The Nobility of Buddha-Nature

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The mind is the spirit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May all beings truly understand supreme wisdom.

May all beings truly understand supreme compassion.

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

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

How to Deal With the People Who Are Stupid and Obsessed With Something?

 

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

 

Those who are our relatives and friends are not always intelligent persons are always living and around us, and cause us a lot of trouble and anxiety, even make us want to leave them and to abandon them. Some smart people say that we are not saviors and we don’t have to shoulder their heavy burden of mental problem and the caused anxiety. This is the normal and most peoples thinking in the world. But for those of us who have a mission, this may not be the case.

 

Those who are stupid and obsessed have some characteristics. Foolish obsessed with the material desire and its things are the common and most characteristics.   

 

One day, I felt so tired to get along with the people who are stupid and obsessed. As my observation for the people in the world, those who are stupid and obsessed have the following characteristics:

 

Their intelligence quotient is normal. Their expressive and comprehensible skills are normal, too. Some of them are highly educated. Even though some of them have no higher school education, they are smart people. However, there is some kind of intellectual disability in their mentality. That is because they always addict to the material desire and its things, such as money, wealth, woman, wife, children, famous car, or various power, etc. They make it the most important thing in life, and think that others should do the same. In a word, they strongly base personal achievement on material desires. On a material level, they are indeed doing well and proud of themselves. However, it is not ruled out that their income may also come from improper means. This is not necessarily illegal, and some may just be morally flawed, however, it does not make others feel good. They thus despise others and discriminate against others for being less intelligent than they are. Basically, they are lack of the motive to learn the knowledge in the spirit level. That is why they live with a closed minded and forget that any danger and accident might be happened to them. Moreover, they always want to pass on their closed thoughts to others, and even disturb others and hinder the development of other people's lives. Oddly enough, they think what they have done are helping others with good intentions.

 

Everyone has a different point of view that can be consulted and debated. However, if anyone misuses either point of view, it can do disastrous harm to humanity and to the world.

 

I find that the stupid and obsessed people as mentioned above exist everywhere, especially in countries that emphasize material life. That is why I am bothered and harassed. Therefore, I search the relative articles in the internet about how to get along with the stupid people. I read an article which title is “One's Success must Learn to Rely on Stupid People”. The content is also demonstrated the author’s logical thinking, and exists its discussing basis by quoting old classics, and it seems reasonable. I do not deny that some of his views in the content may be acceptable by people. For example, in the last paragraph, he kindly advises the readers who think they are stupid people not to be used and sacrificed vainly.

 

However, if people don’t have the ability of speculative, the training of logical thinking, and the edifying of the moral education, after they agree to this opinion about “One's Success must Learn to Rely on Stupid People” with paranoid minded, and after they pursue it as the principle of their career and life, they would mistakenly use it to inhibit the development of others people and purposely make them be stupid forever in order to fight, defeat and control them, so as to make themselves succeed. It is extremely dangerous and unfortunate for the public that such a person who believes the said idea may become a political leader by using politics in a wrong way to fool the masses or may become a leader of a religious group by distorting religious teachings to fool the masses. Such a leader controls the masses and therefore contents the leader’s own greedy desire. Unfortunately, such events are existed in the modern time. In my opinions, it's really the ignorant taking advantage of the most ignorant. The stupid and obsessed people bullies the most stupid and obsessed people. Even if many people are helplessly oppressed, it seems that this fact cannot be changed. Why?

 

People who are brainwashed by specious ideology usually lack flexibility and open thinking, tolerance for others and independent thinking ability, and they deliberately interfere, block and destroy people who question their opinions in a self-righteous way.

 

Firstly, these people’s brains are strongly washed and manipulated by plausible ideology and they stubbornly believe it and opinionatedly think it is right.

 

Secondly, when people question the brainwashed and plausible statements, or people are in the different opinion about their brainwashed belief, these manipulated people think that others people insult their leader, despise and attack their approbatory ideology. Therefore, these manipulated people use any unscrupulous means to suppress the voices and opinions of others, including purposely destroy someone else's social media account so as to let him shut up forever in the freedom and democratic country.

