Chapter 37: Thinking of the precepts approaches the Dao.

(Chapter 37) 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 37: Thinking of the precepts approaches the Dao.          

The Buddha said,” The disciples of Buddha are thousands of miles away from me, those who keep my precepts in mind and think of them surely gain the fruit of Dao. Those who are around me, although they can see me often, if they do not obey my precepts, do not gain the Dao finally."

 

What are the precepts in Buddhism?

 

The precepts of Buddhism are also the Buddhist monastic disciplines, which also mean that the religious regulations prohibit certain behaviors, or generally refer to things that are forbidden to do. To follow the precepts in Buddhism, to keep the said precepts in mind, to practice the said precepts in each moment of daily life, is very important in learning Buddhism. These things are better to be implemented in each moment of daily life rather than to be researched by learner in academically and recorded in academic paper.

 

Regarding the basic precepts of Buddhism, we have talked a lot in Chapter 4. That is, not to do the ten evil things will be the ten virtues.

 

Chapter 4: Understand the goodness and evil at the same time

The Buddha said, “For sentient beings, there are ten things as goodness and ten things as evil. What are the ten things? Three pertain to the body, four to the mouth, and three to the mind. Killing, stealing, and evil sex pertain to the body. Two tongues, malicious speech, lie, and frivolous speech pertain to the mouth. Envy, hatred, and infatuation pertain to the mind. Such ten things are named as ten evil deeds when not following the holy path. If such evils are stopped, they are named as ten virtuous deeds.”

 

Furthermore, we also have talked a lot of precepts in the chapters, such as honor your parents, no greed, no evil thought, no desire, no erotic, no demanding, no arrogance, no flattering, no alcohol, no drug and no despising others. Don’t murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t envy.  In a word, not to do anything which may harm the self and others, but to do anything which are good for the self and others. 

 

Who can examine the effect of following the precepts in Buddhism?

 

Who can examine the consequence of the said implementing? It is examined by the self, the sentient beings, the enlightened Buddhist master, the Bodhisattva, and the Buddha. In other words, the said practicing cannot deceive the self and others.

 

In Buddhism, there are six methods to save self to liberate the self from the suffering. These six methods are respectively in order as follows: giving to others, following the precepts, enduring the humiliation, keeping progress, meditating in mind, and the wisdom. Hence, we understand that following the precepts are the second methods to save self to liberate the self from the suffering. However, do you know why?

 

What is the origin of precepts in Buddhism?

 

The details of the precepts in Buddhism are developed with the increasing number and the various behaviors and thought of the Buddhist monk and nun. When the Buddhism is transmitted into China, the precepts are also added a lot with the culture of Chinese conditions. In Tibetan, Thailand, Korea and Japan, the precepts in Buddhism and its culture are also different from the Chinese culture.

 

Therefore, if we profoundly think about the origin of the precepts in Buddhism, we can find that the precepts as said are mainly developed from the relationship of humans. Meanwhile, the precepts of Buddhism are set from the phenomenon of all. Not to follow the precepts of Buddhism is the cause of reincarnation in the Three-Evil-Path. Even though you are not the disciples of Buddha, you can spontaneously follow the precepts of Buddhism so as to avoid going into the Three-Evil-Path.

 

When we understand the origin of the precepts in Buddhism and what the meaning to follow the said precepts is, the said precepts are therefore worthy of our implementation.     

 

The meaning and importance of following the precepts in Buddhism

 

In the chapter 12 (1), we have talked about the meaning and the importance of giving to others. This chapter, what we will talk about is the meaning and the importance of following the precepts in Buddhism.

 

Firstly, as we have mentioned above, following the precepts in Buddhism can save us and liberate the self from the suffering. Meanwhile, it can raise our wisdom. That is, such process will establish the good cause and thus lead us to experience the good consequence and to have the good paying and blessing. To have such blessing are not only in the present life but also in the next life. According to the Buddhist scripture, the Buddha said that such person will be protected by the good gods.

 

In other words, when we follow the precepts in Buddhism, not only do we become our own nobles to help ourselves get rid of any entangled of any negative mentality and emotion which are arisen from the inside and outside conditions, and of any evil events which may happened from the outside situation, meanwhile, we also have good gods as our nobles to help us abolish any bad events. Good gods will help us according to our situations in many ways. Such help from the good gods may not correspond to our subjective opinion or our prejudice. There is a saying, “Everything is the best arrangement for us.” Therefore, it is better to accept it with an open mind than to complain it.

