Chapter 102
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Do you understand the Four Noble Truths?
How could I not?
That was the rare admonition given when the Buddha briefly manifested beneath the Bodhi tree.
Amidst the radiance of the Buddha’s light, the Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata lowered his gaze and instinctively responded: “The Four Noble Truths of my Buddhist sect are named Suffering, Cause, Cessation, and the Path.”
“How could I not know?”
Qi Wuhuo inquired: “Then, Great Master, do you believe that your path has never strayed from the original Four Noble Truths?”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata replied: “Naturally.”
The young Daoist reached out with an empty gesture and asked: “Then, what is the Truth of Suffering?”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata seemed pleased to have encountered someone willing to engage in a discussion of the Dao and thus answered gently:
“The Truth of Suffering in life consists of Three Sufferings and Eight Sufferings. I wonder which one the Daoist is asking about?”
Qi Wuhuo asked: “What are the Three Sufferings?”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata smiled faintly. “It seems the Daoist wishes to test this humble monk.”
“The Three Sufferings are the Great Suffering, which is divided into the Suffering of Pain, the Suffering of Change, and the Suffering of Conditioning.”
The young Daoist asked gently: “What is the Suffering of Pain?”
The old monk chuckled. “Many monks and scriptures attempt to describe this state, but in my view, it is merely [the distress of experiencing pain]. If one is wounded, if one stumbles and falls, if one’s flesh is cut by a sharp blade—does this not cause pain?”
Qi Wuhuo nodded. “It is painful.”
The old monk continued: “The Suffering of Change—countless scriptures offer endless explanations, but they are nothing more than tedious drivel.”
“The Suffering of Change means [the suffering that comes when joy ends].”
“Youth fades, beauty wanes, joyous times are fleeting. It is precisely because one has experienced happiness that the loneliness afterward becomes unbearable. Does this not cause suffering?”
Qi Wuhuo answered: “It is suffering.”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata then said: “Thus, one suffers when in pain, and one also suffers when joy has ended.”
“As for the Suffering of Conditioning, it is the suffering of being bound by the natural cycles of change, even during times neither painful nor joyful.”
“These are the Eight Sufferings.”
“Namely: the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death, the suffering of seeking but not obtaining, the suffering of encountering what one detests, the suffering of separation from what one loves, and the suffering of the flourishing of the Five Aggregates.”
He then explained each of these Eight Sufferings in turn to the young Daoist before him.
The young Daoist either pondered deeply or nodded in agreement, expressing approval as he said, “Indeed, that is so.”
At last, when explaining the suffering of the flourishing of the Five Aggregates, he asked, “What is meant by the flourishing of the Five Aggregates?” And he answered:
“It is as spoken of in the [Prajñā Heart Sutra] of the [Guanyin Bodhisattva of the Southern Seas]—form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness; the Five Aggregates are all suffering.”
“Daoist, what do you think of this Truth of Suffering?”
The young Daoist nodded in agreement. “Your explanation is thorough. From this perspective, it is true that suffering abounds in the world.”
“The one who expounded this Truth of Suffering must have seen much of the world, must they not?”
Then, out of curiosity, he asked: “Then, what is the Truth of [Cause]?”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata replied: “The [Truth of Cause] refers to all desires—it is the source where all suffering gathers, hence it is called the [Truth of Cause]. The myriad sufferings of this world are due to the [eighty-eight afflictions of view-based delusions] and the [eighty-one afflictions of thought-based delusions]…”
As he spoke, he suddenly noticed the young Daoist before him reveal a faint smile.
He paused and asked: “What flaw have I spoken that has caused the Daoist to smile?”
The young Daoist stilled his fleeting smile, clasped his hands in greeting, and said: “This humble Daoist is Qi Wuhuo.”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata understood and could not help but chuckle. “Qi Wuhuo—without doubt. Yet, view-based delusions contain eighty-one afflictions.”
“Perhaps this old monk should truly take a look at you.”
“I once witnessed the brief emergence of the Buddha beneath the Bodhi tree. Before and after that moment, I have always served as a healer, tending to the ailments of others.”
