Month: July 2018

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Bro Teoh’s 17th July 2018 Tuesday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas

Below are the audio links to our 17th July 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. Also listed below are the outline short notes for sharing by all:

BROTHER TEOH OUTLINE SHORT NOTES FOR TUESDAY CLASS dated 17th JULY 2018

Reference text: THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS – CHAPTER 19 Page 348 – 351

1.    WHAT IS KARMA? “Volition is Karma” – volition is mental intention (moral and immoral volition via thoughts, actions and speeches).

Any bad mental intentional action, speech or thought resulting in sufferings or harm or death will give rise to bad karma and vice versa as expressed by the Buddha via his following Dhammapada verses:-

  • Dhammapada verse 1 :  “If one speaks or acts with a wicked mind, pain or suffering will follows one as the wheel that follows the hoof of the ox that draws the cart” 
  • Dhammapada verse 2 :  “If one speaks or acts with a pure mind (free of the 3 evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion), happiness will follows one like the shadow that never leaves you”

2.   Sister Chwee suggested that each and every Kalyanamitta should be given a chance to share own their experiences, understanding and outlook of karma.
 

3.   Sister Qunni, Adeline, Poh Lian and Mei Hsiang shared their experiences.
 

4.    Each and every one of us is responsible for our own karma (we are born of, heir to our karma) as shared by sister Saw Hoon.

5.  Bro. Chai also shared his experiences on the law of Karma. He stressed the importance of having perseverance, sincerity, faith and wisdom when confronting karma. One will reaps what one sows. If we plant the seeds of wholesomeness we will reap the fruit of wholesomeness. Likewise if we plant the seeds of evil we will reap the fruit of evil for Good begets Good and Evil begets Evil.

(Above draft outline notes were prepared by Sister Quinni.)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro. Tune
Brother Teoh Tuesday Class on 17/07/2018 record :
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Bro Teoh’s 15th July 2018 Sunday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our Sunday class dated 15th July 2018 recording for sharing by all. Also attached is the outline short notes as below:

Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 15.7.2018 on

Lesson 80 of the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra Pages 395-408 Chapter X Final Instructions

1.      Many cultivators makes the mistake of ‘practising’ or trying to blank or empty their mind. Cultivators should just relax and allow the mind to return to its natural state without ‘doing’ anything.

2.      Samadhi is not concentration. Samadhi is when one is able to has an “unwavering“ and “collected mind” while in the midst of life (normal living). 

3.      Samadhi of one mark arise when one can live a life without “mark” while in the midst of marks as proclaimed by the 6th Patriarch; i.e. no mark of a self cultivating, no mark of others and no mark  of life/existence.

4.      Brother Teoh relate the story of Bodhidharma and the 2nd Patriarch.

5.      If you want to know your karmic past, then you should look at what your sufferring is. If you want to know your future karma, you should look at what you are doing now/in this life.

6.      The law of karma states that ‘you reap what you sow. Do good begets good and do evil begets evil. If you plant the seed of virtue you will reap the fruit of virtue.’ So accept the reality of your current life. Don’t get angry or blame anyone. There must be heedfulness borne of right view to cut off negativity and the stirring of one’s mind.

7.      Be at peace so that the mind has clarity to handle the perceived situation with wholesomeness. ‘Problem only arise’ when we perceived the issue or situation with negativity then through this ignorance or delusion fear, worry, anxiety and anger may arise.

8.      One should then via right view act with wisdom and understanding. If you need to seek for forgiveness, then ask for forgiveness and repent to break one’s Karmic obstruction. Cultivate all virtues and then invoke  power of merits for causes and conditions to turn around or recover from the situation.

9.      Sister Karen (Tammy’s mother) shares her earlier experience of her relatives and office colleagues taking advantage of her kindness. Brother Teoh advised her not to be calculative when cultivating the N8FP. Instead to act with good conduct, righteous conduct, wise conduct and dutiful conduct.

(The above draft outline notes were prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

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Bro Teoh’s 12th July 2018 Thursday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 12th July 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all. Also enclosed below are the outline short notes for sharing by all:

12 July 2018 Thursday class outline short notes

 

A.     A. Meditation

  • If 5 spiritual faculties are stable, the mundane mind will be in the meditative stateof inner peace and inner awareness within a short period of time. Otherwise, mental hindrances will be present then one will need to develop a skilful means to train the mind until a stable Sati arise.
  • 4 supports for mindfulness or awareness base meditation are: Relax, Aware, 24 hours maintenance and Trust.

B.      B. Additional pointers to the 21st June 2018 Thursday class outline short notes

  1. Due to lack understanding of the fundamental teaching, ‘meditator’ felt troubledby defilement, either before or after they arise for defilements are never real and they are never you. They are not inherent in one’s nature, they come after the stirring of the mind, through wrong view. If one attached, cling and grasp, one will suffer, because they are impermanent, not a permanent unchanging entity that one can hold on to and cling on to and say this is me, this is I, and therefore all these can be mine. One can’t own, can’t possess it, as it is not real and empty, for they come and they go dependent on causes and conditions. This are the 3 universal characteristics of nature (Suffering, Impermanence and Non-self).
  2. Bro Teoh gave a detailed review of the 21s June 2018 outline short notes. Please do listen to the recording attentively and then re-read through the 21st June 2018 outline short notes which are very important to develop the clear understanding of the rather profound dharma shared.

C.      C. Tammy’s Report / question

  1. She reported that her mind is in craving mode and can’t settle down. So, she read a passage from a book of a Zen master with the title “why are you so busy”. The Zen master explained that if one understands that things outside are just the way they are, the mind will be tranquil because it can accept the reality of the outside phenomena as something occurring naturally following nature’s law of dependentorigination hence the mind can be at ease. After reading that short passage, she felt her hearing sense enhanced for a short moment. Bro Teoh agreed and added that the mind can be silent and still even while in the midst of activities when one understands. ‘If inside okay outside no problem.’ In Tammy’s case, the sentence “why are you so busy” helps her to be aware of her constant wanting and craving. She wants to meditate and sit but she cannot because her mind is restless. Similarly wanting to be peaceful, wanting to be enlighten, etc. makes her more restless. She then use her thoughts and dharma knowledge to rationalize not knowing that her craving mode which is a sensual desire creates the mental hindrance. When her view is straightening, the mental hindrance ceased. Besides that, to overcome the mental hindrance, Bro. Teoh added, one just need to relax, and let the craving arise and let the thought do whatever it wants, one just stays with it, maintain silence then one will come to realize that all the mental hindrances will cease on their own when the cultivator is not feeding it withanymore thought (or craving) energy, because they are dependent originating, condition arising, they come and they go. Mind can then return to its original state of stillness and silence before the stirring. This is the true mind that can be realized by the cultivator.
  2. Habitual tendencies of likes and dislikes (borne of heedless living) constantly arise during one’s daily life’s activities when one lacks the 5 spiritual faculties because the mental hindrances (that hinder one’s mind from entering the meditative state) will arise and made one heedless. But if you don’t react or get angry or unhappy over what happened, and instead just allow it to be, via accepting it with understanding (wisdom), then just be with the mental hindrances, especially sloth and torpor or pain (but without labelling it) then a shift in consciousness with occur.  One doesn’t have to do anything for without the mental hindrance, Sati has taken over; then when the hindrance is gone mind returns to its original state and becomes bright and clear with a lot of viriya and sati. The moment one realized this, one will understand clearly that all these mind states (especially anger, fear, worry, anxiety, restlessness of mind, various emotions, etc.) are all not you.  They are dependent originating, hence impermanent, leading to suffering when we want things our way which is not nature’s way, all are empty and non-self.                                                                                          
  3. Tammy also noticed that her mind love to tell stories, and projects into the future. Then she suddenly realizes that it is just a thought. Bro. Teoh explained: thoughts are response to memory due to one’s attachment. When we give meaning to something that happened, we accumulate them as memory and that is what attachment is all about. When one lack mindfulness, all these attachments are accumulated in the memory without one knowing it. If one is aware, one can then just perceive without proliferating it, one can then just move on, without conditioning habitual tendencies (via thought proliferation) to arise like normal heedless people.  This is heedful living borne of wisdom. There is no need for accumulation of psychological memory. Mechanical memory is okay because there is no clinging involved. When there is a need or condition for it to arise again, it will arise like RAM (random access memory) as in the computer – for us to access them randomly when needed. One will no longer cling or give meaning to them, and thus not conditioning the cause of suffering to arise again. No more unresolved issues, no more perceiving a situation with negativity. One is then able to accept any situation as it is for it is just the way things are, and one is always at peace. Furthermore, if one is sensitive and mindful in the midst of life, one will feel for others and one is no longer selfish.  One will act with wisdom following the noble eight fold path. The world is the world, people are just the way they are, understanding this deeply then there is no more delusion, no more craving or desire to do things following our way, as acceptance via wisdom frees the mind.
  4. The difference between objective seeing and subjective seeing. Objective means no subject involve, no person behind; subjective seeing means there is a subject,like I see. Objective seeing means the pure direct perception without the egoic mind, just like the Buddha’s saying, ‘in the seeing, it is just the seeing consciousness, just that consciousness’ and there is no one to see or involve in the seeing. Objective seeing is ‘seeing things as they are’, no word involved. However, when subject is present, it become I see, this is sakkaya ditthi, – it become a subjective seeing, one perceives through memory and recall through words. J. Krishnamurti said, ‘the word is not the thing’. The direct seeing or the pure perception is verypristine, no words involve, like everything is new, seeing the whole thing as it is – its pristine beauty, even a dead tree is beautiful. However, human being is so condition and hardly aware, always lost in thoughts. It is as if without thought they can’t live life.  Most human being can’t understand a type of heedful living that doesn’t needmuch thought.  Most of the time they are just aware, mindful, heedful, quiet andsilent. Their mind states are stillness, tranquility and the unconditioned mind (which is beyond thought) most of the time. When one is mindful, aware, observant, attentive, and able to accept the reality of the moment more and more, one will grow in wisdom and one’s meditation will progress.

D.     D. Additional pointers to the 6th Patriarch’s 1 July 2018 class outline short notes

  1. Whatever arise there are causes and condition for its arising and when conditions are like that things will be like that, cannot be otherwise. So, one need to accept this fact with wisdom, then only act with wisdom accordingly, not the other way round which is reacting or stirring of the mundane deluded mind (before the arising of wisdom). As for the latter, one will get into trouble straight away.
  2. A glimpse of the unconditioned or cessation of the form and mind is enough, as understanding does not involve the memory. The form and mind will understand depending on which stage of enlightenment. For those that are on the path, they can’t teach as yet but for those that had taste the fruit and went through the fruition, they had stabilized the understanding and thus able to share and teach others the teaching up to that path.

(Above outline short notes draft were prepared by Sister Tammy)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s 5th July 2018 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 5th July 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes are also as below:

Below are the edited outline short notes for 5th July 2018 Thursday class for sharing by all.

Outline short notes of Bro Teoh’s talk dated Thursday  5th  JULY 2018

 

  1. Bro Teoh said: questions asked by Bro Chin How and Sis Tammy (at last Sunday talk dated 1st July 2018) gave rise to causes and conditions for those beautiful dharma to unfold.
  2. Brother Teoh explained that the Buddha taught nanadassana (direct knowledge and vision of the reality or seeing things as they are to realize the wisdom). This is similar to J. Krishnamurthi’s quote on `extraordinary seeing’.
  3. Extraordinary seeing (by J. Krishnamurti)

 

  • So we are asking, as at the beginning, can the mind come to that extraordinary seeing, not from the periphery, the outside, the boundary, but come upon it without any seeking?  [Comment by Bro Teoh – there is no craving involved.]
  • And to come upon it without seeking is the only way to find it. Because in coming upon it unknowingly, there is no effort, no seeking, and no experience; and there is the total denial of all the normal practices to come into that center, to that flowering. So the mind is highly sharpened, highly awake, and is no longer dependent upon any experience to keep itself awake. [Bro Teoh’s comment – so this mind is aware, ever mindful, very sharp,and sensitive. When there is the slightest movement within, it will know and understand.]
  • When one asks oneself, one may ask verbally; for most people, naturally, it must be verbal. [Bro Teoh’s comment – Every time we want to understand something, most of you tend to use the word first. This is the problem with living beings because words have become more important. We have been so conditioned by our education system and by our society. We give so much meaning to words, concept, and ideas and we even commit them to memory. This is knowledge and not wisdom.]
  • And one has to realize that the word is not the thing—like the word “tree,” is not the tree, is not the actual fact. [Bro Teoh’s comment – the moment we perceive something, we do not perceive the actual thing. Through our conditioning, the word has given the meaning so we never really see via the direct perception or seeing. The pure perception orawareness of the thing cannot be explained through words.. Hence, if we are not silent to perceive it via the direct seeing, we will cling to the words to give meaning to what we see. It becomes knowledge making one clever and smart but not wise. Memory cannot give rise to wisdom.]
  • The actual fact is when one touches it, not through the word but when one actually comes into contact with it. Then it is an actuality—which means the word has lost its power to mesmerize people. [Bro Teoh’s comment – Pure awareness before the knowing allows us to see things as they are without the word and the concept.  We rely on words for communication and for practical purposes but not for the arising of wisdom. Awareness does not involve any thought process. There is clarity and one can even recall or recollect what one has perceived if there is a need to. But most people are habitually heedless (hardly aware) – this is the  reason why they cannot recall where they have place certain things or items earlier on. There are two types of awareness :  spacious and specific phenomena   awareness. When one is observant and not lost in thought, one is sensitive due to the mindfulness.

 

  • For example, the word God is so loaded and it has mesmerized people so much that they will accept or deny, and function like a squirrel in a cage! So the word and the symbol must be set aside.

 

4. Bro Teoh said the direct seeing cannot come about through practice. It can only happen when our understanding and daily mindfulness are very stable.  The mind that seeks (has craving) is a thought hence it cannot see things as they are to realize the dharma which is beyond thought and beyond time. We need to understand this clearly. We should be ever mindful, constantly meditative for such penetrative understanding to arise. Otherwise, it becomes mere theory and knowledge.

 

5. Just as when a very skilful player plays a game of badminton, his moves are executed without any thinking involved. His strokes are spontaneous because he has acquired the skills and understanding. Cultivating mindfulness is analogous to the developing of skills by a skilful player. When you are skilful your movements and strokes are very graceful (body and mind moves as one without thought).

6. Lee Chong Wei can execute his smashes so fast (at almost 300 km per hour and spontaneously). Of course, to be a good player one must plan how to strategize before and during the game by observing both our opponent’s and our own strength and weaknesses then work on improving one self’s weaknesses and skill.

