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More than 2500 years ago Lord Sakyamuni Buddha delivered
84000 sets of teachings out of great compassion for the
sentient beings. These teachings were to be applied as a
remedy for the various afflictions.
The Buddha's teachings are so vast and deep that in order to
even begin to fathom them one must apply study, reflection
and meditation. Therefore it is very important to listen.
Without listening to the Dharma teachings, one cannot know
the fundamental principles and tenets of the Buddha's
doctrine. Still listening is not sufficient, on must reflect
and scrutinize, thinking whether it is beneficial to
oneself, for others and also for peace of mind.
The Dharma teachings should not be taken out of blind faith.
Just as the goldmith assays the purity of the gold by
rubbing it into a blackstone, if when scrutinized the Dharma
is found to be beneficial on e should then practice it
incessantly by meditating on the topic prescribed by one's
spritual master. This in short, is a method using study,
reflection and meditation in application to Dharma practice.
The Buddha Dharma teachings are so vast and extensive that
through study of all sutras and tantra is virtually
impossible within this short span of human life. For the
benefit of the listeners here I am gibing you only the
essence of all Buddha Dharma, known as the four Summaries of
the Buddha Dharma.
Lord Buddha says:
All conditioned phenomena are impermanent
All afflictions are suffering,
All Dharmas [or phenomena] are devoid of self,
Nirvana is peace.
In expounding the first point:
"All conditioned phenomena are impermanent"
We can see our world as a vessel filled with sentient
beings, rivers and so on. They are all impermanent.
Impermanncy is demonstrable and evident in our daily life
and experiences. For example, during the change of seasons
plants are beautiful in spring and are nourished by wind and
rain in summer. However in autumn and winter they die.
Impermanence pertains not only to the seasons, but can be
easily observed at the moment of breathing, thinking and in
the various states of consciousness. Nothing remains static,
even for a moment. The joys and sorrows of sentient beings
as do all phenomena, change continuously, like the flow of a
river.
The span of human life is uncertain. We do not know when,
how or where we will die. From the moment of birth we
proceed towards death, just like the flight of an arrow.
When we die our body disintegrates and we are either buried
or cremated according to our usual customs and traditions.
The mind never dies in like manner. As one famous Tibetan
yogi Togme sangpo says:
"Our body is just like a guest house
and the mind is like guest."
One stays in the guest house for a short period and has to
leave it very soon to go elsewhere. The mind has to take
innumerable bodies and has to suffer for countless aeons
until it realizes egolessness.
While we busily accumulate wealth, mend family life, and
make preparations for some future happiness, thus leaving
little time for Dharma practice, our short life span runs
out. Without thinking. We spend time pursuing happiness of
this life, and if the death of our body was the end of mind
stream also, this attitude could be befitting, but this is
not the case.
If we investigate deeply on the nature of our present mind,
the origin of this mind is found to be entirely based on the
previous mind. So, the existence of previous and future
births can be validly established through logic and reason.
With this vies in mind it is reasonable to think of future
lives also, and for this, practice of the Dharma is
essential and wise.
The second line of the veres says:
"All afflictions are suffering"
The source of all afflictions is the wrong view of grasping
at the ego as self existing. This ignorance along with
attachment, hatred delusion, pride and jealosy emerge all
sorts of troubles and problems. All conflicts between two
friends, two neighbours, even two countries arise due to
these five poisons combined with an attitude of self
grasping and self cherishing.
There are three types of suffering:
a] misery of misery [duhkha dukhata]
b] misery of change [veparinama duhkha]
c] misery of conditioned existence [samskara duhkhata]
The beings in hell realms suffer from extreme hot and cold
temperatures and bodily torture unknown to the human realm.
The beings in the hungry ghost realm suffer from prolonged
hunger and thirst which can never be satisfied and the
animals suffer from ignorance, slavery, slaughtering and the
killing of each other for food.
The beings of the god realm exp0erience extended periods of
great happiness and their suffering occurs when they
perceive this starting to change. The beings in the demi-god
realms suffer through constant warfare and jealosy.
Humans suffer from excesses. When cold they hope to get warm
and if they cannot get warm the excess cold causes
suffering. This is true of mary extremes in the human
condition. Compared with this the suffering of the god realm
is much more subtle.
Aryas who has perceived egolessness regard the five
aggregates as suffering. To be born and assume name and form
is great misery. Ordinary beings don to perceive this as
suffering as it is very subtle. This is the suffering of
Conditioned Existence [Samskara Duhkhata]. So we have the
mind afflicted with five kinds of poisons. With this
poisonous mind it is impossible to go beyond suffering. But,
there are remedies to attain the state beyond suffering.
The third line of the verse states:
"All Dharmas are devoid of self"
The wisdom of understanding that "all dharmas are devoid of
self" is the key point for cutting through the root of
Samsara. The doctrine of selflessness is the most important
characteristic of Buddhism emphasize the selflessness of the
person and phenomena [Pudhala Nairatmuya and Dharma
Nairatmya]. All three vehicles [yana] of Buddhist emphasize
the elimi action of afflictions through realization of
selflessness.
It is the general view that Shravakas try to eliminate
attachment by practising contentment and mindfulness. Some
take ordination vows of 227 precepts, nuns taking 364
precepts, and they practise shamatha and vipassana for the
eradication of afflictions.
Bodhisattvayana followers emphasize the elimination of anger
through the practice of Bodhicitta. They practice all the
thirty seven factors of enlightenment, through the six
perfection. They combine the unity of compassion and wisdom,
leading to an understanding of voidness. Vajrayana followers
eliminate ignorance by innumerable skillful means such as
the contemplations in Developing and Completion Stage [Utpattikrama
and sampanna krama].
The view that "all Dharmas [phenomena] are devoid of self
existence is essence of the Buddha Dharma. The realization
of egolessness leads us to the state of consciousness beyond
suffering which is ultimate peace i.e. Nirvana.
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