The Four Noble Truths

I: The Truth of Suffering

by Venerable Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche
June 3, 1999
at Ratnashri Meditation Center, Sweden

The Four Noble Truths was Buddha’s first teaching given at the Deer Park near Benares to his five
disciples. The Four Noble Truths is the most fundamental teaching among all the Buddha’s teachings.
The Four Noble Truths are the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the
cessation of suffering and the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering.

First, the truth of suffering, Buddha said, "This is suffering, we should know. Once we know about
suffering, then there is no more to know." Next, he said, "Since suffering does not arise without a
cause, by knowing the causes of suffering, we would abandon and purify the causes and the origin of
suffering. Once we have purified the causes of suffering, there is no more to purify and then comes
the cessation of suffering. By knowing that there is cessation of suffering, we would follow the path,
attain the path that leads us to such cessation. Once we have perfected the path, there is no more to
attain and no more path to follow." This was how Buddha taught.

This evening we will discuss about the truth of suffering. When we study and practice Buddha’s
teaching, there are lots of discussions about suffering, different types of suffering. Some people may
think that Buddhism is very pessimistic. They do not like to hear about suffering. However, it is very
important because in order to be free from suffering, we have to know the suffering. Just like when
we are sick, we have different types of diseases and sicknesses. We want to get rid of the disease and
sickness. In order to be free from the sickness, we have to know about the sickness – what type of
sickness we have, what are the causes of the sickness and then find a way to treat the sickness.
Without knowing the sickness, we cannot free from the sickness. Similarly, to free from suffering, we
have to first know the suffering – what is suffering, what are the different types of suffering. When
encountering some undesirable conditions, we think, "I don’t like this. Why is this happening to me?"
So, basically, we know that there is suffering. What is the purpose of suffering? We will see in our
later discussion that there is in fact a deeper meaning to suffering. First of all, every sentient being,
including human being, even a small insect, desire to free from suffering whether one can express it
or not, whether one can explain it or not. The innate nature of the mind of everybody is to desire
happiness and to be free from suffering. That is universal. Because of that, we make effort and we
work hard. We try to train ourselves on different skills, techniques to bring more happiness and to be
free from the suffering. It is very obvious, whether we are in the spiritual world, business world,
political world, animal world or any world. We all do something, go somewhere to experience some
harmony, peace, joy, happiness, to be free from undesirable conditions, to be free from suffering.
Maybe we do not know what suffering is. Because of that when we try to free from suffering, we
create more suffering. Some may know somehow that suffering is there. The reason why we need to
dig out different types of suffering, different states of suffering, is because there is a way to be free
from the suffering. If there is no way to be free from suffering, then there is no use to talk about
suffering. It is better to forget it and just leave it behind. But since there is the truth to its causes and
the truth to its cessation and most importantly, there is a way, an alternative to be free from suffering,
therefore we need to know, understand, study and analyze about the suffering.
Suffering is not always negative, there are lots of positive things. Suffering gives us great
opportunities to be a realistic person, to be a sincere person, to develop wisdom and to develop
compassion. Just like in a country, there are many laws. If we violate a certain law, we will have to
face certain consequences. So we better behave well. So that gives us opportunities to behave
sincerely. Similar to this, suffering brings down oneself to the ground. When there is no suffering
temporarily, we are so proud of ourselves – "Oh! I am so special!" Then when the conditions we face
are undesirable, we suffer and at that time we think – "I am nothing special. I am just like the rest of
the people. Maybe I am the worst person." So when we feel that, pride disappears and we think –
"What should I do to free from this type of suffering and undesirable conditions?" We try to find out
some methods. Secondly, our own experience of suffering gives us opportunity to see all others who
are going through similar suffering. In this way, sincere genuine compassion can be cultivated
through knowing, understanding our own suffering, not just limited to our relatives, friends but to
all sentient beings who go through similar suffering. Thirdly, suffering gives us wisdom. When we
suffer, we try to find out where the suffering is coming from. We investigate, analyze and scrutinize
to find out the causes of the suffering, to find out whether suffering is independent or dependent on
these factors. When we have the wisdom on the causes of suffering, we have the wisdom to avoid the
causes of suffering as well. Therefore, it is not enough just to fight against the suffering. It is not
enough just to reject or run away from the suffering. It is not enough just to say – "I don’t want the
suffering. Why is suffering coming to me?" Those are not the solution to be free from suffering. We
need wisdom to understand the suffering and to avoid the causes of suffering. So suffering is not
always bad. It gives us great wisdom and opportunities. It is a way to wake us up from our deep
sleep of ignorance.

Generally, there is suffering in all the six realms of sentient beings in the Buddhist cosmology. Within
that, we are familiar with the human realm and the animal realm. In the animal realm, there are
many types of animals. It includes all insects, includes all those who live in the oceans, on land, in the
forest, in the air and so on. It is obvious that there are different types of suffering in the animal realm.
Even in our human realm, we have the suffering of birth, aging, sickness and death. They are the
suffering that every unenlightened human being is going through. It does not matter whether one is
educated or uneducated, rich or poor. Even for rich people, they do not get what they want. They get
what they do not want. Even highly educated people get aged, get sick and finally die too. So those
are the types of suffering that is unavoidable. This is how we go through the wheel of being. We will
study all these further in our next talk. Through studying the Dharma, we know how to relate to
these things which we cannot avoid. There must be a way to deal with these in a positive way rather
than in a negative way. This is the basic reason why the first Buddha, Prince Siddhartha renounced
his rich kingdom and happy family life in order to seek the truth. When Prince Siddhartha was in his
20s, he came into contact with a person who was old and he wondered who that person was. The
next day, he saw a person who was sick and full of pain. The other day, he saw a person who had
died and all the family surrounded him crying. The last day, he saw a person who had renounced
samsara looking for liberation and peace. Seeing that life is full of suffering, he began to look for
something more. These conditions gave him great opportunities to ask many questions. Since he was
very young in a rich kingdom with good environment, he never thought of those conditions before.
So he gathered the ministers and asked who those people were and wondered if they went through
those conditions individually or if everybody had to go through them. The minister explained – "We
all have to go through them. Even though right now, you are so young, healthy, intelligent, talented
in such a rich kingdom, you also have to go through old age, sickness and death too." So this kind of
consideration led him to develop a strong sense of detachment from pleasure. He renounced his
kingdom. He renounced his family life. He renounced the family life, not out of despair, he had a
very happy life. And yet when he saw the sufferings of life, recognizing that no matter how great
one’s indulgence in pleasures of the senses might be, eventually one would have to face these
sufferings. He renounced the kingdom not because he did not care for the people around him, but
out of great wisdom and great compassion. His renunciation was based on the recognition that all
existence was suffering and would like to look for the ultimate answer to free all sentient beings from
suffering. For six years, he went through such a great hardship without food, without clothes. He was
not happy either. When he was so rich, so powerful and had time, there was no solution to be free
from suffering. Now when he went through great hardship with perfect meditative concentration,
there was no complete solution to be free from suffering. So after all these experiences, he asked
himself what the real solution would be, to face all different types of suffering in a positive way and
not to experience suffering. Finally, he realized that mind is the one. When we know the mind totally,
then it is the time to be free from suffering. When the mind is deluded, through ignorance, through
confusion, we create the causes of suffering. As a result, we suffer. When our mind is enlightened,
free from the boundaries, free from delusion and negative thoughts. In this way, we do not create the
cause of suffering. When there is no cause of suffering, then suffering does not exist. Because of that,
Prince Siddhartha meditated one-pointedly and achieved complete enlightenment, Buddhahood. At
that moment, he said, "I actualized such great nectar, the nectar that can transform all suffering and
the causes of suffering, which is very profound, that is the mind. Mind is very profound, free from
elaboration, like a sky, like space. It is uncompounded, uncreated. There is luminosity, there is total
peace. That is the one that I actualized." It was not easy to understand and there were many people
who requested Buddha to talk about these things. He blessed a few for some weeks, but there were
lots of other people who requested him to perform the teachings so he taught the teachings – The
Four Noble Truths. It was not that he realized what he did not have. He realized what he had from
the beginningless time and that we all have. All sentient beings desire to be free from suffering. There
is no question, no doubt about that. We all desire to have happiness. Even small insects, small bugs
running here and there, they all want to have happiness, pleasure and peace. We human beings are
the same. Why? It has nothing to do with the belief system, Buddhist, Christians or anyone who does
not believe in anything. We all desire to have happiness. We all want to be free from suffering. The
reason is because we have the Buddha nature, the seed of enlightenment. The Buddha nature that we
have is very profound, free from elaboration, boundless, limitless. It is uncompounded in nature and
possesses total peace. But since we have not actualized it, even though it is within us, we do not see
it. We have not experienced it. We have not revealed it. Our mind is deluded and confused. Through
confusion and ignorance, we go to the wrong place and we suffer. Therefore, to reveal that, we need
to know the nature of suffering, the cause of suffering, in order to free from the confusion and
delusion. When we know the causes of suffering, we can purify the causes of suffering and then we
would come to the right place. Through that, we would understand who we are originally. So there
are ways to go back to our own home clearly without confusion or delusion. Therefore, it is important
to know about the suffering. After all, we do not want suffering anyway and would like to make all
efforts to be free from suffering and to bring happiness, joy and peace to our mind.

