A philosophy book influenced my decision to believe in Buddhism

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

 

When I was a student in the university, I was curious about the life and religion. In that time, Taiwan goes into the free and democratic society, and there are a lot of books and articles written or spoken by the Buddhist monks or nuns, or the persons who have the knowledge about the Buddhism. One of my classmates who buys many such books. When she has completed the reading, she sends those books to me and shares these books with me. That is why I have a chance to know the Buddhism.

 

 

In general speaking, the content of those books is prose, which purpose is to convey the basic Buddhist idea for those people who obsess in material world, or to encourage the people who are in suffering. It is very helpful in our life, but it is not enough if we want to learn Buddha profoundly. 

 

One day in a book store, I found a book which caught my attention, so I bought it and read. I translate the name of book as “The Lecture About The Philosophy Of Life”. The author is a professor of philosophy in Taiwan University, whose whole name is Fang Dong-Mei ( The year 1899-1977). 

 

The content of this book is concerned about the same or the different parts in the religion of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, and how it might benefit our life, if we want to choose one of them as our belief in life. Of course, it is only mentioned about the whole concept, and is not mentioned about the details. He explained it from an objective perspective. I think it is reasonable that is why I can accept it. Philosophy pays attention to speculation, which is thinking, discerning, reasoning and debate, and should be logical, not blind faith. After reading this book, that is also why I can accept the Buddhism by the objective and rational perspective.

Chapter 35: Once the filth is cleaned, the brightness is existed.

(Chapter 35) 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 35: Once the filth is cleaned, the brightness is existed.

The Buddha said,” As if a person forges iron to remove the dross, and then to be the utensil, the utensil is thus refined and good, the person who learns the Dao removes the filth in heart, his practicing is clean and pure accordingly.“ 

 

The Dao means the Dao in Buddhism. Learning the Dao in Buddhism is as if a person forges iron to remove the dross. Iron ore is burned by fire with high temperature and then the dross is emerged and removed. The left iron is more pure, and is continuously beaten by hammers with thousand times. A utensil of steel is hence completed.

 

Such utensil is refined and good and it is so perfect and can be used well, as if a person who learns the Dao makes himself to be a useful person, and to shoulder the inheritance of Dharma (Buddha-law), so as to make sentient beings liberate from their suffering, and hence to make them reach the blessed place which is established by themselves with their self-effort. Such blessed place is not elsewhere, but in their heart. In other word, at this moment, where they live, the place is the blessed place. That is because their pure heart is in there.

 

What is learning the Dao in Buddhism? In a word, to truly see the Buddha-nature by self and to be able to freely apply it is the process and goal for learning the Dao in Buddhism.

 

A person learning the Dao is as if the process of forging iron to become steel and to become the useful utensil. This person has to experience the strict life training so as to remove his evil thought, and to wear off his bad habit. The strict training in life is as if the iron ore is burned by raging fire in the stove with high temperature. It means that the training in life is very strict, hard and even suffering. Only experiencing such process, the pure mind and the determined belief can be made.  

 

Whatever the place is, where we live is as if a stove with fire to burn the iron ore and then to hammer it with thousand times, which can train our mind and character, when we learn the Dao. Through contacting people and any events, our evil thought and behavior would be gradually removed in the daily life. The strict training in life is not to isolate oneself in the crowd, and then to close oneself, but to place oneself in the crowd so as to train the self-mind to be open, integrity, honest, upright and pure, and to train the self-heart to be soft and compassionate, so as to train the self-will in learning the Dao to be firm.

 

The person who learns the Dao removes the filth in heart, his practicing is clean and pure accordingly.“

 

The filth is as if the dross as mentioned above, when it is removed, our heart becomes more pure and can tolerate any attacking from outside, such as humiliating, any negative thought or evil action. Such process is as if iron ore without dross can stand the beaten by hammers with thousand times.

 

What is the filth in heart? That is, to someone or to anything or to any events or to any circumstances or to any relationships, a person has the mind of the greed, hatred, resentment, stupid infatuation, arrogance, suspicion, jealousy, flattering, cunning, lie, brutality, despising, selfishness, or the insidious. In a word, it is the mind of the greed, hatred and the stupid infatuation. All of these are the negative states and emotions and able to drive the person to do anything to harm the self and others. That is why we define these states and emotions as the filth in heart. Our original heart is as if the white cloth, it is so white, bright and clean. There are no negative states and emotions in there. When it is stained by many black spots, we think that it is polluted to be black. This concept is that the heart with filth is the polluted heart.  

