Showing posts with label blessing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blessing. Show all posts

July 29, 2021

Chapter 39: There is no difference in the teaching of Buddha. (Updated on October 5, 2022)

(Chapter 39) 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 39: There is no difference in the teaching of Buddha.            

The Buddha said,” Those who learn the path of Buddha should believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken. Such as eating the honey, both of the middle and the side are sweet; my scripture is as the same.


 

What is the path of Buddha?

 

The path of Buddha is also means the Dao of Buddhism, which means that we learn the teaching of Buddha and practice it in daily life, and it afterward becomes the way what we have lived naturally. That is, it becomes the views how we look at ourselves, ourselves life, others people, sentient beings, the world around us and the universe in time and in space. Meanwhile, it becomes the attitude how we treat the self, the sentient beings and our environment. In this way and in this path, we gradually get rid of the suffering in life from the learning in the path of Buddha. Finally, we will forever get rid of the reincarnation of suffering of life and death in our each world in the present and in the future. Regarding the literal, no matter the path of Buddha or the Dao of Buddhism, it is just only the different nouns which are what I have used to make humans not to cling to the terms. 

 

Text is just a symbol. Not to cling to the phenomena of the literal.

 

In Buddhist Scripture, the Buddha said that any changes of the literal are the phenomena, which are also the laws of the generated and the eliminated as what we have mentioned in the chapter 38. Meanwhile, they are also the laws which are generated dependent on the causes and conditions. Therefore, the literal is just a symbol and is also impermanent. Therefore, when we read any articles, accept any Buddha’s teaching or recite the Buddhist Scripture, what we need to do is to understand the meaning, and it is not necessary for us to care about any rhetoric.

 

As learners, we must know and must be careful that the phenomena of the literal and the interpretation for any text or literal are easy to be manipulated by some scheming persons for their worldly purpose. We must know that these people have their evil causes and conditions to make them do these things so as to achieve their evil purpose. Their evil causes and conditions come from their greedy heart which is the love and desire.

 

Our heart to hurt others must not be existed; our heart to prevent others from hurting us must not be no-existed. (There shouldn't be a heart to hurt others. There should be a heart to prevent others from hurting us.)

 

Meanwhile, as a learner, we must use our honest heart to learn the Buddhism. However, it doesn't mean that it is not necessary for us to know the insidious of humans. We learn the teaching of Buddha, perceive the no-brightness inside, keep us improving, and make us clean, pure and clear in mind so as to be a good person with empathy and mercy. There is a saying, ”The heart to hurt others must not be existed; The heart to prevent others from hurting us must not be no-existed. (There should be no heart to harm others. There should be the heart to prevent others from hurting us.)” It means that we must not have the heart to hurt others, and we must not be unguarded to prevent others from hurting us. When we deeply learn the Buddhism, we not only can see through our heart, we but also can insight others heart. In this state, we are near the state of heaven-eye in Buddhism. We will naturally know that any evil intention which wants to hurt us. Whatever how the scheming persons to hide their evil intention, we will know it naturally.

 

Why I have reminded you about this point? When a learner who is deeply practicing Buddhism has learned to a certain level, this person’s heart is very simple and kind. Meanwhile, this person’s wisdom is gradually increased and this person’s mind becomes generosity. This person has the blessed because of the virtue. However, it doesn’t mean that this person has the low intelligence. Unfortunately, there are always some malicious people with scheming who intent to hurt this person. Therefore, I hope you know how to protect yourself if you are a learner in the path of Buddha.

 

The Buddha said,” Those who learn the path of Buddha should believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken.

 

According to the different degree of the wisdom of humans, what the Buddha has spoken is from the shallow meaning to the deep meaning, which can be classified as follows:

 

A. The concept of possessing (the concept of being/existence/owning/having; to have worries; to own wisdom; the existence; the laws of the action):

 

There are four Noble Truths, which are in order respectively as Suffering, Accumulating, Eliminating, Dao (the path of practicing). The causes and conditions of the four Noble Truths are the four kinds of suffering, which are the birth (the life), aging, sickness, the death. These four kinds of suffering are caused and conditioned by the Twelve Causality and Conditions. The Twelve Causality and Conditions have been mentioned and explained in Chapter 38. The Twelve Causality and Conditions are caused by the no-beginning no-brightness of a thought. The no-brightness includes five poisons in mind, which are respectively as greed, hatred, stupid infatuation, arrogance and suspicious (which also means the harmful emotions, states and feelings.). That is, the love and desire are the origin of all suffering.

