Month: June 2018

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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class recording dated 26th June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Tuesday class dated 26th June 2018 recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes are as below:

Outline short notes for last Tuesday (26th June 2018) talk presented by Sis PG Lim on Kamma – from pg 337 to 340 of the book ‘The Buddha n his teaching’

1. Our various actions impact our future lives e.g. mercilous killing causes short life, non-killing, compassion, kindness and love cause long life, Hurting and harming others cause one to be born with illnesses and disease, faith overcomes fear, etc. Thus these variouos karmic vipaka result in inequality in life.
2.Sis PG asked why Mongallana did not face retribution for parricide committed in his past life. Bro Teoh’s replied to her was very good. Please do listen to the sharing. Reason why Bro Teoh said ‘the Law of kamma is very complex and complicated and it can only be understood by a Sammasambuddha or a great cultivator’.
3. Sis Han shared that the very poor especially some of those in India where she saw are deprived of the 4 simple basic needs of life. She reflected on karma and understood that they were born under such conditions because they lack merits. 
 
4. Bro Teoh advise us to see through the danger of not taking care of karma via being heedless most of the time. We all should always be mindful of this law of karma so that we will constantly follow the advice of the Buddha to avoid all Evil (by keeping our precepts), hasten to do good deeds (preferrably unprompted) and purify our mind via meditation.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rong
Brother Teoh Tuesday Class on 26/06/2018 record :
or at:
www.dropbox.com
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Bro Teoh’s Sunday class recording dated 24th June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday’s recording for sharing by all. Its outline notes are as follows:

Outline short notes for the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra dated 24th June 2018. (Page 386-395 Chapter X Final Instructions):

  1. Duality is created by the mundane mind via words. E.g. If you arise the concept of “darkness” (the cause), then the opposite which is “brightness” will arise (effect).
  2. Whatever that can be created, is false because it is dependent originating, a causal phenomenon hence it is impermanent.
  3. When there is wisdom, one sees things as they are. Without wisdom, one sees things through one’s views and opinions and one’s conditioning (false).
  4. When one does not understand, one will indulge in duality.
  5. Within movements, there is non-movement. This is the similar to those sayings, “in the midst of activities, there can be stillness (true mind) and ‘in the midst of sound and vibrations there can be silence (of mind).
  6. When one does not create via the mundane mind, there is silent.
  7. Bro Teoh shared his understanding on how one can deal with the death of someone close (can be one’s loved ones or one’s teacher):
  • Death is just a separation of the consciousness from the physical body of the form and mind. There is no reality behind the death process. There is no such thing as ‘my’ parents, Teacher, Buddha etc. in the ultimate sense.
  • But within the conditioned world, the segmented (form and mind) life does exist and it has its own ‘reality’ within the existential world. There is such a thing as Life even though it (the human being) is impermanence (dependent originating) and is subject to Karma.
  • They only become like ‘real’ when one gives meaning to this segmented life’s form and mind (the human being) via self-delusion borne of ignorant. The mundane mind via ignorant cling on to them then all these: “my parents, Teacher, Buddha etc.” exist and hence emotions can arise in one who is deluded.
  • What we can do is to expressed our gratitude (via wisdom) towards our deceased loved ones and teachers by recalling to mind all the blessing, protection, guidance, love and sacrifice etc. that they had given us. We can also share and invoke the power of merits for our loved ones to have a better life in the hereafter instead of lamenting.
  • How do you thank your Teacher? The best way to thank them is by cultivating diligently and sincerely. As per the Buddha’s advice ‘he who sees the dharma sees me’.
  • The form and mind is just a ‘tool’ for us to use but do not be deceived by them. When the causes and conditions for their arising have come to past, they will cease to be. So no amount of sorrow and lamentation will bring back the dead.

8. Formal meditation is mainly just to train the mind to be mindful until it is very stable(ever mindful) even in the midst of life.

9. Sis Padmasuri’s requested Bro Teoh to explain the meaning of the sentence “to use the mind but yet not be deceived by it”. Bro Teoh explained that this form and mind is karmically conditioned for us to come to this conditioned world for us to use but we should not be deceived by it (the thoughts and duality that the mundane mind creates). To live life, we need to arise the thought to perceive, arise concepts etc. but the user of thoughts is most important and it must have the wisdom connected to it to enable it to have the understanding to avoid all evils, develop right views, right thoughts etc. to free the mind via the 4 right efforts. Cultivating these noble 8-fold path factors is most important.

10. Wrong thoughts are thoughts that condition one’s evil roots, fear, worry, anxiety etc. We must be able to be aware of all these wrong thoughts that will make us evil as they arise within our mind states.

11. Right thoughts are thoughts that bring about love, compassion, sincerity, contentment, gentleness, pleasantness, kindness, generosity, understanding leading to harmony etc. – thoughts which are free of the 3 evil roots.

12. Wanting things your way = grasping and clinging.

13. Committing the Teachings to memory = knowledge, which is not the same as wisdom which is to be realized and awaken to.

