Only extensive study can help you understand Buddhism

 

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

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

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

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

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

The supreme psychology is Buddha’s teaching, Buddhism.

 

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

 

When I am a young girl, I am very interested in psychology. I have read many books about psychology. I think it is also very helpful in our life. In the university, we have a course of psychology. The content of the professional book is mentioned a lot of psychological nouns and their definition. It’s helpful to increase our knowledge about life and our outside world. However, I always feel that the psychology cannot really touch my heart and cannot resolve my question about the life, even cannot help me get out of the pain in life.

 

Due to I have a high scour in the learning total score of psychology and English, I have a job in university and have a chance to study further. But, I finally choose to keep learning Buddha, because I have found that the supreme psychology is Buddha’s teaching, Buddhism. There is no concrete degree certificate in learning Buddha. Do we have ever heard that the Buddha Sakyamuni is issued any degree certificate by any school or university, because he is learning well in Buddhism? And so he is certificated that he is Buddha? Why? And think about it. You might find the answer in any article of this blog.

A philosophy book influenced my decision to believe in Buddhism

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

 

When I was a student in the university, I was curious about the life and religion. In that time, Taiwan goes into the free and democratic society, and there are a lot of books and articles written or spoken by the Buddhist monks or nuns, or the persons who have the knowledge about the Buddhism. One of my classmates who buys many such books. When she has completed the reading, she sends those books to me and shares these books with me. That is why I have a chance to know the Buddhism.

 

 

In general speaking, the content of those books is prose, which purpose is to convey the basic Buddhist idea for those people who obsess in material world, or to encourage the people who are in suffering. It is very helpful in our life, but it is not enough if we want to learn Buddha profoundly. 

 

One day in a book store, I found a book which caught my attention, so I bought it and read. I translate the name of book as “The Lecture About The Philosophy Of Life”. The author is a professor of philosophy in Taiwan University, whose whole name is Fang Dong-Mei ( The year 1899-1977). 

 

The content of this book is concerned about the same or the different parts in the religion of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, and how it might benefit our life, if we want to choose one of them as our belief in life. Of course, it is only mentioned about the whole concept, and is not mentioned about the details. He explained it from an objective perspective. I think it is reasonable that is why I can accept it. Philosophy pays attention to speculation, which is thinking, discerning, reasoning and debate, and should be logical, not blind faith. After reading this book, that is also why I can accept the Buddhism by the objective and rational perspective.

The God for me is the Buddha; The Buddha is the God.

 

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

 

Even though I am a Buddhist teacher now, I had been baptized informally, read the bible, and went to the church, sang the saint song. I also prayed to the God before I went to bed. Do you know what I pray to the God? I pray to him that I hope that I am able to help people someday. In that time, I was a 16-years-old girl and I only had a little idea about Buddhism.

 

Meanwhile, I also have read a novel which is a story about an American nun of Christian, who does her best, and abandon her self-ego, so to help people and to take care of what the peoples need. And she is always misunderstood by another nun. I have forgotten the name and the detail of the novel. But, I remember that I was so moved by the drama. I think that what the nun has done is the virtue of human beings, which is not concerned about any belief or any religion.

 

One day I realize that my wish and what I have prayed to the God has come true. And the God never left me alone. In that time, I was already a 46-years-old woman and have trained in Buddhism. What you have known about the God might be different from what I have known. I tell you a truth that I do not know what the said in the bible. The God what I have known is very mercy and its mind is very open and inclusive the all. It absolutely would not reject any human beings who do not believe the God. The God for me is the Buddha; The Buddha is the God.

 

In Buddhism, the Buddha Sakyamuni also mentioned about the God who dominate one of the 33 heavens. And the God always guards and supports the Buddha Sakyamuni and his disciples, or any person who puts the Buddhism into practice. When I read the Buddhist scripture, I think it is reasonable according to my personal experience. God for me is not someone else, it is the Bodhisattva. The nature of name, image, and picture is emptiness. The essence of the Buddha-nature is true, which is the Emptiness. It is not important about what the name is. In my realizing and opinions, the essence and the nature of the God is Emptiness. The state of Emptiness is still and "be able to create and appear". Due to the Emptiness, it can create and appear the all, including the ideologies of religions, or of the public, or of the politics, or of any parties, or any ideas.  All of these things is created from the nature of Emptiness.  

Why wide learning and extensive researching are difficult for us?

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

There are two main reasons. One is coming from own mind. The other is coming from the control and restrain from the outside, such as family, government or the religion.

 

According to my personal observation from the world, there is more than half of the population in the world, whose thought or mind is controlled and restrained by their family, government or religion. Under the circumstance, it is really difficult for them to do the wide learning and extensive researching. And they also have no self-perceiving that their mind is shortage and narrow.

