Month: June 2019

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Bro Teoh’s 30 May 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Below dharma video on ‘Understanding the Essential Dhamma especially on the 3 Evil roots (Greed, Hatred and Delusion) for sharing by all. Please do view it attentively.
 
Dear Bro Chin How – Maha Sadhu! for the below video recording which you had so nicely video.
Whiteboard link:  to be viewed with the video.
Subject: Re: Bro Teoh’s Thursday class video dated 30 May 2019

Chin How: https://youtu.be/2wazDo-98pU  🙏

Audio link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-190530.mp3
[01/06, 11:40] teohkiankoon: 🙏🙏🙏👍 Thank u so much Chin How. Last Thursday class (30 May 2019) video above was very well done.

Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
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Bro Teoh’s 28 May 2019 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links for our May 28 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.

Short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Tue-190528.pdf

 
With metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>

Dear Sister Yoon Chun and all,
Enclose below are the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s May 28 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes

UNDERSTANDING DEATH & DYING

  1. Question by Sis Quinni: How to deal with Death? And is there any significant in keeping the ashes of the deceased?
  1. Response by Bro Teoh:  This borders on Filial Piety. We should be filial by spend more time with our parents when they are alive. Express yourappreciation and gratitude towards them for they have given you this life,raise you, care, sacrifice and provide for you and make them happy and feel loved especially in the later part of their lives. Spend time with them and care for them when they are old and sick. When they depart, we do not need to hold an elaborate funeral. Make sure that it is conducted harmoniously and peacefully with understanding. No hot disputes with siblings as to what form of ceremony to hold. Decide base on consensusof the majority if there are differing opinions to resolve them amicably.Avoid unnecessary misunderstanding and conflict. If we feel like offering foods that they enjoy, go ahead, although it doesn’t serve a dhamma purpose. Also, there is no need to grieve and wail, as no amount of sorrow and lamentation will bring back the dead. Just offer our gratitudeand express our kindness towards our parents and accept their death as a first noble truth reality. We can instead do things following the dhamma way like making donations and offerings in their names then share and transfer merits to them, etc. which are more meaningful and tangible. Avoid unnecessary rites and rituals.
  2. At death, the Consciousness separates from the physical Form. The physical body, consisting of the 4 elements, will disintegrate and go the way of nature, whilst the remnant of consciousness will leaves the body. These remnant of their consciousness are likely to stay at the wake and funeral for some time. They are without a visible physical form but still have their senses like hearing and seeing. They can speak but can’t be heard by ordinary people. So, avoid bad-mouthing the dead. Will anger them. They understand all languages. However, they can’t really harm us because they don’t have a physical body. So, no need to be afraid of them. They exist as consciousness (energy) so do not fear them otherwise they have power to intensify your fear.
  3. In accordance with the Tirokudda Sutta, the Buddha advised King Bimbisara to offer a meal to his Sangha so that he can transfer merits to his departed relatives. These relatives have been awaiting for these merits to reduce their suffering.  The Buddhist practice is to make offering of robe, food and other requisites to sangha members at the wake and transfer merits to the departed ones. One can also invoke the power of merits to help the departed ones to have better birth and better life.
  4. The dead can be buried or cremated, according to their wish. Their ashes bear not much significance and can be disposed of in a columbarium, temple and forest or thrown into the sea. This is the choice of the family. There is no need to burn huge paper houses, hell money, cars, servants, etc. It only enriches the sellers of such articles and have no benefit to the dead. One should also avoid mediums who go into trance and perform rituals. They are unenlightened and deluded beings like many of us. Upon death, form and mind separates and cease to be so no more so and so.
  5. Sis PG shared her experience at her mum’s death.  She had to clean her mum’s body to wear clean clothes but couldn’t bend her stiffened arms. By imploring her mum to soften her body, she managed to finish her duty. So the departed can hear and respond.

(About draft short notes prepared by Sister Yoon Chun)

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Bro Teoh’s 26 May 2019 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links for our 26 May 2019 Sunday class for sharing by all.

With metta always,

Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 03 June 2019 04:16

Dearest Soo Yee and all,
Enclose herewith is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s 26 May 2019 Sunday Class outline Short Notes

Book Reference: Cultivating the Bodhisattva Way (14th Lesson), Page 96-102

1.       Without wisdom, you will not have true renunciation and compassion.
When there is wisdom, renunciation and compassion manifests automatically.