 

When we are embryos, our heart is very clean and bright, which is in the state of emptiness, and is no thinking. However, when we are born to the world and are infant, our mind are beginning to be stimulated and influenced continuously by the outside environment, which stimulate our various thinking and make us generate any different emotion. If we are lack of the correct guiding and self-perceiving, we are easy to generate any negative thought, emotion and behavior, even the evil or the distorted thinking and action to harm self and others. In such process of growing and living, we say that our heart is polluted and full of filth.

 

In such circumstance, when we treat people and deal with anything, we will no longer use our original sincere heart, but any polluted heart. When we use our polluted heart to treat people or deal with anything, we even do not know that we maybe harm others, or ruin anything, or break any good event, or even to harm the self in the end. Why? Our original heart without filth is as if the clean and bright mirror, which can make us view self clearly, and is also as if the clear eyes, which can make us see the truth distinctly. In such circumstance, we can keep our mind clear and make us calm down to do anything right. However, our heart with filth is as if the mirror with the thick dust, which cannot make us view self, and is also as if the blinded eyes, which cannot make us see any truth. In such circumstance, how can we assure that we cannot do anything wrong?

 

As if we want to remove the filth on the white T-shirt by washing it, we want to remove the filth in our heart, when we learn the Dao. When we remove the filth in heart, our thought become clear, our mind become pure, and our behavior become correct, our practicing in the Dao is clean and pure accordingly.

 

What is the benefit for us? We then understand that each one’s original heart is the same, which is clean, clear, pure and bright. Whatever the self or others, the heart is gradually affected and polluted by the environment. Therefore, the heart becomes dirty and dark. No matter our heart is bright or dark, it is the same heart. What the difference is whether our heart is polluted or not. When we understand the nature of the heart, we thus can tolerate any another heart which is outside of us and is without any wisdom and bright. At the same time, when we remove the filth in our heart by self and we can further guide another polluted hearts outside of us to be clean and pure. This is one of the processes to learn the Dao in Buddhism.   

 

There is a saying, “It does not need to go far away in order to pursue the mountain of spirit, because it is in your heart.” Mr. Dharma said, ”I originally pursue the heart, not the Buddha, because I completely know that there is nothing in the emptiness of the three realms. If you want to pursue the Buddha, but you only need to pursue the heart, because the heart itself is the Buddha.”

 

The mountain of spirit is the heart, in which there is nothing, because the heart itself is in the state of stillness and emptiness. Under the circumstance, all is generated deriving from it, including the heart of precept, stability and wisdom, and the heart of the greed, hatred, and the stupid infatuation. That is, the emptiness contains the all existence. The still heart contains the all. Such heart is no boundary.

 

In a word, the heart with darkness and filth is the un-inspired heart and the un-enlightened Buddha. The heart with brightness and wisdom and without filth is the inspired heart and the enlightened Buddha. Whatever the heart is, the Buddha-nature is in the heart. That is why a Bodhisattva said to the masses, “All of you are the Buddha in the future.” One day, when your heart is inspired and you see the truth, you are the 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.

Good advice to the smart people

      1.      Be an open-minded person

2.     Honesty to self and others

3.     Have compassion to others

4.     Giving is more blessed than accepting

5.     No greedy in heart

6.     Forgiving others let us be free in heart

7.     No resentment and no hatred to others

8.     No infatuation with any thing and any person

9.     No jealous to others

10.  No arrogance in heart

11.  No suspicions to others without evidence

12.  Let us to be pure, clear and peaceful in heart

13.  Abandon any binary opposition

14.  No matter they are our relatives, friends or our enemies, treat everyone with equal heart

15.  Let us be like the universe to contain the all

16.  To endure any humiliation

17.  To respect others is to respect ourselves

18.  be grateful for all sentient beings in heart at every moment and do our best to feedback

19.  Be cheerful to good things done by people

20.  Be generous to others

21.  Help ourselves and others

22.  No expectation to others, the heart would be free

23.  Treat parents and others well

24.  Abandon any obsession to anything

25.  Wisdom is always more important than knowledge

26.  Meditate or do exercise every day

27.  Be independent in economic and in life

28.  Have no fear about any threaten.

29.  Refuse any lure

30.  Have the benevolence and mercy to all sentient beings.

Chapter 9: Return to the root and understand the Dao

(Chapter 9) 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 9: Return to the root and understand the Dao 

The Buddha said,” Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood; obeying our own aspiration and keeping the Dao, such Dao is very grand.”

