You are here: / Four Noble Truths

Tag Archive for: Four Noble Truths

Definition of the Week (13) – Truth of the Path

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:
“Truth of the Path: A truth characterised by possessing the aspects of path, suitability, accomplishment and definitely liberating, and belonging to the completely purified side.”

Gyaltsab Je:
Truth of the Path
One is mistaken with regards to the truth of the path by thinking that:
– a path to liberation is non-existent,
– thinking that meditation on selflessness isn’t suitable to be the path,
– holding certain meditative absorptions alone to be the path to liberation
– holding a path reversing suffering to be non-existent.

Understanding the four aspects of the noble truth of the path, which are path, suitable, accomplishment and definitely liberating, counteracts those misconceptions.

Take the subject wisdom directly realising selflessness

  • it is the aspect of path – because it is a path progressing towards liberation
  • it is the aspect of suitable – because it is the direct antidote against the afflictions
  • it is the aspect of accomplishment – because it is a transcendental wisdom directly realising minds final nature
  • it is the aspect of definitely liberating – because it is the antidote irreversibly eliminating the afflictions.

 

Definition of the Week (12) – Truth of Cessation

H.H. The Dalai Lama, Fribourg 2013:
“It is most important to investigate the third noble truth.”

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:
“Truth of Cessation: A truth characterised by possessing the aspects of cessation, peace, supreme and having definitely emerged, and belonging to the completely purified side.”

Gyaltsab Je:
“One is mistaken with regards to the truth of cessation by:
– grasping at liberation to be non-existent.
– grasping at certain contaminated dharmas to be liberation.
– grasping at certain sufferings to be supreme liberation.
– thinking that even though one can exhaust the sufferings, one could reverse from that state.”

Understanding the four aspects of the truth of cessation, which are cessation, peace, supremacy and definite emergence, contacts those misconceptions.

Take the subject “complete freedom from suffering achieved through the power of the antidote”,
it is the aspect of cessation – because it is the freedom having abandoned suffering
it is peace – because it is the freedom having abandoned the afflictions
it is supreme – because it is liberation with benefit and bliss
it is the aspect of having definitely emerged – because it is irreversible liberation.

From the Stainless Continuum by Maitreya,
Because the completely enlightened bodies pervade,
Because of the indivisibility of suchness,
And because of the presence of lineage,
All embodied beings possess the tataghata essence.

It is good to contemplate that there is a state of complete freedom from suffering and obscurations, and to take refuge in it. This is one part of the resultant dharma refuge.

Definition of the Week (11) – Truth of Origin

Lama Tsong Khapa:
“Be contemplating the truth of suffering we generate the wish to be free from suffering, and by contemplating the truth of origin we generate the conviction that this is possible.”

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:
“Truth of Origin: A truth  characterised by being cause, origin, intense generation and condition, and belonging to the completely afflicted side.”

Gyaltsab Je:
“One is mistaken with regards to the truth of origin by grasping at sufferings to be without cause or to have a discordant cause. Regarding the latter there is the grasping at suffering being produced by only one cause, being produced by a creator the intention of whom preceded the result and grasping at suffering to be changeable adventitiously but being essentially permanent. ”

Understanding the four aspects of the truth of origin, which are cause, origin, intense generation and condition, counteracts this.
Take the subject “contaminated karma and craving”
it follows it is the aspect of cause – because it is the root of it’s resultant suffering
it is origin – because it generates it’s resultant suffering entirely again and again
it is intense generation – because generates it strongly
it is the aspect of condition – because it is the concurrently acting condition of it’s resultant suffering.

To overcome the misconceptions towards the origin of suffering is important because the idea that as a human being one will always basically be flawed is widely held.

Definition of the Week (10) – Truth of Suffering

Maitreya:
“Suffering is to be known
The source to be abandoned
Cessation is to be attained
The path is to be practiced.”

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:
Truth of Suffering: A truth  characterised by being impermanent, misery, empty and selfless, and belonging to the completely afflicted side.

Gyaltsab Je:
We are mistaken with regards to the truth of suffering by grasping at purity, happiness, permanence and self. Understanding the four aspects of the truth of suffering, which are impermanence, suffering, empty and selfless, counteracts this.

Take the subject “suffering of suffering”,
it is impermanent – because it is generated adventitiously
it is misery – because it is powered by karma and afflictions
it is empty – because there is no separate controlling self
it is empty – because it is not established in the nature of an independent self.

Essentially, if it is generated under the control of karma and afflictions it is misery, and hence impermanent, empty and selfless, and therefore truth of suffering and to be abandoned. The key element seems to be misery.

Have a good week! (haha)