He spoke gently: “Daoist, you may simply call me ‘Medicine Master’.”
The young Daoist said: “Then, Medicine Master, please continue your explanation.”
Thus, the Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata continued expounding on the meaning of the Truth of Cause.
The young Daoist listened intently.
At last, the Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata concluded, saying: “The root of all these sources of suffering ultimately lies in [Greed, Anger, and Ignorance], as well as [Arrogance] and [Doubt]. Of these five, Greed, Anger, and Ignorance are the greatest causes, the very origins of countless sufferings.”
“Daoist, what do you think?”
The young Daoist pondered for a moment before replying: “That is quite reasonable.”
Then, as if recalling his senior brothers and sisters, he suddenly grasped something, as though certain matters had become clear to him. Without hesitation, he responded: “If one is not greedy, one can avoid many troubles. If one does not give rise to anger, one will not be consumed by wrath and lose reason, thus avoiding many afflictions. And if one is not bound by ignorance, if one does not cling obsessively like a demon, one can learn to let go and free oneself from suffering.”
“The one who expounded the [Truth of Cause] was truly insightful.”
Hearing this, the Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata smiled warmly and said: “True Person, your comprehension is remarkable.”
He continued: “The Truth of Suffering and the Truth of Cause are merely ordinary principles.”
“Next comes the Truth of Cessation.”
Placing his palms together, he solemnly intoned: “When all suffering is extinguished, all beings are delivered.”
“Those who hear the name of the Medicine Master Glazed Light Buddha shall have all their sins naturally eradicated.”
“If one hears the World-Honored Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata’s name and sincerely upholds it without doubt, there shall be no possibility of falling into the paths of suffering.”
As he chanted the sacred Dharma, a luminous radiance shimmered around him, resplendent like pure, crystalline glazed glass.
The young Daoist lifted his gaze slightly. Then, after a long moment of contemplation, he shook his head. He remained silent for a while before finally voicing his rebuttal: “This is not right.”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata’s radiant glow momentarily dimmed.
Noticing that the young Daoist was not opposing him out of defiance, Qi Wuhuo spoke thoughtfully:
“The so-called [Truth of Cessation]…”
“It seems to have been altered by others.”
“It was not explained by the same person who first expounded the [Truth of Suffering] and the [Truth of Accumulation], was it?”
!!!
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata’s heart trembled slightly, yet his expression remained unchanged. Lowering his gaze, he looked at Qi Wuhuo and said:
“Where does this come from?”
The young Daoist smiled and said: “It’s very simple. In fact, it can be seen at a glance.”
“Because whether it is the [Truth of Suffering] or the [Truth of the Cause of Suffering], they both explain something fundamental and clear.”
“The one who proposed the Four Noble Truths described these two points in great detail.”
“And most importantly, there is no sense of preaching in them.”
“He merely stated, plainly and sincerely, the things that already exist in this world.”
The young Daoist thought about the bowl of noodles he had eaten earlier. He still felt a tinge of regret for not trying roasted chili peppers, so he said: “It’s just like when eating noodles—if you add chili, it will be spicy, so you should eat less of it, bit by bit.”
“This is such a simple and straightforward truth.”
“As if worried that others might misunderstand, he even explained each point in detail, just like telling you:
When eating noodles, adding vinegar makes it sour, too much salt makes you thirsty, chili should be used sparingly, and under no circumstances should sugar be added to the noodles, for that would ruin the taste.
It’s almost a little nagging, yet I can feel his kindness towards all living beings.”
“But what you just said—”
“That the Truth of Cessation is to extinguish all suffering and ferry the masses.”
The young Daoist lifted his gaze to the Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata and said:
“It carries an air of superiority.”
“It is different from the first two.”
“Therefore, it is absolutely not the Dharma he passed down.”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: “Even so, there is no error in it.”
Qi Wuhuo shook his head and said: “It is wrong.”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata pressed his hands together and slowly said: “All beings suffer, drowning in a sea of suffering. Life in this world is like walking through a thicket of thorns—if the heart remains still, the person does not move recklessly; if one does not move, one is not harmed.
