Author: Tao Qing Hsu
The
True Meaning of the Word Truly, Correct and Right in Buddhism
One of the Ten Titles about Buddha in
Sanskrit is Samyaksaṃbuddho, which is translated by me as
Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing, Truly-Equality-Enlightenment,
Truly-Equality-and-Truly-Enlightenment. The word Truly is able to be replaced
by the word Right. It means that when the sentient beings really realize the
essence of the self-nature – the emptiness and silence, and the clearly clean
and equality under this status. Only this, they are truly enlightened and truly
realize the self-nature—the absolutely emptiness and without Binary Opposition.
It is the true wisdom and the true knowing. Under the circumstance, only it is
able to be understood as correct and right. That is because it is impossible to
have the space to explain it with any distorted reasons. That is, it is the
undistorted and un-doubt truth, and it can’t be debated, so it is correct and
right. It is the importantly core notion in Buddhism.
How
to Verify the True Wisdom and the True Knowing in Buddhism
However, regarding the truth as mentioned,
you might have one question how to know and verify it. According to my personal
experiences, there are three ways that we could know and verify it. Firstly, we
actually hear, think and practice it what the ways taught by the Buddha.
Secondly, we observe those public and honesty Buddhist Masters from the ancient
time to the modern time what the thought, deed, teaching and preaching they
have done. Thirdly, we deeply read the Buddhist scripture with the single
minded so as to actually realize the meaning taught by the Buddha as a
reference, basis and further proving. If you finally find any common things and
any common truths from these three points, and you are also inspired by it, it
is worth for you to verify them furthermore. That is to rely on the true
meaning, true laws and true wisdom which are taught by the Buddha and are
realized and practice and proved by you, but not to rely on any persons and any
expressions.
When
we truly understand the truth taught by the Buddha, it is not easy for us to be
misguided, used and manipulated by any evil and scheming people.
It is very important to understand this.
That is because there is always someone to explain the Buddhism with the view
and phenomenon of Binary Opposition, distorted and wrong concepts. That is,
someone do it by this way because of the self-interest. When we truly
understand the truth taught by the Buddha, it is not easy for us to be
misguided, used and manipulated by any evil and scheming people. Even though,
the wisdom of the truth as said is originally existed in everyone’s heart.
However, there are always the toxic people with the greedy, hatred and ignorantly
obsessed mind, who have not yet been enlightened in their clean self-nature,
and always control the world, and blindly use, manipulate and hurt the humans
with the heart of darkness. When we realize these things, it is not for us to
against these people, but we think how we can enlighten them so as to make them
be good persons and return their missions to the right way and follow the
teaching by the Buddha.
Why It
Is Equality in the Self-Nature.
Why it is equality in the self-nature. In
the emptiness and silence, there is no cause, condition and effect. That is, there
is no phenomenon and there is nothing which is able to be competed and
compared. Therefore, there is no grade. Under this circumstance, it is the
truly equality. Such truly equality is existed in everyone’s self-nature.
However, the unenlightened sentient beings couldn’t see it. Only the
enlightened beings can see it.
Does
It Make Any Sense for Us To Know the Equality in the Self-Nature?
Then, we might have the further question.
Does it make any sense for us to know it? We thus understand that a lot of
inequality and any seemed equality and any thus harm are the outcome through
the manipulation of humans. That is, there is existed the cause, condition and
effect. And the basic and major cause is any personally greedy desire or any
individually loving desire. These humans may be yourself, your family members,
your relatives, your boss, or your officials in your country. It is also possible
to be the strangers or famous persons who have the authority to affect any
things of the world, and these kinds of persons exist in the ancient and the
modern time, and also exist in the domestic and foreign countries.
How
we can use our wisdom and knowledge to destroy our worries and affliction. This
is the meaning and why we learn the Buddhism.
Therefore,
it could be possible for us to further thinking that how we can get rid of any
controlling things. Actually, that is how we can use our wisdom and knowledge
to destroy our worries and affliction. This is the meaning and why we learn the
Buddhism. When we profoundly realize the Buddhism and we intend to resolve any
problems or troubles, what the things we depend on is our individually
professional knowledge of the world, common sense and our wisdom, but not
depending on any outside gods. The wisdom includes our mercy and empathy for
all sentient beings, and includes the creativity and flexibility in our mind,
etc.
Why the Buddha neither deny nor reject any outside
gods, ghosts or demons, but accept all of them to be the guardian gods in the
Buddhism.
It is as
if when we had not yet grew up, we were vulnerable and helpless both in our
hearts and in our lives and we needed to depend on someone to raise and help us
(we needed gods or God to help us ). However, when we had grew up and were an
adult independently, we were capable to independently resolve any things by our
individual thinking, ability and decision. This is also some kind of the core
spirit and notion in the great boarding of Buddhism (Mahayana).
