The Function of Soul

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

In a brief, every one has the soul and the body. Even though the soul is shapeless, it still has the conscious, feeling, thinking, and memory. It also could “speak” and “communicate” to others with mind. It is the “sound” with no sound. In other words, it is the speaking and communication from the heart or mind to the other heart or mind. It is existed in the shapeless and in the no substance, and it is hard to be verified by science instrument. For the most people, it might be experienced when we are dreaming in sleeping. It is very clear and could be remembered. However, it is different from the theory of Freud.

 

As we have mentioned in the Chapter 12﹝2﹞ : Learning the Dao is difficult when people are in the huge wealth and are the nobility, the body is formed by the four elements, that is, the land, the water, the fire, and the wind. The body has the form and the substance which could be seen and touched. If we want to vocalize from our body, we have to depend on the medium in the air, so that our voice could be transmitted to others and be heard by others.

 

Now we have the basic concept for the soul and the body. Following concept would be hard to be understood, because it is beyond our experience of the general knowledge and common sense.  

 

The soul is eternal. It can not be eliminated. There is no arising and no destroying for the soul. In other word, there is no birth and no death for the soul. The soul is like the software. What we have learned, what we have thought, and what we have done, would be recorded in there. The seed of virtue or of evil would be planted in there, which means that the thought of virtue or of evil would be recorded in there. It would affect our current life and our future or next life.

Our Body is not permanent.

 

On the contrary, the body is not eternal. It could be eliminated. The body could be arisen and then be destroyed. In other word, there is the birth and death for the body. Our cells are metabolized and replaced at any time. Our decaying organs can be transplanted or replaced through surgery.

 

Sometimes, we describe our body as a car or a piece of clothing, which could be replaced. Once our body is dead, our soul would leave the dead body, and dwell in the next new-born body, which is like that we change a new car or a piece of new clothing. That is reborn or reincarnating.

 

The eighth consciousness is soul.

 

The Buddha Sakyamuni had mentioned eight kinds of consciousness. Our soul is equal to the eighth consciousness. The soul is some kind of quality. Some scientist has said that the soul has weight.

 

To know and understand above, it could help us understand the concept that life is equal to death, and death is equal to life. And, it could help us not attach to or depend on our body, but our soul. We have known that our soul is not dead, and what has dead is just our body. To have such concept would help us accept and face the fact that our body might die at any time. Meanwhile, we could let our soul be at peace, and let us increase our wisdom, to nourish our life of wisdom.

Under the circumstance, it is no difficult for us, when we must die because our lives have to be abandoned. So, what has being abandoned is the body, not our soul. Our lives of wisdom are still very live, abundant and extend. 

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.     

Does The Chasing For The Personal Great Dream Conflict With The Buddha’s Teaching?

Author: Tao Qing Hsu  (A Buddhist at home;Taiwan; Since AD 1971-- )

 

The concept for dropping out our vain thinking and cling seems to run in the opposite direction about bravely chasing the great dream. The American dream makes the America great. The personal great dream makes the individual great. In the past time, I often see the American movies. There is a feature for the American movies. That is to emphasize and encourage humans bravely chasing the personal great dream and the characters will finally achieve their goal after experiencing a lot of frustration and failure. It is really uplifting our mind.

 

I also find that this concept is quite different from our traditional education in Taiwan, including the traditional teaching of Buddha in Taiwan. The most difference is that the America encourages the humans to make dream, try it and bravely take the adventures through the cooperation with partners step by step. However, the traditional education in Taiwan encourages humans to keep themselves superior, excellent, obedient and safe through the individual competing strength in education and in career.    

  

Therefore, we might have one question. Do making dream, trying it and taking the adventures conflict with the teaching of Buddha? When we profoundly think about it and realize the Buddha’s teaching, we will find that there is no conflict between them. Meanwhile, we will acknowledge it is acceptable to abandon the vain hope and cling. There is no conflict for these concepts. Why?

 

The reasoning (the principle) and the event are perfectly integrated which makes each event without obstacle.

 

If you have read the Sutra of 42 chapters said by Buddha from chapter 1 to chapter 39, you might have the fundamental concept, that the emptiness and the existence (or the possessing) are one. That is, the meaning of the true and the meaning of the worldly are one. The emptiness is the true reasoning (the principle). The existence (or the possessing) is the worldly event. When we really have realized these concepts and practiced these concepts in daily life, we can perfectly integrate these concepts together and make the event or the dream (what we are doing) to be completed or realized in the condition without obstacle and limitation.

