線上閱讀 :  六祖法寶壇經淺釋 – 宣化上人 Chinese Original Version

The class commenced with Gratitude Puja to the Triple Gem and Dharma Protectors in conjunction with our rather successful completion of the 6^th 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.

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.

The 6^th 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.

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.)

Brother Teoh did a review and summarized the 6^th 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 6^th 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 6^th 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.)

• 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，

         The 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. 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 the silent 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)}.

• 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’.

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

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.

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

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 Dutiful conduct (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.

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

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.

Story of Master Xu Yun (Empty Cloud).

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

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

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.

(Draft is by Sister Mun Yuen)

84 6th Patriarch 2 September 2018     (Short Notes pdf)

CHAPTER X, Final Instructions （Page 420 – 428）  

When the class was about to start Bro. Teoh told us that when Sister PG came to his house to fetch him and Mrs Teoh, Sister PG told him to hurry as it was about to rain. After they have got into the car within less than a minute the rain started pouring heavily but very surprisingly when they arrived at WPCS the rain abruptly stopped and they went in without getting themselves wet. Then just before Bro. Teoh commenced the puja chanting (before the class) the heavy thunderstorm (accompanied by loud sound of thunder and lightning) came back.  When we were in the kneeling position just before we chant the salutation to the Great Beings (Shakyamuni Buddha, Kuan Yin, etc.) there was a very loud thunder sound. Bro. Teoh explained that his nature can sense the signs which were so obvious that day. These are nature’s phenomena of joy signaling something important is going to occur.  Bro. Teoh predicted that it must be something important that we are going to share that day. Later after we had started the class then Brother shared with us the reason for such phenomena. The main reason is because we are going to discuss the final summary of the Sixth Patriarch’s teachings (last chapter) so the Devas and dharma protectors are all rejoicing as they are looking forward to such sharing.

The Sudden teaching of the Dhyana School or Southern School is also known as the Dharma Door of the Sudden Teachings as taught by Master Hui-Neng. The keyword here is “SUDDEN” – which means ”SUDDEN ENLIGHTENMENT” or awakening as taught by Hui Neng of the Southern School as opposed to Shen Hsiu’s Gradual Teaching of the Northern school.

In fact there is no such thing as a gradual enlightenment. The moment you awaken the wisdom will be there so all enlightenment is always sudden. The gradual or northern school doesn’t have such true understanding and to them they are of the opinion that the cultivator has to cultivate gradually via various skilful means, methods and techniques (thought based meditation) first then hope to become enlightened one day.

Sutra: ‘If in this life you encounter the dharma door of the sudden teaching (or school),

You will be suddenly enlightened to your self-nature; and see the Honored one of the world…….

Not to see your self-nature but to seek the Buddha outside: If you think that way, you are deluded indeed. I now leave behind the Dharma-door of the sudden teaching to liberate worldly people who must cultivate themselves. ……’

Meaning: If you can encounter the dharma door of the sudden teaching this life you can become instantly or suddenly enlightened via realizing your original mind and see your true nature which is different from your mundane or thinking mind.  You must cultivate the dharma door of the sudden enlightenment on your own and you must not seek the Buddha outside of your nature. Understand your mind and see your self-nature: that is the way to realize Buddhahood and the enlightenment.

The 6^th Patriarch  before his parinibbana advised his disciples as follow:

• After my extinction (Parinibbana), do not act with world emotion. If you weep in sorrow, receive condolences, or wear mourning clothes, you are not my disciple for that is contrary to the proper dharma.
• Simply recognize your own original mind and see your own original or true nature which is neither moving nor still, neither produced nor extinguished, neither coming nor going, neither right nor wrong, neither dwelling nor departing and you will awaken.
• Work to realize your self-nature; understand your mind. Then you will not have wasted your time.
• After my extinction, continue to cultivate accordingly as if I were still present. Should you neglect or disregard my sudden teaching, then even if I were to remain in the world, you would obtain no benefit.

After giving the above advices the 6^th Patriarch sat upright until the third watch, and then he suddenly told them the time has come for him to go while meditating with them. In that instant he is gone (realized Nibbana) and at that instant the room was filled with a rare fragrance because the Devas and dharma protectors and other great beings and cultivators of great virtues and wisdom came to pay their respect. This was followed by a Nature’s phenomenon – the forest turned white because the white rainbow light shone on it and even the animals, trees, mountain birds and grass, etc. showed their spiritual nature and wept silently.

Master Hui-Neng was:-

• Born in the Year 638 AD, in Xinxing County, Yunfu province of China.
• He was an illiterate (didn’t attend school) and he was born without the mundane mind;
• Died in the Year 713 AD at age 76;
• At the Age of 24 the Robe and insignia bowl was transmitted to him by the 5^th Patriarch and he became the 6^th Patriarch;
• For 15 years he was with the hunters waiting for the appropriate condition to share his understanding with the world;
• At the Age of 39 the condition arises and he was officially ordained as a monk at Nan Hua Shi.
• Master Hui-Neng’s flesh body together with the Robe and Bowl was eventually returned to Nan Hua Shi (Temple) after his parinibbana.

Master Hui-Neng core teaching is to take the cultivator directly to the true mind thereby enabling them to avoid the unnecessary thought based cultivation or meditation. That is to start from the silent mind or true mind.

The 3 important hall marks of his teaching are to realize:  1) No Thought   2) No Mark   and 3) No Dwelling.

• No thought means the true mind, the silent or the meditative mind. It also means no duality, no attachment, no suffering because there is no mundane mind or sankhara.
• No mark means no mark of a self cultivating, no mark of others and no mark of life, existence and dharma, etc.
• No Dwelling means spacious awareness without a centre for the mind to dwell and there are 2 types of non-dwelling mind states: – the other type is specific phenomena awareness.

{Notes: SPACIOUS AWARENESS without a CENTRE – is a Static mode (mainly in formal meditative state) and SPECIFIC PHENOMENON Awareness – ACTIVE mode (can live life or for living)}

(Above draft outline short notes is by Sister Quinni)

CHAPTER X, Final Instructions （Page 414 – 419）

Immediately after the Puja chanting Brother Teoh commenced the dharma sharing by asking us what we think of the statement: `I seek Enlightenment’ as stated in the text. He hinted that this statement is not correct and why is it not correct?  Because of the ‘I’ which is the ego or self (atta) and ‘Seeking’ which is a craving. Whenever there is an `ego’ and a `seeking’ there can be no Enlightenment because Enlightenment can only be realized when there is no ‘I’ (or ‘becoming’) and no ‘craving’ (or `seeking’)!

In the same manner J Krishnamurti also asked, `what happens if The Seeker is the Seek?’ Living being’s ignorant leads them to seek for enlightenment outside of themselves, not knowing that the enlightenment that `one’ seek is within one’s nature – which is the unconditioned.

Bro. Teoh further explained that `VI’ means – the 3 Universal characteristics of nature and `PASSANA’ means ‘To INSIGHT into.’  Hence Vipassana is an insight or a realization borne of wisdom (an awakening) hence it cannot be practiced.  For it is an understanding and not a knowledge or a skill where you need to learn and practice to acquire it.  Enlightenment is a realization, an awakening which is not rigid (unlike knowledge).

The Commentary’s ‘DEVIANT VIEWS, means wrong views and the 3 POISONS means the 3 evil roots of GREED, HATRED AND DELUSION.

Deviant views or confusion is the result of ignorance which creates love and desire (or craving) leading to suffering borne of attachment, clinging and grasping. To reverse it one need to have right views leading to right thoughts, right speeches and right actions as per the N8FP teaching.

Bro Teoh explained the commentary’s terms of the Reward body, the Transformation body and the Dharma body in equivalent Theravada terms as below:

• Reward Body – is the Nirmana kaya or Functional Body (which is the 5 aggregates of Form and Mind);

• Transformation Body – is the Sambogaya kaya or Perfection Body or Spiritual Nature;

• Dharma-body – is the Dharma Kaya.

