..续本文上一页nditions are impermanent and will cease one day, all things will also cease correspondingly. When there is rising, there will be falling; when there is existence, there will be extinction. The rising and existence of things has its natural tendency towards cessation and extinction. It is like a wave; it comes and goes. Thus, when one sees the truth of "what this is, that is; this arising, that arises", one should also see the truth of "when this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases". The Law of Dependent Origination pointed out the possibility of ending worldly suffering. It shows the way of liberation that corresponds to the Law of Cause and Effect.

　　"When one is born, one will die.

　　One who admires high status will fall one day."

　　This is the natural Law of Cause and Effect. It is also an inner implication of the Law of Dependent Origination. It can be called the Cessation Process of the Law of Dependent Origination.

　　The two complementary processes active in the Law of Dependent Origination, of the Middle Path, are two processes that are in reverse or conserve sides of each other. They explain the Laws of Circulation and Cessation. This rise and fall of causes and effects is still a worldly principle, and an explanation for superficial phenomena. Although it was not the final truth, it is from this that the ultimate truth was realized. The ultimate truth was drawn from the empty nature of the Law of Dependent Origination. Thus, the Sutra says,

　　"Tell the Bhikku, the ultimate truth of emptiness,

　　realized by the Enlightened Ones,

　　corresponds to the Worldly Law."

　　(Samyuktagama, Chapter 12)

　　By understanding these two processes of the Law of Dependent Origination, we may see the truth of emptiness, which is the ultimate truth. Chapter 13 of "The sutra on the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness" in the Samyuktagama says:

　　"When the eyes see, the scene comes from nowhere.

　　When they shut, it goes nowhere.

　　Thus the eyes see unreality.

　　All that arises will be destroyed....

　　except the truth of the Worldly Law.

　　The Worldly Law says that

　　what this is, that is; this arising, that arises."

　　Through the rising and falling of the Worldly Law of Dependent Origination, the Buddha explained the First (ultimate) Truth. The ultimate truth averted attachment to either existence or non-existence; to permanence or change. This is similar to the "True Jhana" (The Vipassana that leads to the realization of the First Truth) explained by Katyayana:

　　"To contemplate the unreal nature of all things,

　　there is nothing real.

　　Various names arise due to the coincidence of

　　causes and conditions which are unreal.

　　When one sees the truth of emptiness,

　　one will realize that there is no Dharma

　　(the perverted view of existence)

　　and non-Dharma

　　(the perverted view of extinction)."

　　(Samyuktagama)

　　All Dharma is unreal, for it is mainly the coincidence of causes and conditions. These are worldly (mundane) views. Through this worldly understanding we can see that it is conditioned. The Enlightened Ones see and realize the Truth of Emptiness. They relieve themselves from attachment to both the existence and non-existence of Dharma, and hence realize the Ultimate Truth. This is why the Buddhas always preach about emptiness, hoping that beings may be detached from perverted views. The Buddha also said,

　　"If we can see the truth

　　of the causes of worldly sufferings,

　　we will not be attached to the view of nothingness.

　　If we can see the truth of cessation in the world,

　　we will not be attached to worldly existence.

　　By avoiding the two extremes,

　　the Tathagatha teaches us

　　the Middle Path, which is,

　　what this is, that is; this arising, that arises…"

　　(Chapter 12, Samyuktagama)

　　When worldly people see existence, they think that there is a real existence. Wh…

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