The Song of Eight Right Road
■
Written
by Shin-Ming-Shing(buddhi-name of A-Budh-successor) whose worldly name
is Yaw-Nan Su, the buddhi-successor of thirty-fifth graduating buddhist(第三十五代法嗣),
Touch-Nil Gate(齋門), Touch-Nil Teaching(齋教), Lόng-Magnificence Sect(龍華派),
Lín-Jii Purport(臨濟宗), Buddhism.
Translated by the charitable man and charitable woman, Baŏ-An A-Budh
office.
Nature-Accordance wisdom is in the instincts of everyone, one shows the clever uses in daily life’s walking and living, sitting and lying down; if one’s mind territory arrived at peacefulness and mildness and joy to recur, the propitious life would be ahead of doer.
The wind is blowing gently, going across high mountains and entering the forests. It not only shakes the branches and leaves, but also experiences a romantic journey together with cloud and mist. The raindrops fall in the trees, drip into the earth, gradually forming shallow ditches. Spring is very much in the air in the forests.
Still softly blows the breeze towards the hills and going through the fields. Grain seedling, flowers and grass in farmlands are swinging with the wind; the scent of pollens can be smelt. The birds, bees, butterflies and insects are spreading pollens, helping pollinating plants, so that the fruits and seeds would be produced smoothly in the future; the wind also takes a role in pollinating. Therefore, they are the important links which play significant roles in grain harvest of this season.
White clouds float across the clear sky once in a while. People can feel the blistering heat from the sun more easily in unsheltered places; it is reported in medical science that if the intensity of ultraviolet rays is too strong and people get exposed for too long, their visual capacity will be affected, and even skin cancer will be caused.
There are some trees in the park, such as olive trees, bodhi trees, banyan trees and so on, which have grown into very tall ones after several decades. Dense foliage helps people to keep out part of sunshine, so staying under the shade makes people feel cool and comfortable; some people just sit on the stone benches, talking about everything and sharing their views.
The topic is about yesterday’s TV News, which was reported by the journalist that a thief wanted to go into a house and steal things, but unfortunately fell into the narrow space between the wall of the first floor and the enclosure, and got stuck there. So he had to keep on shouting for help.
The neighbors caught sight of this situation but couldn’t think of any solution, so they called the police and firemen, who finally spent several hours in rescuing the thief with the help of the hammock and ropes.
The journalist interviewed those on the scene, and here are some answers of these people:
“Is that because he doesn’t have a job or any savings, so he becomes a thief?”
“Is it because he eats his head off? So he becomes a thief?”
“Some people would become beggars, rather than thieves.”
“Everyone has his own opinion, so no matter the result is good or bad, he must commit himself to his decision.”
1. Concerto in Life
Sitting on the stone, person can see that though the olive fruits are very small, they seem to try very hard to grow. If one keeps observing these fruits for ten days, he will find out that they appear to be almost of no difference, but giving another thought, he will realize that these fruits only looked like red beans ten days ago, but now they are as big as peanuts, which indicates that actually they get changing at any moment. We can only use this law but with no illusions.
In the cool shade of trees, the person can perceive the undertones there, inconstancy, destruction, unsoundness, mutation method, the mind to joy in lustrating and extrication. To perceive substantiality, experience, wind, blow, great territory, the reception from touch everything to calmness-lustrating are also wonderful, to exceed worldly life, in No to treat the photo of the off-life, and just like the stretch in an unbroken chain of the hills and peaks nearby the plain.
Those sit on the stone bench began to talk when I was thinking deeply.
“Avoid making mistakes. That thief was put into prison just because of a momentary slip between good and wrong.”
“Do good deeds, so that he would have no time to make any mistake.”
“What about going to the hospital and working as a volunteer there?”
“He is old and in poor physical condition, who even can’t take care of himself. How can he serve as a volunteer?”
They all talked about this matter based on their personal actual life. Some people want to make some contribution to the society, but they are under enormous life pressure and are busy every day, since they have to take care of their parents while bringing up their children.
I began to ponder over their different thoughts and opinions. Is there an idea that everyone can practice even in our daily life?
If that thief could keep not doing evil in memory, and didn’t act as a thief, he wouldn’t be in jail.
As to those husbands or housewives who are busy earning money, as long as they can abide by the law while taking care of their parents and children, we can say that they are beneficent and have contributed their abilities.
But when living a busy and humdrum life, if one loses his temper once in a while, or faces unpleasant words of his relatives and friends or the economic pressure and the like, how can he adjust himself to have a good mood?
Life still goes on, but how can one be kind to himself as well as to his family?
I recall,
Every mind does not make any wrong notion(諸惡莫作); all of minds with respect to make good(眾善奉行)．identity can carry one’s volition with one’s lustrating(自淨其意).
Just like winds blowing towards the oceans, towards the parks as well as people of all ages without any unfairness, greed or anger.
2. Right Viewpoint
The wind has brought warmth, which is accumulated from sunshine irradiated on the leaves and the earth’s surface, and which is mixed with resin fragrance that is subtle but makes people feel relaxed and delighted.
This joyous feeling comes and goes again and again and doesn’t stay for a while, so one can do nothing but take it at ease, since even he stays for a longer time in the park, there is still no way for him to enjoy such a feeling forever.
Again, people begin to speak out their mind.
“How can one avoid making mistakes? To recite no stealing, no robbing and no deceiving each morning.”
“What if he could after reciting all these in the morning, but forgets them at noon, and then he tells lies again?”
“He may recite it once per hour.”
“And even he can do it twice in an hour to avoid making mistakes which appears to be his malignance.”
“Yes! Constant dropping wears away a stone.”
“But is there a theory or an idea that is applicable in any occasion at any time, and that everyone can use it?”
On hearing their gossips, which seemed to be remarks without any idea at the beginning, I gave another thought and realized that their ideas stood for their demands which are very great motive force, and that only those people keeping on forging ahead in correct directions can overcome the defilement in their life.
Then I saw that there were two children in the front. With little cylinders filled with soapsuds in one hand and spillikins that had round holes in the other, they soaked some soapsuds, held the spillikins to their lips, and then gave them a blow. Then the bubbles came out one after another, which were colorful in the sun, whirling about in the wind and then finally burst.
These two little kids blew soapsuds bubbles time and again, enjoying themselves so much, and the grown-ups also beam with smiles on watching the kids.
By perceiving, person can understand others’ nature of mind, and then proceed towards peacefulness and happiness.
I thought the dharma law from the Logicty A-Hūṁ Experience(雜阿含經)which is the three conveying Experience and typification(三乘經典).
Body and substantiality have the abilities of accomplishing, gathering, inconstancy.
What about the abilities of touch, reception, uses ?
Thinking ? Will-act, oral act, body-act ? Will-behavior, oral behavior, body-behavior ? The capacity of conduct ? As well as Nature, congruence.
The uses of without-greed can make person to arrive at peacefulness and joy.
Hope to enjoy happy and peaceful life forever ? Proceed toward Buddhi and The substantiality-Extricating(真解脫).
The right viewpoint is named The right experience (正見), the right viewpoint can be fulfilled forever and can extinguish afflictions forever which is named The right experience. Lustrating right experience is the real right viewpoint and exceeds worldly viewpoint.
3. Those Viewpoints Bring Suffering
If the thief who got stuck between the walls didn’t come up with the unwholesome dharma to steal things at the beginning, he would not have the wrong view of ego to steal things.
Everyone would meet prosperity and adversity in our life. It is usually reported in TV programmes or newspapers that some people who are in important posts want to gain more fame and money, by which those people are led. So they made mistakes and even violated the laws, such as misappropriation of public funds, selling their companies’ intellectual property illegally. Such the preceding persons lived in the highly satisfctory life, but they made the comportments with the wrong idea of ego, excluding hurt themselves, also they hurt their companies and family members.
The Experience records that Buddha Sakyamuni wanted to preach to Uddaka-Rāmaputta after he had natureifyed one’s A-nuttara-samuak-sambodhi and the exhaustive nirva. But heaven and people told him that Uddaka-Rāmaputta was dead.
Uddaka-Rāmaputta had once meditated in the forests before his death. But he couldn’t concentrate on meditating once he heard the birdcall; when he was vexed he wanted to catch the birds, since if there was no bird, there would be no birdcall, which meant the forest would become quiet so that maybe he could be absorbed in meditating.
He moved to the riverside as he couldn’t stand the birdcall tweets. But after that he still couldn’t practice wholeheartedly as there were many fishes swimming around in the river, some even jumping out of the water and making noises. Therefore, he wanted to go and catch fishes, as if there was no fish, no noise could be made, either.
Finally he did find a very quiet place in which he could meditate so concentrated that he even arrived in the realm of the heaven where there is at Non to treat the photo of the purpose-thinking and at Non to treat the photo of Nil-notion; thus after his death, his soul-accumulation went to the heaven where there is at Non to treat the photo of the purpose-thinking and at Non to treat the photo of Nil-notion.
While Buddha Sakyamuni predicted that after Uddaka-Rāmaputta’s life in the heaven where there is at Non to treat the photo of the purpose-thinking and at Non to treat the photo of Nil-notion, he would reincarnate and become an evil fox with wings which would be dangerous even to flying beasts.
The flying fox can climb trees, climbing to the treetop for little birds, focusing on the target, stretching their hands and feet, gliding to the little bird and then catching it.
In addition, flying fox can swim in the water, waiting for the opportunities to eat live fishes. Uddaka-Rāmaputta came up with the wrong view of ego because he couldn’t resist the noise, and then he became a flying fox under the domination of evil desire who took guilt in the killing to living-being. The sufferings of the three kinds of astray bystreets were really awful.
Are those who will be dominated by surroundings and material desires still have weaknesses in their hearts?
Those who have weaknesses will always feel agony and pain wherever they go.
4. The Benefit of Right experience
If that thief who shouted for help used the right experience at the beginning and didn’t act as a thief, he wouldn’t be put into prison at last.
Some people were buying biscuits and drinks in the shop near the park. I realized that I was a bit thirsty, too, so I stepped into that shop and bought a bottle of water.
It is a right experience to buy a bottle of water to drink by using one’s own money.
Also, to drink water by sitting in a proper place so as to avoid being an obstacle to the pedestrians can also be regarded as a right experience.
It is also a right experience not to drink too much water to prevent having loose bowels.
Wear earphones while listening to the music, turn on to the normal VOL, improving living quality to prevent bringing noises to the neighbors, which is surely a right experience, too.
Abide by the laws and respect justice; respect good customs, keep good relationships with relatives and neighbors, support one’s parents with filial piety, love forever between one’s husband/wife, bring up and foster one’s children; enjoy harmonious and happy family life with good health and favorable income, etc. All these are worldly right experience, among which there are also the right experience of the first meaning.
To know Holy Buddhism(聖), Nil-persistence(無著), A-nuttara-samuak-sambodhi, which is named the right experience of the beyond all worldly worlds(超世間正見). To know giving with purpose(有施), rewards with purpose(有報), to know the result in the world of orhan(阿羅漢) to research one’s mind-uses and No-reception and the future purpose, which is named the worldly right experience.
Mencius often played near livestock-slaughtering workshop when he was young. So his mother moved the house again and again to prevent him from wasting the good childhood years, and finally they moved to a place near a school. Mencius who had great learning ability began to study very hard when he saw the students studying. Therefore, he became a great educationalist in the end.
Thanks to their right experience, both the Second Sage Mencius and his mother had made great contribution to the eternal education undertaking.
It’s often said that there is no national boundarie for those who do good deeds. So the Confucian thought of humaneness, rightness and straightforwardness spreads from China to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and USA.
The
ethical idea of sage preacher L
Eř also spreads from China to Japan,
South Korea, USA, etc., enabling those with kindheartedness to accept
the education, “cycle after cycle”.
In addition, dharma as well as the A-Budh Experience have been spread from India to China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Burma, Ceylon, Vietnam, etc., which enables thousands of people to practice it all their life, and then to attain great joy.
One has the abilities to feel, cognize, touch and awaken.
“覺” in Chinese can be expressed by awakement or awakening.
To use wisdom perceives any reception, to perceive the inconstancy of stature-undertone(色陰), at Nature, in congruence, the above doer is fulfilling right experience. To perceive the inconstancy of reception-undertone and thought-undertone, cycle-undertone(行陰) and soul-undertone(識陰), at Nature, in congruence, the above doer is fulfilling right experience(正見).
Those who practice in conformity with right experience have already been tired of the wrong view of ego.
The mind this time of the person can detest-leave the no good view, whose mind had cut off pleasure.
The mind this time of the person cut off pleasure-greed, whose mind this time is named mind-extrication.
The doer of mind-extrication can natureify the result of the Holy Buddhism or the result of sage.
5. Right Thinking
This Sports Park covers an area of 60 hectares, so there is a professional baseball field, residents’ basketball court and tennis court, ski area, landscape area and a large plot of grassland on which people can play in the daytime, and sit to watch the stars at night.
There were some people flying kites on the grassland.
And some others were exchanging their knowledge and skills of flying kites.
“Where do you live?”
“Shihlin. The doers are so many as the trees of forests. What about you?”
“Tianmu Heaven, mother.” “Why do you come from Shihlin to Tianmu to fly the kite?”
“The impartiality-garden is large with a large grass territory area, and there are few people riding motorcycles nearby; also, the distance between the grassland area and the road nearby is about hundreds of meters, so if by any chance the kite fell off from the sky, those who were riding motorcycles wouldn’t crash into the tethers, still less cut off the windpipes or blood vessels near their necks.”
I felt so warm in my heart when I heard such loving and caring words. This was right thinking within the mundane world, that the middle is the first meaning thinking.
Along with the sun climbing up, the temperature rose, too. So there were only two persons flying kites, one flying a big kite, while the other a small kite.
The one who was flying the big kite keeps looking at the kite, unwinding the line for a while, and then winding it for a moment. He really enjoyed himself and was all of a sweat.
Another person who was flying the small kite acted differently. If his kite was blown away by the wind, he would give it up and fly another kite, which in the event of being blown away, would be abandoned, too.
I then walked up to him and sought advice of flying kites from him.
“Firstly, you should make a plan. Then make kites using bamboos and papers, attach to thin cotton threads, and finally fly them into the sky. If the kites can glide, that is OK; otherwise you can abandon them if they are blown away with the wind, which means to let them fly away, and therefore it is called flying kites.”
“How about going to chase the kite blown away with the wind?”
“That means to be fooled by kites rather than fly kites.”
Those without greedy concepts, those without greed to use stature-undertone(色陰), reception-undertone, thought-undertone, cycle-undertone(行陰), soul-undertone(識陰), eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, matter, thing et cetera to do thinking can help the person go in peace and respectability, cautious words and action, happy life.
Life goes on, so it is inevitable that we experience material, sound, fragrance, flavor and touch. And we even have to confront with five lusts after our life in the heaven where there is at Non to treat the photo of the purpose-thinking and at Non to treat the photo of notion. If one doesn’t want to be controlled by five lusts, so what should one do?
To ponder over knowledge and non-harm can be regarded as right thinking within the mundane world; while to think calmness(寂) or tranquility(靜) and then A-nuttara-samuak-sambodhi is the right thought of the beyond all worldly world(超世間正思).
6. Application of Thinking
Stature-undertone, reception-undertone, thought-undertone, cycle-undertone, soul-undertone are neutral, which are equally possessed by adults and children, the rich and the poor, so men do not possess more because of their gender, nor women would have less. But it is how one applies them that matters.
That thief would probably not conduct the evil thinking of stealing if he had ever pondered over the consequence, that is, to spend part of his life in the prison.
To steal means to use or take away others’ belongings without the owners’ free-will permission under the circumstance of the owners’ unawareness.
Some people have wrong ideas and finally end up by ruining themselves because they are badly off.
Some other people, while due to heavy debts caused by gambling, went in the resentment to increase in sore(怨憎會苦), got the request or inaccessibility to increase in adversity(求不得苦), make agony of longing such as an endless stream of river.
The wind keeps blowing. The fluff petals of some little flowers are blown into the sky with the wind, dancing together with the kites, giving the performance of a fancy drama.
One story crossed my mind when I saw the little flowers swinging, which recorded a young talented and reputable man who had been promoted and given the post as a chief executive by the king at that time. He performed his line of duty earnestly, plus the favorable weather as well as hardworking and law-abiding citizens, the country was quiet, peaceful and prosperous.
Many years later, he wanted to usurp the throne. But as time went by, he died before having the chance to seize the throne. He was directly sent into the hell after his soul was separated from his body, suffering kinds of pains that lasted for ages.
In order to wish people to be good, and be able to avoid painful retribution in the hell, a number of religions teach people the methods to be kind and inform them how painful retribution in the hell is.
A-Budh teaches confluence who can fulfill bright heart and budh-genius(明心，見性), A-Budh advises confluences who do not do the guilt in the killing to any living-being and do not do the guilt in the theft or robbery, do not do the guilt in the wrong sex act and do not do the guilt in the falseness to avoid the afflictions of hell.
Some Taoist sects tell people that there are all sorts of pains and sufferings in the hell.
Both Catholicism and Christianity preach that the guilty would go to the hell after the Last Judgement.
All kindhearted personages are caring since they wish a better life for humans.
7. Thinking to go to good place.
To do good deeds requires the application of Nil-attainment wisdom.
It was reported on TV News the other day that a girl in her twenties was arrested, and she was very surprised and said, “How could this be! I want to go home.”
The news reported, “She makes friends with dawdler. Her friends just called her yesterday, and they decided to meet at X intersection at noon. Then her friends got into the car at the promissory intersection this noon, so she just drove them home.
According to the video and some witnesses, she was arrested. She didn’t know her friends robbed till then. Therefore she became an accessory offender due to her being catspaw unwittingly.”
The journalist added, “She has no idea of how to make kindhearted friends, so she was framed up by her false friends.”
There was no sound of reading or singing or music coming from that classroom in the corner of the school which was near the park. Was the teacher giving a lesson of “Citizenship and Morality”?
Lots of junior middle school students are just in the developmental stage. They have hoarse voice, and they are tone-deaf, giving out high-pitched voice for a while and low-pitched voice for another while, and sometimes all of a sudden they can’t sing a word, which often makes the students laugh.
While the teachers are in their middle ages or even old ages, whose bodies age gradually, having pains in their waists and backs, and who need to wear presbyopia lenses. They experience the life when they were born, grew into teenagers, stepped into the prime of their life, then come to their old ages. Their bodies demonstrate impermanence as time goes by, and they are told that their bodies can’t be firm forever, and what’s worse is that a variety of pains would come with their bodies.
With bodies in our life, we cannot only avoid being the servants of our bodies, but also prevent self-abuse. For instance, in order to pursue a joyous feeling, that thief became the servant of his body, abused himself which had accumulated bitterness for himself, and put himself in prison, he got terrible karma in return at last.
It is possible that our bodies may feel hunger, feebleness, fatigue, hotness, ache, pains caused by illnesses, aging and coldness. Sky-substantiality, touch, birth, awakening; Awakening, the product of knowledge-fulfillment, change, disappearance.
If the person can use the unsoundness to accomplish the firmness, to extinguish guilt and to exterminate error(消愆), lastingly to go to congruence and goodness are good.
Substantiality, touch, birth, thought; thinking’s operation, change, disappearance, the above fulls inconstancy and awakening-uses.
Body touch, person decides to operate will-act, oral-act, body-act, will-behavior, oral-behavior, body-behavior, person with inconstancy produces the great power.
Substantiality touch produces every generation’s behavior capacity, A-Budh with change accomplished lastingness and the fullness of the good-action of-thirty two signs(富足三十二相善業).
One’s thinking can be practiced by his kindness.
Did all ancient sages have their right thinking, and then they could apply no greed(vitakka) such as stature-undertone, reception-undertone, thought-undertone, cycle-undertone, soul-undertone, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind as well as objects easily at any time?
8. Right Speech
Words not aiming at and sneering at others are right speech.
Also, it is right speech not to speak words that like to eat but hate to work.
Words not aiming at stimulating others to go whoring, gambling and fighting are right speech.
Not to speak pornographic words, curses nor carry tales, or words containing evil wishes, nor defraud, all of which can be regarded as right speech within the mundane world.
If one can avoid talking of four kinds of faults and distress which don’t linger in his mind, either, and if he can preach right law, one can preach the right law and fulfill the right road, and then one can extinguish and can end affliction-worry that the above way is named the right speech of the beyond all worldly speech.
A-Budh(佛) told the disciples, ‘ If person can use vacuumizing to control one’s volition, and then at Nature(如) to use one’s mind, person in an instant to make a fillip can arrive at buddhi uses and can natureify road.’.
9. A Heavy Burden
It is often reported on TV news that some horrible bloody scenes often appear after some fighting. For example, Party A said to Party B, “you are singing too loudly.” But Party B refused to hold down their voice, and even spoke something jeering. Therefore the two parties began to abuse each other with evil words, then they began to fight, finally the loser tasted the bitterness of hatred.
At Origin-instincts Preaches One-seriation-purpose Department and Binayye-logic-matter(根本說一切有部毘奈耶破僧 雜事) to report, ‘Piksus asked that “ What kind of action in the past wave-life(往世造何種業) did the Veneration of the World(世尊) make ?
Therefore on this wave-life must experience six years ascetic practices and then natureify(證)A-nuttara-samuak-sambodhi.”.’.
The ancients said that if one can restrict himself from quarrelling with others and is willing to do propitious deeds, he would be in good relationship with others and enjoy a happy family life.
10. The Benefits of Right Speech
The words spoken out kindly after you have pondered over them carefully and after your detailed planning can not only make yourself feel comfortable, but also make the listeners feel delightful. Just like in spring, when warm sunshine is shining on the earth, everything on the earth is full of life; when gentle breezes are blowing softly, and along with the singing birds and fragrant flowers, all things are full of vigorousness. So people’s life goes on and on, and infinite eternity is to be realized.
A hospital is the place to cure illnesses, and help all beings recover their physical and psychological functions.
11. Performance of Right Behaviors
Everyone’s IQ and physical ability maybe different from others’. And although people’s turns in life differ in thousands of ways, all people apply and practice the same foundation.
Their philosophy is to take up proper occupations, do proper exercise, and then make appropriate plans and carry them out. And providing a good and regular lifestyle, they will enjoy a peaceful and happy family life.
There is an old man who wanted to see his married daughter. He went near his son-in-law’s house and found that the small bridge over the river had been washed away by river water.
So the old man called up some other old men. Together they put their ideals into words, planned in their minds how to do good deeds, and then built the bridge.
There are also some people with respect to effectuate A-Budh’s Experiences and buddhi-rules and A-Budh-doctrines. To disseminate A-Budh-words and extinguish -wrong(they are also named buddhi-prescriptions), Samādhi, buddhi wisdom through printing A-Budh Experience, and they hope that all people including themselves can surpass defilement, and then attain Instincts-Nature-Permanence. So it is called the right action of the beyond all worldly worlds.
12. Foreign Workers
There is a commercial district in the opposite side of the south of the park, where there is a supermarket. While there is a traditional market and some temporary stalls that sell vegetables and fruits in the west of the street.
The people who were sitting under a tree and having a chat in the park saw two foreign workers.
“Can you guess which country are those two foreign workers from?”
“They are Chinese Vietnamese, as their skin is nearly as white as ours.”
“Thais’ skin is relatively black, and the skin color of those who live near India may be a bit darker.”
“Workers come from Philippines can speak a little bit of English.”
“What thought is in their parents’ mind?”
“Maybe most of their parents hope that their children are in good health, have a relaxing and stable job with a good pay, earn a sum of money, and finally return to their hometown to settle down.”
“There is one country in Southeast Asia whose Per Capital GDP was very high in the middle of the 20th century. It is said that its people learnt greedy system and the dignitaries contended for power and profit. Therefore, the people liked to gain extra money and enjoyment by using the political force rather than by their hardwork. For instance, the country didn’t follow the Europeans and Americans to work hard, and keep a certain percentage of their salary as their retirement pension each month, while it wasted national tax revenue under the name of the benefits of the people. The dignitaries weren’t content with what they got due to their greed, so they even made lots of deficit budgets that wouldn’t be made up even until the generation of their grandsons. Finally, taxes of the companies and factories were so heavy that most of them went bankrupt.
The talented and the rich in that country in Southeast Asia foresaw that the future of their country would not be bright, so that many families left the country. There were only two types of people left in the country, namely, those who were very poor, and those who wanted to rob others’ property. This was the reason why their country had become the biggest labor-exporting country at the end of the 20th century.”
Then the senior, Mr. Chen said, “Their grandparents desired to reap where they haven’t sown, so their children and grandchildren had to go abroad to work. Can this be called the original sin from westerners’ perspectives?”
Xiao Xu who has graduated from the Department of Chinese said, “They speak foreign language, so probably can’t read Chinese books. As a result, they don’t understand that if there are more people who consume than those produce in a country, that country would be destroyed undoubtedly.”
“So is it a better solution if one can work hard at usual time, and save some money to guarantee a stable life?”
Mr. Xipo said,
“Are those grandparents’ ideas of reaping where they haven’t sown named evil perceptions?”
Xiaofu said, “One’s desire for greed and love of the things of this life not only hurts himself but also brings disasters to his descendants.”
13. Being Well-behaved
Those gathering under the tree began to talk about tragedy of people who indulge in drinking after finishing the topic of foreign workers.
A domestic accident was reported on TV and in newspapers that there are five men, a father and his sons that live in a mountainous area in central Taiwan. They are keen on drinking very much, and often call others’ names after drinking.
This time the problem is about the mother’s getting ill and staying in hospital. While the father and his sons were drinking, the youngest son thought that he was the one who took best care of their bedrid mother, while his father and elder brothers didn’t do it earnestly, so he began to scold them by using evil speech.
His father and elder brothers didn’t respond him but went back to their bedrooms to sleep, while he lay outside the door and fell asleep after he had been tired of scolding and was in drink. His family members then seized the chance to close the front door so as to prevent him from coming indoors and making noises again. The youngest son awoke early in the next morning. He insisted on going indoors, so he began to break the front door. On seeing this, his father who was 70 years old picked up a crabstick nearby the door by his lucky hand and then stabbed outside. The father heard a painful cry, but he thought his youngest son was pretending to be hurt so that he would open the door; therefore the father took no notice of his cry.
No sound was to be heard after a while; the father felt very surprised, so he talked with his eldest son about this matter. Then his eldest son opened the door, finding that there was a wound in his little brother’s left chest who had been stabbed to death by the long hunting rifle. The father as well as the elder brothers were so regretful.
The senior, Mr. Wang said, “We’d better take wine as the thing to warm our bodies. So to drink 50cc of wine in ten sip before going to bed, which would be helpful to improve metabolism, while don’t drink any at usual time so as to avoid generating tragedies.”
Xiao Zhang who is a salesman then said, “Those who deal with foreign affairs would come upon having meals or drinking once in a while, but if I can think of that I have to earn money to support my parents, wife and children, so that I can only drink a little. Even if I would be laughed at as a coward by my customers, I could only apologize to them. You know, drunken driving would be banned by the police, and even give rise to many tragedies if they crash others to death or they themselves die in the accidents.”
We may think that such kind of things would be none of our business after we heard what they said. While giving another serious thought, we will realize that any of us may encounter such things. For example, if having dinners with customers changes into weddings of schoolmates, relatives and friends, having social intercourse into graduation party, and drinking between father and sons into drinking due to failure in love… We may have a similar feeling.
A-Budh Experience(佛經)reported, ‘ A-Budh words(佛語是戒), extinguish-wrong (息惡是戒), stability(定), samadhi, giving(布施,congruence is named doing action(是名為業).
Only those who can receive first-class orientation training and bring their intelligent disposing wisdom capacity when they have jobs can have outstanding performance easily.
14. Right Enlargement
Did good deeds previously, do good deeds now, and will continue to do so in the future, which can be called as good deeds enlargement.
That old man who built a bridge in mountain area with his relatives and friends was thrilled when he saw that the bridge was useful for everyone. He is cheerful and someone proposed to find other places which need a bridge, and then continually build bridges.
They decided to continue doing good deeds after a discussion, regardless of big bridges or small ones. And they would ask their relatives and friends to look for such places for them. They were informed before long that there were some places in mountain roads which they should do surveys.
Firstly, they observed the topography to find the solidest high place near the road where they would build bridges. Even if they would have to build new roads that would connect with bridges after building of the bridges, they were still planning happily, and went on according to their plans.
Within that year, they used their own money to buy the materials and worked on their own. Though they spent not much money, there came lots of felicity rewards because of the benefits they had brought to the folks and their neighbors. Many people were willing to take part in the good works afterwards, giving money and joining in the good work. Finally they have built hundreds of bridges for several decades, all of which are so durable.
Not to destroy life, not to do theft robbery, not to do wrong sex act, and not to commit adultery nor to be swelled with pride, but to follow ten kinds of wholesome behavior all the time, which can be called Right Enlargement within the mundane world.
Someone may think that only those enjoying good health, much strength, and some money can afford to do good deeds.
But chances would come for those who often keep doing good deeds in their minds, and who try what they can do to help others. For instance, if there is a car accident, you may place a warning indicator or a reflecting object to prevent other cars’ overtaking collision, or you can call an ambulance, help the wounded stop the bleeding or move him/her to a safe place and the like.
It is recorded in A-Budh Experience that there was a very poor man called Sumana in ancient times. He understood that Buddha wanted to mend his dyed garments, so he offered A-Budh some threads. It was very peculiar that the poor have the mental words and deeds to offer A-Budh threads, which was so sincere and precious. Therefore A-Budh foresaid Sumana, so he will be an A-Budh in the future wave-life with the name of A-Budh Ten Threads.
Those rich people who offered possessions would not always be foresaid(授記) by A-Budh. While the poor Sumana offered A-Budh threads, which won the foresaying.
Be aware of bitterness and observe its cause; avoid offending others in life; practice dharma all the time, keep a distance of and even abandon collections(諸集), willingness to fulfill ferrytion(願度) and to arrive at coast there(彼岸), all the above is named the right experience of the beyond all worldly world(超世間正見).
15. As a Man Sows, So shall He Reap.
Life for modern people is full of tension and competitions.
The other day, by applying a headline, the newspaper reported the failure of educational reform that has been implemented for ten years.
A TV journalist interviewed a mother who answered fearfully, “Let those with high IQ learn constructed mathematics! We ordinary people may be relatively confident when we learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.” We can see from her words that she was really worried if her daughter who was learning constructed mathematics would become an idiot.
The mother’s words make people think of what preached by Confucius, “ To do different teaching and inside in Nil-classification? ” , “From purpose to teach Nil-classification? ” , “ Instruction knows no class distinction ”.
We can’t guess the connotative meaning of Sage Confucius’ words at that time, and can only guess his instructions left after his death.
There are people who attach great importance to virtues and who do not, and those whose IQ are low etc. in this world.
We may inspire those who like mechanical crafts to read books about this field; plus there are practical training programs, which would make him not take the school as a prison any more due to his love for crafts books; they have some professional skills so that they aren’t willing to be idlers. This seems better in conformity with the concept and ideal, “instruction knows no class distinction”.
We may have a feeling of failure if when we learn courses that we can’t understand. Failure in courses time and time again would easily make students see their school as a dangerous road, or give rise to melancholia, if which as far as the students or the society are concerned, is a failure due to wrong directions or not?
Perhaps there will be a lifestyle that can make the best of both worlds if we change to another method.
A-Budh preaches the future or the past or the actual motif-sake Experience(佛說未曾有因緣經) reported that Ajita got himself hurt and also hurt his fellow countrymen due to false ideas.
Ajita had been cultivating for 50 years, and he understood 96 classic sutras and Vyākarana forum, medical prescriptions & conjuring and divination, which was the reason why he was so famous. Ajita always kept in his mind that it was due to his master’s indoctrination that he had gained excellent intelligence and wisdom. Therefore he wanted to sell his body to gain property, food and clothing, with which he can offer his master.
It was just at the time that the king passed away, so the secretaries gathered together to discuss about having all scholars gathered and had speeches, and finally the winner would be chosen as the new king. As a result, Ajita was selected as the new king.
In the first few years, ten good principles were implemented in the country. So the country was powerful while her citizens enjoyed happy and peaceful life.
There were two small countries near the border that often sent armed forces to suppress each other. The king of Andhra discussed with his secretaries and decided to give a hundred beauties as well as treasure to Ajita, so as to induce Ajita to send troops to attack Magadha.
Under the drive of material desires, King Ajita dispatched millions of soldiers to attack Magadha for a hundred days. Finally he won the war at the cost of more than half of his soldiers. After that, King Ajita was addicted to seeking pleasure, but ignored the political affairs. So along with bureaucrat rebellion came waterlogging, drought, which made a street of famine refugees. Therefore the enemy took advantage of the occasion to invade the country. King Ajita lost his country and died, and after his death, his soul sank into the hell, suffering many kinds of torment.
But since he had cultivated himself diligently during his previous life, so he came to understand his destiny with the help of previous wisdom, and regretted for what he has done. Finally he escaped from distress in the hell by abandoning evil and to choose to be kind.
16. Forge Ahead Towards Goals Easily
With kind vows, go earnestly for kindness and good deeds, and then you would enjoy a relaxing life.
Kind vows seem like an invisible safety line that guarantees people’s safety directions.
Enlargement is an invisible force, and those following good actions can move towards safe area easily.
King Ajita who lived in the past life fell into the Beauty Trap as he forgot to make use of wholesome karma and vow and practice. And he had once sunk into the hell because he ignored the political affairs and was under control of negative karma; after that he had suffered destination of hungry spirits, and then became an animal again.
It can be said surely that if he hadn’t fallen into the Beauty Trap, or the Treasure Trap, he wouldn’t be sent to the three agony-bypaths to suffer there.
What do you think?
“Is that right? But it seems like it’s changeable.”
“Don’t speak out without careful thinking.”
“Convenience is OK, but not casual speech, right?”
Hearing what the old and the young said, I thought of the teachings from great goodity-leader(大善知識).
“ Right endeavor as well as perseverance equals to the Nil-up Right-true(無上 正真).”
Finally I come to understand that Right enlargement can make people happy and peaceful.
17. Right Livelihood
It is reported in newspaper that Dean’s Office of Taiwan X University gave a notice which said that several students who cheated in exams would be expelled from school, and the reason was that they are from Department of Law who should know the laws, abide by them but not violate them.
To know the laws and abide by them can be regarded as Right Remembrance(正念).
We must work and earn money to maintain our bodies’ existence as long as we live in this world, so that our basic necessities of life would be guaranteed.
Some scholars in Taiwan had been discussing about a question for more than ten years around 2000 A.D., which was why students’ learning quality kept degrading each year.
The Education Supervisor said, “What should we do? Master graduates in recent years are just on the level of undergraduates 30 years ago, while the undergraduates in recent years are just on the level of previous high schools students.”
It was also published in newspapers that nowadays students enjoy good living conditions, who are spoiled by their parents, while the young are indulged in playing, such as computer games, etc., all of which are the reasons why students don’t study hard at school.
Some other ideas go like that there are too many universities. Since the year 2007 A.D., the student enrollment is like that there are more than 110 in universities, while there are just about 100 high school graduates. Therefore, many universities may have few freshmen or even have no freshman in some departments. The college enrollment is as high as 100 percent, among whom 75% of students are excessive. So it is obvious to know the quality of the students.
Students don’t have correct and excellent knowledge, or first-class skills, which will result in their lack of competitiveness in the future career. So what should they do?
It is Right Remembrance if students can study hard and whole-heartedly, exercise and entertain properly. And those with Right Remembrance live an ordinary life can be regarded as living a right livelihood.
Staffs in the factories attach importance to R&D of new products, remarkable manufacturing, excellent quality control, attractive product functions and external design, low cost & sales management as well as high value on the factory’s spirit, etc., the factories will be able to produce high quality products which will come out top all around the world, enjoying a favorable competitiveness.
Those earning money in rightful ways, and don’t corrupt, defraud nor rob can be named the worldly right livelihood.
Some other people who know the laws and abide by them make money through legal jobs, and live their life in accordance with what A-Budh preaches. So we can also say that they live a worldly right livelihood.
18. Present Life and Its Future Consequences
Drinking clean boiled water may not only help one quench his thirst, but also promote normal metabolism, bringing up a healthy body.
But what if one drinks black tea with foam that contains too much coliform bacillus, or has food that contains viruses for lunch? Do you know that black tea with foam contains coliform bacillus? You will suffer from diarrhea once drinking it. Do you realize that the lunch has some viruses? You will face sufferings of falling ill or even going to die.
We can say one has greed if he is not content with happy emotion and pursues more of it. Whether or not you know the interpretation and damage of greed? The Happy emotion will give rise to insatiableness and then pursue it more. This is the very reason why some people steal, deceive, rob, take life, wench, tell lies, give evil speeches, tell tales, vow evilly and the like, which would harm themselves as well as others. And they live in the troubles now, and will confront the sufferings of the parting pain of love and the request or inaccessibility to increase in adversity.
With the hope of letting all living creatures know about harmfulness and the everlasting fearfulness of bitter fruits, A-Budh Sakyamuni enlightens them to apply their instinct wisdom and abilities to get over all desires, and head for happiness wave-life after wave-life. Therefore they were told that there are two typifications of external forms of A-Budh, namely, one is The Off-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh Sakyamuni(釋迦牟尼出家如來佛), The Off-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh Amita(阿彌陀出家如來佛); while the other is The Nature-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh Right-law-light(正法明在家如來佛), The Nature-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh Pharmacy-Medical Teacher(藥師在家如來佛), The Nature-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh Buddhi-Buddhi(菩提菩提在家如來佛); The Nature-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh and The Off-home Nature-Accordance A-Budh, why can they be the A-Budhs and The Teacher of devas and people ? Because A-Budhs wave-life after wave-life(世世) fulfill A-Budh Experience(佛經), buddhi-rule(律), A-Budh-doctrine (論), A-Budh words(戒)and to extinguish wrong(戒), stability(定), samadhi(三摩地), A-Budh wisdom(慧), awakement both each other(自覺覺他), profit both each other(自利利他), and then in buddhi mind-uses instinct lustrating.
Bodhisattva also has two typifications; one is The Off-home Bodhisattva , such as The Land-Treasure off-home Bodhisattva(地藏出家菩薩); the other is the Nature-home Bodhisattva, such as The Diffusing Wisdom Nature-home Bodhisattva-great Bodhisattva. (普賢在家菩薩摩訶薩), The Manjussri Nature-home Bodhisattva-great Bodhisattva (文殊師利在家菩薩摩訶薩), The Nature Audio-visuality Nature-home Bodhisattva-great Bodhisattva(觀世音在家菩薩摩訶薩), The Great Staminaity Nature-home Bodhisattva-great Bodhisattva(大勢至在家菩薩摩訶薩); at Nil-attainment to read A-Budh Experience, buddhi-rule, A-Budh-doctrine, nearly all are The Nature-home bodhisattvas.
There are also two types of sanghas; one is the body to depart from home(身體出家), such as piksu sangha or bhiksuni sangha; the other is body to live in home(身體在家), such as upasaka good-fineness-sangha(優婆塞善好僧) or upasika good-fineness-sangha(優婆夷善好僧).
In order to let all living-beings keep away from harmfulness of greed, anger, infatuating, and damage of the five desires, A-Budh with great charity sets down the buddhi-rule, A-Budh words and to extinguish wrong, which require all piksus to depart from home(身體出家比丘) and bhiksunis to depart from home(身體出家比丘尼) who are the begging-doers(乞士) and begging-doer women and all must dress in the colored cloth of variegating(斑)-claretPlumRed(駁)-mildew(醭) with right shoulder bared (which is named cassock in Hindi), to beg for food, but not to save money, nor to cook by themselves in the temples …….
But what? When A-Budh Sakyamuni was promoting dharma in India those years, just a part of bhiksu begging-doer(乞士) and bhiksuni begging-doer practiced 250 precepts of the buddhi-rule and A-Budh words to extinguish wrong, dressing in the colored cloth of variegating-claretPlumRed-mildew with right shoulder bared(which is the formulation cassock formulated by A-Budh), begging for food, not saving money or treasure, having no food after noon(過午不食), not cooking by themselves in the temples, nor doing buy or sell or interchange or business(不買賣交易).
A-Budh set down Pratimoksa. So if some men want to become piksu begging-doer, they should firstly do three Natureizings(三自皈) for three times, then they should live with piksus for half a year, being observed on their mentality and words and actions. As for those with low moral characters and not in good health, they won’t be allowed to become piksus of the body to depart from home(身體出家當比丘); while as for the person with sound body and morality, before to give a permit of the person to depart away from home to become piksu(bhiksu) begging-doer(乞士) who shall beg dharma and food, we must ask him three times if he can fulfill 250 precepts of buddhi-rule and A-Budh words to extinguish wrong,(奉行比丘二百五十戒); if his answer is YES for three times, then he will be allowed to depart away from home to become piksu(bhiksu) begging-doer.
Many refused to wear the formulation cassock of A-Budh(佛制袈裟) and to beg, and they saved money or treasure, did buy or sell or interchange or business(買賣貿易), cooked by themselves in the temples due to famine(於寺廟內而自行煮食), their eating heads off and pursuing for fame & wealth or almsgiving during the time A-Budh Sakyamuni was promoting dharma in India. If bhiksu(piksu) refused to wear the formulation cassock of A-Budh(若比丘拒穿佛制袈裟), he wouldn’t be Buddhist as he broke the precept of the buddhi-rule or A-Budh words to extinguish wrong(因為破戒而不是佛弟子). If he wore worldly clothes, he is the evil bhiksu(piksu) and can not call himself Buddhist(若比丘穿世俗衣裳而稱為魔比丘和不可自稱佛弟子).
If bhiksu(piksu) refused to beg food and dharma, he wouldn’t be Buddhist as he broke the precept of buddhi-rule or A-Budh words to extinguish wrong. So he can not call himself as Buddhist; the same, if piksu (bhiksu) saved money or treasure , he broke the precept of buddhi-rule or A-Budh words to extinguish , so he is not Buddhist ; when piksu slandered dharma, because he broke the precept of buddhi-rule or A-Budh words to extinguish wrong, so he is not Buddhist.
Those following any the A-Budh words-breaking bhiksu would probably bring about faults or slander A-Budh due to the influence of the A-Budh words-breaker. And this means that those people will easily be sent into the 18th hell to suffer along with any the A-Budh words-breaking bhiksu.
The time when Buddha Sakyamuni promoting dharma was just at the prior period of dharma preaching, even when there were still bhiksu begging-doer and bhiksuni woman begging-doer believing and practicing dharma and buddhi-rule and A-Budh words and extinguish-wrong.
Now it is at the final period of dharma preaching, so very few bhiksus in the mainland, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, India, European countries, USA and Canada are willing to wear the colored cloth of variegating-claretPlumRed-mildew with right shoulder bared(which is the formulation cassock of A-Budh), and most of bhiksus are craving, saving money, buying and selling goods, doing business, etc. Some even drive M-Benz, choose big and comfortable business class for their flight. They often talk like that times have changed, so there will be nirva-effect for almsgiving.
There will be no difference for the A-Budh words-breaking, so all of those who do it are not Buddhists.
Retribution for the A-Budh words-breaking bhiksu will always be the same though times have changed. They will suffer a lot in the hell.
Also, the consequences will be of no difference though times are different. Those who follow the A-Budh words-breaking bhiksu having three viruses lunch would have no nirva-effect, but have to face sufferings of six kinds of bystreets and three kinds of astray bystreets.
19. The Beginning of Good Life
Articles about economic news will sometimes report financial concepts of some companies.
One concept is about stress on safety. One company has a sufficient capital of NT$ 10,000,000, only doing business within the scope of its capital capacity law-abidingly, and trying its best not to borrow money from others.
The other concept is about those companies that often borrow money from others, who will be tired of being kept on the run to pay back interests and loans. Finally some companies or factories will go bankrupt if there is an economic downturn.
We all hope to live in a comfortable and stable life, which is called friendly settlement-pursuing, while wish to keep away from illnesses, disasters and bad fortune, which is called disasters-avoiding.
When talking of work and life, Mr. Wang shared some experience of taking taxies and his feelings.
Once he saw a very clean taxi, so he waved to the driver. He expressed to the driver that he wanted to go to Tianmu after the cab stopped, and asked, “Would you like to go to Tianmu?”
The driver didn’t reply for a long time, so Mr. Wang thought he didn’t want to go there, saying, “It doesn’t matter. I’ll find another taxi.”
On hearing this, the driver answered, “Yes”.
In a short while, they were saw the traffic jam as usual since it was in the rush hour on Friday. Mr. Wang said, “I thought you didn’t want to drive me to Tianmu just now.”
The driver replied, “It is just middle distance to go to Tianmu from here, so I feel very happy.
Since from the southwest of Taipei to the north part, we have to go through the downtown area. So if we want to avoid road sections that will easily get traffic jam and spending more time waiting for traffic lights, and drive safely with a steady speed, we must plan which roads we will take firstly, then we can arrive in Tianmu safely and smoothly. I was planning the routes at that time, so couldn’t give you an earlier answer.”
The driver continued to talk about drivers’ attitude toward work, “Only if a driver has professional knowledge, attach great importance to safety and hygiene, is hardworking and thrifty, serves others with sincere work-mamer, has good sleep and exercise properly each day, and don’t go gambling, drinking, nor has food that will harm his body or spirit, he can be capable of driving a taxi all the years round.”
In addition, he shared some wise experiences, and said, “I gain more than a third of money-making opportunities compared with other taxi drivers everyday.”
The taxi arrived in Tianmu safely. But for this distance, in this rush hour for people going home from work on Friday, most drivers may spend about 50 minutes, while the driver only spent half an hour. That is to say, indeed he has more than a third of money-making chances than other drivers. All the above positive safety elements may be the reason of his excellent driving, and his performance of living a right livelihood in the mundane world for more than 20 years which leads him to a peaceful life.
If there is a person who can be at the right livelihood of the beyond all worldly world(超世間正命) and then to dexterously utilize the worldly right livelihood(世間正命), his state of mind would be more steady and peaceful and he will hope to go to joy perpetuation.
20. Right Remembrance
It was nearly noon. Some parents came to the restaurant near the school to buy lunch for their children. Three neighbors ran into each other at the school gate, so they greeted each other and had a chat.
Mrs. Zhang said, “Though the school provides lunch for students, but my son wants to have Pizza, so I buy one for him.”
Mrs. Chen jokingly said, “Your son is as good as gold, so when you become old, surely he will be filial to you.”
“What do you buy for your daughter?”
The third mother said, “My daughter catches a cold today, so I send her some light food, and will remind her of taking pills and drink more boiled water.”
The bell rang. Many students came to the school gate to fetch their lunch five minutes later.
These three mothers could chat again after ten minutes.
The third mother said, “I told her to take more rest, not to play too much or she would sweat completely, but she just kept silent.”
“Does your daughter mind you chatter? Seems like she isn’t a good girl?”
“I do all these for her. I worry she will forget to take pills, since it is she who caught a cold that suffers.
Do you know why that university professor who teaches psychology has been swindled more than a million NT dollars? That is because nobody asks him no to be craving.”
How practical these words are! That professor has cravings in his mind so he was swindled more than a million NT dollars, while the daughter of the third mother keep anger in her mind, so she didn’t reply, both of whom may not know “craving and anger are among the three weaknesses.”
If one isn’t willing to remind oneself all the time, nor listen to tactful words and kind advice of his kith and kin, what can he do in case of an adverse situation?
Of course we should avoid gaining the karma like the two bhiksunis in Huo × Temple who were put into prison because they transgressed at the extinguish-wrong in the theft or robbery(犯不偷盜戒) more than NT$80,000,000, but still had to pay back that amount of money and the inevitable cause and effect.
Ni-attainment respectfully to translate some Experiences from The Analiuh Eight Concepts Experience(無所得恭鈔阿那律八念經的部份經文)──
There are two types of right bents(正志): without-envy, without-resentment-fury, without-doing evil things(不事邪), correspondence is named to do the worldly right remembrance; to part from the three evil mind, to do four volition’s substantiality, lustrating, Nil-making, congruence is named to fulfill the road with right bent.
21. Experience and Typification
It’s about noon; I wanted to go home for a rest, so I walked along the main road. When I came near Huang Brook, there was an excavator far away which was digging out the silt in the brook in pipefuls under control of the driver. Then I saw the depth of this brook again just as when I was a little child, and the stream channel will be unblocked.
I kept walking toward the upstream. Projects near Tianmu have been completed. Walking on the flat dike, I could see far away that the stream has submerged rocks which had been dyed into rust in the brook after heavy rains; while the stream that has changed from rust red oxidized by sulphur and iron into very light color was flowing downstream rapidly.
Leaning against railings near the dike and seeing kwun Yam Shan(the mountain shape is looked like kwun Yam bodhisattva) in the west , I thought of The Nature Audio-visuality Bodhisattva whose Chinese pronunciation is kwun Yam bodhisattva as well as the great conveying spirits(大乘思想) that this is the true remarkable thought and statements of Buddhism.
Each being has his own thinking disposing capacity, and those thoughts and actions that seek casually for material, sound, aroma, flavor and touch are called smart-argument.
Each being is given two options when he wants to make use of his thoughts and actions: one is to make good use of material, sound, aroma, flavor and touch, while the other is to infatuate with material, sound, aroma, flavor and touch.
It is reported in newspapers or on TV that some people did infatuate along with material, sound, aroma, flavor and touch, such as thieves who stole money, those who are addicted to gambling and deep in debts, those who get their livers hurt due to intemperance, those who suffer from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome because of visit prostitutes, or those who hurt others due to failure in love, or those who have broken families due to extramarital affairs …… All of them will have horrifying retributions.
On seeing those who suffer a lot due to their pursue of material desires, or those who fall into the net of justice due to their unawareness of laws, some may think how can one live a peaceful and happy life permanently and avoid falling into the net of justice.
Sages such as from Buddhism dharma, Taoism or Confucianism teach all living creatures to do good deeds with the hope of making them happy.
But somebody also said, “Sages teach us not to be craving. So I once thought of some things after hearing that. It seems like sages think that you are greedy, so they ask you not to be craving any more.
I don’t like listening to what the sages preach as I am not happy. I would only like to hear about when stock will be soaring, and see the computer analyzes the next lottery numbers, hoping very much to make a fortune.”
As to one who holds his lottery to wait for his big fortune, I don’t know when he can realize, “Being busy with money may make me tired. And even I can be as rich as a king, I can’t take it with me after death, so it seems like I needn’t be a machine to earn money.”
Maybe we can put it this way as we can make money by doing good deeds and working, “The sravak doer(聲聞人) in this wave-life(此世) can fulfill dharma law and ten good action(十善業).”
Also we can say, “ If the person in every wave-life remembers to fulfill dharma law(佛法) buddhi-mind-uses(菩提心性) the good action of thirty two signs(三十二相善業) is named to fulfill great conveying(稱為大乘 ).
In Experiences, Type, Nil-attainment.
22. A Wish with the Name of Nil-inclination
Some workers were sitting under the tree near the pavement on the dike and having their lunch.
Some others just leaned against the tree, and fell asleep easily with newspapers on their faces. They just enjoyed the resting time after lunch.
A small buggy stopped on the bridge ahead. The driver took out tools and planned to replace the tyre.
I walked by the buggy and found that it carried some fancy advertising publications. Typography is an industry that has existed for more than a thousand years, which stands for an overall expression of humans’ wisdom, artistry and forging ahead.
I recalled a past event when seeing the printed documents. Decades of years ago, one university graduate often lost his jobs. Therefore he was afraid of his relatives and friends to ask what industry he was engaged in. What he wanted most at that time was to have a stable job, and also to form his own company someday so as to provide more job opportunities to others.
Not to envy other companies’ accomplishments, nor to print pornography nor steal others’ printing technique, but can maintain well-going of his own business safely due to his abidance by law. This can be called the worldly right remembrance.
He himself often repaired the printing machines and special printing ink. Plus excellent printing technique, though there were only dozens of staffs in his company, it’s one of high competitiveness. So his company could make profits even during economic slowdowns.
To make one’s dream come true by going forward earnestly and rightfully all the time, which among ten good actions, is also called the worldly right remembrance in the mundane world. Our life will be better if there are more outstanding talents of this type.
Wish without-greed is named Nil-inclination(無願), wish without-angry-fury is named Nil-inclination.
Wish to fulfill buddhi-mind-uses vow-deed by ones wave-life after wave-life(世世念念) is named the right remembrance of the beyond all worldly remembrance(超世間正念) and is named Nil-inclination and is named at Nil to fulfill buddhi-vow(無願).
23. Right Concentration
The climate is stable in early autumn. In cool and dry daytime it is about more than 20 centigrade. And you will feel comfortable when walking on the road in sunny weather.
I saw my neighbor, the senior, Mr. Yang near my house.
The senior, Mr. Yang and his mother don’t believe in any religion. What they often say is, “Don’t be lazy, take life, steal, neither loose, treat others nor do wrongs.”
