#6435

The Four Noble Truths (2)

Ene 21, 2010

Most of the time people want to get something, depend on something or believe in something. When people want something, sometimes they lead their lives the right way and sometimes the wrong way because they only want to fulfill their wishes and desires.

But Shakyamuni Buddha did not want what most people want. His great purpose and question was: what are the roots of sentient beings’ suffering? He wanted to find that answer in order to help all sentient beings out of their suffering by finding the truth that is beyond the sentient beings’ roots and concepts.

That is why although He had a prosperous life, a loving family and fame, He decided to leave home in order to find the cause of sentient beings’ suffering and how to eliminate that suffering. While He was carrying out His ascetic practice, He directly experienced what suffering is and the impermanence of our human form. He realized the infinite, permanent truth, which is beyond impermanence.

Although we presently have an impermanent form while we live here on this planet, He saw that we could live life without any suffering, not only while alive but also after death. He attained this wise method, which is why He could teach us.

Once He attained enlightenment, He went to the five practitioners that practiced together with Him. They all thought that Shakyamuni Buddha was going on the wrong path, but He wanted to teach them first, so he made the Four Noble Truths (Suffering, cause of suffering, eliminating suffering, and enlightenment).

Actually, the truth is always right here, but because of the upside-down sentient being’s minds, we are unable to see it. That is why sometimes He taught us with His supernatural penetration power that the truth is far away from us, and sometimes, according to the situation, He had to show us with His form by transforming into a Bodhisattva or other forms (man, woman, animal, etc.) to help save sentient beings.

He is continuously saving all of us, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

What I am teaching you is not new. You heard about it before in either this or a past life. This daily teaching is simply to remind us so that we can be clear and live correctly in this and future lives. Believing this teaching is entirely the decision of the one who reads it. In addition, applying one’s own concept to this teaching is the choice of the reader himself or herself. © Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim