One of the Ten Titles about Buddha—Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

 

The True Meaning of the Word Truly, Correct and Right in Buddhism

 

One of the Ten Titles about Buddha in Sanskrit is Samyaksaṃbuddho, which is translated by me as Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing, Truly-Equality-Enlightenment, Truly-Equality-and-Truly-Enlightenment. The word Truly is able to be replaced by the word Right. It means that when the sentient beings really realize the essence of the self-nature – the emptiness and silence, and the clearly clean and equality under this status. Only this, they are truly enlightened and truly realize the self-nature—the absolutely emptiness and without Binary Opposition. It is the true wisdom and the true knowing. Under the circumstance, only it is able to be understood as correct and right. That is because it is impossible to have the space to explain it with any distorted reasons. That is, it is the undistorted and un-doubt truth, and it can’t be debated, so it is correct and right. It is the importantly core notion in Buddhism. 

 

 

How to Verify the True Wisdom and the True Knowing in Buddhism

 

However, regarding the truth as mentioned, you might have one question how to know and verify it. According to my personal experiences, there are three ways that we could know and verify it. Firstly, we actually hear, think and practice it what the ways taught by the Buddha. Secondly, we observe those public and honesty Buddhist Masters from the ancient time to the modern time what the thought, deed, teaching and preaching they have done. Thirdly, we deeply read the Buddhist scripture with the single minded so as to actually realize the meaning taught by the Buddha as a reference, basis and further proving. If you finally find any common things and any common truths from these three points, and you are also inspired by it, it is worth for you to verify them furthermore. That is to rely on the true meaning, true laws and true wisdom which are taught by the Buddha and are realized and practice and proved by you, but not to rely on any persons and any expressions. 

 

 

When we truly understand the truth taught by the Buddha, it is not easy for us to be misguided, used and manipulated by any evil and scheming people.

 

It is very important to understand this. That is because there is always someone to explain the Buddhism with the view and phenomenon of Binary Opposition, distorted and wrong concepts. That is, someone do it by this way because of the self-interest. When we truly understand the truth taught by the Buddha, it is not easy for us to be misguided, used and manipulated by any evil and scheming people. Even though, the wisdom of the truth as said is originally existed in everyone’s heart. However, there are always the toxic people with the greedy, hatred and ignorantly obsessed mind, who have not yet been enlightened in their clean self-nature, and always control the world, and blindly use, manipulate and hurt the humans with the heart of darkness. When we realize these things, it is not for us to against these people, but we think how we can enlighten them so as to make them be good persons and return their missions to the right way and follow the teaching by the Buddha. 

 

 

Why It Is Equality in the Self-Nature.

 

Why it is equality in the self-nature. In the emptiness and silence, there is no cause, condition and effect. That is, there is no phenomenon and there is nothing which is able to be competed and compared. Therefore, there is no grade. Under this circumstance, it is the truly equality. Such truly equality is existed in everyone’s self-nature. However, the unenlightened sentient beings couldn’t see it. Only the enlightened beings can see it.

 

 

Does It Make Any Sense for Us To Know the Equality in the Self-Nature?

 

Then, we might have the further question. Does it make any sense for us to know it? We thus understand that a lot of inequality and any seemed equality and any thus harm are the outcome through the manipulation of humans. That is, there is existed the cause, condition and effect. And the basic and major cause is any personally greedy desire or any individually loving desire. These humans may be yourself, your family members, your relatives, your boss, or your officials in your country. It is also possible to be the strangers or famous persons who have the authority to affect any things of the world, and these kinds of persons exist in the ancient and the modern time, and also exist in the domestic and foreign countries.

 

 

How we can use our wisdom and knowledge to destroy our worries and affliction. This is the meaning and why we learn the Buddhism.

 

Therefore, it could be possible for us to further thinking that how we can get rid of any controlling things. Actually, that is how we can use our wisdom and knowledge to destroy our worries and affliction. This is the meaning and why we learn the Buddhism. When we profoundly realize the Buddhism and we intend to resolve any problems or troubles, what the things we depend on is our individually professional knowledge of the world, common sense and our wisdom, but not depending on any outside gods. The wisdom includes our mercy and empathy for all sentient beings, and includes the creativity and flexibility in our mind, etc.

 

 

Why the Buddha neither deny nor reject any outside gods, ghosts or demons, but accept all of them to be the guardian gods in the Buddhism.

 

It is as if when we had not yet grew up, we were vulnerable and helpless both in our hearts and in our lives and we needed to depend on someone to raise and help us (we needed gods or God to help us ). However, when we had grew up and were an adult independently, we were capable to independently resolve any things by our individual thinking, ability and decision. This is also some kind of the core spirit and notion in the great boarding of Buddhism (Mahayana).

