The Analysis of the Truths Sutta (Saccavibhaṅga Sutta)
First published: February 15, 2026
What you learn
A detailed analysis of each of the Four Noble Truths with precise definitions of suffering, including birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, distress, and the five aggregates of clinging. You will also learn standard definitions for each factor of the Eightfold Path, providing essential wisdom on how to recognize suffering in experience and how each path factor functions.
Where it sits
This discourse serves as a canonical commentary on the Four Noble Truths, expanding on the First Sermon with precise definitions that are foundational to Buddhist understanding. It holds essential significance as a reference text for understanding the Buddha's core teachings.
Suggested use
Study this sutta when you need to deeply understand what the Buddha meant by suffering or when seeking precise definitions of the Eightfold Path factors. It is valuable for both foundational learning and as a reference guide for clarifying Buddhist concepts.
Guidance
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MN 141 — The Analysis of the Truths Sutta (Saccavibhaṅga Sutta)
mn141:gu:0001Guidance (not part of the sutta)
mn141:gu:0002This discourse presents Sariputta's systematic analysis of the Four Noble Truths, breaking down each truth into its component parts with precise definitions. It serves as a comprehensive examination of Buddhism's foundational framework, explaining what suffering is, how craving operates, what cessation means, and how each factor of the Eightfold Path functions.
mn141:gu:0004- According to the texts, suffering encompasses birth, aging, death, sorrow, pain, distress, and the five aggregates of clinging—including both obvious forms of pain and the fundamental unsatisfactoriness of conditioned existence
- The teachings describe craving as manifesting in three forms: desire for sensual pleasures, for existence and becoming, and for non-existence—distinct patterns that drive the cycle of suffering
- The discourse presents cessation of suffering as the complete elimination of craving, rather than its temporary suppression or management
- The texts outline the Eightfold Path as eight specific factors that can be understood and developed systematically, each with precise definitions and applications
- Thinking the Four Noble Truths are merely philosophical concepts rather than practical realities to be directly experienced and investigated
- Assuming that understanding suffering means becoming pessimistic, when the teachings suggest it provides the foundation for genuine liberation
- Believing that cessation is a distant goal rather than something that can be tasted and developed through practice
- Examine your current experiences through the lens of the Four Noble Truths—identify specific instances of suffering, trace them to their underlying cravings, and notice moments when craving is absent
- Practice one factor of the Eightfold Path with precision today, using Sariputta's definitions to guide your understanding and application
- When facing difficulty, ask yourself which of the three forms of craving might be operating and observe how this recognition affects your relationship to the experience
- Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Teaching - The original presentation of the Four Noble Truths
- The Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness - Detailed instructions on developing the mindfulness factor of the path
- The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness - Advanced understanding of cessation and the unconditioned