One of the Ten Titles about Buddha—Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

 

The True Meaning of the Word Truly, Correct and Right in Buddhism

 

One of the Ten Titles about Buddha in Sanskrit is Samyaksaṃbuddho, which is translated by me as Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing, Truly-Equality-Enlightenment, Truly-Equality-and-Truly-Enlightenment. The word Truly is able to be replaced by the word Right. It means that when the sentient beings really realize the essence of the self-nature – the emptiness and silence, and the clearly clean and equality under this status. Only this, they are truly enlightened and truly realize the self-nature—the absolutely emptiness and without Binary Opposition. It is the true wisdom and the true knowing. Under the circumstance, only it is able to be understood as correct and right. That is because it is impossible to have the space to explain it with any distorted reasons. That is, it is the undistorted and un-doubt truth, and it can’t be debated, so it is correct and right. It is the importantly core notion in Buddhism. 

 

 

How to Verify the True Wisdom and the True Knowing in Buddhism

 

However, regarding the truth as mentioned, you might have one question how to know and verify it. According to my personal experiences, there are three ways that we could know and verify it. Firstly, we actually hear, think and practice it what the ways taught by the Buddha. Secondly, we observe those public and honesty Buddhist Masters from the ancient time to the modern time what the thought, deed, teaching and preaching they have done. Thirdly, we deeply read the Buddhist scripture with the single minded so as to actually realize the meaning taught by the Buddha as a reference, basis and further proving. If you finally find any common things and any common truths from these three points, and you are also inspired by it, it is worth for you to verify them furthermore. That is to rely on the true meaning, true laws and true wisdom which are taught by the Buddha and are realized and practice and proved by you, but not to rely on any persons and any expressions. 

 

 

When we truly understand the truth taught by the Buddha, it is not easy for us to be misguided, used and manipulated by any evil and scheming people.

 

It is very important to understand this. That is because there is always someone to explain the Buddhism with the view and phenomenon of Binary Opposition, distorted and wrong concepts. That is, someone do it by this way because of the self-interest. When we truly understand the truth taught by the Buddha, it is not easy for us to be misguided, used and manipulated by any evil and scheming people. Even though, the wisdom of the truth as said is originally existed in everyone’s heart. However, there are always the toxic people with the greedy, hatred and ignorantly obsessed mind, who have not yet been enlightened in their clean self-nature, and always control the world, and blindly use, manipulate and hurt the humans with the heart of darkness. When we realize these things, it is not for us to against these people, but we think how we can enlighten them so as to make them be good persons and return their missions to the right way and follow the teaching by the Buddha. 

 

 

Why It Is Equality in the Self-Nature.

 

Why it is equality in the self-nature. In the emptiness and silence, there is no cause, condition and effect. That is, there is no phenomenon and there is nothing which is able to be competed and compared. Therefore, there is no grade. Under this circumstance, it is the truly equality. Such truly equality is existed in everyone’s self-nature. However, the unenlightened sentient beings couldn’t see it. Only the enlightened beings can see it.

 

 

Does It Make Any Sense for Us To Know the Equality in the Self-Nature?

 

Then, we might have the further question. Does it make any sense for us to know it? We thus understand that a lot of inequality and any seemed equality and any thus harm are the outcome through the manipulation of humans. That is, there is existed the cause, condition and effect. And the basic and major cause is any personally greedy desire or any individually loving desire. These humans may be yourself, your family members, your relatives, your boss, or your officials in your country. It is also possible to be the strangers or famous persons who have the authority to affect any things of the world, and these kinds of persons exist in the ancient and the modern time, and also exist in the domestic and foreign countries.

 

 

How we can use our wisdom and knowledge to destroy our worries and affliction. This is the meaning and why we learn the Buddhism.

 

Therefore, it could be possible for us to further thinking that how we can get rid of any controlling things. Actually, that is how we can use our wisdom and knowledge to destroy our worries and affliction. This is the meaning and why we learn the Buddhism. When we profoundly realize the Buddhism and we intend to resolve any problems or troubles, what the things we depend on is our individually professional knowledge of the world, common sense and our wisdom, but not depending on any outside gods. The wisdom includes our mercy and empathy for all sentient beings, and includes the creativity and flexibility in our mind, etc.

 

 

Why the Buddha neither deny nor reject any outside gods, ghosts or demons, but accept all of them to be the guardian gods in the Buddhism.

 

It is as if when we had not yet grew up, we were vulnerable and helpless both in our hearts and in our lives and we needed to depend on someone to raise and help us (we needed gods or God to help us ). However, when we had grew up and were an adult independently, we were capable to independently resolve any things by our individual thinking, ability and decision. This is also some kind of the core spirit and notion in the great boarding of Buddhism (Mahayana).

 

Therefore, we understand that why the Buddha neither deny nor reject any outside gods, ghosts or demons, but accept all of them to be the guardian gods in the Buddhism. When we learn the Buddha with our honesty heart, these beings of gods would become our guardian angles to protect us not to be hurt by others so as to make us learn the Buddha in the good ways. That is also the true compassionate and wisdom of the Buddha. 

