Chapter 14: Ask about the goodness and grandest

(Chapter 14 ) 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 14: Ask about the goodness and grandest  

 

A Sramana asked the Buddha: ” What is the goodness? What is the grandest?” The Buddha replied,” Putting the Dao into the practice and obeying the truth is the goodness. Combining the aspiration and Dao is the grandest.”

The meaning of the goodness and the grandest in different belief might have the different explanation. Whether it is reasonable or acceptable or not, it is dependent on our own mind. No matter what it is, be sure that we would not be kidnapped by any concept, even the concept of Buddha.  

In the concept of Buddha, he said that putting the Dao into the practice and obeying the truth is the goodness. And combing the aspiration and Dao is the grandest.

Then, we might have the further questions. What is the Dao and what is the truth? This is the question in the question. Does it confuse you?

As we have explained about what is the meaning of the Dao before, “Dao” is “Tao” which is transliterated from Chinese character and its original meaning is path, road or way. Then, its meaning is broadened to be any education system or theory, or any teaching of any beliefs.  

In Buddhism, we could classify the Dao as three meanings or explanations which are from narrow to wide.

The first meaning or explanation for the Dao

The first meaning or explanation for the Dao is defined by Buddha Sakyamuni in Chapter 2, which is as follows:

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.”

The more explanation which you can refer to Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding.

The Dao in Chapter 2 is original for the Buddhist monk or nun and its function of the Dao is for self-practicing, self-improving and self-acting. Even though we are not Buddhist monk or nun, it doesn’t mean that we cannot accept such Dao taught by Buddha. 

If we could put such Dao into the practice and obey or maintain the truth, it is the goodness. And if we combine our aspiration and such Dao, it is the grandest.

What is the truth? You can refer to Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11). In different level and in the different stand, there are different explanations for the truth. Therefore, be sure not to be hindered by any explanation or concept of truth, even the concept of emptiness.

Such Dao is not easy to be understood, let alone to be self-practicing. So the Buddha had ever said that the sentient beings on the earth are not easy to be taught, because they have the more evil karma and the less bliss. In other word, the most of the sentient beings on the earth are lack of compassion, empathy and wisdom. In the history, there are a lot of wars and oppression occurred by the human beings. That is also why the most of human beings are in the terrible life and in the suffering.

Only when people could completely understand and practice the Dao in Chapter 2 as defined, they therefore could understand and practice the following meaning of Dao.

What is the aspiration? In Buddhism, the aspiration is to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha.

The second meaning or explanation for the Dao - the Dao of Bodhisattva

The second meaning or explanation for the Dao is the Dao of Bodhisattva, which is also meant to the path of Bodhisattva.

What is the meaning of Bodhisattva?

When someone follows the path of Buddha, however, it has not yet completely enlightened, and still has some obstacles in heart about nuisance and what as known. Even though this, it can use its strength of kindness and empathy to save  sentient beings to liberate from suffering. We call such person “Bodhisattva” for honor it. In Chinese language, we call it “Pusa” or “Busa”, which is transliterated from Chinese word and its original language is also from Sanskrit.

So, what is the Dao of Bodhisattva? It means that a person who really puts the Dao as said in Chapter 2 into the practice. And on the basis of such Dao as said in Chapter 2, it has compassionate vows and sublime aspiration so as to help and save people or sentient beings to liberate from suffering. Even though the person has almost completely removed its personal bad habit, such as greedy, hatred, resentment, stupid-obsession, and doubt, however, some of the remaining bad habits are still there, have not yet completely gone, and which thus could cause minor troubles and obstacles for him or her. 

Going on the path of Bodhisattva is not only meant to the Buddhist monk or nun, but also meant to the person who learns Buddha and not leave the family. Some translators use the word” layperson” to call the non-monk and non-nun who learn Buddha, but, I do not use this word. I prefer to use the word” residence-scholar, house-scholar or living-scholar”, which indicates that those persons learn Buddha well in family. They are not leaving the family to learn Buddha. Meanwhile, comparing to Buddhist monk or nun, they own more difficulty to learn Buddha. In Buddhist Scripture, the Bodhisattva of house-scholar (residence-scholar, living-scholar) is also called virtuous scholar. That is mentioned from The Sutra of Upasaka’s Precepts.

In a word, Bodhisattva has not only been liberating and enlightening in its own heart , but also has the compassionate strength to enlighten human beings and save sentient beings to liberate from suffering.

Therefore, if we could put such Dao into the practice and obey or maintain the truth, it is also the goodness. And if we combine our aspiration and such Dao, it is also the grandest.

In Buddhist scripture, the Buddha Sakyamuni had mentioned a lot of Bodhisattva. Each Bodhisattva has its own name and they are recognized as some kind of god or spirit, because they have the wonderful and spiritual power. Secondly, Bodhisattva is not the patent on the earth. There are thousand and thousand worlds in the universe and in the different dimensional spaces. Except for the earth, there is also a lot of Bodhisattva in such worlds which we don’t know. In other word, there is Bodhisattva in the alien.

Bodhisattva would use diverse methods or concept or speech to help or save human beings. In the concept of Buddhism, as long as the person who practices and talks about the concept of the Dao as mentioned above, it is recognized as Bodhisattva, whatever its belief or its name is called.     

The third meaning or explanation for the Dao - the Dao of Buddha

The third meaning or explanation for the Dao is the Dao of Buddha, which is also meant to the path of Buddha.

What is the meaning of Buddha?

When someone has totally enlightened, liberated from the suffering through the highly wisdom, and known all truth, meanwhile, has no longer fear and obstacle in heart, and can also use its great power of kindness and empathy to save all sentient beings, and thus let them liberate from the suffering in life and death, we call such person “Buddha” for honor it. In Chinese language, we call it “Fo” or “Fu”, which is transliterated from Chinese word and its original language is also from Sanskrit.

Therefore, if one person completely attain the Buddhahood and become a Buddha, he or her will be in the Dao of Buddha, the path of Buddha. That also means that he or her has completely get rid of the Six-Paths Reincarnation.  

If we become Buddha and we have really been acting in such Dao and obey or maintain the truth, it is the goodness. And we combine our aspiration and such Dao, it is the grandest.

To become Buddha and act in the path of Buddha is the goal which we want to achieve, if our aspiration is to learn Buddha.

In the Buddha’s teaching, there are the shallow meaning and the deep meaning, and the narrow meaning and the wide meaning. Therefore, don’t be hindered by any one of the meanings taught by Buddha. Whatever it is, as long as it can let us accept it and put it into the practice in our daily life, it is the goodness and grandest for us.

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.