Yet if the heart is stirred, the person moves recklessly, wounding the body and aching to the bone, thus experiencing the manifold sufferings of the world.”
“One must sever and extinguish all evils.”
“Then, all beings would no longer experience such suffering.”
“Thus, they could comprehend the Dharma and attain Bodhi.”
“Where is the error in this?”
As he spoke, the Buddha’s radiance dimmed slightly, almost imperceptibly.
The young Daoist said: “That is indeed how it should be. Your words are not false.”
“But, Medicine Master, in doing so—have you ever asked the sentient beings?”
“Have you asked them whether they wish to be ferried away by you?”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata’s eyes lowered slightly. The young Daoist stood up, his gaze calm as he looked at the monk before him, who remained with his head bowed. He said: “What you just spoke is not false, yet I still have some doubts. In this world, if beings can keep their [hearts] from reckless movement, they will not suffer. That, I acknowledge.”
“But what you are doing is using Buddhism as chains to bind the living.”
“[Forcing] them into stillness.”
“Thus, they no longer feel the pain of thorns piercing their flesh.”
“Can this be considered deliverance?”
The old monk pressed his hands together, remaining silent for a long time before saying: “It is.”
“For they will no longer suffer.”
The young Daoist gazed at him, contemplating for a moment, then said: “That, too, is a perspective, Medicine Master.”
“But I still have a question—one I hope you can answer.”
“Please, ask.”
“The Buddha spoke of the suffering of the Five Aggregates. Then let me attempt to understand it in those terms: form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness—all five aggregates are suffering.”
“You mentioned earlier the Dharma of Guanyin Bodhisattva of the Southern Seas. I listened and gained a slight understanding.”
“It is because people can perceive the external world, because they experience all its myriad forms, that they are disturbed by it. This stirs greed, anger, and ignorance within them. Hence, Buddhism teaches that [all form is emptiness]. This phrase, [all form is emptiness], refers to a state of being—it means that no matter how chaotic the outside world may be, no matter what changes one witnesses or experiences, none of these external appearances should disturb the inner state of the cultivator. Is that correct?”
Now, the young Daoist had turned to questioning instead. The old monk fell silent for a long time before sighing and saying:
“What True Person has spoken is correct.”
The young Daoist shook his head. “I am unworthy of being called a True Person.”
Then he continued: “Then, what the Buddha desires—should it not be for all beings to reach the realization of [all form is emptiness] on their own?”
“Is that correct?”
The Buddha’s radiance had now receded, illuminating only this small room. The old monk kept his gaze lowered for a long time before finally saying: “What True Person has spoken is correct.”
“The wish of my Buddha is for all beings to reach that realization on their own.”
Hearing this, the young Daoist asked in confusion:
“But isn’t what you are doing ensuring that they will never have the chance to reach it?”
“Much like how there are many things in this world that bring pain—yet one should not blind a person to prevent them from seeing suffering.”
“Just as every living being will one day face death—should one then kill a child at birth so they may reach the other shore at once?”
“Medicine Master, is this not exactly what you have done?”
The Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata trembled violently. His head snapped up as he blurted out: “No! I have not!”
The young Daoist pressed further: “But have you not stripped sentient beings of their chance to [see all appearances as illusory]?”
“The Buddha hopes that all beings will come to realize [all form is emptiness] on their own.”
“But you have made it so they [never even see form in the first place]. You have denied them the opportunity to experience it. Naturally, they believe that form is empty.”
“But have they truly attained enlightenment?”
The golden radiance of the Medicine Master Buddha had nearly vanished, leaving behind only an old monk.
The young Daoist sighed and said:
“Monk.”
“Are you delivering beings from suffering? Or are you severing their wisdom root?”
“What led you to think this way?”
The old monk’s expression twisted in pain as he murmured:
“I only wanted to follow the Buddha’s path in ferrying sentient beings. I only made my great vow because I wished for them to suffer no more…”
Qi Wuhuo was silent for a moment. Then, he simply asked, as if he were genuinely puzzled:
“Then, this Buddha you speak of—did he ever treat you the way you now treat others?”
