Chapter 60: The Four Major Characteristics
of Buddhism
Written by: Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen
Lu
Translated by: Harmony
Edited by: Dance Smith
Proofread by: Jessie
Padmakumara Translation Team
Website: www.padmakumara.org
Chapter 60: The Four Major Characteristics of Buddhism
Someone asked me in the past, "Master Lu, all your life you have
encountered oppression from every direction, suffered in hundreds
of ways, and been tortured close to death. How can you remain standing
in the midst of such a storm of troubles?" I replied, "No other
reason except that I keep Sakyamuni's prajna in my heart."
I explained, "Sakyamuni showed that the various phenomena of life
all share four common characteristics.
The characteristic of suffering has been pointed out in the first
of The Four Noble Truths - "the Truth of Suffering". Our existence
is suffering. The past contains causes of suffering which result
in the effect of suffering in this life. All causal conditions give
rise to the causes and effects of suffering. Their co-existence
in close succession brings about suffering. Consequently, suffering
is a normal occurrence in life.
"The characteristic of emptiness - The Tendai Sect establishes
"Three Truths", one of which is "The Truth of Emptiness". When Sakyamuni
was expounding the Prajna Sutra, he explained exactly why all phenomena
were devoid of inherent existence. All phenomena are devoid of substantial
attributes. Therefore, the Truth of Emptiness is the door to liberation.
Because of emptiness, we are able to liberate ourselves from suffering.
Consider all suffering to be nothing but emptiness.
"The characteristic of impermanence - There are two kinds of impermanence:
"the impermanence of thoughts" and "the impermanence of continuity".
The impermanence of thoughts means that dharma with intent produces
continuously arising and ceasing of thoughts. The impermanence of
continuity means that after a period of time, all phenomena ultimately
end in annihilation. Worries and suffering which mutate back and
forth in the dance of impermanence eventually dissolve.
"The characteristic of egolessness - "All phenomena devoid of self"
is one of the three Dharma Seals of Sakyamuni's teaching. There
is absolutely no True Self. If my thought is egoless and I forget
about myself, I am able to liberate myself from all worries and
pain - because worries and pain are formless and lack attributes."
Since I contemplate on these four major characteristics, when worries
and pain become extreme, I remain steady and balanced. I have attained
the prajna of Buddha. I conquer nothing but my own worries and suffering.
This is the reason I "live for the moment"! Having attained prajna,
nothing matters any more!