For us the Nirmana kaya is our karmically conditioned 5 aggregates of form and mind termed the functional body that perform the function of a human being for our this segment’s life. Then the Sambogaya kaya is our spiritual body or nature that we can only inherit after we had connected via meditation to our true mind to realize our true nature. When this happened then the combination of the Nirmana kaya of the Buddha and his Sambogaya kaya will transform it into the Dharma kaya that enable the Buddha to speaks and teach the dharma. Not every living being has the Sambogaya kaya (spiritual nature) and not everybody can connect to their true nature, unless they are true cultivators of the way. Once the true cultivator of the way has connected to their true nature he too can inherit his Spiritual Nature then their form and mind will also transform to enable them to share their dharma understanding according to their nature’s ability. WISDOM is unending.

Bro. Teoh once again shared with us how from the Source, living beings evolved in stages into the PURE AWARENESS (or True mind) stage, the MUNDANCE MIND (5 aggregates of Form and mind) stage and then finally into the Phenomena world of consciousness stage. Meditation is to reverse all these via understanding. That is to reverse or return the phenomena world of consciousness back to the mundane mind then mundane mind to the True Mind. Then finally when the mundane mind realizes itself and cease leading to the realization of the unconditioned or Nirvana (Source). 

The mundane mind is impermanent and dependent originating hence empty and unreal. Not you and not what you think; anatta (or non-self) – not a permanent unchanging entity hence empty nature of existence and it brings about suffering when one deludedly clings and grasps via ignorant.

To relax and silent our Mundane Mind to realize the True Mind. Once our True Mind is awakened wisdom will keep arising.

Dharma sharing of experiences by Kalyanamittas on their recent 9 Days 8 Nights Spiritual trip to Shangri La, Dugu Lake, Lijiang, Dali and Kunming (Yunan province) were discussed:

The above dharma sharing by many of the Kalayamittas were very good, rather insightful, beneficial and beautiful. To develop the full understanding and benefits please do listen to the sharing via the below audio links:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/83-6th-Patriarch-26-August-2018.mp3

(Above draft outline short notes is by Sister Quinni)

Page 413 Chapter X Final Instructions

Stages of mind’s creation: From the Source comes the Pure Awareness, then the Mundane Mind followed by the Phenomena world of consciousness.

Refer to diagram chat

• 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. This Mundane mind is manifestative and it can only arise when there are sense bases (the 6 sense bases), sense data and mind coming together to arise contact. Mundane mind lead to creation of Karma (moral causation).
• Whatever perceivable by the mind via the senses is a phenomenon. The existential world is a Phenomena world of With delusion one will grasp (via giving meaning) at the phenomena world of consciousness.

Refer to diagram chat

• The Pure Awareness is the silent mind (without any content) that first arise from the Source.
• The pure awareness via its direct seeing develops
• When wisdom is connected to the form and mind (living being), there is noble (enlighten) living.
• However, for unenlightened beings the pure awareness is over looked and they manifest via the mundane seeing; seeing the phenomena world via the mundane mind. That is upon contact with sense bases, the respective mundane consciousness comes into being. Via delusion one will inputs the wrong content of consciousness into the sense experience. This will cause the mundane mind to stir and react to sense experience hence the reason why one is not at peace at the moment of sense experience.
• Whatever created by the mundane mind is not real because they are dependent originating, condition arising hence impermanent (not a permanent unchanging entity) that we can cling on to or hold onto as the ‘I’ and the ‘Me”.
• If one focuses the mind to stop thinking (using energy field), it is a conditioned state hence not a free mind and this is not the true mind. It is still within the field of thought (one-pointedness focusing).
• Pure Awareness is a free mind. There is no concentration involved yet the silent mind which is free is collected and unwavering. This is real Samadhi.
• Most beings are trapped at the mundane mind stage. Why is it so difficult for beings to realize the silent or true mind? The reason being when one experience great peace and calmness of mind during meditation they tend to attach and cling onto such peace and calmness and they do not know how to just relax into it to allow it to return to its original state of stillness and And most of the time, beings begin to feel fear as their breath become so subtle until it is like there is no breathing at all then the fear of death will arise to cause the mundane mind to stir up again.
• Apply the 4^th support of ‘trust’ at the Pure Awareness stage to locate the ‘gateway’ to our nature and after that just let things be and silent everything for cessation to happen, i.e. to realize Nibbana. This is the way of the Bodhisattva.
• Bodhisattva takes birth not via ignorant like normal beings but via a pure mind with love and compassion borne of wisdom and their vows.
• Vinanam is the (=) empty consciousness or the receptacle (the 4^th aggregate of mind).
• Citta = [consciousness + content of consciousness (feeling, perception and sankhara)] = the thought (5 mental aggregates of form and mind).
• Mano = mind (all of mind – true mind, mundane mind and the Supra mundane mind)
• It is impossible to ‘cut’ at the feeling link to prevent the craving link from arising because without wisdom or when there will be no yoniso manasikara (wise attention) at the moment of sense experience, feeling will be conditioned into craving straight away. For wisdom is to be awaken to because it is not a knowledge – so if you don’t have (the wisdom) it means you don’t have. You cannot learn to be wise because it is not a knowledge or something for you to commit to memory. Only with wisdom or the arising of yoniso manasikara at the moment of sense experience can the feeling link remain as pure feeling. Without wisdom feeling will immediately condition
• Avijja → (paccaya) sankhara → vinanam → nama rupa → 6 sense bases … (following the 12 links or dependent origination movements).
• Due to ignorant or avijja (wanting to know) thinking (sankhara) arise. Thinking give rise to contact within the mind (which is also a mental ‘organ’), giving rise to mind (mental) consciousness (vinanam). Then when the content of consciousness is inputted it condition the arising of the 5 mental aggregates of form and mind (nama rupa).
• Sister Eng Bee asked whether there is avijja at the vinanam link because if there is, vinanam cannot be just pure consciousness. Brother explained that this vinanam link is just the sense door consciousness that arises upon contact before the input of the content of consciousness matching what the Buddha said in his teaching, “In the seeing there is only the seeing consciousness initially.” That is there is no one to see as yet because the content of consciousness that give rise to the egoic mind has not gone in yet.

Dated: 6.8.2018     (The draft outline short notes was initially prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Page 408-413 Chapter X Final Instructions

If we do not use the mundane mind, the silent mind will be there.

Use the silent mind to investigate and meditate.

The 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s unique Teaching are:

• (1) No thoughts borne of a free mind (Sainthood way)

Without thought you are already aware (in sati) so don’t try to be aware.  The silent mind which is the meditative mind is just aware. Cultivators must allow the mundane mind to naturally cease via not doing anything (wisdom) to realize the true mind. The mundane mind is the thinking mind which is dependent originating, i.e. dependent on ignorant, mental activities arise (avijja paccaya sankhara). Only need to maintain awareness via allowing the mundane mind to return to its original state of stillness and silent before the stirring.

• (2) No mark (Bodhisattva way)

No mark of a ‘self’ cultivating, no mark of others and no mark of life, existence and dharma.

• (3) No dwelling (Bodhisattva way)

(1) to (3) – the 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s teaching are Diamond Sutra’s cultivation.

We grasp and cling onto the form and mind because of sakayaditthi or self-delusion. We think this form and mind or the human being is real and we exist as a permanent unchanging entity that we can call self.

The 5 aggregates of form and mind are empty because they are impermanent.

Please refer to short notes for diagram of consciousness and source

The phenomenon world is a world of consciousness and it is not real because it is dependent originating, hence impermanent and empty. And we created the phenomenon world with our mundane mind via our mundane consciousness. Reason why the Buddha said, ‘Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is chief and when mind arise all things within the phenomena world arise’.

Trace the origination factors on why the mind stirs? For according to the Buddha, whatever that arise there are causes and conditions behind. When conditions are such (like that), things will be like that. Cannot be otherwise. So accept this reality as wisdom to deal with things in life for this is Suchness – Tathagata. The ‘Is-ness’ of things. The Truth, the Reality of our conditioned world which is govern by nature’s laws.

