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

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

This Buddhist scripture "Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law" is classified as the classic scripture of great-boarding (great-vehicle).

This Buddhist scripture --Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law, was taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni eight years before he was into Nirvana, which was about forty-two years after he had achieved the Buddhahood at his age of 30. That is, this Buddhist scripture was spoken at the Buddh’s age of 72. The Buddha Shakyamuni first taught little-boarding scriptures (Hinayana classics) after his enlightenment, and then gradually led to great-boarding scriptures (Mahayana classics). I use the word “boarding”, it may be strange for you, which the related explanation you can refer to the following link: "Board " means "save" in Buddhism.

Why I use the word Boarding and what the little-boarding mans in Buddhism. 

I further explain it here. A board, a river or any sea, or cross the river, or ferrying the river, or a cart is the metaphor in Buddhism. That is, it is able to carry only one person across a river or to take a ride for only one person from one place to another place and therefore which  can be taken for use is only a small board.

A river is comparing to be the suffering in a personal life. A person has used a small board to help him to cross the river from one shore to another shore. Taking use for such a board and safely crossing the river to attain the peaceful shore. Such  way and experience, it is called the saving and liberating the self from the suffering. I board on the small board to cross the river. Therefore, boarding on a small board in Buddhism is comparing to be the method or the way to save the self to liberate the personal suffering, which is called Hinayana. I use the word Little-Boarding to replace Hinayana or small-vehicle. For the word Little (or Small), it means to be lack of the capability in saving others. That is, those who learn the Buddha-Law of little-boarding (Hinayana) are lacking of the widely generous heart to save, reform and liberate others from the suffering of life and death. 

What the great-boarding means in Buddhism. 

The small board is so small which cannot carry the second people. However, the large board is different. The large board is not only can carry the self but also the others, so as to help the self and others cross the river. Boarding on the large board in Buddhism is comparing to be the method or the way or the path to save the self and the others so as to liberate themselves from their sufferings. We board on the large board to cross the river. That is why I use the word Great-Boarding to replace Mahayana or great-vehicle. For the word Great, it means those who learn the Buddha-Law of great-boarding (Mahayana) are full of the widely generous heart, and of great compassion and wisdom, and thus are capable to take use of any convenient, flexible and limitless methods so as to save, teach, reform the all beings and liberate them from the sufferings of life and death.

This is the basic concept to learn Buddhism. On this basis, you will learn more about the more deeply concept in learning Buddha. Especially, you can learn it from this Buddhist scripture. In Buddhism, there are some metaphors to describe how the self or the others to liberate the self or the others from sufferings, such as boarding on the small or large boat, a sheep cart or a bullock cart. Today now, we can image that there are a small or large electric car (bus) or a small or large cruise ship, or the small or large aircraft.

The basic concept of practicing, saving, influencing, reforming and liberating in Buddhism. 

No matter what it is, that is, no matter what the transportation is, it is all needed a board to carry the self or the others from one place of making the self or others feel suffered to another place which can make the self or others feel peaceful and safe. And we need to board on these boards so that we can arrive at any ideal destination. As we have mentioned, such the boarding and its process of transporting, and thus to attain any ideal destination are a metaphor to be some kind of vehicle or way in liberating the self and others from the sufferings of life and death. It is comparing to be the Buddha-Law (Dharma) what we learn and practice in learning Buddha.          

The used metaphor in the Buddhist scripture.

The similar concept is used in boarding on the animal's cart. When we board on the sheep cart, deer cart or bullock cart, it means that we choose to take use of the different vehicle or way. And when we take use for the different animal’s cart and sit on it and when it walks on the road, it is as if we go on the road. It is also described as vehicle or way in learning Buddha. It is also the metaphor and is called the method, the Path or Way what we learn in Buddhism. I use the word Dao to replace the word Path or Way.

What the voice-hearer means. 

To extend the notion as said above. When a person learned the Buddha by listening to Four Sage Truths spoken by the Buddha, and was thus enlightened, and was able to save and liberate the self from the sufferings of life and death, however, such a person was unable to save and liberate the others from the sufferings of life and death, in Buddhism, such a person was called voice-hearer.

That is, such a person was enlightened by hearing the sound of the Buddha. And such a vehicle or way or experience or outcome in learning Buddha was called the boarding of voice-hearer and was also called Buddha-law of the little-boarding (Hinayana). What this person was able to do is just to do the good thing for the self. However, it could not do the same good for the others. It is as if such a person is able to take use of a small board which only can carry this one to cross the river or to take use of the sheep cart which is only can carry this one so as to attain its destination. That is why it is called little-boarding (Hinayana) or small-vehicle.

