Chapter 18: The root of thoughts is equal to the Emptiness. (Updated on January 5, 2022)

(Chapter 18) 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 18: The root of thoughts is equal to the Emptiness.

The Buddha said,” My law (Buddha-Law; Dharma) is about thinking of the no-thought thought, acting the no-doing action, talking about the no-talking talk, and putting the no-practice into the practice. Those who understand what as said are approach it. Those who feel confused about what as said are far from it. The Dao of words and talks is cut off. It can not be bound by things. The difference of millimeter or centimeter would cause the mistake in a moment.

This chapter is very difficult to understand for the beginners who learn Buddhism, not to mention those who have not yet learned Buddha. If we want to completely understand the content of this chapter as said by Buddha, we might at least have to learn Buddhism for more than ten years and to prove the wisdom of Bodhisattva by self. There are many people who could not understand the content as said by Buddha, even though they might have learned or researched Buddhism in their whole life. Therefore, if we have not yet learned Buddhism and not yet prove the wisdom of Bodhisattva, it is better for us not to criticize the content as said by Buddha, so as to avoid showing our ignorance.    

Because I do not know the readers' degree of learning Buddhism in this blog, I have to explain it by more details, so as to avoid the reader to mistakenly understand the content as said by Buddha. 

To untie and to cut off the abstract rope linking between our mind and heart and any phenomenon and situation would make our heart truly free.

Most people could not realize the pure state of Buddha. That is because their six conscious are chasing the outside phenomenon, are tangling in the inner situation, and are turning with the outer situation and its changing. Meanwhile, they are too obsessing with the material life.

Therefore, if the phenomenon or any situations and its changing could not content to their mind, they are easy to generate the five-poison heart. Only when the phenomenon and any situation and its changing are contented to their mind, they are thus to generate the heart of happiness. Anyway, their heart and mind are occupied by the outside phenomenon, and any inner or outer situation and its changing. That is why they could not understand the meaning of emptiness as said by Buddha.

The Buddha Sakyamuni often used the word “tied” or “fastened” or “bind” to express that our mind, heart or thought is tied, fastened or bind by any aspect of phenomenon or any situations. In other word, that is, what we are doing is what we have thought. And what we have thought and done is tied, fastened or bind by any phenomenon, concept, ideology, theory or any situation. However, no matter what our thought is, the birth of one thought is the death of the other thought in our mind. Our previous thoughts are different from the latter thoughts. Each thought of us is like the river and it is always moving and flowing. And it is always such changing. That is why it is impermanent.  

Obsessed with any phenomenon would cover our natural wisdom.

That is why the Buddha Sakyamuni had said, ”All doing is like dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows, like dew and lightning, so we should perceive it like this.  (All promising practices, methods, teachings and the situations presented is like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, like dew and lightning, so we should visualize them like this.)” This is the famous verse in the Diamond Sutra.

From the describing, we could understand that all of the doing phenomenon is unreal, but is formed by reasons and conditions, and is temporary, is attached to another phenomenon, and could be disappeared in any time. That is why the Buddha Sakyamuni always advised us not to obsess with any phenomenon. If we obsess with any phenomenon, such obsessing and phenomenon will hinder our natural wisdom.

Secondly, the Buddha Sakyamuni advised us not to obsess with any doing and thinking, even not to obsess with Buddhism or learning Buddha. Why? That is because stubborn in any doing and thinking is one of the reasons to cause the problem and suffering. Even to stubbornly persist in Buddhism or in learning Buddha, itself would become the obstacle to learn Buddhism, to learn Buddha.

Anyway, the Buddha’s teaching is always to break or smash our stubbornly persisting and obsessing mind step by step, no matter what we persist in or obsess with. If we only know about the Theravada Buddhism or about chanting Amitabha so as to be reborn in the pure land, and we strongly stick to such things, our mind would be limited and any argument might thus occur; and we might be thus not interested in Buddhism, when we have seen such situation; once we are facing any frustration in life, we might easy to have the rollback from the faith in Buddhism.