 

Thirdly, in their closed idea and environment, these brainwashed people by the plausible ideology strongly distribute their ideology in the social media, or they lure others into their organization at school or any group. This situation is also happened in the freedom and democratic country. This kind of harm to humans is gradual, like boiling frogs in warm water. However, people may ignore these phenomena for their own interests.

 

Fourthly, these brainwashed people by the plausible ideology have Stockholm Syndrome. Unfortunately, they don’t have such self-awareness. Furthermore, most people don’t have such knowledge, too. Even though this, they are still willing to make friends or do business dealings with these brainwashed people. For Stockholm Syndrome, please refer to Notes. In my opinions, no matter which kind of persons are mentioned above, they do encourage the ignorant behavior of the ignorant leaders and its closed environment as formed.

 

Educated and moral people do not achieve themselves at the expense of sacrificing stupid persons.

 

When I first read the article “One's Success must Learn to Rely on Stupid People”, I was so shocked by this idea, because it really violates our moral education and mainstream thinking in Taiwan. This makes me realize that someone else had this idea and lived in a different world from me. I do not rule out that someone is operating and trying to dominate the world with this kind of concept, and this person is also a person of high authority and influence in the world. At present, their influence is affecting us through Taiwan's free Internet and media. This kind of value that strongly prioritizes selfishness and utilitarianism as the correct idea often shocks and impacts my perception of traditional virtues. Fortunately, Taiwan is a society that emphasizes information disclosure, mutual tolerance, and good cooperation. It is also a society that emphasizes creating a win-win situation and sharing knowledge and wisdom for common prosperity. Basically, educated and moral people in Taiwan do not achieve themselves at the expense of sacrificing stupid persons.

 

For the stupid and obsessed people, the best advice is to give them wisdom.

 

Therefore, we know that the stupid and obsessed people not only exist in the love and marriage relationship, the family relationship, and the friendship, but also exist in the politics and religious group. Basically there are people like this everywhere in the world. And the number is too numerous to count. There are close and distant relationships between people. For the stupid and obsessed people, the best advice is to give them wisdom. More precisely, it is to understand the situation and provide them with helpful, beneficial and open knowledge and wisdom according to their actual needs and what knowledge they actually lack. At this time, it is more important to educate them on morality and compassion. That is the wisdom includes the mercy.

 

Various kinds of knowledge and wisdom what we have given to the stupid and obsessed people must be built on virtue, compassion and empathy. These things must be done simultaneously.

 

Various kinds of knowledge and wisdom what we have given must be built on virtue, compassion and empathy. That is to teach them to have virtue, compassion and empathy. These things must be done simultaneously. Remember that helping others must base on the wisdom. If we only give them knowledge (or high technology; technology is one kind of knowledge) and we don’t give them wisdom and compassion, we encourage them to interfere, harass, suppress and hurt others even more. Stupid and obsessed people as said are stupid and obsessed because of their stubborn nature. If we only tell them about virtue, they will not listen. That's why we have to give them the various kinds of knowledge so as to arouse their interest, and then guide them.

 

When we firstly give them the various knowledge and wisdom, we'd better stop and see if they absorb and accept these knowledge and wisdom, and see if they have compassion and empathy for the beings. Based on my personal observation and experience, the chances of them being able to accept any knowledge and wisdom and change themselves are almost zero. This is because they are still alive in their self-righteous state of mind. Let's not give up at this time. We can still try to do it, observe it, and make adjustments at the same time.

 

Based on our relationship with the stupid and obsessed people and on their causes and conditions, we decide whether to abandon them.

 

At this time, it is based on our relationship with them and on their causes and conditions to decide whether to abandon them. If they are our close family members, and we find they still have the good nature, we should take time to save them by patiently providing them with knowledge and wisdom. Usually this takes some time. However, if they don't have the good nature, we abandon them, reduce interaction with them, or even stay away from them, and let them eat the fruits of what they have done. They are toxic-minded people. Leaving and abandoning them can ensure our safety and health in physical body and mental state, and make sure ours longevity. After observing their state, we wait for the opportunity to educate them and save them, if there are causes and conditions.

 

Severely stupid and obsessed people usually blind their good nature and use bad deeds as a means to achieve their goals. If we are not aware and vigilant enough, we become victims of their stupidity. If we are wise, we know that we should leave them as soon as we can. Of course, this premise is that we must be aware of those people who are foolish obsessed with something and it may hurt us.

