Section 2: How to Comprehend the Characteristics of the Truth of Origin, Cessation, and the Path

By cultivating the sixteen aspects of the Four Noble Truths, one comprehends the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths. The characteristics of the truth of suffering are comprehended through the four aspects of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self; the characteristics of the truth of origin are comprehended through the four aspects of cause, origin, arising, and condition; the characteristics of the truth of cessation are comprehended through the four aspects of cessation, peace, excellence, and liberation; the characteristics of the truth of the path are comprehended through the four aspects of path, accordance, practice, and emergence. Among these, the observation of the truth of suffering through ten aspects and the realization of its four aspects have been previously explained. Below, we will explain how to cultivate the four aspects of the truth of origin to comprehend its characteristics.

Source text: Furthermore, having correctly comprehended the characteristics of the truth of suffering through the four aspects [of suffering, etc.], one subsequently contemplates: What is the cause, what is the origin, what is the arising, what is the condition of this truth of suffering? By severing these [cause, origin, arising, condition], suffering is also severed accordingly. Thus, one uses the four aspects of the truth of origin to comprehend the characteristics of the truth of origin. That is, one understands that craving, because it can induce suffering, is called the cause. Having induced suffering, it further accumulates and causes it to be born; therefore, it is called the origin. Once suffering is born, it causes it to manifest; therefore, it is called the arising. Furthermore, because it can embrace the seeds of future suffering and successively induce the accumulation of suffering, it is called the condition.

Explanation: Having correctly and unmistakably realized the characteristics of the truth of suffering through the four aspects of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self, one again contemplates: What is the cause for the appearance of this suffering? How does suffering accumulate? How does suffering arise? Upon what condition does suffering appear? Only by severing these four aspects — cause, origin, arising, and condition — will suffering be severed accordingly. Therefore, one must contemplate the four aspects of the truth of origin to sever the characteristics of the truth of origin. Understanding that craving can induce suffering, it is said that craving is the cause of suffering. After inducing suffering, it further accumulates it, causing suffering to be born; this is called the origin of suffering. Once suffering is born, it causes the suffering feeling to manifest; this is called the arising. Furthermore, it can embrace the seeds of future suffering, successively inducing the accumulation of suffering; therefore, it is called the condition.

Source text: There is another distinction. That is, understanding that craving is the cause of grasping; further, it can accumulate, precisely taking grasping as the cause for existence; further, it can give rise to existence, which is foremost in bringing about future birth; and further, it can induce, with birth as the condition, such suffering phenomena as aging, sickness, and death. According to their respective correspondences, they should be understood to be called cause, origin, arising, and condition.

Explanation: There are distinctions among the four aspects, with a sequential difference. Understanding that craving is the cause of grasping, craving can further accumulate; grasping then becomes the cause for future existence, thereby giving rise to future existence. With existence as the condition, the future five aggregates are born, which can further 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, origin, arising, and condition.

The cause of the truth of origin is craving. Because there is craving, grasping arises. Whether grasping is successful or not, there is the characteristic of suffering. Once future existence is produced, the characteristic of birth appears, and the characteristic of suffering manifests. Only by severing the root cause of suffering, which is greed and craving, can suffering be severed. The cause of craving is sensation; the cause of sensation is contact. One can have contact and sensation, but if there is no greed or craving towards what is contacted and sensed, if the mind is unattached to the contacted and sensed, 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 feeling manifests; this is called the arising of suffering. Because craving can embrace the seeds of future suffering, what craving accumulates are the seeds of suffering, capable of producing future suffering. Craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging, etc., successively induce the accumulation of suffering; therefore, craving is the condition for suffering.

The truth of origin belongs to one link within the twelve links of dependent origination. The path to liberation is mutually inclusive in the methods of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas; they 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 is identical.

Source text: There is another distinction. That is, correctly understanding that the latent tendencies of defilements depend on and are subordinate to the latent tendencies of craving, etc. The latent tendencies of craving, etc., are the cause for the birth of future existence. Furthermore, correctly understanding that the manifest afflictions arising from them, according to their respective correspondences, are the origin, arising, and condition. That is, craving for future existence can induce [birth], hence it is the origin. This craving for future existence further gives 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 delight and affection. Thus, relying on the latent tendencies of craving, etc., and the three kinds of manifest afflictions, they can produce future existence and can give rise to the distinctions of various cravings. Therefore, they are called cause, origin, arising, and condition. In this way, the practitioner comprehends the characteristics of the truth of origin through the four aspects.

Explanation: There is another distinction among the four aspects. Correctly and truly understanding that the latent tendencies of defilements are subordinate to the latent tendencies of craving, relying on the latent tendencies of craving for their existence — without craving there are no defilements; craving is also the cause of defilements; severing craving severs defilements — and the latent tendencies of craving are the cause for the birth of future existence in the three realms. Correctly understanding the manifest afflictions arising from the latent tendencies of craving, which correspond respectively to the three aspects of origin, arising, and condition, the manifest afflictions can accumulate the seeds of suffering and cause suffering to manifest, serving as the condition for the arising of suffering feelings.