Those who promote Theravada Buddhism or Amitabha might not talk about the 42 chapters said by Buddha, especially this chapter. That is because this chapter is very difficult to express, teach and understand. This chapter is not suitable for those who are the beginner in learning Buddha and those who have only the little root of wisdom.

As a teacher and professor in Buddhism, we always encourage everyone to learn Buddhism, to learn Buddha. Who dares to tell you not to persist in learning Buddhism, not to persist in learning Buddha? However, if you have read each article in this blog, I believe that you might have any concept about it and have known about why.

To think what it means about the no-thought and why the no-thought is.

Let’s return to the subject. Why the Buddha said that my law is thinking of the no-thought thought? Does it confuse you? The law here means the Buddha-law, the Dharma, which also means the Buddha’s teaching and any phenomenon.

One thought is about the generation and the elimination for anything. And that is even to concerned about the birth and death of any life. Therefore, when one person is in the state of no-thought, there is no emerging and no eliminating for anything. Meanwhile, this person in the state of no-thought would jump out the constraint from the birth and death of life. In other word, it jumps out the limitation of fate.

Furthermore, when one person no longer persists in or obsesses with any phenomenon, or it has realized the truth of no-phenomenon, it would thus be in the state of no-thought. In other word, if there is any phenomenon in front of us, there is thus emerged one thought from our mind; if there is no phenomenon in front of us, how could any idea be emerged from our mind? Anyway, no-thought means to empty our mind or heart.

Any trouble and any suffering are coming from any phenomenon and its corresponding thought and feeling. Once any phenomenon and its corresponding thought and feeling have gone, any trouble and any suffering have disappeared at the same time.

One thought will cause a situation. This occurred situation will cause another thought. Thoughts and situations are such cycling, continued and endless, which forms any phenomenon. If any first thought is evil, whatever what it is and where it comes from, meanwhile, the corresponding situation makes us not comfortable at all, we are suffering anyway. Under this circumstance, we keep our mind with no-thought, our mind will be still and peace and then we can observe the situation in our inside and outside with the objective way.  That is the function and application of no-thought.  

Escaping any phenomenon and situation is not a good idea.

Some people want to escape any trouble and any suffering. They therefore choose to escape the phenomenon what might be happened. The Buddha never taught us to escape any phenomenon. On the contrary, the Buddha taught us to face it, to understand that the nature of any phenomenon is emptiness; that is because all of phenomenon is formed by any reasons and conditions.

Meanwhile, one of reason of phenomenon is self, a thought emerged from self. In other word, we are one of the reasons for any phenomenon. Once the reason regarding self, that is a thought emerged from self, has never appeared, or is already gone, any phenomenon would not be formed, and any trouble and suffering would be gone together.

For example, if we have a thought to pursue the love and to really do that, the phenomenon of love is formed. Any happiness, trouble or suffering regarding the love would be appeared continually. On the contrary, if we don’t have a thought about pursuing love, any phenomenon regarding the love would not be formed.

Understanding the nature of any phenomenon and any situation would make us wise.

Such concept is really hard to be understood, not to mention to put it into the practice in reality. Then, we might have one question. How to train us to be in the state of no-thought? Some Buddhist monk or nun to train their mind to be in the state of no-thought is to close self and refuse any news from the world, then, to chant Amitabha or Buddhist scripture everyday. They don’t care about what happened in the world. 

In other word, they refuse the outside phenomenon, any situation and its changing. Maybe that is one method to train a mind to be in the state of no-thought. But, it is not the only method. The Buddha Sakyamuni did not use such way to train his mind to be in the state of no-thought.

Then, what is the way used by the Buddha Sakyamuni? It is to really understand and realize the nature of any phenomenon, any situation and its changing, that what we have met. The nature as said is emptiness. Any phenomenon, any situation and its changing are emerged from the emptiness. Any phenomenon, any situation and its changing are really formed by the combining from any reasons and conditions.

