The Noble Truth of the Way

“We say 'Noble Truth of the Way'. This is nothing more than the treasures of Buddha, Dharma, Sangha and the right emancipation. Everyone say with an upside-down mind: 'There is no Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, or right emancipation. Birth and death are like ghosts’. They hold such views. As a result, they recycle between birth and death through the three worlds [of desire, matter and spirit], suffering greatly there for a long time to come. If a person awakens and comes to see that the Tathagata is Eternal, that no change affects him, and that the same applies to the Dharma, Sangha and emancipation, by this thought the person will get unrestricted freedom through countless ages to come and it will enjoy it as wills. Why? Because once in the past, due to the four inversions, I took the non-Dharma as Dharma and suffered by innumerable karmic consequences. When I made away with such views, I attained the true awakening to the Buddhahood. This is the Noble Truth of the Way. Any person who says that the Three Treasures are non-eternal, and holds this view of life, this is a false way of practice and is not the Noble Truth of the Way. If a person practices the Way so, having it as Eternal, such a person is my disciple. It abides in the true view of life and practice the teaching of the Four Noble Truths."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! Now, for the first time, I come to know and practice the great depths of the Four Noble Truths."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 10 - On the Four Noble Truths.

The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering

“We say 'Truth of the Extinction of Suffering’. If a person practices many teachings and the way of nothingness, this is not good. Why is that? Because this annuls all laws and destroys the true storehouse of the Tathagata. Any practice of this category is the practicing of nothingness. Someone who practices (truly) the extinction of suffering acts against what all Tirthikas do. If the practice of nothingness is the truth of extinction, there are Tirthikas who also practice the teaching of nothingness; then we must say that they also possess the truth of extinction. A person says: 'There is the Tathagatagarbha [Buddha-Womb – the pristine mind under the cover of illusion]. One cannot see it. But if one does away with all illusions, one may indeed enter’. It is so. Through the raising of such a mind [that is, by cultivating such an attitude of mind], one gains freedom in all things. If a person practices the Way of the hidden storehouse, selflessness and emptiness, such a person will recycle between birth and death for countless ages to come, and will suffer sorrow. A person who does not do such practices may certainly, although it might have illusions, soon do away with them. Why is that? Because it well knows the undisclosed storehouse of the Tathagata. This is the Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering. Any person who practices the extinction in such a way is my disciple. A person who does not practice the Way thus is someone who practices emptiness. This is not the Noble Truth of Extinction.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 10 - On the Four Noble Truths.

The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering

“We say 'Truth of the Cause of Suffering’. A person does not truly know the Wonderful Dharma and receives what is impure. This is the case of the humble. Non-Dharma is called Wonderful Dharma. A person annuls what is right and does not want to heed it to live. On account of this, that person will not know the 'Dharmata' [the Essence of Reality]. Not knowing this, it recycles between birth and death, and suffers greatly. It does not get the birth in heaven or gain the right emancipation. If a person has a deep Wisdom and does not transgress against Wonderful Dharma, as a result, it will be born in heaven and attain the right emancipation. If a person does not know from where the suffering arises and says that there can be no any Wonderful Dharma or what is Eternal, and that all return to nothingness, that person, as a result, will repeat the transmigration through countless kalpas to come, suffering all kinds of sorrow. If a person says that the Dharma is Eternal and that there is no change, that is knowledge of the cause, and this is the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering. If one does not practice thus, this is the cause of suffering and not the Noble Truth of the Cause.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 10 - On the Four Noble Truths.

The Noble Truth of Suffering

The Buddha also said to Kasyapa: "Noble Son! It is not appropriate designate suffering as Noble Truth. Why? If we were designate suffering as 'the Noble Truth of Suffering', then cows, sheep, donkeys, horses and the denizens of hell would also have the Noble Truth [of Suffering]. Noble Son! Whoever thinks that the extremely deep [Gambhira] domain / sphere / realm [visaya] of the Tathagata - the eternal, unchanging Dharmakaya [Body of Truth] – is a body nourished by food, such a person does not know the virtues and powers which the Tathagata possesses. This [i.e., such ignorance of the true Buddha’s Nature] is 'suffering'. Why is that? Due to ignorance. A person sees Dharma as non-Dharma, and non-Dharma as Dharma. Know that this person will fall into the unfortunate realms and will recycle births and deaths. This will increase the bonds of illusion and the worry will grow. If it comes to know that the Tathagata is Eternal, one with which there comes about no change, or if it hears the word 'eternal', it will gain birth in heaven. And on reaching emancipation, it will indeed see that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. When this is seen clearly, it will say, 'I heard about this in the past. Now that I am emancipated, I know that. As I was ignorant regarding the Ultimate, I was recycling between births and deaths to no end. Today, I am enlightened with regard to the true knowledge '. If knowledge reaches this stage, this person is truly a practitioner of suffering. From this, there is much to profit from. One should well practice this, but if one does not know that things are thus, no profit will result. This is what is called knowledge of suffering. This is the Noble Truth of Suffering. If one does not practice thus, this is suffering and not the Noble Truth of Suffering.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 10 - On the Four Noble Truths.

