Chapter 41: The honest heart leaves the desire.

(Chapter 41) 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 41: The honest heart leaves the desire.               

The Buddha said,” Those who practice the Dao are such as a cattle loads heavy objects. When it walks in the deep mud, it is too tired to dare to look around; when it is out of the mud, it is then able to be rest. The Sramana should perceive that the emotion and desire are more than the mud. With the honest heart to think of the Dao, it could avoid the suffering.”      

 

 

What is practicing the Dao?

 

What is practicing the Dao? In a word, it is to practice our thought to be pure and clean, and to practice our heart to be genuine, peaceful and steady. Meanwhile, it is to keep our mind to be in the state of silence and equality on the basic of emptiness. On this basis and without any expectation, our natural wisdom will be inspired and functioned, which would help us resolve any problem what we have met in our life, and would make us relieve our suffering of life and death. Meanwhile, it pushes our fate to be smooth. This is the good causality. It is the basic purpose of Buddhism. Others are the methods with the different way so as to achieve the aforesaid purpose.

 

If a learner doesn’t know the basic purpose of Buddhism and this learner always sticks in the methods and any expression, vocabulary, words and phrases in Buddhism, it would be difficult for this learner to see the Buddha-nature. Meanwhile, it would add a lot of obstacles for this person to achieve the basic purpose as aforesaid. In this situation, learning Buddhism would be a thing of hardship for this learner. Why? Generally, such person would stuck in the individual idea and use the self-righteous thoughts to deal with anything. Then, such situation would make this person trapped in the problem what this person had made. This is so-called the individual worries and burdens and the reincarnation of life and death in the current life. This is also the bad causality and is one of the sources of suffering in life and death.

 

 

Any method to help us liberate from suffering is like a ship which boards us cross the river of suffering in life and death.

 

There are methods to help us learn how to have a steady, easy, peaceful and wealthy life from Buddhism. Any method to help us liberate from suffering is like a ship which boards us cross the river of suffering in life and death. Do we still need the ship at this moment, when we have reached the shore of wisdom? No. We do not need the ship any more. It is also means that we can let the methods go, when we achieve the purpose of life what we have learned from Buddhism. If we have reached the shore of wisdom and have still carried the ship, it absolute becomes the heavy burden for us in our life. That is why we have to let it go. Therefore, we must be capable to understand and distinguish what is the purpose and what are the methods, when we learn Buddha. Nirvana of stillness and emptiness is not the state after our death. We can achieve the Nirvana in our current life with our effort in learning Buddhism.

 

Many people don’t understand Buddhism. That is because they only see the complicated and difficult methods from teaching of Buddha, but don’t see the pure and clean realm in self. Reading the Buddhist Scripture and thinking of the meaning what the Buddha had said and what the Buddhist teacher has explained are the basic methods to learn Buddha. This is to help us enter our pure and clean realm in mind. When we can absorb the meaning what the Buddha had taught and the interpretation what the Buddhist teacher has instructed, it is possible for us to digest these things to become our own wisdom.

 

The basic attitude to learn Buddha is also very important. What is the basic attitude to learn Buddha? It is the true heart, the faithful and sincere heart, the upright heart, the honest and frank heart. That is no pretending heart and no cunning heart. When we use our own true heart to learn Buddha, we can thus really see our own true heart and see the truthful self, which is pure and clean. What is its meaningful? It makes us to live peacefully and fearlessly on the inspired natural wisdom.

 

What is to use our own true heart?

 

First, in our heart, there is no fantasy expectation for anything or for anyone, including the Buddha, the human beings and the self, when we do anything or face any person.

 

Second, there is no negotiation with the Buddha, Bodhisattva, and the Buddhist teacher in order to obtain any worldly advantage. That is we can't use the heart of exchange interests or the heart with conditions to learn Buddha.

 

Third, don’t use the unstable emotional mindset to learn Buddha. That is because the unstable emotional mindset is arisen from the heart of gaining and losing.

 

Fourth, there is no erotic feeling, lust, love or desire for anything or anyone in heart.

 

In a word, our own true heart is also the mindfulness. That is our first pure thought remains in the present, without the second distracting thoughts. That is what the so-called where the thought arises at the moment, it is extinguished at the moment. Meanwhile, each successive thought is kept pure and clean. That is so-called each thought without evil.

 

Whether our thought and heart is pure or not, all Buddha and Bodhisattvas can perceive it. When we use our sincere heart to learn Buddha, all Buddha and Bodhisattvas are joyful to help us to have a good life and to become the same with them. That is, whether we can achieve the Buddhahood or not, it is not only dependent on our own strength with sincere heart to learn Buddha, but also needed to dependent on the merciful strength of all Buddha and Bodhisattvas.  

 

One of the most important meanings of practicing the Dao is to correct the worldly ideas mode and behaviors mode to be the upright and sincere ideas and heart.

 

For the beginners to learn Buddha, it is hard for them to use the true heart to learn Buddha. That is because most people are seriously affected by the worldly environment and ideas so as to form their worldly ideas and behaviors. One of the most important meanings of practicing the Dao is to correct the worldly ideas mode and behaviors mode to be the upright and sincere ideas and heart.

 

For example, the technic of negotiation is the worldly ideas and worldly behavior. It is regarded as the proper idea and behavior and what we should learn in our worldly life, if we want to survive well in the domestic or international society. However, if we use such technic and ideas to learn Buddha, it becomes a serious obstacle for us. That is because the technic of negotiation with conditions and bad intentions contains the scheming ideas. It is serious wrong to use the scheming ideas to learn Buddha.

 

Don’t use the worldly ideas or behavior to learn Buddha doesn’t mean to give it up in our worldly life, because the both things are the different situations. Such as a knife, we can choose not to use it, or we can choose to use it as a tool of medical scalpel to save any lives. One thing can be used in many different ways. When we use it in the righteous and positive way, there will be the righteous and positive development. Whether to use it or not, or how to use it, that is what we can made a decision. That is why I had said that we have to own thinking logic when we learn Buddha.              

 

To help others with the pure heart which is what the right attitude in Buddhism.

 

For the beginners, they accept the ideas of Buddha’s teaching that we will gain the good repay when we do the good thing. Some of the beginners are happy to do good things with what they think about the righteous way and always stay in this stage, can’t accept any further profound teaching by Buddha or by Buddhist teacher. That is because they cling to the good repay in the worldly life and hope any blessings from Buddha, Bodhisattva or Buddhist teacher. Such people are accounted for the majority of Buddhists. If they can’t improve selves in learning Buddha, they will forever stay in such fantasy expectation and feel good for themselves.

