The basic materials of Buddha teachings

The Sutra In Forty-Two Sections

Said By Buddha

EditorCHIANG CHAN-KAI CHIANG YUNG-CHANG

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The Sutra in Forty-Two Sections said by Buddha

contents

Preface.............................................................................................................5

Guidance.................................................................................................................6

Leaving Home and Becoming a body of Arhat.......................7

Eliminating Desire and Ending Seeking.....................................10

Severing Love and Renouncing Greed...................................12

Clarifying Good and Evil.......................................................13

Reducing the Severity of Offenses.........................................15

Tolerating Evil-doers and Avoiding Hatred............................16

Evil Returns to the Doer.........................................................17

Abusing Others Defiles Oneself.............................................19

By Returning to the Source, and You can Find the Way........20

Joyful Charity Brings Blessings.............................................20

The Increase in Merit Gained by Bestowing Food..................22

A List of Difficulties and an Exhortation to

Cultivate............................................................................24

Questions about the Way and Past Lives...........................27

Asking about Goodness and Greatness..............................28

Asking about Strength and Brilliance................................29

Casting Aside Love and Attaining the Way.......................31

While Light Arrives, Darkness Departs.............................32

Thoughts and So Forth Are Basically Empty.....................33

Contemplating Both the False and the True......................35

Realize that the Ego Is Truly Empty..................................36

Fame Destroys Life Roots............................................36

Wealth and Sex Cause Suffering...................................38

A Family Is Worse than a Prison...................................38

Sexual Desire Obstructs the Way.................................40

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The Fire of Desire Burns.............................................41

Demons from the Heavens Try to Tempt Buddha.......41

One Attains the Way after Letting Go of

Attachments..................................................................42

Dont Indulge the Wild Mind.......................................44

Proper Meditation Counteracts Sexual Desire.............45

Stay Far Away from the Fire of Desire.............................46

When the Mind Is Still, Desire Is Dispelled................47

Emptying out the ego Quells Fear...............................49

Wisdom and Clarity Defeat the Demons.....................50

By Staying in the Middle, One Attains the Way..........51

When One Is Purified of Defilements,

the Brilliance Remains.................................................55

The Sequence that Leads to Success............................55

Staying mindful of moral precepts

Brings Us Close to the Way.........................................57

Birth Leads to Death....................................................58

The Instructions of Buddha Are Not Biased.................59

The Way Is Practiced in the Mind....................................60

A Straight Mind Can Get Rid of Desire.......................61

Understanding that the World Is Illusory.....................62

.....................................................................................................................................66

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Preface

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The Sutra in Forty-Two Sections said by Buddha

Guidance

When the World Honored One had attained the Way, he

thought as this, It is the most excellent way to leave desire

behind and to gain calmness. He abided in deep meditation and

conquered many demons and externalists.

World Honored One: attain: calmness: abide:

meditation: conquer: demon: externalist:

In the Deer Park he turned the Dharma-wheel of the

Four Noble Truths and took across Ajnata-kaundinya and the

other four disciples, who all had proved and got the fruition of the

Way.

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Dharma-wheel: Four Noble Truths: take across:

Ajnata-kaundinya: disciple: fruition:

Moreover there were other bodies of Bhikshu

expressing their doubts and asked Buddha how to solve them. The

World Honored One taught and advised them, until one by one all

of them awakened and gained enlightenment. After that, each of

them put his two palms together respectfully, and gave his

promise to follow the Buddha's instructions.

express: solve: awaken: enlightenment: instruction:

Section 1Leaving Home and becoming a body of Arhat

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Buddha said, "Those people who have took their leaves

of their families and gone forth from the householder life,

knowing their minds and getting through its origin. They

understand the unconditioned Dharma. These persons are called

bodies of Shramana. They constantly observe the 250 precepts,

and they value purity in all that they have to do. By practicing the

Four True Paths, they can become bodies of Arhat."

take leave of: go forth: householder: unconditioned:

Shramana: observe: precept:

value: purity: Arhat:

Then what is so called ArhatThat is to say he can

freely fly to any place where he wants to go and transforms

himself into many different forms. He has a life span of vast

eternity, and wherever he lives he can shake both the heaven and

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the earth."

transform: span: vast: eternity:

Inferior to Arhat, that is called Anagamin. At the end of

his life, a body of Anagamin his vital spirit will rise above the

nineteenth heaven, and where he will become and prove a body of

Arhat.

