84th Lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra

(Based on a direct transcript from the recording of the 84th Lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra class [dated 2 Sep 2018] Conducted by Bro. Teoh at Wu Pin Chin Seah, No. 4, Jalan 11/8, Petaling Jaya, Selangor)

For free distribution - to non-Muslim only

Donated by:

Kalyāṇamitta funds of Bro. Teoh Kian Koon

teohkiankoon@hotmail.com

Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Dated: 30.6.2019

Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng Boddhisattva

六祖惠能普萨

White Board Note of 84th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

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Biodata of Bro. Teoh Kian Koon

Bro. Teoh graduated from University of Malaya in Civil Engineering in 1979. He has been a spiritual practitioner cum ‘Meditator’ since 1971. Since his retirement in 2001 from his Engineering career, he has been sharing his understanding and experiences with those who are keen in their search for true happiness, peace and liberation from birth and death and all mental suffering so that they can be a blessing to all of humanity through becoming a more virtuous, nobler and wiser human being. He gives dharma talks and holds meditation classes & retreats and weekly Dharma classes at various meditation centres, Buddhist societies and places that invite him.

For more details of Bro. Teoh’s dharma activities and his Kalyāṇamittaship grouping please login to his dharma website at: http://broteoh.com

You can also view video recordings at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjClbc-7-upsZ2Kg5Re4pQ/videos

The whiteboard notes link:

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1. Preface

It is Brother Teoh’s sincere wish that Dharma friends, spiritual practitioners, seekers of truth, and cultivators will be able to make use of the enclosed dharma transcript notes to develop a better understanding of the Buddha Dharma as taught by the Buddha so that they may progress along the path of dharma to become more virtuous, nobler and wiser human beings that can be a blessing to all of humanity and the world.

As these notes were mostly compiled based on a transcript from the recording of the 84th lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra class (dated 2.9.2018); the text is aligned as closely as possible to the colloquial speech in the talk. However, some editorial amendments have been made to the text without detracting from the essence of the talk. With this, it is hoped that readers can accordingly adjust themselves to better understand its true meaning and intent. A good way to do this is to listen to the recordings first before reading the transcript notes.

To listen to the recording (audio file) you can log on to our http://broteoh.comwebsite under Repository of Dharma material OR Google ‘Bro. Teoh’s Kalyāṇamittas – A Repository of Dharma Material’ to view them or alternatively to download from the below MP3 audio link:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/84-6th-Patriarch-2-September-2018.mp3

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

2. Acknowledgement

It is the donors’ sincere intentions that these dharma transcript notes be given free to those who are interested and have the affinity to receive them. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and rejoice in the generosity and wholesomeness of all those Dharma friends or Kalyāṇamittas who have donated and helped out in the transcription, typing, typesetting, formatting, proof reading, etc. to make this free distribution of dharma dāna possible.

Special thanks should be accorded to Sister Adeline and her daughter Christy who had taken the initiative to develop the draft transcript for my subsequent editing thereby enabling this dharma transcript book to be printed.

By the power of all these wholesomeness, may all beings be well and happy, free from all mental and physical sufferings and dangers and may there be love, peace and joy - deep within their hearts. And may it also pave the way for there to be causes and conditions for all dharma friends who have donated or helped out in one way or another to realize their good and noble wishes/aspirations soonest possible.

With Metta always,

Brother Teoh Kian Koon

(Dated: 30thJune 2019)

3. 84thLesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 2nd September 2018

3.1 PrePūjā sharing

Greeting by Bro Teoh: a very good afternoon to all (brothers and sisters) in the Dharma. We are approaching the end of our series of Dharma sharing & discussion classes of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra.

Today is Sunday, 2nd September 2018, and we will be having our 84th Lesson of our 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra class. I told you all last week, we still have 10 more pages to go and I hope to finish off this sharing before the end of September or maybe earlier. So let’s see how it goes.

Today, the weather is very extraordinary! Sister PG came to my house to fetch me & my wife. I want to share with you all, this part which was very strange and very unique. As explained by my wife earlier: “It is a nature’s phenomenon which is meant to be and it will happen in this way so as to give you faith.”

Yesterday evening, Sister PG asked me: “Bro Teoh, what time should I come to pick you?” I said, 2.35pm, otherwise we will arrive too early. Luckily, she made the decision to come 5 minutes earlier and she arrived exactly at 2.30pm. When she came in, she said, “Bro Teoh, better go fast, it is going to rain soon!” I said: “Don’t worry.” After we put everything in and got into her car, within less than a minute, the rain started pouringvery heavily. When we were about to reach here, it was still pouring, so we thought the rain will not stop. But strangely the moment we turned into the gate, the rain stopped, it completely stopped! Then we came out of the car, and I told my wife: “See your pāramī is very good.” She said: “No! It’s nature’s phenomenon.” Then after we went into the vihāra, the rain started to pour, very heavily, again. So, nature has its own way of manifesting and unfolding according to condition.

Like I shared last week in one of our weekly classes, such similar strange phenomena are quite common. For our Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday classes, including our spiritual trips they are also the same. Everything will unfold accordingly, and it was always so beautiful, it was like wherever that is meant to be will be. As long as you are on the right path, developing the right cultivation, and you trust yournature, your good blessings, and your good pāramī, things will go your way. In life, this is what you need to understand.

When you cultivate the Buddha Dharma, no need to worry, no need to fear, just live, act and do whatever you have to do or need to do with understanding. If you are sincere and you have a good heart with wisdom and understanding, your form and mind will be beautiful and you will get to live the beautiful life of a Noble One, then you will start to understand more and more of nature’s wonders and your progress along the path of Dharma will becomes very different.

This is the part you all need to understand. There is a lot of joy in having such understanding. I don’t know why, all these are happening today; maybe they know it’s our last lesson, and something verygood will come out from today’s dharma sharing. So, we should all just rejoice.

3.2 Pūjā

The usual pūjā chanting of the Mahayana tradition’s salutation followed by the Theravada tradition’s salutation, the taking of the 3 refuges and the renewal of the 5 precepts was done (for details please do listen to the recording or refer to our lesson 2 or 3’s transcript books for full details).

3.3 Dharma and Sutra Sharing by Bro. Teoh

Just relax your body and mind, maintain some form of mindfulness, and then we can start our class. Let us turn to page 1 to recite the verse for opening a Sutra.

3.3.1 Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning

3.3.2 Sutra proper

Now let us turn to page 419. We had finished the commentary and now we shall move on to the Sutra:

If in this Life you encounter the dharma door of the Sudden Teaching

You will be suddenly enlightened to your self-nature,

and see the Honoured One of the World.

If you wish to cultivate and aspire to Buddhahood,

You won’t know where the truth is to be sought

Unless you can see the truth within your own mind,

This truth is the cause of realizing Buddhahood.

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

I announce to you and to future students of the Way:

If you do not hold these views you will only waste your time.

3.3.3 The Sudden Teaching of Master Hui Neng

No wonder they rejoice, because this is the final message by Master Hui Neng. This is very important. So, let us go through paragraph by paragraph: “If in this life you encounter the Dharma door of the Sudden Teaching”. What is the Dharma door of the Sudden Teaching? Do you remember, there is a Gradual Teaching and a Sudden Teaching? What is the Sudden Teaching? Whose teaching is this “Sudden Teaching”? You all cannot remember? We had gone through this teaching, while in the middle of the Sutra. What is this word? “Sudden Teaching” so the keyword is “Sudden”, so what is this word “Sudden”? Ok, pass the microphone to Sister PG.

Sister PG: “It is the teaching of Master Hui Neng, which can lead to a Sudden Awakening.”

Bro. Teoh: “Yes, very good!” Here Sudden Teaching Means Sudden Enlightenment or Awakening. That’s why I used to share with you all that Wisdom is such: ‘If you have means you have. If you don’t have means you don’t have’. So, this ‘Sudden Teaching’ leads to “Sudden Awakening or Enlightenment”, and it is always this way. Even the Gradual School, they may call it “The Gradual Teaching”. They think it is Gradual but it is actually “Sudden”. They go and differentiate it. Shen Hsiu, (the 大师兄of the Fifth Patriarch) is supposed to inherit the Sixth Patriarch ship but instead finally it was Master Hui Neng who inherited it. This Sudden Teaching is from the Southern School, because it’s Hui Neng’s teaching. Then the 2nd one, is the “Gradual Teaching” of the Northern School as taught by Shen Hsiu. This Northern school, taught Enlightenment as happening gradually. They think you must cultivate, then as you cultivate, you gradually develop the understanding to become enlighten. Before you understand the teaching, which one do you think is more logical? You always think it is the 2nd one, isn’t it? Because everybody says:’ you must practice and cultivate diligently, then one day you will become enlighten.” Then when they tell you, this Mahayana Pure Land’s teaching of the Sudden School, can suddenly make you enlighten or awaken, you surely don’t believe, especially if you are a Theravada practitioner. And you will comment as follows: ‘where can you have such thing, noneed to meditate, no need to cultivate & practice the Four Noble Truths & Noble eightfold path; just chant, chant, chant, and then suddenly you can become enlighten’. Because these people cannot understand, it has nothing to do with whether you chant or not. The Sudden School of Hui Neng, (like what Sister PG came to know), leads to Sudden Enlightenment or Awakening, and this is possible because it takes you direct to the true mind, which is your self-nature, that’s why you can awaken straight away.

That’s why today’s topic is very unique, and I actually don’t know what is today’s topic because I never prepare for my classes. I seldom go and read whatever topic is next, unless there is condition like before we start the class, if I have the time, I may look at it; but today, I was busy replying to one of our classmates’ WhatsApp group.

Last Friday (31st August 2018), we had our school's 58th year’s anniversary gathering (primary school until secondary school). There were a lot of my classmates (since standard 1 until form 6); they were together with me at that special gathering. Some came after form 1; some came after form 3, some join us since form 4; and some join us in form 6. So, we had that gathering then I saw so many of them expressing their joy and their happy moments, and I also, made use of the 10 minutes or so to send some good messages to thank the organizing committee and my teachers. It brings forth greatmemories and reminiscence of what we did when we were young during our school and childhood days. I went to the primary school with some of my classmates to see what has changed. It was so different now. Last time, we were all very small size. We think the field is very big; we think the school is very big; we think the canteen is very big. Everything appears big to us then, and the teachers were like so tall; but when we went back, we were amazed. Some of my classmates asked, “did we really squeeze 40 of us into this very small classroom? Form 5 we have 10 classes, A, B, C, D, until I don't know K or what. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J & K, almost 10 classes, of course Arts and Science.

So I have not read what is today’s topic before the class, then just now when I read that paragraph, I straight away knew as to why the thunder and the rain were so loud and heavy. It is because we are coming towards the end of our sharing and this topic is so veryimportant, that's why they rejoice. I think they expected this teaching to be shared. I will read again:

Sutra:

If in this life you encounter the door of the Sudden Teaching,

You will be suddenly......

Suddenly what? (Louder, louder because inaudible). You will be suddenly? Are you all reading the text or not? Please speak out, ‘you will be suddenly…...? Ah! Yes ‘Suddenly enlightened to your self-nature’. Do you want to thank the Sutra? If in this life you encounter this Dharma Door of the sudden teaching (which you have already encounter), what will happen to you? You will suddenly be enlightened to your self-nature. This is your blessing. These are the conditions and this is the teaching that can make it happen. That's why, you have the Pāramī, you have the condition, and like I told Sis PG while on the way here; I said this window is very rare. Then as per the famous Mahayana dharma verse, "If you have the condition to be born a human being, and the condition to encounter the true teaching, the Buddha Dharma, what are you waiting for?" It means you have your Pāramī and you have your past cultivation. Then Hui-Neng made it even clearer,

"If in this life you encounter the Dharma door of the Sudden Teaching (which you already encountered) you can be suddenlyenlightened to your self-nature". This is what he meant by the Sudden Teaching, the Sudden Enlightenment or awakening; because he takes you direct to your true mind to realize the stage of no thought, then the silent mind will awaken. You don't need to wait. All this gradual teaching practitioners, they don't understand. That's why they keep doing the practice, practice and practice …. Doing all those thought based meditation. But finally they can still reach sudden enlightenment when they are able to realize their true mind, the silent mind. During those moments, the conditions will arise for them to have the ability to inherit their past and to have the silent mind to realize their true nature or true mind. That's why you will come to realize your self-nature; and this self-nature is very different, it is very powerful. It can bring about enlightenment, awakening. That's why in the second paragraph, it is stated …. now we read on:

You will be suddenly enlightened to your self-nature,

and see the Honoured One of the World.

Do you understand? That's how you understand truth, then you will understand life.

If you wish to cultivate

and aspire to Buddha hood,

You won't know where the truth

is to be sought

Unless you can see the truth

within your own mind,

What is this mind? This is your self-nature; this is also your mundanemind, that's why he used a neutral word. So, when you can see the mundane and the supra-mundane within your mind, your nature, then, this is the true cultivation, the true Buddhadharma. Otherwise, you are wasting your time. That's why he said:

This truth, which is the cause of realizing Buddhahood.

So, make this understanding clear. If you don't meditate to realize the silent mind, to awaken to it, you are wasting your time. All those are thought-based meditation; it doesn't lead to awakening.

The next few paragraphs will tell you why.

