Don't use the goodness of the people to take advantage of the people.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

 

I observe in the world that there are many people who are smart and self-righteous. These people who are not purely motivated, they often use the goodness of the people, and then take advantage of the people. When these unruly people are engaged in these things, they are also good at blackmailing the people, saying, "Everything I do is for you and for your sake." They might even brainwash the people and say, "Because we are so good to you, so you should pay for us.” But, in fact, these evil-motivated people, after giving the other side a little bit of benefit, want to get a greater double benefit from the other party. In other words, these people made it clear that they wanted to sacrifice the rights and interests of those kind-hearted people. Did you find out? Such people generally exist in the political arena, society, company organizational structure, our interpersonal network, and even they might be one of our family members.

 

Most people do not understand why their own kindness becomes a method used by others and a tool for others to safeguard their own interests. These kind-hearted members of the public are busy with their lives every day. They have worked hard to feed their families and the expenses of their daily lives, and they have no thoughts to think about this issue anymore. Unless they wake up one day, their kindness becomes a tool for others to use. Of course, the general public does not have this kind of awakening, and there is a great possibility that they themselves are someone who will use the goodness of the people to take advantage of the people.

 

During my observation, I also found that some people were taken advantage of by relatives and friends because of their own kindness. However, these kind people, although they themselves feel this strong sense of persecution, unfortunately, they may not have such a strong awakening: Don't use the goodness of others to take advantage of others. On the contrary, these kind-hearted people who have been victimized, without awakening, will turn out to be offenders to others. In other words, he will become a person who uses the goodness of others to take advantage of others. When the whole world, national politics, society and family are full of such people, a vicious circle will be formed. If the whole world is such a person, including many leaders of the world, it will definitely take the world in a very bad direction.

 

Therefore, self-awakening is very important. If we understand the principles of cause and effect, we will be cautious about what we do and remind ourselves: Don’t use the goodness of the people to take advantage of the people. Starting from ourselves, then, even if others use our kindness to take advantage of us, we will stop here, and we must not use our brains to harm others. This approach can prevent ourselves from falling into the cycle and whirlpool of bad karma.

 

As for others who use our goodness to take advantage of us, or those who use the goodness of others to take advantage of others, they must bear the consequences for their bad behavior and bear any bitter consequences that result from it. According to the Buddha's teachings, this kind of suffering has not ended in this life, and it will certainly continue to be paid in the next life. Do you know what this bitter fruit is? According to my personal observation, this kind of people will end up in a life of poverty and hardship and struggle endlessly. This kind of poverty and suffering is not only manifested in the material, but also in the spirit.

Chapter 17: The brightness comes and the darkness disappears (Updated on January 3, 2022)

(Chapter 17) 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 17: The brightness comes and the darkness disappears

The Buddha said,” Those who see the Dao are as holding a torch into a dark room, where the dark is vanished immediately, yet only the brightness exists. Learning Dao and seeing truth, no-light is vanished immediately, yet the light always exists.”  

We have to use our own eyes to see the moon, not others eyes.

When we learn Buddha at different stages, the understanding of the Dao will be different. We have ever mentioned the different stages of the Dao in Chapter 14: Ask about the goodness and grandest.

What the Dao is, which has to be experienced by self. Fortunately, Buddha Sakyamuni has talked and taught us a lot according to his experience, and which gives us a direction to learn. We also have mentioned the Dao in many articles in this blog. Regarding the more profoundly meaning about the Dao, it is not yet mentioned in this blog.

In fact, the Buddhist scripture of 42 chapters said by Buddha is talking about the Dao. Of course, all of the Buddhist scripture is talking about the Dao. The Buddha Sakyamuni said that what he has talked and taught is as like outstretching the arm, and pointing at moon with finger. What it means? If we want to see the moon, the brightness, we have to use our own eyes, not the eyes of Buddha Sakyamuni. What he had done is to tell us where the moon is, why it is the moon, and what we can do to know the moon, when we can see the moon, and how bright it is.

Do you have ever thought why we want to learn or know about the Dao? Does it mean anything to us? If we don’t have any question about it, we would not be interested in that. Only when we have the basic concept about its meaning to us, it would be possible for us to open our mind and to learn Dao further.

The greatest Dao is the speechless. (The grandest Dao is no speech.)

In Buddhism and Daoism, the basic meaning of Dao is the same. Why? The basic meaning of Dao, that is the truth of Dao, is actually practiced and realized by the wise people themselves at the different places and the different time. The truth of Dao is practiced and realized through our experience, but not created by whom.

However, most people do not have such intelligence to realize the truth of Dao, because most of them are repressed by the suffering in life, such as hard working to raise children or to earn money. In ancient time, that is why those who want to seek the truth of Dao would leave their family, which is to give up their worldly life and the burden in life, so as to learn Dao.

Moreover, some of the masters in Buddhism ask their disciples not to read the news and not to contact the outer world, so as to focus their mind to learn Dao. But, in the modern time, I do not suggest you to do that, because the information exchange on the internet is easier to know and obtain, and the AI could replace of many labors, which is also helpful to us to learn Dao.

In fact, Dao is existed everywhere. And it is impossible to gain the Dao by self-excluded from the worldly life or from the outer world. Furthermore, the greatest Dao could not be express by words. That is the greatest Dao is the speechless. It is only when we actually practice, experience and realize the Dao, and the Dao could be seen in the current moment. 

  

The wise human beings in heaven also teach us the truth of Dao.

Except for the practice to learn Dao by self, it would be possible that the truth of Dao is taught and transmitted by the wise human beings in heaven. In other word, the wise human beings in heaven might be the teacher or professor. According to the historical records, there are a lot of different name to call them.

Whatever which name is called, that the wise human beings in heaven have the ability to teach and communicate with the wise persons who practice the Dao on earth is true. Such historical records could be found or read in Chinese Buddhist scripture or in the Chinese documents of Daoism, or any historical documents in Chinese. Such teaching is very positive and helpful to human life.

There is the evil spirits in heaven and is able to control human beings on earth.

In fact, no matter whether people learn Dao or not, the human beings in heaven are able to teach and communicate with them. However, the content what is taught might be different. And some of them might be not good for the human beings on earth.

According to the Chinese Buddhist scripture, the demon in heaven is able to spoil the Buddhism purposely. But, it maybe not be called demon. It is possible to be another name to be called. Such as the spy, we may not know who the spy is, what its real name is, and how it manipulates us. However, it may be around us, or to be our friend, or partner, or colleague.

Demon is also one of the human beings in heaven. In other words, there are the evil spirits in heaven, who could manipulate the human beings on earth and teach them to do the evil things so as to spoil the harmony in the society or in the country of human beings on earth.

According to our experience, thinking, reasoning and judgment, could it be possible to be true? If it is true, what we should do and what we have the choice? And how we could get rid of the control from the demon in heaven?

How could we get rid of the control from the evil spirit in heaven?

In this part, Buddha Sakyamuni also teaches us a lot. In a brief, that is to learn Dao of Buddhism and keep the positive and right thinking as taught by Buddha Sakyamuni. Why? Do you think, could it be possible for evil spirit to control or manipulate emptiness or nothingness?

For example, if we have and persist in love and desire in our mind, it would be possible for us to be manipulated by anyone who makes use of the love and desire in our mind. If there is no love and desire in our mind, that is nothingness in mind, how could it be possible for demon to manipulate us by making use of the love and desire? That is also one of the reasons that Buddha Sakyamuni wants us to know that we could see Dao, if we could abandon the love and desire.

Understanding this and to abandon the love and desire, our heart of empathy and of equality for all sentient beings would be generated gradually. That is the true love for all sentient beings. The prospect of our life is thus actually lighted. That is true brightness in our life and future.

When people are willing to take time to realize and practice the truth of life or of the universe, that is to learn and practice the Dao, it would be possible for everyone to see the Dao someday. Therefore, the truth of Dao is not the patent which should be belonged to whom, but it could be gained by everyone. 

What is the difference between doing goodness and learning Dao?

Secondly, even the human beings in heaven, most of them do not know what the truth of Dao. In Buddhist scripture, Buddha Sakyamuni also teaches Buddhism for the human beings in heaven; that is to teach them to learn Dao. Why? A lot of human beings in heaven are reincarnated from the human beings on earth; that is because they have done a lot of goodness, but have not yet to learn Dao, let alone to know what the truth of Dao.

It is easier for us to do goodness, because it might let us have a good feeling for the value of our existence and might make us happy or to have the obviously feedback from any person who is helped by us. Moreover, we always have the concept that we could go into heaven to enjoy the bliss, if we could do goodness in current life.

Learning the Dao and practicing the Dao seems not to be the same thing, but, it is truly the same thing finally. If you have ever read the Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding, or you have ever read a lot of articles in this blog, you might have the basic concept about the truth of Dao.

Do you have ever thought what the difference between learning Dao and doing goodness would be? Many people think that doing goodness is learning Dao. I cannot say it is wrong, because doing goodness is the basic to learn Dao. But, the meaning of Dao is broader. 

Practicing the Dao is able to see the Dao, which makes our life brightness.

Furthermore, do you have ever thought what the true helpful to our real life, if we learn Dao or see the Dao? If it could not help our life in reality, why we learn Dao? If you have ever read a lot of articles in this blog, you might have the basic concept about why we learn Dao.

Many people think that it is useless to learn Dao, because they do not know how it could be helpful to their real life, such as to have a job to earn money or to have meals in life. This is a very real problem. Actually, it is the suffering in life. Buddha Sakyamuni had answered a lot to resolve such problem, and had blessing a lot for those people who are willing to learn Dao.

To learn and practice the Dao is to learn and practice the wisdom, especially to inspire the natural wisdom in our self. We have mentioned such concept in Chapter 15: Ask about the force and brightness. And there is the answer for this problem.

There is the shallow or the deep meaning for the Dao. No matter it is, once we have seen the Dao, it would light our life, even if it is only a slight light, which could become the great light someday and make our whole life in the present and future life be in the brightness.

Supplementary note: Dao is transliterated from Chinese, meaning way and method, deeper meaning as a system of learning or religion.

p.s. 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 14: Ask about the goodness and grandest

(Chapter 14 ) 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 14: Ask about the goodness and grandest  

 

A Sramana asked the Buddha: ” What is the goodness? What is the grandest?” The Buddha replied,” Putting the Dao into the practice and obeying the truth is the goodness. Combining the aspiration and Dao is the grandest.”

The meaning of the goodness and the grandest in different belief might have the different explanation. Whether it is reasonable or acceptable or not, it is dependent on our own mind. No matter what it is, be sure that we would not be kidnapped by any concept, even the concept of Buddha.  

In the concept of Buddha, he said that putting the Dao into the practice and obeying the truth is the goodness. And combing the aspiration and Dao is the grandest.

Then, we might have the further questions. What is the Dao and what is the truth? This is the question in the question. Does it confuse you?

As we have explained about what is the meaning of the Dao before, “Dao” is “Tao” which is transliterated from Chinese character and its original meaning is path, road or way. Then, its meaning is broadened to be any education system or theory, or any teaching of any beliefs.  

In Buddhism, we could classify the Dao as three meanings or explanations which are from narrow to wide.

The first meaning or explanation for the Dao

The first meaning or explanation for the Dao is defined by Buddha Sakyamuni in Chapter 2, which is as follows:

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.”

The more explanation which you can refer to Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding.

The Dao in Chapter 2 is original for the Buddhist monk or nun and its function of the Dao is for self-practicing, self-improving and self-acting. Even though we are not Buddhist monk or nun, it doesn’t mean that we cannot accept such Dao taught by Buddha. 

If we could put such Dao into the practice and obey or maintain the truth, it is the goodness. And if we combine our aspiration and such Dao, it is the grandest.

What is the truth? You can refer to Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11). In different level and in the different stand, there are different explanations for the truth. Therefore, be sure not to be hindered by any explanation or concept of truth, even the concept of emptiness.

Such Dao is not easy to be understood, let alone to be self-practicing. So the Buddha had ever said that the sentient beings on the earth are not easy to be taught, because they have the more evil karma and the less bliss. In other word, the most of the sentient beings on the earth are lack of compassion, empathy and wisdom. In the history, there are a lot of wars and oppression occurred by the human beings. That is also why the most of human beings are in the terrible life and in the suffering.

Only when people could completely understand and practice the Dao in Chapter 2 as defined, they therefore could understand and practice the following meaning of Dao.