 

Such beginners for learning Buddha are not from the true heart. That is because it exist conditions and exchange interests in heart which are hidden under the surface of charity. It doesn’t violate any law. It is just the mindset. However, their mistakes deviate what we have mentioned above, if they want to learn Buddha. Of course, we can't deny their good behavior, such as to rescue disasters and to help the disadvantaged relieve poverty. What they have done about the good things are contributed to the domestic and international society, and are well known by the society. Basically, they also obey the teaching of Buddha. That is what encouraged by Buddha.

 

Buddha encouraged all human beings to be good persons and to do good things without conditions and without demanding for others to repay. For this point, it is not everyone who can do it. Therefore, if we help others and have a mind of expecting others repaying, it doesn’t be the pure heart. Whether the helped parties would repay or not, it is decided by them. The helper can’t enforce them to repay with any strong will or technic. To help others with the pure heart which is what the right attitude in Buddhism.

 

Jump out of the frame of expecting others repay and cease the scheming mindset, so that we can upgrade our level and truly let us learn Buddha with unconditional and sincere heart.

 

For the worldly world, any good behaviors are approved by the human beings. Basically, the beginner as mentioned above doesn’t do any evil or illegal things. They are good people. That is why it is also a good thing. However, if we want to improve us so as to learn Buddha further, we have to jump out of the frame of expecting others repay and cease the scheming mindset, so that we can upgrade our level and truly let us learn Buddha with unconditional and sincere heart. What I mean is not to give up doing any good things, but to stop any unreal expectation for anyone's repaying. Only when we can do this, we will truly enter the realm of learning Buddha. Therefore, it is very important to establish a healthy mindset in learning Buddha.

 

Worries and burdens in life are like the mud and also like heavy objects loaded by cattle. 

 

The Buddha said,” Those who practice the Dao are such as a cattle loads heavy objects.” However, as human beings, the hardship of life, the personal endless desire and the erotic feeling makes most people be turned and restricted by many stubborn and ridiculous ideas from the outside environment, and thus fall into the evil circulation of suffering in life and death. This situation makes us incur a lot of complicating thoughts, even the scheming and evil thought, which makes us suffer a lot of worries and burdens in life.  All of these awful situations are like the mud which makes us fall into there and be trapped, and are also like the heavy objects which make us bear the heavy burdens. That is why the most people have a lot of mental problems, such as anxiety, panic and restlessness. If we want to get rid of all of these terrible things, it seems not an easy thing for us. That is also why the Buddha said,” Those who practice the Dao are such as a cattle loads heavy objects.”

 

Sramana, the Buddhist monk, is only a form of appearance and of the personal vow. No matter we are Sramana or not, when we have decided to get rid of such worries and burdens, we have gotten into practicing the Dao. Practicing the Dao is not the exclusive in Buddhism. In the ancient time of India and China, when there are no such vocabulary and thing about Buddhism, there are the wise persons who practice the Dao with their independent thinking. In the history of India and China, when there are the records about practicing the Dao, there is such culture. When we learn from any religion, it is better for us to know the history and the logical of thinking. It would help us avoid any blind faith.      

 

The Buddhism doesn’t teach you to resolve the surface problem of any flow phenomena, but to understand and resolve the basic cause of any problem what we met in our life.

 

No matter who we are, there are a lot of worries and burdens in our heart. What the difference is the details and events. That is because what the cause, condition and situation in everyone is also different. In a word, everyone’s destiny is not the same. Therefore, when we have decided to practice the Dao, what we may have experienced, what the obstacle that we may need to remove, and whether it is difficult for us or not, which are also different. Hence, practicing the Dao is the personal thing. It is not necessary for us to generate the comparative mindset. All we need to do is to remove obstacles from our mind or from our heart, not others.

 

All the Buddha’s teaching is to inspire our natural wisdom and to liberate us from the suffering in life and death. It is not necessary to stick in any changes of any appearance what we have met and don’t tangle in any flow of any phenomena in our environment. If we tangle in any flow of any phenomena, it would increase our suffering. Only when we find the basic cause and analyze it with step by step, we will find the good methods to resolve any problem in our life. Therefore, the Buddhism doesn’t teach you to resolve the surface problem of any flow phenomena, but to understand and resolve the basic cause of any problem what we met in our life. That is what we have to know.  

 

Those people who practice the Dao concentrate on the basic problem in life and death, knowing the truthful selves and the enlightenment in truthful wisdom.

 

The Buddha said,” When it walks in the deep mud, it is too tired to dare to look around.” It means those people, who use their upright and sincere heart to learn what the Buddha had taught and to practice the Dao in reality life, are focus on how to eliminate the suffering in life and death and how to remove the worries and burdens in current life. They are like bulls bearing heavy loads, walking in the deep mud and struggling to move forward so as to get rid of dilemma. Because of concentrating on reaching the flat expansive grass—to achieve the purpose of relieving suffering in life and death, bulls are too tired to dare to look around. That is those people who practice the Dao don’t pay a lot of attention on and don’t cling to the flow of the phenomena in their environment and don’t turned and affected by any changing of anything, but concentrate on the basic problem in life and death, knowing the truthful selves and the enlightenment in truthful wisdom.  

 

When we have achieved the shore of liberation and wisdom, we can be rest from practicing the Dao. 

 

The Buddha said, ”When it is out of the mud, it is then able to be rest.” It means that when we practice the Dao, and we have completed the following things, so that we can be rest from the practicing the Dao. That is as follows:

 

First, we have thoroughly understood the principle of the causality.

Second, we have completely repented the ego's faults which have been done by self in the past and present life.

Third, we don’t make any mistakes any more.

Fourth, we have completely known the source of heart.

Fifth, we have seen the self-nature and the truthful selves and have proved the fruit of Dao by self finally, that is we have enlightened the natural wisdom by self.

Sixth, we have let all the worries and burdens in life go and have liberated by self from the suffering in life and death.

Seventh, we have resolved the basic problem in life and death.

 

The deeper meaning is that we have to keep practicing and to make it progress in Six-Saving-Parami as mentioned in Buddha’s teaching, that is giving, keeping the precepts, enduring the humiliation, diligence, meditation and wisdom. This Six-Saving-Parami is like a ship which boards us from the shore of suffering to the shore of liberation. When we have not yet reached the shore of liberation and wisdom, that is when we have not yet become Buddha, we can’t be rest and can’t put the Six-Saving-Parami down. When we become Buddha, we can freely apply the Six-Saving-Parami by convenience ways based on the Buddha-nature to save all sentient beings.             

 

The emotion and desire are mutual affected.

 

The Buddha said, “The Sramana should perceive that the emotion and desire are more than the mud.” This is the honest and good advice for the Sramana from the Buddha. Even though we are not Sramana, it is also a good advice for us and very helpful to our life.

 

The emotion and desire are more than the mud. It means that the emotion and desire will bring us more worries and burdens, and make us trapped in the dilemma so as to increase our suffering in life and death. The emotion and desire are companied with each other. Both of them will be mutual affected. The more desire will increase the more unstable in emotion. Moved emotion leads to desire for something or someone. When something or someone could not content our inner desire, we will become emotional, such as anger, anxiety, or disappointment. Then, our suffering is arisen.  

 

The more desire would leads to the serious emotional and mood disorder, such as anxiety for money or other things. The serious emotional and mood disorder would affect not only the self but also their family members in daily life. Finally, both of them are suffering. Unfortunately, both of them don’t know why and just think it is the personality and life habits. The persons who are in such situation don’t necessarily know about their problem. That is because they also work and have a marriage in a normal way and it seems to live a normal life from the views of friends and relatives. If the person and the family members don’t have any alert about this situation, they fall into the evil reincarnation of suffering of life and death. And they don’t have an idea to get rid of this suffering. That is also why we read a lot of news about the fighting of husband and wife.  

  

Indulging in the lust, the erotic feeling and desire too much is very harmful for our health and life.

 

Some Buddhist monk thinks that the emotion and desire are integrated as the lust or the erotic feeling. That is because Sramana can't have wives and can’t have the life of lust. Therefore, for Sramanas, to cut off the lust, the erotic feeling and any desire is very important in learning Buddha. There are many chapters in 42 chapters said by Buddha which mentioned a lot about the meaning and importance for cutting off the lust, the erotic feeling and desire. I also explain it a lot.

 

If we are not Sramana, the Buddhist monk or nun, we don’t need to self-restraint in the normal sexual behavior. But, if we are wise, we have to know that indulging in the lust, the erotic feeling and desire too much is very harmful for our health and life. It is even harmful for our family members. We can observe this from our surrounding and the news. Therefore, it is better for us to know how to refrain us from indulging in the lust, the erotic feeling and desire. Do you know how to do this? Being quiet and deeply thinking about the teaching of Buddha would be helpful for us to avoid any lure from outer lust or any ignorant impulse from our inner lust. When our mind is trained to be steady, our heart is ceased which means that we can’t be turned and affected by any lust and desire. Only we can do this, we can truly protect ourselves and our family members. Meanwhile, we don't have any scheming mind with lust and desire to set traps to frame others or to take advantage of others so as to harm others. When we have such knowledge and training, we observe the behaviors of our friends and relatives, and any events of news, we will understand what the resource of any problem is. The others are only the flow and changing of different appearance and phenomena.       

 

The lust, erotic and desire is the prime of all suffering for the human beings. How to know it, how to control it, and how to deal with it, is the very important subject in learning Buddha. If we want to remove the problem of our suffering in life and death, to handle this chief issue is the major thing of learning Buddha. Even though you don’t have mind to learn Buddha, to know this issue is also very helpful for your life. 

 

The Buddha explained a lot how to practice the Six-Saving-Parami. The Six-Saving-Parami is the major ways to deal with the lust and desire. That is the Six-Saving-Parami is the prime methods to eradicate the root of our suffering in life and death. When we have read a lot of Buddhist Scripture, we will find this point.

 

The Six-Saving-Parami is the independent thinking and behavior which we can count on by self to relieve our suffering in life and death.

 

The Buddha said, “With the honest heart to think of the Dao, it could avoid the suffering.” That is, we should use the honest heart to think of the Six-Saving-Parami and to practice it. Therefore, it could make us avoid the suffering. In the many aforesaid chapters, we have explained a lot about Six-Saving-Parami. It is worth for us to think of it and practice it with our honest heart. Some people without wisdom use the drug, alcohol, eating a lot of food or desire for someone or something to relieve their suffering. It is an act of using improper external forces. It is not a good idea and it would increase our suffering.

 

The Six-Saving-Parami is the independent thinking and behavior which we can count on by self to relieve our suffering in life and death. If we want to learn Buddha, it is what we should know and what we should do. What the importance is to have the upright and sincere heart, when we do anything. What is the upright and sincere heart? It is to depart from the lust, the erotic feeling and the desire. No matter we learn Buddha or not, to keep this in our heart would increase the bliss and fortune in our life. That is because the life itself is the Dao. The Dao doesn’t leave our life. If the Dao leave our life, it doesn’t have any meaning for us to think of the Dao and practice the Dao. That is what we should know.

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 40: Practicing the Dao into heart.

(Chapter 40) 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 40: Practicing the Dao into heart.             

The Buddha said,” The Sramana practices the Dao, who is not like the grinding cow; although the body practices the Dao, the Dao of heart doesn’t be practiced. If the Dao of heart is practiced, why should it be necessary to practice the Dao?” 

 

To be a positive and creative person, not to be a passive and stubborn person, when we are learning something

 

Two thousand years ago, humans used millstones to grind grain. The millstones were too heavy to be pushed by humans. Therefore, humans thought of a way to let cow push the millstones. In order to drive the cow forward, humans hung a bunch of grass in front of the cow, and the cow instinctively walked forward in order to eat the grass. By the force of the cow, the millstones moved, so it began to grind. Therefore, the cow pushed the millstones and went round the stones in each day. If the cow didn’t move, the owner even whipped it with a rope. The cow even didn’t know why it had to push the millstones. We called it the grinding cow.

 

What the grinding cow has done in each day is an usual and fixed way of doing things and what it gives the humans the impression is passive, ignorant, stupid, rash and stubborn. Its heart is dim. There must be an incentive before the grinding cow so it is willing to move. Even though the body of the grinding cow is pushing millstones routinely and is working hard every day, but it is in vain and it has no clear goal.

 

The Sramana is Buddhist monk. The Buddha said that the Sramana who practice the Dao doesn’t be like the grinding cow, who only knows to do things routinely with the passive mind but without good intention and virtuous mind. That is why the Buddha said, “Although the body practices the Dao, the Dao of heart doesn’t be practiced.” Even though we are not the Sramana, it is also remind us to be a positive and creative person, not to be a passive and rash person, when we are learning something.

