About ending 8 kinds of sufferings(we) human beings have

Q & A
1

First noble truth states that

Eight types of suffering are:

  1. The suffering of birth.

  2. The suffering of old age.

  3. The suffering of illness.

  4. The suffering of death.

  5. The suffering of encountering what is unpleasant.

  6. The suffering of separation from what is pleasant.

  7. The suffering of not getting what one wants.

  8. The suffering of the five appropriated aggregates.

I hope I am not wrong in enlisting them like that.

Following Noble eightfold path is the way to end the above eight sufferings (dukkha).
So my doubts are…

  1. Do all the eight sufferings end simultaneously when birth is ended?(as in cutting the root itself) Or are they ended gradually?
  2. If they are ended gradually then how does every single one of those 8 sufferings end? and is there any sequence for them in which they are ended?

Can someone kindly explain? Or point me directions as to where to look? Or as to what am I missing? Or mention any sutta related?
Thank you for your time!

2

Let’s look at SN 56.11, the famous sutta Dhammacakkappavattanasutta:

Now this is the noble truth of suffering.

Idaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ—

Rebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering; association with the disliked is suffering; separation from the liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering.

jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi vippayogo dukkho, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ—saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.

So, strictly speaking, you get most of the items right. However, I would use “rebirth” (as Ven. @sujato does) instead of just “birth”. Anyway, I am not too inclined in engaging on “rebirth vs. birth” topic right now; if anyone raises another new thread on that topic, I will just most likely watch unless something extraordinary appears.

With the understanding of Physics, we have to be very careful when talking about simultaneity.

I would not use either word “gradually” or “simultaneously” in this case. A better illustration is given by the Buddha as below in DN1 Brahmajālasutta, he didn’t use the word “simultaneously” or “gradually”:

When the stalk of a bunch of mangoes is cut, all the mangoes attached to the stalk will follow along.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni kānici ambāni vaṇṭapaṭibandhāni, sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti;

Illustrated in this way, the aspect akāliko of the Dhamma can be seen more clearly.

Hope that I have explained to you clearly enough and cleared your doubts :pray:.

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3

Ok…I will keep this in mind.

Yes sir…I understand that totally.

Also when noble truths are realized…are they realized in sequence? Like from first to fourth?
As fourth truth is of noble eightfold path…My query is…as person can attain stream-entry only after following noble eightfold path truly and strictly…which is 4th truth itself. So does that mean noble eightfold path is realised in more subtle way during/after stream-entry? I mean what happens exactly during stream-entry regarding 4th truth of noble eightfold path? Which is how person actually reaches there…can you shed light here as well sir?

4

Those are very important questions that deserved a new standalone topic by their own. You should better open a new topic and ask for the monks and nuns input accompanied by the suttas.

As a layman, I can only give you a hint based on Sāriputta’s experience below:

“Of causally arisen things,
“Ye dhammā hetuppabhavā,

The Buddha has declared their cause,
Tesaṁ hetuṁ tathāgato āha;

As well as their ending.
Tesañca yo nirodho,

This is the teaching of the Great Ascetic.”
Evaṁvādī mahāsamaṇo”ti.

When he had heard this teaching, Sāriputta experienced the stainless vision of the Truth:
Atha kho sāriputtassa paribbājakassa imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ sutvā virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi—

“Anything that has a beginning has an end.”
“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhammanti.

“Now this is the truth, even just this much—
Eseva dhammo yadi tāvadeva,

The sorrowless state that you have penetrated,
Paccabyattha padamasokaṁ;

Unseen and neglected
Adiṭṭhaṁ abbhatītaṁ,

For innumerable eons.”
Bahukehi kappanahutehī”ti.

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5

Yes sir you are right…I will open new thread for that

This seems pointing out to realization of first noble truth probably. Also achieving that seems almost impossible…not a child’s play. Phew.
Thank you sir!