Month: September 2018

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Sister Poh Lian’s house dana dated 23rd Sept 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links and outline short notes link to our 23rd Sept 2018 recording for sharing by all:

Audio links: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-180923-Poh-Lian-House-Dana.mp3

or at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/n5lpf2x7c2h1pud/Teoh%20180923%20Poh%20Lian%20House%20Dana.mp3?dl=0

Outline short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-180923-Poh-Lian-House-Dana-Outline.pdf
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Outline for Sis Poh Lian House Dana

Dear Sister Mun Yuen and all,

Below is the edited outline short notes to our last Sunday’s house dana dated 23rd Sept 2018;

Sister Poh Lian’s House Dana dated 23rd Sept 2018 (Outline short notes)

1.       One of the main objective of hosting (or having) such monthly house dana is to providean occasion for genuine and meaningful fellowship among kalyanamittas from the different classes to meet, to partake in whatever wholesomeness that arise, to share their cultivation experiences, to motive, counsel and support each other while walking the path of dharma and to have joy and peacefulness of mind.

2.       Dharma is about understanding causes and conditions and how to accord and flow with them via acting with wisdom so that there is no karmic negativities and suffering (fear, worry, anxiety and anger etc.)

3.       To free our mind from suffering, we need to understand the First Noble Truth of suffering (the 8 realities) which everyone who lives long enough will have to experience/confront in life. Also one need to understand the cause for its arising and the law of Karma that is link to it. Everything that we experience are mainly due to Karma but how we act or response to them is within our control or we do have a choice depending on ourunderstanding. Accept the reality of the moment because what you are now is mainlydue to your Karma and there are causes and conditions behind. So do not project yourfears or become emotional when things do not go your way because no amount ofjustification (or if…), fear, worries and anxiety can help you overcome your so called ‘problem’. They are not true action because it is just a thought or an idea (if…) hence nota reality. Instead, learn to straighten your views by recognizing that those are wrong (or negative) thoughts which will cause you suffering, hurt and harm you.

4.       Another way of saying it is: ‘If you do not perceive a life situation with negativity or fearthen there is no problem.  Problem only arise when we perceive a life situation with negativity.’ For things are just the way they are (a life reality) following First and Second Noble Truths, Karma, causes and condition, etc. If you can understand that whatever that arise or happened to you is a life reality then we can accept this reality and resolve it amicably with wisdom following Noble8-fold path and move on with your life. But if you perceive it with negativity or fear (via your delusion) then it will torments you and causeyou much suffering.

5.       Just accept it (because it is a life’s reality) and then do what you need to do with understanding – to repent or ask for forgiveness in front of the Buddha & Bodhisattvas and determine not to repeat them again via following the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil, do good and purify your mind. Keep precepts, cultivate virtues and meditate.Then invoke power of merits for turn around and to walk the path of dharma.

6.       Focus on cultivating the right thoughts of generosity, kindness, gentleness, sincerity, honesty, contentment, respect, gratitude, gentleness etc. which will give rise to positive energy. This will boost your body’s immunity and free you from sicknesses. Then invoke power of merits to recover from the life predicament that one is facing.

7.       Example, a close one may have passed away. Instead of being depressed, arise the good thought of gratitude towards the deceased and perform merits on behalf of her/him and then share the merits with her/him. With this understanding misery can be turned into wholesomeness and joy.

8.       If the mind has emotions and wandering thoughts, know that they are not you. Just let them cease by themselves. Do not allow them to torment you. Your nature within is always peaceful and beautiful.

9.       Buddha Dharma is the only ‘free lunch’ in this world. One only need to have faith, diligence and sincerity. Buddha Dharma is always the opposite of what people think in this world. Just cultivate without wanting to know until the heedfulness come, with no ulterior motive. The cultivation will free the mind and brings about wholesomeness (good Karma) to transform you (character wise, personality wise and wisdom wise) to turn your life around for the better. You can then be a blessing to all.

10.   Discussion on a video (shared by Brother Teoh) on how to prevent and mitigate cancer. 5 common symptoms:

  • Constipation (Toxin not excreted from system);
  • High level of acidity in body fluid (wrong diet);
  • Lack of proper quality sleep (Insomnia);
  • Stress (Experience traumatic life situations caused by loss of love one, disease, separation etc.);
  • wrong lifestyle (Don’t drink enough water, don’t exercise, don’t meditate, mind is heedless and deluded – having lot of wrong thoughts, etc.)

    (Note: These above symptoms usually occur 6 months to 1 year before the cancer develops)

11.   Do not act according to memory because they are mainly your wrong views, opinion and conditioning, your selfishness, your emotions, fear and phobias, scars of memories, belief systems, etc. Instead one should Act with wisdom to resolve all problems amicably via following Noble 8-Fold path.

12.   Brother Teoh gave many good advises on how to deal with working stress and how toresolve work problem. Accept your boss for what he/she is. He/she is the way he/she is so no need to fear or get angry with him/her and one does not need to risks one’s healthor spend one’s youth (vital phase of one’s life) slogging unnecessarily for a salary out of fear of losing that job. Must know your rights as an employee. Work smart then you don’t have to work hard. Please do listen to the recording for more detail.

(Above draft was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s 20th September 2018 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links and outline short notes link to our 20th September 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all:

Audio links: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180920.mp3

or at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/yz0uip82c5cu1fi/teoh%20class%20180920.MP3?dl=0

Outline short notes link:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-180920.pdf

teoh class 180920.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Brother Teoh’s 20th September 2018 Thursday Talk outline Short Notes

Dear Phey Yuen and all,

Enclosed are the edited 20th Sept 2018 Thursday class outline short notes for sharing by all:

Brother Teoh’s 20th September 2018 Thursday Talk outline Short Notes

    1. Sister Tammy shared that her family dog of 10 years passed away in the morning. She did not know what to do and asked Brother Teoh for advice. Brother Teoh shared the story of other kalyanamittas who also had dogs and had over time developed attachment to their dogs. They loved their dogs a lot, and there were memories of many happy moments with their dogs. These animals come to you due to conditions and affinity from the past. When you care for them while they are alive, they are happy and are grateful to you. Dogs can also sense when the owner is not happy. They are more reliable than humans hence the reason why most ladies love having dogs as pets. They are good companions and can have good bonds with humans. Brother Teoh further shared about his mum having a dog in the house at night to protect their house. He fed and cared for the dog during the early years. The dog was fierce and would bark at anyone passing by our shop at night, but not when Brother Teoh came back after being away studying in UM for 3 months. It shows the dog’s ability to sense and recognise Bro Teoh with joy even from far. Brother Teoh advised Sister Tammy on what she can do: She can share merits with the deceased dog; she can also make dana offering in the name of the deceased dog; she can also think of their good moments and rejoice then invoke power of merit to wish the dog a better future in whatever realm it is reborn in. Just like our parents who had given us life; provide for us; taken good care of us; sacrifice and protected us, etc. and in return we need to have gratitude and filial piety towards them. The best is to repay them when they are still aliveand according to the Buddha the best way to repay your parents is to teach them the Dharma. If you love and provide wholesomeness towards them and others, the merits accrued will become your blessing and parami or come back to your karmic nature as your inheritance. Law of karma recognizes relationship i.e., you and your dog; you and your parents.
    2. Karma means: when you take care of karma, karma will takes care of you. When you doyour duty well e.g. you take good care and support your parents and dog, love them and provide for them. If you have done your duty well towards them, in future you would have parents and other owner who would take good care of you, and you will become that good person’s pet. But if you mistreat the dog, you would meet with those owners who will also mistreat you  because karma is : ‘you reap what you sow’

 

  • Radiate metta to the deceased dog. Make offerings on behalf (in the name of the dog). Share merits and transfer merits to the dog. Invoke power of merits for its well-being. If you do these for your pet, in future others would do for you too. Do good begets good, do evil begets evil.