7. Similarly, if you are a wise cultivator, you will observe your `opponents’ which are your defilements. How they delude and deceive you and condition you into negativity and constantly stir your mind. Hence, if you are mindful and observant of your own mental states, just like a skilful player, you will know how you get yourself into trouble. After that, you can correct yourself like a skilful player via straightening your views.

 

8. So, meditation is quite the same as playing a game of badminton.  Through meditation, we observe ourselves and develop the wisdom to understand why our minds stirred via delusion. Then we will know how to liberate our mind via wisdom or right views. We can become so skilful until the `opponents’ (our defilements) have no power over us.

9. Even his opponent (Kento Momota) who lost to Lee Chong Wei (LCW) commented that LCW has the stamina and agility of a man much younger than his age because LCW said he don’t feel he is old even though he was 12 years older than Kento Momota.

10. When we truly understand life, we can have so much joy, love and compassion.  We can also see the importance of having wisdom and virtue despite age catching up with us. We will know how to apply the dharma to live life and to develop the wisdom via the silent mind in careful and attentiveness observation without interpretation, judgment or condemnation. We can perceive without the conditioning.

11. A cultivator must not look down on others. The Mahayana approach is best because they dare not offend any living being, course if they do so, they may be offending a potential Buddha because everybody has the Buddha nature within. It is told that Manjusri Bodhisattva always likes to come as a beggar. So, if we have prejudices, we may miss the chance to meet such great beings. Even if we meet them, chances are we do not have the sensitivity of mindfulness to know who they really are.

 

12. Bro Teoh shared his experience on how he came to understand that the `word’ that described the thing is not the thing. After the transformation happened in 1989, he came to realize that his `seeing’ was so different and things looked so fresh, pristine and beautiful. It was the direct seeing without words. The silent mind could just observe and perceive without the word and the concept via seeing things as they are.

 

13. Those temple monks who sat in meditation with Bodhidharma, they did so without understanding what meditation was. It was only after Bodhidharma’s wise analogy (of trying to grind the glaze ware to become a mirror) that they realized their folly. So, meditation has to done with understanding. (To wait for the lesson 75 of the 6th Patriarch Platform sutra’s transcript book which is to be printed soon to have the full description of the said dharma sharing.)

14. The Buddha is the Buddha because of his perfections of wisdom and virtue. It is not abouthow he sits, walks, and meditates or what he does during his time. These are all form dharma not wisdom dharma.

15. Bro Teoh encouraged fellow Kalyanamittas to cultivate diligently and with understanding.When we cultivate with the correct understanding, not only do our characters change for the better, our lives change too. By following the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil, do good and purify the mind, the transformation of mind will happen to make us wise so that we can become a blessing not only to ourselves but to the planetary consciousness as well.

16. If we have love, compassion, sincerity, kindness, gentleness, pleasantness, gratitude, contentment, respect, etc. (and the list of wholesome thoughts goes on) we will have great virtues and blessings which can help us in our cultivation.

17. The silent mind will lead the form and mind to gain insights via the direct seeing or extraordinary seeing as explained by J. Krishnamurti. Eventually, every dharma becomes so clear that one can go through the different stages of path and fruition. These paths and fruition happen very fast for the Great Beings who inherit their past cultivations.

18. Bro Teoh encouraged us to ask questions so that it can give rise to causes and conditions for dharma to flow just like what had happened when Bro Chin How and Sis Tammy asked their questions during the 1st July 2018 talk.

 

19. Again, Bro Teoh reminded us to cultivate with understanding. Do not be gullible to follow the old ways. Inquire into what has happened and ask ourselves what we are doing in the name of meditation. Hence, the key words are `understand what we are doing in thename of meditation’. Do not follow what others are doing without understanding. It is good to bear in mind that no amount of sitting can free us from delusion if we do not understand why we sit and that only wisdom frees nothing else.

 

20. It is crucial that we bear in mind the 4 supports of relax, aware, 24 hours and trust for awareness based meditation. These are pointers that will keep us on the right track.

21. When awareness becomes very stable, we can see how our mental stirring is caused by our wrong views and mental conditioning. The understanding will lead one to the direct seeingvia the silent mind to realize that everything is impermanent, dependent originating and empty.

22. If we don’t understand the true intent of meditation, we may end up just enjoy sitting blissfully with the beautiful mind states. Then when things happen in the midst of life, the mind will stir again. Thus meditation is to be done with understanding. Otherwise, we would just be like the four monks who sat ignorantly during Bodhidharma’s time.

23. All meditation should lead us back to the cultivation of the Noble Eightfold Path.

24. Whatever situations that arise, always perceive it with wholesomeness and resolve issues amicably with right understanding. It is never worthwhile to perceive a situation with negativity or wrong view leading to transgression of karma..

