In week 2 of the ‘Four Noble Truths’ series, Chandana looked at the truth of the causes of suffering. The Buddha applied a highly systematic approach to identifying these, based on the idea of conditionality acting through a sequence of links (or ‘nidānas). Our sense organs give rise to contact; contact gives rise to positive or negative feelings, and these feelings normally (but not necessarily) give rise to craving or aversion. These two ‘root poisons’, plus a third – ignorance’ – are, then, the causes of our mental suffering.
Next week the outlook will become a little sunnier!