 

Practicing the Dao by forms and situations so as to practice the Dao of heart

 

As Buddhist monks (or nuns) and no matter they are junior or senior, they have a lot of basic works to do every day in the Buddhist group in order to learn Buddha and how to practice the path of Buddha (practice the Dao) in daily life. Meanwhile, there are also many routine works of life trivia.  

 

For example, some of them are assigned to cook or work in the kitchen, or to clean the toilet, or to clean the Buddhist hall or the courtyard, and so on. That is they must work together in the Buddhist group so as to run the Buddhist group well. In this group, they can't pick a job and they can’t have the heart of likes or dislikes about any job. That is because what the place of this group is the place for learning and practicing the Dao (the path of Buddha), not the place for running business. 

 

Except for the routine work of life trivia in each day, the Buddhist monks (or nuns) have to obey and keep the precepts, to chant the Buddhist scripture, and to recite the name of all Buddha, to bow to worship the Buddha so as to repent the self-fault or to pray the bliss for the self and the sentient beings, and to meditate at some fixed time. In addition, they have to attend the Buddhist class so as to listen to the teaching of Buddha by the Buddhist master or the senior Buddhist professor. They also do these things routinely in each day.  

 

If the Buddhist monks (or nuns) don’t understand the meaning for doing these things, although they work hard every day, what they are looked is like the grinding cow who pulls the millstones and wears out the cow's body shape. When they are unable to have the initiative to do anything, they will feel tired and bored, and think that it is meaningless for practicing the Dao (the path of Buddha).

 

An inspired story

 

There is a story which could inspire us. In a Buddhist group, there is a little novice monk who decided to practice the Dao to follow the Buddha’s teaching and was assigned to sweep the floor in the courtyard. There were a lot of fallen leaves on the ground. The little novice monk always complained that there were endless fallen leaves every day and why the master assigned him to bear so much heavy work. Many years passed away, the little novice monk had grew to be a young man.

 

One day, he was still complaining while sweeping the floor. The master took a walk to beside him and watched him complaining. The master asked him, ”You have swept the floor for many years. Do you have swept “the garbage” out of the floor of your heart?” Then, the master smiled with mercy and went away. The young man felt confused and began to think what “the garbage” in the floor of heart is and why “the garbage” has to be swept out of the floor of heart. Then, the young man was thinking about this question while sweeping the floor every day.

 

Another day, there was a senior Buddhist monk who walked beside the young man and saw him take a rest under a tree. The senior blame him and said, “The sluggard! How dare you to be lazy. Why don’t you hurry up to sweep the floor clean? ” The young man was unhappy about this blaming and suddenly wanted to leave this group. After a period of time, the master came to beside him and saw the young man who was anxious while sweeping the floor with upset. The master advised him and said, ”Why don’t you “sweep” the worries out of your heart? ” Then, the master looked at him, smiled with mercy and went away. The young man suddenly seems to be inspired and began to diligently sweep the floor with the good mood.

 

Do you have been inspired from this story? Do you have swept “the garbage” from the floor of heart every day? What is “the garbage” in our heart? How to define “the garbage” in our heart? In a word, it means all the unpleasant things or all the worries which are resulted from our desire, love, greed, hatred or the stupid infatuation.  

 

To hone our mind to be good and virtuous through forms and situations

 

All these things which are the routine works in the Buddhist group are situations, which are also some kind of forms. Since these forms and situations are temporary, these things could be changes in any time. The most important is to hone our mind to be good and virtuous through these forms and situations. That is to practice the Dao of heart (the path of heart), which means to walk in the path of good and virtuous heart. This is the most direct and simple meaning in learning Buddha.

 

Extending the meaning as said above, no matter what position we are in and what we are doing, the most important thing is to practice the Dao of heart (the path of heart). That is to practice the Dao of heart is more victory than to practice the Dao by doing any things in any form. (The Dao means the path.)

 

In other words, whatever we are employees or bosses, whatever we are scholars or entrepreneurs, or whatever we are the junior or the senior learners in any religion, what we are doing is the changes on the surface of any matters or circumstances. The most important is whether we are inspired from these changes of matters or the worldly routine jobs. This is to reflect the Dao of heart (the path of heart). Therefore, to reflect the Dao of heart is not limited in the form of learning Buddhism, but can be demonstrated and expressed in various professions of the worldly, even in the various religions.

 

What is the meaning about practicing the Dao of heart (the path of heart)?

 

It has the more broaden and deep meaning about practicing the Dao of heart in Buddhism. What is the meaning about practicing the Dao of heart? In a word, it is the wisdom, which exist the difference between the shallow and deep wisdom.

 

To learn the Dao and to practice the Dao are dependent on the heart. If the Dao of heart is not practiced, there is no dependent and no use to learn the Dao and to practice the Dao.

 

The Buddha said, “If the Dao of heart is practiced, why should it be necessary to practice the Dao?” It means that if the natural wisdom of the self is naturally flowing, practicing and functioning, any apparent ritual, form or situation in practicing the Dao is not necessary. That is why there is the Zen to be another hand down from the Buddha in addition to the whole Buddha’s teaching. The Zen completely throws off the conventional dogma in Buddhism and directly indicates the nature of mind. That is, the Zen is focus on practicing the Dao of heart and it doesn’t care about any ritual and form, but it doesn’t mean not to respect the self and others.  

 

It is not easy for the ordinary people to practice the Dao of heart. Therefore, to simultaneously both practice the Dao with ritual and form, and practice the Dao of heart, is necessary. For the senior learners, they can throw off any ritual and form, and singly practice the Dao of heart, when they are inspired and achieve the certain level in Buddhism.

 

Regarding to practice the Dao of heart, it is also mentioned a lot in the Sutra of 42 chapters said by Buddha. In a word, to practice the Dao of heart is the focus point and highlight in Buddha’s teaching. Then, what is it? It is to maintain the heart in the clear, pure and clean state and to let the natural wisdom of self to appear and flow naturally. When the Buddha was meditating in the sitting way and was enlightened under the Bodhi-tree, the Buddha said, “All sentient beings have the virtuous appearance of natural wisdom, but which cannot be proved by them because of their vain thinking and their cling.”  