Inferior to the Anagamin, that is called Sakridagamin. He

ascends up once to the heaven, and once again returns to the earth

to continue cultivating, and thereafter he becomes and gets the

fruit of the body of Arhat.

inferior: Anagamin: vital: Sakridagamin:

ascend:

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Inferior to the Sakridagamin, that is called Srotaapanna.

It is Srotaapanna that he has seven deaths and seven births

remaining, and then he becomes and proves a body of Arhat.

Being severed love and desire, as if he were severed his four

limbs by others; he never uses them again."

Srotaapanna: remain: sever:

Section 2Eliminating Desire and Ending Seeking

Buddha said, "Those who have left the home-life and

become one body of Shramana, have to cut off many kinds of

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desires, renounce loves, and recognize the source of their minds.

They have penetrated and reached the profound principles of

Buddha, and have awakened the unconditioned Dharma.

Internally they have nothing to attain, and externally they also

seek nothing.

eliminate: renounce: recognize: penetrate:

profound: principle: awaken:

unconditioned Dharma: internally: externally:

They are not mentally bound to the Way, nor are they

tied to karma. They are free of thought and action; they neither

cultivate nor attain certification; they need not pass through the

various stages, and yet they are highly revered. This is the

meaning of the Way.

mentally: bind: karma: certification:

revere:

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Section 3Severing Love and Renouncing Greed

Buddha said, "Shaving ones hair and beards, he

becomes one of the groups of Shramana, who accepts the

Dharmas of the Way. He renounces his worldly wealth and riches.

In receiving alms, he only accepts what is enough. He only eats

one meal every day at noon, and passes the nights by sleeping

beneath trees, and is very careful not to seek more than that.

Craving and desire are what cause people to be stupid and dull."

sever: renounce: shave: beard: worldly: alms:

craving: dull:

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Section 4Clarifying Good and Evil

Buddha said, "Those living beings/ human beings /

human race / mankindmay perform/ doTen Good Deeds and

also may do Ten Evil Deeds. What are called the tenThere are

three done by the body, four done by the mouth, and three done

by the mind. The three done by the body are called killing,

stealing, and lust."

clarify: perform: deed: lust:

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The four done by the mouth are called duplicity, harsh

speech, lies, and frivolous speech. The three done by the mind are

called jealousy, hatred, and stupidity. Thus these ten are not in

accord with the Way of Sages, and they are called the Ten Evil

Deeds. If it is to put a stop of these evils that it is to perform the

Ten Good Deeds.

duplicity: harsh: frivolous:

jealousy: hatred: stupidity: in accord with:

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Section 5Reducing the Severity of Offenses

Buddha said, "If a person has many offenses or errors,

he does not repent and remedy or repair/ mendthem, but not

instantly cuts off all his thought of doing bad deeds, then the

offenses or sins and crimes will engulf him. It is just like the

current of waters returning to the sea, and it will gradually

become deeper and deeper, wider and wider seas.

reduce: severity: offense: repent:

remedy: repentance: engulf:

If a person has made many offenses and mistakes, he

realizes and understands that they are all wrong, and he reforms

and mends those evil ones and does good deeds. Then the

offenses or sins he had made will dissolve and disappear by

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themselves. It is just like a sick person, who begins to perspire

and sweat, then he will be cured and recovered gradually from his

sickness."

offense: reform: realize: dissolve: perspire:

Section 6Tolerating Evil-doers and Avoiding Hatred

Buddha said, "When an evil person hears about your

doing good things, he intentionally comes to cause your trouble.