Therefore,
we understand that why the Buddha neither deny nor reject any outside gods,
ghosts or demons, but accept all of them to be the guardian gods in the Buddhism.
When we learn the Buddha with our honesty heart, these beings of gods would
become our guardian angles to protect us not to be hurt by others so as to make
us learn the Buddha in the good ways. That is also the true compassionate and
wisdom of the Buddha.
One of The Dao-proving Song by Zen-Master Yongjia
The word
Enlightenment is able to be replaced by the word Awakening. Many Chinese
Buddhist Masters in Taiwan often take use of the Dao-proving Song said by the
enlightened Zen-master Yongjia of the ancient Chinese so as to enlighten the
modern humans. One of the famous verses is translated by me as follows:
There
are clearly six towards-going in the dream,
But
after waking up,
Only the
emptied emptiness
Without
the great-thousand (worlds).
When I
was young woman and learning the Buddha, I felt confusion about this verse and
really didn’t understand what it meant. In many articles of this blog, I
explain the relative concept a lot in the contents. One day, if you are really
realize the truth of the self-heart and the self-nature, this verse is also
able to simply confirm yourself whether you are enlightened and see your nature
or not.
The
word Law can be broadly explained and known in the realm of Buddhism.
The meaning of the Sanskrit Samyaksaṃbuddho
is capable to truly, rightly, widely and universally understand and know all
laws. The word Law can be broadly explained and known in the realm of Buddhism.
That is, it includes any generated and eliminated phenomenon caused and
conditioned by everyone’s root, conscious and aggregate. And all phenomena
include the visible and invisible. Meanwhile, it also includes the changeable
phenomena of the world and its things. That is, all laws are formed and arisen
by the cause, condition, and effect. Therefore, no matter what the phenomena of
laws are, it is always generated and eliminated in a moment and thus this
situation and its cause and condition are always changeable continually. It is
thus the impermanent (not permanent). For example, one of our thought is one of
them. Our cell is one of them, too. That is why we can take care of them and
take use of them well toward the good direction for the public benefit, but not
to rely on or obsess with them for the self-interest so as not to limit the
self in the difficulty finally. Many things in our life and in our world can be
reasoned and understood accordingly.
How
we can practice, prove and attain the truly-equality-enlightenment and the
truly-all-over-the knowing.
Moreover, we might have one question how we
can practice, prove and attain the truly-equality-enlightenment and the
truly-all-over-the knowing. There are a lot of Buddhist scriptures which are
regard to the truly-equality-enlightenment said by the Buddha. It is difficult for
us to read those scriptures completely in our whole life. Therefore, the Master
Xuanzang shortened the whole contents to the Heart Sutra. I have ever
translated the Heart Sutra from Chinese into English. Meanwhile, I have
explained and talked about it. To deeply meditate about this Buddhist scripture
again and again, it would help us be enlightened to perfectly realize the
truly-equality-enlightenment. If you have not yet read this Buddhist scripture
and you are interested in it, the link is as follows:
l Let
heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11)
l The
Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart(Heart Sutra)
Both
of the Truly-Equality-Enlightenment and the Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing are
synchronized and the same one.
Both of the Truly-Equality-Enlightenment
and the Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing are synchronized and the same one. But, how
we can understand, practice, prove, and attain the truly-all-over-the-knowing. In
the Buddhist Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by the Buddha, the Buddha had
talked about how he had attained the truly-all-over-the-knowing and the
truly-equality-enlightenment. The contents translated by me from Chinese into
English and the link are as follows:
l The
Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by Buddha
The
Content of The Buddhist scripture -- Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment.
Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment.
The Buddha said. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom. There was nothing all over
the places that could not be understood and known. Take the four thought places,
four right breakings, four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven
factors of enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four
reason laws, etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make
them arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition, one-come-and-go
fruition, never-come-again fruition and the no-birthing fruition. Possess the
three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore, in
the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so as to
experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and attain
the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.
The
Tathagata possessed all wisdom and were the truly-all-over-the-wisdom.
If you have read the articles about the ten
titles of Buddha, you know that the Tathagata is the Buddha and it is also the
true-equality-enlightenment and truly-all-over-the-knowing. The word Knowing
can be replaced by the word Wisdom. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom and were
the truly-all-over-the-wisdom. That is, the Tathagata know all wisdom. The
knowing here is meant to knowing the all wisdom or the knowing itself is the
wisdom. Actually, the Buddha possessed all wisdom, but each one of them might
not know all knowledge, such as the principles of modern highest technology,
the various languages, any kinds of theories, or the modern law, the financial
and economic knowledge, etc. The knowledge is able to be used in the good way
so as to help all sentient being and the world. However, it is also able to be
used in the bad way so as to harm all sentient being and the world. That is,
the general, professional and any worldly knowledge uncertainly are equal to
wisdom or include the wisdom.
