summary | Setting in Motion the Dharma Wheel

The Four Noble Truths are very complex, difficult to understand, and difficult to talk about. For three consecutive Sundays we have talked only about suffering and the origin of suffering. We have yet to cover the third truth, cessation of suffering, and the fourth truth, the way out of suffering. When I am finished I believe that you should have a full understanding of the core of Buddhadharma, because the Four Noble Truths incorporate all aspects of the Dharma. We can use them as a foundation for understanding what the Buddha taught, and we can use of them in our practice.

Even though they deal with suffering I am always happy to speak on the Four Noble Truths because they also show us the way out of suffering. If you all are still interested in the way out of suffering, we will continue next week. Thank you for coming. (Applause)

The Visuddimagga (The Path of Purification) by Buddhagosa (5th century C.E.) enumerates ten klesas (variously translated as ‘defilements,’ ‘passions,’ ‘impurities,’ ‘vexations,’ ‘delusions): desire, hate, delusion, pride, wrong views, doubt, rigidity excitability shamelessness, and no conscience. Some analyses limit the number to the first six, regarding them as root vexations from which all other vexations derive.

The six realms (or modes) of existence are the three upper realms and three lower realms. The realm one is reborn in results from one’s guiding and completion karma. The three upper realms are the human, the lower gods (asuras), and the celestial beings (devas). The three lower realms are the animal, the angry spirits (pretas), and the hell beings (naraka). The inhabitants of all six realms inhabit samsara and are therefore subject to rebirth.

‘Primary mind’ here refers collectively to the six sense consciousnesses, which are the six sense faculties interacting with their corresponding sense objects. The sense faculties are sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and cognition.

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