Not to see your self-nature

(see the keyword is "not to see your self-nature"

but to seek the Buddha outside);

Ah, outside means what? You go and look for them through your mundane mind. You look outside; referring to the phenomenon world of consciousness, and then you will have a lot of views, opinions, teachings, ideologies, rights and rituals, etc. You will be led astray and get lost. Methods and techniques of meditation, you cling on to them, you cling on to the theoretical dharma. Then you go all over to look for truth; but truth is within,like what I used to share with you all. Also what happens if the seeker is the seek? Who is the seeker? The form and mind are the seeker; do you understand? But the true gem is inside your nature, your self-nature. You run all over to look for truth when the real truth is within. That's why they always say, "seek within"， 回光返照, it means you develop awareness from within to understand what is going on, then finally when you understand the external phenomenon world, through your wisdom, they will lose power. They will not have power over you, then what happen? Then you understand, your mind realizes itself and cease; when it ceases, it realizes its own self-nature, the truth, that is the enlightenment, that is what you are searching for. That's why the searcher is the search; you search within, you don't search outside. Outside is the phenomenon world of consciousness, and the mundane mind is not real. They are impermanent, lead to suffering, empty, non-self, not a permanent unchanging entity. That's the reason why the sutra says,

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

So, this is his last message, of the sudden teaching.

To liberate worldly people

who must cultivate themselves.

Nobody can do it for you, do you understand? That's why the Buddha cannot give you wisdom, cannot make you enlightened. The Buddha said ‘He can only show you the way; you have to walk the path yourself’.

(There is a Buddhist hymn - "Buddha merely show the way, we ourselves must walk the path, Buddha merely show the way;"

Because this is a realization so each and every living being, their form and mind must awaken on their own. Like I used to tell you, every life you come, you have a form and mind, do you remember? And thisform and mind must connect to your self-nature to realize the truth; and when that truth has been realized, awakened to, that wisdom is connected to the form and mind, do you remember? That is the meaning. Then the form and mind are no longer deluded. That's how you cultivate. Don't go and foolishly think wah! That once you experience fantastic meditation, you equate those experiences to enlightenment. ‘Oh, I can do this, I had realized already; but, is the wisdom really there? Is the understanding really there?’ Withoutwisdom, without understanding, there is no awakening. All these are conditioned mind state. Even if you have fantastic meditation, so what because you still don't understand who are you? What are you? You still don't have the embodiment of the noble eightfoldpath. You don't have right views leading to right thoughts, right speech, right actions and right livelihood or living. You don't have the four-right efforts, the mindfulness, the Samadhi and all these other things.

That's why Hui-Neng said:

I announce to you and to future students of the Way;

If you do not hold these (correct) views (that he has left behind),

you will only be wasting your time".

That's why I say whatever you do, if it's thought-based, you are wasting your time. Bodhidharma, told the abbot and those monks, they must cultivate starting with 心为根本 (Xin Wei Ken Pen). Do you know what心为根本 is? It means starting with the understanding of the mind as our root foundation for cultivation. The rule, the basis is to understand your mind first. If mind also you cannot understand, then you are wasting your time. What does it mean ‘to understand mind’? It means you must understand there are twominds. One is the mundane mind, the conditioned arising mind. This one has duality. The other one is the silent mind, which is your true mind, and this one can be awakened to. This one has no thought, can see thing as they are, through the direct seeing, it just awakened, it just realized; and this one is not a being. It's not a conditioned arisingstate, it's the unconditioned. That's why truth is to be understood, and the Dharma is to be realized, not through knowledge. That's why you cannot cultivate or learn Vipassanā. Vipassanā means ‘to insight into the 3 universal characteristics of nature’ because to awaken to the three characteristics you need wisdom; and when you awakened it means you have the wisdom; you have penetrated the truth. You cannot learn to be wise. Learning is mechanical, a knowledge. You can learn to be skillful in something, to be knowledgeable; but you cannot learn wisdom, because wisdom is an understanding, it is not a knowledge, nor is it a learning. So, I hope you can get this understood. His final message to you is... (Loud thunder and Lightning strikes) … ‘You see they really wanted this teaching, looks like they know this teaching coming’. That's why before we came, the rain and all those happenings are unique signs, and I knew something is going to happen. Before I started, I also told you all, but I didn't know it was this teaching, this last message of Hui Neng. That's why it's very beautiful. So, this one, you will understand when we finish, then you will have no problem with cultivation from then on. So, I will read to you one more time, with the whole thing together so that you'll understand. This sutra is very important because this is the final message of Master Hui-Neng.

Sutra:

If in this life you encounter the Dharma door of the sudden teaching, (which you have). You will be suddenly enlightened to your self-nature, and see the Honored One of the World. (Can you all see the beauty of all these words and messages?)

If you wish to cultivate and aspire to Buddha hood,

You won't know where the truth is to be sought unless you can see

the truth within your own mind, (It means the two minds - your mundane mind and your true mind or self-nature)this truth which is the cause of realizing Buddha hood.

(When you realize the awakening through the silent mind, it means you realized your true mind, and this is the cause for Buddha hood. Your final stretch of your Bodhisattva way fulfilment starts from there. That's why I said to you all ‘unless you can realize your true mind, you cannot connect to your gateway or true nature’ and you cannot inherit from your spiritual nature. That's why you need to start from here and this is the cause for the realization of the final Sammāsambuddha realization, meaning to realize Buddha hood).

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.

[Always remember, don't be lazy, be diligent. (Loud lightning again) …. You see, this very important message has been acknowledged and taken note of, by those up there.]

I announce to you and to future students of the Ways:

If you do not hold these views (understanding) you will only wasteyour time.

Always remember, ‘to realize the sudden teaching, the awakening, you have to go through the silent mind. You have to allow your thought to cease through understanding,not through a conditioned state, not through focusing and concentration’. You don't go and fixed the mundane mind and force it not to think. If you do that, you will get yourself entangled with energy field. Then your mind is not a freemind; it is a conditioned mind, which is of not much use.

It's just like when you want to train your kid, you do it by punishing the kid through locking him up, and don't let him go out of the house, thinking that he will become obedient and good. It is of no use, right? Because the moment you're not around, that boy will go wild. The reason being, he doesn’t learn anything, he doesn't know the danger of the world outside, and he has a lot of imagination that the outside world is very good. It's just like your mind. If you fix it, control or suppress it, and do not allow it to be free, it cannot understand. When you develop that type of concentration, it gives rise to energy, which you may think is beautiful and that’s life. In a similar way your boy will go and join those people outside and get involved in illegal activities, involving drugs and gangsterism etc. because they are tempted by the money. And these people normally treat him very well initially. After that they will ask him to do immoral things. In a similar way, if you do concentration, energy field, it will lead you astray. This deviation will not lead to awakening, enlightenment and understanding. So, this part is very useful. Okay, we will read through the commentary and see what Master Hsuan Hua has to say.

Commentary:

Having encountered the Sudden Teaching of the Dhyana School, you may becomeinstantly enlightened and understand your original mind (True Mind) and you see your original nature. At that moment, you will personally meet the World Honoured Ones, the Buddhas of the ten directions; you can see them all.

Bro Teoh: The last part is not true. This part is just to let you have the faith, do you understand? Because that nature is actually the Buddha nature, but you have to perfect them all, before you can have that omniscient nature. The moment you realize your true nature; it is like you have a glimpse of what Nibbāna is. Then you will realize the unconditioned, but the perfection or Pāramī, they are not there yet. That's why you are not yet the Sammāsaṃbuddha and you cannot see them. So all these is just to give you faith. But when your mind has transformed, they may appear to you, especially when there is a message for you; or there is condition for you to understand certain things, then their nature will appear because this is all part of nature's law. Not to say all these Buddha and great beings will come and appear in front of you and congratulate you; there is no such thing, do you understand? That one maybe sometimes you can become gullible because you may have read about it in the sutra, like all the Buddha come and congratulate you. Do you think they are there? No! It’s their nature, do you understand? It's not a being. So sometimes if you go through energy field (thought-based) meditation, you may see the Buddha; that one is different, that one is consciousness (mental manifestations created by maras).

Unless you apply effort in the self-nature, instead of looking outside,

you will never find the genuine Buddha.

This is Hsuan Hua's way of putting it. So, you have to be careful because sometimes the translation to English from mandarin is not accurate or correct.

He said unless you apply effort in the self-nature…. (self-nature you cannot apply effort). If you apply effort, it becomes thought-based doing. That’s why there is no effort involved, you just relax, silent, and maintain awareness. That's why if you are not careful, you may think, wah! Very logical! Then you go and apply effort. What they translate is from the Mandarin words 下功夫 (Xia Kung Fu). The meaning is ‘you put in the ‘vīriya’ or spiritual zeal/diligence to work on all these things but it is not applying effort in the true sense of the words. It means you develop the spiritual zeal to drive you to cultivate through an understanding of who is the Buddha and how wonderful his teaching is.

Understand your mind and see your nature: (this is very important)

that is the way to realize Buddha hood.

Understand your mind means the two aspects of mind, the mundane mind and the true mind. Then when you understand the true mind, you can cease your mundane mind and maintain silent, then you will realize your true nature. That's why, see your true nature means to realize it.

If you do not turn the lightaround and seek within yourself, but run outsideinstead to look for the Buddha, you are being stupid,extremely stupid. (He used such strong words.)

You must cultivate the Dharma of the Sudden Enlightenment on your own. Do not fail to cultivate.If you do not hold the notions expressed in this verse, (or the understanding expressed in this verse), you are wasting your time. You will never obtain the smallest advantage.

(It means you cannot progress. That's why thought-based meditation will lead you astray; it will never bring you the realization of the Buddha dharma, the awakening. So, this is most important. That's why the Sudden School is to teach you how to realize your true mind, your true nature. If you know how to silent your mind, the moment the mundane mind ceases, the true mind which is always there, will manifest. Then you can be with it, and you can understand what that thing is, that's how you can come to realize that there is another natureapart from the thinking mind, the thought and the consciousness.

Without thoughts, who are you? What are you? These are very good questions: Without thoughts, who are you? What are you?

You are just the pure nature, the pure awareness. But when the pureawareness also ceases, then what happens? This is enlightenment, nibbāna, this is true cultivation, this is the understanding you will realize when you are in that ‘state’. That’s why the sudden teaching is very simple, the moment you go through the cessation you understand and when you come out of it, everything is clearly understood. After that technically you do not need teacher, you don't need anything. The form and mind that goes through the cessation will have the understanding, although initially he cannot express it, he doesn't know what it is, but the nature knows. When it encounters problems or situation it will understand that these are all not real, not what you think. That's why the mind becomes different. Okay? Anymore question so far? If you have any question, you can ask. If you have no more question, then we can go on.

Sutra:

Having spoken the verse, the Master continued, “All of you should take care. After my extinction…., (What does it means? Yes, it means after his Parinibbāna, that's why the word extinction is used. Parinibbāna means everything still, nothing exists, even the pure awareness, the mundane mind, the consciousness all ceased.)

…… do not act with worldly emotion.

(It means, don't become emotional & sad through thinking, ‘Aiyo, the 6th Patriarch is gone, our teacher is gone’. All these thinking are delusion).

Bro Teoh: His nature is all the while there, it never dies. Only the form and mind of that segmented life (his ‘vehicle and tool’), that comes with it dies. The karmically conditioned form and mind (that one) separates and ceases to be because conditions have ceased to be, that's it. That’s why nothing dies!

Then why do you fear and worry about death? One must also inquire: Who are you? What are you? What is death? Who died? And what died? After death, what happen? Those who don't understand, they have all these questions. But when you meditate, silent your mind and realize that nature, you will understand. All these are condition arising and dependent originating mundane entities, mind states and consciousness; mind made are they, and they are all not real. All these you will come to realize, you will come to understand, that's why there is no more fear, because you will understand all these are not you, and nothing die.

If nothing dies, then what happen to you? Huh? When you came into existence, you are just a form and mind, which is not real, this is not you, that's why the Buddha said: When nothing dies it means this is not you, then what happens to that form and mind? It just separates when conditions cease to be. The physical form which is only elements will return to nature or goes the way of nature. When enlightenment is realized, the form and mind ceases and finished. Because no more avijjā to cause rebirth consciousness, to continue with the becoming. The birth and the death of the segmented body no more, it just ceased. The realization of that nibbanic nature is enlightenment. When the Mundane mind ceased, Nibbāna can be realize by the form and mind. The mundane mind that is connected to the form and mind will understand and after that the mundanemind can still come back because you haven't ceased through parinibbāna without residue. You only go through Nibbāna, I won't say it is an experience because there is nothing to experience, the mundane mind just ceases after realizing itself. But that state is not a conditioned state, it’s not a mind state; it's not anything that you can describe, because it is the unconditioned. So, this understanding is very important. Okay? Then we continue:

If you weep in sorrow, receive condolences, or wear mourning clothes, you are not my disciples,

(But don’t become too rigid, otherwise when your parent dies and you also refuse to wear the mourning clothes, I can tell you, that is real delusion because you cannot take it literally. It said: ‘you are not my disciples’, it means you don't understand because these are worldly things, these are worldly dualities, and that these are tradition, so not important, do you understand? You don't become so rigid until you have to say, ‘oh my master just died, I must mourn for him for how long, I must wear this filial piety strip for how long. These are rites and rituals. That's why Master Hui Neng said: "Do not act with worldly emotion. If you weep in sorrows…," if you do all that it means you still have suffering then you are not his disciple. But when you receive condolences, you don't become panicky, just because Hui Neng said ‘you will not become his disciple anymore, if you receive condolences’. So when people send you condolences, you said I cannot receive them, and you reply, please don't send. This is being foolish! You are in a conditioned world, as long as you understand that these are society’s norms hence not important, no reality in the ultimate sense. It means only within the unconditioned Dharma, there is no such thing. But within the conditioned Dharma or the conditioned world, there is such a thing as Karma, there is such a thing as Good Mind States. Those who are sincere when they send you their condolences they have good mind states and they feel for you. Just in case if you are not enlightened, you will be affected, that may be the reason why they still decide to send you their condolences for you to feel good. But when you already have the Dharma, you will understand that all this are not real, not important. Then whether to wear the mourning clothes or not, it's up to you. If you want to express your filial piety, it's from your heart. But you live in a society that looked at you, so don'tcreate unnecessary misunderstanding or condition for negativity of mind state toarise because people will comment, ‘what type of child is this, no filial piety at all, parent die also don't want to wear the mourning clothes and do all those acts of filial piety’.

