Why Zen can be developed and flourished well in the history of China, but not in India?

Writer: Tao Qing Hsu

The origin of Zen is in India. Why Zen is not popular and not developed in India? If we do not understand the profoundly meaning of Zen, we would never know the answer.  

Zen is not equal to the meditation-sitting.

Some people think that Zen is equal to the meditation-sitting. This is to mistakenly understand the Zen. In fact, meditation-sitting is one of many ways to go into the gate of Zen. Furthermore, if we stubbornly persist in the name of Zen, we also mistakenly understand the Zen.  

When Buddha Shakyamuni was alive, he said that Buddhism will flourish in China. If we reference the culture of India to compare to the difference of culture of China, we will be easy to know why.

Caste System limits one’s mind and freedom.

In the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, Caste System has been existed in India. Even today, Caste System is still in India to affect everyone’s life. Caste System is a strongly class system. It has the strongly exclusivity. The same class can be intermarried. Different classes cannot be intermarried.

The lowest classes and the poorest persons cannot change their fates under the restraint of such social system. They and their future generations will be in the hereditary poverty. No matter what class they are, their mind and life is stubbornly tied by the concept of Caste System. 

The concept of the class opposition does not belong to the profoundly meaning of Buddhism.

In other word, Caste System made the society exist the mood of hostile and the contemptuous environment. Such strongly control system and the generated atmosphere as said could not empty and free their mind. The greedy mind is strongly existed in the rich people. And the hatred mind to the rich people would be strongly existed in the poor.

Under the circumstance, no matter which class they are, there is no flexibility and creation in their mind. In such society, there will be strongly existed the class opposition. The concept of the class opposition does not belong to the profoundly meaning of Buddhism. The profoundly meaning of Buddhism is to break the concept of any class opposition.

   

In the history of China, scholar, farmer, worker and businessman, these four classes can flow with each other.

In the history of China, there are four classes and which is classified by career. That is, scholar, farmer, worker and businessman. These four classes can flow with each other. Most scholars worked in the government and some of the scholars become the tutor. If people want to be the scholar, they have to pass the examination set by the government. Scholars are most respected by the public. The family background of scholars may come from any one of the four classes as said.

In the traditional education in China, to have the broad-minded and to accept the different human race is the important thought in the nobility. Even the farmer, the poor or the beggar, once they have any ability to be admired and create any merit to the country, they have the chance to be the nobility and to own the fortune someday.  

Rich people will not exceed three generations. The poor may step one into the sky.

In other word, it is possible for the rich or the poor to be changed at any time. The poor may become a rich person by running the business, defeating the enemy of the country or by passing the government examination and thus working in the government. If the rich people do the evil thing, it would become the poor at one night. That is why there is a saying, ” Rich people will not exceed three generations. The poor may step into the sky.”

Therefore, no matter in the political, literary, or in the industrial, there is a lot of flexibility and creation in the peoples’ mind in the history of China. Meanwhile, the Chinese people believe that they can change their fate by personal’s effort. Of course, the traditional Chinese politic and culture also provide such environment.

Such thought is very corresponding to the meaning of Buddhism. That is, as long as we will do the good thing, we will get the good repay from the god of heaven. However, once we do any evil thing, we could not avoid any punishment or evil retribution from the god of heaven.  

To empty and free the personal’s mind and to break the concept of class opposition is the profoundly meaning of Zen.

Therefore, in the history of China, it is possible to break the class opposition according to the personal’s effort. That is why it is possible for Chinese people to empty and free the personal’s mind and to break the concept of class opposition.

In a word, if there is a thought of binary opposition, it is impossible for us into the profoundly meaning of Zen. From comparing the different culture between India and China, we understand why Zen can be developed and flourished in the history of China, but not in India.

To self close the path of self-wealth is the result of self-injustice.