Here is a story. At the time of Buddha, there was a young woman who got a child. One day, the baby
got sick and she tried everything to help the baby. She went to the doctor and asked for all kinds of
medicine. The doctor told her that the baby would die. She could not accept it at all. She asked the
doctor why he could not heal the child. The doctor said that he had tried his best. She met a spiritual
master on the way and asked him to pray for the child. His prayers did not answer her wishes. She
went around to many different places, meeting many masters and asked them, "Why did my child
die? I cannot accept my child’s death. I want to bring my child’s life back." No one could help her.
She finally came to Buddha and there she cried, "I cannot accept my child’s death. I want to bring my
child’s life back. Please do it." Buddha with great wisdom and compassion said to her, "I understand
your feeling. I know what you are going through. Perhaps there is a way to help you to get help. You
just leave your baby’s body here. I will watch it. You just go to different places, different houses and
try to find a handful of mustard seeds in a house where nobody has died. Then maybe we can do
something about your child. At that time, there was no public hospital. Everybody was born and died
in their home. She went around to many houses and asked for a handful of mustard seed where
nobody had died. The whole day passed and she could not find any such house. There was
somebody who had died in every house that she went to. A child, whose parents had died early, told
her bitterly, "I am alone. I am suffering so much. I miss them so much but I could not help." In
another house, there was a couple whose child also died. They said to her, "We could not accept it but
there was no choice. We went through so much agony and suffering." She found out that in every
house she visited, there was somebody who had died. She finally gave up and she thought to herself,
"It is not just my child. Everybody die. Some died when they were old. Some died when they were
young. Some died when they were just born." She got a relief from the thought that she could not
accept the death of her child. She came back to Buddha and said, "I could not find a mustard seed
from a house where nobody had died." Buddha said, "You see, everyone goes through this. No
matter if you are young or old, just saying that I cannot accept it, is not the answer for you to free
from the suffering. It happens not just your child. One day you also have to go through this path. We
all go through this. But we should learn how to accept this condition, this situation in a positive way.
Develop compassion to all those whom you have met in different houses and had that kind of
experience. You saw in their mind how much agony, anguish and suffering there was. In order to
develop compassion, you should have the wisdom knowing how this can happen." She completely
changed her mind. She studied about the samsara and how to be free from samsara. Buddha taught
her method how to meditate and how to understand her own mind, how to free from the suffering.
This is an example showing how suffering can give us wisdom to see things clearly and to awaken
our minds. When we know how to accept suffering, then we know how to be free from suffering.
When we do not know how to accept suffering, then small suffering becomes big suffering.

There are three types of suffering, namely, suffering of suffering, suffering of change and suffering of
conditions (pervasive suffering). First, suffering of suffering includes physical sufferings and mental
sufferings. All sentient beings in the six realms experience suffering of suffering. Some are actually
experiencing suffering and some are on the way to suffering. Every sentient being makes great effort
to be free from suffering. In human realm, we have the suffering of birth, pain, sickness, aging, death
and so on. Birth is suffering not only because of the physical pain suffered by the infant but also
because birth is a gateway to other sufferings such as sickness, old age and death. There is mental
suffering of separation from our loved ones, suffering of contacting those whom we dislike and those
who dislike us, suffering of frustrated desire such as not getting what we want and getting what we
do not want. Even those who are most successful in their lives, whether in the business, political or
scientific world are not free from this type of suffering. Some, in order to free themselves from
suffering, create the cause of more suffering. We struggle to gather things that we want and then
struggle to protect the things that we have. In fact, in our human realm, we may also experience
conditions as if we were born in the other realms. Picture yourself in a desert with no water and heat
waves so powerful that you feel like you are burning or being cooked in an oven. Such a sensation
feels interminable, even if it lasts for a short time. This is like a hot hell realm. Sometimes, when you
are on a snow mountain in a blizzard, there is no place to hide from the wind. Your clothes are
inadequate and your feet and hands freeze. Again, even if this actually lasts for a short time, you feel
it is forever. That is like a cold hell realm. Sometimes, you take a long journey and become completely
exhausted with no food to eat and no water to drink. There are no restaurants around. You feel you
are starving to death and dying of thirst. The complexion of your body changes. You feel so skinny
and lean. This is like the experience of the hungry ghosts. Sometimes, you are overpowered by other
people or enslaved with no freedom to express your wishes or feelings and you feel stupid, incapable
of doing anything. You do not know what to do or how to behave. This is like the suffering of
animals. Sometimes, your mind is completely overcome with jealousy for another’s dignity, wealth or
prosperity. You become overwhelmed by these thoughts and take action to harm others, but the
result brings you more suffering. This is like the life of the demi-gods. Sometimes, you feel so
peaceful and happy. Everything goes well and you are proud of this situation. You become
dominated by the thought that, "There is not anyone like me." Even if you experience this for a long
time, still you feel it was a short moment. Later, particularly at the time of death, so much suffering is
caused by having to part from pleasant conditions. This is like the suffering in the god realm.

The second type of suffering is the suffering of change. Our temporary happiness, pleasure and
achievement in the unenlightened state are called suffering of change because they do not last long.
They change into the suffering sooner or later. For example, when we have a set of very nice clothes
to wear, we feel good. We get some kind of happiness and pleasure from the nice clothes. However, if
you wear it every day, you will feel uncomfortable. So it does not give you complete happiness,
complete pleasure. Therefore, your closet has many clothes, hundred of clothes to choose from. When
you are interested in something in life and you think that it is very important to achieve, you attach to
it and make all effort and sacrifice everything. We go through all suffering to achieve all that. Once
we have achieved that, the happiness does not last long. So it is not the real source of happiness.
There is fear to loose it and there is hope and attachment to keep it, which bring us the suffering. The
characteristic of existence is impermanence. Our bodies are impermanent and they are subject to
constant change. Our mental states are impermanent, at one moment we are happy and at another
moment we are sad. Our relations with others are impermanent – friends become enemies and
enemies become friends. Our possessions are also impermanent. Those things that we dearly love
such as our homes, our cars, our clothes are all impermanent, all of them will decay and eventually
be destroyed. Our human life is like a flash of lightning or a waterfall. There has never been a single
living being who has escaped death. Buildings, rivers, mountains and oceans are all impermanent.
This process of constant change of all things goes on constantly even without us noticing it.
Therefore, craving to keep such temporary happiness and pleasure lead us to suffering.

There is one more profound nature of suffering, namely, the suffering of conditions or the pervasive
suffering. As long as we have ignorance and delusion, suffering is bound to come. Ignorance and
delusion arise because of the failure to see things as they really are. So long as we have not developed
our ability to concentrate our mind and penetrate into the true nature of phenomena, we are ignorant
of the true nature of things. Even a very successful politician or the head of the country under the
democratic system has to work so hard, go through many rounds of elections to achieve the position.
Is he or she completely happy and free from suffering? When we achieve what we want, still we
suffer. Suffering is bound to come. We are definitely not free from suffering. No matter which state of
samsara we are in, our existence is propelled and perpetuated by ignorance and its mechanism
described by the twelve links of interdependent origination and there is suffering so long as we do
not know how to dispel our ignorance. Therefore, we have to purify our ignorance, delusion and
obscuration. The way we perceive things and the way things actually are, can sometimes be different.
That is why two different persons can perceive the same thing in completely different ways. The way
we perceive things sometimes involves delusion. Ego, for example, is just a habit. We are so
habitualized with our ego. But when we ask where our ego is, we cannot show it. We cannot find it.
Ego exists because of our attachment to the ego. Ego makes you work and do things to identify
yourself. Ego asks you to be special. Therefore, in order to free from the suffering of conditions, we
need to first know the suffering and from that develop the wisdom to understand the causes and
conditions of the suffering. Based on the wisdom, we practice compassion both for ourselves and for
others. Suffering is a mental state. We create the causes of suffering. Because of the causes of
suffering, we suffer. Therefore, instead of projecting outside, we bring back our mind. We make effort
to purify the causes of suffering. When suffering comes, instead of fighting outside or inside, we look
into our mind. This temporary suffering actually gives us an opportunity to wake up from that state.
We make effort to examine carefully what we can do to free from the causes of suffering. In this way,
suffering is not bad. Rather, suffering is very useful. It gives us the genuine motivation to develop
renunciation to the causes of suffering, to develop an enlightened motive of Bodhicitta. Seeing that all
beings experience the suffering of samsara, wish to be free from suffering and to attain ultimate
happiness, we are encouraged and dedicated to purify the causes of suffering, to strive to attain
Buddhahood in order to liberate both ourselves and others. This motive gives us the realization of
emptiness, the added force that will bring us to Enlightenment.

What should we do when anger comes? It is important to know how to live with anger. First of all, all
phenomena are impermanent, temporary and subject to change. Everything changes every moment.
That is why we start getting old the moment we are born. Just because of impermanence, any type of
suffering that we are experiencing, going through, is also impermanent, subject to change. Without
grasping, without seeing it as substantial, we should see anger as impermanent. No one can be angry
all the time, twenty-four hours. Anger comes suddenly due to some causes and conditions, maybe
some people have made some mistakes or maybe we met some people that we do not like. Anger
arises because of causes and conditions. It does not arise independently. Look at the nature of
impermanence like waves in the ocean. When there is wind, the waves arise and then dissolve back
into the ocean. So when the anger arises in the mind due to causes and conditions, it dissolves into
the mind. When it is dissolved, even if we are attached to the feeling and holding onto it, actually the
piece of anger is already gone and disappeared. There is no trace left just like when we draw in the
ocean, the drawing would not stay. In the same way, anger comes and disappears any time. It only
creates a cause of suffering both to ourselves and to others. Look at how that temporarily arises and
dissolves. When it dissolves, it disappears into emptiness just like when we have a headache, it is so
painful and we do not like it. The next day, when the headache disappears, it does not exist. It is
empty in nature and it is selfless. It does not have any background. It is just a type of suffering and it
does not have its own identification. It cannot stay all the time in a concrete way. When we see that
the nature of anger is selfless, there is no need to express the anger to others and there is no need to
express anger. Just look at it as an illusion. This is a very good way to handle our anger and
everybody can use it. So this is how suffering gives us insight, suffering is impermanent, suffering is
suffering and the nature of any suffering is emptiness.