 

    1. Brother Teoh shared about the first noble truth of realities – birth, old age, sickness and death.  Every living being needs to confront these realities. So what is death? When you understand, nothing dies. For under ultimate truth there is No mark of a self, no mark of living beings, and no mark of others including no mark of existence. This is wisdom borne of understanding the unconditioned dharma. But when you live in the conditioned world,there is such a thing as the law of karma which recognizes relationship. Thus you need to do your duty well as this form and mind is subject to this law of karma.
    2. When condition manifests, things will happen. Thus no need to be sorrowful or ‘pity’ anyone. When you have the dharma, you would not lament. When loved ones are around, love them and do your duty well. When they are gone, do what you need to do (base on your dharma understanding/wisdom) to bring about wholesomeness – like radiating metta, transfer and share merits, do good and perform dana in their name, expression of gratitude and thanks, invoke power of merits for their wellbeing, etc.
    3. According to the unconditioned dharma, all these are not real. As all conditioned dharmas are impermanent (not a permanent entity where you can cling on to and say ‘this is ‘Me’ and this is ‘I’, therefore all these are mine) hence it is non-self and empty (anatta). All conditioned dharma are dependant origination, conditioned arising, and a phenomena world of consciousness borne of delusion. The only reality in life within the conditioned world is the present moment. Moment to moment life passes by what are you doing? As real as it can be, the present moment – split second it is dead and gone. Hence the unreality of the existential world. Thus the reason why the Buddha said, ‘mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is chief, when mind arise, everything (the phenomena world of consciousness) arise, when mind cease, all ceases’. But there is a nature behind that is beyond all this. When you know deeply the conditioned and unconditioned, you will have the wisdom to live life beautifully. By now you should be able to understand how a simple question regarding a dog can also give rise to good condition for such beautiful Dharma to flow and arise.
    4. Question: Brother Swee Aun read out a question by one of his friend, ‘‘if I complain I am happy; if I don’t complain I am not happy.’

      Answer: This question brings about condition for Brother Teoh to share this very important dharma discussion topic regarding ‘Application of Dharma to help resolve all worldly issues or so called problems’.

      According to Brother Teoh, with wisdom, one can looks at the question differently.

      The way we perceive life is very important. If we don’t complain, or perceived a life situation or an issue with negativity we don’t have problem then we can be at peace and we are always happy. Applying Dharma to go beyond duality is very important but we must also understand that duality does exist within the existential world. The moment the mundane mind arises, discrimination follows suit. Human beings are so-conditioned as they have their own opinions and views of things. Most of the time, they do not agree with one another, leading to dualities of – right and wrong, good and bad, happy and unhappy. One needs to develop wisdom to understand both the conditioned and the unconditioned. Within the conditioned world, when there is no understanding, argument and difference of opinion tend to arise. This happens because within the condition world there are 3 ways of seeing the same mountain.  I.e. Mundane seeing; supra mundane or direct seeing and the ultimate seeing (seeing thing as they are with ultimate wisdom).

    5. When one complains because of selfish motives, there are karmic implications. When there is condition in the future, others may complain about you in a similar manner. It is not about doing something to feel good when others are suffering, nor is it to create issue or drama. Instead, be righteous and sincere is the way because you dare to speak out for the good of the many via the dharma way (Noble 8-fold path) to resolve issues amicably.
    6. A kalyanamitta rented out her condo which was fully furnished at a much higher rentalthan other unit. It was rented out to a Dato’ who later did not pay his rent for a few months. Agent too can’t find the Dato’ and finally refused to even answer calls from the kalyanamitta. No rental payments for 5 months. The kalyanamitta was upset and went to consult Brother Teoh. Brother Teoh told her, you have 2 choices: she can either continue to worry and complain and be miserable over it like before or the other way is to understand the law kamma via having right view with regards to this law of karma (very likely during her karmic past she might have done similar thing to others, and this life, condition arise, she got the same treatment from this tenant) to resolve this issue amicably following the dharma way. Thus she should ask for forgiveness, act with wisdom and understanding following the noble eightfold path, invoke power of merits for turn around to resolve it amicably. Eventually she managed to resolve it amicably and beautifully.

 

  • Complain usually won’t help you solve your problem. Do not get emotional, upset or angry about it. The world is the world, people are just they are, so accept them for what they are. Be at peace, have clarity of mind to act wisely and take care of karma via having virtues. But if you act with wisdom following Noble 8-fold path (dhamma way) to resolve it amicably then you can resolve it. This is how you can resolve any issues at hand. Brother Teoh further shares that in a company, the culture should be to resolve every issue amicably as a team within one organisation. Teamwork, working towards organisation objectives to resolve issues amicably instead of arguing, pointing fingers, indulging in office politics and blaming, etc.
  • According to Brother Teoh, technically there is no such thing as a problem in this world. Brother Teoh defined problem as: ‘it is only a problem when one perceives it with negativity – fear, worry and anxiety’. Knowing how to apply the living dharma to resolve life issues amicably is very important. Living beings tend to perceive a situation with negativity because they don’t have dharma understanding (wisdom). Wisdom allows one to see things as they are, to accept the reality of the moment, thus no problem. When causes and conditions are like that, things would be like that accordingly. According to the Buddha, ‘we are all born of our karma, heir to our karma, conditioned and supported by our karma and we are what we are because of our karma’ and ‘whatever that arise there are causes and conditions behind’ . So whatever happens is definitely related to karma (99.99%). Also we reap what we sow, the world is just the world, and people are just the way they are. Thus we can be at peace (knowing this as right view), accepting the reality of the moment with no negativity, no more reacting/projecting our thoughts to arise the fear and the worry/blaming others, etc. This is ‘what IS’ – the reality. If whatever that happened or arise is a reality then it is no more a problem and we only need to understand it and resolve it amicably with understanding.