Writer: Tao Qing Hsu

There is a Chinese saying, ”There is the justice in the heaven and land. ” Since the ancient time of China, no matter the emperor or the citizen, once they can obey the justice of heaven and land to treat people, they believe that the god of heaven and land would not bring disaster to them. But, if they cannot obey the justice of heaven and land, it is impossible for them to avoid any disaster and punishment from the god of heaven and land.

Therefore, most people believe that, when we do the good thing, we will get the good repay from the heaven and land. However, if we do the evil thing, we will have the evil retribution. Even the nobility, the emperor, the officer, the boss and the businessman, they don’t dare to bully people. Once they own the evil heart to bully people, it is also the time to close their wealth, even to close their life.

The most Chinese people respect the heaven and land. That is because they believe that the gods of heaven and land represent the sentient beings. Meanwhile, the Chinese traditional virtue is the mercifulness. The Chinese people also believe that the gods of heaven and land are unified with human beings. Therefore, to respect the heaven and land is to respect the sentient beings. It is also meant to respect self. Such virtue is corresponding to the Buddhism. That is also one of the reasons that Buddhism can be developed well in the history of China.

Some people complain that why the god treats them unfairly or why they cannot get rid of the poverty. If we observe these people carefully, we can find that there is the self-injustice existed in their heart. Even though they use a lot of methods or words to cover it, or they decorate any phenomenon happened by the self-injustice, what they have done by self-injustice existed in their heart still can't escape heaven's eyes. To close the path of wealth is not from the god, but from the self. That is, to close the path of self-wealth is the result of self-injustice. We should be alert to this.

The Origin of Zen

Author: Tao Qing Hsu

Pinch a flower and smile. Outside of teaching, other imparting, one heart to confirm the other heart.

When Buddha Shakyamuni is on the spirit-vulture mountain, he pinches a flower and shows to his disciples and the masses. All of them are silent and do not understand what the meaning is. Only a Buddhist monk Mahakassapa smiles with comprehend about this.

Then, Buddha Shakyamuni says, ” I have the correct-law-eye-treasure, Nirvana wondrous heart. The true phenomenon is without phenomenon. The wondrous law-gate, no text is established. There is the other imparting outside of teaching. These imparting are delivered to Mahakassapa.”

This is the origin of Zen. “The correct-law-eye-treasure” is translated from Chinese into English. “law” here means “Buddha-law”. “correct law” means the whole Buddha law. “eye” here means “to see and reflect the all things clearly”. “treasure” here means “to include the all things”.

The true phenomenon is without phenomenon.

So, what Zen is imparted is the whole Buddha law which is reflected the all things and it could be seen by us. It is the treasure which could lead us into the Nirvana with our wondrous heart. What is the wondrous heart? It is to realize that the true phenomenon is without phenomenon. How can we go into the gate of such wondrous Buddha law? Its password and secret is the wondrous heart and no text. Such special and wondrous Buddha law is outside of the normal Buddha’s teaching and these imparting are delivered to Mahakassapa.

Mahakassapa is the first generation of India Zen. The word "Zen" is transliterated from Chinese. The system of Zen imparts from the first generation which is the only one, to the next generation which is also the only one. The method is one heart to confirm the other heart. In other word, at the same generation, the second person has no chance to gain the confirming from the Zen master. This rule continues until the sixth generation of Chinese Zen. After him, Zen is broadly imparted and delivered in China.

The essence of Zen is speechless and no text.

The Indian Zen is from Mahakassapa to Dharma, which is totally imparted 28 generations. Dharma can speak and read in Chinese and he imparts Zen in China. He is respected as the first generation of Chinese Zen. From the first generation to the sixth generation in Chinese Zen, there is only one person who can be confirmed as the next enlightened Zen master in each generation. In Zen, each Zen master will leave his verses as confirmation of enlightenment.  

There is no text. Why? That is because it is from one mind to communicate to the other mind in the emptiness. Where you can find the text? It is unless someone records it on the paper.