 

 

One of The Dao-proving Song by Zen-Master Yongjia

 

The word Enlightenment is able to be replaced by the word Awakening. Many Chinese Buddhist Masters in Taiwan often take use of the Dao-proving Song said by the enlightened Zen-master Yongjia of the ancient Chinese so as to enlighten the modern humans. One of the famous verses is translated by me as follows:

 

There are clearly six towards-going in the dream,

But after waking up,

Only the emptied emptiness

Without the great-thousand (worlds).  

 

When I was young woman and learning the Buddha, I felt confusion about this verse and really didn’t understand what it meant. In many articles of this blog, I explain the relative concept a lot in the contents. One day, if you are really realize the truth of the self-heart and the self-nature, this verse is also able to simply confirm yourself whether you are enlightened and see your nature or not.

 

                                                                                                                     

The word Law can be broadly explained and known in the realm of Buddhism.

 

The meaning of the Sanskrit Samyaksaṃbuddho is capable to truly, rightly, widely and universally understand and know all laws. The word Law can be broadly explained and known in the realm of Buddhism. That is, it includes any generated and eliminated phenomenon caused and conditioned by everyone’s root, conscious and aggregate. And all phenomena include the visible and invisible. Meanwhile, it also includes the changeable phenomena of the world and its things. That is, all laws are formed and arisen by the cause, condition, and effect. Therefore, no matter what the phenomena of laws are, it is always generated and eliminated in a moment and thus this situation and its cause and condition are always changeable continually. It is thus the impermanent (not permanent). For example, one of our thought is one of them. Our cell is one of them, too. That is why we can take care of them and take use of them well toward the good direction for the public benefit, but not to rely on or obsess with them for the self-interest so as not to limit the self in the difficulty finally. Many things in our life and in our world can be reasoned and understood accordingly.

 

 

How we can practice, prove and attain the truly-equality-enlightenment and the truly-all-over-the knowing.

 

Moreover, we might have one question how we can practice, prove and attain the truly-equality-enlightenment and the truly-all-over-the knowing. There are a lot of Buddhist scriptures which are regard to the truly-equality-enlightenment said by the Buddha. It is difficult for us to read those scriptures completely in our whole life. Therefore, the Master Xuanzang shortened the whole contents to the Heart Sutra. I have ever translated the Heart Sutra from Chinese into English. Meanwhile, I have explained and talked about it. To deeply meditate about this Buddhist scripture again and again, it would help us be enlightened to perfectly realize the truly-equality-enlightenment. If you have not yet read this Buddhist scripture and you are interested in it, the link is as follows:

     

l   Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11)

l   The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart(Heart Sutra)

 

 

Both of the Truly-Equality-Enlightenment and the Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing are synchronized and the same one.

 

Both of the Truly-Equality-Enlightenment and the Truly-All-Over-The-Knowing are synchronized and the same one. But, how we can understand, practice, prove, and attain the truly-all-over-the-knowing. In the Buddhist Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by the Buddha, the Buddha had talked about how he had attained the truly-all-over-the-knowing and the truly-equality-enlightenment. The contents translated by me from Chinese into English and the link are as follows:

l   The Scripture of the Ten Titles Said by Buddha

 

The Content of The Buddhist scripture -- Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment.

 

Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment. The Buddha said. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom. There was nothing all over the places that could not be understood and known. Take the four thought places, four right breakings, four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven factors of enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four reason laws, etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make them arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition, one-come-and-go fruition, never-come-again fruition and the no-birthing fruition. Possess the three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore, in the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so as to experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and attain the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.

   

 

The Tathagata possessed all wisdom and were the truly-all-over-the-wisdom.

If you have read the articles about the ten titles of Buddha, you know that the Tathagata is the Buddha and it is also the true-equality-enlightenment and truly-all-over-the-knowing. The word Knowing can be replaced by the word Wisdom. The Tathagata possessed all wisdom and were the truly-all-over-the-wisdom. That is, the Tathagata know all wisdom. The knowing here is meant to knowing the all wisdom or the knowing itself is the wisdom. Actually, the Buddha possessed all wisdom, but each one of them might not know all knowledge, such as the principles of modern highest technology, the various languages, any kinds of theories, or the modern law, the financial and economic knowledge, etc. The knowledge is able to be used in the good way so as to help all sentient being and the world. However, it is also able to be used in the bad way so as to harm all sentient being and the world. That is, the general, professional and any worldly knowledge uncertainly are equal to wisdom or include the wisdom.

 

 

The Buddha deeply realized the original self-nature of all sentient beings, and their initial cause, condition, and effect.

 

Even though, each of the Buddha didn't necessarily know the whole knowledge, but each of them had its own professional knowledge and knew how to take use of it in the good way so as to help the sentient beings and the world. This is its wisdom. Meanwhile, it can take use of its wisdom to help those people take use of their own knowledge in the good way so as to help all sentient beings and the world. I don’t use the word Omniscience or Omnipotent or All-knowing or All-ability to definite or describe the Buddha. If we deeply read the Buddhist scripture and understand the Buddhism, and we profoundly practice the teaching of the Buddha, we will know that the Buddha deeply realized the original self-nature of all sentient beings, and their initial cause, condition, and effect. Meanwhile, he perceived the cause and the changeable conditions which might be able to lead to any effect for everything in the world. From perceiving these cause, condition, and effect, the wisdom be thus arisen to help the self and the sentient beings and the world. That is why he possessed all wisdom. But, it doesn’t mean that he is a being of omniscience or omnipotent.     