(Above outline short notes were prepared by Puan Chee.)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro. Tune

Tonite’s Thursday class (5July2018) sharing by Bro. Teoh is ready for download:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180705.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/293q39nwlk67kno/Teoh%20Thur%20Class%2020180705.MP3?dl=0

Teoh Thur Class 20180705.MP3

www.dropbox.com

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Bro Teoh’s 10th July 2018 Tuesday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 10th July 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. Also enclose below are the outline short notes:

Outline short notes for Tuesday class dated 10th July 2018

  1. Bro Teoh walked us through the outline short notes of thu class on jun 28th and sun class on jul 1st.
  2. Sis PG continued her sharing on the subject of kamma from pages 343 to 347 of the reference text, ‘The Buddha and his teachings’, relating to the 5 Universal lawsor panca nyama. The text suggested transmigration to next life which is incorrect but should be just normal rebirth, as we dont have a permanent unchanging soul that transmigrate. We need  to realize the true mind before we can inherit from our spiritual nature.
  3. Sis PG asked how kamma propels people to be leaders, presidents and prime ministers. Bro. Teoh explained that most of these leaders use their very strong and determined ‘will power’ to aspire or will for it to arise.

(above outline short notes prepared by Sister Yoon Chun)

Bye! with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rong
Brother Teoh Tuesday Class on 10/07/2018 record :
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Bro Teoh’s 8th July 2018 Sunday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday class recording for sharing by all. Also enclosed below are the outline short notes.

8 Jul 2018 Sunday Class Outline short notes

1. Recap of short notes from 1st Jul 2018 Sunday Class – regarding path and fruition, mindful investigation, and overcoming sloth and torpor, mental hindrance.

2. Recap of short notes from 28th Jun 2018 Thursday Class – regarding developing daily mindfulness.

[ Starting lesson proper, 79th lesson of 6th Patriach Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra, pg 395 ]

3. Samadhi of One Mark

a. like a lotus flower rising above the lotus pond’s surface

b. while in the midst of marks, do not cling and be deluded by Mark/Duality

c. instead, remain tranquil / calm, accord and flow with the conditions that arises and ceases

4. Samadhi of One Conduct

a. daily mindfulness

b. sincere (not deceiving)

c. uniformed (not bias)

d. unmoving bodhimandala (stable wayplace to cultivate wisdom)

5. Sister Tammy’s sharing about office work where she concentrates alot, and is experiencing busy mental activities even after working hours, e.g. during the evening meditation classes.

6. True “Samadhi” borne of wisdom is beyond thought, which is very different from… “Appana samadhi” which is a conditioned state with the 5 Jhanic factors of vitaka (applied thought), vicara (sustained thought), piti (spiritual calmness), suka (blissfulness of mind), ekagata (one pointedness of mind).

a. Many people get trapped in this type of thought based samatha meditation; i.e. going into one-pointedness or absorption of mind type of meditation. Such thought based meditation cannot lead to the real meditative silent mind (which is a truly free mind).

b. “seemingly no thought” borne of focusing; i.e. a conditioned state borne of one-pointedness concentration (Not a natural state, Not a free mind)

c. Still within the field of thought; No thought is still a thought because who says that there is no thought? It is the thought (i.e. thought thinking there is “no thought”). This is Not awareness / mindfulness.

d. The other type is the absorption meditation borne of very strong continuous mindfulness absorption meditation where the mind is fully absorbed into a very still state of appana samadhi. The body is like a statue unmoving and it is not a free mind in pure awareness hence it does not develop wisdom/understanding; without wisdom, defilements still have power over you. This type of meditation does not lead to the cultivation of the Noble 8-fold path. The 5 spiritual faculties, 7 factors of enlightenment and the 4 Noble Truths understanding are not there.

7. Sister Karen shares her joyful experiences of getting to take part in the recent 14 days Samaneri novitiate program and how the renunciation training helped to reduce her heedless thinking and thereby making her mind calm.

8. Bro Teoh emphasizes importance of maintaining the cultivation of a very stable daily mindfulness by having a good daily spiritual/religious routine in the midst of fulfilling our daily duties.

9. Sister Padmasuri’s sharing on gratitude towards Kalyanamittas for helping out in the shaving ceremony, and her reflection on the reality of the physical body and the hair and how it can becomes a burden to others.

10. Bro Teoh sharing on how to develop the proper contemplation on the form and mind linking it to the 5 daily contemplations as taught by the Buddha.

11. Sister Alicia’s sharing of her recent trip to Seoul, Korea.

(Outline prepared by Sis Soo Yee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik.   To listen to 8th July 2018 audio file:
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Bro Teoh’s 3rd July 2018 Tuesday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 3rd July 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes are as below:

Below are the edited outline short notes for our Tuesday class dated 3rd July 2018.

3rd July 2018 Tuesday Class Outline short notes

A. Reading and sharing of the below daily quotes from J. Krishnamurti :

  1. “Extraordinary Seeing”
  • direct seeing; alertness, attentiveness; just aware; seeing things as they are leading to direct knowledge and vision of the reality (Nanadassana).
  • an insight to be realised; coming upon it unknowingly, there is no effort, noseeking and no experience involved;
  • innate to the free mind which is still, e.g. the beating of our hearts (there is no active doing or ‘will’ behind its arising)
  • “without seeking” is the only way to find it.
  • this ‘extraordinary seeing’ is not something that can be practiced.
  • the mind is highly sharpened, highly awake, no longer dependent upon any experience to keep itself awake.

