苦集滅道 kǔ jí miè dào

DEFINITIONS

  1. the Four Noble Truths (Budd.), namely: all life is suffering 苦, the cause of suffering is desire 集, emancipation comes only by eliminating passions 滅|灭, the way 道 to emancipation is the Eight-fold Noble Way 八正道
  2. also called 四諦|四谛

CHARACTERS

苦 kǔ bitter; hardship, suffering
集 jí assemble, collect together
滅 miè extinguish; wipe out, exterminate
道 dào path, road, street; method, way