Chapter 3, Four Truths, The Disease, the Cause, the Cure, the Medicine Summary and Analysis

Early teachings of Buddha are solutions to the fundamental problem of life, of suffering. There are four truths concerning suffering, truths concerning its nature, its cause, its cure and the medicine. These truths are not a Buddhist creed, however; they are four realities, not propositions. The starting point of the teachings of Buddha is the reality of suffering. In fact, suffering is everywhere. Everyone will suffer, or deal with duhkha, a term rich in meaning. There is self-evident suffering, such as physical pain. Some see Buddhism as a bleak, world-denying philosophy because of its concept of suffering, but Buddhists see this reaction as a refusal to face reality.

Early Buddhism must be seen in terms of the growth of renouncer groups...