 

    1. The ego (sakkayaditthi or self-delusion) needs to be realized. Because of ego, three evil roots come to be – Greed, Hatred and Delusion. Ego or the personality separates one from others, leading to selfishness, causes one to be possessive, hence manifestation of Greed. The evil root of Greed includes desire and lust, craving, possessiveness and authority. As the “I” thinks it exist, it can become emotional, angry, violent and fearful. If there is wise attention (yonisomanasikara) at the moment of sense experience then it is hey no “you”, and hey no “me”; then who is there to be right or wrong? No reality, no mark of self and others. There is only the form and mind with its wrong view and its conditioning. Form and mind arguing or interacting with form and mind. As they are impermanent, if you grasp or cling on to them, they will leads to suffering. It is not a permanent unchanging entity you can cling on to as the “me” and the ‘I’ and the “mine”.

 

  • When you meditate, you can see that this form and mind are dependant originating, conditions arising, nothing to do with your nature, hence no reality. But the form and mindwhich is subject to the law of karma exist in the conditioned world because it is karmically conditioned and related to our karmic nature. Although it is not “you”, but it is connectedto your karmic nature hence it is subject to karma. Without this rather important Dharma understanding, you will entangle yourself in your daily life as you will lack theunderstanding of having the right duty to live life accordingly. Reflect, contemplate, cultivate the 5 ways to overcome unwholesome thoughts – trace the origination factors(4th way) and then retrospectively reverse it through right view to seeing things as they are; to accept them for what they are. This contemplation and reflection can make you realize that the ego is false; there is no atta within form and mind. The 5 aggregate of form and mind is impermanent, lead to suffering, and empty (non-self and anatta).
  • Heart sutra – the 5 aggregates are empty, not what you think. Feeling is never “you”, form is never “you”, consciousness is never “you”, and its content of consciousness is never “you”. Nobody is there to be right or wrong. What is the point of arguing? The form and mind is just a tool and a vehicle for you to come to this existential world so use it wisely. Use it to take care of karma via doing your duty well while in this world. One needs to stabilize this understanding and most importantly, able to LIVE it.  

 

  1. If one can still be upset by what others say, then there is still a mark of a self. You still cling to your ego. Whatever people say, so be it. With understanding of the 3 level of clear seeing, (mountain is mountain, mountain is not mountain, and mountain is still mountain), you can still agree, accord and flow with life.
  2. One hand can’t clap, it takes two to clap. It takes two parties to react to argue. Best is to just smile and keep quiet. Brother Teoh shared about Socrates whose wife nags him a lot while he was in jail. But with wisdom, upon being asked, he replied that his wife is his best teacher, she enables him to cultivate true patience. Brother Teoh further shared that, if you perceive all things and situations with wholesomeness, things and situations would turn around. Not resorting to hatred or negative emotions but with open eyes and ears to see and listen, yet no reaction (always at peace).
  3. You hold the key to your life destiny, to be happy or miserable is entirely your choice so choose to be happy but why are most people not happy? It is because they don’t have such dharma understanding. Develop heedfulness to awaken via the direct seeing to see things as they are. When inside is good or okay (with wisdom), outside always no problem; i.e. always able to have the dharma understanding or wisdom to accept the reality of the moment. 

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 18th Sept 2018 Tuesday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links and outline short notes link to our 18th Sept Thursday class recording for sharing by all.

Audio links: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Tue-180918.mp3

or at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/expoke0svauo4nn/Teoh%20Tue%20180918.MP3?dl=0

Outline short notes link:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Tue-180918.pdf
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: 18 September 2018 Tuesday Class outline short notes

Dearest Soo Yee and all,

Enclose below are the edited short notes for sharing by all:

Brother Teoh’s 18th September 2018 Tuesday Class outline Short Notes 

Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings – The Working of Karma (Chapter 20, Page 367) 

  1. Creation of negative Karma – the 10 evils often committed by a heedless person are : 

 [Via  Actions]

1.   killing (pānātipāta)

 

 

2.   stealing (adinnādāna)

 

 

3.   sexual misconduct (kāmesu  micchācāra)

      

 

[Via Speeches ]

4.   lying (musāvāda)

e.g. Deceitful, Dishonest, Two-faced

 

5.   slandering (pisunavācā)

e.g. Insult, Vilify, back biting

 

6.   harsh speech (pharusavāca)

e.g. Vindictive, Hurtful and strongly worded speeches, Threatening

 

7.   frivolous speech (samphappalāpa)

e.g. Irresponsible words, Instigative

 

[Via Thoughts ]

 

8.   covetous and selfish thoughts(abhijjhā)

 

e.g. Possessiveness, Desire, Lust

 

9.   ill-will or anger and hatred (vyāpāda)

e.g. Spite, Enmity, Malice, Cruel

 

10. false or deluded view (micchā ditthi)

e.g. Crooked, Misleading, Biased, Denial
  1.  Recording time 1:09:25 

[Question]

On the topic of killing, Sis Chwee asked whether the definition of “a living being” is characterised by having a cognitive mind.

 

[Answer]

Plants also have consciousness (mono), exhibit sensitivity and responds to environment (e.g. experience suffering). However, in this context, “a living being” refers to beings that breathe, i.e. having a life force. Note: the word “pānā” from the word pānātipāta and Ānāpānā sati.

2 Recording time 1:17:38 

[Question]

On the 5 conditions necessary to complete the evil act of killing, Bro Chin How asked regarding the scenario of “having only the intention to kill, but the actual action to kill was performed by someone else”.

 

[Answer]

The precept here is not ‘thou shall not kill’ but is ‘I undertake the training rule to abstain from killing.’ So a heedless person with the mental intention to kill, inadvertently develops the actions of killing (e.g. instigate or hiring someone else to kill) born of his negativity of mind state also commits the act of killing even though the killing was done by others. For mental intention (cetena) can leads to Karma.                     If you can kill, it means you don’t have love and compassion. Only an evil, deluded and selfish person kills.

 3. Recording time 1:29:15   

[Question]

Sis Chwee shares her experience regarding how she finds it very difficult to deal with the tiny ants at her home, and she just had to apologetically get rid of them.   

 

[Answer]
  • Bro Teoh advises her to cultivate Mindfulness leading to wisdom, thereby enabling her to develop the sensitivity towards all life forms via consciously nurturing LOVE and COMPASSION borne of WISDOM (the understanding to choose kindness, wholesomeness and virtues over karmic negativity);
  • Our untrained mind is heedless due to our years of accumulatedgreed, hatred, fear and delusion; this heedlessness leads tokarmic negativity. In order to de-condition/de-program this heedless outflow of negative mental intentions via our habitual tendencies and heedless reactions to sense experiences we need to cultivate the four foundation of mindfulness leading to heedfulness to arise the wisdom (yoniso manasikara) needed for us to straighten our views.
    E.g. with kayanupassana, the moment a physical (or kaya) movement begins or arise (e.g. the intention leading to the action to kill), you will become aware and able to discern clearly to arise the choice not to kill; hence a wise and mindful person will not be able to violate the precept of killing.

 > Short discussion regarding birth as a lady or a female by all; reason for such birth and its pros and cons. Also why some of our Kalyanamittas choose to remain as single ladies this life. For more detail please do listen to the full recording. The discussion was led by Bro Teoh after sister PG’s comment on her disagreeing with what the text said regarding female birth.

 4. Recording time 1:54:03 

[Question]

Sis PG shares her observation of counter dependent karmic roles. That is since these victims have karmic conditioning or potential from their previous lives to be afflicted so why not just let it be?  

[Answer]

Karmic potential need conditions for its fruition or arising. A victim being hurt by another, does not necessarily mean the victim has previously hurt that other person. In fact, it is often someone elsealtogether. Dependent on the different conditions that arise, everybody may encounters karma in varying manner. Likewise, when there is no condition, nothing happens to that person. This means if you have the dharma understanding to avoid the conditions for negative karma to arise then those karmic potential may not ripen.

 5. Recording time 2:11:10 

[Question]

Sis Chwee shares her observation that 99.99% of sales people often talk rubbish and they lied.

[Answer]

If the salesperson had first verified that it is indeed a good andbeneficial product, then sales become a profession where there is no need to lie to do well. The usefulness of the product is most important and sincerity of approach during sale will bring in the sale. Not the commission. This is what right livelihood is all about.

 > If you are truthful and sincere, you will have less condition to commit negativity of karma. But more importantly, you need wisdom to balance truthfulness because even if you are truthful, but with a tainted/biased (selfish) mental intention, you are still prone/tempted to creating negative karma. 

 (Above outline short notes draft was prepared by Sis. Soo Yee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 13th Sept 2018 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links and outline short notes link to our 13th Sept 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all:

Audio links:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180913.mp3

or at:

Outline short notes link:
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

Subject: Re: Outline short notes of 13th september 2018 talk

Dear Puan Chee and ALL,

Below are the edited outline short notes for sharing by all:

SHORT NOTES OF TALK ON 13TH SEPTEMBER 2018

A. INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE MEDITATION

1.       Bro Teoh gave some simple instructions before meditation. First, relax body and mind. Then, maintain silent awareness within. If there is a need to train the mind, go ahead, otherwise, just relax and maintain silent and let the mind settle down on its own to arise the heedful mind that is just aware within. (Note: When we are without attachments or thinking, the mind will return naturally to its original state of inner awareness and stillness before the stirring.)

2.       Meditation is very simple when one understands. Keeping precepts is very importantbecause it is the source of spiritual joy (Silena sugatim yanti), spiritual wealth (Silena bhogasampadam) and spiritual peacefulness of mind (Silena nibbutim yanti). Reason why Meditation must always start with Sila or morality following the prescribedformat of Sila, Samadhi and Panna).

3.       Remember the 4 supports for awareness-based meditation: they are Relax, Aware, 24 hours and Trust. First, relax (1st support) into every mind state that arises and let things be. When the mind has settled down and returned to its original state of quietness and calmness, awareness (2nd support) will arise then maintain awareness for as long as you can (24 hours awareness or 3rd support). The meditative mind is the silent mind without thought.  It is just the essence of mind within. We need this mindto arise the wisdom needed for awakening. When we have this understanding, we will not create unnecessary thought during meditation or use thoughts to do thought-based meditation. Thought-based meditation will not lead to heedfulness and awakening.

4.       Without realizing the true mind, we cannot have the state of no thought.  Then, we cannot develop the 4th support of Trust to develop the ultimate meditation.  Trust means allowing the nature to move or meditate by itself without the interference of thought. Just relax, aware and silent.

B. Questions & Answers AFTER MEDITATION

5.       The problem with most Buddhists is they don’t know how to apply the dharma in real life to truly live life. Last night Bro Swee Aun brought a lady (with certain 1st noble truth problem) to see/consult me to get my advice. The lady came with a friend from SJBA.  This lady was having some serious personal problems and she was sufferingvery badly and she found life to be very difficult. She finds it so difficult to even confront life’s 1st noble truth realities of pending separation form loved ones and when she is with people whom she doesn’t like she becomes miserable. Bro Teoh agrees with her comment that if one doesn’t understand life, then life can be pretty difficult (really not easy). But when one understands, then life can becomes beautiful, wonderful and rather meaningful. When we have the Buddha Dhammacultivated, there is joy and understanding within. This Dhamma understanding cantransform a person completely into a very wise and virtuous human being with great character and personality to become a blessing to all. There is no more need to go through suffering anymore and one can then live life to the fullest. One only needs to understand the Buddha’s teaching or dhamma deeply.

6.       The lady left with much better understanding of the Buddha Dhamma after talking to Bro Teoh for about two hours. She became more calm, confident and peaceful. She felt much better. Bro Teoh just explained to her the Law of Karma & the 4 Noble Truths to let her understand her present problem and situation and how she can apply the Buddha’s teaching to help her overcome her problem and life situation; to do what she needs to do to turn her life around. Bro Teoh also explained to her that she is not the only one who suffers this way for every human being who lives long enough will also have to confront the eight 1st noble truth realities and they will also suffer if they don’t have this understanding. Some suffer less and some suffer more – it all depends on their karmic past. How life can become so miserable for some people. The application of dharma is very important because when we understand that we hold the key to our life’s destiny and to be happy or miserable is entirely our choice then we will know how to come out of this predicament.

7.       Bro Teoh told her – there is so much more to life than just worrying and going through such misery via allowing people to mentally torment you.  If we cling on to all these wrong or unhappy thoughts as memory and problem then we will definitely suffering. It is better to forget the whole thing and let it pass via resolving such issuesamicably with understanding and then move on with our new life which is much more meaningful instead of holding on and clinging to such wrong thoughts/memory. Life had so much more to offer. We can choose to be happy and live life to the fullest with love and understanding. We can travel and do the things we like to do.

8.       Memory is necessary for us to store important things but not to store psychological memories of fears, phobias, insecurity and scars of memories, etc. that brings about suffering and make us miserable. The commonly used words, letting go is a fallacy or myth because: ‘who wants to let go? The one who holds, right? So how can the person who is still holding and clinging, let go?’ If we don’t understand that those wrong thoughts are tormenting us and making us miserable, then we will continue to hold via worrying about them. We must see this with understanding to break freefrom the recurring wrong thoughts that always come up with ideas and words to tell us things which are very negative and not the reality. Hence our problem can’t be resolved amicably with understanding because of the way we react to such situation via the evil roots of selfishness, anger, emotion and delusion.

9.       When we can see clearly how our wrong thoughts with the 3 evil roots are causing us so much suffering through our reaction to sense experiences and life, we will wake up straight away. Understanding the Law of Karma and the Buddha’s essential dhamma/teachings can help us break free from our deluded habitual thinking patternwhich has been deluding us all these while. However, many Buddhists cannot seethis, and that is the main reason why they don’t know how to apply the Buddha’s teaching to help them live life.

10.   When we take care of karma via avoiding all evil, doing good and purifying the mind, our life changes. There is no point believing in feng shui and fortune tellers because the main thing that matters most in life is karma and nothing else. Whatever that happens to us at any one time has its causes and conditions behind and these causes and conditions are mainly due to karma because according to the Buddha, ‘we are all born of our karma, heir to our karma, conditioned and supported by our karma and we are what we are because of our karma. The 1st Noble truth 8 realities of life and existence that afflict us are also mainly due to karma. We have to accept these realities because our life misery is not caused by somebody else.

11.   Most people think karma is just: – Do good begets good, do evil begets evil; you reap what you sow; but, is that what karma is really all about? This is only a very small part of the real understanding.

12.   Karma is not like what people think, only cause and effect. Whatever causes that arises due to karmic volition will give rise to karmic potential. Its effect is not immediate most of the time. Whether good or bad, it will create the karmic potential which is stored in one’s karmic nature. Within one complete thought process, there are usually seventeen thought moments. The seven determining thought moments during volition are called javana. If it occur on the first javana then if there is not condition for it to ripen in this life, it will cease. If it is on the seventh javana, then its karmic potential will only be active until the next life. If there is no condition for it to ripen, it will also cease. The second to the sixth javana will follow us for eternity.

13.   The past is already gone and we cannot change our past karma. So how do we deal with life? Understanding that we need conditions for karmic potential to ripen. Otherwise, they will not happen or cease to take effect if the karmic potential is already over. With this understanding, we are in a better position to understand how karma can ripen or cease. If we can avoid the conditions for evil karma from ripeningvia following the advice of the Buddha then we can have better life conditions. Which means when things don’t go our way or when we are confronted with the 1st noble truth’s 8 realities, we should via right views (wisdom) with regards to this law of karma remain calm and peaceful without reacting to stir our mind to become emotional via self-delusion. If we can do this then there is not evil roots to condition our karmic negativities; then we will not create the conditions for the negative karmic potential of ours to have a chance to ripen. That’s how wisdom frees. Karma is such, when there is no more condition to afflict one then the karmic effect will reverseitself. In order to have this ability we must not create karmic negativity when confronted with the 1st noble truth realities (which most human beings don’t understand).  Most people when hit with the first noble truth realities will react with anger, violence and fear, etc., thus arising the karmic negativities with the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. These will arise the very conducive conditions for negative karmic potential to ripen. This is the reason why most human being sufferswhen they do that via ignorant.

14.   Bro Teoh himself went through the tests many years ago. So, karma is not something cast in stone. If we don’t give rise to the conditions, we can avoid the karmic potential or consequence from arising.

15.   Knowing how to apply the dhamma in life is very important. Many people don’t understand how this can be done. The lady whom Bro Swee Aun brought to see Bro Teoh kept saying that, ‘this guy had done so much wrong yet nothing bad had happened to him’. Bro Teoh explained, when the karmic potential hasn’t ripened yet (because there is no condition) then it will appear that way but when there are conditions, karma will take its effect. This is just like the politicians in our country who may be powerful at one time but recently after 9th May 2018 when conditions change, their karma will ripen accordingly because of the dawn of a New Malaysia.

16.   Causes and conditions from the past can give rise to karmic potential in the future. Bro Teoh mentioned the case of Moggallana (one of the Buddha’s chief disciple) who finally succumbed to his karmic repercussions from the past and was clobbered to death though he had psychic powers.

17.   Understanding the Law of Karma and the other essential dhammas enables one to have the understanding to apply the Buddha dharma to life thus transforming oneself to become a blessing to all. With this understanding, one will have the ability to share this understanding to help others.

18.   In the Diamond sutra, these four lines stanza are very potent and powerful : –

All are conditioned dharmas within the conditioned world;

They are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows,

Like the morning dew and a lightning flash;

One should contemplate them thus.

19.   This poem can bring about wisdom to help us break free from delusion from the existential world.

20.   Dhammapada verses 1 and 2 also highlight the importance of right thought : –

Dh Verse 1 – All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain or suffering will follows him, as the wheel follows the hoof print of the ox that draws the carriage.
Dh Verse 2 – All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

21.   Everything within the conditioned world is in a state of flux so we cannot cling and attach. But within the conditioned world there is such a thing as the law of karmaand our 5 aggregates of form and mind (the human being) is subject to this law of karma. That is the reason why right duty is very important within the conditioned world as explained by the Law of Karma because the law of karma recognizes relationships and not everything is non-self and empty within the conditioned world.

22.   `Right duty is right dharma,’ as advised by Bro Teoh’s teacher Phra Ajahn Yantra to him in the late 80s. But, this understanding is seldom or hardly taught among Buddhists. Reason for the lack of understanding to live life.

23.   It is important that we cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path which can leads to the end of all suffering. When one becomes enlightened, one will have the embodiments of all the Noble Eightfold Path’s path factors of right view with regards to the three spiritual laws (Law of Karma, Law of Mind and Law of Dharma), right thoughts, speech, and action, etc.

24.   Without this right view, one cannot start to live one’s life. Right view will condition the right thought because one won’t violate the Law of Karma but instead will use the 4 right efforts to purify one’s thoughts leading to right speech and action. Yoniso manisakara or wisdom at the moment of sense experience is able to help check one’s thoughts. Eventually, we still have to cultivate the right thoughts, speech and action that are still not in us. With this understanding, life itself is the meditation/cultivation and meditation is never apart from life.

25.   Based on the above right view the Buddha always advised us to avoid all evil, do good and purify the mind.  But, if we don’t understand how all these are inter-related, we will not be able to apply the dharma in life.

26.   Byron Katie uses her 4 lines of questioning to help people overcome their problems via questioning their thoughts : –

  1. Is it true? (Yes or no. If no, move to 3.)
  2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true? (Yes or no.)
  3. How do you react or what happens, when you believe those wrong thought?
  4. Who would you be without those wrong thought?

27.   We can abandon the wrong thought using the third way or the meditative way of awareness as taught by the Buddha. Just relax and silent your mind and be aware to realize that thoughts and emotions like anger, hatred and fear, etc. are dependent originating hence impermanent and not you. Without wrong view, we won’t reactand stir our mind. But, a lot of meditators even after having gone in and out of retreats still cannot transforming their minds because they failed to develop the meditation correctly to realize this truth. If we are trapped in duality created by the mundane mind just like Shen Xiu who was practicing at the thought level, it is very difficult to break free.

28.   Instead, allow whatever mind states that arise to cease on its own. Then using the fourth way to trace the origination factors via mindfulness of the six internal and six external sense bases to develop the wisdom to straighten our views.  Without wisdom we tend to act according to memory (which are our views and opinions, our culture and traditions borne of our conditioning; our belief system, fear, insecurities and phobias etc.) to react to situations via our wrong thoughts. Eventually, when we have cultivated and developed the wisdom and understanding, we can then accept the world as what it is; for the world is the world and people are just the way they are.When conditions are like that, things will be like that. We can then accept the reality of the moment which is ‘What IS!’ – The IS-ness of things. We can then act with wisdom following the Noble 8-fold path; the dhamma way.

29.   With this wisdom, there is no need to suppress the anger or use the charms and amulets to ward off fear anymore.

30.   The dhamma must be learned and understood via phase 1 of dhamma (Pariyati) then put into practice in daily life via phase 2 (Patipatti). When we awaken, we will receive the fruit of our hard work to live the noble life which is 3rd phase of dhamma (Pativedha).

31.   Sometimes if there are karmic obstructions, we need to ask for forgiveness(repentance) and vow never to repeat all these negativities again. Since according to the Buddha whatever that arises in life, there are causes and conditions behind hence there is no need to lament. Instead, ask for forgiveness and determine to change via following the Buddha’s teachings to avoid all evil, cultivate wholesomeness and develop wisdom to improve our life and transform our self for the better. When we repent, grow in virtues, meditate and develop wisdom via this cultivation, we can then invoke the power of such merits for our life situations to improve. But if we continue to have the wrong mind states, we are just arising the conditions for the bad karmic potential and repercussions to ripen.

32.   When one has faith and asks for forgiveness, Mother Nature will response accordingly regardless of whichever religion one is having.

33.  Do it for at least for 3 months to see the result and change in you and your life situation. Then invoke power of merits for turn around. This is not psychic or magic but only an understanding of how nature’s law function via the dhamma way.

(Above outline short notes draft is by Puan Chee)

Bye! and with metta always,Teoh

From: guityeng <guityeng@gmail.com>
Sent: 15 September 2018 08:26
To: Teoh Kian Koon; chin how teh; Pheyyuen Chong; TanKeatHoon@imu.edu.my
Subject: short notes of 13th september talk

Dear Bro Teoh,
Attached are the short notes for the talk below (13 Sept 2018) as well as an audio file which I have resized (cut and shrunk for easy sharing through whatsapp). Hope it is useful.
With deep gratitude and metta always,
chee
Link to the 13th September talk : –
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 11th Sept Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the outline short notes and audio links to our 11th Sept 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all:

Outline short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Short-Notes-Teoh-Tue-180911.pdf

Bro Teoh’s Tues class Sep 11, you can download at below audio links:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Teoh-Tue-180911.mp3

or at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/txtu56dxvs1o8b6/Teoh%20Tue%20180911.MP3?dl=0

Teoh Tue 180911.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 17 September 2018 03:41
Subject: Re: 11th September 2018 Tuesday Talk outline Short Notes

Dearest Soo Yee and  all,

Thank you for your below very good outline short notes and I am please to forward herewith the slightly edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s  11th  September 2018 Tuesday Talk outline Short Notes

Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings – The Working of Kamma (Chapter 20, Page 360)

    1. Bhavanga – is a life continuum or mind stream. A type of consciousness, below the threshold of sense consciousness, that just flows like a continuous undercurrent when there is no intruding sense activity (i.e. impinging sense data like sound/vibration to trigger off the hearing consciousness).
      1. Unimpinged – Past Bhavanga (Atīta Bhavanga)
      2. Impinging – Vibrating Bhavanga (Bhavanga Calana)

 

  • When we rest/sleep the mind performs a clear-out leading to recuperation of mind:
  • Built-up (or accumulated) fear, phobias and scars of memory are released through our subconscious and unconscious states to bring about order to the mind;
    1. Dreams are an example of such releases.

 

  1. When the Bhavanga stream of consciousness is arrested/Impinged (Bhavanga Upaccheda):
    1. Sense-door consciousness (Āvajjana) steer towards the sense data/object
    2. Sense consciousness (Panca Viññāna) arises
      – e.g. visual consciousness (cakkhuviññāna) arises which sees the object
    3. followed by a moment of the sense object’s reception (sampaticchana)
    4. the investigating thought-moment (santīrana) examines the perceived object
      – the process of knowing the object; relating to memory / learning / past experiences
    5. followed by the determining thought-moment (votthapana) when discrimination is exercised and freewill may play its part:

      – with wise attention (yonisomanasikāra), it becomes moral,
      – with unwise attention (ayonisomanasikāra), it becomes immoral

    6. 7 Javana/stages of the determining thought-moments decide the nature of Karma:
      – all these thought-moments are similar, but the potential force differs.
      – if it occur in the 1st thought moment then if there is no condition for its fruition in this present life then the karmic potential will cease to be after that life.
      – if it occur on the 7th thought moment then if there is no condition for its fruition in the present life and the next life then the karmic potential will cease to be after that.
      – if it occur between 2nd – 6th determining thought moments then its karmic potential is forever present.
    7. This entire thought-process, which takes place in an infinitesimal fraction of time, ends with the registering consciousness (tadālambana) lasting for 2 thought-moments.
      – a single thought-process is completed at the expiration of 17 thought moments.
      – this process is multi-dimensional (e.g. multiple thought-processes, all at different stages happening very fast and some may not even complete the 17 thought moments but continue to spawn off new thought-processes in between depending on condition.)
  2. Sis Alicia asked whether these 17 thought moments are similar to the 8 types of consciousness. Brother Teoh answered no but said that they are related. The 17 thought moments if fully completed will form a thought process and depending on the mental intention associated with that thought process the type of consciousness will be classified accordingly.
  3. Bro Teoh recommends to the class kalyanamittas to read ahead of the next class in order to have more active participation during the next Tuesday class discussion.
  4. Have gratitude for what you have (e.g. a healthy form and mind) and able to make use of what you have to the fullest, to cultivate wisdom, compassion and mindfulness is true blessing and understanding to live life.
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 9th Sept 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the outline short notes and audio links to our 9th Sept 2018 Sunday class recording for sharing by all:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Short-Notes-Teoh-WPCS-180909.pdf (Outline Short notes link)

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/85-Summary-of-6th-Patriarch-9-Sept-2018.mp3 (audio link)

or at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/35xl4ulrzyka2m6/85%20Summary%20of%20%206th%20Patriarch%209%20Sept%202018.MP3?dl=0
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
 
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 12 September 2018 09:04
Subject: Re: SUNDAY Class at WPCS DATED 9 Sept 2018

Dear Mun Yuen and all,

Below are the edited outline short notes for our Sunday class dated 9th Sept 2018.

Outline short notes for 6th Patriarch’s Platform Sutra (lesson 85) dated 9th Sept 2018

  1. The class commenced with Gratitude Puja to the Triple Gem and Dharma Protectors in conjunction with our rather successful completion of the6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra teaching by Brother Teoh after a period of 3 years and 3 months of weekly sharing held at WPCS.

  2. After the puja, Brother Teoh also expressed his gratitude towards Sister Lee and the committee of  WPCS for allowing him to share those beautiful  Dharma in WPCS and he also relate the earlier rather unique conditions behind how he was invited to share the Dharma in WPCS in the year 2012.