What the Pusa-boarding (Pusa-vehicle; Bodhisattva-vehicle) and Buddha-boarding (Buddha-vehicle) means. 

When we take use of the analogous to the same concept, there are the boarding of Pusa and the boarding of Buddha (Pusa-vehicle and Buddha-vehicle). If a person chose the Pusa-boarding to practice, it would be as if it took use of the large board to cross the river, this large board carry the person to become Pusa, such as the large boat, large oxcart, etc., which is not only to save themselves but also to save others, so as to attain the destination together--to achieve the Buddhahood. That is, such a person practiced the profound and boundless Buddha-law and is capable to achieve the grade and state of Pusa. That is why it is called the great-boarding (Mahayana) and the Buddha-law of great-boarding. However, the grade and state of Pusa has not been completed to achieve the Buddhahood after all. Therefore, the Buddha encouraged the disciples to choose the great law of Buddha-boarding (Buddha-vehicle).

What the Fo-Dao and Pusa-Dao means in Buddhism. 

The boarding is also a metaphor to be similar to the path or way to learn Buddha, such as the Way of Bodhisattva (Pusa-way) or the Way of Buddha. In any articles and contents of this Blog about Buddhism, you can find that the word Dao is often appeared. The word Dao is transliterated from the Chinese. The word Dao generally means way, path, road in transportation field. In Buddhism, its meaning is extended to the method of practicing Buddhism, and to the direction that should be learned, and to the final state of proving and enlightenment. And its deep meaning is quite beyond that the humans can think in our common sense, worldly professional knowledge, or in any our worldly logical mind. Basically, the notion of the Boarding of Buddha is the same as the Dao of Buddha. (The Buddha-boarding (Buddha-vehicle) is similar to the Buddha-Dao or Fo-Dao.)

 

I use the word Dao to replace the word Way. That is because I hope you do not be limited in the explanation of any dictionaries. In Buddhism, the inner meaning of Dao (or Way) is more widely than the explanation in the dictionary. That is only when you profoundly learn and practice the Buddhism so that you are capable to understand it.

 

I usually use the word Pusa-Dao to replace the way of Bodhisattva, and the Fo-Dao to replace the Way of Buddha. And I use the word Pusa to replace the word Bodhisattva, and use the word Fo to replace the word Buddha. Only can you understand the meaning in Buddhism, you can choose what the characters you like to use or what the words you are used to. If you know the language of Chinese, you will be more easily to understand it. There is no regulation what kind of characters you have to use. Why?

 

The nature of all the phenomenon of any characters, words, and expressions is still and empty. 

All the phenomenon of any characters, words, and expressions is silent and eliminated in nature. That is, the nature is still and empty. That is taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni. On this basis, you can create any characters, words, and expressions. Meanwhile, any meaning of any characters, words, and expressions are countless and boundless. There are two Buddhist scriptures which are talked about these deep meanings of the characters. That is why if we research the origin of any languages, we can find them from nothing to become images, then they evolved into the literal notation we use now. 

The only-one-Buddha-boarding is the most core notion in this Buddhist scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law” . 

In a word, if we choose the Buddha-Law of Great-Boarding (Mahayana) to learn and practice, it is as if we choose to board on the large ship or large airplane, it is not only able to carry the self, but also able to carry others. Meanwhile, let us be altogether leaving the suffered place--the suffered situation, and arriving at the peaceful, safe and joyful place--the peaceful, safe and joyful situation. It means that we not only can save and liberate the self, but also can save and liberate the all sentient beings, such as our family members or the strangers. This Buddhist scripture “Scripture of Lotus Magnificence of Marvelous Law” is classified as the Buddha-Law of Great-Boarding (Mahayana). The only-one-Buddha-boarding is the most core notion in this Buddhist scripture. 

All teachings of the Buddha have one key point, which is to save all sentient beings and help them become Buddhas.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

There is a very important principle that we should know. That is, to cope with the all changing under the unchanging, the Buddha-nature. When we practice the four assimilating-methods, we have to clearly aware our Buddha-nature, and not to be tied and turned by the outer situations or conditions. In other word, we are the master to hold the whole situation.