Such emptiness is able to appear anything and what appeared from the emptiness is always changing and changing. Once our hearts are chasing the changes that are said every moment, every day, every year, how tired and painful we will be. It is to keep thinking the no-thought thought, to keep stable in mind, and to keep clear in heart. No matter what phenomenon or situation is happened in front of us, we always clear to know that the nature is emptiness. We then have a proper and wise thought emerged from no-thought to face and deal with the phenomenon or situation. 

Put down any obsessing with any phenomenon and situation.

Then, we might have one question. Whether the Buddha Sakyamuni has a thought or not? Actually, he is in the state of one-thought and of no-thought. And this thought is to be focus on thinking of no-thought. His mind is always in the state of no-thought. That is how he faces the phenomenon, any situation and its changing. He didn’t close self to escape the phenomenon, any situation and its changing.

That is, each thought is dwelled on the right thought, to understand and realize that, the nature of phenomenon, situation and its changing, is emptiness and nothingness; and since it is emptiness and nothingness, there is no reason and it is not necessary to appear any thought for the emptiness and nothingness, let alone to appear any evil thought. No matter how changeable about the phenomenon, situation and its changing, once any thought is thus to be generated, it is violating the clear and pure mind-the state of the stillness in heart. 

Therefore, the more profoundly understanding is that, even a thought for thinking of the no-thought thought, which should be abandoned. Even such thought, it should have no chance to occupy in our mind. To abandon any thought until there is nothing to be abandoned. It is the true nothingness and stillness.

Acting the no-doing action makes our mind to be rest and at ease.

What is the meaning of acting the no-doing action? It also means to do the no-doing doing. If we have the basic concept about no phenomenon as said above, what we should do when we face the no phenomenon? There is nothing to do. Similarly, if we face the no phenomenon and have thus no thought, what we should do? There is also nothing to do. Then, we might have one question. If there is nothing to do, what is the meaning for us? Does it make any sense for us?

It really makes our mind to be rest and at ease. In such state, we would thus actually perceive the peace in our mind. So, we might have another question. Does the Buddha Sakyamuni do nothing all the time? No. Actually, he will always do something, to do the no-doing doing. Do you thus think that he was a lazier or escapist? No. Neither is. Actually, he taught the Buddhism and spoken of the Buddha-law (the Dharma) for 49 years; and he inspired the wisdom of human beings and left the treasure of wisdom for the human beings more than 2500 years, and would keep going on.

The essence of Buddhism is to enlighten the self natural wisdom.

The essence of Buddhism is to enlighten the self natural wisdom, not worship Buddha or Bodhisattva. To worship Buddha or Bodhisattva is by means of their wonderful and spiritual power-their strength of mercy and might, to help us to be in the virtue path-to do the goodness, and thus to finally enlighten our natural wisdom.

Therefore, no matter to worship Buddha or Bodhisattva, or to do the goodness, it is a convenient method and process to help us go to the final goal; and what the final goal is to prove the self natural wisdom by self. However, because everyone's intelligent and situation is different, what the used methods could be more than 84000 methods; and such methods could be generated and eliminated at any time. That is, it might be appeared in one day and might be disappeared in another day. Such methods are impermanent, because it is the change according to any phenomenon and situation.

For instance, the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva are created everywhere. Some people hate the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva and destroy those statues purposely. That is because that they do not understand the wisdom said by Buddha Sakyamuni. The phenomenon about the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva is impermanent. It is only one method to help the human beings to inspire their natural wisdom. The true wisdom is soft power, no-phenomenon, and is permanent. Any phenomenon is the temporary changing. There are no statues of Buddha or Bodhisattva in our natural wisdom. Such true wisdom is existed in everyone, no matter what our faith is. But, do you know that you have such natural wisdom? Does your natural wisdom have been enlightened? Does such true wisdom could be destroyed?

