Everlasting Happiness, As Buddha Attains 9 · 2. Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering I. What is the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering? ·············· 75 II. How

Everlasting Happiness, As Buddha Attains 9

Presented by Venerable Da Shi

Table of Contents Preface i

Foreword iii

1. Noble Truth of Suffering

I. What is the Noble Truth of Suffering? ····································· 1 II. What are the sufferings that sentient beings experience? ······ 7

II(i) Twofold Sufferings ························································· 7 II(ii) Threefold Sufferings ······················································ 11 II(iii) Eightfold Sufferings ························································ 16

III. What is meant by "mind consciousness seeking out mind and form"? ······················································································ 49

IV. Cultivate before it is too late ··················································· 50 V. Who causes suffering? ····························································· 51 VI. The difference between monastic life and lay life ··················· 53 VII. How do we liberate ourselves from the suffering of this

body? ······················································································· 54 VIII. Characteristics of the Noble Truth of Suffering························ 55 IX. Observing the four characteristics of the Noble Truth of

Suffering in our daily life ·························································· 57 X. How to have a profound observation of impermanence? ······ 62 XI. How do we observe and contemplate on the characteristics

of suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness? ······························· 72 XII. How to contemplate on attention that arises via

extrapolation? ········································································· 73

2. Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering I. What is the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering? ·············· 75 II. How does one completely end suffering and nip

defilements in the bud? ························································· 76 III. What is meant by "to lend ears to the Dharma"? ················· 78 IV. The cause of suffering in Samsara for sentient beings ·········· 78 V. How does one become a true-believing Buddhist? ··············· 81 VI. What should a noble disciple who lends ears to the Dharma

learn? ····················································································· 82 VII. Characteristics of the Noble Truth of the Cause of

Suffering ················································································· 84 VIII. Cause for arising of the suffering of five aggregates - Greed 86 IX. The ramifications of desires and greed ·································· 88 X. The things which Buddhists tend to be attached to ·············· 94 XI. Anger as a cause for the arising of five aggregates of

suffering ················································································· 95 XII. Ignorance as a cause for the arising of five aggregates of

suffering ················································································· 97 XIII. Conceit as a cause for the arising of five aggregates of

suffering ················································································· 98 XIV. Doubt as a cause for the arising of five aggregates of

suffering ················································································· 99 XV. Wrong view as a cause for the arising of five aggregates of

suffering ················································································· 101 XVI. The perverse circumstance of sentient beings clouded by

ignorance················································································ 103 XVII. How do we recognize suffering as it arises and how do we

cease the cause of suffering? ················································ 144

3. Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering I. The Cessation of Suffering ······················································· 147 II. Characteristics of the Noble Truth of the Cessation of

Suffering ·················································································· 149 III. Residual Nirvana and Residue-less Nirvana ····························· 152 IV. Who are the Sages of the Three Vehicles? ······························ 154 V. The progressive order of the Sravaka practice ························ 159 VI. The practice conducing towards liberation ····························· 162 VII. The practice conducing to discerning insight (four

wholesome roots) ···································································· 168 VIII. Eighteen categories of "learners" ············································ 171 IX. What do we mean by "the mind which sees the path"? ········· 174 X. "Non-learners": Nine types of Arahats ···································· 178

Glossary 183

~ EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, AS BUDDHA ATTAINS 9 ~

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Preface

Buddha came into this world to lead all sentient beings away from suffering and towards enlightenment. He forsook his throne and worldly possessions for the pursuit of enlightenment. It was his wish to guide all sentient beings in their understanding of the karmic cycle and the path to Nirvana. After his passing into Parinirvana, his teachings were collected and compiled by his followers. It is Venerable Da Shi's wish to continue the Buddha's teachings, spread the seeds of compassion, and carry on the Buddha's wish for all sentient beings to attain Nirvana. Since his ordination, Venerable Da Shi has been actively involved in the teaching of the Dharma in many places, including Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 2004/2005, Venerable Da Shi was invited by the Life Television Station in Taiwan to present talks on various Dharma topics. This book was written based on the consolidated content of Venerable Da Shi's televised talks, in hope that his compassionate wish would be furthered through the spreading of the Dharma.

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Foreword

EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, AS BUDDHA ATTAINS

The Buddha was born into this world out of great compassion with the aim to help all mortal beings avoid sufferings and attain endless bliss. The world of mortal beings is full of suffering. It is a surreal world of endless desires and yet fulfillment of all desires is impossible. We have to work hard to find fulfillment but it is all transient. It is like a trap where we relentlessly pursue wealth, appearance, fame, gastronomic satisfaction, and excessive sleep without ever pondering what all these could lead to. We repeatedly go through birth, aging, sickness, and death and in this continuous cyclic existence, we suffer immeasurably. The Buddha is like an expert doctor with the ability to diagnose and treat all kinds of ailments. Indeed, he dispenses eighty four thousand procedures for as much trouble that mortal beings could possibly face in this world. All these are found in the Buddha's teachings. If we practice his teachings with complete faith and realization, besides saving ourselves from suffering in this life, we can also find liberation in time to come. There are very few fortunate beings that have the chance to hear the Buddha's teachings. The number of people who are able to hear and learn the Buddha's Dharma teachings is said to be like the amount of soil caught in one's nails if one were to use hands to dig into the ground.

~FOREWORD~

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Everlasting Happiness, as Buddha Attains is translated from a Chinese compilation of Venerable Da Shi's Dharma teachings on television in Taiwan, R.O.C. He has used the Agama Sutra as the central focus of these teachings, supplemented by relevant Dharma from Mahayana Sutras, including the Prajna Sutras, the Middle Way, the Maha-prajna-paramita-Sastra, the Dasabhumika-Vibhasa-Sastra, the Saddharma-Pundarika, etc. for better understanding. Through his skillful narration and explanation, Venerable Da Shi has made the Buddha's Dharma very easy to understand and at the same time, interesting. There are also many citations of examples where one can apply the teachings in one's life and practice. It is the wish of Venerable Da Shi that these teachings should reach out to more people, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. For Buddhists who have sought refuge in the Triple Gem, these teachings serve to strengthen their understanding of the Dharma and improve practices. For non-Buddhists, may it serve as a guide to attain true bliss. This book, coupled with the final upcoming instalment, focuses on the Four Noble Truths. In chapter 1: Noble Truth of Suffering, we recognize suffering for what it truly is. Next, in chapter 2: Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering, we find out what is the true cause of our suffering. Finally, in chapter 3: Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering, we realize that these sufferings that we go through can be avoided. This book is the ninth installment of a translated series and it will also be made available on our website at www.mypty.sg. Other topics in the series will be published progressively in subsequent books. The Dharma introduced in this series accords with the teachings in the Chinese Mahayana tradition, which have originally been translated from Sanskrit scriptures. Hence, Sanskrit has been used for the names and specific Buddhist terminologies in the


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text. Readers can find help from the footnotes on the relevant pages and Glossary at the end of this book for explanation of common Buddhist terms (first appearance in italics) and concepts. @@@ This work is an effort to uphold and support Venerable Da Shi's great vow of spreading the Dharma in gratitude of the Buddha's compassion. Please help to spread the wisdom and cheers of the Dharma by passing this book on to someone else should you feel that you do not need it anymore. As the Buddha taught, the gift of the Dharma excels all gifts! May all have the chance to know the Buddha's Dharma! @@@ Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore)


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Noble Truth of Suffering

What is the Noble Truth of Suffering? The noble "truth" of suffering refers to the real fact of suffering. All conditioned phenomena, comprising the five aggregates in the Kama Loka and Rupa Loka and the four aggregates in the Arupa Loka, are characterized by "suffering". The Noble Ones – a collective term referring to the four pairs and eight categories of Sravaka practitioners, the Pratyeka Buddhas, and the Buddhas, have attained, known, seen, understood, and realized the Noble Truth of Suffering, unlike us. If we can understand and realize the Noble Truth of Suffering, we too will be able to transcend the mundane and become Noble Ones. So what have these Noble Ones – the Buddhas, Pratyeka Buddhas, and Arahats realized? They have realized that the five aggregates are impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless. Sentient beings, however, are ignorant about this truth. We have learnt in the previous chapter on "Who is 'Me'?" that the five aggregates refer to the body and mind. The body comprises the internal five sense bases, external five sense objects, and all phenomena which cannot be expressed in forms. When the six sense bases1 come into contact with the six sense objects, the aggregates of feeling, thought, volition, and consciousness arise. 1The six sense bases consist of the five sense bases and the mind.

~ NOBLE TRUTH OF SUFFERING ~

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A Noble One sees that these five aggregates are impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless, and hence abandons the view of a "self". Even though we understand the present differences between sentient beings and the Noble Ones, we can become Noble Ones if we too contemplate and practice adequately to realize the same Noble Truth of Suffering. Constant observation, investigation, reflection and practice give us the strength to let go of the five aggregates, cravings and attachments, and realize Nirvana. It is extremely important to draw near to virtuous teachers and listen to the true Dharma. However, why are we not able to observe and reflect on the Noble Truth of Suffering although it does not seem difficult to do so? This is because we: (1) do not know suffering; and

(2) mistake suffering to be happiness.

What is it about "suffering" that we do not know?

We do not know suffering (a result), the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the way to the cessation of suffering. Example 1: Are cows suffering? Yes they are. Do they know that it is insufferable to be cows? We believe that they do as we sometimes see them shedding tears. However, cows can neither understand nor realize the Noble Truth of Suffering as they do not observe the impermanence, suffering, not-mine and egoless-ness of the five aggregates. Example 2: Small fishes trapped in the shallow creeks of streams may die when the waters dry up. When we rescue them from the drying up creeks and release them back into the main river, they are happy, and so are we!


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However, we continue to worry for them because they have already forgotten the pains and struggles experienced in the creeks. They find joy in the abundant river waters and do not understand the impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the five aggregates. Therefore, they do not seek liberation. Likewise, when we face hardships, we might think, "Life is so tough! I must learn the Dharma and practice!" However, as soon as we gain some fame and wealth, we would have forgotten all the hardships and sufferings experienced earlier, and could even commit unwholesome deeds, leading ourselves to be reborn in the hell realm to suffer even more. If we take some time to reflect, we will find that we are just like the small fishes, indulging in happiness when swimming in the waters, and desperately seeking survival when trapped in the creeks. When we experience a little happiness, we immediately forget all the pains and sufferings that we had experienced earlier, losing the motivation to seek liberation. So we must not be like the small fishes, and must instead be mindful of suffering even in times of happiness. When experiencing happiness, we must continue to observe and contemplate the impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the five aggregates to be completely liberated from all kinds of suffering. Example 3: People have four kinds of responses when encountering terrifying natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes and hurricanes: (1) Some people realize that the mundane world is impermanent,

susceptible to destruction, and not worth clinging on to. They understand the urgency of seeking liberation.


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(2) Some people feel that since all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, they should do more wholesome deeds, give generously, uphold the precepts and seek refuge in Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure World.

(3) Some people believe that they should enjoy life while they can, since nothing in this mundane world can be retained.

(4) Others feel that since this world is impermanent, they should amass even more wealth and safe-keep them under security.

The first two types of people have views aligned with the Noble Truth of Suffering whilst the latter two, ignorant of suffering, do not. Therefore, the latter two types of people do not know to seek liberation.

Treating suffering as happiness:

Example 1: We may have seen dogs eating their feces by the roadside. While we know that the feces are filthy, the dogs do not. They treat the filthy feces as clean, fragrant, and are happy eating them. Evidently, they do not know the Noble Truth of Suffering. Human beings are the same; before we learnt the Dharma, we treated wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep as wonderful, indulging our time in them. Heavenly beings, on the other hand, know the impurities of the human realm and do not want to be here. Nevertheless, although heavenly beings see the sufferings of the human world, they do not realize the impermanence of their own heavenly bodies. They also indulge in sensual pleasures, treating suffering as happiness. Therefore, heavenly beings are still trapped in Samsara.


