Observations placeholder

The Lotus sutra – translated by Burton Watson
The rule of suffering which the Buddha preaches
is true and never varies.

If there are living beings
who do not understand the root of suffering,
who are deeply attached to the causes of suffering
and cannot for a moment put them aside,
because they are that way,
the Buddha uses expedient means to preach the way.

As to the cause of all suffering,
it has its root in greed and desire.

If greed and desire are wiped out,
it will have no place to dwell.
To wipe out all suffering-
this is called the third rule.

For the sake of this rule, the rule of extinction,
one practices the way.
And when one escapes from the bonds of suffering,
this is called attaining emancipation.

By what means
can a person attain emancipation?

Separating oneself from falsehood and delusion-
this alone may be called emancipation.

But if a person has not truly
been able to emancipate himself from everything,
then the Buddha will say
he has not achieved true extinction,
because such a person
has not yet gained the unsurpassed way.