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.  

Only extensive study can help you understand Buddhism

 

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

For more than twenty years, I read variety books related Buddhism written from different authors and heard the variety speech from different Buddhist mentor. In the beginning, I really have no idea about what they have written and what they have talked about. With the time passed by and the experience in life, I think of the meaning as they mentioned and then I gradually understand what they have talked.

But, I still have an idea that people's potential is unlimited, but unfortunately, people's knowledge is limited. So, when we want to learn Buddha, it is better for us to reference the variety Buddhist teaching. Everything is worth to widely learn and to extensively research.

It is also worth for you to question about what I have taught in Buddhism. One day when you really realize what I have taught in Buddhism, your life would be totally changed and you would find that it is really worth to learn Buddha in our life.

There is not only one method to teach Buddhism. There is not only one method to be enlightened. Some methods of Buddha’s teaching used by one Buddhist mentor might not be suitable for you, or might be very suitable for you, that is depending on whether you could accept it or not. I have found that every Buddhist mentor has its own style to teach the Buddhism. The Buddhist mentor what I have said include the person who is not monk, and who is not nun.

Meditation in Mid-autumn

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

 

When the cool wind blows, and the

 

full moon is bright and quiet,

 

I smiled at and watch at the always

 

bothering and disturbed emotions in the world.

 

The emotion of farewell and separation

 

will finally come,

 

Everyone has fulfilled

 

their human emotions.

In Chinese: 

中秋靜思

作者: 許道清 (Tao Qing Hsu)

當清涼的風微吹，圓滿的月亮明亮而安靜的時候，

 

我笑看著人世間總總紛擾的情感。

 

告別及分離的情懷終究有到來的時候，

 

每一個人都各自圓滿了他們人世間的情感。

Chapter 1: Go out the family and prove the Dao-fruit

(Chapter 1) 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 1: Go out the family and prove the Dao-fruit

The Buddha said, “Those who farewell their family members, go out the family, recognize the heart, reach the root of inside, understand the law of no-doing, are called Sramana. Those who always go the 250 Precepts, are in the cleanness and purification while going and stopping, and do the practice of the Four-Noble-Truths Dao, become Arhats. Arhats are able to fly and change, have the lives of great eons, can dwell and move in the heaven and earth. The next is Anāgāmi. At the moment of death, their spirits ascend above the nineteenth heaven, where they prove the Arhats. The next is Sakridāgāmi, who gains the Arhat at once, after ascending to the heaven one time and return to the earth one time. The next is Srotāpanna, who proves Arhat, after seven deaths and seven being born. Cutting off the love and desire is like broken limbs which are unable to be used again.”

Sramana, Arhat, Anāgāmi, Sakridāgāmi and Srotāpanna are all Sanskrit. They are separately meant to the different degree related to practicing the Dao. Such names are all differentiated and given by people. To think of the different degree of the Doctor, Master and Bachelor, which names are also differentiated and given by people. I hope that such example would make you more understand that.

“Go out the family” which means that a man leaves his family to become a Buddhist monk. There are two kinds of going out of family. One is that the form of Buddhist monk seems to go out the family, but, his heart is still in the family. The other is that the form of Buddhist non-monk lives in the family, however, his heart is really going out the family, such is the true and going out the family. That is, no matter what the form is, that one’s heart has gone out from the family is truly going out the family.

Then, we might have questions. Why one’s heart wants to go out the family? Is there any meaning for? In the chapter twenty-three of this scripture, it is mentioned one of the reasons. The concept of this scripture is also suitable for women. That one’s heart goes out the family means to leave away the constraint, troubles and affliction occurred from the family, not to leave away the family members. The deep further meaning is to transform such constraint, troubles and affliction into wisdom to make us and others have a better life. 

In the ancient and modern time, when people would go out the family to become a monk or nun, they should have the permission from their parents first. That is for respecting the parents and thanking them to raise us. In the past time of China, it also must have the permission from the government and have to be registered in the government, which reason is to avoid the criminal person to evade the punishment from the law by the way of going out the family.  

“Recognize the heart, reach the root of inside, understand the law of no-doing” which means to recognize that there is no heart and no mind; all is occurred from our heart and mind. When we have the heart and mind, all is then occurred. When we remove our heart and mind, all is then eliminated. “All” means the phenomenon, situation, matter, object and things from our outside and inside. Some people who have heard the concept of no heart, no mind, and no conscious, are terrified, and unhappy to scold the Buddhism. Because in their thought and concept, how could it be possible that there is no heart, no mind and no conscious? They can’t understand it.

One day, Huike who was the second founder of Zen in China told the first founder Dharma,” Master, I feel that my heart doesn't be in peace. Please help me have my heart in peace.”

The first founder Dharma replied to him,” Give me your heart. I help you have the heart in peace.”

Huike thought for a while and then replied to the founder Dharma,” Master, I can’t find my heart.”

Then, the founder Dharma replied to him,” I have already helped you have your heart in peace.”

The root of inside is Emptiness. To reach the root of inside means to reach the Emptiness. The wondrous nature of inside is Emptiness. If we have such concept, we will understand the meaning of no-doing.

Most people who have heard the concept of no-doing in Buddhism are also terrified and unhappy, because they have a lot of negative thought and misunderstanding about it. Eventually, in some situation, no-doing is better than doing, do you have ever thought about that? No-doing is a state that is concern about the no-heart and Emptiness. In this state and moment, our physical and mental body will be in the state of peace, silence and health. That is Nirvana. The goal of practicing the Dao is Nirvana. It is not a short feeling. It should be a stable and continual state, which is the grand meditation. In such state, it will be the fundament, from which we can do and think in any positive ways so as to help and benefit us and others.

All of practicing the Dao aims to the state of Nirvana. There is a lot of different ways to practice the Dao. To recite or chant the name of Fo or Pusa, or to read the scripture of Buddhism, or to think of the meaning of the teaching of Buddha, and to seat to meditate, all of them are one of the ways. (Fo is Buddha; Pusa is Budhisattva. ) This part is to help and benefit ourselves. When our heart is clean, pure and peaceful, we thus have the strength to help and benefit others, which is the more deep learning.

“Recognize the heart, reach the root of inside, understand the law of no-doing” is the higher degree in practicing the Dao. The man who is in such state is called Sramana. Before aforesaid state, he might have ever done the following things.

“Those who always go the 250 Precepts, are in the state of cleanness and purification while going and stopping, and do the practice of the Four-Noble-Truths Dao, become Arhats.” It means that Buddhist monks have to obey the 250 Precepts. And no matter what they are going the good thing to benefit themselves and others, or stopping the evil things not to hurt themselves or others, they should be in the state of cleanness and purification in heart and mind.

We are not Buddhist monk, so we don’t have to obey the 250 Precepts. But, it inspires us. When we are doing the good things and are not doing the evil things, we should also keep the cleanness and purification in heart and mind. It means that we should remove the greedy, hatred, stupidity and infatuation, from heart and mind, because those things would defile our heart and mind, and let us have the negative thought. If those of them are removed, we will be in the brightness, have the peaceful mind, and the positive thought, to benefit us and others.      

“Do the practice of the Four-Noble-Truths Dao.” It means that putting the Dao of the four noble truths into the practice is one of the conditions to become Arhat. The four-noble truths are Suffering, Aggregating, Eliminating, and Dao, which are the causes and conditions to attain the Buddhahood. The Suffering is the cause. The Aggregating and Eliminating are the conditions. The Dao is the condition and result. “Dao” is transliterated from Chinese word. Its original meaning is path. And its meaning is extended to be practicing the truth.  

The first cause and condition to go into the path of Buddha is to perceive the suffering of our inside, such as any pain caused from our body, or any pressure caused from our life, or any mental illness caused from our greedy, hatred, stupidity and infatuation.

The second cause and condition to go into the path of Buddha is to perceive and find that the suffering of our inside is aggregated continually. Most people do not have such perceiving. Any suffering is easy to be forgotten by people. Once any suffering is remembered by them, what they have thought is that they are the persecuted person, all of their inside suffering is caused by others. So they want to revenge in order to eliminate their suffering. Such thought is violating the path of Buddha.

When we perceive and find the suffering of our inside is aggregated continually, we follow the path of Buddha to eliminate the suffering of our inside. It means that going into the path of Buddha is one way to eliminate our suffering of inside. Then, we might have questions, what is the path of Buddha? The definition of the path of Buddha is wide and endless. The point is in this Scripture. Secondly, the most point is in The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart which you can find and read in my blog. It is difficult for the public to understand The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart. In a word, the fundament of the path of Buddha is self-perceiving, self-control, self-liberating and self-discipline.

So, when we “walk” on the path of Buddha, it means that we put the truth or the Buddha-law taught by Buddha into the practice. We give it a name as “Dao” (or “Tao”).

“Arhats are able to fly and change, have the lives of great eons, can dwell and move in the heaven and earth.” It means the liberation and freedom about the personal life and action. It also means that the Arhat can decide its own length of life and can decide where to live, or where to be born, the heaven or the earth. Secondly, no matter where the Arhat goes or lives, the invisible guardians are always beside the Arhat to protect it, because the spirits and the ghosts in the heaven and earth would be moved by the virtue of Arhat and would vows to become the guardians to protect the Arhat. The Arhats include males and females. In some Scripture, the Bodhisatta is also called as Arhat, which owns immeasurable bliss due to the virtue of Arhat.

It is really beyond our knowledge and experience. But, it does not mean that such Arhat does not exist, because we cannot prove that such Arhat exists, and we also cannot prove that such Arhat does not exist. It is more like the personal transcendental-experience. When we become Arhat or when we meet Arhat, it is very personal transcendental-experience.

When one person has the aforesaid practicing experience, we give it a name as “Arhat”. “Arhat” is Sanskrit.  

“The next is Anāgāmi. At the moment of death, their spirits ascend above the nineteenth heaven, where they prove the Arhats.” It means that one person is at the moment of death, its spirit dwell in or above the nineteenth heaven and in where it proves the fruit of Arhat. Then, it is given a name as “Anāgāmi”, which is Sanskrit.

There are thirty-three heavens which are mentioned in Buddhism. They are more like the different dimensional-spaces, according to our understanding in the modern time.

“The next is Sakridāgāmi, who gains the Arhat at once, after ascending to the heaven one time and return to the earth one time.” It means that such person practices the Buddha-law and respectively reincarnates in heaven and earth one time. And then, it gains the fruit of Arhat. We give such person a name as” Sakridāgāmi”, which is Sanskrit.  

“The next is Srotāpanna, who proves Arhat, after seven deaths and seven being born.” It means that such person practices the Buddha-law and has to experience the reincarnation for seven times in heaven and earth. And then, it gains the fruit of Arhat. Such person is given a name as “Srotāpanna”, which is Sanskrit.

In Buddhism, there is such concept that there are immeasurable reincarnations for a spirit of one person, such as a spirit in a wheel, where includes the Six Paths, which are three belonging to good paths and three are belonging to evil paths. The three good paths are the paths of Bodhisattva, Ashura, and Human. The three evil paths are the paths of Ghost, Animal and Hell. That the spirit reincarnates in the Six Paths by turns is just like a wheel whirling continually, and never leaves the whirling wheel. Only when the spirit goes into the path of Buddha, there is the chance to leave the whirling wheel.   

    

“Cutting off the love and desire is like broken limbs which are unable to be used again.” The definition of the love and desire in here is narrower, which means that people romantically like someone or are sexually attracted. The love and desire would affect persons’ emotion and thought. Some people use their love and desire to control others. However, some people are thus controlled in mind. No matter which one, their heart and mind are not liberated and not free. Once their love and desire are not content, the irrational thought and behavior are thus occurred. No matter how they are, their heart and mind might be hurt. However, someone enjoys in such situation. The Buddha regards such persons as stupidity and infatuation, and such persons are thus in the state of no-brightness.

That cutting off the love and desire is like broken limbs means that one person should have the determination to practice the Dao. Do not let the love and desire become the obstacle in practicing the Dao.

But, the aforesaid is one of the Buddha-teachings. There is the deep and another Buddha-teaching. That is, it is not necessary to cut off the love and desire. Why? There are no love and desire fundamentally, when we completely comprehend the no-self and self-emptiness. Our love and desire are occurred and attracted from the outside situation. If we understand the Emptiness of outside and inside, where to find the love and desire to be cut off? But, such concept is hard to be understood by the Arhat, not to mention the ordinary people. It might be possible to be understood, when we make the deep meditation. If we do not have such wisdom, we are better to cut off the love and desire, when we have the determination to practice the Dao. In such situation, the love and desire is not real, because they are illusion. But, the ordinary people regard them as real.  

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.

(Prologue) 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

The Content 

Prologue

The World-Honored One, having attained Buddhahood, made such meditation, that leaving away from the desire, to be in the state of silence, is the best victory. Dwelling in the grand meditation, conquering all paths of demons, the Buddha whirled the Law-Wheel of the Four Noble Truths in the Deer-Wild Garden, and saved Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons who had thus proved the fruit of Dao. There were also various questions said by Bhikkhu who inquired the Buddha about the go-ahead and stopping. The teaching and admonition of the World-Honored One let them enlighten one by one. Putting palms of hands together, they respectfully promised to thus comply with the World-Honored One’s admonition.                                                                                      

This prologue introduced the cause, condition, and situation about the saying for the following forty-two chapters.

“The World-Honored One” which is one of the ten names of Buddha, is that the Buddhist disciples respectfully call their teacher, the Buddha Sakyamuni, when they are learning and talking about the practice or teaching of Buddha with their teacher. Why it is called “the World-Honored One”, because that the Buddha owns many virtues which are esteemed by the public, the ordinary people and the saints in world and the people in heaven. After Siddhartha had died, the public respectfully call him as the Buddha Sakyamuni, it is especially showed in Chinese scripture of Buddhism. Enlightened people would not call themselves as Buddha or the World-Honored One. Why? Think about it.   

“Having attained Buddhahood” means that Siddhartha had enlightened and liberated from the all worldly suffering, was able to speak of the Buddha-law for the public, and saved the people who are suffering.

“Made such meditation” means that he sat down under the Bodhi tree and deep contemplated how to save the people who are suffering.

“That leaving away from the desire, to be in the state of silence, is the best victory.” We can find that the thought of Buddha Sakyamuni is different from the ordinary people. Most people think that having the family, authority, wealth, high status in work or in society, which is that they have the advantages more than others, is the victory. If they want to have so many things, they must have the strong desire for those things, and must have the flexible social skill, otherwise, they would not achieve the success. However, the Buddha Sakyamuni thought that leaving away from the desire, to be in the state of silence, is the best victory.

In other word, that is, no competition, no fight, no argument, and no heart to achieve the worldly success, are the best victory. From we are a child, that what we are educated are implanted the concept of success about the competition, fighting, and argument for our better life, no matter we are in the school or in the society. It seems that if we do not do such things, we will be a loser in our society, in the world and in our whole life. And it seems that if there are no such concepts for our children or the public, our country will lose the power of competition in the world. Such concept make a lot of children and people are in the state of anxiety, fear, suffering and sulk, and make them have disease in physical and mental body. Then, we must exhaust the people’s physical and spiritual strength and health resources, and spend a lot of time to treat these people.

Therefore, you might observe that what the secular concept to be thought the right, smart, and victory by the public is thought by Buddha Sakyamuni as no brightness. In other word, what the thought of the ordinary people is darkness and stupidity.

A lot of people think that such concept of Buddha Sakyamuni will be no positive and will let their children or people lose the competition for their life in the world. I have to say that they all misunderstand the teaching of Buddha. In fact, the positive desire occurs from no desire and from the state of silence. Why? If the Buddha Sakyamuni had no desire, how could it be possible for him to speak of the Buddha-law for 49 years and to save sentient beings to liberate from the suffering? In other word, his desire had been sublimated by himself. Then, we might have questions. What is the difference between his desire and the desire of the ordinary people? Or what is the desire about the teaching of Buddha? Think about it. From this scripture, you might find it.

In the narrow explaining, the desire means filth such as the greedy for money, loving the erotic, and so occurred the hatred to the people, the arrogance and the un-trusting, that would defile our heart so to hurt ourselves and others, and make us suffer. So, the motivation of such desire is selfishness. In such a situation, the heart is like large waves, how could it be in peace? Leaving away from such desire, there would be no affliction. Our heart would be in the state of peace and silence, which means that the heart is clear, clean and pure.      