 

There are the four kinds of perceiving of the impermanent according to the causes and the conditions as mentioned above, which have been mentioned in Chapter 38. There are the impermanent and the worries, which make humans suffering. Meanwhile, there are thoughts and each thought which makes humans suffering.

 

There are the methods of practicing to liberate the self from the suffering, which is to do something, such as to cut off or to stop the love and desire, to break the no-brightness, and to eliminate the cause and the condition. That is, there are the generating and the eliminating. There are the cutting off and the eliminating.

 

There are the blessings. When sentient beings cut off or stop the ten evil deeds as said in the Chapter 4, and to cultivate the good deeds, such as the Six Paramitas—which is respectively as to give, to keep the precepts, to endure the humiliation, to keep progress, to meditate, to have wisdom, they certainly have the blessings according to their good causes and conditions which are done by self.  

 

There are the causes and effects. To have good causes will result in the good repaying. To have evil causes will result in the evil retribution.  

 

There is the pure land of Buddha in the different direction of universe. There are the Buddha, I and sentient beings.

 

Generally, all of these concepts are the fundamental practicing in the Theravada Buddhism. To know the suffering in life and death and thus deciding to liberate the self from this suffering is the basic cause to be a Buddhist, such as a monk.

 

The above mentioned concepts are spoken and taught by Buddha and are recorded in Buddhist Scripture which have been translated from Sanskrit into Chinese. 

 

If the Buddhists just only have the concepts as said above, it is easy for them to cling to the practice of hardship (or to the ascetic practice) and to stubbornly insist that only this way can make sentient beings liberate the self from the suffering, and then can make sentient beings become Buddha. But, we have to know that there is nothing wrong for them, because some of the Buddhists belong to these causes and conditions, such as the Buddhists who have recently practiced or have practiced not for a long time. They are more willing to accept these concepts taught by Buddha. These concepts are more proper to them to practice.

 

Furthermore, some of the religious groups are belong to the Theravada Buddhism, especially in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, or Thailand. In the Buddhist scripture, there are also a lot of concepts which belong to the Theravada Buddhism. The learners will prove the emptiness by means of cutting-off and eliminating someday through practicing the Theravada Buddhism. In this stage and state, the learners only can enlighten the self and liberate the self from suffering. However, they cannot completely enlighten others.   

 

B. The concept of emptiness (the concept of nothingness/nonexistence/naught/nihility; The laws of without action; no-desire, no-demanding, no-thought, no-doing, no-gaining, no-losing)  

 

To realize the emptiness in the laws realm of inside and outside is the profound teaching of Buddha. Meanwhile, it is one of the major teachings in Mahayana Buddhism. If humans don’t have the concepts in Theravada Buddhism as mentioned above, it is difficult for them to enter the realm of emptiness. Meanwhile, the concept of emptiness is also easy to be mistakenly understood and misused by them because of the half-knowledge about the meaning of the emptiness in Buddhism.     

 

Therefore, if a learner wants to realize the emptiness in the laws realm of inside and outside, this person must have the fundamental concepts in Theravada Buddhism as we have mentioned above, and must have put the practice in daily life. Regarding the concept of emptiness, I have talked a lot in many chapters in the Sutra of 42 Chapters Said by Buddha. The chapter 2, chapter 12 (17), chapter 18 and chapter 20 in this blog can be referred.  


There are many Buddhist scriptures which have mentioned about the concept of emptiness said by Buddha. Regarding the concept of emptiness, the famous Buddhist scriptures which have been translated from Chinese into English are the Heart Sutra and Diamond Sutra. I have been retranslated the Heart Sutra which has been explained according to my knowledge and realization. It can be referred in this blog. Its link is Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11). This article will help you understand the concept of emptiness.  


The Buddha said that only those people, who have ever accepted the Buddha’s teaching, have ever offered meals or something to the Buddha, and thus have established the good root in their past life, will have the blessed in this life to read the Buddhist scriptures and to accept the Buddha’s teaching about the concept of emptiness as said.

 

Bodhisattva Dragon-tree said, “All laws which are generated by causes and conditioned are said by me as the emptiness, also as the fake name, and also as the meaning of middle way. “ All laws are the emptiness which is because all laws are generated dependent on the causes and conditions. If there is lacking of any cause or condition, how the laws can be generated? The laws here are referring to the broaden meaning such as the Buddha-law, not only the single meaning of legislation.

