One of the Ten Titles about Buddha—Good Death

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing)

  

When we are young and learning Buddha, we may never think what the meaning is about Good Death. For the young women and men, the problem what they encounter is how to survive and live well, most of them never think about what the death is and how to die well. 

 

The meaning of good death in the views of Buddha’s teaching

 

If you have noticed the issue about long-term care, you may notice the issue about how to help the dying patient to experience the good death. There are a lot of discussion of ideas, methods and experiences of good death for a person. However, it is not the points in this article. In this article, it talks about the good death from the views of Buddha’s teaching. In the Buddhist Scripture--The Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by Buddha, the Buddha explained what the Good Death meant: 

 

Why it was called the Good Death. The Buddha said. That is the meaning of marvelous going. Such as greed, anger, obsession, etc., dragging all sentient beings towards the other evil going. This is not named good death. Tathagata's right wisdom was capable to eliminate all confusion. Wonderfully appearing and beyond the world can go toward the Buddha-fruition. It was hence named Good Death.

 

How to get the Good Death in learning Buddha

 

“Good” here means “virtuous”. From the meaning of the Good Death explained by Buddha, we know that the Good Death means the marvelous going. How do we go through the marvelous ways? That is, our inner Tathagata's  right wisdom has been eliminating all confusion in our lives. Meanwhile, such wonderfully appearing of our inner Tathagata's right wisdom and such eliminating all confusion of beyond the world can lead us go toward the fruition of becoming a Buddha. That is, we are able to achieve or have achieved the Buddhahood. Such situation or state is named Good death. 

 

What kinds of states belong to good death in the views of Buddhism

 

Such sort of ways include not to own any negative thought, mind,  emotion, mindset and any such motive, behavior and action.  That is because such negative things would make us go to the path of the evil. For instance, the hatred mindset is the ignorant fire which usually "burn down" our rational brains and merits, and "burn down" other’s lives and properties. That is, if we had the hatred mindset, it was possible for us to harm ourselves and others, and to cause any damages in the spiritual, physical and material.  The jealous mindset is easily caused the hatred mindset and the behavior of breaking any good matters of others.  

 

What kinds of states do not belong to good death in the views of Buddhism

 

The individually or group greedy mindset is easily to damage the interests and rights of the huge ordinary people through the ways of cunning smarts or injust means or the fake goodness, or through the ways of violence, threaten or fraud. The personal or group stupid obsession with any beliefs or with any ideologies might cause the large ordinary people being blind in their good wise, thinking and judgment, even to cause them being poor in the spiritual and material.  

 

The souls of more low level have no bright in their heart. 

 

In the views of Buddhism, such sorts of negative mindsets, actions and things are regarded as the evil human beings and the evil matters and which will make the persons who had done these evil things go to the evil paths after they die. That is the paths of animals, the hungry ghosts and the hells. Such sorts of fruitions of the evils are not regarded as Good Death. As we have mentioned a lot in the articles in the blog, it is easy and possible for the human beings with the Triad Dark personalities and the five-poisonous mindsets to go into the fruitions of the evils after their lives are terminated, and it is regarded as Bad Death. That is because their souls have to be taught and the retribution so as to compensate the beings who they have harmed before.  Therefore, we know that such sorts of souls are the beings of more low level and there are no bright in their heart. That there are no bright means that there are no wisdom, mercy and empathy. 

 

A thought of goodness will lead a person into the good death. 

 

I say "it is easy and possible." That is because if the human beings with the Triad Dark personalities and the five-poisonous mindsets have a thought of goodness and are willing to be taught and reformed, and are willing to do the goodness for the public or the large ordinary people or all human beings, they will change their fates and the consequences. Then, they will have the opportunity to obtain the Good Death. 

 

The cause of the Bad Death and how to avoid the Bad Death

 

Except for the mentioned above, we know that the opposite of Good Death is Bad Death, such as unexpected dying, dying accidentally, tragic death, suicide, murdered by others, etc. Such causes include the cause by the self and by others. In the views of the Buddhism, such causes derive from the five poisonous mindsets of, or any negative thought, emotion and behavior of the self and of the others. Therefore, we know that if we could do the goodness with integrity and honesty and with the good will, it would be possible for us to avoid any Bad Death. That is because there are good angels or the guardian gods who will protect us in our daily lives. Meanwhile, our righteous thought, wisdom, mercy and empathy will be the best protection for our personal lives to help us go to the Good Death. 

 

The concept of Good Death in learning Buddha is very highlighted  in the practice of the teaching of Buddha and underlined in the cultivation of self-thought and action.

      

In the teaching of Buddha, we at present know that what is the Good Death, how to experience the Good Death, who will obtain the Good Death, where to go during and after the Good Death, why it is the Good Death and when we will experience the Good Death. Therefore, the concept of Good Death in learning Buddha is very highlighted  in the practice of the teaching of Buddha and underlined in the cultivation of self-thought and action.  It is different with the concept of good death what we know in the medical care or long-term care or physical care or mental care. Even though it is some kind of difference, there is no conflict between them. 

 

Tathagata's right wisdom was capable to eliminate all confusion.

 

Tathagata's right wisdom was capable to eliminate all confusion. What is the meaning of all confusion in Buddhism? The confusion means do not understand the original and clean and pure heart, mind and thought. Meanwhile, such original and clean and pure heart, mind and thought are blinded or polluted by various odd, fake or seemed reasonable opinions or dogmas or ideologies and so on. In a word, that is the confusions of seeing, thinking and worrying which are caused by the fantasy mind of the self and others.