Dao is Tao, which is transliterated from Chinese character; its original meaning is path, road and way. Then, the meaning of Dao is extended more widely and its meaning has become more broadly with the change in time and space, such as talking, saying, method, law, doctrine, morality, skillfulness, capability, and the thought system of religion or education. The thought system of religion or education includes the aforesaid meanings.

In the history and in the time of war in China, the literati, the scholarship, intellectuals, and some of them in seclusion, they liked to study and talk about the Dao, and some of them would put what they have studied about the Dao into practice. Then, they concluded the concepts and created their own group, to teach their disciples. Such situation is also happened in ancient India, in the time of Buddha Siddhartha. In the modern time, especially in recently 300 year, there are also different concepts or dogmas being created.

A lot of concepts or dogmas are created from the ancient to the modern time. But, it doesn’t mean that the concepts itself are right or wrong. The problem is how it is applied properly by human and to benefit others. So, any concept or dogma is some kind of Dao. But, mostly, we think that Dao is lean to the positive concept which could benefit people and make people live a good life, including in the material and mental areas.

Any concept or doctrine itself has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, how do we delimit it? In any concept or doctrine, some advantage might be a disadvantage for others. And, some disadvantage being thought might be an advantage for others. That is, the advantage what you have thought or the doctrine is advantage to you might be the disadvantage to us.

There are more than one hundred theories, concepts, principles, dogmas or doctrine in ancient China, let alone in India, in European, or in other place. Those mentioned above are some kind of Dao. Even though a person who has the spirit of learning motivation and has learned a lot of knowledge, honestly, it is barely impossible for him to comprehend the all, let alone some concepts might be never heard or seen by people, such as this scripture. To have the knowledge of Dao is one thing; to put the knowledge of Dao into practice is another.

In the chapter 2, the Buddha had defined the Dao for their disciples. 

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.”

Such Dao is also suitable for all people. But, it is hard to most people to understand, let alone to practice it. For most people, they think that such Dao is no useful for their life. But, if you could understand it deeply, you could find it is very useful for our life, even though we are not disciples of Buddha. If you are interested in the content of chapter 2 that I had explained, you can find here(Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha.

“Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood. “ Here, the first Dao means a lot of doctrine. The second Dao means the Dao which is explained by Buddha. It also means that it would not help us specialize in the truth, if we extensively hear and like a lot of doctrine. But, I think that it would help us open our mind and increase our knowledge. And it also help us to judge and choice what kind of doctrine is suitable for us.

All the teachings of Buddha include the philosophy, psychology, ethics, medicine, sociology, economics, science, physics and politics. If we widely involved such knowledge, and we have the fundamental concept of Buddhism, we would find that. Of course, the Buddhism is not classified in those respectively academic. The Buddhism is not used for researching in any academic, but for researching to our inner heart and practicing it in our real life. Then, we would find that the truth is in our heart, not from any research of academic, and also not from any outside supreme Spirit. That is the truth that the Buddha wants us to know.       

When we are lack of knowledge and are thus ignorant, we are easy to be bounded by and attach to one doctrine, especially, those persons who are poor and are oppressed by the pressure of life. For them, the Dao explained by Buddha is almost useless.

In the history, unfortunately, there is always the people to use the doctrine what they think it is right, to use it as their faith, and use the military power or the other means to force others people to obey their doctrine. The more worse is that they constrain the other doctrine to be transmitted and oppress or kill the people who practice these doctrines.