Silent the mundane mind to realize the true mind. The true mind is your meditative mind which is just aware, still and tranquil. It was there all the while but because of your delusion and heedlessness you are not aware of its existence.

Sister Eng Bee shared her recent holiday experience in France where her family encountered an unpleasant incident and how she was able to just stay aware with understanding and not get involved with what happened. She can accept the reality of the moment with understanding because things are just the way they are. She saw clearly why all parties involved were behaving just the way they are. Their anger, their emotions, leading to all the misunderstanding and commotions were so vividly expressed.

Brother Teoh advised that the most important thing in life is to resolve everything amicably via wisdom and understanding (without being egoic).

Sister Tammy shared an incident on how her ‘inner nature’ was able to suddenly spoke and shared from her heart and not from memory. Her mundane mind just cannot understand what happened.

Do not mistaken memory (which is knowledge) as wisdom. When we commit whatever ‘understanding’ to memory it becomes knowledge because memory is always the past – no more a reality.

Understand clearly what constitute evil (so that we can deal with them). The same goes for all the other essential Dharma (so that we know how to use them to develop the cultivation).

Develop wisdom via the direct seeing then we will be able to live in the world of marks and yet not be affected by them because we know they are illusionary and not real.

Dated: 1.8.2018     (Draft outline short notes was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Samadhi of One Mark

• like a lotus flower rising above the lotus pond’s surface
• while in the midst of marks, do not cling and be deluded by Mark/Duality
• instead, remain tranquil / calm, accord and flow with the conditions that arises and ceases

Samadhi of One Conduct

• daily mindfulness
• sincere (not deceiving)
• uniformed (not bias)
• unmoving bodhimandala (stable wayplace to cultivate wisdom)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Outline prepared by Sis Soo Yee)

Brother Teoh went through the J. Krishnamurti daily quote on Extraordinary seeing(same as direct seeing, i.e. to see things as they are without interference from past experiences and the thoughts).

Brother Teoh did a detail review of the outline short notes for Thursday class dated 21 June 2018.

When there is mental stirring, one cannot be aware.

Whatever that is logical, may not always be the truth. Knowledge is not wisdom.

Only wisdom or understanding frees one from suffering. If one merely tells oneself not to be angry when one is angry, this will not help as this is a form of suppression not wisdombecause when similar issues or conditions crops up again, anger would still arise. However, if one understands via acceptance of the fact that things and peoples are just the way they are, then anger cannot arise. One will not react with anger to any other situation again after having those understanding.

Brother Teoh explained the difference between Path and Fruition enlightenment stages. Under the 7 stages of purification or satta visuddhi, there is a stage called ‘Purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (maggamagga-nanadassana-visuddhi). Path leads to wisdom and enlightenment whereas non-Path leads to delusion and deviant path. Path here means your cultivation is on the right path leading to enlightenment and when you are on the path your enlightenment factors will keep on arising. One must have already got a glimpse of Nibbana or the cessation of Form & Mind to be on the path. Fruition here means having reached the completion of cultivation of the Path leading to stability of understanding that can enable one to share and teach those understanding.

If one is on the right Path, the 7 main factors of Enlightenment of: (1) Sati (Mindfulness),  (2) Dhammavicaya (Investigation of Dharma), (3) Viriya (Spiritual Zeal), (4) Piti (Joy), (5) Passadhi (Tranquillity of the mind), (6) Samadhi (collected and unwavering mind) and (7) Upekkha (Equanimity borne of wisdom) will keep arising.

All the four stages of sainthood enlightenment of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anāgāmiand Arahant have their own Path and Fruition. The 4 stages of sainthood enlightenment linking the 10 fetters that bind living beings to samsara were also explained.

Brother Chin How asked whether he can contemplate while doing walking meditation after he has reached some point of calmness? Brother Teoh adviced Brother Chin How to find this out himself (meaning investigate into it) instead of waiting for his answer. The question should not be what one should be doing. If he wants to do the walking meditation to develop mindfulness then just go ahead and do. He should just walk naturally until the body and mind become one (without the thought saying that it wants to be mindful) as often advised by Brother Teoh. Once that happened then the form and mind that is in sati will know what sati is without words. If he wants to contemplate then just contemplate via a calm mind in creativity. Just do and the result will automatically arise if he has done them correctly with the appropriate faith, sincerity and understanding.

Sister Tammy asked:  i) After doing the mind sweeping method cum metta meditation to de condition the heedless thinking the mind is calmer then I am is supposed to stabilise it via Anapanasati. But I am averse toward Anapanasati so is there other way to stabilise the mindfulness? Brother Teoh advice Tammy that any method (or skilful means) and technique that she is familiar and comfortable with, she can use them. There are no hard and fast rigid rules. It all depends on the individual’s preference. ii) If there is sloth and torpor during meditation what must I do? Brother Teoh: ‘what do you normally do?’ Tammy replied, I try to open my eyes? Brother Teoh: Does it help and are you able to stabilise your mindfulness? Tammy: Sometimes it helps to keep me awake but I still can’t stabilise my mindfulness. Brother Teoh: Can you remember what I used to advice you all when it comes to sloth and torpor? You are supposed to inquire! What is sloth and torpor? It is one of the 5 mental hindrances, right? So don’t try to suppress or fight it or do awaywith it via aversion or disliking it. In doing so you are creating another mental hindranceof aversion. This is delusion. Why can’t you develop the acceptance of it via understanding that without the 5 spiritual faculties the mental hindrance will continue to arise; so don’t create the mental hindrance of aversion unnecessary? Understanding this, you can then apply the 5 ways to overcome unwholesome thought as taught by the Buddha. 1^st way is to think of the direct opposite wholesome thought or spiritual faculty of viriya to overcome it. If this is not effective then the 2^nd way is to think of the consequenceof allowing this mental hindrance of sloth and torpor to stay in your mind. It will hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and awareness, right? So you have to abandon it via the 3^rd way which is the awareness way. Just be aware of the sloth and torpor or be with it via maintaining silence to be at peace with it (without arise any aversion). Without aversion there is no mental hindrance then sati will take over. When this happen all of a sudden there will be a shift in consciousness that can result in great awareness in your mind leading to clarity and viriya then the sloth and torpor is totallygone. This cultivation is base on the 4^th foundation of mindfulness (dhammanupassana), 1^st category of practice on ‘mindfulness of the 5 mental hindrances’. When the mental hindrance of sloth and torpor is present you just aware – imply no aversion towards it. Just maintain awareness and be at peace with the sloth and torpor and when the shift of consciousness occurs you will know how the arisen mental hindrance of sloth and torpor cease to be. You will also come to know how the earlier haven’t arisen mental hindrance comes to be because before you meditate there is no sloth and torpor. So you will understand that sloth and torpor is dependent origination due to lack of viriya or your body too tired. Once you ‘see’ these in the meditation you will understand how to root out this sloth and torpor.

(Above outline short notes was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Chapter X Final Instructions (Pages 386-395 ):

Duality is created by the mundane mind via words. E.g. If you arise the concept of “darkness” (the cause), then the opposite which is “brightness” will arise (effect).

Whatever that can be created, is false because it is dependent originating, a causal phenomenon hence it is impermanent.

When there is wisdom, one sees things as they are. Without wisdom, one sees things through one’s views and opinions and one’s conditioning (false).

When one does not understand, one will indulge in duality.

Within movements, there is non-movement. This is the similar to those sayings, “in the midst of activities, there can be stillness (true mind) and ‘in the midst of sound and vibrations there can be silence (of mind).

When one does not create via the mundane mind, there is silent.

