Kristina Baré on “The Four Noble Truths Meeting the Complex World”

A reflection on practice by Kristina Baré

In a world facing deep unrest, the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths offer both clarity and compassion. As taught in the discourse on “Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma” (SN 56.11):

(1) There is dukkha—the unsatisfactoriness and suffering of life.
(2) Its cause is craving.
(3) Dukkha ceases when we release craving.
(4) There is a path to the cultivation of wisdom that allows for release—the Noble Eightfold Path.

Dukkha includes obvious pain, but also the deeper unease that comes from resisting change, loss, and uncertainty. Pain is part of life, but suffering arises in how we meet it. When we feel anger, fear, or despair in response to the world, wisdom invites us to gently inquire, “What am I resisting? What am I holding on to?” The Second and Third Truths guide us to explore how clinging fuels reactivity—and how letting go opens space for equanimity. Yet, this is not cold detached equanimity, but an inner balance that guides caring action. The Fourth Truth guides how to respond: with wise view, ethical action, and a heart grounded in deep care. When the heart is in a place of greater release, it can respond with wisdom and compassion rather than react with fear and anger. This is good for the world and for ourselves.