 

Now we know that how we can understand the emptiness is based on the realization about the causes and conditions. When we understand this logical, we will realize that the Buddhism is not blind faith, but is very reasonable and logical.

 

“The nature of conditioned generation is emptiness. The wondrous nature of Humans is original emptiness.“ These words are talked by the Zen-master in the ancient time of China, and are translated from Chinese into English. To deeply think of these meanings would help us to realize the meaning of emptiness in Buddhism.

 

When we deeply understand the concept of emptiness, we know that the nature of all worries and suffering is the emptiness. Since it is the emptiness, how could it be possible for us to cut off the emptiness--the worries and suffering caused and conditioned by love and desire? Therefore, when we have experienced the concept of emptiness, we don’t need to cut off or to eliminate our worries, but to turn the worries into the wisdom of Bodhi. That is to turn our five consciousness—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body--into five kinds of wisdoms. This is some kind of action of function-effectiveness and of pondering. This is the advanced training and practicing in learning Buddhism. This training must practice in daily life.  

 

To have the concept of emptiness and to practice it doesn’t mean that we don't care about what happened in the life and in the world. When we have the concept of emptiness and practice it profoundly, we will understand the causes and conditions of the changes of the phenomena. No matter what the position we are and what the work we do, it can help us to analysis and resolve the problem what we met.

 

Each Buddha must have ever experienced and proved this concept of emptiness, and must be able to turn any worries into wisdom of Bodhi. When a learner has profoundly experienced and proved this concept of emptiness, the little light of the self-nature of this person is lighted up, and this little light is immediately merged into the shining light of all Buddha. Therefore, when we have not yet been enlightened, all Buddha are others and seem to have no relation with us. However, when we have been enlightened, all Buddha are not other else, but are in our heart. We have already been the one with all Buddha. However, this person has not yet completely proved the perfection of all Buddha. This person still must keep progress to achieve the perfect Buddhahood.

 

When learners are in this level, they are in the position of Bodhisattva. There are ten stages and positions of Bodhisattva. The details are recorded in the Buddhist Scriptures with Chinese.    

       

C.          Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither "being" nor "nothing"; Non-Owning-and-Non-Nonexistence; Non-having-and-Non-nothingness; )

 

The concept of Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither "being" nor "nothing") is the more profound teaching of Buddha. It is to empty both of the emptiness and the possessing. It seems to deny both of the emptiness and the possessing. However, it also doesn’t deny the both existence of emptiness and possessing at the same time, if we carefully ponder this concept. Why? It is because the emptiness and the possessing are as the one. This concept is offered by Buddha to prevent the learner with bias to singly cling to the emptiness or to the possessing.

 

Some learners think that the Theravada Buddhism is the best teaching of Buddha. They think that the worries caused and conditioned by love, desire and no-brightness are existed. However, they do not understand that all existence or all possessing are fake and illusion. Therefore, they think if humans want to prove the state of Nirvana, the methods to cut off and eliminate any worries and no-brightness are necessary. That is they are partial to the phenomena of cutting-off and eliminating. (Note: No-brightness means the harmful mentality and emotions or any harmful and unjust thoughts as what we have said above.)

 

When they are obsessing with this concept of possessing the worries, no-brightness and the phenomena of cutting-off and eliminating, and if they hope to be enlightened to become Buddha at the same time, it will take a long time for them, and they have to experience their life and death for immeasurable eons of their reincarnation. That is they have to go a long way so that it would be possible for them to achieve the Buddhahood.

 

However, some learners think that the Mahayana Buddhism is the best teaching of Buddha. They think that all worries and all phenomena are generated by causes and conditions and the nature is emptiness. Since the nature of all worries and all phenomena are emptiness, it is not necessary to cut off and eliminate all worries and all phenomena. When they are obsessing with this state and only have the half-knowledge about this, it is easy for them to mistakenly dwell in the stubborn emptiness and thus to have the negative idea and attitude to the humans, the things, and the life.   

 

That is, some learners cling to the occurrence of existence and any method of cutting-off and eliminating. However, some learners cling to the appearance of nothingness and any method of no-doing and no-thinking. No matter which kind of cling, it is the cling or attachment. Since it is the cling or attachment, itself is worries and will cause troubles by itself for a long time. Since it is the worries, it is impossible for the learner to realize the real truth and to learn the real wisdom.        

 

That is why the concept of Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing) is offered by Buddha. This concept is for refrain any cling. Meanwhile, it is the middle way. We have ever explained this concept of middle way in chapter 27. Only when learners practice the middle way as taught and mentioned by Buddha, it is possible for them to complete the perfection of Buddhahood.