    1. Without love, compassion and wisdom, the egoic mind/self-centredness will escalate and suffering will keep increasing and spreading.

       

2.       This Buddha sasana of Sakyamuni, is the best window to break free and to establish one’s nature firmly on the path of dhamma.  Through this window, we can also develop the understanding and faith to walk this Bodhisattva way firmlywith ease.

    1. We should constantly ask: “Which stage of bodhi mind development are we at?”
    2. We should aspire with utmost sincerity, faith and understanding to plant the seed of Bodhi deep into our nature to walk the Bodhisattva way by taking the 4 basic vows and all the other special aspirations and additional vows as given by Bro Teoh via his special printed format/notes to us. 


      These vows and aspirations are very important because: 

      “These are the Dharma understanding I need to have.”
      “These are the Right Views I need to understand.” 

      “I’m going all out to plant this seed of Bodhi to take this Bodhisattva vows sincerely, so as not to miss this window of opportunity, so that every life when this nature comes (whether choose to come or has to come), it will have these right  dharma understanding and vows to go this way.”

    3. Renew your vows every day, until it is instilled in your heart (may take about 3 months): 
  • Read through your Bodhisattva vows’ notes with a sincere mind to reaffirm your vows and aspirations. 
  • To renew your Four Great basic Vows and all your other aspirations and affirmations with understanding to stabilize and remember them firmly until you can recite them without having to refer to the notes anymore. 

3.       The seed of Bodhi will grow – nourished through wisdom and compassion to arisethe bright Bodhi mind.
Your aspirations and vows will bring forth the way.

 

4.       Strive on to be Spiritually Alive (free mind that understands – i.e. can settles downand becomes still on its own),
Spiritually Luminous (clarity of mind – no clinging to self or non-self) and
Spiritually Potent (overflowing with wisdom)

5.       Silent Illumination is the experience of Boundless Spaciousness (awareness without a centre)
(meditative mind that is fully aware and very sensitive to the slightest internal stirring/movements  as well as external stimuli or sense data impringing.)

    1. We cannot experience the mind as infinitely vast, if our mind is swamped with discursive thinking (preoccupied with narrow-minded views and heedless thinking – no longer aware)

    2. We cannot experience the environment as infinitely vast, if our mind constantly discriminate among sense objects (swayed by discriminative thoughts, implies lacking in equanimity)
    3. If your meditation does not give rise to wisdom, then you are missing the point entirely because only wisdom can shapes a person’s understanding and character to make them more noble in every aspect of their life. They will be humble, kind, sincere, honest, patient, forgiving, exude wholesomeness, etc. They will also have contentment, respect and gratitude and are veryresponsible (having right duties).

    4. Awareness based Meditation has nothing to do with concentration and absorption. Silent without illumination is Samatha meditation. Illumination is awareness.
    5. Signs of progress – a good check is: “Have I become more peaceful, calm and happy or have I become more egoic? Do I still have theevil roots of like and dislike, anger, frustration, unhappiness anddiscrimination?”

6.       The topic on confronting old age, sickness and death as shared by Sister Mun Yuen in her whatsApp was discussed.  Sis Chwee commented that such similar messages have been widely circulated in the social media and that there is nothing new in this.   

7.        Bro Teoh then asks “Without the Dhamma, would you be able to overcome suchlife’s challenges?” 

8.       Sis Chwee replied: ‘for someone who has a strong attachment to the “self” (atta), he or she would not be able to accept aging as a reality and may likely suffer unless they have no choice but to finally accept such reality; however such acceptance by them is very different from those who have the dhamma. When we understand (that there is no real identity of a “self”), then there is no more need to justify such acceptance and we can even act with true compassion and understanding to help others (when conditions allow).  

9.       Bro Teoh shared some experiences from people confronting death, including a Kalyanamittas who had to confront disease and death when she was at the prime of her career. (For details please listen to the recorded sharing.)

10.   Sis Chwee urge everyone (the old as well as the young) to cultivate the understanding of the 4 noble truths early, as death may come knocking anytime, unexpectedly.

11.   Without the Dhamma, you cannot understand life, and you won’t know how to live life. Worst of all, you may not know how to die, as you do not understandwhat death is, and you will fear it. Also who die and what die?

12.   When there is condition for you to encounter the Buddha Dhamma, you should go deep into it and develop all the understanding. Otherwise it is a waste, not being able to make use of it to help yourself, help your loved ones, and others with affinity, so that you may be a blessing to all and you can do your duties towards nature, fellow living beings, the world and the universal consciousness.

13.   Sis Padmasuri shares that at first she thought she had understood the 4 noble truths, until she was recently tested by a very personal life’s challenge again. She finally reacted towards the additional responsibilities piled upon her when condition was rather harsh.

14.   Sis Chwee applauds Sis Padmasuri for facing her challenge with courage andhonesty. She adds that every age has its own challenges, and as we overcome each challenge, we learn and grow to be better versions of ourselves.

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

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Bro Teoh 23 May 2019 Thursday class

Dear kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our Thursday class dated 23 May 2019 for sharing by all.

Video link 2: https://youtu.be/lRATrIbuROs

Short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-190523.pdf

With metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Dear Sister Phey Yuen and all,
Below is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s Thursday class dated 23rd May 2019 outline Short Notes

A.      1st session – Meditation 

1.       When you understand the Buddha’s teaching, you will have strong faith in him. This spiritual faculty of Saddha will arise the viriya (spiritual zeal) to drive you to cultivate sati. When the resulting Sati is stabilized it cumulates into Samadhi(a collected and unwavering free mind). This, will enable you to see things as they are leading to wisdom. These 5 spiritual faculties can help you overcomethe 5 mental hindrances (of sensual desire, ill will, restlessness, sloth/torpor and doubt) to enable you to meditate. Without the mental hindrances the mind will settle down into the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness easily.

2.       With the 5 spiritual faculties established, you can easily relax and maintain silent inner awareness to develop the meditation. Sati will be established leading to Samadhi right away. There is awareness of your heartbeat, mental activities as well as the contact of body and mind. You can see dependent origination clearly. Due to ignorance, sankhara (mental thinking) arises therebycreating contact with the brain to trigger off the mental consciousness with itscontent arise from memories, to condition your like/dislikes and emotional negativity.

3.       For those without the 5 spiritual faculties to establish mindfulness, you need todecondition the heedless thinking by using the mind-sweeping methodcombine with metta. Then stabilize the sati with anapanasati.

B.      2nd session – Discussion topic: Understanding Life, Its purpose and meaning

4.       If you don’t understand life you cannot live life and you cannot discuss its purpose and meaning. So understanding life is very important.

5.       All of us need to confront the challenges of life especially the 1st Noble truth’s8 realities of confronting old age, sickness, death and separation from loved ones etc. with wisdom. We also need to have self-knowledge to know who are you and what are you? If you don’t even know who are you and what are youthen who is living your life? It you are deluded and heedless without awareness then the thoughts are living your life most of the time. It is important for us to understand life to live life well.

6.       As Buddhists we are indeed very blessed to have Shakyamuni Buddha’steachings to explain to us the deep meaning of life. The essence of his teaching is the 4 noble truths and this 4 noble truths, summary to us all of life (both the mundane and supra mundane). It also reveal to us the secret of life.

7.       The 1st noble truth explains to us the prevalence of dukkha or suffering and it highlight to us the 8 realities of life and existence. All of your suffering, sorrow and misery come from confronting these 8 realities without the requisitewisdom. The 8 realities are: 1) Birth; 2) Old age; 3) Sickness; 4) Death; 5) Separation from loved ones or our prized possession, 6) When you’re with people whom you don’t like; 7) When things don’t go your way, when your expectation in life are not met and when you cannot get what you want; and lastly 8) the 5 grasping aggregates (conditioned by one’s self-delusion) are dukkha. When you meditate with the silent mind, you will understand that this 5 aggregates of form and mind is dependent originating and impermanenthence it is not you. This body and mind is just a karmically conditioned ‘vehicleand tool’ for us to come to this existential world to live and experience life. With this understanding you can live life with good understanding.

8.       When you grasp and attach to your physical body you suffer because you will worry about it getting old, sick and one day die. If you cling to feeling, whether pleasant or unpleasant feelings, you will also suffer because feeling is dependent originating hence it is impermanent and not a permanent unchanging entity which you can cling onto and grasp onto as the ‘I’ and the ‘Me’. The same goes with all your perception, sankhara (activities of mind) and consciousness.  Reason why the Buddha said, ‘the 5 grasping aggregates are suffering’.

9.       The 2nd noble truth explains the cause of arising of suffering.  It is self-delusion that conditions craving that cause you to grasp and cling. Investigate further: If I grasp, cling and attach to form and feeling, all that I perceive and my mind states, views and opinions, do I suffer? Without dharma wisdom, you definitely suffer.

10.   The 3rd noble truth explains that suffering need not be if you have with good understanding of Buddha’s teaching. Enlightenment in the here and now is possible. You know how to live life and are free from the 1st noble truth’s 8 realities. You cannot be deceived by the phenomenal world and the 5 aggregates of form and mind anymore. Instead you can live life to the fullest, with joy, understanding and love as an enlightened being.

11.   The 4th noble truth explains that if you cultivate this noble eightfold path, it will lead to the end of all suffering i.e. enlightenment in the here and now.

12.   Utu Niyama (nature’s physical order), Bija Niyama (nature’s biological order), Kamma Niyama (law of Kamma/Moral causation), Citta Niyama and Dhamma Niyama are the 5 nature’s universal orders that governs all of life and existence. The first 2 are scientific laws of nature and the last 3 are spiritual laws of nature. Understanding these laws constituent right views leading to wisdom. This will enable us to understand life.

13.   Life is our greatest teacher. Nature has great compassion. We learn from lifethrough observing nature. The nature’s law of karma says, you reap what you sow and if you plant the seed of wholesomeness, you will reap the fruit of wholesomeness. Master Hsuen Hua also said, whatever causes you plant will give rise to its fruition when there are conditions for their arising. He thus warned, ‘please do not plant the wrong seed and reap the wrong fruit’. So to have the good life we have to take care of karma via following the advice of the Buddha.

14.   From the spiritual point of view, your sole purpose in life is to develop such understanding via following the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil, do goodand purify your mind, to live the good life with wisdom and to always plant wholesome conditions.

15.   You must have Dutiful conduct – do your duty in accordance with these laws of nature especially the law of karma. Be responsible in life. As spouse, as children, as siblings, as parents, as employee/employer, do your duties well. Even towards the environment. If you neglect your duties, in future you will reap what you sow. Right duty is right dhamma. You must also have Right conduct,good conduct and wise conduct after following the advice of the Buddha to cultivate wholesomeness to build up your karmic nature, so that when you choose to come or have come to, you will have the good Karmic support. Develop wisdom, you won’t suffer, life becomes meaningful and beautiful.  Live the noble life of an enlightened being who is free of fear and suffering.  You are always peaceful, happy and tranquil. Heart Sutra – ‘true emptiness is wonderful existence.

16.   In the year 1971, Brother Teoh (17 years old) reflected on these questions, “Who Am I?” in this vast universe and why am I here? What is the purpose of life? He received the answer from deep within his nature – ‘that he cannot understand all these unless he meditated’. This probe was due to his past vowsand cultivation.

17.   The Meaning and purpose of life can be established after you understand life.You must also understand who are you? What the 5 aggregates of form and mind is? Is it really you? If not, then who are you? It is important to understand who you are? In order to know who is living your life. Usually it is your thought that is living your life. The thought is egoic, deluded and full of craving. Thisdeluded thought cannot live life. You need to contemplate and develop understanding of your true mind, to be aware, to see clearly who you are? Investigate into what the Buddha says. That the 5 aggregates is impermanentand if you cling onto it, you suffer. As it is impermanent, you cannot cling on to it, to say this is ‘me’ and all these are ‘mine’. As you break free from self-delusion, your attachment to form and mind loses its grip and is relinquished.You understand the body and mind is NOT you but is related to you karma wise. To use the form and mind and yet not be deceived by it is wisdom. To realize the unconditioned dharma to develop the wisdom to live life is very important.

18.   Conditioned dharma has its own reality. It recognizes relationship, right duty, wholesomeness and unwholesomeness and the 4 noble truths etc. But in true emptiness (the unconditioned), there is no old age, sickness, death, no 4 noble truths, no suffering, no attainment, etc. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. The Conditioned and Unconditioned dharma exist side by side. You need to understand both of them to live the good life.

19.   To be able to apply Buddha’s teaching is most important. Develop the dharma understanding and cultivate to transform both your karmic and spiritualnatures. To become a beautiful living being (personality and character wise) and be a blessing to all. Be determined to cultivate it, take vow, plant the Bodhi seed, nurtures it beautifully so that this Bodhi mind will continue to arise life after life to support your cultivation.