Just by means of our little intelligent, it is really difficult for us to understand the grand wisdom of Buddha. If we always attach to any phenomenon, we might do any stupid things and seek the trouble and suffering by self. On the contrary, if we could be away from any phenomenon, we would do anything with our natural wisdom. One of such natural wisdom is to do the no-doing doing. To do so is really able to be away from the self subjective idea, or to be away from the subjective influence from others mind.

What we have done is really do something. And we know that any trouble and any suffering will be gone after leaving any phenomenon and any situation. We therefore jump out the frame and circle of any phenomenon and situation, and then to have the right thought to do the right thing.

The Buddha is always to break and smash what our stubbornness heart is.

In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha Sakyamuni said, “What the Buddha-law said by Tathagata (Buddha) could not be taken, could not be spoken, is the non-Buddha-law, and is no non-Buddha-law. So, what it is? All the sage and saint are different from the masses by the Buddha-law of no-doing.”

The Buddha-law means Dharma, Buddha’s teaching, principle, worldly method, method to learn Buddhism, the change of mind and heart, any thought, any phenomenon, situation and its changing. The meaning of Buddha-law is very wide. It also includes the no-thought, no-doing, no-talking, no-practicing, and no-phenomenon.

The wisdom included in the Buddha-law said by Buddha is very broad and profound. It is not what we could think of by our worldly intelligent. Secondly, the true wisdom almost could not be obtained by debating with the logic. That is because the true wisdom is unable to be talked, but could be obtained by practically meditating and experience. The true wisdom is really incredible.

The Buddha Sakyamuni advised us not to take what said by Tathagata, and not to talk about what said by Tathagata, because what said by Tathagata is not phenomenon, but is also not no-phenomenon. Why the Buddha said that? That is because that we would be tied, fasten or bind by the phenomenon what said by Tathagata. If we take what said by Tathagata, and talk about what said by Tathagata, we would also be tied by what the Buddha talked about no-thought, no-doing, no-talking and no-practicing.

So, if we have some concept about what the Buddha had taught, we know that he is always to break and smash our stubborn in anything, even to what we are stubborn in doing the no-doing. Then, what we should do? When we really understand and realize Buddha’s teaching, such content including not to harm others and not to harm self, not to cause troubles to others and not to cause troubles to self, and also containing the cause and effect (Do good things will gain good repay. Do evil things will gain evil repay.), we could do everything what we like to do in our free will. It is thus the truly freedom in our life.

Why are the sage and saint different from the masses? The sage and saint understand and realize the true wisdom, prove it in daily life, and do everything upon the no-doing. 

The true wisdom is speechless.

The true wisdom is speechless. Why? Any speech about any phenomenon or event is including the personal bias. Do you think that any speech about no-phenomenon would not be including personal bias? Maybe not. That is why the Buddha said that he did not say a word in 49 years. If we do not understand what he said, we would not gain the Dao. Why?

The Dao is originally speechless. Leaving phenomenon, speechless. That is also why he said that Buddha-law is talking about the no-talking talk. The Dao is no-talking, speechlessness. What the Buddha had talked is to show us methods and the direction to the goal and to the Dao, not the Dao itself. The Dao itself should be meditated and experienced by our self. If we always attach to the phenomenon of what the Buddha had said, what we gain is not the true natural wisdom, but the knowledge insights.

Some persons want to demonstrate what they have been enlightened from the Buddhism, so they do not talk anything all the day. Do you have found something wrong from that?

Even though we have been enlightened about the true wisdom from the Buddhism, it doesn’t mean that we do no talk anything all the day. If we do not talk anything all the day, we would fall into the stupid stubborn about no-talking. The Buddha Sakyamuni never did that. On the contrary, he had talks every day. What he had talked is about the wisdom and event of no-talking.

The Buddha-law is for curing our abstract heart in illness.

The Buddha said what the Buddha-law is? It is putting the no-practice into the practice. Why he said that? All the Buddha-law said by Buddha is aiming at curing the abstract sick heart of humans. If there is no sick heart, why the Buddha-law should be needed?

