Looking at the truth through the lens of the Four Noble Truths, which consist of the four truths of suffering, arising, cessation, and the path, we clearly see three things: those who walk on the wholesome path (the noble eightfold path) are few, those who walk on the unwholesome path (the ignoble eightfold path) are many, and Nirvana is the safest and happiest place. Unlike the wholesome or unwholesome realms, which arise or fall due to causes and conditions, Nirvana is an unconditioned dharma, not created by causes and conditions, but already present. The practice is the very cause and condition that helps us manifest and touch it, in order to enjoy that already-present Nirvana.

Every species has a place of refuge to be free and at ease: deer take refuge in the meadows, birds take refuge in the sky and clouds, true persons take refuge in Nirvana to live at ease, while all things take refuge in the discrimination of consciousness in order to manifest. The nature of reality is inherently unattainable and inconceivable, it cannot be grasped or conceived by the concepts of the intellect. When a wave realizes it is water and dwells peacefully in water, all fears of birth and death, being and non-being, high and low vanish; likewise, the practitioner returns to take refuge in the Nirvana already present within themselves to attain absolute ease and safety.

The root of suffering does not lie in the impermanent and non-self nature of conditioned dharmas, but lies in mental formations—that is, human beings’ wrong perceptions, craving, anger, and delusion regarding those dharmas. Understanding this helps the practitioner not to be caught in the notions of beginning or no beginning, being or non-being, and thereby touch Nirvana right in the present moment.