 

 

The essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom.

 

Actually, the essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom. What? Why? How it could be? When we learn the Buddha, this concept might be really shocked you. And then, we might question our self, what and why we learned the Buddha on earth? When we are learning the Buddhism, we always expect our self to be like the omniscience and the omnipotent of the Buddha so that we can control everything in our life so as to get rid of all worries and sufferings. If the purpose of learning the Buddha is to become the humans of no-knowing and no-wisdom, why we learn the Buddha? That is the idea which had ever been appeared in my mind. The state and wisdom of the Buddha is really beyond our normally and logically trained thought and custom in our daily life. If we are ignorant and lack of the basic knowledge and practicing in learning Buddhism, it is really impossible for us to accept the Buddhism.

 

 

The Buddhist scripture Heart Sutra is the basic knowledge and practicing and the getting started in further deeply learning Buddhism.

 

Regarding the concept that the essence of the Buddha was no-knowing and no-wisdom, we are capable to understand it from the Buddhist scripture Heart Sutra. It is the basic knowledge and practicing and the getting started in further deeply learning Buddhism. But, it is not enough. It is still necessary for us to learn more and practice more from the teaching of Buddha and from reading the Buddhist scriptures. Such endeavor in learning would help us really realize the essence of the Buddha and make us no question any more. That is also to realize the essence of the self when we are awakened. But, is it meaningful in our life?

 

The state of the Buddha was always in the emptiness and stillness. Under this circumstance, do you think that its mind filled with all knowledge and wisdom by recite, remember, and speculate, and that he had the huge leisure time to know all the things and to deal with them? When we use our common sense, the knowledge of Buddhism and the actual experience of practicing the Buddhism, we will know that it is certainly impossible.

 

 

The heart of the Buddha is like a bright mirror. We call it heart-mirror.

 

As we have mentioned in another articles in this blog, if you have ever read, you would know that the heart of the Buddha is like a bright mirror. We call it heart-mirror. There is nothing in there. Of course, there is also no-knowing and no-wisdom. What is the state of the heart of the Buddha? It is described to be the heart-emptying, heart-mirror and heart-sea. It is one thing for us to know this state, but it is another thing for us to actually practice and achieve enlightenment.

 

 

The Buddha is not a judge. But, its heart is like the sea which could contain all things.

 

Due to really emptying the heart and wherein without greedy, hatred, stupid infatuation, arrogant and suspicious mind, it is able to realize the equality and compassionate for all sentient beings, and thus endure any weird, distorted and evil thoughts and behaviors that are seemed not to correspond to our normal, ethical and moral thinking and behavior. In the heart-mirror of the Buddha, there is no judgment for any seemed weird, distorted and evil thought and behavior. It will make all of these things itself to flow in and flow out the bright mirror of the heart and make those who have done these things to bear and accept the outcome or retribution of the Karma. That is, the Buddha is not a judge. But, its heart is like the sea which could contain all things, no matter the things seemed good or evil in our subject opinions. For example, do you think that the sharks of eating humans are demons or evil ones? The sharks itself don’t think so.

 

 

Why The Buddha was a freely and easily beings and possessed the truly wisdom.

 

Many things can be inferred and observed from this. What happened in the world might not be correctly understood by our bias opinions. Sometimes, one of the seemed evil things would be against the other of the seemed evil things. I use the word Seemed so as to be objective and not to judge it to be good or evil. And then, all of these seemed evil things and persons would be cumbered or destroyed each other by their cause, condition and effect of themselves. Wherein exist their cause, condition, and effect, and any changeable of such things. The Buddha knew it, saw it, let it come, let it go and didn’t judge it. That is, the Buddha really used the objective perspective to understand these things. That is why the Buddha was a freely and easily beings and possessed the truly wisdom.

 

 

The Buddha would not be manipulated by those people who think that they are standing in the side of the just, moral and correct.

 

The Buddha would not be manipulated by those people who think that they are standing in the side of the just, moral and correct. That is because some of the people would mistakenly explain the just, moral and correct with the fake good, weird and distorted logics and views, as well as with the logic and view of the binary opposition, so as to manipulate humans. If we really practice and realize the Buddhism, we would not be manipulated by these people and these things.

 

 

Why the Buddha appeared in the world to teach, save and reform those beings.

 

But, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exit the correct judgment about ethic and morality in Buddha’s heart. In generally, as we know, some of the worldly knowledge even are the evil theory which violate the conscience and good nature of humans, meanwhile, distort the self-nature of humans and thus to imprison and close the self-mind of humans. It entirely makes the self to be ignorant and stubbornly attaching what they love. These people not only believe and behavior it but also manipulate others to do so in order to make others be the followers and slaves and be stupid forever. The initial causes for these people and things are the various kinds of poisoned mind—greedy, hatred, stupid addicting or obsessing, brute, selfish, arrogant, suspicious or specious mind and so on. It is because there always are such ignorant people and things which not only harm and torture themselves and others but also make themselves and others suffer and worry, that is why the Buddha appeared in the world to teach, save and reform those beings.