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Example 2: There was a man who slept soundly every night. One day, he decided to put a drum next to his house. Most people could not resist hitting the drum when they passed by, and this caused disturbances to his sleep. Over time, he became very angry because of the repeated disturbances. Now, how would we resolve this problem? Some would suggest building a barricade around the drum to prevent others from hitting it while others might hire guards to keep people away from the drum. However, neither of these options are those of a wise man, for the wise man would simply abandon the drum! The drum symbolizes our body and mind. We experience sufferings because the six sense bases are constantly impinged by the six sense objects, causing unease in our body and mind. When the body and mind are not at ease, mental afflictions arise and we may get angry and act unwholesomely. We will think of all sorts of ways to protect this "castle" of ours – the five aggregates (body and mind) – from further impingements. But this is not a wise method to resolve suffering. The best solution is actually to abandon the five aggregates. Once we abandon the five aggregates, there will be no impingements by the six sense objects. We will thus be liberated from all sufferings. A wise person would draw such lessons from the above analogy. In our daily lives, we should not mistake and blame others to be


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the cause of our sufferings. Doing so will only generate animosity between others and ourselves. We should remember that the body is the 'drum'. When disagreeable sounds impinge the sense of hearing, we should know that the problem lies in our grasping of the sense of hearing, and not in the disagreeable sounds. When there is craving for and attachment to the "drum" (i.e. the body), there will be people "striking the drum" (i.e. impingements of the six sense bases by the six sense objects). If we are not attached to the body, we will not feel impinged by the six sense objects and will be free from all sufferings. Thus, we will better understand suffering and not mistake it as happiness. Example 3: A man was having his morning walk when he passed by a chicken farm and saw the farmer pouring buckets of chicken feed into the feeder. As the farmer opened the feeder, the farm chickens started flocking to the feeder for their breakfast. "Poor chickens!" he thought, "They don't know that they will soon be slaughtered as food." Later at work as he prepared to set out of office for lunch, he noticed that all his colleagues were also rushing for lunch. At this juncture, a multitude of feelings overwhelmed him. He felt that his going for lunch was similar to the farm chickens flocking to the feeder. "Just like the chickens which would be killed after their breakfast, everyone will soon have to face death someday," he reflected. Because the man had listened to and learnt the Dharma, he knew to observe and contemplate that all conditioned


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phenomena are impermanent, suffering, not-mine and egoless. Therefore, he understood suffering and sought for liberation. Unfortunately, the farm chickens did not know to observe and contemplate suffering. Although life in the chicken farm seemed peaceful with timely provisions of food, the chickens would be slaughtered as soon as they grow fat. A wise person will seek true happiness instead of indulging in the five desires, mistaking suffering for happiness. Only when we realize suffering can we truly be liberated from it. What are the sufferings that sentient beings experience? Sufferings can be classified as:

• Twofold sufferings, i.e. physical suffering and mental suffering;

• Threefold sufferings, i.e. suffering amidst suffering, suffering due to loss of happiness, and suffering caused by the arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena;

• Fourfold sufferings;

• Eightfold sufferings;

• Immeasurable sufferings. ◎ Twofold Sufferings: Physical Suffering and Mental Suffering (1) Physical Suffering:

For human beings, physical suffering refers to the suffering experienced due to imbalance in the four great elements, namely, earth, water, fire, and wind. How would this impact our physical and mental activities?


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(i) Imbalance in the fire element: The burning heat in this body can cause damage to the skin lining in the mouth, leading to ulcers. Even a minor imbalance in the fire element would make such physical suffering difficult for us to bear.

Knowing the sufferings of this body whilst we are still healthy and strong, we should be able to let go, lessen our attachments and desires for it, and eventually realize Nirvana.

(ii) Imbalance in the earth element: An excess of the

earth element leads to obesity. We experience shortness of breath while walking or climbing the stairs. We are limited in our movements, and we also suffer other health complications like heart diseases. Thus, we should not indulge in this body and must develop dispassion towards it.

(iii) Imbalance in the water element: When the kidneys

cannot discharge excess water, the body will experience swelling, which is suffering. Too much water in the bladder could also cause pain.

(iv) Imbalance in the wind element: When there is

excess wind element in the body, we experience burping or have to gasp for breath.

The suffering of the body caused by imbalances in the four great elements is unavoidable. Therefore, we must develop detachment towards this body, abandon desires, end all attachments, and strive for Nirvana. Example: The Buddha described the four great elements as four venomous snakes. We pamper them every day as they look soft and lovable. However, if we do not take good care of them, they will get angry and bite us one day!


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Thus, we need not pamper this body and be attached to it. We need only to maintain our bodies for the purpose of our Dharma practice. Sentient beings who do not cultivate to end suffering would indulge in food and their bodies. In the end, they have to suffer the consequences of such sensual cravings. So, we must often contemplate the causes and conditions leading to the suffering of the body. A healthy and strong body arises due to causes and conditions. When the causes and conditions change, this healthy and strong body will also change; it grows old, gets sick and eventually dies. This is impermanence.

When we understand the suffering of this body, we will gradually become dispassionate towards it, abandon our desires and cravings, and seek Nirvana.

(2) Mental Suffering:

Sorrows, grief, miseries, worries, and vexations are all mental sufferings. In our daily lives, we vex over not having enough money, or we may worry about the future of our children, our jobs, our health, etc. All these afflictions of the mind are mental sufferings. A wise person will not let these mental sufferings arise. He knows that physical suffering is inevitable; however, the mind can be liberated from sufferings through observing and contemplating the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the way to the cessation of suffering.


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Sentient beings who indulge in the five desires cannot end suffering, because without abandoning the five desires, one will not realize the Four Noble Truths. One must realize that desires are impure, that mental defilements result in negative consequences and renunciation is most important in one's life.

Another type of mental suffering is the fear and worry of losing our possessions. We guard our wealth, youth, fame and gains because we fear losing them. Our fear of loss leads us to have immense mental suffering.

Another type of mental suffering comes about from not getting what we want or desire. Suffering of the body is inevitable, but we need not suffer mentally if we observe and contemplate that the body and mind arise due to causes and conditions, and hence, they are all impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless. Over time, we will grow dispassionate towards them, abandon cravings and attachments, and realize Nirvana. If we can observe and contemplate the body and mind in accordance with the Noble Truth of Suffering, we will not be like the ordinary sentient beings or animals which undergo sufferings helplessly. When the body is suffering, we should wisely observe and see that this suffering comes about because we seek pleasures for this body, pursue the five desires endlessly, and desperately guard the body for fear of losing it. In this process, we experience all kinds of mental sufferings. It is therefore very important that we let go of our attachment to the five aggregates of the body and mind so


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that our minds no longer need to be besieged by sufferings.

◎ Threefold Sufferings: In the Lotus Sutra, Venerable Maha Kasyapa used three kinds of suffering – suffering amidst suffering, suffering due to loss of happiness, and suffering caused by the arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena, to explain the impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the five aggregates. (1) Suffering amidst suffering:

Suffering amidst suffering is experienced by sentient beings in the three lower realms. The pains that hell beings, animals and hungry ghosts undergo are indescribable. Hungry ghosts experience the suffering of hunger. Even for hungry ghosts with better merits, they can only ease their hunger if people offer food to them. Wise sentient beings in the three lower realms who encounter the Dharma will understand that the cause of their sufferings is due to their past unwholesome deeds, committed out of greed for the five desires and six sense objects.

Therefore, they will develop dispassion towards their present forms, repent their past unwholesome deeds, and aspire for liberation. Some sentient beings are unable to realize liberation because they have not heard and learnt the Dharma. This may be due to them not drawing near to virtuous companions, obstacles from their past karmic deeds, limitations in their present karmic forms, or due to their mental afflictions.


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The human realm is also suffering amidst suffering. We can see this from the agonies of birth. The entire process is extremely painful – from being entrapped in the wombs of our mothers, to our births through narrow passageways, and to coming into sudden contact with the surrounding cold air after birth. This is suffering amidst suffering.

Some of us may think, "Well, but there is happiness in this life, isn't it?" Though this may be true to some extent, the happiness we experience in this life is after all short-lived and transient. In birth, old age, illness, and death, all we see is suffering after suffering. So how do we observe and contemplate the impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the five aggregates? Let us observe and contemplate: Does happiness always come after suffering ends? No, happiness does not necessarily come after suffering ends!

If we look closer, we will find that the end of suffering does not actually bring about happiness. That is because true happiness arises only if wholesome causes and conditions are cultivated. Suffering will truly end when attachments and cravings cease. By this, we will know to let go of our attachments when suffering arises. For instance, a wise man will seek renunciation to realize liberation when he sees suffering of living in poverty.


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However, most people only think of working hard to earn money and are thus trapped within the cycle of sufferings.

(2) Suffering due to loss of happiness: the impermanence of

happiness Example 1: For parents, nothing exceeds the happiness of having their children by their sides. However, a wise person who understands impermanence will know that separation from one's loved ones is inevitable. Thus, he will not be attached to the joy of being with his family. He knows that his child will leave him one day, whether as a result of death or other circumstances. If he were to grow attached to the joy of having the child by his side, he will not be able to bear the pain when impermanence strikes. So, a wise person is not troubled by separations and can be at ease. Example 2: We may think that being rich and famous can bring us happiness. However, the wealth does not truly belong to us.

This is because we may lose our wealth to cheats, unfilial children, natural disasters, crashing stocks market, or depletion in value of things. All these instances of impermanence will lead to suffering when happiness is lost. A wise person knows that craving and attachment to wealth will eventually lead to suffering from loss of happiness. Knowing this, he is not attached to riches and is willing to give them away instead. When we practice giving, we have neither attachment nor greed in our minds. Without attachment, we will not suffer the pain of separation or loss but will be at ease.


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Example 3: Everyone, be they politicians, managers, or the heads of companies, have to step down from their positions one day. If we do not see the suffering due to loss of happiness before we step down from our positions, we will grow attached to our fame and desperately try to protect our status. In this process, we would inevitably offend and develop animosity towards others. This inevitably leads to immense mental suffering due to fear of losing our possessions. When we can no longer sustain those achievements that we desire in our pursuit of fame, we experience suffering. Hence, all the more we should see suffering from loss of happiness when we are wielding power and status. We will then not be attached to our power but will make good use of it to help others in need. Liberation happens when we let go of all attachments.

Example 4: If we understand that there is suffering from loss of happiness, we will know not to be attached to our strong and healthy bodies since death is the inevitable result of birth. Wise people know that youth will be followed by old age, illness, and death. If we become attached to our youthful bodies, we will feel miserable when our beauty wanes and health deteriorates. Hence, we must observe and contemplate impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the five aggregates. Seeing this truth will bring great ease to our minds.

As Buddhists, we should deeply observe and contemplate the suffering from loss of happiness.


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We would be in sync with the Noble Truth of Suffering when we are not attached to happiness in happy times because we truly understand that happiness is impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless. A true practicing Buddhist will not be self-assuming of one's worldly knowledge, Dharma knowledge, meditation, or upholding of the precepts. Neither will a true practicing Buddhist be swayed by fame and wealth because all these will ultimately end up with suffering due to loss of happiness. Hence, he will not feel arrogant but be at ease.

(3) Suffering caused by the arising and ceasing of all

conditioned phenomena: All conditioned phenomena arise and cease incessantly, just like flowing waters Example 1: All sentient beings in the World of Sensuous Desires experience the suffering caused by the arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena. Take our bodies for instance. When we sit, there is neither suffering nor happiness. Over time, discomfort starts to set in, as our backs begin to ache and legs start feeling numb. Our mouths slowly feel dry and we feel hungry. The initial feeling of neither happiness nor unhappiness ceases as suffering arises due to impermanence. This is suffering caused by the arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena. Example 2: Although we may experience happiness during meditation, our minds become agitated because of the rapid changes in the different states of mind when we are not meditating. This rapid arising and cessation of the different states of mind is a form of suffering from the arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena.


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Example 3: Heavens of the Formless World: Heavenly beings in these four heavens only have consciousness of the mind. When thoughts do not arise, there is no suffering. However, when their heavenly lives are about to end, they will experience rapid arising and ceasing of different states of mind. This is also suffering caused by arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena. As recorded in the Lotus Sutra, Venerable Maha Kasyapa used these three types of suffering to explain the five aggregates of sentient beings. Sentient beings of the World of Sensuous Desires, World of Form, and Formless World live in suffering. There is nothing lovable or worth craving for. Yet, during times of happiness or in the absence of hardships, sentient beings who do not know suffering will cling on to happy feelings. Driven by greed, anger, and ignorance, they commit unwholesome deeds and face continuous suffering in Samsara.

◎ Eightfold Sufferings: The Agama Sutra states that there are eight types of sufferings: the suffering of birth; old age; sickness; death; separation from our loved ones; being in contact with what we dislike; not getting what we desire; and fiery agonies from the five aggregates.

(1) Suffering of birth: Suffering of birth refers to the pains endured by a baby in the womb, during birth, and when it comes into contact with the surroundings after birth. It


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does not refer to pregnancy, which is a form of suffering from illness, because if the suffering of birth refers to childbirth, then all men would be liberated from the suffering of birth since they do not have to give birth. Amongst the four sufferings of birth, old age, illness, and death - which is the most distressful?

We might conclude that illness is the most distressful as we encounter pain. However, the Sutras state that birth is the most distressful. Now, between a mother and a child, who suffers more? Mothers would think that they suffer more because they can feel the pains from the labour of childbirth. But have we ever considered the pains that every child has to experience?

Gestation period (a) Consider the suffering of a prisoner. Locked up

without freedom, a prisoner has only a few square feet of space to move about. A baby is just like a prisoner, trapped in its mother's womb, unable to move freely. Hence, the gestation period is often likened to being in a prison.

