400 Noble Truths

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Nicholas Weeks
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400 Noble Truths

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

In chapter eight of the Avatamsaka Sutra Manjushri Mahasattva gives other terms used in ten differing world systems for the Four Noble Truths. Here are our Sahā world's ten for the First one, based on comparing a few translations:
In this Sahā World, the Āryas’ truth of suffering is:
karmic offenses - wrongdoing
coercion - oppression
change - flux and change
manipulation of conditions - grabbing onto conditions - clinging to objects
accumulation - conglomeration
stabbing - thorns stabbing
bases on which it depends - relying on the root - dependence on the senses
deception - vain and deceptive - deceit
an abscess - carbuncles and sores - place of cancer
actions of the foolish common person - the conducts of stupid people - ignorant action
Worthy of meditation.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
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Re: 400 Noble Truths

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Here is Thomas Cleary giving a compressed survey of this chapter eight. He gives more than ten by including how other world systems teach them:
This book follows the lead of the preceding book, gIving various
names and descriptions of the four holy truths of pristine Buddhism
(the existence of suffering, the cause of the accumulation of suffering,
the possibility of extinguishing suffering, and the way to the
extinction of suffering) as they are projected in various worlds, thus
presenting basic Buddhist teachings from various angles.

Some examples of the different names of the truth of suffering are oppression,
clinging to objects, dependence on the senses, ignorant action,
the sense of striving and seeking, contention, total lack of power to
analyze, fantasy, fear, change, regret, false views, continuous revolving.

Some of the different names of the cause of accumulation
of suffering are bondage, false consciousness, pursuit and involvement,
attachment to things, conviction, ignorance, grasping, the
evil of excess, haste, grasping and clinging, fancy, revolving in circles,
confusion, regression, wishing, disharmony.

Some of the various names of the truth of the extinction of suffering are
tranquillity, absence of inherent nature, extinction, essential reality, emancipation,
freedom from greed, goal of goals, what should be seen, detachment
from discrimination, constant equanimity, nonfabrication,
thoroughly cleared, harmony, independence, extinction of
confusion, breaking the seal, no label, nondoing, casting off the
heavy burden, stability, freedom from folly.

Among the names of the truth of the path to extinction of suffering are progress toward
serenity, bold generalship, transcendence, having skill in means,
impartial eye, detachment from extremes, comprehensive understanding,
and contemplating the four truths.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: 400 Noble Truths

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Now ten alternatives for the Second Truth:

In this Sahā World, the Āryas’ truth of the accumulated causes of suffering is:

fetters - being bound up - bondage
destruction - decay and ruin - disintegration
the concept of affection-based attachment - the meaning of love and attachment - attachment to goods
erroneous awareness - false enlightenment and thoughts - false consciousness
progressive entry - tending toward and entering - pursuit and involvement
definite certainty – decisive - conviction
a net - the web
frivolous discourse - idle speculation - fancified conceptualizing
subsidiary actions - following along - following
being based in inverted views - the root of inversion - awry faculties

On to the Third Truth:

In this Sahā World, the Āryas’ truth of the cessation of suffering is:

non-contention
leaving filth - freedom from defilement
still quiescence – tranquility & dispassion
markless - signlessness
non-submersion - without demise - deathlessness
absence of intrinsic existence - without a self-nature - absence of inherent nature
absence of obstacles - freedom from impediments - absence of hindrance
extinction
having truth as its essence - true and actual substance - essential reality
abiding in essential nature - abiding in the self-nature - abiding in one' s own essence
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: 400 Noble Truths

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

And lastly, the Fourth:

In this Sahā World, the Āryas’ truth of the path to the cessation of suffering is:

one vehicle
progression toward stillness - inclining toward stillness - progress toward serenity
being guided along - instructing and guiding - guidance
becoming finally free of discriminations - ultimately without difference - ultimate freedom from discrimination
uniform equality - level equality - equanimity
relinquishing burdens - renouncing one’s burden - putting down the burden
having no place to which one is progressing - without tendencies - having no object of pursuit
accordance with the intent of the Āryas - according with the sagely intent - following the intent of the saint
the practice of the rishis - the conduct of immortals - practice of sages
ten treasures - ten treasuries

[Ten treasuries are faith, moral precepts, sense of shame, dread of blame, learning, giving, wisdom, recollection, retention, and eloquence; see ch. 22 of sutra for more. For the other 360 options used in other world systems, study chapter eight.]
Last edited by Nicholas Weeks on Fri Oct 20, 2017 4:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: 400 Noble Truths

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Cleary's summary of the Ten Treasuries chapter 22, which is one way to describe the Fourth Truth of the Path:
1. Faith: believing all things are empty, sign less, wishless, noncreative,
nonconceptual, unreliable, immeasurable, difficult to transcend, and unborn
2. Ethics: universal altruism, nonpossessiveness, nondwelling,
having no resentment, noncontention, not injuring others, nondefilement,
having no greed, being free from error and transgression
3. Shame: being ashamed of past wrongs
4. Conscience: being ashamed to do wrong
5. Learning: learning the various enlightening teachings
6. Generosity: liberality in giving
7. Wisdom: truly knowing the causes of suffering and the end of suffering
8. Remembrance: remembering life stages, Buddhas' teachings,
faculties, natures, afflictions, and states of mind
9. Preservation: maintaining the Teachings
10. Elocution: expounding the Teachings
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: 400 Noble Truths

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Here is the entire chapter eight with comments by Ven. Master Hsuan Hua:

http://www.cttbusa.org/fas8/fas8.asp
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
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