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.  

Chapter 12 ﹝4﹞: Being able to see the scripture of Buddha is difficult.

(Chapter 12 ﹝4﹞ ) 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 ﹝4﹞: Being able to see the scripture of Buddha is difficult.

Being able to see the Buddhist Scripture is difficult. This is the fourth difficulty said by Buddha in this chapter. We might be curious why the Buddha Sakyamuni said that?

Why it is difficult for the public to see the Buddhist Scripture?

In ancient time, most people are illiteracy, and are pressured or oppressed by living, family, society or the government. Secondly, they might be living in the time of war, and of famine. In a word, they are suffering the life and death. For them, it has been already difficult for them to survive. How could they have the mood and time to seek the Buddhist Scripture and read it, let alone to seek the wisdom? In other word, it is the groups that are lack of bliss and blessing.

Furthermore, due to the isolation and the difference of the language and of the word, the Scripture of Buddha is hardly to be translated from the Sanskrit into the other language completely, let alone to circulate in the different society or country freely. In the ancient, being able to translate the different language is not easy.

In addition, the most important is that the translators must understand the Buddhism and have put it into the practice so that they could translate the Buddhist Scripture perfectly and surely to transmit the meaning of Buddhism.  

If we want to translate the scripture of Buddha from the Sanskrit into our language, it has to take a lot of time, and need a lot of people and funding. As we know, in that time, there is no translating software.

In China of the ancient time, the translation for the Scripture of Buddha is sponsored and supported by the state, especially, in the time of Tang Dynasty. In that time, the houses and places for used in translation are set up by the government, and which could contain more than 100 persons who are responsible for the translation professionally. Those are not included the people who are responsible for the cooking, cleaning and so on.

So, we can see that the government of Tang Dynasty is very concerned about the promotion and spread of the Buddhism. In the development of Chinese history, the Buddhism has developed the Chinese characteristics and become one part of Chinese culture. Even today, such Chinese characteristics are still developed well in China and Taiwan.

Moreover, the Buddhism has transmitted into Korean and Japan since the Tang Dynasty. The Korean and Japanese Buddhist Scripture are preserved well in their country. And it also develops the Korean and Japanese characteristics of the Buddhism. In China, Korea and Japan, the development of this system is called Mahayana Buddhism. In Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Buddhism has also developed very well.

The version of hand copy might be eaten by worm, or might be destroyed by fire or by war. In the history of China, Buddhism had been destroyed twice by the different emperors. What have been destroyed includes the Scripture of Buddha. For protecting the Buddhist Scripture, some Buddhist monk began to do something, and the action was sponsored and supported by the nobility. In that time, the nobility was educated well and they have the chance and time to read the Buddhist Scripture and to understand it. Buddhist monk thus engraved the Buddhist Scriptures on the slate of stone and hidden them in the caves in deep mountain so as to avoid any destruction from the war.

At that time, in the folk, if they want to see or read the Scripture of Buddha, they have to go into the Buddhist temple or to be the Buddhist monk or nun. There are some reasons. First, it is to protect the Buddhist Scriptures and avoid to be destroyed. Secondly, it is to avoid the Buddhism being humiliated by the ignorant public.

As we know, when the public are ignorant and most of them are illiteracy, they are easy to humiliate Buddha or to destroy the Buddhist Scripture, In fact, to humiliate Buddha is equal to humiliate oneself. Buddha is not else. It refers to our heart. All sentient beings have the Buddha-nature. We are the future Buddha. 

Secondly, the printing and typography has not yet been invented and is also not developed well in that time. Third, some of the Buddhist Scripture is not allowed by Buddha to pass to those people who are lack of wisdom and virtue, because they might misused the Buddhist Scripture for seeking the personal profit. Such Buddhist Scripture is only allowed in secret to pass to those disciples who have understood the Buddha-nature. That is why Buddhist Scriptures cannot do a good circulation in the public. So, that is also why to see the Buddhist Scripture is difficult.

The translated Buddhist Scripture is protected well in China and Taiwan. Some is protected well in Korea and Japan. However, out of such districts, most of the Buddhist Scripture are destroyed by the hatred people in the war, which include the original Buddhist scripture in Sanskrit.

People must have the following reasons and conditions so that they have the opportunity to see or read the Buddhist scripture, to hear the teaching of Buddha, and to learn the Buddha.

In the scripture of Buddha, the Buddha Sakyamuni had mentioned that people must have the following reasons and conditions so that they have the opportunities to see or read the Buddhist scripture, to hear the teaching of Buddha, and to learn the Buddha.

First, we must have the deep cultivation for the roots of virtue in our present life and in our past life. That is, we have done and accumulated a lot of good karma.

Second, we have already supported countless Buddha in our past numberless life.

Third, we must have virtuous reasons and good conditions. That is, we have a root of virtue in ourselves, and itself is the virtuous reason and good condition.

Fourth, we must have the basic bliss, such as we have basic financial resources to support our life and to support the Buddha-learner; we are literacy; we could understand text, and have the basic intelligence and IQ.

Fifth, even we are illiteracy, but, we have above said reasons and conditions, we still have the opportunity to see the Buddhist scripture, to hear the teaching of Buddha, and to learn the Buddha.

Sixth, according to my observation, if people do not have the open and curious mind, it is hard for them to see the Buddhist Scripture. In other word, if we do not have above reasons and conditions, it is difficult for us to see the Buddhist Scripture, let alone to read it and learn it.

It is few that the Buddhist Scripture is translated from Chinese into English.

In the current time, the printing, typography, and internet are developed well. If we are willing to see the Buddhist Scripture with Chinese, and to read it, we are easy to find it. But, if we want to find and see the Buddhist Scripture which is translated into English, it is still some kind of difficulty for us, because the amount is few, let alone to be translated into the other language.

Due to a lot people do not have opportunity to see and read the Buddhist Scripture, they do not understand the true meaning said by Buddha, and just have heard a little from the Buddhist monk or nun. Since the Buddha’s teaching might be misinterpreted by them, the public might thus misunderstand the teaching of Buddha.

What is the Buddha’s teaching?

In fact, all the teaching of Buddha just has one key point that is to know and understand our true heart. That is to know and understand our own Buddha-nature. The rest of the points is just methods to be used how to know and understand our true heart. Then, we might have a question. What is our true heart? Which we can have a reference from the chapter 2. (Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha or Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11)

The methods contain eighty thousand and four thousand Law-doors. The number doesn’t mean that there are really such amount methods, but means that it contains various positive methods, and it also means that the methods could be very flexible and creative.

That is why the methods being used by the Zen-master might not be understood and accepted by the public. In the ancient, sometimes, they use their shoes to hit his disciple’s head in some situation; at this moment, if their disciple arise the heart of hatred, or arise a thought of question about that, it means that they still could not find their true heart. Such method could not be used for the modern people, because the modern people are easy to have the hatred mind and sue to the court for such behavior.

Some of the methods are always mistakenly understood by the public to be the whole of Buddhism. For example, the method to chant the Amitabha. And such misunderstanding Buddhism could not be contented to their expectation or personal desire so that they might disregard, or criticize the Buddhism.

To support the translation of Buddhist Scripture could plant the root of virtue to oneself.

Let’s return to the topic. Some people are dedicated to translate the Buddhist scripture from Chinese into English by their own force. And some of those Buddhist Scripture could be found in the internet. Some of them could be read by free. However, some of them have to be paid because of the copyright.

To support the freely circulation and translation of Buddhist Scripture could plant the root of virtue to oneself. Why? That is because when we support the virtuous action of others is to support us to be a virtuous person. Such blessing and bliss would return and repay to us at any time. 

Of course, if you are interested in the Buddhism and in the translation of the Buddhist Scripture, why not to join the line to do the virtue, whatever your language is.

I am still dedicated to translate the Buddhist Scripture from Chinese into English by my own force continually. I am not just to translate it, but also to explain it, and post it on the blog to be read freely. I share those articles from time to time by free.

I sincerely hope that the public could have the opportunity to read the Buddhist Scripture with their own language by free at any time. And you are lucky and blessed, if you have read this article. 