The heart here means the abstract sick heart, the mind and the thought. To practice the Buddha’s teaching also includes the meaning of correcting our behavior, our mind or our thought. But, why we should correct our behavior, mind or thought? When we pursue in or attach to any phenomenon, event, concept, ideology, belief, or knowledge, any abstract heart is thus generated, for instance, the heart of greedy, hatred, obsession, arrogance or suspicion.

When we have heart such as greedy or hatred, it means that attaching to the phenomenon makes us sick and unhappy. The Buddha uses the Buddha-law to cure our disease heart. That is why we need to put the Buddha-law and the Buddha's teaching into the practice. It is such as we need to eat the medicine to cure our disease.

When we have realized the truth is without phenomenon, the nature of phenomenon is the nothingness and the emptiness, what else could make us to attach to and what else could make us generate any heart? Even the greedy heart, or the hatred heart, it is unable to be generated.

The truth is that there is nothing which could be attached and any heart is unable to be generated, when we face the emptiness. The only thing which could be attached to is the emptiness. In such state, the heart without a thought is healthy and stability. Then, what else should we put into the practice? There is already nothing that we need to put it into the practice. It is also not necessary for us to need the Buddha-law. It is such as we no longer need the medicine, because we have already been in healthy from the disease. It is the meaning of no-practice.    

So, whether putting the no-practice into the practice is the practice or the no-practice? Both are. When we stubborn in and obsess with any phenomenon or anything, we put the Buddha-law into the practice, so as to cure our disease heart. When we no longer stubborn in and obsess with any phenomenon or anything, we put the no-practice into the practice.

The Buddha said,” Those who understand what as said are approach it. Those who feel confused about what as said are far from it. “ So, whether we understand it or not, it is only between a thought. If we understand what as said, we approach the Dao, the truth, and the natural wisdom. If we still feel confused about what as said, we are far from the Dao, the truth and the natural wisdom. 

The truth of Dao, speechless.

“The Dao of words and talks is cut off. It can not be bound by things. The difference of millimeter or centimeter would cause the mistake in a moment. “

As we have talked above, the Dao can not be expressed by words and talks. If the Dao is expressed by words and talks, it is as if to be tied by ropes. Such Dao and such heart are thus restricted. We have to cut off the abstract ropes of words and talks, because any words and talks are attached to things. And it would let the Dao and our heart lose the truth. Only when any words and talks are cut off-that also means to put down any words and talks, our heart and the Dao can not be bound by things, and we then can see the truth of Dao and the truth of all things in our mind and in a free heart.

The difference of millimeter or centimeter would cause the mistake in a moment.

“The difference of millimeter or centimeter” means very subtle difference. It also means a little mistakenly understanding or a subtle misunderstanding. It would cause the mistake in learning Buddha, in learning Buddhism, in a very short time.

Why? Some people have heard the no-thought, no-doing, no-talking and no-practice. They then subjectively think that they have been enlightened and do not need to do anything in learning Buddhism. Meanwhile, they thus increase the self-arrogance.

Any Buddha and Bodhisattva, who have been enlightened and prove the truth, the Dao, and the natural wisdom, always do something to enlighten the sentient beings and save them to liberate from any suffering. What they have done is called doing something in a dream. It means that they actually do the things, but they do not stubborn in those things. 

 

Secondly, the person, who is before becoming Buddha or Bodhisattva, must think a lot about what the Buddha had talked and taught, do a lot of things to repent his fault, to correct his behavior and attitude, to clear his heart, to empty the negative mind, and put the Buddha’s teaching into the practice every day.

Furthermore, this chapter is to express the practice about without-merit and without-application, and the proving what the without-proof is. This is the natural wisdom and no hypocrisy and pretentiousness. It is the degree and phase of Bodhisattva, not that of those who have not yet learned the Buddhism. 

To become Buddha or Bodhisattva is not an easy thing. It must experience the learning in Buddha’s teaching completely by personal countless times of life. If you are lucky to read this article, I hope that you could cherish this chance to learn Buddha, to learn Buddhism. In the current world, those who have the chance to read this chapter is very few, let alone to understand it. Even those who have learned Buddhism, they might never read this chapter translated in Chinese. This chapter is really very rare and very valuable. It is very helpful to enlighten our natural wisdom.

