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One of the Four Seals of the Dharma, the keystone of Buddhism, is issai kaiku, “All phenomena are characterized by suffering.”
Expressing in plainer terms the word suffering, we could say, “The things in this world will not turn out as we want them to.” It is human nature to want to make everything bend to our will, and for things to be as we wish them to be, but in reality we cannot control the many things that occur all around us.
In particular, the four afflictions of birth, aging, sickness, and death represent suffering. We all have parents and ancestors and we were all born into the midst of incalculable causes and conditions; it’s not as if we were born on our own terms. Since we are aging even as we are thinking we want to remain forever young, that doesn’t go as we would like it to, either. We want to remain healthy, but not everyone can. And then there is the reality that everybody dies, no matter who they are. Birth, aging, sickness, and death—none of these go according to our own desires. That is the meaning of “All phenomena are characterized by suffering.”
In spite of being taught this, we say, “Lord Buddha, I beseech you. Please let me be healthy forever and live a long time.” It’s fine to ask things of the Buddha, but expressing thanks for what you have already received should come first. What you should appreciate more than anything is the fact that you are blessed, right now, with a life. When you realize what a miracle your life is, you then become able to accept everything with thankfulness. If you take the attitude that you can entrust your becoming sick, becoming old, and dying to the Buddha, you can enjoy your life even in the context of “All phenomena are characterized by suffering.”
Kokorono manako o hiraku [Opening the Mind’s Eye] (Kosei Publishing, 2013), pp. 275–76
Nichiko Niwano is president of Rissho Kosei-kai and an honorary president of Religions for Peace. He also serves as an advisor to Shinshuren (Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan).