Chapter 11: Giving meals turns to victory

(Chapter 11) 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 11: Giving meals turns to victory  

The Buddha said,” Giving hundred evil persons meals is not as good as giving one good person a meal;

giving thousand good persons meals is not as good as giving a meal for one person who obeys the five precepts;

giving meals to ten thousand persons who obey the five precepts is not as good as giving one Srotāpanna a meal;

giving one million Srotāpanna meals is not as good as giving one Sakridāgāmi a meal;

giving ten million Sakridāgāmis meals is not as good as giving one Anāgāmi a meal;

giving one hundred million Anāgāmis meals is not as good as giving one Arhat a meal;

giving ten hundred million Arhats meals is not as good as giving one Pratyeka-buddha a meal;

giving ten thousand million Pratyeka-buddha meals is not as good as giving one Three-World Buddha a meal;

giving one thousand trillion Three-World Buddhas meals is not as good as giving a meal to a person who is in the state of no thought, no dwelling, no practicing, and no proving.”             

Giving to the wicked is helping them do evil.

Giving meals to others turns to the victory; the victory is not over others, but is for self. If we give meals to one hundred evil persons, what we have done is to assistant them to do the evil things. It means that we do the evil things indirectly. It is not our victory, but our loss for life and spirit, even to waste our energy.

Donating food or money to good people is helping them to do good deeds.

On the contrary, if we give meals to one thousand good persons. What we have done is to assistant them to do the good things. That means that we do the good things directly. It is the victory to increase the bliss for our life and for our spirit. The above mentioned persons are the people who do not learn the Buddha and do not practice the Dao. But, it doesn’t mean that they are not good persons. Whether learning the Buddha and whether practicing the Dao or not, is not related to whether the person is a good person or not. If an evil person could repent his fault, has the heart of compassion, and wish to attain the Buddhahood, he could also learn the Buddha.

Good persons will obey Five Precepts automatically, but a wicked won't.

If one person would learn the Buddha, he would be taught to obey the five precepts in the fist classwork. Those who are Buddha-learner, but not Buddhist monk or nun are necessary to obey the five precepts. A good person does not necessarily obey such five precepts. Even though we are not the Buddha-learner, we could also obey the five precepts automatically. Then, what are five precepts? It is as follows:

Don’t kill others, and don’t kill self. 

Don’t steal things. It means not to take away any thing which is not allowed to give us. 

Don’t have sex in improperly ways. That is, don’t harm self and others. It is better to respect to each other. 

Don’t lie to self and others. 

Don’t take alcohol or illegal drug.

It is demonstrating that obeying the five precepts is the victory. As we know, such victory is not to compare to others, but, to ourselves. To offer meals to the person who obeys the five precepts is better than to offer meals to thousand good persons. It is the victory, too.

Why giving meals to ten thousand persons who obey the five precepts is not as good as giving one Srotāpanna a meal?

Srotāpanna, Sakridāgāmi and Anāgāmi are Sanskrit, and are some kind of rank noun. They are not limited in Buddhist monk or nun. That is, they are used to identify for the level of each Buddha-learner. They are also mentioned in different scriptures, and sometimes the explanation for them is different. In a word, in learning Buddha, they are still in different levels of self-saving.

Moreover, they have not yet been able to liberate themselves from the suffering, let alone to have the ability to save others to liberate from the suffering. Why? In the virtue, wisdom and bliss, what they have done and what they have gained is not enough. That is why they are saving themselves in effort, but not others.

Anyway, their degree of wisdom is better compared to the general good persons. That is because they have already the concept to liberate and save themselves and others, but the general good persons are not necessarily to have such concept. In other word, Srotāpanna, Sakridāgāmi and Anāgāmi have entered into the gate of emptiness and practice to abandon the greedy, hatred and stupid-obsession heart. However, the general good persons are not necessarily to have such concept. 

Why giving one hundred million Anāgāmis meals is not as good as giving one Arhat a meal?