Bro Teoh shared his understanding on how one can deal with the death of someone close(can be one’s loved ones or one’s teacher):

• Death is just a separation of the consciousness from the physical body of the form and mind. There is no reality behind the death process. There is no such thing as ‘my’ parents, Teacher, Buddha etc. in the ultimate sense.
• But within the conditioned world, the segmented (form and mind) life does exist and it has its own ‘reality’ within the existential world. There is such a thing as Life even though it (the human being) is impermanence (dependent originating) and is subject to Karma.
• They only become like ‘real’ when one gives meaning to this segmented life’s form and mind (the human being) via self-delusion borne of ignorant. The mundane mind via ignorant cling on to them then all these: “my parents, Teacher, Buddha etc.” exist and hence emotions can arise in one who is deluded.
• What we can do is to expressed our gratitude (via wisdom) towards our deceased loved ones and teachers by recalling to mind all the blessing, protection, guidance, love and sacrifice etc. that they had given us. We can also share and invoke the power of merits for our loved ones to have a better life in the hereafter instead of lamenting.
• How do you thank your Teacher? The best way to thank them is by cultivating diligently and sincerely. As per the Buddha’s advice ‘he who sees the dharma sees me’.
• The form and mind is just a ‘tool’ for us to use but do not be deceived by them. When the causes and conditions for their arising have come to past, they will cease to be. So no amount of sorrow and lamentation will bring back the dead.

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

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

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

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

Wanting things your way = grasping and clinging.

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

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

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

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

Chapter X Final Instructions (Pages 383-385):

Bro Teoh does a recap over the outline short notes dated 27^th May 2018. This short notes are very important because it summarizes to us all the understanding needed for cultivation.

To understand meditation, one should start from the mind, i.e. investigate what this mind is. To understand the 2 aspects of mind, the silent/true mind and the mundane mind. The silent mind does not need sense data to function and is independent of thoughts and conditions. The mundane mind is the opposite, it is dependent origination and it requires sense data and other related conditions to function.

When the mundane mind is active, one cannot see the silent mind because one is lost in thoughts. When the mundane mind ceases, the silent mind will manifest.

Mundane mind is the forerunner of all things. Through the mundane mind, wholesome and unwholesome thoughts arise, depending on one’s understanding and delusion.

Consciousness and its content = Thoughts. Mental formation or activities (sankhara) that arise due to stirring of the mind clouds the silent mind.

The N8FP cultivation is to develop right views (or wisdom) to remove all creations of mind borne of wrong view to make the mind still so that one is always aware in the midst of life to arise the wisdom needed to realize the supra mundane mind (after the mundane mind ceases).

Right view is very important because it leads to right understanding to enable one to cultivate correctly.

Take care of Karma by avoiding all evils via keeping one’s precepts. Understand clearly what constitute evil then apply the 4 right efforts and cultivate mindfulness to constantly purify one’s mind.

When the true mind arise, there is clarity and calmness. One is then able to see things as they are to awaken to the Truth without the interference of thoughts.

When there is no duality, there is no creation of wholesome and unwholesome. Then there is no unwholesomeness to get rid of or any need to practice letting go or non-attachment.

Duality: when this arise, that arise. When this ceases, that ceases.

Observe to see clearly that everything within the condition world is dependent origination.

When one attaches to words like non-duality, emptiness, practice letting go, non-attachment, etc. (which are viewed as wholesome), one will try to practice them to realize such states. This is wrong view borne of attachment to dharma and is not the way to cultivate. The proper way is to understand that duality is just a concept created by the mundane mind and it exists within the mundane world. That is ‘duality is to be understood’ and only wisdom frees – nothing else.

The ‘moment you understand you are free’ – no more need to practice non-attachment or letting go etc. The truth is there is no duality of wholesome and unwholesome when the mundane mind does not create. When this is understood then there is no need to try to get rid of unwholesomeness, no need to practice letting go etc. For understanding or wisdom cannot be practiced. It has to be awakened to.

Understanding does not involve memory so don’t try to remember and retrieve Dharma from memory because ‘acting according to memory is not acting at all’. One should always act with wisdom and nothing else.

Without wisdom, there is no real virtue.

Do not refrain from thinking. The problem is not the thought. It is the user of thoughts which is more important. The user of thoughts must be wise to enable the arising of right thoughts. Thoughts are required in the conditioned world for one to live life.

Use understanding to let the thinking or mundane mind settle down by itself. Do not force the mind to be still or quiet.

Bro Song shares his recent experiences involving his cultivation. Bro Teoh rejoice with his good progress and advise him to remember to relax further into whatever mind states that arise, then maintain awareness or silence, leading to the 4^th support of Trustthroughout and always remember – ‘don’t try to know’ what is happening while meditating. The understanding will arise or unfold by itself.

Sister Adeline’s question on whether contemplation and reflection are thought based cultivation. Bro Teoh’s reply it is ‘not’ because when the mind is heedful and peaceful with clarity within as a result of the stability of one’s daily mindfulness, one is calm and one can reflect, contemplate and inquire mindfully into all things clearly. Truth or dharma is everywhere – in the midst of life and nature so why can’t you see?

Advise in a nutshell for true cultivators :

– Cultivate the Bodhi mind with strong faith and sincerity until it is very stable.

– Develop daily mindfulness until it is very stable and ‘don’t try to know’

– Stabilize one’s formal meditation via the 4 supports of Relax, Aware (or mindful), 24 hours and Trust    until one can locate one’s gateway to one’s nature clearly.

– After that learn to listen from the heart (stay at the heart with inner awareness within and remain silence at all time).

– Reflect and contemplate all dharma until very clear (after coming out of formal meditation).

– Experience all transformation with awareness and understanding from within.

– Do not listen to questions from the thoughts/duality.

– Have faith, sincerity and perseverance.

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

Continue from Page 382 Chapter X – Final Instructions:

The Self Nature is the Oneness, source of everything. Originally, there is nothing, where can the dust alight?

“Dust” here means defilement or unwholesome mind states. It arises because of duality created by the mundane mind via words, concept and idea. The mundane mind creates the “duality” of good and bad, wholesome and unwholesome, right and wrong, etc. It is impossible to then use the mundane mind to do away with such dualities because the mundane mind is fighting its own creation which always comes together as a pair; meaning if one does not create then things are just the way they are – no right, no wrong and no good and no bad.

If the mundane mind does not create duality via delusion, then the true mind can see things as they are.

We must learn to use the mundane mind (5 mental aggregates of form and mind) and yet not deceived by it.

Do not waste time on tainted merit. Instead, work towards awakening via the silent mind.

Story of Bodhi dharma transmitting the dharma from India to China.

Enlightenment is to awaken to the self-nature or true-nature. It is not about just sitting without understanding.

Start from basic, i.e. understand that everything arises from the self-nature, including the mundane mind. For Mind is the forerunner of all things, when mind arises, everything arises. Whether something is wholesome or unwholesome (duality), they all arise from the mundane mind.

There is a nature that is independent of thinking. All beings are connected to the self-nature which is never born, hence it doesn’t get sick, get old or die for this is the eternal nature.

When one understands this, one will be able to cultivate and meditate accordingly. If one does not understand, then one is just following instructions blindly. Meditation is not about whether one is doing it right or wrong but one must understand what one is doing in the name of cultivation and meditation.

The mundane mind needs to be trained via mindfulness to realize the true/silent mind.

Not until there is mindfulness, there is no real meditation leading to wisdom.

Just relax and be silent. Develop the 5 spiritual faculties to overcome the 5 mental hindrances If there is still thinking, it’s because sati is lacking and the untrained mind is heedless. Accept it and just be aware.

Use the heart (awareness within) to be aware of external things (observe without views, opinions and thought) Learn to see things as they are. Be with the moment in silent awareness.

Don’t be too eager to know about ones progress because that is a form of craving. If you have cultivated correctly then conditions will unfold by themselves naturally.

In the midst of life, cultivate the daily mindfulness,e. learn to see the physical, mental and nature’s flow within nature. If there is mindfulness thoughts will not arise but when thoughts do arise just be aware and do not allow it to continue or proliferate into a chain of heedless thinking.

Thinking ahead while doing our intended bodily actions or movements is not being mindful at all. Try doing one thing at a time with full awareness. Be with the moment in silent awareness more and more so that this heedless thinking will be reduced. Learn to live life instead of always thinking, planning and worrying about life.

Try not to accumulate via memorize so that the brain has space. Especially those psychological memories like your fear, worry, anxiety, phobias, scars of memories, insecurities, etc. Instead, jot them down so as to be free from the need to use memory. No thoughts mean no worries, fear, worry, anxiety etc.

Tranquility, silence and clarity of mind leads us to see things as they are leading to wisdom.

When there is awakening, wisdom that arise will be connected to the form and mind. The form and mind (or human being) is no longer deluded, one can say it has become enlightened. However, this form and mind is not you and it is still subject to the law ofKarma. This must be understood so that one can cultivate correctly.

Enlightenment has nothing to do with whether one has completely exhausted ones bad Karma or not?

2 aspects of the Middle Path: i) To avoid the 2 extremes of self-mortification and sensual indulgence; and ii) to transcend duality via Duality is to be understood. Duality pertains to the conditioned world.

Ignorance leads to heedless thinking (Avijja paccaya sankhara). Be aware of these mental activities via mindfulness to develop wisdom to straighten ones views so that one can weaken such heedless thinking.

The real meditation will always bring one back to the cultivation of the Noble Eightfold Path which is the meditation as taught by the Buddha. Always reflect and contemplate until the dharma is very clear.

The 1^stand 2nd Noble Truths are the mundane aspect of life.

1^stNoble Truth explains the reality of life and existence, i.e. the 8 realities leading to dukkha if one lack wisdom. The prevalence of suffering if one confronts them without proper understanding.

2^ndNoble Truth – the cause of suffering is craving borne of

3^rdnoble truth – Suffering need not be. Nibbana can be realized in the here and the now.

4^thnoble truth – cultivates the N8FP to transcend from mundane leading to the realization of the supra mundane.

Question by Sister Adeline: Can Bro Teoh explain how we can one overcome or transcend duality in cultivation?

Question by Sister Eng Bee: According to Bro Teoh N8FP still have duality right? Reason why Bro Teoh said in the last Tuesday and Thursday classes that the 4^th Noble Truth is about cultivating the N8FP (mundane cultivation) leading to the supra mundane which is the realization of Nibbana. Can Bro Teoh explain this further?

Question by Sister Lee: What does one need to do once the silent mind cultivation has been developed?

(Outline prepared by Sis Mun Yuen)

The 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra sharing from Page 379-382 (Chapter X Final Instructions) :

The 6^th Patriarch’s teaching points directly to the True Mind (the silent mind – with no thought), i.e. in involves training the mundane mind to be mindful leading to heedfulness to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

Master Hui Neng does not teach thought based meditation which cannot lead one to realize the enlightenment which is beyond thought and beyond time.

Real cultivation is to be developed while in the midst of life. Meditation developed under conducive/peaceful environment alone may not be of much use, i.e. stability of daily mindfulness  under all conditions and circumstances must be developed. One must be able to be heedful at all time.

Do not cling to the form and mind. The form and mind are just our vehicle and tool in this existence for us to use with understanding.

Bro Song’s question: Apart from the handful of leaves (i.e. the 4 Noble Truths and its 3 Turnings) that the Buddha taught he also mentioned about the rest of the leaves in the forest that the Buddha did not teach. What are those teachings?

Bro Teoh’s answer:  They are those teachings related to the cultivation of theBodhisattva way leading the perfection of Samma Sam Buddhahood via Cultivating the 5 stages of the Bodhi Mind development (to refer pages 97 and 98 of the blue transcript book – ‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’ for details).

Chapter viii – Difficult questions Pages (369 – 370) and Chapter ix Proclamation were discussed

What are true merits?

• True merits are pure merits performed without the ego/personality and the 3 evil roots.
• Tainted merits are not pure merits. These merits are tainted with ‘self’ and ‘greed’.

Must one always sit in meditation to realize enlightenment (liberation of mind)?

• Not necessary. Daily mindfulness to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path in the midst of life is the way. The form and mind is not a permanent unchanging entity. The form and mind exist dependent on conditions. When one realizes this, there will be no more delusion toarise the grasping. When the Buddha realized this, he came to great awakening.

A real cultivator is not dependent on whether one is a monk or a layperson. Its sincerity, understanding and virtue that makes a person a true cultivator. It is the virtue andwisdom within our nature that counts, not the external appearance, status and title.

With the Bodhisattva vows, the Bodhi mind will be there then even if the Sasana is not around, one will still have the conditions to encounter the Buddha’s Teachings when born as a human being.

Rare is it to be born a human, even rarer is it to encounter the Teachings. Now that we are born human and have the Teachings and the sasana within our reach, do not forsake the great opportunity to cultivate.

PG shared her recent 1 week Mahayana chanting retreat experience at Cameron Highlands.

Sister Lee shared a story of a 100 year old lady who recently passed away recently. This lady who was illiterate cultivated via just chanting Kuan Yin’s name. She realized that cultivation is in the mind hence can be done anywhere and not at a specific place.

Bro Teoh explained the 3 types of Dharma friends.

(Note: above outline draft is prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

• Topic discussed: The Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra, pages 363-368 (Bhikshu Shen Hui)
• 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s teaching:

(i) No thought (the silent mind);

(ii) No mark (of a self, of living beings and the phenomena world).

(iii) No dwelling – Pure/spacious awareness without a Centre.

• See your on defilements, not of others’ (gossip about fault of others) – pg. 365, line 9.
• The world is the world. Only Mighty nature rolling by, so no right and no wrong.
• Learn to see things as they are – to realize the wisdom.
• Noble Eightfold Path is the meditation as taught by the Buddha.
• To meditate we need to train the mind to be heedful.
• Benefits of taking the Bodhisattva Vows: It will help arise the causes and conditions for one to establish affinity (life after life) with the Triple Gem, meet up with the Wise Ones and the Great Beings who will protect, bless and guide them on the Path. Chances of making mistake or deviation is less. Life after life, your Nature will progress and you will not get lost again even when the Buddha Sasana is not around.
• Sister Soo’s question on how to reestablish one’s viriya.

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra, pages: 350-362, Chapter VIII
2) Explanation on:
Sabbe Sankhara Anicca
Sabbe Sankhara Dukkha
Sabbe Dhamma Anatta (non-self & empty)
3) Sis Mindy’s question on her meditation. Bro Teoh emphasized on the following:

• Meditation need to be done with understanding. Always inquire: What are you doing in the name of meditation? What are your objectives and main focus.
• Meditation is to initially develop the training of the mundane mind to be mindful then to stabilize it to be ever mindful leading to heedfulness.
• To be aware or mindful of all arising mind states, e.g. aware of how sense door consciousness comes to be; how we input our content of consciousness via our views, opinions and conditionings etc. into these consciousness/experiences, resulting in likes and dislikes which are mental hindrances, thereby stirring our mind leading to clinging and grasping to those sense experiences.
• Only when the mind is naturally still and aware can there be any real meditation.
• One needs to be aware to arise the right views to stop stirring the mind so that the next time the same incident arise again, we are aware and will not respond in the same negative way to stir the mind as before.
• Meditation is not about just wanting to experience good mind states during meditation, but instead to be aware to develop the requisite wisdom.
• After the mind is trained to be heedful in formal meditation, extend it into the daily life.

(Note: Draft outline prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

The form and mind goes the way of nature, i.e. they are impermanent and therefore it isempty. If one grasp and cling onto the form and mind, it will lead to suffering. The mundane mind is the mental aspect of the 5 aggregates of form and mind. Feeling changes all the time hence the mind’s fleeting nature.pleasure is prelude to suffering:

All sensual pleasure is a prelude to suffering. Sensual pleasure means pleasure or desire derived from the conditions arising world just like your wealth, title, reputation, loved ones, etc. which are all impermanent.

The above sentence is true only when one perceives the world with the deluded mundane mind, i.e. with no understanding.

The above sentence is no longer true if there is understanding because there will be no attachment to the condition world. Understanding will free your mind.