 

Secondly, following the precepts in Buddhism is the basic of enduring the humiliation. Regarding to endure the humiliation, we have talked in Chapter 7 and 8. We can deeply perceive the mentality of envy, greed, hatred and stupid infatuation in our mind through following the precepts in Buddhism. On this basis, we can perceive the envy, greed, hatred and stupid infatuation of others people. Then, we will understand that any humiliation is resulting from the ignorance of humans. That is because there are the envy, greed, hatred and stupid infatuation in their mind. Such state in mind are also defined and named as no-brightness by the Buddha. The mentality of envy, greed, hatred and stupid infatuation means no-brightness. To understand no-brightness as said in our mind and in other’s mind will help us understand the self-nature, the Buddha-nature. Why?

 

For instance, there is calm water in the sea. When there is slight wind, there are the slight waves. However, when there is violent storm, there are huge waves. The changes of wind and the wind itself are as if the conditions of outside, and are also as if any situation, event and phenomenon. The changes of waves and the waves themselves are as if the mentality of the said no-brightness which is existed in each mind. The mentality of the said no-brightness is stirred by any conditions of outside or by any situation, event and any phenomenon. No matter the calm water or what the waves are, both of them are one, the water. The nature of water belonging to them is the same, which is as if the self-nature, the Buddha-nature. In other words, the said no-brightness covers up the brightness. When there is no such no-brightness, the brightness can be appeared naturally. That is, our natural wisdom and its shine are always there. What a pity is that our natural wisdom is always hidden by the said no-brightness. The natural wisdom means the brightness. Now we understand that the brightness and no-brightness as said are existed in our body. Hence, we surely can remove no-brightness as said by truly following the precepts in Buddhism.

 

Thirdly, following precepts in Buddhism is the basic of keeping progress in learning Buddha. If we want to keep progress in learning Buddha, it is very important to follow precepts in Buddhism. As we have mentioned above, following precepts in Buddhism will help us increase the wisdom. The wisdom is the basic of becoming Buddha.

 

In the world, we have observed that there are a lot of people who are busy to do things which are resulting from the personal no-brightness as said and thus to cause harm to the self and others. Such persons are generally existed in the international and domestic politics, society and the family. They not only drag others down, but also drag themselves down. Unfortunately, they do not have such cognition and knowledge as said above. If we have such cognition and knowledge, we will know how to help self and others to remove any no-brightness as said so as to make ourselves, the family, the society, and the world, more peaceful.

 

Fourthly, following precepts of Buddhism is the basic of the meditation in mind. It will stabilize our mind and thought so as to understand the profound meaning of Buddhism. The meditation in mind is the basic of wisdom. Meanwhile, following precepts of Buddhism is also the basic of wisdom. That is to realize the self-nature, the Buddha-nature, meanwhile, to experience the Nirvana, the emptiness and stillness in mind. It will clean our thought and make our mind to be clear so as to view the truth in any event and phenomenon. At the same time, we will not be turned or entangled by any dogma, event and phenomenon. We will not involve in any storm caused by the ignorance of humans. Any troubles and worries will depart far away from us. Any affliction is even not existed, not to mention to have the suffering. That is the important meaning to follow the precepts in Buddhism.

 

Therefore, No doing does not mean that nothing to do. One of its meanings is not to do any evil things which are caused by the personal mentality of no-brightness as said. That is to remove our any evil thought, bad behavior and bad habit. What we should do and what we should not to do, we should have a clear cognition in our mind. Therefore, no-doing in Buddhism is not decadent. On the contrary, no-doing in Buddhism is very positive and virtuous.

 

Learning Buddhism is not by the side of Buddhist teacher every day, but to keep precepts in mind and put them into practice at each moment.

 

The Buddha said,” The disciples of Buddha are thousands of miles away from me, those who keep my precepts in mind and think of them surely gain the fruit of Dao. Those who are around me, although who can see me often, if they do not obey my precepts, do not gain the Dao finally."

 

To gain the fruit of Dao means to experience and prove the supreme and equality wisdom by the self. Such person is almost achieving the Buddhahood and is in the position of Bodhisattva. That is, such person is almost completely liberating the self from the suffering. Meanwhile, such person has almost proved the one with the Buddha. That is, no matter where such person is, even thousands of miles away from the Buddha, it is always together with the Buddha and is one part of the Buddha. For the ordinary people who do not learn Buddhism or is the beginner or learn Buddhism but are not sincere in mind, it is difficult for them to understand this concept.   

 

For instance, the Buddha is assumed as the sun light, and this person who gains the fruit of Dao is assumed as a little light which is on the earth. No matter where this little light is, it is merged in the light of the sun and is part of the sun light.

 

Following the precepts of Buddhism is to establish the good cause and to achieve the good effect.

 

Those disciples of Buddha who sincerely follow the precepts in Buddhism will clear their thought, purify their mind and stabilize their mentality to realize the emptiness and stillness in the self-nature. Such virtue will naturally make the self-nature light (bright; brightness). It is as if the little light (bright) on the earth.      