From the history, we can find that the Buddhism in the beginning is accepted by those people who are more educated, own more knowledge, and are in the high status, such as the emperor, or the prime minister. Ordinary people barely have the chance to hear or read The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapter Said by Buddha, except for being a Buddhist monk or nun. Most people just know to pray the Buddha to bless them to have a good and peaceful life. But, they do not know, to have a good and peaceful life is based on what they do in compassion and wisdom, and in knowledge. That is why the Buddhism was ever regarded as blind faith. Fortunately, those noble persons protect the Buddhism.

So, the Buddha said,” Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood.” In a word, it means that we could understand the truth, only when we profoundly realize the Dao and put it into practice intently.

The Buddha said,” Obeying our own aspiration and keeping the Dao, such Dao is very grand.” Even though these words are said to disciples of Buddha, it is also good for us. We might be curious about what the aspiration for the disciples of Buddha is, and why Buddha had said that.  

In the deep contemplation under the Bodhi tree, The Buddha had perceived that there are three kinds of sentient beings about their root of wisdom. He had classified them as higher root, intermediate root and lower root in wisdom. Why is it called the root of wisdom? The root of wisdom could bear the fruits of Buddha. And he also had used the container as a metaphor to describe how the degree is that the sentient beings could accept the teaching of Buddha, and how the degree is that they could achieve the goal. He also had classified it as large container, middle container and small container.

If people are compared and described as the large container, it means such people could accept the deep doctrine said by Buddha. On the contrary, if people are compared and described as the small container, it means such people could not accept the deep doctrine, and could only accept the simplistic doctrine.

So, we connect the word ”root” and “container” to be “root-container”. We can explain it as that the container could storage the root; the large container could hold the large root; the small container could only hold the small root of wisdom. The Buddha then had classified sentient beings as large root-container, which means it has the large wisdom; middle root-container, which means that it has the intermediate wisdom; and small root-container, which means it only has the little wisdom.

No matter the wisdom is large or little, it is unrelated to the academic experience, social status, age, IQ, and illiteracy. So, it is very important to give up the prejudice and the restriction coming from any concept. 

Those who are in poor have no chance to accept the teaching of Buddha. do you know how many they are in the world? They are more than half of the world's population. So, if you have ever read The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha, you are really lucky and blissful. Why? First, you might be in the wealth so you can use the smartphone or computer to read this chapter. Second, you might be healthful so you have the energy to read this chapter. Third, you have time and brain to study this chapter. Be positive thinking is always good for life.   

Now, we return back to the question what the aspiration for the disciples of Buddha is. Do you know how many disciples there are? According to the records in the history, there are 2500 disciples to follow the Buddha. As we have mentioned above, the disciples of Buddha are classified as large root-container, middle root-container, and small root-container.

So, according to the difference of root-container, what the Buddha had taught to them is also different. There is a saying,” Teaching in accordance with the aptitude of student”. The teaching of Buddha is very enlightened, that is Q&A, and there is a lot of “why” or "by what the cause and condition is" coming from the inquiry of disciples. If you have ever read any scripture in Buddhism, you would find it.

Of course, according to the difference of the root-container, there is about the deep question or the shallow question, so their aspirations are different. Then, what is the difference of their aspirations?

Those who are small root-container could little understand what the Buddha had taught, but, at least, could be carefully not to make any mistakes, just ask for not go to the hell, and wish that after dying, it is better to have the chance to go to the heaven or the pure land created by Buddha Amitabha. In there, they still have the chance to accept the teaching of Buddha and to learn the Buddha.

Those who are middle root-container could not realize the real Dao said by Buddha, could be enlightened a bit, and put it into practice in life at times, but, not completely. They also obey the precepts and further do the good thing, to save sentient beings to liberate from suffering. They also could teach and explain what the Buddha had taught, but, just according to the words to explain the meaning, not from their real practice and also not from their personal enlightenment. Even though this, they have wished to become Buddha in future life and to go to the pure land created by Buddha after their dying.

Those who are large root-container could realize the real Dao said by Buddha, could be enlightened, and put it into practice in real life. They could teach and explain what the Buddha had taught based on their real practice and their personal enlightenment. What they taught is very alive, and not be bounded to the words. Furthermore, it is very possible for them to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha, in the present life. They would create the pure land in heart by themselves. Where to go after their dying? Just be there.    

These three kinds of persons have one common basis, that is, their minds have been inspired by Buddha and they thus have wished to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha, in the future. This is the first and very important aspiration which has been obeyed. On the basis, they could learn the Buddha and accept what the Buddha had taught, and thus to keep the Dao. Keeping the Dao to become Buddha is their final goal. Why it is very grand? The all Buddha-law is completely understood and achieved, and the all virtue is solemn, after becoming Buddha. That is why such Dao is very grand for them.

Then, we might have a question. What is the Buddha-law? In generally speaking, the Buddha-law includes the all, the positive thing and the negative thing, and whether it is positive or negative which are judged by the human subjective consciousness. But, in the concept of Buddha-law, the delimited things sometimes might be broken, because the fact might be not what we have seen and what we have thought.

Furthermore, if we can properly apply the Buddha-law with our wisdom in our life, it could make our life alive and live well. But, if we could not apply the Buddha-law properly, we might “die” in the Buddha-law, which means no elasticity and no creation in our life.   

So, we have understood that, whether such Dao is very grand or not, is not concerned about others, also not concerned about you and me, but concerned about the person who has wished to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha.

As mentioned before, Buddha is a substantive noun given by people. It means a state of Emptiness and Non-Emptiness, which include the peace, the wisdom, compassion, and the soul of kindness.

A Brief Talk about The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart

A Brief Talk about The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart       

Translator in the time of Sui and Tang Dynasties, China (AD.602-664): Xuanzang (Who translated the said Scripture from Sanskrit into Chinese.)

Translator in the modern time: Tao Qing Hsu (Who translated the said Scripture from Chinese into English.)

Teacher, speaker and writer: Tao Qing Hsu

Introduction

The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart is generally spoken as Heart Sutra which is short for The Maha Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra. The title as said is Sanskrit and some words of Sanskrit in the content are too many syllables to pronounce. It is thus more difficult for us to understand and recite it. Furthermore, I find that some of translations from Sanskrit into English or from Chinese into English are not complete. It might confuse us. Therefore, I translate it from Chinese into English according to my knowledge and understanding of the Heart Sutra. The original Chinese version what I use is translated from Sanskrit into Chinese, and is used freely and universally in Chinese and Taiwan. The translator is Xuan Zang, which is a person in ancient China. What I have translated can be found in the website of Buddha’s Virtue & Love Widely and Universally. And now I have a brief talk about heart sutra by my own version of translation. I hope that this version would be more helpful for all people in the world to understand and recite it by such easy way.

The Content of The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart

        

When Pusa Self-ease-perceiving is deeply practicing the supreme wisdom,

It reflects and views its Five Aggregates are all empty,

and is thus free from all suffering.

“Pusa” means “Buddhisattva”, and is short for Buddhisattva, which you can find. So we can also pronounce it as “Busa” in short if you like. 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 sympathy to save sentient beings to be free from all suffering, we call such person “Buddisattva” for honor it. In Chinese language, we call it “Pusa”, which is transliterated from Chinese words and its original language is also from Sanskrit.

There are two kinds of “Pusa”(Busa, Buddisattva). One is Buddhist monk or nun. The other is Buddhist non-monk or non-nun. That is mentioned from The Sutra of an Upasaka’s Precepts.

So now, we have one concept that there is one person whom is given one title as “Pusa” for honoring him or her. And the Pusa’ name is called as Self-ease-perceiving. Why I use these words, because its meaning is totally concerned about the content of the heart sutra. If you completely understand it, you will know why the “Pusa” is named as Self-ease-perceiving. The complete meaning is that to perceive itself is in the state of comfort or ease, or to deeply practice the supreme wisdom by perceiving itself in the way of comfort or ease. There are immeasurable meanings waiting for you to find out. So, it really has the meaning for you. The most important is that you understand the meaning, so the heart sutra would be truly helpful for you.

In Sanskrit, the Pusa as aforesaid is Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. And the supreme wisdom is parajna paramita. Sanskrit might have no meaning for us, because it is not our language. The pronounce of “Pusa” is similar to “Pizza”, so it is easier to remember and recite, especially for the elder people. That is why I use this word ”Pusa” instead of Bodhisattva.

The whole content of this heart sutra is talking about why it is the supreme wisdom. Now there is one person, who is Pusa Self-ease-perceiving, and has deeply practicing the profound and supreme wisdom. From this, we can find one important point. That is telling us, we have to do as what Pusa Self-ease-Perceiving to do, so that we might get into the profound supreme wisdom.

In practicing as said, Pusa Self-ease-perceiving finally finds its Five Aggregates are all empty. For generally speaking, the practicing in the teaching of Buddha is including the meaning of seeing from eyes, hearing from ears, smelling from nose, tasting from tongue, acting from body and minding from consciousness.

What we have seen, heard, smelled, tasted and acted is forms, sounds, flavor, taste and perception. What is thus arisen from the matters, feeling, cognition, action and conscious, no matter it is in material or spiritual form, will be all accumulated or aggregated in our consciousness. So it is called as Five Aggregate. 
In Sanskrit, it means Skandha. 

The Buddha said that the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body are the Five fundamental Roots of our human body. Any distress or trouble is arisen from these Five Roots, and is described as sand or dust which might pollute our heart. Furthermore, our conscious is arisen from this Five Roots while they are connecting the realm of outside. 

And our conscious thus could further perceive and distinguish things of outside around us, including ourselves inside, the physical or mental matters. It is called Five Consciousness, which is the conscious of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, or body. Then, any realm or field of self conscious would be formed accordingly. Thus, that is why a world around us is formed.

“All law is arisen from or is extinguished according to the causes and conditions.”

“What is spoken according to the causes and conditions, I say it is empty.”

The above two sentences are said by ancient Buddhist masters, and would be helpful to awaken us to realize the emptiness’ nature. Please note that the meaning of law in Buddhism is general, it could be included the phenomenon of physical and mental matters inside and outside, and the phenomenon and any rules of the world.

From aforesaid, we might have understood that the Five Aggregates are arisen from the causes and conditions. As we have known that the Five Roots might be as the causes and what have been in the outside of the Five Roots might be as conditions. Then when the causes meet to or link to the conditions, any effect or result is arisen. Therefore, the Five Aggregates might be as the consequence here. Accordingly, we could image that, if there was no Five Roots, there would be no Five Aggregates. Thus, the world in the outside or inside of the Five Roots is totally disappeared.

I use the word ”reflect”, which I mean to look into our inside, because everything what is arisen from our Five Roots could be reflected in our sea of heart, which is like an invisible mirror and the reflection of all are in it, so all can be viewed by us. Especially, when we close our eyes and make a meditation. Do not ignore these two words ”reflect” and “view”, because it is very important here. Why? As my experience of practicing, it is the method of key points to realize the profound wisdom. To use these two methods in practicing the law or doctrine of Buddha is good for us.

In a word, Pusa Self-ease-perceiving has liberated from all suffering, because it has realized that all causes and conditions for Five Aggregates, including the Five Aggregates themselves, are all empty. If all is empty, where you can find the suffering, let along to bear it? So what is the truth? The truth is that there is indeed no suffering. All what you have from Five Roots is all illusion, including the suffering.

Shelizi!

The material world is no difference from the emptiness.

The emptiness is no difference from the material world.

The material world itself is the emptiness.

The Emptiness itself is the material world.

So feeling, the cognition, the action, and the consciousness are the same as above mentioned.

“Shelizi” is a name in Sanskrit. He is a disciple of the Buddha, and is listening to the teaching of the Buddha. This whole scripture of the supreme-wisdom heart was said by the Buddha Siddhattha, and was recorded by his disciples after he died. 

So, as we have known and what we have said, the matter, feeling, cognition, action, and the consciousness are the Five Aggregates. All of them and its quality is emptiness. Meanwhile, the Buddha said that the emptiness itself is the Five Aggregates. How we realize the concept as said? The matter, feeling, cognition, action and the consciousness are arisen from the emptiness. In a word, the emptiness and the existence are one.

Shelizi!

All law is the phenomenon of emptiness,

which is neither arising nor eliminating, neither defiling nor purifying, and neither increasing nor decreasing.

All law as we have said is generally referring to the phenomenon of physical and mental matters which are inside and outside, and the phenomenon and any rules of the world, which is also concerning to the law or doctrine of Buddha. Thus, we might have a question what we should learn, if all law is the phenomenon of emptiness?