 

The fantasy mind is major caused by the five-poisonous mind of the self and others. The five-poisonous mind means the greedy, hatred, stupid obsession (or the stupid infatuation and attachment), arrogant, and the suspicious, which involve the jealous mind, restless mind, violent mind, ruthless mind and the brutal mind and so on. Mental violence is also one of them. In the views of the Buddhism, all of these fantasy mindsets and confusions are not the truth. For instance, some of the religious ideologies or politic themes are created by the people who have the cunning smart and selfish intention in order to manipulate and slave the large masses. 

 

Only when we truly practice the teaching of Buddha and prove the Tathagata's righteous wisdom by the self can we insight the deceit and trick, and get rid of any manipulating and slaving from the five-poisonous-mind persons. Then, we might have one question. What is the Tathagata’s righteous wisdom? In a word, it is the original and clean and pure heart and thus arise any applying from it by any convenient ways so as to face all kinds of changes of the world and to handle it or to resolve any problems. That is to live at ease by the Tathagata’s righteous wisdom.

 

The honesty to practice the teaching of Buddha is to the self.

 

Most young persons are very simple men or women, and they are not quite acquaintance about what the five-poisonous-mind is.  Maybe they have a little or a lot of five-poisonous-mind, but they cannot perceive it very well. To perceive the five-poisonous-mind of the self and the others, and to control the self not to do harmful things thereby, it requires the honesty to practice the teaching of Buddha and it also takes time. The honesty to practice the teaching of Buddha is to the self, not to others, because learning Buddha in the thinking and action is very personal thing at the beginning. However, if we do not have a decision and great vow with the sincere heart to achieve the fruition of becoming Buddha in the beginning, we would not learn Buddha diligently.  That is why it is responsible to the self to be honest. Only to be honest to the self, the guardian gods and all Buddhas in the ten directions will help us and care about us. 

 

Those dishonest persons will follow their fate and the causality what they have done. 

 

Otherwise, they don't pay attention to us and don't care about us. In fact, they had reminded and taught us to be a good person and do the good thing for all beings through many ways since there were records in the history of humans. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people ignore the reminder and teaching from all Buddhas. That is, those dishonest persons will follow their fate and the causality what they have done. If they do the evil, they go into the path and the consequence of the evil. Now we know that it is the Bad Death and they will go into the three evil paths -- the animal, the hungry ghost, and the hell. That is their retribution and suffering in their fantasy mind. However, it is "very real in the feeling" just as the nightmare. We know that such sorts of "world and phenomena" are not created by others, but by the self. 

 

The cause is the consequence. The consequence is the cause. 

 

In Buddhism, there is the principle of that the cause are equivalent to the consequence. That is what kind of causes is created by a person is equivalent to the corresponded consequences in which this person will have to bear and suffer. That is, no matter the cause and the corresponded consequence are, it is created by the same person. Meanwhile, such sort of corresponded consequence is able to be the cause. It can become the cause and basis to go into the path of Bodhisattva. That is, no matter how bad the corresponded consequence is, it is the good opportunity for the person to create a good cause to achieve the Buddhahood for the self. No matter how bad the situation of outside or inside in our life is, we always hold the positive views and attitude to take the action in the views of Buddhism. Then, it would be the beginning of the good.     

 

Then, this person would have an opportunity to deserve the corresponded and good consequence in the future or in the next life. Such logical principle is also applicable to the group. That is, a group, such as a community, a society, a company or a country, is able to create good causes so as to gain the corresponded and good consequence. If they create the evil cause, they will gain the corresponded and bad consequence. In a word, the cause is the consequence. The consequence is the cause. 

 

The Buddhism is not the ideology of brainwashing or the manipulation by the name of God or Buddha.

 

That is why if someone said that they were atheist and they did the evil or if someone said that they believed in God or Buddha and they still did the evil, we know it and it is not necessary for us to take time to debate with them. Therefore, if we profoundly learn Buddha, we will find that the Buddhism is not the ideology of brainwashing or the manipulation by the name of God or Buddha.  The Buddhism owns the deeply dialectical theory and we can question it by any ways, if we know how to question it. Meanwhile, we understand that it is absolutely impossible for the Buddhism to be manipulated by any politic party or any ideology or any dogma.  If any politic party manipulates the Buddhism with any ideology and any dogma, we know that it is a thing of quite stupid.

 

From what we have observed in history and some people and things that have happened in modern times, some people use cunning, clever and unscrupulous methods to get the power and wealth they want, and they proudly think that they are the winners in the world. From a Buddhist point of view, they have lost their kind and upright hearts, wasted their bodies and lives, and failed to seize the opportunity to obtain human bodies in this life to cultivate the self, improve their spirituality, and advance themselves to the three good paths. On the contrary, they allowing themselves to run towards the three evil paths are actually the real loser.

 

As long as you read and recite the Medicine Master's Sutra with an honest and kind heart, you can avoid sudden death.

 

The Medicine Master's Sutra mentions that as long as you read and recite the Medicine Master's Sutra with an honest and kind heart, you can avoid sudden death. We know that sudden death is often difficult to accept for yourself and your family. Many things are not arranged, and may also cause some family members to have different opinions or disputes, for example, disputes over inheritance.

 

The Medicine Master's Sutra also mentions various kinds of unforeseen deaths, such as died of fright, death from torture, die from hatred, die from greed, die from infatuation, die for blindly following an ideology manipulated by evildoers. These are unwholesome deaths.

 

People who have achieved success in spiritual practice can predict the coming time and know when they will be reborn.

 

People who have achieved success in spiritual practice can predict the coming time and know when they will be reborn. Although most people do not believe in Buddhism, they are kind-hearted and behave well. They will also feel that their life span is about to end, and they can make arrangements for themselves early, both psychologically and in daily life.

 

Buddhists follow the teachings of the Buddha and do not do any bad things such as the five poisonous thoughts. 