By detailed explaining the suffering is not meant to depress people. Rather, it makes the very
important point of carefully identifying suffering. If we fail to recognize the very nature of suffering,
that which we are making all efforts to free ourselves from, then we would not know how to free
ourselves from suffering. So instead of feeling depressed, overwhelmed or negative, or ignore it or
run away from it, we should try to contemplate on the subject well. Awaken! Your mind has been
sleeping in samsara for a long time. Recognize what kind of place you are in and make all efforts to
flee from samsara. Renounce the causes of suffering and purify the causes of suffering. Renunciation
does not mean negative, not eating food, not wearing clothes, not taking responsibility. Renunciation
means to renounce, to give up the causes of suffering – to give up temporary comfort, temporary
happiness, temporary fame or temporary success. Prince Siddhartha’s renunciation of his kingdom
did not mean that he gave up his responsibility of the kingdom, rather he took the responsibility of
all sentient beings’ welfare. Instead of benefiting just a few in the kingdom and making them
temporarily happy, he had the courage to give up his kingdom and totally dedicated himself to attain
enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is very difficult for us to give up these things. It
is not easy because we are so attached to our lives and our temporary happiness and possessions. It
takes courage and dedication. It is not just a matter of a few years. It may take a few life times. For
beginners who do not have any meditation teachings and practices before, you may feel hopeless.
You feel that you are completely overwhelmed and enslaved by suffering. In this case, meditation
practices are very useful. Meditation practices are important because they give us motivation and
strength to overcome the difficulties and uproot our habits. Meditation practices help us to purify the
causes of suffering by concentrating, organizing, stabilizing and strengthening our mind in order to
penetrate into the true nature of phenomena. The Four Foundations (the four ways to turn the mind)
are the most important basis and foundation for our meditation practices. Without them, our
meditation would go to the wrong place. The Four Foundations in short are the precious human life,
impermanence, interdependence of causes and effects, and the suffering in all six realms. They help
to turn our mind from samsara to Enlightenment. We need to know them well, investigate and
contemplate on them well. With this foundation, we practice meditation on the emptiness nature of
all phenomena. A well-qualified master is necessary to guide your practices. For those individuals
who have accomplished well in their practices, suffering is very useful to enhance their practices.
This is how suffering can cultivate our mind and perfect our motivation to attain Enlightenment. We
work hard anyway to free from suffering to achieve temporary happiness so why not work hard
towards the total freedom from suffering, for the total realization, for Enlightenment. This concludes
our discussion on the truth of suffering. Thank you.

II: The Truth of the Causes of Suffering

June 8, 1999

It is obvious and clear that there is suffering, different types of suffering. General sufferings for
human beings are birth, aging, sickness and death; as well as not getting what we want and getting
what we do not want. Everybody goes through those experiences. It is important to know different
types of suffering. However, it does not help just to struggle with the suffering or denying the
suffering. " Why is suffering happening just to me?" Knowing about the suffering wake us up to find
out what the causes of suffering are and what we can do about it. It is like when we have a special
type of sickness. It is not enough to just not accept or struggle with it. We have to find out what kind
of sickness it is and especially what causes the sickness and what the available treatments are. In the
Buddhist cosmology, there are three realms or three worlds: desire world, form world and formless
world. In this desire world where we are now, there are six realms: hell realm, hungry ghost realm
and animal realm which make up the three lower realms; human realm, demigod realm and god
realm which make up the three higher realms. In the form world, there are four different types of
meditative states and likewise in the formless world, there are four stages as described in the
Buddhist Abhidharma teachings.

You may ask, "What are the causes of all these realms?" There are different names to these causes: the
origin of suffering, the contributory cause and so forth. Anyhow, basically, these different types of
causes are created by the mind, speech and body. Through positive thoughts or negative thoughts,
we create karma causes. When we put the thoughts we cultivated into actions by the body, speech
and mind, we create karma. So all these arise through different types of causes or karma. Karma is
action, the action we performed by our mind, speech and body. Through that action, it becomes a
cause to manifest the result or effect. The action together with its effect or fruit are sometimes known
as the Law of Karma or the Law of Cause and Effect. Similar actions will lead to similar results
(reaction). Wholesome actions will lead to wholesome effects and unwholesome actions will lead to
unwholesome effects. The fruit of karma may ripen at different times: this life, next life or future lives
depending on causes and conditions. However, the effect (reaction) of any action will not be lost. So
karma is not some special thing. Sometimes when some big thing happens, we say that "Oh! It is just
my karma!" That is because we do not think that everything is manifested from the karma causes. In
reality, whatever happens in our everyday life, whatever we go through or experience is manifested
from the karma causes. For example, when we say something, we will get a response. That kind of
response is the reaction to speech. In fact, karma can be explained within the philosophy of
interdependent origination. All phenomena in this universe arise due to the coming together of many
causes and conditions. They disintegrate when the causes and conditions no longer are present. So all
phenomena, causes and conditions, causes and effects are interdependent and interrelated in a
complex and yet orderly fashion. It is a very profound subject. Karma is not just from previous lives.
Of course, it can be from previous lives, but mostly it is from this life. Whatever we do on a day to
day basis, that action becomes a cause that links to the manifestation of certain result. This is basically
what karma is. This very interdependence and interconnectedness of causes and results show that
suffering itself is not an independent subject. It is something dependent, dependent on causes.
Happiness, peace and joy are also dependent on causes. Therefore, it is very important for us to
choose the positive causes instead of the negative causes. When we create negative karma, we suffer.
What it means is that our own suffering was created by ourselves and there is nobody to blame.
Milarepa once said, "We all desire to be free from suffering, but to be free from suffering, we create
the suffering." For example, we drink wine or beer to get some relief. But we drink so much and the
habit gets so strong that it is difficult to give up. As a result, we suffer, our family suffers, our friends
suffer. So our own drinking of alcohol is basically to have some pleasure, to have some fun, to have
some happiness, but in reality, it invites suffering. This is what Milarepa meant "To be free from
suffering, we create suffering." So in this desire world, we all do like that. We are doing that
repeatedly without realizing it. Similarly, some people like smoking because it gives some special
pleasure. In reality, smoking ruins our health. But we do not really realize it. So in samsara, the world
of existence, we are in that state.

In the nature of karma world, roughly, there are ten non-virtues and ten virtues which create the
positive and negative karma. The ten non-virtues are divided into three groups: physical, verbal and
mental non-virtues. Physical non-virtues include taking lives (both human beings and non-human
beings like animals and so forth), stealing and sexual misconduct. Verbal non-virtues include telling
lies, giving divisive speech, using harsh words and engaging in idle talks. For example, we tell lies in
order to protect something or to get something, but when people find that out, we create the
suffering. Divisive speech divides people. Using harsh words can destroy other people’s hearts.
Engaging in idle talks not only wastes time and energy, but also gathers a lot of non-virtues since
mostly we talk about somebody. Mental non-virtues are covetous thoughts, harmful thoughts and
wrong views or ignorance. Covetous thought is related to attachment. Harmful thoughts can be from
hatred, jealousy and resentment. Wrong views or ignorance includes not believing that suffering and
happiness are caused by non-virtues and virtues, not believing that one can attain the Truth of
Cessation when the Truth of the Path to the cessation of suffering is practiced, not believing in the
three jewels – Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and instead slander them. So these are the ten non-
virtues which create the cause of the three lower realms: the hell realm, the hungry ghost realm and
the animal realm. These realms are created by these ten non-virtues depending on levels. If we
created very heavy non-virtue then it can become the cause of the hell realm. Hell realm is not
necessarily a special place. It can be experienced by any individual. So in order not to experience
these lower realms in this human life, we have to free ourselves from these ten non-virtues. Now, let
us talk about ten virtues. The ten virtues are just the opposite to the ten non-virtues. They are also
divided into three groups: physical, verbal and mental virtues. Physical virtues are protecting others’
lives, practicing generosity and keeping moral ethics and disciplines. If you perform these virtues,
people respect you, trust you and would like to get close to you. This becomes the cause of peace and
harmony. On the other hand a person who has slaughtered or killed others, people in general would
generate some special bad feeling towards him even though he has not done any special harm to
them. Four virtues from the speech are speaking truthfully, giving harmonious speech that bring all
people together, speaking peacefully and politely, and lastly talking meaningfully. If we perform
these four aspects of virtuous speech, it becomes a cause of peace, harmony and happiness. The
virtuous thoughts of the mind are the cultivation of contentment, loving kindness, compassion and
the engagement of the perfect meaning. Contentment means that whatever we have, we just rejoice
and be happy with that. It does not mean that we do not work or not make effort. It simply means
that whatever we achieve, we rejoice and be satisfied and happy with that. It does not matter how
much you have, but it matters how much you appreciate. If you do not know how to appreciate, even
if you own the whole world, there is no peace and no satisfaction. If you know how to appreciate and
be content with what you have, this brings joy and peace in the mind. Every sentient being wishes to
be free from suffering and to have peace and harmony. The moment we have sincere loving-kindness
and genuine compassion, at that very moment we experience peace, joy and harmony in our mind.
Further, when we have the right view, the mind is free from ignorance and delusion. So these are the
three virtues from the mind. When we have these ten virtues, that becomes the cause to be born in the
higher realm in the next life. Even in this life, we are already in the higher realm, higher state or
higher consciousness. This is not just a Buddhist culture and belief. This we should see as the
universal law. Through the ten non-virtues, no matter who we are, whether we believe it or not, that
becomes the cause of suffering. When we practice the ten virtues, no matter who we are, that
becomes the cause of peace, joy, happiness and harmony. This is the universal law of cause and effect
The basic cause of suffering is the practice of non-virtues and the basic cause of peace and harmony is
the practice of virtues. Above the ten virtues, if one has powerful mind and meditative concentration
in equipoise, then comes the four form god worlds with four meditative concentration states and four
formless god worlds with another four meditative states. In the formless worlds, there is no physical
form, it is all mental state, mental formation. The meditative states in the formless worlds are the
state of limitless space, the state of limitless consciousness, the state of nothingness and the state of
neither perception nor non-perception. All these eight meditative concentration states are based on
one-pointed virtuous mind. So this is how all these realms are created through different types of
causes.

