Short and Sharp Four Noble Truths

by Cittasamvaro

While paradoxical Zen masters are cool, and Tibetan refugee Bodhisattva monks warm nations, there has always been a steady stream of really great Thai masters right here in the towns and forests of Thailand. One of them was Luang Phor Doon (also spelt ‘Dun’), a close follower of Luang Phor Mun who reinvigorated the Thai Forest tradition.

If you have ever studied the concept of Buddha-nature the following teaching of Luang Phor Doon shows that Theravada has all the same discoveries:

The true Dhamma is the mind. The mind of each and everyone of us is the highest Dhamma, which is already there in our minds. Apart from this there is no other Dhamma principle. Abandon your thoughts and explanations all together. Then the mind in the mind will be pure, which is the primordial nature already there in all of us

Luang Phor Doon’s teachings were always short and sharp. His explanation of the foour Noble Truths is a prime example – just four lines, but runs deep:

The mind that is sent outside is the cause of suffering;

The result of the mind that is sent outside is the suffering;

The mind that sees the mind is the way toward cessation of suffering;

The result of the mind that sees the mind is the cessation of suffering.

Put these two teachings together and you have a very good description of Buddha-nature in Theravada – the mind is inherently pure of nature, but by looking outside of itself for happiness, it loses its bliss.