The Four Noble Truths, in twelve points, as foundation and framework of refuge (and practice):
1) This is suffering (to be understood)
- Of suffering there are three kinds: direct suffering (pain, hardship and the like); suffering of change (the transient nature of pleasurable sensations); pervasive suffering of conditioning
- That which is conditioned is that which is dependently arisen
- Thus, all conditioned things are impermanent, all conditioned things are cause for suffering (subject to origination, subject to cessation)
2) This is the origin to suffering (to be abandoned)
- Ignorance of the twelve links of dependent origination
- This leads to grasping to that conditioned, sourced from disillusionment, aversion, and attachment
- From which emerge the five mental factors that hinder progress in meditation: sensuous desire; ill will; sloth and torpor; restlessness and scruples; skeptical doubt
3) This is the end to suffering (to be fully realized)
- Wisdom from arousing an awakening mind in renunciation
- The realization that self and phenomena are of dependent origination and thus empty of intrinsic existence.
- That is awareness of emptiness, true nature of reality, Peaceful Nirvana.
4) This is the way to the end of suffering (to be fully developed)
- Method or means (practice in Mindful Compassion)
- That is, the way of the Eightfold Path (accumulation of morality, concentration and wisdom)
- With aspects of renunciation (non-attachment), compassionate awaking mind, and awareness in calm abiding.