(b) A baby may try to move about in the confined spaces of the womb. Feeling uncomfortable, the mother may then smack her stomach to tell the child not to move about wildly. However, this will only cause more discomfort to the baby.


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(c) A mother's heart rate increases when she is angry or aroused by greed. During such times, the rate of blood flow toward the baby increases as well, overwhelming him like a tidal rush. Yet, the baby can only suffer in silence unwillingly.

(d) Eating hot meals increases a mother's body temperature. It is as if the baby is living in hot hells when the baby is surrounded by increased temperature. Conversely, the mother feels cool when eating icy desserts or drinking cold water. Unlike his mother, the baby feels cold, akin to living in the cold hells. Regardless of the flavour of food that the mother eats, the baby will only feel miserable.

Since everyone has experienced the suffering of birth, why do we still take rebirth in the womb again and again? It is due to craving for and attachment to the five aggregates. That is the reason why we suffer in the cycle of rebirth again in this lifetime.

Birth from the womb Since the gestation period is fraught with so much suffering, what about when the baby is born from the womb? Is there suffering as well? During delivery of the baby, is it more painful for the mother or the child? When we witness the pains that a mother goes through while giving birth, we tend to think that it is more painful for her. Some people even liken the pains of giving birth to dying.

Besides the baby, two to three litres of amniotic fluid is flushed out from the mother's womb via the


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narrow birth canal. While it is painful for the mother, it is even more miserable for the baby. There is no happiness at all being a baby. Thus, do not take rebirth again! A wise man thinks of the suffering experienced during the gestation period and while being born. Thus, he will seek never to take rebirth in the mundane world ever again.

To avoid rebirth in the mundane world, one has to observe and contemplate the Four Noble Truths and practice the Eightfold Noble Path diligently. After birth After birth from the womb, the baby feels extremely cold as he comes into contact with the air. When the baby is being bathed, even a slight change in the water temperature is a form of extreme misery to the baby. That is why a baby wails and cries as soon as it is born; it is as though he knows that rebirth in this mundane world is suffering.

When we contemplate on the suffering of birth, we know that rebirth is a result of craving for the five aggregates. During gestation period, each and every second is impermanent and changing, arising and ceasing endlessly. As it arises and ceases, such change is suffering and uncontrollable. Thus, there is no controlling ego or self. The past has arisen and ceased.


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However, we mistakenly believe birth to be permanent, joyous, having a true existing "self" and pure. That is why we suffer today. Therefore, the suffering of birth does not refer to the pains of childbirth as experienced by the mother, but the pains experienced by the baby during the gestation period, when being born, and after leaving the womb and coming into contact with the outside air.

(2) Suffering of old age:

Greying hair, failing eyesight, and hunched backs are but some of the problems of old age. Every step an old person takes requires great effort with the aid of a walking stick. Isn't old age a form of suffering? As elderly people slowly lose control over their bodily functions, they encounter difficulties in everyday life activities, such as urinary or bowel incontinence. They may yawn a lot during the day, but have difficulties with sleep when resting. These are but some of the symptoms that come with old age. In fact, when we find ourselves reminiscing about the past and not looking to the future, it is already a sign of old age! Other than that, we may find ourselves forgetting things easily, to the extent of losing our memory. These are some of the issues that plague old people. Thus, old age is indeed suffering. Seeing the sufferings of old age, we should ask ourselves and examine deeply: What, really, is the cause of old age?


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The cause of old age is birth. As long as one is born into this world, one will definitely experience old age. What, in turn, is the cause of birth into this world? It is due to the karmic deeds committed out of cravings and attachments in the previous life. This is why we are born into this world and continue reaping the results of past karmic deeds, i.e. suffering from old age.

(3) Suffering of illness:

The pains of illness can be easily felt. Example 1: Cancer is one of the top ten diseases among present day illnesses. It can occur in any part of the body, such as the skin, blood, liver, kidney, tongue, lungs, spleen, and even the diaphragm. The effects and treatment of cancer are extremely painful. Example 2: Even the healthy might experience bouts of sickness occasionally. This is because of impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the body. If we can observe these four characteristics of suffering when the body is sick, we will be able to realize the true Dharma. Example 3: Our blood pressure may increase or decrease unpredictably. High blood pressure, when untreated or unattended, will lead to dizziness and great discomfort. Example 4: Toothache is extremely painful. Even though our teeth might seem tough, the nerves inside can cause excruciating pain. Even the liver,


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which is without nerves to sense pain, can lead to extreme agony when liver cancer strikes. Health is impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless. The pains of sickness are extremely miserable. Once we realize that the body is susceptible to illness, we will learn to let go of our attachment to it. It is due to attachment to the body in our past lives that had resulted in our present lives and all kinds of physical and mental sufferings. Now that we know the root of suffering lies with having a body, do we then abandon the body by killing ourselves? Certainly not!

The body is made up of the four great elements, and regardless of whether we cherish or disregard it, the body will bring about sufferings. Hence, we need only to maintain the body such that we can carry out daily activities and continue our Dharma practice. We have to let go of our attachment to the body, abandon cravings, and strive for Nirvana.

Example 5: Pregnancy is a form of illness. Having a baby is like having a benign tumour for ten months. During pregnancy, most women experience morning sickness and may even suffer from pregnancy complications such as toxemia, hypertension, or gestational diabetes. As the fetus grows bigger each day, it adds more pressure to the mother's internal organs. During childbirth, the mother has to endure the pains of delivery. Women go through significant distress throughout pregnancy.


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Indeed, some women may say that they will not have more children after experiencing their first childbirth. But many get pregnant again due to their love and attachment for their spouses. This is why the sutras describe women as having little wisdom.

Women must understand that they need not go through the pains of labor if they do not become pregnant. Why should one endure such suffering if this illness can be prevented? Without love and attachment, a woman will not get pregnant and will be liberated from the distress that comes with having a child. Worrying over a child's welfare takes a toll on one's physical and mental well-being. However, if you are already a parent, be responsible in your parenting. But always remind yourself not to make the same mistake again in the next lifetime.

(4) Suffering of death:

Exactly how painful is death? Not only have we forgotten the sufferings in our mothers' wombs and the pains of being born, we have also forgotten the admonitions from King Yama, numerous pains that we had endured in our past lives, and how we had died. The Buddha explained that the pain when dying is equivalent to a turtle experiencing its shell being ripped off. When we imagine that the pain from our finger nails being ripped off is already so unbearable, what more the pain of death? That is how excruciating death is!


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Just like kidney failure patients who suffer when they were unable to receive treatment or if their lungs were filled with water, the pain that we have to endure when we are unable to catch our breaths during dying is unbearable.

What else do we experience when dying? We experience the suffering of separation from our loved ones, our treasured possessions, wealth, and status. At the same time, we also experience the fear of uncertainty, not knowing what lies ahead of us. Evidently, death is very terrifying yet unavoidable. So why do we have to suffer the pain of death? It is because of this body. How can we avoid death? As long as there is no birth into this world, there will be no such body and correspondingly no death. What would lead to birth into this world? Cravings for and attachment to this world and the five desires; mistakenly thinking that the five aggregates are permanent and a form of happiness; and grasping on to the idea of a pure self. These are factors that will lead to (re)births into this world. As long as we are not liberated from Samsara, we will have to experience the fourfold suffering over and over again. To avoid going through these pains, we must strive for liberation.

(5) Suffering from being in contact with what we dislike:

Suffering from being in contact with what we dislike arises from the six sense bases coming into contact with disagreeable six sense objects.


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Example 1: During political contestations, hatred and vengeance arise between rivals from different political parties. This is suffering from being in contact with what we dislike.

Example 2: Competing for promotions or for expansions of our portfolios leads us to conflicts with our colleagues. When we see our competitors, anger arises in us and we suffer. Example 3: Although our resentment is often towards others, there are times when it was directed to ourselves. Some people are born with disproportionately-sized eyes, and they dislike their own eyes. Some people envy those with fair skin and better looks. In turn, they resent their own looks and complexion. Or they might whine that their ears are hideous, their noses lacking in the ideal sharpness, their tastebuds not as sufficiently delicate, or that their voices are not in pitch. They dislike their own eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies and minds and the six sense objects. As long as these are disagreeable to one's own liking, suffering arises. Example 4: When passing by smelly places, suffering arises when the sense of smell comes into contact with the disagreeable odor. Similarly, suffering arises when we eat food which is extremely sour, bitter or spicy.


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Example 5: Suffering arises when encountering with disagreeable five aggregates. We dislike it when we grow old as the body is no longer lovable due to its aging and illnesses. When anger arises in our minds, we feel angry at this arisen anger. We also feel angry when our loved ones do not reciprocate our love. All these sufferings arise because of coming into contact with what we dislike. We should contemplate that this suffering is not inherently existent but arises due to causes and conditions. Hence, it is impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless. What are the causes and conditions that lead to arising of suffering? When we get angry with friends or colleagues over differing views, does the anger arise because of the other party?

Of course not! Anger and suffering arise because we cling on to our own views and are unable to accept that others think differently from us. It is definitely not because of others that we experience suffering. Hence, we should not blame others for our suffering. If we are able to practice loving-kindness meditation in our daily lives and learn to let go of our ego, we will be happy and at ease. The world would be a better place if everyone could practice thus, by contemplating the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena and extending loving-kindness to all. Only when we have eradicated anger from our minds are we truly benevolent.


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We have no enemies when we are truly benevolent. We would respect every individual, speak kindly and have pleasant smiles on our faces. Gradually, we will be able to liberate ourselves from all vexations. Example 6: Siblings share a close relationship. However, siblings may also turn into rivals over the distribution of their inheritance. They may fight to the extent of suing each other in court. One of the reasons of this suffering is desire. Besides fighting over inheritance, desires for social status can also lead siblings to fight with one another.

In the Agama Sutra, the Buddha tells us that sentient beings fight over two things, namely, (i) desires and (ii) views. In ancient China, there were two officials, Yuan Ang and Cao Cuo. Yuan Ang told tales to the emperor and had Cao Cuo killed in order to take over his position. As Cao Cuo died a wrongful death, the resentment and hatred in his heart led him to be reborn as a vengeful ghost. This is an example of fighting over desires. As we create animosity with others, we dislike seeing all persons, objects or issues associated with them. This leads to suffering of being in contact with what we dislike. Example 7: Once, there lived a moneylender who did not lead a right livelihood. He would harass his debtors when they defaulted on their payments. One night, while he was sitting in a car, someone knocked on the car window and asked if he was so-


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and-so. When he replied 'yes', the other party immediately shot him with a gun.

Why did this happen? The underlying causes are money and desires. Therefore, we should learn to curb our desires and be content with what we have so that we do not end up fighting with others over our desires. Example 8: When a third party appears in a relationship, feelings of hatred arise towards this person. At best, the original friendly relationship is lost. At worst, some may even hurt the third party, resulting in further enmity in future lives. Example 9: Sometimes, as we are unable to let go of our views, we end up arguing with others. People who are overly righteous may end up being taken advantage of by other people.

For instance, when they hear complaints about someone affecting harmony within their group, they feel compelled to confront the accused person on behalf of the rest of the group. As a result, they create enmity with the accused person. This sense of "justice" is merely an attachment to one's view, which we should not cling on to. Example 10: Another view that we cling on to is the thinking that mosquitoes, cockroaches and ants are pests which should be killed. We cling on to the view that our homes should be perfectly clean and neat. So even though mosquitoes do not fight with us over fame and wealth, we feel annoyed by their presence and want to kill them.


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However, killing the mosquitoes will only create further enmity with them. In our daily lives, we should learn to let go of our ego and develop compassion through loving-kindness meditation so as to release our minds of anger. It is indeed wonderful when we do not feel hatred towards anyone. Some people feel angry when the stock markets crash. This suffering is not caused by the stocks but by our greed for money. Hence, we should let go of greed by learning to be content with what we have and restrain our desires at the same time. When we encounter natural disasters, we should contemplate impermanence. A wise person understands the art of letting go when disagreeable encounters happen so as to prevent suffering from arising.

(6) Suffering of separation from our loved ones

(including possessions): A man who wishes to stay by his wife will experience the suffering of separation from his loved one if his wife insists on going away to work. Suffering of separation from our loved ones arises because we cannot let go of our desires or views that we are attached to. We also suffer when people, things, objects, views, thoughts and perceptions that we love have changed. Example 1: Vasubandhu Bodhisattva used to be a practitioner of the Sravaka vehicle while his elder


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brother, Asanga Bodhisattva, was a practitioner of the Bodhisattva vehicle. When they discussed the Dharma teachings, Asanga Bodhisattva pointed out the incompleteness of the Sravaka vehicle.

