by Nikkyo Niwano

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS. The Four Noble Truths (shitai) are the Truth of Suffering (kutai), the Truth of Cause (jittai), the Truth of Extinction (mettai), and the Truth of the Path (dotai).

The first of the Four Noble Truths is the Truth of Suffering. This means that all things in this world are composed of suffering for those who do not listen to the Buddha's teachings. Human life is filled with spiritual, physical, economic, and other forms of suffering. To acknowledge the real condition of suffering and see it through, without avoiding it or meeting it only halfway--this is the Truth of Suffering.

The Truth of Cause means that we must reflect on what causes have produced these human sufferings, and we must investigate them and understand them clearly. The investigation of the cause of suffering is shown clearly in the doctrines of the Reality of All Things (shoho-jisso) and of the Law of the Twelve Causes (juni-innen) explained in "All in a Moment's Thought."

The Truth of Extinction is the state of absolute quietude wherein all the sufferings in human life are extinguished. It is the state in which we cut off spiritual, physical, economic, and all other forms of suffering, and realize in this world the Land of the Eternally Tranquil Light. This is a state attained only by awakening to the three great truths that Shakyamuni has taught us: "All things are impermanent" (shogyo mujo), "All things are devoid of self" (shoho muga), and "Nirvana is quiescence" (nehan jakujo). These three great truths are also called the Three Seals of the Law (sambo-in). They are so important that they are said to be the three fundamental principles of Buddhism.

However, an ordinary person cannot easily realize these three great truths. In order to do so, it is necessary to practice them and endeavor to achieve them in daily life: one must practice the bodhisattva way with one's mind, body, and actions. This means that one must devote oneself to the practice of the doctrines of the Eightfold Path (hassho-do) and the Six Perfections (roku-haramitsu). The Truth of the Path shows the way to absolute peace and the state of quietude that we can attain by practicing these two doctrines.

The Law of the Four Noble Truths teaches us to face the reality of human suffering (the Truth of Suffering), to grasp its real cause (the Truth of Cause), to practice daily the bodhisattva way (the Truth of the Path), and thereby to extinguish various sufferings (the Truth of Extinction).

Following is a brief explanation of the three great truths known as the Three Seals of the Law to help one gain a fuller understanding of true Buddhism and thus the ability to lead a better daily life.

ALL THINGS ARE IMPERMANENT. The true meaning of the words "All things are impermanent" has gradually come to be misunderstood in Japan and is now generally interpreted as "Life is fleeting." This is probably because the term has been often used with such a connotation in classical Japanese literature. This has been one of the great causes of the misunderstanding of Buddhism in Japan. It has given the general public the idea that Buddhism teaches us only to pray earnestly for rebirth in a better world because life is fleeting.

In order to correct this basic misinterpretation, we must understand clearly the meaning of the words "All things are impermanent" (shogyo mujo). Shogyo means "all phenomena that appear in this world" and mujo means "impermanent," that is, "nothing existing in a fixed form"--in short, "All things change." Therefore, the teaching of shogyo mujo is that all phenomena of this world are always changing.

Modern science has proved that the sun, which seems to shine in the sky without changing, is actually changing every moment. We think that there is no change between ourselves of yesterday and ourselves of today, but the fact is that the cells of the human body are constantly dying and being born, so that all the cells of the body are replaced every seven years. Each cell of our body is changing continuously, though we are not aware of it. And everyone knows from experience how the suffering, sorrow, joy, or pleasure that we feel can change in an instant.

Simply because such a state of constant change bears witness to the teaching that all things are impermanent, however, it would be a fundamental error to think that the Buddha's teaching suggests that we take things as they are in this transient and unreliable existence. The law that all things are impermanent is the teaching that we should be aware of the changing nature of all things and so not be surprised at or shaken by trifling changes in phenomena or circumstances.

When we understand in this positive way the law that all things are impermanent, we realize how great is our power as human beings; and finally, we clearly understand why people must live in such a way as steadily to grow and improve. We also become keenly aware of the necessity to express gratitude to one another and to live together in harmony, with equal love for others and with a feeling of unity.

Billions of years ago, the earth contained no life; volcanos poured forth torrents of lava, and poisonous vapor and gas filled the air. However, when the earth had cooled sufficiently, about two billion years ago, living beings evolved. These first living beings were simple unicellular microscopic organisms. Although these tiny life forms were exposed to great floods, tremendous earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and extremes of heat and cold, they were not destroyed. Far from disappearing, they increased in number and gradually evolved into more complex life forms. It is the established theory today that life developed from amoeba-like organisms to insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and finally human beings.

We should consider anew the strength of life. In doing so, we can regain confidence in our own lives and thus gain the courage to have faith in the basic strength of life and its power to withstand temporary sufferings and setbacks. In the process of its evolution humanity has overcome many trials and difficulties. This life-power dwells in our own bodies. When we consider the evolutionary process from the amoeba to human beings and then look back on our history, we realize that when all is said and done, humanity has advanced step by step. At the same time, we become aware that to advance is the most fitting human way of life and that to stagnate in a particular stage, much less regress to a wrong course of life, is to deviate from the proper path of human life. If we can grasp this, we can come to understand that we must advance continuously toward the ideal state of humankind--indeed, that to do so is most natural.

Needless to say, the ideal state of human beings is buddhahood. Therefore, when we have the desire to become buddhas and practice the Buddha's teachings continuously, we are following the natural direction of human life. This is nothing extraordinary, but rather a matter of course. It is also natural that our health and our home life will become more balanced when we return to the natural way from which we have deviated.

When we look back upon the evolutionary process that gave birth to life on the earth, which was originally filled only with molten lava, metals, gases, and vapors, and how life forms divided into plants and animals, the latter evolving gradually through insects, fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals, and finally into human beings, we realize also that wood, stone, metal, and all other substances in the world have the same ultimate ancestors as ourselves. We can regard all plants, birds, and beasts as our kin. We then feel a natural gratitude to plants, insects, fish, birds, and beasts. If we feel grateful to these living beings, how much more deeply thankful should we be for our parents and grandparents, our nearest kin, and for the spirits of other ancestors! We come to understand this clearly and feel it deeply.

Truly all things in the universe are related; what can we say when human beings in this world are not brothers and sisters to one another? They oppose each other, hate each other, attack each other, even kill each other. This is not what human life was intended to be. The reason that we do not realize this truth is because we are overwhelmed by the changes that impinge on us directly and are blinded by considerations of immediate gain and loss. If all people could see clearly the Buddha's teaching that all things are impermanent, they would be awakened from such illusion and could realize a peaceful and correct way of life in this world.