wondrous dharma issue 24 - march 2012

8/3/2019 Wondrous Dharma Issue 24 - March 2012

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NMarch 1, 2012

Volume 1, Issue 24 Wondrous Dharma©

Activities at the

International

Translation

Institute,

Burlingame, CA

are free to the

public:

• Sixth Patriarch’s

Sutra lecture

Fridays 7:45pm

to 8:45pm

• Repentance

ceremony

Saturdays 1pm

to 2pm

• Chan meditation

Saturdays 2pm

to 3pm

Buddhism for

beginners

Saturdays 3pm

to 4pm

Individual Highlights:

Interpreting the Heart

Sutra with the Vajra

Sutra..2

Meditation simplified

lesson 22..3

Buddhism made easy

Lesson 22....3

Doing deeds in a

dream....4

Holding the Mantra

part 7....4

Wondrous Dharma is the newsletter on the dharma events at the premise of theInternational Translation Institute, 1777 Murchison Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010 Telephone (650) 692-5912 E-mail: [email protected];www.wondrousdharma.org

What is the wonderful principle? It is expressedin the Wonderful DharmaLotus Flower Sutra: “TheThus Come One knowsthe Dharma of one

appearance, of one flavor,that is to say, the mark of liberation, the mark of separation, the mark of extinction, the mark of ultimate Nirvana which isconstantly still and extinctand which in the endreturn to emptiness.”

The Dharma (teachings) of one appearance is theReality of the mind and the

nature of living beingswhich essentially is this:

What is the meaning of life? (Part 2, to be continued)

Mind is myriad phenomena (proper knowledge)

Mind is the myriad phenomena; myriad phenomena are themind.

One flavor is the OneBuddha Vehicle andcertifying to the wonderfulprinciple; the teaching of the real appearanceDharma recognizing theoriginal mind which isempty and withoutappearances and theappearances of themyriad phenomena arenot separate entities.

The wonderful principle(wondrous Dharma) is to

know that the myriadphenomena in the entire

cosmos (the physics,

chemistry, sciences, good, evi

disasters, mountains, rivers,

planets, living beings, hells,

heavens, and so on) are justappearances in our

confused mind.When we are awakenedand recognized thewonderful principle of theReality of the minds andnature of the cosmos,there is no reason toattach, suffer, distress,afflict simply because themyriad phenomena arefalse appearances in our mind, being empty in

nature. The stillnessarising is ultimate nirvanaultimate happiness!

The proper knowledge of a Buddha is that theempty and clear originalmind moved resulting inthe appearance of windelement, hardenedattachment makes theearth element, friction

and interaction makes

fire and water, the four elements that pervade theentire cosmos. The myriadphenomena arose as afalse self is created withinthese appearances thatcontinually generate theemotion and ceaseless

thinking that perpetuates

these appearances. Theproper knowledge is toknow that the original mindthat is inherent within theself nature of every livingbeing generates themyriad phenomena in theentire cosmos; not

otherwise.

The nature of the myriadphenomena in the entireuniverse is just the mindwithin the self nature of every living being andnot two separate entities.Because the myriadphenomena came fromthe mind which is empty

and clear, they are

fundamentally empty.Myriad phenomena areempty and falseappearances within themind. Every living sharesthe same original mind;the difference is whether you recognize thewonderful principle or

remain in confusion.

When you attach tophenomena you areattaching to your ownmind, thereby creatingthe phenomena of thisillusory universe.

Readers are exhorted toread this Dharma of thewondrous lotus flower in

Shurangama Sutra .

Myriad phenomena are the mind (universal knowledge)



Heart of PrajnaParamita Sutra

Equivalent in the Vajra Sutra

and no attaining. Even the thought of having attained fruition has to be put down as s 9 says, “”World Honored One, if an Arhat had the thought ‘I have attained the Way of the Arhat’ that would be an attachment to self, others, living beings and to a life.”

Because nothing isattained,

S 22 of the Vajra Sutra: Subhuti addressed the Buddha, ”World Honored One, is it true that the Thus Come One in attaining Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, did not attain anything?” The Buddha said, “So it is, Subhuti. As to anuttarasamyaksambodhi, there is not the slightest dharma which I could attain. Therefore, it is called

Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

We have to remind ourselves that the objective of our practice is to arrive at utmost,

proper, and equal enlightenment or Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. What isAnuttarasamyaksambodhi? S 23 says, “Moreover, Subhuti, this Dharma is thecommon denominator; nothing is higher or lower. Therefore it is called

Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. A person free of self, others, living beings and a life,who cultivates all wholesome dharmas, attains Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

S 23 of the Vajra Sutra continues to tell us that we have to move from conditioneddharmas to unconditioned dharmas by emptying the appearance in the mind of havingdone wholesome dharmas “Subhuti, what are called wholesome dharmas, theThus Come One says are not wholesome dharmas.”

Yet we should not cling to the unconditioned and deny the existence of conditioned by

seeing the conditioned dharma of doing wholesome deeds as just a description for theconditioned dharma. Therefore, Anuttarasamyaksambodhi is the Middle Way of neither attaching to conditioned dharma nor the unconditioned when s 23 continues bysaying, “Therefore they are called wholesome deeds.”

the Bodhisattvathrough reliance onprajna paramita isunimpeded in hismind.

Without impediment in the mind is the mind liberated from attachment when we arewithout the appearance of self, others, living beings and a life as explained in theforegoing. Without impediment in the mind is also neither clinging to the conditionednor the unconditioned and abide in the Middle Way. The Middle Way accords with theprinciple of true emptiness and wonderful existence whereby emptiness is not totallyempty as it gives rise to wonderful existence; yet existence does not really exist as it isfundamentally empty as it came from true emptiness.

Because there is noimpediment, heleaves distorteddream thinkingbehind.

Because there is no impediment of the four appearances, one is able to cease thefalse thinking. This is the point where Venerable Elder Master Xu Yun said,“Emptiness is pulverized and the mad mind ceased.” The Buddha will give predictionto those who are able to cease the discriminating mind as s 17 says, “Since I did not actually attain the dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, Burning Lamp Buddhagave me the prediction saying these words, ‘You will in the future become aBuddha with the name Shakyamuni, Why? The Thus Come One means ‘all dharmas are ‘thus’” ‘All dharmas are ‘thus’ echoes the line in the Heart Sutra whichsays, “Shariputra, all dharmas are empty of characteristics.”

Interpreting the Heart Sutra with the Vajra Sutra (to be continued)

Wondrous Dharma© of 4



Various methods inmeditation – from theunderstanding or Wisdom of the Realitythat all dharmas areempty in nature, to thestillness in mind thatno longer engages withand finally puttingdown of dharmas

Realizing that the mindand dharmas are empty,the practitioner shouldnot leave it as just mereknowledge but proceedto refrain from beingattached to form andmake discriminatingviews about form. For example, the practitioner no longer makes anopinion whether heprefers a Rolls Royceover a Mercedes or not.

The same applies thatthe practitioner henceforth no longer gives rise to feeling of anger or greed for dharmas. Nor does thepractitioner engage indiscriminating thoughts

Meditation simplified – lesson 22

Buddhism made easy – lesson 22

The sequencing of the

four application of

mindfulness tells us

the sequence how to

put down the five

skandhas of body first

and then mind.

even at the subtlest level.

Realizing such, thepractitioner is mindful toavoid engaging in thefalse mind of the fiveskandhas and be mindfulof the true reality that theself and dharmas areempty in nature. (The five

skandas comprise essentially the

body and the mind; the latter

being represented by feeling,

thinking, formation and

consciousness for dharmas.)

Samadhi is attained notby suppressing thoughtbut by getting rid of discrimination andattachments based onthe understanding thatall dharmas are emptyof characteristics. Continually doing so,the sense organs arebeing effectivelypurified as the mindcontinually accordswith wisdom of beingseparate from thedefilement of dharmas.

The foregoingparagraphs show theprogress of the

practitioner from first

understanding the Realitythat all dharmas areempty in nature, topracticing the Samadhi of signlessness or thestillness in mind from non-acting or not engaging indharmas. Eventually thepractitioner attains thestillness or the Samadhi of wishlessness or thestillness of having no

desire for dharmas; this isthe stillness of the mindarising when the six senseorgans no longer engagethe six sense objects.

Lessons 17 to 22 summarize roughly the Six Dharma Gates toturnaround and purify the six sense organs by the Great Master Chi Che of the Tien Tai School from counting of breath to following,stabilization,contemplation, turning and finally purification.