20.   Karmic nature surely brings you to the world i.e. karma decides. Regarding thespiritual nature you have to connect to your true nature first before you can inherit from it. Thus it is important to have the vows and aspirations to enable you to connect with your true nature and the Bodhi mind to propel you forward to receive the teaching so that you are always on the right track. Faith in the dharma is vital.

21.   When Brother Teoh’s nature comes to this world, he just accords and flows with understanding, to allow conditions to arise by itself. Brother Teoh shared that by attending his dharma classes, the merits and parami accrued can be very immense and powerful. It is rare indeed to have the condition to listen to thetrue dharma thus cherish and treasure it. In that sense you all are very blessedto be part of the kalyanamitta family. You all must have your past cultivationsand affinity.

22.   After straightening your views with initial wisdom, you are less reactive, more aware and mindful. There is more space between thoughts. You are calm, peaceful and your mind seldom stirs. This is sati sampajanna. Once you hit this, you are home. With this sati sampajanna cultivated only you can have sense restraint to enable you to cultivate the 4 right efforts, keep precepts and arise the 3 way of right conducts. By then you are at least a Sotapanna or a skadagami. You can then cultivate the 4 foundation of mindfulness. Then the 7 factors of enlightenment keeps on arising, you are on the right path – enlightenment in the here and the now (Nibanna) can happen. All these 10 cultivation steps as stated in the Avijja sutta is not difficult. The path and fruition keeps on arising. When connected to your true nature, you can breeze through the cultivation very fast, continuing from your past life cultivation after that.

(Above outline short notes draft is by Sister Angie Chong)

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Bro Teoh’s 21 May 2019 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links for our May 21 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
Whiteboard link: 
Regards,
Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 14 May 2019 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links for our 14 May 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 18 April 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 18 April  2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
Whiteboard link: 
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 02 May 2019 03:07
To: Pheyyuen Chong

Dear Angie Chong,
Below is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline short notes for Brother Teoh’s Thursday Talk dated 18th April 2019

1.       Sister Tammy reported her meditation. She was aware of her body’s sensations (heat building up) and thoughts. She was also aware that her body moved (like spinning).

2.       Brother Teoh explained that when you feel heat or movement, it is due to the energy built-up inside. Regarding the heat it is actually due to the yin and yangimbalance. Sometimes it is just a test to see whether you are affected by it. Thus do not be deceived. Whatever state that arises, just relax into it and maintain awareness. Relax and silent your mind and let things be. Understand that when your sati is not stable these movements can happen. Those who do or practice Reiki, their body has a tendency to shake due to the energy built-up.

3.       Sati leading to heedfulness needs to be established during meditation. Understanding the meditation as taught by the Buddha is most important. Do not doubt. Relax and stabilize the awareness, then go back to the heart. Swaying will eventually stop when awareness has stabilized. Do not create any mental hindrances (especially the likes and dislikes).

4.       During meditation, there will be different experiences and states of mind that arise. You need the skill to understand what meditation is and what you are doing in the name of meditation. You need to be heedful and develop the understanding of who and what are you. Also to see clearly that all these movements (physical, mental and nature’s) are all dependent originating and condition arising phenomena. In pure awareness you can see all this.

5.       Brother Teoh shared his experience 30 years ago, when he was just aware at the heart area without any thought then all of a sudden he realized there was no one inside there. It is just an awareness from the nature arising and passing away, awareness is one with the heart beats.

6.       Thoughts are response from memory hence they are condition arising/dependent originating, nothing to do with the nature. Understanding comes by itself through the silent mind. You are the awareness which is beyond all these creation. All of your knowing is mainly thought based knowledge,accumulated as memory, not the reality. Reality is when your awareness seesand experiences all this and you are able to be with it and sees the whole movements without fragmentation to awaken.

7.       When the silent mind in pure awareness is with all phenomena, it can awakenvia an understanding which is not rigid. After this only can you relate to the teachings. Not the other way round. The other way round is to read the teachings and go look for those mind states mentioned in the teaching,believing you are in those states. All these are thought based meditation. Dharma in written form are merely words pointing to the truth. It is not the truth itself. Thus you cannot use words and concepts to realize the truth which is beyond thought and mind. Instead you need to meditate via sati (the silent mind without thoughts and concepts) to awaken.

8.       Thought is for you to use. When you awaken you will understand that your 5 aggregates of body and mind is subject to karma because it is Karmically conditioned from your karmic nature. Hence you will also understand that you have to have right duty to take care of karma even though the true unconditioned dharma is about emptiness; I.e. hey no you and hey no me, no form, no mind. You need the understanding of both the conditioned and unconditioned dharma to truly live life.

9.       Once you are able to locate your gateway to your nature, all the yin yang energy will melt into it to become pure energy.

10.   There are people who go into occult (pure psychic) energy practices and use it for healing and performing psychic ability. Since only wisdom andunderstanding frees the mind, nothing else so being involved in energy field does not free. With awareness based meditation leading to wisdom, you can also avoid threading on the evil or wrong path.

11.   There are 2 ways to cultivate the Bodhisattva way: one way is to develop the wisdom first; then locate the gateway to our nature to speed up our cultivation. The other way is to make use of the pure energy to locate the gateway first then only use it to develop the wisdom leading to all the other perfection. Without wisdom developed via the dhamma make available during the Buddha sasana or from a good guide (teacher), it is very difficult to go thewisdom way first. Similarly without the help of a true guide or a good teacher, it is also very difficult to develop the understanding of the gateway cultivationwhich is beyond thought and time.  But the first way is safer because the wisdom will protect the cultivator from going into the occult or psychic fields. (For more detail please do listen to the recording to develop the complete understanding. Especially the part relating to my last teacher and what is captured in this outline short notes is just a small part of what has been shared.)

12.   Brother Teoh further explained his last teacher’s meditation. If you do not know how to silent your mind to locate or realize your nature which takes you straight to the No thought state, you tend to go for thought based meditationwhich cannot lead you to the truth which is beyond thought. It is very difficult unless you have a good teacher. Even with a good teacher, it takes time for you to build up the confidence. The Six Patriarch Platform teaching helps you to understand this. For one to realize the 3 universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non self states is already very difficult if not for the Buddha’s teachings within this sasana because it involves understanding oftruths within conditioned and unconditioned.

13.   Thought is both matter and energy (). Matter is trapped energy. Thus thought based is related to energy field. Since thought is also matter so without thought, form will not come about. Since Form is the product of thought therefore thought can see form because thought has higher intelligence. But thought cannot see awareness because thought is a product of spacious awareness. Thus awareness has higher intelligence then thought.

14.   Theoretical dhamma are mainly concept and ideas. Theoretical dhamma has nothing to do with the direct seeing via the silent mind in pure awareness. You can awaken with this pure awareness which is beyond thought and beyond mind. Hence strive on with heedfulness. The moment you are heedful, you aredestined for enlightenment. Daily mindfulness leading to heedfulness is a must. Meditate with sati to see your defilements and to realize the essential dhamma leading to wisdom.

15.   When you are mindful of all mind states, you will understand how your wrong thoughts (with the 3 evil roots) which arise due to your deluded and conditioned mundane mind (borne of accumulation and memories of the good and bad experiences) can cause your negative emotions leading to suffering. You will also understand how all these wrong thoughts and negative emotion (like anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, trapped phobias and insecurity, etc.) condition your fear, worry, anxiety, selfishness, sorrow and lamentation etc. leading to suffering.

16.   It should be the awareness which is aware of the thoughts and emotions by being one with it and not via another thought knowing an earlier thought or emotion like anger, fear, worry, anxiety, etc. For example, aware when fear arises. When fear arises, stay with it and see clearly what happens when you are just aware (be with it) and don’t do anything. What happen to thatmovement or emotion? Fear will cease to be then you will understand Fear was never you but just a condition arising or dependent originatingphenomenon. It arises due to conditions (ones delusion or wrong view) then when condition cease to be it cease to be. It arises and passes away depending on condition hence impermanent and empty. Relax and aware and you will understand all this. All these condition arising mental states will disappears and cease to be because the original state of the true mind before its stirring is just pure awareness and there is none of this fear. It all comes about due to one’swrong view conditioning ones wrong thoughts leading to one’s reaction of mind.

17.   Brother Teoh’s daughter shared her earlier experience (before she understands the dhamma): After making a donation, the thought of being cheated arise in her mind for some time. She then recalled the advice from a previous dhamma sharing by Bro Teoh – “why this thought and not any other thought.” It made her investigate further into the suffering that arise due to this wrong thought. She realized that she was attached to the feeling – ‘I got cheated’ due to memory and thought. She then inquire: Who is it that has all this negative thoughts? Is this her? She started to experiment with her mind. When shechanged her perspective to think positively she realized her suffering was gone. They may be sincere and even if they are not sincere, it is because they need my money. Moreover what happened is already over why cling on to that wrong thought of ‘I have been cheated’? They will have their karma. She then realized her mundane mind really controlled her when she think that wrong thought. It was like holding to that red hot burning thing that was tormenting her.

18.   Instead of acting with wisdom, you allow your wrong thought to condition you to act negatively. On the other hand, with right view, you can trust your karma. After all it is not what you think; it is just a form and mind meeting another form and mind due to karmic conditioning.

19.   You need wisdom to root out insecurity. All is subject to karma. Karma creates the thought to project into the future causing you to feel insecure. You need to take care of karma, in turn karma takes care of you. With wisdom, understand that it is just form and mind and thoughts arise and pass away following the 12 links. Always remember only self-delusion can cause you to have such negative mind states leading to misery.

20.   Eric’s sharing: “some learns the dharma but do not practice because they thought they know already. This is dharma knowledge. But for me I learn and I put into practice what I have learnt.” He went through suffering, experienced them until he understands them deeply. Just like the burning hot charcoal analogy, if you know how it has been burning and tormenting you when you keep holding it, you will never touch it again.

21.   Fear, worry and anxiety cannot solve your problems but only conditions more negative karma in your life. Instead you need wholesome mental states borne of right views to give rise to good emotions coupled with faith to transform you into a beautiful being. Also understanding the 1st Noble truth’s 8 realities of life is very important because under the 2nd turning of the 1st Noble truth, it is stated that suffering is to be understood.

22.   You live a beautiful life through the dharma way i.e. following eightfold noble path. By developing inward beauty, your nature is beautiful and you will have right view, right thoughts, right speech, right action and livelihood, this leads to inward transformation. When inside is okay, outer no problem.

23.   When you understand the noble truth, you understand suffering. You are heedful and able to apply what you learn. When negativity arise, you are awareof your wrong thoughts, you understand they are impermanent, condition arising wrong thoughts borne of self-delusion. Thus the mind releases and is not deceived. You need to contemplate when it happens. This way is suitable for those who suffer a lot. When you are aware of all these negative mind statesconditioning your suffering you can retrospectively reverse them with the understanding, this itself is meditation. Awareness is very important.

24.   Meditation in daily life: any thoughts or emotions that arise, be aware (silent) and stay with it, eventually they all cease to be. Only true nature is real. No point clinging and grasping which only cause unnecessary suffering. You will understand that the body and mind is merely a karmically conditioned vehicle and tool for you to come to this existential world, hence use it well. You cannot control the form and mind from going the way of nature because it is dependent originating and not a permanent unchanging entity which you can call the ‘Me’ and the ‘I’.

(Outline short notes prepare by Sister Angie Chong)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh
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Bro Teoh’s 12 May 2019 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our Sunday class dated 12th May 2019 for sharing by all.
Regards,
Teoh
Subject: Re: Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 12th May 2019

Dear Mun Yuen and all,
Enclose below are the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 12th May 2019

Brother Teoh’s transcript book: Cultivating the Bodhisattva Way, pages 78-97

  1. The 4 great/basic vows of the Bodhisattvas are very important as they will help to take us through the 5 stages of Bodhi mind developments cumulating to Buddhahood.

    Stage 1: Aspire to plant the seed of Bodhi deep into your nature’s consciousness to arise the Bodhi mind.

    To arise the Bodhi mind to walk the Bodhisattva way sincerely, with faith and perseverance via taking its 4 basic vows. These will set the conditions for us to be awakened. As our vows are being nurtured, the Bodhi mind becomes active even during era where there is no Buddha Sasana.

    Stage 2: Bodhi mind that subdues all vexation or suffering.

    Able to develop the wisdom not to be deluded by the phenomenalworld so that one will not grasp, cling or hold on to them. That is how one is able to renounce the world, all worldly things which are unreal, condition arising and dependent originating. That is the reason why when we take this vow to endure and sever all vexations and suffering, we are cultivating renunciation.

    Stage 3: Bodhi mind that illuminates the true nature or Buddha nature as enlightenment.

    Vow to penetrate and understand all Dharma to realize the perfection of all wisdom leading to one’s ability to illuminate one’s true natureuntil it becomes so clear which means you are able to connect to the gateway to your nature. You are able to transform and illuminate that nature within. This third stage will make you a true Bodhisattva. This third stage is very powerful because after this stage, you will never regress.