 

On the contrary, those disciples of Buddha who do not obey the precepts will not remove the envy, greed, hatred and stupid infatuation, which will blind their heart-eye and cannot make the self-nature light. Even though they are around the Buddha, or are by the side of the Buddhist teacher, they cannot view the truth, let along to gain the fruit of Dao. In other words, their self-nature is as if to be covered by the thick dust. The thick dust means the no-brightness as said above. That is, it still makes the light of the self-nature to be covered by the said no-brightness. 

 

The self-nature is the Buddha-nature. Seeing the bright self-nature is to see the Buddha. Seeing the self-nature is also to see the Dao of Buddhism. It also means to gain the fruit of Dao in Buddhism. Regarding what the Dao in Buddhism is, we have talked a lot in the chapters. You also can refer to the article of talking about the heart sutra in this blog.

 

In a word, whether the learner gains the fruit of Dao in Buddhism or not, it is not depending on whether the learner is by the side of the Buddha or not, but is depending on whether the learner is following the precepts in Buddhism or not, and whether the learner is sincere in learning Buddhism or not.

Finally, if we are disciples of Buddha, remember that it is to demand self to follow the precepts of Buddhism. It is not to demand others to obey the precepts as said.  If ordinary people do not follow the precepts of Buddhism, do not blame them. But, we can advise them. This is the attitude to learn Buddhism.

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.

Chapter 33: The wisdom-brightness destroys the demon. (Updated on July 16, 2022)

(Chapter 33) 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 33: The wisdom-brightness destroys the demon.        

The Buddha said,” Those who put the Dao into practice are as one person fights with the ten thousand persons. When he puts on the armor and goes out of the door, his will may be weak, he may retreat in the halfway, he may die because of fighting, or he may return because of gaining the win. The Sramaṇa who learns the Dao, should insist its heart to keep improving, and should be brave and elite, should not fear the front situation, and should destroy many demons, and thus gains the fruit of Dao.” 

 

The Buddha said,” Those who put the Dao into practice are as one person fights with the ten thousand persons.” Here, “one person” means those who vow to become Buddha, are willing to listen to Buddha’s teaching, learn Buddhism and put it into practice. Such process and experience means to put the Dao into practice. Here, “ten thousand persons” is a metaphor to mean the various personal bad behavior, bad habits, troubles, worries and afflictions. “Fight” means to overcome or to eliminate the negative mental state and events as aforesaid, with the personal power of precepts, stability and wisdom.

 

When the person puts the Dao into practice, it means to overcome, or to resolve, or to release the various personal troubles, worries and afflictions. When the person did such things is as if he was fighting with the ten thousand persons. The Buddha said, humans have eighty-four thousand worries, that’s why they need eighty-four thousand method-door of Buddhism to eliminate their personal worries. 

 

Regarding the causes and conditions of various troubles, worries and afflictions by self, we have talked a lot in aforesaid chapters. The causes as said are mostly coming from the self. And the conditions as said are mostly coming from outside. Everyone's causes and conditions are different. Each one has its own tribulation. Your destiny may be not the destiny of others. The method-door of Buddhism applied to the different persons and accepted by everyone is also different. Therefore, when we observe those who believe in the Buddhism and use the method taught by their master of Buddhism to release their suffering or anxiety, it is better for us to respect them and to have the empathy to them.

 

“When he puts on the armor and goes out of the door, his will may be weak, he may retreat in the halfway, he may die because of fighting, or he may return because of gaining the win.”

 

Here, “put on the armor” means the precepts in learning Buddhism. There are a lot of precepts which Buddhist monk should obey and follow. Such behavior and function are to protect Buddhist monk so as to avoid him to harm self and others, and to avoid him to be harmed by others. That’s why the precepts of Buddhism are like the armor. For example, one of precepts as said is not to drink the alcoholic beverage. The behavior after drunk is always losing the mind and makes the mistake. Drunk driving is harming self and others. As a Buddhist monk, it is strictly asked not to drink alcohol.

 

The details of precepts are a lot. In summary, the purpose is to eliminate the personal greed, hatred, resentment, stupidity, silly infatuation, arrogance and incredulity, meanwhile, to therefore arise the personal wisdom. The related discussions are mentioned a lot in the aforesaid chapters. Whatever we are Buddhist monk or not, such discussions are very helpful for us to have a good life in present and in future. 

 

“Goes out of the door” means to face the personal troubles, worries and affliction with the power of personal stability and wisdom. When the person puts on the armor and goes out the door, it means that this person will go into the battlefield to fight against the enemies. The battlefield means the personal environment and situation. The enemies means not else but the personal troubles, worries and afflictions.

 

“His will may be weak, he may retreat in the halfway, he may die because of fighting, or he may return because of gaining the win.”

 

“His will may be weak” means when this person faced his personal troubles, worries and affliction, he didn’t have the powerful stability, wisdom and the strong will, to deal with those things.