And the worst is nobody crying, funeral not like funeral, and that's what they (the elders) commented when my father passed away in the year 2014. And my mother was affected by the elder’s comment, so my mum started to ask my brothers and sisters to cry, then she also cried. Luckily my youngest brother came and told me what happened. After that I talked to my mother, and when my mother understands, she didn't cry anymore. I said to her if you want to end up like your elders and their families (their life are so miserable), then you go ahead, follow their advice and cry. I said to my mum, ‘why should you cry? Dad has done his duty very well. He has done everything that a parent will do for their children. And he is one of the most respected and a very responsible dad, very loving, kind and caring. So, he will have a good after life and I told my mother, no need to cry. Filial piety is to be expressed and done  for him when he is still alive, not after he has died, then cry. This is not filial piety but an act to show the public that you have filial piety, no point. So for those who understand, they will not do that. Instead what I did was really meaningful.I organized a very great and grand Chinese New year holiday trip to a sea view resort in Thailand for my whole family (50 plus of us) in the year January 2014, for my Dad.

That year my Dad was so full of joy and happy. He told us in front of my Mum, when we were having a family photo at the beach, ‘This is life, seeing all my children, daughter in-laws, grandchildren and great grandchildren coming together celebrating Chinese New Year with such joy and happiness on such a beautiful resort beach’. And he was on a wheel chair. My Mum immediately stopped crying when I reminded her of that occasion.

Hui Neng continues to express as below:

…..you are not my disciples, for that is contrary to the proper Dharma.

(See, now you understand because this is not proper Dharma. Do remember, not to be rigid.)

Simply recognize your own original mind (true Mind) and see your

own original nature (true nature) which is neither movingnor still,

neither produced nor extinguished, neither coming nor going,

neither right nor wrong, neither dwelling nor departing.

(Do you remember the Heart Sutra? These are the exact description from the Heart sutra, because this is true emptiness. According to Heart sutra it was stated, ‘In True emptiness there is no such thing as what has been described while in the conditioned world. And the above descriptions, for those who don't understand, they may say, ‘Yeah, that is neither any movement nor stillness.’ But they cannot understand; to them they think if it is stillness, tranquility, then there is no movement. They will have this idea. But for those who have penetrated the ultimate truth, realized true emptiness, there is no word, no duality. Even the Dharma also doesn’t exist. That's why there is no such thing as birth, death, sickness and enlightenment. All these pertain to the conditioned world. Four Noble Truths also don't exist because it's the unconditioned. So, this part you have to develop the understanding.

Commentary:

The Master said, “Unlike common, vulgar, worldly folk do not make an emotional display of your feelings. (Don't behave like those worldly folks). Don't weep tears like rain to irrigate the fields. My disciples have to obey me! If you do such things not only are you not my disciples, but you are also contradicting the Buddha dharma”.

"Do not strike up false thinking. Don't fail to put it down. Don't fail to break through it. You must see through it, smash it, and put it all down. Then you can be free."

(It means you must not attach to rites and ritual. Don't become emotional, because there is no reality. No Mark of a ‘self’ cultivating, no mark of others, no markof life and no mark of Dharma. So, these are all very beautiful.)

"If we are not supposed to mourn, then what should we do?" the disciples wondered.

(So, what do you think you should do? During the Buddha's time it also happened. Do you remember? Venerable Ananda was so sad because he was only a Sotāpan then. Whereas for those who understand, they will recall the Buddha's words: "He, who sees the dharma, sees me." So, work hard on cultivating the Dharma - that is the highest respect and gratitude one can show to the Buddha, because he came to this world to share with you the Dharma. So if you want to be closed to him then you better realize the Dharma, the Truth. The Buddha is the embodiment of Wisdom, Virtue and Compassion. So, if you want to see the Buddha you must realize his Dharma, see the Truth and cultivate love, compassion, wisdom and virtue. This is what you should do. Your respect should be towards the teaching that He has given you. To be worthy of him, you must diligently cultivate to realize and understand his teaching, then you are closed to him, otherwise you are far away from Him. You can go and partake in his cremation and cry in front of him, but you are still not closed to him because you have not realized the Dharma, the truth that he has shared with you.

Master Hsuan Hua said:

"Recognize your original mind. What is it like? It doesn't move and it isn't still. It doesn't come or go. It's not right or wrong, good or bad, black or white, long or short. It doesn't stay and it doesn't leave. It's neither here nor there. Work to see the self-nature; understand your mind. Then you will not have wasted your time."

So, this one is just a repeat of what Hui Neng said.

Sutra:

"Because I am afraid that your confused minds will misunderstand my intention, I will instruct you again so that you may see your nature.

(So, this one is especially for you, he is afraid you are still confused.)

After my extinction, (Meaning Hui Neng's Parinibbāna) continue to cultivate accordingly, as if I were still present.

(Do you know how you can do that? You must not assume he is still present, because it is his nature and his nature is all the time there, all the time around. So, with that understanding, you will know he didn't die. That's why he said after my extinction or Parinibbāna, continue to cultivate accordingly as if he was still around or present.This is true, because his nature is still around.)

Should you disregard my teaching, then even if I were to remain in the world, you would obtain no benefits”?

(So even if he is still around, if you don't follow his instruction and teaching, it will not benefit you.)

He further spoke this verse:

Firm, firm: Do not cultivate the good.

High, high: Do not do evil.

Still, still: Cut off sight and sound.

Vast, vast: The mind unattached.

He is giving you further hint, understanding and instruction. We will move on to the commentary first.

Commentary:

"Firm, Firm" means not moving: "thus, thus unmoving," clear, clear, and constantly bright. "Do not cultivate the good," does not mean that you should not cultivate good. It just means that you should not be attached when you cultivate the good. Don't be like that greedy-minded ghost Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty who thought, "Look at all my merit!"

"High, high," means happy and cheerful, independent and content from morning to night. Do not do evil does not mean that you can think, "I am not attached to doing evil, so it's no problem." Attached or not attached, you should not do evil. What is evil? Killing, stealing, and committing sexual misconduct.

So, Hsuan Hua is talking about the Precepts. If you have the understanding, you can look at it differently. This is Hsuan Hua's explanation. Here, ‘do not cultivate the good’ means do not be deluded by cultivating the Good according to you, which may not be the true good following the nature’s laws. So, don't make the mistake of focusing on merits, to do selfish good because there is always this greed for merit behind the doing. Your action is tinted with the subtle greed for merits.

What was the instruction from Hui Neng? Realize your Self-Nature or True Nature first, and then cultivate the 3 important hallmarks of his teaching: 1st one is, No Thought. Work towards this one first. How to realize No Thought? How to silent your mind? I had already shared with you all the relevant Buddha dharma. The Buddha said ‘when the 5 mental hindrances are there, it means you lack the 5 oppositespiritual faculties and these mental hindrances will hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness to realize the silent mind. That's the reason why you cannot be silent and peaceful. What are the 4 supports for meditation that I have taught you? Relax and don't try to do anything because the doing is always by the thought making the mind active, so how to be silent? That’s why relaxed and just allowsit to be, is the most important step. This is the 3rd way that the Buddha teaches, just aware and don’t stir the mind. (Like the bullock cart going through the pool of water analogy; if nothing stirs it, the pool of water will be clear. That's why, similarly, the silent mind will arise, if you just maintain awareness, remain silent and relax. Then this mind will return to its natural statebefore the stirring. If you don't stir the mind through your thinking, fear and emotion, your mind will be quiet. You don't go and introduce things that create projections of thought. You don't recall through memory your fear, your phobia etc. So, when you meditate, just relax, aware, then everything will slow down and fall into place and then the silent mind or stillness will return or will reappear, this is the real meditation. This way is still not the wisdom way as yet but at least you have realized the silent mind, the true mind.

Then to develop the wisdom (which is the 4th way) you need to trace the origination factors, and to do this you have to come out to live life. When you come out to live life you are no longer in your formal meditation, and you are fully engaged in life. You cannot every time when you have problem, you go and sit to silent your mind, this is not practical because you have to live life. So, if every time you come out into life, you are no longer peaceful, then you have to develop the wisdom. Without wisdom, the peace cannot arise. Ability to have the silent mind while in the midst of life is real Samadhi. You can trace the original factors that stir your mind through Dhammānupassanā, through cultivating mindfulness of the 6 internal sense bases and 6 external sense bases. Understand how the external sense data upon contact with their respective sense bases, trigger off mental consciousness. Then see how you input the content of consciousness that cause your mind to stir. That’s how you become deluded. That's how saṅkhāra make your mind agitated. That's how the emotions, the fear, the worry, the anxiety and all those negativity of mind states come in. That's why the mind cannot silent and be still. When you see something, hear something, smell something, taste something or tactilely feel or think something, you don't know how to handle sense experience because youdon't have wisdom at the moment of sense experience. So, what must you do? You stir your mind, through like and dislike, sensual desire and ill will,that's what mental hindrances are all about. So, if you learn from it and you straighten your view then the next time you see, hear, smell, taste and feel anything you will not be affected any more, and you can be at peace.

You have to follow what the Buddha had taught us; through learning ‘to see things as they are’ with wisdom. If I can see things as they are, it means I can understand nature is such, if conditions are like that, things will be like that. If I can accept the reality of the moment through wisdom, then I'm at peace. Human being is part of nature and they are just the way they are. When they are deluded, they will dodeluded things. Greedy and selfish people, they will do greedy and selfish things. Violent people will do violent things. So, when I can accept people for what they are and the world is the world then there is right view, there is wisdom. For people are just the way they are, things are just the way they are, the world is the world, it can't be otherwise. Conditions like that, things will be just like that. So, initially I just accept. The moment I accept, I don't create duality, I don't go and argue to be right or wrong, good or bad. That’s how the mind can ceased and return to its original state of silence. And when this wisdom stabilizes, at every moment of sense experience, this initial wisdom or Yoniso manasikāra will be there. And when it is there, feeling will remains as pure feeling, because it is not like before any more, it will not stir or react deludedly; it will not create duality. That's how you transformed. Some time ago, I think Sister Eng Bee and Adeline asked the question regarding duality before, do you all remember? Then I explained to them this same teaching. This is how you can break free from duality.

So, when you are able to do this, maintain it, and finally you must trust your nature. When you trust your nature it means without thoughts, the nature goes in and develop the meditation. This is after you have developed the silent mind, the understanding of the true mind, and when you have realized it, you just relax and silent everything and trust yournatureto do it for you. Trust your nature to do, meaning don't usethought anymore, just silent, relax, aware and trust, as if you are dead, like the whole physical body is dead. Dead means you cannotrespond,itchy also cannot scratch because you are like dead, so if the tactile consciousness arises let it arise, that is what patience endurance is all about. You start to see how it stimulates you, how it triggers you to have the intention to scratch and to arise saṅkhāra or thinking. But when you can train the mind to be in the state of silent, relax awareness, the saṅkhāra will slow down and cease until the mind becomes very quiet and still. When this stillness become more stable then suddenly all your energy (Yin and Yang) will melt into the gate way. That's how the internal transformationhappens, and you will realize the true mind very clearly. Then you will know what this thing is, and the form and mind will understand, because by then the wisdom is connected to it. So, this is how you develop the sudden teaching, the sudden enlightenment, and the condition to awaken. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

And because this is Hui Neng’s final summary, you must make sure you understand it. If you follow his teaching, very fast you can awaken and transform. You will realize your true nature and that is the cause of Buddha hood, then everything will follow. Okay?

Hsuan Hua’s poem:

Of the ten-thousand evils Licentiousness is the worst.

(What is Licentiousness? Oh, it's sexual misconduct, thank you. That is the worst, do not do that.)

Do not walk down this road of death. Do not walk this road. Do not do evil.

(Do not walk this road; this is the dead end road, 死路一条. It means the heedless are as if dead).

"Still, still: Cut off sight and sound." (This state is peaceful, comfortable, and happy).

Still, still, quiet, quiet, you cut off sight and sound by not producing deviant thoughts at the gates of the six sense organs.

