Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding

(Chapter 2) A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha

Co-translators in the time of Eastern Han Dynasty, China(A.D. 25 - 200) : Kasyapa Matanga and Zhu Falan (Who translated the said Scripture from Sanskrit into Chinese. )

Translator in modern time (A.D.2018: Tao Qing Hsu (Who translated the said Scripture from Chinese into English.)

Teacher and writer for explaining the said Scripture: Tao Qing Hsu

Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding

The Buddha said, “Those who go out of the family, become the Sramana, cut off the desire, remove the love, recognize the source of their own heart, reach the profound principle of the Buddha, realize the law of no-doing, have nothing being gained inside, have nothing being demanded outside, not to fasten the Dao in heart, nor to collect the karma, have no thoughts, have the no-doing, are non-practicing, are non-proving, not to experience the successive levels, but reach the own loftiest state of all, are called the Dao.”

So now, the Buddha explained what Dao means. I have to explain the original meaning of “Dao” in each chapter, because most people only read one or two of the forty-two chapters. It takes a lot of time to read or comprehend the whole chapters. You can find the broad meaning of “Dao” in the introduction of this Scripture. “Dao” is transliterated from Chinese word. It is original meaning is path, way, road. Now, what the Buddha explained about Dao is one of the broad and extended meanings. We could say that the definition of Dao of this Scripture is coming from the Buddha. Whether to accept it or not is your choice.

In the past time, the meaning of Dao confuses me a lot. Finally, I have found that it can be given a lot of different meaning in different situation. So, do not be bound to one meaning.

In fact, what the meaning of Dao in this chapter is Zen. What is Zen? It is. Zen also confuses a lot of people. They do not understand what Zen is. When I have not yet understood what is learning Buddha. I am also confused by Zen. “Zen” is also transliterated from Chinese word. It is not easy to be comprehended by the public. Those who could comprehend the Zen and put it to the practice are almost near the degree of Buddha. “Buddha” is a name which is given by people, and it is not myth. The meaning of “Buddha” is a state. The said meaning of Dao in this chapter is one of the states of “Buddha”. There are also a lot of different names which could be instead of the word “Buddha”. And those names have different meanings respectively. Some of them also mean the different states of “Buddha”.

So, we might have one question. Is there only one ”Buddha” in the world? No. Is there only one “Doctor” in the world? No. Then, we would know that there is a lot of Buddha in the world. The world includes the space and time. Regarding the space, it includes the other Solar systems and planets. Regarding the time, it includes the past, the future, and the present. In generally, Buddha exists in each space and time. The number of Buddha is immeasurable. In fact, what we have known in our world is very limited. That what we can not see or what we can not hear doesn’t mean that it does not exist, such as ultraviolet light. There are a lot of invisible objects or unheard voice in the world. No matter it is “virtue object or voice” or “evil object or voice”, we could not prove that they do not exist. From the Scripture of Buddhism, we can find this. It is pity that most people never know or read the Scripture of Buddhism. Even though they know or read the scripture of Buddhism, they could not comprehend the teaching of Buddha, such as the aforesaid what the Buddha had explained.

In the world, there are 99.99% people who seek for what the things exist and want to have something in hand, such as good education background, good title or career, fame, power, a lot of money, love, spouse or children, and so on. No one wants to be Buddha, because Buddha seems always to teach us to give up what we have attached. However, do you have ever thought that what has mentioned above had owned by the Siddhartha, before he left his family. And why his teaching could be supported proactively by people for more than two thousands years, after he had enlightened and had attained the Buddhahood. It is worth for us to think and understand its meaning, if you are interested.

The Buddha said, “Those who go out of the family, become the Sramana, cut off the desire, remove the love, recognize the source of their own heart.” The meaning of desire and love in this scripture is narrower as mentioned in the first chapter. It means that people romantically like someone or are sexually attracted. If people attach to such desire and love, their thought, mind and heart are limited. It also means that people would be bound to the little desire and love, and a lot of troubles and affliction would thus be caused.

Only when people cut off such little desire and remove the little love, it is possible for them to permanently dwell in the state of no desire and no love, and to experience the state of no trouble and no affliction. The mind and heart would be in the clearness and peace. Why? In our outside, any object or situation would not cause our attention or attachment. In our inside, since there is no attachment, any trouble or affliction would not be occurred any more.

  

And then, the great desire and great love would be thus arisen, that is, to attain the Buddhahood and to save all sentient beings. So, you may find that it seems to abandon something, but, at the same time, it seems to own the different something. We may call it as transformation or sublimation.