What is the aspiration? In Buddhism, the aspiration is to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha.

The second meaning or explanation for the Dao - the Dao of Bodhisattva

The second meaning or explanation for the Dao is the Dao of Bodhisattva, which is also meant to the path of Bodhisattva.

What is the meaning of Bodhisattva?

When someone follows the path of Buddha, however, it has not yet completely enlightened, and still has some obstacles in heart about nuisance and what as known. Even though this, it can use its strength of kindness and empathy to save  sentient beings to liberate from suffering. We call such person “Bodhisattva” for honor it. In Chinese language, we call it “Pusa” or “Busa”, which is transliterated from Chinese word and its original language is also from Sanskrit.

So, what is the Dao of Bodhisattva? It means that a person who really puts the Dao as said in Chapter 2 into the practice. And on the basis of such Dao as said in Chapter 2, it has compassionate vows and sublime aspiration so as to help and save people or sentient beings to liberate from suffering. Even though the person has almost completely removed its personal bad habit, such as greedy, hatred, resentment, stupid-obsession, and doubt, however, some of the remaining bad habits are still there, have not yet completely gone, and which thus could cause minor troubles and obstacles for him or her. 

Going on the path of Bodhisattva is not only meant to the Buddhist monk or nun, but also meant to the person who learns Buddha and not leave the family. Some translators use the word” layperson” to call the non-monk and non-nun who learn Buddha, but, I do not use this word. I prefer to use the word” residence-scholar, house-scholar or living-scholar”, which indicates that those persons learn Buddha well in family. They are not leaving the family to learn Buddha. Meanwhile, comparing to Buddhist monk or nun, they own more difficulty to learn Buddha. In Buddhist Scripture, the Bodhisattva of house-scholar (residence-scholar, living-scholar) is also called virtuous scholar. That is mentioned from The Sutra of Upasaka’s Precepts.

In a word, Bodhisattva has not only been liberating and enlightening in its own heart , but also has the compassionate strength to enlighten human beings and save sentient beings to liberate from suffering.

Therefore, if we could put such Dao into the practice and obey or maintain the truth, it is also the goodness. And if we combine our aspiration and such Dao, it is also the grandest.

In Buddhist scripture, the Buddha Sakyamuni had mentioned a lot of Bodhisattva. Each Bodhisattva has its own name and they are recognized as some kind of god or spirit, because they have the wonderful and spiritual power. Secondly, Bodhisattva is not the patent on the earth. There are thousand and thousand worlds in the universe and in the different dimensional spaces. Except for the earth, there is also a lot of Bodhisattva in such worlds which we don’t know. In other word, there is Bodhisattva in the alien.

Bodhisattva would use diverse methods or concept or speech to help or save human beings. In the concept of Buddhism, as long as the person who practices and talks about the concept of the Dao as mentioned above, it is recognized as Bodhisattva, whatever its belief or its name is called.     

The third meaning or explanation for the Dao - the Dao of Buddha

The third meaning or explanation for the Dao is the Dao of Buddha, which is also meant to the path of Buddha.

What is the meaning of Buddha?

When someone has totally enlightened, liberated from the suffering through the highly wisdom, and known all truth, meanwhile, has no longer fear and obstacle in heart, and can also use its great power of kindness and empathy to save all sentient beings, and thus let them liberate from the suffering in life and death, we call such person “Buddha” for honor it. In Chinese language, we call it “Fo” or “Fu”, which is transliterated from Chinese word and its original language is also from Sanskrit.

Therefore, if one person completely attain the Buddhahood and become a Buddha, he or her will be in the Dao of Buddha, the path of Buddha. That also means that he or her has completely get rid of the Six-Paths Reincarnation.  

If we become Buddha and we have really been acting in such Dao and obey or maintain the truth, it is the goodness. And we combine our aspiration and such Dao, it is the grandest.

To become Buddha and act in the path of Buddha is the goal which we want to achieve, if our aspiration is to learn Buddha.

In the Buddha’s teaching, there are the shallow meaning and the deep meaning, and the narrow meaning and the wide meaning. Therefore, don’t be hindered by any one of the meanings taught by Buddha. Whatever it is, as long as it can let us accept it and put it into the practice in our daily life, it is the goodness and grandest for us.

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.