A General Explanation Of The Buddha Speaks The Sutra In Forty Two Sections

Machine generated contents note: I Leaving Home and Certifying To The Fruition1 -- 2 Cutting Odj Deihte And Ending Cetification10 -- 3 Severing Love and.Renouncing Gtreed12 -- 4 Cltaidying Good and Evi 14 -- 5 TuAnjng Setious Offenesz Into Light Ones 16 -- 6 Being Patient With Evildoern And Not Becoming Angy18 -- 7 Evit RetuArns To The Doer 9 19 -- 8 Du6t and Spit Dedile Oneet6 21 -- 9 Retuwning To The Origin One Obtains The Way22 -- 10 Joyous Giving BrLings 8e4singz 23 -- 11 The Ascending Cycte Od Giving Food 25 -- 12 Mentioning Difficultie6 To Exhoxt One To Cuttivate 28 -- 13 AMking About The Way And Past Lives 35 -- 14 Asking About Goodness And Greatness 37 -- 15 Asking About Strength And Britiance 38 -- 16 Catting Aside Love And Attaining The Way 40 -- 17 When BAightness Arive6 Da,rknes s Fades 42 -- 18 Thought And So Fotth Are Basicatty Empty 43 -- 19 Contemplating Both The True And The False 45 -- 20 ConcLuding That The Setd ls Basicatty Empty46 -- 21 Fame Deztr4oyo One's Source4 -- 22 Weatth And Sex Cause Suf6eAing 48 -- 23 Wives And Chidtren Are A P}ison 49 -- 24 Sexual De 6ire Obzstucts The Way 51 -- 25 The Fire 06 Dezite Butnz Up The Body52 -- 26 Heavenly Demons Tempt The Buddha 53 -- 27 Devoid 06 Attachment One Attains The Way55 -- 28 The Mind *I Wild; Do Not Indulge It 57 -- 29 PTopet Contemptatiqn Combats Sexual Desite 59 -- Sections, cont. -- 30 Stay Distant Fxom The Fite O Desice60 -- 31 When The Mind 14 Ttanquit De-ite z DVipelted 62 -- 32 When The Sefd Is Empty Fea& Di-appeau 64 -- 33 Wisdom And Ctatity DestLoy The Demons65 -- 34 In The Middle, One Obtainu The Way 67 -- 35 PuXiiedd 0O Defitement6 B&ightne46 Remain 70 -- 36 The Cycle To Succe471 -- 37 Minddut 05 Precepts One DVaws Neat The Way 74 -- 38 Extinction Immediatety Foltows Bixth77 -- 39 The Teaching 4I Without DVi ckimination80 -- 40 Pnactice 0 The Way Is In The Mind 81 -- 41 A StAaight Mind Gets Rid 0 DVei&e 83 -- 42 Undeutand That Things Ahe ILtusoAy 85 -- Index89

The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters consists of a brief prologue and 42 short chapters (mostly under 100 Chinese characters), composed largely of quotations from the Buddha. Most chapters begin "The Buddha said..." but several provide the context of a situation or a question asked of the Buddha. The scripture itself is not considered a formal sutra, and early scriptures refer to the work as "Forty-two Sections from Buddhist Scriptures" or "The Forty-two Sections of Emperor Xiao Ming." Because of its association with the entrance of Buddhism to China, it is accorded a very significant status in East Asia.

Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters covers the essence of the Buddhist teachings. For beginning spiritual practitioners, this sutra is truly the best entry point to the profound Buddha-Dharma. The first chapter of the Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters clearly illustrates the sequence we should follow in our spiritual practice. The second and third chapters are mainly written for those who are ordained as monastics, while the fourth chapter and the chapters thereafter are guidelines for spiritual practice for people in general. In simple and plain words, the Buddha used vivid metaphors to patiently and repeatedly teach practitioners at different levels of cultivation. He wanted to show people how to reflect on themselves and how to practice the renunciation of evil and cultivation of goodness to bring out their life’s full potential. He laid out a bright path that leads directly toward a state of purity. With these teachings, people can follow the right path and reach a pure state of peace and joy. Master Cheng Yen’s detailed explanations and apt interpretations have further closed the gap between this sutra and people living in our current time. We hope that those who read this sutra can inspire and encourage each other to walk the path. In doing so, they can share Dharma-joy and obtain the benefits of the Dharma together.

In this Sutra, which was the first to be transported from India and translated into Chinese, the Buddha gives the most essential instructions for cultivating the Dharma, emphasizing the cardinal virtues of renunciation, contentment, and patience.