All of
the Buddha’s teachings are contained in the Four Noble Truths.
1. Understanding the truth of suffering
2. Abandonment is the truth of
origination
3. Obtaining is the truth of cessation
4. Reliance is the truth of the path
What does
“the truth of suffering” mean?
If we
recognize the nature of Samsara to be suffering, that knowledge will liberate
us from the suffering.
For example,
there is a man hiding behind the door dressed up like a lion. I f we don’t recognize that it is just a man
dressed up, then we will become afraid when he jumps out at us roaring like a
lion. If we know before hand that it’s just a man, that knowledge would prevent
us from being frightened and having to suffer.
This is the reason the Buddha taught that we have to understand the
truth of suffering.
How is it
that understanding suffering liberated us from it?
Generally
the suffering of Samsara arises because of change and impermanence as well as
because of the mistaken belief that it is the external objects which bring
happiness and suffering.
If we are suffering, have problems or make mistakes, what should we do?
First we
need to work out if there is a solution, or remedy to the problem, or not. If there is a solution to the problem then
there is no need to worry. If there is
no solution, no way to remedy the situation, then there is also no need to
worry. Why? Because the worry itself
will not change the situation, so we should not worry, it is never
beneficial. It is unnecessary!
Whatever
arises let it arise. The essence of
Samsara is constant change or impermanence.
That is natural.
What does
this mean?
The “truth
of origination” refers to the conflicting emotions and karma because they are
the causes of suffering. Buddha taught
that we need to abandon the causes of suffering. The reason being that if one cuts off the cause one also cuts off
the result.
For example,
there is a hole in the roof of a house and rain is dripping down onto the
wooden floor. To keep cleaning away the
water would be an endless job. A clever
person would block the hole to stop the dripping water. Therefore, if one removes the cause, the
result will never arise again.
We have a
mistaken belief and from that arises the five conflicting emotions: anger,
jealousy, pride, ignorance and desire or attachment. Due to us having these five conflicting emotions we experience
fear, suffering, sadness, unhappiness and karma also arises. Through accumulating negative karma we
create the causes for wandering in the lower realms.
Coarse wrong
belief is to believe that happiness and suffering arise from external objects.
Subtle wrong
belief is mistaking all phenomena to be true and real, when in fact the nature
of phenomena is emptiness.
What does
this mean?
It refers to
the absolute truth or the emptiness and essence of mind. Why are these called the truth of cessation?
It is
because if we recognize this truth we can remove the grasping and conflicting
emotions. We are wandering in Samsara
due to our ignorance and grasping. If
we recognize the nature of all phenomena to be emptiness and can recognize the
essence of our own mind we start to remove the ignorance.
The deeper
our realization of this truth the more freedom of mind we experience and we
relax. Finally all illusion is removed
and we become omniscient and we are free from the cycle of death and rebirth. For example, in the film “The Matrix”
finally Keanu Reeves could do anything he wanted because he knew everything to
be an illusion.
What is
the truth of the path?
There are
two paths, the path of skilful means and the path of liberation.
The path of
skilful means is based on the Bodhicitta mind and the stages of development and
completion.
The path of
liberation is the practice of Mahamudra. If we want to travel from India to
America we need to rely on a plane likewise if we want to reach enlightenment
we need to rely on the teaching of the Buddha.
This concludes the teaching given by Very Venerable Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche