What is the good-knowledge person in Buddha's teaching?

 

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

What is the good-knowledge person in Buddha's teaching? 

The good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who own the virtue and merit in personal conduct and character. Meanwhile, they have been enlightened from the Buddha's teaching, and they have seen the true self-nature, the Buddha-nature, the Emptiness-nature. Furthermore, they have been proved the fruit of Dao in the realm of learning Buddha. Because they have the virtuous knowledge to put it into the practice and to persuade people to be good, they can thus help them and others people to be good persons at the same time. Furthermore, they can help human beings liberate themselves from suffering and teach them to realize the meaning of Dao in Buddha's teaching.  

In Buddhism, the good-knowledge person is meant to those persons who have been enlightened in the path of virtue, such as in the path of Buddha and Bodhisattva, and have liberated them from the suffering in life and death. Meanwhile, they have such knowledge and experience to teach and help people liberate from the suffering in life and death. That is, all of the Buddha and Bodhisattva are so called good-knowledge persons.

Where and how can we “meet” such good-knowledge persons?

 

Where can we “meet” such good-knowledge persons? Through reading and reciting the Buddhist scripture, and profoundly understanding the teaching and meaning of Buddhist scripture, we have the chance to “meet” such good-knowledge persons.

 

However, not everyone has a chance to read and recite the Buddhist scripture, let alone to profoundly understand the teaching and meaning of Buddhist scripture. In this time, if we have a chance to meet the Buddhist monk, or Buddhist nun, or the Buddhist-residing scholar of male or female, and they have the above-mentioned characteristics to teach the public of the knowledge of Buddhism, we regard them as such good-knowledge persons. Such good-knowledge persons are one of the three treasures in Buddhism. The another two treasures is Buddha and Buddha-law (Dharma). 

 

However, not everyone has a chance to meet such good-knowledge persons as said above. If we have no virtue in present and past life, we would have no chance to meet such good-knowledge persons. It is mentioned by Buddha Sakyamuni in the Buddhist scripture. That is why Buddha Sakyamuni always persuades the public and the human beings to do good things, to learn wisdom, and not to do evil things.

The boy Virtue-Wealth (Shàn cái tóngzǐ)  visits the various good-knowledge persons with a modest attitude.

 

There is a famous Buddhist scripture named as the Avatamsaka Sutra. In Sanskrit, it is as " महावैपुल्यबुद्धावतंसकसूत्र mahā-vaipulya-buddhâvataṃsaka-sūtra ". In its last part, The Buddha has mentioned about a boy whose name is Virtue-Wealth. Here, "virtue" also means "good". "Good" involve the meaning of virtue. I translate the boy’s name as Virtue-Wealth which is from the meaning of the Chinese characters. The transliteration from the Chinese characters is Shàn cái tóngzǐ. The boy Virtue-Wealth (Shàn cái tóngzǐ) is about 15-18 years old. Due to he has planted a lot of virtue in his mind in the present and past life, he thus owns a lot of wealth naturally. That is why he is called as boy Virtue-Wealth. The famous part is that he visits 53 good-knowledge persons, and consults them how to learn the conduct of Bodhisattva and how to practice on the path of Bodhisattva. In a word, it is meant to how to learn Buddha.

 

In this part, in the said Avatamsaka Sutra, I have not yet found any version of translation from Chinese into English. This is a pity. The human beings would rather spend huge money to develop or buy the high-tech weapon, but won't  spend a lot of money to develop the wisdom and the true bliss for the human beings.    

 

In the 53 good knowledge persons, there are Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, Buddhist-residing scholar of females, Buddhist-residing scholar of males, Immortals, Brahmans, elders, boys, girls, non-Buddhist monks, kings, women, the gods of heaven, the gods of land, the gods of night, God-light girl, and Bodhisattvas.

 

We can find that the good-knowledge persons are not limited in the Buddhism. The good-knowledge persons are also coming from the outer of Buddhism, and also coming from the different genders, ages, and various industries, even from the immortals, goddesses and gods. I think it is more corresponding to our logical thinking of the diversity and the equality.  

What is the advantage to meet such good-knowledge persons?

 

All of the good-knowledge persons have and practice their own method or Buddha-law to liberate from suffering in life and death, and to use such method or Buddha-law to liberate others people from suffering in life and death. It is not only liberating sentient beings from suffering, but also enlightening them and letting them own the wisdom, wealth and bliss naturally.

 

Some of the method is like the worldly knowledge, such as architecture, arithmetic, and law. However, most of the method or Buddha-law is beyond our knowledge and experience, even to beyond what it should be as we think. Mostly, it is positive concept and energy with benevolence and empathy to the all sentient beings. All is worth for us to learn and practice in our life, so as to make us an open-minded person with good and abundant knowledge. 

How to encounter the good-knowledge persons as mentioned above?

In a word, how to encounter the good-knowledge persons as mentioned above? According to the Buddha’s teaching, we should initiate and have the Bodhi-heart and planted the virtue in mind. If we have such good causes, we would absolutely meet the good-knowledge persons as mentioned above and it would help us go on the path of Buddha.

Does The Chasing For The Personal Great Dream Conflict With The Buddha’s Teaching?

Author: Tao Qing Hsu  (A Buddhist at home;Taiwan; Since AD 1971-- )

 

The concept for dropping out our vain thinking and cling seems to run in the opposite direction about bravely chasing the great dream. The American dream makes the America great. The personal great dream makes the individual great. In the past time, I often see the American movies. There is a feature for the American movies. That is to emphasize and encourage humans bravely chasing the personal great dream and the characters will finally achieve their goal after experiencing a lot of frustration and failure. It is really uplifting our mind.

 

I also find that this concept is quite different from our traditional education in Taiwan, including the traditional teaching of Buddha in Taiwan. The most difference is that the America encourages the humans to make dream, try it and bravely take the adventures through the cooperation with partners step by step. However, the traditional education in Taiwan encourages humans to keep themselves superior, excellent, obedient and safe through the individual competing strength in education and in career.    

  

Therefore, we might have one question. Do making dream, trying it and taking the adventures conflict with the teaching of Buddha? When we profoundly think about it and realize the Buddha’s teaching, we will find that there is no conflict between them. Meanwhile, we will acknowledge it is acceptable to abandon the vain hope and cling. There is no conflict for these concepts. Why?

 

The reasoning (the principle) and the event are perfectly integrated which makes each event without obstacle.

 

If you have read the Sutra of 42 chapters said by Buddha from chapter 1 to chapter 39, you might have the fundamental concept, that the emptiness and the existence (or the possessing) are one. That is, the meaning of the true and the meaning of the worldly are one. The emptiness is the true reasoning (the principle). The existence (or the possessing) is the worldly event. When we really have realized these concepts and practiced these concepts in daily life, we can perfectly integrate these concepts together and make the event or the dream (what we are doing) to be completed or realized in the condition without obstacle and limitation.

 

There is nothing to gain and nothing to lose for us, even the event or the dream is failed. That is because we have established the healthy mind through practicing the Dao as said above--abandon the cling for anything, let it go and let it be. That is called that the reasoning (the principle) and the event are perfectly integrated which makes each event without obstacle.

 

The concept of without obstacle is established on the mind, the self-nature and the emptiness. The event itself will certainly meet any changes of situations. However, there is no good and no bad about any changes of situations. That is because our mind is dwelling on the emptiness. In the emptiness, there is no good and no bad. Since our mind is dwelling on the emptiness, there is no obstacle in our mind. Since there is no obstacle in our mind, there is the mastery in our mind to communicate and achieve the subject or goal. In this state, it is the true mastery.

 

The appearance with illusion and disappearance with illusion based on the self-nature

 

Finally, we will find that there is no conflict between the natural wisdom and bravely chasing the great dream. Why? It is the appearance with illusion and disappearance with illusion based on the self-nature. Even though we are not the Sramana, there is no conflict and no obstacle between the true and the worldly, when we practice the Dao of heart and make or realize our great dream step by step and down to earth. This is the real practicing and the real proving about the Dao of heart (the path of, the virtue of and the merit of the heart).  

 

Where is the best place for us to practice the Dao of heart? When we understand the above mentioned concept about the perfect integration of reasoning and event, we will know that the worldly where we are is the best place for us to practice the Dao of heart.

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.

Chapter 10: Joyfully give and gain the bliss

(Chapter 10) 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 10: Joyfully give and gain the bliss 

The Buddha said,” See people giving Dao and help them joyfully; the gained bliss is very grand.” A Sramana asked “Does such bliss be ended?” The Buddha said,” Such as a torch-fire that many thousand and many hundred of people separately come to take the fire with their torch, to cook food and remove the dark, this torch-fire is still the same. The bliss is also the same like this. “

There is a saying,”Helping others is the source of happiness.” According to the research, those who like to help others in any ways are more healthful and happy, and have the longer life. Such people usually own the open mind, and do not require any feedback for what they have done in virtue.

Giving is some kind of helping. In a brief, there are three kinds of giving as mentioned in Buddhism. That is as follows:

Giving the money to others; money also could be replaced by food, clothes, medicine and so on.

Giving the Buddha-law to others;

Giving the fearlessness to others. Make others don't fear anything. 

It is easy to understand to give the money to others and to give the Buddha-law to others. Then, we might have a question; how could we give the fearlessness to others? Do you know who the fearlessness-giver is? Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving, which you can read the following article: Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter or A Brief Talk about Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving in Universally Door Chapter.

Do you know why Pusa World-Sounds-Perceiving is in the state of no fear? If you are interested in that, I suggest you to read the following article: The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart or A Brief Talk about The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart

According to the Buddha-law, there is always existed the cause and the effect. The above three kinds of giving is also classified as the cause. Then, what is the effect? So, when we give the money to others, we would gain the wealth; when we give the Buddha-law to others, we gain the wisdom; and when we give the fearlessness to others, we gain the longevity.

In a narrow sense, “giving the Dao” in this chapter is belonging to the second as mentioned above: giving the Buddha-law to others. Broadly speaking, the meaning of Dao or Buddha-law is not limited. That is, the all; those things which are good for people are belonging to Dao. In a word, it includes the three kinds of giving; and it also includes any kind of knowledge, ideologies, drama, music, and image or video production which is good for people in the world.

In the time of Buddha Sakyamuni, the Buddhist monk or nun begged for food. They did not require the money. When they had food from people, they speak of the Buddha-law for them. In other word, the Buddhist monk or nun played in the role of teacher or tutor. The life of the Buddhist monk or nun was maintained by such food so that they could nourish their life of wisdom by their body. When the people had heard the Buddha-law from the Buddhist monk or nun, they could thus have incurred the heart of compassion and wisdom, and their life of wisdom could have thus been inspired. In other word, this is a way of helping each other, and of benefiting each other. And it is also a way to connect to each other face by face in emotion and feeling.

So, the Buddha had ever mentioned that the Buddhist monk or nun is bliss-farm. Offering food to Buddhist monk or nun is like to sow seeds of bliss on the bliss-farm; the fruits of bliss would be gained finally. Why? The cause is equal to the outcome. If the cause is not equal to the outcome, it would violate the natural law. Such as if we sow the seed of apple, we would not gain the fruit of banana, but apple. Of course, the premise is that such Buddhist monk or nun should have purified in their heart. It is very important to know this point. 

However, the process of begging the food is not always smooth. Some people are in the stingy heart and dislike to see the Buddhist monk or nun. The worse is that they might rebuke or harm the Buddhist monk or nun with hatred heart or with despised. The Buddha had mentioned the outcome for such thing of rebuke and harm in the chapter 6,7 and 8.

The law of the cause and effect is always there. So, if we are fond of giving, we gain the bliss. The Buddha said,” See people giving Dao and help them joyfully; the gained bliss is very grand.” It encourages people to do good thing. Meanwhile, when we have seen someone doing the good thing, we could joyfully help them in any ways. Such effort is never in vain. The bliss that we could gain is very grand.

With the change of time, and the development of internet, we could find that people give their knowledge and wisdom to others on the internet by using website or blog; it is non-profit, so they accept the autonomous donation coming from the freely support of person or group on the internet. Now the group of or the person of Buddhism is also using such way. And we can read the scripture said and taught by Buddha in free on the internet. We also can find any article or video which the Buddhist monk or nun, or the Buddha-learner explained the Buddhism. I think it is very convenient and helpful for our life. The question is, are we lucky to find it and willing to read it?   

A Sramana asked: “Does such bliss be ended?” The Buddha said,” Such as a torch-fire that thousand and hundred of people separately come to take the fire with their torch, to cook food and remove the dark, this torch-fire is still the same. The bliss is also the same like this.” Obviously, it means that such bliss is existed permanently. It would not be disappeared. In Buddhism, it is called as virtue karma which would be recorded by the Spirit who is always with us. Whether the bliss or not in our life would be depended on such virtue karma. According to the cause and the effect, I think it is reasonable.

Chapter 9: Return to the root and understand the Dao

(Chapter 9) 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 9: Return to the root and understand the Dao 

The Buddha said,” Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood; obeying our own aspiration and keeping the Dao, such Dao is very grand.”

Dao is Tao, which is transliterated from Chinese character; its original meaning is path, road and way. Then, the meaning of Dao is extended more widely and its meaning has become more broadly with the change in time and space, such as talking, saying, method, law, doctrine, morality, skillfulness, capability, and the thought system of religion or education. The thought system of religion or education includes the aforesaid meanings.

