The best helpfulness is to give those who ask for help the true wisdom.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

There are many ways to help people. But, do you have found that some people are zealous to help other people, however, it makes the zealous persons being tangled in the helped peoples’ problem. And then, such problem would birth new problem to the zealous persons. In other word, it is not only the problem of being helped people. It has become the problems of both of them.

 

In my practical experience, I have found that some people who ask for the help from outside are because they are lack of wisdom to deal with their personal mental problem. In other word, when they ask for people from outside to do things and help them, that is not the master problem. What the master problem is their disorder in mental activity. They are tangling and stocking in their negative emotion and thinking. And that affect their relationship with their family and the methods to handle things. They also have felt about their mental problem and attend the mind course. What have shocked me is that such course almost is no helpful for them. Their disorder in mental activity has still been there. Why? Because such course does not touch the core of the true wisdom.

 

So, if we are zealous to help people, we should not be blind. It is better for us to use our brain and wisdom so as to avoid that we fall into the tangled problem and trouble. The best helpfulness is to give those who ask for help the true wisdom. The second helpfulness is to give them knowledge. When they have wisdom and knowledge, they would be strong in heart and independent in life, and finally could find the way, including knowledge and specialty, to improve their problem, including the poverty.    

 

If we understand such method and have such ability to help people, we would not despise the un-learner.

If we are lucky to have knowledge, specialty, and wisdom, or we own the special resources, we should not despise those persons who are suffering in life.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

In our life, we have ever faced different people who own different kind of knowledge, specialty, and technology, and even they own the special resources in country or in the world. They own the superiority and thus despise the lives of the ordinary people.

 

Most people are living in the poverty, and are suffering in life. Unfortunately, they do not know why they are poor and suffering in life. They do not have enough knowledge and specialty to improve their life, let alone to own the special resources in country. They might know that they are despised. But, they cannot do any thing to change the fact by positive wisdom.

 

If we are lucky to have knowledge, specialty, and wisdom, or we own the special resources, we should not despise those persons who are suffering in life. It is better for us to do our best to help them liberate themselves from the suffering, because we are equal in the body of Emptiness and have the Buddha-nature. They would become Buddha in the future. To help them is also meant to help ourselves.

Only extensive study can help you understand Buddhism

 

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

For more than twenty years, I read variety books related Buddhism written from different authors and heard the variety speech from different Buddhist mentor. In the beginning, I really have no idea about what they have written and what they have talked about. With the time passed by and the experience in life, I think of the meaning as they mentioned and then I gradually understand what they have talked.

But, I still have an idea that people's potential is unlimited, but unfortunately, people's knowledge is limited. So, when we want to learn Buddha, it is better for us to reference the variety Buddhist teaching. Everything is worth to widely learn and to extensively research.

It is also worth for you to question about what I have taught in Buddhism. One day when you really realize what I have taught in Buddhism, your life would be totally changed and you would find that it is really worth to learn Buddha in our life.

There is not only one method to teach Buddhism. There is not only one method to be enlightened. Some methods of Buddha’s teaching used by one Buddhist mentor might not be suitable for you, or might be very suitable for you, that is depending on whether you could accept it or not. I have found that every Buddhist mentor has its own style to teach the Buddhism. The Buddhist mentor what I have said include the person who is not monk, and who is not nun.

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.

The Basic Knowledge of learning Buddha (updated on 2019/07/02)

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

1.     What is the difference between a Buddha and a Bodhisattva?

When someone has totally enlightened, liberated from the suffering by the highly wisdom, and known all truth, meanwhile, has no fear in heart any more, 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”, which is transliterated from Chinese word and its original language is also from Sanskrit.

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 power of kindness and empathy to save  sentient beings, we call such person “Bodhisattva” for honor it. In Chinese language, we call it “Pusa”, which is also transliterated from Chinese word and its original language is from Sanskrit.

There are two kinds of Bodhisattva. One is Buddhist monk or nun. The other is neither Buddhist monk nor Buddhist nun. 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 mean the person who learns Buddha well in family. They are not leaving the family to learn Buddha. Meanwhile, comparing to the Buddhist monk or nun, they own more difficulty to learn Buddha. In Buddhist Scripture, the Bodhisattva of house-scholar is also called virtuous scholar. That is mentioned from The Sutra of an Upasaka’s Precepts.