Secondly, to cut off the desire and to remove the love would help us to recognize the source of our own heart. As mentioned above, we would dwell in the state of no desire and no love. Maintaining such state continually, it would be possible for us to recognize the source of our own heart, that is, the Emptiness. The heart in the state of Emptiness is like the universe which includes the all. It is also like the sea which could contain all beings. So, the boundary of heart is unlimited.

“Reach the profound principle of the Buddha, realize the law of no-doing, have nothing being gained inside, have nothing being demanded outside, not to fasten the Dao in heart, nor to collect the karma, have no thoughts, have no-doing, are non-practicing, are non-proving, not to experience the successive levels, but reach the own loftiest state of all” Do you have found that such concept seems to violate our knowledge and what we have learned from school and society. So, if we use the past knowledge or logic what have learned from the school and society to read this chapter, we absolutely could not understand the meaning as said by Buddha. Most people could not understand the meaning as said by Buddha, they even misunderstand it.

We might have one question. If there is no thought and no doing, why the Buddha Siddhartha had taught and spoken of the Buddha-law for forty-nine years, and what he had thought and what he had done during this time? We might find that he has thought and done a lot, including this chapter.    

In the past, some people learned about no-thought and no doing, and fell into the death silence, in physical and mental body. They did not understand that the meaning as said by Buddha is only one state of learning Buddha. When most people have heard no-thought, no-doing, and the Emptiness, they do not know what to do, because they do not understand the profound principle of Buddha. What is the profound principle of Buddha? In a word, Emptiness and Existence are one. Or, Emptiness and Non-Emptiness are one. When we experience and keep in the state of no thought and no doing, we could realize that any thought and any doing are occurred from no-thought and no-doing. That is, any situation or any matter or any existence is occurred from the Emptiness, and finally they would return to the Emptiness.

To seat for meditation is one way to experience no-thought and no-doing. In this moment, it is possible for us to contact and recognize the real self. Then, we would furthermore recognize that our thought and doing would no longer be restricted by the worldly value or consciousness. At this moment, it is possible for our mental body to experience the real freedom. Why? The worldly value, view or consciousness is set by human. All of them are attached in the human, situation, matter or phenomenon. Those things are impermanent, because they are occurred from the inside and outside causes and conditions. Once any cause or condition is disappeared, any worldly value, view or consciousness would not be set up and would be disappeared, too. That is why the Buddha said that all of phenomenon is like the illusion. If we attach to such illusion, we are like in the darkness and do not have the wisdom.

“Have nothing being gained inside, have nothing being demanded outside” It means that we should not attach to anything of our inside or outside. The reason is just as the aforesaid.

  

“Not to fasten the Dao in heart, nor to collect the karma, have no thoughts, have no-doing.” Even the Dao as what had said in this chapter, we should not attach to it. The Buddha said that, no matter the Buddha-law or the Dao as mentioned, which is like a boat to be used to cross the river of suffering. Once we have reached the shore of liberation and freedom, the boat does not be required any more. In the Emptiness of heart, there is no Dao. But, the Dao also exists in there. Why? When we need it, we make use of it. When we do not need it, we put it down. That is why not to fasten the Dao in heart.

“Nor to collect the karma” The karma means that one’s action could influence one’s present life and future life. The karma includes the virtue karma and the evil karma. Most people know the evil karma. Only few people know the virtue karma. Such as becoming a Sramana, and putting the Dao into practice, it is viewed as the virtue karma. Doing the good things and help others is also viewed as the virtue karma. Why not to collect the karma? Here, it means the virtue karma. It is to remind the Sramana not to attach to the virtue karma. Because, even though one person do the good things and attach to it, it would also cause the trouble in heart, and become the obstacle for practicing the Dao. In other words, not to collect the karma means not to collect the trouble.      

“Have no thoughts, have no-doing” As we have mentioned above, on the basis of no-thought and no-doing, understanding the illusion of phenomenon arisen from causes and conditions, when we leave meditation of seating, any right thoughts is able to be happened, and we could do any right things, to benefit others and ourselves. Even though this, remember what the Buddha had said, not to collect the karma. After we have done any good thing, put it down, let it go and forget it.

“Are non-practicing, are non-proving, not to experience the successive levels, but reach the own loftiest state of all” It does not mean that we do not need to practice the Dao or to proving it. It means that we still have to practice the Dao, before we are in the state of non-practicing and non-proving. Such as climbing the mountain, we have to walk upward to the destination step by step. When we reach the destination or we are in the top of mountain, itself is the best proving. It means that we do not need to practice any more, when we have already practiced the Dao completely. In the deep meaning, when we have recognized the source of heart, the Emptiness, and realize the law of no-doing, have nothing being gained inside, and have nothing being demanded outside, what we should practice? What we should prove? Nothing could be practice and nothing could be proved. Practicing and proving is superfluous in itself.

As the mentioned in the first chapter, it mentioned the successive levels of the state of practicing. The Sramana is the higher level. The Arhat is lower than the Sramana. In the first chapter, it mentioned that Arhat has to go the 250 precepts. But, we can find that there are no precepts which should be obeyed by the Sramana. Why? The answer could be found in the content as mentioned above.

“The Sramana does not experience the successive levels, but reach the own loftiest state of all.” The Sramana has already proved his fruit of Dao by the way of soundless and shapeless. If one person has already been on the top of the bliss and freedom, it is not necessary for him to prove which level of bliss and freedom he is. Such as we already have a lot of fortune, should we need to prove how many wealth we are? It is not necessary, because the fact is in there. 

Even though we are not Buddhist monk or Sramana, it does not mean that we could not or are not allowed to put the Dao as said into practice. The outward of Buddhist monk and the Buddhist non-monk might be different. But, their heart and mind with practicing the Dao are no difference. In the modern time, the females should not be excluded. The gender would not be the hinder of practicing the Dao and proving the Dao. 

 

Chapter 1: Go out the family and prove the Dao-fruit

(Chapter 1) A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha

Co-translators in the time of Eastern Han Dynasty, China(A.D. 25 - 200) : Kasyapa Matanga and Zhu Falan (Who translated the said Scripture from Sanskrit into Chinese. )

Translator in modern time (A.D.2018: Tao Qing Hsu (Who translated the said Scripture from Chinese into English.)

Teacher and writer for explaining the said Scripture: Tao Qing Hsu

Chapter 1: Go out the family and prove the Dao-fruit

The Buddha said, “Those who farewell their family members, go out the family, recognize the heart, reach the root of inside, understand the law of no-doing, are called Sramana. Those who always go the 250 Precepts, are in the cleanness and purification while going and stopping, and do the practice of the Four-Noble-Truths Dao, become Arhats. Arhats are able to fly and change, have the lives of great eons, can dwell and move in the heaven and earth. The next is Anāgāmi. At the moment of death, their spirits ascend above the nineteenth heaven, where they prove the Arhats. The next is Sakridāgāmi, who gains the Arhat at once, after ascending to the heaven one time and return to the earth one time. The next is Srotāpanna, who proves Arhat, after seven deaths and seven being born. Cutting off the love and desire is like broken limbs which are unable to be used again.”

Sramana, Arhat, Anāgāmi, Sakridāgāmi and Srotāpanna are all Sanskrit. They are separately meant to the different degree related to practicing the Dao. Such names are all differentiated and given by people. To think of the different degree of the Doctor, Master and Bachelor, which names are also differentiated and given by people. I hope that such example would make you more understand that.

“Go out the family” which means that a man leaves his family to become a Buddhist monk. There are two kinds of going out of family. One is that the form of Buddhist monk seems to go out the family, but, his heart is still in the family. The other is that the form of Buddhist non-monk lives in the family, however, his heart is really going out the family, such is the true and going out the family. That is, no matter what the form is, that one’s heart has gone out from the family is truly going out the family.

Then, we might have questions. Why one’s heart wants to go out the family? Is there any meaning for? In the chapter twenty-three of this scripture, it is mentioned one of the reasons. The concept of this scripture is also suitable for women. That one’s heart goes out the family means to leave away the constraint, troubles and affliction occurred from the family, not to leave away the family members. The deep further meaning is to transform such constraint, troubles and affliction into wisdom to make us and others have a better life. 

In the ancient and modern time, when people would go out the family to become a monk or nun, they should have the permission from their parents first. That is for respecting the parents and thanking them to raise us. In the past time of China, it also must have the permission from the government and have to be registered in the government, which reason is to avoid the criminal person to evade the punishment from the law by the way of going out the family.  

“Recognize the heart, reach the root of inside, understand the law of no-doing” which means to recognize that there is no heart and no mind; all is occurred from our heart and mind. When we have the heart and mind, all is then occurred. When we remove our heart and mind, all is then eliminated. “All” means the phenomenon, situation, matter, object and things from our outside and inside. Some people who have heard the concept of no heart, no mind, and no conscious, are terrified, and unhappy to scold the Buddhism. Because in their thought and concept, how could it be possible that there is no heart, no mind and no conscious? They can’t understand it.

One day, Huike who was the second founder of Zen in China told the first founder Dharma,” Master, I feel that my heart doesn't be in peace. Please help me have my heart in peace.”

The first founder Dharma replied to him,” Give me your heart. I help you have the heart in peace.”

Huike thought for a while and then replied to the founder Dharma,” Master, I can’t find my heart.”

Then, the founder Dharma replied to him,” I have already helped you have your heart in peace.”

The root of inside is Emptiness. To reach the root of inside means to reach the Emptiness. The wondrous nature of inside is Emptiness. If we have such concept, we will understand the meaning of no-doing.

Most people who have heard the concept of no-doing in Buddhism are also terrified and unhappy, because they have a lot of negative thought and misunderstanding about it. Eventually, in some situation, no-doing is better than doing, do you have ever thought about that? No-doing is a state that is concern about the no-heart and Emptiness. In this state and moment, our physical and mental body will be in the state of peace, silence and health. That is Nirvana. The goal of practicing the Dao is Nirvana. It is not a short feeling. It should be a stable and continual state, which is the grand meditation. In such state, it will be the fundament, from which we can do and think in any positive ways so as to help and benefit us and others.

All of practicing the Dao aims to the state of Nirvana. There is a lot of different ways to practice the Dao. To recite or chant the name of Fo or Pusa, or to read the scripture of Buddhism, or to think of the meaning of the teaching of Buddha, and to seat to meditate, all of them are one of the ways. (Fo is Buddha; Pusa is Budhisattva. ) This part is to help and benefit ourselves. When our heart is clean, pure and peaceful, we thus have the strength to help and benefit others, which is the more deep learning.

“Recognize the heart, reach the root of inside, understand the law of no-doing” is the higher degree in practicing the Dao. The man who is in such state is called Sramana. Before aforesaid state, he might have ever done the following things.

“Those who always go the 250 Precepts, are in the state of cleanness and purification while going and stopping, and do the practice of the Four-Noble-Truths Dao, become Arhats.” It means that Buddhist monks have to obey the 250 Precepts. And no matter what they are going the good thing to benefit themselves and others, or stopping the evil things not to hurt themselves or others, they should be in the state of cleanness and purification in heart and mind.

We are not Buddhist monk, so we don’t have to obey the 250 Precepts. But, it inspires us. When we are doing the good things and are not doing the evil things, we should also keep the cleanness and purification in heart and mind. It means that we should remove the greedy, hatred, stupidity and infatuation, from heart and mind, because those things would defile our heart and mind, and let us have the negative thought. If those of them are removed, we will be in the brightness, have the peaceful mind, and the positive thought, to benefit us and others.      

“Do the practice of the Four-Noble-Truths Dao.” It means that putting the Dao of the four noble truths into the practice is one of the conditions to become Arhat. The four-noble truths are Suffering, Aggregating, Eliminating, and Dao, which are the causes and conditions to attain the Buddhahood. The Suffering is the cause. The Aggregating and Eliminating are the conditions. The Dao is the condition and result. “Dao” is transliterated from Chinese word. Its original meaning is path. And its meaning is extended to be practicing the truth.  

The first cause and condition to go into the path of Buddha is to perceive the suffering of our inside, such as any pain caused from our body, or any pressure caused from our life, or any mental illness caused from our greedy, hatred, stupidity and infatuation.

The second cause and condition to go into the path of Buddha is to perceive and find that the suffering of our inside is aggregated continually. Most people do not have such perceiving. Any suffering is easy to be forgotten by people. Once any suffering is remembered by them, what they have thought is that they are the persecuted person, all of their inside suffering is caused by others. So they want to revenge in order to eliminate their suffering. Such thought is violating the path of Buddha.

When we perceive and find the suffering of our inside is aggregated continually, we follow the path of Buddha to eliminate the suffering of our inside. It means that going into the path of Buddha is one way to eliminate our suffering of inside. Then, we might have questions, what is the path of Buddha? The definition of the path of Buddha is wide and endless. The point is in this Scripture. Secondly, the most point is in The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart which you can find and read in my blog. It is difficult for the public to understand The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart. In a word, the fundament of the path of Buddha is self-perceiving, self-control, self-liberating and self-discipline.

So, when we “walk” on the path of Buddha, it means that we put the truth or the Buddha-law taught by Buddha into the practice. We give it a name as “Dao” (or “Tao”).

“Arhats are able to fly and change, have the lives of great eons, can dwell and move in the heaven and earth.” It means the liberation and freedom about the personal life and action. It also means that the Arhat can decide its own length of life and can decide where to live, or where to be born, the heaven or the earth. Secondly, no matter where the Arhat goes or lives, the invisible guardians are always beside the Arhat to protect it, because the spirits and the ghosts in the heaven and earth would be moved by the virtue of Arhat and would vows to become the guardians to protect the Arhat. The Arhats include males and females. In some Scripture, the Bodhisatta is also called as Arhat, which owns immeasurable bliss due to the virtue of Arhat.

It is really beyond our knowledge and experience. But, it does not mean that such Arhat does not exist, because we cannot prove that such Arhat exists, and we also cannot prove that such Arhat does not exist. It is more like the personal transcendental-experience. When we become Arhat or when we meet Arhat, it is very personal transcendental-experience.

When one person has the aforesaid practicing experience, we give it a name as “Arhat”. “Arhat” is Sanskrit.  

“The next is Anāgāmi. At the moment of death, their spirits ascend above the nineteenth heaven, where they prove the Arhats.” It means that one person is at the moment of death, its spirit dwell in or above the nineteenth heaven and in where it proves the fruit of Arhat. Then, it is given a name as “Anāgāmi”, which is Sanskrit.

There are thirty-three heavens which are mentioned in Buddhism. They are more like the different dimensional-spaces, according to our understanding in the modern time.

“The next is Sakridāgāmi, who gains the Arhat at once, after ascending to the heaven one time and return to the earth one time.” It means that such person practices the Buddha-law and respectively reincarnates in heaven and earth one time. And then, it gains the fruit of Arhat. We give such person a name as” Sakridāgāmi”, which is Sanskrit.  

“The next is Srotāpanna, who proves Arhat, after seven deaths and seven being born.” It means that such person practices the Buddha-law and has to experience the reincarnation for seven times in heaven and earth. And then, it gains the fruit of Arhat. Such person is given a name as “Srotāpanna”, which is Sanskrit.

In Buddhism, there is such concept that there are immeasurable reincarnations for a spirit of one person, such as a spirit in a wheel, where includes the Six Paths, which are three belonging to good paths and three are belonging to evil paths. The three good paths are the paths of Bodhisattva, Ashura, and Human. The three evil paths are the paths of Ghost, Animal and Hell. That the spirit reincarnates in the Six Paths by turns is just like a wheel whirling continually, and never leaves the whirling wheel. Only when the spirit goes into the path of Buddha, there is the chance to leave the whirling wheel.   

    

“Cutting off the love and desire is like broken limbs which are unable to be used again.” The definition of the love and desire in here is narrower, which means that people romantically like someone or are sexually attracted. The love and desire would affect persons’ emotion and thought. Some people use their love and desire to control others. However, some people are thus controlled in mind. No matter which one, their heart and mind are not liberated and not free. Once their love and desire are not content, the irrational thought and behavior are thus occurred. No matter how they are, their heart and mind might be hurt. However, someone enjoys in such situation. The Buddha regards such persons as stupidity and infatuation, and such persons are thus in the state of no-brightness.

That cutting off the love and desire is like broken limbs means that one person should have the determination to practice the Dao. Do not let the love and desire become the obstacle in practicing the Dao.

But, the aforesaid is one of the Buddha-teachings. There is the deep and another Buddha-teaching. That is, it is not necessary to cut off the love and desire. Why? There are no love and desire fundamentally, when we completely comprehend the no-self and self-emptiness. Our love and desire are occurred and attracted from the outside situation. If we understand the Emptiness of outside and inside, where to find the love and desire to be cut off? But, such concept is hard to be understood by the Arhat, not to mention the ordinary people. It might be possible to be understood, when we make the deep meditation. If we do not have such wisdom, we are better to cut off the love and desire, when we have the determination to practice the Dao. In such situation, the love and desire is not real, because they are illusion. But, the ordinary people regard them as real.  

Supplementary note: Dao is transliterated from Chinese, meaning way and method, deeper meaning as a system of learning or religion. Dao is Tao, which is transliterated from Chinese. The original meaning of Dao is the way and path, and it is extended to be the truth of life that we can learn and practice in our lives.

(Prologue) A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha

Co-translators in the time of Eastern Han Dynasty, China(A.D. 25 - 200) : Kasyapa Matanga and Zhu Falan (Who translated the said Scripture from Sanskrit into Chinese. )

Translator in modern time (A.D.2018: Tao Qing Hsu (Who translated the said Scripture from Chinese into English.)