In the history and in the time of war in China, the literati, the scholarship, intellectuals, and some of them in seclusion, they liked to study and talk about the Dao, and some of them would put what they have studied about the Dao into practice. Then, they concluded the concepts and created their own group, to teach their disciples. Such situation is also happened in ancient India, in the time of Buddha Siddhartha. In the modern time, especially in recently 300 year, there are also different concepts or dogmas being created.

A lot of concepts or dogmas are created from the ancient to the modern time. But, it doesn’t mean that the concepts itself are right or wrong. The problem is how it is applied properly by human and to benefit others. So, any concept or dogma is some kind of Dao. But, mostly, we think that Dao is lean to the positive concept which could benefit people and make people live a good life, including in the material and mental areas.

Any concept or doctrine itself has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, how do we delimit it? In any concept or doctrine, some advantage might be a disadvantage for others. And, some disadvantage being thought might be an advantage for others. That is, the advantage what you have thought or the doctrine is advantage to you might be the disadvantage to us.

There are more than one hundred theories, concepts, principles, dogmas or doctrine in ancient China, let alone in India, in European, or in other place. Those mentioned above are some kind of Dao. Even though a person who has the spirit of learning motivation and has learned a lot of knowledge, honestly, it is barely impossible for him to comprehend the all, let alone some concepts might be never heard or seen by people, such as this scripture. To have the knowledge of Dao is one thing; to put the knowledge of Dao into practice is another.

In the chapter 2, the Buddha had defined the Dao for their disciples. 

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.”

Such Dao is also suitable for all people. But, it is hard to most people to understand, let alone to practice it. For most people, they think that such Dao is no useful for their life. But, if you could understand it deeply, you could find it is very useful for our life, even though we are not disciples of Buddha. If you are interested in the content of chapter 2 that I had explained, you can find here(Chapter 2)A Brief Talk about The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha.

“Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood. “ Here, the first Dao means a lot of doctrine. The second Dao means the Dao which is explained by Buddha. It also means that it would not help us specialize in the truth, if we extensively hear and like a lot of doctrine. But, I think that it would help us open our mind and increase our knowledge. And it also help us to judge and choice what kind of doctrine is suitable for us.

All the teachings of Buddha include the philosophy, psychology, ethics, medicine, sociology, economics, science, physics and politics. If we widely involved such knowledge, and we have the fundamental concept of Buddhism, we would find that. Of course, the Buddhism is not classified in those respectively academic. The Buddhism is not used for researching in any academic, but for researching to our inner heart and practicing it in our real life. Then, we would find that the truth is in our heart, not from any research of academic, and also not from any outside supreme Spirit. That is the truth that the Buddha wants us to know.       

When we are lack of knowledge and are thus ignorant, we are easy to be bounded by and attach to one doctrine, especially, those persons who are poor and are oppressed by the pressure of life. For them, the Dao explained by Buddha is almost useless.

In the history, unfortunately, there is always the people to use the doctrine what they think it is right, to use it as their faith, and use the military power or the other means to force others people to obey their doctrine. The more worse is that they constrain the other doctrine to be transmitted and oppress or kill the people who practice these doctrines.

From the history, we can find that the Buddhism in the beginning is accepted by those people who are more educated, own more knowledge, and are in the high status, such as the emperor, or the prime minister. Ordinary people barely have the chance to hear or read The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapter Said by Buddha, except for being a Buddhist monk or nun. Most people just know to pray the Buddha to bless them to have a good and peaceful life. But, they do not know, to have a good and peaceful life is based on what they do in compassion and wisdom, and in knowledge. That is why the Buddhism was ever regarded as blind faith. Fortunately, those noble persons protect the Buddhism.

So, the Buddha said,” Extensively hearing and liking the Dao, the Dao is certainly hard to be understood.” In a word, it means that we could understand the truth, only when we profoundly realize the Dao and put it into practice intently.

The Buddha said,” Obeying our own aspiration and keeping the Dao, such Dao is very grand.” Even though these words are said to disciples of Buddha, it is also good for us. We might be curious about what the aspiration for the disciples of Buddha is, and why Buddha had said that.  

In the deep contemplation under the Bodhi tree, The Buddha had perceived that there are three kinds of sentient beings about their root of wisdom. He had classified them as higher root, intermediate root and lower root in wisdom. Why is it called the root of wisdom? The root of wisdom could bear the fruits of Buddha. And he also had used the container as a metaphor to describe how the degree is that the sentient beings could accept the teaching of Buddha, and how the degree is that they could achieve the goal. He also had classified it as large container, middle container and small container.