 

The Dao of heart (The path of heart) is lively, flexible and creative

 

That is, our vain thinking and cling for anything is the obstacle to inspire our natural wisdom. In other words, our vain thinking and cling for anything is to hinder or to limit our virtuous destiny and to result in our frustration and bad fate. That’s why the Buddha had taught us the concept of no-thought, no-desire and no-doing through practicing the Dao of Buddhism, which really stabilizes our mind and makes us no demanding for anything, so as to prevent us doing anything wrong to harm the self and others. This is the nature of practicing the Dao of heart, which are lively, flexible and creative.

 

Those people who don’t learn and practice the Dao will easily generate the vain hope and cling to any wishful things, which makes them worry the gaining and losing. This situation makes them unease in mind, makes them limited in thinking and makes them have the sensitive feeling about the frustration and failure, when their attaching expectation is failed, which will easily makes them result in the hatred to the humans and the events, afterward hurt the self and others.        

 

Does the chasing for the personal great dream conflict with the Buddha’s teaching?

 

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.

Supplementary note: Dao is transliterated from Chinese, meaning way and method, deeper meaning as a system of learning or religion.

 

p.s. 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 39: There is no difference in the teaching of Buddha. (Updated on October 5, 2022)

(Chapter 39) 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 39: There is no difference in the teaching of Buddha.            

The Buddha said,” Those who learn the path of Buddha should believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken. Such as eating the honey, both of the middle and the side are sweet; my scripture is as the same.

 

What is the path of Buddha?

 

The path of Buddha is also means the Dao of Buddhism, which means that we learn the teaching of Buddha and practice it in daily life, and it afterward becomes the way what we have lived naturally. That is, it becomes the views how we look at ourselves, ourselves life, others people, sentient beings, the world around us and the universe in time and in space. Meanwhile, it becomes the attitude how we treat the self, the sentient beings and our environment. In this way and in this path, we gradually get rid of the suffering in life from the learning in the path of Buddha. Finally, we will forever get rid of the reincarnation of suffering of life and death in our each world in the present and in the future. Regarding the literal, no matter the path of Buddha or the Dao of Buddhism, it is just only the different nouns which are what I have used to make humans not to cling to the terms. 

 

Text is just a symbol. Not to cling to the phenomena of the literal.

 

In Buddhist Scripture, the Buddha said that any changes of the literal are the phenomena, which are also the laws of the generated and the eliminated as what we have mentioned in the chapter 38. Meanwhile, they are also the laws which are generated dependent on the causes and conditions. Therefore, the literal is just a symbol and is also impermanent. Therefore, when we read any articles, accept any Buddha’s teaching or recite the Buddhist Scripture, what we need to do is to understand the meaning, and it is not necessary for us to care about any rhetoric.

 

As learners, we must know and must be careful that the phenomena of the literal and the interpretation for any text or literal are easy to be manipulated by some scheming persons for their worldly purpose. We must know that these people have their evil causes and conditions to make them do these things so as to achieve their evil purpose. Their evil causes and conditions come from their greedy heart which is the love and desire.

 

Our heart to hurt others must not be existed; our heart to prevent others from hurting us must not be no-existed. (There shouldn't be a heart to hurt others. There should be a heart to prevent others from hurting us.)

 

Meanwhile, as a learner, we must use our honest heart to learn the Buddhism. However, it doesn't mean that it is not necessary for us to know the insidious of humans. We learn the teaching of Buddha, perceive the no-brightness inside, keep us improving, and make us clean, pure and clear in mind so as to be a good person with empathy and mercy. There is a saying, ”The heart to hurt others must not be existed; The heart to prevent others from hurting us must not be no-existed. (There should be no heart to harm others. There should be the heart to prevent others from hurting us.)” It means that we must not have the heart to hurt others, and we must not be unguarded to prevent others from hurting us. When we deeply learn the Buddhism, we not only can see through our heart, we but also can insight others heart. In this state, we are near the state of heaven-eye in Buddhism. We will naturally know that any evil intention which wants to hurt us. Whatever how the scheming persons to hide their evil intention, we will know it naturally.

 

Why I have reminded you about this point? When a learner who is deeply practicing Buddhism has learned to a certain level, this person’s heart is very simple and kind. Meanwhile, this person’s wisdom is gradually increased and this person’s mind becomes generosity. This person has the blessed because of the virtue. However, it doesn’t mean that this person has the low intelligence. Unfortunately, there are always some malicious people with scheming who intent to hurt this person. Therefore, I hope you know how to protect yourself if you are a learner in the path of Buddha.

 

The Buddha said,” Those who learn the path of Buddha should believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken.

 

According to the different degree of the wisdom of humans, what the Buddha has spoken is from the shallow meaning to the deep meaning, which can be classified as follows:

 

A. The concept of possessing (the concept of being/existence/owning/having; to have worries; to own wisdom; the existence; the laws of the action):

 

There are four Noble Truths, which are in order respectively as Suffering, Accumulating, Eliminating, Dao (the path of practicing). The causes and conditions of the four Noble Truths are the four kinds of suffering, which are the birth (the life), aging, sickness, the death. These four kinds of suffering are caused and conditioned by the Twelve Causality and Conditions. The Twelve Causality and Conditions have been mentioned and explained in Chapter 38. The Twelve Causality and Conditions are caused by the no-beginning no-brightness of a thought. The no-brightness includes five poisons in mind, which are respectively as greed, hatred, stupid infatuation, arrogance and suspicious (which also means the harmful emotions, states and feelings.). That is, the love and desire are the origin of all suffering.

 

There are the four kinds of perceiving of the impermanent according to the causes and the conditions as mentioned above, which have been mentioned in Chapter 38. There are the impermanent and the worries, which make humans suffering. Meanwhile, there are thoughts and each thought which makes humans suffering.

 

There are the methods of practicing to liberate the self from the suffering, which is to do something, such as to cut off or to stop the love and desire, to break the no-brightness, and to eliminate the cause and the condition. That is, there are the generating and the eliminating. There are the cutting off and the eliminating.

 

There are the blessings. When sentient beings cut off or stop the ten evil deeds as said in the Chapter 4, and to cultivate the good deeds, such as the Six Paramitas—which is respectively as to give, to keep the precepts, to endure the humiliation, to keep progress, to meditate, to have wisdom, they certainly have the blessings according to their good causes and conditions which are done by self.  

 

There are the causes and effects. To have good causes will result in the good repaying. To have evil causes will result in the evil retribution.  

 

There is the pure land of Buddha in the different direction of universe. There are the Buddha, I and sentient beings.