(This is Dhammānupassanā: Mindfulness of the six internal and six external sense bases. When they use the words "Cut off sight and sound" it is not that accurate because you don't cut (it cease through wisdom when you understand), that’s why you have to develop the stillness of mind through an understanding, then you will come to a point where your free mind can be still and you will finally come to understand, ‘think also like that, don't think also like that’. So why do you want to think? That's why with wisdom the mundane stirring of mind cannot arise. This means you don’t have to cut anything, because that cutting is an illusion created by thought. So here when they said, ‘cut off deviant sights and sounds it means, cut off the wrong thoughts, borne of seeing consciousness and hearing consciousness’. This cultivation relates to the 4 right efforts level, and it's still not the penetrative wisdom as yet.

It is all right to have proper or right thoughts but not to cut off deviantsights and sounds. For example, if people are speaking improperly, ‘cut off’ may mean asking you not to listen or don't listen.

You must not behave like Ananda, because the Buddha reprimanded him. Someone (from another teacher) came and told Ananda, ‘see no evil, hear no evil, think no evil, then you are peaceful.’ This advice seems logical, right? So Ananda thought it was very good. But the Buddha immediately reprimanded Ananda by telling him, 'when did I ever teach you this?’ The Buddha said to Ananda: "What I have taught you is you must see and yetyou are not affected. You must hear and yet you are not affected. You must arise the thought and yet you are not deluded by it." This is the wisdom way, otherwise you are suppressing your desire through not wanting to see, to hear and think. You are just suppressing them and you are not cultivating; that's why you cannot do that. So regard this part you must not follow what Hsuan Hua said: “cut off deviant sights and sounds, for example if people are speaking improperly, don't listen."

"Vast, vast: The mind unattached." This mind's capacity extends throughout the universe and fills up heaven and earth. It is high, great, broad, vast, limitless, and unbounded, and it is not attached anywhere.

(This is Hsuan Hua's explanation. The true understanding is the 3rd hallmark of Master Hui Neng’s teaching, do you know what the 3rd hallmark of Hui Neng’s cultivation is? Yes, ‘the mind must have No-Dwelling’. What is dwelling?

The 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s teaching are to realize:

1) No Thought

2) No Mark

3) No Dwelling --> it means No Centre for the Mind to Dwell on.

No-Dwelling means your mind doesn't dwell anywhere. This means there is no center for the mind to dwell. That's why I used the other word. When you are able to have this spacious awarenesswithout a center, this is the true meaning of vast, vast. Meaning your true mind is one with nature. Imply the Oneness nature. So, when you are silent, without a center, it means you are just aware. I call it spacious awareness without a center and your mind can only be without dwelling on two occasions:

Two Types of Non-Dwelling awareness:

1) Spacious Awareness without a center while in formal meditation -- > this type is Non- Active --> (because No movement)

2) Specific Phenomena Awareness while living life --> this type is active. Active in daily life (daily mindfulness)

When you are aware with specific phenomena, this mind doesn't dwell, it just flows with it. Like the moving car, the awareness and the car’s motion (they) move as one or together, do you understand? There is no gap; it is like doing Ānāpānasati where the breath and the awareness move as one. You don't dwell anywhere. You are just aware. And this awareness is specific phenomena awareness which is an Active one. The 1st one is Non-Active. It just aware, finished. Specific Phenomena awareness can live life.

Do you all have any more question?

So, this one, vast, vast …... based on our understanding is different from Master Hsuan Hua’s. Hsuan Hua's one is based on his own understanding.

Sis Eng Bee: Bro Teoh, the Active and Non-Active aspects of awareness, can Bro Teoh elaborate more on it? Because both are awareness, and for spacious awareness how come it is non-active as it is still an awareness, right?

Bro Teoh: Very good question. You see, for the 1st type there is no movement, do you understand? There is no movement and you are just aware in a formal meditative posture. This one, the 2nd type is active because it is a specific phenomenon and the phenomenon moves, can you follow? Like the moving car, the awareness is with it, just like Ānāpānasati, your breath is in motion, but you are aware of it, because it is specific phenomenon awareness. That is, your awareness is able to follow this phenomenon, that's why it is active. And with this type, you can live life. That's why throughout the day my mind is like that. That's why when I sit here, it's specific phenomena awareness because your movements and all those activities, like your blinking of your eyes, the way you turn your head and all those movements, my nature can see. Those are specific phenomena awareness. Like this motion of the fan, there is no words and the awareness is with it, can you understand? So, the 2nd type is active, this is for living life, this is daily mindfulness and yet you don't dwell. When you dwell, it means you are lost in thoughts (those things that you dwell on when you are preoccupied with your thoughts or thinking). Let's say you dwell on the Buddha image, then you start to proliferate your thought via saying, ‘oh, this Kwan Yin image is very nice, it must be very ancient, then the serene facial expression etc. It means you dwell there and create those thoughts’.

Sis Eng Bee: So the non-active cannot live life?

Bro Teoh: "You cannot live life because this one is for you to do when you are in the formal meditation. When you are in the retreat, you silent everything. Like when you were on that boat (in Lugu Lake, Shangri La, spiritual trip), can you remember? You told me, ‘When you silent your mind and maintain awareness, then in that moment, that boat and wave’s motions becomes specific phenomena awareness. But when you silent completely, you are in this spacious awareness state. Then whatever your awareness picks up, your awareness become specific phenomena awareness again. But when you start to think, your mundane mind has come out. When you start to form words, and start to explain to people, that is your mundane mind manifesting already. But inside empty. Inside there is nothing, because from the nature all these manifest. So, this form and mind is the vehicle and tool, for my nature to come and perform the functions of this segmented life of mine, which you call, "Bro Teoh." But this is not me, it is only a vehicle and tool for me to come and my nature need this vehicle and tool to come to this world and to do whatever it wants to do. So, this is the vehicle and tool that I used to manifest, to share the dharma and do whatever it wants to do. This one (the form and mind), need to usedthought; it uses thought, but it is not deluded by it because this one is already with the wisdom connected. This form and mind when it is enlightened is no longer deluded by the phenomena world of consciousness. Because this form and mind is connected to the awakening, it will also have the wisdom connected to it. But because this wisdom is connected, you can say this ‘form and mind’ (or human being) is enlightened. But this is not ‘you’, do you understand? This form and mind is not you because this one is conditioned arising, dependent originating, impermanent, lead to suffering, empty and not real. This is the complete understanding.

This one is the vehicle and tool for this segmented life of my nature to come,so I will make use of it to share, to teach, to fulfil its vows, to continue with my cultivation, perfection etc. You have to understand the conditioned world and the laws within the conditioned world. This form and mind is subjected to its laws, because this is not the unconditioned. The realization of the true mind, is the unconditioned. That's why within that one, there is none of all these: the teaching, human beings, life, etc. - everything are not there because that is the unconditioned. The moment this form and mind realizes parinibbāna, the wisdom that is connected to it will also cease to be or disappear together with this form and mind.

Can you remember why I accepted the Buddha image that Brother Lim of Sumeru (Klang) offered to me? Because my nature understands that all this wisdom energy that I had shared (i.e. the energy and vibrations from my nature) are lost when there is nothing to retain them. When I teach and share, it was there, it then stays for a while, only those who can drawwill draw some of it, and those not drawn will be gone or lost. That's why I accepted the image, because the image’s crystal can retain those wisdom energies’vibrations. That's the reason why all the images in my house, also have a lot of this wisdom energy, received from my nature. The one at Swee Aun’s house also the same. Everywhere I go all these wisdom energies will be shared. Then when we travel, our collective consciousness is also very strong. And when we go and pay our respect and do all these chanting at those way places, these vibrations will also go in. That's why all those images that have been there for very long especially the stupas and rūpaṃ, etc., they will have their vibration.

Even the Buddha Rūpaṃ at SJBA main shrine has a lot of energy inside, and initially most of it is faith energy with not much wisdom energy, but it is very strong, because of the frequent chanting and recitations’ vibration, and the meditative concentration energy, etc. It is also because people do meditation there. So, it has its vibration inside. Initially I can feel, it has a lot of those very strong faith and thought based energy. Then later on when my nature and others went there and gave some special dharma sharing, then it started to become different, because the wisdom energy was able to integrate into that Buddha rūpaṃ.

They have recently completed the new extension block, with a newrūpaṃ installed. Is that also crystal? Ah, marble then it is good. Don't go and use fiber glass, they will not retain those vibrations and energy. It cannot, because it's non-crystal, it doesn’t have that type of crystal formation.

Sis Eng Bee: Bro Teoh, I want to ask, ‘these two types of non-dwelling awareness, are both of them in silent awareness?

Bro Teoh: "Yes! Because for you to have the 1st type, you have to be in complete silent with no movement, just aware, with the 4 supports. After you relax, you maintain awareness for the spacious awarenesswithout a center to arise and you don't even have to stay at the heart. If you stay at the heart and trust your nature, to develop the ability to detect the gateway to your nature, for all your energy to melt in and do the internaltransformation then you are cultivating a higher path. But this higher path cultivation is only needed when you decide to go the Bodhisattva way. If you are not going the Bodhisattva way, then you can just experience the spacious awareness, especially when you are in the retreat. But because finally, most of us took the Bodhisattva vows, so you may have to go and do this higher cultivation via trust, so that the gateway will be activated or can be located. Then when your gateway is located, you become very different, all your yin and yang energy from outside, develop through whatever mindfulness or even your Qi Gong and Yoga training etc., they will melt intoit, and become pure energy. That's why it's not wasted. Then they will transform internally, this is the real opening of the internal chakras, the internal movements, the internal activation, the awakening of the major nerves centers. Nerves centers have two types, major ones are call Chakras, and those minor ones are call nadis. This pure energy will awaken your nadis, and you become very sensitive (super sensitive) because it will still your consciousness and make it very fine. And when this happens, your vibration becomes very fine because of the pure energy. Then not long, your mundane mind will collapse, because your mundane mind cannot take that vibrations which is too fine. The mundane mind is too gross to exist on that frequency, that's why it will collapse. Then it (like a layer of gross consciousness) will drop off from your forehead. After that, the true nature within will shines forth. Then for the first time in your life, you can suddenly see the whole phenomena world so differently.

Do you know why it is different? Now you are fully aware, because there is no moremundane mindto cloud your nature, and there is also no gross saṅkhāra movements like before. It is as if you don't have a mind, everything has become so fine and so smooth, like no movement at all inside there (your brain). It's like the mind has becomes so fine, as if there is no mind at all, and everything is so fine, so still. I can still remember, for about one week I was so amazed, I said to myself, ‘how come it is like that? I now see the world so differently, now truth is everywhere, in the midst of life and nature’.

That's how I came to realize this: ‘Truth (the characteristics of nature) is everywhere in the midst of life and nature!Why can't you see? For those who see, they'll always see.’ And the world is still the world, it has never changed, it was still the same. But now because there is no more mundane mind to cloud my nature, my nature can see things as they are so clearly.

That's why after that my mind is so different, no need to practice, no need to wait till the mind still, and no need to cultivate mindfulness after that because my mind is already fully aware all the time. It has become a part of my nature; the true mind has shined forth. Then you will understand why Hui Neng is so unique and exceptional, because he was born without the mundane mind. He was already in that enlightened state when he was born. Ours we still need to locate the gateway to our nature to cause our mundane mind to collapse later on. That's why I said ‘his nature is fantastic’. He can have that type of vows and abilityto connect the moment he wasborn. Normally you only connect to your Karma, your karmic nature, but he straight away connected to his spiritual nature. That's why, he only need truth to awaken to. The moment he heard truth, he awakened because his mind was already without dwelling. That's why when he heard the Diamond Sutra on, ‘the mind must have no dwelling’, he understood straight away. Because his mind never dwells, his mind is always either in spacious awareness or specific phenomena awareness. His mind cannot do anything else, because he doesn't have the mundane mind. That's why he doesn't understand how mundane people live, he has to learn that later.

I think he must has gone through the similar process as when my nature came out to share in the year 2004. At that time, I thought most people are like me, i.e. what people needs is the Dharma. I thought after sharing the Dharma, you all surely can understand and progress, but I realized it was not the case. Even the basic essential Dharma, living beings also don't understand. So, when you share the Dharma with them it is of not much use, because they cannot follow you, they cannot understand what you are trying to tell them. And all these truths are not easy for human beings, unless they have their past cultivation to support them. Then they will have the affinity and condition, just like some of you this life, to have the chanceto listen to all these teaching and sharing.

When I started in 2004, in the first few years, if I teach this way straight away, everybody will run away because nobody understands what I was trying to share and teach, that's why I have to go back to teach the basic essential Dharma first. I teach the 3 turnings, the Four Noble Truths and I keep on repeating the essential dharma especially in Swee Aun's house, Thursday classes.

In those Thursday classes, what did I teach? Yes, the five mental hindrances, the five Spiritual Faculties and then later on I extend it a bit to include the 3 Evil Roots, the 7 Factors of Enlightenment, the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness, etc. Initially it was not easy, and I dare not teach Hui Neng’s teaching there, do you realize that? Only until recently, I started teaching the higher teaching at the Tuesday classes and the Sunday classes, because there were conditions and they wanted these teachings (Mahayana Sutras). Thursday class is all meditation and Dharma sharing, so it is more suitable for beginners and those who wants to learn the essential Dharma, then develop the cultivation accordingly. And, it turned out to be beautiful because Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday classes are all different.