Only then did Vasabandhu Bodhisattva understand the teachings of the Bodhisattva vehicle, and he deeply regretted his shallower views in the past. He faced inner struggles when he had to let go of the Sravaka teachings. This is also the suffering of separation from views that we hold dear to. Eventually, he was able to let go of his past views and became a monk who expounded the Mahayana teachings. From this, we would see that the root of this suffering lies in attachment. If we are not attached to things, we will not feel sorrowful when we are separated from them, and will instead be liberated from this mental suffering. Example 2: Once, a man brought his two sons to a school. While the elder son sat by one side quietly, the younger two-year-old son ran around the table playfully with a pacifier in his mouth. Seeing this, the teacher decided to remove his pacifier.

Startled that his pacifier was suddenly gone, the child started wailing. However, soon after he realized that the teacher had no intention of returning the pacifier to him, he stopped crying immediately and continued with his games. In this school, students have to chant sutras in the morning. A student in charge of one of the chanting


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instruments was already very familiar with the chanting notes but would still rely on her chanting book for reference.

One day, the teacher removed her chanting book in order to help her overcome her reliance on it. When the student could not find her chanting book, she cried hard and long. Later in class, the teacher asked, "I took away a pacifier from a young boy yesterday and this boy cried for a mere while. This morning during mass chanting, I did the same thing to a student but she ended up crying for more than half an hour. Now, who is this person?" This student hung her head and replied in a small voice, "It was I." The teacher nodded, and continued, "Take time to reflect on why you had cried for so long and how dependent you are on other things in life."

Now, why did the little boy cry when he lost his pacifier? It was because the pacifier was his beloved object and he was upset that it had been taken away from him. This is the suffering

of separation from what we love. However, as the level of attachment the boy had towards the pacifier was not very strong, he was sad for only a short while.


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In comparison, the student was more attached to and reliant on the chanting book. So she cried for a longer time when it was taken away from her. When we have attachment towards something, we feel extremely miserable when it is removed from us. So let us reflect on how many things we are attached to. The more attachments we have, the more suffering we will face when the time comes for us to be separated from them. Since impermanence and separation are unavoidable, how do we free ourselves from the suffering of separation from our loved ones? As long as we are not attached to anything, we will not suffer. The fundamental intent of the Buddha for coming to this world is to enable all sentient beings to realize true happiness and be liberated from all sufferings. We should cherish the present opportunity to listen to, learn and contemplate the Noble Truth of Suffering. Example 3: Some people become angry when separated from the things they love. There was a prince named Kunala who was dearly adored by his father, the king. Prince Kunala had a pair of lovely eyes and the king's concubine developed love towards him. One day, while the king was out in warfare, the concubine professed her love to the prince. However, as Prince Kunala was morally upright and upheld the precepts, he rejected her love immediately. Out of humiliation, the concubine flew into a rage and


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slandered the prince before the king by claiming that the prince had violated her. The king foolishly believed her words and had the prince exiled to the borders. Prince Kunala was a man of virtues. Even in exile, he received the adoration of the people living at the borders. At that time, there was an Arahat who foresaw the dangers that would eventually befall on Prince Kunala.

"Observe and contemplate on the impermanence of the eyes," the Arahat taught. As the concubine's anger had not subsided, she stole the king's imperial seal while he was asleep and issued an imperial decree dictating Prince Kunala to gouge out his eyes. When Prince Kunala received the imperial decree, everyone advised him not to believe it. However, as the prince was a filial son with great respect for the king, he acceded to the decree. As he placed the first eyeball in his palm, he remembered the Arahat's teachings. He observed that the eye which used to be beautiful was now impermanent, egoless, impure, and revolting. As he had practiced diligently in the past, he immediately realized the first fruition (Srotapanna). When his other eyeball was gouged out, he observed that both eyes were similarly impermanent, egoless, impure, and revolting. Right then, he realized the second stage of fruition (Sakradagamin).


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By observing and contemplating the impermanence, suffering, not-mine and egoless-ness of the eyes, the prince severed attachment to his eyes. As he was able to observe the impermanence of the five aggregates (body and mind) and their arising and ceasing, he no longer had greed or attachment towards the five aggregates. Hence, he was able to realize the stages of Srotapanna and Sakradagamin. Prince Kunala would have suffered greatly had he not learnt the Dharma from the Venerable Arahat. Even though the prince had lost both eyes, he felt inner peace because he had realized the stage of Sakradagamin. Although he had suffered physically, he did not experience mental suffering. He also bore no hatred towards the concubine, as he knew that the present event was due to unwholesome karma from his past. From this story, we can see that suffering of separation from loved ones can be eradicated. As long as we are able to observe impermanence, we will not develop attachment and greed towards anything. We are attached to far too many things – be it the love for money, craving for the opposite sex, attachment to status, or the love for food. All these will only lead to suffering eventually.

Example 4: We grow attached to our job titles and status easily. We suffer when we are unable to hold on to our positions. If we are able to see that these job titles are impermanent, suffering, not-mine, and egoless, we will not crave for them nor develop attachment towards them. All we have to do is fulfill our job duties responsibly. We can accomplish our


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duties smoothly if we are able to do so wisely, without vexations or attachment.

(7) Suffering from not getting what we desire (which

arises in six different ways): As employees, we may desire for good performance appraisals. However, when our employers do not acknowledge our performance, we experience suffering of not getting what we had craved for. How do we prevent this suffering from arising? As long as we do not have desires for good appraisals, we will not suffer from not getting what we desire! Therefore, we can simply discharge our duties responsibly and not vex over how our employers will evaluate us. If they have done their appraisals truthfully, they will receive good merits for their honesty. We do not need to crave for good appraisals or rewards from others. All we have to do is to act in line with the precepts and discharge our responsibilities in good faith.

(a) Desire for non-birth: Having already been

born into this world, some desire for non-birth.

We wish to be liberated and not take rebirth ever again. However, if we do not know the correct way to liberation, not being able to actualize our desires for non-birth can lead to suffering.

(b) Desire for immortality: Some people crave for

immortality even though we will definitely


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encounter old age and death once we are born.

People who fear old age and death but hope to prevent it are actually suffering since it is impossible not to age and die. Example 1: Cosmetic surgery is the norm these days and many women go for facelifts so as to look more youthful. However, the effect of facelifts is only temporary. Moreover, even if one does have a more youthful appearance, the muscles, bones, and organs in the body will still continue to age. Therefore, people who want to stay youthful will experience the inevitable suffering of not getting it. Example 2: The first emperor of unified China, Qin Shi Huang, had wished for immortality to enjoy his status and power as emperor forever. So he sought for the "elixir of life" and visited numerous shamans. He even sent five hundred young men and women to Japan in search of this elixir. But it was all in vain as he still had to meet with death. As Qin Shi Huang had not learnt the Four Noble Truths nor realized the Dharma, he was ignorant of the correct way to seek for non-aging and immortality. As such, we should seize every moment we have to practice to realize the Four Noble Truths.

Example 3: The Agama Sutra states that there were four dhyana practitioners with supernatural powers who wished for


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immortality. So they respectively hid in the deep recesses of the land, in Mount Sumeru, in vast space and in the ocean, all hoping that they could avoid death. But all of them still died eventually. Instead of seeking eternal life like the four practitioners, we should seek to realize the Dharma and awaken to the Four Noble Truths. Only when we realize Nirvana are we truly at ease and free from the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. So Nirvana should be our only goal.

(c) Desire to be free from vexations and sufferings:

Our life is fraught with many worries and vexations. Thus, not fulfilling this desire of a life free from such miseries is suffering as well.

(d) Desire for the extinction of our vexations:

When we feel vexed and want to get rid of the vexation but are not really able to do so, we end up with more suffering.

(e) Desire to transform unhappiness into happiness:

When we are unable to transform our times of unhappiness into happiness, we suffer from not getting this desire fulfilled.

Example 1: Once, someone incurred the wrath of another person who then sought help from the triads to seek revenge. Out of fear for his personal safety, he hired the services of a security company. However, can a security company really protect him from harm? Even if his personal safety and possessions were protected, he still lived in constant fear. Such


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methods of ensuring one's safety via external means are the ways of the heretics and are unable to truly lead us to real happiness.

If we were him, what should we do to free ourselves from such suffering? We should resolve the enmity that we have created with our enemies. However, the ideal is not to have created enmity in the first place. By treating everyone with loving-kindness and compassion, we will not need protection by external means because we feel truly safe at all times. A kind and compassionate person is truly invincible as he harbors no enmity. If we have created enmity with others in the past, we should stay away from them if they wish to harm us. Alternatively, we could learn to be kind and compassionate towards them to avoid further confrontations. Over time, the enmity will be resolved eventually. This is the benefit of loving-kindness meditation. In one of the Buddha's past lives, he was the kind and compassionate King Sakra. One day, King Sakra and the asura battled, and King Sakra who was defeated escaped into a forest. While hiding, he noticed a nest in the trees with a mother bird and her two chicks in it.

The compassionate King Sakra then decided to turn back as he would rather face defeat and lose his life than risk bringing harm to the chicks because of his fight with the asura. When King Sakra turned around to face the asura, the asura who was suspicious of King


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Sakra's new-found bravery, wondered if there could be an ambush lying ahead. Hence, the asura fled quickly and King Sakra returned to the heavens in victory. The reason for King Sakra's victory was his compassion and loving-kindness. A compassionate person has no enemies in his heart and is invincible as his external enemies are subdued. Hence, we should always be compassionate, not be attached to our achievements and eliminate our desires. This way, we will not suffer.

Example 2: We feel miserable when we fail to outwit others in quarrels. When we are unable to turn the tables around, we experience even more suffering.

(f) Hoping for everlasting happiness: In moments

of joy, we often hope that this happiness can last forever.

Example 1: Happiness derived from conditioned phenomena is impermanent. It arises and ceases, and can never be truly permanent. Normally, we indulge in food as we wish to maintain the joy that comes about from eating. What we fail to realize is that the joy from eating actually decreases with each mouthful. Happiness decreases gradually and ultimately suffering arises. Thus happiness is impermanent. It is impossible to maintain the joy that eating brings. Similarly, many people hope that they


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will always be youthful, beautiful and healthy to live a long life. However, such unrealistic expectations lead to suffering as they cannot be fulfilled. Therefore, we must decrease our desires and learn to be content with what we have. Only then we can be truly happy.

Example 2: Before the Buddha attained enlightenment, he was a prince known as Siddhartha. On one occasion, Prince Siddhartha saw that the lovely palace maidens who had sung and danced with him in the day were simply too unsightly to behold while asleep. The feeling of happiness that he had felt earlier dissipated at this sight. The wise Prince Siddhartha saw that happiness is not permanent, and hence he forsook the five desires and renounced to seek liberation. On the other hand, sentient beings expect happiness to last forever and so we feel miserable when our expectations are not fulfilled. We should learn to be content with the happiness that we have and curb our desires. Do not expect that the happiness will last forever. This way, we will not have suffering of the unattainable and will truly be at ease.

If we contemplate deeply, we will realize that the reason for experiencing suffering from not getting what we want is because of our expectations. Sentient beings often look to other sources of happiness, like drinking, singing and dancing, to try and replace the suffering that they experience.


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However, these methods are unable to remove the vexations. Since the root cause of our suffering is because of our expectations, a wise person who has understood this cause-and-effect will know not to allow the cause (i.e. expectations) to arise. Hence, without expectations, there will be no suffering arising from unfulfilled expectations. This is "cessation of effect through cessation of cause", otherwise known as "non-arising and thus non-ceasing". Other heretic teachings tell us to simply eliminate the suffering, but not the root cause of having expectations. So let us follow the teachings of the Buddha and not heretic teachings which bind us to Samsara. Only the Dharma teachings of Buddha are supra-mundane, able to guide us towards complete liberation, as Buddha attains.

How wonderful it is to be a Buddhist, following the footsteps of the Great Buddha!

(8) Fiery agonies of the five aggregates:

The five aggregates are the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volition and consciousness. Sentient beings grasp onto the five aggregates while Arahats have completely abandoned all attachment to the five aggregates, having realized their impermanence. Sentient beings grasp onto the five aggregates and mistakenly treat the five aggregates as the "ego", the "me". By thinking that the five aggregates are permanent, happy, "me", and pure, sentient beings crave for and become attached to the five


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aggregates, vexing over them and committing many unwholesome deeds in the process.

What is meant by "fiery agonies from the five aggregates"? Fiery agonies are like the sufferings of being burnt alive.

(a) Suffering of fiery agonies from the form

aggregate: In the chapter, "Who is 'Me'?", the eleven phenomena classified under the aggregate of form are mentioned. Internally, there are the sense of sight, sense of hearing, sense of smell, sense of taste and sense of touch. Externally, there are the six sense objects of visible form, sound, odor, flavor, tactile object, and un-manifested form. How do we observe the suffering of fiery agonies from the form aggregate? The form aggregate is made up of the four great elements, i.e. the earth element, water element, fire element and wind element. The earth element has the characteristics of solidity, coarseness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, and lightness; the water element is characterized by fluidity and viscidity; the fire element exhibits characteristics of coldness and hotness; and the wind element is characterized by supportability and a pushing thrust.