The
Buddha deeply realized the original self-nature of all sentient beings, and
their initial cause, condition, and effect.
Even though, each of the Buddha didn't
necessarily know the whole knowledge, but each of them had its own professional
knowledge and knew how to take use of it in the good way so as to help the
sentient beings and the world. This is its wisdom. Meanwhile, it can take use
of its wisdom to help those people take use of their own knowledge in the good
way so as to help all sentient beings and the world. I don’t use the word
Omniscience or Omnipotent or All-knowing or All-ability to definite or describe
the Buddha. If we deeply read the Buddhist scripture and understand the
Buddhism, and we profoundly practice the teaching of the Buddha, we will know
that the Buddha deeply realized the original self-nature of all sentient
beings, and their initial cause, condition, and effect. Meanwhile, he perceived
the cause and the changeable conditions which might be able to lead to any
effect for everything in the world. From perceiving these cause, condition, and
effect, the wisdom be thus arisen to help the self and the sentient beings and
the world. That is why he possessed all wisdom. But, it doesn’t mean that he is
a being of omniscience or omnipotent.
The
essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom.
Actually, the essence of the Buddha was
no-knowing and no-wisdom. What? Why? How it could be? When we learn the Buddha,
this concept might be really shocked you. And then, we might question our self,
what and why we learned the Buddha on earth? When we are learning the Buddhism,
we always expect our self to be like the omniscience and the omnipotent of the
Buddha so that we can control everything in our life so as to get rid of all
worries and sufferings. If the purpose of learning the Buddha is to become the
humans of no-knowing and no-wisdom, why we learn the Buddha? That is the idea
which had ever been appeared in my mind. The state and wisdom of the Buddha is
really beyond our normally and logically trained thought and custom in our
daily life. If we are ignorant and lack of the basic knowledge and practicing
in learning Buddhism, it is really impossible for us to accept the Buddhism.
The
Buddhist scripture Heart Sutra is the basic knowledge and practicing and the
getting started in further deeply learning Buddhism.
Regarding the concept that the essence of
the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom, we are capable to understand it from
the Buddhist scripture Heart Sutra. It is the basic knowledge and practicing
and the getting started in further deeply learning Buddhism. But, it is not
enough. It is still necessary for us to learn more and practice more from the
teaching of Buddha and from reading the Buddhist scriptures. Such endeavor in
learning would help us really realize the essence of the Buddha and make us no
question any more. That is also to realize the essence of the self when we are
awakened. But, is it meaningful in our life?
The state of the Buddha was always in the
emptiness and stillness. Under this circumstance, do you think that its mind
filled with all knowledge and wisdom by recite, remember, and speculate, and
that he had the huge leisure time to know all the things and to deal with them?
When we use our common sense, the knowledge of Buddhism and the actual
experience of practicing the Buddhism, we will know that it is certainly
impossible.
The
heart of the Buddha is like a bright mirror. We call it heart-mirror.
As we have mentioned in another articles in
this blog, if you have ever read, you would know that the heart of the Buddha
is like a bright mirror. We call it heart-mirror. There is nothing in there. Of
course, there is also no-knowing and no-wisdom. What is the state of the heart
of the Buddha? It is described to be the heart-emptying, heart-mirror and
heart-sea. It is one thing for us to know this state, but it is another thing
for us to actually practice and achieve enlightenment.
The
Buddha is not a judge. But, its heart is like the sea which could contain all
things.
Due to really emptying the heart and
wherein without greedy, hatred, stupid infatuation, arrogant and suspicious
mind, it is able to realize the equality and compassionate for all sentient
beings, and thus endure any weird, distorted and evil thoughts and behaviors
that are seemed not to correspond to our normal, ethical and moral thinking and
behavior. In the heart-mirror of the Buddha, there is no judgment for any
seemed weird, distorted and evil thought and behavior. It will make all of
these things itself to flow in and flow out the bright mirror of the heart and
make those who have done these things to bear and accept the outcome or
retribution of the Karma. That is, the Buddha is not a judge. But, its heart is
like the sea which could contain all things, no matter the things seemed good
or evil in our subject opinions. For example, do you think that the sharks of
eating humans are demons or evil ones? The sharks itself don’t think so.
Why The
Buddha was a freely and easily beings and possessed the truly wisdom.
Many things can be inferred and observed
from this. What happened in the world might not be correctly understood by our
bias opinions. Sometimes, one of the seemed evil things would be against the
other of the seemed evil things. I use the word Seemed so as to be objective
and not to judge it to be good or evil. And then, all of these seemed evil
things and persons would be cumbered or destroyed each other by their cause,
condition and effect of themselves. Wherein exist their cause, condition, and
effect, and any changeable of such things. The Buddha knew it, saw it, let it
come, let it go and didn’t judge it. That is, the Buddha really used the
objective perspective to understand these things. That is why the Buddha was a
freely and easily beings and possessed the truly wisdom.
