Talking nonsense.

p328: Nonsense
Nowadays, when we feel unhappy with what others say, we always criticize them as “nonsense.” It means scolding him for speaking nonsense, speaking casually, and speaking unreasonably and unfairly. But in fact, “nonsense” is very legitimate, very decent, and very important history.

When Buddhism was introduced to China from India, it passed through the places where the Hu people lived in the Western Regions. The Hu people were particularly devout in their belief in Buddhism. They often help the Buddha preach and talk about the “Eightfold Path” among the “Four Noble Truths–the Path of the Origin of Suffering” in Buddhism, which are right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

When the Hu people talked about the “Eight Paths”, perhaps it was the time when Buddhism was first introduced, and there were many different translations and interpretations; or the language and sounds of the Hu people at that time were difficult for people in other areas to understand. Everyone heard that the Hu people The Eightfold Path taught is called “the Eightfold Path taught by barbarians.”

However, some people do not know its meaning and without in-depth research, they describe “the eight things that nonsense people say” as “nonsense”, thus forming a popular saying. Later, the meaning changed, criticizing other people’s speech and not liking to hear it were called “nonsense”, and it became a popular language that changed its nature.

In fact, “nonsense” has its history, its meaning, and its description of the conditions in which Buddhism was prevalent at the time. Nowadays, among the “nonsense”, no one has thought deeply about the real “Eight Paths”; don’t say “nonsense” – the Eight Paths spoken by nonsense people are the Eight Paths taught by today’s virtuous elders and authoritative Dharma masters. To be honest, This is the compass of life. If one understands and practices these eight paths, life can be extremely transcendent, extremely wise, and extremely liberated.

Unfortunately, now I am afraid that this Eightfold Path, needless to say, is not easy for any decent person to explain its meaning. They all think that this is the Eightfold Path that they cannot understand and should not listen to. In fact, the “Eightfold Path” is the correct guide to help us move towards a smooth path in life, and even guide us on the road to becoming a Buddha. The content and meaning of the Eight Paths are listed below:

First, right view: cause and effect, good and evil karma, impermanence, suffering and emptiness, and the eternal Buddhist path.

Second, right thinking: contemplating the impurity of the body, contemplating the suffering of feelings, contemplating the impermanence of the mind, contemplating the absence of self in the Dharma.

Third, right speech: the language of truth, the language of compassion, the language of praise, the language of benefit.

Fourth, right karma: do not kill as your karma, do not steal as your livelihood, do not engage in sexual misconduct as your life, and do not engage in illicit karma as your life.

Fifth, Right Livelihood: a reasonable economic life, a purified emotional life, a compassionate social life, and a moral political life.

Sixth, Right Effort: No evil thoughts will arise before they arise, evil thoughts that have arisen will be eliminated, good thoughts will arise before they arise, and good thoughts that have arisen will increase.

Seventh, mindfulness: recite the Buddha’s name to achieve complete enlightenment, recite the Dharma and the Dharma Realm to be harmonious, recite the Sangha’s pure merits, and recite the perfection of God’s benevolence and righteousness.

Eighth, right concentration: healthy concentration, concentration of mind, concentration of enlightenment, concentration of seeing nature.

p328　胡說八道

我們現在對於別人講的話，覺得不高興的時候，都是批評他「胡說八道」。意思就是罵他亂講、隨便講，講的不合理、不正派。但實際上，「胡說八道」是很正當、很正派、很重要的歷史。

當初，佛教從印度傳來中國的時候，經過西域胡人居住的地方，胡人對佛教的信奉特別虔誠。他們經常助佛宣揚，講說佛教裡面「四聖諦──苦集滅道」中的「八正道」，就是正見、正思惟、正語、正業、正命、正精進、正念、正定。

胡人講說這「八道」，或者那個時候是佛教初傳，有很多不同的翻譯、解釋；或者那個時候胡人的語言、音聲，讓其他地區的人不容易聽懂，大家聽到胡人傳授的八正道，就說「胡人說的八道」。

但是有的人不知其意，沒有深加研究，就把「胡人說的八道」，講成「胡說八道」，於是就這樣形成一句流行的話。後來語意的改變，批評別人講話，不喜歡聽的都叫做「胡說八道」，成為一句變了質的風行語言。

實際上「胡說八道」有它的歷史，有它的意義，有當初佛教盛行的狀況描述。而今，「胡說八道」中，真正的「八道」已經沒有人去深思了解；不要說「胡說」──胡人說的八道，就是現在的大德長者、權威的法師講授八道，實在講，這是人生的指南針，人生如果對這八道有了認識、行持，人生是可以非常的超越、非常的智慧、非常的解脫。

可惜，現在恐怕這一個八道，不必胡人說，哪怕什麼樣的正派人士來說，大家也不容易申明其義，都認為這是他不能理解、不要聽的八正道。其實「八正道」是幫助我們走向人生坦途，甚至是指引我們步上成佛大道的正確指南。今列舉八道的內容、意義如下：

第一、正見：因緣果報，善惡業力，無常苦空，佛道永恆。

第二、正思惟：觀身不淨，觀受是苦，觀心無常，觀法無我。

第三、正語：真實的語言，慈悲的語言，讚歎的語言，利行的語言。

第四、正業：不殺生為業，不偷盜為生，不邪淫為事，不邪業為命。

第五、正命：合理的經濟生活，淨化的感情生活，慈悲的社會生活，道德的政治生活。

第六、正精進：未生惡令不生，已生惡令斷除，未生善令生起，已生善令增長。

第七、正念：念佛覺行圓滿，念法法界圓融，念僧清淨功德，念天仁至義盡。

第八、正定：健康的禪定，定心的禪定，悟道的禪定，見性的禪定。

Sources:

https://books.masterhsingyun.org/ArticleDetail/artcle9368

https://www.purpleculture.net/dictionary-details/?word=%E8%83%A1%E8%AF%B4%E5%85%AB%E9%81%93