Teacher and writer for explaining the said Scripture: Tao Qing Hsu

The Content 

Prologue

The World-Honored One, having attained Buddhahood, made such meditation, that leaving away from the desire, to be in the state of silence, is the best victory. Dwelling in the grand meditation, conquering all paths of demons, the Buddha whirled the Law-Wheel of the Four Noble Truths in the Deer-Wild Garden, and saved Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons who had thus proved the fruit of Dao. There were also various questions said by Bhikkhu who inquired the Buddha about the go-ahead and stopping. The teaching and admonition of the World-Honored One let them enlighten one by one. Putting palms of hands together, they respectfully promised to thus comply with the World-Honored One’s admonition.                                                                                      

This prologue introduced the cause, condition, and situation about the saying for the following forty-two chapters.

“The World-Honored One” which is one of the ten names of Buddha, is that the Buddhist disciples respectfully call their teacher, the Buddha Sakyamuni, when they are learning and talking about the practice or teaching of Buddha with their teacher. Why it is called “the World-Honored One”, because that the Buddha owns many virtues which are esteemed by the public, the ordinary people and the saints in world and the people in heaven. After Siddhartha had died, the public respectfully call him as the Buddha Sakyamuni, it is especially showed in Chinese scripture of Buddhism. Enlightened people would not call themselves as Buddha or the World-Honored One. Why? Think about it.   

“Having attained Buddhahood” means that Siddhartha had enlightened and liberated from the all worldly suffering, was able to speak of the Buddha-law for the public, and saved the people who are suffering.

“Made such meditation” means that he sat down under the Bodhi tree and deep contemplated how to save the people who are suffering.

“That leaving away from the desire, to be in the state of silence, is the best victory.” We can find that the thought of Buddha Sakyamuni is different from the ordinary people. Most people think that having the family, authority, wealth, high status in work or in society, which is that they have the advantages more than others, is the victory. If they want to have so many things, they must have the strong desire for those things, and must have the flexible social skill, otherwise, they would not achieve the success. However, the Buddha Sakyamuni thought that leaving away from the desire, to be in the state of silence, is the best victory.

In other word, that is, no competition, no fight, no argument, and no heart to achieve the worldly success, are the best victory. From we are a child, that what we are educated are implanted the concept of success about the competition, fighting, and argument for our better life, no matter we are in the school or in the society. It seems that if we do not do such things, we will be a loser in our society, in the world and in our whole life. And it seems that if there are no such concepts for our children or the public, our country will lose the power of competition in the world. Such concept make a lot of children and people are in the state of anxiety, fear, suffering and sulk, and make them have disease in physical and mental body. Then, we must exhaust the people’s physical and spiritual strength and health resources, and spend a lot of time to treat these people.

Therefore, you might observe that what the secular concept to be thought the right, smart, and victory by the public is thought by Buddha Sakyamuni as no brightness. In other word, what the thought of the ordinary people is darkness and stupidity.

A lot of people think that such concept of Buddha Sakyamuni will be no positive and will let their children or people lose the competition for their life in the world. I have to say that they all misunderstand the teaching of Buddha. In fact, the positive desire occurs from no desire and from the state of silence. Why? If the Buddha Sakyamuni had no desire, how could it be possible for him to speak of the Buddha-law for 49 years and to save sentient beings to liberate from the suffering? In other word, his desire had been sublimated by himself. Then, we might have questions. What is the difference between his desire and the desire of the ordinary people? Or what is the desire about the teaching of Buddha? Think about it. From this scripture, you might find it.

In the narrow explaining, the desire means filth such as the greedy for money, loving the erotic, and so occurred the hatred to the people, the arrogance and the un-trusting, that would defile our heart so to hurt ourselves and others, and make us suffer. So, the motivation of such desire is selfishness. In such a situation, the heart is like large waves, how could it be in peace? Leaving away from such desire, there would be no affliction. Our heart would be in the state of peace and silence, which means that the heart is clear, clean and pure.      

“Dwelling in the grand meditation, conquering all paths of demons” which means that when Siddhartha dwelled in the grand meditation under the Bodhi tree, the demon in heaven wanted to test him, and to know whether Siddhartha had eliminated the desire in heart or not. Then, the demon transformed his family members into three beautiful girls, who lured Siddhartha with their beauty and sexy. Siddhartha did not be lured by them. On the contrary, Siddhartha assimilated them. And then, the demon in heaven became the supporter to protect and maintain the Buddhism and its scripture.        

“The Buddha whirled the Law-Wheel of the Four Noble Truths in the Deer-Wild Garden” which means Siddhartha speak of the Buddha-law in related to the Four Noble Truths, which means the suffering, the accumulating, the eliminating and the Dao. In Buddhism, whirling the Law-Wheel means to teach or speak of the Buddha-law. Siddhartha in the profound contemplation had found that the sentient beings were suffering, and accumulating the suffering every day. When they have a thought to eliminate their suffering, they then would go into the Dao for liberating themselves from the suffering, which means that they would go into the path of Buddha.