 

D.         The Secret Meaning of all Buddha

 

Except for the shallow meaning and deep meaning as mentioned above, there is the secret meaning of all Buddha. Unless we have profoundly practiced the deep meaning, it is hard for us to contact the secret meaning of all Buddha. The secret meaning of all Buddha is based on the meaning of emptiness and is beyond the range that ordinary humans can understand. However, if we keep learning the Buddhism, believing and obeying what the spoken and taught by Buddha, we will be inspired from the secret meaning of Buddha. As learners, we have to deeply realize and prove the emptiness so that it is possible for us to accept and understand the secret meaning of all Buddha. The secret meaning of all Buddha is also recorded in the Buddhist Scriptures with Chinese.

 

Mantra means magic power or charm. Buddhist mantra is pertained to the secret meaning of all Buddha. Buddhist mantra is the transliteration from Sanskrit. It seems to be the strange sign of text to us. However, it can connect the hearts of all Buddha through chanting the Buddhist mantra. This is confirmed and authorized by all Buddha. That is your heart can be linked to the hearts of all Buddha through the sound or the sound in mind when chanting the Buddhist mantra. It doesn’t be the focal point what languages you are speaking or whether you understand the meaning of Buddhist mantra or not. There is also a lot of Buddhist mantra in the Chines Buddhist scriptures. The different Buddhist mantra has the different function-effectiveness to us. Buddhist mantra is the true wisdom which is naturally flowing from the Buddha-nature of all Buddha. Regarding the Buddhist mantra, the following two Buddhist scriptures can be referred:

 

The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart(Heart Sutra)

 

The Merits of the Original Vows of the Tathagata- Pharmacist Glazelight

 

Furthermore, the Bodhisattva Dragon-tree said,” Non-Possessing and Non-Nihility, meanwhile, without Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility, these words are also not accepted, this is called the middle way.” This is the deeper meaning in Buddhism. This logical thinking would help us understand the secret meaning of all Buddha and help us advance the practicing. But, we have to know that these concepts must be established on the basis of the Theravada Buddhism, of the five precepts, of the ten good deeds, and of the causes and effects. Otherwise, it will be very dangerous and harmful for the learners and humans. If we don’t have grand wisdom, it is difficult for us to realize these concepts and it is also easy for us to have the half-knowledge and mistakenly understanding about these concepts.  

 

E.          Three Perceiving and Three Meaning in Buddhism

 

We integrate the concepts of the possessing, the emptiness, and the non-possessing-and-non-nihility (neither being nor nothing). We can extend their meaning to be as Three Perceiving and Three Meaning. That is as follows:

 

The perceiving of the fake and the meaning of the worldly in Buddhism

 

Conditioned the possessing, the perceiving for the fake is established in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the meaning of the worldly is formed. That is because all of the possessing and existence are the changes of phenomena which are temporary and impermanent. All related thoughts are immediately generated and immediately eliminated. All of these things are the phenomena of the generated and the eliminated, and of the appearance and the disappearance. That is why all of the possessing and existence are regarded as illusion and fake phenomena. As deeper learners, when we are observing and perceiving these things, we know that all of these changes of phenomena are fake, not true. Meanwhile, these things and these changes of phenomena are regarded as the meaning of the worldly. It is the worldly things and worldly worries. However, we can practice and realize the truth by means of the fake phenomena of the worldly.

 

The perceiving of the truth and the meaning of the truth in Buddhism

 

Conditioned the emptiness, the perceiving of the truth is established in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the meaning of the truth is formed. Since all laws are generated by causes and conditions, the nature of all laws, all existence, and all phenomena are emptiness. All laws are also the fake name. When the deeper learners deeply practice these concepts, it is regarded as the true perceiving. That the nature of the caused and conditioned generation is emptiness is the true meaning. When learners deeply practice the perceiving of the truth, they are able to be enlightened by self and to become the Buddha of Righteous Equality and Righteous Enlightenment. However, it is only in the stage of self-enlightened. It is unable to enlighten others. That is the learner in the position of Buddha is still lacking perfection.