From Karma point of view, one must understand that our form and mind is subject to karma hence it has its duty towards nature and you can love your loved ones whole heartedly but you must have no attachment towards them.

Shen Hsiu’s incorrect teaching:

• Dwell with the mind. (By dwelling you make the mundane mind active hence no more silent mind);
• Contemplate stillness. (Implies attachment to the calm state of mind);
• Sit up all the time without lying down. (Not natural and cannot be in a state of relax to develop the daily mindfulness)

The true mind (which is the silent mind in pure awareness) doesn’t dwell. The silent mind is obscured when thought and emotion arise. The conditioned or focus mind in concentration is not free. Mind in Samadhi is free, collected and unwavering.

Hui Neng’s true teaching:

• Realise the true mind. Work on the true nature, not the body and the mundane mind.
• The true mind does not dwell.
• Not necessary to sit still but be mindful of all actions, movements and anything that arise in the midst of life (daily mindfulness). When you force yourself to sit, it is a conditioned state and there is resistance to the sitting.

The mind dwells when it perceives and when thought focuses on something and input the content of consciousness. However, we need to use the mind to live life, just do not proliferate the arising thoughts. Realise that a lot of the thoughts are unnecessary. Know how to use thoughts with wisdom to arise only the right and wholesome thoughts. Always accord and flow with conditions and act with wisdom following Noble 8-fold path.

When the mind is calm, it has clarity and it is peaceful and happy. When there is no more mental hindrances, the spiritual faculties of sati will take over and the mind can be in sati to detect the very subtle mind and physical movements.

Endurance via understanding is non-resistance. Moving to make yourself comfortable is not endurance. Just relax.

If the mind is silent, nothing will disturb it, not even in the midst of a storm. The mind will not be drawn into any phenomenon. It will not be affected or disturbed by any conditions.

Factors of enlightenment are: Sati (mindfulness) → Dharmavicaya (Dharma investigation) → Viriya (spiritual zeal) → Piti

Fantastic meditative experiences and special feelings or sights during meditation should not be mistaken as a sign of progress unless it can give rise to wisdom. Usually it is just nature’s blessings and something to help increase the faith.

(Note: Draft Short notes prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

During meditation just relax body and mind and maintain silence and let the thoughts arise because the untrained mind is heedless and it thinks a lot. Do not worry about them as they will dissipate away if you don’t feed them with anymore thought energy. This does not mean we should ignore or be indifferent towards the thoughts that arise. We must understand that we are heedless because we have not trained this mundane mind which lacks the 5 spiritual faculties and having wrong views. Understand this and just let things be via not trying to fight or suppress or control the thoughts.

Wrong views (especially self-delusion) stir one’s mind to create dualities, i.e. good and bad, right and wrong etc. Self-delusion give rise to the ego to arise the possessiveness where one will then grasp and cling onto the phenomena world of consciousness believing that they are real. As a result when things do not go our way, we become unhappy. We then start to project our thoughts leading to all the fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation etc.

To train the mind to be heedful to arise the silent mind, we can first begin with the mind sweeping method and metta to de-condition the heedless thinking to arise the silent mind. Then stabilise it via Anapanasati leading to mindfulness and heedfulness. When we are just mindful of the in and out breath without thought we have Sati (i.e. awareness and the breath move as one, with no thoughts). Alternatively we must train the mind to cultivate the 5 spiritual faculties to overcome the 5 mental hindrances.

Just relax and silent (to maintain awareness). When we are just aware without thought, we will become calm leading to piti and sukha. Then continue to relax and maintain awareness until passadhi or tranquillity of mind arise. This is the silent mind, the meditative mind in sati that can awaken to realise the wisdom via the direct seeing.

Common mistakes of cultivators are:

They try to suppress and control thoughts via method and techniques to focus and fix the mind so that thoughts cannot move or wonders off. But this is not a free mind, it is a conditioned focus mind in one-pointedness or samatha concentration leading to jhanas and energy fields. Instead of cultivating  Anapanasati (which is mindfulness of the in and out breath) they focus on the breath to develop the samatha concentration to stop or suppress the thinking;

Another common mistake is verbalisation via the noting method leading to thought-based meditation where the cultivator are also required to slow down all their actions and movements like walking, sitting, standing, turning, bending, etc. and are told that this is Vipassana or insight meditation. However, Vipassana is not a method or a technique but it is an understanding or an awakening that arise via insight into the 3 Universal True of impermanence, non-self and suffering via the direct seeing with the silent mind. Just be AWARE of all actions, movements and vibrations within the body and mind without verbalisation.

Don’t stir the mind means not having likes and dislikes. Don’t arise dualities. The mind will then be still by itself. Likes and dislikes, are the first 2 mental hindrances of sensual desire and ill-will.

The highest meditation is to be aware of all moments and actions in the present moment which is the daily mindfulness cultivation or Mindfulness and clear comprehension cultivation in daily life.

Questions asked:

1. Is verbalisation the same as suppressing and controlling thoughts?
2. Do we ignore thoughts that arise in meditation/daily mindfulness?
3. Do we meditate until there is no meditator?
4. Is the silent mind a prerequisite to meditation? 

(Note: Draft Short notes prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

1. The human being consists of the 5 aggregates of form and mind, i.e. the physical body(1st aggregate of form) and mind (which has 4 more aggregates of mind). The ‘form and mind’ come into being as a result of Karma, i.e. it is dependent originating – arise due to causes and conditions. The ‘form and mind’ (which is the human being) exists but it is not a permanent unchanging entity hence not you.
2. When we meditate via the silent mind (without any interference from our views, opinions, scars of memories, conditionings, traditions and belief systems etc.) to see things as they are, we will be able to insight into the 3 universal characteristics of nature to realise that this ‘form and mind’ is not us (self).
3. In cultivation, we should allow thoughts to arise and pass away naturally and not to suppress, control or resist them. When we try to control, resist and suppress thoughts, unwittingly we are actually using another thought to resist or stop these thoughts. When we do this we are using thoughts to meditate leading to ‘thought based meditation’. Who meditates, who note? The thought! So whenever there is a ‘meditator’, there is nomeditation because thought cannot realise the enlightenment which is beyond thoughtand beyond time. Before one is enlightened thought is always egoic.
4. Dhammapada verses 21, 22 & 23 confirmed the importance of Heedfulness in meditation and since Heedfulness = ever mindful + constantly meditative (cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path); first we need to train the mind to be mindful then stabilise it to be ever mindful then use it to meditate via following the below steps:

(a) Train the MUNDANE mind to be quiet and mindful via the mind sweeping method and metta.

(b) Then stabilise this quiet mind via Anapanasati to be ever mindful in the midst of lifeto cultivate the Noble 8-Fold path via the daily mindfulness. Meditation is to be constantly aware via the silent mind to observe, understand and insight into phenomena to develop the wisdom.

(c) Why Anapanasati? Because the breath is always in the present moment hence when we are mindful of the in and out breath we cannot think, we are always aware. Then relax into every mind states that arise to realize the piti, sukha, passadhi (or tranquillityof mind), and the silent mind (which is the meditative mind or mind in sati). When mind has entered sati the daily mindfulness will arise naturally because by then all of sense experience like seeing, hearing etc will be in sati all the time.