Last time I used to give weekend Dharma sharing and Friday night Dharma talks in Klang, Tiratana centre. During that time, when I shared the dharma, it was different again. Especially at the Klang, old Tiratana centre, somehow the Guan Yin statue there is very beautiful and unique, and every time I go and deliver a dharma talk there, a lot of very important essential Dharma and understanding will unfold, that's why we Tran scripted a lot of dharma books based on those talks. In fact, all the talks there were very beautiful.

Sis Eng Bee: Bro Teoh, when we are silent, aware of the breathing, whether in or out or when we are silent, aware of our heartbeat, are we actually at the active specific phenomena awareness?

Bro Teoh: I have to explain a little bit more. When you are doing Ānāpānasati, don't try to link to all these types of awareness as yet. You just train because Ānāpānasati is the first training to help develop mindfulness. Mindfulness of the breath as the meditation object. The breath is for you to anchor the mind, and this training is only for people whose spiritual faculties are not stableas yet. That's why they need something to anchor their mind. Then as your mindfulness becomes more and more stable, this mindfulness becomes more and more still, more and more quiet, more and more refine. As you develop Ānāpānasati you will experience a type of calmness, a type peace call Pīti, that one is still gross, but initially you feel calm, because it is not the heedless thinking mind anymore. You are calmer and more peaceful. Then as you continue to relax, maintain awareness it becomes more refine, then you experience ‘Sukha’, blissfulness of mind; it is really blissful. So, all these peace, calmness and bliss if you are not careful, you may attach, because these are conditioned states, not enlightenment factors. Then if you continue to relax, and allow it to become more and more refine, until the Sukha is also gone. Gone means no more of this blissful state. Whether it is blissful energy, calmness energy or bliss, they are all gone, then your mind becomes very quiet, very still; that is "Passaddhi". Passaddhi is tranquility and stillness of mind.

Mind in Passaddhi means the mind is very quiet, very still and very tranquil, this is the Silent mind. This is your meditative mind. This is what most people don't understand.When you hit this stage, don't go and do ‘sitting, touching’, as what you all have been taught previously by others. Because they said to you, when the breath is very subtle, no more breathing or when your abdominal rising and falling is not perceptible then go and note ‘sittingand touching’. It's actually your mind entering the more refine sati, it becomes quiet, and still, and this one will let you realize the true mind. But they don't understand all these, so what do they do? They want to meditate, so they go and ask you to do sitting, and touching. When you go and do that, you create thoughts again. When you are already approaching there (Passaddhi), you go and make your thought active again. This happen because they use Dharma knowledge, through following those instructions without understanding. When you note, “sitting, touching…”, you are verbalizing, ‘sitting, touching, sitting ….’ – indirectly you are continuously doing thought-based meditation without understanding what you are doing in the name of meditation?

When you are at that stage of subtle breathing, don't do anything, just relax, aware, and see what happen? Wait until this mind become very, very still and very stable, then from Passaddhi, it develops and cumulate into Samadhi. When Passaddhi becomes very stable, your mind enters sati and you have Samadhi. Samadhi is the collected and unwavering mind. Collected and unwavering, means when you come out of the formalmeditation, you can develop this specific phenomena awareness because your mind will not waver at the moment of sense experience.

Passaddhi is the silent mind, that is aware and when this is stabilized, it become Samadhi. With Samadhi, you can start to see things as they are, meaning your mind will not stir anymore. Then you will come to realize, everything is not what your thought used to tell you. Your mind stirs because of your wrong view. You then input the wrong content of consciousness, that's how you create duality. This is doing what Shen Hsiu did. Because he attaches to the duality of wholesome and unwholesome mind states, so he has to push away the unwholesome thought (or dust), and he only wants the wholesome thought. To him, "This mind you have to polish it until it shines, so that no dust can alight.” How did he polish the mind? He didn't use the cloth to polish, he maintained an ever mindful state of mind to guard against defilement, which is a wrong understanding. Mindfulness alone is not enough; one needs the initial understanding (Yoniso manasikāra) to deal with defilements. Only mindful observationwithout clinging or rejecting can bring about understanding or wisdom via the direct seeing. So when you understand, it's a free mind. A free mind is just aware with understanding; it doesn't need anything else. As long as there is no wrong thought, there will be no stirring of mind, and when your spiritual faculties are there (especially panna), it’s just aware by itself.

What are the 5 spiritual faculties? They are Saddhā, Vīriya, Sati, Samadhi and Panna. These five spiritual faculties can let you understand spiritualteaching and you can put them to test. When you have Faith, your mind is composed and calm, because you don't have doubt. When you have faith in the Buddha and his wonderful teaching, Vīriya, which is that spiritual zeal or tenacity will arise to drive you to cultivate. That's how you can have diligence, and diligence is not an effort. When you know this teaching is very important, it will drive you to go all out to cultivate it. So, this Vīriya will drive your nature to continue with the development of Sati. That's how the 3rd spiritual faculty of Sati comes to be. With Vīriya, you will diligently cultivate to develop the silent mind to be aware, to realize the stage of no thought, then this Sati becomes very stable. When Sati is very stable, the silent mind is automatic, so, no need to train.

According to dhammapada verse 21: Heedfulness is the path to the deathless and the heedful never die. So heedfulness is very important. To be heedful, according to dhammapada verse 23, one must be ever mindful and constantly meditative. To be ever mindful, one must train one’s mind to be mindful first then stabilize it to be ever mindful. Constantly meditative means constantly cultivating the Noble 8-fold path to realize the enlightenment. Combining them lead to heedfulness.

All the methods and techniques including Ānāpānasati are just skillful means to anchor the mind so that it does not become heedless and wonderoff. But when your 5 spiritual faculties are there the opposite 5 mental hindrances will cease to be and Sati will become very natural. Only those without the 5 spiritual faculties need to use methods and techniques of meditation to train their mind in sati.

When Sati is there, you continue to relax to stabilize it until Sati becomes Passaddhi and Passaddhi becomes Samadhi. Why is Passaddhi not included in the five Spiritual Faculties? It is because Passaddhi is the beginning of the silent mind, the tranquility of mind and the stillness of mind and it is very difficult to perceive it. But the Buddha knew with Sati, you can use it to develop the initial wisdom first. So Passaddhi alone is of not much use because Passaddhi, even though it is an enlightenment factor but is still not stable enough. So, you have to allow Passaddhi to stabilize. Sati when stabilized can give rise to Specific Phenomena Awareness, that's why throughout the day you just aware, but you don't go and maintain that sati or awareness, do you understand? That's where Shen Hsiu went wrong, he doesn’t want to have any wrong or defiling thought, that's why he keeps on guarding his mind and that is not meditation because when you do that then how are you going to live life? If you keep on maintaining awareness to deal with the duality, you cannot develop the wisdom and that is not the way. Yourmind should be in the natural state of awareness, you don't need to guard it and you don't need to do anything because the doing is by the thought, the thought wants to be aware that's why he maintains that, do you understand? That's where he went wrong. Then when he maintains that, he still has duality. That's the reason why, when Hui Neng heard Shen Hsiu’s poem or stanza he straight away knew Shen Hsiu hasn't realized the true mind, the silent mind, the first stage of transformation borne of Hui Neng's teaching on realizing the stage of “No Thought". That's why Hui Neng knew, he has not even reached this stage of no thought, which means he has not realized his true nature,his true mind. That's why the 5th Patriarch told Shen Hsiu, ‘you are at the gate of enlightenment, but you don't know how to cease your mind to go in’. That's why he told Shen Hsiu to go back and write him another poem, to show that he has the understanding.

Hui Neng ‘tears’ Shen Hsiu's poem apart by introducing his famous poem:

- 菩提本無樹， ‘Bodhi (which is enlightenment) is fundamentally without any tree’.

(True Bodhi has nothing to do with the tree because Hui Neng had realized the true mind).

Then how he tears apart Shen Hsiu’s 2nd stanza is the best; Hui Neng said:

- 明镜亦非台, the true mind is neither the stand nor a mirror bright;

(To counter Shen Hsiu’s 心如明镜台, the mind is like a bright mirror with a stand - this is the mundane mind and not the true mind. But Shen Hsiu thought the reflective mind that keep on reflecting, the phenomena world like a mirror is his true mind, not knowing that it is the mundane mind).

So when Shen Hsiu said, 心如明镜台, it means he is using this mundane mind to be aware and to do the practice, that's how Hui Neng tears it apart with his verse 明镜亦非台. Hui Neng said, ‘that is not the true mind, that is the mundane mind. The true mind has nothing to do with the ‘bright mirror with a stand’. Then he goes on to explain what the true mind is,

- 本來無一物， Originally there was nothing,

(The true mind has nothing, no mirror bright to reflect, no stand, etc. because that one is the unconditioned, not the mundane mind).

- 何处惹尘埃, where can any dust alight?

(Because there is nothing inside there, to hold your creation of dust, wholesome, duality, etc. There is no mundane mind also. That's why he said, 何处惹尘埃, where can the dust that you create alight? Because this is the unconditioned, which is without anything).

That's how Hui Neng understood all the above, but he still doesn’t knowhow to use his mundane mind, until the 5th Patriarch told him how later through the Diamond Sutra, and that's how he came to great awakening. So this part is very important.

(菩提本無樹， ‘Bodhi is fundamentally without any tree,

明鏡亦非臺。 The mind is neither a stand nor a mirror bright;

本來無一物， Originally there was nothing,

何處惹塵埃。 Where can any dust alight?’)

So when you do Ānāpānasati, you should continue to relax, silent and aware, until the mind realizesPassaddhi (or mind enters sati), otherwise you cannot progress. If you want to realize Passaddhi, then why go the big detour to do those thought based meditation?

Although the Buddha advise us to start with Ānāpānasati (under the 1st Foundation of Mindfulness), but that is just to train our mind to be aware, and mindful to develop the Sati spiritual faculty, that's all. After that do the mindfulness of the four postures, then the daily mindfulness: i.e. Mindfulness of all actions and all movements, in the present moment, then Sati sampajañña, which means not only you are aware, you must also have the 4 types of clear comprehension and aware of what is going on within your form and mind. Clear comprehension of sincerity of purpose, domain of meditation, suitability and non-delusion.

This is how the cultivation is to be developed. Then when there is Passaddhi leading to Samadhi, your mind doesn't stir or waver anymore; your mind becomes collected, then you can see things as they are. That is how the direct seeing can come about, and how the awakening can happen. Without Samadhi it cannot happen. So, when there is Samadhi, the mind doesn't stir or waver, it means your brain is not interfering, that's why it cannot stir. That is to see things as they are. Then you will come to understand, not everything that the book says, and other people says are the truth. Then you will understand clearly what: ‘Sabbe saṅkhāra Aniccaṃ, Sabbe saṅkhāra dukkha, and Sabbe Dhamma anattā’ are. That's how you awakened.

You will come to realize that all of saṅkhāra is a movement from that nature, that's why Bodhidharma told the monks, ‘if you don't even know this basic nature of mind, you can’t cultivate. You need to start from basic, through understanding mind, 心为跟本 (Xin wei ken ben), that is everything (all good and evil) including the mundane mind arise from the self-nature for mind is the forerunner of all things, and when mind arise, everything arises. That's also the reason why Hui Neng said, ‘how amazing, nothing is apart from that self-nature. All Dharma arises from that self-nature’.

What is Dharma? All your duality, good and bad, everything, all of teachings, they arise from that self-nature. So, nothing is apart from your self-nature. Just like the "Tao", - everything that can be spoken or described is not the true Tao, but yet nothing is apart from the Tao. That is a very importantunderstanding, then when you realize that direct seeing, the understanding is so clear, there is no thought, no knowledge, no word involved, it just awakened. That's how the mind becomes enlightened and transformed. Then the mundane mind which is connected to the form andmind will understand because it has awakened. When it awakened the wisdom is there, then this wisdom is never lost, because that nature retains it. But that nature can only retain it through the form and mindconnected to it. Without this form and mind, you cannot find the gateway, you cannot connect, and this wisdom cannot stay. It just like without the crystal image (rūpa), the wisdom energy cannot be retained. In a similar way, when you awaken, the wisdom energy is connected to your form and mind. This wisdom energy, when it is there, this living being is no longer deluded, meaning enlightened, but this is not you. Because this is just the ‘vehicle and tool’, which is dependent originating, impermanent,not a permanent unchanging entity where you can hold on to, cling on to and say this is me, this is I and all these can be mine, therefore learn how to use them to serve you. So, when you awaken to this, Sakkāya diṭṭhi is rooted out straight away. This will awaken you to at least the 1st stage of sainthood. Then after that when all your other fetters are also rooted out, you are already beyond the initial sainthood way. When I said "you", it means your nature. It's not a physical being or a specific human being. Because every life you come, you have a different segmented life, and none of these is you. And all of your whatever evolution or inheritances, they are all stored up in nature, we call it the Karmic Nature and the Spiritual Nature. And these two, you must understand how to use and develop them.

