Gotama Buddhism

1. I have already learnt in chapters 4, 5 and 6 the Four Truths a knowledge, which Pali Canon teaches us.

2. Truth about Greed, Anger, Foolishness to Arise (chapter 4)

   As far as I am aware and conscious, information from outside world comes into my eyes, my ears, my nose, my tongue and my body. Transformed into electric pulses, it reaches, through nerve system, via sensation, perception. It forms images correspondent to the information from outside world. Responding to these images, greed, anger, foolishness arise, when my cerebral centre recollect memories and thinks. (2)

3. Truth about Greed, Anger, Foolishness to Cease (chapter 5)

   The ultimate (the heighest) of Gotama Buddhism is, to experience greed, anger, foolishness to cease. It is the understanding that you experience greed, anger, foolishness to cease. (3)

4. Truth about Path to Cease Greed, Anger, Foolishness (chapter 6)

   The practice method of Gotama Buddhism is the Eightfold Path, that is, right living, right effort, right doing, right speaking, right thinking, right sati (mindfulness), right samadhi, right view (theFour Truths). Toil is useless. (4)

   From (2),(3) and (4) above, I now know (1) (what is the teaching of Gotama Buddha about?) is; The teaching of Gotama Buddha is about greed, anger, foolishness.

   In Pali, the Four Truths are written as follows;

   1. dukkham saccam (I interpreted dukkha as greed, anger, foolishness.)
   2. dukkhasamudayo saccam
   3. dukkanirodho saccam
   4. dukkhanirodhogamini saccam

   I myself translate the Four Truths in Pali as follows;

   1. Truth about dukkha (Teaching of Gotama Buddha is about greed, anger, foolishness).
   2. Truth about greed, anger, foolishness to arise.
   3. Truth about greed, anger, foolishness to cease.
   4. Truth about the path leading to cease greed, anger, foolishness.

   On the other hand, scholars of 'primitive Buddhism in Japan' tell us the Four Truths are as follows by referring to the Sutta, (S.N. 56-11).

   1. truth about ill (Teaching of Buddha is about ill.)
   2. truth about ill to arise is, the craving to be born again.
   3. truth about ill to cease is, the absence of longing for this craving.
   4. truth about the practice leading to cease ill is the Eightfold Path.

   Quite often we see the translation of the Four Truths as follows;

   1. This is ill.
   2. This is arising of ill.
   3. This is ceasing of ill.
   4. This is the path leading to cease ill.

   We have a variety of the Four Truths but I have decided myself as follows;

   1. Teaching of Gotama Buddha is about greed, anger, foolishness.
   2. Truth about arising of greed, anger, foolishness.
   3. Truth about ceasing of greed, anger, foolishness.
   4. Truth about the path leading to ceasing of greed, anger, foolishness.

   By rearranging and editing the fundamentals of Suttas, I have learnt the following as knowledge so far;

   • the standpoint of Gotama Buddha, in chapter 3
   • arising of greed, anger, foolishness, in chapter 4
   • the heighest goal of the teaching of Gotama Buddha, in chapter 5
   • the practice method of the teaching of Gotama Buddha, in chapter 6
   • the ultimate goal, the Four Truths, of the teaching of Gotama Buddha, in chapter 7.

   After experienced [I am, Now, Here] (in chapter 8), and made streneous efforts to practice Eightfold Path, the practice of sati (mindfulness) --samadhi among others in particular, the Four Wisdoms arose in me.

   And I finished practice of Eightfold Path. Finally I came to understand the Four Truths (the ultimate goal of Gotama Buddhism, while still kept practic- ing sati (mindful-ness)--samadhi.

   You will be able to understand the Four Truths only by way of practicing sati(mindfulness)-samadhi. If I were you, I would practice hard enough the Eightfold Path, sati(mindfulness)--samadhi, among others in particular.

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