You should restrain yourself and do not become angry or blame to

him. Then the one who has come to do evil to you will do evil

back to him."

tolerate: intentionally: restrain:

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Section 7Evil Returns to the Doer

Buddha said, "Once upon a time there is a person who

have heard that I observe the Way and practice the great humane

kindness, he intentionally comes to berate and scold at Buddha.

At the time Buddha keep silent and do not reply him. When he

finishes abusing me, I ask him, If you are courteous/ kindto

anyone, you give him some gift but he does not accept it. Then

the gift which you give, whether it will return to you or not It

will be returned to me naturally. the man replied.

humane: berate: abuse: courteous:

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Buddha said, "Now you are scolding at me, but I do not

accept it, so the misfortune will return to you and it must remain

with you. It is inevitable just like an echo that always follows

after a sound, or like a shadow that always follows after a form. In

the end/ Finallyyou cannot avoid it. Therefore, be careful not to

do evil deeds."

remain: inevitable: echo: shadow:

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Section 8Abusing Others Defiles Oneself

Buddha said, "An evil person wants to harm or tries to

injure a sage or a saint. It is just like one who raises his own head

up and wants to spit at the heaven. Instead of reaching or touching

the heaven, the spittle which he has spit will fall down back upon

him. It is just like the same way as someone who picks up the

earth or dust with his hands and wants to throw it against the wind.

Instead of its going somewhere else, the dust is blown to fly back

by the wind and returns to defile him. The sage or the saint can

not be harmed or injured. It is inevitable the doer will be

destroyed or spoiled by his misdeeds which he has done

eventually."

abuse: defile: spit: spittle: misdeed:

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Section 9By Returning to the Source, and You can Find the Way

Buddha said, "It must be difficult to attain the great way

by learning widely and loving the Way deeply. When you guard

your mind and revere the Way, the Way itself is truly great"

Section 10Joyful Charity Brings Blessings

Buddha said, "When you see someone who is practicing

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benefits and alms, you help him with a joyful way in your mind,

and then you will obtain the same vast and greatest blessings as

he." One of a body of Shramana with a suspicious way asked

Buddha, "Then is there an end to those blessings"

charity: blessing:

Buddha said, "It is just like the flame of a single torch.

Though there come hundreds and thousands of people to light

their own torches from it, so that they can cook and boil their food

and ward off the darkness from their rooms. The first torch still

remains the same flame as before. Blessings are just also like this

way."

flame: torch: ward off:

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Section 11The Increase in Merit Gained by Bestowing Food

Buddha said, "Giving food to a hundred bad people to

eat is not as good as giving food to a single good person to eat.

Giving food to a thousand good people to eat is not as good as

giving food to one person who holds the Five Precepts to eat.

Giving food to ten thousand people to eat who hold the Five

Precepts is not as good as giving food to a single Srotaapanna to

eat. Giving food to a million bodies of Srotaapanna to eat is not as

good as giving food to a single body of Sakridagamin to eat.

Giving food to ten million bodies of Sakridagamin to eat is not as

good as giving food to a single Anagamin to eat.

bestow: Five Precepts: hold: precept:

Srotaapanna: Sakridagamin: Anagamin:

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Giving food to a hundred million bodies of Anagamin

to eat is not as good as giving food to a single body of Arhat to eat.

Giving food to one billion bodies of Arhat to eat is not as good as

giving food to a single Pratyekabuddha to eat. Giving food to ten

billion bodies of Pratyekabuddha to eat is not as good as giving

food to a body of Buddha of the three periods of times to eat.

Giving food to a hundred billion bodies of Buddha of the three

periods of times to eat is not as good as giving food to a single

person who has no thoughts in his mind, no dwellingor/ holding/

persistingin his behavior, no cultivation in his practice, and no

accomplishment in his proof/ certification."

Arhat: Pratyekabuddha: dwell: cultivation:

accomplishment:

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Section 12A List of Difficulties and an Exhortation to Cultivate

Buddha said, "People will encounter/ meettwenty

different kinds of difficulty to practice. It is difficult to give some

things as gifts to others, when one is poor. It is difficult to study

the Way when one has much wealth and he possesses noble status.