 

Some people think that the Buddhist are looked foolish and are easy to bully, or they mistakenly think that the Buddhist might be joyfully to help them. And they then ask the Buddhist to do a lot of things for them, including the things that they do not want to do, or the things that they even don’t use their mind to think how to do, because they think that the Buddhist might not reject their asking. Once facing such situation, we should use our wisdom and aware our Buddha-nature to think how to properly reject their unreasonable asking and how to help them actually.

 

All of the Buddha’s teaching has one key point that is to enlighten all sentient beings and help them achieve the Buddhahood. In other word, the Buddha’s teaching gives a direction for the sentient beings to learn wisdom so to resolve their own problem. Under the principle, the human beings should be independent to deal with their own problem with their own wisdom, not to dependent others people to resolve their own problem. This is what we should know when we practice the four assimilating-methods to reform and save people.

 

Let us introduce the four assimilating-methods shortly. That is as follows:

 

The first assimilating-methods -- Give

 

There are three kinds of giving. The first is to give the material things for human beings, such as foods, medical, clothes, shoes, houses, cars, money and so on. Such material things could maintain the basic livelihoods of human beings. Of course, it can be extend to give the technical of agriculture or medical, or to give our own time and strength to help people, such as to build a house or a bridge unconditionally. Only basic livelihoods are content, it is possible for them further to learn wisdom and to learn Buddha. Secondly, if people are fond of fortune, we could give them the material things so as to lead them into the wisdom of Buddhism. 

 

The second is to give human beings the Buddha-law (dharma), such as Buddha’s teaching. If people are fond of listening to the reasons and of thinking, we could give them the Buddha-law so as to lead them achieve the wisdom of Buddha. Furthermore, if we are capable to teach human beings the Buddhism and to teach Buddhism correctly, such merit-virtue is incredible and immeasurable, and is commend and appreciated by the beings of heaven and earth. Why? Because by Buddha’s teaching, it could enlighten the human beings, lead them in the path of light of wisdom, liberate human beings from the suffering in life and death, and finally help them achieve the Buddhahood.   

 

The third is to give human beings the fearlessness. That is, to help human beings avoid or get rid of any fear, such as in the classic drama, the hero saves the beauty when she is in danger. That is, the hero gives the beauty the fearlessness, and helps the beauty get rid of the frightened. If people are in danger or fear a lot in heart, or are timid, we could give them the fearlessness through the express by kindness so as to help them get rid of the fear.   

 

In Buddhism, the representative of the fearlessness-giver is Pusa world-sounds-perceiving, Avalokiteśvara. If you have not yet read the previous articles about Pusa world-sounds-perceiving and are interested in Avalokiteśvara, I recommend you to read the following articles: Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter or The god of wisdom and benevolence to liberate human beings from suffering. It is one of the translated Buddhist-scripture and its explanation, which is done by me. 

 

The Second assimilating-methods -- Express by love

 

If we want to lead the people into the wisdom of Buddhism, we better to express by love, not by rough words. Express by love means to show a feeling, opinion or fact by compassion and kindness. Such express shows our care, is more acceptable by the people and would promote the harmony in the relationship in a group or of each other. When we express by love, don’t ignore the body language. Some body language would warm our heart, such as smile, embrace each other, gently pat the shoulder or gently wave your hand and say hello.

 

When people feel frustrated in career or feel sad when facing the death of a loved one, we properly express by love which would encourage them and let them feel comfort.

 

The third assimilating-methods -- Benefiting action

 

“Benefiting action” is meant to offer help or advantage for the acting of others or benefit the action of others, when we try to help people and lead them into the wisdom of the Buddha. For example, when a young man is goodness and is interested in learning Buddha but he doesn’t have a good career to earn money for maintaining his life, we could support him or offer him a good job so as to let him have a stable life and the capital to learn Buddha. Such act by benefiting is not only to support and benefit him to achieve the Buddhahood but also to support and benefit the all sentient beings to be good, including ourselves, because it is a good cycling of kindness. One day, when this young man has completely been enlightened and the wisdom of his Buddha-nature is also inspired, he would be capable to enlighten and support others and would also benefit the acting of others.

 

Secondly, giving the sentient beings the convenience or help is also the benefiting action, to benefit the acting of others.   

 

The fourth assimilating-methods -- Work by together

 

Work by together means that we go on the path as partner and by accompanying with each other so as toward the same goal and we do something together so as to attain the same purpose. What is the goal or the purpose? It is to reform and save ourselves so as to influence others through wisdom and mercy. By cooperating in the action or work, it is easy for us to know and communicate with each other. 