 

“He may be retreat in the halfway” means that this person could not face his difficult situation, when his will was weak. Once to face it, his mental was either shock or disorder, either complaining or angry, even to close self. This person could not overcome his personal troubles, worries and afflictions, and thus he choices to depart away the path of personally pursuing the wisdom-truth.

 

“He may die by fighting” means that this person was diligent to learn how to overcome or to eliminate the personal obstacles and worries. However, his power of wisdom was not enough, and he could not adjust his own way of life in physical and mental to balance his life. Unfortunately, he had not yet to prove the wisdom-truth by self in his present life, and died in the process of practicing the Dao. 

 

“He may return because of gaining the win.” means that, this person has completely overcome his personal obstacles and troubles, and eliminated his personal worries and afflictions in life, with his personal compassion and wisdom. He really proves the fruit of Dao by self through practicing the Dao in daily life. What the meaning of the Dao is, which we have talked a lot in aforesaid chapters. Please refer to it by yourself if you are interested.

 

So, after this person returning because of his success and victory in the fighting, he can remove the armor, and no longer be harmed, threatened and controlled by his enemies. His body and mental is thus completely free and comfortable now.

 

The Sramaṇa who learns the Dao, should insist its heart to keep improving, and should be brave and elite, should not fear the front situation, and should destroy many demons, and thus gains the fruit of Dao.”

 

The Sramana means the Buddhist monk. When he learns the Dao and the Buddha, and practices it to overcome the personal bad habits, evil thought, negative behavior, greedy desire, hatred heart, silly infatuation, and to eliminate the various troubles, worries and afflictions, he should insist its positive heart to forge ahead vigorously, to dedicate himself to progress, to be absorbed and desirous to do better, day by day.

 

Meanwhile, he should be brave, ready to face and endure any dangerous and unpleasant conditions or behavior coming from the self and others, and also should endure or face the pain in life without showing fear, so as to make self be elite. At the same time, he should not fear any front situation, because it is the changing of phenomenon which is like the illusion of dream, the bubbles, the lightning, or the dews, which would be appeared and disappeared at any time, because of any causes and conditions. When he had steadily learned the knowledge and skill of how to handle any causes and conditions, he would know how to deal with any front situation, and know how to destroy demons.

 

Demons mean the personal troubles, worries and pain, which are able to hinder the person to enlighten the self-wisdom, to practice the Dao and to do any good things.

Here, demons mean the personal troubles, worries and pain, which are able to hinder the person to enlighten the self-wisdom, to practice the Dao and to do any good things. In Buddhism, it is called the worried-demon and heart-demon that is because any causes of personal troubles, worries and suffering are coming from the self, not others. Therefore, the first principle of Buddhism is to self-reviewing and self-reflection, not to blame others. So, the demons are inside the body, not outside.  

 

The second meaning is that the demons are some kind of human beings in heaven. They can see us and talk with us. They have mind and conscious. Meanwhile, they can change their form and body to be anything. If they want us to see them, or to hear what they are speaking, we can see and hear it. Of course, there must be some purpose to let them to contact us. When the Dao-practitioner is honestly vowing to practice the Dao and to become the Buddha, the demons always do a lot of evil things in order to spoil or to block the good events and behavior of the Dao-practitioner. In fact, they are playing the bad guy so as to assess or to examine the Dao-practitioner what the degree of learning Buddha is. Therefore, such demons are neither inside nor outside of our body. In fact, the Buddha and demon are unity one. It is really incredible. But, only few people realize it and prove it, in this world and in the history.

 

Except for the above, there are the desire-demon and the erotic-demon, which means that the self-desire of greed and the self-erotic are as the demon which could disturb the self and hinder the self-wisdom to be enlightened. Regarding these parts, we have talked a lot in aforesaid chapters. The desire here means the greedy desire. 

 

If we have the upright mind, have the compassion and are honesty to self and others, and such status of us is very stable, whatever the said demons how to disturb us, they can neither shackle our heart nor affect our thought.    

 

So, to destroy the demons is the final work if the Dao-practitioner wants to achieve the Buddhahood. How can we destroy the said demons? The most key point is to have the compassion so as to heal the self-hatred heart, and to have the abandoning thought so as to cure the self-greedy heart, and to have the wisdom heart so as to heal the heart of silly infatuation, or of stubborn obsession, that is caused by the personal ignorance and stupidity. 

 

Accordingly, to destroy the said demons will be as the important and final checkpoint which the Dao-practitioner has to pass it. When the Dao-practitioner has passed the checkpoint as said, he thus really gains the fruit of Dao, which means that he indeed has achieved the Buddhahood. When we really achieve the Buddhahood, we are truly people with freedom, ease and comfort. 

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.