  3. The 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra is the only sutra by a lay person that was accorded the same status as other sutras of the Buddha.

  4. Brother Teoh then explained the importance of having true Dharma friends (Kalyanamittas) to walk the Path of Dharma. (To refer to our https://broteoh.com   website for more details.)
    broteoh.com
    The Source is the Oneness nature or the Toa.It is the source or beginning of all the Myriads things. Pure awareness is the silent mind without any mind activity or movement as yet.It is only aware but it is capable of seeing things as they are (direct seeing). When one input the content of consciousness via wrong views into the pure consciousness, the mundane mind comes into being.

  5. Brother Teoh did a review and summarized the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra teaching as below:

  • The sutra started with Bodhidharma (1st Patriarch) setting foot in China.
  • Then comes the Prediction of the Mahayana teaching taking deep roots in China after  the  advent of the 6th Patriarch (Master Hui Neng) 200 years later. 
  • Analogy of the flag and wind dharma: Which moves, flag or wind? Flag moves because the mind through the seeing consciousness perceives the flag moving. Wind moves because the mind through the hearing and tactile consciousness perceives the wind moving. Without mind, how can flag or wind moves? It is Mind that creates the perception of movement hence the reason why Hui Neng said, ‘neither the flag or wind move but your mind moves’. 
  • Normal merits vs pure merits. Normal merits are performed with mark of a self having the greed for merits. Pure merits are performed via  understanding (without the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion).
  • Bodhisattvas are Enlightened Beings walking the Path of dharma to perfection to realize Samma Sambuddhahood.
  • The poems by Hui Neng and Shen Hsiu are the essence of the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra’s teaching which is similar to the Heart Sutra’s teaching. (To refer to Bro. Teoh’s Heart Sutra short notes book – page 8 onwards for more detail explanation.)

 

  1. Poems by Shen Hsiu (show that his practice or cultivation is still at the Theravada level and it is mainly thought based for he still haven’t realized his true mind or true nature). 

 The body is like a Bodhi tree, 身是菩提樹，             Mind is like a mirror bright on a stand; 心如明鏡臺。

 Time and again polish until it shines, 時時勤拂拭，  (Above is incorrect understanding because Shen Hsiu misunderstood and he thought  the  mundane mind is the real mind. He created duality via the mundane mind and cling on to the perfect and the pure while rejecting the dust or defilement. This means his mundane mind which is the thought is still active so how can he develop thesilent mind to awaken or insight into truth).                                                 So that no dust can alight, 勿使惹塵埃。                 {Above is incorrect understanding because the mundane Mind/thought has created the duality of wholesome (pure) and unwholesome (dust)}.

b.   Poem by Hui Neng:

Bodhi is basically not a tree, 菩提本無樹，(Bodhi or Enlightenment is not a tree, but a realization; an awakening).

The true mind is neither the bright mirror nor the stand; 明鏡亦非臺。                                                    Originally there is nothing,  本來無一物，                  (True mind has nothing.)                                                             Where can dust alight? 何處惹塵埃。

    • Just relax, silent and maintain awareness then the mundane mind will slow down and cease. When the mundane mind ceases, there is no creation of duality anymore because there is no thought. Meditation must be develop with understanding.
    • Hui Neng’s advice before his passing away is:  ‘Understand your mind and see your nature within. Do not grief after his passing away for that is contrary to the Dharma. Have gratitude but not grief or attach to the form or image that has gone the way of nature’.

  1. Within this conditioned world, all are conditioned dharma. That is they are alldependent originating following nature’s laws hence they are not real. They areall dream like, an illusion, a bubble and a shadow, leading to suffering if one lack wisdom. So do not be deluded by them.

  2. The present moment which is the only reality in life, arise and passed away very fast. Spit second it is gone so how real can life be? Form and mind are the same. They keep on appearing and disappearing.

  3. The true mind has no duality, so no suffering. Silent your mind to experience thepeace and the stillness within.

  4. Four essential conducts of the ariyan Sangha :  i) Of Good conduct (e.g. keep precepts, generous, kind and helpful); ii) Of Upright conduct (e.g. righteous, sincere and honest), iii) Of Wise conduct (have right views and wisdom) &  iv) Of Dutifulconduct (form & mind’s duty towards the law of Karma, regardless whether one is enlightened or not). Check whether these qualities are in you or not to know whether you are a true disciple of the Buddha. These qualities are also found in the Noble Eightfold Path which liberates the mind.

  5. An enlightened person is always aware and mindful and their mind does not dwell or cling on to things. 

  6. Dharma is not a knowledge based. Dharma is never apart from life. Must be able to apply Dharma in life for life itself is where the dharma is.

  7. Story of Master Xu Yun (Empty Cloud).

  8. Sister Chwee’s questions on Hui Neng being born without a mundane mind and meaning of no mark.

  9. Brother Ng’s sharing on his faith in Brother Teoh.

  10. Diamond sutra teaching is very abstract: The Buddha said ‘Because there are no beings to be saved, there are beings to be saved’! 

  • This means under ultimate truth, “there are no beings to be saved” because everything is anatta (empty and non-self) and this wisdom must  be realised so that one will not be deluded by the form and mind but within the conditioned world of conditioned dharma there is such a thing as the law of karma that the form and mind is subject to so that is the reason why to the Buddha there are still beings to be saved.
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Bro Teoh’s 6th Sept 2018 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the outline short notes and audio links to our last Thursday class (6th Sept 2018) recording for sharing by all.

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-180906.pdf

Dearest Soo Yee,

Thanks for the rather good suggestions and I had revised them as per attachment.

Brother Teoh’s 6 September 2018 Thursday Talk outline Short Notes

The Application of the 4 Noble Truths (as taught by the Buddha) to help resolve all our Lives situations and ‘problems’ amicably with wisdom:

  1. Meditation is not apart from life. To be able to be at peace at all times requires wisdom and understanding  of the way things are or how they unfolding according to nature’s conditions. 

– With wisdom and understanding, we can avoid the mental conditions that bring about suffering.

2. Master Hsu Yun finally came to understand that the true cultivation of the Buddha Dharma is to be developed via mindfulness to realize the true mind – via  明心见性(míng xīn jiàn xìng) leading to the  understanding that dharma is not apart from life and it should finally lead one to the cultivation of virtues  and  wisdom via  mindfulness. For virtues strengthen our  karmic nature and wisdom liberates our mind from all suffering. These will enable us to live the noble life of an enlightened being with the following 4 great conducts as taught by the Buddha: I) of good conduct; ii) of upright conduct; iii) of wisdom conduct and iv) of dutiful conduct is the order of the noble disciples of the Buddha.

