The Lotus Sutra and the Four Noble Truths —Practicing the Truth of the Cause
Dr. Dominick Scarangello
International Advisor to Rissho Kosei-kai
Last time, we considered how, using mindfulness and “bodyfulness,” we can practice the Noble Truth of Suffering through recognizing when we become distressed by the gap between our wishes and reality. If we can honestly recognize our suffering and acknowledge that we have a problem, we will already have overcome a great hurdle. But we cannot stop there. The Buddha teaches that if we wish to do something about our suffering, our next step is to investigate its causes.
Some Buddhist explanations say that the fundamental cause of suffering is desire, while others assert that suffering comes from an ignorance about the way things really are. The two are not mutually exclusive, however. Ignorance is our deluded notion of self, a deeply rooted egocentrism. Ignorance is not just a way of thinking; it’s something that becomes wired into the way we perceive the world. This egocentrism, in turn, creates the strong desire—the insistence—that reality accord with our wishes. Furthermore, we act egotistically in the world to force things to be as we want, creating distress for ourselves and those around us. Consider a simple example based on an experience I had in my twenties. I am on my way to an important appointment when I become stuck in a traffic jam. As frustration builds, every driver around me begins to look like an obstacle standing between me and where I need to be. When another car cuts in front of me, I honk my horn, gesture angrily, and yell at the other driver. The other driver responds in kind, and what began as an ordinary traffic delay quickly becomes a heated confrontation. Such moments can feel like living in a realm of hell.
What was the cause of this incidence of suffering? Surely it’s safe to say that if I had not angrily yelled at the other driver and made aggressive gestures, the clash would not have happened. So, we could conclude that my actions were the immediate cause of the conflict.
But let’s go deeper. Why did I do what I did? If I don’t really understand the why, I might be doomed to repeat such angry outbursts and suffer further painful consequences.
When this incident occurred, I was wound up like a spring, and it was that pent-up, negative energy that was bursting to escape. And why did I have such negative potential? Was it because of the conditions—the situation of becoming late for my appointment? Many people would think so. But there were, no doubt, other drivers in that heavy traffic also heading to important meetings who remained calm and peaceful. The situation, or conditions, by themselves, could not have been the primary cause, so I must probe further. As we learned when studying the Ten Suchnesses, our potential or likelihood for particular actions is a function of the nature of our minds. What was my mind like at that time? It was burning with rage, a fury born of an inability to reconcile myself with becoming late for my appointment. It was a situation I could do little to change, bringing me face to face with my lack of agency.
So, it’s fair to say that the angry nature of my mind was the cause.
However, we may need to peel back still another layer, because my state of mind was shaped by previous experiences. The mind’s “such a nature” reflects the enduring influence of our past actions, the “such a reward” of previous experiences. “Such a reward” conditions the nature of our minds. So I need to reflect on whether I am prone to an angry mindset. And if so, why would that be?
In my own case, when I was a child, I was chronically late and often missed deadlines, which led to severe scoldings and a stress on punctuality both at home and at school that almost became traumatic for me. Part of my emotional reaction to the traffic jam may have arisen from a wish to avoid reliving those painful consequences of failing to be on time.
There is nothing wrong with such a wish. Mine grew from a natural compassion for myself. But my wish warped into the unskillful feelings of fear and anger, which then expressed themselves in actions as I attempted to force reality to be the way I wanted it to be.
Practicing the Truth of the Cause is not always easy; it may require time, honest introspection, opening our hearts to objectify our feelings and thoughts by sharing them with members of the sangha. If we are to formulate a path of practice that could lead us to transcend our suffering, we need to get to the heart of the matter.
Next time, let’s stay with this example and consider how we might practice the “Truth of the Path” to the extinguishment of suffering.
Field Report from the Sangha
Rev. Hiromi Maria Sasaki
Minister of the Brazil Dharma Center
I have a son who is entering adolescence. One day, I was in a hurry and asked him to help with some household chores. I said, “I really need you to do this now, please,” but he was completely absorbed in a video game at the time.
He replied irritably, “But I can’t stop right now!” I immediately became frustrated and snapped back, “All you ever do is play games!” Before long, we found ourselves arguing.
When I reflected on what had happened, I realized that the cause of my suffering was not my son’s attitude itself. Rather, it was my attachment to wanting things to go my way—wanting him to help me immediately and do what I, as his mother, was telling him to do. It was this attachment that gave rise to my frustration and anger.
Actually, a little while before that, I had forgotten that my son had asked me to mend his favorite pair of pants. A few days later, when he asked, “Mom, are the pants done yet?” I replied, “Oh, I forgot. I’m sorry.”
As I looked back on that moment, I realized that while I did not want my own requests to be put off, I had put off the one thing my son had asked me to do. I realized that his behavior of not helping me right away, which had made me irritated, was in fact a reflection of my own behavior.
I also realized that although my son regularly helps with household chores and supports me in many ways, I had begun to take his help for granted and had not expressed enough gratitude to him.
With my new understanding, I changed the way I asked for his help. Instead of expecting him to respond immediately, I considered his schedule and began saying, “I’d like you to help me with something. What time would work for you?” Then, he responded without becoming irritated. I, too, no longer spent the rest of the day carrying feelings of frustration and resentment.
Through this experience, I learned the importance of reflecting on my heart instead of searching outside myself for the cause of my suffering. I came to understand, through my relationship with my son, that the cause of my suffering lies in my own attachments (the Truth of the Cause).
Thanks to this realization, our days have become calmer and more peaceful. Before trying to change others, I hope always to remember the importance of first aligning my heart with the Dharma.
In my effort to practice the Dharma in the here and now, I will accept everything that happens to me as a learning opportunity given by the Buddha, and I will refine my buddha nature by sincerely facing each event and encounter. Thank you very much.