Keys To The Buddha's Central Teachings - by Hugh Byrne

COURSE

Keys To The Buddha's Central Teachings

With Hugh Byrne

The Buddha's teachings offer the radical potential to end suffering in our lives. He taught a path to abandon painful and afflictive states and cultivate those that lead to the deepest freedom possible in this human life. In this course, we’ll explore the Buddha’s teaching to free the mind and open the heart: This. course on the Four Noble Truths—the Buddha’s teachings on suffering and the end of suffering--will help you 1) understand suffering and the different forms and expressions it takes and recognize and acknowledge when you are experiencing suffering (the first noble truth); 2) understand the cause of suffering--craving--and how clinging to what we want and pushing away what we don't want locks us in suffering and recognizing how, by letting go of craving/clinging--we can experience well-being and freedom (the second noble truth); 3) understand and realize the experience of freedom--Nirvana--that comes from abandoning clinging (the third noble truth); 4) develop the path to the end of suffering--known as the Noble Eightfold Path: a training in living wisely and compassionately, training the mind, and cultivating wisdom. In this six-week course, using the metaphor of a 'key' that allows us to exit from unhelpful states and enter and cultivate beneficial states, we’ll investigate each of these central teachings, how they relate with each other—and how, when wisely cultivated, they lead to the deepest well-being and freedom. Each session will include a period of guided meditation and a talk on the teachings.

AcceptanceHealth & HappinessAwakeningSpiritualLetting GoContemporary BuddhismSpiritualitySpiritualityInsight MeditationMindfulness

Meet your Teacher

Hugh Byrne
Silver Spring, MD, USA

Hugh Byrne has been practicing meditation for three decades and teaching Buddhist meditation and secular mindfulness since 2000. Hugh has many meditations and talks, and three courses on Insight Timer where he has been a teacher since 2016. He has written two books on mindfulness and habit change and leads retreats, workshops, classes and other programs in the United States and internationally. In 2011, Hugh completed a four-year training for meditation retreat teachers led by senior Insight Meditation teachers. He is trained in and teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and completed a three-year training in Somatic Experience, a mind-body approach to healing trauma. Hugh has a law degree from London University and a doctorate in political science from UCLA.

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6 Days

6.2k students

4.9 stars

32 min / day

Acceptance

English

Lesson 1

Keys To The Four Noble Truths: Overview And Introduction: Talk And Meditation

In this first session students learn about the central role that the four noble truths play in the Buddha’s teachings and the role that these teachings can play in helping you find freedom from suffering in your own life. We discuss the Buddha’s birth and upbringing; his search for the end of suffering; his awakening; and his life of teaching that began with sharing his teaching of the four noble truths. This session includes a guided meditation focused on calming the body and mind—and taking our seat in the present moment. Poems shared: ‘Clearing’ by Martha Postlethwaite and an extract from ‘Peace is this moment without judgment’ by Dorothy Hunt. In the next session we will explore the first noble truth—the truth of suffering—and the liberating possibilities that arise from recognizing and acknowledging our own suffering.

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Lesson 2

Keys To The Four Noble Truths: First Noble Truth - Talk And Meditation

In this second session we explore the first noble truth—the truth of suffering—and how recognizing and acknowledging our own suffering provides us with a key to well-being and freedom in our lives. We discuss the meaning of suffering (dukkha, in the Pali language), how it manifests in our lives, and the importance of recognizing when suffering is present in order to be able to abandon it. In James Baldwin’s words, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” This session includes a guided meditation inviting us to open to what is present in body, mind, and heart. Poem shared: ‘Mind Wanting More’ by Holly Hughes. In the next session we will explore the second noble truth—craving/clinging as the cause of suffering—and the liberating possibilities that arise from recognizing our own role in creating or fueling our suffering.

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Lesson 3

Keys To The Four Noble Truths: Second Noble Truth - Talk And Meditation

In this third session we explore the second noble truth—craving/clinging as the cause of suffering—and the possibilities that come from recognizing our own role in creating or fueling our suffering. We discuss the Buddhist understanding that desire is not in itself a problem or something that leads to suffering, but rather that it’s clinging to desire (or aversion, or other forms of resistance to life as it is unfolding) that gives rise to suffering. In the guided meditation we practice bringing kindness, acceptance, and non-judgment to all that is arising, saying ‘yes’ to what is. Poem shared: ‘The Peace of Wild Things’ by Wendell Berry. In Session 4 we will explore the third noble truth—the end of suffering, or Nirvana/Nibbana, the freedom that comes from letting go of craving and clinging.