When we realize that all is empty, then we realize that all exists. The Buddha had been telling us one concept that all is illusion, which should not be persisted. Because all existence, including the mental and spiritual matters, would be in the following four states: formation, existence, destruction and emptiness, and in the following four states: arise, dwell, change, eliminate. So, we know that the final state of all law is elimination and emptiness. We could ask the following questions to ourselves. Why should I persist in doing or having something that its final state is the elimination and emptiness? If I persist in doing or having something that its final state is empty, I might be a silly person. Not to persist in doing or having something does not mean not to do something. We shall do all right things and do all things rightly, even though we know that their final states are empty. As aforesaid, the teaching of Buddha is not negative. On the contrary, it is very positive.

In the phenomenon of emptiness, it is neither arising nor eliminating, neither defiling nor purifying, and neither increasing nor decreasing. We can find that arise and eliminate are the opposite concept, so such as defile and purify, increase and decrease. That means there is no such opposite concept or any such opposite matters in the phenomenon of emptiness. It is very important for us to know it in learning Buddha, because the Buddha’s nature is the nature of emptiness.

In Zen, one person asked for awakening of its own Buddha’s nature from an ancient Buddhist master. The Buddhist master said that: “Do not think about the good. Do not think about the evil.” Then, the person was awakened immediately.

In our world and our life, there are so many troubles and distress that come from what we persist in the opposite concept, matter, feeling, cognition, action, and conscious. For example, if one person persisted in what is right, and the other persisted in what is wrong, then, these two persons would argue with each other, because they had the different opinion. Then, the fighting is happened. If we could abandon any meaningless persistence, and be in the state of emptiness, there would be no burden in heart such as troubles or nuisance. In this way, we should cultivate the heart of abandonment as said.

There is thus no material world in the emptiness, and no feeling, cognition, action, and consciousness;

No eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind;

No form, sound, smell, taste, sensation, and law;

No realms of eyes, and even until no realms of consciousness;

No ignorance, and no end of ignorance, and even until no aging and death, and no end of aging and death;

No suffering, aggregating, eliminating, and Tao;

No wisdom and attainment.

That is talking about the Five Roots and Five Aggregate as aforesaid. When we use our eyes, we see all the matters. When we use our ears, we hear all the sounds. As such until that we have the consciousness for all the law when we use our mind. However, in the emptiness, there are no such things. Even though, such things which is happened are emptiness. Then, we might have a question what it has any meaning for us, when all is emptiness. To image that there is a road, from A point to B point, there is nothing in the road, so we can go forward without any obstacle from A to B, meanwhile, others can come to us in the road without any obstacle from B to A. To think about that, then the meaning will be present to us. There is meaning on the Buddha’s path, which is waiting for us to find out. It is the deep teaching of Buddha and it is incredible.    

In the Buddhist Scripture, the Buddha said: The ignorance is the Buddha Nature. The distress is the Bodhi. We might have a question, that the ignorance and the Buddha Nature which seems like the opposite concept, why both of them are equal? We might have the same question about that the distress is the Bodhi. We might understand that from a lotus. A lotus grows in the mud. Mud is described as the ignorance or distress. A lotus is described as Buddha’s Nature or Bodhi. No matter a lotus or mud, both of them never depart from each other.

A great Buddhist master in ancient China had said that:

The law or doctrine of Buddha exists in the world,

And never departs from the worldly feeling.

Leaving the world to find the Bodhi, 

Is like to ask for rabbits horns. 

  The Bodhi is in Sanskrit, which also means Buddhahood or the supreme-equality enlightenment.

In the body of emptiness, there is no aging and death, and no end of aging and death. There is a Buddhist Scripture which is talking about the vows of the Buddha, whose name is immeasurable longevity. That is said by the Buddha Siddhattha. One day, I seem to understand it and to link it with no aging and death. Then, I have found that there would be the immeasurable longevity, if there was no aging and death. Furthermore, it talks about the incarnation and the eternity of Buddha’s nature.