 

For the different people, we would offer the different Buddha-law so as to help them into the wisdom of Buddha-nature. There is a lot of convenient Buddha-law which could be applied to help people liberating from the suffering. The four assimilating-methods are one of them, and these are the good assistance.

 

So, the four assimilating-methods not only could be applied in Buddhism, but also could be applied in different realms, such as the non-profit organization, the group of the social or the international well-beings.

 

To profoundly learning Buddha, the four assimilating-methods should be practiced well by us. Through the four reforming-methods, it is not only to reform and save ourselves, but also to reform and save others.  

When we have completely reformed and saved ourselves, we then have the strength to reform and save others people.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

How to reform and save ourselves? It depends on our own strength of wisdom, the Buddha-nature. That is what the Buddha Shakyamuni wanted to enlighten us and to teach us to know it. When we have completely reformed and saved ourselves, we then have the strength to reform and save others people. How to reform and save others people? It depends on our own strength of compassion and wisdom. In the methods of application, there are four methods said by Buddha Shakyamuni. That is as follows:

 

Give;

Express by love;

Benefiting action;

Work by together.

 

The above is called four assimilating-methods or four reforming-methods. To reform and save others people is not easy, because most of the human beings have the stubborn nature and the strong arrogance. When we have not yet been enlightened, we might be one of them and have no such self-awareness.

 

To practice the four assimilating-methods needs to follow the opportunity and conditions which are changed in the situation and environment, and also needs to follow the change of personal situation and the change of fate of the persons who are in the suffering. It is unable to force them, if we want to reform and save others people by the four reforming-methods. Furthermore, the four assimilating-methods should be based on our four immeasurable inner hearts of mercy, compassion, joy and abandon. 

"Board " means "save" in Buddhism.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

  

Let us image that there is a large river. The people live in the left shore are in the sufferings of birth, aging, disease and death. There are also a lot of people who fall into the river and struggling in the river and are also suffering the same. Meanwhile, the people live in the right shore have already liberated from the said sufferings.

 

There is a ship of wisdom on the river. The people on the ship of wisdom invite the people on the left shore to board the ship and take them into the right shore. In the river, they also put the rope and lifebuoy down to the people struggling in the river and help them board on the ship and also take them into the right shore. 

In Buddhism, such taking the ferry, such helping process, is called to reform and save others people. If we take the ferry by our own will and arrive the right shore, which is called self-reforming and self-saving. Such is the concept of imagining, describing and metaphor. It lets us easy to understand one of the meanings of Buddhism.

All beginning teaching of Buddha is to reform and save ourselves.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

To reform ourselves so as to save ourselves is difficult, let alone to reform others people and to save them. All the beginning teaching of Buddha is to reform and save ourselves. Only to do so, we are capable to reform human beings and save them.  

Why we want to reform and save ourselves? Do you know? In the world, there is more than a half of human beings who do not have such concept and conscious, let alone to ask the question. They are suffering from the oppression of life and worry about the livelihood day and night. Such events have made their mental seriously disorder. However, even though this, they still don't have a thought to reform and save themselves.

What surprises me is that the mental doctor in hospital and the counselor in university also could not burden their own psychological stress and then suicide. Why they can’t solve their own mental problem? That is because that they don't understand the fundamental problem of birth and death and its methods of resolving in the teachings of Buddha.  It is only when we can realize our fundamental problem of birth and death and its methods of resolving in the teachings of Buddha, it is possible for us to release us from our own mental problem. No matter what kind of religions and ideologies that you believe, and what kind of research or work that you are doing, it is possible for you to realize it from the teachings of Buddha, if you will.  

Chapter 12 ﹝18﹞: According to conditions to reform people so as to save them is difficult. (Upddated)

(Chapter 12 ﹝18﹞ ) 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 ﹝18﹞: According to conditions to reform people so as to save them is difficult. 

According to conditions to reform people so as to save them is difficult. It is the eighteenth difficulty in the twenty difficulties said by Buddha Shakyamuni in this Chapter.

All the beginning teaching of Buddha is to reform and to save ourselves.  

To reform ourselves so as to save ourselves is difficult, let alone to reform others people and save them. All the beginning teaching of Buddha is to reform and to save ourselves. Only to do so, we are capable to reform human beings and save them.   