It is difficult to abandon ones life to live and need to face the

certainty of death approaching. It is difficult to encounter and see

the Buddhist sutras. It is difficult to be born at the time of Buddha

to live on earth. It is difficult to tolerate the lust and desire to seek.

It is difficult to see the fine things and do not want to seek after

them. It is difficult to be insulted by anyone and do not become

angry and hateful. It is difficult to have strong power and healthy

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body and do not abuse it. It is difficult to come in contact with

things and have no thought of using them.

exhortation: cultivate: encounter:

status: abandon: sutra: lust: insult:

abuse:

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It is difficult to vastly and widely learn and well-read

about many books. It is difficult to get rid of ones proud habits or

customs. It is difficult not to slight or look down upon those who

have not yet studied. It is difficult to practice equality in mind to

everybody. It is difficult not to gossip or talk about others

mistakes with some people. It is difficult to meet/ encountera

Good and Wise Advisor to consult. It is difficult to see ones own

nature and study the Way. It is difficult to cross and save people

from the suffering conditions according to their potentials. It is

difficult to see a state and not to be moved by it. It is difficult to

have a good understanding of skill-in-means."

contact: get rid of: slight: equanimity:

gossip: potential: state:

skill-in-means:

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Section 13Questions about the Way and Past Lives

One of a body of Shramana asked Buddha, "By what

causes and conditions can I know my past and future lives and

understand the ultimate Way" Buddha said, "Just purifying your

mind and preserving your decision/ resolutionin belief, then

you can understand and meet the ultimate Way. It is just as you

polish a dirty mirror; the dust on the mirror will vanish and

disappear. The brightness will remain naturally. So as is it too, if

you cut off your desires and do not seek them actively, then you

can know and understand those your past lives."

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causes and conditions: ultimate: purify:

preserve: resolution: vanish:

Section 14Asking about Goodness and Greatness

One of a body of Shramana asked Buddha, "What is the

goodness What is the foremost greatness" Buddha said, "It

is the goodness just to practice the Way and uphold the truth. It is

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the foremost greatness to unite your will in the mind in accord

with the Way."

foremost: uphold:

Section 15Asking about Strength and Brilliance

One of a body of Shramana in the group/ assembly

asked Buddha, "What is it to have the greatest strength among

people What is it to have the utmost brilliance and wisdom

among people "Buddha answered him, "A person who just has

patience under being insulted possesses the greatest strength

among people. It is because he has patience in his mind to others

and he does not harbor/ conceal / hideany his hatred in his deep

mind, and then he gradually grows more peaceful in his mind and

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this makes him more stronger and healthier in his body. Those

people who have patient mind will surely gain the respect of

others since they are not evil.

utmost: brilliance: harbor:

hatred:

Then there is not any defilement in his mind; it

disappears and extinguishes completely, so that it becomes pure

and untainted. And under those conditions it is may be called that

he has the utmost brilliance. When there is nothing in the world,

even from before the beginning of the heavens and the earth being

formed into several shapes until now, and even in any of the ten

directions, you can not see anything, no any things you can know,

or no any things you can hear; and you have attained omniscience

or all wisdom in your mind, then you may be called a man of

brilliance. "

defilement: untainted: formation: omniscience:

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Section 16Casting Aside Love and Attaining the Way

Buddha said, "Anyone who cherishes his loves and

desires can not see the Way. It is just as you stir the clear water

with your hands; so that those people who stand beside you

cannot see their own reflections in the water. So is it, too; anyone

who is entangled by loves and desires has turbidity in his mind,

and therefore he cannot see the Way. Being bodies of Shramana as

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you are, you should cast aside the loves and desires. Till the time

when the stains of loves and desires lying in your mind will all

disappear automatically and completely, then you will be able to

see the Way. "

cast: cherish: stir: reflection: entangle:

turbidity: stain:

Section 17While Light Arrives, Darkness Departs

Buddha said, "Those people who see the Way are just

like someone holding or bringing a torch. When he enters a dark

room, the darkness in the room is to be dispelled immediately and

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the light is to remain only. When they study the Way and see the

truth, their ignorance/ idiot / foolishnesswill be all vanished

/ disappeared. Then the light/ brilliancein their minds will

remain and exist for ever and ever."

depart: dispel: ignorance: forever:

Section 18Thoughts and So Forth Are Basically Empty

Buddha said, "My Dharma is the mindfulness that is

both mindfulness and non-mindfulness. It is the practice that is

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both practice and non-practice. It is words/ speechthat are both

words/ speech, and non-words/ no-speech, and cultivation

that is both cultivation and non-cultivation. Those who understand

these reasons are near to Dharma; those who are confused/

dazzledby these are far away from it. Indeed, it is not accessible

beyond the way of language. It is not to be hindered by any

physical object or material. If you leave away from it just a little

hairbreadth, maybe you will lose it just in an instant or a little

moment."

and so forth: basically: empty: mindfulness:

non-mindfulness: confuse: accessible:

hinder: hairsbreadth: instant:

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Section 19Contemplating Both the False and the True

Buddha said, "You just contemplate the heaven and the

earth, and be mindful of its impermanence. You just contemplate

the world, and be mindful of its impermanence, too. You just

contemplate yourself efficacious senses, and the nature can be

enlightened. It is the Bodhi nature of itself. With this awareness,

you can quickly attain the Way."

contemplate: mindful:

impermanence:/ efficacious: enlighten:

awareness:

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Section 20Realize that the Ego Is Truly Empty

Buddha said, "We should be mindful of the four

elements within our bodies. Though each of them has their own

names, none of them is the ego. Since they are not the ego, they

are just like an illusion."

element: ego: illusion:

Section 21Fame Destroys Life Roots

Buddha said, "There are many people who always

follow and seek after their emotion and desires. They want to seek

to be famous. By the time when they have got them and

established their reputation, they are already dead. Those who are

greedy for worldly fame, and do not study the Way simply just

waste their efforts and wear themselves out.

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emotion: reputation: establish:

waste: wear out:

By the way of an analogy, although we light and burn

incenses, they can give off much fragrance and they can send very

good smell to our noses. When they have burned down, the

remaining of those embers can bring the danger of a fire which

can burn us up."

analogy: incense: give off: fragrance: ember:

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Section 22Wealth and Sex Cause Suffering

Buddha said, "Those people who are unable to throw

away their wealth/ richesand sex are just like a little child who

cannot resist the honey on the blade of a knife. Even though the

amount of the honey is not enough just to satisfy for serving a

single meal, he will lick it and risk cutting his tongue in the

process."

resist: blade: lick: risk:

Section 23The wife and sons are worse than a Prison

Buddha said, "It is not a better thing that those people

who are bound by their wives and children in their homes to such

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an extent than those people who are put in a prison. Eventually

one has a chance to be released from the prison one day when a

term of imprisonment of his crime is finished, but it is hard not to

miss his family when people leave far away from their homes

even only a single day.

bind: extent: eventually: release:

prison: imprisonment:

Dont fear to be controlled by that emotion, love, and

sex which would have driven us. Although they are just like being

put into a tigers jaw, their hearts are blissfully oblivious. Because

they throw themselves into a swamp and drown, they are known

as the ordinary persons. If you can pass through the gateway and

get out of the defilement then you can become a body of Arhat

blissfully: oblivious: swamp: drown: gateway:

defilement:

//

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Section 24Sexual Desire Obstructs the Way

Buddha said, "It is a miserable thing that people fall

into longings and desires. There is no thing as strong and firm as

the sex. There is no thing equal to sexual desire. It is fortunate

that there is only one. If these two things are alike, then no one in

the entire world could cultivate the Way."

sexual: obstruct: sex: longing:

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Section 25The Fire of Desire Burns body

Buddha said, "A person with love and desire in his mind

is just like one who carries a torch with him while walking against

the wind. He should worry about being burned his own hands by

the fire."