Phenomena arise due to the coming together of many causes and conditions, and disintegrate when
the causes and conditions are no longer present, therefore, when we no longer create the causes and
conditions for suffering, suffering will eventually cease. In order to be free from samsara, first, we
have to work with our own mind because mind is the one who creates all this. Then from that mind,
come physical and verbal actions. We create more and more causes, one after another, constantly in
this way. Therefore, we have to look back into our own mind. First, we have to purify the ten non-
virtues which are the causes of suffering; the non-virtuous thoughts as well as non-virtues of body
and speech. Abandon and discontinue those actions by practicing the ten virtues which are the causes
of peace, harmony and happiness. On the basis of ten virtues, we study more about interdependent
origination and emptiness. Causes and conditions are connected, interdependent. It functions in the
following manner. Dependent on A, arises B. Dependent on B, arises C. When there is no A, there is
no B; when there is no B, there is no C. Because of ignorance, one fails to recognize the clear, intrinsic
awareness of mind which is unborn, unoriginated. This loss of consciousness gives rise to an anxious
state of apprehension. Then from the successive solidifying of habitual patterns comes the evolution
of cyclic existence in the usual progression. First, dependent on ignorance, arises rebirth producing
mental activities or karma. Dependent on mental activities, arise rebirth consciousness. Dependent on
consciousness, arise mentality-materiality. Mentality refers to factors of the mind–feeling, perception
and mental formation. Materiality refers to the physical body, that is, all its organs, body system and
functions. Dependent on mentality-materiality, arises the six-fold base which includes eyes, ears,
nose, tongue, body (the five sense organs) and mind. Dependent on the six-fold base, arises contact.
Contact is the interaction between the internal six-fold, the external six-fold base (which includes
form, sound, smell, taste, tactile objects and mental objects) together with consciousness. Dependent
on contact, arises feeling which can be pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Dependent on feeling, arises
craving. Craving can be sensory craving, craving for continued existence or craving for self-
annihilation. Craving manifests in numerous forms through the combination (interaction) of the three
types of craving, the internal and external six-fold together with the three times (past, present or the
future). Dependent on craving, arises clinging or attachment. There are numerous forms of
attachment–attachment to sensuous pleasures, attachment to wrong and evil views, attachment to
merely external observances (rites and rituals) and attachment to self or a lasting soul-entity.
Dependent on clinging, arises becoming or karma-resultant rebirth process. Here comes the
appearance of the five aggregates–form, feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness in
the mother’s womb. Dependent on becoming, arises birth. Dependent on birth, arises aging and
death. Dependent on aging and death arises sorrow, grief, lamentation, pain and despair and thus
arises this whole mass of suffering. Thus, ignorance, mental activities (karma), craving, clinging and
becoming (karma) constituted the five causes of the past. These five causes of the past set conditions
for the five effects of the present, namely, consciousness, mentality-materiality, six-fold base, contact
and feeling. In the same way, ignorance, mental activities (karma), craving, clinging and becoming
(karma) of the present set conditions for the five above effects of the future. This process of cause and
effect continues ad infinitum. Only when ignorance is completely replaced by wisdom, then comes
the entire cessation of rebirth producing mental activities. Through the entire cessation of mental
activities, rebirth consciousness ceases and so on until the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
This is a brief discussion on the interdependent origination or the twelve interdependent links.
Buddha once said, "When we really know the interdependent origination, it is the same as knowing
the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha." It is because by knowing the interdependent origination,
our delusion is dispelled. When we are determined to purify and remove our obscurations:
obscurations of our habitual patterns, obscurations of karma, obscurations of mental afflictive
emotions, we are already practicing the Dharma. Through studying and practicing the Dharma
diligently, patiently and with perseverance, one day, we dispel our ignorance completely and we
become Buddha. Once people know that everybody has the opportunity to become Buddha, people
study and practice the Dharma and in this way, we become the Sangha. Therefore knowing the
interdependent origination is the same as knowing the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

Interdependent or interconnected has a very subtle meaning. Everything is interdependent and

interconnected. For example, left and right are interconnected. Without right there is no left and
without left, there is no right. Good and bad are interconnected in a similar way. There is good
because there is bad, there is bad because there is good. If there is no good thing, there is no bad
thing. Not knowing this interdependent nature of all phenomena, we are so attached to the good
things and we hate bad things. It is because we are so habitualized, but in reality, for some people the
good is bad and for some other people, the bad is good depending on how individuals are
habitualized. It shows that there is no one designated or permanent good or bad. It is all
interconnected, in a relative state. There is no absolute good existing and there is no absolute bad
existing either. They all exist and function in a relative state non-substantially. In this way, all
phenomena exist and function just like an illusion, a magical display. Illusion is not something we
create as illusion but rather, everything functions like an illusion. When we realize this, our
perception is closer to how phenomena in reality function. Otherwise, there is a big gap between the
way we perceive and the way phenomena actually function. When we perceive phenomena as real,
concrete or substantial which, in reality, do not function at all in that way, we suffer. We try to create
something, which is real, solid and permanent, but it does not exist. Thus, we struggle in between.
And then everything changes upside down. When everything changes upside down, we get upset. So
what we have to do is to know and realize how in reality all phenomena function. They function
connectedly, interdependently and impermanently. Everything changes momentarily depending on
the coming together and the disintegrating of the causes and conditions. There is big change, small
change and subtle change. All phenomena basically exist only in one single instant. They arise,
function, decline and disappear momentarily, simultaneously. When we see this nature, you see
really how everything functions as illusion. Thus, dispel our delusion. There is a story about a
woman who wanted to have a child. Because of her strong mental desire, she had a dream one night.
In her dream, she gave birth to a child. She was very happy. "Oh! I got a child!" In the dream, she
stayed with the child for several years. After some time, the child died and she was very upset. She
cried and cried. When she woke up from the sleep, literally, her clothes were wet from the crying.
Now, did she really give birth to the child or not? What do you think? In the dream, she really got a
child and was really happy. After some time, the child died and she was very upset. Is that true or
not? What do you say? It was true until she woke up, because it was true that she gave birth to a child
and she was very happy. When the child died, there was true suffering. When she woke up, she
realized, " Oh! I had such a strange dream!" So, it was not true. In fact, the manifestation of all
phenomena is like that too. The state that we are in now is like living in a dream world. When we
wake up from that state, we say, "It was just a dream that I had and that dream was not true." We
may think that this world is true. But this world is also a dream. For one month, you work very hard,
make lots of effort and have a hard time. When that month has passed, you become very happy. So
the hard time that you had does not exist in this month, so it was a dream, just an illusion. When the
causes and conditions are present, we experience this and that and as soon as the causes and
conditions go, they no longer exist. This is how all phenomena are impermanent, interconnected and
interdependent.

This shows that phenomena do not have any substantial existence. In other word, any existence is
only an illusory existence arising due to causes and conditions. Although it exists, it does not exist
substantially. "All dharmas (phenomena) exist due to the coming together of the four great elements.
They are earth, water, fire and wind elements. The four great elements are fundamentally empty and
the five aggregates – form, consciousness, feeling, perception and mental formation are non-existent."
This was Buddha’s explanation of the nature of all phenomena of this world and universe after he
attained Enlightenment. Emptiness means that phenomena has no substantial, independent and
permanent self, but rather everything exists temporarily, interdependently in a relative state. In
particular, as discussed above, our body, consciousness, feelings, five aggregates are the coming
together of many ever-changing causes and conditions. Failure to see that due to our ignorance, all
phenomena, particularly oneself, are perceived as permanent, unique and real. Dualistic grasping of
self and others develops. Because of that, attachment to oneself and the things that one desire
develops. Anything that arises which is contrary to what one desires is received with aversion and
one becomes very protective. There is endless dualistic grasping at subject and object. When the fruit
of clinging ripens, rebirth occurs in the realm of pretas afflicted with cravings, experiencing frightful
hunger and thirst. When the fruit of aversion ripens, there comes the terrible suffering of burning and
freezing in the hell realms. As one’s mind becomes swollen with arrogance, the ordinary attitudes of
competing with and belittling others give rise to powerful mental states of pride, so that the suffering
of strife between self and others is experienced. When the fruit of that karma ripens, rebirth occurs in
the realms of gods who will experience the eventual fall from that state. We struggle constantly in
these unending realms. Therefore, numerous sufferings arise due to the attachment to our ego. When
we cherish it so much, sacrifice so much to please the ego which in fact does not exist, we suffer
tremendously. Fear comes from ego since we are so afraid to lose it. Ego is just mental projections
which come from dualistic grasping thoughts of self and others. Opposite to this is selflessness.
Selflessness does not mean to deny the meaning or the value of life, it simply means that self does not
exist independent of causes and conditions. It frees us from self-attachment and all other sufferings
that follow. It dispels the ignorance which veils the true nature of mind which can be described as
non-discriminating, openness, boundlessness, non-substantial, impermanence, non-conceptual,
penetrated with wisdom, loving kindness and great compassion. Since afflictive emotions have been
habitualized for a long time, the seed of inveterate propensity has grown so large, that we feel they
are natural. They arise effortlessly when we encounter the proper conditions. Therefore, we need to
make great effort to purify and release the bad habits and to practice the ten virtues which are the
causes of peace, harmony and happiness and to avoid the ten non-virtues which are the causes of
suffering.

