Four Duties
Four Gratitudes. According to ancient scriptures, the four gratitudes are: Gratitude to Parents, Gratitude to the Ruler, Gratitude to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), and Gratitude to All Sentient Beings. Now, to make the teaching of sentient beings more suitable to modern times, the Four Gratitudes, as taught by the Master, have been slightly...
four-element body
The body is the physical form of a human being (Sanskrit: Kâya). The four elements (Sanskrit: Mahabhutas) mean the four major elements in the world: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. These four elements temporarily combine to form the body of humans and all things, hence the name "body of the four elements." Because in the...
Four Ghosts
Refers to the "Four Evils" (alcohol, lust, wealth, and power). They are called demons because these four things cause suffering and attachment to sentient beings. (See also the note on "Four Evils")
Four Sufferings
The four sufferings are the four great sufferings: Birth, Old Age, Sickness, and Death. It is a law: Wherever there is birth, there will inevitably be old age, sickness, and death; no living being can escape them. In the past, the Buddha often taught: "O monks! Do not question whether this world is finite or...