苦集滅道

1. • the Four Noble Truths (Budd.), namely: 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
2. • also called 四谛 sìdì

Character by character

• 苦(kǔ)bitter
• 集(jí)gather
• 滅(miè)extinguish or put out
• 道(dào)road