Section 26Demons from the Heavens Try to Tempt Buddha

Once upon a time there was a God from the heaven

coming down to the earth, offering/ contributingmany beautiful

maidens to Buddha, hoping to destroy his resolution. Buddha said

to him, Those things which you have given me, inside their

bodies just like skin-bags full of filth/ dirt.What reason do you

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come here forGo away; I've got no use of you."

Then the heaven spirit/ devilbecame very respectful to

Buddha, and asked him about the meaning of the Way. Buddha

explained it for him, and he immediately attained the first fruition

of Srotaapanna.

demon: tempt: spirit: offer:

maiden: skin-bag: filth: fruition:

Section 27One Attains the Way after Letting Go of Attachments

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Buddha said, "A person who are following/ observing

/ practicingthe Way is just like a piece of floating wood which

courses along the current of the banks. If it does not touch either

shore, nor be pulled out by people, nor be intercepted/ hindered

by ghosts and spirits, nor be trapped in whirlpools, nor be rotten

itself, I guarantee that this piece of floating wood will reach the

seashore and arrive into the seas sooner or later.

attachment: course: current: pull: intercept:

trap: whirlpool: rot: guarantee:

A person who has learned and studied the Great Way as

a student for a long time is not deluded/ indulgedby the

emotion and desire, and he is not caught up and hindered by many

crooked views, yet is vigorous in his cultivation of the

Unconditioned Way. I guarantee that this man will certainly attain

the Way sooner or later."

delude: crooked: view: vigorous:

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Section 28Dont Indulge the Wild Mind

Buddha said, "To be a cultivating person you are, be

careful not to believe in your own mind; your mind is not

valuable to be believed in. Be careful not to get involved with

sexthe feeling of occupying desires between men and women.

If you involve with the sex, you will be led to disaster. After you

have attained the stage of Arhat, then you can believe in your own

mind. "

indulge: involve: disaster:

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Section 29Proper Meditation Counteracts Sexual Desire

Buddha said, "To be a cultivating person you are, be

careful not to look at/ watch / beholdany woman directly, and

also do not speak/ talkwith her. If you have something

important words needing to say, you should keep a long distance

away from her. You must be properly mindful and think that I am

a body of Shramana living in a turbid and dirty world, and I

should be like the lotus flowers in the mud, which are not stained

by the mud in the earth.

meditation: counteract: mindful:

turbid: lotus: stain:

mud:

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Think of those elderly women as my mothers, of those

who are older than I as my elder sisters, of those who are younger

than I as my younger sisters, and of those immature girls as my

daughters. Bring forth/ producethoughts to rescue/ savethem

from the dirty world, and cease/ stop / put an end, extinguish

/ put out/ destroythose bad thoughts.

bring forth: rescue:

Section 30Stay Far Away from the Fire of Desire

Buddha said, "To say how to cultivate the Way, it is just

like one person dressing himself in clothes made of dry grass. It is

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essential to keep it away from an oncoming fire. Those People

who are cultivating the Way should look upon those desires as

something that they must stay far away from it."

essential: oncoming:

Section 31When the Mind Is Still, Desire Is Dispelled

Buddha said, "Once upon a time there was a person

who was plagued/ troubledby his ceaseless sexual desire and

wanted to cut off and castrate/ geld his own organ which can

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give birth to future generations/ off-springs . Buddha had heard

the story and said to him," If you want to cut off your sexual

organ, it is better of you to remove your mind than to cut off it.

Your mind is just like a supervisor/ a master, if the supervisor

/ masterstops, then his employees/ servantwill also quit and

stop. If the deviant mind is not to stop, what does it good/

helpfulto cut off the organ

dispel: plague: sexual desire: castrate:

sexual organ: supervisor: employee:

quit: deviant:

Buddha spoke a verse for him; Desire is born from

your intentions. Intentions are born from your thoughts. When

both aspects of them are still, there is neither form nor activity.

Buddha said, This verse was spoken by the Buddha of

Kashyapa."