Why we want to reform and save ourselves? Do you know? In the world, there is more than a half of human beings who do not have such concept and conscious, let alone to ask the question. They are suffering from the oppression of life and worry about the livelihood day and night. Such events have made their mental seriously disorder. However, even though this, they still don't have a thought to reform and save themselves.

What surprises me is that the mental doctor in hospital and the counselor in university also could not burden their own psychological stress and then suicide. Why they can’t solve their own mental problem?

There are four sufferings in human beings. That is the sufferings of birth, aging, disease and death.

Buddha Shakyamuni had mentioned that there are four sufferings in human beings. That is the sufferings of birth, aging, disease and death. In other words, human beings are fall into the cycling of birth and death in the Six Paths and are suffering within the cycle.

The Six Paths is classified as followings:

The Path of Bodhisattva

The Path of Ashura

The Path of Human beings

The Path of hungry Ghost

The Path of animal

The Path of hell

So, we are in the Path of human beings. And whatever who you are, how rich and how smart you are, we couldn't deny that we have to experience the sufferings of birth, aging, disease and death, not to mention those persons who are poor or sick. A wise doctor has said what is packed in the coffin is dead people, not elder people. To suffer the death is not the patent of the elder people. It is possible for humans of all ages to suffer a disease or death, including the infant. 

The generalized meaning of the suffering of birth includes the suffering of life. In the opinion of Buddha Shakyamuni, human beings make a lot of sins because of the surviving and the suffering of life, and also because of no-wisdom. For surviving, the human beings has no-wisdom and generate the heart of greedy, hatred and stupid infatuation, and thus to incur a lot of harm and disaster to oneself and others. That is suffering, too. 

  

"Board " means "save" in Buddhism. 

Let us image that there is a large river. The people live in the left shore are in the sufferings of birth, aging, disease and death. There are also a lot of people who fall into the river and struggling in the river and are also suffering the same. Meanwhile, the people live in the right shore have already liberated from the said sufferings.

There is a ship of wisdom on the river. The people on the ship of wisdom invite the people on the left shore to board the ship and take them into the right shore. In the river, they also put the rope and lifebuoy down to the people struggling in the river and help them board on the ship and also take them into the right shore. In Buddhism, such taking the ferry, such helping process, is called to reform and save others people. If we take the ferry by our own will and arrive the right shore, which is called self-reforming and self-saving. Such is the concept of imagining, describing and metaphor. It lets us easy to understand one of the meanings of Buddhism.

When we have completely reformed and saved ourselves, we then have the strength to reform and save others people.

How to reform and save ourselves? It depends on our own strength of wisdom, the Buddha-nature. That is what the Buddha Shakyamuni wanted to enlighten us and to teach us to know it. When we have completely reformed and saved ourselves, we then have the strength to reform and save others people. How to reform and save others people? It depends on our own strength of compassion and wisdom. In the methods of application, there are four methods said by Buddha Shakyamuni. That is as follows:

Give;

Express by love;

Benefiting action;

Work by together.

The above is called four assimilating-methods or four reforming-methods. To reform and save others people is not easy, because most of the human beings have the stubborn nature and the strong arrogance. When we have not yet been enlightened, we might be one of them and have no such self-awareness.

To practice the four assimilating-methods needs to follow the opportunity and conditions which are changed in the situation and environment, and also needs to follow the change of personal situation and the change of fate of the persons who are in the suffering. It is unable to force them, if we want to reform and save others people by the four reforming-methods. Furthermore, the four assimilating-methods should be based on our four immeasurable inner hearts of mercy, compassion, joy and abandon. 

 

All the teachings of the Buddha have one key point, which is to save all sentient beings and help them become Buddhas.

There is a very important principle that we should know. That is, to cope with the all changing under the unchanging, the Buddha-nature. When we practice the four assimilating-methods, we have to clearly aware our Buddha-nature, and not to be tied and turned by the outer situations or conditions. In other word, we are the master to hold the whole situation.

Some people think that the Buddhist are looked foolish and are easy to bully, or they mistakenly think that the Buddhist might be joyfully to help them. And they then ask the Buddhist to do a lot of things for them, including the things that they do not want to do, or the things that they even don’t use their mind to think how to do, because they think that the Buddhist might not reject their asking. Once facing such situation, we should use our wisdom and aware our Buddha-nature to think how to properly reject their unreasonable asking and how to help them actually.