Afflictive emotions like attachment and hatred are very difficult to release. Since all phenomena are
empty, non-substantial in nature, it shows that the nature of our delusion is also empty depending on
causes and conditions. For example, suppose that we would like to know about a mechanical
machine. First, we do not know. This not knowing is called ignorance. Now we study it and we get to
know the machine. "Now, I understand what it is made up of, its functions and how to operate it."
Now, the ignorance of not knowing is gone. Where has it gone? It has gone nowhere and this is called
emptiness. As long as we do not know, we have ignorance. Ignorance obscures the clarity of the
mind. It is like when there are clouds in the sky, we cannot see the sun, moon or stars. As soon as the
clouds disappear, they manifest. Likewise, the clarity of our mind is obscured by the ignorance,
delusion. Knowing the machine, that knowing quality is within our mind and it does not come from
outside. We just have to study it diligently to bring out our wisdom to dispel the ignorance.
Therefore, when we know the dependent arising, like the right and left, of all things, there is nothing
to attach. When everything is interconnected, it is just a matter of labeling. We just put labels on the
phenomena and there is nothing to attach. When there is nothing to attach, there is nobody to hate.
Through that, our ignorance is dispelled and mind becomes free. So this is how to achieve freedom.
In particular, when anger comes, look into the mind and recollect the emptiness nature of anger and
there is nothing to attach. It is just temporary, momentary depending on the causes and conditions.
At one moment, somehow, it pops up so strongly that you are completely dominated and enslaved
by the anger, you feel miserable. Then when it disappears, we feel good again. It is like morning dew
on a blade of grass, evaporates like an illusion. Rather than getting upset or worrying about it, just
see it as the true nature of that phenomenon. Accept the change and allow it to happen. Release the
attachment. Try to build the strength of the mind in this way. At the same time make effort to create
the causes of peace, happiness and harmony by developing loving kindness and compassion for all
sentient beings (Bodhicitta). This altruistic mind is so precious and powerful that it transcend and
purify all the negative thoughts and delusion. In fact, we can use anger in positive ways. When you
cannot control your anger, may the anger that you have be sufficient strong to purify the anger of all
sentient beings. May all sentient beings’ anger be completely purified. In the beginning, it is very
difficult to practice in this way in the beginning. But if we practice mindfully and diligently, our
anger becomes powerless. To practice Dharma well is not easy, not because Dharma is not easy. Most
people understand Dharma easily. But when it comes to real practice, real applications, then because
our negative thoughts and emotions are so strong and so stubborn that they would not like to listen.
So they are the ones that are needed to be purified and uprooted. We have no other choice. We have
to learn to replace our non-virtues by practicing virtues, our habitual negative thoughts and afflictive
emotions with Bodhicitta (the mind of Enlightenment). Negative thoughts and afflictive emotions are
the real enemy within us, the causes of suffering. They destroy our peace and happiness. No matter
where we are, even though we stay in a beautiful, luxurious place, eat delicious food and have
wonderful, beautiful, expensive clothes to wear, as long as we have enemy inside, we destroy our
happiness and peace. It goes with us wherever we are and finally flows us into the hell realm. The
outer enemy, the person who make you upset, you can just ask him or her to get out of sight. Now he
or she is no longer there but the enemy within us, the negative thoughts and emotions stay within
your mind and there is nowhere to escape, nowhere to hide. It does not matter who you are, spiritual
or not. So Dharma practice is not a spiritual or religious practice but rather a method and path taught
by Buddha to free us from our enemies, to free from suffering and delusion and to attain the
Enlightenment, Buddhahood.

Because our habits are so deeply rooted within us, in order to completely dispel our three afflicting
emotions (the three poisons): attachment, hatred and ignorance, it is not enough just knowing
intellectually the causes of suffering. We have to practice meditation and at the same time, practice
the ten virtues which are the causes of peace, happiness and harmony, and avoid the ten non-virtues
which are causes of suffering. For instance, even though we do not like to manifest anger but
somehow it just pops up without our control. Similarly, other afflictive emotions such as greed, pride,
attachment and jealousy etc rise up effortlessly one after another. In order to uproot and purify our
deeply rooted habitualized propensity, we have to do meditation practices, that is, to work with our
mind since mind is the one who create the causes of suffering. Meditation practice is a method to
change, purify and uproot our ignorance. Meditation does not mean to just close the eyes and blank
you mind. Meditation practice, in particular, analytical meditation means to contemplate thoroughly
on much of the above-discussed subjects such as karma (causes and effect), interdependent
origination, suffering in the six realms, selflessness, loving kindness, compassion, Bodhicitta,
impermanence, emptiness, precious human life. Human life is precious because it gives us
opportunity to transcend and go beyond the causes of suffering, to uproot our ignorance, to bring
forth our Buddha nature, the enlightened seed within us and to attain Enlightenment. Contemplate
and bring those subjects in the mind and be one with that, and try to habitulize those and at the same
time, purify our negative thoughts, negative emotions such as hatred, greed and so froth. This is kind
of replacing the negative thoughts, negative emotions with positive thoughts, loving kindness and
Bodhicitta. Realize that negative thoughts and emotions are simply the manifestation of our deluded
dualistic mind and they do not exist independently. Just because the nature of the negative thoughts
and emotions is empty, non-substantial, impermanent, they have no foundation, they are groundless
and baseless and we can completely purified them and replaced them. When we practice more and
more, our wisdom develops and we realize more and more the emptiness nature of our negative
thoughts and emotions. Thus their strength becomes weaker and weaker. On the other hand, when
our wisdom develops, the realization of the wisdom and the compassion as the ground of being
becomes stronger and stronger until we realize the true nature of all phenomena. Even though the
waves in the samsaric ocean may be strong, but when we look into our mind, we see how much we
are changing, changing momentarily, our courage is strengthened. This is the way to develop
courage, the way to cut our negative thoughts and emotions with the razor of wisdom. We need
indomitable courage and the indomitable courage should be based on the well-developed,
unconditional Bodhicitta mind – the mind of achieving Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient
beings. With this view, the meditation practice becomes very effective. Another form of meditation is
stabilizing or calm-abiding or shamata meditation. One simple and effective way to calm our mind is
to watch our breath. Analytical together with stabilizing meditation help us to bring our mind in one
place and stabilize our concentration. It is because without a calm mind, it is difficult to analyze and
without careful analysis and examination, doubts and anxiety would arise, which become great
obstacles in sustain a calm and stable mind. When the mind is well-trained, well-organized,
concentrating at the right place, it becomes very powerful. It gives us confidence and power to dispel
our ignorance by penetrating directly into the true nature of all phenomena which is unborn and
unoriginated. With stabilizing and analytical meditation, and the practice of ten virtues as
foundation, we study and practice the Dharma diligently and sincerely with indomitable courage and
unshaken will. Gradually, step by step, we can purify all our negative thoughts, afflictive emotions,
dispel our delusions and ignorance and finally attain the complete Enlightenment with maximum
ability to benefit others.

