The Four Noble Truths
The Four Noble Truths the Buddha taught are: (1) The world is full of suffering (dukkha in Sanskrit, or unease); (2) There is a cause of this suffering; (3) There is an end to suffering; and (4) There is a path to the end of suffering.  

The Buddha’s timeless wisdom on the Truth of Suffering and the Cause of Suffering is more relevant than ever as we navigate this increasingly uncertain and polarized time.

In this audio presentation, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche teaches the first two of the Four Noble Truths, Suffering and the Cause of Suffering. Rinpoche explains how if suffering were intrinsic, we would be unable to escape from suffering.  In fact, suffering arises with causes and conditions, and the root cause lies within our mind, not outside. With humor, authenticity and unwavering compassion, Rinpoche interprets the Buddha’s profound wisdom teachings and provides practical advice for liberating ourselves from suffering. New students and experienced practitioners alike will receive immense benefit from listening to these teachings. Listening to these over and over can help loosen habitual tendencies, soften our mind and heart, and slowly liberate us from suffering.

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Rinpoche has also taught, “People have a lot of resistance to seeing themselves honestly. But the point of being a Dharma practitioner is to joyfully and universally look at ourselves. To look at ourselves universally means to see that everyone is like us. No matter who they seem to be on the outside, like us, they could still be miserable inside. Learning to confront ourselves universally also means not taking things so personally. The work that we have to do personally is the work we have to do universally. That’s how one gets enlightened.”

Read more about suffering and its causes in this article: Purifying the Poison of Timuk, Deep Mental Fog