If people are compared and described as the large container, it means such people could accept the deep doctrine said by Buddha. On the contrary, if people are compared and described as the small container, it means such people could not accept the deep doctrine, and could only accept the simplistic doctrine.

So, we connect the word ”root” and “container” to be “root-container”. We can explain it as that the container could storage the root; the large container could hold the large root; the small container could only hold the small root of wisdom. The Buddha then had classified sentient beings as large root-container, which means it has the large wisdom; middle root-container, which means that it has the intermediate wisdom; and small root-container, which means it only has the little wisdom.

No matter the wisdom is large or little, it is unrelated to the academic experience, social status, age, IQ, and illiteracy. So, it is very important to give up the prejudice and the restriction coming from any concept. 

Those who are in poor have no chance to accept the teaching of Buddha. do you know how many they are in the world? They are more than half of the world's population. So, if you have ever read The Scripture of Forty-Two Chapters Said by Buddha, you are really lucky and blissful. Why? First, you might be in the wealth so you can use the smartphone or computer to read this chapter. Second, you might be healthful so you have the energy to read this chapter. Third, you have time and brain to study this chapter. Be positive thinking is always good for life.   

Now, we return back to the question what the aspiration for the disciples of Buddha is. Do you know how many disciples there are? According to the records in the history, there are 2500 disciples to follow the Buddha. As we have mentioned above, the disciples of Buddha are classified as large root-container, middle root-container, and small root-container.

So, according to the difference of root-container, what the Buddha had taught to them is also different. There is a saying,” Teaching in accordance with the aptitude of student”. The teaching of Buddha is very enlightened, that is Q&A, and there is a lot of “why” or "by what the cause and condition is" coming from the inquiry of disciples. If you have ever read any scripture in Buddhism, you would find it.

Of course, according to the difference of the root-container, there is about the deep question or the shallow question, so their aspirations are different. Then, what is the difference of their aspirations?

Those who are small root-container could little understand what the Buddha had taught, but, at least, could be carefully not to make any mistakes, just ask for not go to the hell, and wish that after dying, it is better to have the chance to go to the heaven or the pure land created by Buddha Amitabha. In there, they still have the chance to accept the teaching of Buddha and to learn the Buddha.

Those who are middle root-container could not realize the real Dao said by Buddha, could be enlightened a bit, and put it into practice in life at times, but, not completely. They also obey the precepts and further do the good thing, to save sentient beings to liberate from suffering. They also could teach and explain what the Buddha had taught, but, just according to the words to explain the meaning, not from their real practice and also not from their personal enlightenment. Even though this, they have wished to become Buddha in future life and to go to the pure land created by Buddha after their dying.

Those who are large root-container could realize the real Dao said by Buddha, could be enlightened, and put it into practice in real life. They could teach and explain what the Buddha had taught based on their real practice and their personal enlightenment. What they taught is very alive, and not be bounded to the words. Furthermore, it is very possible for them to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha, in the present life. They would create the pure land in heart by themselves. Where to go after their dying? Just be there.    

These three kinds of persons have one common basis, that is, their minds have been inspired by Buddha and they thus have wished to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha, in the future. This is the first and very important aspiration which has been obeyed. On the basis, they could learn the Buddha and accept what the Buddha had taught, and thus to keep the Dao. Keeping the Dao to become Buddha is their final goal. Why it is very grand? The all Buddha-law is completely understood and achieved, and the all virtue is solemn, after becoming Buddha. That is why such Dao is very grand for them.

Then, we might have a question. What is the Buddha-law? In generally speaking, the Buddha-law includes the all, the positive thing and the negative thing, and whether it is positive or negative which are judged by the human subjective consciousness. But, in the concept of Buddha-law, the delimited things sometimes might be broken, because the fact might be not what we have seen and what we have thought.

Furthermore, if we can properly apply the Buddha-law with our wisdom in our life, it could make our life alive and live well. But, if we could not apply the Buddha-law properly, we might “die” in the Buddha-law, which means no elasticity and no creation in our life.   

So, we have understood that, whether such Dao is very grand or not, is not concerned about others, also not concerned about you and me, but concerned about the person who has wished to attain the Buddhahood, to become Buddha.

As mentioned before, Buddha is a substantive noun given by people. It means a state of Emptiness and Non-Emptiness, which include the peace, the wisdom, compassion, and the soul of kindness.