If someone could not perceive the self spiritual awakening, it is hardly for him to experience and prove the emptiness-nature, and to experience the communication from one mind to the other mind in the emptiness. It is hardly for us to be imparted and confirmed from Zen master in the emptiness, unless we are the top supreme wise person, and have the merit and virtue in learning Buddha.

One flower with five leaves. The result is completed naturally.

In the worldly, there are golden-thread dresses and bowl to be used as Zen heritage tokens which stops to deliver by Zen master Huineng who is the sixth generation of Chinese Zen.

Zen is not easy to be understood by the masses. That is why it is single imparting, and why the Zen is the mystery and puzzle for the masses, and why it is not publicly known in India.

Zen is publicly known by the masses since the Master Huineng, the sixth generation of Chinese Zen. His time is in A.D.638-713. The master Huineng imparts Zen for five disciples who are confirmed to be enlightened in Zen. Then, these five disciples develop Zen everywhere in China. And at the same time, Zen is also imparting to Japan and Korea.

Our natural wisdom is speechless.

The Zen master Huineng is illiteracy. As we know above, no text is established in Zen. That is what the interesting. The illiteracy doesn’t be the obstacle to be enlightened in wisdom. That is a special record in the Buddhist history. This record also lets us know that, whatever the language is spoken, it is not the obstacle for enlightening our natural wisdom. Why?

Any language is developed in a social group. As we have mentioned before, the grandest Dao is speechless. That is, our natural wisdom is speechless. Once we realize our natural wisdom, whether we are illiteracy or what language we speak is not so important. Any text or language is just to help us more easily understand what our natural wisdom is. In other word, any text and language itself is not the natural wisdom. When we want to enlighten our natural wisdom, we even have to abandon any text and language in the temporarily.

Chapter 22: Money and erotic incur the affliction

(Chapter 22) 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 22: Money and erotic incur the affliction

The Buddha said,” That money and erotic for people can not be abandoned are such as honey on the blade of one knife which is not enough to be the perfect of one meal; when a child licks them, it would cause the trouble of cutting tongue. ” 

Personal ignorance and greed bring the harm and trouble to the self and others.

There is no one who does not like money. There is no man who does not like erotic. For seeking and obtaining money and erotic, people do not care about morality and justice. They even do not care about their responsibility for their family members, the public, the society, or the country. Such things can be observed from the history and the news, even around our daily life.

The worse is that such things would cause the chain structure of accomplice. And people may use the legislation or protocol to hide their intention. And such legislation or protocol even is made between one country and the other country.

The evil retributions because of harming others through money and erotic are also truly existed.

What we have observed and seen is that those who want to maintain their own money and erotic always threaten A and bully B, even to lie and twist the facts. What surprise us is that someone is also willing to cooperate with those persons in order to maintain theirs own money and erotic, too.

For those people, they do not know and even do not think that doing so would bring them the trouble. That is because they indulge in the illusory enjoyment of the moment and forget any danger after the enjoyment.

When I am young, I do not understand why such things can be existed in the world. And most good people can not do anything to change it. There is also unbalance emotion in my mind in that time. But, when I deeply observe the history and news, even to my daily life, I find that the retributions for such things are also actually existed.

Many people are suffering because of tangling in chasing money and erotic.

Why the money and erotic incur the affliction? It can be spoken in two parts. One is the retribution in the present life. And the other is the retribution in the next life.

Many people are suffering because of tangling in chasing money and erotic, and they may thus harm others purposely. But, they may not have such self perceiving. Some people may lose job unwillingly, become poorer or go into the jail, even to die. Even though they have a life, they still have to suffer in their life.

Before their dying, they may have ever experienced threatening and panic, even to violence. That is the retribution in their present life. Unfortunately, they even do not know they would be died for such reasons. Once they have dead, their souls directly goes into one of the three evil ways and are suffering there. That is the retribution in their next life.

