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.