As for your Karmic nature, the moment you are born, you are born of it, conditioned and supported by it, you are what you are because of it. Because Karma is immediate. So, you have to take care of Karma. That's why, every life you come, you have to develop this understanding, the rightview to take care of Karma. The Buddha's 1st teaching he talked about the Law of Karma. His advice is just avoiding all evil, do good and purify the mind. This is from right view with regards to the Law of Karma. Because when you don't take care of Karma, your life will become afflicted andmiserable. But when you take care of Karma, develop wisdom, you become different. That's why to improve your life, to change your life, to become a better living being (personality wise, character wise, understanding wise, and virtue wise), you need to follow the advice of theBuddha. Then your life will transform, you will become beautiful, you will not have so much problem. If life after life you can have thisunderstanding, and you continue to take care of Karma, then when you are ready, you can also develop awakening and enlightenment. Then after you connect, you can continue to perfect your spiritual nature. And for this spiritual nature you can only start inheriting from it, when you connect. If you don't connect you cannot inherit. That's why this part is very unique, the whole of cultivation center on this understanding. So today’s sharing, is like a very important revision for you all. I cut out all the thought based teaching because those meditative experience are not important. You only need to understand this and just meditate accordingly. If you have the spiritual faculties developed, you can straight away hit this stage of no thought. And this one become Sati, the daily mindfulness. That's why I said, if you don't do the daily mindfulness, there is no way you can awaken. Sati sampajañña is very important. When you have done the daily mindfulness, you can develop the specific phenomena awareness. Then when you are able to have this stable dailymindfulness and specific phenomenon awareness developed, you technically don't need to really practice meditation because the moment you silent your mind and sit, you are already in sati. In the midst of life also you can be aware, then the moment you don't do anything, you will straight away be in sati and stillness. That's why immediately you can go into stillness and silence. That's the reason why I said, ‘why practice? Why meditate?’

Just relax, aware, and you are there because the moment you are without thought, you are already aware. Why must you try to be aware? Or practice awareness? You never inquire who practice? Awareness cannot be practiced because it is an understanding. You must understand, the moment you are without thought, you are already aware, so practice what? Who practice? The thought practice. The thought will make you think, become more active and when the thought isactive, there is no Sati. That's why, all these so called ‘Sati’ they do are thought based, they are not the real sati because they go and create a very conducive environment, by slowing everything down until they are so quiet and so still then they thought this is Sati, do you understand? This is not sati. This is just a conditioned state because the environment, the tranquil setting makes them peaceful.

There are 3 types of peace. The 1st type of peace is Kāyaviveka, borne of physical renunciation and environment's condition. When the conducive environment changes, your peace is gone. That's why you must be able to develop this awareness while in the midst of life and not only in a retreat. Retreat conditions is for you to stabilize your spiritual faculties, so that when you are out of the retreat, return to society, you can still stand a chance to be mindful. If in the retreat condition also your five spiritual faculties cannot stabilize (especially your mindfulness), then when you return to society and go back to life, you don't stand a chance, because your six senses are fully engaged and active again. And everything is actively manifesting, so how can you deal with life? Because your mind moves so fast, and without astable sati, you cannot cope with life, you cannot understand what is going on. You cannot even understand how you function as a human being. That's why you are not able to see the 12 links because you have not developed the Sati sampajañña. If you can't be mindful in the midst of life with a stable daily mindfulness, how can you be aware of your subtle mind,its subtle mental intentions behind the arising of all those mind states? If that is the case, then all the 4 foundation of mindfulness cultivation that the Buddha talk about, you can never understand. You only use theory to do it via the thoughts, and you may think you understand, but when your kāyānupassanā, daily mindfulness is very stable, your mind is so different, then you start to see a lot of thing that you never see before. This is possible because your mind is already quiet, silent, peaceful and just aware, with much lesschattering and much less chattering means what? It means less Avijjā because the first two links of paṭicca samuppāda is Avijjā paccaya saṅkhāra, so when you straighten your view, you have less avijjā. That is how you will have less thought, that's how you transform and progress. If you can't even have a mind that is more quiet, more peaceful and aware, you are definitely on the wrong track. But if your peace, calmness and stillness is born of energy field, concentration or a conditioned state, which is not a free mind, then you will be trapped, and you can never realize the truth because the 5 mental hindrances are suppressed. To realize the truth, it has to be a free mind, in a state of pureawareness to awaken through the direct seeing. Which means all your mental hindrances are not suppressed, meaning it is a free mind to be tested.

If you can have a free mind that is without the 5 mental hindrances, it means your 5 spiritual faculties are developed. Do you understand? Otherwise the mental hindrances will be there; that's why you cannot have the silent mind (when the hindrances are there). So, if the free mind is without mental hindrances, it means your spiritual faculties are already stable. That's why the Buddha just teach you the 5 spiritual faculties to overcome the opposite 5 mental hindrances. He didn't teach you to suppress, control and fight the mental hindrances, no! He said the moment the spiritual faculties are there, the hindrances will cease and you will be able to understand spiritual teaching. The 5 mental hindrances will be overcomed, or countered, if the 5-spiritual faculties are there. So, no need to fight the mental hindrances, no need to suppress, control or do anything to the mental hindrances. Just let them be.

Just like your likes and dislikes, pleasant and unpleasant sense experiences, your other duality, - a lot of people don't understand, they thought duality is bad and they must overcome duality. So, what do they do? They try to fight, control and suppress to do away with the defilement, via not wanting to get angry, that's of no use, because that is suppressionnot wisdom. I don't want to arise duality, I don't want to comment, I don't want to arise any right or wrong, - these are your knowledge, these are your views, do you understand? You are holding on to those views, and that is not wisdom because when people push you, you still get angry and you will argue back. That is suppression. But when you really have the Dharma understanding, you will understand, and you can accept them for what they are by saying: "Yah, you are right, I'm wrong". Did you lie? You didn't lie, right? I'm wrong according to you, because you said ‘I'm wrong’ (according to you, I'm wrong), so I agree, yes, you are right.

There are these three levels of Mahayana seeing of, "看山又是山” do you remember? When you said, ‘this is mountain’, and I agree ‘this is mountain’, because yours is mundane seeing, so to you is a mountain, and yes, it's a mountain. The one that have the direct seeing will say: ‘where got mountain?’ Yes, you are right, there is no mountain because this is the direct seeing or pure perception before the concept, words and perception. "Then for people who don't understand, they will say: "This is hypocrisy, when I asked, you answer yes it is a mountain, but when this guy said no mountain, you also said no mountain." Just like your school’s Mathematic or Arithmetic teacher, the students may be confused too, because they teach you: 3+4=7, 6+1 also =7, so the student came home and tell the father, ‘I don't know what the teacher is teaching, he is stupid because when I asked him, he said 3+4=7, then another guy asked 6+1, he also said =7’, so he don't understand. But it is because that student doesn’t understand the arithmetic logic, in actual fact both are correct answers. So, when you are wise, you can understand, ‘things are the way they are’. Then you can be at the level of all people. That's how, you can accord and flow and you can be at peace. You don't need to argue, or do anything, you can just smile by saying: “Thank You, for correcting me and giving me the good advice." When you express your gratitude and thanks, you are applying Noble eight-fold path. If you always want to be right, you may end up having more misunderstanding and argument. Why must you argue with people? Just let things be. When you let things be, things become easy, which means you are able to accept them for what they are with wisdom and understanding. Then you can resolve issuesamicably. Otherwise you may get me into trouble too when you started quoting me.

So Sister Eng Bee, have I answered your question?

So, for ānāpānasati, you must not try to link them to whether specific phenomena or spacious awareness. When you do ānāpānasati, it means you are training your mind to be aware until it realizes Passaddhi or mind enters sati. When you have developed your spiritual faculty of sati, you can do it. Because many retreats back, you can lay down and silent your mind in formal meditation already, otherwise you cannot do that. Without the spiritual faculty of sati, your awareness cannot be there. So, what you need to do is to strengthen that spiritual faculty of sati through your daily mindfulness. Your daily mindfulness, you have to really stabilize it until throughout the day you are aware. It can come about; it is not difficult. But when it comes, you will have a lot of joy, then you will understand, because when you have it, you will come to realize the moment you bow, the awareness is there, then the moment you come out of it, you are still aware, then all your movements, everything that arise within your field of vision and perception you are aware. Then throughout the day, you are just aware, no need to be like last time, you are very clumsy, because your thoughts come in to interfere. This is your new way of living the heedful life, no more heedless living like before. Then everything is like so different and you will come to realize that when you stand you are aware, you lie down, sit and walk you are also aware; bending, stretching, turning, etc. you are aware, exactly like what is stated in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. The Buddha said, every of these movements you are aware, not only the four postures, everything you do. Then most of the time while at the retreat, you just want to be silent and you don't want to talk, because you have realized that your mind has transformed, your nature is different now. You have become very different. Then after that, whatever formal meditation (especially sitting or lying down meditation) you can do it very easily and very naturally. The moment you relax; silent and aware, you are without thought straight away and you can also go into the meditative state straight away. Then the silent, the stillness, the awareness, the specific phenomena awareness and spacious awareness without a center, etc. keep on arising. After that the cessation also keep on happening. That's how you progress.

That's why, the daily mindfulness has to be very stable. And if you have an understanding, the Vīriya will come. You don't have to crave for it, you only need to determine strongly and the vīriya will drive you to cultivatediligently, then you just do, like what I had told you all. I determined to be aware, because I realized, I was hardly aware when I started doing it. I was hardly aware, less than 5 minutes a day, then I tell myself, ‘this is not right, I have yet to start cultivating the highest meditation which my teacher Phra Ajahn Yantra told me’. He told me ‘the highest meditation is: we choose aware, every action every movement in the present moment’. I checked, and I tried it out, but I came to realize I can't even be aware for even 1 minute initially, because split second, it’s gone. Then I determined to be aware; with the vīriya, I continued to bow, walk, sit and meditate with awareness throughout the day. Even when I reached home, I determined to be aware of my basicpostures and movements while at home, then while I lie down I also maintain awareness; upon waking up also aware.

To progress, you must have a good religious’ routine for cultivation, which means when I entered my house, I will pay respect to Triple Gems first. Then everything I do, I do it with mindfulness, then I try to maintain mindfulness throughout, while at home.Then later on I bring this mindfulness training out of my house to my driving, then to my office, and then integrate it with life, finally. Initially it was not easy especially during meetingsbecause these are high profile or level meetings. When you are alone in your office it is easy; when you are alone at home it is easy, too. No so, when you are actively driving your car; it is not easy to maintainmindfulness, but it can be done. Then when answering the telephone calls, how you aremindful of all your hand movements, how your hearing consciousness arise, how you hold up the phone, and how you answer the call and how they respond and how you interact, you are fully aware.After that how you putback the phone also you are fully aware. Then how you sit back, how you stand, how you walk, how you go to the washroom and how you mindfully come back to your room.Throughout the day while in and out of the office and myhouse Imaintain mindfulness to the best I possibly can. Then I realized within two weeks, suddenly the mindfulness came and I can be just aware throughout the day. Then everything was like different, no need to practice anymore, it has become a part of my nature. Then everything starts to change because I started to see a lot of thing that this form and mind never see before. I can then contemplate and reflect with mindfulness very easily. Can also cultivated Noble 8-Fold path very easily. Then after that, the transformation came, the understanding came,the awakening happens. So, this is how you can develop the cultivation. My nature had transformed and I was able to be in the state of heedfulness throughout the day.

In this era, this window of opportunity is very beautiful because the Buddha sāsana is still around and the consciousness is very conducive. Especially so, for those who have the condition to meet up with my nature. When you are around me, even on spiritual trip or whatever dharmaactivity or classes, if you silent your mind with strong faith, you will draw my nature’s energy, (sometimes without you knowing it), and you will transform inwardly. Then while at our annual meditation retreat, it is even better because for those whole nine days while with my nature, a lot of very important happenings can arise. Then as you transformed, your form and mind will know. But sometimes some of you may not know that you have progressed and become different. You only might knowyou are now different, except initially you didn't know to what extend you have progress until later when you can express them in word. By that time, you will have a lot of joy, because you will come to realize you are completely different now and you have transformed.

Ok? Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

So for today, (yeah I know), you all don't need to have your usual half hour of silent awarenessmeditation. Instead, we will continue with our sharing. We shall move on to the next sentence.

Ok, we shall proceed to the next part of the sutra:

After speaking this verse, the Master sat upright until the third watch, when suddenly he said to his disciples," I am going!" (What does he mean? Yes, he is going for Parinibbāna)

In an instant he changed, and a rare fragrance filled the room.

(Do you know how the fragrance comes about? You mean somebody brings in the perfume? No! Why? The Devas came and paid their respect, that's why the fragrance is very strong, and it filled the room)

A white rainbow linked with the earth, and the trees in the wood turned white.

(See, this is nature’s phenomenon, termed Dharma Niyāma)

The birds and the beasts cried out in sorrow.

(No, I don't think this part is correct. Of course some will be sad, but they don't cry out in sorrow, they will pay their respect.)

Commentary:

The master sat meditating with his disciples until the middle of the night, at twelve o'clock, when he said,

“The time has come for me to go. See you all again!"

His energy was cut off (this one is not his energy, his life force ceased)

and he no longer moved. He had entered Nirvana.

(He cannot enter Nirvana, it should be, ‘he realized Nirvana’)

"He changed" means he moved to a new house.

(No! After parinibbāna there is no new house for him.)

Who moved? (The flesh-body of the Bodhisattva!)

(He didn't move anywhere, his nature is still around, only his form and mind ceased. This is because the conscious mind, which is the mundane mindrealizes itself and the condition no more, which means the life force cut off, then it goes into cessation. When it goes into cessation, the stillness, the pure energy will make the body remain for a while.)

