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'The Trouble with Buddhism' Chapter 1 (The Four Noble Principles) part e (conclusion)

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The Four Noble Principles

As should have been made clear in the preceding argument (see links below), although there are important insights to be found in the Buddhist teaching of the Four Noble Truths, they are not “truths” at all. What they offer of value is instead principles of approach. To avoid confusions and contradictions, to be in harmony with the Middle Way, and to give appropriate support to Buddhist practices, I suggest that they be not only re-phrased but also re-ordered. The results might be something like this:

1. The First Noble Principle: The Middle Way is the Principle of investigation which allows us to get closer to truth through experience
2. The Second Noble Principle: If we are to improve the problematic and unsatisfactory aspects of our experience, we must first recognise that they are problematic and unsatisfactory.
3. The Third Noble Principle: Aspects of our experience are often made problematic and unsatisfactory by greed of a type that can be transformed and rechannelled.
4. The Fourth Noble Principle: Investigating our experience usually shows that progress is possible.

back to chapter 1 page (gives links to arguments on all the above)

Continue to chapter 2 (index page)

Continue directly to chapter 2 part a 'The confusing of sources of knowledge in Buddhism'

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