The combined characteristics of these elements make up the sense of sight, sense of hearing, sense of smell, sense of taste and sense of touch.


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From these five sense bases, we can observe the fiery agonies of the form aggregate.

Element Body Parts How to observe

Earth

Hair of head The hair of head will turn white and drop off.

Hair of body The hairs of the eyebrow, eyelashes and beards will eventually turn white and drop off.

Nails Nails will turn grey and drop off.

Teeth Teeth will fall off as we grow older.

Skin The skin will sag.

Flesh The flesh is constantly burning.

Sinews Sinews will wear off.

Bones

Bone marrow

The bones and bone marrow are burning.

Kidneys Kidneys are also burning.

Heart The heart experiences hypertensionand other illnesses like a fire burning.

Liver

Spleen

The liver and spleen are burdened by fatigue and over-eating.

Lungs Dust particles will block the lungs.


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Membranes Every breath we inhale involves the membranes. Thus, the membranes undergo burning.

Intestines

Membranes of the intestines

Our intestines work non-stop every day, and hence undergo burning every day.

Food in the Stomach

Every day, the stomach has to digest the food consumed and transfer the digested food to the intestines.

Feces

Brain

Our brain and feces are all burning under the fires of impermanence.

Water

Bile Insufficient or excessive production of bile will lead to changes in our bodies.

Gastric acid Similarly, excessive or insufficient production of gastric acid will lead to indigestion.

Pus

Blood

Too many white blood cells lead to leukemia while a deficiency in platelets results in our blood being unable to clot.

Fats Too much fat makes one obese.

Grease Besides sweat, our bodies secrete grease as well, resulting in our skins feeling sticky and uncomfortable.


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Sweat Some people have overactive sweat glands while others have problems sweating.

Tears

Mucus

Saliva

Lubricants of joints

Urine

Some people have active tear ducts. Some are unable to control their saliva. Insufficient lubricants of joints result in joint pain. When our bladders are filled with urine, we also experience pain.

Fire

Heat that gradually arises when the body or mind is troubled

If we have malaria, our body will go through bouts of coldness and hotness.

Heat that grows and ages the body

The heat that grows and ages the body increases as we lack sleep.

Heat when the body is running a fever

When we have flu and fever, it is like a fire burning all over our body.

Heat whendigesting food

Some people have very strong digestive systems that make them hungry easily and always looking to fill their stomachs. On the other hand, some people have problems digesting food.


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Wind

Up-going winds

When the up-going winds in our bodies are particularly strong, we lose our appetites.

Down-going winds

Down-going winds in our body result in farting.

Winds betweenthe intestines and diaphragm

Winds in the intestines

Winds between the intestines and diaphragm will move the digested food into the intestines. Hence, our intestines will be filled with a lot of feces.

Winds passing through the entire body

If the winds passing through the body are out of control, we will suffer.

In and out breaths

It is agonizing to breathe too rapidly, or when we are unable to catch our breath.

The suffering from the four great elements is known as fiery agonies from the form aggregate. Upon learning about such sufferings, a wise person will know that this body is not lovable at all and will seek to be free from such suffering.

(b) Fiery agonies from the aggregate of feeling:

When the sense of sight comes into contact with a likeable person, thing, or object, we will feel happy and forget about everything.


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Once, there was an emperor who had seen a drawing of a beautiful lady and could not stop thinking about having her as a concubine. We are no different because we are unable to control our happy feelings when we see a likeable object. This is the fiery agony of the aggregate of feeling. On the other hand, when we see a disagreeable person, feelings of unhappiness arise and this bitter feeling cannot be tamed. Hence, fiery agonies of the aggregate of feeling arise when the six sense bases come into contact with the six sense objects.

(c) Fiery agony of the aggregate of perception:

When children leave their parents to study or work abroad, parents often think about them and wonder if they are well or when they will give a call back home. Pining non-stop for their children and having their minds run wild is like raging fire burning endlessly.

(d) Fiery agony of the aggregate of mental volition:

When someone we like hits or scolds us, we do not mind as we believe that these actions are done out of affection for us. If the other party praises us, we will feel even happier.

These volitional thoughts of love and hatred bring about the fiery agony we experience from the aggregate of mental volition.

(e) Fiery agony of the aggregate of consciousness:

The consciousness of sentient beings always seeks for external things to cling on to.


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Example: One night, a practitioner was walking alone in a dark and remote area when he was suddenly gripped by fear. In moments of loneliness, the mind would look for an external refuge. This is the fiery agony we experience from the aggregate of consciousness. Most people would usually look to seeking their friends' company or to go shopping. But when this practitioner knew that fear had risen, he observed and realized that this fear arose because he had wanted to look for something to cling on to. Upon further observation, he realized that since the surroundings were quiet, he should settle his mind too, since there was nothing worth looking for. When we do not crave for the external six sense objects, the mind will eventually settle down as well. Our minds are inseparable from phenomena (which arise and cease) and we are not alone. We do not have to be afraid of losing anything as there is nothing to lose. Once we are able to see the true nature of the body and mind clearly, our consciousness will be at ease and not seek for an external refuge. When our minds are unsettled, we often turn to chatting with friends, shopping, or going to busy places. These are all instances of the suffering that we experience from the unsettled mind.


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What is meant by "mind consciousness seeking out mind and form"? When our minds think of our loved ones, we wish to meet them immediately. But as we are unable to do so, we turn to giving them a call instead. This is an example of the mind seeking out for our loved ones. The mind could also be seeking out a happy memory or a happy feeling. This is also an instance of the mind consciousness seeking out for mind and form. Similarly, people with authority will think about the power and authority that they possess. These are all instances of the consciousness seeking out for mind and form. The mind consciousness of sentient beings rages like a wildfire. Once we are able to understand this, we will better appreciate the wonderful benefits of the Dharma. As we reflect upon ourselves, we will eventually be able to liberate ourselves from all these sufferings. The aggregate of consciousness in the world of sensuous desires is unsettled and actively searching for something to cling to. Hence, sentient beings are constantly suffering from the fiery agony of the consciousness. Practitioners who meditate know the dangers of an unsettled mind and so they learn to focus their minds one-pointedly. To attain concentration, one must stop the aggregate of consciousness from raging like wildfires. From the various types of suffering mentioned above, we know that all sentient beings in the six realms are constantly suffering.


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Cultivate before it is too late After learning about the eight kinds of suffering and endless kinds of suffering that sentient beings experience, we should aim to realize the truth of suffering and vow to realize the true bliss of Nirvana. Unlike the wise Noble Ones, we as sentient beings who cannot see the truth of suffering because of a lack of wisdom have to take refuge in the Triple Gem and learn from the Buddha. The Great Buddha is the only one who tells us these truths. Arahats are able to realize fruitions only after accepting the teachings of Buddha, let alone us. We must cultivate our practice whilst we are still young and able-bodied. Even though it is possible to practice when old, it is relatively more difficult. Keeping the Buddha in mind when we are on our deathbeds will enable us to take rebirth in the Western Pure World. However, it is better to be mindful of the Buddha whilst we are healthy as we will be more confident in the future. After all, it is rare that a person can still be mindful of the Buddha or have Right Mindfulness when he is stricken with illness. When our teeth are hurting, our minds would be preoccupied with ways to cure our toothache and we will forget to chant the Buddha's name. It would be similarly challenging to be mindful of the Buddha when we are breathing our last and facing the pains of our consciousness and body separating. Hence, we should use the present moment to cultivate our precepts, minds and wisdom. Example: There was a person who was terminally ill with cancer. Initially, she was unable to accept that her death was near and yearned to live on.


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Eventually, she was able to let go and her last words were so: "Alas! There is nothing worth clinging on to in this world of karmic suffering." She understood that everything occurred as a result of karmic deeds from past lives. Before learning the teachings of Buddha, she could only endure suffering mindlessly. She eventually contracted cancer as a result of keeping everything to herself and feeling down for long periods of time. Even after her illness, she did not receive caring attention and this worsened her condition. Only when she was on the brink of death, did she finally realize that all the sufferings that she had to face were due to her past karmic deeds, and that there is nothing truly worth clinging on to in this world. If we practice the teachings to cease all defilements, we will be able to realize liberation from this world of karmic suffering. If we have not mastered the way to cease all defilements, we should be mindful of the Buddha by chanting the Buddha's name. That way, we can reach the Western Pure World and avoid rebirths in the six realms. Hearing this, a wise person will learn from the experiences of others to progress along in the journey towards liberation. Who causes suffering? Some people may think that their suffering is caused by the actions of others such as their spouses, disobeying children, unappreciative bosses, or uncooperative colleagues. But these are in fact not the true causes of suffering! The real cause of suffering is because of one's own mental defilements.


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What, in turn, causes defilements to arise? It is the body. This is why the Buddha said, "Body is the root cause of suffering, the source of all unwholesome actions." The body is the result of the wholesome and unwholesome deeds that we have committed in our past lives due to our afflictions. As a result, we have to endure the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. It is also through this body that we experience all kinds of suffering. Hence, a wise person will aspire to be liberated from this body (five aggregates) and its sufferings. Abandoning all attachments, seeking renunciation and learning from a wise teacher are the only way one can practice and tread the path towards liberation. If we are still attached to the lay life, all that we see, hear and think about are the five desires. This will only lead to suffering. We should emulate the Noble Ones when we experience suffering. Take the analogy of having an eyelash slip into our eyes, where we will feel great pains. However, an eyelash placed on the palm will not cause any pain. Sentient beings see suffering like an eyelash placed in the palm, which does not cause any pain. But the Noble Ones (Srotapannas, Sakradagamins, Anagamins, and Arahats) see suffering like an eyelash that has gotten into the eye, which is painful and requires urgent removal. Sentient beings who are burnt alive in the Avici Hell feel great pain, as do human beings when scorched by fire. On the other hand, the Noble Ones who practice meditation will feel that the


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incessant arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena is great suffering. Therefore, they wish to break free from the cycle of rebirth as they know that this mundane world is nothing but suffering. Unlike ignorant sentient beings, the Noble Ones are wise and can see the truth of suffering clearly. Hence, we must emulate the Noble Ones and seek liberation when we see suffering. The difference between monastic life and lay life The fundamental difference between monastic life and lay life lies in one's attachment to the five desires. A monastic renounces all desires and is always clear of his purpose of renunciation in his practice. Example: A heretic once asked Venerable Radha, an attendant of Buddha, "Why did you seek renunciation under the Buddha?" "In order to end suffering," replied Venerable Radha. "Wherein lies suffering?" "I renounced to seek liberation from the suffering of the five aggregates and to be free from the sufferings of birth, old age, illness, death, of separation from loved ones, of coming into contact with the disagreeable, and of not getting what I want. This is the fundamental motivation of my renunciation," said Venerable Radha. When other heretics asked Venerable Radha the reasons for renouncing under the Buddha, he replied, "I renounced in order to see the truth of suffering." "What is the truth of suffering?"


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"I renounced to realize the suffering of fiery agonies of the five aggregates. I sought renunciation so as to end craving and attachment to the five aggregates, to be liberated from all forms of sufferings and to realize Nirvana." So, as wise Buddhists who have heard and encountered the Dharma, we must understand suffering and aspire for liberation.

May we all treasure the opportunity to renounce when we can, and be diligent in breaking free from the suffering of the five aggregates! How do we liberate ourselves from the suffering of this body? Most people are terrified of snakes, and will either kill them or steer clear from them. In this Saha world, there is nothing truly worth grasping on to. Ultimately, there is only suffering. This body of ours is just as frightful as a snake – it only brings us endless sufferings. When we encounter a snake, we tend to run away out of fear. However, running away does not resolve the problem of fear in us; we will still be frightened when we see snakes in the future. Therefore, the best solution is to deal with our fears head-on to eradicate them. Running away does not help. Only when we learn how to catch a snake to release it into the wilderness can we eliminate our fears of the snake harming us. Even if we were to see a snake in future, we would only be startled but not afraid. Therefore, we


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should learn to eliminate our fears by facing them bravely instead of cowering away. In fact, getting bitten by a venomous snake will cause suffering (death) in just this lifetime. However, this body brings endless sufferings over the course of every lifetime. Isn't the physical suffering of birth, old age, illness, and death more terrifying than a venomous snake? Furthermore, this body also leads to all sorts of mental sufferings. So what should we do? The Great Compassionate Buddha taught us the Four Noble Truths. By learning the truth about the five aggregates, we can subdue and ultimately abandon them. Henceforth, we will not be afraid of the five aggregates. This is the true benefit of applying the Four Noble Truths in our daily lives. Characteristics of the Noble Truth of Suffering The key to realizing and knowing the truth of suffering is to learn and contemplate on the Four Noble Truths and their corresponding sixteen characteristics. The Noble Truth of Suffering has four key characteristics: Impermanence, Suffering, Not-mine, and Egoless-ness. (1) The characteristic of impermanence: This refers to the

arising and ceasing of the five aggregates due to causes and conditions. For instance, the form aggregate which comprise of the hair of head, hair of body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, etc., arise due to causes and conditions. Similarly, they will change and cease due to causes and conditions. This is impermanence.


