One of the Ten Titles about Buddha—Man-Tamer

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

The meaning of Man-Tamer represents the Buddha who taught the living beings the knowledge and wisdom of Buddhism  and reform the living beings to be good.

  

The word Man-Tamer is translated by me from the Chinese Buddhist Scripture. I will explain it and why I use this word Man-Tamer. In the history of India, men were usually working and frequently and socially interacting with each other  in the society.  For obtaining and striving for the power and resources for the self and the family, any evil mind and behavior arose which is like the situation of today in the world. Furthermore, in the beginning, there were only the men leaving the family to practice the truth of life and therefore to become monks.  The Buddha Shakyamuni taught the men the knowledge and wisdom of Buddhism  and reform the men to be good persons. That is why I use the word Man-Tamer as the translation to represent one of the ten titles about Buddha.  

Therefore, to extend and expand the meaning of Man-Tamer, it can represent the Buddha who taught the living beings the knowledge and wisdom of Buddhism  and reform the living beings to be good.

Why is it called Man-Tamer?

In the Buddhist Scripture--The Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by Buddha,, the Buddha explained what the Man-Tamer  meant:

Why is 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.

The story and meaning of the Man-Tamer.

In another Buddhist Scripture – Miscellaneous Agama Sutra, there was a paragraph which referred to  the story and meaning of the Man-Tamer. I translated it from Chinese into English as follows: 

 

This is what I heard:

At one time, the Buddha lived in the Kalanda Bamboo Garden in the city of Rajagaha.

At that time, a horse-training master named Zhishi came to the Buddha's place. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, stood back and sat down, faced and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One! I see that the world is very mean and low, like a flock of sheep. World Honored One, I am the only one who can train horses." If an evil horse is running wild, I will use the convenient way to make it easy for it to show signs of disease. I will tame it in the convenient way according to its signs of disease."

The Buddha asked the village-leader of horse-trainer: "How many methods  of convenience do you use to tame the horses?"

The horse master said to the Buddha: "There are three ways to tame an evil horse. What are the three? One is gentle, the second is vulgar, and the third is gentle and vulgar."

The Buddha told the village-leader: "You have used the three methods of convenience to tame the horse, but if you still cannot tame it, what should you do?

The horse-training master said to the Buddha: "Anyone who cannot be tamed should be killed. Why? Don't let it  humiliate me." The horse-training master said to the Buddha: "The World Honored One is the supreme Man-Tamer. How many methods of convenience can you use to tame the man ?"

The Buddha told the village-leader: "I also use three methods of convenience to tame the man. What are the three? One is always gentle, the second is always vulgar, and the third is gentle and vulgar."

The Buddha told the village-leader : "What so-called always gentleness is as the following said: 'This is the good deeds of the body and this is the reward of the good deeds of the body; this is the good deeds of the mouth and mind and this is the reward of the good deeds of the mouth and mind. Such is called the heaven, is called the human, is called the transformation-birth of good-going, and is called the nirvana. This is the gentleness.” 

"What so-called vulgarness is as the following said: "This is the evil deeds of the body and this is the retribution of the evil deeds of the body; this is the evil deeds of the mouth and mind and this is the retribution of the evil deeds of the mouth and mind. Such is called the hell, such is called the animal, such is called the hungry ghost, such is called the evil-going, and such is called falling into the evil-going. It is called the Tathagata’s vulgar teachings.”

"What so-called gentleness and vulgarness means that the Tathagata sometimes talks about the good deeds of the body, sometimes the reward of the good deeds of the body, sometimes the good deeds of the mouth and mind, sometimes the reward of good deeds of the mouth and mind; sometimes the bad deeds of the body, sometimes the retribution of bad deeds of the body, and sometimes the bad deeds of the mouth and mind, and sometimes the retribution of bad deeds of the mouth and mind. Such is called the heaven, such is called the human, such is called the good-going and such is called the nirvana. Such is called the hell,  such is called the animal and  the hungry ghost, such is called the evil-going, such is called falling into the evil-going. Such is called  the Tathagata’s teaching of gentleness and vulgarness”

The horse-training master said to the Buddha: "World Honored One! If you use the three methods of convenience to tame sentient beings, and some of them are not tamed, what should you do?"

The Buddha told the village-leader: "I should also kill them. Why? Don't let them humiliate me."

The horse-training master said to the Buddha: "If you kill a living being, it will be considered impure in the law of World Honored One. In the law of World Honored One, there is no killing of living beings. Now, it talked about the killing. What is the meaning of killing?"

The Buddha told the village-leader: "So! So! In the Law of Tathagata, killing is impure. And in the Law of Tathagata, there is no killing. However, in the Law of Tathagata, those who are not tamed by the three teachings will no longer be spoken, taught, or admonished. Village-leader! What does it mean?  In the Law of Tathagata, if Tathagata no longer speaks to, teaches, or admonishes these people, isn't that death?"

The horse-training master said to the Buddha: "Indeed, World Honored One! Tathagata no longer speaks to them, and never teaches or admonishes them. This is really death. World Honored One, for this reason, I will abstain from all evil and unwholesome deeds from now on."

The Buddha told the village-leader : "Good, as what you said!"

At that time, after hearing what the Buddha said, the master of the horse-training - Zhishi - was delighted, followed and complied with the joy, and left with all due respects by bowing his head at the Buddha's feet.

Evil karma would counterattack to oneself in the future.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

A lot of people for keeping their life, they had to but being instigated by the blind ideology of patriotism or the other, and thus to kill others. A lot of evil karma has thus been done. They do not know that such evil karma would counterattack to oneself in the future. In other word, if one person kills others with the mind of hatred, one day it would be killed by the hatred mind of other person in the future or in the next life.

 

That is why the Buddha has said,” What has been done in the past life is the consequence of the current life; what has been done in the present life is the consequence of the afterlife.”

 

“It is hard to the people when they must die because their lives have to be abandoned.” That is one of the weaknesses of human nature. The self-righteous person would use it to control human beings. People’s livelihood is concerned about the life and death. However, do you have found that the Buddha Sakyamuni did not take part in or play in the rule of game of any worldly system created by human, let alone the ideology of patriotism. Why? Think about it.

The another meaning of the good-knowledge person in Buddha's teaching.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

The another definition for the good-knowledge person in Buddha's teaching is meant to those persons who became the “evil person” to teach and punish the true evil persons, and to adjust them to be good persons. 

 

Even though it seems "evil person", its essence is still based on the benevolence and empathy to all sentient beings. Just he used another means which we think it might be not normal and not corresponding with our logical thinking.

 

Evil people ride and tame the evil horse.

For example, one of the good-knowledge persons is a king, and he might be not a good king according to our common sense. On the contrary, according to the public's common sense, they think the king is “evil and brutal”. Due to there are more evil people in his country, such evil people are full of greedy and hatred in mind, and always to bully and cheat the good persons, that is why the king becomes “the evil person” and uses the cruel punishment to punish such evil people.

 

There is a Chinese saying, “Evil people ride the evil horse.” It means that the true evil people are like the evil horse and there would be the more-evil people to tame such evil people. Do not worry. If we are not the true evil people, we would absolutely not meet the “more-evil person”.

Most of the good persons could not fight for their right, because their brains are washed to be ignorant by ridiculous ideology.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

 

The tangible and invisible class system is still existed in the family, workplace, society and country. Under the circumstance, how could it be possible for the people to feel the freedom and equality in heart?

 

In the history and in the modern time, some evil persons occupy the political resource. They steal the financial of country and bully the good person. Even though this, they still live well, have longevity and have many wealth. Most of the good persons could not fight for their right, because their brains are washed to be ignorant by ridiculous ideology. They are even to be died by ridiculous reasons. In other word, the inequality has still been there.

 

Even though the outer situation and phenomenon might make us feel unhappy and unbalanced in heart, the concept of Buddha’s teaching offers us another choice to let our heart in peace and to feel balanced and equal.

Evil karma would not repay to others people, but would repay to his own “life”, his “life” in the hell or in the future.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

  

No matter a man did any evil things, all of his outer power, wealth, women and authority could not be with him when he has died. What would be with him after his dying is his evil karma, which is action and behavior what he has done the evil. Such evil karma would be recorded in his conscious of spirit, as if being recorded on the software of his own, which is with his spirit.

 

Such evil karma would not repay to others people, but would repay to his own “life”, his “life” in the hell or in the future. What is the life in the hell? Do you ever have a nightmare? The nightmare is so real and would make us scared, appeared cold sweat, even to feel seriously pain. The life in the hell is like a nightmare which tortures the evil person every moment.

 

Some people deny the outer Spirit, deny any god or God. They think that there is no Spirit in the world. So they dare to do the evil things because they think that it is impossible to have any Spirit to punish them. But, how could it be possible for them to deny their own spirit? All the punishment or retribution is coming from their own spirit. Unfortunately, they do not have such concept and knowledge.

Each one is equal to becoming Buddha someday in future.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

  

It is really difficult for human beings to put the equality into the practice in heart. The inequality has existed since the ancient time. Unfortunately, most of the authority purposely rationalizes the inequality, and most of the ignorant civic have been washed the brain and accept the inequality. Even today, the inequality is still existed in everywhere, including the family, the society and the country.

 

Buddha Shakyamuni is the people before 2500 years ago. The background of his culture is deeply affected by the India. As we know, there is the caste system in India since ancient time. The caste system is an unfair social system. Even today, it is still existed in the society of India. Buddha Shakyamuni had perceived the inequality of caste system in his time.

 

In that time, the disciples question whether the slaver, the poor, the woman, and the criminal could become Buddha or not, Buddha Shakyamuni explains and teaches the disciples that all living beings have Buddha-nature. They and any one can become Buddha after completely bearing the retribution of their evil karma in future, present and past accumulated lives. In other word, each one is equal to becoming Buddha someday in future. But, regarding the process, the experience, the time, whether is the blessing or the retribution, which is depending on the personal’s causes and conditions. Such situation and phenomenon is some kind of changing and it would confuse us and let us have the feeling of inequality and injustice.   

 

Buddha Shakyamuni offers the concept of equality. Such equality is basing on the Buddha-nature. And it is not concerned about what your appearance is, what your color of eyes and skin is, what your gender is, what you have done, where you are born, and what your belief is.

 

It also not cares about what your race is, what your education is, what your social status is and what your wealth is. That is why the concept of equality in Buddhism is the true equality.

Recite and learn from Buddha to eliminate the evil karma and become one with Buddha

Recite and learn from Buddha to heal our mental disease.

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

I remember that in the early time of Taiwan, when we are in the serious disease and in the bad fate, the elder Buddhist monk or nun would advise us to worship the Buddha or Bodhisattva, or the god, so as to eliminate the personal evil karma, which includes to save the hatred relative and the creditor, who was established the link with us in this life due to our evil relationship with each other in the past life. Then, after eliminating the personal evil karma, our pain would be released, our disease would be healed, and our fate would be changed to be good. 

   

When I am a young girl and only have a little knowledge about Buddhism, I don't understand it totally, let alone to accept it. In that time, I think that it is bullshit and blind faith, meanwhile, I also doubt about the IQ and knowledge of the Buddhist monk or nun, because they said those things. Why? Because I have studied in the nurse school and have been trained by the modern medical knowledge. In my opinions, if we have any diseases, of course, we have to go to the hospital and ask the doctor to heal us. 

However, after I deeply research the Buddhism and put it into practice, I finally understand why the Buddhist monk or nun talks about that, which I can explain it by a whole article. Here, I tell you in a brief about the highlight, the Buddha is the great-medical king. When we don’t understand the Buddhism, the Buddha and the great-medical king is someone else, so we worship them to help us, however, when we understand the Buddhism, the Buddha and the great-medical king is not someone else, it is really in our heart and it is no different from us, which means that we are one. 

In modern medical knowledge, it is emphasize the technical treatment and use the researched medicines. In other word, it pays attention to heal the body. That is what we need, when we are sick. Don’t disregard it. Mostly, it is necessary by this way to treat our disease. However, we might find that it is not enough.

Buddhism is emphasizing on the mental body or the psychological realm, even it is talked about the super-natural experience. In this realm, we might be healed in a different way, if we are sick. It could be as the special power of assistance.

Of course, we would find that some weird religion or national belief would use such method to help people to treat their disease. I don’t recommend you to accept those religions, because most of those religions are based on the personal greedy and desire about fortune and sex. Even Buddhism, some of the evil persons would misuse it or by its name to cheat ignorant people.  

The Buddha's education is vast and profound. It is a very good spiritual education, which can inspire our supreme wisdom and cure our ignorant and superficial mental diseases. This makes us have no opposing and hostile thoughts and attitudes towards people and things, and will not subjectively or irrationally rejecting other people and theirs affairs. It is because of such a healthy thought and mentality that we can be physically and mentally healthy, and our life will be smoother.

A Brief Discussion on Morality and Law in Chinese History and about Buddhism

 

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

I remember I chose a law course at university because I wanted to explore whether I was capable or interested in studying law. One of the chapters talks about ethics and law. This chapter really impressed me. Why?

 

As we know, some people violate the law because they do not know the law. However, what makes us surprise is that those understand the law but violate the law, especially the lawyer or the Judge, or those who have graduated from the law school, such as president or the officer.

 

In traditional China and in the history of China, the morality is more stressed than the law. However, in the modern time, the law is more stressed than the morality. Law is the last line of defense to the morality. But, in my opinion, the law might be misused today. In some country, the law might be not corresponding to the morality or the human right.

 

The religion is concern about the morality. Buddhism is also concern about it. But, Buddhism is not the law, and is also not used to restrain the human behavior. So, Buddhism is never used to be the country law in the history of China. However, the emperor and the officer are deeply influenced by the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory, because the concept of that the heaven and the human beings are combined to be the one is the supreme realm in rule.

 

In other words, the emperor and the officer request themselves to be mercy, compassion, like the Buddha, Bodhisattva, or the god, so to love the people in the country.

 

They also expect that the people in the country could be enlightened and have the mercy and compassionate like the Buddha, Bodhisattva, or the god, so the emperor or the officer support and promote the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory in the country.

 

In other words, there is the concept that if everyone from the emperor to the ordinary people could be mercy and compassionate, and could control and correct their self-behavior automatically, such as no greedy heart, no hatred heart, no stealing and no killing, then the world and the society are naturally peaceful.

 

In Buddhism, there is the concept that if everyone does the evils, they themselves would be retributive back by their own evils. It may be not necessary to use the law to punish the evil persons.

 

In a word, that is the concept of no-doing but governing. That is also why the concept of law is not general in China of history. But, I think that the ancient people, the founder of the country, such as the emperor and the officer, are very wise.

 

The concept of law is to regulate others. The concept of law is quite different from the concept of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory, because the concept of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory is self-discipline, self-regulatory. Such concept is also different from the other religion. That is why other country might use the Christian or Islam as their country law, but not Buddhism. And that is also why the law is developed well in western country, but not in China of history.

 

Extending the concept, we might have another view why the foreign countries invade China. From my research on the history of China, I have found that the China is rarely to invade foreign countries, except for the civil war and resisting the foreign invasion.

 

You might find that the culture of traditional China is focus on the morality and self-regulatory. Even today, it is not easy to do so. The early law of Taiwan is in reference from the law of German and Japan. But, do you have found that these two countries had ever invaded China and the other countries? Why they want to invade other countries? Think about it. The dispute of law in Taiwan is always exist and changing all the time. Honestly, it is really not perfect.

Chapter 12 ﹝16﹞ : Meeting the good-knowledge person is difficult.

(Chapter 12 ﹝16﹞ ) 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 12: List the difficulties and exhort to practice   

The Buddha said,” There are twenty difficulties for people. Giving something to others is difficult when people are in poor. Learning the Dao is difficult when people are in the huge wealth and are the nobility. It is hard to the people when they must die because their lives have to be abandoned. Being able to see the scripture of Buddha is difficult. Being born in the time of Buddha is difficult. Enduring the erotic and desire is difficult. Seeing the self-interest and not to pursue it is difficult. No resentment when being humiliated is difficult. When having the authority and not to draw near to ordinary people is difficult. When contact with things and no heart  is difficult. Learning widely and researching extensively are difficult. Removing the ego-arrogance is difficult. Not to despise the un-learner is difficult. Practicing the equality in heart is difficult. Not saying its right or wrong is difficult. Meeting the good-knowledge person is difficult. Seeing the Nature and learning the Dao are difficult. According to conditions to reform people so as to save them is difficult. Seeing the circumstance and unmoved in heart are difficult. Good at understanding the convenience is difficult.

Chapter 12 ﹝16﹞ : Meeting the good-knowledge person is difficult. (Meeting a person who owns the good knowledge is difficult.)

Meeting the good-knowledge person is difficult (It is difficult to meet a person who owns the good knowledge.). It is the Sixteenth difficulty in the twenty difficulties said by Buddha Shakyamuni in this Chapter.

According to my personal knowledge and understanding, there are three definitions for  a person who owns the good knowledge. 

The first definition for the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who are understanding of the specialized subject and have information about the specialized field. 

It is referring to the profession which can be used in the society and country. And mostly it must be tested and issued a certificate from the school or university or any allowable educational institution. Furthermore, it must have the good experience in some specialized subject and field, such as politic, finance, environmental protection, education, management, medicine, technology and so on.

This good-knowledge person would help us increase our knowledge and fortune to survive in the world. However, if we are not studying or working in the some specialized field, we almost have no chance to meet such professional persons. 

The second definition for the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who own the virtue and merit in personal conduct and character.

The second definition for the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who own the virtue and merit in personal conduct and character. Because they have the virtuous knowledge to put it into the practice and to persuade people to be good, they can thus help them and others people to be good persons at the same time.

In Buddhism, the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who have been enlightened in the path of virtue, such as in the path of Buddha and Bodhisattva, and have liberated them from the suffering in life and death. Meanwhile, they have such knowledge and experience to teach and help people liberate from the suffering in life and death. That is, all of the Buddha and Bodhisattva are so called good-knowledge persons.

Where can we “meet” such good-knowledge persons? Through reading and reciting the Buddhist scripture, and profoundly understanding the teaching and meaning of Buddhist scripture, we have the chance to “meet” such good-knowledge persons.

However, not everyone has a chance to read and recite the Buddhist scripture, let alone to profoundly understand the teaching and meaning of Buddhist scripture. In this time, if we have a chance to meet the Buddhist monk, or Buddhist nun, or the Buddhist-residing scholar of male or female, and they have the above-mentioned characteristics to teach the public of the knowledge of Buddhism, we regard them as such good-knowledge persons. Such good-knowledge persons are one of the three treasures in Buddhism.

However, not everyone has a chance to meet such good-knowledge persons as said above. If we have no virtue in present and past life, we would have no chance to meet such good-knowledge persons. It is mentioned by Buddha Sakyamuni in the Buddhist scripture. That is why Buddha Sakyamuni always persuades the public and the human beings to do good things, to learn wisdom, and not to do evil things.

What is the advantage to meet such good-knowledge persons? In a word, they would enlighten our wisdom, help us know who we are and where we come from, and increase our bliss in present and future life. In Buddhism, it would help us become Buddha someday.  

There is a famous Buddhist scripture named as the Avatamsaka Sutra. In Sanskrit, it is as " महावैपुल्यबुद्धावतंसकसूत्र mahā-vaipulya-buddhâvataṃsaka-sūtra ". In its last part, The Buddha has mentioned about a boy whose name is Virtue-Wealth. I translate the boy’s name as Virtue-Wealth which is from the meaning of the Chinese characters. The transliteration from the Chinese characters is Shàn cái tóngzǐ. The boy Virtue-Wealth is about 15-18 years old. Due to he has planted a lot of virtue in his mind in the present and past life, he thus owns a lot of wealth naturally. That is why he is called as boy Virtue-Wealth. The famous part is that he visits 53 good-knowledge persons, and consults them how to learn the conduct of Bodhisattva and how to practice on the path of Bodhisattva. In a word, it is meant to how to learn Buddha.

In this part in the said Avatamsaka Sutra, I have not yet found any version of translation from Chinese into English. This is a pity. The human beings would rather spend huge money to develop or buy the high-tech weapon, but not will to spend a lot of money to develop the wisdom and the true bliss for the human beings.    

In the 53 good knowledge persons, there are Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, Buddhist-residing scholar of females, Buddhist-residing scholar of males, Immortals, Brahmans, elders, boys, girls, non-Buddhist monks, kings, women, the gods of heaven, the gods of land, the gods of night, God-light girl, and Bodhisattvas.

We can find that the good-knowledge persons are not limited in the Buddhism. The good-knowledge persons are also coming from the outer of Buddhism, and also coming from the different genders, ages, and various industries, even from the immortals, goddesses and gods. I think it is more corresponding to our logical thinking of the diversity and the equality.  

All of the good-knowledge persons have and practice their own method or Buddha-law to liberate from suffering in life and death, and to use such method or Buddha-law to liberate others people from suffering in life and death. It is not only liberating sentient beings from suffering, but also enlightening them and letting them own the wisdom, wealth and bliss naturally.

Some of the method is like the worldly knowledge, such as architecture, arithmetic, and law. However, most of the method or Buddha-law is beyond our knowledge and experience, even to beyond what it should be as we think. Mostly, it is positive concept and energy with benevolence and empathy to the all sentient beings.

The third definition for the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who became the “evil person” to teach and punish the true evil persons, and to adjust them to be good persons.

However, there are exceptions. Even though there are exceptions, its essence is still based on the benevolence and empathy to the all sentient beings. Just he used another means which we think it might be not normal and not corresponding with our logical thinking.

For example, one of the good-knowledge persons is a king, and he might be not a good king according to our common sense. On the contrary, according to the public's common sense, they think the king is “evil and brutal”. Due to there are more evil people in his country, such evil people are full of greedy and hatred in mind, and always to bully and cheat the good persons, that is why the king becomes “the evil person” and uses the cruel punishment to punish such evil people.

So the third definition for the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who became the “evil person” to teach and punish the true evil persons, and to adjust them to be good persons. There is a Chinese saying, “Evil people ride the evil horse.” It means that the true evil people are like the evil horse and there would be the more-evil people to tame such evil people.       

Do not worry. If we are not the true evil people, we would absolutely not meet the “more-evil person”.

In a word, how to encounter the good-knowledge persons as mentioned above? According to the Buddha’s teaching, we should initiate and have the Bodhi-heart and planted the virtue in mind. If we have such good causes, we would absolutely meet the good-knowledge persons as mentioned above and it would help us go on the path of Buddha.

Supplementary note: Dao is transliterated from Chinese, meaning way and method, deeper meaning as a system of learning or religion. Dao is Tao, which is transliterated from Chinese. The original meaning of Dao is the way and path, and it is extended to be the truth of life that we can learn and practice in our lives.

Chapter 12 ﹝6﹞: To endure the erotic and desire is difficult.

(Chapter 12 ﹝6﹞ ) 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 12: List the difficulties and exhort to practice   

The Buddha said,” There are twenty difficulties for people. Giving something to others is difficult when people are in poor. Learning the Dao is difficult when people are in the huge wealth and are the nobility. It is hard to the people when they must die because their lives have to be abandoned. Being able to see the scripture of Buddha is difficult. Being born in the time of Buddha is difficult. Enduring the erotic and desire is difficult. Seeing the self-interest and not to pursue it is difficult. No resentment when being humiliated is difficult. When having the authority and not to draw near to ordinary people  is difficult. When contact with things and no heart  is difficult. Learning widely and researching extensively are difficult. Removing the ego-arrogance is difficult. Not to despise the un-learner is difficult. Practicing the equality in heart is difficult. Not saying its right or wrong is difficult. Meeting the good-knowledge person is difficult. Seeing the Nature and learning the Dao are difficult. According to conditions to reform people so as to save them is difficult. Seeing the circumstance and unmoved in heart are difficult. Good at understanding the convenience is difficult.

Chapter 12 ﹝6﹞: To endure the erotic and desire is difficult.

To endure the erotic and desire is difficult. This is the sixth difficulty said by Buddha Shakyamuni in this Chapter. To endure the erotic and desire means that one is not controlled or bound by the erotic and desire, whatever the erotic and desire are caused by self or others.  