 

Generally, all of these concepts are the fundamental practicing in the Theravada Buddhism. To know the suffering in life and death and thus deciding to liberate the self from this suffering is the basic cause to be a Buddhist, such as a monk.

 

The above mentioned concepts are spoken and taught by Buddha and are recorded in Buddhist Scripture which have been translated from Sanskrit into Chinese. 

 

If the Buddhists just only have the concepts as said above, it is easy for them to cling to the practice of hardship (or to the ascetic practice) and to stubbornly insist that only this way can make sentient beings liberate the self from the suffering, and then can make sentient beings become Buddha. But, we have to know that there is nothing wrong for them, because some of the Buddhists belong to these causes and conditions, such as the Buddhists who have recently practiced or have practiced not for a long time. They are more willing to accept these concepts taught by Buddha. These concepts are more proper to them to practice.

 

Furthermore, some of the religious groups are belong to the Theravada Buddhism, especially in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, or Thailand. In the Buddhist scripture, there are also a lot of concepts which belong to the Theravada Buddhism. The learners will prove the emptiness by means of cutting-off and eliminating someday through practicing the Theravada Buddhism. In this stage and state, the learners only can enlighten the self and liberate the self from suffering. However, they cannot completely enlighten others.   

 

B. The concept of emptiness (the concept of nothingness/nonexistence/naught/nihility; The laws of without action; no-desire, no-demanding, no-thought, no-doing, no-gaining, no-losing)  

 

To realize the emptiness in the laws realm of inside and outside is the profound teaching of Buddha. Meanwhile, it is one of the major teachings in Mahayana Buddhism. If humans don’t have the concepts in Theravada Buddhism as mentioned above, it is difficult for them to enter the realm of emptiness. Meanwhile, the concept of emptiness is also easy to be mistakenly understood and misused by them because of the half-knowledge about the meaning of the emptiness in Buddhism.     

 

Therefore, if a learner wants to realize the emptiness in the laws realm of inside and outside, this person must have the fundamental concepts in Theravada Buddhism as we have mentioned above, and must have put the practice in daily life. Regarding the concept of emptiness, I have talked a lot in many chapters in the Sutra of 42 Chapters Said by Buddha. The chapter 2, chapter 12 (17), chapter 18 and chapter 20 in this blog can be referred.  

There are many Buddhist scriptures which have mentioned about the concept of emptiness said by Buddha. Regarding the concept of emptiness, the famous Buddhist scriptures which have been translated from Chinese into English are the Heart Sutra and Diamond Sutra. I have been retranslated the Heart Sutra which has been explained according to my knowledge and realization. It can be referred in this blog. Its link is Let heart in peace, no fear and affliction any more (Updated on 2019/07/11). This article will help you understand the concept of emptiness.  

The Buddha said that only those people, who have ever accepted the Buddha’s teaching, have ever offered meals or something to the Buddha, and thus have established the good root in their past life, will have the blessed in this life to read the Buddhist scriptures and to accept the Buddha’s teaching about the concept of emptiness as said.

 

Bodhisattva Dragon-tree said, “All laws which are generated by causes and conditioned are said by me as the emptiness, also as the fake name, and also as the meaning of middle way. “ All laws are the emptiness which is because all laws are generated dependent on the causes and conditions. If there is lacking of any cause or condition, how the laws can be generated? The laws here are referring to the broaden meaning such as the Buddha-law, not only the single meaning of legislation.

 

Now we know that how we can understand the emptiness is based on the realization about the causes and conditions. When we understand this logical, we will realize that the Buddhism is not blind faith, but is very reasonable and logical.

 

“The nature of conditioned generation is emptiness. The wondrous nature of Humans is original emptiness.“ These words are talked by the Zen-master in the ancient time of China, and are translated from Chinese into English. To deeply think of these meanings would help us to realize the meaning of emptiness in Buddhism.

 

When we deeply understand the concept of emptiness, we know that the nature of all worries and suffering is the emptiness. Since it is the emptiness, how could it be possible for us to cut off the emptiness--the worries and suffering caused and conditioned by love and desire? Therefore, when we have experienced the concept of emptiness, we don’t need to cut off or to eliminate our worries, but to turn the worries into the wisdom of Bodhi. That is to turn our five consciousness—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body--into five kinds of wisdoms. This is some kind of action of function-effectiveness and of pondering. This is the advanced training and practicing in learning Buddhism. This training must practice in daily life.  

 

To have the concept of emptiness and to practice it doesn’t mean that we don't care about what happened in the life and in the world. When we have the concept of emptiness and practice it profoundly, we will understand the causes and conditions of the changes of the phenomena. No matter what the position we are and what the work we do, it can help us to analysis and resolve the problem what we met.

 

Each Buddha must have ever experienced and proved this concept of emptiness, and must be able to turn any worries into wisdom of Bodhi. When a learner has profoundly experienced and proved this concept of emptiness, the little light of the self-nature of this person is lighted up, and this little light is immediately merged into the shining light of all Buddha. Therefore, when we have not yet been enlightened, all Buddha are others and seem to have no relation with us. However, when we have been enlightened, all Buddha are not other else, but are in our heart. We have already been the one with all Buddha. However, this person has not yet completely proved the perfection of all Buddha. This person still must keep progress to achieve the perfect Buddhahood.

 

When learners are in this level, they are in the position of Bodhisattva. There are ten stages and positions of Bodhisattva. The details are recorded in the Buddhist Scriptures with Chinese.    

       

C.          Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither "being" nor "nothing"; Non-Owning-and-Non-Nonexistence; Non-having-and-Non-nothingness; )

 

The concept of Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither "being" nor "nothing") is the more profound teaching of Buddha. It is to empty both of the emptiness and the possessing. It seems to deny both of the emptiness and the possessing. However, it also doesn’t deny the both existence of emptiness and possessing at the same time, if we carefully ponder this concept. Why? It is because the emptiness and the possessing are as the one. This concept is offered by Buddha to prevent the learner with bias to singly cling to the emptiness or to the possessing.

 

Some learners think that the Theravada Buddhism is the best teaching of Buddha. They think that the worries caused and conditioned by love, desire and no-brightness are existed. However, they do not understand that all existence or all possessing are fake and illusion. Therefore, they think if humans want to prove the state of Nirvana, the methods to cut off and eliminate any worries and no-brightness are necessary. That is they are partial to the phenomena of cutting-off and eliminating. (Note: No-brightness means the harmful mentality and emotions or any harmful and unjust thoughts as what we have said above.)

