Kamanita And Vasitthi [~By KARL GJELLERUP]
THE NOBLE TRUTH
“But what, brother, is the Noble Truth of the Origin
of Suffering? It is this: the craving that continually gives
rise to fresh birth, companioned by desire and passion,
ever seeking fresh delight, now here, now there.
Words: craving for sensual pleasure, the craving for existence
or the craving for annihilation. That is, brother, the
Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering.
“But what, brother, is the Noble Truth of the
Cessation of Suffering? It is the complete fading away and
cessation of that very craving; its abandonment and relinquishment;
the freedom from and discarding of it. That is,
brother, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering.
“But what, brother, is the Noble Truth of the Path
which leads to the Cessation of Suffering? It is the Noble
Eightfold Path consisting of Righ view, Right Intention,
Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,
Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. That is, brother,
the Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the Cessation
of Suffering.”
After the Master had in this set up the four
corner‐stones, he proceeded to raise the whole structure
of the Teaching in such a way as to make it a habitable
home for the thoughts and feelings of his pupil. He elucidated
each separate sentence as a mason hews and
polishes each individual stone, and just as one lays one
stone upon another so did he join sentence to sentence,
everywhere laying down the foundations carefully and
fitting each sentence into its own proper place, in its due
relation to every other. By the side of the pillar of the
Principle of Suffering he placed the pillar of the Principle
of the Transitoriness of All Things; and, as an entablature
joining the two, while supported by and overarching
them, he added the weighty Principle of the Selflessness
of Phenomena. Through this mighty portal he ascended,
leading his pupil circumspectly, step by step, several times
up and down the well‐built stair the fundamental law of
conditionality — Dependent Origination — everywhere
establishing and perfecting.
And just as an able builder, when erecting some
magnificent structure, adds pieces of statuary at suitable
points and in such a way that they serve not only as
ornaments but also as bearers of supports, so too the
Master at times introduced an amusing or ingenious
analogy, conscious that by such method the veiled mean‐
ing of many a profound utterance can become clear.
Finally, however, he summed the whole up and at
the same time, as it were, covered the structure over by
placing upon it a resplendent, far‐seen dome in the words:
"By attachment to existence, friend, one comes into
existence; lacking such attachment one comes into exist‐
ence no more.
"And in the seeker who is nowhere held fast by
such attachments, there grows amid the unclouded cheer‐
fulness of inner peace this realisation — 'My deliverance is
unassailable, this is the last birth of all, now there will be
no more coming into any state of being.'
"The one who has come thus far awakens to the
highest wisdom. And this, friend, is the highest, holiest
wisdom:— To know that all suffering is ended. One who
has found this has found a freedom which stands true and
inviolable. For that which is deceptive and fleeting is false,
my friend; and that which has an undeceptive nature is the
Supreme Noble Truth — that is to say: Nirvāna.
"And one, who from the very beginning was
subject to birth, the changes of age and to death, marking
well the remorselessness of the Law of Nature, now wins
the safety that knows no birth, no ageing and no death.
One who was subject to sickness and corruption thus
reaches the assurance that knows no change, that is pure
and holy — such a one knows, with absolute certainty:
"'Birth is destroyed, the knowledge of freedom is
clear; the holy life has been fulfilled, what had to be done
has been done, there is no more of this to come — the
world has been utterly transcended.'
"Such ones, my friend, are called 'Finishers' because
they have finished and made an end of all suffering.
"Such ones, my friend, are called 'Obliterators'
because they have obliterated the delusion of 'I' and
'Mine.'
"Such ones, my friend, are called 'Weeders' because
they have weeded out the plant of life by the roots
so that no new life can ever germinate again.
"So long as they are in the body, such ones are
seen by gods and humans; but when the body is dissolved
in death they are no longer seen by anyone at all — and
neither even does Mother Nature — the All‐seeing — espy
them any more. Such ones have also blinded the eye of
Māra, escaped from the Evil One, the Lord of Illusion and
the Sensory World. Crossing the stream of existence they
have reached the Island — the only one — that lies
beyond ageing and death: Nirvāna."
**************To be continued*****************
Edited by yawares