the four noble truths

The classic formulation (in italics) of the Four Noble Truths is given like a doctor's prognosis

(1) Suffering exists - in all realms of cyclic existence, from the most heavenly on down to the most hellish
(2) It has a cause - bewilderment, and its manifestation as clinging attachment, both positive (liking) and negative (dislike)
(3) Removal of this cause will bring about removal of the effect - effects are the effects of causes and conditions: these may be modified and purified in such a way that the "illness" - suffering for yourself and others - disappears
(4) There are techniques that do indeed lead to this end - there is a path - The so-called noble eight-fold path

The first point to note is that this does NOT mean that "all life is suffering" as is sometimes propounded as the basis of Buddhism, but that suffering - unsatisfactoriness - is the feeling-tone of everything that is confusion. If your gruntle has gone missing, you may be sure you are confused.

The classic formulation of the eightfold path (following Nagarjuna) is:

right view - what is realised on the path through intelligent investigation
right livelihood - clothing and feeding oneself in accord with the possibilities of reality rather than one's greed
right effort - to practice the path with close attention
right mindfulness - not to lose track of the view
right concentration - one-pointed concentration upon the object of meditation
right speech - to communicate to others the view and to speak in such a way as to be pleasantand helpful towards them
right conduct - comporting oneself in body and mind in such a way as to accord with the view
right thought - the motivation to use one's realisation only for the benefit of others

To be precise, then:

* The five psycho-physical aggregates that make up the idea of a self - that is to say one's form, feelings, perceptions, mental reactions and conscious awareness - and the suffering of change, of not getting what one wants, getting what one doesn't want and of pain and frustration them selves are what is meant by 'suffering'
* and craving and clinging attachment to the delights which seem to make one happy and to the negative experiences which make one uncomfortable or sad are the 'cause'

The whole point of the path is to come to see the reality of the Four Truths - to see why and how it is that they are true.
Once you have, there is something you can do about it. After all, as the Hevajra Tantra says, to the unconfused mind, "... the universe is bliss, and pervaded by bliss which is itself pervaded, and so on, ad infinitum"

This is the state beyond confusion!