14. Real Meditation only starts after mindfulness is established. Constantly reflect and contemplate on the essential dharma to understand clearly (pariyati) before one can cultivate the N8FP correctly to cease all suffering in the here and the now.

15. The objective of Mahayana chanting is to cultivate the 5 spiritual faculties of saddha, viriya, sati samadhi and panna to understand spiritual teaching.

(Above draft outline short notes are prepared by Sis. Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s Thursday class dated 21st June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Thursday class (21st June 2018) recording for sharing by all. According to Bro Swee Aun it is  *Highly recommended,  a good summary on what is meditation?* Also attach is the outline short notes as below:

OUTLINE SHORT NOTES for Thursday class dated 21 JUNE 2018

A. INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE MEDITATION

  1. According to Bro Teoh, it is very important that we understand what is meditation and what is it that we are doing in the name of meditation? Essentially Meditation consists of two parts:
  • If we still need to train the mind to be mindful, then train it using the mind-sweeping method followed by metta to decondition the heedless thinking
  • If the mind is already trained, we can meditate straight The key points in meditation are to relax into every mind state that arises, then maintain silence and awareness within to develop the wisdom. The wisdom or understanding will unfold naturally when one is HEEDFUL  2.The mind’s original state before the stirring and reactions of mind, is already stillness, silent and aware. So, just let every mind state that arise settle down on its own. There is no need to do anything (such as focusing, noting, concentrating etc.) but just maintain awareness within. If an object of meditation is needed to anchor the mind, one can use Anapanasati (mindfulness of the in and out breath). Very soon, the mind will calm down and return to its original state of silent inner awareness. When one does not give any mental energy to the thought or mundane mind, the silent mind will develop on its own and one’s meditation will progress naturally leading to sati and The silent mind can meditate on its own. One will then experience piti, sukha and passadhi which is tranquility or stillness of mind (the silent or meditative mind). When passadhi stabilizes the mind will enter sati, then one can be ever mindful in the midst of life and activities to cultivate the daily mindfulness.

B. INSTRUCTIONS AFTER MEDITATION

  1. Bro Teoh advised fellow Kalyanamittas not to be gullible by following meditation instructions blindly. We have to understand what we are doing in the name of meditation. Without heedfulness, we cannot All meditation starts off with the training of the mind to be heedful as per dhammapada verses 21, 22 and 23.
  2. One needs to understand how to cultivate heedfulness. First, train the mind to be mindful and then stabilize it to be ever mindful. Next, use this trained mind to cultivate the Noble 8-fold Path in the midst of life.
  3. To be ever mindful and constantly meditative are essential qualities of mind states for one to realize the supreme born-free Nibbana as stated by the Buddha via his dhammapada verse 23.
  4. If the mental hindrances are still present, the cultivator must develop the opposite five spiritual faculties to counter them. Puja can help cultivators develop them. Faith in the Buddha and his teaching will arise when we reflect on how wonderful and unique a being, the Buddha is. This will encourage us to have the viriya to strive on diligently to train the mind to be mindful and then stabilize it to arise the Samadhi, leading to the wisdom.
  5. The Buddha emphasized the importance of heedfulness via his dhammapada verse 21.
  6. When the mind settles down, it becomes so quiet that it will enter sati. When that happens, the mind in sati is not only aware but ever mindful. One can then use this trained mind state to meditate via the daily mindfulness while in the midst of life. There is no need to train the mind anymore because this trained mind in sati can be heedful in the midst of life on its own already. This stable mindfulness coupled with the silent mind can enable one to insight into the three universal characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta.
  7. Hence, the word vipassana which means to insight into or awaken to the three universal characteristics is not a practice but an understanding. One cannot practice vipassana to reach enlightenment because it is not a doing. Practice is a repetitive doing via following a series of instructions to do things – which is mechanical in nature.
  8. However, most people have been taught to meditate using thought-based methods and techniques to realize the so-called awakening. These are all samatha and energy field practices involving focusing, concentration and suppression, resulting in jhanic states, absorption of mind and fantastic meditative mind states and experiences.
  9. According to Bro Teoh, there is no need to focus or force the mind into any form of practice. One only needs to relax into every mind state that arises and maintain awareness to realize the silent (true) mind. The moment one is without thought, one is already aware. So, there is no need to try to practice to be aware. Any form of doing or practice is by the thought and by doing so thoughts make the mind active again so sati which is awareness before the knowing cannot be developed via such thought-based practices. Sati is to be understood.
  10. We tend to give meaning to almost everything we perceive hence we accumulate them via memory through our conditioned thinking and attachment. Thought is response to memory so the mind via delusion reacts, stirs, grasps, clings and attaches to everything thoughts create causing one to be heedless most of the time.
  11. Once we see all these happening in our meditation, we will then understand the need to straighten our views via understanding the Buddha proclaimed of: ‘Sabbe sankhara aniccam, sabbe sankhara dukkham and Sabbe dhamma anatta’. That is: all off sankhara (mental states and activities) are impermanent, lead to suffering when we want things our way and understands that even this body and mind also does not belong to us, then the mind with such understanding will starts to behave differently. It will relinquish the grasping and clinging borne of delusion.
  12. One cannot practice to be wise neither can one practice letting go or to have non-attachment because only wisdom frees. Without wisdom one will hold, cling and attached. Who practice? The thought which is egoic practice. Who need to let go? Only the one who holds right? When there is wisdom one will not hold so is there any need to let go? Only deluded people practice letting go!
  13. Similarly, meditation is not about practice. It is about training the mind to become silent so that it can insight into phenomena. But, most people are so gullible that they are impressed by words and flowery dharma to the extent that they meditate without knowing exactly what they are doing.
  14. The four supports for awareness based meditation are: relax, aware, maintain awareness 24/7 (during waking and sleeping moments) and trust. Initially, it is difficult to be aware during sleeping moments. But as one’s mindfulness becomes so stable, it is possible to carry that state into the sleeping states.
  15. Bro Teoh cautioned on the dangers of doing thought based energy-field meditation because though it can make one’s mind very powerful, but it cannot liberate one from suffering. One can be drawn into the psychic field of psychic powers thereby conditioning more craving and delusion leading to suffering later on.
  16. Question by Bro Pan – Why is it important for cultivators to locate the gateway to our self-nature?