“Dwelling in the grand meditation, conquering all paths of demons” which means that when Siddhartha dwelled in the grand meditation under the Bodhi tree, the demon in heaven wanted to test him, and to know whether Siddhartha had eliminated the desire in heart or not. Then, the demon transformed his family members into three beautiful girls, who lured Siddhartha with their beauty and sexy. Siddhartha did not be lured by them. On the contrary, Siddhartha assimilated them. And then, the demon in heaven became the supporter to protect and maintain the Buddhism and its scripture.        

“The Buddha whirled the Law-Wheel of the Four Noble Truths in the Deer-Wild Garden” which means Siddhartha speak of the Buddha-law in related to the Four Noble Truths, which means the suffering, the accumulating, the eliminating and the Dao. In Buddhism, whirling the Law-Wheel means to teach or speak of the Buddha-law. Siddhartha in the profound contemplation had found that the sentient beings were suffering, and accumulating the suffering every day. When they have a thought to eliminate their suffering, they then would go into the Dao for liberating themselves from the suffering, which means that they would go into the path of Buddha.

Regarding the suffering, there are eight suffering being mentioned, which are the suffering of life, aging, disease, death, departing from the loved or the loved leaving, meeting each other in hatred, demanding which could not be content, and the suffering of flaming in five aggregations.

These sufferings would be accumulated day by day and thus increase our affliction. Only when we feel such affliction, we would have a thought to eliminate the suffering. It is thus possible for us to practice the Dao and prove the Dao, which means to liberate ourselves from the suffering and furthermore to help others liberate themselves from the suffering.

The Deer-Wild Garden(the Sanskrit is mṛgá-dāva) is a famous place in India. In the legend, there were two Pusa who transformed to be the Deer-King and to offer themselves to the Human-King so as to protect the deer herd. The Human-King promised and built a garden to protect the deer herd. So the place was called the Deer-Wild Garden. It is the first place that Siddhartha whirled the Law-Wheel, which is why it is so famous.

“Saved Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons who had thus proved the fruit of Dao.” When Siddhartha had enlightened under the Bodhi tree, he thought which one could be saved. Then, he thought of the five persons, who were his relatives and his protector to company with him to practice the Dao. Ajñāta Kaundinya is one of them. They had experienced the ascetic practice together. But, Siddhartha finally find that the ascetic practice did not work for enlightenment. Siddhartha then accepted the offering of milk by a girl. Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons thought that Siddhartha gave up the ascetic practice and then left him. After Siddhartha accepted the offering of milk by a girl, he returned back the Bodhi tree and sat down to meditate continually. Then, at one night, he had completely enlightened. After that, he talked about the first scripture “The scripture of grand-direction-widely-Fo-flower-solemn ” which Sanskrit is mahā-vaipulya-buddhâvataṃsaka-sūtra. This is an amazing scripture. However, it is pity that it is hard to be understood by the ordinary people. So he had to talk about what the ordinary people could accept and understand, such as this scripture.   

Ajñāta Kaundinya and so five persons were the first persons to be saved by Siddhartha and became his first disciple, who had proved the fruit of Dao. That means that they have attained the fruit of Arhat. So when we are enlightened, who will be saved by us? Of course, our family members or relatives will be the first. Then, how these people to be enlightened? When you carefully read, understand and realize this scripture, you will know.

“There were also various questions said by Bhikkhu who inquired the Buddha about the go-ahead and stopping.” Bhikkhu is Sanskrit. It means Buddhist monk. It also had the meanings of breaking through the evil in heart, terrifying the demon, purifying to obey the precepts, and the begging scholar which means that they practice the Dao to cut off their troubles, to conquer the demon inside and outside, to obey the precepts with clean heart, and to beg food so as to maintain their life for practicing the Dao and eliminating the greedy heart.

The evil in heart and the demon of inside and outside means the troubles and afflictions in heart. The go-ahead and stopping are related to how to put the Dao into practice, what should go ahead and what should be stopped when practicing the Dao, which is also mentioned in this scripture.

“The teaching and admonition of the World-Honored One let them enlighten one by one. Putting palms of hands together, they respectfully promised to thus comply with the World-Honored One’s admonition.” So, if you had completely understood and realize this scripture, you might be inspired or enlightened just as same as those Buddhist monks.