 

The perceiving of the middle and the meaning of the middle way in Buddhism

 

Conditioned the Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing), the perceiving of the middle is established in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the meaning of the middle way is formed. When the deeper learners profoundly practice the concept of the Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing), they can use the convenient methods of the flexibility and creation to enlighten others. Since any thoughts, actions and phenomena have been existed in there, it is the non-nihility (non zero/non naught). Meanwhile, they understand that all of things and phenomena which are caused and conditioned by the convenient methods are the illusion and the fake, and understand that the nature of these changes and phenomena is non-possessing (non owning) because of the emptiness. This profound practice means the perceiving of the middle and the meaning of the middle way in Buddhism.

 

When learners deeply practice the middle way, their heart and action are in the pure and clean, they have completed both of the virtuous action of the self-enlightenment and enlightening others in perfection. These perfect actions (achievements) are incredible and are able to make them become the Buddha of Wondrous Enlightenment. However, it has not yet achieved the Buddhahood of complete perfect enlightenment. Why?

 

Using the heart of illusion to practice the phenomena of illusion to become the Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment

 

What is the difference between the Buddha of Wondrous Enlightenment and the Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment?

 

Firstly, it is different in the rank. The Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment is the ultimate Buddha, who has completely practiced the concepts as mentioned above in this chapter and in the Sutra of 42 chapters said by Buddha and all Buddhist scripture in its immeasurable worlds of the life and death in the past.

 

Secondly, it is different in the action of function-effectiveness. The Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment has not only completed to remove all the dirt of heart but also to eliminate all relative situation inside and outside, which is called the action of function-effectiveness. But now, the nature of Buddha’s Complete Perfect Enlightenment is pure and clean and is able to flow the wisdom of Bodhi naturally. That is the natural wisdom.

 

This natural wisdom is able to naturally appear in the body and mind to respectively respond to various kinds of situations. That is when the Buddha response to any situation, there doesn’t be any condition and deliberation. That is when the Buddha is enlightening others, what the Buddha has done is the action of Without-Function-Effectiveness (non function-effectiveness, which means there is no intentional act.). The Buddha’s heart is like a bright mirror. When there is the relative situation, the Buddha’s heart is naturally to reflect it and to response to the situation with the Buddha’s natural flowing wisdom. When the relative situation is gone, the Buddha’s heart is naturally rest. There is never mind in heart. This is also what we will mention in the following about the concepts that the body (the formless body), the phenomena (the appearance) and the effect (the use, application or function) are as the one.  

 

Thirdly, it is different in the practice in Buddhism. The Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment has profoundly and completely realized the concept of Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing) and of the middle way. The Buddha naturally uses its heart of illusion to practice the phenomena of illusion when the Buddha is responding any situation or enlightening others. The Buddha knows what the Buddha have done is like the dream. There is nothing which needs to cling.    

 

A Zen-master said, “There is no good or bad about the situation what you met. That the situation what you met is good or bad is depending on your heart. ” That is whether the situation what you met is good or bad is because of your differentiating heart. It is your heart to differentiate the situation what you met to be good or bad. The nature of any situation what you met doesn’t exist the good or bad.  

 

For the Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment, there is no differentiating heart. No matter what the relative situation is, it is the same for the Buddha. For the relative situation what the Buddha met, the Buddha won’t differentiate anything to be good or bad in the heart. With the natural flowing wisdom, the Buddha will let it be.

 

The body (the formless body), the phenomena (the appearance) and the effect (the use, application or function) are as the one. ( The "body" here refers to the formless body of the Buddha-nature.)

 

Except for the generalization and the analysis as said above, we can further generalize and analyze the whole teaching of Buddha as three parts, which are respectively as the body, the phenomena and the effect. Regarding these three parts, we also have talked and mentioned a lot in the Sutra of 42 Chapters said by Buddha in this blog. I further explain these concepts as follows:

 

The self-nature is the Buddha-nature which is the truth and the true being, and is in the body. This truth is to become the body (the formless body), within can naturally generate the infinite merits of wisdom and compassion. These infinite merits are as the phenomena, which are not fixed and are functioning by responding to outside conditions so as to be the effect. (Buddha sees infinite merit as an illusion, and is not attached to it.)

 

What the above and the following mentioned is according to my personal experience and practicing. Meanwhile, these are also the experience and practicing of all senior learners. These are the general course, progress, structure, or experience of learning and practicing in Buddhism. All of these talking, content or concepts can be found or read in the Buddhist Scriptures with Chinese. To learn Buddhism, to learn Buddha, is completely the training and practicing in heart. Meanwhile, it is to realize the truth in our body and in the universe. At the same time, it is using this truth well to benefit the self and others.