Regarding the suffering, there are eight suffering being mentioned, which are the suffering of life, aging, disease, death, departing from the loved or the loved leaving, meeting each other in hatred, demanding which could not be content, and the suffering of flaming in five aggregations.

These sufferings would be accumulated day by day and thus increase our affliction. Only when we feel such affliction, we would have a thought to eliminate the suffering. It is thus possible for us to practice the Dao and prove the Dao, which means to liberate ourselves from the suffering and furthermore to help others liberate themselves from the suffering.

The Deer-Wild Garden(the Sanskrit is mṛgá-dāva) is a famous place in India. In the legend, there were two Pusa who transformed to be the Deer-King and to offer themselves to the Human-King so as to protect the deer herd. The Human-King promised and built a garden to protect the deer herd. So the place was called the Deer-Wild Garden. It is the first place that Siddhartha whirled the Law-Wheel, which is why it is so famous.

“Saved Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons who had thus proved the fruit of Dao.” When Siddhartha had enlightened under the Bodhi tree, he thought which one could be saved. Then, he thought of the five persons, who were his relatives and his protector to company with him to practice the Dao. Ajñāta Kaundinya is one of them. They had experienced the ascetic practice together. But, Siddhartha finally find that the ascetic practice did not work for enlightenment. Siddhartha then accepted the offering of milk by a girl. Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons thought that Siddhartha gave up the ascetic practice and then left him. After Siddhartha accepted the offering of milk by a girl, he returned back the Bodhi tree and sat down to meditate continually. Then, at one night, he had completely enlightened. After that, he talked about the first scripture “The scripture of grand-direction-widely-Fo-flower-solemn ” which Sanskrit is mahā-vaipulya-buddhâvataṃsaka-sūtra. This is an amazing scripture. However, it is pity that it is hard to be understood by the ordinary people. So he had to talk about what the ordinary people could accept and understand, such as this scripture.   

Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons were the first persons to be saved by Siddhartha and became his first disciple, who had proved the fruit of Dao. That means that they have attained the fruit of Arhat. So when we are enlightened, who will be saved by us? Of course, our family members or relatives will be the first. Then, how these people to be enlightened? When you carefully read, understand and realize this scripture, you will know.

“There were also various questions said by Bhikkhu who inquired the Buddha about the go-ahead and stopping.” Bhikkhu is Sanskrit. It means Buddhist monk. It also had the meanings of breaking through the evil in heart, terrifying the demon, purifying to obey the precepts, and the begging scholar which means that they practice the Dao to cut off their troubles, to conquer the demon inside and outside, to obey the precepts with clean heart, and to beg food so as to maintain their life for practicing the Dao and eliminating the greedy heart.

The evil in heart and the demon of inside and outside means the troubles and afflictions in heart. The go-ahead and stopping are related to how to put the Dao into practice, what should go ahead and what should be stopped when practicing the Dao, which is also mentioned in this scripture.

“The teaching and admonition of the World-Honored One let them enlighten one by one. Putting palms of hands together, they respectfully promised to thus comply with the World-Honored One’s admonition.” So, if you had completely understood and realize this scripture, you might be inspired or enlightened just as same as those Buddhist monks.

(Introduction) A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha

Co-translators in the time of Eastern Han Dynasty, China(A.D. 25 - 200) : Kasyapa Matanga and Zhu Falan (Who translated the said Scripture from Sanskrit into Chinese. )

Translator in modern time (A.D.2018: Tao Qing Hsu (Who translated the said Scripture from Chinese into English.)

Teacher and writer for explaining the said Scripture: Tao Qing Hsu

Introduction

This scripture refers to the talking of Dao which is about 1H5W (how, what, when, where, why and who).

“Dao” is “Tao” which is transliterated from Chinese character. Its original meaning is path, way and road. Then, its meaning is extended to be talking, saying, method, law, doctrine, morality, skillfulness, capability, and the thought system of religion or education. The thought system of religion or education includes the aforesaid meanings.

No matter Daoism or Buddhism is only one of the thought systems of religion or education. Both of them use the character “Dao” or “Tao”. However, their saying or doctrine or method is some kind of difference. Even though this, we will find that their final goal is the same, if we really put the Dao into practice. I translate this scripture from Chinese into English. I use the word ”Dao” instead of “Path” or ”Way”, because I think that this word ”Dao” could be perceived more widely. That is there is no boundary for Dao. The Buddha said that there is no outer Dao of Buddhism. All is Buddhism. Why? That is very deep teaching and realization. And why the Daoism of local thought system and Buddhism of outer thought system could co-exist peacefully in Chinese culture. From this scripture, you might know it.