 

When they are obsessing with this concept of possessing the worries, no-brightness and the phenomena of cutting-off and eliminating, and if they hope to be enlightened to become Buddha at the same time, it will take a long time for them, and they have to experience their life and death for immeasurable eons of their reincarnation. That is they have to go a long way so that it would be possible for them to achieve the Buddhahood.

 

However, some learners think that the Mahayana Buddhism is the best teaching of Buddha. They think that all worries and all phenomena are generated by causes and conditions and the nature is emptiness. Since the nature of all worries and all phenomena are emptiness, it is not necessary to cut off and eliminate all worries and all phenomena. When they are obsessing with this state and only have the half-knowledge about this, it is easy for them to mistakenly dwell in the stubborn emptiness and thus to have the negative idea and attitude to the humans, the things, and the life.   

 

That is, some learners cling to the occurrence of existence and any method of cutting-off and eliminating. However, some learners cling to the appearance of nothingness and any method of no-doing and no-thinking. No matter which kind of cling, it is the cling or attachment. Since it is the cling or attachment, itself is worries and will cause troubles by itself for a long time. Since it is the worries, it is impossible for the learner to realize the real truth and to learn the real wisdom.        

 

That is why the concept of Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing) is offered by Buddha. This concept is for refrain any cling. Meanwhile, it is the middle way. We have ever explained this concept of middle way in chapter 27. Only when learners practice the middle way as taught and mentioned by Buddha, it is possible for them to complete the perfection of Buddhahood.

 

D.         The Secret Meaning of all Buddha

 

Except for the shallow meaning and deep meaning as mentioned above, there is the secret meaning of all Buddha. Unless we have profoundly practiced the deep meaning, it is hard for us to contact the secret meaning of all Buddha. The secret meaning of all Buddha is based on the meaning of emptiness and is beyond the range that ordinary humans can understand. However, if we keep learning the Buddhism, believing and obeying what the spoken and taught by Buddha, we will be inspired from the secret meaning of Buddha. As learners, we have to deeply realize and prove the emptiness so that it is possible for us to accept and understand the secret meaning of all Buddha. The secret meaning of all Buddha is also recorded in the Buddhist Scriptures with Chinese.

 

Mantra means magic power or charm. Buddhist mantra is pertained to the secret meaning of all Buddha. Buddhist mantra is the transliteration from Sanskrit. It seems to be the strange sign of text to us. However, it can connect the hearts of all Buddha through chanting the Buddhist mantra. This is confirmed and authorized by all Buddha. That is your heart can be linked to the hearts of all Buddha through the sound or the sound in mind when chanting the Buddhist mantra. It doesn’t be the focal point what languages you are speaking or whether you understand the meaning of Buddhist mantra or not. There is also a lot of Buddhist mantra in the Chines Buddhist scriptures. The different Buddhist mantra has the different function-effectiveness to us. Buddhist mantra is the true wisdom which is naturally flowing from the Buddha-nature of all Buddha. Regarding the Buddhist mantra, the following two Buddhist scriptures can be referred:

 

The Scripture of The Supreme-Wisdom Heart(Heart Sutra)

 

The Merits of the Original Vows of the Tathagata- Pharmacist Glazelight

 

Furthermore, the Bodhisattva Dragon-tree said,” Non-Possessing and Non-Nihility, meanwhile, without Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility, these words are also not accepted, this is called the middle way.” This is the deeper meaning in Buddhism. This logical thinking would help us understand the secret meaning of all Buddha and help us advance the practicing. But, we have to know that these concepts must be established on the basis of the Theravada Buddhism, of the five precepts, of the ten good deeds, and of the causes and effects. Otherwise, it will be very dangerous and harmful for the learners and humans. If we don’t have grand wisdom, it is difficult for us to realize these concepts and it is also easy for us to have the half-knowledge and mistakenly understanding about these concepts.  

 

E.          Three Perceiving and Three Meaning in Buddhism

 

We integrate the concepts of the possessing, the emptiness, and the non-possessing-and-non-nihility (neither being nor nothing). We can extend their meaning to be as Three Perceiving and Three Meaning. That is as follows:

 

The perceiving of the fake and the meaning of the worldly in Buddhism

 

Conditioned the possessing, the perceiving for the fake is established in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the meaning of the worldly is formed. That is because all of the possessing and existence are the changes of phenomena which are temporary and impermanent. All related thoughts are immediately generated and immediately eliminated. All of these things are the phenomena of the generated and the eliminated, and of the appearance and the disappearance. That is why all of the possessing and existence are regarded as illusion and fake phenomena. As deeper learners, when we are observing and perceiving these things, we know that all of these changes of phenomena are fake, not true. Meanwhile, these things and these changes of phenomena are regarded as the meaning of the worldly. It is the worldly things and worldly worries. However, we can practice and realize the truth by means of the fake phenomena of the worldly.

 

The perceiving of the truth and the meaning of the truth in Buddhism

 

Conditioned the emptiness, the perceiving of the truth is established in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the meaning of the truth is formed. Since all laws are generated by causes and conditions, the nature of all laws, all existence, and all phenomena are emptiness. All laws are also the fake name. When the deeper learners deeply practice these concepts, it is regarded as the true perceiving. That the nature of the caused and conditioned generation is emptiness is the true meaning. When learners deeply practice the perceiving of the truth, they are able to be enlightened by self and to become the Buddha of Righteous Equality and Righteous Enlightenment. However, it is only in the stage of self-enlightened. It is unable to enlighten others. That is the learner in the position of Buddha is still lacking perfection.

 

The perceiving of the middle and the meaning of the middle way in Buddhism

 

Conditioned the Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing), the perceiving of the middle is established in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the meaning of the middle way is formed. When the deeper learners profoundly practice the concept of the Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing), they can use the convenient methods of the flexibility and creation to enlighten others. Since any thoughts, actions and phenomena have been existed in there, it is the non-nihility (non zero/non naught). Meanwhile, they understand that all of things and phenomena which are caused and conditioned by the convenient methods are the illusion and the fake, and understand that the nature of these changes and phenomena is non-possessing (non owning) because of the emptiness. This profound practice means the perceiving of the middle and the meaning of the middle way in Buddhism.

 

When learners deeply practice the middle way, their heart and action are in the pure and clean, they have completed both of the virtuous action of the self-enlightenment and enlightening others in perfection. These perfect actions (achievements) are incredible and are able to make them become the Buddha of Wondrous Enlightenment. However, it has not yet achieved the Buddhahood of complete perfect enlightenment. Why?