2. “The Active Still Mind” 

  • the mind can only be silent when it has understood the process of (psychological) time and that requires watchfulness/mindfulness/awareness
  • the really still mind that is astonishingly active, alive, potent in understandingphenomena and their flow; capable of “Extraordinary Seeing”
  • such a mind is verbally free; free from experience and knowledge; understands thefact, as it is, without translating, without condemning and without judging; andbeing free such a mind is an innocent mind.
  • It is only such a mind that can perceive that which is true, which is beyond time.

3.  Bro Teoh advised the class to attentively read through the outline Short notes dated  21st June 2018 (Thursday class) to develop the clear understanding of therather beautiful dhamma shared.

B. Discussion proper led by Sister PG  from the Reference book: The Buddha and His Teachings – Kamma (Chapter 18, Page 340)

  1. Nature’s law has its own selection
  • Kammic energy is needed for the production of the foetus
  • We (2 aspects of form and mind) are the heirs of our own kamma
  • Accumulated Kammic tendencies inherited, over the course of previous lives, could influence our physical features and mental characteristics, it could also nullify the potentiality of the parental cells and genes
  • The law of Kamma, important as it is, is only 1 of the 24 causal conditions (paccaya) as described in the Abhidhamma pitaka.
  • The law of kamma is very intricate and requires great wisdom borne of awareness from a silent mind to understand.
  • The enlightened pure mind is free, i.e. not afflicted due to non-grasping to the form and (mundane) mind (borne of wisdom).

2.  Sister Chwee’s questions on karma regarding Sakyamuni Buddha’s last meal, and about the other 23 causal conditions were discussed.

3. Bro Teoh’s sharing on the understanding and  workings of our mother Earth’s “planetary consciousness”

  • summation of all the beings’ consciousness on Earth give rise to the planetary consciousness.
  • to change the world, the individual must change; i.e. begin with ourselves.

(Outline prepared by Sis Soo Yee)

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Bro Teoh’s 1st July 2018 Sunday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links with the outline short notes to our last Sunday class’s recording dated 1st July 2018 for sharing by all.

The 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra lesson 78 dated 1st July 2018 outline short notes              (Pg 394-395 Chapter X Final Instructions)

  1. Brother Teoh went through the J. Krishnamurti daily quote on Extraordinary seeing(same as direct seeing, i.e. to see things as they are without interference from past experiences and the thoughts).
  2. Brother Teoh did a detail review of the outline short notes for Thursday class dated 21 June 2018.
  3. When there is mental stirring, one cannot be aware.
  4. Whatever that is logical, may not always be the truth. Knowledge is not wisdom.
  5. Only wisdom or understanding frees one from suffering. If one merely tells oneself not to be angry when one is angry, this will not help as this is a form of suppressionnot wisdom because when similar issues or conditions crops up again, anger would still arise. However, if one understands via acceptance of the fact that things and peoples are just the way they are, then anger cannot arise. One will not react with anger to any other situation again after having those understanding. 
  6. Brother Teoh explained the difference between Path and Fruition enlightenment stages. Under the 7 stages of purification or satta visuddhi, there is a stage called ‘Purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (maggamagga-nanadassana-visuddhi). Path leads to wisdom and enlightenment whereas non-Path leads to delusion and deviant path. Path here means your cultivation is on the right path leading to enlightenment and when you are on the path your enlightenment factors will keep on arising. One must have already got a glimpse of Nibbana or the cessation of Form & Mind to be on the path. Fruition here means having reached the completion of cultivation of the Path leading to stability of understanding that can enable one to share and teach those understanding.
  7. If one is on the right Path, the 7 main factors of Enlightenment of: (1) Sati(Mindfulness),                            (2) Dhammavicaya (Investigation of Dharma), (3) Viriya (Spiritual Zeal), (4) Piti (Joy), (5) Passadhi (Tranquillity of the mind), (6) Samadhi (collected and unwavering mind) and (7) Upekkha (Equanimity borne of wisdom) will keep arising.