5. Mind is the forerunner of all things. When mind arise all of the phenomena world and the myriad creation will also arise. The mundane mind then via its own self-delusion clings and grasps onto the ‘form and mind’ and the phenomena world thereby causing the human being to go through endless circles of births and death (samsara).
6. PG shared her experience of having disturbing thoughts and how she overcame them by just observing them via the silent non-reactive mind. When she started to observe these thoughts silently, there was no more mental energy channelled to feed the arisen thoughts. There was no more ill-will (or aversion) towards those thoughts or desire to stop those thoughts. The thoughts then slow down and finally ceased or stopped by themselves via returning to their original state before the stirring.
7. People think the mind must be quiet when in meditation but this is not the correct understanding because meditation means to silent your mind to observe and understand with the true mind (without thought) to develop the wisdom. Observe the chattering mundane mind with your silent mind. Do not use another thought to do away with the chattering mundane mind. The thoughts will stop by themselves because they are condition arising (not you) and they are also not intrinsic to the true mind.
8. If you meditate using a focused mind in concentration or absorption, it will lead to energy fields or psychic ability and you cannot handle your daily life well because the anusaya or latent tendencies (or the ‘pain body’ as Eckhart Tolle calls them) are all not rooted out as yet; instead they are all being suppressed under those mind states. They will surface when there are conditions then we will react and be afflicted when faced with situations we dislike or don’t understand because there is no wisdom to liberate the mind.
9. If it is a free mind with understanding and wisdom our mind will not stir under any conditions in daily life. We will not react and become afflicted.
10. Thoughts are just harmless consciousness that arise and pass away then cease; how come they can have such power to make you so miserable? Because via self-delusionyou cling on to them and you will be afflicted.
11. Always remember ‘the awareness of inattention is attention’ and only wisdom frees the mind.
12. Why doubt? Give yourself a chance to try it out, to investigate. Change the way you do things to improve your life and change for the better. Always, have an open mind.
13. To be born as a human being is very rare. To encounter the Buddha’s teachings is even more rare. So don’t be heedless anymore. Don’t waste your time anymore for this window of opportunity is very rare therefore do Strive on with Heedfulness! 

(Note: About draft short notes was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Short notes for 66^th lesson of the 6^th Patriarch Platform sutra (Sunday class dated 14.1.2018):

1. Samadhi is different from concentration

Samadhi is a mind which is “unwavering and collected“. It is a free mind without thought where the mundane mind is silent and not active. Whereas, concentration (or Samatha mind state) is a conditioned mind in Appana concentration. The mind is a focused mind in one-pointedness or absorption concentration. One is then in the Jhana or absorption mind states.

There must be an understanding that Samadhi always exist in one’s true mind but it is obscured (or clouded) by the mundane mind. Hence to realize Samadhi, one only needsto be silent and aware.

Most people seek peace and special experiences like seeing light (or nimitta), experiencing calmness and stillness during meditation but what they do not understand is, when they do that, they are actually focusing via effort and energy field to isolate the mind to abide within so that it is peaceful and calm but there is no clarity of awareness within. This will lead to suppression of delusion and negativity of mental states via strong mental concentration and absorption and one cannot live life with this type of mind state. Then one will not be able to develop the wisdom via mindful observation because all the latent tendencies (or anusaya) are being suppressed and they are not rooted out as yet.

Actually, one does not need to do concentration or absorption meditation because the mind on its own will return to its original state of inner peace and stillness before the stirring if we can just stop feeding it with anymore heedless thinking or thought energy.

2. Surangama Sutra

“Perception of form is consciousness, whereas its non-perception is wisdom”

2.1 Explanation for “Perception of form is consciousness”

Worldly perception is by the mundane mind via our mental consciousness, i.e. we can perceive the world via our mundane mind’s seeing consciousness. Our brain which is basically memories and memories are our accumulation of experiences – Good and Bad. They are our views, opinions, conditionings, scars of memories, traditions, our belief systems, our phobias, our insecurity, our fears, worries and anxieties etc. including our greed, hatred and various type of emotional negativities.

Since thoughts are response to memories hence perception via the thought comes from memory and that’s how mental perception comes to be with every moment of consciousness. Hence mundane perception of mental form is consciousness. Take for example the seeing consciousness – how do you know it is a Buddha image? Via memory isn’t it? Then you stir your mind via inputting your content of consciousness according to your views, opinions and conditioning accumulated within your brain or memory. Therefore, when we use our mundane mind to see via our memories, we are not seeing the truth or the reality and we cannot see things as they are because we are perceiving what we see according to our conditioned mind which are full of words, concept, views and opinions, dualities and conditionings, etc.

Hence ‘acting according to memory is not acting at all. One should act with wisdom instead.

Sometimes these conditioned memories, views, opinions, scars of memories and fears, etc. are also accumulated in our subconscious and when there is condition to trigger them, those conditioned memories etc. will arise and your mind will stir accordingly. If we act according to these conditioning, views, opinions, etc. it will result in us not acting according to wisdom. We are merely perceiving things via our old conditioning or habitual tendencies, resulting in wrong perception in every moment of consciousness. Take for example, when a past phobia is triggered, one will panic based on previous experience. But if one just develop the wisdom to act via careful observation or heedfulness then one can just stopped reacting or stirring one’s mind and just stay silent to inquire into what just happened? One will have the understanding to realize that “when conditions are like that, things will be like that” because the reality IS or Truth IS. There will be wisdom and one will not be afflicted like before by the old habitual way of heedless living. Then when one become more skillful in this new way of heedful living,one can move on to the next step to trace the origination factors then retrospectively reverse them, so that we will not fall into the same trap again in the future. 

2.2 Explanation for “Non-perception is wisdom”:

Non-perception is not using the mundane mind to see. It is using the direct seeing via the pure awareness or silent mind to ‘see things as they are’ (to see truth, to see the reality), without being influenced by our views, opinions, belief system and conditioning, etc. When we see things via the true mind there is no discrimination or distinction between good and bad because there is no words or concept of duality to arise those deluded thoughts. Everything just follows nature’s laws; only mighty Nature rolling by.

​3.0 Question and Answers session after meditation

Question 1: Bro Song shared his experience of having strong sankhara activities all of a sudden despite after having a period of very stable mindful and heedful daily mindfulness living. These sankhara activities arise for no apparent reason and he was fully aware of their arising and also his subtle mind movements and reactions within and he did not know how to deal with them at that time apart from ‘allowing it to be’ until he heard Sis Mindy’s last Sunday question to Bro. Teoh regarding her experience at the cittanupassana retreat that she attended recently.

He then understands that the real cittanuppasana is not ‘thought observing thoughts’but instead the mind is aware of all the mind states or content of consciousness as they arise. When the content of consciousness has greed one is aware of its arising (or stirring of the mundane mind), so that one’s mind (which is in sati) is sensitive. Then the habitual subtle stirring will weaken as one develops this mindfulness until it is very stable. Then one can contemplate deeper into the arising sankhara (or what happened) to understand that this was actually a test from his cultivation or nature.

It is important to understand what constitutes defilements so that we can see them clearly in our meditation and daily life to arise the right efforts to take care of our karma. Defilements means having mental negativities and evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion. However, in cultivation, one’s practice must not take the focus of just to get rid of defilements because that will not result in true progress. Instead it may give rise to great stress involving the thinking, the effort to rid off defilement and focusing etc. Instead, the concern should be to straighten one’s views via careful observation to develop the wisdom. With wisdom, defilements will automatically cease.  Only wisdom frees the mind

Be observant and mindful  via the silent mind (most of the time) to understand what is happening, not reacting to every situation based on memory and one’s own previous conditioning. With right view, one will be able to arise the rest of the Noble Eightfold Path factors appropriately to progress along the path of Dharma.

Don’t use force to suppress, control and banish defilements as defilements are created by delusion. When there is delusion, there is defilement  leading to the stirring of the mind to arise the duality of good and bad, right and wrong, wholesome and unwholesome. Once there is duality, it is impossible to get rid of negativity because negativity (bad/unwholesome mind states) come in a package with its opposites. When you don’t create the opposite is not. This is understanding or wisdom.

Using the mundane mind means NOT observing with the silent mind to understand things clearly. One will always react to situations and this will become habitual. Just relax and silent your mind during meditation; even when there is pain or heedless thinking arising, or uneasiness of mind etc. – just patiently observe without reaction then the mind will revert to its original state of stillness and silence before the stirring. Don’t labelor try to stop the heedless thinking or mental activities and states (sankaras). Just allow it to be; be with it; accept them for what they are and just let things be. Acceptance  via wisdom (right view) is peace whereas ‘acceptance’ without wisdom is suppression giving rise to affliction.

Sister Mindy reported on her recent meditation retreat experience.