The fortune and nobility are pursued in the danger.

There is a Chinese saying, ”The fortune and nobility are pursued in the danger. ” Which means that, if people want to pursue the wealthy and noble life, they must have the preparing to lost their life and job, even to take the risk to make crime. Even though they may know that, they still will to risk it.

Why? In the history, the population in China is very large, the unfair is always existed in the society, and the generated wealth and the authority are so attractive. If they want to be the top or the wealthy person from the large population, it is not count on their merit and virtue, but any risk in life. And the money and erotic is the best tool to get the wealth and the authority.  

Money and erotic is sweet as honey. Everyone would like to taste it. However, most people do not know that the honey is on the blade of one knife and can not let us eat enough. Those persons are like the ignorant children to lick the knife's honey and let their tongue to be cut. In other word, they many become the stepping stones of those who desire to be the top and wealthy person.

Pursuing money and erotic is coming from the greedy nature and heart.

No matter the persons become the stepping stones or the persons who have step on the stones to be the top or wealthy one, pursuing money and erotic is coming from the greedy nature. Greedy nature is one of the three poisons which can harm the self and others.

Some evil people not only indulge in such poison but also use such poison to control or threaten others. And its spread damages are beyond our imagination, for example, the biochemical weapon damage. Such damage is global. It not only causes the large death of human beings, but also causes the huge economic loss. It is the Invisible poison and its harm is more beyond than the tangible poison.

In a country, the government may arrest suspect or held accountable who make a mistake because of greedy nature. But, in the international politic, there is no international law which can punish those who cause any large disasters and economic loss in the world because of their greedy nature.

What the Buddha has seen is the mind and true heart inside, not the decorated phenomenon.

The Buddha also observed about this. Any artificial law or agreement may be twisted, despised, fake, bias, or fraud. However, in Buddhism, the retribution through personal reasons and conditions are impossible to be twisted, bias or fraud. Why? That is because what the Buddha has seen is the mind and true heart inside, not the phenomenon which is decorated.

When we understand it, we know that we would not violate our good nature to do evil things. When we do not lie to self, we do not lie to the Buddha and the public.

The ignorant person may lie to the world. But, it can not lie to the Buddha. So, it is better for us to be a wise person and be humble front the Buddha.

When we have such common sense, we would not be bind in following money and erotic, and would not use them to do the evil things, and would never be exploited, controlled or threatened by others. Under the circumstances, we would be the true free person and make sure that our destiny is on the bright way.

Chapter 21: The fame makes us lost our root.

(Chapter 21) 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 21: The fame makes us lost our root.

The Buddha said,” People follow their emotion and desire in order to seek the fame; when the fame is obvious, the body is already dead. Be greedy for the worldly permanent fame, but not to learn the Dao, it wastes the energy and toils the body, such as burning incense, even though people smell the scent, the ash of incense has not yet dying. The fire to endanger the body is behind.”       

There are always two sides in one thing. Fame is too.

There are always two sides in one thing. Fame is too. Which side been seen by you will decide your future destiny. What most people have seen is the advantage from fame, which may bring them a lot of chance to have the top career, abundant personal connections, many fortunes, admired by people, holding the more power, and more influence to others. It is really quite attractive to most people.

In showbiz or political environment, or the communication circle of businessmen, people always have to pursue the fame so as to have the advantage as said above. If people can use their fame and its advantages to do the good things for the sentient beings, it doesn't be a bad thing. They usually have the good bliss. But, it doesn’t mean that they have good wisdom. Unfortunately, they still have a lot of upset in mind and do not have a thought to look for a method from Dao to relieve their upset. 

There is always existed the danger behind the famous fame.

They lost their intelligent mind in the illusory glory, and feel painful in the emotion and situation of obtaining and loss. Those who have the good looking or the beautiful education have the more chance in their young age compared to the general people to be the star in the showbiz or political environment. Unfortunately, the bright stars always fall someday.

