The Burning Urge of the Five Skandhas

“What is the suffering of the burning urge of the five skandhas? The suffering of the burning urge of the five skandhas refers to the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death, the suffering of parting from what one loves, the suffering of encountering what one hates, and the suffering of not being able to get what one wishes to have. This is why we speak of the suffering of the burning urge of the five skandhas.”

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Not Being Able to Get What One Desires

“What is the suffering of not being able to get what one desires? There are two kinds of this suffering of not being able to get what one desires to have, which are: 1) desire for something, but not be able to get it, and 2) the result that does not come about (from our actions), even after much effort. These are the cases of the suffering of not being able to get what one desires to have.” 

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Encountering What One Hates

“What is the suffering of encountering what one hates? There are a variety of things which one does not love, which come together. In such a mess of things which one does not love, there are three kinds, which are the realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animals. (The diversity into) in such three (realms) are innumerable, even though we may try to enumerate them. This is the suffering of encountering what one hates to encounter.”

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Parting from What One Loves

“What is the suffering of parting from what one loves? What one loves breaks up (dissolves, disintegrates) and becomes dispersed. There are two kinds of parting from what one loves, which are: 1) disintegration of the five skandhas (form, sensations / feelings, perceptions, mental formations / volition / compulsion, and consciousness) of a human and 2) disintegration of the heavenly world. If we count the kinds of five skandhas of the things of heaven and earth, they would be innumerable. This is the suffering of parting from what one loves.”

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Death

“What is death? By death is meant the relinquishing of the carnal body which to one has been given. There are two kinds of relinquishing of the body which one has received, which are: 1) death through the expiration of life [i.e., the life naturally coming to an end] and 2) death from external causes. In the death through the expiration of life, there are three kinds, which are: 1) end of life which, however, is not the end of fortune, 2) end of fortune which, however, is not the end of life, 3) end of both fortune and life. There are three kinds of death from external causes, which are: 1) unnatural suicide, 2) death caused by others, and 3) the death of both causes. Also, there are three kinds of death, which are: 1) death from indolence, 2) death from violating the precepts, and 3) death from eradication the roots of life. What is death from indolence? If one slanders the Mahayana-Vaipulya-Prajnaparamita, this is death from indolence. What is death from violating the precepts? When one infringes the prohibitions declared by the Buddhas of the past, present and future, this is (death from) violation the precepts. What is death from eradication the roots of life? Forsaking the body of the five skandhas is death from eradication of the roots of life. This is why we say that death is a great suffering.”

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Illnesses

“What is illness? By illness is meant the non-compliance [disharmony] of the poisonous serpents of the four great elements, which is of two kinds: 1) illness of the body and 2) illness of the mind. In illness of the body, there are five kinds of cause, which are: 1) water, 2) wind, 3) heat, 4) various diseases, and 5) illnesses from external causes. Illnesses from external causes comprise: 1) incessant labour, 2) negligence, misdemeanours and degeneration, 3) sword, staff, tiles, stones and 4) devils and spirits. Illnesses of the mind are also of four kinds, which are: 1) madness (unbridled joy), 2) fear, 3) anxiety, and 4) ignorance. Also, in addition, oh good man! Of the illnesses of body and mind, there are three kinds: What are the three? They are: 1) karmic retribution, 2) inability to segregate oneself from what is evil, and 3) changes resultant from the course of time. All such causal relations, the categorical nature, and changes in feeling call forth illnesses. Causal relations refer to illnesses such as of wind, water, heat, etc.; the categorical nature refers to swellings [as result of] worries, coughs, dizziness and loose stools due to fright (mental surprise); changes in feeling refer to headaches, sore eyes, hands, feet, etc.. These are the illnesses.”

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Birth and Aging

“Oh good man! Birth is an emergence, of which there are five kinds: 1) first coming, 2) end of coming, 3) growth, 4) emergence from the womb, and 5) actual birth with characteristics.

What is aging? This has two aspects: 1) chronological aging and 2) physical aging. Again, there are two kinds: 1) increasing aging and 2) extinguishing and cessation of aging. Thus things go with aging.”

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The Eight Modes of Suffering

“Also, next, oh good man! There are eight modes of suffering, which are: 1) the suffering of birth, 2) the suffering of aging, 3) the suffering of illness, 4) the suffering of death, 5) the suffering of parting from what one loves, 6) the suffering of the encounter with what one hates, 7) the suffering of not being able to get what one desires, and 8) the suffering of to urge the burning of skandhas. The cause of these eight modes of suffering is [called] 'samudaya'. Where there are not these eight sufferings, it is extinction. The ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the three mental states, and Great Compassion are the Way.”

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