 

The Buddhism is not to ask us to worship the Buddha, but to let us know how the Buddha realizes the truth and becomes the Buddha. This is the focal point. The others are just only the details of methods of how to realize the truth and become the Buddha, such as to worship the Buddha. Don’t regard any partial details of methods or concepts as the whole Buddhism and therefore to generate the bias about the Buddhism. If we want to learn Buddhism, this is what we have to know.        

 

Faith, Vow and Action in Buddhism

 

No matter which level of wisdom or which rank of practicing in Buddhism you are, all of you can gain the benefit from the teaching of Buddha. Remember that one of the most things is to believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken--what the Buddha has taught. The Buddha said,” Faith is the mother of the origin of the way and of the merit, which can raise all good roots.“ All good roots mean the Six-Roots of the Six Senses in our body. The way means the Dao of Buddhism. The Buddha is the person who speaks the truth. To have confidence in Buddha will cultivate us to be the one with Buddha. What is the one? It is the body of Buddha-Law, the body of the result-reciprocate of Buddha, the body of illusion-incarnation, to be generated as the one. It is some kind of incredible. However, when you have proved it, you will realize it.

 

Except for the faith, we have to obey what the Buddha has spoken. It is very important for a learner. To obey what the Buddha has spoken is to tame our evil thought, our upside-down heart and our negative-closed mind which are as a wild horse running around and as a wild monkey jumping up and down who is needed to be tamed.

 

Beyond the hearing, thinking and practicing in Buddhism, faith, vow and action are also very important for a learner. Only when we obey what the Buddha has spoken and taught, we can accomplish our vow and action (practice) in Buddhism with the empathy and mercy.   

 

The Buddha said,” Those who learn the path of Buddha should believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken. Such as eating the honey, both of the middle and the side are sweet; my scripture is as the same.

 

When learners believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken, it is such as eating the honey. Whatever the middle of or the side of the honey, it is sweet. Those people, who eat the honey, will eat only the sweet, will absolutely not eat the bitter. To accept the teaching of Buddha from the Buddhist Scripture is the same. The Buddhist Scriptures are like the honey. No matter which Buddhist Scripture you have read, it is sweet for you and you can be inspired to raise your wisdom. Meanwhile, you can liberate yourself from the suffering step by step to live a life at ease and with freedom.  

 

Through the introduction as mentioned above, I hope you understand the Buddhism with the comprehensive inspect and perspective. Don’t regard the partial details of practicing as the whole Buddhism. If we are learners, we must have the reasonable and logical brain so that we can understand the deep meaning of Buddha’s teaching.


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.


May 25, 2021

Chapter 35: Once the filth is cleaned, the brightness is existed.

(Chapter 35) 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 35: Once the filth is cleaned, the brightness is existed.

The Buddha said,” As if a person forges iron to remove the dross, and then to be the utensil, the utensil is thus refined and good, the person who learns the Dao removes the filth in heart, his practicing is clean and pure accordingly.“ 

 

The Dao means the Dao in Buddhism. Learning the Dao in Buddhism is as if a person forges iron to remove the dross. Iron ore is burned by fire with high temperature and then the dross is emerged and removed. The left iron is more pure, and is continuously beaten by hammers with thousand times. A utensil of steel is hence completed.

 

Such utensil is refined and good and it is so perfect and can be used well, as if a person who learns the Dao makes himself to be a useful person, and to shoulder the inheritance of Dharma (Buddha-law), so as to make sentient beings liberate from their suffering, and hence to make them reach the blessed place which is established by themselves with their self-effort. Such blessed place is not elsewhere, but in their heart. In other word, at this moment, where they live, the place is the blessed place. That is because their pure heart is in there.

 

What is learning the Dao in Buddhism? In a word, to truly see the Buddha-nature by self and to be able to freely apply it is the process and goal for learning the Dao in Buddhism.

 

A person learning the Dao is as if the process of forging iron to become steel and to become the useful utensil. This person has to experience the strict life training so as to remove his evil thought, and to wear off his bad habit. The strict training in life is as if the iron ore is burned by raging fire in the stove with high temperature. It means that the training in life is very strict, hard and even suffering. Only experiencing such process, the pure mind and the determined belief can be made.  

 

Whatever the place is, where we live is as if a stove with fire to burn the iron ore and then to hammer it with thousand times, which can train our mind and character, when we learn the Dao. Through contacting people and any events, our evil thought and behavior would be gradually removed in the daily life. The strict training in life is not to isolate oneself in the crowd, and then to close oneself, but to place oneself in the crowd so as to train the self-mind to be open, integrity, honest, upright and pure, and to train the self-heart to be soft and compassionate, so as to train the self-will in learning the Dao to be firm.