    Stage 4: Bodhi mind that renounces samsara.

    Time or duration in samsara is not an issue anymore as by then we would have understood the profound diamond sutra cultivation of no thought, no mark and no dwelling. Cultivation and Perfection becomes easy at this stage onwards.

    Stage 5: Bodhi mind that realizes the consummate of Sammasam Buddhahood.

    Perfection of all the 10 Perfections. This stage is not difficult becauseas you cultivate the first four stages you would have started perfecting many of the 10 perfections especially Love, Renunciation, Sila, Panna, Viriya, Dana, Khanti, Adhitthana and Sacca.

  1. Master Sheng Yen taught silent illumination (awareness) meditation which is similar to Brother Teoh’s teaching of the silent mind.
  2. Silent without illumination is samatha meditation. This type of meditation is not with a free mind but with a conditioned mind. The 5 mental hindrances are all suppressed through energy field. They are mainly Jhana and one pointedness concentration type of practices. The mind is like blank because there is hardly any awareness within. You are like a Buddha statue and this type of mind cannot develop wisdom.
  3. Brother Teoh’s silent mind with clear awareness within is a wisdom based meditation via a free mind, where one’s mind is relax, aware and without thought naturally borne of understanding/wisdom. The mind is not in concentration and has the ability to realize the true mind.
  4. The mind needs the 5 spiritual faculties to root out the 5 mental hindrances to be in the meditative state. All methods and techniques are only initial skilful means to train the mind to have sati. They are not the meditation.
  5. Renunciation to the Mahayana tradition, means to renounce all thingsthat are not real, conditions arising and dependent originating. When we vow to sever all vexations and all suffering, we are cultivatingrenunciation. However, the Theravada tradition mainly teaches physical renunciation, i.e. to be a monk.
  6. We need to cultivate all the 10 steps listed in the Avijja Sutta’s enlightenment cycle. Most of us kalyanamittas already have the first 3 steps of having true dharma friends, able to listen to the true Dharma& have faith in the Triple Gem. Now, we need to work on the 4th and 5th steps, (i.e. 4th Step: cultivating the initial wisdom (yoniso manasikara) while attending to step 2 and 5th step: Cultivating the daily mindfulness leading to sati sampajanna, the real meditation). These are the two most difficult steps. Step 4 is relatively easier.
  7. Yoniso manasikara is cultivating the initial wisdom via the 1st and 2ndturnings of the Four Noble Truth’s wisdom to straighten our views after listening to the Dharma to weaken avijja (ignorance). The 1st turning wisdom is suttamaya panna (wisdom borne of hearing the Dharma) and the 2nd turning wisdom is cintamaya panna (Wisdom borne of reflection, inquiry, contemplation and Investigation to put to test all Dharma). This is also the advice from his teacher Phra Ajahn Yantra to Brother Teoh – ‘we choose contemplate all dharma until very, very clear’.
  8. With yoniso manasikara in place, there will be less thinking and more moments of mindfulness leading to the 5th step cultivationof Mindfulness and clear comprehension (Sati Sampajanna) which is the real meditation. At this step, apply the 4 Right Efforts and the 5 Ways to overcome unwholesome thoughts as taught by the Buddha to progress. Especially the 3rd and 4th ways which are the meditative ways. Use the 3rd way (silent the mind) and the 4th way (trace the origination factors of the negative thought or mind state and then reverse it retrospectively) to cultivate.
  9. After step 7 (the 3 ways of right conducts), one would have realize at least Sotapanaship (1st stage of sainthood) already where the first 3 fetters of sakayaditthi, rites and rituals and doubt in the Triple Gems have been severed. After finishing step 7 one might also realize sakadagamiship (2nd stage of sainthood) where the 4th and 5th fetters of sensual desire and ill-will have been attenuated.
  10. At step 8 (cultivating the 4 Foundation of Mindfulness) onwards, one may realize at least Anagamiship (3rd stage of sainthood).
  11. For those who understand, broteoh.com website is truly a dharma Gem. All the Dharma there are shared for free. So do make use of it.Develop the understanding of it then put them into practice. If you do not put them into practice, Dharma will remains as knowledge and it will not benefit you.

(Above outline short notes draft is by Sister Mun Yuen).

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh