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.

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.  

 

Chapter 28: A thought is as a horse, don’t indulge it.

(Chapter 28) 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 28: A thought is as a horse, don’t indulge it.     

The Buddha said,” Don’t trust your thought. Your thought is un-trusty. Be cautious not to meet the erotic. Meeting the erotic would instantly incur the disasters. Having gained the Arhathood, you thus can trust your thought.    

Each day and each moment, from our senses such as eyes, ears, nose, tongue or body, we absorbing stimuli from various situations and information from the outside world, everything of this kind will inspire our thoughts. At this time, each of the thoughts is like a wild and untrained horse galloping around and it is difficult for us to control it.

When we have not yet trained our thoughts well, most of our thoughts are some kind of illusion, and we indulge it and dream it. This does not allow us to recognize the facts. Meanwhile, a lot of misunderstanding and harmful things is thus incurred. Unfortunately, the person may not necessarily have such awareness.

For people who are hungry for the emotions of men and women, when they meet the object they like in their hearts, their inner thoughts will begin to speculate on the other's thoughts, and start some fantasies of love between men and women. Unfortunately, the other party may not have this thought. If at this time, we ourselves cannot control our thoughts and feelings, not only will we have troubles ourselves, but we may also involuntarily hurt each other physically or verbally. The worse would make us crime.

Some people greed for the erotic. However, some people greed for the money. No matter greed for erotic or money, their thoughts are not controlled by themselves. All illusion is occupied on their mind. For instance, they will feel good about themselves and think that they will have the great power to control everything. Such unreal feeling would make them bully others, seize the interests of others, and finally make them into the crime.

Mostly, the erotic and money would lead us to the crime, if we let ourselves indulge it. That is why the Buddha said,” Don’t trust your thought. Your thought is un-trusty. Be cautious not to meet the erotic. Meeting the erotic would instantly incur the disasters.”

Some evil people would use erotic or money to lure you into crime, which are generally existed in some evil organizations. They even wash your brain so as to make you be agreed with their evil ideology. Under the circumstance, you even think what your thought is right and you have the faith about it. But, in fact, your thought is un-trusty.

So, we should be cautious not to meet the erotic. Meeting the erotic would instantly incur the disasters, which we have seen a lot in the news and movies.

In the chapter 27, we have mentioned how to train our thought and mind by some convenient methods. The most important is to understand the reason. Why we should train and control our mind and thought, which have mentioned a lot in the sutra of 42 chapters said by Buddha. The essence of Buddhism is to control our own inner thoughts and desires and not to indulge them. This is the best protection for everyone. Meanwhile, it is not only to make us peaceful in mind, but is to make the society and world peace.

“Having gained the Arhathood, you thus can trust your thought.” Arhat is Sanskrit and means that a person experiences the long-term practice to train and control its heart and mind to be steady and make its heart and mind very clear, clean and pure. Meanwhile, there aren't any un-pure desire and illusion in their heart and mind. At the same time, their Bodhi heart is established well. Bodhi heart means the heart of becoming Buddha.

In the status of Arhathood, their hearts are not affected and turned by the outside world. Meanwhile, they can generate any positive, right and good thoughts on the basis of no-thought. At the same time, any negative, wrong and evil thoughts would be naturally eliminated and turned into the positive, right and good thoughts by their own power.

Therefore, when we learn Buddhism and achieve the Arhathood, we thus can trust our thought. It also means that we will really do any positive, right and good thing to benefit self and others, when we are in such status.   

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 ﹝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 11: Giving meals turns to victory

(Chapter 11) 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 11: Giving meals turns to victory  

The Buddha said,” Giving hundred evil persons meals is not as good as giving one good person a meal;

giving thousand good persons meals is not as good as giving a meal for one person who obeys the five precepts;

giving meals to ten thousand persons who obey the five precepts is not as good as giving one Srotāpanna a meal;

giving one million Srotāpanna meals is not as good as giving one Sakridāgāmi a meal;

giving ten million Sakridāgāmis meals is not as good as giving one Anāgāmi a meal;

giving one hundred million Anāgāmis meals is not as good as giving one Arhat a meal;

giving ten hundred million Arhats meals is not as good as giving one Pratyeka-buddha a meal;

giving ten thousand million Pratyeka-buddha meals is not as good as giving one Three-World Buddha a meal;

giving one thousand trillion Three-World Buddhas meals is not as good as giving a meal to a person who is in the state of no thought, no dwelling, no practicing, and no proving.”             

Giving to the wicked is helping them do evil.

Giving meals to others turns to the victory; the victory is not over others, but is for self. If we give meals to one hundred evil persons, what we have done is to assistant them to do the evil things. It means that we do the evil things indirectly. It is not our victory, but our loss for life and spirit, even to waste our energy.

Donating food or money to good people is helping them to do good deeds.

On the contrary, if we give meals to one thousand good persons. What we have done is to assistant them to do the good things. That means that we do the good things directly. It is the victory to increase the bliss for our life and for our spirit. The above mentioned persons are the people who do not learn the Buddha and do not practice the Dao. But, it doesn’t mean that they are not good persons. Whether learning the Buddha and whether practicing the Dao or not, is not related to whether the person is a good person or not. If an evil person could repent his fault, has the heart of compassion, and wish to attain the Buddhahood, he could also learn the Buddha.

Good persons will obey Five Precepts automatically, but a wicked won't.

If one person would learn the Buddha, he would be taught to obey the five precepts in the fist classwork. Those who are Buddha-learner, but not Buddhist monk or nun are necessary to obey the five precepts. A good person does not necessarily obey such five precepts. Even though we are not the Buddha-learner, we could also obey the five precepts automatically. Then, what are five precepts? It is as follows:

Don’t kill others, and don’t kill self. 

Don’t steal things. It means not to take away any thing which is not allowed to give us. 

Don’t have sex in improperly ways. That is, don’t harm self and others. It is better to respect to each other. 

Don’t lie to self and others. 

Don’t take alcohol or illegal drug.

It is demonstrating that obeying the five precepts is the victory. As we know, such victory is not to compare to others, but, to ourselves. To offer meals to the person who obeys the five precepts is better than to offer meals to thousand good persons. It is the victory, too.

Why giving meals to ten thousand persons who obey the five precepts is not as good as giving one Srotāpanna a meal?

Srotāpanna, Sakridāgāmi and Anāgāmi are Sanskrit, and are some kind of rank noun. They are not limited in Buddhist monk or nun. That is, they are used to identify for the level of each Buddha-learner. They are also mentioned in different scriptures, and sometimes the explanation for them is different. In a word, in learning Buddha, they are still in different levels of self-saving.

Moreover, they have not yet been able to liberate themselves from the suffering, let alone to have the ability to save others to liberate from the suffering. Why? In the virtue, wisdom and bliss, what they have done and what they have gained is not enough. That is why they are saving themselves in effort, but not others.

Anyway, their degree of wisdom is better compared to the general good persons. That is because they have already the concept to liberate and save themselves and others, but the general good persons are not necessarily to have such concept. In other word, Srotāpanna, Sakridāgāmi and Anāgāmi have entered into the gate of emptiness and practice to abandon the greedy, hatred and stupid-obsession heart. However, the general good persons are not necessarily to have such concept. 

Why giving one hundred million Anāgāmis meals is not as good as giving one Arhat a meal?

It is also existed the difference in degree. The degree of Srotāpanna is less than Sakridāgāmi. And the degree of Sakridāgāmi is less than Anāgāmi. Even though this, in virtue, wisdom and bliss, they are better than the person who obey the five precepts. Why?

That is also because they have launched their compassionate heart and Bodhi heart. Meanwhile, they put the Buddha’s teaching into the practice. Their wisdom of emptiness-nature is thus grown. And their virtue and bliss is accumulated gradually, but has not yet proved the fruit of Dao. It means they have not yet proved the result of their natural wisdom. However, once they have proved the Dao as said and taught by Buddha, they become Arhat. In Buddhism, those who have liberated themselves from the suffering are called Arhat. In the degree of learning Buddha, the achievement of Arhat is better than Anāgāmis. Arhat is more near to the degree of Buddha. But, it has not yet perfected completely in enlightenment and practice of whole Buddh’s teaching.

Giving, sponsoring or offering meals to Arhat can bring us the virtue and bless. It is coming from the merit and virtue of Arhat. It would become the merit and virtue of giver someday. When we support Arhat to achieve the merit and virtue, it is as if we plant a good seed in the bliss farm, and the good seed will grow to be a large bliss tree and have many bliss fruit. It is not only we can enjoy it, but also we can share it with others.

Why giving ten hundred million Arhats meals is not as good as giving one Pratyeka-buddha a meal?

Arhat and Pratyeka-buddha have been liberated themselves from the suffering. That also means that they have more achieved in virtue, wisdom and bliss. But why giving ten hundred million Arhats meals are not as good as giving one Pratyeka-buddha a meal? If someone wants to achieve the degree of Arhat, they still have to depend on the wisdom-strength of and the compassion-strength of Buddha; moreover, they have to put the Dao into practice and then prove the fruit of Dao. It means that to be Arhat still have to hear the Buddha-law and be taught by Buddha. Arhat also has the ability to speak of Buddha-law.

But, those who achieve the degree of Pratyeka-buddha are depending on themselves to be enlightened. It means that they have attained the enlightenment of equality-wisdom, and the nature of Buddha. They are also in the state of no practicing and no proving. Being Pratyeka-buddha is not from hearing the Buddha-law from Buddha, and also not be taught by Buddha. They do not speak of Buddha-law. In the wisdom and virtue, their degree is more than the degree of Arhat. In other word, Pratyeka-buddha is in the stillness and emptiness.

So, offering a meal to Arhat or Pratyeka-buddha would connect with them, to nourish their body, and help them attain the Buddhahood. That would also help us sow the seed of wisdom, virtue and bliss in this life; and the fruits of wisdom, virtue, and bliss would be gained in our present life, and in our future life.

That is why the Buddhist is more willing to offer anything to the Buddha-learner, especially those persons who are enlightened in the nature of Buddha. But, it does not mean that the Buddhist does not offer anything to the poor. In Buddhism, there is the concept that those who become the poor are because they are not willing to generously offer anything to others in their past life. That is the past cause to make the present outcome.

In the perceiving of equality, the poor is also having the nature of Buddha, however, its nature of Buddha has not yet been enlightened. That is, its natural wisdom has still been covered, not been appeared. If our natural wisdom would be appeared, we would be very blissful, and would be full of wealth.

Why giving ten thousand million Pratyeka-buddha meals is not as good as giving one Three-World Buddha a meal?

   

There are two explanations for Three-World Buddha; it is about time and space. One is meant to the Buddha lived in the past world/time, the Buddha lived in the present world/time, and the Buddha lived in the future world/time. The other is meant to the Buddha Sakyamuni in the center world, the Buddha Amitabha in the western world, and the Buddha Pharmacist- glazed-light in the east world. 

The space and time are unified, are one, and are unlimited. So, any Buddha is in any time or in each space, they are one. This concept is hard to be understood, let alone to be experienced and proved by self, unless the concept for the existing boundary line and for the differentiation of anything have been broken and eliminated totally.

In our cognition, the Three-World Buddha is someone which should be respected by us. In the deep experience, the Three-World Buddha is not in our outside, but in our self-nature. When we respect the Three-World Buddha, it is also meant to respect ourselves. When we offer meals to the Three-World Buddha, it is also meant to offer anything to ourselves. The Three-World Buddha is unified with us. We are one.   

What is Buddha? When someone has totally enlightened from the highly wisdom, liberated from the suffering, and known all truth, meanwhile, has no fear in heart any more, and can also use its grand power of kindness and sympathy to save all sentient beings, so as to let them liberate from the suffering in life and death, we call such person “Buddha” to respect it. In Chinese language, we call it “Fo” or "Fu", which is transliterated from Chinese word, and its original language is from Sanskrit.

Now, we have one question. The above mentioned that the Three-World Buddha is unified with us and we are one. Why we aren’t Buddha? That is not the problem of the Three-World Buddha, but ours. It is because that our inner heart is not in the realm of Buddha. It also means that we have not yet been attained the Buddhahood.  

So, giving meals to the Three-World Buddha is more victory; it is because it is hard for us to offer meals to them. If we have the chance to offer meals to them, it is also meant to have more chance to liberate self from the suffering, and to have chance to gain more virtue, wisdom and bliss, and have the chance to attain the Buddhahood, due to the Three-World Buddha would give us the wisdom and compassion, teach us the Buddhism and how to be enlightened. That is why to offer meals to the Three-World Buddha is a special victory.

Why giving one thousand trillion Three-World Buddhas meals is not as good as giving a meal to a person who is in the state of no-thought, no-dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving?

It is already so special victory. Why to give thousand and thousand million Three-World Buddhas meals is not as good as giving a meal to a person who is in the state of no thought, no dwelling, no practicing, and no proving?

No-dwelling means not to attach to or not depend on anything. A person who is in the state of no-thought, no-dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving, which we have ever mentioned and explained in the chapter 2 (Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha.

Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding

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.”

If we do not understand the Buddhism, we might mistakenly understand it, and think that such person is no useful or is a loser. No, it is absolutely not like this. In Buddhism, those who could be in the state of no-thought, no-dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving are attaining the higher wisdom, are gaining the higher virtue and bliss. That is, their achievement is higher and almost near or in the top.   

We might think that those who are in the state of no-thought, no dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving are someone else, because giving meals to them is better than giving meals to the Three-World Buddha. If we think so, it is totally wrong.

If all the giving as mentioned could not make us attain the Buddhahood, such giving is almost no meaning for us. Some unwise people offering meals to others just want to get more fortune. If we have such thought, the realm of our heart is very limited and very small.   

So, all the giving as mentioned above is to help us attain the Buddhahood. That is, it is the very important meaning for us. If we understand the Buddhism profoundly, we could find that all mentioned is not someone else, but ourselves. What the mentioned in Buddhism seems someone else. But, in fact, it means us.

Those who are in such state as mentioned are highest in virtue, wisdom and bliss. They are almost in the state of Buddha. However, such person is very rare in the world. If we could have a chance to offer a meal to them, it is the most special victory. Why? It is because such person has achieved the state of one, to unify with the Three-World Buddha.   

Meanwhile, it also means that if we could have a chance to offer a meal to them, we could have a chance to be in such state as them by connecting with them and learning from them. Moreover, we finally might be also the one in such state. To make ourselves attain the Buddhahood is very noble and worth to be respected by the all sentient being; that is why offering meals to such person is the most special victory.

In a word, offering meals to others is to offer meals to ourselves. Providing something to others is to support ourselves. This is the principle of equality in Buddhism. What the achievement, their virtue, wisdom and bliss which they have attained would help us be the same with them.