“Fo” and “Pusa” are easier to recite and remember. These two words would also be used in this website of Buddha’s teaching.

2.     What is the teaching of Buddha?

      In a word, it is as follows:

      Not to do all evil things,

      But to do all virtue things,

      And to purify our own mind by self,

      This is all teachings of Buddha.

3.     What is the Buddha’s nature?

Buddha’s nature exists in everyone and all sentient beings. ”Tathagata” is another word with the same meaning as “Buddha”. In Chinese, “Tathagata” is translated to be “Rulai” which is transliterated from Chinese words. It means that it neither comes from where nor go to any where. It comes as it is.

All sentient beings have the virtue of “Rulai (Tathagata)” wisdom, however, why which can not be attained, because any illusion, obsession, persistence in absurd thought, and stubborn mind are in their heart. If they can abandon it, all wisdom and natural wisdom will be appeared in heart immediately.

The above words are mentioned in the Buddhist Scripture. It means that all sentient beings have the Buddha’s nature.

4.     What is the Four Immeasurable hearts?

      The four immeasurable hearts are as follows:

      The heart of kindness (benevolence, mercy).

      The heart of sympathy (empathy, compassion).

      The heart of joy (great happiness and pleasure).

      The heart to abandon (give up; let it go, put it down. ).

It is important for us to think of the four immeasurable hearts, when we learn and practice the Buddha-law.

5.     What is the Three Treasures?

The Three Treasures are as follows:

(1)   The Buddha

(2)   The Buddha-law or the doctrine of Buddha

(3)   The person who has completely understood the Buddha-law, and has put it into practice or are practicing it. Such person mostly refers to the Buddhist monk or nun. In wide meaning, it also refers to the residence-scholar, house-scholar, or living-scholar as what I have mentioned.

6.     What is the meaning of “Na Mo” in Buddhism?

“Na Mo” is transliterated from the Sanskrit and is used in China and Taiwan since the ancient time. “Na Mo” means “return to” or “depend on ”. When we return to or depend on the three treasures in Buddhism as said, as if we have seek or found a refuge in life and death, and we could liberate from the suffering in life and death.

7.     Should I return to and depend on the three treasures in Buddhism?

The Buddha said:

For destroying all suffering, eliminating the distress, and perceiving the happiness of the supreme silence and extinction, that is why the people return to and depend on the three treasures.

The Buddha also said:

Returning to and depending on the three treasures is all immeasurable good Buddha-law, and is also the root of Bodhi wisdom.

8.     What is the law or doctrine of Buddha?

The all, including the material and spiritual world or things, is the law or doctrine of Buddha.

9.     What is the meaning of the “law door of Buddha”?

Let us image that, there is an invisible door, through which we can get into” the law or doctrine of Buddha”. That means, if we accept any “law door of Buddha”, we practice it. It also means the method with which we can get into the liberation. Furthermore, we can use the method to liberate others. There are many “law door of Buddha or Bodhisattva” with which it could liberate us and others. Each Buddha or Bodhisattva has its own name. For example, if someone has a name “happiness” and one day who are enlightened, then, it might be called “Buddha Happiness” or “Bodhisattva Happiness”. In generally speaking, the name of Buddha or Bodhisattva is more concern about its qualities or characters.

And Such Buddha or Bodhisattva has created its special law door, such as law door of Buddha Happiness. If we follow and practice the law door of Buddha Happiness, which also means we return to and depend on such Buddha, we might gradually liberate us from the suffering and attain the happiness and bliss.

10.  What is the ”law door of reciting and repeating a name of Buddha ”?

By reciting and repeating a name of Buddha could concentrate our thought and mind so that it could also help us to eliminate our bad thought and any illusion appeared in our mind. Meanwhile, we could connect with Buddha’s vows to obtain the protection by reciting and repeating their names with the title of Buddha or Bodhisattva.

When we call its name, it is as if we call someone’s name. It would come to see us and try to understand what we need and what it can help us. It is like a servant. But, in fact, it is a god, a virtuous Spirit. So, it is better for us to respect it, as if we should respect the servant. In fact, the relationship between a god, a Buddha, a Bodhisattva and us are equal. Why? In the body of Emptiness, all is equal. 

11.  What is the “Zen” in Buddhism?

It is one person at the great ease and the most comfort.

12.  What is the discipline of Buddhism?

In a brief, for the Buddhist non-monk or non-nun, it just needs to follow the five disciplines of Buddhism as below:

Not to kill others and oneself.

Not to steal.

Not to have sex in improperly ways. That is, do not harm yourself and not harm others, and be to respect to each other.

Not to lie.

Not to take alcohol or illegal drug.

13.  What is the law of cause and result in Buddhism?

In a brief, one thought is one cause which will result in any action, and finally arise in any consequence. Therefor, in learning Buddha, it especially stresses that the first thought should dwell on a right positive thought for all sentient beings, because a good thought will result in a good action, and a good effect will be arisen in the end. Furthermore, any thought is like a monkey which jumps up and down, here and there. It means that any thought is unstable at any time. So, how to keep the thought in a stable sate in mind is also very important in learning Buddha, because it is also a cause which should be protected and not to be affected by any bad conditions from outside. Therefore, there is a word which said that: “The general people fears the outcome, however, the Bodhisattva fears any cause.”

14.  What are the six methods of liberation to attain to Buddhahood?

       In a brief, the six methods are as follows:

  Give all sentient beings the material things, wisdom or fearlessness.

       Put the discipline of Buddhism into practice.

       Endure any humiliation.

       Specialize in learning Buddha and improve it day by day.

       Meditate in Zen and keep stable in mind.

       Grow our wisdom.

15.  What is the pure land in the teaching of Buddha?

In a brief, when we have purified our heart, we have created our own pure land in heart at the same time.

16.  What is the advantage in learning Buddha?

It benefits us and other people. It grows our wisdom, liberates us from suffering in life and death, and lets us have a peaceful and good life.

17.  What is the Bodhi heart?

Bodhi is transliterated from Sanskrit, and has the immeasurable meanings.

In a brief, it means the four immeasurable hearts as mentioned. Mostly, it means Buddhahood.

If we want to pursue the teaching of Buddha, we have to cultivate the Bodhi heart in the beginning.

In generally speaking, the Bodhi heart is a motivation to help all sentient beings to be free from all suffering.

18.  Should I bow to the sculpture of Buddha or Bodhisattva?

In Asia, bowing to the sculpture of Buddha is for training our heart to be humble and respect to others. Because respecting others is to respect ourselves. However, most general people do not understand the true meaning. If you understand this meaning, it is not necessary for you to bow to the sculpture of Buddha. But, if you want to use this method to train you to be humble, it is up to you. When profoundly thinking about it and practicing it, every one might be the “sculpture of Buddha or Bodhisattva. That is, every one is Buddha or Bodhisattva in our heart. At that time, you could really get rid of the bondage in form, and respect others sincerely.

19.  Should I be a vegetarian if learned Buddha?

No. It is not necessary to be a vegetarian. To be a vegetarian is not concern about compassion. However, to eat more vegetables will be good for our health and good for the earth.

20.  Should I learn Buddha?

The sixth founder of Zen in China, master Hui Neng, had said that:

Buddha-law is in the world,

and would not depart from the worldly feeling.

Leaving the world to look for the Bodhi (supreme wisdom)

as if demanding for the rabbits horns. (The rabbit has no horns, which also means it is impossible. )

In a brief, it means that the worldly nuisances and troubles are Bodhi. Why? How could it be possible? To learn Buddha is to expect us become Buddha some day. For the modern people, it is more convenience to learn Buddha by the modern technology, which would help us easier to understand the law or the doctrine of Buddha. To follow the path of Buddha, it is not necessary to leave the group of the world, or to be a Buddhist monk or Buddhist nun. That is, we do not need to leave our family or our country for learning Buddha. We can learn Buddha in our worldly life. The most important is to follow a good and positive teacher. It is impossible to attain Buddhahood without a teacher.  It means that to be Buddhahood needs a master. Whether to follow the good thing and whether to have a positive choice that is up to you.

21.  What should I do if I achieved Buddhahood someday?

If that day comes, you will know what you should do.

22.  Is a Buddha an almighty person?

No. It is not. It could not save two kinds of people to let them be free from the suffering. That is, one kind of people is those who have no opportunity to know or to encounter a Buddha. The other kind of people is those who do not believe the teaching of Buddha.

The further and deep teaching of Buddha will be in the course.

We welcome you to learn Buddha with us in the entity course or in the website.