The First Introduction to the Buddhist Scripture -- Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

The First Introduction

The title of the Buddhist Scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law” is translated from the Chinese title “妙法蓮華經”. Each English character is according to my knowledge and understanding about this scripture. The used characters of the title and the content translated by me are some kind of difference from the translated by others. In the internet, you can find someone to call it shortly as “Lotus Sutra”. When you use this key word “Lotus Sutra” in the Internet, you can find a lot of introduction about it and the summary description of each chapter. However, if you want to learn more and are curious about what the content is translated, explained and taught by me, you might be interested in following this blog.

I try to use as little Sanskrit literal translation as possible, and at the same time, try to use commonly used words to make it easier for the public to understand.  In the translation, I do my best to achieve the principles of translation to be honesty, elegance and expressiveness. However, it may be some distance away from a literary work.

I do not suggest you to use Buddhist scriptures for academic research or literary appreciation. If you use them for academic research or literary appreciation, it may be increased the burden and pain of your own life. Why? That is because if you use them pursue the fame and benefit for yourself, it would be far away from learning Buddha. However, if you will maintain your life by the academic research or literary appreciation in Buddhism, and to use them as the career, it is your choice. If you are capable to balance the life in learning Buddha well, it is not bad. Why? Because I believe that you will use your wisdom and any convenient way to help others after you are enlightened from learning Buddha. At the same time, you will have the good repay after doing that. Such kind of repay may be the invisible, such as your happiness caused by the grateful from others.     

The Buddhist scripture is to help you to achieve the Buddhahood. 

In fact, Buddhist scriptures are used to help you eliminate the troubles of life and death. At the same time, it helps you to confirm whether you really understand the teachings of Buddha or not, and how your level is in learning Buddha by yourself. In a word, the Buddhist scripture is to help you to achieve the Buddhahood. However, if you mistakenly use it, you maybe hate and leave it someday. If you are capable of profoundly realize the teaching of Buddha from this Buddhist scripture, it would help you easily perceive and alert any manipulation by others and their greedy intention in any situations and in any regional or religious communities. At the same time, it would help you to cultivate your mind to be open-minded, compassionate, and be full of wisdom, so as to maintain a peaceful life.

There are totally 28 volumes in this Buddhist scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law”.

There are totally 28 volumes in this Buddhist scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law”. I have ever translated the 25th volume of this Buddhist scripture as titled “ Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter”. The related link as follows:

 

A Brief Talk about Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter

Bodhisattva World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universal Door Chapter (In Chinese and English)

When we read the Buddhist scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law” with honesty heart, we will obtain  the blessed, protected and brought to mind by the Buddha.

Regarding the Buddhist scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law”, there is a lot of content in each volume, because it includes the verses and each verse of the content is a short summary of the major content. Furthermore, it is  to repeat mostly the major content of the volume and to increase some new content. If you are interested in reading the whole content of 28 volumes, it takes time and patience. This Buddhist scripture is worth for us to read and understand in our lifetime. Usually, when we have completely read this Buddhist scripture with our sincere heart and revering attitude, we will love to learn the Buddha and are interested in knowing more about the other Buddhist scriptures. That is because it is coming from the blessed, protected and brought to mind by the Buddha.     

The basic introduction of the concept of Zen and how to enter the realm of Zen?

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

The word “Zen” is transliterated from Chinese, and is composed by two Chinese characters, which is the character "express" and "single". Therefore, the literal meaning of the Chinese character in Zen is to express single.

From the literal meaning of the Chinese word ”Zen”, we will be more easy to understand what the Zen means and enter the realm of Zen. Now we know that Zen is to express single. That is, there is no duality (no dualism). Duality here means an instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something. For example, "right" and "wrong"; "good" and "evil"; "yes" or "no".

This kind of binary exists in our logic training or any life education. It has become an integral part of our lives. We can say that it has become the inertia of our lives. Such concept of dualism has kidnapped our lives and affects a lot of aspects of our lives. However, we are not alert to this.   

We all know that only one palm doesn't make a sound. Many conflicts in humans are generated from the duality. It is as if two palms to make sounds. If we realized the profound meaning of Zen, we will find that there are many ridiculous absurdities in the consciousness of human opposition, whether in dictatorship or democracy, or any religious doctrine, or any racism, because such things are always related to the dualism and its binary opposition.

However, this is only the introduction of Zen, and it has not yet to make us enter the truth of Zen. In a word, the point of Zen is to break the personal inertial thinking, to break self-attachment, to break self-obsession and there is no binary opposition in personal mind. With this basic concept, it will make it easier for us to enter the realm of Zen.

Learn and understand more about Zen, don't forget to subscribe or follow this blog.