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verse: intention: aspect: Kashyapa:

Section 32Emptying out the ego Quells Fear

Buddha said, "People become worrisome from their

loves and desires. That worriment then leads them to feel fear. If

they can surpass and keep away from those loves and desires,

then what will your worriment happenWhat will your fear

happen"

quell: surpass:

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Section 33Wisdom and Clarity Defeat the Demons

Buddha said, "To say how to cultivate the Way, it is like

a single soldier who goes into a battle alone fighting against ten

thousand enemies. He puts on his armor and goes out the gate. He

may prove to be a coward; he may go halfway to the battlefield

and retreat; he may be killed in the combat; or he maybe returns

with victory.

clarity: armor: coward: battlefield: retreat:

combat: victory:

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Section 34By Staying in the Middle, One Attains the Way

Those groups of Shramana who want to study the Way

must make up their strong resolutions and be vigorous,

courageous, and brave. Not fearing what are lying ahead, they

should defeat the crowds of demons and obtain the victorious

fruition of the Way."

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resolution: vigorous: courageous: brave:

defeat: crowd: demon:

Once upon a time on a certain evening, there was a

body of Shramana reciting the Sutra of the Teachings which was

bequeathed/ leftbehind by the Buddha of Kashyapa. The sound

of his playing organ appeared a little mournful and sorrowful, and

he seemed to have a thought wanting to stop his practicing the

way, and desired to withdraw from his cultivation. Buddha heard

the story and asked him, "In the past time when you are a

householder, what profession have you been done"He replied,

"I am fond of playing some kind of musical instrument like the

organ or the lute/ the piano / the violin / the guitar." Buddha

said, "What will it happen when the strings of the organ are slack

/ loosened"He replied, "They can't play any good tunes/

melodiesto listen. ""Then what will it happen when they are too

tight"He replied, "The sounds are to be cut short." "What will it

happen when they are tuned just right between the slack and the

tight"He replied, "The strings are carried to a good position and

they can be played all those good tunes/ melodiesto listen."

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recite: bequeath: mournful: reflect:

remorsefully: retreat: householder: lute:

string: slack: tight: tune:

Buddha said, "It is the same way as a body of Shramana

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who wants to study the Way. If he is harmonious in his mind, he

can attain the Way. If he is impetuous/ impulsiveto the Way, his

impulsions will tire out his body. And if his body is tired, he will

become afflicted and painful in his mind. If he becomes afflicted

and painful in his mind, then he will retreat from his practice. If

he retreats from his practice, maybe he will commit many crimes

and makes or does many offenses and sins which will be certainly

increased. The only way he needs to do is to be pure, peaceful,

and happy, then he will not lose the Way."

harmonious: impetuous: afflict:

tire out: offense:

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Section 35When One Is Purified of Defilements, the Brilliance

Remains

Buddha said, "It is like a person smelting iron or

another metal by means of burning the dross out of it in order to

make the high quality implements or other useful instruments. It

is just the same way as a person who wants to study the Way.

Firstly he must get rid of the defilements in his mind; then his

practicing the Way will become pure."

smelt: dross: implement:

Section 36The Sequence that Leads to Success

Buddha said, "It is difficult/ hardfor one person to

leave his evil destinies in the three ways of devil which is called

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hells, hungry ghosts and animals/ beastsand becomes a man.

Even if he does become a man, it is still difficult/ hardto be

born as a man rather than as a woman. Even if he does become a

man, it is still difficult/ hardto have six sense organs which are

complete/ perfect. Even if he has six complete sense organs, it

is still difficult/ hardfor him to be born in a central country

which has the teachings of Buddha to spread.

sequence: destiny:

Even if he is born in a central country which has the

teachings of Buddha to spread, it is still difficult/hardto be born

at a time when there is a body of Buddha to be born in the world.

Even if one is born at a time when there is a body of Buddha to be

born in the world, it is still difficult/ hardto encounter the Way.