Bro Teoh’s answer:

  • This is only necessary for those who wish to walk the Bodhisattva way. The first three supports for awareness based meditation are sufficient for those who wish to walk the sainthood way while the fourth support is for those who wish to walk the Bodhisattva way.
  • The gateway leads to one’s nature and it is a very unique point because whatever energy that one has accumulated or developed will be neutralized once it goes through the gateway before being turned into pure energy. It is a beautiful outlet for trapped energy. The pure energy will on its own activate the chakras and nadis, making one feel fresh, still and energized from within. Transformation of consciousness will occur and even the cultivator’s health will improve greatly because the pure energy has the potential to heal one of all diseases and discomfort during that time. However, the body which goes the way of nature will eventually get sick, grow old and die over time. This again shows the nature of impermanence.
  • Master Hui Neng’s teaching takes us direct to the true mind. Enlightenment is beyond thought and mind so when people lack the understanding that there are two minds, they become gullible, cultivating with the mundane mind – doing thought-based meditation which are still within the field of thought.
  • Bro Teoh advised Bro Pan not to think too much about the question he had asked because when one’s mindfulness is still not stable, one cannot understand what this is all about. Even to see the dependent origination is so difficult because everything happens so fast. When contact arises, it is not just feeling that arises but is accompanied by the 7 universal mental factors (or cetasikas) which arise simultaneously. It is not a single-dimensional event but multi-dimensional. Only a trained mind that is still (having a very stable sati) can detect and understand all these. It becomes so sensitive that even the slightest very subtle mental stirring or movement can be detected straight away. The form and mind which is connected to the true nature will understand what is happening, thus giving rise to the wisdom which is connected to the form and mind. Eventually because of this wisdom connected, the phenomenal world loses its power to deceive the form and mind (or ‘cultivator’) who has realized the enlightenment.
  • Without this training, one can only understand through theory and knowledge. The true mind is clouded by the thinking (sankhara) which are your emotions and thoughts, etc. Through the meditative silence, one can understand how the condition-arising mind has been deceived by avijja again and again. As one keeps on straightening one’s views regarding kamma niyama, citta niyama and dharma niyama, one’s form and mind becomes wise. With this wisdom, it will understand that this form and mind is not me and not real. It is subject to karma and goes the way of nature (anicca, dukkha, anatta).
  • It is important to plant the seed of Bodhi (Bodhi mind) deep within our nature so that life after life when we have to come or choose to come, we can inherit our past spiritual cultivation. Unlike the karmic nature which follows us life after life immediately after birth, the spiritual nature can only be inherited after the body and mind is connected to the true nature through the silent mind via meditation.
  • Trust is most important for one who walks the Bodhisattva path. Through trust, one can connect to the true nature and inherit ones past spiritual cultivations just like what has happened to Bro Song many years ago. When that happens, he can understand a lot of things especially those profound teachings and dharma which he did not understand before, even after reading through them many times.
  • Bro Teoh emphasized the need to understand the basic essential dharma of the Buddha. Otherwise we will be wasting our time going into meditation (just like what happened to the four monks during Bodhidharma’s time who sat in meditation not understanding what they are doing in the name of meditation).                                                                    17.  No amount of sitting can transform us if we lack the wisdom. So, it is not the posture that matters but one’s wisdom which enables one to break free from one’s delusion and suffering. As long as we do not understand that we have two minds and we keep on cultivating using the mundane mind, we are wasting our time.                                       18. All dharmas arise from the self-nature. Wholesome and unwholesome and all forms of duality arise from this nature. If we cannot understand this basic teaching, we can forget about meditation. All forms of thought-based meditation will not lead us to the true awakening.                 19. All the essential dhammas spin off from the Four Noble Truths. So, it is important that we understand the basic essential dharma of the Buddha which have so often been emphasized by Bro Teoh in all his talks. Especially the 3 right views of kamma niyama, citta niyama and dharma niyama.                                                                           20.Finally, this talk is a like a revision for everyone to reinforce their understanding so that your understanding can go deep into their nature. We should continue to aspire, invoke vows and affirmations via power of merits to have the causes and conditions to have these right understanding life after life so that you can still cultivate accordingly with understanding even when the sasana is not around because it is very difficult for this form and mind to encounter the genuine Buddha dhamma to cultivate. Planting the bodhi seed deep within our minds will also create conditions for us to be reborn with this kind of understanding so that we can continue to perfect our nature life after life without having to fear getting lost again during the periods devoid of the Buddha sasana.

(Above draft outline notes were prepared by Sister Puan Chee.)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun
*if you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jun21, you can download at :
or at:
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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 19th June 2018 recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Tuesday class dated 19th June 2018’s recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes as prepared by Sister Yoon Chun are as below:

Outline short notes for our Tuesday class dated 19th June 2018

  1. A discussion session on Law of kamma was held where the following topics were discussed :
  • Cause of Inequality in life resulting from the effects of kamma.
  • Even children or siblings or twins with similar DNA live different lifestyles and have different characters and personality.
  • Bro Fong asked: can kamma be created without intention? He sighted a Mahayana case of an incident that occured to Nagajuna as an example of indirect effect of kamma.
  • Sis Chwee commented on the wrongs committed by certain politicians who seems to have escaped the effect of Kamma vipaka.
  • Sis Alicia asked how can Buddhists avoid/overcome the kammic effect of killing ants and termites to prevent damage to property and for cleanliness. Bro Teoh gave 3 important and useful advices to overcome the above.
  • Direct and indirect kamma.

2. Bro Teoh explained the great complexities of Kamma and emphasized the importanceof acting with right and appropriate wholesome mental intention. The key to understanding the effect of kamma depends entirely on understanding one’s mental intention behind. Hence one’s mental intention is most important because according to the Buddha ‘it is mental volition or intention that he calls kamma’.

  • The following five conditions are necessary to complete the evil of killing :     i. there must be a living being, ii. knowledge that it is a living being, iii. intention of killing, iv. effort to kill, and v. consequent death.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: Sister Hui Rong
 
Brother Teoh Tuesday Class on 19/06/2018 record :
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www.dropbox.com
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Bro Teoh’s Sunday class dated 17th June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday 17th June 2018 recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes are as below:

Outline short notes for lesson 76 of the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra dated 17th June 2018 – Chapter X Final Instructions (Pages 383-385):

  1. Bro Teoh does a recap over the outline short notes dated 27th May 2018. Thisshort notes are very important because it summarizes to us all the understanding needed for cultivation.
  2. To understand meditation, one should start from the mind, i.e. investigate what this mind is. To understand the 2 aspects of mind, the silent/true mind and the mundane mind. The silent mind does not need sense data to function and isindependent of thoughts and conditions. The mundane mind is the opposite, it is dependent origination and it requires sense data and other related conditions to function.
  3. When the mundane mind is active, one cannot see the silent mind because one is lost in thoughts. When the mundane mind ceases, the silent mind will manifest.
  4. Mundane mind is the forerunner of all things. Through the mundane mind, wholesome and unwholesome thoughts arise, depending on one’s understanding and delusion.
  5. Consciousness and its content = Thoughts. Mental formation or activities (sankhara) that arise due to stirring of the mind clouds the silent mind.
  6. The N8FP cultivation is to develop right views (or wisdom) to remove all creationsof mind borne of wrong view to make the mind still so that one is always aware in the midst of life to arise the wisdom needed to realize the supra mundane mind (after the mundane mind ceases).
  7. Right view is very important because it leads to right understanding to enable one to cultivate correctly.
  8. Take care of Karma by avoiding all evils via keeping one’s precepts. Understand clearly what constitute evil then apply the 4 right efforts and cultivate mindfulness to constantly purify one’s mind.
  9. When the true mind arise, there is clarity and calmness. One is then able to see things as they are to awaken to the Truth without the interference of thoughts.
  10. When there is no duality, there is no creation of wholesome and unwholesome. Then there is no unwholesomeness to get rid of or any need to practice letting go or non-attachment.
  11. Duality: when this arise, that arise. When this ceases, that ceases.
  12. Observe to see clearly that everything within the condition world is dependent origination.
  13. When one attaches to words like non-duality, emptiness, practice letting go, non-attachment, etc. (which are viewed as wholesome), one will try to practice them to realize such states. This is wrong view borne of attachment to dharma and is not the way to cultivate. The proper way is to understand that duality is just a conceptcreated by the mundane mind and it exists within the mundane world. That is ‘duality is to be understood’ and only wisdom frees – nothing else.
  14. The ‘moment you understand you are free’ – no more need to practice non-attachment or letting go etc. The truth is there is no duality of wholesome and unwholesome when the mundane mind does not create. When this is understoodthen there is no need to try to get rid of unwholesomeness, no need to practice letting go etc. For understanding or wisdom cannot be practiced. It has to be awakened to.
  15. Understanding does not involve memory so don’t try to remember and retrieve Dharma from memory because ‘acting according to memory is not acting at all’. One should always act with wisdom and nothing else.
  16. Without wisdom, there is no real virtue.
  17. Do not refrain from thinking. The problem is not the thought. It is the user of thoughts which is more important. The user of thoughts must be wise to enable the arising of right thoughts. Thoughts are required in the conditioned world for one to live life.
  18. Use understanding to let the thinking or mundane mind settle down by itself. Do not force the mind to be still or quiet.
  19. Bro Song shares his recent experiences involving his cultivation. Bro Teoh rejoice with his good progress and advise him to remember to relax further into whatever mind states that arise, then maintain awareness or silence, leading to the 4thsupport of Trust throughout and always remember – ‘don’t try to know’ what is happening while meditating. The understanding will arise or unfold by itself.
  20. Sister Adeline’s question on whether contemplation and reflection are thought based cultivation. Bro Teoh’s reply it is ‘not’ because when the mind is heedful and peaceful with clarity within as a result of the stability of one’s daily mindfulness,one is calm and one can reflect, contemplate and inquire mindfully into all things clearly. Truth or dharma is everywhere – in the midst of life and nature so why can’t you see?
  21. Advise in a nutshell for true cultivators :

    – Cultivate the Bodhi mind with strong faith and sincerity until it is very stable.
    – Develop daily mindfulness until it is very stable and ‘don’t try to know’
    – Stabilize one’s formal meditation via the 4 supports of Relax, Aware (or mindful), 24 hours and Trust    until one can locate one’s gateway to one’s nature clearly.
    – After that learn to listen from the heart (stay at the heart with inner awareness within and remain silence at all time).
    – Reflect and contemplate all dharma until very clear (after coming out of formal meditation).
    – Experience all transformation with awareness and understanding from within.
    – Do not listen to questions from the thoughts/duality.
    – Have faith, sincerity and perseverance.

(Draft outline short notes was done by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s Thursday class dated 14th June 2018

Dear all Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Thursday class recording dated 14th June 2018 for sharing by all. The sharing is very good and *Highly recommended* 👍 by Bro Swee Aun, so please do listen to the recording attentively to develop the clear understanding of the cultivation. The outline short notes are as below:

Outline of Brother’s Teoh Thursday class dated 14/6/2018

A) There were a few new people joining the class that night and among them there was one aunty from Penang who doesn’t understand English so Bro Teoh need to initially shared the dharma in hokkien with her first.

B) Then later on Bro Teoh decides to share the ‘Gist of Buddha’s teaching’ as a general topic in English that night via explaining the following:

1) What is the significance of Buddhist Puja?

o Puja is the Pali word for devotion practice

o All the offerings on the altar to the Buddha has important Dharma significance

o The Buddha recommended these pre and post puja practices to his followers to help them develop wholesomeness and cultivate the 5 spiritual faculties (or 5 spiritual mental states) needed for them to understand his spiritual teaching. They are:-

* saddhā – faith or confidence in the Buddha and his teaching

* viriya – Spiritual zeal or tenacity to go this way

* sati – mindfulness or awareness before the knowing or arising of thoughts

* samādhi – collected and unwavering mind

* pañña – wisdom or understanding borne of direct seeing

2) The Law of Karma or moral causation is fundamental to Buddhism

· The whole of humanity revolves around this law of Karma

3) The 5 aggregates of form and mind (the 2 aspects):

* 1st aspect as a human mind we have the physical body (1st form aggregate) and a mind (4 other aggregates of mind which are feeling, perception, sankhara and consciousness)

* 2nd aspect as the 5 mental aggregates of form and mind where the external mental form enters the mind via the mental aggregate of perception or sanna

[Note: What does the physical body consist of? Just the 4 elements (earth, water, wind and heat element) hence no knowing and they are empty and they cannot be ‘you’]

4) The True Mind and the Mundane mind?

· Memory = accumulation of experiences of good and bad. Most of us accumulate a lot of negative psychological memories. Why bad memories? It is because we cling or hold on to them thinking that they are our problem – it generates fear, worry and anxiety, etc.

· Accumulation via memories is clinging, grasping & attachment – they become wrong thoughts. They condition fear, worry, anxiety, phobia, lamentation and sufferings, etc.

· Thoughts are response to memories. So No memories = no thought.

· So to overcome these negative thoughts, the teaching teaches us to meditate to straighten our views to arise the right thoughts.

· The mundane mind is also called the thinking mind or condition arising mind.

· When mundane mind or thinking stopped the true mind will arise (can be realised).

5) Explanation of the four(4) Noble Truths:

* The Noble truth of suffering (Dukkha)

* The Noble truth of the origin or cause of suffering (Samudāya)

* The Noble truth of the cessation of suffering (Nirodha)

* The Noble truth of the path that leads to the cessation of suffering (Magga)

6) Explanation of the 8 Realities of life and existence (1st Noble Truth):

· Birth

· Old age/Ageing

· Sickness/Disease

· Death

· Separation from your love ones or from ones possessions/property, etc.