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(2) The characteristic of suffering: When the causes and conditions for this life cease, our life ends; while the causes and conditions for a next life arise. Through this ceasing and rising, we can see that these are all impermanent. Amidst all this impermanence of arising and ceasing, the body and mind face great suffering.

(3) The characteristic of not-mine: This body and mind are

impermanent and ultimately not-mine. So are our spouses, children and family members, as well as the wealth and fame we possess. The internal body and mind, as well as the external world we live in, are all impermanent and not-mine.

(4) The characteristic of egoless-ness: This can be observed as

everything arises due to causes and conditions and there is no ego in control.

Once we understand this, we will realize the wonders of the Dharma. There was a layperson who once thought that the Dharma was only about cause and effect, i.e. good begets good and evil begets evil. He did not know that there were teachings about the six sense bases, six sense objects, six sense consciousnesses, six kinds of contact, six kinds of feeling, six kinds of perception, six kinds of volition, the Four Noble Truths, the Law of Dependent Arising, etc. But as he continued learning, he recognized the importance of listening to and learning the Dharma as he realized the incompleteness of what he had known. After listening to the Dharma, we must contemplate the teachings. As the saying goes, "listen, contemplate and put them into practice". It is a shame if we do not contemplate after listening. Only when we have contemplated and internalized the


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teachings, can we begin to put them into practice. Thereafter, we will be able to truly realize fruitions. Only an Arahat can pronounce that the Four Noble Truths are what he has realized. When we contemplate and observe the mundane world, we will discover that it is actually impermanent; earthquakes and tsunamis are all instances of impermanence, aren't they? Just as the earth arose due to causes and conditions, it will also deteriorate and cease to be, due to causes and conditions. When these occurrences happen to us and bring about a compelling discomfort, it is known as suffering. Does the earth belong to me? Can a tsunami be controlled? It cannot be controlled as it is a result of causes and conditions, and hence the earth is not-mine. We can see the four characteristics of the Noble Truth of Suffering by observing the five aggregates internally and externally. Observing the four characteristics of the Noble Truth of Suffering in our daily life Example: There was a prince who was deeply loved by his father. Every day, he indulged in the pleasures of the five desires amidst the company of the palace maids. One night, he saw some palace maids slumber in their unsightly worn-out states. He noted that their radiant good looks had faded. As he took a walk in the garden, he also saw that the leaves had fallen to the ground. The prince pondered and realized that leaves do not stay on the trees forever. He observed the impermanence of the falling


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leaves and contemplated on the arising and ceasing due to causes and conditions. Next, he observed that the body and mind when he was young had ceased, giving rise to the current body and mind. Similarly, the current body and mind will also cease to be one day. Thereafter, the compelling sufferings of old age, sickness and death will inevitably arise. When he contemplated deeply on this, he realized the fruition of Pratyeka Buddha. Thus, using his supernatural powers, he flew out of the palace to stay in the mountain forest, away from the crowds. When the king and queen could not find their son, they hurriedly sent their men to look for him. Eventually, they found their son in the mountains, living a renounced life. The son who was now a Pratyeka Buddha wanted to repay the kindness of his parents for raising him. So he stayed at the garden set up by the king and accepted offerings from him. After several years, the Pratyeka Buddha realized that the conditions were ripe for him to enter Nirvana. The king built a stupa in memory of the Pratyeka Buddha. Having developed the Bodhicitta mind, the king practiced the Bodhisattva path and would thereafter become Sakyamuni Buddha. As the prince had cultivated wholesome roots in his past lives, he was able to realize the impermanence, suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness of the "beauty" of the maidens just by observing falling leaves. Upon deeper observation and contemplation, the prince realized that his body and mind were likewise impermanent, suffering, not-mine and egoless. Eventually, he realized Pratyeka Buddhahood and was liberated from Samsara.


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A wise person who has sharp faculties is able to become a Pratyeka Buddha by observing the Noble Truth of Suffering. Thus, we should sharpen our observation skills. If we are constantly observing the Noble Truth of Suffering, our attachments to and cravings for the mundane world will gradually lessen to the point where our defilements are completely abandoned. Eventually, we may realize Pratyeka Buddhahood in the future or, if we are able to meet the Buddha, we will attain liberation upon hearing the Dharma. Three types of attention are needed for the observation of the Noble Truth of Suffering: (1) Faith-based attention

(2) Attention to one's present surroundings

(3) Attention that arises via extrapolation

(1) Faith-based attention is derived from the unwavering faith

we have towards the Dharma.

Having faith in what the Buddha taught, we pay attention, observe and contemplate the three kinds of disasters caused by fire, water, and wind, which will happen due to the karmic actions of sentient beings. In the massive apocalypse comprising the three disasters, fires will first engulf the world. Great winds then blow across the oceans, revealing another sun. As a result, there will be two suns in this world at the same time. When this happens, all the rivulets in the world will dry up, making it extremely unbearable for sentient beings to live in.


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After a period of time, the great winds would blow again, revealing the third sun. When this happens, the big rivers in the world will dry up. Then, a fourth sun will appear with the blow of another great wind. This will dry up the Anutta Lake, the source of all rivers. When a fifth sun appears from the bottom of the ocean, all the oceans will be dried up. After some time, a sixth sun will be blown from the bottom of the ocean. With six suns in the sky, Mount Sumeru and all the other mountains in this world will be set ablaze. After a period of time, the winds will blow a seventh sun from the depths of the ocean bed. As seven suns appear in the sky, the four great continents and eighty thousand other small continents, along with Mount Sumeru and the other mountains, will be completely destroyed by fires. As the fires continue to burn, the first dhyana heaven and everything below will be burnt to ashes. The Great Compassionate Buddha does not wish for us to undergo such sufferings, and hence he taught us to cultivate and seek liberation from Samsara. If we observe and contemplate thus, we will be able to develop samvega and seek liberation as we realize that there is nothing lovable in this mundane world. After listening to the Dharma, we must observe and contemplate on the teachings. This way, we will be able to meet Maitreya Buddha in the future. Under the guidance of Maitreya Buddha, we will attain Arahatship as we had previously trained ourselves in observing and contemplating the Noble Truth of Suffering.


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(2) Attention to one's present surroundings

There are sixteen ways for us to observe our external surroundings and fifteen ways to observe our body, through which we can see the characteristics of impermanence, suffering, not-mine and egoless-ness of all conditioned phenomena including the five aggregates. * There are five characteristics of impermanence, namely:

(i) Ever-changing (ii) Separation (iii) Deterioration (iv) Nature of all conditioned phenomena (v) A coming-together or a gathering

* There are three characteristics of suffering, namely:

(i) Fettering (ii) Unlovable (iii) Instability / uneasiness

* The characteristic of not-mine is ungraspable-ness.

* The characteristic of egoless-ness is that of not being in

control. (3) Attention that arises via extrapolation

Extrapolation refers to inferring the unknown from something that is known. Close observation and in-depth contemplation on observable marks of impermanence allow us to arrive at the conclusion that there is also subtle impermanence happening to all conditioned phenomena from moment to moment.


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How to have a profound observation of impermanence? (1) There are eight causes and conditions through which all

conditioned phenomena are ever-changing.

(i) Decadence of stored goods: All stored items will gradually change. For instance, the value of our money is constantly rising and falling, and stored food will lose its freshness.

(ii) Damage by others: Our cars may be vandalized by others, or we may get injured by others. When we observe and contemplate these, we will realize that there is nothing lovable about our cars or our bodies.

(iii) Wear and tear as a result of usage: Our cars and houses become worn out as a result of prolonged usage.

(iv) Season-induced changes: Trees flourish in spring and wither in fall. By winter, they will be barren. This is due to the changing seasons.

(v) Heated by fire: The process of transforming raw grains into cooked rice by heat is an example of impermanence.

(vi) Disintegration by water: When submerged in water, things will disintegrate. For instance, clothes will get thinner or their colors will fade after being washed several times.

(vii) Destruction by wind: Typhoons and hurricanes are highly destructive and can destroy buildings, properties, and cause an immense loss of lives in mere split seconds. Knowing that this world is so impermanent, there is nothing lovable about it.


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(viii) Changes that occur due to different conditions: We feel happy and generate greed when we encounter pleasant causes and conditions. Conversely, we become unhappy when we meet with unpleasant causes and conditions, generating anger.

For example, imagine an enjoyable occasion of dining with an attractive lady. But when her boyfriend turns up and begins to hurl insults and turn violent, our mood will change. This is impermanence as our mood varies according to the different conditions we encounter.

Even though we may feel distressed when upset, a word of praise will lift our spirits immediately. This is another example of the impermanence of feelings.

External surroundings:

(i) The cities we live in did not exist originally. They

were built when people started living together. Cities rise and fall depending on the sizes of the population. As such, the "cities" that we know and live in are impermanent and ever-changing.

(ii) The greenery that we see in our cities is cultivated – the flowers and trees did not exist originally. Similarly, the fruit trees in orchards were planted. From a seed, it gradually grew to be a tree, flourishing and bearing fruits. In time to come, it will grow old, die and decompose eventually. In this ever-changing phenomenon, we see the blossoming and withering of flowers, as well as the new growth and shedding of leaves with the changing seasons.

(iii) Picturesque mountain ranges are a magnificent sight to behold, but they immediately become destroyed when natural disasters such as earthquakes,


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torrential rains or raging fires occur. As such, mountains are also impermanent and ever-changing.

(iv) The rising and falling of waters and the destruction that torrential waters such as tsunamis can bring are examples of impermanence. As Buddhists, we should contemplate on the Dharma when we see such phenomena and practice diligently, and not just simply admire the picturesque scenery.

(v) Unemployment rates rise and fall with the economy. Hence, jobs are also subject to impermanence.

(vi) The quantity of things in a storehouse fluctuates, similar to the value of money in our bank accounts. As such, we can see that stored items are impermanent.

(vii) Before our meal, the dining table is empty but when mealtime approaches, the dining table is filled with plates of food. When we finish our meal, the dining table is empty again.

(viii) Similarly, we can observe impermanence when drinking beverages. Although there is tea in the cup that we are drinking from, there was no tea in it originally. When we have finished drinking, the cup is empty again. If we leave a cup of water untouched for several days, the amount of water in the cup gradually decreases as water evaporates.

(ix) We can even observe the impermanence of our transportation tools such as bicycles, motorcycles, cars, airplanes and boats. For instance, we might not have owned a car in the past. But now, we have a brand new, shiny car. However, the shine of the car would fade off very quickly.


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(x) New clothes are bright and fitting. But they quickly become worn out and loose after a few wears. Hence, the clothes that we buy and wear are impermanent.

(xi) Adornments and accessories such as perfumes, jewelries, and neckties as well as house decorations like paints and wallpapers are also ever-changing. After renovation, a house looks nicely decorated and comfortable. But after some time, the paint on the walls start to peel and the house gets dirty.

(xii) The sounds and sights that we hear and see on a television program are constantly arising and ceasing. Observing this with a settled mind allows us to realize that these sounds and sights are ever-changing and impermanent. As such, they are unlovable.

(xiii) A freshly arranged pot of flowers looks lively and vibrant. But after a few days, the flowers begin to wilt. The same goes for artificial flowers. After some time, they lose their original vibrant luster as dust settles on them.

When incense is lit, its fragrance lingers for a while before fading off completely. If we light new incense, fragrance will arise again. From this, we can see that scents and flowers are ever-changing and impermanent.

(xiv) We amass our belongings and possessions like

houses, furniture, and electrical appliances over time due to varying causes and conditions. Likewise, we also lose them as a result of different causes and conditions. This is the characteristic of impermanence. When we observe thus, we will realize that these


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belongings and possessions are unlovable and ungraspable.

(xv) A television that is not switched on has only a dark screen with no images. But once we turn the power on, images will begin to appear on the bright screen. After the program has ended and we turn the power off, the television screen becomes dark again. As we observe this phenomenon, we will realize that brightness and darkness is also ever-changing and impermanent as it arises and ceases.

(xvi) The size of a family increases as more members, such as children, spouses of children etc. are included. But as our children get older, they leave us to start their own families. Hence, our familial relationships and family sizes are ever-changing and impermanent, and hence we should lessen our attachment to them.

By constantly observing the sixteen types of changes occurring in our external surroundings, we will be able to purify our minds and reduce greed, anger, ignorance, and conceit. This is our real pursuit in life.

Internal: There are fifteen types of internal phenomena to be observed, beginning with the six sense bases.

(i) Changes in age: If we were to look at photos taken

when we were one-year-old, ten-year-old, twenty-year-old etc., we would notice that the one-year-old toddler in the photo no longer exists. Likewise for the ten-year-old and the twenty-year-old selves.