Thanks to they are too young to resist any tempt from their career environment, some of them unfortunately make crime and go into the jail. Some of them are even to be dead owing to be murdered by other people's greedy, hatred and jealous. Some are lack of the profoundly experience in life, and can not feel any deep meaning of life. Even though they have the famous fame and the fortune accordingly, they make suicide in feeling no life meaning and goal. 

 

There is always existed the danger behind the famous fame. If we are wise enough, we will know that and look for the good way to avoid any danger behind the fame. How to do that? The answer is in this chapter. When we own the fame, it is better for us to learn Dao and put it into the practice at the same time. 

To learn Dao and put it into the practice is an invisible protection net which can protect our root, natural wisdom, and the safe of our life and fortune.

To learn Dao and put it into the practice will accumulate our merit and virtue which is really able to increase our bliss and wealth. The bliss and wealth is paid in return not only in our present life, but also in our next life. Only doing so and make the fame to be a good thing for helping the sentient beings, it would not waste our energy and toil our body. Meanwhile, it would also not make us lost our root. 

To learn Dao and put it into the practice is an invisible protection net which can protect our root, natural wisdom, and the safe of our life and fortune. How to learn Dao and put it into the practice is taught in this 42 chapters said by Buddha. The Buddha-law and Dharma is very large and deep as sea, the scripture of 42 chapters said by Buddha is only one of them.

What I said above is according to the modern thoughts and the flourish development of diverse media. However, what I will say below is according to the root of human beings.

Fame is emptiness.

Fame is actually to be formed through the reasons and conditions. If you have ever read any articles in this blog, you may have already the concept about the emptiness. Anything is formed through the reasons and conditions. Fame is too. When we dismantle any reasons and conditions, we find that the fame is actually the emptiness. In fact, fame is as bubble, which is looked beautiful, however, may be disappeared anytime. Understanding that, we know that fame is actually impermanent.

We better to be wise not to stubbornly persist in any fame and its advantages.

When we have such concept as said above, we know that we better to be wise not to stubbornly persist in any fame and its advantages. When we are lucky to have a good fame and its advantages, we use them to do the good things for the sentient beings. When the fame has left us, we let it go and let it be. Don’t be sad for the loss of fame, because there is nothing to be lost. In such situation, our heart would be at ease.

The fame may incur any danger to us.

As a person to practice the Dao as taught by Buddha, we should control our emotion and desire not to seek the fame. As Buddha said, the fame is such as the incense which is smelled well. However, the ash of incense has not yet dying. The fire is still there. The fame is as the fire which may danger our body at any time, which means that the fame may incur any danger to us.

To learn the Dao as taught by Buddha is more important than seeking the fame.  

In the concept of Buddha, to seek fame and not to learn the Dao is not wise, because it would waste our energy and toil our body. To learn the Dao can renovate our energy and repair our body, which could make us to be a healthy person in physic and mental body. To learn the Dao is the root of life. However, seeking the fame is not. In a word, to learn the Dao as taught by Buddha is more important than seeking the fame.  

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.

Chapter 20: Reasoning that I am originally emptiness (updated on June 1, 2022)

(Chapter 20) 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 20: Reasoning I am originally emptiness

The Buddha said,” We should think of that there are four-large parts in our body, which part separately owns its name, and all of which have no I. Since it does not have me, it is like illusion.”  

This chapter is telling us how to reason that I am originally emptiness. The method is to think of four-large parts in our body, which is separately named as land, water, fire and wind. No of them is named as I. Owing to without me in the body, how can we said that the body is me.

Since the body does not have me, it is like illusion. It is also like a bubble floating in the void. Since it is like illusion, what happened about us and what we have seen is not necessarily to be true, and we thus do not have to tangle in those things by wasting time and energy.