One Who Comes Up and Looks All Around

"Oh good man! A man rides a horse, and he both loves as whips it. It is thus. It is also the same with the mind that warms up. Due to craving, the life is obtained, and due to abandoning [the waiver], one meditates. For this reason, it is a thing of the 'is'. Although it is a created thing, it does represent the Right Way. Those who gain the warming-up are of 73 kinds, and the 10 of the world of desire. These persons are all clad in defilement. It goes from one-tenth to nine-tenths. Like in the case of the world of desire, the things range from the first dhyana up to the heaven of thoughtlessness-non-thoughtlessness. We say that there are 73 kinds. Such a person, on gaining the warming-up, never cuts off the roots of good, commits the five deadly sins, or the four grave offenses.

There are two types of these people. One associates with a good friend, and the other with a bad friend. One who associates with a bad friend comes up for awhile, but sinks again. One who associates with a Good Friend looks all around. Look all around refers to ‘topmost-height' ['murdhana' - this topmost dharma is a fruition of practice likened to the topmost height of a hill, which is both the topmost point, but it is also crucial for the falling down or retrogressing. It is a stage of practice in the Hinayana category - by Kosho Yamamoto]. The nature of this stage is yet of the class of five skandhas, and yet is related to the Four Truths. Hence, one can see all around. After the stage of 'topmost-height', the person attains that of 'cognition' [i.e. a stage of practice in which one obtains cognition of the nature of the Four Truths, and from which one no more is not retrogresses. There are several degrees at this stage - by Kosho Yamamoto]. This is the case with the stage of cognition, too. The nature is of the five skandhas, but is related to the Four Truths. This person then reaches laukikagradharma ['first-root-of-good-in-the-world'], which is of the nature of the five skandhas and has causal relations with the Four Truths. The person, gradually, gains the 'cognition of suffering’. The nature of Wisdom actualises the causal relation of the First Truth. Having thus actualised the causal relation of the Truth of Cognition, the person cuts away the defilement and attains the [level of] Srotapanna. This is the fourth stage of seeing all around in the four directions. The four directions are nothing more than the Four Truths."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.

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When I Speak Following the Will of Others

"What are those (sutras) which I spoke following the will of others? The rich man, Patala, came to me and said: 'Oh Gautama! Do you know a phantom or not? Someone who knows phantoms is a great phantom. If not, such a person is not All-Knower'.

I said, 'Oh rich man! How can you call someone who knows a phantom a phantom'?

The rich man said: 'Well spoken, well spoken! Someone who knows a phantom is a phantom'.

The Buddha said: 'Oh rich man! There was a candala in the state of King Prasenajit in Sravasti, whose name was Baspacandala. Have you heard of him or not '?

The rich man said: 'I've known him for a long time already.’

The Buddha said: 'If you have known him for a long time, might it be that you are a candala?’

The rich man said: 'I've known him for a long time already, but this body of mine cannot be that of a candala'.

‘Oh rich man! Now you know that although you know a candala, you're not a candala. How could I be a phantom because I know a phantom? Oh rich man! I truly know a phantom, someone who acts as a phantom, the rewards of a phantom, and the skills of a phantom. I know the killing, the killer, the karmic retribution of killing, and the emancipation from killing. I also know twisted views of life, the people of twisted views, the karmic retribution of twisted views, and the emancipation from twisted views. Oh rich man! Should you call someone who is not a phantom a phantom, and someone who does not hold twisted views of life one who is possessed of twisted views of life, you will gain innumerable sins.’

The rich man said: 'Oh Gautama! If things are as you say, I shall earn a great sin. I shall now give you all that I possess. Please be good enough for King Prasenajit not be informed of this."

The Buddha said: ‘It may be not that the causal relations of this sin necessarily will prevent you from losing your wealth. However, as a result of this, you will fall into the three unfortunate realms.’

On hearing mention of the unfortunate realms, the rich man became frightened and said to the Buddha: ‘Oh Holy One! I have now lost my head and committed a great sin. You, Holy One, are the All-Knower! You should know how to become emancipated. How do I escape from the worlds of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals'?

I then spoke to him about the Four Truths. The rich man, on hearing this, attained the fruition of Srotapanna. Repentance has sprung, and he begged forgiveness from the Buddha: 'I was an ignorant. I said that the Buddha was a phantom, despite the fact that you are not. From this day forward, I will take refuge in the Three Treasures.’

The Buddha said, 'Well spoken, well spoken, Oh rich man!’

The case is so. This is speaking in response to the will of others."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 41 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 2.

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Effort

"Fifth, there is effort. By effort is meant that someone thinks single-mindedly on the Four Noble Truths. Even if that person's head was on fire, he would not cast off this [the weighting on the Four Noble Truths]. This is effort. "

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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