1. the Four Noble Truths (Budd.), covered by the acronym 苦集灭道 (kǔjímièdào): all life is suffering 苦 (kǔ), the cause of suffering is desire 集 (jí), emancipation comes only by eliminating passions 灭 (miè), the way 道 (dào) to emancipation is the Eight-fold Noble Way 八正道 (bāzhèngdào)