 

The person who learns the Dao removes the filth in heart, his practicing is clean and pure accordingly.“

 

The filth is as if the dross as mentioned above, when it is removed, our heart becomes more pure and can tolerate any attacking from outside, such as humiliating, any negative thought or evil action. Such process is as if iron ore without dross can stand the beaten by hammers with thousand times.

 

What is the filth in heart? That is, to someone or to anything or to any events or to any circumstances or to any relationships, a person has the mind of the greed, hatred, resentment, stupid infatuation, arrogance, suspicion, jealousy, flattering, cunning, lie, brutality, despising, selfishness, or the insidious. In a word, it is the mind of the greed, hatred and the stupid infatuation. All of these are the negative states and emotions and able to drive the person to do anything to harm the self and others. That is why we define these states and emotions as the filth in heart. Our original heart is as if the white cloth, it is so white, bright and clean. There are no negative states and emotions in there. When it is stained by many black spots, we think that it is polluted to be black. This concept is that the heart with filth is the polluted heart.  

 

When we are embryos, our heart is very clean and bright, which is in the state of emptiness, and is no thinking. However, when we are born to the world and are infant, our mind are beginning to be stimulated and influenced continuously by the outside environment, which stimulate our various thinking and make us generate any different emotion. If we are lack of the correct guiding and self-perceiving, we are easy to generate any negative thought, emotion and behavior, even the evil or the distorted thinking and action to harm self and others. In such process of growing and living, we say that our heart is polluted and full of filth.

 

In such circumstance, when we treat people and deal with anything, we will no longer use our original sincere heart, but any polluted heart. When we use our polluted heart to treat people or deal with anything, we even do not know that we maybe harm others, or ruin anything, or break any good event, or even to harm the self in the end. Why? Our original heart without filth is as if the clean and bright mirror, which can make us view self clearly, and is also as if the clear eyes, which can make us see the truth distinctly. In such circumstance, we can keep our mind clear and make us calm down to do anything right. However, our heart with filth is as if the mirror with the thick dust, which cannot make us view self, and is also as if the blinded eyes, which cannot make us see any truth. In such circumstance, how can we assure that we cannot do anything wrong?

 

As if we want to remove the filth on the white T-shirt by washing it, we want to remove the filth in our heart, when we learn the Dao. When we remove the filth in heart, our thought become clear, our mind become pure, and our behavior become correct, our practicing in the Dao is clean and pure accordingly.

 

What is the benefit for us? We then understand that each one’s original heart is the same, which is clean, clear, pure and bright. Whatever the self or others, the heart is gradually affected and polluted by the environment. Therefore, the heart becomes dirty and dark. No matter our heart is bright or dark, it is the same heart. What the difference is whether our heart is polluted or not. When we understand the nature of the heart, we thus can tolerate any another heart which is outside of us and is without any wisdom and bright. At the same time, when we remove the filth in our heart by self and we can further guide another polluted hearts outside of us to be clean and pure. This is one of the processes to learn the Dao in Buddhism.   

 

There is a saying, “It does not need to go far away in order to pursue the mountain of spirit, because it is in your heart.” Mr. Dharma said, ”I originally pursue the heart, not the Buddha, because I completely know that there is nothing in the emptiness of the three realms. If you want to pursue the Buddha, but you only need to pursue the heart, because the heart itself is the Buddha.”

 

The mountain of spirit is the heart, in which there is nothing, because the heart itself is in the state of stillness and emptiness. Under the circumstance, all is generated deriving from it, including the heart of precept, stability and wisdom, and the heart of the greed, hatred, and the stupid infatuation. That is, the emptiness contains the all existence. The still heart contains the all. Such heart is no boundary.

 

In a word, the heart with darkness and filth is the un-inspired heart and the un-enlightened Buddha. The heart with brightness and wisdom and without filth is the inspired heart and the enlightened Buddha. Whatever the heart is, the Buddha-nature is in the heart. That is why a Bodhisattva said to the masses, “All of you are the Buddha in the future.” One day, when your heart is inspired and you see the truth, you are the Buddha.


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.