To deduce that our body is empty and the body is like an illusion, this means letting go of our attachment to the appearance and body of ourselves and others, not denying the existence of us and all sentient beings, nor do we despise ourselves and all sentient beings. This is what we need to understand. The main purpose of this reasoning as mentioned has two main functions: 

1. Avoid mistakes caused by clinging to the appearance and body of yourself and others. 

2. Release all attachments to self and others to be free from all pain that can arise in the heart.

All sins or evil karma come from stubbornly persisting me in the body.

The above logical advises us not to stubbornly persist me in the body, because that the origin of all problems, conflicts, arguments, worries, troubles or sufferings are caused by stubbornly stick to have me. The body here has the broaden meaning to include the mind. So, the above logical also advises us to realize the life of without me. 

When we stubbornly insist me in the body, it not only increases the self-arrogance, but also makes us easily generate the self-bias. In such me, we are easily to generate the unsatisfied and complaining mind for what happened around us. Even a little things will makes us easily to be angry.

Furthermore, when we are in such me, we will infatuate the authority, military, violence, dictatorship and the tyranny, especially when we are males. It is really the disaster not only for the public in a country but also for the world. We have many such experiences from the history.

We are also easily greedy for fortune, women or anything, such as drug, wine and gambling, when we stubbornly insist me in the body. When we want to have such things, we will do anything unscrupulously. So, we also can find that all sins come from stubbornly insisting me in the body.

Who am I? Reasoning I am originally emptiness.

In the ancient time, the medical knowledge about human body is not as detailed as present. The Buddha summarized the human body as four-large parts, which is called and described as earth, water, fire and wind. According to the modern medical knowledge, which four-large parts could be described as follow:

Land means any solid substance, such as cell, nails, skin, teeth, hair, blood vessel, organs and bones.

Water means those can fluid like water, such as urine, saliva, mucus tissue, urinary system and the blood system.

Fire means body temperature itself, or those can affect the body's temperature.

Wind means the respiratory system.

A surgeon said that a human still can live even if the body is installed by an artificial heart. And even its liver function, anal function or renal function is replaced by the artificial liver, anal or renal, or its other organ is transplanted, the human is thus still maintained to live. We also can use blood transfusion, artificial respirator, gastrointestinal or nasogastric tube to keep maintaining a human’s life.

According to the modern medical technology, any object in human’s body can be updated and replaced by another object, and the human still can be alive. So, there is a question: who am I on earth?  

That is observing the four-large parts in a human body, to think of the impermanence of it. If the four-large parts as said are dismantled, it is no longer a human body. Then, who am I?

Secondly, the four-large parts are impermanent and always are changing and changing. Today’s I is no longer still to be the yesterday’s I, because the cells in the body are dead a lot and rebirth a lot. Tomorrow’s I is no longer still to be the today’s I, because there may be the positive experience and new growth in mind. Then, who am I?

So, we know that the human body is formed by these four-large factors. The four-large factors are also formed by many smaller factors. If we take away those factors one by one, there is no human body, let alone to have me. Then, we realize that the essence of I is void.

How to realize the life of without me?

To have the above concept as basis, we further understand that it doesn’t have I in the body of emptiness, which truth is not only existed in our body, but also in others body. When both sides are in the opposition to each other, it is because both of them are stubbornly insisting "I" in their own body. Hence, we suddenly realize that it doesn't need to oppose to each other, if we eliminate the factor of "I" from each other. Therefore, such concepts form our mind and attitude of without me, and make us have the more empathy to others, and not oppose them any more. 

The mind and attitude of without me make us easily get along with others, include our family members, friends or classmates, and make us easily integrate into the crowd. Furthermore, the mind and attitude of without me is the superior advantage for us to be the politician or leader in a country. Only under such idea, we can be selfless to treat the public and can respect them.

The mind and attitude of without me is the supreme wisdom. It doesn’t mean that we do not need any principle. The mind and attitude of without me in Buddhism, any principle is only to regulate the self for obtaining the supreme wisdom in order to be enlightened, not to regulate others. However, when people persist to me in the body and are selfish, they set up any principles and use them to regulate and repress others rights in order to maintain their own interests.