Did the Buddha once deliver you like this?
Did he, too, believe that because all form is suffering, because all sentient beings suffer—
He should simply help you [eradicate all suffering at once]?
This was spoken only as a question. Yet to the old monk, it was like the tolling of a great bell, shaking his very soul. All at once, a memory surged forth—of a day long past. A time when he was still a poor apothecary, sitting beneath the Bodhi tree. There, he had once seen a man, lost in thought. And that man had spoken to him, and to others, of the very first teachings—the Four Noble Truths.
At that time, what had he told him…?
He had said: This is suffering—you should abandon it.
This is the cause of suffering—you should cut it off.
This is the cessation of suffering—you should realize it.
This is the path—you should cultivate it.
He had pointed out the Four Noble Truths, then gently urged him: It is possible. You can try to do it this way.
I have done it, so you can certainly do it too.
He was just like that.
The old monk was suddenly overcome with sorrow. A piercing pain spread through his heart, as if he had strayed too far down the wrong path. In that instant, the golden radiance of the Buddha vanished. It had once burned too brightly—now, with its retreat, all that remained was darkness. The old monk staggered, attempting to stand. But the weight of his memories—of that person, of that dream where he foresaw the future—overwhelmed him. He was unable to contain his grief.
His steps faltered, and he fell to his knees.
Both hands pressed against the ground, tears streaming down his face.
“Ah…”
“My Buddha, have I truly erred to such an extent?”
“You led by example, yet I only grasped the surface. How could I have misunderstood your teachings so profoundly?”
The young Daoist remained silent for a long moment before softly speaking. “The one who guided you…”
“…is no longer here, is he?”
There was a touch of compassion in his voice, yet it cut like a blade.
The old monk could no longer hold back his sorrow. He wept openly, consumed by the realization that he was surrounded by darkness, that he had strayed from the right path, and that no guiding light lay ahead.
But suddenly, a light appeared. Instinctively, he raised his head—and saw the young Daoist approaching, holding an oil lamp. The youth bent slightly, allowing the lamplight to fall upon him. The old monk wiped his tears with his sleeve and said:
“It was disgraceful of this old monk to show such a sight before the Dao Sovereign.”
“My mistakes are too great. It is difficult to return.”
“The more I recall, the deeper the sorrow.”
Qi Wuhuo replied: “There is no need to thank me. It was not I who helped you. You have always known the truth. I merely happened to say something that made you remember him.”
The old monk sighed and said: “What a pity. I have strayed too far.”
“The distance between myself and his teachings is too great. The pain only grows stronger.”
Qi Wuhuo looked at him and simply asked: “Then why not turn back?”
The old monk’s body trembled violently.
“Turn back…”
“If one has walked the wrong path, should they not turn back?”
The old monk murmured: “Can I still turn back?”
“As long as you wish to, why not?”
The old monk sighed. “But I still have many things…”
“Then, do you want to turn back?”
The old monk fell silent.
The young Daoist placed the oil lamp back on the table and said: “You have spoken of the Truth of Suffering and the Truth of the Cause of Suffering.”
“But as for the Truth of Cessation, I disagree with your view.”
“I also have my own thoughts.”
“Medicine Master, you may listen—just take it as the idle musings of an ordinary Daoist.”
The old monk sat back down. Across from him, the young Daoist rose. His voice was clear as he spoke:
“In my Daoist school, we regard the sun and moon as our very lifeblood.”
“The rising of the sun, the setting of the moon—their radiance shining upon all—that is cultivation.”
“The Truth of the Cause of Suffering teaches that all suffering arises from the three poisons—greed, anger, and ignorance. They are like fire. From this fire, countless desires flare forth. These desires cloud the eyes, preventing one from seeing the sun and moon’s true light.”
“And the Truth of Cessation—perhaps it is like this.”
The young man gently blew out the oil lamp.