III: The Truth of the cessation of Suffering

June 10, 1999

The Four Noble Truths was the first teaching given by Buddha Shakyamuni after he attained
Enlightenment—Buddhahood. It was taught impartially to all sentient beings out of great
compassion, and great wisdom. All sentient beings including us human beings are functioning and
wandering in the cyclic existence, the samsara due to delusion. Because of that, we face without
choice different types of suffering which we do not desire. We work so hard day and night,
sacrificing so much, like comfort and so on to free us from suffering. We expect to be free from
suffering, but, as you see, there is not even one day, after working so hard when we can say that now
we are totally free from suffering. You may then wonder, "Is there an end to suffering? How can we
achieve that?" There come different types of questions. To obtain answers, depending on the
individual’s mental capacity and interest, we approach various paths and use different skills. We
investigate. For instance, all the modern technologies are basically discovered and invented in order
to free us from suffering – whether it is for individual interest or for the interest of the whole
humanity. This is very obvious. Computers together with Internet are becoming so powerful that
they connect and rule the whole world. We can accomplish so much using computers and be very
successful. Successful means that lots of things can be done within a very short time. So supposedly
we should have a better life and easier life. However, just the opposite is true. We have to work
harder and there are more deadlines to meet. If you do not do this by today then the next day you are
out of it. So it is contradictory. In the old times, when these modern technologies had not been
invented, even though life was more primitive, people had more time. There were not many choices
of food or clothing and they did not have beautiful houses to stay in, but they had a lot of time with
their families. Even though they had to work hard physically in the field but mentally more peaceful.
Now in our modern days, physically seems luxurious – lots of various choices of food, clothing and
beautiful places to stay, but mentally so stressful, so much pressure. It is very obvious. In the modern
world, in order to have control and power, lots of machines and tools are created. Nowadays, things
can be done in such a high speed, but yet we have less and less time. We are getting busier and
busier. Indeed, we are so far from the real peace and happiness. It is getting worse and worse. In this
modern culture, everywhere east or west is influenced by this phenomenon. We are living with
samsara existence without choice.
The goal, the basic idea of humanity, within our societies is to be free from suffering and to have
peace and happiness. In Buddhism, what Buddha taught, the idea is the same but the method is
different. Method is different because modern technologies are created for the outer material
development. We expect our peace, happiness and pleasure to be experienced from the outside. If I
get this, I will be happier. If I do this, I will have more time. If I have a beautiful house, I will be more
relax and more secure. My life will be more insured and I will be in a better position. I can then
relaxed, go to the beach in the summer and go skiing in the mountains in the winter and so on. The
approach in Buddhism is different. Of course for the time being, we do have to depend on the outside
materials too. Because without eating, without wearing clothes, without a place to stay, we cannot
live. However, the core of Buddhism emphasizes on the inner mental development. It is very
important because how everything appears and is experienced in our lives depend on our mental
attitudes, mental states. For us, beginners, it may appear that the outer conditions make a difference.
They make a difference only on some relative levels, but when you go down to the root, it depends
completely on our mental attitude, mental state. When our mind is peaceful and calm, even under
chaotic situations, it is quite all right. "Oh, it is fine. It is okay. No problem. We can fix it. Don’t worry
about that!" So, there is a way to achieve some calmness and peacefulness independent of the outer
conditions. Another example, if you wear a piece of jewel on your ears, it brings joy and happiness
but if you view that same jewel as a piece of rock then that piece of rock brings burden, shamefulness
and suffering. So if we view suffering as suffering, suffering becomes a real obstacle. Instead we can
view suffering as an opportunity to wake us up, to investigate into the causes of suffering and to how
to purify them. So mental attitude is very important. Our mental state, mental attitude affects our
physical body directly. When the mind is calm and peaceful, the physiological state reflects a certain
state and when our emotion is strong and powerful, our physiological state changes. When our
mental state is chaotic and destructive, no matter how beautiful the outer environment is, at that
moment, there is no peace and you feel like you are in the hell realm. When our mind, mental state is
calm, peaceful and clear, everything works out nicely. Therefore, cultivating the inner mental
qualities is very important. The inner qualities lie within every individual and they do not depend on
the outer conditions. However, unless we are highly developed, we do need others’ guidance and
help to show how to achieve that peaceful mental state. In one way, mind is very, very simple. It is
nothing. It is nowhere. However, when different emotions or thoughts arise, we can be so agitated
that our whole being is occupied by that. But as soon those emotions or thoughts disappear, it
disappears nowhere, no trace left. It is similar to generating water bubbles in a pool. As soon as it
stops, the bubbles go nowhere. Mind cannot be seen in a form through our eyes nor can it be seen or
measured by machines, no matter how powerful the machine is. The reason is because mind is
insubstantial, so it cannot be measured by any substantial machine. It can only be seen through our
wisdom eye. Therefore, in order to achieve peace and happiness, we need inner mental training.

Buddha taught what suffering is and the causes of suffering. Suffering does not manifest without a
cause or with the wrong cause. It manifests through causes and conditions. Now you may ask if there
is an end to suffering. Yes. The Third Noble Truth is called the truth of the cessation of suffering.
There is an end to suffering. If you work properly and progress successively, some day, you can
achieve a state, which is called cessation. Cessation is a state where suffering and the causes of
suffering do not exist. When there is no suffering, no mental emotions or negative thoughts, there is
peace. We do not have to work on how to achieve peace. We just have to work on how to purify all
our destructive thoughts. We make effort to uproot our delusion and confusion. When that is done,
that state is called peace. Peace is always there within us. Like space, we do not have to make the
space empty. We simply get rid of the clouds. When the clouds disappear, the nature of space is
spacious, empty and limitless. The state of cessation, Nirodha is the state of total freedom and peace.
In this state, the ultimate nature of all phenomena is fully revealed and is characterized by
peacefulness, fullness, abundance and perfection. This is the state of emptiness. It is not merely
empty. I am sure you have heard of Buddhists believing in emptiness, no self. Sometimes we may be
scared because without self, it is like nihilism. This is a misconception. Just the opposite, the state of
emptiness is full of all supreme qualities of wisdom and compassion. All the perfection of knowledge
is there. It embraces the interdependence nature of all phenomena. That is why Buddha taught so
much on the subject emptiness. If it is just merely empty, how could Buddha teach all that? It is full of
joy since there is no suffering. There is no cause of suffering because all those obscurations and
illusions are dispelled. They simply do not exist. When there is no cloud, the nature of the Sun and
Moon reflects and shines on the Earth. Likewise, the very nature of our mind is fully revealed when
the obscurations, which obscure us temporarily, are completely removed. For example, there was a
poor man who owned nothing but a piece of very poor land. He could not attain anything from the
ground. He felt that he was so poor. "I have nothing. No food to eat, no clothes to wear. What should
I do? What should I eat tomorrow?" Somehow, one day, someone who had some special knowledge
about mining came and told him that underneath the ground, there were lots of treasure. He tried
very hard to dig the ground. He dug and dug and after before long all the treasures were revealed. So
he became very rich. Even though he was rich already from the very beginning—sitting on a piece of
land, which was full of treasure but since he did not recognize it, he felt that he was so poor. As soon
as he realized that, he became rich. In the same way, treasure lies within us all the time, but because
of the obscurations that obscure our mind, just like the earth, which obscure the treasure, we do not
recognize them. When the obscurations are fully purified, the original nature of the mind is fully
revealed. That state is called the cessation of suffering. Now you may ask if it is possible to achieve it
or not. Yes, it is possible. First of all, when our mind is calm, in a peaceful state, we have a glimpse of
some of those qualities within our mind even though we may not recognize it. Sometimes when some
peace and tranquility come from nowhere, we feel so joyful so pleasant and that is a reflection or a
glimpse of our inner qualities. Now, to fully reveal the inner qualities, what we should do is to
depend on the path that Buddha showed us.

The Fourth Noble Truth is called the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering. There are two
kinds of cessation, Sharavaka system of cessation, Nirodha and the Bodhisattva system of cessation,
Buddhahood. Sharavaka system of cessation, Nirodha or the Arhat state is temporary compared with
Buddhahood. Those who follow the Sharavaka path are not interested in helping every sentient being
as the Bodhisattvas do. Bodhisattvas are committed to help every sentient being regardless of who
that sentient being is. They are reborn life after life until all sentient beings are liberated. This is the
Bodhisattva way of life. Even though they achieve Buddhahood, their activities continue. Sharavaka
system is sometimes called Hinayana. Practitioners of course have compassion but they do not have
Bodhicitta (the mind of Enlightenment) and are not committed to help all sentient beings. So in their
lives, they help and benefit many sentient beings as much as they can while trying to free themselves
from samsara to attain the nirvana state. They perform many different types of activities. They go
through their lives practicing and attaining the four fruits or the four different types of realizations.
The first is called entering into the stream because they enter into the Arhat path. The second is called
returning once. Before they attain the final realization, they have some more purification to do and
thus are reborn once more. The third is called non-returning state. They are guaranteed to achieve the
full Arhat State within the lifetime so there is no need to return to the samsara. The fourth is called
Arhatship or the four destroyers because all the afflictive emotions are destroyed. Arhatship is a state
with the complete realization. To achieve that what practitioners have to practice is to purify the self-
grasping obscuration, i.e. person self and the phenomena self. Person self is I or me. We are so
attached to that. Even though there is no independent self and self is just a label to the collection of
the five aggregates, we are so attached to the label. So practitioners have to purify that totally. When
that is completely purified and uprooted, the gross obscurations related to the mind are purified and
the joyful and peaceful Arhat State is attained. The Sharavaka and hearer school achieve that state.
Bodhisattvas achieving Buddhahood is called non-abiding. Non-abiding means neither abide to the
samsara nor abide to Nirvana (the Arhat state). So Buddha goes beyond those two extremes.
Buddhahood is in the state of total peace. Through great compassion, they do not give up the
possibility of benefiting sentient beings and at the same time through great wisdom, they are not
abiding in the samsara (the confusion state) like us.

IV:
The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering
June 10, 1999

The Fourth Noble Truth is called the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering. There are two
kinds of cessation, Sharavaka system of cessation (Nirodha or Arhat state) and the Bodhisattva
system of cessation (Buddhahood). Sharavaka system of cessation, Nirodha is temporary compared
with Buddhahood. Those who follow the Sharavaka path are not interested in helping every sentient
being as the Bodhisattvas do. Bodhisattvas are committed to help every sentient being regardless of
who it is. They are reborn life after life until all sentient beings are liberated. This is the Bodhisattva
way of life. Even though they achieve Buddhahood, their activities continue. Sharavaka system is
sometimes called Hinayana. Practitioners have, of course, compassion but they lack Bodhicitta (the
mind of Enlightenment) and are therefore not committed to help all sentient beings. So in their lives,
they help and benefit many sentient beings as much as they can while trying to free themselves from
samsara to attain the nirvana state. They perform many different types of activities. They go through
their lives practicing and attaining the four fruits or the four different types of realizations. The first is
called entering into the stream because they enter into the Arhat path. The second is called returning
once. Before they attain the final realization, they have some more purification to do and thus, they
are reborn once more. The third is called non-returning state. They are guaranteed to achieve the full
Arhat State within the present lifetime so there is no need to return to samsara. The fourth is called
Arhatship or the four destroyers because all the afflictive emotions are destroyed. Arhatship is a state
with the complete realization. To achieve this state, practitioners have to purify the self-grasping
obscuration, i.e. person self and the phenomena self. Person self is I or me. We are so attached to that.
Even though there is no independent self and self is just a label to the collection of the five
aggregates, we are so attached to the label. So practitioners have to purify that totally. When that is
completely purified and uprooted, the gross obscurations related to the mind are purified and the
joyful and peaceful Arhat State is attained. The Sharavaka and hearer school achieve that state.
Bodhisattvas achieving Buddhahood is called non-abiding. Non-abiding means neither abide in the
samsara nor abide in Nirvana (the Arhat state). So Buddha goes beyond those two extremes.
Buddhahood is the state of total peace. Through great compassion, they do not give up the possibility
of benefiting sentient beings and at the same time through great wisdom, they are not abiding in the
samsara (the confusion state) like us.