An Arhat is one who nolonger has love and desirefor dharmas.


Lessons 18 to 21 explain

the Four Application of Mindfulness tocontemplate the body isimpure, feeling issuffering, thoughts areimpermanent anddharmas are devoid of self. Thesecontemplations are for thepurpose of putting downthe five skandhascomprising body and the

mind that engages in

emotions, discursivethinking and theconsciousness that alwaysgo chasing after senseobjects. The reason whywe are not able to return tothe source is because weare preoccupied with thebody and this false mind.

The sequencing of the four application of mindfulnesstells us the sequence how

to put down the five

skandhas of body first andthen mind. Withoutlessening emotions, wewill not be able to lessenour thoughts. The fiveskandhas represent our false self. Consciousnessis mentioned last impliesthat we have to empty theself before we can emptydharmas.

Figure 1Understandingthat all dharmas

are empty, tothe stillness of the mind in notengaging indharmas tofinally puttingdown the loveand desire for dharmas.



When we have ‘no mind’ toour discriminating thoughts,

when we have no mind toour feeling, our randomthoughts, and theenvironment that is the pointwe find the true mind of aSage whilst in the body of aperson. We have alreadymade our false self nolonger exist and found our true self! In analogy, we willthen be like a ‘living deadperson’. If this is the case,would it imply that we do not

need to concern with theaffairs of the world so longas we ourselves are happyand peaceful? No, we needto be concerned with theaffairs of the universebecause the entire DharmaRealm is just our mind.

‘Mind is the DharmaRealm’ teaches thewisdom of nothingness inthe mind as the affairs of

the Dharma Realm isempty in nature becausethe Dharma Realmoriginates from theoriginal mind which isempty and clear. Yet‘Dharma Realm is themind’ because the

Doing deeds in a dream

The Sutra says: There they

should regulate their mind toone point, with no other conditions and recite and hold the mantra in accord withDharma.

With no other conditions is to

How to hold the Great Compassion Mantra – part 7

we need to be

concerned with the

affairs of the universe

because the entire

Dharma Realm is just

our mind.

Superficially wisdomand compassion may appear conflicting but

in reality it does not conflict or obstruct

each other

the true Reality where wonderful existence of this

universe does not obstruct true

emptiness.

Dharma Realm is our own mind and both are

not separate entities.Because everything in theDharma Realm emanatesfrom our original mind andevery living being sharethis original mind, in effecttells us that we are onewith everything; theteaching of GreatCompassion.

How then do wereconcile the wisdom of nothingness in mind andthe great compassion tobe one with everything? Superficially wisdom andcompassion may appear conflicting but in reality itdoes not conflict or obstruct each other. Thetrue interpretation of wisdom andcompassion is that wedo deeds as if in adream whilst we hold

nothing in our mind.Because we havecompassionate regardwith everything includingliving beings, we do deedsto make this universe abetter place. Yet we donot hold anything in our mind whilst we do

wholesome deeds. Thatis, we hold nothing in our

mind that we have donewholesome deeds, wehold no attachments inour mind, we hold noafflictions of greed, anger and delusion such asealousy, arrogance andanxiety, worries,vexation, distress in our minds. Whilst we try our best to make thisuniverse a better place,our minds retained

nothing at all as if weare living in a ‘dream’.In doing so, we abide inthe true Reality wherewonderful existence of this universe does notobstruct trueemptiness.

‘Mind is the universe;universe is the mind’ isthe very reason why theBuddha said in the Vajra

Prajna Paramita Sutra,“A person free of self,others, living beingsand a life, whocultivates allwholesome dharmas,attains the utmost,proper and equalenlightenment.”

hold the mantra as if not holding it.

This teaches the principle of emptiness whereby you practice yetyou hold no appearances in your mind that you are practicing. Shouldyou have a thought that you arefocused whilst reciting the mantrathen the concentration is second

grade because it then becomes a

conditioned dharma. We arereminded that sages dwell in theunconditioned and ultimately allteachings including the holding of mantra lead us to theunconditioned; yet we also havecompassionate regard for all.

Medicine Master teaches the wisdom of awesome virtue;

Amitabha teaches regard for kindness and compassion.

Manjusri and Universal Worthy demonstrate wisdom and virtue;

Guan Yin and Earth Store demonstrates kindness and com assion.


wondrous dharma issue 24 - march 2012

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