· When you are with people whom you do not like or association with difficult people

· Expectations in life are not met or not able to get what one desire or when things don’t go your way

· Final summary – Attachments via clinging and grasping to the five(5) aggregates of form and mind

7) The 4 supports for awareness based meditation:

· Relax

· Aware or mindful

· 24 hours

· Trust

8) Thinking does not resolve your problem completely or permanently. Only wisdom frees completely.

· Only Right views borne of wisdom (or the direct seeing) can help condition the right thoughts, right speech and right action leading to right living.

· To think the ‘right thought’ you need to have wisdom or right views.

· The “thought” is just a tool for us to use so the user of thought is most important. Use the “thought” wisely to arise only the right thoughts (borne of right views).

· To develop the wisdom we need to meditate to realise it via the direct seeing.

· What are “Right Thoughts?” – Kind, gentle, appropriate, good and virtuous Thoughts that bring about harmony, understanding, joy, peacefulness, happiness, love and compassion, respect, contentment, gratitude, etc. Basically it is to have virtue and goodness.

· What are virtues? Virtues are your goodness, kindness, gentleness, pleasantness, respect, contentment and other wholesome actions and speeches borne of wisdom.

· Learn to arise more and more of the virtuous thought such as love or metta, compassion, gratitude, respect, kindness, gentleness, goodness, sincerity, contentment, honesty, humility and all the other appropriate right thoughts while living life.

9) Buddha’s Teachings is simple when you understand. Basically they are just the advice of all Buddha:

· To avoid all evils

· Do good and

· To purify one’s mind via meditation to understand the two (2) aspect of minds to develop wisdom

(Note: This draft outline short notes are prepared by sister Keat Hoon)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun. *Highly recommended* 👍

*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jun14, you can download at :*
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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class sharing dated 12th June 2018

Dear All kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. The topic discussed  is on Karma. 

12 Jun 2018 Tuesday  Class outline short notes:

Ref. Book: The Buddha and His Teachings (Chapter 18, Page 333) – “Kamma”

  1. Discussion led by Sister PG  with reflection on the phrase “We are born of our karma, heir to our karma, condition and supported by our karma; we are what we are because of our karma” (5th of the5 daily contemplations as advice by Lord Buddha).
  2. Core subjects  of Buddhism that interest discussion starts with:
  • karma
  • Question on heredity referencing a quote from Theophile Pascal’s book “Reincarnation – A Study in Human Evolution”
  • Discussion on the Cause of Inequality and ones outlook on life

3. Sis PG shared about acceptance regarding her friend, during her recent               trip back to Penang for the GE14 election.

4. Sis Alicia’s sharing about her growing-up years and then juggling family                life with work. Advise to earn money the righteous way.

5. Bro Tune’s comment on genes and heredity as part of the 5 great nature laws,connecting back to karma.

6. Sis Padmasuri shared her  great   determination   and struggles to attend school and university lead to her good life later on. Even through tough times, things fall into place and problems get resolved. 7.  Bro Teoh spoke about karmic past and links, then continued to share about his own life since young, till after schooling years. His advice: Be sincere, do yourduties well, have faith, persevere  and   things   will always go your way and youwill have the good life.

8. Sis Yoon Chun share about having alot of freedom and being blessed in life, also interesting affinities to learn Buddhism and meditation.

(Above draft Outline – prepared by Sis Soo Yee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rung 
Brother teoh Tuesday Class on 12/06/2018 record :
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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 5th June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Tuesday class recording for sharing by all.

Below is the edited short notes for sharing by all:

Jun 5 Tuesday  Class Outline short notes
  1. Bro Teoh review 6th Patriarch’s Platform Sutra short notes dated 27th May 2018…emphasis on the self nature or true nature, thru understanding, sati in daily living, tranquility of mind and cultivation of the Noble 8-fold path to realise Nibbana.
  2. Continued from pg 320 of the book Buddha’s Teaching by Narada.
  • The 4 Noble Truths..
  • All beings are subject to birth, decay, disease and death.
  • The composite body is a cause of suffering thru craving or attachment borne of self-delusion. They are eradicated by cultivating the middle way the Noble 8fold Path.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 29th May 2018(Wesak Day)

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our Tuesday class dated 29th May 2018 recording for sharing by all.

The outline short notes is as below:

Outline notes for our 29th May 2018 Tuesday class sharing
  1. Wesak is a Thrice sacred Day to commemorate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment n parinibanna.
  2. Significance of Wesak. An auspicious day and an occasion for a lot of wholesomeness, generosity and joy by people all over the world.
  3. Chanted Dhammacakkappavattana sutta (1st Sermon of the Buddha).
  4. Significance of this sutta to set the Dhamma wheel in motion.
  5. Sharing by kalyanamittas on how they spend their Wesak Day.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rung
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Bro Teoh’s 31st May 2018 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Thursday class dated 31.5.2018 recording for sharing by all. As per Bro Swee Aun’s message: the below sharing   is *Highly recommended, must listen*👍👍👍 for it summarises very clearly all the   important   and essential  understanding needed for cultivation of the Buddha dharma leading to awakening.

