, how the kamma accumulation process starts automatically at the ‘purāna kamma‘ stage. That explanation shows how a mind always moves away from the ‘undefiled dhātu stage’ to a contaminated state by attaching to the ‘distorted saññā‘. The mind of a puthujjana ALWAYS moves in the ‘vipariṇāma direction,’ because it is forced to attach to the kāma saññā that comes with any sensory input, as shown in the following chart.
- For details (with the above chart), see the post, “Sotāpanna Anugāmi and Anicca/Viparināmi Nature of a Defiled Mind.” Also see “A Mind ‘Starts’ at an Almost Pure (Pabhassara) State.”
- A possible third way is to ‘see the anatta nature’ first. Sotāpanna Anugāmis who follow this path are called ‘dhammānusārī‘. Let us discuss that now.
Seeing the ‘Anatta Nature’ First Is More Difficult
7. Seeing the ‘anatta nature’ (the world operates on the falsehood/untruth of ‘mind-made pleasures’) requires understanding that any type of ‘pleasurable rūpa‘ experienced does not actually exist in the world. However, most people find it hard to accept at first. Not only do attractive, colorful sights not exist, but the light itself is a mind-made perception! If you consider ‘delicious food’, such foods are not there in the world either; nothing in the world (apples, sugar, honey, etc.) has an intrinsic taste. See, for example, “Without ‘Mind-Made’ Perception, World Is Colorless, Soundless, Tasteless, Odorless, and Touchless.” Those aspects are unbelievable for most people, because life without such experiences is unimaginable!
- That is why relatively few could first see at least some aspects of the fact that sensory pleasures are not real; they were called ‘dhammānusārī‘.
- Thus, a ‘dhammānusārī‘ (‘paññādhika‘ or with exceptional wisdom) starts by first directly seeing some aspects of the ‘anatta‘ nature.
- We will address the ‘anatta nature’ in the next post: “World Operates on a Falsehood – Confirmation by Modern Science.”
Saddhānusārī and Dhammānusārī – Two Types of Sotāpanna Anugāmi
8. Both Saddhānusārī and Dhammānusārī are ‘Sotāpanna Anugāmis‘. They are guaranteed to attain the Sotāpanna phala moment before they die.
- For both types, the understanding (‘seeing with wisdom’) is firmly established at the Sotāpanna phala moment, when one becomes a Sotāpanna. See “Sōtapanna Anugāmi – No More Births in the Apāyā.”
- However, the full comprehension of the ‘anatta nature’ is realized only at the Arahant stage.
- An important point is the following. These days, recent findings in modern science make it easier to see the ‘anatta nature’ first (and then the anicca, dukkha nature based on that). We will discuss that in the next post, “World Operates on a Falsehood – Confirmation by Modern Science.”
- Let us look at further explanations in the Sutta Piṭaka that helped most people to see the ‘anicca‘ (and ‘dukkha‘) nature first in the days of the Buddha.
First Noble Truth in Just a Single Verse!
9. The Buddha summarized the First Noble Truth about suffering in the “Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11).”
“Idam kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhaṃ ariya saccam:
jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhāṃ, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi vippayogo dukkho, yampicchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhāṃ—saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.”
Translated: Bhikkhus, What is the Noble Truth of Suffering?
“Birth is suffering, getting old is suffering, getting sick is suffering, dying is suffering. Having to associate with things one dislikes is suffering and separation from those one likes. If one does not get what one likes/craves/desires, that is suffering – in brief, the origin of suffering is the craving for the five aggregates of rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra, viññāna (pancupādānakkhandha).
- Pancupādānakkhandha (upādāna or craving/desire for pancupādānakkhandha) represents all we crave in this world.
Yampiccam na labhati tampi dukkham
10. “Yampicchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ” is a shortened version of part of the verse in green. The complete sentence is “Yam pi icchaṃ na labhati tam pi dukkhaṃ.”
- “Yam pi icchaṃ“ means “whatever is liked or craved for.” “Na labhati” means “not getting.” “tam pi dukkhaṃ” means “that leads to suffering.”
- Therefore, that verse says: “If one does not get what one likes/craves/desires, that leads to suffering.“
- That is a more general statement and applies to any situation. We can see that in our daily lives. We wish to hang out with people we like, and being with people we do not like is stressful.
- Furthermore, the more one craves something, the more suffering one will endure. But this requires further discussion.
11. Thus, the “Yampiccam nalabhati tampi dukkhaṃ” (“Yam pi icchaṃ na labhati tam pi dukkhaṃ”) verse gets us closer to the deeper meaning of the First Noble Truth on suffering. Attaching to ‘mind-pleasing things’ is of an ‘anicca (unfruitful) nature’ because it leads to jarā, marana, soka, parideva, etc., i.e., future suffering.
- Note that icca and iccha (ඉච්ච and ඉච්ඡ in Sinhala) are used interchangeably in the Tipiṭaka. The word “iccha” with the emphasis on the last syllable (with “h“) indicates “strong icca” or “strong attachment.”
- The word ‘icca’ or ‘iccha‘ (liking) is closely related to “taṇhā” (getting attached). Tanhā happens automatically because of icca. Average humans (puthujjana) attach to sensory pleasures because they don’t realize that immoral actions based on such attachments will lead to future suffering. Even though they may feel ‘pleasure’ at that time, future suffering is inevitable; i.e., the end result is not what one expected.
- Not getting what one desires or craves is the opposite of “icca” or “na icca” and rhymes with “anicca.” That is the same way that “na āgami” becomes “Anāgāmi” (“na āgami” means “not coming back”; but in the context of Anāgāmi, it means “not coming back to kāma lōka or the lowest 11 realms. Both these are examples of Pāli sandhi rules (connecting two words).
- Also see “Essence of Buddhism – In the First Sutta” and “Anicca vata Saṅkhāra.“
Connection to the Anicca Nature
12. Therefore, even though we like/desire (icca/iccha) some things in this world, those expectations are not met in the long run; more suffering is the result in the long run. In particular, we have to give up everything associated with any existence at least at death. For those who believe in rebirth, it is easier to see how immoral deeds done with icca/iccha can lead to ‘bad rebirths’ and much suffering in the future.
- That is why this world’s intrinsic nature is ‘anicca’. When we don’t get what we desire (‘anicca‘), we suffer. That suffering is UNAVOIDABLE in two situations: (i) at death, we will have to leave all we crave, and (ii) even though we don’t like to be reborn in “suffering-filled realms,” that is where most rebirths take place. That is why the world is of an ‘anicca nature’ and leads to dukkha.
- However, a puthujjana wrongly believes that the world is of a ‘nicca nature’, i.e., one’s desires/expectations can be attained AND maintained. Thus, another (and related) way to explain anicca is as the opposite of ‘nicca’.
- Once a saddhānusārī also sees the ‘anatta nature’ (that the world operates on a ‘false foundation’ and the ‘sensory pleasures’ are almost entirely mind-made), they attain the Sotāpanna phala moment.
- On the other hand, a ‘dhammānusārī‘ sees how the anatta nature leads to anicca and dukkha at the Sotāpanna phala moment; of course, that is the quickest way. It is likely that those who attain the Sotāpanna stage quickly (like Venerables Sariputta and Moggalana) were ‘dhammānusārī‘.