 

In the year of 1988, when I am 17 years old, Taiwan goes into the free and democratic society, and thus opens the publishing industry and the freedom of comment. In other words, before that time, I have experienced that our thought and mind is controlled and restrained by the government.

 

Even though, we have the freedom to choose our belief in religion, however, the relative books, magazines, articles or videos are few. Therefore, in that time, we have misunderstood the Buddhism a lot and have shortage knowledge about Buddhism.

 

Secondly, some of what I have learned about the history from the school is different from the fact. A lot of fact is gradually disclosed in the society of democracy and freedom. Then, I went back to understand the historical background of Taiwan, where are many scars, most people choose to be tolerant and forgiving, however, unfortunately, there are still a few people who choose to be hatred.

 

After the year of 1988, we also have a lot of chance to know the world, due to the freedom of information flow. I have found that there are a lot of countries also have the similar scars as Taiwan. That is the scourge of war.

 

The Buddhism flourish in Taiwan is since 1988, because most people finally have chance to know it from the free medium. But, unfortunately, there is still many countries reject it in the world and try to conceal the people. In a word, that is why learning widely and researching extensively about Buddhism are difficult, let alone the other knowledge, such as the history.  

Recite and learn from Buddha to eliminate the evil karma and become one with Buddha

Recite and learn from Buddha to heal our mental disease.

Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing) 

I remember that in the early time of Taiwan, when we are in the serious disease and in the bad fate, the elder Buddhist monk or nun would advise us to worship the Buddha or Bodhisattva, or the god, so as to eliminate the personal evil karma, which includes to save the hatred relative and the creditor, who was established the link with us in this life due to our evil relationship with each other in the past life. Then, after eliminating the personal evil karma, our pain would be released, our disease would be healed, and our fate would be changed to be good. 

   

When I am a young girl and only have a little knowledge about Buddhism, I don't understand it totally, let alone to accept it. In that time, I think that it is bullshit and blind faith, meanwhile, I also doubt about the IQ and knowledge of the Buddhist monk or nun, because they said those things. Why? Because I have studied in the nurse school and have been trained by the modern medical knowledge. In my opinions, if we have any diseases, of course, we have to go to the hospital and ask the doctor to heal us. 

However, after I deeply research the Buddhism and put it into practice, I finally understand why the Buddhist monk or nun talks about that, which I can explain it by a whole article. Here, I tell you in a brief about the highlight, the Buddha is the great-medical king. When we don’t understand the Buddhism, the Buddha and the great-medical king is someone else, so we worship them to help us, however, when we understand the Buddhism, the Buddha and the great-medical king is not someone else, it is really in our heart and it is no different from us, which means that we are one. 

In modern medical knowledge, it is emphasize the technical treatment and use the researched medicines. In other word, it pays attention to heal the body. That is what we need, when we are sick. Don’t disregard it. Mostly, it is necessary by this way to treat our disease. However, we might find that it is not enough.

Buddhism is emphasizing on the mental body or the psychological realm, even it is talked about the super-natural experience. In this realm, we might be healed in a different way, if we are sick. It could be as the special power of assistance.

Of course, we would find that some weird religion or national belief would use such method to help people to treat their disease. I don’t recommend you to accept those religions, because most of those religions are based on the personal greedy and desire about fortune and sex. Even Buddhism, some of the evil persons would misuse it or by its name to cheat ignorant people.  

The Buddha's education is vast and profound. It is a very good spiritual education, which can inspire our supreme wisdom and cure our ignorant and superficial mental diseases. This makes us have no opposing and hostile thoughts and attitudes towards people and things, and will not subjectively or irrationally rejecting other people and theirs affairs. It is because of such a healthy thought and mentality that we can be physically and mentally healthy, and our life will be smoother.

A Brief Discussion on Morality and Law in Chinese History and about Buddhism

 

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

I remember I chose a law course at university because I wanted to explore whether I was capable or interested in studying law. One of the chapters talks about ethics and law. This chapter really impressed me. Why?

 

As we know, some people violate the law because they do not know the law. However, what makes us surprise is that those understand the law but violate the law, especially the lawyer or the Judge, or those who have graduated from the law school, such as president or the officer.

 

In traditional China and in the history of China, the morality is more stressed than the law. However, in the modern time, the law is more stressed than the morality. Law is the last line of defense to the morality. But, in my opinion, the law might be misused today. In some country, the law might be not corresponding to the morality or the human right.