Hence, we see impermanence from changes in age. As we lack the wisdom and insight of the noble enlightened ones, we are unable to see the truth behind this phenomenon. But with practice, wisdom will gradually develop. Seeing the truth behind this


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phenomenon equates to seeing the Noble Truth of Suffering. This requires practice and observation and not merely conceptual understanding.

(ii) Our skin complexion changes every moment. When

we wake up in the morning, our skin looks dull, but after washing, it looks radiant. In the afternoon, our skin turns dull again as lethargy sets in. By nightfall, we are completely exhausted.

Observing our skin as such, we gradually realize that the skin is also impermanent and ever-changing, and that cosmetics are superficial means of covering up our dull and listless appearances.

(iii) Physique is likewise subject to impermanence. We

notice our bodies feeling weightier after heavy meals, and become lighter when we consume less. Through such observations, our attachment to this body would gradually reduce.

(iv) The assets that we possess are also impermanent, for we may be rich today, but poor tomorrow. Almost all celebrities also face this impermanence with gradual demise of their popularity when fans start to detract their attention and support other new rising celebrities instead. Hence, we should observe the illusory nature of fame and wealth.

(v) Bodily disabilities occur as the six sense bases lose their functions due to illness. As Buddhists, we will not feel distressed when this occurs if we are able to observe that the body is impermanent and ever-changing.

(vi) Exertion during work in the day results in mental and physical exhaustion. Usually, we feel refreshed in the morning, but by noontime, we are drained. However,


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after returning home from work, we become upbeat again. As we observe the state of our bodies and minds, we see that it is ever-changing and impermanent, and we will be able to let go of our greed, hatred, and delusion.

(vii) Our bodies may get injured by others in accidents or fights. We will not feel aggrieved when this happens if we have practiced observing the impermanence and ever-changing characteristic of the body.

(viii) Changes in weather can affect our bodies as well. We wear more and have greater appetites in cold weathers, and we seek out cooler places when feeling warm. This shows the impermanence of our bodies and minds.

(ix) Our body postures are ever-changing, whether walking, standing, sitting or lying down. After sitting for a while, we want to get up. After walking for some distance, we want to sit down. These changes in body postures arise and cease due to causes and conditions. Similarly, our speech is also ever-changing and impermanent.

(x) Feelings are also impermanent, fleeting from moment to moment. We feel happy when we see a person whom we like. But if this person ignores us, we feel upset. These emotional upheavals are due to fluctuating causes and conditions. If we are able to see that feelings arise and cease, we would neither be perturbed by them nor be affected by our surroundings. Isn't this a wonderful practice to liberate ourselves from mental afflictions?

(xi) Mental defilements such as greed, anger and ignorance arise and cease as a result of varying causes and conditions. When we think of a loved one,


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feelings of greed and desire arise and we wish to see the person immediately. When we are overwhelmed with work, anger arises in our minds. Hence, mental defilements are ever-changing and impermanent. If we are able to observe in this way, we will not be affected when defilements arise.

(xii) Illness arises and ceases as a result of changing causes and conditions. When we were young and healthy, we were less susceptible to illnesses. But as we begin to age, different kinds of illness start to arise. When we undergo treatment, the arisen illnesses may cease. Hence, illness is ever-changing and impermanent.

(xiii) All sentient beings go through the process of aging, illness and death. In the dying process, the temperature of the body starts to drop rapidly; a body, once warm, becomes colder and colder; a once lively person becomes motionless. When we observe and reflect upon a dead body, we will be able to understand impermanence. Once we realize the truth of this impermanence, we will be able to realize the Noble Truth of Suffering like the Noble Enlightened Ones.

(xiv) Upon death, the corpse of this once lovable person starts to bloat, distorting the features and giving off a putrid, pungent smell.

There was once a mortician who handled a case of a pretty woman who had died in a car accident. He was enamored by her beauty when he placed her in the coffin. However, due to the extensive internal built-up of decomposing gases after a few days, there was a foul smell and he was called upon to reopen the coffin. To his utter horror, the once


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attractive lady was now grotesquely discolored, bloated and reeked of an unbearably repulsive odor.

From this incident, we realize that our bodies will go through the same decaying process and are unlovable.

(xv) After death, the corpse may be burnt, gnawed by

maggots or eaten by other animals. This ultimate cessation of the corpse is a characteristic of change.

When we observe these fifteen internal phenomena and sixteen external phenomena, we can see that all conditioned phenomena arise and cease, and are thus impermanent and ever-changing.

(2) Separation can be observed both internally and externally.

'Internal separation' happens when we lose our status as a boss and become a subordinate of our promoted employee.

'External separation' occurs when we lose our possessions as a result of theft or natural disasters. All these are manifestations of impermanence.

Besides being compassionate in times of difficulties or tragedies, we would have to be mindful of impermanence.

(3) Deterioration occurs in all conditioned phenomena.

When we see the arising of a phenomenon, we should also see the deterioration and cessation of the phenomenon.

Just like the leaves on a tree - we see them growing and flourishing in spring, before falling off in wintertime. This ever-changing cycle of growth and falling-off is a form of deterioration and impermanence.


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(4) The nature of all conditioned phenomena is that everything that arises is impermanent as it will change, deteriorate and eventually cease.

Hence, we can extrapolate this principle to all conditioned phenomena that have yet to arise. When causes and conditions ripen, arising of a conditioned phenomenon will occur. But once it arises, it will still eventually cease.

If our young children stay out late, we should use this to further contemplate that when they grow up one day, they will similarly leave us some day. The same goes for partners in a marriage. It is inevitable that one of them will depart from this world first. Hence, both will eventually be separated. Separation could also occur as a result of one party liking someone else. As such, we can extrapolate that all conditioned phenomena is ever-changing due to varying causes and conditions. Such is the impermanent nature of all conditioned phenomena.

Therefore, in order to be liberated from Samsara, we must observe, contemplate and reflect on suffering. If we do this consistently, we will not have expectations for familial happiness that has yet to come, and not cling on to the happiness that we are already experiencing. Likewise, we will not feel devastated when separation occurs.

(5) A coming-together or a gathering is a conditioned

phenomenon that arises due to causes and conditions, and it will cease with different causes and conditions.

Hence, we would not desire for future gatherings, and as for any present gathering that has arisen, we will know that it will eventually cease.


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So even when we have wealth and status now, we know that these are conditioned phenomenon and will one day cease according to causes and conditions. Therefore, we should start to lessen our attachment to them. Likewise, when we get annoyed with someone, we are able to see that this annoyance is a result of causes and conditions. Thus, we need not dwell in unhappiness as these causes and conditions will eventually cease to exist.

How do we observe and contemplate on the characteristics of suffering, not-mine, and egoless-ness? The characteristic of suffering When we come into contact with pleasant acquaintances, happenings, or objects, we will feel happy and desire more of them. The fear of being separated from them makes us think and do all sorts of acts to hold on to them. We feel devastated when we are separated from the people or things we love. When we fight with others for these people or things, we create enmity with our competitors. We yearn for our loved ones or things to last forever, and when they don't, we experience mental anguish and suffering. These mental defilements are fetters, chaining us like prisoners. Having been born, our bodies will certainly have to undergo old age, sickness and death. We will also have to experience all kinds of mental suffering as a result of having taken birth in this sensual realm. These are all unlovable characteristics of suffering. Further, the impermanence (constant arising and ceasing) of all conditioned phenomena brings feelings of instability and unease. The Noble Ones and meditators are more aware of the constant arising and ceasing of conditioned phenomena.


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Not-mine Through observing the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena, we will gradually realize that nothing is truly graspable – our family, wealth, status, body and mind are all not ours. Egoless-ness Egoless-ness means that there is no "I" in control. The five aggregates and the mundane world came about due to causes and conditions. For instance, our planet earth and the houses we live in arise due to causes and conditions; there is no being in control of them. Likewise, our body is not within our control as we will die if we are deprived of food and water. Hence, there is no ego or "I" in control. How to contemplate on attention that arises via extrapolation? We can do so through observing the current circumstances of different sentient beings. For instance, some people are wealthier, have more merits, and are able to listen to the Dharma because they had sown wholesome deeds in their past lives. On the other hand, some people are poor, have less merit and are born in the lower realms because of the unwholesome karmic deeds they had committed. All sentient beings are born as a result of their wholesome or unwholesome karmic deeds. Although we might not have the ability to see the reasons for our past, current or future births, nor are we able to see and know when we will be enlightened, we can still extrapolate the reasons. By applying the Dharma while observing current circumstances, we can conclude that merits accumulated in the present life are a result of having sown wholesome karmic deeds in the past. In particular, the opportunity for us to be able to listen to and learn


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the Dharma comes from us having sown wholesome karmic deeds in the past. Knowing this enables us to develop wisdom and settle our minds on this teaching. Observing the five aggregates and their characteristics of impermanence, suffering, not-mine and egoless-ness enables us to see the arising and ceasing of all conditioned phenomena and gradually develop wisdom, just like the Enlightened Noble Ones. But to gain the strength to do so requires unwavering diligence in our daily practice. If we are able to practice diligently, we will be able to appreciate the true meaning of the Buddha's words,

"All conditioned phenomena are impermanent, Arising and ceasing endlessly.

Truly, Nirvana is the true, ultimate bliss!"


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Glossary

Anagamin: One who has attained the third stage of Liberation. Such a person has abandoned sensuous desires. Upon passing from the human realm, he will take rebirth in one of the five special worlds in the World of Form, called the Suddhavasa worlds, or "Pure Abodes", from which he will attain Arahatship and will never return to the human realm. Hence, he is also known as a Non Returner. An Anagamin has abandoned the five lower fetters, out of ten total fetters, that bind beings to the cycle of existence. See also Arahatship. Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi: The Supreme and Complete Enlightenment. Arahat: One who has traversed the Eightfold Noble Path to reach the fourth and final stage of Liberation, called Arahatship. An Arahat has abandoned all ten fetters that bind beings to the cycle of existence. Also known as the Perfect One. See also Arahatship. Arahatship: The fourth and final stage of Liberation, in which one is fully liberated from Samsara and is no longer subject to death and rebirth. The four stages of Liberation are: The First stage known as Srotapanna; the Second stage known as Sakradagamin; the Third stage known as Anagamin; and the Fourth stage known as Arahat. Atman: The essence of things that does not depend on others; it is an intrinsic nature. The non-existence of atman is selflessness. Bhikshu: A fully ordained male member of the Buddhist Sangha or monk observing two hundred and fifty Precepts. Bhikshuni: A fully ordained female member of the Buddhist Sangha or nun observing five hundred Precepts.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Bhutatathata: The true character of reality. The inherent or true nature of phenomena or true suchness. (诸法实相) Bodhicitta: Also known as the Bodhi-mind or the Bodhi-heart, in which "Bodhi" means "enlightened". It is the aspiration to attain supreme Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Bodhisattva: A being who has developed Bodhicitta and is striving for enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Brahma King: The King of the Brahma World. Brahma World: In the widest sense, this is the name of the World of Form; in a narrower sense, it is the collective name of the first three heavens of the World of Form. See also Three worlds of existence. Buddha: The Fully Enlightened One, who possesses perfect wisdom and compassion. Compassion: Also known as Karuna. See also Four Divine States of Mind and Great Compassion. Cycle of existence: See Samsara. Dana: Charity; benevolence; generosity. Defilements: The mental states of greed, hatred, and delusion which temporarily cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions. These defilements are seen as the very roots of Samsaric existence and are known as the three poisons. Deva: A heavenly being. Dharma: The Teachings of the Buddha. Dharma-kaya: The Dharma body, the truth body, the reality body.


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Eight sufferings: (1) Birth; (2) Old age; (3) Sickness; (4) Death; (5) Separation from the persons and things we love; (6) Contacting with what we dislike; (7) Not getting what we desire; and (8) Fiery agonies from the five aggregates. Eight Precepts: Observed by lay Buddhists during certain retreats: (1) Do not kill; (2) Do not steal; (3) Do not engage in sexual activities; (4) Do not tell lies; (5) Do not take intoxicants; (6) Do not wear bodily adornments, use perfumes, engage in singing and dancing, and watching dances or plays; (7) Do not sleep in a raised bed; and (8) Do not eat after noon. Eightfold Noble Path: The fundamental teaching of the Buddha that shows the path that leads to the cessation of suffering: (1) Right View or Right Understanding; (2) Right Thought; (3) Right Speech; (4) Right Action; (5) Right Livelihood; (6) Right Diligence; (7) Right Mindfulness; and (8) Right Concentration. First Stage of Fruition: Also known as the first stage of Liberation. One who has attained the first stage of fruition is known as a Srotapanna or Stream Enterer. Five aggregates: Form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Five Desires: Wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. Five Higher Fetters: These five fetters bind beings to the higher worlds of existence, namely the World of Form and Formless World. (1) Attachment to the physical body (rupa-raga); (2) Clinging on to consciousness (arupa-raga); (3) Restlessness; (4) Conceit; (5) Ignorance. See Ten fetters. Five lower fetters: These five fetters bind beings to the lower world of existence, also known as the World of Sensuous Desires: (1) Thinking that the body is self or ego; (2) View that self-mortification can lead to liberation; (3) Doubt; (4) Sensuous Desires; (5) Anger. One who has abandoned the five lower fetters has attained the third stage of fruition and is known as an Anagamin. See Ten fetters.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Five Powers: Obtained through the practice of the Five Wholesome Faculties: (1) Power of Faith; (2) Power of Diligence; (3) Power of Mindfulness; (4) Power of Concentration; (5) Power of Wisdom. Five Precepts: (1) Do not kill; (2) Do not steal; (3) Do not engage in sexual misconduct; (4) Do not tell lies; and (5) Do not take intoxicants. Five sensual pleasures: Pleasurable feelings derived from the contact between the five sense bases of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body, and the five sense objects of form, sound, odor, flavor, and tactile object. Five Wholesome Faculties: (1) Faculty of Faith; (2) Faculty of Diligence; (3) Faculty of Mindfulness; (4) Faculty of Concentration; (5) Faculty of Wisdom. Four Divine States of Mind: (1) Maitri or Loving-kindness; (2) Karuna or Compassion; (3) Mudita or Altruistic Joy; and (4) Upeksa or Equanimity. Four Foundations of Mindfulness: (1) Contemplation of the body; (2) Contemplation of feelings; (3) Contemplation of the state of mind; and (4) Contemplation of phenomena. See also Right Effort. Four Noble Truths: (1) The noble truth of suffering; (2) The noble truth of the causes of suffering; (3) The noble truth of the cessation of suffering; and (4) The noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Four pairs and eight categories of Sravaka practitioners: This refers to Sravaka practitioners who practice the Srotapanna path and those who have attained Srotapannaship; the ones who practice the Sakradagamin path and those who have attained Sakradagaminship; the ones who practice the Anagamin path and those who have attained Anagaminship; the ones who practice the Arahat path and those who have attained Arahatship. Four Right Efforts: (1) the effort to get rid of unwholesome thoughts that have already arisen in one's mind, such as the desire to take


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another's property; (2) the effort to prevent the arising of unwholesome thoughts; (3) the effort to develop wholesome thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion; and (4) the effort to maintain and develop further wholesome thoughts that have already arisen in one's mind. Four Ways of Attaining Samadhi: The basis to attain Samadhi: (1) Desire to practice Concentration; (2) Diligence; (3) Mindfulness; (4) Contemplation. Great Compassion: The aspiration to remove the sufferings and causes of sufferings of all sentient beings. Heavens of the Four Deva Kings: Also known as the Heavens of the Deva Kings of the Four Heavens. This is the first of the six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. See also Three worlds of existence. Kalpa: Also known as Eon. It is often used to denote a very long period of time. There are small, medium, great, and incalculable kalpas. A great kalpa indicates the length of time between the creation and recreation of a universe, spanning the period of the universe's formation, existence, destruction, and non-existence. Karma: The deeds carried out by a person and their effects on the person's future, especially in relation to their succeeding rebirths. Karma can be classified as actions of the body, speech, and mind, each of which can have the moral quality of wholesomeness, unwholesomeness, or indeterminate. Law of cause and effect: This is a fundamental concept within Buddhism governing all situations, in which all actions, which is a cause, will produce a corresponding effect. It is also stated as good begets good, evil begets evil; good will not beget evil, evil will not beget good. Loving-kindness: Also known as Maitri. See also Four Divine States of Mind.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Mara: The Demon King who resides in the Paranirmita Vasavartin Heaven. Naga: Dragon or serpent. A beneficent divine being who governs the various water bodies, such as seas, lakes, rivers, and springs. Nirmanarati Heaven: This is the fifth of the six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. See also Three worlds of existence. Nirvana: The perfect state of mind that is free from greed, hatred, and delusion, and hence all suffering. See also Parinirvana and Residue-less Nirvana. Paranirmita Vasavartin Heaven: This is the sixth of the six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. Mara, the Demon King, resides in this heaven. See also Three worlds of existence. Parinirvana: Also known as the Great Nirvana; it indicates the Buddha's entering into the state of residue-less Nirvana. See also Nirvana and Residue-less Nirvana. Pratyeka Buddha: Also known as the Silent Buddha, or Self-enlightened One. The Pratyeka Buddha appears in an era when there is no Buddha or the Buddha's teachings. He lives apart from others and achieves enlightenment through self-contemplation and realization of dependent arising. Pure Dharma Eye: The pure vision of the true Dharma. Residue-less Nirvana: Also known as Nirvana without residue. It refers to the state of total liberation from all physical and mental conditions. This is in contrast with Nirvana with residue, where the body still exists. See also Nirvana and Parinirvana. Right Action: To conduct oneself in moral, peaceful, and honorable ways, that is in keeping with the precepts of not killing, not stealing, and not committing sexual misconduct. See also Eightfold Noble Path and Tenfold meritorious cause of action.


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Right Concentration: To develop one's meditation according to the four Dhyanas. See also Eightfold Noble Path. Right Effort: To develop the Four Right Efforts. See also Eightfold Noble Path. Right Livelihood: To live honorably in a profession which is in no way harmful to sentient beings, and in keeping with the precepts. See also Eightfold Noble Path. Right Mindfulness: To practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. See also Four Foundations of Mindfulness and Eightfold Noble Path. Right Speech: To abstain from telling lies, slandering, frivolous speech, and harsh speech. See also Eightfold Noble Path and Tenfold meritorious cause of action. Right Thought: To have only thoughts which are in line with Buddhist teachings. See also Eightfold Noble Path. Right Understanding: See Right View. Right View: To develop the understanding or view that complies with the Buddhist teaching of the law of cause and effect; understanding the Four Noble Truths. See also Eightfold Noble Path and Right Understanding. Sakra: The King of Trayastrimsat Heaven. Sakradagamin: One who has attained the second stage of Liberation. Such a person, upon passing from the human realm, will take rebirth in the heavenly realms, after which he will be reborn in the human realm one last time to attain Arahatship. Hence he is also known as a Once Returner. A Once Returner has abandoned the first three fetters, out of ten total fetters, that bind beings to the cycle of existence. He is distinguished from the Stream Enterer by the fact that the Once Returner has weakened greed, hatred, and delusion to a greater degree. Therefore, he has fewer than seven rebirths. See also Arahatship.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Samadhi: Meditative concentration. Often used to denote the deepest state of pure concentration, in which the mind is free from distraction and totally absorbed in the object of concentration. There are many levels and types of Samadhi, such as the Samadhi of Loving-kindness and Compassion. Samsara: Also known as the Cycle of existence or cyclic existence. This refers to the endless cycle of suffering caused by birth, death, and rebirth in the six realms of cyclic existence. Sangha: The Buddhist monastic order or community. Seven Factors of Enlightenment: (1) Mindfulness; (2) Discriminative investigation of the Dharma; (3) Diligence; (4) Joy; (5) Ease of body and mind; (6) Concentration; and (7) Equanimity. Sila: The precept; code of morality; Buddhist ethics. Six Paramitas: The Sanskrit word Paramita means to cross over to the other shore. Paramita may also be translated as perfection, perfect realization, or reaching beyond limitation. Through the practice of these six Paramitas, we cross over the sea of suffering (Samsara) to the shore of happiness and awakening (Nirvana); we cross over from ignorance and delusion to enlightenment. The six Paramitas refer to:

• The Perfection of Generosity (Dana Paramita), • The Perfection of Ethics (Sila Paramita), • The Perfection of Patience (Ksanti Paramita) • The Perfection of Joyous Effort / Enthusiastic Perseverance

(Virya Paramita), • The Perfection of Concentration (Dhyana Paramita), • The Perfection of Wisdom (Prajna Paramita).

Six realms: The realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras, and heavenly beings. Six sense bases: Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.


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Six sense objects: Form, sound, odor, flavor, tactile object, and phenomena. Sramanera: A male novice monk observing Ten Precepts. Sramanerika: A female novice nun observing Ten Precepts. Srotapanna: One who has attained the first stage of Liberation. One who has attained this stage is said to have entered the Stream that leads to Liberation, hence he is also known as a Stream Enterer. Due to the fact that the Stream Enterer has attained an intuitive grasp of Buddhist teachings ("Right View") and has complete confidence in the Triple Gem, he will not be reborn in the three lower realms again, and will take at most seven cycles of rebirths alternating between the heavenly realm and the human realm before attaining the final stage of Liberation, Arahatship. A Stream Enterer has abandoned the first three fetters, out of ten total fetters, that bind beings to the cycle of existence. See also Arahatship. Supernatural powers: The six supernatural powers are: (1) Divine eye or clairvoyance; (2) Divine ear or clairaudience; (3) mental telepathy or ability to read the thoughts of others; (4) psychic travel or telekinesis; (5) knowledge of the past and future; and (6) ending contamination. The first five supernatural powers can be acquired by one who practices deep concentration, but the sixth supernatural power is only attainable when one has attained Arahatship. Ten bhumis: The ten bhumis are the ten stages of Bodhisattvahood. A Bodhisattva has to complete all ten stages before he can become a Buddha. Ten fetters: The ten fetters bind beings to the cycle of existence in the three worlds. One who has abandoned the ten fetters has attained the fourth stage of fruition and is known as an Arahat. The ten fetters consist of the five lower fetters and the five higher fetters: (1) Thinking that the body is self or ego; (2) View that self-mortification can lead to liberation; (3) Doubt; (4) Sensuous Desires; (5) Anger; (6) Attachment

~ GLOSSARY ~

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to the physical body (rupa-raga); (7) Clinging on to consciousness (arupa-raga); (8) Restlessness; (9) Conceit; (10) Ignorance. Tenfold meritorious cause of action: (1) Do not kill; (2) Do not steal; (3) Do not engage in sexual misconduct; (4) Do not tell lies; (5) Do not slander; (6) Do not engage in frivolous speech; (7) Do not engage in harsh speech; (8) Do not bear greed; (9) Do not bear hatred; and (10) Do not stay deluded. Thirty-Seven Practices to attain Enlightenment: The thirty-seven practices refer to Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Four Right Efforts, Four Ways of Attaining Samadhi, Five Wholesome Faculties, Five Powers, Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and Eightfold Noble Path. Three lower realms: The three lower realms refer to hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals; as opposed to the three upper realms of humans, asuras, and heavenly beings. See also Six realms of cyclic existence. Three obstacles: The three obstacles refer to afflictions (klesavarana), karmic deeds (karmavarana), and karmic retribution (vipakavarana). These obstruct our learning of the Dharma. Three periods: The past, present, and future. Three poisons: See Defilements. Three worlds of existence: The World of Sensuous Desires, the World of Form, and the Formless World. All beings in the six realms of cyclic existence can be found in the World of Sensuous Desires as these beings are plagued by various sensuous desires. Beings in the World of Form have abandoned sensuous desires but still cling on to physical forms, while beings in the Formless World have even relinquished the physical forms and exist only in mental states. Trayastrimsat Heaven: Also known as the Thirty-Three Heavens. It is the second of the six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. See also Three worlds of existence.


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Triple Gem: The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Tusita Heaven: This is the fourth of the six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. Maitreya Bodhisattva is currently residing in this heaven, awaiting for the cause and conditions to ripen for him to descend to the human realm and become the next Buddha to save and liberate all sentient beings. See also Three worlds of existence. Wheel-Turning Monarch: Also known as Chakravartin. A universal emperor and protector of Buddhism. It is a term used for an ideal universal ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Wheel turning literally means whose chariot is rolling or whose Dharmachakra (Wheel of the Dharma) is turning everywhere without obstruction. Yama Heaven: This is the third of the six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. See also Three worlds of existence.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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About this series

"Everlasting Happiness, as Buddha Attains" is based on a series of video Dharma teachings presented by Venerable Da Shi. We hope to continue to release more titles in this series at a later date. You may refer to our website (www.mypty.sg) for updates.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all who have contributed to the translation of this series of works into English.

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Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Taiwan, R.O.C.) has granted permission to Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore) for the translation and publication of this book.

This book is for free distribution only and is not for sale.

The Gift of Dharma excels all other Gifts If you wish to reprint this book or share the Gift of the Dharma with others by supporting the production cost of Dharma DVDs and books for free distribution, please kindly contact: Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore) at (65) 67496460 or email to [email protected].

Title: EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, AS BUDDHA ATTAINS 9Presenter: Venerable Da ShiPublisher: Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore)Address: 15 Lorong 29 Geylang

#02-01 PTH Building Singapore 388069

Contact: (65) 67496460Website: www.mypty.sgFacebook: www.facebook.com/MyptyE-mail: [email protected] date: May 2018ISBN: 978-981-11-6963-2

Documents

Everlasting Happiness, As Buddha Attains 9 · 2. Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering I. What is the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering? ·············· 75 II. How