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, and this craving accompanied by delight and greed can become the condition for various kinds of delight and affection. In this way, relying on the latent tendencies of craving, etc., and the three kinds of manifest afflictions (the affliction of craving, the affliction of delight, and the affliction of greed), future existence will certainly be born. With birth, suffering will arise. Thus, the practitioner comprehends the characteristics of the truth of origin through the four aspects.

Source text: Having correctly comprehended the characteristics of the truth of origin, one further correctly comprehends that the complete cessation without residue of this truth of origin is called cessation. The complete peace without residue of all suffering is called peace. This very cessation and peace, being foremost, supreme, and unsurpassed, is called excellent. Being permanent and eternally liberated, it is called liberation. In this way, the practitioner comprehends the characteristics of the truth of cessation through the four aspects.

Explanation: Having correctly and truly comprehended and realized the characteristics 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 origin no longer accumulates, and suffering ceases. When all suffering is extinguished without residue, it is then peaceful; there is no activity of the five aggregates nor suffering endured by the five aggregates; this is called peace. With the cessation and pacification of suffering, it is foremost in the world, supreme, unsurpassed; therefore, it is called excellent. After the cessation of suffering, there is no residual suffering; suffering will not be reborn. This state is eternally abiding, eternally liberated from suffering; therefore, it is called liberation. In this way, the yogi comprehends the characteristics of the truth of cessation through the four aspects of cessation, peace, excellence, and liberation.

The characteristics of the truth of cessation are comprehended through the four aspects of cessation, peace, excellence, and liberation. Suffering ceases because the origin ceases; suffering actions are no longer accumulated. The physical, verbal, and mental actions of the five-aggregate body are all suffering actions, especially unwholesome and unskillful physical, verbal, and mental actions. When the mind no longer clings to the phenomena of the five-aggregate world, suffering is no longer accumulated, and peace is attained. When the mind attains peace, it is liberated and free. In the world, this is supremely wonderful, because the world is generally characterized by clinging and suffering, lacking peace, freedom, and liberation; thus, life is not wonderful. The liberated life is foremost and supremely excellent in the world. After extinguishing suffering and attaining liberation, there will be no more suffering feelings. Liberation is eternal; one will not regress to the state of ignorance and afflictions; one is forever free from suffering; therefore, it is called liberation. Thus, the characteristics of the truth of cessation are clearly revealed through the four aspects of cessation, peace, excellence, and liberation.

Source text: Having correctly comprehended the characteristics of the truth of cessation, one further correctly comprehends the true antidotal path. Because it can universally investigate the meaning in the known object, because it can truly investigate the meaning, because it progresses according to the four gates, and because it invariably leads to the meaning of Nirvāṇa, therefore it is called the path, accordance, practice, and emergence. In this way, the practitioner comprehends the characteristics of the truth of the path through the four aspects. This is called the fully discerning preliminary contemplation of the Four Noble Truths through internal realization.

Explanation: After the practitioner has correctly and truly realized the characteristics of the truth of cessation, finally, one must 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 investigate its true meaning, because it can truly investigate its true meaning, it is called accordance. During the practice of the path, because one's physical, verbal, and mental actions can accord with the principles of the Four Noble Truths, continuously transforming towards purity, it is called practice. After practicing the path, as mental activities gradually subside and cease, one progresses towards Nirvāṇa, emerging from birth and death; this is called emergence. In this way, the yogi comprehends the characteristics of the truth of the path through the four aspects of path, accordance, practice, and emergence. This is called the fully discerning preliminary contemplation of the Four Noble Truths through internal realization.

What is the true antidotal path? The path refers to the method, way, or course. Antidote refers to counteracting the ignorance and afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion in the mind. Ignorance is not knowing suffering, not knowing the origin of suffering; therefore, one must counteract this not-knowing, transforming it into knowing. Without 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 morality, 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 correspond with the truth, the principle of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Regarding the known object, the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, one can deeply contemplate its true principle with penetrating understanding, contemplate and practice its principles truly, comprehending the inner meaning and correct principle of the known object, thereby realizing the truth of the Four Noble Truths. Practice (行) means that, based on accordance having severed ignorance, mental activities transform. All mental activities accord with the realized truth, not contradicting the true principle of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Emergence (出) means that through practicing the path, afflictions are eradicated, physical, verbal, and mental actions are purified, one no longer clings to the five-aggregate world, one is peaceful and non-active, body and mind are liberated, progressing towards Nirvāṇa, in accordance with Nirvāṇa, emerging from the three realms, liberated from the suffering of birth and death.

The characteristics of the truth of the path are comprehended 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, morality, concentration, and wisdom increase, the understanding of the five-aggregate world accords with the true principle, ignorance diminishes, afflictions lessen, mental activities do not contradict the noble path, body and mind gradually transform. When purified to a certain degree, in accordance with the path and the noble ones, one realizes the noble path. It is not that the transformation of body and mind begins only after attaining the fruit; if body and mind are not transformed to accord with the noble ones, one cannot become a noble one. It is like a student taking an exam: if one fails, one cannot be admitted; the principle is the same.