It is also existed the difference in degree. The degree of Srotāpanna is less than Sakridāgāmi. And the degree of Sakridāgāmi is less than Anāgāmi. Even though this, in virtue, wisdom and bliss, they are better than the person who obey the five precepts. Why?

That is also because they have launched their compassionate heart and Bodhi heart. Meanwhile, they put the Buddha’s teaching into the practice. Their wisdom of emptiness-nature is thus grown. And their virtue and bliss is accumulated gradually, but has not yet proved the fruit of Dao. It means they have not yet proved the result of their natural wisdom. However, once they have proved the Dao as said and taught by Buddha, they become Arhat. In Buddhism, those who have liberated themselves from the suffering are called Arhat. In the degree of learning Buddha, the achievement of Arhat is better than Anāgāmis. Arhat is more near to the degree of Buddha. But, it has not yet perfected completely in enlightenment and practice of whole Buddh’s teaching.

Giving, sponsoring or offering meals to Arhat can bring us the virtue and bless. It is coming from the merit and virtue of Arhat. It would become the merit and virtue of giver someday. When we support Arhat to achieve the merit and virtue, it is as if we plant a good seed in the bliss farm, and the good seed will grow to be a large bliss tree and have many bliss fruit. It is not only we can enjoy it, but also we can share it with others.

Why giving ten hundred million Arhats meals is not as good as giving one Pratyeka-buddha a meal?

Arhat and Pratyeka-buddha have been liberated themselves from the suffering. That also means that they have more achieved in virtue, wisdom and bliss. But why giving ten hundred million Arhats meals are not as good as giving one Pratyeka-buddha a meal? If someone wants to achieve the degree of Arhat, they still have to depend on the wisdom-strength of and the compassion-strength of Buddha; moreover, they have to put the Dao into practice and then prove the fruit of Dao. It means that to be Arhat still have to hear the Buddha-law and be taught by Buddha. Arhat also has the ability to speak of Buddha-law.

But, those who achieve the degree of Pratyeka-buddha are depending on themselves to be enlightened. It means that they have attained the enlightenment of equality-wisdom, and the nature of Buddha. They are also in the state of no practicing and no proving. Being Pratyeka-buddha is not from hearing the Buddha-law from Buddha, and also not be taught by Buddha. They do not speak of Buddha-law. In the wisdom and virtue, their degree is more than the degree of Arhat. In other word, Pratyeka-buddha is in the stillness and emptiness.

So, offering a meal to Arhat or Pratyeka-buddha would connect with them, to nourish their body, and help them attain the Buddhahood. That would also help us sow the seed of wisdom, virtue and bliss in this life; and the fruits of wisdom, virtue, and bliss would be gained in our present life, and in our future life.

That is why the Buddhist is more willing to offer anything to the Buddha-learner, especially those persons who are enlightened in the nature of Buddha. But, it does not mean that the Buddhist does not offer anything to the poor. In Buddhism, there is the concept that those who become the poor are because they are not willing to generously offer anything to others in their past life. That is the past cause to make the present outcome.

In the perceiving of equality, the poor is also having the nature of Buddha, however, its nature of Buddha has not yet been enlightened. That is, its natural wisdom has still been covered, not been appeared. If our natural wisdom would be appeared, we would be very blissful, and would be full of wealth.

Why giving ten thousand million Pratyeka-buddha meals is not as good as giving one Three-World Buddha a meal?

   

There are two explanations for Three-World Buddha; it is about time and space. One is meant to the Buddha lived in the past world/time, the Buddha lived in the present world/time, and the Buddha lived in the future world/time. The other is meant to the Buddha Sakyamuni in the center world, the Buddha Amitabha in the western world, and the Buddha Pharmacist- glazed-light in the east world. 

The space and time are unified, are one, and are unlimited. So, any Buddha is in any time or in each space, they are one. This concept is hard to be understood, let alone to be experienced and proved by self, unless the concept for the existing boundary line and for the differentiation of anything have been broken and eliminated totally.