The mind and attitude of without me is also the open-minded chest to make us tolerate anything, and make us integrate into the large nature environment. It is also make us realize the oneness between the outer situation or nature environment and us, no matter the outer situation is made by human or by nature. It makes us no binary opposition with anything and any person. So, we can feel that our heart like the large sea or the universe can contain the all.

The human body is changing, and will be old and eliminated someday. But the soul is forever young.

When I was about 30 years-old, I did not understand what the Buddha said that the soul is neither born nor dying. I am 50 years-old now. My hair is from black to white for many years. But, I even do not feel that I am old.

One day I see a video in which there is a 97 years-old woman and she is a Youtuber, who writes poems, then stands on stage, and sings it loudly with a group of young persons. After the performing, she is in a wheelchair and said, ” I feel I am still young in mind, but my body is really not good.” I am so impressed about what she said. I almost have the same feeling. Then, I suddenly understand what the Buddha said, “The soul is neither born nor dying”. That is also why the soul is never old, and we always think that we are young, even the physiological age of our body is 97 years old.

Anyway, the human body is changing and will be old and eliminated someday, but the soul is forever young. So, it is not wise to spend a lot of money for decorating our body or to make many mistakes for the enjoyment of our body or to be unsatisfied or to be angry about others attitude or opinions because of insisting "I" in the body stubbornly. That is because all of those things will bring us and others a lot of troubles.

Even though the human body and I is illusion, it doesn’t mean that we do not need to value our body. On the contrary, we need to cherish our body to do the valuable and meaningful things to self and the others.

Secondly, my essence is emptiness, and my body is illusory, which does not make us lose our confidence. My essence is emptiness, and my body is illusory, it does not cause us to lack confidence in ourselves, nor does it make us so feeling inferior to oneself and therefore living a lowly life without self-respect. These are two different things. Some ignorant practitioners of Buddhism may despise themselves and live a way of without self-respect. Some evil people would use the concept of Buddha’s teaching such as the said in this chapter to humiliate the practitioner of Buddhism. If we are wise in learning the Buddha, we will know how to deal with such situation. Ordinary people do not understand the Buddha-law (Dharma), have not yet practiced the Buddha-law (Dharma) deeply, cannot distinguish the difference, and misapply the teachings of the Buddha. They thus hurt themselves and injure others.

 

Strong self-confidence and stubborn attachment are two different states of mind. Most people often mistakenly regard stubborn attachment as firm self-confidence. However, if we practice the Buddha-law (Dharma) deeply, we will understand that when someone mistakenly regards stubborn attachment as firm self-confidence, which would produce self-arrogance and closed-mindedness, thus hurting others and hurting themselves, and finally leading themselves to the abyss of pain in life and death, because they do not understand the wisdom what the Buddha said in this chapter.

 

When we reason that the essence from ourselves to other bodies is empty and the bodies of others are illusory, it does not make us despise others, nor does it make us deny the meaning of their existence. As a person who deeply practices Buddhism, we must recognize all living beings which are future Buddhas. In other words, we are all on the basis of emptiness and equality, and there is no difference between us. We are all on the same level. When we have such knowledge and wisdom, we will never dare to despise others. Therefore, when we have the correct knowledge and wisdom from learning the Buddha, we will truly liberate from the suffering in life. However, if we don’t understand the knowledge and wisdom taught by Buddha, not only are we unable to free ourselves from the pain of life from the Buddha-law (Dharma), but we may misuse the Buddha-law (Dharma) to harm ourselves and others. That is why the profound Buddha-law and the Buddha’s teaching are not easy to encounter and know.

 

May we all can liberate from the suffering of life through the wisdom of the Buddha-law taught by Buddha, and together walk in the path of Bodhi to achieve Buddhahood.