Now to attain complete Enlightenment, Buddhahood, there is a path to follow. It is commonly known
as the Five Paths. Before entering into the path, first, we study the nature of samsara, the cyclic
existence, the cycle of confusion. It is cyclic because it goes round and round in a circle. For example,
days – we get up in the morning scheduling the activities for the whole day from morning to evening
and then go to sleep. The next day, we wake up and start the daily routine again. So, in this way,
days go round and round. Weeks go in a cycle too, Monday through Sunday and then again Monday
through Sunday. Similarly, months – after 30 or 31 days, the next month starts again from day 1 to
the end of the month. A year has 12 months. After 12 months, it starts the next year again from the
first month. So in this way, there is no farther to go and we just go round and round. We are born,
getting old and then die and then are born again, getting old and die and so on in a cycle. This kind of
existence is called the cyclic existence. We exist in that state sometimes feeling good and sometimes
feeling bad, sometimes sad and sometimes happy. We investigate, try to understand that nature and
find out how we can free ourselves from that. Relating to the cycle of days, there is a story. Once,
there was a king and a very smart minister. The king asked the minister to come to him. The king was
very interested in all types of horses and he mentioned all the different types of horses with various
colors, shapes, and sizes to the minister. Then the king said to the minister, "Now, you have to find
me a special horse – a horse type that I have not mentioned, within a week. If you do not find it after
one week has passed, I will execute you." So, the minister went home and he was very upset because
there was no way to find such a horse. Whatever existed in this world, the king had already
mentioned it. So, he was thinking what he should do. If he did not have anything to tell the king, he
would be killed within a week. Then he got a good idea. He asked an attendant of the king to come
and told him, "Please tell the king that I have already found such a horse that he wished for. Please
come and get the horse on such a day which does not lie within a week." In other words, the king had
to come on such a day which does not exist. The king got the message and promoted the minister to a
higher rank because of his intelligence. So in the samsara, things just go round and round in a cycle.
To free from that cycle, we have to find out what the cause of the cycle is. In the previous talk, we
investigated in great detail the root cause of suffering. It is our ignorance – the delusion and
obscurations of the mind that tie us to samsara. In order to break the cycle, we have to purify the
obscurations by studying and practicing the Dharma step by step. The mental development of
wisdom and compassion in which one purifies the different levels of obscurations is fully cultivated
through the five paths: the path of accumulation, the path of application, the path of insight, the path
of meditation and the path of complete perfection.

The first path is called the Path of Accumulation. First one have to study, contemplate and train well
on the Four Foundations: the rarity and preciousness of leisure and endowment of human life; the
impermanence of all compound phenomena, including precious human life; the all-pervading
sufferings in samsara; and the universal law of causes and effects. Then one gets a clear
understanding of the need to renounce samsara and yearns to be free from samsara to attain
Enlightenment. On the basis of this awareness, one seeks refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha) as a way to directly connect to and cultivate one’s mind to attain the limitless
qualities of the enlightened beings. Then one takes the precepts and vows, and go through the three
types of training: Sila (moral ethics); Samadhi (meditation); and Prajna (insight wisdom awareness) in
order to step by step tame the mind, uproot the habitualized non-virtuous habits, and purify both
gross and subtle obscurations such as afflictive emotions. The three types of training can be divided
into the six paramitas, that is, the training of generosity, moral ethics, patience, perseverance,
meditative concentration and wisdom awareness. One’s effort is focused and organized into the
spiritual path. With the guidance of spiritual masters, one starts gathering the different instructions
and methods that will establish the mind in clarity and one-pointedness. One studies, contemplates
and gathers great wisdom and great mental power to directly understand and stabilize the
understanding of those teachings by actual experiences. That is, bringing the Dharma teachings and
practices into the mind, and mixing with the mind rather than just intellectually understanding them.
On this foundation, great loving-kindness, compassion and Bodhicitta are developed. One cultivates
the mind of aspiration and action Bodhicitta through these practices and makes effort in virtues until
one attains the heat of wisdom. Progress is classified in four stages: realization, aspiration, greater
aspiration and achievement. During the path of accumulation, twelve of the thirty-seven branches of
Enlightenment are practiced. They are four types of mindfulness, four types of perfect abandonment,
and four feet of miracle powers. Each of the four types corresponds to each of the Four Noble Truths.
The four types of mindfulness are sustaining mindfulness of the body, feelings, the mind and
phenomena. Through that, uncontrived bodhicitta is developed. There is an instinctive
understanding of which acts are unskillful and one firmly establishes those that are skillful. When
there is mindfulness, there is meditation; and when there is no mindfulness, there is no meditation.
Mindfulness is the freeway to Enlightenment. Sustaining mindfulness of the body focuses specifically
on its impermanent and composite nature – the aggregation of many factors. Thus, there is nothing to
be attached to. This meditation leads to a clear understanding of the First Noble Truth – the truth of
suffering – and one develops a strong wish for liberation. Sustaining mindfulness of the feelings
focuses specifically on the temporary nature of the good or bad feelings. This contemplation leads to
the understanding of the Second Noble Truth – the truth of the cause of suffering – which causes one
to abandon desire and aversion. Sustaining mindfulness of the mind focuses specifically on its
momentary nature. This contemplation leads to insight into the Third Noble Truth – the truth of the
cessation of suffering – and one realizes that there is no permanent and independent self. Sustaining
mindfulness of the phenomena focuses specifically on them lacking self-existence. This
contemplation leads to insight into the Fourth Noble Truth – the truth of the path to the cessation of
suffering. The four types of perfect abandonment are: abandoning non-virtues which have been
created, not allowing new non-virtues to be produced, applying the antidotes and bringing forth
virtues which have not arisen, and allowing those virtues which have arisen to increase. Through
these four states of complete abandonment, selfishly motivated thoughts are no longer present. One
follows every moment the course of causes and effects, and by being constantly aware of this, all
one’s actions become skillful. The four feet of miracle powers are the four absorption (samadhi): the
absorption of strong aspiration to attain perfect absorption, the absorption of perseverance, the
absorption of the mind, that is, the realization of the inherent potential of the mind; and absorption of
investigation, that is, the examination of the teachings and one’s level of attainment. These four states
of absorption are the main methods that support complete attainment of one-pointed concentration.
One has the ability to remain in absorption at all times. Whenever one wishes to examine anything,
the full power of concentration is available for use. Moreover, one never forgets any of the teachings
and can see the spiritual teachers in their enlightened form.

Second, the path of preparation or path of application, which begins after the perfection of the path of
accumulation. Sometimes, it is also called the linking path because this path links between samsara
and beyond samsara. We are now preparing to free from samsara and one gets more glimpses of the
understanding of emptiness – emptiness of the self and emptiness of the independent existence.
There is a lot of appreciation and joy, the feeling of warmth when one hears the meaning of
emptiness because the reality of the nature of emptiness is coming closer. One gets very excited when
one gets a glimpse of emptiness and one becomes determined to fully actualize it. One has such
confidence and devotion that one makes great effort to stabilize and organize the mind in the right
place and purify all the obscurations in the mind. One makes effort to directly realize the truth –
direct understanding of the profound meaning of the Dharma. One develops further by training the
mind well and strengthening the power of wisdom in order to counter the afflictive emotions. By
studying and familiarizing oneself through practice, with the idea that everything is interdependent
and illusory, one will gain the ability to transform and subjugate all the powers of the afflictive
emotions. It has four stages corresponding to the realization of the Four Noble Truths: heat,
maximum heat, patience and realization of the highest worldly Dharma. First, heat, when one starts
meditation practice, the "heat" of experience arises, and becomes hotter and hotter as the practice
develops. At this stage, kleshas are weakened. Next, maximum heat – at this stage, extremes of
nihilism and permanence are abandoned. Next, patience – at this stage, lower rebirth is assured not to
happen, the fear of losing self-identity is lost and there is great capacity to take on suffering. Finally,
the realization of the highest worldly Dharma – at this stage, there is an understanding of samsara.
During the stages of heat and maximum heat, five powers are practiced: the power of faith, armor-
like perseverance, mindfulness on the Four Noble Truths, absorption of combined samatha and
vipashyana, and wisdom awareness which enable one to examine the emptiness of the Four Noble
Truths. These make up another five of the thirty-seven branches of Enlightenment. During the stages
of patience and highest worldly Dharma, five strengths are practiced – the strength of faith,
perseverance, mindfulness, absorption and wisdom awareness. These make up yet another five of the
thirty-seven branches of Enlightenment.