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Lesson 4

Keys To The Four Noble Truths: Third Noble Truth - Talk And Meditation

In this fourth session we explore the third noble truth—the end of suffering, or Nirvana/Nibbana, the freedom that comes from completely letting go of craving/clinging. We discuss the meaning of ending suffering completely and the Buddha’s teaching that ‘One who understands clinging and non-clinging understands all the dharma.’ In the guided meditation we practice bringing awareness to suffering in our own experience and how we can meet it with kindness and acceptance and experience the freedom that comes with letting go of clinging. Poem shared: ‘Peace is this moment without judgment’ by Dorothy Hunt. In the next session, we will explore the fourth noble truth—the path of training that leads to the end of suffering, known as the Noble Eightfold Path (a training in cultivating ethics, meditation, and wisdom).

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Lesson 5

Keys To The Four Noble Truths: The 4th Noble Truth: The Eightfold Path - Talk And Meditation

In this fifth session, we examine the fourth noble truth—the path of training that leads to the end of suffering, known as the Noble Eightfold Path (a training in ethics, meditation, and the cultivation of wisdom). We briefly discuss the eight elements of the eightfold path: 1) Wise/appropriate/right understanding, and wise intention (the wisdom area); 2) wise speech, action, and livelihood (the area of ethics or virtue); and 3) wise effort, mindfulness, and concentration (the mind training area). In the guided meditation we practice opening to our experience and reflect on the eight elements of the Eightfold Path and how they lead us to insight and freedom. Poem shared: ‘The Journey’ by Mary Oliver. In the sixth and final session we will review and summarize the main teachings and the keys to using these teachings and practices to transform our lives.

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Lesson 6

Keys To The Four Noble Truths: Summary And Review Of 'Keys' - Talk And Meditation

In this final session we review and summarize the main teachings of the course and the keys to using these teachings and practices to transform our lives: 1) recognizing when suffering is present (first noble truth); 2) acknowledging our own role in creating or fueling our suffering through craving/clinging (second noble truth); 3) letting go of clinging and realizing freedom from suffering (third noble truth); and 4) developing the practices of the Eightfold Path that lead to the end of suffering (fourth noble truth). In the guided meditation we practice letting go of mental narratives that keep us tangled and returning to the body and breath—and cultivating a mind that can let everything come and go without clinging or resistance. Poem shared: ‘The Breeze at Dawn’ By Jellaludin Rumi.

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4.9 (579)

Recent Reviews

elissa

December 20, 2025

This course is so good. The exact right amount of information, parable, quotes and instruction to bring the four noble truths to life. Even if you have studied Buddhist thought I think you will enjoy it as a gentle daily reminder.

Fi

November 30, 2025

Really enjoyed this. Thanks so much

Maggie

October 27, 2025

Thank you so much for this wonderful course.

Hedy

October 25, 2025

Thankyou Hugh I have a long journey ahead I look forward to the wisdom it will bring

Troy

September 29, 2025

This was a clear and practical introduction to the four principles. It will allow me to identify steps that I can take to improve my life. Thank you.

Linda

September 15, 2025

Excellent class! Many thanks for your teachings.

K

September 6, 2025

Wonderful course, beautifully delivered, thank you!

Michele

September 5, 2025

A beautiful overview of the Buddha’s teachings! Loved this course!

Angela

September 1, 2025

Thank you for this lovely framework of the four noble truths. I especially loved Hugh Byrne’s calm voice and his sharing of his deep wisdom through explanations, examples and quotes by poets and writers about Buddhism.

Scott

August 29, 2025

Exceptionally thoughtful, kind, gentle and informative.

Lee

August 26, 2025

This was an informative and concise introduction - very much what I was looking for. Delivered with an air of peacefulness in well measured servings that satisfied, but left me eager for the next installment. I completed the course as suggested over six days and that worked well for me. I look forward to exploring his other courses.

dale

August 25, 2025

Who knows how many lives you have changed, Hugh? Mine for sure! Having just experienced a tragic event followed by ultimate clinging, I am beginning my path to Nirvana. I am ready. My thanks to you.

Danielle

August 20, 2025

Thank you for this wonderful course, Hugh. The 4 noble truths are so simple, and so incredibly challenging. 🙏

Liz

August 17, 2025

Beautifuly created and produced. I will take this course again to reinforce it's message for me. Hugh is a gifted teacher, and I am thankful for his courses and meditations.

Jonathan

August 9, 2025

What a wonderful 6 days. I will revisit these talks and meditations. I’m grateful for you and insight timer ❤️

Helen

August 2, 2025

Hugh delivers this course in a well paced and easy to follow way.. I have found it very helpful. Thank you.

Janice

July 21, 2025

So wonderful. informative and easy to understand. well paced. Really grateful.

Ash

July 17, 2025

Such a powerful and accessible course. Highly recommend. My sincerest gratitude for this experience.

Judith

July 17, 2025

Excellent! Thank you so much for these wonderful classes!

Wendy

July 16, 2025

Excellent introduction to the Four Noble Truths. I highly recommend this series for anyone interested in learning more about how suffering impacts our life experiences.

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