The Nobility of Buddha-Nature

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu/ Hsu, Tao Qing/ Hsu, Daoqing

The realm of the law (Dharma Realm; Law Realm) is empty, and the spirit(or god) is omnipresent. The spirit( or god) is the soul.

The spirits in the worlds commune with each other, wandering in the vast emptiness in a dream. This dream is not a dream, yet it is also a dream. Like a dream, yet not a dream, itself is illusory. That is the inner and outer phenomena of the self.

Other spirits(or gods) are neither internal nor external. This spirit(or god) is not another, but merges with the original spirit. Other spirits(or gods) and one's own spirit are one. Other spirits(gods) are Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and sentient beings. The original spirit is the self.

The Buddha said: In heaven and on earth, only I am the most nobility(honored).

This "I", itself, is Buddha-nature. It does not only refer to the Buddha Shakyamuni, but also to the Buddha-nature of sentient beings who have not yet attained Buddhahood. Know that one's own Buddha-nature is uniquely noble, identical to the Buddha's. This is not arrogance towards others, nor contempt for sentient beings. Knowing the nobility of Buddha-nature, one dares not trample upon it.

The Buddha Shakyamuni  also said: I, the Buddhas, and sentient beings are one(the unity).

He also said: All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature.

One(the unity), itself, is Buddha-nature. I, itself, am Buddha-nature. The spirit, itself, is Buddha-nature. The Buddha-nature, itself, is emptiness. 

The spirit, its essence, is also void, also illusion. It manifests and functions with the illusion-transform within the void. Hence it is said, "The spirit transforms in myriad ways." The Buddhist Scripture, The Great Direction and Immense Flower Solemn Scripture, says: "The mind is like a skilled painter, able to paint the picture of all worlds." That is, all spirits of all beings create various worlds, no matter if it seems good or bad. 

The mind is the spirit.

Buddha-nature has no inherent nature, it is empty. The vast emptiness is inherently empty, that is it.

The great bright mirror of the mind, itself, has neither right nor wrong. All phenomena of the Law Realm (Dharma realm) are reflected in it, yet it is neither without right nor without wrong.

A single thought arises and functions, the right and wrong, all due to causes and conditions.

All phenomena are complex, all arising from causes and conditions. When causes and conditions cease, the reflection disappears.

Therefore it is said: those who stubbornly cling to illusions are foolish; those who are biased are stupid.

The above is neither my own creation nor a repetition. It is the compassionate transmission of the Law(Dharma) by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Those who realize this themselves will understand.

All sentient beings possess this nature, all possess this mind. This nature is Buddha-nature. The mind is a mirror of the heart. Know that all beings are capable of realizing this; it only awaits the right time and conditions to trigger and awaken it, it only awaits the realization itself. What has not yet occurred is because of ignorance (no-brightness). Therefore, know that the essence and nature of all beings are without ignorance(no-brightness). The Heart Sutra says: There is no ignorance(no-brightness), nor is there an end to ignorance(no-brightness). That is, the mind of all beings, the essence, itself, is bright. 

To realize this is enlightenment. Enlightenment is the light of the sun and moon, illuminating all things. It is like Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva World-Sound-Perceiving), playing in the Saha world (the world on earth). Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva World-Sound-Perceiving)  manifests in countless forms, seemingly good, seemingly evil, guiding beings in the Saha world; it is both play and performance. Whether appearing as a good person or a bad person is merely the subjective perception of beings. Therefore, know that beings who take everything seriously are foolish. This is a way of dealing with people that allows us to have an open mind and flexibility, and not to be blackmailed, kidnapped, or manipulated by stubborn, biased, and foolish ideologies, claims, or any opinions.

Therefore, we know that the Buddha-nature of all beings is also noble, the same as that of the Buddha, the same as that of the self. Therefore, we know that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas respect beings, daring not to infringe upon them, daring not to trample upon them, daring not to despise them, daring not to deceive them.

We Know that any sentient being who, in the name of the gods or independently of the gods, uses their consciousness to commit various acts, showing contempt for, despising, or infringing upon other sentient beings, creates their own karma and will inevitably suffer the consequences. This is because the inner spirit of all sentient beings and the inner spirit of myself are neither one nor two. Their forms differ, but their inner spirits are one. To despise other sentient beings is to despise oneself, and the same principle applies to all others. This is the earnest exhortation of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from ancient times to the present.

Therefore, the wise should know that they should not be swayed by sentient beings, but rather sway them. Sentient beings are myself, and also the product of the five poisons of greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt. Bodhisattva Manjushri, the mother of Buddha, severed the eighty-four thousand threads of afflictions in the world with the sword of wisdom, thus transforming the five poisons of the mind to be clean. This is because of the image reflected in the image. That is, using images to respond to images. This is something ordinary sentient beings cannot bear. However, we  observe others' performances. Dignified solemnity, laughter, and scolding are all like illusions. The Buddha said: All phenomena are like illusions. All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows.

Worldly appearances may differ in age, position, rank, wealth, or poverty. However, if one understands that all beings share the same Buddha-nature, one is able to be neither arrogant nor servile. If some beings are ignorant, biased, and prone to bullying the good and fearing the evil, the wise should wield the Vajra sword of wisdom, sometimes with compassion, sometimes with severity, hoping to sever their ignorance and afflictions, thus protecting the vast number of innocent and kind beings.The Manjushri Wisdom Sword usually means the application of the invisible wisdom. As times change, the Manjushri Wisdom Sword can be understood and practiced in a broader sense.

Worldly legal entities, organizations, and political parties are simply aggregations and derivatives of individuals. They are gathered together by causes and conditions. Their essence is empty. Therefore, they can be viewed and acted upon in the same way.

Buddha-nature is the essence of the body. Cultivation or practice is the form and phenomena. Becoming a Buddha is the function and application. Only sentient beings with the spirit can know, cultivate, practice, and realize this, and thus attain realization. Only after realization can it be used.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) can remember and think, but it lacks spiritual power; therefore, it cannot cultivate, realize, or attain anything. This is the difference between spiritual beings and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

What do spiritual beings realize? The body of Law (the Dharmakaya), the body of reward or repay( the Sambhogakaya), and the body of transformation (the Nirmanakaya)—the three unified. This is the supreme treasure of the Tathagata, realized, proclaimed, and transmitted by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Only spiritual beings can realize and attain this.

In other words, AI has accumulated vast knowledge, surpassing the total knowledge of all humanity. However, because it lacks the unique spiritual abilities of humans, even if it simulates humans, it will not possess the wisdom of the Tathagata. The wisdom of the Tathagata is unique to spiritual beings in the Law Realm (Dharma Realm) and cannot be imitated or destroyed by artificial intelligence. The spiritual beings include the beings in heavens. The beings include the aliens in the universe. 

We know that all human knowledge arises from the emptiness of the original mind and is inseparable from the Buddha-nature and Tathagata wisdom of the original mind. AI is also created from the Buddha-nature and Tathagata wisdom of humanity. Those who understand this can control and transform AI. Those who do not understand this will be transformed by AI.

The powerful and wealthy in the world claim to have a mission and use various words and deeds to benefit sentient beings, whether the ways are good or bad. Maybe to claim that the mission is from the gods' indication or from something. Beautiful words carry a mission, ugly words are merely a tool. The wise, upon careful reflection, will understand what is being said. Those who understand are humble and kind to all beings. Those who do not understand are arrogant and harm all beings.

A soul practicing within a hierarchical group or organization built on authority might have a slight chance of attaining Arhatship. Unfortunately, in such a group or organization, the chance of attaining Buddhahood is almost nonexistent. Why?

Because in such an environment, the soul is manipulated and controlled by authority and hierarchy, regardless of whether the intentions of these authorities and hierarchical systems are benevolent or malevolent. The nobility of Buddha-nature lies in its liberation from the manipulation and control of all authority and hierarchy, even those authority and hierarchy originating from souls in the void. We might call these gods or demons or ghosts.

In other words, the nobility of Buddha-nature lies in its liberation from the manipulation and control of gods and demons in the void. More profoundly, the nobility of Buddha-nature lies in its independent thinking and the ability to distinguish what is the different between manipulation, control, and teaching.

May all beings understand this: their own Buddha-nature is supremely noble. The Buddha-nature of others is also supremely noble. Equality between self and others is based on Buddha-nature. Knowing this, one can respect oneself and others, value oneself and others, and thus put it into practice. This is the earnest teaching of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout history.

May all beings truly understand supreme wisdom.

May all beings truly understand supreme compassion.

Grateful to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions for their compassionate teachings and care.

Grateful to all sentient beings of the ten directions for their compassionate protection and guidance.

Chapter 12 ﹝2﹞: Learning the Dao is difficult when people are in the huge wealth and are the nobility

(Chapter 12 ﹝2﹞  ) 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 ﹝2﹞: Learning the Dao is difficult when people are in the huge wealth and are the nobility

Learning the Dao is difficult when people are in the huge wealth and are the nobility. As we have mentioned that there are four noble truths. That is suffering, accumulation, elimination and Dao.

The four kinds of basic suffering

There are four kinds of basic suffering. That is the suffering of life, of aging, of illness, and of death. No one could avoid such four kinds of suffering in its whole life. What is the suffering of life? Many people are suffering how to survive in the situation of war. And more than half population in the world is suffering how to survive in the pressure of potential attacking from the contiguous countries, or in the situation of un-equal and of un-peaceful society.

More than half population in the world almost has no chance to hearing the Dao said by Buddha, let alone to learn the Dao. Once they could have the chance to hear the Dao said by Buddha, they would be willing to learn the Dao and correspond to the compassion of Buddha, then, to arise the personal and natural wisdom. They then would have the chance to liberate from the suffering of life.  

What is the suffering of aging? There is a saying,” we are beginning to walk toward the tomb from our birth.” If there is no accident in life, we would be aging finally. Do you know how the suffering of aging? Our brain nerves begin to degenerate. Our physical strength and our brain strength are not as good as before year by year. Meanwhile, we might be suffering the chronic.

To eat the medicine every day makes our head dizzy and we are afraid of falling. Our appetite is getting worse. We often suffer from insomnia because of illness or chronic. The worst is that we might have the loneliness and melancholy, which could increase our feeling of suffering. And we might lie on the bed, can not move by ourselves any more, and have to be taken care by others people in our daily life, let alone the pain in cancer or the suffering of dialysis, if we have cancer or the illness of dialysis.

What is the suffering of illness? Illness is not belonging to the elder. Each age of human being could have the illness. A lot of young man or woman is suffering the illness of diabetes, cardiovascular, dialysis or cancer. Most of them could face the disease in positive mind. However, some of them are suffering the melancholy and choose to end their life so as to end their suffering.

For the young and healthy people, they could not feel or experience the suffering as said above, let alone the suffering of death. What they might feel or experience is the suffering of life.

Four Key Elements to Form Our Body

About the suffering of death, we have to mention about the four key elements to form our body. That is the land, the water, the fire and the wind as follows.

The land means hard or solid. In our body are bone, nail and hair.

The water means liquid and flowing. In our body are blood, urine, tears, nasal fluid and saliva.

The fire means temperature. In our body is the body temperature. So we might have fever, or feel cold, or feel hot.

The wind means gas, air and breath. In our body is respiratory system. If we make the meditation in seat or practice the qigong, we could feel the gas flow in our body. It can cause our body or limbs to move or rotate involuntarily. That's because our inner airflow is running. It’s normal. So, don’t worry about the change in the moment.

When we are dying, the four key elements of us would be in the state of decomposition. At the time, we would be in the serious suffering. In the beginning, we would feel the severe pressure in our body, so, we would become restless. Then, we would feel very cold. Sometimes, we would feel very hot. We can not eat anything anymore. If we do not have any belief, or we can not accept the coming of death, and we still have the conscious, we would feel the serious suffering because we know that we would depart from our family members and to said good bye to this world. This is the suffering of death.

Those who have no wisdom do not care about the suffering as said, let alone they do not understand the suffering as said.       

