Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume Thirty-Four: Characteristics of the Four Noble Truths

Chapter 2: How to Understand the Characteristics of the Truth of Origin, Cessation, and the Path

By cultivating the sixteen aspects of the Four Noble Truths, one can understand the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths. The characteristic of the Truth of Suffering is understood through the four aspects of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self; the characteristic of the Truth of Origin is understood through the four aspects of cause, accumulation, arising, and condition; the characteristic of the Truth of Cessation is understood through the four aspects of cessation, calm, excellence, and release; the characteristic of the Truth of the Path is understood through the four aspects of path, accordance, practice, and emergence. Among these, the ten aspects for observing the Truth of Suffering and the realization of its four aspects have already been explained. Below, we will explain how to cultivate the four aspects of the Truth of Origin to understand its characteristic.

Original Text: Furthermore, having correctly realized the characteristic of the Truth of Suffering through the four aspects, one next observes: What is the cause, what is the accumulation, what is the arising, and what is the condition for this Truth of Suffering? By severing these, suffering is likewise severed. Thus, with the four aspects of the Truth of Origin, one understands the characteristic of the Truth of Origin. It is understood that craving is called "cause" because it can induce suffering. Having induced suffering, it further accumulates and causes it to be born; thus, it is called "accumulation." Having given birth to suffering, it causes that suffering to manifest; thus, it is called "arising." Moreover, it can contain the seeds of future suffering, successively inducing the accumulation of suffering; thus, it is called "condition."

Explanation: Having correctly and unmistakably realized the characteristic of the Truth of Suffering through the four aspects of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self, one again observes: What is the cause for the appearance of this suffering? How is suffering accumulated? How does suffering arise? Upon what condition does suffering appear? Only by severing these four aspects—cause, accumulation, arising, and condition—will suffering be severed accordingly. Therefore, one must observe the four aspects of the Truth of Origin to sever the characteristic of the Truth of Origin. One understands that craving can induce suffering; thus, craving is called the cause of suffering. After inducing suffering, it further accumulates and causes suffering to be born; thus, it is called the accumulation of suffering. After suffering is born, it causes the suffering to manifest; this is called the arising of suffering. Furthermore, it can contain the seeds of future suffering, successively inducing the accumulation of suffering; thus, craving is called the condition.

Original Text: There is a further distinction. It is understood that craving is the cause for grasping. Furthermore, it can accumulate, precisely taking grasping as the cause for existence. It can give rise to existence, which is foremost in bringing about future birth. Moreover, it can induce, with birth as the condition, the various dharmas of suffering such as aging, sickness, and death. According to their respective correspondences, they are known as cause, accumulation, arising, and condition.

Explanation: There are distinctions and a sequence among the four aspects. It is understood that craving is the cause for grasping. Craving further accumulates, and grasping becomes the cause for future existence, thereby giving rise to future existence. With existence as the condition, the five aggregates of the future life are born. Furthermore, it can induce aging, sickness, death, and other great masses of suffering, with birth as the condition. According to the sequence of the four aspects, they are respectively called cause, accumulation, arising, and condition.

The cause of the Truth of Origin is craving. Because there is craving, grasping arises. Whether grasping is attained or not, the characteristic of suffering is present. After future existence is produced, the characteristic of birth appears, and the characteristic of suffering manifests. Only by severing the root cause of suffering—craving—can suffering be severed. The cause of craving is feeling, and the cause of feeling is contact. Contact and feeling may occur, but if there is no craving during contact and feeling, and one remains unattached to what is contacted and felt, then future suffering will not arise, and the Truth of Origin ceases. Since present craving is the cause that induces suffering, and the accumulation of craving causes suffering to be born, the accumulation of craving is the accumulation of suffering. After suffering is born, the suffering manifests; this is called the arising of suffering. Because craving can contain the seeds of future suffering, what craving accumulates are all seeds of suffering that can produce future suffering. Craving, grasping, existence, birth, and aging successively induce the accumulation and arising of suffering; therefore, craving is the condition for suffering.

The Truth of Origin belongs to one link in the twelvefold dependent origination. The path to liberation—the methods of the Śrāvaka and the Pratyekabuddha—mutually encompass each other and share common ground. There is no independent Pratyekabuddha method nor an independent Śrāvaka method; it is merely that the two methods differ in the depth of the levels they involve, yet the liberation attained is without distinction.

Original Text: There is a further distinction. One correctly understands that the latent tendencies of defilements are subordinate to and dependent upon the latent tendency of craving, etc., which is the cause for future existence. Furthermore, one correctly understands that the fetters born from them, according to their respective correspondences, are the accumulation, arising, and condition. That is, craving for future existence can induce; thus, it is accumulation. This craving for future existence can further give rise to craving accompanied by delight and greed. This craving accompanied by delight and greed further serves as the condition for various kinds of specific cravings. Thus, relying on the latent tendency of craving, etc., and the three fetters, they can produce future existence and can give rise to the distinctions of various cravings. Therefore, they are called cause, accumulation, arising, and condition. In this way, the practitioner understands the characteristic of the Truth of Origin through four aspects.

Explanation: There is a further distinction among the four aspects. One correctly and truly understands that the latent tendencies of defilements are subordinate to the latent tendency of craving and depend upon it; without craving, there are no defilements. Craving is also the cause of defilements; severing craving severs defilements. The latent tendency of craving is the cause for the birth of future triple existence. One correctly understands the fetters born from the latent tendency of craving, which correspond respectively to the three aspects of accumulation, arising, and condition. The fetters of defilements can accumulate the seeds of suffering and cause suffering to manifest; they are the condition for producing the experience of suffering.