3. Master Hsu Yun’s initial cultivation has good conduct and upright conduct but he lack wise and dutiful  conducts hence the reason why he had initially neglected his worldly duty (of his form and mind) by not having the understanding to take care of his age old parent and 2 wives that he married. He   failed to   understand that the form and mind is subject to karma hence the need to fulfil his life responsibilities  first. His life’s story tells about his this initial neglect. He initially deviated from his cultivation via focusing just on concentration (or samatha) meditation – leaning more towards meditative absorption and one-pointedness of mind states that lead him to experience great calmness and peacefulness of mind with psychic ability (while meditating in seclusion for 6 years in the mountain caves) and not insight via a silent mind which is free; that is he didn’t develop the daily mindfulness to cultivate the 4 foundation of mindfulness (Satipatthana practices) leading to wisdom and awakening. – Until finally, he realize his karmic repercussions of his  behaviour and wrong practices after meeting up with a wise noble (enlightened) being who advice him accordingly. He then realized the importance of having right duty, right speech, right action, and right livelihood and that the real Dharma is in the midst of life and society. That was the reason why after that he determined to endure the strenuous pilgrimage journey of doing the ‘3 steps one bow’ to walk from Mount Puto (Putosan) to Mount Wutai (Wutaishan) to fulfil his deep and arduous vow  to repay the debt to his parents. “According to records, he decided to go on a “three steps, one bow” style of pilgrimage, partly to repay the debt to his parents. He started off from the island Putuo Shan near the city of Ningbo and went to Wutai Shan, near the city of Datong. Reciting the name of the bodhisattva Manjushri with each prostration as he went, it took him three long years. After that, he walked across China and into Tibet, India and Burma, before returning to China in 1890.

4. “Without wisdom, if you touch psychic…  – It will NOT lead to peace and insight, instead..

– It will bring about deviation, possible harm, misery, more conflict and suffering – leading the cultivator astray.

5. Sis Tammy asked questions about human behaviour; citing a recent rift in relationship with her office colleague.

6. Brother Teoh advise her to apply the4 noble truthsteaching (which is liken to the understanding of the secret of life) to solve her problem amicably via the dharma way.

– Being with people you dislike and not having things your way are explained in the first noble truth, as being part of the harsh realities every living being will inevitably experience (and consequently having to choose how to respond to these situations) if they live long enough. When you are confronted with these realities, contemplate and reflect on the 5 aggregates of form and mind (final summary of the first noble truth). This will unravel the root cause of suffering which is craving borne of delusion within yourself (2nd Noble Truth); allowing you to finally understand your mind and  realize or ‘see’ your self-nature.  Realize that suffering need not be when there is wisdom (3rd Noble Truth), then through the application of the Noble 8 Fold Path (4th Noble Truth); Example through right view leading to right thoughts, right communication (or speeches) and right actions etc. to resolve situations amicably.

  • Whatever thought that does not give rise to karmic negativities like fear, worry, anxiety and sadness, sorrow and lamentation etc. are all right thought. Thoughts that bring about love, wholesomeness, goodness, kindness, gentleness, understanding, harmony, contentment; generosity and respect etc. are all right thoughts.
  • Wrong thoughts are thoughts that conditioned the evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion leading to negativities of karma and suffering.  Thoughts that conditioned yourfear, worries and anxiety, sorrow and lamentation, etc. (when you recall your phobias, scars of memories, fearful experiences, lustful thoughts, etc.)
  • Brother Teoh developed the below flow chart pointers to help Sister Tammy  understand how to apply the Noble 8-fold path to help her resolve her problem amicably:

Human relationship —> I) Right Communication –> ii) Human Behaviours —-> iii) Any karmic implication (or how it is going to manifest in terms of karma) —> iv) How to apply the Dharma in such situation to resolve issues amicably via noble 8-fold path instead of  reacting and arguments. For more details please do listen to the  recording.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

7. Human beings are just the way they are, and the world is the world and when conditions are such things will be such or the way it isso we need wisdom to accept all these truths via understanding to stay peaceful   otherwise if we wants things our way which is not  nature’s way then suffering will arise. That is we cannot be rigid in our ways of treating others and we need to understand their habitual tendencies and behaviours borne of the 3 evil roots. (Above outline short notes draft was prepared by Sister Soo Yee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Sept 6, you can download at :*
https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Teoh-Thu-180906.mp3
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Bro Teoh’s 4th Sept 2018 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 4th Sept 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. Also enclose below is the outline short notes link for sharing by all:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Tue-180904.pdf

Brother Teoh Tuesday Class dated 04/09/2018 recording :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Tue-180904.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vnroouxk2rgvp4c/2018-09-04.MP3?dl=0
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BroTeoh’s 2nd Sept 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday’s 2nd Sept 2018 recording for sharing by all. Also attached are the outline short notes link for sharing by all:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-WPCS-180902.pdf 

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 28th August 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 28th August 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. Also attached are the outline short notes.

Brother Teoh’s 29 August 2018 Tuesday Talk outline Short Notes

  1. Review of 9 Aug outline short notes prepared by Sister Phey Yuen.
  2. Sister Padmasuri was full of joy after hearing the Yunnan spiritual trip’s reports from Kalyanamittas in previous classes on how it had benefitted them and also how it had turned out so beautifully. She recollects the occasions when her thoughts projection lead to proliferation of her fears (during landslides, bad weather, etc) and anxieties (when encountering unfamiliar rites and rituals). She then shares her realisation that without those wrong thoughts, those negativities are immediately unfounded and she was able to return to experiencing the beautiful Yunnan nature within its vicinity.
  3. Discussion on importance and significance of straightening our views to inculcate wholesome right thoughts, to challenge our rigid belief systems, formed through society’s conditioning via investigating within to develop the understanding.
  4. Bro Teoh expanded on the topic regarding rites and rituals, with examples of differing views and opinions (all seemingly logical debates from each person’s standpoint). Then he recaps the following reminders to kalyanamittas:

a.  Faith not born of understanding is blind faith.

b.  Faith born of understanding is unshakable.

c. Without understanding one is force to just belief or accept what is being told.

5. Expression of gratitude to Mr. Er for his good itinerary suggestions leading to the wonderful and unhindered visits to so many rather meaningful and beautiful temples with good energy, especially those in Dali region, which still preserves the Buddha teachings.

6. Sharing of real life experiences that reveal to the true cultivators, the profound workings of nature and karmic forces. How with understanding leading to the right cultivation that resulted in nature’s rather favourable conditions unfolding all the way leading to such beautiful and wonderful spiritual trip that was like meant to be.

7. Sister Padmasuri wraps up by remarking that the planning for every of our spiritual trips (5 thus far) are all very unique experiences because they are all very different. It is not applicable to leverage considerations / decisions from past trips. Each and every decision needed was made in accordance to conditions that arise during the progression of the trip via understanding, leading to each and every unpredictable journey also unfolding beautifully; like everything just falling into places. Have faith and just trust your beautiful nature developed via right (true) understanding.

(Above outline short notes draft was prepared by Sis. Soo Yee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sis Hui Rong

Brother Teoh Tuesday class on 28/08/2018 record :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Teoh-Tue-180828.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ffode163p0ha6bo/2018-08-28.MP3?dl=0

2018-08-28.MP3

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