Four Illusions and Perversions (sutra)

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly translation, Vipallasa Sutta (AN 4.49)

Ignorance is the ultimate root of all suffering (cubuddhism.pbworks.com)

WARNING: Coarse language! F-word, N-word, violence, drug abuse! Cypress Hill "Illusions" and disturbing imagery from "The Matrix" featuring Keanu Reeves.

  

"Meditators, there are four perversions (distortions, hallucinations, illusions) of mind (consciousness), perversions of perception, perversions of view. What are the four? 

1. Perceiving as "constant" (stable, permanent, enduring unchanged) the inconstant is a perversion of mind, a perversion of perception, a perversion of view. 
2. Perceiving as "pleasant" (desirable, delightful, worthy of striving for) the painful... 
3. Perceiving as "self" (as personal, as an abiding ego, as something to identify with or which to cling in) the impersonal...
4. Perceiving as "attractive" (alluring, beautiful, comely) the foul is a perversion of mind, a perversion of perception, a perversion of view. These are the four perversions (illusions).

"There are four clarifications of mind, clarifications of perception, clarifications of view. What are the four?

1. Perceiving as "impermanent" (unstable, changing, falling away) the impermanent is a clarification of mind, a clarification of perception, a clarification of view.
2. Perceiving as "unsatisfactory" the unsatisfactory...
3. Perceiving as "impersonal" the impersonal... 
4. Perceiving as "unattractive" the foul is a clarification of mind, a clarification of perception, a clarification of view. These are the four clarifications."

Perceiving permanence in what is actually impermanent, pleasure in what is actually painful (unsatisfactory, distressing, disappointing), a self in what is actually impersonal, attractiveness in what is actually repulsive, living beings are destroyed by wrong view, eventually coming unhinged and losing their minds. Bound by Mara's yoke (the Killer's noose), from such a profound fetter they experience no respite.

 

The Matrix's Keanu Reeves as the Buddha

Instead, beings continue wandering on in this (intrinsically endless) cycle of birth and death. 

 

But when Awakened Ones arise in the world, bringing light (the light of wisdom), they proclaim the Dharma (the teaching on the true nature of things, the way to see Dependent Origination) that leads, when put into practice, to the cessation of all suffering (dukkha) here and now.

 

When beings -- mindful and wise -- listen, they regain their senses, see the impermanent as impermanent, the painful as painful, the impersonal as impersonal (not-self), the unattractive as unattractive. [And therefore they stop clinging.] Adopting right view (by methodically cultivated insight), they transcend all suffering and unhappiness.