Because the latent tendencies of defilements can induce craving for future existence, they can accumulate craving for future existence. They can further give rise to craving accompanied by delight and greed. This craving accompanied by delight and greed can become the condition for various kinds of specific cravings. Thus, relying on the latent tendency of craving, etc., and the three fetters (the fetter of craving, the fetter of delight, and the fetter of greed), future existence is certainly born. With birth, suffering is born. In this way, the practitioner understands the characteristic of the Truth of Origin through the four aspects.

Original Text: Having correctly realized the characteristic of the Truth of Origin, one further correctly realizes that when this Truth of Origin is completely extinguished without remainder, it is called "cessation." When all suffering of the Truth of Suffering is utterly stilled without remainder, it is called "calm." This very cessation and calm is foremost, supreme, and unsurpassed; thus, it is called "excellent." It is everlasting and eternally liberated; thus, it is called "release." In this way, the practitioner understands the characteristic of the Truth of Cessation through four aspects.

Explanation: Having correctly and truly understood and realized the characteristic of the Truth of Origin, one must further correctly and truly realize the four aspects of the Truth of Cessation. When the Truth of Origin is completely extinguished and ceases, it is called cessation; the Truth of Origin no longer accumulates, and suffering ceases. When all suffering of the Truth of Suffering is extinguished without any remainder, it becomes still; there is no activity of the five aggregates nor suffering endured by the five aggregates; this is called calm. With the Truth of Suffering thus extinguished and stilled, it is foremost in the world, supreme, and unsurpassed; thus, it is called excellent. After the Truth of Suffering is extinguished without remainder, suffering will not be reborn; this state is everlasting and eternally liberated from suffering; thus, it is called release. In this way, the yogi understands the characteristic of the Truth of Cessation through the four aspects of cessation, calm, excellence, and release.

The characteristic of the Truth of Cessation is understood through the four aspects of cessation, calm, excellence, and release. Suffering ceases because the origin ceases; suffering is no longer accumulated. The bodily, verbal, and mental activities of the five-aggregate body are all activities of suffering, especially unwholesome and unvirtuous bodily, verbal, and mental activities. When the mind no longer clings to the dharmas of the five-aggregate world, suffering is no longer accumulated, and calm is attained. When the mind attains calm, it is liberated and free. In the world, this is marvelous and wonderful, because the world is generally characterized by clinging and suffering—restless, bound, and unliberated—thus life is not wonderful. A liberated and free life is foremost and supremely excellent in the world. After suffering is extinguished and liberation is attained, suffering will no longer be experienced; liberation is eternal liberation; one will not regress to the state of ignorance and defilements; one is forever free from suffering; thus, it is called release. In this way, the characteristic of the Truth of Cessation is clearly revealed through the four aspects of cessation, calm, excellence, and release.

Original Text: Having correctly realized the characteristic of the Truth of Cessation, one further correctly realizes the true path of antidote. Because it can universally investigate the meaning of the known object, because it can truly seek the meaning, because it accords with the meaning through the four gates, and because it unerringly leads to the meaning of nirvana, therefore it is called path, accordance, practice, and emergence. In this way, the practitioner understands the characteristic of the Truth of the Path through four aspects. This is called the fully discerning attention of internal realization regarding the Four Noble Truths.

Explanation: After the practitioner has correctly and truly realized the characteristic of the Truth of Cessation, he must finally correctly and truly realize the true path cultivated to counteract suffering, in order to extinguish suffering and attain liberation. Regarding the known object, because it can universally seek its true meaning and truly seek its true meaning, it is called accordance. During the practice of the path, because his bodily, verbal, and mental activities can continuously transform and become pure in accordance with the principles of the Four Noble Truths, it is called practice. After practicing the path, mental activities gradually calm and cease, leading to nirvana and emerging from birth and death; it is called emergence. In this way, the yogi understands the characteristic of the Truth of the Path through the four aspects of path, accordance, practice, and emergence. This is called the fully discerning attention of internal realization regarding the Four Noble Truths.

What is the true path of antidote? "Path" refers to the method, way, or course. "Antidote" means counteracting the ignorance and defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion in the mind. Ignorance is not knowing suffering and not knowing the origin of suffering; therefore, one must counteract this unknowing, transforming it into knowing. If there is no ignorance, no antidote is needed. The path cultivated to extinguish suffering and sever its origin is called the path. The process of extinguishing suffering is practicing the path: cultivating precepts, concentration, and wisdom; the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment; contemplating and practicing the Four Noble Truths. This is the practice of the path.

"Accordance" (如) means causing the mind to accord with the truth and principle of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Regarding the known object—the dharmas of the Four Noble Truths—one can deeply contemplate their true principle with penetrating understanding, contemplate and practice their principles truly, comprehend the inner meaning and correct principle of the known object, and thereby realize the truth of the Four Noble Truths. "Practice" (行): On the basis of accordance and severing ignorance, mental activities transform; all mental activities accord with the realized truth and do not contradict the true principle of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. "Emergence" (出): Through practicing the path, defilements are severed, bodily, verbal, and mental activities become pure, one no longer clings to the five-aggregate world, one is calm and non-acting, body and mind are liberated, one advances toward nirvana, accords with nirvana, emerges from the triple world, and is liberated from the suffering of birth and death.

The characteristic of the Truth of the Path is understood through the four aspects of path, accordance, practice, and emergence. From the above four aspects, it is known that during the practice of the path, precepts, concentration, and wisdom increase, understanding of the five-aggregate world accords with the true principle, ignorance diminishes, defilements lessen, mental activities do not contradict the noble path, body and mind gradually transform, and when purity reaches a certain degree, one accords with the path and with the sages, and one attains the noble path. It is not that the transformation of body and mind begins slowly only after attaining the fruit; if body and mind are not transformed to accord with the sages, one cannot become a sage. It is like a student taking an examination: if one does not pass, one cannot enter the school; the principle is the same.