 

 

The knowing and the wisdom of the Buddha were happened from the profoundly and honestly emptying heart and then the truly, sincerity and integrity thinking, reasoning and judging.

 

The various kinds of poisoned mind or of good mind are existed in the past, present and future humans. And thus cause various kinds of events and the changeable phenomena in the past, present and future. No matter the various kinds of humans, events and the changeable phenomena, it is some kind of the reincarnation rolled again and again. In other words, all things and thus following the changeable events are the interaction and inter-affection of the cause, condition, and effect, which exist continuously and everywhere. And from the changeable of cause, condition, and effect, it is possible to conclude or speculate the next, future, or possible consequence. Meanwhile, it is also possible to conclude or speculate the previous, past or possible cause from the current consequence. The Buddha sited with cross-legged and was into the meditation. In this state, the cause, condition, effect and any changeable of the relative things, which were cared by the Buddha, would naturally appear in the bright heart-mirror or the peaceful heart-sea of the Buddha. The Buddha knew it, saw it, felt it and even heard it. At the same time, there is no judgment. Then, the corresponded wisdom was arisen naturally. Therefore, we understand that the knowing and the wisdom of the Buddha were not happened by the memory, remembering or any conscious of brain, but from the profoundly and honestly emptying heart and then the truly, sincerity and integrity thinking, reasoning and judging. 

 

 

The state and function of the Buddha is totally different from the function of AI robot.

 

Now, we understand a little why and how the Buddha was the truly-all-over-the-knowing. Such mentioned state and function of the Buddha is totally different from the function of AI robot, and is impossible to be learned by AI robot, and the AI robot is not capable to learn it.

 

And then, we understand that all the knowing and all the wisdom were arisen from the no-knowing and no-wisdom of the Buddha. In the Buddhist scripture as mentioned, the Tathagata possessed all wisdom. There was nothing all over the places that could not be understood and known by the Buddha. Now we understand that what the all over the places and what the all over the knowing and what the all wisdom are all in the bright heart-mirror and peaceful heart-sea of the Buddha. However, do you know why and how the Buddha owned such ability?  

 

 

Why and how the Buddha owned the ability of truly all over the knowing?

 

In the content of The Buddhist scripture -- Why it was called the True-Equality-Enlightenment. There are the following mentioned:

Take the four thought places, four right breakings, four spiritual feet, five roots, five strengths, seven factors of enlightenment, eight sage paths, twelve causalities, and the four reason laws, etc., such were the laws. Equally enlighten all sentient beings. Make them arise the wisdom, cut off the confusion, and attain the in-flaw fruition…. Possess the three kinds of brightness and six kinds of spiritual openness. Furthermore, in the great boarding (Mahayana), make the meaning and think the requesting so as to experience and practice all the status. Cut off the knots’ habits and attain the supreme enlightenment. This name was the True-Equality-and-True-Enlightenment.

  

All of these contents are talked about the methods and ways that the Buddha how to own the ability of truly all over the knowing. All of these methods and ways had been honestly practiced by the Buddha for his present and past countless lives, worlds and experiences, when he had not yet become the Buddha. That is why he was able to use these methods to teach and enlighten all sentient beings. That is also what we have to learn. If we really learn the Buddha and when we have read and understood these methods and ways, it will be naturally kept in our mind and make us practice it. The Buddha's immeasurable mind and intention is to teach us how to be truly equality and enlightenment and all over the knowing like him. Since it takes a lot of time and content to explain all of these methods, I will explain these methods in another article. I hope that these introductions and explanations about the other title of Buddha—the truly all over the knowing, would make you know the Buddha and yourself more.  

 

Chapter 27: Without attachment gains the Dao.

(Chapter 27) 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 27: Without attachment gains the Dao.

The Buddha said,” Those who put the Dao into the practice are such as the wood floats on the water, flows along the river, doesn't touch the two side of the river, doesn't be taken away by people, would not be covered by ghosts and gods, would not be stopped by turbulence and nor being corrupt, I guarantee that this wood is decided to enter the sea. People who learn the Dao are not confused by the emotion and desire, are not disturbed by many viciousness, and refine the progress and practice the no-doing, I guarantee such person to gain the Dao certainly.

The meaning of Dao

“Dao” is transliterated from Chinese character, which original meaning is the road, the way and the path. Then, the meaning is extended to be the truth of our internal and external world, or any teaching or theory of truth. In Buddhism, it means the truth of our internal and external world, which means emptiness and stillness. In such state, there is no-doing, no-thinking, no-cause, no-condition, no-wishes, no-desire, no-demanding, no-suffering, no-happiness, no-greed, no-hatred, no-obsession, no-obtaining, no-losing, no-fame, no-power, no-generating, no-eliminating, no-phenomenon and no-fear. Such state and such truth is not created or found by anyone, but is understood and experienced by the individual's enlightening. The emptiness does not need to be created. When any cause and condition is not existed, the emptiness has been naturally existed there. That is, such state and such truth is not created by God or by Buddha, but is realized by the individual's understanding and inspiring. No matter who you are, no matter your race is, no matter where you are, no matter what your faith is, such truth is there, and which can be seen, understood and realized by you. That is what the Buddha hopes us to know. 