In the phenomenon of emptiness, there is no suffering, aggregating, eliminating, and Tao. There is no such concept, even the action, such as to feel the suffering, to accumulate the feeling of suffering, to eliminate the aggregating of such feeling, and to go in the path of practicing the Buddha’s law. Tao is the transliteration from  the Chinese word. Its original meaning is path, road, or way. And then, it is extended to be the practicing of Buddha’s law. Why I use this word ”Tao”, because it has the meaning. If we say that we walk in the road of Buddha, it means that we do something like Buddha to do.

There is no wisdom and no attainment in the phenomenon of Emptiness. You know, if someone said that it had been awakened and got a Certificate from a famous Buddhist Master, no matter how famous it is, it is better for us to doubt it. And if someone said that it had been awakened and it was in which level in heaven, we might have to doubt it. Why? Completely understanding the heart sutra as follows, you will know.

Because of nothing to be attained, a Buddhisattva depends and bases on the supreme wisdom, there is thus no hindrance in heart. Due to no hindrance, there is no fear. It departs from the reversed dream. So the Nirvana is exactly attained.

So, what is the supreme wisdom? The Buddha said that nothing to be attained is the supreme wisdom. In fact, including the supreme wisdom itself and the attainment of supreme wisdom itself, all of them do not exist. Therefore, there is no hindrance in heart. If someone said that I got the wisdom, which thus would become a hindrance in heart, because it would be afraid of losing the wisdom.

There is the obtaining, there is thus the losing. There is no obtaining, there is thus no losing. The reversed dream refers to the heart of obtaining and losing. When leaving the heart of obtaining and losing, there is no hindrance and no fear in heart. There is no obtaining, no losing, no hindrance and no fear in the emptiness. Accordingly, a Buddhisattva would exactly attain the “Nirvana”, which means the perfect silence and peace is thus exactly attained. Nirvana is Sanskrit.

All Buddha of Three Life Time has attained the supreme-equality enlightenment by the supreme wisdom.

The Three Life Time means the previous life, the present life and the next life. The supreme-equality enlightenment means the Buddhahood. In Sanskrit, it is ” anuttarā-samyak-sambodhi ”. I do not use these words, because it is difficult to understand, remember and recite.

All Buddha, including the Buddha in the previous, the present, and the next life, has attained the supreme-equality enlightenment by what have mentioned above in the content, which is the supreme wisdom. What all Buddha has attained is the supreme-equality enlightenment. The supreme-equality enlightenment means the heart with the highest and true equality to understand the truth. We know when there is no opposite concept and matters, there will be the true equality. When the disciples doubt whether the woman can get into the Buddhahood or not, the Buddha talks about the story in concerning the Buddhahood of woman. So, no matter who is male or female, monk or nun, non-monk or non-nun, all can get into the Buddhahood, because there is no such concept of differentiation in the emptiness.

Therefore, the supreme wisdom is known as the great-spiritual charm, the great- bright charm, the supreme charm, and the no-grade equal charm, which can be realized to eliminate all suffering. It is genuine and not false. That is why the charm of supreme wisdom is said, and is recited as:

Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate

Bodhi Svahal

I use the word ”charm” instead of “mantra”. The word “charm” may be more acceptable for the people. Charm means a saying that is thought to have a magical power, such as the ability to bring happiness. In Sanskrit, mantra means charm.

So, the supreme wisdom that we have said is known as the great spiritual and bright charm. In this charm, there is no obstacle in spirituality and it is full of light and happiness. It is also the supreme charm. That means it is the highest and best charm to remove our suffering.

It is also the equal charm of no grade. In the emptiness, there is no grade. Due to there is no grade, it would not be compared to be equal or un-equal. Here, I have to explain it more clearly. Otherwise, it might be misunderstood. As we have learned, we know that there is no concept of equality or inequality in the emptiness, not to mention the equality or the inequality. Therefore, it is true equality. Accordingly, that is why it is true equal charm. The equality from our personal cognition and consciousness is not necessarily true equality, but more prejudice in personal interests.

To realize such charm could eliminate our all suffering. It is true and not false.

“Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svahal” is in Sanskrit, the whole means that:

Let us all together attain Buddhahood completely with perfect wisdom.

I wish that all sentient beings are free from all suffering,       

And achieve Buddhahood completely with the perfect wisdom.