 

Therefore, we understand that why the Buddha neither deny nor reject any outside gods, ghosts or demons, but accept all of them to be the guardian gods in the Buddhism. When we learn the Buddha with our honesty heart, these beings of gods would become our guardian angles to protect us not to be hurt by others so as to make us learn the Buddha in the good ways. That is also the true compassionate and wisdom of the Buddha. 

 

 

One of The Dao-proving Song by Zen-Master Yongjia

 

The word Enlightenment is able to be replaced by the word Awakening. Many Chinese Buddhist Masters in Taiwan often take use of the Dao-proving Song said by the enlightened Zen-master Yongjia of the ancient Chinese so as to enlighten the modern humans. One of the famous verses is translated by me as follows:

 

There are clearly six towards-going in the dream,

But after waking up,

Only the emptied emptiness

Without the great-thousand (worlds).  

 

When I was young woman and learning the Buddha, I felt confusion about this verse and really didn’t understand what it meant. In many articles of this blog, I explain the relative concept a lot in the contents. One day, if you are really realize the truth of the self-heart and the self-nature, this verse is also able to simply confirm yourself whether you are enlightened and see your nature or not.

 

                                                                                                                     

The word Law can be broadly explained and known in the realm of Buddhism.

 

The meaning of the Sanskrit Samyaksaṃbuddho is capable to truly, rightly, widely and universally understand and know all laws. The word Law can be broadly explained and known in the realm of Buddhism. That is, it includes any generated and eliminated phenomenon caused and conditioned by everyone’s root, conscious and aggregate. And all phenomena include the visible and invisible. Meanwhile, it also includes the changeable phenomena of the world and its things. That is, all laws are formed and arisen by the cause, condition, and effect. Therefore, no matter what the phenomena of laws are, it is always generated and eliminated in a moment and thus this situation and its cause and condition are always changeable continually. It is thus the impermanent (not permanent). For example, one of our thought is one of them. Our cell is one of them, too. That is why we can take care of them and take use of them well toward the good direction for the public benefit, but not to rely on or obsess with them for the self-interest so as not to limit the self in the difficulty finally. Many things in our life and in our world can be reasoned and understood accordingly.

 

 

How we can practice, prove and attain the truly-equality-enlightenment and the truly-all-over-the knowing.

 

Moreover, we might have one question how we can practice, prove and attain the truly-equality-enlightenment and the truly-all-over-the knowing. There are a lot of Buddhist scriptures which are regard to the truly-equality-enlightenment said by the Buddha. It is difficult for us to read those scriptures completely in our whole life. Therefore, the Master Xuanzang shortened the whole contents to the Heart Sutra. I have ever translated the Heart Sutra from Chinese into English. Meanwhile, I have explained and talked about it. To deeply meditate about this Buddhist scripture again and again, it would help us be enlightened to perfectly realize the truly-equality-enlightenment. If you have not yet read this Buddhist scripture and you are interested in it, the link is as follows:

     

l   Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11)

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

 

 

Both of the Truly-Equality-Enlightenment and the Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing are synchronized and the same one.

 

Both of the Truly-Equality-Enlightenment and the Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing are synchronized and the same one. But, how we can understand, practice, prove, and attain the truly-all-over-the-knowing. In the Buddhist Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by the Buddha, the Buddha had talked about how he had attained the truly-all-over-the-knowing and the truly-equality-enlightenment. The contents translated by me from Chinese into English and the link are as follows:

l   The Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by Buddha

 

The Content of The Buddhist scripture -- Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment.

 

Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment. The Buddha said. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom. There was nothing all over the places that could not be understood and known. Take the four thought places, four right breakings, four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven factors of enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four reason laws, etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make them arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition, one-come-and-go fruition, never-come-again fruition and the no-birthing fruition. Possess the three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore, in the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so as to experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and attain the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.

   

 

The Tathagata possessed all wisdom and were the truly-all-over-the-wisdom.

If you have read the articles about the ten titles of Buddha, you know that the Tathagata is the Buddha and it is also the true-equality-enlightenment and truly-all-over-the-knowing. The word Knowing can be replaced by the word Wisdom. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom and were the truly-all-over-the-wisdom. That is, the Tathagata know all wisdom. The knowing here is meant to knowing the all wisdom or the knowing itself is the wisdom. Actually, the Buddha possessed all wisdom, but each one of them might not know all knowledge, such as the principles of modern highest technology, the various languages, any kinds of theories, or the modern law, the financial and economic knowledge, etc. The knowledge is able to be used in the good way so as to help all sentient being and the world. However, it is also able to be used in the bad way so as to harm all sentient being and the world. That is, the general, professional and any worldly knowledge uncertainly are equal to wisdom or include the wisdom.

 

 

The Buddha deeply realized the original self-nature of all sentient beings, and their initial cause, condition, and effect.

 

Even though, each of the Buddha didn't necessarily know the whole knowledge, but each of them had its own professional knowledge and knew how to take use of it in the good way so as to help the sentient beings and the world. This is its wisdom. Meanwhile, it can take use of its wisdom to help those people take use of their own knowledge in the good way so as to help all sentient beings and the world. I don’t use the word Omniscience or Omnipotent or All-knowing or All-ability to definite or describe the Buddha. If we deeply read the Buddhist scripture and understand the Buddhism, and we profoundly practice the teaching of the Buddha, we will know that the Buddha deeply realized the original self-nature of all sentient beings, and their initial cause, condition, and effect. Meanwhile, he perceived the cause and the changeable conditions which might be able to lead to any effect for everything in the world. From perceiving these cause, condition, and effect, the wisdom be thus arisen to help the self and the sentient beings and the world. That is why he possessed all wisdom. But, it doesn’t mean that he is a being of omniscience or omnipotent.     

 

 

The essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom.

 

Actually, the essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom. What? Why? How it could be? When we learn the Buddha, this concept might be really shocked you. And then, we might question our self, what and why we learned the Buddha on earth? When we are learning the Buddhism, we always expect our self to be like the omniscience and the omnipotent of the Buddha so that we can control everything in our life so as to get rid of all worries and sufferings. If the purpose of learning the Buddha is to become the humans of no-knowing and no-wisdom, why we learn the Buddha? That is the idea which had ever been appeared in my mind. The state and wisdom of the Buddha is really beyond our normally and logically trained thought and custom in our daily life. If we are ignorant and lack of the basic knowledge and practicing in learning Buddhism, it is really impossible for us to accept the Buddhism.

 

 

The Buddhist scripture Heart Sutra is the basic knowledge and practicing and the getting started in further deeply learning Buddhism.

 

Regarding the concept that the essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom, we are capable to understand it from the Buddhist scripture Heart Sutra. It is the basic knowledge and practicing and the getting started in further deeply learning Buddhism. But, it is not enough. It is still necessary for us to learn more and practice more from the teaching of Buddha and from reading the Buddhist scriptures. Such endeavor in learning would help us really realize the essence of the Buddha and make us no question any more. That is also to realize the essence of the self when we are awakened. But, is it meaningful in our life?

 

The state of the Buddha was always in the emptiness and stillness. Under this circumstance, do you think that its mind filled with all knowledge and wisdom by recite, remember, and speculate, and that he had the huge leisure time to know all the things and to deal with them? When we use our common sense, the knowledge of Buddhism and the actual experience of practicing the Buddhism, we will know that it is certainly impossible.

 

 

The heart of the Buddha is like a bright mirror. We call it heart-mirror.

 

As we have mentioned in another articles in this blog, if you have ever read, you would know that the heart of the Buddha is like a bright mirror. We call it heart-mirror. There is nothing in there. Of course, there is also no-knowing and no-wisdom. What is the state of the heart of the Buddha? It is described to be the heart-emptying, heart-mirror and heart-sea. It is one thing for us to know this state, but it is another thing for us to actually practice and achieve enlightenment.

 

 

The Buddha is not a judge. But, its heart is like the sea which could contain all things.

 

Due to really emptying the heart and wherein without greedy, hatred, stupid infatuation, arrogant and suspicious mind, it is able to realize the equality and compassionate for all sentient beings, and thus endure any weird, distorted and evil thoughts and behaviors that are seemed not to correspond to our normal, ethical and moral thinking and behavior. In the heart-mirror of the Buddha, there is no judgment for any seemed weird, distorted and evil thought and behavior. It will make all of these things itself to flow in and flow out the bright mirror of the heart and make those who have done these things to bear and accept the outcome or retribution of the Karma. That is, the Buddha is not a judge. But, its heart is like the sea which could contain all things, no matter the things seemed good or evil in our subject opinions. For example, do you think that the sharks of eating humans are demons or evil ones? The sharks itself don’t think so.

 

 

Why The Buddha was a freely and easily beings and possessed the truly wisdom.

 

Many things can be inferred and observed from this. What happened in the world might not be correctly understood by our bias opinions. Sometimes, one of the seemed evil things would be against the other of the seemed evil things. I use the word Seemed so as to be objective and not to judge it to be good or evil. And then, all of these seemed evil things and persons would be cumbered or destroyed each other by their cause, condition and effect of themselves. Wherein exist their cause, condition, and effect, and any changeable of such things. The Buddha knew it, saw it, let it come, let it go and didn’t judge it. That is, the Buddha really used the objective perspective to understand these things. That is why the Buddha was a freely and easily beings and possessed the truly wisdom.

 

 

The Buddha would not be manipulated by those people who think that they are standing in the side of the just, moral and correct.

 

The Buddha would not be manipulated by those people who think that they are standing in the side of the just, moral and correct. That is because some of the people would mistakenly explain the just, moral and correct with the fake good, weird and distorted logics and views, as well as with the logic and view of the binary opposition, so as to manipulate humans. If we really practice and realize the Buddhism, we would not be manipulated by these people and these things.

 

 

Why the Buddha appeared in the world to teach, save and reform those beings.

 

But, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exit the correct judgment about ethic and morality in Buddha’s heart. In generally, as we know, some of the worldly knowledge even are the evil theory which violate the conscience and good nature of humans, meanwhile, distort the self-nature of humans and thus to imprison and close the self-mind of humans. It entirely makes the self to be ignorant and stubbornly attaching what they love. These people not only believe and behavior it but also manipulate others to do so in order to make others be the followers and slaves and be stupid forever. The initial causes for these people and things are the various kinds of poisoned mind—greedy, hatred, stupid addicting or obsessing, brute, selfish, arrogant, suspicious or specious mind and so on. It is because there always are such ignorant people and things which not only harm and torture themselves and others but also make themselves and others suffer and worry, that is why the Buddha appeared in the world to teach, save and reform those beings.

 

 

The knowing and the wisdom of the Buddha were happened from the profoundly and honestly emptying heart and then the truly, sincerity and integrity thinking, reasoning and judging.

 

The various kinds of poisoned mind or of good mind are existed in the past, present and future humans. And thus cause various kinds of events and the changeable phenomena in the past, present and future. No matter the various kinds of humans, events and the changeable phenomena, it is some kind of the reincarnation rolled again and again. In other words, all things and thus following the changeable events are the interaction and inter-affection of the cause, condition, and effect, which exist continuously and everywhere. And from the changeable of cause, condition, and effect, it is possible to conclude or speculate the next, future, or possible consequence. Meanwhile, it is also possible to conclude or speculate the previous, past or possible cause from the current consequence. The Buddha sited with cross-legged and was into the meditation. In this state, the cause, condition, effect and any changeable of the relative things, which were cared by the Buddha, would naturally appear in the bright heart-mirror or the peaceful heart-sea of the Buddha. The Buddha knew it, saw it, felt it and even heard it. At the same time, there is no judgment. Then, the corresponded wisdom was arisen naturally. Therefore, we understand that the knowing and the wisdom of the Buddha were not happened by the memory, remembering or any conscious of brain, but from the profoundly and honestly emptying heart and then the truly, sincerity and integrity thinking, reasoning and judging. 

 

 

The state and function of the Buddha is totally different from the function of AI robot.

 

Now, we understand a little why and how the Buddha was the truly-all-over-the-knowing. Such mentioned state and function of the Buddha is totally different from the function of AI robot, and is impossible to be learned by AI robot, and the AI robot is not capable to learn it.

 

And then, we understand that all the knowing and all the wisdom were arisen from the no-knowing and no-wisdom of the Buddha. In the Buddhist scripture as mentioned, the Tathagata possessed all wisdom. There was nothing all over the places that could not be understood and known by the Buddha. Now we understand that what the all over the places and what the all over the knowing and what the all wisdom are all in the bright heart-mirror and peaceful heart-sea of the Buddha. However, do you know why and how the Buddha owned such ability?  

 

 

Why and how the Buddha owned the ability of truly all over the knowing?

 

In the content of The Buddhist scripture -- Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment. There are the following mentioned:

Take the four thought places, four right breakings, four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven factors of enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four reason laws, etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make them arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition…. Possess the three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore, in the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so as to experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and attain the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.

  

All of these contents are talked about the methods and ways that the Buddha how to own the ability of truly all over the knowing. All of these methods and ways had been honestly practiced by the Buddha for his present and past countless lives, worlds and experiences, when he had not yet become the Buddha. That is why he was able to use these methods to teach and enlighten all sentient beings. That is also what we have to learn. If we really learn the Buddha and when we have read and understood these methods and ways, it will be naturally kept in our mind and make us practice it. The Buddha's immeasurable mind and intention is to teach us how to be truly equality and enlightenment and all over the knowing like him. Since it takes a lot of time and content to explain all of these methods, I will explain these methods in another article. I hope that these introductions and explanations about the other title of Buddha—the truly all over the knowing, would make you know the Buddha and yourself more.  

 

The Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by Buddha (Updated on May 23, 2024)

The ancient translator: Master Devasantika, Buddhist monk, Since A.D. Unknown to A.D.1000, born in North India, Jalandhara. Master Devasantika accepted the ancient emperor's order to translate this Buddhist scripture from Sanskrit into Chinese.

The modern translator: Tao Qing Hsu, Buddhist-at-home, not Buddhist nun, born and living in Taiwan. She has translated this Buddhist scripture from Chinese into English since the year of 2023 AD.

 

　　

Tathagata, Should-Make-Offerings, True-Equality-Enlightenment, Brightness-Action-Feet, Good-Death, World-Understanding, Supreme-Scholar, Man-Tamer, Teacher-of-Heavens-and-Humans, Buddha, and World-Venerable-One.

 

Ananda spoke and said. Why was it called Tathagata? The Buddha told Bhiksu. In the past, when I was a Pusa in the cause position, I had experienced to practice various deeds. In order to seek the supreme truly equality and truly enlightenment, now I have attained Bodhi, Nirvana and all truth. By the Eight Sage Paths truly see what the proved. It was named Tathagata. Just like those, who attained the truly equality and truly enlightenment in the past, tamed and rested the mind so as to achieve nirvana. It was named Tathagata.

 

Why was it 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.

 

Why was it called the True-Equality-Enlightenment? The Buddha said. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom. There was nothing all over the places that could not be understood and known. Take the four thought places, four right breakings, four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven factors of enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four reason laws, etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make them arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition, one-come-and-go fruition, never-come-again fruition and the no-birthing fruition. Possess the three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore, in the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so as to experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and attain the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.

 

Why was it called Brightness-Action-Feet? The Buddha said. The brightness meant that the brightness of heavenly eye, the brightness of experienced and predestined destinies, and the brightness of leak- ended. What the meaning of the action feet was the Karma of the Tathagata’s body, mouth, and mind. Good at practicing the consummate of possessing feet, the rightly truth and clearly clean. Such as owning a large clothing and bowl, etc., being able to perceive and reflect it at ease but without loving or attaching it. In all actions of the voluntary strength, practice them so as to make them consummate to possess the feet. It was named Brightness-Action-Feet.

Why was it 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.

 

Why was it called the World-Understanding and the Supreme-Scholar? The Buddha said. What the world means. It was called the desire realm, the color realm, and the colorless realm. And the hells, the hungry ghosts and the brutes, etc., that sort of things. Each had its own form aggregate, feeling aggregate, thought aggregate, action aggregate and consciousness aggregate. And the root of the eyes, the root of the ears, the root of the nose, the root of the tongue, the root of the body, and the root of the mind. And all the laws of that six consciousnesses and of that realms of thereon depending and so on. It was called the world. Truly enlightenment and truly knowing was called World-Understanding.

 

Moreover, all the two-legged, four-legged, many-legged and no-legged in the other world, the all heavens of desire and color, the heavens of thoughts and no thoughts, the heavens of neither thinking nor non-thinking, and supposing to be the mortal or the sage, in all these sentient beings, only the Buddha was the first, the most supreme and no grade. It was thus named the Supreme-Scholar.

 

Why was it  called Man-Tamer? The Buddha said. Buddha was a great man. And it could harmonize and rule the two sorts of good and evil things. The evil one made the three karmas of not good arise. And doing all the evil thus depraved oneself into the hells, hungry ghosts and brutes therefore gained the evil retribution. A good person practiced all good deeds in body, mouth and mind. Obtain blessings fruition from human and heaven. All good and evil were done by the mind. The Buddha used the law of nirvana of the good of the first meaning. It demonstrated the harmonizing and ruling to make beings leave the contaminated and filth and thus gained the supreme silent and eliminated Nirvana. Therefore, it was called Man-Tamer.

 

Why was it called the Teacher of Heavens and Humans? The Buddha said. It is not to be the teacher for Ananda of one bhiksu. All Bhiksus and Bhiksuni. And Upasaka and Upasika. And the heavens and humans. The Srmana and Brahmin. The demon king and the outside Dao. All the heavens of Sakras, Brahmas and Dragons had returned their missions and relied on the teachings to pursue and follow it and all became disciples of the Buddha. It was hence named the Teacher of Heavens and Humans.

 

Why was it called Buddha? Its wisdom possesses the adequately three enlightenments and the consummate and the brightness. It was hence named Buddha.

 

The Buddha told Ananda. I had done the practicing of regularly-walking in the past. A Brahmin came and asked me. Why did your parents name you Buddha? The Buddha immediately answered. That what the world understands and knows can be understood and known by me. That what the world perceives can also be perceived by me. That what the world can eliminate can also be eliminated by me. I have all wisdom and all understanding. I have experienced my lives since the countless kalpas. All kinds of practice are far away from dust and dirt. Now I have achieved the supreme Bodhi. Therefore, the name of Buddha was established.

 

Why was it called the World Venerable One? The Buddha said. When I was in the cause rank, I investigated myself to perceive all good laws. Precepts’ laws, mind’s laws, and wisdom’s laws. And I also perceived the laws of not good of the greed and so on. It could incur all sufferings of having generated and eliminated and so on. Used the wisdom without leakage to break through those worries and gained supreme enlightenment. That was why heavens, humans, mortals and saints. Those who transcended the world and those who were in the world respected him. Therefore, it was called World Venerable One.

Annotation: Pusa is transliterated from Chinese. It means Bodhisattva.  

 

One of the Ten Titles about Buddha -- Tathagata

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

 

The word Tathagata is transliterated from the Sanskrit. The word Tathagata is translated to be As-it-is or As-it-comes. It also means thus come and thus go. It means how it comes and let it goes as the same. That is, to image there is a clean and bright mirror, when something is reflected in a mirror, it will appear exactly the same. It will never appear the different. When this thing is removed, there will be nothing in the mirror. That is, the emptiness and silence in the mirror. Such a mirror and its function which it presents can be compared to be our hearts. Each of our hearts has such a mirror-like function and state. When we can realize this and stabilize such a state of mind, it means that we see our heart of Tathagata’s root. This Tathagata is not others, but our self. However, when we do not understand the Buddhism or when we are the beginner of learning Buddha, we always think that Tathagata is some kind of gods with supernatural power, or is someone else who doesn’t matter with us.   

 

When Buddhist scriptures mention a certain Tathagata, it means that they were once sentient beings just like us. After countless time and generations of practice in Buddha-law, they finally achieved enlightenment and became Buddhas one day, and they were conferred the title Tathagata. The practicing and enlightened achievement of Tathagata is the same as Buddha. Therefore, Tathagata is and means Buddha.

 

There are a lot of metaphor and describing about Tathagata, which are explained by the Buddha Shakyamuni in the different Buddhist scripture. In the content of Buddhist scriptures translated in the future, there will be also opportunities to mention it one after another. The word Rulaifo is transliterated from the Chinese. It means Tathagata-Buddha. The word Rulai or Rulaifo is universally used in the society or novel or drama of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In this circumstance and for the common sense, the word Rulai or Rulaifo usually means the Buddha Shakyamuni. But, if you have read a lot of different Buddhist scripture, you will own the different knowledge about the word Tathagata.

 

And why we are not the Tathagata, we know that our inner mind is always like a thick-dust and no-bright mirror which is unable to truly reflect anything. Meanwhile, our mind is always like a drama automatic making machine, what happened outside of our mind would be possible to be distorted or to be mistakenly understood by us, thus to generate a lot of troubles and worries for us which makes us feel bad and emotional. We thus couldn’t make a correct decision when encounter anything. If we want to change our self to be a person with a steady mind, it is worth for us to learn Buddha.         

Perceiving the spiritual awakening is the Bodhi.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

What is the spiritual awakening and what is the Bodhi? Relative to awakening is sleeping. It is a kind of describing. When we don’t know our self Buddha-nature which is the serenity and stillness in mind and nothingness in heart, we are like sleeping in the dark room and we couldn’t see the brightness. Once we know our self Buddha-nature, it is as we are awakening from the sunshine and could see the brightness, which is also called enlightening. This is the simple and short explaining about spiritual awakening.

 

There could be a lot of explaining about Bodhi. According to the different degree of learning Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni or the Master in Buddhism will offer the different meaning from shallow to deep. We will read the different meaning for Bodhi from the different Buddhist scripture. So, be wise and don't be bind by one meaning.

 

Bodhi is originally the Sanskrit and means a tree which names Bodhi. That is because Buddha Shakyamuni seat in meditation under a tree, where he is enlightened and prove the supreme-equality-wisdom by self. Then, this tree is called Bodhi tree. So, Buddha Shakyamuni uses the word “Bodhi” as “enlightenment” or “prove the supreme-equality-wisdom”. The masters in Buddhism usually explain Bodhi as compassion, wisdom, or becoming Buddha.

 

Perceiving the spiritual awakening is to have seen the self Buddha-nature and to enlighten and to prove the self natural wisdom, and then becoming Buddha, which whole experience is Bodhi.

 

How to perceive the spiritual awakening? There are three important methods. That is, to listen to Buddha’s teaching or to read the Buddhist scripture and its explanation, to think and to reason what the Buddha has taught, and to put Buddha’s teaching into practice. The spiritual awakening means to know self heart which is self nature, self Buddha nature.

 

Learning Buddha is to perceive the self spiritual awakening, not to worship Buddha Shakyamuni. For the masses, they may not have such knowledge. But, to worship Buddha will bring them hope and peace in heart. It is better for us to understand such situation with our empathy.

Chapter 9: Return to the root and understand the Dao

(Chapter 9) 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 9: Return to the root and understand the Dao 

The Buddha said,” Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood; obeying our own aspiration and keeping the Dao, such Dao is very grand.”

Dao is Tao, which is transliterated from Chinese character; its original meaning is path, road and way. Then, the meaning of Dao is extended more widely and its meaning has become more broadly with the change in time and space, such as talking, saying, method, law, doctrine, morality, skillfulness, capability, and the thought system of religion or education. The thought system of religion or education includes the aforesaid meanings.

In the history and in the time of war in China, the literati, the scholarship, intellectuals, and some of them in seclusion, they liked to study and talk about the Dao, and some of them would put what they have studied about the Dao into practice. Then, they concluded the concepts and created their own group, to teach their disciples. Such situation is also happened in ancient India, in the time of Buddha Siddhartha. In the modern time, especially in recently 300 year, there are also different concepts or dogmas being created.

A lot of concepts or dogmas are created from the ancient to the modern time. But, it doesn’t mean that the concepts itself are right or wrong. The problem is how it is applied properly by human and to benefit others. So, any concept or dogma is some kind of Dao. But, mostly, we think that Dao is lean to the positive concept which could benefit people and make people live a good life, including in the material and mental areas.

Any concept or doctrine itself has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, how do we delimit it? In any concept or doctrine, some advantage might be a disadvantage for others. And, some disadvantage being thought might be an advantage for others. That is, the advantage what you have thought or the doctrine is advantage to you might be the disadvantage to us.

There are more than one hundred theories, concepts, principles, dogmas or doctrine in ancient China, let alone in India, in European, or in other place. Those mentioned above are some kind of Dao. Even though a person who has the spirit of learning motivation and has learned a lot of knowledge, honestly, it is barely impossible for him to comprehend the all, let alone some concepts might be never heard or seen by people, such as this scripture. To have the knowledge of Dao is one thing; to put the knowledge of Dao into practice is another.

In the chapter 2, the Buddha had defined the Dao for their disciples. 

The Buddha said, “Those who go out of the family, become the Sramana, cut off the desire, remove the love, recognize the source of their own heart, reach the profound principle of the Buddha, realize the law of no-doing, have nothing being gained inside, have nothing being demanded outside, not to fasten the Dao in heart, nor to collect the karma, have no thoughts, have the no-doing, are non-practicing, are non-proving, not to experience the successive levels, but reach the own loftiest state of all, are called the Dao.”

Such Dao is also suitable for all people. But, it is hard to most people to understand, let alone to practice it. For most people, they think that such Dao is no useful for their life. But, if you could understand it deeply, you could find it is very useful for our life, even though we are not disciples of Buddha. If you are interested in the content of chapter 2 that I had explained, you can find here(Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha.

“Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood. “ Here, the first Dao means a lot of doctrine. The second Dao means the Dao which is explained by Buddha. It also means that it would not help us specialize in the truth, if we extensively hear and like a lot of doctrine. But, I think that it would help us open our mind and increase our knowledge. And it also help us to judge and choice what kind of doctrine is suitable for us.

All the teachings of Buddha include the philosophy, psychology, ethics, medicine, sociology, economics, science, physics and politics. If we widely involved such knowledge, and we have the fundamental concept of Buddhism, we would find that. Of course, the Buddhism is not classified in those respectively academic. The Buddhism is not used for researching in any academic, but for researching to our inner heart and practicing it in our real life. Then, we would find that the truth is in our heart, not from any research of academic, and also not from any outside supreme Spirit. That is the truth that the Buddha wants us to know.       

When we are lack of knowledge and are thus ignorant, we are easy to be bounded by and attach to one doctrine, especially, those persons who are poor and are oppressed by the pressure of life. For them, the Dao explained by Buddha is almost useless.

In the history, unfortunately, there is always the people to use the doctrine what they think it is right, to use it as their faith, and use the military power or the other means to force others people to obey their doctrine. The more worse is that they constrain the other doctrine to be transmitted and oppress or kill the people who practice these doctrines.

From the history, we can find that the Buddhism in the beginning is accepted by those people who are more educated, own more knowledge, and are in the high status, such as the emperor, or the prime minister. Ordinary people barely have the chance to hear or read The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapter Said by Buddha, except for being a Buddhist monk or nun. Most people just know to pray the Buddha to bless them to have a good and peaceful life. But, they do not know, to have a good and peaceful life is based on what they do in compassion and wisdom, and in knowledge. That is why the Buddhism was ever regarded as blind faith. Fortunately, those noble persons protect the Buddhism.

So, the Buddha said,” Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood.” In a word, it means that we could understand the truth, only when we profoundly realize the Dao and put it into practice intently.

The Buddha said,” Obeying our own aspiration and keeping the Dao, such Dao is very grand.” Even though these words are said to disciples of Buddha, it is also good for us. We might be curious about what the aspiration for the disciples of Buddha is, and why Buddha had said that.  

In the deep contemplation under the Bodhi tree, The Buddha had perceived that there are three kinds of sentient beings about their root of wisdom. He had classified them as higher root, intermediate root and lower root in wisdom. Why is it called the root of wisdom? The root of wisdom could bear the fruits of Buddha. And he also had used the container as a metaphor to describe how the degree is that the sentient beings could accept the teaching of Buddha, and how the degree is that they could achieve the goal. He also had classified it as large container, middle container and small container.

If people are compared and described as the large container, it means such people could accept the deep doctrine said by Buddha. On the contrary, if people are compared and described as the small container, it means such people could not accept the deep doctrine, and could only accept the simplistic doctrine.

So, we connect the word ”root” and “container” to be “root-container”. We can explain it as that the container could storage the root; the large container could hold the large root; the small container could only hold the small root of wisdom. The Buddha then had classified sentient beings as large root-container, which means it has the large wisdom; middle root-container, which means that it has the intermediate wisdom; and small root-container, which means it only has the little wisdom.

No matter the wisdom is large or little, it is unrelated to the academic experience, social status, age, IQ, and illiteracy. So, it is very important to give up the prejudice and the restriction coming from any concept. 

Those who are in poor have no chance to accept the teaching of Buddha. do you know how many they are in the world? They are more than half of the world's population. So, if you have ever read The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha, you are really lucky and blissful. Why? First, you might be in the wealth so you can use the smartphone or computer to read this chapter. Second, you might be healthful so you have the energy to read this chapter. Third, you have time and brain to study this chapter. Be positive thinking is always good for life.   

Now, we return back to the question what the aspiration for the disciples of Buddha is. Do you know how many disciples there are? According to the records in the history, there are 2500 disciples to follow the Buddha. As we have mentioned above, the disciples of Buddha are classified as large root-container, middle root-container, and small root-container.

So, according to the difference of root-container, what the Buddha had taught to them is also different. There is a saying,” Teaching in accordance with the aptitude of student”. The teaching of Buddha is very enlightened, that is Q&A, and there is a lot of “why” or "by what the cause and condition is" coming from the inquiry of disciples. If you have ever read any scripture in Buddhism, you would find it.

Of course, according to the difference of the root-container, there is about the deep question or the shallow question, so their aspirations are different. Then, what is the difference of their aspirations?

Those who are small root-container could little understand what the Buddha had taught, but, at least, could be carefully not to make any mistakes, just ask for not go to the hell, and wish that after dying, it is better to have the chance to go to the heaven or the pure land created by Buddha Amitabha. In there, they still have the chance to accept the teaching of Buddha and to learn the Buddha.

Those who are middle root-container could not realize the real Dao said by Buddha, could be enlightened a bit, and put it into practice in life at times, but, not completely. They also obey the precepts and further do the good thing, to save sentient beings to liberate from suffering. They also could teach and explain what the Buddha had taught, but, just according to the words to explain the meaning, not from their real practice and also not from their personal enlightenment. Even though this, they have wished to become Buddha in future life and to go to the pure land created by Buddha after their dying.

Those who are large root-container could realize the real Dao said by Buddha, could be enlightened, and put it into practice in real life. They could teach and explain what the Buddha had taught based on their real practice and their personal enlightenment. What they taught is very alive, and not be bounded to the words. Furthermore, it is very possible for them to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha, in the present life. They would create the pure land in heart by themselves. Where to go after their dying? Just be there.    

These three kinds of persons have one common basis, that is, their minds have been inspired by Buddha and they thus have wished to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha, in the future. This is the first and very important aspiration which has been obeyed. On the basis, they could learn the Buddha and accept what the Buddha had taught, and thus to keep the Dao. Keeping the Dao to become Buddha is their final goal. Why it is very grand? The all Buddha-law is completely understood and achieved, and the all virtue is solemn, after becoming Buddha. That is why such Dao is very grand for them.

Then, we might have a question. What is the Buddha-law? In generally speaking, the Buddha-law includes the all, the positive thing and the negative thing, and whether it is positive or negative which are judged by the human subjective consciousness. But, in the concept of Buddha-law, the delimited things sometimes might be broken, because the fact might be not what we have seen and what we have thought.

Furthermore, if we can properly apply the Buddha-law with our wisdom in our life, it could make our life alive and live well. But, if we could not apply the Buddha-law properly, we might “die” in the Buddha-law, which means no elasticity and no creation in our life.   

So, we have understood that, whether such Dao is very grand or not, is not concerned about others, also not concerned about you and me, but concerned about the person who has wished to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha.

As mentioned before, Buddha is a substantive noun given by people. It means a state of Emptiness and Non-Emptiness, which include the peace, the wisdom, compassion, and the soul of kindness.