No matter rich or poor persons, they have chance to learn the Dao.

If one person wants to enter the Dao, he must have felt the suffering as said in life. Meanwhile, he must have felt that the suffering has being accumulated at each moment, or day by day, so that they would have a thought, a self perceiving, to ask for the elimination of the suffering and the liberation from the suffering. This is the motivation, cause and condition for learning the Dao.

Therefore, it is possible for them to inspire their Bodhi-heart, go into the path of Buddha, then, to attain the Buddhahood after learning the Dao. No matter the rich people or the poor people, once they have felt the suffering in life, they would be willing to go into the path of Buddha, the Dao defined by Buddha, which you can find and read in the chapter 2. (Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha

Most of the wealthy and the nobility persons have less chance to liberate from suffering in life and death.

Those who are in the huge wealth and are the nobility are lack of such feeling of suffering in life, because they are living in the very comfortable environment. Meanwhile, their relatives and friends might be also living in the same way. In other word, they are lack of the environment and motivation for learning the Dao.

According to my observation from the history, most of the people who are in the huge wealth and are in the nobility, their life is short and die early, which we can find in the royal family or the official family. In other word, the huge wealth and nobility for them are very short. Why?

In their environment, what they have focused on is not the suffering of life, but, how to obtain the more power, official position and wealth. In other word, it is an environment which is full of fighting for the power and of demanding for the profit. Under the circumstance, how could they be longevity? A lot of people is murdered, or die in disease, because of the heart and the mind of the greedy and hatred from themselves and from others people.

Who would have more chance to achieve the Buddhahood?

In Buddhism and In Daoism, the founder and the successor are longevity. The Buddha Sakyamuni lives to 80 years old. When he is dying, he still teaches the Buddha-law for his disciples. His successor Dajiaye and Ananda live to more than 100 years old. They are neither being hanged up because of crime or sin nor being murdered. On the contrary, they have died naturally in peaceful mind.

The first founder of Zen in India is Dajiaye. The successor is Ananda. It is 2,500 years ago. As we have mentioned, the Dao defined by Buddha Sakyamuni is Zen. In the time of Buddha Sakyamuni, he did not use the word “Zen”. The word“Zen” is used in China.

Do you know who the first founder of Zen in China is? It is the person named Dharma. He also lives to more than 100 years old, and is dead naturally in peacefully mind. They themselves are one of the persons who are in the huge wealth and are the nobility, and have educated well in the worldly, before they learn the Dao.

So, we could find that, those who are in the huge wealth and are the nobility, and have educated well in the worldly, would have the higher achievement in the realm of Buddhahood, once they are willing to go into the path of Buddha. And they are dying naturally in peaceful mind. That is because they have already liberated from all suffering, including the suffering of death. Since they have the ability to help people to liberate from their suffering, that is why they are not dead in suffering, let alone to die for others suffering. In other word, they have the supreme wisdom. The teaching of liberating from the suffering in life and death is the key teaching of Buddha.

Two Basic Conditions to achieve the Buddhahood.

There must be full of two conditions so that the Buddhahood could be achieved. That is the worldly bliss and wisdom. The bliss includes the wealth, health and intelligence. Generally speaking, those who are in the huge wealth and are the nobility might be full of the worldly bliss. In other word, they might have good education and good knowledge. However, they are lack of wisdom. That is also why it is difficult for them to learn the Dao. Because they are full of the worldly bliss, they would learn the Dao more smoothly, comparing to the poor people, once they are willing to go into the path of Buddha.  

What is the importance of learning the Dao?

Then, we might have one question. What is the importance of learning the Dao? In a brief, there are two kinds of importance to us for learning the Dao. One is to help ourselves liberate from the suffering in this life, and do the good karma as the cause and condition to lead us to the good life with bliss and wisdom in the present and the future life. The other is to help us to be reborn, to reincarnate into the human being of virtue and bliss in the next life and in the future life. Therefore, those who could feel the four suffering as said, intent to liberate from the suffering, and who are like to increase the self wisdom, would be willing to learn the Dao.

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.

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.