Introduction
The four seals of the Dharma represent the essence of all of the Buddha’s teachings. The explanations given here are short. Nevertheless, the meaning they express is as vast as it is profound. Furthermore, it is invaluable.12
Shakyamuni Buddha committed to the path by generating bodhicitta—the wish to attain enlightenment in order to accomplish the benefit of all beings. He followed the path by accumulating merit and, in the end, he realized enlightenment—the state of Buddhahood.
Once he had attained enlightenment based on his immense compassion for beings, he turned the wheel of Dharma three times. He transmitted three cycles of instruction, which make up a total of 84,000 teachings. The four seals sum up the essence of these teachings.
We consider ourselves Buddhist, but what does this expression mean?
Atisha said that a person who takes refuge vows toward the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha is a Buddhist. Thus, a Buddhist is someone who affirms the Three Jewels.
There are two differences between a Buddhist and a non-Buddhist.
- One difference relates to conduct or behavior (taking refuge falls into this category).
- One difference relates to the point of view regarding phenomena.
Manifesting love for all beings and practicing generosity is not ethical conduct exclusive to Buddhism. Many people of different convictions adopt this ethic—from a religious and non-religious point of view. We can, therefore, speak of a general or common conduct in this regard.
The specificity of Buddhism lies in the practice of generosity and of beneficial acts for others based on refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Regarding the point of view, we can distinguish two types of individuals:
- Those who accept the four seals (which we will explain in detail in the current text) can be called Buddhist.
- Those who do not accept or do not act in accordance with the four seals are not authentic Buddhists, even if they refer to themselves this way or wear monastic clothing or other identifying articles.
Study and understanding of these four seals are therefore essential.
In the world, we can distinguish those people who choose to follow a spiritual path from those do not follow any form of spirituality.
Furthermore, among those individuals who adopt a spiritual path, we can distinguish two types:
- Those who believe in the existence of a creator god.
- Those who do not accept the principle of a creator.
Today, those who believe in a creator god generally belong to one of the following four religious groups:
Christianity
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism
The religious traditions that do not accept a creator god include, notably:
The Samkhya school of India. This is a very ancient tradition including a school of thought that still exists today.
Jainism.
Buddhism.
With the exception of Buddhism, all religions affirm the existence of an inherent and independent self. Buddhism is the sole religion or philosophy that does not accept the reality of a self independent of any other factor.
Buddhism adopts the perspective of both the dependent origination and the emptiness of all phenomena. As such, no phenomenon exists solely based on itself in an independent fashion. This is also referred to as the absence of inherent existence. The teaching on the four seals of Dharma explains this point of view.
Today, there are various ways of defining a Buddhist and numerous criteria that contribute to those definitions. Nevertheless, we can sum them all up with the following sentence: whoever accepts and applies the four seals of the Dharma is Buddhist.
This teaching shows the Buddha’s path and the Buddhist perspective. Therefore, it is essential that anyone who embraces the Buddhist path study it and try to, first, understand it and, second, apply it.
Authentic Buddhist practice also requires an understanding of what liberation from samsara means. It is important to know the qualities of the state of nirvana and to generate a sincere aspiration to attain nirvana on the basis of this knowledge. Developing this aspiration occurs thanks to previously acquired knowledge of the characteristics and nature of samsara. This understanding allows us to generate authentic renunciation of samsara, which naturally leads to an aspiration to liberate ourselves from it.
These points are essential if we harbor a sincere wish to apply the Dharma. Without the aspiration to attain liberation and without renunciation of samsara, our practice of meditation is not fruitful. We can recite mantras, accomplish yidam practices, etc., but, in the absence of renunciation of samsara and aspiration to ward liberation, our practice is not effective, and we do not obtain results. The Kagyü masters—as well as the Kadampas and those of Dzogchen—explain this point in particular.
The teachings on the four seals are thus essential in order to:
- Know the characteristics of samsara.
- Give rise to renunciation of samsara.
- Know the qualities of nirvana, or liberation.
- Develop the wish to attain liberation.
In general, everyone wishes to free themselves from samsara, and we often repeat, “I aspire to this ultimate felicity! I wish to actualize this state of supreme well-being. I want to attain liberation!”
However, we remain attached to samsara. We continue in an intermediate state; we wish for liberation, but we are still subject to our habitual functioning. We stagnate in a form of bardo,13 incapable of moving forward in a given direction because we have not given rise to a sincere renunciation of samsara.
The aspiration for liberation in question here is not a casual wish such as, “Oh! How nice it would be if I could attain liberation!” It is a sincere wish that develops over the course of study and progressive understanding of the characteristics of this state. The process consists of: means actualizing all of these qualities ourselves; - Knowing the nature of this state.
- Studying the qualities of enlightenment;
- Acquiring absolute confidence in these qualities;
- Developing a conviction that obtaining this state means actualizing all of these qualities ourselves;
- Knowing the nature of this state.
Carrying out these steps gives rise to an unavoidable awareness within our minds: attaining liberation constitutes the sole option that allows us to put an end to suffering. There is no other solution.
Renunciation is essential for becoming aware of this necessity. Without it, liberation is not possible, as liberation specifically means giving up samsara definitively. Renunciation arises based on knowledge of the characteristics of samsara. We study them until we are convinced of them—in other words, until we have confirmed through our own experience that the nature of samsara is solely a source of suffering—an ocean of unhappiness.
When not a shadow of doubt remains in this regard, complete and authentic disillusionment takes place. It is no longer a vague remark such as, “It’s true that things are kind of uncomfortable here,” but an intimate realization that our present condition does not offer and will never offer us stable happiness and that samsara yields only unhappiness. Without disillusionment in regard to samsara and without aspiration for liberation, it is difficult to fully commit to Dharma practice