SHORT NOTES FOR THE THURSDAY CLASS DATED 31ST MAY 2018

  1. Bro Teoh started the sharing by discussing the Sunday class short notes dated 27th May 2018. It contains the final instructions of the 6th It also summarizes all that we need to know about the cultivation. The ultimate cultivation takes us directly to the true mind or true nature.
  2. Three Kalyanamittas asked very good questions which helped to complement the whole understanding of the cultivation. The self-nature or oneness nature as expounded by Master Hui Neng is the Source of all thing which is also the unborn, the unconditioned where everything arises from.
  3. Master Shen Xiu has yet to realize his true mind when he wrote his poem for the 5th Bro Teoh explained that Master Shen Xiu had mistaken his mundane mind to be his true mind hence his mistaken focus on cultivating with his mundane mind. This was the reason for his failure to penetrate the true dharma.
  4. According to Master Hui Neng, if we do not create through the mundane mind, there is no duality. Bro Teoh continued to explain that when we use words created by concepts and ideas, there is division (such as race, religion etc). There will also be concepts of right and wrong, good and bad etc. These are relative truth, not ultimate truth.
  5. It is impossible to use the mundane mind to do away with duality. Hence, the practice of meditation should be understood. It should not be done to just overcome defilements and cling on to good mind states. Reason why the Buddha said ‘Imasmim sati idam hoti, Imasmim asati idam na hoti’ – ‘With the arising of this that arises; with the cessation of this that ceases.
  6. If one does not create, things are just the way they are, no right, no wrong, no good no bad. This is a very important understanding. This is wisdom. When we can accept things as they are, there is no more duality. So, we will always be at peace and there would be no more problems.
  7. Through delusion, the mundane mind creates duality. It is therefore important for cultivators to straighten their views. When there is right view, the mind will not stir and react to sense experiences because one can accept the reality of the moment. There is no more thought proliferation. The true mind will be able to see things as they are.
  8. Within the stillness and awareness, there is direct seeing which is unaffected by memory, views, opinions and conditioning. One can then understand the true suchness nature of all conditioned things.
  9. The form and mind is just a vehicle and tool for us to come to this existential world so use it appropriately with wisdom to live the noble life. With the wisdom of the unconditioned borne of the direct seeing, this form and mind will not be deluded by the phenomenal world anymore. Hence the reason why we should learn how to use the conditioned arising mundane mind yet not be deceived by it.
  10. Bro Teoh advised fellow Kalyanamittas not to waste time on tinted merits. Many Buddhists like to do dana. Merits alone cannot free our mind; without wisdom, there is still the concept of self that wants to do merits. Hence the action that follows comes from greed (subtle craving or desire) for those merits. Relying on tinted merits is not a safe refuge and it will not bring about wisdom to free the form and mind.
  11. Awakening to the truth and reality is not about sitting without understanding. We have to cultivate until we can reach the silent mind stage and then proceed from there to realize the true mind via the direct seeing. Otherwise, it is very difficult for one to awaken.
  12. Bodhidharma was the first Patriarch in China, the 28th after Sakyamuni Buddha. When Bodhidharma first arrived in a monastery in China, the monks didn’t respect him. Bodhidharma knew the monks were practicing meditation wrongly. Eventually, Bodhidharma was able to guide them back to the correct cultivation after making them realize that they did not have the basic understanding of the two aspects of mind as yet.
  13. From the self-nature, everything arises. It is complete by itself and how amazing it is that all dharmas arise from this self-nature. From the self-nature (the source) arises pure awareness. We can use this to cultivate even though the Self-nature cannot come out and live life. Bro Teoh reminded us of Dhammapada Verses 1 and 2.
  14. Mind is the forerunner of all thing, when mind arises, the entire phenomenal world arises. The mundane mind which is thought based cannot meditate because it is egoic hence deluded, thinking the phenomenal world is real. The ego which is the `atta’ or the personality craves to own and possess things. This leads to clinging and When it cannot get what it desires, the egoic mind become unhappy and stirred leading to more karmic negativity. Hence, one should not meditate using the mundane mind which is still within the field of thoughts. Thought based meditation cannot free the mind because the dharma is ‘akaliko’ – beyond thought (the timeless).
  15. But if we learn to silent the mundane mind to mindfully observe then wisdom can arise to retrospectively reverse everything; this cultivation can enable the form and mind to realize the true mind via wisdom.
  16. All koans are inquiries leading to the silent mind. Hence, the mundane mind must cease to realize ones true nature otherwise we are wasting our time following blind instructions to meditate without understanding.
  17. The Buddha’s teaching on right view with regards to the Law of Karma will enable us to understand how Dhammapada Verses 1, 2 & 183 (the advice of all Buddha – to avoid all evil, do good and purify mind) come about.
  18. The cultivation will enable us to realize impermanence and the unreality of form and mind via comprehending that everything within the conditioned world is dependent-originating and not real.
  19. Ignorance leads to unending births and deaths and without wisdom, living beings will be trapped in samsara.
  20. All methods and techniques are a waste of time if we do not know how to silent the mind (the analogy of allowing the pool of water to settle down after the bullock cart has passed over it during the Buddha’s time).
