In his first teaching,
the Buddha expounded
the basic doctrine
of the Four Noble Truths.

He first declared what he had learned
the day he left the palace;
namely, that suffering
is universal and inevitable.

In the Second Noble Truth,
he explains that the immediate cause
of suffering is desire.
The ultimate cause of suffering, however,
is ignorance concerning the true nature of reality.

The Third Noble Truth
encourages humanity,
asserting that there is a way
to dispel ignorance
and relieve suffering.

This path is detailed
in the Fourth Noble Truth
in the form of the Eightfold Path.