In our cognition, the Three-World Buddha is someone which should be respected by us. In the deep experience, the Three-World Buddha is not in our outside, but in our self-nature. When we respect the Three-World Buddha, it is also meant to respect ourselves. When we offer meals to the Three-World Buddha, it is also meant to offer anything to ourselves. The Three-World Buddha is unified with us. We are one.   

What is Buddha? When someone has totally enlightened from the highly wisdom, liberated from the suffering, and known all truth, meanwhile, has no fear in heart any more, and can also use its grand power of kindness and sympathy to save all sentient beings, so as to let them liberate from the suffering in life and death, we call such person “Buddha” to respect it. In Chinese language, we call it “Fo” or "Fu", which is transliterated from Chinese word, and its original language is from Sanskrit.

Now, we have one question. The above mentioned that the Three-World Buddha is unified with us and we are one. Why we aren’t Buddha? That is not the problem of the Three-World Buddha, but ours. It is because that our inner heart is not in the realm of Buddha. It also means that we have not yet been attained the Buddhahood.  

So, giving meals to the Three-World Buddha is more victory; it is because it is hard for us to offer meals to them. If we have the chance to offer meals to them, it is also meant to have more chance to liberate self from the suffering, and to have chance to gain more virtue, wisdom and bliss, and have the chance to attain the Buddhahood, due to the Three-World Buddha would give us the wisdom and compassion, teach us the Buddhism and how to be enlightened. That is why to offer meals to the Three-World Buddha is a special victory.

Why giving one thousand trillion Three-World Buddhas meals is not as good as giving a meal to a person who is in the state of no-thought, no-dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving?

It is already so special victory. Why to give thousand and thousand million Three-World Buddhas meals is not as good as giving a meal to a person who is in the state of no thought, no dwelling, no practicing, and no proving?

No-dwelling means not to attach to or not depend on anything. A person who is in the state of no-thought, no-dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving, which we have ever mentioned and explained in the chapter 2 (Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha.

Chapter 2: Cutting off the desire and no demanding

The Buddha said, “Those who go out of the family, become the Sramana, cut off the desire, remove the love, recognize the source of their own heart, reach the profound principle of the Buddha, realize the law of no-doing, have nothing being gained inside, have nothing being demanded outside, not to fasten the Dao in heart, nor to collect the karma, have no thoughts, have the no-doing, are non-practicing, are non-proving, not to experience the successive levels, but reach the own loftiest state of all, are called the Dao.”

If we do not understand the Buddhism, we might mistakenly understand it, and think that such person is no useful or is a loser. No, it is absolutely not like this. In Buddhism, those who could be in the state of no-thought, no-dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving are attaining the higher wisdom, are gaining the higher virtue and bliss. That is, their achievement is higher and almost near or in the top.   

We might think that those who are in the state of no-thought, no dwelling, no-practicing, and no-proving are someone else, because giving meals to them is better than giving meals to the Three-World Buddha. If we think so, it is totally wrong.

If all the giving as mentioned could not make us attain the Buddhahood, such giving is almost no meaning for us. Some unwise people offering meals to others just want to get more fortune. If we have such thought, the realm of our heart is very limited and very small.   

So, all the giving as mentioned above is to help us attain the Buddhahood. That is, it is the very important meaning for us. If we understand the Buddhism profoundly, we could find that all mentioned is not someone else, but ourselves. What the mentioned in Buddhism seems someone else. But, in fact, it means us.

Those who are in such state as mentioned are highest in virtue, wisdom and bliss. They are almost in the state of Buddha. However, such person is very rare in the world. If we could have a chance to offer a meal to them, it is the most special victory. Why? It is because such person has achieved the state of one, to unify with the Three-World Buddha.   

Meanwhile, it also means that if we could have a chance to offer a meal to them, we could have a chance to be in such state as them by connecting with them and learning from them. Moreover, we finally might be also the one in such state. To make ourselves attain the Buddhahood is very noble and worth to be respected by the all sentient being; that is why offering meals to such person is the most special victory.

In a word, offering meals to others is to offer meals to ourselves. Providing something to others is to support ourselves. This is the principle of equality in Buddhism. What the achievement, their virtue, wisdom and bliss which they have attained would help us be the same with them.