  8. All the four stages of sainthood enlightenment of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anāgāmi and Arahant have their own Path and Fruition. The 4 stages of sainthood enlightenment linking the 10 fetters that bind living beings to samsara were also explained.
  9. Brother Chin How asked whether he can contemplate while doing walking meditation after he has reached some point of calmness? Brother Teoh adviced Brother Chin How to find this out himself (meaning   investigate   into it) instead of waiting for his answer. The question should not be what one should be doing. If he wants to do the walking meditation to develop mindfulness then just go ahead and do. He should just walk naturally until the body and mind become one(without the thought saying that it wants to be mindful) as often advised by Brother Teoh. Once that happened then the form and mind that is in sati will know what sati is without words. If he wants to contemplate then just contemplate via a calm mind in creativity. Just do and the result will automatically arise if he has done them correctly with the appropriate faith, sincerity and understanding.
  10. Sister Tammy asked:  i) After doing the mind sweeping method cum metta meditation to de condition  the   heedless thinking the mind is calmer then I am is supposed to stabilise it via Anapanasati. But I am averse toward Anapanasati so is there other way to   stabilise  the mindfulness? Brother Teoh advice Tammy that any method (or skilful means) and technique that she is familiar and comfortable with, she can use them. There are no hard and fast rigid rules. It all depends on the individual’s preference. ii) If there is sloth and torpor during meditation what must I do? Brother Teoh: ‘what do you normally do?’ Tammy replied, I try to open my eyes? Brother Teoh: Does it help and are you able to stabilise your mindfulness?Tammy: Sometimes it helps to keep me awake but I still can’t stabilise my mindfulness. Brother Teoh: Can you remember what I used to advice you all when it comes to sloth and torpor? You are supposed to inquire! What is sloth and torpor? It is one of the 5 mental hindrances, right? So don’t try to suppress or fight it or do away with it via aversion or disliking it. In doing so you are creating another mental hindrance of aversion. This is delusion. Why can’t you develop the acceptance of it via understanding  that without the 5 spiritual faculties the mental hindrance will continue to arise; so don’t create the mental hindrance of aversionunnecessary? Understanding this, you can then apply the 5 ways to overcomeunwholesome thought as taught by the Buddha. 1st way is to think of the direct opposite wholesome thought or spiritual faculty of viriya to overcome it. If this is not effective then the 2nd way is to think of the consequence of allowing this mental hindrance of sloth and torpor to stay in your mind. It will hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and awareness, right? So you have to abandon it via the 3rd way which is the awareness way. Just be aware of the sloth and torpor or be with it via maintaining silence to be at peace with it (without arise any aversion). Without aversion there is no mental hindrance then sati will take over. When this happen all of a sudden there will be a shift inconsciousness that can result in great awareness in your mind leading to clarity and viriya then the sloth and torpor is totally gone. This cultivation is base on the 4th foundation of mindfulness (dhammanupassana), 1st category of practice on ‘mindfulness of the 5 mental hindrances’. When the mental hindrance of sloth and torpor is present you just aware – imply no aversion towards it. Just maintain awareness and be at peace with the sloth and torpor and when the shift of consciousness occurs you will know how the arisen mental hindrance of sloth and torpor cease to be. You will also come to know how the earlier haven’t arisenmental hindrance comes to be because before you meditate there is no sloth and torpor. So you will understand that sloth and torpor is dependent origination due to lack of viriya or your body too tired. Once you ‘see’ these in the meditation you will understand how to root out this sloth and torpor.(Above outline short notes was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s 28th June 2018 Thursday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Thursday class  dated 28th June 2018 recording for sharing by all. The sharing is very good and highly recommended by Bro Swee Aun so please do listen to it attentively. Also enclose below are the outline short notes:

Outline short notes for our Thursday talk dated 28th JUNE 2018

  1. Bro Teoh read through the 21st June 2018 Thursday class outline short notes and explained certain key points as he reads them. One of the key point is on: Anger, fear, phobias, greed and other emotions were never you because they were not present before the stirring of the mundane mind. These emotions were not inherent within your true They are actually conditioned arising mind states, dependent-originating following the 12 links or paticca samuppada as taught by the Buddha. With this understanding, one can just allow such mind states to settle down on their own to enable one to realize that natural state of inner peace, stillness and tranquility before the stirring.
  2. Bro Teoh pointed out that a common mistake among cultivators is to ask such questions (when they want to learn meditation): ‘what meditation do you teach? Is it vipassana?’ Bro Teoh reiterated that vipassana cannot be practice because it is an insight or ‘Vi’ means the 3 universal characteristics of nature and ‘passana’ means to insight into. Hence, ‘vipassana is an insight and not a practice. Such questions comes from the thought that doesn’t understand. For vipassana is an awakening, an insight wisdom that arises when the mind is silent and just aware to insight into phenomena. The awareness will be aware of what is going on within the mind. There is no thought, mind or knowledge involved in this realization. It is just an insight into truth when the mind becomes so quiet, sensitive and mindful. Most meditations are thought-based which use thoughts to come up with methods and techniques to meditate. Then who meditates? The thought meditates via following the series of instructions given not knowing that these methods and techniques are just skilful means to anchor and train the mind. Without this basic understanding, one will think that one is `practicing the so-called meditation’ or doing vipassana.
  3. According to the Buddha, meditation is very simple when you understand. It is just developing heedfulness. Just train the mind to be ever mindful and use this trained mind to cultivate the Noble 8-fold Path. As we progress with more right views, avijja (ignorance) is weakened, then the next link which is sankhara (mental activities) will be less so there is more awareness and less heedless habitual thinking. Without the habitual thinking, one is aware most of the time. With the further straightening of one’s views to weaken the avijja further, the stillness of mind will grow more and more until one day, when avijja is no more the awakening happens.
  4. Some people have their past cultivations to support them. People like Sariputra, Kondanna and the five ascetics were able to awaken through listening or reflecting on the Buddha’s words via Suttamaya panna and Cintamaya panna (the 1st and 2nd turning wisdom). But most normal cultivators will need to stabilize their 2nd turning wisdom to realize the silent mind to awaken to the three universal characteristics. Hence, whether awakening is via Suttamaya panna, Cintamaya panna or Bhavanamaya panna depends very much on the individual’s past cultivations.
  5. When one’s spiritual faculties are developed, the minute we sit, awareness is already present. One only needs to stabilize it. The determination to be ever mindful to cultivate the Noble 8-fold Path will keep cultivators on track leading to the awakening when the conditions are met.
  6. However, if the spiritual faculties are not present, then one cannot meditate unless one uses a skilful means or technique to overcome the five mental hindrances The five mental hindrances hinder one from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness. Then the question arises why one has the mental hindrances. The reason is due to the habitual thinking mind creating thoughts through avijja. The mind-sweeping method is an effective tool because it can help decondition the heedless thinking mind. There are no thoughts involved.  As thinking reduces, the mind becomes quieter but this state is still not stable. This is why a skilful mean or an object of meditation is needed to stabilize this mind. The Buddha recommended anapanasatti. Eventually, the mind becomes more and more quiet leading to passadhi and eventually stillness of mind. This is the meditative mind which can make one mindful while in the midst of life.
  7. Once the mind enters sati, there is no need to use any object of meditation anymore. Many people are so fearful when they experience no breath. This is actually a sign of good progress. Bro Teoh mentioned that his nature gained this understanding through his own past cultivation even though he had no prior knowledge of meditation at that time. He went into absorption the first time he did that. But later, another Thai monk cum teacher Phra Ajahn Yantra taught him the highest meditation via developing the daily mindfulness and this made him realize that his mind was still in a conditioned state of appana samadhi. Bro Teoh decided to release the concentrated mind state energy he was in and use the silent mind to meditate via the daily mindfulness while in the midst of life. His sati was so stable that even the most subtle movement of mind could be detected. He was fully aware throughout the day. At every moment of sense door consciousness and perception, he was in sati. The awareness and phenomena moved as one and there was no thinking at all. There was just pure awareness in every moment of sense perception.
  8. Human beings can only do one thing at a time. We are either silent without thought or busy caught up with the thought-process. We react very fast to our sense perceptions due to our habitual tendencies and self-delusion. Instead of using the mind to live life and think only when necessary, we have given thought so much meaning that it has dominated our life to think, stir and react every time we come into contact with sense experience. Through our daily constant stirring of the mind via likes and dislikes (as these are mental hindrances) they will prevent us from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness, thereby making us
  9. Mental suppression, concentration, noting, verbalization etc. will cause the thought to be even more active. Bro Teoh used the analogy of swimming with a float to explain how one should meditate. Applying Archimedes’ Principle to swimming, the weight of the water displaced by our body is equal to the up thrust (buoyancy force) created. If we just relax and do not struggle, this up thrust which is equivalent to the mass of water displaced by our body will push the body up because the natural state of the body is buoyancy i.e. the body is lighter than water. (Similarly the natural state of the mind is tranquility, stillness and aware). If we know how to relax, we can swim easily. Similarly, meditation becomes very easy if we just relax and silent (i.e. do not struggle or try to ‘meditate’ via verbalization). The moment we are without thought, we are already aware. So, there is no need to try and be aware.
  10. The float is useful to assist us to swim at first. Similarly, methods and techniques in meditation are skilful means like the float. Initially, one may need them but eventually, we have to give them up. As long as we don’t give up all these methods and techniques or any object of meditation, we will never understand how to meditate. Once the mind has enters sati, there is no need for a meditation object to anchor the mind anymore. It is already aware naturally.
  11. Master Hui Neng’s approach takes us directly to the true mind. Without thought, we are already aware and that is your true mind. Then one can see clearly with mindfulness how avijja (mainly self-delusion) cause one to react and stir one’s mind thereby creating the mental hindrances. These mental hindrances are the source of evil roots. Avijja arises due to our wrong views. So, Bro Teoh advised us to straighten our views first. When sankharas cease, we can then insight into phenomena. Most of you have been taught the traditional thought based meditation until you are so It makes you belief that meditation must involves the thought not knowing that it is this thinking or chattering mind that you use to meditate is the one creating more sankharas to delude you.
  12. In the field of meditation and spirituality, thinking is not needed. What is needed is Thinking is only necessary for us to use it to live life, to develop skill and knowledge and perform certain mechanical tasks in life. Thought is a tool for us to use hence the user of thought is very important. If the user of thoughts is wisdom then thoughts become right thoughts.
  13. Bro Teoh mentioned the sad case of a college student who shot himself in the toilet recently. Such cases happen due to avijja (lack of understanding) and this shows the power of thought which can delude and deceive us into acting out foolishly. It is not about being rich or poor. A lot of such cases are due to karmic consequences from the past.
  14. It is important for cultivators to understand that no amount of practice can free us. It is only understanding or wisdom that can free and liberate one’s mind.

(Above draft was prepared by Puan Chee.)

Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: Bro Swee Aun
*if you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jun28, you can download below, highly recommended*
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