The third path is called the path of insight. On the basis of one-pointed meditative concentration and
with the support of special insight, one penetrates into the nature of the mind itself and is completely
victorious in the battle with delusion and afflictive obscurations. The process of direct realization and
direct experience of the all-pervading emptiness in the meditative state is called the path of insight or
path of critical seeing. At this stage, one becomes an Arya and the first bhumi, which is called great
joy, is attained (bhumi refers to the progression levels of a Bodhisatva´s training). There is great joy
because before one had to make effort to realize emptiness and now one can realize it directly. Now,
one is above samsara and closer to Enlightenment, and one achieves greater qualities to benefit
sentient beings. Earlier even though one had great compassion to help others but one was so limited
in many ways, while now one achieves greater wisdom and acquires skillful means. Now one is free
from the bond of delusion and confusion. The distinctive practice for Bodhisattvas who abide at this
bhumi is on the perfection of generosity. The path of insight begins after the highest worldly Dharma,
and calm abiding is the basis for special insight. This path focuses on the Four Noble Truths. Four
insights, i.e. patient acceptance, continuous patience, actual awareness, and continuous
discriminating awareness, all of which correspond to each of the Four Noble Truths making a total of
sixteen stages. For example, the patient acceptance of the truth of suffering, the continuous patience
to the truth of suffering, the actual awareness of the truth of suffering and the continuous
discriminating awareness of the truth of suffering and so forth. It is called the path of insight because
there one realizes the Four Noble Truths, which was not possible before. At this stage, there are seven
branches of Enlightenment. They are the perfect mindfulness branch – one never forgets virtuous
conduct or the goal of Enlightenment, the perfect discrimination branch – one possesses the perfect
discriminating wisdom to the direct understanding of non-self existence, the perfect perseverance
branch, the perfect joy branch – non-samsaric happiness, and joy without self-grasping, the perfect
relaxation branch – bliss, the perfect absorption branch and the perfect equanimity branch – one no
longer experiences physical suffering and is free from the five fears, i.e. fear of not enough food or
clothing, stage-fright, death, birth in the lower realms and teaching more learned people.

The fourth path is called the path of meditation. In order to enhance and purify all the habitual
tendencies, and to dispel obstacles from the path to Enlightenment, one needs constant reminding
and mindfulness. Recalling the impermanence of all phenomena dispels attachment to this life.
Recalling the suffering nature of samsara dispels attachment to the pleasures of samsara. Recalling
loving-kindness and compassion dispels the obstacles to one’s own peace and liberation. Enhancing
the practice of bodhicitta dispels ignorance about how to attain Enlightenment. To practice
understanding everything as selfless and of illusory nature is the method to dispel one’s grasping of
phenomena as real. This manner of training is included in the path of meditation. The path of
meditation begins after the realization of special insight. Through that one attains the post-meditation
direct understanding of truth. It is called the path of meditation because there, one becomes familiar
with the realizations that one achieved in the path of insight. There are two types of meditation, i.e.
analytical meditation and stabilizing equipoise meditation. First, in the beginning, analytical
meditation is important in order to achieve the stabilizing meditation. We analyze, investigate and
contemplate on the impermanence, the cause of suffering, precious human life and the
interdependent nature of all phenomena. After one attains this wisdom to some extent through
analytical meditation, in order to achieve complete realization, one has to stabilize the stabilizing
equipoise meditation. Through the equipoise meditative state, one can achieve all knowledge not just
intellectually or analytically. When one can develop such a one-pointed virtuous mind in the
equipoise state, one’s mind is completely organized and stays in the right place. It is so powerful and
in such a clear and profound state that it can eliminate and purify all obscurations and manifest
mentally infinite wisdom and compassion. One weighs virtue and non-virtue of everything and sees
the value of performing virtue. The very one-pointed nature in the virtuous state during the powerful
equipoise meditation allows one to realize the path of special insight and actualize the intuitive
actualization of the meaning of the practices during the path of meditation. The second to tenth
bhumis occur during the path of meditation. The second bhumi is described as stainless because one
is free from the stains of immorality. The distinctive practice is on the perfection of moral ethics. The
third bhumi is described as radiant because the appearances and absorption of Dharma are clear and
the light of the Dharma radiates for others. The distinctive practice is on the perfection of patience.
The fourth bhumi is described as luminous because two veils are burned away by the luminous light
of primordial wisdom of all the branches of Enlightenment. The distinctive practice is on the
perfection of perseverance. The fifth bhumi is described as very difficult to train because Bodhisattvas
strive to mature sentient beings and they do not become emotionally involved when sentient beings
respond negatively, both of which are difficult to do. The distinctive practice is on the perfection of
meditative concentration. The sixth bhumi is described as obviously transcendent because supported
by the perfection of wisdom awareness, Bodhisattvas do not abide in either samsara or nirvana, so
they are obviously transcendent and beyond samsara and nirvana. The distinctive practice is on the
perfection of wisdom awareness. The seventh bhumi is described as gone afar because it is related to
the one-way path to the perfection of action. The distinctive practice is on the perfection of skillful
means. The eighth bhumi is described as immovable because it cannot be moved by the perception of
effort with signs or by the perception of effort without signs. The distinctive practice is on the
perfection of aspiration. The ninth bhumi is described as good discriminating wisdom because those
who attain it have perfect discriminating awareness. The distinctive practice is on the perfection of
strength. The tenth bhumi is described as cloud of Dharma because one who abides in it showers the
rain of Dharma like a cloud and purifies the dust of afflictive emotions of sentient beings. That is, the
doors of dharani (mantra) and absorption in the Dharma pervade everything like a cloud covering
the sky. The distinctive practice is on the perfection of primordial wisdom. A tenth-level Bodhisattva
has such great power to effortlessly manifest activities that benefit countless sentient beings. That
bodhisatta’s mind is completely dominated by unconditional, non-objectified compassion and great
wisdom. Such a one is free from all fear and doubt, and has the indomitable courage and skill to
benefit beings until the end of samsara. The last eight of the thirty-seven branches of Enlightenment
is covered in this stage and they are known as the eight-fold path or the eight righteousness path.
They are perfect view (view on emptiness that cuts the root of ignorance), perfect thought (with
intention to express the understanding to others), perfect speech (giving precise teachings which are
free of contradiction), perfect action (to refrain completely from non-virtue), perfect livelihood (free
from the five wrong ways to acquire things: putting on an act to impress others to gain something,
giving something in the hope of receiving more in return, flattery for gain, hinting for gain, making
up excuses to exploit others), perfect effort (effort to abandon all inborn kleshas), perfect mindfulness
(highly developed memory) and perfect absorption (use of samadhi to attain the clairvoyance of
Buddha). Through perfect speech, action and livelihood, one brings others to a strong conviction to
Dharma. Perfect effort, mindfulness and absorption are the opponents to kleshas.

The last path is called the path of complete perfection. At the final state, the Bodhisattva does such
powerful meditation that none of the negative thoughts can penetrate to create obstacles. When one
completely purifies and uproot all the subtle obscurations through the vajra-like absorption, the all-
pervading primordial wisdom blossoms. When one realizes this level, there is nothing more to dispel
and nothing to add. It transcends all the conceptions of duality and actualizes the primordial mind as
such. The total wisdom is fully awakened. At this state, one attains the bhumi of Buddhahood. This is
called the path of perfection or the path of no-more-learning. Buddha possesses two types of
primordial wisdom – the primordial wisdom of actualizing and penetrating into the nature of all
phenomena, and the wisdom of knowing all types of knowledge. The state of omniscience is attained.

The above discussion lays out the complete path on how to totally purify and uproot the causes of suffering and
to attain Enlightenment. Of particular importance is the study and practice of Bodhicitta (the mind of
Enlightenment). This mind embraces the universal loving-kindness, wisdom and compassion to all sentient
beings and no one is neglected. We do not have any enemy. This gives us every comfort, inspiration, courage
and mental power to go through whatever difficulties we face in order to purify all our obscurations and to
reveal the true nature of all phenomena. Everybody admires and appreciates those who possess that mind no
matter who they are. Everybody would like to stay close to them, even animals feel calm and peace. So, it
becomes the source to harmony and peace. Buddhist or non-buddhist has to practice Bodhicitta in order to
achieve peace and harmony in their mind because it is universal. We are grown up out of the kindness of father,
mother, brothers and sisters. If we are not grown up under such kind of conditions, our mind is damaged. It is
therefore very important for us to make effort, plant and let grow those qualities in our own mind. This is the
wealth that we can accumulate life after life. Ordinary wealth that we have in this life we cannot carry with us.
When we die, we have to go with empty hands. So cultivating the Bodhicitta mind is the best investment and
the best way of making effort in this life. It is such a best friend, the best friend that we can find in our lives
who give us comfort and strength. So, we have to make effort no matter what it takes. We practice joyfully,
feeling fortunate to have the opportunity and with contentment. Contentment means that we work hard, make
effort as much as we can without expectation, then whatever result or achievement we have, we accept, rejoice
and appreciate. We always explore opportunities to improve. Simply resenting the result or doing things with
expectation would only bring obstacles and suffering. We make effort anyway, so why not make effort to create
the causes of peace and joy for ourselves and for others in this life and the lives after. At this moment, we may
not have the ability to help others but at least we generate this altruistic thought. First, we generate and practice
that thought in our own mind. Then step by step when we have achieved some good qualities, we share with
others as much as we can both for the welfare of others and for our own progress. The journey on the path may
be long, but when we gradually see that our negative thoughts, and negative, afflictive emotions are becoming
less and less powerful and the mind is becoming clearer and we are more sincere to ourselves and others, then
we are progressing on the path. Step by step without expectation, practice with patience, confidence, devotion
and perseverance, sooner or later, all our obscurations and the causes of suffering will be exhausted. It is just a
matter of time. Thank you.