  21. The thought wants to practice but when we understand only wisdom frees, then our focus in cultivation is different. We can then accord and flow within the conditioned world following the famous Zen sayings on the 3 types of seeing: `Seeing Mountain as mountain (conventional or mundane seeing); seeing mountains as not mountains (direct seeing); and finally seeing mountains as mountains again (seeing things as they are or wise/suchness seeing)’. These are different stages of seeing depending on the level of one’s cultivation. Duality will always exist within the existential world.
  22. The best way to deal with sense experiences that impinge the mind is, to silent the mind to see things as they are. Using knowledge from memory is not wisdom. It is better to approach mind states like anger etc. using the 3rd way as taught by the Buddha via just being silent, aware and be with the anger (or any other emotion) then eventually anger which is condition arising ceases on its own when one does not react to stir the mundane anymore. But we cannot use it always because we have to live life. So, the best way is to reflect and contemplate via the 4th way to trace its origination factors until the understanding becomes very clear.
  23. The Buddha advised us to retrospectively reverse the stirring process via wisdom to see things as they are. `Why did I react? What is the cause?’ It is due to our wrong views. Learn how to straighten our views via understanding that if we have duality and concepts, suffering will arise. We have been conditioned to behave this way through the layers of conditioning since time immemorial. It’s the form and mind that needs to awaken to the 3 universal characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta. Without the awakening, it is very hard to break free from delusion.
  24. We are lucky because there are teachers who have discovered the ‘prototype wisdom’ for us to follow in cultivation. There is no need to search or find out via trial and error our self. Bro Teoh has the understanding and therefore his sharing can make our cultivation easier via acceptance of the reality.
  25. Always bear in mind that whatever that arises, there are causes and conditions behind. Human beings are the way they are due to karmic conditioning. This is what dharma is all about. By cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path together with the Four Right Efforts, wisdom will keep on arising. We should continue to contemplate until the understanding becomes so stable that in the midst of life, at every moment of sense perception, the mind does not stir and react anymore. If there is yoniso manasikara (wise attention) at the moment of sense experience the mind will be quiet and at ease. So overcoming duality is not about using knowledge. What we need is wisdom at the moment of sense consciousness. Otherwise, it is very difficult to overcome the habitual tendencies.
  26. Once wisdom arises, everything falls into place. There is that nature within which is independent of thinking. This awareness within can be aware of silence and stillness in nature even though there is no vibration or sense data.
  27. All beings are connected to the self-nature (the eternal nature) which is never born.
  28. When one understands this, meditation becomes easy. Meditation is not about right or wrong, not about what one must do. We need to understand what we are doing in the name of meditation. The mundane mind needs to be trained for it to realize the true mind. Not until there is mindfulness, there is no meditation leading to wisdom.
  29. In the midst of life, we should cultivate the daily mindfulness. Learn to see the physical, mental and nature’s flows within the phenomenal world. This is what daily mindfulness is all about and when our kayanupassana is stable, then only can we have the ability to see mind to cultivate cittanupassana. Many people think that they can see mind. In actual fact, most of them are only using thought to observe.
  30. Only when the daily mindfulness is very stable and one is aware most of the time with the silent mind, is there  sati sampajanna. This sati is either specific phenomena awareness (awareness and phenomena move as one, or spacious awareness without a center.
  31. Human beings are mostly too busy thinking, planning and worrying about life. Cultivation is to reverse all these negative tendencies so that one becomes heedful and aware most of the time.
  32. Learn to live life instead of thinking, planning and worrying about life. If we cannot do this, we cannot cultivate. Most heedless people are doing the reverse because their thought is always active. They are hardly aware. It is important to do our daily religious routine and bowing mindfully to decondition the heedless thinking mind.
  33. Try not to accumulate through memory so that there is space in the brain. We are just form and mind. So, as real as it can be, it is only within the moment. Split second it is gone. There is no reality in life, `Hence Hey no you! Hey no me!’ Be wary of accumulating scars of memory or toxic memory that makes one heedless.
  34. Whenever there is avijja we cannot deal with sense experience. So, we should contemplate the dharma until very clearly. Don’t worry about what people tell you just investigate and continuously straighten your views.
  35. Reading from short notes dated 27th May: When there is awakening, wisdom that arise will be connected to the form and mind. The form and mind (or human being) is no longer deluded, one can say it has become enlightened. However, this form and mind is not you and it is still subjected to the Law of Karma. This must be understood so that one can cultivate correctly.

(Draft prepared by Puan Chee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun

*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class May31, you can download at:*
or at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7ek9yoo5ti1kbi/Teoh%20class%20180531.MP3?dl=0
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*Highly recommended, must listen*👍👍👍