 

There is nothing to gain and nothing to lose for us, even the event or the dream is failed. That is because we have established the healthy mind through practicing the Dao as said above--abandon the cling for anything, let it go and let it be. That is called that the reasoning (the principle) and the event are perfectly integrated which makes each event without obstacle.

 

The concept of without obstacle is established on the mind, the self-nature and the emptiness. The event itself will certainly meet any changes of situations. However, there is no good and no bad about any changes of situations. That is because our mind is dwelling on the emptiness. In the emptiness, there is no good and no bad. Since our mind is dwelling on the emptiness, there is no obstacle in our mind. Since there is no obstacle in our mind, there is the mastery in our mind to communicate and achieve the subject or goal. In this state, it is the true mastery.

 

The appearance with illusion and disappearance with illusion based on the self-nature

 

Finally, we will find that there is no conflict between the natural wisdom and bravely chasing the great dream. Why? It is the appearance with illusion and disappearance with illusion based on the self-nature. Even though we are not the Sramana, there is no conflict and no obstacle between the true and the worldly, when we practice the Dao of heart and make or realize our great dream step by step and down to earth. This is the real practicing and the real proving about the Dao of heart (the path of, the virtue of and the merit of the heart).  

 

Where is the best place for us to practice the Dao of heart? When we understand the above mentioned concept about the perfect integration of reasoning and event, we will know that the worldly where we are is the best place for us to practice the Dao of heart.

Chapter 18: The root of thoughts is equal to the Emptiness. (Updated on January 5, 2022)

(Chapter 18) 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 18: The root of thoughts is equal to the Emptiness.

The Buddha said,” My law (Buddha-Law; Dharma) is about thinking of the no-thought thought, acting the no-doing action, talking about the no-talking talk, and putting the no-practice into the practice. Those who understand what as said are approach it. Those who feel confused about what as said are far from it. The Dao of words and talks is cut off. It can not be bound by things. The difference of millimeter or centimeter would cause the mistake in a moment.

This chapter is very difficult to understand for the beginners who learn Buddhism, not to mention those who have not yet learned Buddha. If we want to completely understand the content of this chapter as said by Buddha, we might at least have to learn Buddhism for more than ten years and to prove the wisdom of Bodhisattva by self. There are many people who could not understand the content as said by Buddha, even though they might have learned or researched Buddhism in their whole life. Therefore, if we have not yet learned Buddhism and not yet prove the wisdom of Bodhisattva, it is better for us not to criticize the content as said by Buddha, so as to avoid showing our ignorance.    

Because I do not know the readers' degree of learning Buddhism in this blog, I have to explain it by more details, so as to avoid the reader to mistakenly understand the content as said by Buddha. 

To untie and to cut off the abstract rope linking between our mind and heart and any phenomenon and situation would make our heart truly free.

Most people could not realize the pure state of Buddha. That is because their six conscious are chasing the outside phenomenon, are tangling in the inner situation, and are turning with the outer situation and its changing. Meanwhile, they are too obsessing with the material life.

Therefore, if the phenomenon or any situations and its changing could not content to their mind, they are easy to generate the five-poison heart. Only when the phenomenon and any situation and its changing are contented to their mind, they are thus to generate the heart of happiness. Anyway, their heart and mind are occupied by the outside phenomenon, and any inner or outer situation and its changing. That is why they could not understand the meaning of emptiness as said by Buddha.

The Buddha Sakyamuni often used the word “tied” or “fastened” or “bind” to express that our mind, heart or thought is tied, fastened or bind by any aspect of phenomenon or any situations. In other word, that is, what we are doing is what we have thought. And what we have thought and done is tied, fastened or bind by any phenomenon, concept, ideology, theory or any situation. However, no matter what our thought is, the birth of one thought is the death of the other thought in our mind. Our previous thoughts are different from the latter thoughts. Each thought of us is like the river and it is always moving and flowing. And it is always such changing. That is why it is impermanent.  

Obsessed with any phenomenon would cover our natural wisdom.

That is why the Buddha Sakyamuni had said, ”All doing is like dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows, like dew and lightning, so we should perceive it like this.  (All promising practices, methods, teachings and the situations presented is like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, like dew and lightning, so we should visualize them like this.)” This is the famous verse in the Diamond Sutra.

From the describing, we could understand that all of the doing phenomenon is unreal, but is formed by reasons and conditions, and is temporary, is attached to another phenomenon, and could be disappeared in any time. That is why the Buddha Sakyamuni always advised us not to obsess with any phenomenon. If we obsess with any phenomenon, such obsessing and phenomenon will hinder our natural wisdom.

Secondly, the Buddha Sakyamuni advised us not to obsess with any doing and thinking, even not to obsess with Buddhism or learning Buddha. Why? That is because stubborn in any doing and thinking is one of the reasons to cause the problem and suffering. Even to stubbornly persist in Buddhism or in learning Buddha, itself would become the obstacle to learn Buddhism, to learn Buddha.

Anyway, the Buddha’s teaching is always to break or smash our stubbornly persisting and obsessing mind step by step, no matter what we persist in or obsess with. If we only know about the Theravada Buddhism or about chanting Amitabha so as to be reborn in the pure land, and we strongly stick to such things, our mind would be limited and any argument might thus occur; and we might be thus not interested in Buddhism, when we have seen such situation; once we are facing any frustration in life, we might easy to have the rollback from the faith in Buddhism.

Those who promote Theravada Buddhism or Amitabha might not talk about the 42 chapters said by Buddha, especially this chapter. That is because this chapter is very difficult to express, teach and understand. This chapter is not suitable for those who are the beginner in learning Buddha and those who have only the little root of wisdom.

As a teacher and professor in Buddhism, we always encourage everyone to learn Buddhism, to learn Buddha. Who dares to tell you not to persist in learning Buddhism, not to persist in learning Buddha? However, if you have read each article in this blog, I believe that you might have any concept about it and have known about why.

To think what it means about the no-thought and why the no-thought is.

Let’s return to the subject. Why the Buddha said that my law is thinking of the no-thought thought? Does it confuse you? The law here means the Buddha-law, the Dharma, which also means the Buddha’s teaching and any phenomenon.

One thought is about the generation and the elimination for anything. And that is even to concerned about the birth and death of any life. Therefore, when one person is in the state of no-thought, there is no emerging and no eliminating for anything. Meanwhile, this person in the state of no-thought would jump out the constraint from the birth and death of life. In other word, it jumps out the limitation of fate.

Furthermore, when one person no longer persists in or obsesses with any phenomenon, or it has realized the truth of no-phenomenon, it would thus be in the state of no-thought. In other word, if there is any phenomenon in front of us, there is thus emerged one thought from our mind; if there is no phenomenon in front of us, how could any idea be emerged from our mind? Anyway, no-thought means to empty our mind or heart.

Any trouble and any suffering are coming from any phenomenon and its corresponding thought and feeling. Once any phenomenon and its corresponding thought and feeling have gone, any trouble and any suffering have disappeared at the same time.

One thought will cause a situation. This occurred situation will cause another thought. Thoughts and situations are such cycling, continued and endless, which forms any phenomenon. If any first thought is evil, whatever what it is and where it comes from, meanwhile, the corresponding situation makes us not comfortable at all, we are suffering anyway. Under this circumstance, we keep our mind with no-thought, our mind will be still and peace and then we can observe the situation in our inside and outside with the objective way.  That is the function and application of no-thought.  

Escaping any phenomenon and situation is not a good idea.

Some people want to escape any trouble and any suffering. They therefore choose to escape the phenomenon what might be happened. The Buddha never taught us to escape any phenomenon. On the contrary, the Buddha taught us to face it, to understand that the nature of any phenomenon is emptiness; that is because all of phenomenon is formed by any reasons and conditions.

Meanwhile, one of reason of phenomenon is self, a thought emerged from self. In other word, we are one of the reasons for any phenomenon. Once the reason regarding self, that is a thought emerged from self, has never appeared, or is already gone, any phenomenon would not be formed, and any trouble and suffering would be gone together.

For example, if we have a thought to pursue the love and to really do that, the phenomenon of love is formed. Any happiness, trouble or suffering regarding the love would be appeared continually. On the contrary, if we don’t have a thought about pursuing love, any phenomenon regarding the love would not be formed.

Understanding the nature of any phenomenon and any situation would make us wise.

Such concept is really hard to be understood, not to mention to put it into the practice in reality. Then, we might have one question. How to train us to be in the state of no-thought? Some Buddhist monk or nun to train their mind to be in the state of no-thought is to close self and refuse any news from the world, then, to chant Amitabha or Buddhist scripture everyday. They don’t care about what happened in the world. 

In other word, they refuse the outside phenomenon, any situation and its changing. Maybe that is one method to train a mind to be in the state of no-thought. But, it is not the only method. The Buddha Sakyamuni did not use such way to train his mind to be in the state of no-thought.

Then, what is the way used by the Buddha Sakyamuni? It is to really understand and realize the nature of any phenomenon, any situation and its changing, that what we have met. The nature as said is emptiness. Any phenomenon, any situation and its changing are emerged from the emptiness. Any phenomenon, any situation and its changing are really formed by the combining from any reasons and conditions.

Such emptiness is able to appear anything and what appeared from the emptiness is always changing and changing. Once our hearts are chasing the changes that are said every moment, every day, every year, how tired and painful we will be. It is to keep thinking the no-thought thought, to keep stable in mind, and to keep clear in heart. No matter what phenomenon or situation is happened in front of us, we always clear to know that the nature is emptiness. We then have a proper and wise thought emerged from no-thought to face and deal with the phenomenon or situation. 

Put down any obsessing with any phenomenon and situation.

Then, we might have one question. Whether the Buddha Sakyamuni has a thought or not? Actually, he is in the state of one-thought and of no-thought. And this thought is to be focus on thinking of no-thought. His mind is always in the state of no-thought. That is how he faces the phenomenon, any situation and its changing. He didn’t close self to escape the phenomenon, any situation and its changing.

That is, each thought is dwelled on the right thought, to understand and realize that, the nature of phenomenon, situation and its changing, is emptiness and nothingness; and since it is emptiness and nothingness, there is no reason and it is not necessary to appear any thought for the emptiness and nothingness, let alone to appear any evil thought. No matter how changeable about the phenomenon, situation and its changing, once any thought is thus to be generated, it is violating the clear and pure mind-the state of the stillness in heart. 

Therefore, the more profoundly understanding is that, even a thought for thinking of the no-thought thought, which should be abandoned. Even such thought, it should have no chance to occupy in our mind. To abandon any thought until there is nothing to be abandoned. It is the true nothingness and stillness.

Acting the no-doing action makes our mind to be rest and at ease.

What is the meaning of acting the no-doing action? It also means to do the no-doing doing. If we have the basic concept about no phenomenon as said above, what we should do when we face the no phenomenon? There is nothing to do. Similarly, if we face the no phenomenon and have thus no thought, what we should do? There is also nothing to do. Then, we might have one question. If there is nothing to do, what is the meaning for us? Does it make any sense for us?

It really makes our mind to be rest and at ease. In such state, we would thus actually perceive the peace in our mind. So, we might have another question. Does the Buddha Sakyamuni do nothing all the time? No. Actually, he will always do something, to do the no-doing doing. Do you thus think that he was a lazier or escapist? No. Neither is. Actually, he taught the Buddhism and spoken of the Buddha-law (the Dharma) for 49 years; and he inspired the wisdom of human beings and left the treasure of wisdom for the human beings more than 2500 years, and would keep going on.

The essence of Buddhism is to enlighten the self natural wisdom.

The essence of Buddhism is to enlighten the self natural wisdom, not worship Buddha or Bodhisattva. To worship Buddha or Bodhisattva is by means of their wonderful and spiritual power-their strength of mercy and might, to help us to be in the virtue path-to do the goodness, and thus to finally enlighten our natural wisdom.

Therefore, no matter to worship Buddha or Bodhisattva, or to do the goodness, it is a convenient method and process to help us go to the final goal; and what the final goal is to prove the self natural wisdom by self. However, because everyone's intelligent and situation is different, what the used methods could be more than 84000 methods; and such methods could be generated and eliminated at any time. That is, it might be appeared in one day and might be disappeared in another day. Such methods are impermanent, because it is the change according to any phenomenon and situation.