 

Using the heart of illusion to practice the phenomena of illusion to become the Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment

 

What is the difference between the Buddha of Wondrous Enlightenment and the Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment?

 

Firstly, it is different in the rank. The Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment is the ultimate Buddha, who has completely practiced the concepts as mentioned above in this chapter and in the Sutra of 42 chapters said by Buddha and all Buddhist scripture in its immeasurable worlds of the life and death in the past.

 

Secondly, it is different in the action of function-effectiveness. The Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment has not only completed to remove all the dirt of heart but also to eliminate all relative situation inside and outside, which is called the action of function-effectiveness. But now, the nature of Buddha’s Complete Perfect Enlightenment is pure and clean and is able to flow the wisdom of Bodhi naturally. That is the natural wisdom.

 

This natural wisdom is able to naturally appear in the body and mind to respectively respond to various kinds of situations. That is when the Buddha response to any situation, there doesn’t be any condition and deliberation. That is when the Buddha is enlightening others, what the Buddha has done is the action of Without-Function-Effectiveness (non function-effectiveness, which means there is no intentional act.). The Buddha’s heart is like a bright mirror. When there is the relative situation, the Buddha’s heart is naturally to reflect it and to response to the situation with the Buddha’s natural flowing wisdom. When the relative situation is gone, the Buddha’s heart is naturally rest. There is never mind in heart. This is also what we will mention in the following about the concepts that the body (the formless body), the phenomena (the appearance) and the effect (the use, application or function) are as the one.  

 

Thirdly, it is different in the practice in Buddhism. The Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment has profoundly and completely realized the concept of Non-Possessing-and-Non-Nihility (neither being nor nothing) and of the middle way. The Buddha naturally uses its heart of illusion to practice the phenomena of illusion when the Buddha is responding any situation or enlightening others. The Buddha knows what the Buddha have done is like the dream. There is nothing which needs to cling.    

 

A Zen-master said, “There is no good or bad about the situation what you met. That the situation what you met is good or bad is depending on your heart. ” That is whether the situation what you met is good or bad is because of your differentiating heart. It is your heart to differentiate the situation what you met to be good or bad. The nature of any situation what you met doesn’t exist the good or bad.  

 

For the Buddha of Complete Perfect Enlightenment, there is no differentiating heart. No matter what the relative situation is, it is the same for the Buddha. For the relative situation what the Buddha met, the Buddha won’t differentiate anything to be good or bad in the heart. With the natural flowing wisdom, the Buddha will let it be.

 

The body (the formless body), the phenomena (the appearance) and the effect (the use, application or function) are as the one. ( The "body" here refers to the formless body of the Buddha-nature.)

 

Except for the generalization and the analysis as said above, we can further generalize and analyze the whole teaching of Buddha as three parts, which are respectively as the body, the phenomena and the effect. Regarding these three parts, we also have talked and mentioned a lot in the Sutra of 42 Chapters said by Buddha in this blog. I further explain these concepts as follows:

 

The self-nature is the Buddha-nature which is the truth and the true being, and is in the body. This truth is to become the body (the formless body), within can naturally generate the infinite merits of wisdom and compassion. These infinite merits are as the phenomena, which are not fixed and are functioning by responding to outside conditions so as to be the effect. (Buddha sees infinite merit as an illusion, and is not attached to it.)

 

What the above and the following mentioned is according to my personal experience and practicing. Meanwhile, these are also the experience and practicing of all senior learners. These are the general course, progress, structure, or experience of learning and practicing in Buddhism. All of these talking, content or concepts can be found or read in the Buddhist Scriptures with Chinese. To learn Buddhism, to learn Buddha, is completely the training and practicing in heart. Meanwhile, it is to realize the truth in our body and in the universe. At the same time, it is using this truth well to benefit the self and others.

 

The Buddhism is not to ask us to worship the Buddha, but to let us know how the Buddha realizes the truth and becomes the Buddha. This is the focal point. The others are just only the details of methods of how to realize the truth and become the Buddha, such as to worship the Buddha. Don’t regard any partial details of methods or concepts as the whole Buddhism and therefore to generate the bias about the Buddhism. If we want to learn Buddhism, this is what we have to know.        

 

Faith, Vow and Action in Buddhism

 

No matter which level of wisdom or which rank of practicing in Buddhism you are, all of you can gain the benefit from the teaching of Buddha. Remember that one of the most things is to believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken--what the Buddha has taught. The Buddha said,” Faith is the mother of the origin of the way and of the merit, which can raise all good roots.“ All good roots mean the Six-Roots of the Six Senses in our body. The way means the Dao of Buddhism. The Buddha is the person who speaks the truth. To have confidence in Buddha will cultivate us to be the one with Buddha. What is the one? It is the body of Buddha-Law, the body of the result-reciprocate of Buddha, the body of illusion-incarnation, to be generated as the one. It is some kind of incredible. However, when you have proved it, you will realize it.

 

Except for the faith, we have to obey what the Buddha has spoken. It is very important for a learner. To obey what the Buddha has spoken is to tame our evil thought, our upside-down heart and our negative-closed mind which are as a wild horse running around and as a wild monkey jumping up and down who is needed to be tamed.

 

Beyond the hearing, thinking and practicing in Buddhism, faith, vow and action are also very important for a learner. Only when we obey what the Buddha has spoken and taught, we can accomplish our vow and action (practice) in Buddhism with the empathy and mercy.   

 

The Buddha said,” Those who learn the path of Buddha should believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken. Such as eating the honey, both of the middle and the side are sweet; my scripture is as the same.

 

When learners believe and obey what the Buddha has spoken, it is such as eating the honey. Whatever the middle of or the side of the honey, it is sweet. Those people, who eat the honey, will eat only the sweet, will absolutely not eat the bitter. To accept the teaching of Buddha from the Buddhist Scripture is the same. The Buddhist Scriptures are like the honey. No matter which Buddhist Scripture you have read, it is sweet for you and you can be inspired to raise your wisdom. Meanwhile, you can liberate yourself from the suffering step by step to live a life at ease and with freedom.  

 

Through the introduction as mentioned above, I hope you understand the Buddhism with the comprehensive inspect and perspective. Don’t regard the partial details of practicing as the whole Buddhism. If we are learners, we must have the reasonable and logical brain so that we can understand the deep meaning of Buddha’s teaching.

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.