I translate this sentence in the narrow meaning. However, I would explain it in the wide meaning. This sentence is said to the Buddhist Monks. But, it is also suitable for the general people. The erotic means the sexual desire and pleasure or any causing or related to the sexual feelings. The desire means a strong feeling to want something.

Some people are in the positive opinion about the erotic and desire, and think it is good for physical and mental health. I couldn’t deny it. For the people who are not monk or nun, properly lust is good for the life. However, unfortunately, most people are indulging in the personal erotic, lust and desire, and might think of those things as the necessary in life.

The erotic and desire would lead us to walk into the deepness of the sin and the evil.

But, do you know that some of the wise persons, such as Buddha Shakyamuni, think that the erotic and desire would lead us to walk into the deepness of the sin and the evil. 

The erotic and desire might drew us into the sin and the evil, to cause the damage to others or to harm ourselves. However, we might have no such self-perceiving or self-reflection. Such persons are included not only the ordinary people, but also the powerful persons.

We can observe that the erotic and desire are generally existed in the mind of the most people and are one of the human nature. Because the erotic and desire are one of the human nature, both of them are also the weak of the human nature. That is why the evil people would use them to control the masses and most individuals are willing to be utilized because of the erotic and desire. 

People might bully or control others based on their own erotic and desire, and also might take advantage of other peoples erotic and desire to achieve their evil goals.

People might bully or control others based on their own erotic and desire, and also might take advantage of other peoples erotic and desire to achieve their evil goals. No matter the person is the subject to damage others or is the object to be exploited or deprived, when they strongly attach to the personal erotic and desire, to endure the erotic and desire is difficult for them. It is also difficult for men to reject the erotic and any desire for power, fame, status, wealth, success or family. We can find that the erotic and desire is really the root of disaster in the world.

For the girls and women, the personal erotic and desire would push them to seek for the content on the material matters, such as beauty, fashion, a comfortable car and house, a rich husband and comfortable life. If they strongly attach to such things, it is difficult for them to endure the erotic and desire. 

Once those people did not content on their above attachment, even though they have owned a lot, their huge anger and dissatisfaction are therefore arisen. Such huge resentment might cause a lot of disaster for the public. Mostly, we only view the phenomenon of problem or any disaster, but we do not know the root and the cause is coming from their erotic and desires.   

We might ask ourselves the first question whether we are bounded or limited by our own erotic and desire or not, or ask ourselves the second question whether we are bounded or limited by other peoples erotic and desire or not. 

Understanding above would help us to observe the people in the world and also to reflect ourselves. We might ask ourselves the first question whether we are bounded or limited by our own erotic and desire or not, or ask ourselves the second question whether we are bounded or limited by other peoples erotic and desire or not. 

When we think about above two questions everyday and every year, we could feel and view more clearly about many questions, and therefore resolve any problems, including those problems of ourselves and others. That is because the erotic and desire are the root and the cause of any afflictions and problems, which are including any public afflictions and problems caused by and brought by some of the political figures, the religious figures or the businessmen of consortium. Such public afflictions and problems might continue for more than one hundred years.

We might have found that some history persons are proud of resolving the public afflictions and country problems. However, if we have viewed deeply, we could find that they have made the more public afflictions and country problems. Why? Some “social elites” satisfy about their own right and profit. However, such satisfying is coming from depriving the right and the profit from the vulnerable populations. It might be happened in the family, the society, and the country.

So, we could have found that the power of everyone’s erotic and desire are pulling to each other. Even though the vulnerable populations might be the majority, they might be the loser in such pulling.  

The erotic and such arising desire is no ending, which could cause the disaster.

Let us return to the personal affliction and problem. The erotic and such arising desire is no ending, which could cause the disaster. No matter we are the social elites or the vulnerable population, if everyone could endure the erotic and desire, the person, the family, the society and the country would be more peaceful.

But, the basic resolve is to cut off the rope linked to our own erotic and desire and the rope linked to the others erotic and desire. Then we would therefore have the truly freedom.

Of course, I explain it from the negative point of view. But, if we have known the negative affect of the erotic and desire, we might know how to abandon the erotic and desire, how to use them in the positive direction, and therefore how to help ourselves and others.

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.