Sometimes I really want to say to the senior, old yang, “ The sequence of the right concentration of Buddhism is that the permanent level is to fulfill road with right concentration(為道正定), the auxiliary level is to fulfill the worldly right concentration. Not to do wrong is named the worldly right concentration, not to destroy life, or not to do theft or robbery, or not to do wrong sex act, or not to do cheat is named to fulfill the worldly right concentration.”
Keeping kindness in mind and being stable is called the worldly right concentration in the mundane world, which the senior, Mr. Yang could do. So he kept not doing wrongs in his mind all the time to avoid making any mistake.
The A-Hūṁ Experience(阿含經) popularizes the great conveying(大乘), the remote branch conveying(辟支乘), sravak conveying(聲聞乘), human being conveying or heaven conveying(人天乘).
The Srimala Teacher Exponent to Preach One conveying in Greatness-convenience exactness-immensity Experience(勝鬘師子吼－乘大方便方廣經) recorded, “ To preach to the charitable man or charitable woman(善男子，善女人) establishes the great territory(建立大地), who can encourages the doer of the great conveying, the doer of the remote branch conveying, the doer of sravak conveying, the doer of human being conveying or heaven conveying to fulfill the willing behavior(成熟善行).”
The Great Conveyity Nature-birth Heartland Visuality Experience recorded(大乘本生心地觀經), “ The charitable man shall preach dharma law to teach the doer of the great conveying and the doer of the remote Breach conveying and the doer of the sravak conveying, and shall say the human-being and heaven teaching to the rest living-beings who can arrive at human-being, heaven, peacefulness-happiness(安樂), ingenuity -result(妙果).”.
I walked up to the senior, Mr. Yang and asked gently, “Have you meditated the right concentration today?”
He answered curiously, “Meditated the right concentration! I can’t meditate still indoors with my legs crossed.”
Old yang thought that the right concentration is only to perceive the capacity-breathing(數息觀) or silently to repeat dhārani(持咒) by crossing one’s legs.
Then I answered, “Any volition without-greed is named to do the right concentration of volition; also any talk or eating without-greed is named to do the right concentration of oral act or oral behavior(口行正定), any walking or living or sitting or lying down without-greed is named to do the right concentration of body act or body behavior(身行正定).”.
“If a person vows to fulfill the right concentration wave-life after wave-life(世世願行正定) that to do the above vow is named to do the vow-behavior right concentration(稱為願行正定).” .
On hearing this, the senior, Mr. Yang said, “Actually I often fulfill the worldly right concentration.”
“Is there any right concentration which is more powerful and greater than the worldly right concentration? If so, is that to fulfill road with right concentration?”.
I smiled and answered, “You have the full of wisetion and instinct(你很有慧根).”.
24. Auspicious Family
The senior, Mr. Yang looked at the main road ahead, then looked at the alley, and then caught sight of sparrows flying hither and thither between the house and trees.
He said, “Little birds fly everywhere, so they are called birdies. The alley leads to the main road, so that is to say the worldly right concentration and the to fulfill road with right concentration are interconnected.”.
He was muttering in front of his house, so I told him,
‘The Great Tree Kinnara-King to Ask Experience, constancy three(大樹緊那羅王所問經，卷第三)recorded, “The mind in calmness is named to fulfill stability, to know dharma law is named to use wisement(心寂名為定，知法名為智).”.’.
The senior, old Yang said humorously, “Is that if a person in Nature-home mind-stability(在家心定) drives a bus or walks on the great way whose mind is lastingly at peace? ”.
To remember The Lotus Flower Solemnizing Experience(華嚴經), constancy 79(卷七十九)recorded, “All Bodhisattvas are brothers, buddhi mind is one’s home(菩提心為家), at Nature to use logic to fulfill good behavior is named to fulfill the home method(如理修行為家法), all the perpetuation-body classes(諸地) are the home-rooms(諸地為家處), all patience are one’s home clan(諸忍為家族), the greatness vow is one’s home teaching, ……”.
Then I preached the dharma samadhi(定法) to the neighbor who also has the same perpetuation-body(同樣具有法身).
I saw he was in deep thought, so I continued telling him happily,
The Greatness-Pra-Nirvana Experience(大般涅槃經), constancy four(卷第四), Nature-Accordance Uses conduct four(如來性品第四) recorded, ‘ The charitable man! “If there is a living creature who find one’s confluences, then the living creature says that Budh shows permanency to issue and No-shift and There one; The living creature shall know that congruence is Home and basis, the way can be fulfilled with buddhi vow by any living creature who fulfilling the way is named Buddha (則為有佛), congruity is named at right to do awakement-profit both each other.”.
Then the senior, old Yang said,
“One must has learning ability, goal, carry out his plans, and work hard if he wants to do business……
If he wants to destroy defilement?”
‘The Analiuh Eight Concepts Experience (阿那律八念經) recorded, “ To natureify four mind bent, one mind to fulfill vacuumizing (空), at Nil to treat thought (無想), at No to fulfill buddhi vow (不願), to see nirva (泥洹)source (源), congruence is named to fulfill road with right concentration.”.’.
The senior, old Yang thought for a while and then analyzed,
“Everyone has wisdom and knowledge. The goal is to take across sentient beings universally, while the plan is to go home or set up a company first, but how to carry out the plan?”
“Last time I learnt from The A-Budh’s Essential Behavior Experience(佛本行經), constancy 5(卷第五), to praise The Light-Lighting A-Budh current events conduct 24(歎錠光佛時品第二十四) recorded, “A-Budh preached the bright law, lustrating peacefulness after peacefulness(清淨太平), to arrive at nirva city and then mind after mind to fulfill Nature to arrive home(猶如歸家).”.
“ What a coincidence! Today what I heart about dharma was all about home, which may indicate that fulfillment in one’s family life can also arrive at the lustrating-joy mood of the buddhi-mind home; which may indicate that to know and fulfill the three body-Buddha of one’s uses(自性三身佛), which means that any person can also be lustrating peacefulness after peacefulness, to arrive at nirva city and then mind after mind to fulfill Nature to arrive at home, if who is in the family life.”.
“Shall the person be in congruence with home and then can do the Nature-home life(是不是歸家，才能在家)? ”.
‘Yes! I just heard, “If there is a person who preaches that Budh is permanency with lasting issuance and No-change, the person knows congruence and home, and then can fulfill buddhi mind to be an A-Budh”. If the person knew to fulfill perpetuation-body(法身) and the wisdom-body(報身) and the fulfillment of the wisdom-body(化身). Does the person be at the home of the perpetuation-body Buddha(法身佛家) and the home of wisdom-body Buddha(報身佛家) and the home of the home of the fulfillment Buddha of the wisdom-body(化身佛家)? And can be named at Nature -home(也稱為在家?)?’.
See my neighbor who keens on doing business, and who is younger than 50 but looks like an old man more than 60 years old due to years of hard work, and he looks so weather-beaten.
The senior, old Yang asked again while I was thinking, “Why do you look like one who is only 40 years old but actually you are older than I?”
I replied, ‘Because I am busier than you! I often ponder over The Lotus Flower Solemnizing Experience(華嚴經), constancy 14, “Bodhisattva lives in home and is at Nature-home, bodhisattva shall wish that all living-beings can know home and can fulfill one’s identity variety(性空) and can avoid the persecution of afflictions(免其逼迫)…..”.’.
The wind kept blowing towards high mountains and flat lands. All people regardless of age and sex can enjoy the same one wind savor, permanency, lasting congruence, Nil-exhaustion, endless.
The Song of Eight Right Road
Băo-An A-Budh-office, Holy-buddhism Nation Mountain(聖國山), Lόng-flower-A-Budh-education(龍華佛教),
novelty-agreement(新約), touch-Nil Gate(齋門), touch-Nil teaching(齋教), Lόng-Magnificence sect, Lín-Jii purport, Buddhism.