法界次第初門 2.123

2.123

First is the truth of suffering. Suffering has the meaning of oppressive affliction. All conditioned mental activities are constantly oppressed and afflicted by the burdens of impermanence; hence it is called 'suffering'. Suffering is of three kinds: first, the suffering of suffering; second, the suffering of change; third, the suffering of conditioned formations. It is now explained that the three sufferings have distinct and universal [aspects]. Distinctly, the three sufferings correspond individually to the three feelings: painful feeling arises from painful conditions, and the mind perceives it as painful—this is the suffering of suffering; pleasant feeling gives rise to suffering when pleasure disintegrates—this is the suffering of change; neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is constantly shifting and moving under impermanence—this is the suffering of conditioned formations. If discussed universally, all three feelings universally possess the three sufferings. Why is this? The mind of the three feelings is itself suffering; because they all universally arise from painful conditions, they are universally the suffering of suffering. Because the mind of the three feelings is universally broken by the characteristic of disintegration, they are universally the suffering of change. Because the mind of the three feelings universally has the characteristic of restless arising, functioning, and movement, they are universally the suffering of conditioned formations. If the minds of the three feelings, whether distinctly or universally, are nothing other than suffering, one should know that suffering is thoroughly verified and real, and is therefore called a 'truth'.