All of the Buddha’s teaching has one key point that is to enlighten all sentient beings and help them achieve the Buddhahood. In other word, the Buddha’s teaching gives a direction for the sentient beings to learn wisdom so to resolve their own problem. Under the principle, the human beings should be independent to deal with their own problem with their own wisdom, not to dependent others people to resolve their own problem. This is what we should know when we practice the four assimilating-methods to reform and save people.

Let us introduce the four assimilating-methods shortly. That is as follows:

The first assimilating-methods -- Give

There are three kinds of giving. The first is to give the material things for human beings, such as foods, medical, clothes, shoes, houses, cars, money and so on. Such material things could maintain the basic livelihoods of human beings. Of course, it can be extend to give the technical of agriculture or medical, or to give our own time and strength to help people, such as to build a house or a bridge unconditionally. Only basic livelihoods are content, it is possible for them further to learn wisdom and to learn Buddha. Secondly, if people are fond of fortune, we could give them the material things so as to lead them into the wisdom of Buddhism. 

The second is to give human beings the Buddha-law (dharma), such as Buddha’s teaching. If people are fond of listening to the reasons and of thinking, we could give them the Buddha-law so as to lead them achieve the wisdom of Buddha. Furthermore, if we are capable to teach human beings the Buddhism and to teach Buddhism correctly, such merit-virtue is incredible and immeasurable, and is commend and appreciated by the beings of heaven and earth. Why? Because by Buddha’s teaching, it could enlighten the human beings, lead them in the path of light of wisdom, liberate human beings from the suffering in life and death, and finally help them achieve the Buddhahood.   

The third is to give human beings the fearlessness. That is, to help human beings avoid or get rid of any fear, such as in the classic drama, the hero saves the beauty when she is in danger. That is, the hero gives the beauty the fearlessness, and helps the beauty get rid of the frightened. If people are in danger or fear a lot in heart, or are timid, we could give them the fearlessness through the express by kindness so as to help them get rid of the fear.   

In Buddhism, the representative of the fearlessness-giver is Pusa world-sounds-perceiving, Avalokiteśvara. If you have not yet read the previous articles about Pusa world-sounds-perceiving and are interested in Avalokiteśvara, I recommend you to read the following articles: Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter or The god of wisdom and benevolence to liberate human beings from suffering. It is one of the translated Buddhist-scripture and its explanation, which is done by me. 

The Second assimilating-methods -- Express by love

If we want to lead the people into the wisdom of Buddhism, we better to express by love, not by rough words. Express by love means to show a feeling, opinion or fact by compassion and kindness. Such express shows our care, is more acceptable by the people and would promote the harmony in the relationship in a group or of each other. When we express by love, don’t ignore the body language. Some body language would warm our heart, such as smile, embrace each other, gently pat the shoulder or gently wave your hand and say hello.

When people feel frustrated in career or feel sad when facing the death of a loved one, we properly express by love which would encourage them and let them feel comfort.

The third assimilating-methods -- Benefiting action

“Benefiting action” is meant to offer help or advantage for the acting of others or benefit the action of others, when we try to help people and lead them into the wisdom of the Buddha. For example, when a young man is goodness and is interested in learning Buddha but he doesn’t have a good career to earn money for maintaining his life, we could support him or offer him a good job so as to let him have a stable life and the capital to learn Buddha. Such act by benefiting is not only to support and benefit him to achieve the Buddhahood but also to support and benefit the all sentient beings to be good, including ourselves, because it is a good cycling of kindness. One day, when this young man has completely been enlightened and the wisdom of his Buddha-nature is also inspired, he would be capable to enlighten and support others and would also benefit the acting of others.

Secondly, giving the sentient beings the convenience or help is also the benefiting action, to benefit the acting of others.   

The fourth assimilating-methods -- Work by together

Work by together means that we go on the path as partner and by accompanying with each other so as toward the same goal and we do something together so as to attain the same purpose. What is the goal or the purpose? It is to reform and save ourselves so as to influence others through wisdom and mercy. By cooperating in the action or work, it is easy for us to know and communicate with each other. 

For the different people, we would offer the different Buddha-law so as to help them into the wisdom of Buddha-nature. There is a lot of convenient Buddha-law which could be applied to help people liberating from the suffering. The four assimilating-methods are one of them, and these are the good assistance.

So, the four assimilating-methods not only could be applied in Buddhism, but also could be applied in different realms, such as the non-profit organization, the group of the social or the international well-beings.

To profoundly learning Buddha, the four assimilating-methods should be practiced well by us. Through the four reforming-methods, it is not only to reform and save ourselves, but also to reform and save others.