(Note: The draft short notes for the above was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

How to develop a very stable daily mindfulness for sharing by all. (Basing on a Question by Sister Adeline : Brother Teoh, how can we develop & stabilize our daily mindfulness?)

31 planes of existence or the 6 paths of samsara;

Characteristics of a trained mind;

Characteristics of an untrained mind;

How to train mind to develop the meditation;

Question on Karma by Sister PG.

The physical body is not us.  It is just a vehicle for us to come to this world.  It is subject to karma, example if we do evil, we will get the evil retribution in return.

The physical body will go the way of nature, experiencing old age, sickness & death.

Death occurs when the craving karmic force that binds the consciousness to the form dissipates.  The breath & heart beat also stop.  If one is not mindful n without wisdom, one will be overcome with intense fear.  If one is aware, with the understanding that all these are not real there will be no fear.

When the form & mind goes through cessation, the mundane mind ceases.  Realizing the meditative silent mind is not cessation as yet.

All physical/mental/nature’s activities have the universal characteristics of impermanent.  They arise because of conditions following nature’s laws.  Once any of these supporting conditions ceased, they will also cease.  The moment one understands this clearly ones mind can be liberated.  If one do not accept this truth or reality,  suffering will arise.

This form and mind of ours is also dependent originating/ condition arising.  They will go the way of nature. The process of old age, sickness and death after birth is a natural process but one must understand that we are not that form & mind as they are dependent on condition, i.e. birth etc.  Hence, the form & mind is also non-self because it is not a permanent unchanging entity.

When we understand impermanent, suffering & non-self are automatically understood.

You reap what you sow.  Be careful not to plant the wrong seed.

The present moment is the only reality in life (compared to past & future) but it is very unstable – split of second, it is gone.

Be with the moment to experience the beauty n wonders of life.  Do not be engrossed in thinking for you will miss out on  life.

When there is no more arising & ceasing of conditions, it is the unconditioned.

Meditation’s aim is to still all condition.  Just relax into all mind states that arise.  Don’t try to know (no chattering of mind).  Just be aware – meditation is to develop a collected mind, free from wandering thoughts & attachment (worries, wanting to do things etc.)

The Sixth Patriarch Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra with  Commentary by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua (Pages 289 – 292)

The 3 bodies (functional, spiritual & dharma bodies) of a cultivator.

4 types of wisdom & 8 types of consciousness ( – First 5 sense door consciousness are the Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue and Bodily tactile consciousness;  then the 6th consciousness is Sanna or perception followed by the 7th consciouness which is Sankhara & the 8th consciousness – Alaya or store house consciousness).

Questions by Sister Eng Bee.

The Sixth Patriarch Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra with  Commentary by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua Pg 284 – 289

The 3 bodies (functional, spiritual & dharma bodies) of a cultivator.

Only those highly evolved beings can have the dharmakaya body transformation.

4 types of wisdom & 8 types of consciousness ( – First 5 are the Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue and Bodily tactile consciousness;  then the 6th consciousness is Sanna or perception followed by the 7th consciouness which is Sankhara & the 8th consciousness, Vinanam)

between 6th n 7th consciousness  (sankhara/sanna) –  discrimination can arise if one lacks wisdom.

Without wisdom and the direct seeing, you will stir and create dualities when any one of the 5 basic  sense door consciousness arises upon contact.

Self-delusion is the most difficult to break free from unless you have the silent mind to awaken.

Sister Mindy’s question on Heart Sutra’s expression of ‘Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form’ (“色即是空，空即是色”).

Please also refer to the Heart Sutra short notes book and the Klang talk’s transcript on  “Emptiness pdf or mp3” for full details.

Sharing on Guangzhou trip by Bro Teoh

Sixth  Patriarch’s core teaching of no thought, no mark & no dwelling.

Explanation of “No thought is true mind by Venerable Bo Yuan.” 无念是真心 – 伯圆长老

Group members sharing on Guangzhou trip

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch page 279

Our true nature is always there yet we are always busy searching outside.

Meditation is to realise our true mind.

When you are mindful, you are sensitive and aware of the external and internal surroundings.  However, if you are busy thinking and worrying, you can’t be sensitive because you are lost in thoughts.

The reason Buddha appeared in our world is to proclaim the Dhamma to all beings.

This nature shared the teaching yet, it is still and unmoving within – so who is doing the sharing or teaching?

If you want to recite a sutra, you must recite from your heart. If you recite with a thought,  that is incorrect.

Sis Padmasuri enquired on how to avoid energy building up in a repentant chanting retreat.

The purpose of chanting sutras.

Rayong group (Sis Mun Yuen, Bro Chin How & Sis Poh Lian) reported their spiritual experiences in Wat Marp Jan.

Fear and delusion are the same.  Fear is a movement of thought.  Fear is not you.  It is condition arising and dependent originating.  Just stay or be with the fear when it arises to witness how it ceases on its own when there is no more mental energy or wrong thoughts to continue to perpetuate the fear.  Also inquire into ‘who fears?’  Then contemplate it to straighten one’s view to free the mind.

‘In the seeing there is only the seeing consciousness and there is no one to see’

Introduction to our new transcript book – Cultivating the Bodhisattva way

Bowing or paying respect to worthy one is a basic virtue. Whether you are sincere or not the true cultivators will know.

The benefits of bowing (Pls refer to the white board)

Love and virtue are important paramis.

If you don’t have the silent mind you can’t meditate. If you meditate without understanding you are wasting your time.

He who see the dharma see Buddha. Without wisdom there is no virtue and understanding.  Dharma is beyond thought beyond mind so how could one understand dharma through thought-based meditation?

Before you are enlighten thought is egoic.  The meditator is the thought so when thoughts is actively doing, cultivating, analyzing and reasoning you cannot realize your true mind. U can only be in sati when your thought cease. All methods and techniques are only skillful ways to cease your thought.

If you could develop a free mind in Samadhi, then  clarity, peacefulness, understanding and calmness will come by itself.

Sis. Eng Bee’s question on sati.

To be ever mindful means to be constantly aware from inside.  Just pure awareness without any comments.  Initially it may be difficult but with strong determination you will start to understand and able to stabilize the sati via kayanupassana (body & mind move as one).  When you able to stabilize your sati then heedfulness will arise n you are destined to be enlightenment.

Sis. Mindy’s question on the 3 universal characteristics.

Liao-Fan’s Four Lessons (了凡四訓)

Your past may condition you because you are born of your karma, heir to your karma etc. but it does not dominate you. You can always introduce new causes and conditions to changes your life destine. You can change your life destiny via cultivating repentant, merits, invoking power of merits, understanding the true dharma, etc.

Mind is Buddha

The correlation between Wisdom & Samadhi

Sis Tammy inquiries on consciousness – I feel that it is permanent.

Bro. Teoh advised her to investigate into it via understanding n proper inquiry into : What is consciousness? And how does it arises etc?

How do we create thoughts?

The true mind is originally exist and pure, why need to stabilize it?

Why do we need to train our mind?

Important of mindfulness in a daily life.

Bro Chin How sharing on food craving n desires

How to stop the heedless or false thinking mind from arising?

Question: I am experiencing much calm nowadays but still have  lots of thoughts while going to sleep. Can I have Brother Teoh advice?

From the above sharing you will be able to develop a checklist for understanding the meditation as taught by the Buddha thereby enabling you to understand how to develop the cultivation via understanding. If you can cultivate according to the advice or checklist stated your cultivation will progress very fast.

3 types of dharma, wisdom
Overcoming misunderstanding between Theravada & Mahayana Buddhists
Supermundane mind

Bro. Song’s question & sharing on “心隨境轉! 對境心不轉!” (Xin Sui Jing Zhuan! Dui Jing Xing Bu Zhuan!)

Krishnamurti’s Quote – When thought has understood its own beginning

The question on  ‘How can we straighten our view with regards to sensual desire and ill will which are the 2 mental hindrances? Is it thorough logical reasoning or is it a wisdom that arose through meditation practice?’

How to reflect & contemplate?