The
Buddha would not be manipulated by those people who think that they are
standing in the side of the just, moral and correct.
The Buddha would not be manipulated by
those people who think that they are standing in the side of the just, moral
and correct. That is because some of the people would mistakenly explain the
just, moral and correct with the fake good, weird and distorted logics and
views, as well as with the logic and view of the binary opposition, so as to
manipulate humans. If we really practice and realize the Buddhism, we would not
be manipulated by these people and these things.
Why
the Buddha appeared in the world to teach, save and reform those beings.
But, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exit
the correct judgment about ethic and morality in Buddha’s heart. In generally,
as we know, some of the worldly knowledge even are the evil theory which
violate the conscience and good nature of humans, meanwhile, distort the
self-nature of humans and thus to imprison and close the self-mind of humans.
It entirely makes the self to be ignorant and stubbornly attaching what they
love. These people not only believe and behavior it but also manipulate others
to do so in order to make others be the followers and slaves and be stupid
forever. The initial causes for these people and things are the various kinds
of poisoned mind—greedy, hatred, stupid addicting or obsessing, brute, selfish,
arrogant, suspicious or specious mind and so on. It is because there always are
such ignorant people and things which not only harm and torture themselves and
others but also make themselves and others suffer and worry, that is why the
Buddha appeared in the world to teach, save and reform those beings.
The
knowing and the wisdom of the Buddha were happened from the profoundly and
honestly emptying heart and then the truly, sincerity and integrity thinking,
reasoning and judging.
The various kinds of poisoned mind or of
good mind are existed in the past, present and future humans. And thus cause
various kinds of events and the changeable phenomena in the past, present and
future. No matter the various kinds of humans, events and the changeable
phenomena, it is some kind of the reincarnation rolled again and again. In
other words, all things and thus following the changeable events are the
interaction and inter-affection of the cause, condition, and effect, which
exist continuously and everywhere. And from the changeable of cause, condition,
and effect, it is possible to conclude or speculate the next, future, or
possible consequence. Meanwhile, it is also possible to conclude or speculate
the previous, past or possible cause from the current consequence. The Buddha
sited with cross-legged and was into the meditation. In this state, the cause,
condition, effect and any changeable of the relative things, which were cared
by the Buddha, would naturally appear in the bright heart-mirror or the
peaceful heart-sea of the Buddha. The Buddha knew it, saw it, felt it and even
heard it. At the same time, there is no judgment. Then, the corresponded wisdom
was arisen naturally. Therefore, we understand that the knowing and the wisdom
of the Buddha were not happened by the memory, remembering or any conscious of
brain, but from the profoundly and honestly emptying heart and then the truly,
sincerity and integrity thinking, reasoning and judging.
The state
and function of the Buddha is totally different from the function of AI robot.
Now, we understand a little why and how the
Buddha was the truly-all-over-the-knowing. Such mentioned state and function of
the Buddha is totally different from the function of AI robot, and is
impossible to be learned by AI robot, and the AI robot is not capable to learn
it.
And then, we understand that all the
knowing and all the wisdom were arisen from the no-knowing and no-wisdom of the
Buddha. In the Buddhist scripture as mentioned, the Tathagata possessed all
wisdom. There was nothing all over the places that could not be understood and
known by the Buddha. Now we understand that what the all over the places and
what the all over the knowing and what the all wisdom are all in the bright
heart-mirror and peaceful heart-sea of the Buddha. However, do you know why and
how the Buddha owned such ability?
Why and
how the Buddha owned the ability of truly all over the knowing?
In the content of The Buddhist scripture --
Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment. There are the following
mentioned:
Take the four thought places, four right breakings,
four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven factors of
enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four reason laws,
etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make them
arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition…. Possess
the three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore,
in the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so
as to experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and
attain the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.
All of these contents are talked about the
methods and ways that the Buddha how to own the ability of truly all over the
knowing. All of these methods and ways had been honestly practiced by the
Buddha for his present and past countless lives, worlds and experiences, when
he had not yet become the Buddha. That is why he was able to use these methods
to teach and enlighten all sentient beings. That is also what we have to learn.
If we really learn the Buddha and when we have read and understood these
methods and ways, it will be naturally kept in our mind and make us practice
it. The Buddha's immeasurable mind and intention is to teach us how to be truly
equality and enlightenment and all over the knowing like him. Since it takes a
lot of time and content to explain all of these methods, I will explain these
methods in another article. I hope that these introductions and explanations about
the other title of Buddha—the truly all over the knowing, would make you know
the Buddha and yourself more.