For instance, the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva are created everywhere. Some people hate the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva and destroy those statues purposely. That is because that they do not understand the wisdom said by Buddha Sakyamuni. The phenomenon about the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva is impermanent. It is only one method to help the human beings to inspire their natural wisdom. The true wisdom is soft power, no-phenomenon, and is permanent. Any phenomenon is the temporary changing. There are no statues of Buddha or Bodhisattva in our natural wisdom. Such true wisdom is existed in everyone, no matter what our faith is. But, do you know that you have such natural wisdom? Does your natural wisdom have been enlightened? Does such true wisdom could be destroyed?

Just by means of our little intelligent, it is really difficult for us to understand the grand wisdom of Buddha. If we always attach to any phenomenon, we might do any stupid things and seek the trouble and suffering by self. On the contrary, if we could be away from any phenomenon, we would do anything with our natural wisdom. One of such natural wisdom is to do the no-doing doing. To do so is really able to be away from the self subjective idea, or to be away from the subjective influence from others mind.

What we have done is really do something. And we know that any trouble and any suffering will be gone after leaving any phenomenon and any situation. We therefore jump out the frame and circle of any phenomenon and situation, and then to have the right thought to do the right thing.

The Buddha is always to break and smash what our stubbornness heart is.

In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha Sakyamuni said, “What the Buddha-law said by Tathagata (Buddha) could not be taken, could not be spoken, is the non-Buddha-law, and is no non-Buddha-law. So, what it is? All the sage and saint are different from the masses by the Buddha-law of no-doing.”

The Buddha-law means Dharma, Buddha’s teaching, principle, worldly method, method to learn Buddhism, the change of mind and heart, any thought, any phenomenon, situation and its changing. The meaning of Buddha-law is very wide. It also includes the no-thought, no-doing, no-talking, no-practicing, and no-phenomenon.

The wisdom included in the Buddha-law said by Buddha is very broad and profound. It is not what we could think of by our worldly intelligent. Secondly, the true wisdom almost could not be obtained by debating with the logic. That is because the true wisdom is unable to be talked, but could be obtained by practically meditating and experience. The true wisdom is really incredible.

The Buddha Sakyamuni advised us not to take what said by Tathagata, and not to talk about what said by Tathagata, because what said by Tathagata is not phenomenon, but is also not no-phenomenon. Why the Buddha said that? That is because that we would be tied, fasten or bind by the phenomenon what said by Tathagata. If we take what said by Tathagata, and talk about what said by Tathagata, we would also be tied by what the Buddha talked about no-thought, no-doing, no-talking and no-practicing.

So, if we have some concept about what the Buddha had taught, we know that he is always to break and smash our stubborn in anything, even to what we are stubborn in doing the no-doing. Then, what we should do? When we really understand and realize Buddha’s teaching, such content including not to harm others and not to harm self, not to cause troubles to others and not to cause troubles to self, and also containing the cause and effect (Do good things will gain good repay. Do evil things will gain evil repay.), we could do everything what we like to do in our free will. It is thus the truly freedom in our life.

Why are the sage and saint different from the masses? The sage and saint understand and realize the true wisdom, prove it in daily life, and do everything upon the no-doing. 

The true wisdom is speechless.

The true wisdom is speechless. Why? Any speech about any phenomenon or event is including the personal bias. Do you think that any speech about no-phenomenon would not be including personal bias? Maybe not. That is why the Buddha said that he did not say a word in 49 years. If we do not understand what he said, we would not gain the Dao. Why?

The Dao is originally speechless. Leaving phenomenon, speechless. That is also why he said that Buddha-law is talking about the no-talking talk. The Dao is no-talking, speechlessness. What the Buddha had talked is to show us methods and the direction to the goal and to the Dao, not the Dao itself. The Dao itself should be meditated and experienced by our self. If we always attach to the phenomenon of what the Buddha had said, what we gain is not the true natural wisdom, but the knowledge insights.

Some persons want to demonstrate what they have been enlightened from the Buddhism, so they do not talk anything all the day. Do you have found something wrong from that?

Even though we have been enlightened about the true wisdom from the Buddhism, it doesn’t mean that we do no talk anything all the day. If we do not talk anything all the day, we would fall into the stupid stubborn about no-talking. The Buddha Sakyamuni never did that. On the contrary, he had talks every day. What he had talked is about the wisdom and event of no-talking.

The Buddha-law is for curing our abstract heart in illness.

The Buddha said what the Buddha-law is? It is putting the no-practice into the practice. Why he said that? All the Buddha-law said by Buddha is aiming at curing the abstract sick heart of humans. If there is no sick heart, why the Buddha-law should be needed?