  

When the Buddha explained what the Dao is, which have the deep and the shallow meaning respectively. That is because everyone’s character and its understanding level are different. Therefore, we should know that we should not be bind by the single explanation about the Dao.

In the history of world and China, there are a lot of teachings and theories which talk about the Dao. But, I have to tell you that there is a lot of artificial ideology containing the individual worldly intention. Some of them are even the distorted and reversed opinions and values. Unfortunately, it is to be regarded as the truth and be taken to repress the human beings. We also can find that there are a lot of evil ideologies and theories purposely bewitching and fanning humans, and such evils are the causes to make the binary opposition of humans and to make the world not peaceful at all. Such Dao is not the Dao of Buddhism. When we really understand the Buddha’s teaching about the Dao, we can absolutely get rid of any evil and stupid ideologies and theories.

In Buddhism, the meaning of Dao is very broad and unlimited. When we have one concept about Dao said by Buddha, such concept might be destroyed by Buddha in the next time when we are taught by Buddha. Why? That is because any concept about Dao will make us insist in and addict in it and thus to make us be bind and restricted. Our mind will thus become un-free. Even we strongly insist in the right thing and the good will as we think, the Buddha will advise us to let it go. Then, some people might have strongly question and disagree with it. They said, if we do not strongly insist in the right thing and the good will, do you want us to insist in the mean thing and the evil will? Of course, not. Whether it is the right thing or the mean thing, and whether it is the good will or the evil will, we should not addict in it. That is because any right thing or mean thing, and any good will or evil will, will be easy to be explained and propagated with distorted and reversed way by the evil person. Meanwhile, it is also easy to be operated by humans who are scheming and have selfish intentions to reach their selfish purpose.

Even though we have such concept of not to addict in any right and wrong, it does not mean that we do not need to distinguish the good and evil. And it also does not mean that we do anything without principle of virtue. It is still necessary for us to understand and distinguish the good and evil. Not to addict in right and wrong does not affect us to understand and distinguish the good and evil and it is also not to affect us to do anything with virtue. We have to know it.

Walk in the middle of the road--middle way

When we do not addict in any good things and any evil things, we can thus neutrally review anything. It is the open-minded and the objective attitude. It is as if we walk on the road. We neither keep to the left nor to the right. We just walk in the middle of the road. It is called the middle-way or the middle-Dao. When we walk in the middle way, we get rid of any fight, opposition, and argument between the right and left. Meanwhile, we can avoid any purposely operation from any evil and selfish intention.

For example, some people operate the racism or the nationalism so as to stir the hatred emotion of humans and the opposition to each other so as to achieve their selfish purpose. If we thus dance and sing with them, we are really stupid.

The nature of human beings is the emptiness and stillness. It is all the same for all human beings. No matter what your race and nation is, and no matter what your color of skin or eyes is, such truth cannot be changed and it is the everlasting. What can be changed is the appearance of humans, their language and ideology, and which are impermanent. When we know it, we understand that it is nonsense to operate any racism or nationalism. In the eyes of Buddha, all human beings are equal. Do you know all human beings to be equal in where? All human beings are equal in the self-nature of emptiness and stillness. It is the peaceful mind. Any despising and opposition to the human beings is operated by and is coming from the ignorant of humans. The consciousness that manipulates human hatred is the ignorance of the ignorant. It is tragic that many humans are died and hurt in such ignorance. 

Listening, Thinking, and Practicing

How do we put the Dao into the practice? The first, we hear what the Dao is from Buddha’s teaching. After having the concept about the Dao in Buddhism, we think about the connotation of Dao, and what the meaning is for us. We even can question it whether such Dao is the reasonable or not, or whether it is good for us or not, and why we want to accept and practice it. The last, when we think such Dao is correct and will not bring us into the wrong direction in life and we can accept it, but it has not yet being put into realizing, we thus put it into the practice in our life so as to prove whether it is the truth or not, and how it will be realized by us in life. Therefore, there are such three procedures which are respectively hearing, thinking and practicing the Dao. Meanwhile, there are also another three methods which are respectively to keep the precepts, to practice the meditation, and to inspire our wisdom, which are the focus points in practicing the Dao. All these procedures and methods are for the purpose to make us peaceful and stable in mind and to generate our wisdom in life. 

When we have such concept and experience as said above, it is not enough for us to practice the Dao. It has to keep long-lasting and perceiving the self inner and outer world so as to review self thought, motive and action whether it is sincere and pure or not. What has mentioned above is just the basic effort. All the methods are flexible and can be applied in convenient way.

All the Dharma, the Buddha-law, is the method to prove the truth by self.