October 12, 2018

Chapter 10: Joyfully give and gain the bliss

(Chapter 10) 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 10: Joyfully give and gain the bliss 

The Buddha said,” See people giving Dao and help them joyfully; the gained bliss is very grand.” A Sramana asked “Does such bliss be ended?” The Buddha said,” Such as a torch-fire that many thousand and many hundred of people separately come to take the fire with their torch, to cook food and remove the dark, this torch-fire is still the same. The bliss is also the same like this. “


There is a saying,”Helping others is the source of happiness.” According to the research, those who like to help others in any ways are more healthful and happy, and have the longer life. Such people usually own the open mind, and do not require any feedback for what they have done in virtue.

Giving is some kind of helping. In a brief, there are three kinds of giving as mentioned in Buddhism. That is as follows:

Giving the money to others; money also could be replaced by food, clothes, medicine and so on.

Giving the Buddha-law to others;

Giving the fearlessness to others. Make others don't fear anything. 

It is easy to understand to give the money to others and to give the Buddha-law to others. Then, we might have a question; how could we give the fearlessness to others? Do you know who the fearlessness-giver is? Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving, which you can read the following article: Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter or A Brief Talk about Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter.

Do you know why Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving is in the state of no fear? If you are interested in that, I suggest you to read the following article: The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart or A Brief Talk about The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart


According to the Buddha-law, there is always existed the cause and the effect. The above three kinds of giving is also classified as the cause. Then, what is the effect? So, when we give the money to others, we would gain the wealth; when we give the Buddha-law to others, we gain the wisdom; and when we give the fearlessness to others, we gain the longevity.

In a narrow sense, “giving the Dao” in this chapter is belonging to the second as mentioned above: giving the Buddha-law to others. Broadly speaking, the meaning of Dao or Buddha-law is not limited. That is, the all; those things which are good for people are belonging to Dao. In a word, it includes the three kinds of giving; and it also includes any kind of knowledge, ideologies, drama, music, and image or video production which is good for people in the world.

In the time of Buddha Sakyamuni, the Buddhist monk or nun begged for food. They did not require the money. When they had food from people, they speak of the Buddha-law for them. In other word, the Buddhist monk or nun played in the role of teacher or tutor. The life of the Buddhist monk or nun was maintained by such food so that they could nourish their life of wisdom by their body. When the people had heard the Buddha-law from the Buddhist monk or nun, they could thus have incurred the heart of compassion and wisdom, and their life of wisdom could have thus been inspired. In other word, this is a way of helping each other, and of benefiting each other. And it is also a way to connect to each other face by face in emotion and feeling.

So, the Buddha had ever mentioned that the Buddhist monk or nun is bliss-farm. Offering food to Buddhist monk or nun is like to sow seeds of bliss on the bliss-farm; the fruits of bliss would be gained finally. Why? The cause is equal to the outcome. If the cause is not equal to the outcome, it would violate the natural law. Such as if we sow the seed of apple, we would not gain the fruit of banana, but apple. Of course, the premise is that such Buddhist monk or nun should have purified in their heart. It is very important to know this point. 

However, the process of begging the food is not always smooth. Some people are in the stingy heart and dislike to see the Buddhist monk or nun. The worse is that they might rebuke or harm the Buddhist monk or nun with hatred heart or with despised. The Buddha had mentioned the outcome for such thing of rebuke and harm in the chapter 6,7 and 8.

The law of the cause and effect is always there. So, if we are fond of giving, we gain the bliss. The Buddha said,” See people giving Dao and help them joyfully; the gained bliss is very grand.” It encourages people to do good thing. Meanwhile, when we have seen someone doing the good thing, we could joyfully help them in any ways. Such effort is never in vain. The bliss that we could gain is very grand.

With the change of time, and the development of internet, we could find that people give their knowledge and wisdom to others on the internet by using website or blog; it is non-profit, so they accept the autonomous donation coming from the freely support of person or group on the internet. Now the group of or the person of Buddhism is also using such way. And we can read the scripture said and taught by Buddha in free on the internet. We also can find any article or video which the Buddhist monk or nun, or the Buddha-learner explained the Buddhism. I think it is very convenient and helpful for our life. The question is, are we lucky to find it and willing to read it?   

A Sramana asked: “Does such bliss be ended?” The Buddha said,” Such as a torch-fire that thousand and hundred of people separately come to take the fire with their torch, to cook food and remove the dark, this torch-fire is still the same. The bliss is also the same like this.” Obviously, it means that such bliss is existed permanently. It would not be disappeared. In Buddhism, it is called as virtue karma which would be recorded by the Spirit who is always with us. Whether the bliss or not in our life would be depended on such virtue karma. According to the cause and the effect, I think it is reasonable.