The heart here means the abstract sick heart, the mind and the thought. To practice the Buddha’s teaching also includes the meaning of correcting our behavior, our mind or our thought. But, why we should correct our behavior, mind or thought? When we pursue in or attach to any phenomenon, event, concept, ideology, belief, or knowledge, any abstract heart is thus generated, for instance, the heart of greedy, hatred, obsession, arrogance or suspicion.

When we have heart such as greedy or hatred, it means that attaching to the phenomenon makes us sick and unhappy. The Buddha uses the Buddha-law to cure our disease heart. That is why we need to put the Buddha-law and the Buddha's teaching into the practice. It is such as we need to eat the medicine to cure our disease.

When we have realized the truth is without phenomenon, the nature of phenomenon is the nothingness and the emptiness, what else could make us to attach to and what else could make us generate any heart? Even the greedy heart, or the hatred heart, it is unable to be generated.

The truth is that there is nothing which could be attached and any heart is unable to be generated, when we face the emptiness. The only thing which could be attached to is the emptiness. In such state, the heart without a thought is healthy and stability. Then, what else should we put into the practice? There is already nothing that we need to put it into the practice. It is also not necessary for us to need the Buddha-law. It is such as we no longer need the medicine, because we have already been in healthy from the disease. It is the meaning of no-practice.    

So, whether putting the no-practice into the practice is the practice or the no-practice? Both are. When we stubborn in and obsess with any phenomenon or anything, we put the Buddha-law into the practice, so as to cure our disease heart. When we no longer stubborn in and obsess with any phenomenon or anything, we put the no-practice into the practice.

The Buddha said,” Those who understand what as said are approach it. Those who feel confused about what as said are far from it. “ So, whether we understand it or not, it is only between a thought. If we understand what as said, we approach the Dao, the truth, and the natural wisdom. If we still feel confused about what as said, we are far from the Dao, the truth and the natural wisdom. 

The truth of Dao, speechless.

“The Dao of words and talks is cut off. It can not be bound by things. The difference of millimeter or centimeter would cause the mistake in a moment. “

As we have talked above, the Dao can not be expressed by words and talks. If the Dao is expressed by words and talks, it is as if to be tied by ropes. Such Dao and such heart are thus restricted. We have to cut off the abstract ropes of words and talks, because any words and talks are attached to things. And it would let the Dao and our heart lose the truth. Only when any words and talks are cut off-that also means to put down any words and talks, our heart and the Dao can not be bound by things, and we then can see the truth of Dao and the truth of all things in our mind and in a free heart.

The difference of millimeter or centimeter would cause the mistake in a moment.

“The difference of millimeter or centimeter” means very subtle difference. It also means a little mistakenly understanding or a subtle misunderstanding. It would cause the mistake in learning Buddha, in learning Buddhism, in a very short time.

Why? Some people have heard the no-thought, no-doing, no-talking and no-practice. They then subjectively think that they have been enlightened and do not need to do anything in learning Buddhism. Meanwhile, they thus increase the self-arrogance.

Any Buddha and Bodhisattva, who have been enlightened and prove the truth, the Dao, and the natural wisdom, always do something to enlighten the sentient beings and save them to liberate from any suffering. What they have done is called doing something in a dream. It means that they actually do the things, but they do not stubborn in those things. 

 

Secondly, the person, who is before becoming Buddha or Bodhisattva, must think a lot about what the Buddha had talked and taught, do a lot of things to repent his fault, to correct his behavior and attitude, to clear his heart, to empty the negative mind, and put the Buddha’s teaching into the practice every day.

Furthermore, this chapter is to express the practice about without-merit and without-application, and the proving what the without-proof is. This is the natural wisdom and no hypocrisy and pretentiousness. It is the degree and phase of Bodhisattva, not that of those who have not yet learned the Buddhism. 

To become Buddha or Bodhisattva is not an easy thing. It must experience the learning in Buddha’s teaching completely by personal countless times of life. If you are lucky to read this article, I hope that you could cherish this chance to learn Buddha, to learn Buddhism. In the current world, those who have the chance to read this chapter is very few, let alone to understand it. Even those who have learned Buddhism, they might never read this chapter translated in Chinese. This chapter is really very rare and very valuable. It is very helpful to enlighten our natural wisdom.