Chapter 17: The brightness comes and the darkness disappears (Updated on January 3, 2022)

(Chapter 17) 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 17: The brightness comes and the darkness disappears

The Buddha said,” Those who see the Dao are as holding a torch into a dark room, where the dark is vanished immediately, yet only the brightness exists. Learning Dao and seeing truth, no-light is vanished immediately, yet the light always exists.”  

We have to use our own eyes to see the moon, not others eyes.

When we learn Buddha at different stages, the understanding of the Dao will be different. We have ever mentioned the different stages of the Dao in Chapter 14: Ask about the goodness and grandest.

What the Dao is, which has to be experienced by self. Fortunately, Buddha Sakyamuni has talked and taught us a lot according to his experience, and which gives us a direction to learn. We also have mentioned the Dao in many articles in this blog. Regarding the more profoundly meaning about the Dao, it is not yet mentioned in this blog.

In fact, the Buddhist scripture of 42 chapters said by Buddha is talking about the Dao. Of course, all of the Buddhist scripture is talking about the Dao. The Buddha Sakyamuni said that what he has talked and taught is as like outstretching the arm, and pointing at moon with finger. What it means? If we want to see the moon, the brightness, we have to use our own eyes, not the eyes of Buddha Sakyamuni. What he had done is to tell us where the moon is, why it is the moon, and what we can do to know the moon, when we can see the moon, and how bright it is.

Do you have ever thought why we want to learn or know about the Dao? Does it mean anything to us? If we don’t have any question about it, we would not be interested in that. Only when we have the basic concept about its meaning to us, it would be possible for us to open our mind and to learn Dao further.

The greatest Dao is the speechless. (The grandest Dao is no speech.)

In Buddhism and Daoism, the basic meaning of Dao is the same. Why? The basic meaning of Dao, that is the truth of Dao, is actually practiced and realized by the wise people themselves at the different places and the different time. The truth of Dao is practiced and realized through our experience, but not created by whom.

However, most people do not have such intelligence to realize the truth of Dao, because most of them are repressed by the suffering in life, such as hard working to raise children or to earn money. In ancient time, that is why those who want to seek the truth of Dao would leave their family, which is to give up their worldly life and the burden in life, so as to learn Dao.

Moreover, some of the masters in Buddhism ask their disciples not to read the news and not to contact the outer world, so as to focus their mind to learn Dao. But, in the modern time, I do not suggest you to do that, because the information exchange on the internet is easier to know and obtain, and the AI could replace of many labors, which is also helpful to us to learn Dao.

In fact, Dao is existed everywhere. And it is impossible to gain the Dao by self-excluded from the worldly life or from the outer world. Furthermore, the greatest Dao could not be express by words. That is the greatest Dao is the speechless. It is only when we actually practice, experience and realize the Dao, and the Dao could be seen in the current moment. 

  

The wise human beings in heaven also teach us the truth of Dao.

Except for the practice to learn Dao by self, it would be possible that the truth of Dao is taught and transmitted by the wise human beings in heaven. In other word, the wise human beings in heaven might be the teacher or professor. According to the historical records, there are a lot of different name to call them.

Whatever which name is called, that the wise human beings in heaven have the ability to teach and communicate with the wise persons who practice the Dao on earth is true. Such historical records could be found or read in Chinese Buddhist scripture or in the Chinese documents of Daoism, or any historical documents in Chinese. Such teaching is very positive and helpful to human life.

There is the evil spirits in heaven and is able to control human beings on earth.

In fact, no matter whether people learn Dao or not, the human beings in heaven are able to teach and communicate with them. However, the content what is taught might be different. And some of them might be not good for the human beings on earth.

According to the Chinese Buddhist scripture, the demon in heaven is able to spoil the Buddhism purposely. But, it maybe not be called demon. It is possible to be another name to be called. Such as the spy, we may not know who the spy is, what its real name is, and how it manipulates us. However, it may be around us, or to be our friend, or partner, or colleague.