The forest turned white because the white rainbow light shone on it. [You could also say that the trees knew the Master was dead and so they expressed their grief (Actually it is not grief) by wearing the white clothes of mourning].

(This is what Hsian Hua added in.)

All the animals on the mountain cried uncontrollably. (Oh no, this one is nature’s phenomenon)

Grass and trees seem to be without feelings, (no, they continued as normal) but they put on mourning clothes; (oh, this one is also an added version)

Birds and beasts ordinarily don't understand very much, but they showed forth a spiritual nature and wept. (Weeping, I may agree, some may have wept or cried)

Then the next part of the Sutra:

In the eleventh month, a dispute arose among the officials, disciples, Sangha, and laity of the three countries (I think it must be 3 counties) of Kuang Chou, Shao Chou, and Hsin Chou (His home town) as to who should receive the true body.

(This one also has a story, right? Do you know, finally how they decide? Hah, they "Chong Heong”, which means they lit the incense, to see where the smoke's direction is, and then they agreed by following the smoke's direction.)

As they could not agree, they lit incense and prayed saying, "The Master will be returned to the place indicated by the incense smoke."

The smoke went directly to Ts'ao Hsi (his birth place) and so, on the thirteenth day of the eleventh month, the reliquary and the transmitted robe and bowl were returned there. In the following year, on the twenty-fifth day of the seventh month, the body was removed from the reliquary and Disciple Fang Pien anointed it with incense paste. Remembering the prophecy that his head would be taken, the disciples wrapped sheets of iron and lacquered cloth around his neck for protection and then placed his body in the pagoda.

Just then a white light appeared within the pagoda, shot up into the sky, and did not fade for three days. The Magistrate of Shao Chou reported this to the Emperor and received an imperial order to erect a stone tabletcommemorating the Master's conduct in the way.

The Master's springs and autumns were seventy-six. The robe was transmitted to him when he was twenty-four

(which means he passed away at the age of 76, 76-24=52 means for 52 years he continued from his awakening at the 5th Patriarch temple, then he was with the hunters for 15 years, (so 52-15=37 years of teaching) and when he was thirty-nine (24+15=39) his hair was shaved. (Means he ordained)

For thirty-seven years he spoke Dharma to benefit living beings. Forty -threemeninherited his Dharma, (Brother Teoh commented, ‘I thought there are ladies Bhikkhunī also?’) and an uncountable number awoke to the Way and overstepped the common lot. The robe of belief transmitted from Bodhidharma, the Mo Na robe and precious bowl conferred by Emperor Chung Tsung, as well as the life like image sculpted by Fang Pien and other articles of the Way, were entrusted to the attendant in charge of the stupa and were permanently retained at the Pao Lin Bodhimandala for the Bodhimanda's protection.

The Platform Sutra has been transmitted to set forth the principles of our school, to glorify the Triple Jewel, and to benefit all living beings. (So, this is how it ends).

Commentary:

Those from Kuang Chou wanted to take the body to Fa Hsing Temple. "The Sixth Patriarch had his head shaved here. (Means he renounced) He should return here now to receive offerings."

The Hsin Chou people all said, "The Great Master is a native of Hsin Chou. He should return there!" and those of Shao Chou insisted that since the Patriarch had expounded his teaching there, he should not be returned to that place.

While the Patriarch was alive, they had never quarreled over him, for he had been most independent. But now the Master had completed the stillness, and everyone felt as if they personally had the right to remove his body and make offerings to it.

" Wasn't the Sixth Patriarch originally from Hsin Chou? And didn't the Master himself say, "Falling leaves return to the root?"

" But the Sixth Patriarch himself built Nan Hua Temple," said those of Shao Chou. "He really should return there."

"The Patriarch left home in Kuang Chou. He let his hair fall there and his Dharma should all fall back to us!"

The text says that "they could not agree," and that indicates that the situation was extremely grave; It was a crisis. Everyone was trying to take the body away by force. They argued and argued until one intelligent person said, "Stop! While he was alive, we obeyed the Master's instructions. Now that he has died, we should still listen to him. Let's ask the Master to decide!" (Smart fellow)

"But he's already dead," they said. "How can he tell us where he wants to go?"

"The Master has great spiritual powers," he said, "And he knows all of our thoughts. It must displease him to see us here fighting over the right to make offerings to his body. Let's light some incense, and in whatever direction the smoke drifts, that is where the Master wants to go. Then no one can argue about it."

The smoke went straight to Nan Hua Temple and there was nothing that people from Kuang Chou and Hsin Chou could say.

The lectures are now complete, and the Sutra has been explained. You have undergone much suffering, but I don't know whether you realized it was suffering or not. If you felt it was suffering, you are just a common person, but if you did not feel that it was suffering, then you are just a rock or a piece of wood. Well, was it suffering?

As to my explanation, I don't know whether I explained well or badly, and I also don't know if you listened well or badly. Good and bad - get rid of them both! (Meaning to go beyond Duality) Explaining is just explaining and listening is just listening.

We have met because of a karmic affinity. We have heard the story of the Sixth Patriarch's life and of his cultivation of the Way. You should not look for good or bad points but look instead to see whether you believe. Advance down the right road and retreat from the wrong.

You should cultivate according to the Dharma.Memorize the last verse of this Sutra and recite it often, for if you reflect on its meaning you will certainly realize Buddhahood. And don't discriminate as to whether I explained the Sutra well or not. Just look to see whether or not you cultivate. If you cultivate, what is bad is good, but if you do not cultivate. what is good is bad.

Now I am going to ask you a question. The Sixth Patriarch was an illiterate, and illiterates cannot have much knowledge. How could someone who couldn't even read, speak a Sutra? What does this mean?

[Student:" I think the Sutra shows that you don't need a lot of scholarly learning in order to become enlightened. The Sudden Teaching is just the mind, realizing the mind, and we should do it.]

(What do you think of this Student's answer? What is more important? The Dharma, the Awakening is not a knowledge, that's why you don't need to have school knowledge, you can be an illiterate who has never gone to school. Truth is truth, when you awakened to it, you will understand. Because wisdom is not monopolized by those intellects who are very knowledgeable. No, the intellects can show of the amount of knowledge they have, but wisdom depends on your past training, your karmic nature, your spiritual nature and your conditions when you are here. Do you understand? That's why never look down upon yourself, don't go and deludedly say: "This is not for me, how can I realize it? I'm very stupid." Don't go and create your own fear and lack of confidence, especially for those people who don't understand, they worry so much and they commented, “Huh? You want to take the Bodhisattva's wows? Do you think you qualify? Do you know it takes eons and eons of lives?" If you think this way, it means you don't have the understanding. That's why, do not under estimatewho you are, and what you are. You can never know. And during the time of the Buddha it is also the same, there were a few of his disciples who didn't have much knowledge.

There was one monk, his memory was very bad, he cannot even rememberone stanza of a sutra, and yet he became an Arahant after the Buddha guided him. The Buddha said to the monk, “Ok, you don't have to meditate”. He just gave him a piece of white cloth and asked him to clean it up. The more he cleaned, the dirtier the white cloth becomes. Then all of a sudden, without remembering a single stanza that the Buddha shared in his teaching, he suddenly became an Arahant. Do you know how he can become an Arahant? I'd explained this, in our annual meditation retreat sharing many times before. So, I will give you a white cloth, and asked you to go and wash it, clean it, can you become an Arahant? Why cannot? Do you know what happened? The more he tried to clean it, he realized the more stain went in. Then all of a sudden he realized, no wonder he cannot become enlightened because he recalled the words of the Buddha. He cannot remember the Stanza, but he recalled what the Buddha said: ‘Your self-nature, your true mind is originally already pure and complete. It's because of ignorant and delusion that defilement went in and make it contaminated’. Then he suddenly matched the two, "Yeah! If I don't use my mundane mindto stain it, this fellow (the true mind) was already like that. So, from that moment, he didn't want to believe his thought anymore, he just silent his mind, relaxed and he went into that state of stillness leading to cessation, and then he awakened, and he became an Arahant. Do you think his past life has nothing to do with what happened? During his past life, he had cultivated before and he most likely had put in a lot hard work before, do you understand? That's why he has this karmic condition to awaken in this manner, this life. He must had said something not appropriate to people during his past lives, for him to have this type of karmic obstruction. Maybe as a teacher he simply tells his student: "You good for nothing, one stanza also you cannot remember, how can you become enlightened?" So, this is the likely reason how such negative karmic fruition can come back all the way to haunthim. But because of his past pāramīs, the Buddha knew his past karmic condition, and he gave him the right condition so that he can awaken.

There was another case of a goldsmith's son. He has been a goldsmith's son for the past 500 lives. But Sariputta didn't know this. He was a student of Sariputta. Sariputta knew that he was a wealthy goldsmith's son, a very rich and a very materialistic one. Do you know what object of meditation, Sariputta gave to him? He asked him to meditate on death, contemplate on death. This son of a goldsmith, he has been dealing with gold for 500 lives, because he was born 500 times in a goldsmiths’ family. And he loves gold. When you ask him to meditate on death, it is so boring. He cannot develop the meditation. So, the Buddha knew, the Buddha took over from Sariputta, and called this monk in and said: "Ok, I will give you a new meditation object." So, he created using his psychic ability, a Buddha image made of gold. And he said; "Use this Buddha image and meditate on the Buddha’s nine great virtue” He was full of joy because it connects back to what he liked, his passion. So, he kept on appreciating the beautiful golden image of the Buddha that the Buddha gave him as an object of meditation. Then he developed good mind states, Samadhi, stillness, etc. through his strong faith (spiritual faculty of Saddhā),vīriya and Sati, leading to Samadhi. Then all the sudden when he was in the midst of that, the Buddha, through his psychic knew what happened, then caused the Buddha image to disintegrate and melt away. The moment the Buddha image decayed, at that moment he became an Arahant, he awakened, because he realized, even such beautiful ornament like gold can just wither, disintegrate and decayed away, what more abouthis own physical body? Then he realized: the form is only elements, go the way of nature. Then all the essential teaching of the Buddha he can understand, and they come back to him. That's how he developed the awakening.

So, you don't have to be a special bright student to awakened. Just like Hui Neng, an illiterate also can awaken. But you need to diligently cultivate to develop the conditions for your awakening. Just cultivate the three things that I used to advice you all: Have faith, sincere and perseverance. The way will be there,everything will follow. It means have strong faith and sincerity then diligently walk the way, cultivate, and you will realize. This understanding is more important.

The student is also not bad. He said: This Sutra shows that you don't need a lot of scholarly learning in order to become enlightened. Then he said: The Sudden Teaching is just the mind, realizing the mind, and we should do it. So to him he just wants to realize the true mind.

Who else has other views? This is a democracy. So you can speak up!

Does anyone else have an opinion?

[ Student: “Master, when the Sixth Patriarch was about to enter Nirvana, he said, ‘See you later’. Where is he now?"]

He comes right from where you are speaking!

Now, why was it that the Master never learned to read? During the time of the Sixth Patriarch, schools were not available to all, and to attend school, you had to have money. The Sixth Patriarch's family was extremely poor, because his father was an honest official who never took bribes. As a boy, even getting food to eat was a problem for the Master, so of course he couldn't go to school. It was a question of circumstances, then. He never learned to read because his family was poor and because schools were not available.

But there is yet another reason. Why did the Sixth Patriarch choose to appear in a poor family? He did it to show us that even illiterates can realize Buddhahood and become Patriarchs. Thus, he raised the hopes of those who could not read.

(This could be one of the reasons, but personally my nature understands, the Sixth Patriarch wouldn't come in that way just because he wants you to have this understanding. No. All these cultivators, they won't. It is because of his parents' affinity, there is something that they must had done for his nature before, that's why he chooses them as his parents. And for Hui Neng, with that type of nature, he didn't have to worry about where he is born. That's why he knew, these parents that come, may be very poor in a very remote place, but because of his nature - he must had made the vow with such understanding, as he was born without the mundane mind, so anywhere he is born, he will still awaken. So why must he choose? No need, right? Just like my nature this life, when I came, I knew why I choose my parents, because they have benefited me before. In certain life they did certain things, which they themselves do not know because they do not know who I am, what I am, and what my nature was. But that life, they were also poor and simple people yet they took care of me; they did certainwholesomeness to my nature without them realizing it.