 

The religion is concern about the morality. Buddhism is also concern about it. But, Buddhism is not the law, and is also not used to restrain the human behavior. So, Buddhism is never used to be the country law in the history of China. However, the emperor and the officer are deeply influenced by the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory, because the concept of that the heaven and the human beings are combined to be the one is the supreme realm in rule.

 

In other words, the emperor and the officer request themselves to be mercy, compassion, like the Buddha, Bodhisattva, or the god, so to love the people in the country.

 

They also expect that the people in the country could be enlightened and have the mercy and compassionate like the Buddha, Bodhisattva, or the god, so the emperor or the officer support and promote the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory in the country.

 

In other words, there is the concept that if everyone from the emperor to the ordinary people could be mercy and compassionate, and could control and correct their self-behavior automatically, such as no greedy heart, no hatred heart, no stealing and no killing, then the world and the society are naturally peaceful.

 

In Buddhism, there is the concept that if everyone does the evils, they themselves would be retributive back by their own evils. It may be not necessary to use the law to punish the evil persons.

 

In a word, that is the concept of no-doing but governing. That is also why the concept of law is not general in China of history. But, I think that the ancient people, the founder of the country, such as the emperor and the officer, are very wise.

 

The concept of law is to regulate others. The concept of law is quite different from the concept of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory, because the concept of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius theory is self-discipline, self-regulatory. Such concept is also different from the other religion. That is why other country might use the Christian or Islam as their country law, but not Buddhism. And that is also why the law is developed well in western country, but not in China of history.

 

Extending the concept, we might have another view why the foreign countries invade China. From my research on the history of China, I have found that the China is rarely to invade foreign countries, except for the civil war and resisting the foreign invasion.

 

You might find that the culture of traditional China is focus on the morality and self-regulatory. Even today, it is not easy to do so. The early law of Taiwan is in reference from the law of German and Japan. But, do you have found that these two countries had ever invaded China and the other countries? Why they want to invade other countries? Think about it. The dispute of law in Taiwan is always exist and changing all the time. Honestly, it is really not perfect.

An Enlightened Story — How To Realize The Zen Of Buddhism Easily

 

The Chinese original author: unknown

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

There is a little learner who always doesn’t realize the meaning of Zen. One day, there is an empty cup on the table before a Zen-master. The Zen-master asks his little learner to pour the tea into the cup for him. The little learner obeys the order and pours the tea.

 

Then, the cup is full of tea and the little learner stops pouring the tea. The Zen-master orders the little learner to keep pouring the tea. The little learner thus hesitates and says to the Zen-master, ”Master, the cup is full of tea. Should I keep pouring the tea? ”   

 

The Zen-master says to him, “There are two choices for you. One is to keep pouring the tea. The other is to empty the cup and keep pouring the tea.”  

 

Suddenly, the little learner seems to realize the meaning of emptiness. Think about it, if our hearts are filled with things, how can we be able to fill in new things? Only by emptying our hearts can we fill in new things, for example, new ideas.

An Enlightened Story -- I Hope I Can Send The Full Moon In The Sky To Him.

The Chinese original author: unknown

Translator-editor: Tao Qing Hsu (A Buddhist at home; born and living in Taiwan; since AD 1971-- )

There was a Buddhist monk who was very poor and lived in a small temple on a mountain. At midnight one day, a thief sneaked into this temple, looked around in everywhere, and could not find any worth. Finally, he had to but stole the clothes of the Buddhist monk and thought to sell it for getting some money. When he prepared to go out, he ran into the Buddhist monk.

The Buddhist monk had seen his clothes in the hand of thief. The Buddhist monk knew that this person was a thief, and thought that he became a thief because of some hardship in life. So he did not scold him. On the contrary, he told the thief that he is willing to give the clothes to him, and told him that he did not steal his clothes because the clothes was given by the Buddhist monk.

The thief was very moved and felt shame. The Buddhist monk looked at the thief’s back to leave. Then, the Buddhist monk looked at the full moon and said,” I really hoped to give the bright-clean moon to him at the same time.”

After few months, the thief came to the temple and knelt in front of the Buddhist monk, to repent his fault, to ask for the forgiving by the Buddhist monk, and to ask for the Buddhist monk to recruit him as a disciple. The Buddhist monk had felt his sincerity and finally accepted his repent and agreed to accept him as his disciple.

Remark: A full moon is indicated a pure and clean heart, which is sincere and honesty,  is neither adulating mind nor scheming mind, and is not polluted by the greedy, hatred and the stupid obsession and the stupid infatuation, and any negative mentality. Therefore, a full moon is also symbolized the brightness of a heart. 

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

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

 

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

 

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

  

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

An Inspired Story--To Sweep Garbage Out Of Heart

The Chinese original author: unknow

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

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.