The word ‘ariya’ means to go away from enemies or to escape from enemies. So ariya is that which is truly desirable in all respects. Dukkha is that which is undesirable and the Ariya-sacca are those things which are truly desirable, because they take us away from all these enemies.

We told you the other day that all of Buddhism is contained in the Ariya-sacca. Sacca means ‘truth’ or ‘reality.’ So Ariya-sacca is the truth that frees us from all enemies, the reality that allows us to escape from all enemies, that is from all suffering. The Ariya-sacca are the new life, the life that is completely free of all dukkha. This is how we should understand the words ‘Noble Truths’ – the truths that free us from everything undesirable, everything dangerous.

– Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu –

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THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

8901 (2 of 7) Meaning of ‘Ariya-sacca’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MitTeV1BzbE&list=PLWPh4CKxHuQ_wCVzH2u1lg9-h3S682T4Y&index=2