Demon is also one of the human beings in heaven. In other words, there are the evil spirits in heaven, who could manipulate the human beings on earth and teach them to do the evil things so as to spoil the harmony in the society or in the country of human beings on earth.

According to our experience, thinking, reasoning and judgment, could it be possible to be true? If it is true, what we should do and what we have the choice? And how we could get rid of the control from the demon in heaven?

How could we get rid of the control from the evil spirit in heaven?

In this part, Buddha Sakyamuni also teaches us a lot. In a brief, that is to learn Dao of Buddhism and keep the positive and right thinking as taught by Buddha Sakyamuni. Why? Do you think, could it be possible for evil spirit to control or manipulate emptiness or nothingness?

For example, if we have and persist in love and desire in our mind, it would be possible for us to be manipulated by anyone who makes use of the love and desire in our mind. If there is no love and desire in our mind, that is nothingness in mind, how could it be possible for demon to manipulate us by making use of the love and desire? That is also one of the reasons that Buddha Sakyamuni wants us to know that we could see Dao, if we could abandon the love and desire.

Understanding this and to abandon the love and desire, our heart of empathy and of equality for all sentient beings would be generated gradually. That is the true love for all sentient beings. The prospect of our life is thus actually lighted. That is true brightness in our life and future.

When people are willing to take time to realize and practice the truth of life or of the universe, that is to learn and practice the Dao, it would be possible for everyone to see the Dao someday. Therefore, the truth of Dao is not the patent which should be belonged to whom, but it could be gained by everyone. 

What is the difference between doing goodness and learning Dao?

Secondly, even the human beings in heaven, most of them do not know what the truth of Dao. In Buddhist scripture, Buddha Sakyamuni also teaches Buddhism for the human beings in heaven; that is to teach them to learn Dao. Why? A lot of human beings in heaven are reincarnated from the human beings on earth; that is because they have done a lot of goodness, but have not yet to learn Dao, let alone to know what the truth of Dao.

It is easier for us to do goodness, because it might let us have a good feeling for the value of our existence and might make us happy or to have the obviously feedback from any person who is helped by us. Moreover, we always have the concept that we could go into heaven to enjoy the bliss, if we could do goodness in current life.

Learning the Dao and practicing the Dao seems not to be the same thing, but, it is truly the same thing finally. If you have ever read the Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding, or you have ever read a lot of articles in this blog, you might have the basic concept about the truth of Dao.

Do you have ever thought what the difference between learning Dao and doing goodness would be? Many people think that doing goodness is learning Dao. I cannot say it is wrong, because doing goodness is the basic to learn Dao. But, the meaning of Dao is broader. 

Practicing the Dao is able to see the Dao, which makes our life brightness.

Furthermore, do you have ever thought what the true helpful to our real life, if we learn Dao or see the Dao? If it could not help our life in reality, why we learn Dao? If you have ever read a lot of articles in this blog, you might have the basic concept about why we learn Dao.

Many people think that it is useless to learn Dao, because they do not know how it could be helpful to their real life, such as to have a job to earn money or to have meals in life. This is a very real problem. Actually, it is the suffering in life. Buddha Sakyamuni had answered a lot to resolve such problem, and had blessing a lot for those people who are willing to learn Dao.

To learn and practice the Dao is to learn and practice the wisdom, especially to inspire the natural wisdom in our self. We have mentioned such concept in Chapter 15: Ask about the force and brightness. And there is the answer for this problem.

There is the shallow or the deep meaning for the Dao. No matter it is, once we have seen the Dao, it would light our life, even if it is only a slight light, which could become the great light someday and make our whole life in the present and future life be in the brightness.

Supplementary note: Dao is transliterated from Chinese, meaning way and method, deeper meaning as a system of learning or religion.

p.s. 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.

To tolerate the Se and desire is difficult.