At that moment, the window of the scripture hall swung open. The moonlight poured in, soft and radiant, bathing the young Daoist’s figure, illuminating his shoulders, spilling into the room, and casting light upon the small space. The old monk’s eyes widened as he watched the young Daoist, who extended a hand toward the extinguished lamp. With serene clarity, he smiled and said: “It is not about extinguishing all of life’s desires. It is merely about blowing out the fire of one’s own greed, anger, and ignorance.”
“When these flames are gone, all harmful desires and paths will naturally fade away.”
“And then, one will be able to see the sun and moon.”
The old monk gazed at the young Daoist standing beneath the moonlight.
Suddenly, he laughed. And as he laughed, his voice choked with emotion.
“So that’s it…”
“It is not an extinction of all things—it is simply the blowing out of the fire.”
“Blow away greed, anger, and ignorance—and one may see the Tathāgata.”
“Indeed, how could someone like him ever use the word ‘extinction’ to describe his Dharma? It was us—we were the ones who had always seen it wrong, always misunderstood…! Why did we never truly comprehend his path?”
—In the Pure Glazed World of the Eastern Buddhist Kingdom—
The countless Glazed Worlds were restored to their original state. Brilliant and pure, without the slightest imperfection.
Moonlight bathed everything, and the Moonlight Universal Illumination Bodhisattva suddenly felt a response. Raising his head, he saw the Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata, who had been meditating with his Dharma body condensed—suddenly shedding sorrowful tears.
Then, slowly, the Buddha opened his eyes.
He voluntarily chose to cease gathering his Dharma, his power, and all his manifestations.
Beneath the moonlight, in Lianyang Temple, the old monk pressed his palms together and said:
“This humble monk wishes to turn back, but I cannot do so alone…”
“I ask the Taishang Xuanwei True Person to aid me.”
The youth, a seemingly ordinary Daoist, paused at the sound of his Dao title being spoken aloud. Lifting his gaze, he saw the monk—serene and at peace. A faint smile touched the old monk’s lips, but his eyes were clear, as if capable of seeing through all illusions. The Buddhist path spoke of the divine ability to know others’ minds, but at this moment, the young Daoist perceived the old man’s release and liberation. In that instant, he understood the elder’s choice. So he said nothing more.
The old monk expressed his gratitude and sat cross-legged beneath the moonlight, palms pressed together. With gentle reverence, he intoned:
“May I, in my next life, attain enlightenment…”
The young Daoist, his robe flowing, responded:
“May you, in your next life, attain enlightenment.”
The old monk gave thanks, then began reciting the scriptures of the Buddha’s teachings. Qi Wuhuo stood beside him.
The monk sat facing the moon, while the Daoist stood with his back to it.
The elder chanted the teachings first imparted beneath the Bodhi tree. Then, his right arm lifted before his chest, fingers naturally extending upward, palm facing outward—performing the Fearless Mudra.
His left hand rested upon his knee, palm facing outward—forming the Wish-Granting Mudra.
The young Daoist’s right hand hung loosely, his flowing sleeves billowing.
His left hand’s middle and ring fingers curled slightly inward.
His thumb pressed upon their fingertips.
He formed a Daoist seal.
Stepping forward, his robe’s sleeve swept past. And the monk closed his eyes, memories of countless Buddhist scriptures rising in his mind.
All had begun with “Thus have I heard”— But in the end, they were drowned out by another voice.
The young Daoist, lips forming sacred words, spoke in a gentle voice.
The Daoist seal fell.
Thus was the Dao.
Thus it was spoken—
“Taishang Decree!”
PS:
Reference—Buddhism: The Three Turnings of the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Aspects
From the [Lotus Sutra, Parable Chapter]:“In the past, the Buddha, at Varanasi, first turned the Wheel of the Four Noble Truths / In the past, the Buddha, at Varanasi, first turned the Dharma; now, he turns once more the unsurpassed and supreme Dharma.”
From [Abhidharma-kośa Śāstra], Volume 22: “The Four Noble Truths have already been explained—namely, suffering, cause, cessation, and path. Their nature is likewise so, and they are observed in sequence through direct insight.”
I hope to write with enough authenticity so that the story carries weight, and choices hold true significance.