What the Buddha’s teaching is to advise us the truth and how to prove it. All the Dharma, the Buddha-law, is the method to prove the truth by self. The first cause, the first thought, the first decision and any incurred effect is dependent on the individual, not by others person. The Buddha never said that if you don't follow my teaching, what kind of evil and consequence you will get. The Buddha never uses such logic and tone to threaten and control humans. In other word, the Buddha never uses the authority to threaten and control humans. In fact, all Buddha’s teaching is on the basic point of equality, empathy, and compassion. There is no unequal authority relationship between the Buddha and sentient beings. The Buddha just wants us to know what kind of truth he can prove, such truth also can be proved by all sentient beings. In other word, he wants us to know that he can prove the Dao and become the Buddha. Such things can also be done by all sentient beings. Meanwhile, he teaches us how to prove it. That is all Buddha-law.

Each thought is one cause.

There are a lot of different ways to practice the Dao according to the individual’s level of understanding the Dao. For instance, to recite any name of any Buddha or Bodhisattva at each moment and at each day is the basic way to practice the Dao for the beginner. But, do you know why the beginner has to do that?

Recently, the researcher of Queen’s university has the answer that everyone has 6,200 thoughts flashed through self mind each day. Excluding the time of deep sleep, countless thoughts flash through our minds all the time. Even in our dream, there are thoughts, too. Are all thoughts the good things to benefit the self and others? No. In fact, the most thoughts of the most people are bad things to harm the self and others. One thought after another is constantly changing like flowing water. These thoughts are inseparable from greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance and doubts.

The Buddha said that each thought is one cause. When a thought is implemented in the real life, it will combine the conditions and chances coming from outside around us, and then become the consequence. Mostly, we think that the good thought will result in the good consequence. But, the actual status may not be so. That is because that any condition and any chance coming from outside are the variable and unpredictable, which is difficult to be controlled by us. Furthermore, each thought of each person are colliding or mingling to each other, not to mention that countless thoughts of countless persons are colliding or mingling to each other at each moment.

As we have mentioned above, most of the thoughts are not necessarily to be good, most of them even to be evil. However, the evil persons do not think that their thoughts are evil. They even think that they are good persons and their thoughts will help humans. When our one thought is caught in the torrent of evil thoughts, we may not be able to be autonomous, and we will run away with this torrent of evil, towards the result of evil. That is to explain that each thought of everyone is easy to be affected by any thought coming from outside.

In addition, if we do not have the self-perceiving, self-reviewing, self-controlling, and self-cultivation, the evil thoughts inside of us are usually coming out easily and make us to do any evil things. We even do not know it is wrong and it will lead us into the evil consequence. For instance, many people do the wrong thing in the 1^st and 2^nd world war and it is not only to make them to suffer this evil bitterness, but also to make others to suffer the evil bitterness. It is all coming from the first evil thought. That's really a catastrophe for humans.

Once to dwell on one thought, it means a person is restricted by this thought. 

Most of our thoughts are flashed in mind secondly, which even to be the fantasy. Only few thoughts can be implemented by us in life. Some people even use their odd thoughts to torture themselves or to torture others. They even do not know it is the wrong thing.

In sum up, whatever humans’ thoughts are good or evil, most people will do anything through dwelling on their thoughts. Once to dwell on one thought, it means a person is restricted by this thought. Anyway, it forms the invisible closed and hindered situation and environment to us.    

The Buddha understands the reasons said above. He teaches us a convenient method to recite a name of Buddha or Bodhisattva. It can have a sound out of our mouth or keep a sound inside our mind. Usually, we keep a sound inside our mind so as not to disturb others. Therefore, when we practice this method to keep sound inside of mind, no one knows we are practicing it. This method is like to beat the mouse popped up on the game console with a mallet. When a thought is coming out from our mind, we recite a name of Buddha or Bodhisattva to inhibit any thought. That is also to use a positive thought to inhibit any negative thought so as to keep our thought in the right way.

No matter what we are doing, we practice it again and again, at each time, at each day. For instance, when we are walking, talking about gossip or sitting on the bus, we can use the time to practice it well. However, when we are reading or working, we focus on our business. At this moment, we temporally do not practice it. So, such practice is very flexible.

Can we use another thought that we can accept to inhibit our negative thought?

Then, we may have one question. Can we use another thought that we can accept to inhibit our negative thought? For example, can we recite the sentence “I love our country“ to instead of reciting a name of Buddha? We know that there are a lot of slogans such as patriotic slogans in the world. I have to say there is some kind of difference between them.

When I am a beginner and recite a name of Buddha, I have no such question. I even do not know the reasons as said above. One day, I met my professor who taught German Literature. We talked about reciting a name of Buddha. Then, he suddenly offered the similar question as said above. For a beginner, I only had vague concepts about it in that time. But now, it is different.