 

Ignorant people with five poisonous attachments think that those who study Buddhism and believe in Buddha are stupid people and are easy to fight and bully. Because these ignorant people have not practiced Buddhism, they do not know that those who learn Buddha have the education and practice of solid moral life. Therefore, Buddhists who have a good foundation are very aware of the good and evil mentalities and behaviors in the world, and they also understand the consequences of good and evil mentalities and their behaviors. Therefore, they follow the teachings of the Buddha and do not do any bad things such as the five poisonous thoughts and actions. 

 

Doing nothing is one of the practices of learning Buddha. 

 

Even if ignorant people such as the five-poisoned minds fight, bully, harm or seduce these Buddhist practitioners with a mentality that they think they are smart and conceited, these Buddhist practitioners will not be affected and develop the five-poisoned minds to retaliate or respond. For example, some people use their cunning smart to do all the specious things in order to manipulate others or hurt others or make others bear the cost to get the benefits they want. Things like this do not mean that those who practice Buddhism do not know how to do it, but they don't want to do it. In these situations, doing nothing is one of the practices of learning Buddha. 

 

Not having hatred towards these ignorant people with the five poisonous minds in our heart is a sign of compassion for oneself. 

 

When these ignorant people with the five poisonous minds laugh at the stupidity of those who practice and study Buddhism, usually those who practice and study Buddhism remain silent and do not respond. Why? First, it is compassion for all living beings, and second, it is compassion for oneself. Because those who practice Buddhism already understand who will go to the three evil paths and how they will suffer there. Therefore, we compassionate these living beings. And not having hatred towards these sentient beings in our heart is a sign of compassion for oneself. 

 

Others’ greed, anger and ignorance may cause their own tragic death, and may also drag us down to our tragic death.

 

We cannot say that other people’s greed, anger and ignorance have nothing to do with us, because others’ greed, anger and ignorance may cause their own tragic death, and may also drag us down to our tragic death. For example, someone’s personal greed, anger and ignorance may cause harm to the general public and may cause financial losses. The freedom of the public may be restricted. And the victim may be dissatisfied, so he vents his anger and deliberately detonates an explosion in a building to cause serious harm. At this time, if we happen to be in the building or pass by, we may be affected and may be injured, or just killed in a bombing. The casualties caused by many incidents can be compared, for example, wars caused by the struggle for sovereignty.

 

Use cunning and deceitful means to set up traps to frame people, use confusing right and wrong, and use methods that seem reasonable and correct but are neither reasonable nor correct to take advantage of people and collect wealth. Even if they gain the world's wealth, even if they win sovereignty and obtain supreme power, it would not the good death. These are all going to the three evil realms. Even if they die sitting down or lying down, it is not a good death.

 

In Conclusion

 

Therefore, what we know about the good death involves the realms of physical good death, mental or spiritual good death, and worldly and beyond worldly good death. In summary, if we can practice Buddhist ideas, whether we are Buddhists or not, I believe we will have a good death. Buddhist ideas do not limit only Buddhists to practice. I have observed many who are not Buddhists, who follow their teachings to treat themselves well and love all living beings, and loving all living beings is actually the practice of Buddhist thought to a certain extent. Therefore, as long as we deeply understand and appreciate the profound meaning of practicing Buddhism, we will understand that Buddhism completely breaks the barriers and oppositions of various religions, politics, and ideologies, and possible manipulation. Even if you are not a Buddhist, if you have thoughts and practices in this regard, I believe you can benefit yourself and all sentient beings.

 

One of the Ten Titles about Buddha -- Should-Make-Offerings

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

  

The Meaning of Should-Make-Offerings

The word Should-Make-Offerings means that the completely practicing and enlightened Tathagata is full of complete virtue and merit, and thus is full of the ability to teach, save and reform the all beings which are included the beings in heaven, so as to liberate all beings from sufferings of life and death. That is, Tathagata is qualified and adequate to hold the Buddha-vocation and that is why the Tathagata is worth to be made offerings by all beings. Therefore, it means that all beings should make offerings to the Tathagata. This all beings include the heavenly beings and the worldly humans.

Why it was called Should-Make-Offerings

Why it was called Should-Make-Offerings. The Buddha said. In the past, when I was in the cause rank, the good laws, solemn and majestic appearance, and the classified of precepts were practiced. The strength of the ten good roots was cultivated so as to make it increased. Thus consummately practicing and learning to attain the ultimate rank. When achieve the Nirvana, cut off and end all worries. To make the body, mouth and mind clean and untainted. Forever destroy worries. Such as to break the head-root of Tala tree, make it never sprout buds. Furthermore, due to ending the worries of greed, anger, and obsession, all the toward-going would never produce the fruition and generate. It was beyond the law of bitter fruitions of the four difficulties of birth (living), aging, illness and dying. The two seeds of confusion and suffering would never be produced. It was established the name of Should-Make-Offerings. Furthermore, make all the clothes, bedding, food and drink, soups and medicines, banners, flags, precious canopies, fragrant flowers, lamps and fruits in the world, and the highest thing in heaven and earth be offered to the Buddha. Obtain the blessing of supreme wealth and auspiciousness. It was the name of Should-Make-Offerings.

 

Make offerings with the heart of respect and sincerity to the Buddha.   

When all beings make offerings to the Tathagata, they should have a heart of respect and sincerity to the Buddha and should have the voluntary will to do that, and there should not be such things of manipulation, coercion and intimidation or the any similar bad things. If there are some religious communities which makes you feel uncomfortable to make offerings to anyone or to be generous to the group, you should alert that there has been existed some problems and it must be something wrong in their inner group. In Buddha’s teaching, there are rightful and good notions of giving and being generous to all beings and to the Buddha. You will understand it by reading more the translated Buddhist scripture or following this blog. In a word, that we respect the Buddha is to respect yourself. 

