Is samsara = dukkha ?

In the simple form:

1st Noble Truth = Truth of dukkha
2nd Noble Truth = Truth of the cause of dukkha
3rd Noble Truth = Truth of the cessation of dukkha
4th Noble Truth = Truth of the way to the end of suffering, the 8-fold path

What is dukkha? In everyday words, dukkha is often translated as "suffering" or sometimes "stressful". If I have to choose between the two, I would choose the second one.

What is the origin of dukkha? It's ignorance, the "not knowing" the reality of the 4NT itself, or some may prefer the not knowing what samsara and nibbana is all about.

The Third Noble truth is the end of suffering. Some says that it is when there is no more suffering. Some say that it is nibbana. I say it's both. However, to me the end of suffering is not the end of the process, but the "..." that is not bound by samsara, not bound by ignorance, which is simply is nibbana. Although I believe it is also correct to say that dukkha is ended when all the 10 fetters have been eradicated, so arahants has no dukkha even when they are alive, I tend to link the First Noble Truth to samsara itself. The condition of samsara as "impermanence, non-self, and suffering/stressful " is packaged in "dukkha". So in another word, there is only dukkha and nibbana. Dukkha = conditioned = samsara-ing, while on the other hand, nibbana = unconditioned , unborn, deathless, cannot be found/not found.

The Forth Noble Truth is known when the noble ones realized the first 3 Noble Truths, as when they realize these Noble Truths, it becomes clear to them as to how to practice in the correct way, which is the 8-fold path.


There are a lot of questions reagarding the First Noble Truth. It goes like; "when I am happy and do not suffer, I am not in dukkha, so does the First Noble Truth apply in this case?"; or something like; "if a heavenly being are constantly happy and do not experience, do the First Noble Truth apply to them?

I'd say "yes". As stated in the co-independent origination, ignorance is the root of all things in samsara, then as ignorance has not been uprooted, samsara is still inherently dukkha. The only exception when the 5 aggregates are not dukkha is when one becomes an arahant and is no longer fooled by avijja, ignorance. As there is no ignorance, the root of dukkha has already been eliminated. Even though there are still 5 aggregates, these five aggregates are merely aggregates and are not bound by the rules of karma of samsara in the same way as for unenlightened beings like us.