 

Usually this kind of persons will end up in serious crimes such as violence, sexual assault, greed for property, etc. If they are powerful dictators, they may even launch aggressive wars or any terrible attack. This is beyond the ability of ordinary people to face and deal with. At this time, it is still necessary for the governments to take out both the punishment from the stick and the moral persuasion to let them choose. This also takes some time. 

 

If we want to ensure our own physical and mental health and longevity, we really need to have a deep understanding of stupid and obsessed people and how to deal with them.

 

Stupid and obsessed people usually have paranoid thoughts. If anything violates their selfish desire, they even generate the hatred minded to others. They can even be emotional blackmailers if they want to satisfy their own selfish desires. These narrow minds will not only make them lose their focus on bright, open, and positive things, but even make them tense and anxious, filling them with negative energy to hurt others, or even commit suicide. This kind of harm to people is no less than that of people who are greedy or hatred. Unfortunately, most people are unaware and not alert to such people. They don't even know why until they die because of it. This is a human tragedy, but we have become accustomed to it. If we want to ensure our own physical and mental health and longevity, we really need to have a deep understanding of stupid and obsessed people and how to deal with them.

 

Finally, I would like to remind readers that if you find someone else is a stupid and obsessed person, don't say it bluntly in front of him. We just need to know it in our hearts. This is to avoid unintentionally offending this person and being punished by him in a vengeful manner. Keep that in mind.

Note 1.: Stockholm Syndrome (Stockholm Syndrome), or hostage complex, refers to the victim's feelings for the perpetrator, and even agree with the perpetrator's point of view, which in turn helps the perpetrator's complex.

 

Stockholm syndrome (English: Stockholm syndrome; Swedish: Stockholmssyndromet) is also known as hostage complex and hostage syndrome. thoughts, and even a complex of helping the perpetrator in turn.

 

Stockholm Syndrome can be regarded as a kind of trauma bondage, which does not necessarily only happen to hostages, as long as the perpetrator harasses the victim, the victim may have strong emotions towards the perpetrator. According to Freud's theory, Stockholm Syndrome is a self-defense mechanism. When victims believe in the perpetrator's ideas, they will feel that they are no longer threatened. Stockholm syndrome is not an official term for mental illness. Stockholm Syndrome tends to be a hypothetical state that people use to cover up that they don't want to discuss issues.

Citations and Reference Links:

以愛之名控制人要小心！醫曝「斯德哥爾摩症候群」8症狀…別當愛情俘虜 https://health.ettoday.net/news/1708180#ixzz7y3uFmlq3

Stockholm syndrome https://zh.wikipedia.org/

Note 2.: I do not rule out the fact that a victim of a closed group becomes the leader of the closed group because of the "Stockholm Syndrome" and then becomes the perpetrator.

Note 3.: I add here another point. I do not rule out that there are people who are only foolishly attached to the spirit and its affairs alone and misuse it, for example, some kind of ideology in the realm of spirit. However, this is another topic. It is not in the discussion of this article. Their possible situations can also be deduced from the discussion in this article. This is a similar reason, which can be speculated and referenced.

Evil karma would not repay to others people, but would repay to his own “life”, his “life” in the hell or in the future.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

  

No matter a man did any evil things, all of his outer power, wealth, women and authority could not be with him when he has died. What would be with him after his dying is his evil karma, which is action and behavior what he has done the evil. Such evil karma would be recorded in his conscious of spirit, as if being recorded on the software of his own, which is with his spirit.

 

Such evil karma would not repay to others people, but would repay to his own “life”, his “life” in the hell or in the future. What is the life in the hell? Do you ever have a nightmare? The nightmare is so real and would make us scared, appeared cold sweat, even to feel seriously pain. The life in the hell is like a nightmare which tortures the evil person every moment.

 

Some people deny the outer Spirit, deny any god or God. They think that there is no Spirit in the world. So they dare to do the evil things because they think that it is impossible to have any Spirit to punish them. But, how could it be possible for them to deny their own spirit? All the punishment or retribution is coming from their own spirit. Unfortunately, they do not have such concept and knowledge.