The Buddha or Bodhisattva is also beings with spirit. In Buddhism, its title is called Buddha or Bodhisattva which is also called “Fo” or “Pusa” in Chinese. But, in the outside of Buddhism, they may have the different title. For example, god or angel is also some kind of beings with spirit. Most of them may not have the concrete form and material appearance as human beings. But, they still have mind and conscious. They can communicate with us by mind to mind. Furthermore, they have “eyes” and “ears” to “see” and “hear” what we do and what we talk about. Each Buddha and each Bodhisattva has its own name. Their name is named according to their special merit, virtue or function. 

When we recite their name and title, it is as if we summon them. They can feel it. It is the telepathy. When each beings can be given the title “Buddha” or ”Bodhisattva” which is also called “Fo” or “Pusa” in Chinese, it means that it had ever to make wishes and vows to liberate itself and all beings from suffering, and it had practiced the Buddha’s teaching, proved the Dao and liberated itself from the suffering. At the same time, it is realizing its wishes and vows to save sentient beings and help them to liberate themselves from suffering with any convenient methods.

When we are reciting their name and title, we not only can suppress our evil thought, but also can feel their care, assistance and kindness. Only through keeping reciting the name and title for a long time, we can feel and understand it by such single-minded practicing. Meanwhile, we can realize it in life. We can gradually experience and realize what is no-thinking by such way. When we complete such practice, realize the no-thinking and always keep the positive thought, we can then let the said method go and use it freely. Any slogan or patriotic slogan are not beings, and do not have spirit. Its function and effect could not be like as said above.

To recite the name of the Bodhisattva, it is best to have the verbal inheritance and teaching face-to-face from a teacher who has completed the practice as mentioned. Under his guidance, we can better use this method and feel the energy and compassion of the Buddha. Or, you can follow this blog and read the introduction of any Buddhist Scripture and the said Buddha or Bodhisattva, to understand their background, good wishes, grand vows, great merit, unlimited virtue and benefiting function. If it is acceptable for you, you can practice it by self. If you have any question, you can leave message.

It is the best, convenient and basic method to practice and experience the procedure from the thought into without thought. We have a lot of thoughts each day and we never stop and rest to think and experience what it is in the status of without thought. In the process, we can feel our conscious and thoughts from strong to weak, from many into few, and gradually to be disappeared. Once we can stably experience such status of without thought, we can experience, realize and extend any status of none, such as no-doing. Furthermore, we can alert and perceive our any thought whether it is good or not good. Then, we may have further question, what is its meaning for us? What can it bring us any benefit?

Any thought may be what our problem is, if such thought is negative and not good at all.

Our any thought is stirred and affected by any changing situation from our external and internal world. And we further do anything according to such thought and affection. Meanwhile, there will be companied with self worries and troubles at the same time when we have any thought. Therefore, any thought may be what our problem is, if such thought is negative and not good at all. If we want to eradicate such problem, to control and train our mind to be stable and good is the best way. Keeping in the status of no-thinking does not mean that we really do not have any mind. We can generate any positive and good thought on this basis in any time, so as to benefit the self and others. That is because that we have controlled and trained our mind not to be affected by any situation from internal and external world. Meanwhile, we can thus independently and freely think about anything. That is the positive meaning for this method.

So, when we are touching the status of no-thinking, it does not mean that we have to dwell on it or addict in it forever. Some ignorant persons does not understand what the profoundly meaning of no-thinking and no-doing is, they therefore arbitrarily think that those people will be decadent persons. Even some ignorant Buddhist monk or nun, they want to practice the no-thought and no-doing, they then dwell on or addict in no-thought and no-doing, to become a vegan, and recite the name of the Bodhisattva so as to escape the worldly worries and troubles until they died. They even do not care what happened in the world and do not read the worldly news. In fact, they become the self-closed minded persons. However, they think that they are putting the Dao said by Buddha into the practice and hope to rebirth in the pure land of Buddha.

When I am young, I can not understand why they do so. Now I have some kind of understanding for that. It is the effect from the result of dictatorships and wars in the past. In many authoritarian regimes, there is no freedom of speech. Many monks and nuns use this way of keeping away from the world to protect themselves, while retaining Buddhism. Therefore, the public mistakenly believe that Buddhism is a decadent religion. That is also why the Buddhism can not spread broadly and be understood and accepted by the masses.  

Whatever stubbornly addicting in with thought or in without thought, it may be paranoid.

In the past, there is also a lot of argument about the Buddhist concepts of with doing or without doing, existence or without existence, with phenomenon or without phenomenon, and so on. Therefore, whatever stubbornly addicting in with thought or in without thought, it may be paranoid. So, the Buddha offered the concept of middle way. That is to say not to stubbornly addict in any side of with anything or without anything. So, what we are doing or thinking will be more free, flexible and creatable. 

For example, for the beginner, the Buddha will tell you that there is the good and evil, and advise you to do the good thing, not to do the evil thing, and tell you that to do good thing will be blessed by Buddha, and to do evil thing will be punished by the gods. It is not a bad thing for the beginner, and he happily accepts such Buddha's education and practices it in daily life. When the Buddha has found that this learner addicts in doing the good thing for a long time, the Buddha will advise him one day that there is no good and no evil. This learner is shocked immediately. How could it be possible for this learner to accept the concept that there is no good and no evil? If he can not accept it, it means that his learning will be stopped and without the progress and any surmounting from the current learning phase.

This learner thinks about what the Buddha has taught and why the Buddha has said that. Because he has the good virtue and believes in what the Buddha has taught, finally he seems to be enlightened something in his mind. Then, he gradually abandons his addiction about doing the good thing and let his mind dwell on the concept of no good and no evil. His mind and body are gradually free. But, he gradually addicts in the no-doing and begin to question the meaning of life. One day, the Buddha tells him that there is no such concept of no good and no evil. This learner is seriously shocked again. Owing to this learner has gradually been the profoundly practitioner, he deeply believes in what the Buddha has taught and profoundly thinks about the meaning as taught.  According to his good virtue and good wisdom, he is inspired not to addict in the no-doing. Then, he finally understands what the Buddha has taught. That is we should neither addict in doing the good thing nor addict in doing nothing. We should do anything and think anything by the Middle-Way. That is also means that we should not stubbornly addict in any concept whatever it is. Why?

There is no concept in the status of emptiness and stillness. All concepts are formed by cause, condition and consequence or event and phenomenon. Eradicating anything, where we can find the concept? Even the concept of good or evil, emptiness and stillness, we should let it go and not addict in them.  

The Buddha said,” Those who put the Dao into the practice are such as the wood floats on the water, flows along the river, doesn't touch the two side of the river, doesn't be taken away by people, would not be covered by ghosts and gods, would not be stopped by turbulence and nor being corrupt, I guarantee that this wood is decided to enter the sea.”

“Doesn't touch the two side of the river” The wood flows in the middle of the river without touching the two banks, which is the middle way we mentioned above and which means not to addict in any side of the binary opposition, such as right and wrong, good and evil, with and without, existence and no-existence, and so on.

“Doesn't be taken away by people” means not to be threatened, kidnapped, restricted and affected by the words and actions of people who are not justice or have the un-pure intention.

“Would not be covered by ghosts and gods” The cover here means hinder. Some ghosts and gods are not good beings. They would harm humans and hinder humans to be good persons. They even can use humans to do evil things or to revenge. Some people are un-luckily. Once whose minds are controlled by the ghosts and gods, and if there is no positive thought and attitude, it is easy to be used by ghosts and gods to do evil things, and these people cannot extricate themselves from such bad fate. Therefore, to stably keep positive thought and attitude in life is very important for us.

“Would not be stopped by turbulence” It means we will not stop learning Buddha or Buddhism when we meet the chaos or frustration in life. When a wood floating on the river and meet the turbulence, it will spin around or stay at the same place and can not progress forward. It is as if we learn Buddha and put the Dao into the practice, we should not spin around or stay at the same phase, when we meet trouble or frustration in life. We should go forward so that we can enter the large view and the broaden wisdom.

“Nor being corrupt”, the Chinese saying,” Decayed wood cannot be carved”. Being corrupt means a person’s lazy and careless makes its talent cannot be created and achieved. Not being corrupt means we should be sincerely and diligent when practicing the Dao, should cherish self, respect self and make self mindful.

“I guarantee that this wood is decided to enter the sea.” Sea means the free, large, widen and grand wisdom. Meanwhile, there are a lot of things and treasures in the sea. It is also means it can be freely generated a lot of things and treasures from the wisdom. If those persons practice the Dao as the said, they absolutely gain the free and grand wisdom. It also means that they can gain a lot of things and treasures from the wisdom. 

The Buddha said,“People who learn the Dao are not confused by the emotion and desire, are not disturbed by many viciousness, and refine the progress and practice the no-doing, I guarantee such person to gain the Dao certainly.”

“Not confused by the emotion and desire”, any emotion and desire will stir and affect our peaceful mind to be chaos, make us confused and hesitate, and could not clearly see the fact. It would make us do the wrong decision and wrong thing, and thus to hurt self and others in mentally and in physically. Many worries, difficulties and troubles are coming from indulging our personal emotion and selfish desire. Therefore, to control the self emotion and desire so as to avoid any troubles in life is very important. How to control the self emotion and desire which we have mentioned a lot in the content of 42 chapters said by Buddha. There is a lot of Buddha’s education is to teach us how to control our emotion and desire.

“Not disturbed by many viciousness” means we should keep our thought steady in the right, justice and positive way so as not to be affected by many viciousness from external world. Viciousness means evil intention and evil things. There are many temptations in this world. These temptations can interfere with our body and mind and make us involuntarily. These temptations may even be traps set by others to frame us or use us. Some temptations are the structure of a joint crime. All of them come from various evil intentions. Other people's mind is unpredictable. We should be careful when we practice the Dao. And do not make self involve in any temptations.

“Refine the progress and practice the no-doing”, “Refine the progress” means we diligently practice the Dao and make us progress. “Practice the no-doing” means when we understand and experience the profoundly meaning of no-doing, we do any positive things to benefit self and others on the basis of no-doing.

“I guarantee such person to gain the Dao certainly”, if we practice the Dao according to what as mentioned above, the Buddha would guarantee us to gain the Dao certainly. This is the supreme and best blessing from Buddha for us.

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.