To make offerings to the Tathagata is to make offerings to the all beings and to the self.

Eventually, in the deep teaching and meaning, to make offerings to the Tathagata is to make offerings to the all beings. At the same time, it is to make offerings to the self. That is any good repay will finally return to the self, including the invisible good things, such as healthy in mind and body, and keep harmony relationship with the family members, etc. Why? In the chapter 11 of Buddhist scripture” The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha”, I had ever explained the similar notion. The link is as followed if you are interested in understanding it: Chapter 11: Giving meals turns to victory

There is no Binary Opposition in mind for a person who has completely achieved the Buddhahood. 

 

In the profound teaching of Buddha, when a person has completely achieved the Buddhahood, there is no Binary Opposition in its mind. It is because that it has been enlightened and realized that its heart, all Buddhas’ heart and all beings’ heart are the one. That is, their nature is the same and is the one. What is the nature? It is the emptiness and silence. What the different is the appearance, the languages and form of their outside. Meanwhile, what the different is the time and process of the reincarnations, and the experience of life and death.

The Starting Point is to help all Beings to become Buddhas and the final purpose is to help us to achieve the Buddhahood.

 

When we practice the giving and being generous to others with the great compassionate and wisdom, we also practice to be no Binary Opposition with others. That is, we practice to realize what the nature of the self and the others is. At the same time, we practice to be the one with all Buddhas and all beings. That is, the starting point is to help all beings to become Buddhas and the final purpose is to help us to achieve the Buddhahood. This is to cultivate our great and generous mind. 

When we are learning Buddha, if we don’t understand this meaning, it would make us feel weird and feel that we are enforced to practice the giving. In a word, this is the more profoundly teaching of Buddha. Generally, for the beginner, the senior Master won’t tell you this point. Furthermore, many of junior Masters and the Master of little-boarding (Hinayana) even don’t understand this point.

In Buddhism, there is the personal cause and condition and outcome, which is rely on your own choice of a thought and your action, not rely on the manipulation from others and any ignorant people.

 

In Buddhism, the different master will take use of the different explanation to guide and teach you how to practice the giving. No matter what it is, you think it is reasonable, you can accept it and you do it, which is your choice. If you don’t accept it, it is also your choice. No one has the right to punish you if you choose to reject to give. If a good or upright Master teaches you to give alms, but you refuse it, it is only your personal choice of cause and effect, and it means that if you hope to become a Buddha, it is far away. That is, it needs to take you long time and your many worlds of lives to finally become a Buddha. 

If someone says that if you refuse to give, you will receive the retribution of bad karma and go to hell, which you have to be alert because there is an element of manipulation involved. In Buddhism, there is the personal cause and condition and outcome, which is rely on your own choice of a thought and your action, not rely on the manipulation from others and any ignorant people. When we learn the Buddha’s teaching, that is what we have to know. 

In Conclusion

Practicing the giving is the first and basic learning in Buddhism. Without this basic practicing, it is hardly for us to achieve the Buddhahood. Therefore, it is very important to understand the multiple meaning of giving in Buddhism and then to practice it actually.        

The profound Buddha's teaching is beyond our general thinking.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

There are the Bodhisattvas who show the wide eyes, appear the anger, hold the magical tool in hand, and ride on the strange animal,  so as to deal with, punish or discipline those people who are full of hatred and rage. Such picture of or image of Bodhisattvas and the magical tool in hand is some kind of the meaning of symbol. With the evolution of the times, the picture of or the image of Bodhisattvas and the magical tool are following the modern image and the modern technology and change. In our times, The appearance of  Bodhisattvas in reality and the illusion of image of Bodhisattvas in our dream may be the similar. Therefore, we should have such knowledge and flexibility in learning Buddha. 

 

There are also the Bodhisattvas who show the greedy smile, appear the greedy heart, and take the treasures or gold or money through wisdom from the true greedy people, so as to deal with those people who are in the mind of greed, meanwhile, to save them and let them leave the suffering. That is to help them avoid the harm brought by the greed of themselves and others. 

 

There are also Bodhisattvas who show the foolish smile, appear the obsession minded, fall in love with infatuated people, so as to save those people who are in the state of obsession, and to liberate them from suffering. That is to help them avoid the harm brought by the infatuated minded of themselves and others. 

 

There are also Bodhisattvas who show the attitude of arrogant and appear the indifferent expression, so as to deal with those people who own the arrogant minded. The purpose is to save them to leave the restrain and difficulty brought by their own arrogant minded.

 

Eventually, there are no such negative minded as said for all of  Bodhisattvas, because they have always dwelled on the self-nature and the Emptiness-nature. They are like the angel to protect and teach the persons who are willing to believe Buddha's teaching, or they have the good cause and condition with the Buddha's teaching in the present life or in their past life. All Bodhisattvas would not appear without cause and condition. If you don't have any cause and condition as said, they don't appear in your life. We respect these Bodhisattvas as Protector-in-Buddhism. 

 

To sum up, if we are the stupid, stubborn or arrogant person who cannot accept the persuade or the advice from the other person's normal and reasonable thinking, however, we still have a little good cause and condition in learning Buddha, the Bodhisattvas would appear any kind of attitude, thought and state to help us to deal with what negative heart and state we own.  That is why if we show the evil thought and behavior, the said Bodhisattvas would appear the equivalent thought and behavior. That is like a mirror to reflect our thought and behavior and let us see it. 

 

How Bodhisattvas appear in our life?

 

They would appear in our environment what we are living, studying or working. Those what we may meet might be our family members, classmates, teachers, friends, colleagues, directors, strangers, or any persons who are in various industries. They might make us feel uncomfortable, anxious, angry or sad. In a word, these appeared images and the ensuing phenomenon could help us to correct or adjust our thought, behavior, and attitude which are not proper and not corresponding to the universal value. In general and in Buddhism, the universal value is corresponding to the good and free will of humans, to the mercy, empathy, content, honesty and open-minded of humans, and to the mutual aid with the equality of humans. The more profound meaning is to correspond to the no-self, no-selfishness, no-desire and no-demanding of  humans.  

 

Except for this, all various images of Bodhisattvas would appear with drama in our dreams, which are ever-changing and not what we can imagine. However, we still can feel and reason it in our dream or after our wakening. All various images of Bodhisattvas are not like what we have seen in the drawing or in the statue. However, they are like our family members and so on as mentioned above.  

 

The character "Bodhisattvas" is the appearance of name, which is the phenomenon of arising and eliminating with causes and conditions. For example, as I have told in the blog, we call "Bodhisattvas" as "Pusa" or "Busa" in the Chinese transliteration. The various images of Bodhisattvas are also the phenomenon of arising and eliminating with causes and conditions. There are not the fixed and rigid images which are regarded as Bodhisattvas. All pictures or statue or images made by humans are some kind of representative or symbol to show the exist, virtue and function of Bodhisattvas. In fact, the essence of Bodhisattvas is the Emptiness-nature, and is no form and no image. On this basis, it is able to appear various forms and images of Bodhisattvas, including the animals, such as the legendary dragons, or elephant, or big worms, even that we can reason there would be the images of alien as Bodhisattvas. 

The Buddha and Bodhisattvas don't care whether you believe the Buddha's teaching or not, because the law of cause and effect (or result, consequence, outcome) is the universal value.

Some people don't understand why the Buddhist worship the image  of Buddha or Bodhisattva in the drawing or the statue. They deny, reject and sneer such behavior. According to our normal intelligence,  of course, we are not to stupidly obsess with the image in the drawing or with the statue. The image of the drawing or statue is some kind of representative or symbol. In fact, the Buddha or Bodhissattva exist in everywhere of the Emptiness.       

 

The Buddha said that he cannot save those people who don't have the cause and condition with Buddha and those people who don't have good causes and conditions in their present or past life. The Buddha and Bodhisattvas don't care whether you believe the Buddha's teaching or not, because the law of cause and effect (or result, consequence, outcome) is the universal value. What we have done absolutely repay in our present or future life. Good deeds are rewarded with good deeds, and evil deeds are rewarded with evil deeds. All evil is self-inflicted. All goodness creates auspiciousness by itself. It is doesn't matter what kind of religions or ideologies we believe. When we deeply realize the Buddhism, we can understand this truth. 

It is better for us to listen more from various kind of the teachings of  Buddha, and should be careful and alert any fraud from the fake teachers in Buddhism.

 

Furthermore, I cannot deny there are existed a lot of fraud by the mean of religions. The profound Buddha's teaching is some kind of danger for the beginner who learn Buddhism. That is why I have to remind you that if we are the beginner in learning Buddhism, it is better for us to listen more from various kind of the teachings of  Buddha, and should be careful and alert any fraud from the fake teachers in Buddhism. When we learn Buddhism, it is better for us to use our common sense and normal logical thinking to judge whether the teachers are honest and  moral persons or not.  

The secondly, we have to think and judge whether what they have taught is corresponding to the true meaning of Buddha, to the social order and good customs or  is their own subjective consciousness and ideology. It is to avoid us to be washed brain by the mean persons. When we have the correct thinking and judgement, we can choose who can be our teachers and we are willing to follow them to learn Buddha.     

The inequality and equality are existed in the body of Emptiness at the same time.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

  

The concept of Buddha’s teaching tells us that the equality is in the body of Emptiness. All of the inequality is occurred by the inner and outer causes and conditions. Such causes and conditions might be very complicated, or might be very simple, which is depending on how we look at it. Once the causes and conditions are returning to be disappeared, or to be nothing, or to be void, the inequality would not be existed. That is, all things return to the Emptiness. Nothing is existed, including the inequality. Then, that is the true equality.

 

The inequality and equality are existed in the body of Emptiness at the same time. The inequality is the change of situation and phenomenon, which is impermanent. The equality in the body of Emptiness is true permanent, because it is not the change of combining or disappearing of any causes and conditions. It is difficult for the ordinary people to put such concept of equality into practice, because most of them are stubborn in the inner complicated thought and are entangling in the outer complicated conditions, situation and phenomenon.    

 

If we understand the above mentioned, and thoroughly get rid of the stubborn in inner thought, and of the entangling in the outer conditions, ridiculous ideology, situation and phenomenon, it is not difficult for us in our heart to put the true equality into practice.  

That all doing is impermanent is a law of generating and eliminating.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

Because that all doing is impermanent, any barely force to pursue external things will bind our heart. When we do everything, we comply with any cause and condition naturally, but not climb up by social ladder by barely pursuing. Then, our heart will be free.

 

Understanding, facing, and dealing with the worldly impermanence, and letting go of it after resolving it, nothing is occupied in our heart. Any impermanent change will not be regarded as frustration, failure or regret, but the wisdom growth of any experiences for us that enables us to face the change of life with our open-minded.

 

When Buddha Shakyamuni entered the Nirvana, he said the following verse:

That all doing is impermanent is a law of generating and eliminating. Generation and elimination are eliminated. Stillness and eliminating are joy.

 

Everything is impermanent is a law of generating and eliminating, which include to generate and eliminate a self thought, and thereafter to generate and eliminate any self behavior and attitude. After self-generation and elimination are completely self-eliminated, that is, after the mind of generation and elimination and the phenomenon of generation and elimination or after the mind of birth and death and the phenomenon of birth and death are completely eliminated, the Buddha nature of the self will not be destroyed. This is the happiness achieved by the quietness and cessation of self.

 

So, the whole thing is basically concerned about self perceiving and self reflection in heart. On the basis, we thereafter perceive and reflect the external world. However, some beginners of learning Buddha don’t perceive and reflect self, but to see and criticize the mistake of others and thus to cause others to feel bad and hate Buddhism. If we will learn Buddha, it is better for us to avoid such mistake.

Chapter 38: Arising is to have the eliminating. (Updated on May 16, 2022 )(Happening is eliminating. When there is happening, there is eliminating.)

(Chapter 38) 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 38: Arising is to have the eliminating. (Happening is eliminating. When there is happening, there is eliminating.)

The Buddha asked the Sramana,” How long is the span between the human life? ” The Sramana answered and said,” It is between several days.” The Buddha said,” You have not yet known the Dao.” Then, The Buddha asked another Sramana again: ” How long is the span between the human life?” The Sramana answered and said,” It is between meals.” The Buddha said,” You have not yet known the Dao.” Then, The Buddha asked another Sramana again: ” How long is the span between the human life?” The Sramana answered and said,” It is between breathing.” The Buddha said,” Good! You have known the Dao.”

  

It is not easy to understand the Dao of Buddhism.

 

For the Sramana, who is willing to learn the Buddhism, the most important thing for him is to know the Dao of Buddhism, and to practice it in life. The Buddha had talked a lot about what the meaning of Dao of Buddhism is, by the way of space, time, fate, moral, ambition and method, and how to practice it in life in many Chapters. It is some kind of difficulty for the general people to understand and practice it. Even to the Sramana, who is called the Buddhist monk and the professional, it is still very difficult for him to understand and practice it.  

 

The Buddha examined his disciples how much they know about the Dao of Buddhism, and asked them the question,” How long is the span between the human life?” This question means that how long it is between the birth of and the death of life for humans. For the general people in the modern time, what we know about the lifespan of humans is very long. In Taiwan, the average lifespan is 80 years old. But, the average lifespan in the world is not the answer what we want to talk about in this chapter.

 

Cherish our life to learn the Dao of Buddhism

 

The purpose of this Chapter is to advise us that our life is existed in a moment. When a thought of us has been just arisen, it has been instantly covered and eliminated by our next thought. The arisen and eliminated of a thought is in a moment of life. It is   birth and death of life of one time. And we even don’t know whether we are living or not in the next moment. Our life maybe occurred and vanished in a moment. This thing may be just happened between our breathing. And it let us know the impermanent of life. It is also to encourage us to treasure our life, and grasp the current moment to do the meaningful things for ourselves and others. For the Sramana, he should cherish each moment of life to learn the Dao of Buddhism. If we are the Buddhist disciples, we should also treasure our life and time to learn the Dao of Buddhism. 

 

The verse spoken by Buddha

 

There is a verse which was talked by Buddha. It is translated by me as follow. Meanwhile, I explain it in more detail so as to make you easier to understand the profound meaning.

 

All actions are not permanent,

Which are the laws of appearance and disappearance.

The appearance and disappearance are already disappeared.

The state of stillness and disappearance is joyfulness. (Note: This refers to the state of one's own thoughts and heart.)

All actions are temporary,

This is the law of appearance and extinction.

Appearance and disappearance gone.

The state of silence and extinction is joy.  (Note: This refers to the state of one's own thoughts and heart.)

We must deeply think of this verse so that we can profoundly understand the meaning. All actions are included the birth of life, the death of life, and what happened, what have done, what have talked and what have experienced during the time of life. The processes are included the intercourse between a life and another life, and then to become the phenomena. Meanwhile, all actions are also contained the changes of our environment, such as the changes of weather, earth crust and astrology in the universe. These actions, processes and phenomena are mingled to become the complicated world which is appeared in front of our eyes and is what we have lived and what we are living now. In this chapter, what we want to talk is about the changes of our life.

 

The no-brightness in the Twelve Causality and Condition

 

The Buddha had deeply perceived the phenomena of a life and its changes, and then offered us the concept of Twelve Causality and Condition, which is also called Twelve Dependent Factors, or Twelve Dependent Origination. The Buddha was in the opinion that the origin of all action is the no-brightness of the self. The no-brightness is not necessarily equivalent to the ignorance which means to be lack of knowledge or intelligence. Regarding the concept of no-brightness, we have talked about its meaning in the chapter 37. In a word, the no-brightness means the mind of the greed, hatred, stupid infatuation, arrogance or suspicion. Such mind is nothing about how the education is, how the social status is, and how the intelligence is. That is, even a person who is in the high education, high social status and high intelligence, meanwhile, who has the professional knowledge, this person maybe has the mind of no-brightness. That is why the criminals are included those persons who are in the high education and high social status, and has the professional knowledge.

 

How to distinguish the difference between the ability of the intelligence quotient and the ability of wisdom in Buddhism?

 

In Buddhism, the ability of the intelligence quotient is not necessarily equivalent to the ability of wisdom. The meaning of intelligence is more about the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills or to have opinions based on reason. However, the meaning of wisdom is the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments. For example, when we have to let go of unpleasant experience, what we need may not be the intellectual ability, but the ability of wisdom.

 

A person with the ability of high intelligence quotient may have the serious hatred to the society, or may have the serious greedy for the resources of the country. However, a person with the ability of high wisdom has absolutely no hatred and no greed, or only has subtle hatred and greed. Those who have the ability of intelligence quotient don’t mean that they have the ability of wisdom. The ability of the intelligence quotient is prone to the worldly clever. However, the ability of the wisdom is some kind of more than worldly clever and  experience. This is what we have to know if we want to learn more about Buddhism. For example, in "The Universal Door of Avalokitesvara", it is mentioned that Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva's thirty-two incarnations and its supernatural powers play samadhi in the Saha world. This is the supreme wisdom ability that transcends worldly clever and experience.

 

Without phenomena, then without argument.

 

The Buddha said that it is very difficult for those with the highest intelligence quotient to learn Buddhism, because they are good at thinking, reasoning and debating, meanwhile, they are proud of such ability to think they are better than others. However, if we want to experience the wisdom of Nirvana—the state of stillness and emptiness, we must even temporarily abandon the ability of thinking, reasoning and debating. That is because we are in a state of no-thought, no-doing, no-desire, and no-demanding, we are in a state of stillness of Nirvana. When we are in this state, we don’t need to think of, reason and debate anything. However, this does not mean that we do not have intelligence and wisdom.

 

Only when there is any condition, situation, and phenomena in front of our eyes, so that there is the subject and object for us to think of, reason and debate. However, if all of them are disappeared in front of our eyes, what can we think of, reason and debate? That is why there are no-phenomena, there is no-argument. All argument, fighting, and binary opposition are arisen from cling to the phenomena. However, any phenomena begin at any actions, which are impermanent, and are the laws of appearance and disappearance.

 

The Buddha said that all actions and all phenomena begin at a thought of no-brightness of humans. This is the beginning of the Twelve Causality and Condition. That is, all the changes of phenomena are based on the Twelve Causality and Condition. Only when Twelve Causality and Condition is disappeared, all phenomena and actions pertaining to us are disappeared at the same time.

 

What is Twelve Causality and Condition?

 

The Twelve Causality and Condition is the theory proved by Buddha when he meditated in sitting under the Bodhi tree. The Twelve Causality and Condition is based on the soul and the individual as the main subject. What is Twelve Causality and Condition? The Twelve Causality and Condition respectively continue as the no-brightness, actions, consciousness, the name and the material, the six-senses-entering, the touching, the feeling, the love, the taking, the possessing, the birth, the aging and the death.

 

The no-brightness of the individual is the original cause, which generate actions. Actions as the condition, it is therefore generated the consciousness. The consciousness as the condition, it is therefore generated the name and the material. The name and the material as the condition, it is therefore generated the six-senses-entering. The six-senses-entering as the condition, it is therefore generated the touching. The touching as the condition, there is therefore the feeling. The feeling as the condition, it is therefore generated the love. The love as the condition, it is therefore generated the taking. The taking as the condition, it is therefore generated the possessing. The possessing as the condition, it is therefore generated the birth. The birth as the condition, there is afterward the aging and the death.

 

When the cause is appeared, the condition has the dependent and is then generated. However, when the cause is disappeared, the condition has no dependent and is then naturally eliminated.

 

When the no-brightness has been eliminated, the actions are then naturally destroyed. When the actions have been destroyed, the consciousness is then disappeared. When the consciousness has been disappeared, the name and the material are then naturally eliminated. When the name and the material have been eliminated, the six-senses-entering is then vanished. When the six-senses-entering has been vanished, the touching is no longer existed. When the touching has been no longer existed, the feeling is then disappeared. When the feeling has been disappeared, the love is then no longer existed. When the love has been no longer existed, the taking is then vanished. When the taking has been vanished, the possessing is then eliminated. When the possessing has been eliminated, the birth is then disappeared. When the birth is disappeared, the aging and the death is then disappeared.

 

Twelve Causality and Condition is the cause of reincarnation.

 

Regarding Twelve Causality and Condition, it is “When one cause or condition is arisen, the other cause or condition is thus dependent on it and is then appeared. When one cause or condition is eliminated, the other cause or condition is no longer dependent on it and is then disappeared.” 

 

In Buddhism, to cut off or to break the no-brightness—that is to eliminate the cause of reincarnation, it is the major concept to end the suffering of reincarnation. And it is also very important for the Buddhist disciples to practice it in life. That is because all suffering of reincarnation begins at the no-brightness. For Theravada Buddhism, there is a lot of story talked by Buddha to teach the sentient beings how to eliminate the cause of no-brightness. There are a lot of concepts as the same in these 42 chapters. These are the basic concepts in learning Buddhism. It is like the foundation of the house, which should be established well, so that we can continuously build a sturdy and practical house. 

 

In Mahayana Buddhism, there is the different concept about no-brightness. Such concept should be learned based on the concept as said above. You will know what it is when you keep following the teaching of Buddha.

 

The circulated of and vanished of Twelve Causality and Condition

 

The Twelve Causality and Condition is the mutual cause and effect, which are the laws of generation depending on cause and condition. Meanwhile, it is the laws of the occurred and eliminated. Its phenomena are impermanent. At the same time, the time of what happened is from a moment to years. This circulation is continuous and uninterrupted. It makes humans soul circulating in the sea of suffering of life and death. To birth in here because of death in there, to die in here and then to birth in there, it is circulated continuously. A soul is able to get out from this circulation after any one of Twelve Causality and Condition has been cut off and Twelve Causality and Condition is vanished instantly.

 

The Further Interpretation for Twelve Causality and Condition

 

When a soul is in the state of no-brightness, it means this soul is unable to understand the clear, pure, clean and bright Buddha-law, so that there is a lot of any negative thought, complicated emotion or stupid idea. This state makes this soul generate a lot of vexation. That is why it is called the ignorance.  

 

Then, this soul has done something dependent on its no-brightness. The no-brightness is such as greed, hatred and stupid infatuation or any thought accordingly. Actions with no-brightness from body, mouth and mind are therefore generated and formed. It may be the good deed or may be the evil. No matter what it is, it is able to form shapeless power to affect the self and its future fate. It is called Karma in Buddhism.

 

Dependent on the actions in the past life—that is the Karma of the past life, this soul enters the mother's body for conception. Its consciousness is generated at the same time. And this soul begins its present life. The consciousness can understand, know and distinguish what happened around it. That is, the consciousness has the function of recognition, holding and control from heart to face the environment and phenomena.  

 

Dependent on the consciousness, the embryo begins to take shape and develop. The name and the material is thus generated and formed. The name pertains to the mental—the laws of heart, such as the shapeless heart, mind or thought. The name here means the laws of the abstract and intangible heart. The material pertains to the body. The material means substance and which can be really felt, seen or touched by the six senses. The material also means the body with six senses. Therefore, the material also means that the phenomena of substance, sound, fragrance, taste and touching.    

 

Dependent on the name and the material, the six senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, are grown and completed. The function of these six senses begins to work. The baby is born and its six senses can begin to aware the surroundings and phenomena. All the changes of its surroundings and phenomena will enter this baby’s mind and body through the six senses systems. That is why it is called the six-senses-entering. These contacts, feelings and the changes form the life realm and world pertaining to this baby.

 

Dependent on the six-senses-entering, two-to-three years-old baby begin to develop the curiosity and is fond of touching everything. The baby will explore everything by touching spontaneously.

 

Dependent on the touching, the child after six or seven years old can aware and distinguish the feeling about pain and happiness to things or situation. The Buddha mentioned about three kinds of feelings. That is the feeling of suffering, happiness and no-suffering-and-no-happiness.

 

Dependent on the feeling, the teenage after fourteen or fifteen years old will generate the strong feeling about love. The love and desire are strongly generated. The love here also means craving everything.

 

Dependent on the love, the adult with stronger love and desire will seek and chase all condition, situation and phenomena, and will take and demand anything what it wants.

 

According to vexation of the love and the taking, the adult has done various things, which means Karmas and will decide the adult’s fate in the next life. The possessing means to have Karmas, which pertains to the Karma of current life.

 

According to possessing Karma—the Karma of current life, it decides the birth of the soul in its next life. The birth is therefore generated. Because of the birth, there is the aging and the death in the next life.

 

Regarding Twelve Causality and Condition, it is included the past causes, the current causes, the current effects and the future effects. The causes are also the effects. The past cause will become the current effect. The future effect could become the past cause. That is, the effect could be the cause. Meanwhile, the causes could be overlapping with the effects. Because it is circulations, there is no start and no end. The circulation will never stop, unless anyone of the Twelve Causality and Condition is cut off or eliminated. When the circulation stop, a soul will have the chance to get rid of the torture and suffering of this circulation.

 

In these 42 chapters, you will find that the Buddha was always advising the Sramana how to cut off or eliminate any cause and effect in the Twelve Causality and Condition. Now we have the concept about perceiving the Twelve Causality and Condition as mentioned above. We know it is impermanent which can be happened in a moment or for a long life.

 

The four kinds of perceiving

 

The Buddha also taught us about four kinds of perceiving. That is, to perceive that the heart is impermanent, to perceive that the law is impermanent, to perceive that the thought is impermanent, and to perceive that the body is impermanent. 

 

The heart means the mind, the mental and any function accordingly, which includes the emotion, such as joy, anger, or sad. For example, someone was smiling one second before, and the next second he was furious about something trivial. The law means the changes or the principles of any situation, condition, environment or phenomena in the universe, such as the war, natural disasters or the epidemic. There is a verse in Buddhist scripture:

 

All law is generated by cause and condition.

All law is eliminated by cause and condition.

That the cause and condition have been eliminated is the Dao.

This is said by the grand Master. 

The thought means the idea which burst from our mind suddenly and continuously. The first thought which is just appeared is immediately covered by the next thought, and then the first thought is disappeared. The second thought is covered by the third thought. This situation is happened continuously and uninterrupted. Each thought is appeared and then disappeared immediately. The body includes the instant death and birth of cell, and the aging of body at each moment.

 

All disappeared, the joyfulness of Buddha-nature won’t be disappeared.

 

Why the heart, the law, the thought and the body is impermanent? These four things are related to the Twelve Causality and Condition, and are also the laws of generated and eliminated, or the laws of appearance and disappearance. The Buddha said, when all appearance and disappearance are already disappeared, the stillness-disappearance is joyfulness. Why? It let us know the impermanent of life and death, and the impermanent of actions, through these four kinds of perceiving. It also makes us not cling to anything through this experience of perceiving. When all generated and eliminated are disappeared, there is nothing that we can crave and attach. In the state of stillness and emptiness, the true peace and joyfulness will be appeared in mind naturally. 

It does not mean that we do not need to care about the public issue. On the contrary, we will care about the public issue with the wisdom and the peaceful and joyful mind. If you are interested in the public issue or the political issue, this knowledge, wisdom and joyfulness will help you to participate in the campaign, and it would be very blessed for yourselves and the public. If you are the general citizen, this knowledge, wisdom and joyfulness would help you have the different and new concept and attitude to face your life, study, work, classmates, colleagues, or family members. It is really a blessing for you and those people around you.      

 

The life and death is fleeting like meteor. When we know about the impermanent of life and death which is between the breathing, the impermanent of all actions, the impermanent of four perceptions as said, and the suffering of life and death because of Twelve Causality and Condition, we will cherish our human body to learn Dao of Buddhism, and will cherish our Buddha-nature. Why? I have another verse which is some kind of the difference with the verse said by Buddha as mention above, and is to correspond to the verse said by Buddha.

 

All Actions are impermanent,

Which are the laws of appearance and disappearance.

The appearance and disappearance are already disappeared,

The Buddha-nature will not be disappeared.

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.