Welcome to The Four Noble Truths!

In his very first teaching, the historical Buddha highlighted a simple fact: life contains suffering. He then taught what have come to be known as "the four noble truths," essentially a roadmap to navigate that suffering. In this course, teachers Stephen Batchelor, Christina Feldman, John Peacock, and Akincano Weber of Bodhi College invite us to critically investigate these teachings, which are not so much about gaining privileged access to ultimate truth as they are a lifelong practice.

This introductory section will familiarize you with the four noble truths. We will read the Setting the Wheel of the Dhamma in Motion sutta. We will also see how a questioning, independent mindset will help you to get the most out of this course and these teachings. 

If you are already confident with this material, you can skip ahead to Unit 1: Practicing with the Four Noble Truths now. 

Course Schedule

The Four Noble Truths will unfold over six units. Each unit will take roughly 75 minutes to read and watch. There will be suggested topics of reflection and debate to deepen your understanding of the material.

Unit 1 | Practicing with the Four Noble Truths 

with Akincano Weber, Christina Feldman, and Stephen Batchelor 

Unit 2 | Suffering: How to Know It 

with Akincano Weber, Christina Feldman, and Stephen Batchelor, 

Unit 3 | Craving: How to Let Go of It 

with Akincano Weber, Christina Feldman, John Peacock, and Stephen Batchelor 

Unit 4 | Cessation: How to Realize It 

with Akincano Weber, Christina Feldman, and John Peacock

Unit 5 | The Path: How to Cultivate It 

with Akincano Weber, Christina Feldman, and John Peacock

Unit 6 | Bringing the Four Noble Truths into Everyday Life 

with Akincano Weber, Christina Feldman, and John Peacock.