In a recent podcast Click here, according to Stephen Batchelor, the author of the book, Buddhism Without Beliefs, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha simply by “becoming fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths.” Batchelor even provides a vague citation from the Samyutta-Nikaya which I am assuming for now is 56 Saccasamyutta, 24 (4) Arahants (Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation). The important line to his claim is this:
"Whatever Arahants, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, at present have fully awakened to things as they really are, all have fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths as they really are."
While it cannot be denied that the Buddha said this, Batchelor treats the contents of this pericope as if it were the only instance in the Pali canon in which the Buddha explains awakening. As a matter of fact, the Buddha made other and different remarks about his awakening in which he made no reference to the Four Noble Truths. This is certainly evident from the Ariyapariyesana Sutta (M. i. 167–168).
Looking over the Ariyapariyesana Sutta, we read that the Buddhas was, before his awakening, “seeking the unborn, the uttermost security from the bonds—nibbana” and in fact, eventually “won the unborn, the uttermost security from the bonds—nibbana.” In the same section of this Sutta, the Buddha goes on to say, "Knowledge and vision arose in me: Unshakable is freedom for me, this is the last birth, there is not now again-becoming." He then goes on to declare: “This dhamma, won by me is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, tranquil, excellent, beyond dialectic, subtle, intelligible to the learned” (trans. I.B. Horner). This recondite dhamma or Dharma the Buddha won, I hasten to point out, is not the Four Noble Truths!
Glancing now at the Udana (Verses of Uplift), the very first chapter, which is about the Buddha’s awakening, again the Buddha makes no mention of the Four Noble Truths. He covers both forward and reverse, the 12 nidanas or links of conditioned existence.
Still more is to be found in the Samyutta-Nikaya, at Brahmasamyutta, 1 (1) Brahma's Request (this is Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation). Here, the Buddha is at the foot of Goatherd's Banyan Tree just after his awakening. He speaks about the profound Dharma he has discovered. He laments that this generation delights in adhesion (âlya), rejoices in adhesion. There is no mention of the Four Noble Truths. Next, we come to these verses.
The Buddha of the past,
The future Buddhas,
And he who is the Buddha now,
Removing the sorrow of many—
All have dwelt, will dwell, and dwell,
Deeply revering the true Dhamma:
For the Buddhas
This is a natural law.
Therefore one desiring his own good,
Aspiring for spiritual greatness
Should deeply revere the true Dhamma,
Recollecting the Buddha's teaching.
The Buddha says that we who are aspiring for spiritual greatness, i.e., Buddhahood, should deeply revere the true Dhamma (S., saddharma). Again, no mention of revering the Four Noble Truths. However, it is striking how important Dharma is in the Buddha’s awakening and his subsequent ministry.
"Well explained has been the Dhamma by the Blessed One, the Dhamma that bears fruit here and now, not subject to time [for results], that invites every man to come and see for himself, leading to the highest good, to be experienced by the wise in their very self" (M. i. 265).
Batchelor, from what I can surmise, is either unaware of the existence of the Ariyapariyesana Sutta (M. i. 167–168) including the other Suttas just covered or he has a hidden agenda to rid Buddhism of its esoteric roots which are exemplified by this passage from the Mahâmâlunkya Sutta (M.i.435-36).
“He turns his mind from these things [the five psychophysical constituents]; and when he has turned his mind from these things he focuses his mind on the immortal element thinking: ‘This is the real, this the excellent, that is to say the tranquilizing of all the activities, the casting out of all clinging, the destruction of craving, dispassion, stopping, nibbana (nirvana).’”
First discourse of the Buddha describing his awakening: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta [NB: There are three other translations available as well]
Posted by: Ashin Sopāka | December 30, 2009 at 10:10 AM