Even if he does encounter the Way, it is still difficult/ hardto

bring forth faith and believes in Buddhism. Even if he brings forth

faith and believes in Buddhism, it is still difficult/ hardto make

up his mind on the great Bodhi way. Even if he does make up his

mind on the great Bodhi way, it is still difficult/hardto be

beyond cultivation and without any attainment/ certification."

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encounter: bring forth faith:

Section 37Staying Mindful of Moral Precepts Brings Us Close to

the Way

Buddha said, "My disciples maybe leave from me for

several thousands of miles away, but if they remember my moral

precepts and constantly practice them, they will certainly attain

the fruition of the Way sooner or later. If those who always follow

by my left or right all day long do not observe my moral precepts,

they may see me constantly every day, but in the end they will not

attain the Way."

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Section 38Birth Leads to Death

Once upon a time on a certain day, Buddha asked one

group of a body of Shramana. He said, "Do you know how long it

is that a person can live in the world"Someone of them replied,

"It is just in a few days." Buddha said to him, "You have not yet

understood the Way." Buddha asked another body of Shramana,

"How long is it that a person can live in the world"The person

answered, "It is just only like a space of a single meal." Buddha

said, "You still have not yet understood the Way." Again Buddha

asked another body of Shramana, "How long is it that a person

can live in the world"He answered, It is just only the length of

a single space of breath." "Buddha said, "It is a very excellent

answer of your idea and opinion. Truly you have understood the

Way."

space: length:

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Section 39The Instructions of Buddha Are Not Biased

Buddha said, "Those disciples who want to learn the

Buddha Way should believe in teachings and accord with

everything that Buddha has taught them. It is just like the time

when you are tasting honey. It is sweet on the surface and just the

same sweet as in the center or by the sides. My Sutra is just as the

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honey."

biased: accord:

Section 40The Way Is Practiced in the Mind

Buddha said, "Those groups of Shramana who want to

practice the Way should not be like an ox turning a millstone.

Such a person practices the Way with his body, but his mind is not

on the Way. If his mind is concentrated on the Way, what further

need is he to practice"

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millstone: concentrate:

Section 41A Straight Mind Can Get Rid of Desire

Buddha said, "One who practices the Way is just like an

ox pulling a heavy load on its neck going through the deep mud.

Though the ox is extremely exhausted, it dares not glance to the

left or the right. Only when it gets out of the mud can it take a

stop to have a rest. The body of Shramana should regard emotion

and desire as being worse than the deep mud; and with an

undeviating and straight mind, he should be mindful of the Way.

Then he can avoid any suffering and pains."

exhaust: glance: regard: undeviating:

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Section 42Understanding that the World Is Illusory

Buddha said, "I look upon royalty and high positions as

the dust floating through a crack. I look upon treasures of gold

and jade just as broken bricks or tiles or pebbles. I look upon fine

silk clothing just as the cheap cotton clothes. I look upon the

Great Thousand-World universe as a small nut kernel. I look upon

the waters of the Anavatapta Lake as the oil used to anoint on the

feet."

illusory: royalty: crack: jade:

tile: universe: nut: kernel: Anavatapta:

anoint:

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I look upon the expedient means just as a cluster of

jewels created by transformation. I look upon the Unsurpassed

Vehicle just as a dream of glancing gold and riches. I look upon

the Buddha Way just as flowers blooming before my eyes. I look

upon Dhyana Samadhi just as the pillar of Mount Sumeru.

expedient: cluster: create:

transformation: unsurpassed:

vehicle: Dhyana Samadhi: pillar:

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I look upon Nirvana just as being awake during the day

and night. I look upon inversion and uprightness just as six

dancing dragons. I look upon impartiality and equality just as the

only one true ground. I look upon the flourishing of the teachings

just as those trees blooming during four seasons."

awake: inversion: uprightness: impartiality:

flourish: bloom:

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All bodies of great Bhikshu had heard what Buddha had

said, were full of great joy. They accepted and followed the

teachings faithfully; and they bowed and withdrew.

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....

2013/10/13

2015/11/16 2016/01/23

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mayawaz@gmail.com

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