Also, when I am translating, I use the word as simple as possible so that it could be understood by the public. Of course, it is not only the translation word by word, the most importance is that the translator should understand the meaning what the Buddha said and have already put the Dao into the practice so that the true meaning could be conveyed properly.

This scripture is related to the teaching of Buddha Siddhartha to his disciples who are Buddhist monks. His teaching is also good for us in our daily life, and could inspire us, even though we are not Buddhist monks.

Furthermore, this scripture has almost included the whole teaching of Buddhism. It is easy to know, however, it is hard to put it into practice. So, it is very challenge to our inner bad habits. Why? To put the teaching of Buddha into practice needs brain, some methods and takes time. So, it is not easy to learn Buddha. Even though this, there is also the easy way to learn Buddha. How? To recite or chant the name of Buddha or Pusa, such as Na Mo Amitabha, Na Mo Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving. It is some kind of methods to concentrate our mind and let us focus on one thing. The most importance is that our heart should correspond to the compassion and wisdom of Amitabha or Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving. Then, there is the meaning for us. Finally, we would find that Amitabha or Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving is not other else, it is in our heart. That means that we and Amitabha or Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving are no different. That is that we are one.     

This scripture is also mentioned about the three poisons that would harm our physical and mental body, about the six methods which let us go into the wisdom, and about ten things which could let us accumulate our virtue. Of course, this scripture is talked about the final status of learning Buddha. “Buddha” is a name which is given by people. In fact, when we are in the final status, the word ”Buddha” is no meaning for us. Why? When you are in the status, you will know. In a word, this scripture is related to learn Buddha and its methods.

Why most people have the feeling of being betrayed, hurt, or attacked and why some people want to betray, hurt or attack others, because they hold the different things in heart or mind and think that those things are existed. In other words, their heart and mind are occupied by those things. Under such situation, how could they keep the rational thinking and peaceful emotion in heart and mind?    

In the past, we have a lot of misunderstanding about Buddhism. That is because the deep meaning of Buddhism is difficult for the public to understand. The deep meaning of Buddhism is talked about the Emptiness in heart. When most people have heard that, they feel unpleasant, because they want to have love, desire, fame, power, money and valuables, even to control others and want others to obey their greedy or hatred intention.

In fact, when we have understood the deep meaning of Buddhism, we will realize that nothing could control us, such as fame or power or advantages or others evil intention. And we also have no intention to control others.

Furthermore, no one could hurt us or attack us. Why? When we are in the state of Emptiness in heart, there is nothing to be hurt or to be attacked, such as using a sword to cut the sky, the sky is still be there. Does the sky be hurt? No. However, the person who uses a sword to cut the sky with hatred has already exhausted his own energy. From this scripture, you might understand it.

So, do not be bound to the concept or meaning of the word of Buddhism. In fact, the highlight of Buddhism is our heart that is concerned about the humanity, no matter what we believe or what is our faith. The teaching of Buddha is self-control, not to control others; it is self-requirement, not to demand others; it is self-heart-searching, not to search others heart. In a word, it is self-discipline, not to discipline others. And it depends on the nature of Emptiness of our inside, not depends on any object or thing from outside situation. 

Secondly, there is no such concept of betray in Buddhism. Why? There must be any object or thing, so that we say that we betray the object or thing. In Buddhism, there is no object or thing in heart, how could we betray the non-existent object or thing, or how could we betray the Emptiness? This concept is hard to be understood. But, if you carefully read this scripture, you might understand it.

So, we extend the aforesaid meaning. There is no violence or force in Buddhism. If people said that they want to fight with someone, which means that there is any object or thing in the outside situation and in their heart and mind which make them angry so that they want to use the violence or force. However, in the deep-practicing Buddhist heart, there is no object or thing in heart and mind which could make them unhappy, even though any evil object or thing is existed in the outside situation. Then, how could they fight with whom so as to use the violence or force? Why the Buddhist monk or nun or the deep-practicing Buddha-learner is one of the three Treasures? Now, we know that they are one of peace-makers in our society and in the world.

                          

Let me talk about the history of this scripture in a brief. According to the records, this scripture is the first scripture being transmitted from the India to the China and being translated from the Sanskrit into Chinese. The time is in the Han Dynasty of China (B.C.220 - A.D.220). This scripture is also translated to be” The Sutra of Forty-two Chapter”. Which you can find in the Internet, and which further interesting history can be find in WiKi if you are interested.