Dharma DrumEnglish Dharma Class

Thursday October 13th, 2011

Transformation of Suffering

The Truth of Suffering

• The Buddha taught two things• Suffering and the Cessation of Suffering

• “Wanting things to be other than they are.”

• Four kinds of suffering• Pain of life• Being separated from what we love• Being forced to be with what we dislike• Change of body, mind, and conditions

Why is Suffering a Problem?

• Ignorance – not seeing clearly • misunderstand experience• greed, hatred, delusion• Reborn in samsara again and

again

• Buddha as the Great Physician• Great Doctor 醫生

• Shakyamuni Buddha addressed the “problem” of suffering

• Pain is just sensation, suffering is a choice

The Wheel of Life

Four Noble Truths 四諦• Diagnosis 診斷 , Prognosis

預後 , and Prescription 處方– Illness– Medicine– Cure

1. Truth of Suffering 苦諦2. Cause of Suffering 集諦3. Cessation of Suffering 滅諦4. The Path to the Cessation

of Suffering 道諦

Why are the Truths “Noble”?

• Noble 高尚 – showing “high” character; lofty

• The Four Noble Truths en-noble us: – They help make us Noble People by

helping us face our lives with wisdom, courage, and strength.

The Truth of Suffering - 苦諦

• The inability to make ourselves happy

• Three Marks of Existence 三法印– Impermanence 無常

• nothing stays the same

– Suffering 苦• unsatisfactory

– Non-self 無我• no real control

– (Nirvana is peaceful 寂靜 )

• Not seeing suffering distorts our perception of our lives

The Cause of Suffering – 苦集

• 聖嚴師父 – Three Causes of Suffering1. Beginningless Ignorance• There is no beginning (unlike “original sin” 原罪 )

2. Cause and Consequence Cycle of Vexations 煩惱• Defilements, afflictions, mental disturbances• That which gets in the way• The results of our acting upon our greed, hatred,

delusion

3. Vexations that arise from our environment, relationships, and emotional turmoil• greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, or doubt

The basic cause

• Attaching to vexations• believing in them

• Vexations “color” our minds• Clothes are dyed with

color• Or take on the smells

around them

• Therefore, transforming our vexations eliminates suffering

Truth of Cessation – 滅諦• It is possible to be free from

suffering.• Nirvana 涅槃• 滅 – Cessation• 煩惱

• 解脫 – Liberation• 無為 – the Unconditioned, Unborn, Unformed,

Unmade

• Like a flame going out• Released – where does the flame go?

Truth of the Way – 道諦

• Noble Eightfold Path - 八正道• Right View/Understanding – 正見• Right Intention/Thoughts – 正思惟• Right Speech – 正語• Right Action – 正業• Right Livelihood – 正命• Right Effort – 正精進• Right Mindfulness – 正念• Right Concentration – 正定

“Right” means: • Correct • Skillful In accordance

with the Dharma.

Seeingthe Law of

Karma

Thoughts of Kindness,

generosity,Letting go.

Truth, kindness,

consideration for others

Living an ethical lifeNot earning

a living through harming others

Reduce our vexations, increase

our goodness

Paying attention to

what we are doing,

saying, and thinking

Meditating to realize the Truth

The Three Refuges 三歸依 • The importance of refuge• Three Treasures – 三寶

歸依處處求 求之遍十方究竟歸依處 三寶最吉祥

People seek refuge everywhere,Seeking refuge in all the ten directions,Finally realize that the ultimate place of refugeIs to be found in the most auspicious Three Treasures.

The Refuge of the Buddha

• Refuge in his Awakening• Refuge in his Teaching• Refuge in his Action• Faith in the Buddha• confidence

• Hearing, studying, and contemplating

• Four Noble Truths• Refraining from

suffering• Training our mindsThere is always

something we can do

The Refuge of the Dharma

The Refuge of the Sangha

• “Good spiritual friends”

• Teachers• Fellow

practitioners• All beings

Five Causes of Mental Disturbance

• Greed• Anger• Arrogance• Despair• Doubt

The Great Bodhisattvas are free of these Five Causes. Their statues show us what

this looks like.

Two Methods of Healing the Mind

• Recitation of the Buddha’s Name

• Meditation