In the world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion; lit. causing death [mārake]|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, the Tathāgata is noble; therefore, these are called the Noble Truths.

SN 56.28  Loka sutta - World

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, ariyasaccāni. Katamāni cattāri? Dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ.

“Bhikkhus, there are these Four Noble Truths. What four? The Noble Truth of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, the Noble Truth of the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|, the Noble Truth of the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|, the Noble Truth of the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|.

Sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya tathāgato ariyo; tasmā ‘ariyasaccānī’ti vuccanti.

In the world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion; lit. causing death [mārake]|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]| is |noble::an ethically noble person, an awakened being, an Arahant [ariya]|; therefore, these are called the Noble Truths.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

Therefore, bhikkhus, effort should be made to |fully understand::understand in principle, then discern in each moment and then experientially penetrate|: ‘This is suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the arising of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the end of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the way of practice leading to the end of suffering.’”

Last updated on May 8, 2026