(Chapter 12 ﹝6﹞ ) A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha (updated 2019/11/24)

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 

To tolerate the Se and desire is difficult. This is the sixth difficulty said by Buddha Shakyamuni in the Chapter 12 (6). This is the updated translation and writing.

“Se” is transliterated from Chinese. There are many different meanings for the character “Se” in Chinese. When I want to translate it into English, I have tried many words. Last time, I use the word ”erotic”. However, I always think, it could not completely representative the Chinese word ”Se”.

This time, I decide to get rid of what views from others, and to translate and express it by my own views and knowledge. So, I decide to use the original word “Se” instead of “erotic”. What is the connect about these two words ”Se” and “erotic”?

What is the meaning of “Se”?

The original meaning of“Se” in Chinese is the impression that light emitted and reflected by an object produces through vision. On this basis, it is extended to be many different meanings. All of any object, any material or any substance, which could be seen by our eyes or could be touched by our hand or body, is included in the word “Se”.

Let’s explore the original meaning of “Se”. We could find that if we want to form the word ”Se”, it has to be combined by light, emitting, reflection, object and our eyes. In other words, the light, emitting, reflection, object and our eyes are conditions to form the word “Se”. If there is lack of any one of the said conditions, it is impossible to form the word “Se”.

Extending the meaning of “Se” and translating it into English, it would be the meanings of color, tint, hue, look, appearance, countenance, expression, scene, description, kind or quality. In the Chinese meaning, it would include the meanings of erotic, lust or sexual desire. And mostly, when the Buddhist monks teach Buddhism, they prefer to use the meanings of erotic, material or substance to express the meaning of “Se”.

Why tolerating the Se and desire is difficult?

Why tolerating the Se and desire is difficult? That is because our mind and eyes are always following the changes of colors, hue, look, appearance, countenance, expression, scene and description. If we thus see what we like or what would content our mind, our desire for them is therefore generated. That is, our heart is always turning with the changes of external realms. In Buddhism, that is called un-stability of heart.

For Buddhist monk or nun, to cut off or to abandon the love and desire is the basic discipline. That the eyes and mind stop following the changes of external realms is to train the mind and heart to be stable. However, it is very difficult to do that, let alone to tolerate the changes of external realms.    

Most people prefer to follow the erotic. To stop following the erotic is one of the most difficulties. And mostly, the erotic is concerned about the money or fortune. For some people, it is even connecting the poison. Such thing becomes the temptation and is possible to draw in people to make crime. Such people indulge in the enjoyment in the current moment. That is why it is difficult for people to tolerate the erotic and desire. Unfortunately, they do not think about any consequence. That is, the suffering or pain is coming after the enjoyment.  

For the male, they prefer to follow the beautiful and glamorous woman. For the female, they prefer to follow the handsome and sturdy man. Their eyes see the woman or man, and the romantic love illusion and dream are generated in mind. The desire for the woman or man is generated at the same time. The mind and heart is thus no longer clear and pure, but turbidity. Then, they could not see the self of clear and pure, let alone to see the Dao.     

Regarding to tolerate the Se and desire, how could we put it into practice in life?

This is one of the examples. For the younger, they might indulge in or follow the video game. In fact, there is no good or bad in the external realm. But, what is the problem? Once we are stupid and stubborn to obsess in the external realm, our mind and heart is easier to be dull or be fooled by the changes of external realm.

In other word, once our mind and heart are no longer stable, clear and pure, it is difficult for us to think or understand anything independently. If our mind and heart are in the state of un-stability, our thinking are easier to be kidnapped and it is easier for us to make sin by any lure, threaten, or kidnapping.

To blindly repress our desire about the Se is not a good idea. Regarding to tolerate the Se and desire, how could we put it into practice in life? When we understand the principle of what said above and know that all of the things or external realms is combined with different reasons and conditions, we would try to dismantle the reasons and conditions one by one, and then we could see the truth, and think and reason anything independently. Under the circumstance, it would not be difficult for us to tolerate the Se and desire.