That's why when this nature of mine sees this type of condition, it will manifest a pure wish to take them across. To bring forth the condition for them to receive the Dharma, and my nature knows, the best way is to become their children. Once they become my parent, their future is taken care off straight away because I know they are sincere people. They may be poor, illiterate, as both my parent didn't really go to school. My father only attended 2 years of informal school in China. My mother is totally illiterate. The number 0-9 also she didn't know how to write, but my nature knew, these are sincere and responsible parents, who will take care of their children. That's why my mother and my fatherwere so blessed, and they had those type of pāramīs. All their children not only survived, but are healthy, until my neighbour knew, because she had one grandson, who every now and then fall sick, very difficult to bring up, and still young. Then this old lady (our neighbor) saw my Dad and mum like very blessed, because they gave birth to 9 kids, all of them not only survived, they were brought up in a very nice way with good blessings. And she knew my parents were very kind, so she told her daughter: “Why not go and ask for permission for their grandson to become my parent’s godson and make my father the godfather of their grandson”. And really, they requested, then my father just smile and asked: “Why? You can go and "Kei" to the Deva (let the deva adopt them), which is better right?" She replied:" No, no, no, my mother said you all have good pāramīs, your children are all very healthy." My father asked the opinion of my mother and they both agreed to accept the adoption. Immediately after that, their son has no more problem, became a normal healthy child. That's why every year he will comes and pay his respect to my parents. Then during my father's funeral (many years later), he wore the mourning clothes and followed us with the chanting ceremony etc. That's why some time you cannot understand all these things. You are thinking, this is fairy tales, but it is not. That's why my nature also knew they will bring us up, they will be very responsible. And that pāramī alone is enough, for my nature to help invoke their power of merits for causes and conditions for them to have the Buddhadharma in whatever realm of existence they may be after their passing away. All their future will be taken care of, so they don't have to worry anymore. This is something that these great beings will know. They know how to manifest it. That's why I said not likely. Okay? Then we will read on.

Seeing the Sixth Patriarch, everyone thought, "He never went to school, but he cultivated and obtained the fruit of the Way. We can do it too!" It is not the case that if you can't read, you can't cultivate. If you think, "Only educated people can cultivate" you are holding a prejudice. The Sixth Patriarch appeared to cause us all to lay down such prejudices. As I see it, there are three reasons why the Six Patriarch never learned to read. There’s one more thing you should recognize clearly about the Sixth Patriarch. He was not lazy. He always practices the Buddhadharma. He became enlightened and after his enlightenment he spoke the Platform Sutra. Being able to read is just worldly knowledge. The Sixth Patriarch understood his mind, saw his nature, and opened up to his inherent wisdom. Because this Sutra was spoken from the bright light of his wisdom, its value is incomparable. It is the same as Sutras spoken by the Buddha, so do not take them lightly just because he couldn't read.

The Sutra is now complete, and, after teaching it, I make that statement to all of you.

So, this is Hsuan Hua's commentary, his version. What do you all think? I looked at it differently. Because like he said here: "He was not lazy. He always practices the Buddhadharma." Do you agree? I don't agree.

Hui Neng don't need to practice, do you understand? Because his nature is already like that, he heard, he understood and he awakened. He never practices. He didn't even know what is the Buddhadharma, nor the Diamond Sutra because the first time he heard it, he has to ask the merchant who recited it, "what is this that you are reciting?" So how can he practice? When he was with the hunters for 15 years, do you think he always sit and meditate? He does not need to practice because his nature had awakened while at the 5th Patriarch’s place. And after he had understood, everything he does was part of that understanding, because he was born without the mundane mind. When he understands what the mundane mindis and how to use it he came to great awakening. Just like what I told you earlier on, the supra mundane mind will shine forth when the mundane mind collapsed; the very fine supramundane mind will be there, otherwise you cannot live life. He had this supra mundane mind; except he didn't know how to use it. When the Fifth Patriarch told him, he straight away came to greatawakening, then he understood that this form and mind is a vehicle and tool for him to come to this existential world, and this supra mundane mind or for normal people is the mundane mind, you have to learn how to use it and yet not be deceived by it. Because it is not real, it's not you. It's dependent originating, condition arising. So that's how he understood the Diamond Sutra teaching.

In true emptiness, all these don't exist. But within the conditionedworld, all these exist. That's why you must know how to use it. The user of thought and the physical body is very important because these are your karmically conditioned tool and vehicle for you to come to this existential world. Once the user has wisdom, this one become a blessing to all, it becomes beautiful. That's why he can lived life, he can teach, he can share, then he only needs to understand what that nature is.

So, when it comes to explaining the nature within, actually from his poem, you will know he had already understoodwhat that nature is, but he didn't understand how to use that supra mundane mind because he was born without the mundane mind. So, when the Fifth Patriarch explained that to him, he connected everything. Then he straight away realized the other aspects of the dharma that the Fifth Patriarch didn't even tell him, such as: ‘Nothing is apart from the true nature. How amazing the true nature is complete by itself. How amazing that all Dharmacomes from that true nature.How did he know all these? It is because the moment he understood what the mundane mind and his supra mundane mind are, he realized that everything he came to know came from that nature, because he already realized that nature, so all duality and all good and bad arise from that nature.

That's why his teaching came from his nature, he inherited his pastperfection and cultivation, from his spiritual nature. That's how he became what he is, he does not need to meditate anymore, he also no need to practice. So, for people who has the understanding, they will understand why great beings like Hui Neng need not practice to awaken, and why Hui Neng can just become the way he is. After the 15 years with the hunters, he just came out and teach, he does not need to remember any Sutra, he does not need to practice anything. Whatever you want to know, you can talk to him, he will explain to you, because he will understand. Do you remember, when he was at (I think) Hsau Hsi where he met the daughter of a wealthy family who was a Bhikkhunī? She was reading this Mahayana Sutra, then she was introduced to the Six Patriarch. Initially she didn't know he was the Sixth Patriarch then, but she asks him a question because she cannot understand the Sutra. Then the Sixth Patriarch told this Bhikkhunī: "Please read me the sutra, and I will explain the teaching to you." She said: "Why must I read to you? I can pass the Sutra to you and you read yourself." Then the Sixth Patriarch told her: "I am an illiterate." The Bhikkhunī then said: "Huh, how amazing an illiterate ask me to read the sutra and he said he can explain to me the meaning of the Sutra!" She was very amazed. And at first, she didn't believe, but the way the Sixth Patriarch explained to her the sutra shows that he was very confident. That's why he said to her: "Yes, you just read, and I'll explain to you." Then the moment the Sixth Patriarch explained to her, she realized this guy is not simple (不简单), this guy must be the real one. So, she went and inform the whole village, and all of them came together and pay their respect to HuiNeng and ask Hui Neng to stay and teach them the dharma. That's why he didn't need to know the Sutra.

And do you know this life, I also don't know the MahayanaSutra. I haven’t read them. I only need an English translation or commentary of the sutra, that's it. And when I was asked to start to teach the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta teaching, I had not read it before, I just asked Sister Yoon Chun: "Do you have any book on this sutta?" Then the moment I read the Three Turnings from the English translation that Yoon Chun passed to me; I understood straight away.

I don't need to remember them, even though I am English educated, and all these Theravada sutras are in pāḷi and Mahayana sutra are in Mandarin, that is how the great beings when they come, they are different. They don't need to carry anything, they don't need to remember or understand anything, because their nature once connected, they will inherit from their spiritual nature. And all these understanding is there, inside their nature. That's the reason why I keep on telling you all, so many of these things (teaching) that I hadshared with you all,I never learn them this life, then how did my nature understand them? It must be from my Spiritual Nature. And I don't have to remember anything, because the understanding isstraight from the nature, it just come out. That's why no need to prepare, no need to do or remember anything, can you all follow?

So, we end, we finished, okay? Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

So, do remember, 2/9/2018, we completed ‘The Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra’ sharing. We started in 2015, which means it took us 3 over years (3 Years 3 Months), to complete it. So, all of you had awakened?Connected to the true mind?

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

You all will surely connect, if you all can have the faith. Not long, some of you may be on the way, and some may connect already. And for those who had awakened, they will know, because this teaching is paccattaṃ. This awakening when it happens, your form and mind will understand and it will transform. Then you will know your form and mind is different already. Then later on when all these understanding stabilized, you can also share and teach, no problem. You will be different. And you will have a lot of gratitude and joy towards the Buddha, the Sixth Patriarch, and all these great beings who has brought forth the conditions for you to receive such teaching. And all the great being's nature, who had given you the blessing, protection and guidance.

After this we will go through the blue book, "Cultivating The Bodhisattva Way". Do you want to make use of next week to have a general discussion on the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra as the final wrapped up? Then we end at lesson 85, which is better right? So next week we can make use of the class as an open discussion, where we get you all to also share and ask whatever questions that you have about the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra. It is very good to have it as a revision and a general discussion. All these are very beautiful conditions, and we can end this Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra sharing in a very beautiful way. Do you want to arrange for some Puja and Chanting? We can start the Puja and Chanting early, make some offering, to thank all the great beings for whatever conditions they have given us to have such beautiful Sutra sharing and we should rejoice with all the Dharma Protectors too.

Today they have given us a lot of very obvious hint to indicate that they wanted this special sharing. That's why today I knew I have to go through this final teaching of Hui Neng and finish it off because they know, it's his last message, the final understanding. I think Sister Eng Bee didn’t hear the beginning part of our today’s sharing, right? It is because she came late today, so she may have to go back and listen to the audio file, which is very beautiful.

As shared, my nature immediately noticed the signs, then my wife also can sense. PG who fetched us here also notice somethingvery strange happening today. Because she was supposed to fetch me at 2.30 pm, then I said 2.30 pm is normally too early, so I said maybe 2.35 pm. Then I don't know what happened she arrived exactly at 2.30 pm. When she arrived, she came in and told me: "Bro Teoh, we better go fast." I said: “Why?" She said: "It is going to rain." Actually, the sign of raining was there, because of the very strong wind and dark sky. I said: "Ok, no problem, no need to hurry, and don't worry. "Then we went up the car, with my wife helping me to take the cushions. The moment we went in the car, within less than a minute, the rain was pouring, so heavily! Then PG and my wife said: " Wah, luckily we are in the car already." I always like to tease my wife by saying: "Your good friends (the Dharma Protectors), are taking care of you again." Then she said: "No, No, No, It's just nature phenomena." All the way the rain was pouring, until the moment PG made a turn into the vihāra’s gate, the rain suddenly completely stopped! Then I teased my wife again: "Wah, your pāramī is very good, the Dharma Protectors really loves you." She said: "No, no, no, it’s normal, this is nature’s phenomena or Dharma Niyāma”. In Thai, they called it ‘Dharma Chart’ or nature’s phenomena. So, I just smile and said: "Did you all see how Dharma niyāma manifest?" Then we walked into the vihāra. The moment we walked in, the thunders and rain started pouring again. But by then quite a number of our kalyāṇamitta had come in already. It poured so heavily. Then do you know what happenedlater on? When we started the class, the thunders were so loud when I told them this story, then I said: "Now get ready for Puja”. Before I even start the chanting, as I was kneeling there and I wanted to start chanting "Na Mo Ben Shi Shi Jia Mou Ni Fo”, that lightning was so loud, " pplurk…." only one sound. Then after that it stopped. Then a lot of things happened. You can go and listen to the audio file. That's why I knew, something strange is going on. Initially, I didn't know what today’s topic was, but I knew we are at the end of the sutra sharing. Then when I continued to read the Sutra, I realize that we are at the final instruction of Hui Neng’s teaching! That's why everything came out. Then when Eng Bee asked the question, it completed the whole understanding. And all these are so beautiful.

That's why this sutra, have a lot of conditions behind. Initially Miss Lee wanted the Diamond Sutra to be shared, but I said to her, ‘it cannot be done, because I won't teach Diamond Sutra simultaneouslyat two places’. Then finally she chooses, ‘The Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra’.So it’s as if it is meant to be. Very, very beautiful. Ok, do you have any more question? We still have another 5 minutes. Do you all have any question? Don't have? Then we can end. So, you go back and read up a bit, listen to the recordings, next Sunday we can have a good final sharing, on this final lesson.

Last time, during the Four Foundation of Mindfulness classes, the final summary (last class)also turned out to be very beautiful. So, whatever you want to know about the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, the cultivation, etc., you can ask. Go back and read up a bit, go through your whatever notes, then develop the questioning, meaning the conditions for Dharma to flow. Becausethis time when I explain, it will be a detail summary in the sense that you have gone through the Sutra. And by now, most of you all also can understand the teaching already.

3.4 Closing Puja

Ok, we will recall to mind, all of the wholesomeness that we have developed today, then we will share these merits with all beings, starting with the devas. After that we can invoke the blessing for our nation followed by your aspiration. (Closing puja chanting …….. )

End of sutra sharing.

3.5 OUTLINE SHORT NOTES

SIXTH PATRICH”S DHARMA CLASS DATED 2TH September 2018

Audio : http://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/84-6th-Patriarch-2-September-2018.mp3

Whiteboard : http://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/84-6th-Patriarch-2-September-2018-Original.jpg

CHAPTER X, Final Instructions （Page 420 – 428）

1. When the class was about to start 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 surprisinglywhen 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 skillful means, methods and techniques(thought based meditation) first then hope to become enlightened one day.

4. 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.

5. The 6th Patriarch before his parinibbāna advised his disciples as follow:

- After my extinction (Parinibbāna), 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.

6. After giving the above advices the 6th 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 Nibbāna) 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.

7. 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 5th Patriarch and he became the 6th 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 parinibbāna.

8. 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.

9. 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 saṅkhāra.

- 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)

Table of Contents

84th Lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra

White Board Note of 84th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

Biodata of Bro. Teoh Kian Koon

1. Preface

2. Acknowledgement

3. 84thLesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 2nd September 2018

3.1 PrePūjā sharing

3.2 Pūjā

3.3 Dharma and Sutra Sharing by Bro. Teoh

3.3.1 Verse for Opening a Sutra

3.3.2 Sutra proper

3.3.3 The Sudden Teaching of Master Hui Neng

3.4 Closing Puja

3.5 OUTLINE SHORT NOTES