ALL Lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra 2015 - 2018

(Based on the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra class 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.

Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng Boddhisattva

六祖惠能普萨

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 more virtuous, nobler and wiser human beings. He gives Dharma talks and holds meditation classes & retreats and weekly Dharma classes at various meditation centers, Buddhist society and places that invite him.

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

Bro Teoh dharma Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjClbc-7-upsZ2Kg5Re4pQ/videos

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 direct transcript from the recording of the lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra classes; 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 adjust themselves accordingly 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.

Acknowledgement

It is the donors’ sincere intention 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 Late Sister SK Hoong (Hoong Suet Kun), Sister Chee Guit Yeng (Puan Chee), Sister Padmasuri and Sister Alicia ho has taken the initiative to volunteer 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

Audio MP3 Download

To listen to the recorded Lesson of the Sixth Patriarch's Platform Sutra (audio mp3) you can click to download the links below :

2nd -150612

3rd -150712

4th -150719

9th - 150906

36th -161127

46th - 170514

54th - 170813

75th - 180527

84th - 180902

Alternative if you wish to download others audio mp3 and publications please visit www.broteoh.com

2nd Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 21st June 2015

A very good afternoon to all, brothers and sisters in the Dharma, we are still early. We have one more minute to go before we start at 3.00pm. Can anybody remember which page we were at when we end last Sunday? We finished Romanized page (xx) so we are at Romanized page (xxi). This is Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua’s introduction. Oh! Today is Father’s day so some of you may want me to stop the class earlier, right? No problem, we can stop at 5pm or 5.30pm latest, we will see how it goes. If you need to leave early you can - no problem. If you have any prior arrangement you can go first because it is an important occasion and if you need to meet up with your family members you better go. We also would like to take this opportunity to wish every father a very happy Father’s day. If as a father you do your duty well then your children will remember you for all the sacrifices, love and wholesomeness that you have given them. So if you do your duty well you will have a good Father’s day. If you don’t do your duty well then Father’s day may not have much meaning.

2.1  Pūjā

We can start the puja now. Compose your mind; develop the faith (saddhā) and spiritual zeal (vīriya). Then pay respect mindfully when we chant the salutation. We will chant the Mahayana tradition first:

Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó (南无本师释迦牟尼佛) (3x)

Nā Mó Guān Shì Yīn Pú Sà (南无观世音菩萨) (3x)

Námó Fó Púsà (南無佛菩薩) (3x)

Salutation to the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma & Sangha) following the Theravada tradition:

Vandanā - Salutation to Lord Buddha:-

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsaṃbuddhassa (3X)

Tisaraṇa - Taking of the Three Refuges:-

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Dutiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Tatiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Pañca Sīla - Renewing of the Five Precepts:-

Pānātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Surā-meraya-majja-pamā-daṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Rejoicing)

Now let us pay respect mindfully to Quan Yin Bodhisattva and all the other great beings that are worthy of respect and The Triple Gem to end the pre-pūjā:

Buddhaṃ pujemi; Dhammaṃ pujemi; Saṅghaṃ pujemi.

2.2.  Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

Okay. You all can be seated. Please turn to page (Romanized 21), (xxi),

Tripitaka Master Hua’s Introduction:

All of the Sutras are guides for us to use in cultivating the Way.

This is a very important understanding. Do you know why it is a guide? It is like a pointer, pointing towards the dharma, the truth. But the sutra itself is not the truth. Just like if you want to realize nibbāna – that realization is not the word nibbāna. It is also not the idea or concept of enlightenment. It is the actual realization. So whatever words used to describe, nibbāna, are just words and all the dharma point towards enlightenment; they are just similar to the finger pointing to the moon, do you understand? When the finger points to the moon, it tells you that is the moon, which you have to realize. But the dharma that points towards the enlightenment is just like the finger. So to see the moon or to realize the moon, you must gaze beyond that finger.

There are 3 phases of dharma cultivation. According to the Buddha phase 1 is pariyatti (where you develop the learning and understanding of dharma via hearing and reading). So this is learning. When you learn, you develop knowledge or partial understanding of what the teaching is. But you cannot live it as yet because it’s still at the knowledge level. You know you cannot do certain wrong or evil thing but your deluded mind can still condition you to do it.

It’s just like the precepts, you have learnt about their importance via right view. You know precepts are very important because they support our cultivation. That’s the reason why when we chant them in Pāḷi, or when they administer those precepts to you; towards the end you will be reminded on the importance of keeping these precepts. If it is the 5 precepts they will chant: Imāni pañca sikkhāpadāni; if it is the 8 precepts its: Imāni aṭṭha sikkhāpadāni. So these are the 5 precepts or the 8 precepts. Then they will emphasize to you the importance of precepts via chanting: Sīlena sugatiṃ yanti - the meaning is very important and very deep. This sīla or virtue/precepts, if you cultivate them, it will bring about happiness or joy. Hence keeping precepts or virtues is the source of happiness (sugatiṃ yanti). It comes from the word sukhaṃ, meaning happiness; source of happiness. The next benefit of keeping precepts or virtue is : Sīlena bhogasampadā. The meaning is keeping precepts or virtue is the source of spiritual wealth. Then the third benefit is Sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti, nibbutiṃ is peacefulness. Keeping virtue or precepts is the source of peacefulness of mind.

If you don’t keep precepts, you will not have the condition to have a peaceful mind, a happy mind and a mind that has the ability to receive the dharma (source of spiritual wealth). These will remind you of the importance of precepts because without precepts as a base, it’s very difficult to develop the meditation (mind state of Samadhi). That’s the reason why the Buddha lists the cultivation in the order of Sīla, Samadhi and Paññā. Sīla is precepts. Without precepts, you cannot prepare your mind to meditate because the mental hindrances that hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner mindfulness or awareness are very powerful. When the mental hindrances are at bay, it means you already have the spiritual faculties. Without the spiritual faculties, you cannot keep your precepts. You must have faith in the Buddha and his teaching, leading to the understanding of the importance of his teachings. Then there is the spiritual zeal (vīriya) that drives you to cultivate the Buddha Dharma to understand his teaching because it can bring about enlightenment in the here and the now; hence no more suffering. With this understanding, the vīriya will be very strong. Then you will determined to go this way to cultivate the Buddha Dharma.

That’s how you will start to train your mind to have sati or mindfulness which is the third spiritual faculty because without sati or mindfulness, you cannot see you mental intention. Hence you cannot keep your precepts because you cannot identify the evil roots, and you cannot check whether your spiritual faculties are there or not? And you can’t even know whether the mental hindrances are active or not because you are heedlessly lost in thought; you don’t have mindfulness or heedfulness. So training your mind to be mindful is the most important. If you are not mindful, you are heedless and the Buddha said, “The heedless are as if dead, spiritually dead, no chance at all to develop the spiritual understanding and to live the spiritual life of wisdom, peacefulness, joy and happiness.” That’s the reason why sīla is very important. Once sīla is in place, you will have fewer problems, less fear, worry, anxiety, suffering and misery. Then your mind will have more peace and you are happier. That’s why precepts are the source of happiness; source of peacefulness and source of spiritual wealth. All these will fall into place and the mind that is peaceful with clarity can see things as they are, clearly.

As you develop the ability to keep your Sīla, the Samadhi path factor which are Sati and Samadhi or what they call path factors of Sati (or mindfulness) and Samadhi (the collected and the unwavering mind), they will enable you to see things as they are, clearly. A mind that has a stable Sati will have Samadhi. When Sati and Samadhi are there, there is no thought, there is clarity. That’s why you can be attentive. You can see things as they are without the words, without the conditioning, without the interpretation, the stirring and the reaction of mind. The Buddha calls this the direct seeing, seeing things as they are or nana dassanā (direct knowledge and vision of the truth, of the reality).

With that, we will continue. By now you understand why all sutras are only guides for you to use in cultivating the way because the sutras only consist of teachings that point towards the truth, the enlightenment, the realization of the Buddha Dharma leading to the true awakening. The real awakening is more important than the sutras because the sutras are just the guide to guide you there. The other Zen analogy is that of the turtle. If you go to a Zen monastery, you will see the image of a turtle with a bundle of Tripitaka behind wrapped around it. Living beings who are still not enlightened, will laugh at the turtle. They say, “The turtle has been keeping and carrying the Tripitaka for so long and yet he hasn’t penetrated the truth. He is still holding on to the Tripitaka or the sutras.” But then the turtle which is wise will laugh back at the human being. Do you know why the turtle laugh back? Give it a try. Why did the turtle laugh back at them? Master Hsuan Hua had already given you the hint. What did Master Hsuan Hua say? He said all sutras are only a guide for you to make use of to develop the cultivation. It is not the truth/enlightenment. That’s why the turtle laughs back. Only the living beings that are deluded think the Tripitaka is the truth, is the enlightenment. It is just the sutras pointing towards the truth. That’s why the turtle laughs back. What the turtle is trying to tell you is you cultivate Buddha Dharma to develop understanding. You don’t carry the knowledge with you or attach and cling on to the Dharma knowledge.

It’s just like the analogy the Buddha gave. In the olden days, in order to cross the river or a stream, you may need a boat or a raft to take you across. So the dharma is like the raft that helps you cross the stream to the other shore, which is nibbāna. After you have crossed to the other shore (having developed the realization), why must you still carry the raft with you while over there? You may say, ‘this is the dharma, which has made me awakened. That’s why I must carry it.’ Then you are like the Zen master Shen Hsiu.

Do you know who Zen master Shen Hsiu is? He is the most senior disciple of the 5th Patriarch, Hong Rén. Shen Hsiu is the 大师兄（dà shīxiōng) and because he still cannot understand so he holds onto the dharma. To him, cultivation is that way. That’s the reason why he wrote in his poem:

“The mind is like a mirror bright on a stand.

Polish until it shines so that no dust can alight.”

So to him, the wholesomeness, purity and virtue are the right dharma. He holds on to those practices. That’s the reason why he cannot realize the true mind because he clings onto the duality of wholesomeness, pure mind, true mind and right practice. This is still a one-sided duality. That’s why the mind cannot cease because he is busy polishing the mind so that no dust can alight. He is busy rejecting the defilements, the āsava and the unwholesomeness. Such a mind cannot be free. Such a mind is busy doing a lot of things. Such a mind is still grasping, clinging and holding on to the good. So because of that, if you have the wisdom, you will understand all these sutras, they are like pointers pointing towards the truth. They are not the truth. They are like the rafts that help you cross the stream to realize enlightenment. You cannot cling, you cannot hold, you cannot grasp.

Enlightenment has nothing to do with memory. Memory is just accumulation of the past, of the known. That’s why thoughts arise because thoughts are responses to all these memories and experiences. Then if you use these past or the known to act, you are not acting at all because you act from memory, you act from your attachment, your clinging, your craving, your delusion. These are all your conditioning and accumulation of experiences that you have developed over time.

In the Mahayana tradition, its Four Noble Truths teaching differs slightly from those of the Theravada tradition. They have changed their 2nd noble truth to ‘accumulation’ as the cause of suffering instead of using the word craving. In the 2nd noble truth of the Theravada tradition, we always come across the word samudaya. What is samudaya? It’s the cause of the arising of suffering. But they change it to accumulation. Actually they are not wrong. Regarding the 1st noble truth, the Buddha just proclaimed the 1st noble truth of suffering via just saying, “In this world, there are 8 realities of life and existence that each and every living being (if they live long enough), have to confront. When they confront them without wisdom, suffering will be the result.” That is the 1st Noble Truth of dukkha.

Then the Buddha moved on to explain the 2nd Noble Truth. He said, ‘there is a 2nd Noble Truth that explains clearly the cause of the arising of suffering.’ How do all these suffering come about? It is mainly due to your craving borne of delusion. But the Mahayana never uses this word, samudaya or cause of arising of suffering. They say suffering arises because of accumulation, so to them the 2nd noble truth is: ‘The cause of arising of suffering is accumulation.’ If you accumulate all these experiences as memory, it means you are holding and clinging on to them in your memory. Due to your delusion it will condition you to grasp, cling and hold on to them because when you accumulate all of your life experiences, good and bad what actually happens? You will give rise to the wrong thoughts because more often than not, you will accumulate more of your scars of memory, things that make you unhappy – like your various types of phobias, child abuses, etc. and you hold onto them because there is a lot of fear, sorrow and lamentation when you confront these memories. Similarly you have memories of how people torture and torment you, take advantage of you, cause so much fear, sorrow and lamentation to you; how they deceive you, mistreat you and do all those negative things unto you. Whereas your happy moments (unless you have good karma), you don’t have much to recall. You may recall only once a while, how your parents reward you when you do well in your exams or when you behave very well. Then during the early years, if you come from a poor family you will recall all the harsh and difficult moments. Then suddenly when those conditions improve and you become well off, you can recall all those joyful moments of striving coming back to you. But whatever it is, these are memories of your experiences and when you accumulate them, what happens? You create duality. Whatever experiences you don’t like, will condition your fear and your phobia. You will have this negative interpretation of them. That’s how you create this unhappiness and fear towards them or what we call the evil roots of anger, hatred, emotional negativity, etc.

Delusion and negative tendencies are one side of the duality. The other side is what you hold on to as the memories of your good moments etc. That is why when you accumulate all these and you come out with your views and opinions of what is good for you and what is bad for you or what is favourable and unfavourable; what is pleasant and unpleasant, your mind develops a view of duality.

When you come out to live life and you act according to these memories, what will happen? These memories will remind you of all the fear, worries, anxiety, and insecurity; how people cheat you and how you were deceived by others and how sometimes you also deceive others, etc. All these are accumulated memories. So whenever you see something, or hear something while living life, you will recall these memories. Then you will act according to what this memory tells you, - ‘oh, this guy, the last time he cheated me before’ or you may recall from memory, ‘this guy is up to no good’; then like snatch thief – the moment you hear the motorbike sound, there is fear via memory that reminds you - maybe it’s a snatch thief again. So you act out of fear, out of anxiety, out of sorrow and lamentation, out of stupidity and ignorance.

Sometimes you may have certain type of sense experiences arising, then you compare them with those in your memory via saying, ‘the last time, when I was there, it was more beautiful, the food was better but now the food there is not as nice as before.’ Then what happens? Your likes and dislikes arise because you measure, you judge, you comment, you react and all these are attachment, craving and clinging, which are the causes of suffering. That’s why accumulation indirectly is attachment, clinging and grasping borne of the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. If you don’t have delusion, you will not accumulate; you will not attach nor cling.

Memory is for you to use, not to register all your psychological fear, all your psychological emotional negativities. These are the ones that make you recall your scars of memory, thus reminding you of the unhappy moments, the sorrowful moments, the insecurity, the fear and the danger etc. So if you act with that type of mind, you are not acting at all because you are acting from memories which is the past and because of that, you are acting according to your fear, insecurity, sorrow and lamentation and your phobias etc. This is not acting at all. What you should do is to act base on your understanding, your wisdom. When you see something, do not allow memory to interfere, you just check with your nature, which may already have the understanding. If there is understanding, you will act appropriately, you will not act out of fear, out of insecurity. Instead you act out of love, out of understanding. You maintain your virtues, via following your Noble 8-Fold Path cultivation. Then you will act according to Noble 8-Fold Path to resolve things amicably. Hence no more fear, sakkāyadiṭṭhi or self-delusion, jealousy, envy and selfishness.

You act based on understanding means according to reality. For things are just the way they are and people are just the way they are too. You learn to accept them for what they are; then you are at peace; then you can act with wholesomeness via inquiring – ‘How can I resolve this amicably? ‘How can I be a blessing to others so that they can improve their life, so that we can avoid unnecessary arguments, conflicts and misunderstanding, so that we can resolve all issues amicably, thereby reducing any unnecessary tensions or misunderstanding that may erupt. This is what the Dharma is capable of when you understand. This will bring us back to this particular topic regarding sutras. We shall come back to page Romanized 21, (xxi) where Hsuan Hua said all the sutras are only guides to be used in cultivating the way. Hopefully by now your understanding is better.

2.2.1. Tripitaka Master Hua’s Introduction

All of the Sutras are guides to use in cultivating the Way. They may be spoken by the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas, the Patriarchs, and also by Arhats, transformation beings, and gods. Although they all serve the same purpose, the doctrines within them differ.

(Arhat is a Mahayana term whereas the Theravada tradition uses the word Arahant).

The Sutras spoken by the Buddha were translated from the Indian languages into Chinese, and thus worked their way into Chinese society. In China, all the Sutras are translations,

with the sole exception of this present work, The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra, which was spoken by the great Chinese master the Sixth Patriarch.

Do you all know why this sutra is the sole exception? This sutra was never in the Tripitaka. This is the only teaching by Master Hui Neng that actually enjoys the same status as the sutras, which are the discourses of the Buddha. And because of that, it does not need interpretation as it comes directly from China, the Sixth Patriarch.

…The Great Master Hui Neng was originally an illiterate peasant.

See, he didn’t have any education. So don’t be foolish. Don’t look down upon yourself because a lot of Buddhist practitioners tell themselves, “How can I cultivate? I don’t even have a formal education or I don’t even get to study in the university.”

Dharma doesn’t need any qualifications. Dharma only needs sincerity of the heart, faith and perseverance. It does not need any formal education. Education, if you develop it with understanding, then education helps. But if you don’t have the understanding, education may become a stumbling block because too much knowledge will prevent you from opening up your mind to receive the teaching. This is because you may think you are highly educated hence you are very wise, smart, and clever. Then when the Buddha said in the sutta that all living beings were deluded and ignorant before they were enlightened, you cannot take it. You may even say, “I am a university student and I’ve a first class honours degree so how can you say I am ignorant or I am deluded?” That may be the reason why you will not even take a look at the teaching or give it a chance. If you are so egoistic and intellectual, then it is very difficult for you to have an open mind to listen to this teaching.

In the early days, I heard this dharma talk from the late Venerable Suvanno. He said according to the Buddha, all living beings before they are enlightened, they are all deluded and they have ignorance. They don’t have wisdom. Then I felt funny, thinking - ‘this cannot be. We are the top students of our own state. We also top the faculty of our university. Then why did the Buddha say we are ignorant and deluded?’ When you go to the temple, most of you can’t even bow down to lower your self-esteem (to have humility) to pay respects to the Great Beings like Sākyamuni or Guan Yin Bodhisattva. A lot of graduates tend to have this problem. But for me it was never a problem.

I reflected on it and I told myself that there must be a reason. Otherwise, it cannot be, for the Buddha himself, is such a great being. The moment I read his 4 Noble Truths, I knew he was the real one. Nobody can summarize all his understanding into just the 4 Noble Truths and they are so beautiful and so wonderful. All of life, mundane and supra mundane are all inside this 4 Noble Truths. I said: - ‘nobody can do that unless he is the real one’ because even at that time I said to myself, ‘If my nature realizes this truth, I still cannot summarize it this way unless I have heard about it before and received the teaching.’ I decided to have an open mind and started studying the teaching. I then determined to go all out to develop the faith and the sincerity to cultivate, and I just persevered. Then as I moved into it, developed the mindfulness and heedfulness, only did I come to realize the profound meaning of what Buddha meant by: - ‘all living beings, before they are enlightened, they are deluded and full of ignorance.’

Delusion here means sakkāyadiṭṭhi (self-delusion) and it points towards the belief that there is an entity, a being within these so-called 5 aggregates of ‘form and mind’ that you call the ‘me’ and the ‘I’. This so called human being, you will deludedly grasp and cling on to it because you think you are real. When you think you are real, what happens? There’s an entity created, which is the egoic mind, a personality of who you are. That’s why from there on, you live and act with that personality. That’s why you will have selfishness, - for me or not for me? Then when people threaten you or cause any unhappiness unto you, you will have emotional negativities. That’s how the 3 evil roots of greed (selfishness, possessiveness), anger (hatred) and delusion arise within your mind when you deludedly grasp and cling via self-delusion thinking that this ‘form and mind’ is you. Delusion is fear, worry and anxiety because you don’t understand. As a living being, when this delusion manifests, you will have these problems leading to suffering in the here and the now.

Then after I had developed the mindfulness and the heedfulness, I came to realize that everything I had done, as a person, as a human being, I had my own selfishness; it was either for me or not for me? If nothing to do with me or beneficial to me, I didn’t want to do. No advantage to me, to my family, my parents, brothers and sisters or my own race or my school or my own company, I didn’t want to do. That self-delusion leading to an automatic selfish personality was always there. Do you understand? Then when you don’t like certain things, your mind reacts. Your mind develops anger, hatred, envy, jealousy and dislike making you feel unhappy and miserable. Then when certain things or situations arise, via delusion, you will develop fear; fear of death, fear of things not happening the way you want them to happen, fear of the unknown, fear of the consequences of your wrong actions and whatever wrong speeches that you have arisen. All these fears are due to our delusion and because of that I came to realize that the Buddha was indeed very wise.

Every living being before their awakening has this inherent selfish intention, emotional negativity and fear within them. Because of that I started to cultivate the understanding of this rather unique teaching which is so beautiful. I felt like it was meant to be. Then I started to study what the Buddha meant by the 3 evil roots of greed, anger and delusion. How from sakkāyadiṭṭhi all these things come about. Without self-delusion (sakkāyadiṭṭhi), there is no greed, anger, hatred and fear. And I finally managed to expand on these 3 evil roots on my own to understand its deep meaning. Nobody taught me these and the books also never write about them. They only use the words but never explain and elaborate on them. Then later on as I reflected, contemplated and meditated into all these via mindfulness, I could see all those very fine and subtle mind states (of evil) which came back through the back door. This understanding started to stabilize. Then one day, it dawned upon this nature of mine this understanding - no wonder the Buddha said ‘living beings are deluded’. They have a lot of ignorance and because of that; they create a lot of negative karma. Their nature develops what they call delusion leading to downfall because they cannot see things as they are. They cannot develop this understanding via connecting their mundane mind to the true nature because they cannot be silent. They cannot develop the ability to be aware hence they cannot connect to their true mind. And because of that, they cannot see things as they are. Hence they cannot awaken to understand this teaching. And because they don’t understand, they are caught in delusion and heedlessness. That’s how they will continue to develop the negativity of karma leading to downfall, life after life. They don’t have any chance of salvation.

All these understanding will arise and you will know how to cultivate and move. That’s the reason why without mindfulness and heedfulness, to reflect and contemplate deep into the teaching, you cannot understand.

So this particular sutra, the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra, is a very good sutra. What I am trying to explain to you is that you don’t need to be educated to understand the real dharma. Even an illiterate person like Hui Neng, can understand. So don’t look down upon yourself, don’t blame yourself for lack of education, no need. You only need to have an open mind, a simple mind, a mind that has faith and be very sincere in understanding life. Then you just persevere to develop the understanding. Then the way will be there, the dharma will be there. Then you will be able to go beyond, just like Hui Neng. Of course he has his past cultivation. We shall read on.

Tripitaka Master Hua’s Introduction: (continued…)

The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra was spoken by the great Chinese master Hui Neng. The Great Master was originally an illiterate peasant. ….

(Note: A peasant is supposed to be a farmer but he is actually a woodcutter).

…and when he heard the sentence of The Vajra (Diamond) Sutra which said, “One should produce that thought which is nowhere supported,” ….

(Note: The English translation here, ‘thought which is nowhere supported’ is not so good. The actual translation should be, ‘the mind that has no dwelling’ because ‘support’ sometimes the meaning is not so clear. It is better to translate it as – ‘the mind that has no dwelling’.)

…he experienced an awakening and went to Huang Mei to draw near to the Fifth Patriarch, the Great Master Hung Jen. The Fifth Patriarch transmitted to him the wonderful Dharma, “using the mind to seal the mind,” which has been handed down in unbroken Patriarchal succession. The Sixth Patriarch inherited this mind-seal Dharma-door and proceeded to carry out the wisdom-life of the Buddha in his speaking of The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra.

This is how the Platform Sutra comes about.

Nowadays this 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra has been translated into English and the mind-seal Dharma-door of the Buddha has thereby been transmitted in perpetuity to the West. It is hoped that Westerners will now read, recite, and study it, and all become Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and/ or Patriarchs. This is the main objective of this translation. May all who see and hear it quickly accomplish the Buddha way.

See, this is a pure wish; Master Hsuan Hua has made for you all.

Wherever this Sutra is transmitted, the Orthodox Dharma may be found right in that place, causing living beings quickly to accomplish Buddhahood; such is the importance of this new translation. The Sutra is indeed a treasure trove; it is the true body of the Buddha, the compassionate father and mother of all living beings. It can give rise to limitless Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Patriarchs! May all in the West who now read this Sutra realize Bodhi and accomplish the Buddha Way!

The Sutras contain the precious wisdom of the Buddha. There are some, let us call them “garbage-eating” scholars who claim that the Shurangama Sutra was not spoken by the Buddha. This is most certainly not the case, and I have made the following vow: If the Shurangama Sutra is false, I will fall into the uninterrupted hells forever.

Ch’ang Pai-shan Seng

San Francisco, August 1977

So he took out this challenge seriously. You will have to understand the Shurangama Sutra because it is actually very genuine but very few can understand the Shurangama Sutra. This was written, I think, by his disciple. Let’s move on to the next page, Translator’s Introduction.

2.2.2 Translator’s Introduction

The translator is the co-chairman of the Buddhist Text Translation Society, Primary Translation Committee, International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts, San Francisco, Bhikshuni Heng Yin. The translation was done in August 1977.

This is the third edition of the first commentary to The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra ever to express the essence of the Sixth Patriarch’s heart. Since the time the Great Master spoke this Sutra, no other commentary has revealed his basic principles, the Dharma of his heart. Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary unfolds the heart Dharma, the mind-seal, before the reader. Dharma Jewel is called 法宝 (fǎbǎo) in Mandarin. That’s why the sutra is called 六祖法宝坛经 (liù zǔ fǎbǎo tán jīng).

If you wish to understand the wonderful meaning of this Sutra, you should study this commentary, for within it are set forth the limitless, inexhaustible, profound principles of the Buddha Dharma. Among Western and Eastern people it is the flower of wisdom, the real fruit of Bodhi. Furthermore, this translation has been prepared by the Buddhist Text Translation Society of the Sino-American Buddhist Association. Each of its members, Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upāsaka, Upāsikā, many of whom hold Master’s and Doctor’s degrees, have read the manuscript with care over a period of several years to ensure its accuracy.

Essentially, the mind-seal cannot be spoken or expressed in writing, but in his commentary the Master has done just that, using numerous analogies and expedient devices to cause people to understand what they have never understood before.

Tripitaka Master Hua was born in northern China, and after his mother’s death he practiced filial piety by sitting beside her grave for a period of three years. He built a small grass hut to keep out the wind and rain, and sat there in meditation. If food was brought to him, he ate; if no food was brought, he did not.  The Master later travelled south to Canton, where he was appointed by the Venerable Master Hsü Yün to serve as Head of the Vinaya Academy at Nan Hua Monastery, the temple of the Sixth Patriarch. He later received in transmission the Dharma of Master Hsü Yün and became his Dharma successor.

Since arriving in America, the Master has turned the Great Dharma Wheel, lecturing The Shurangama Sutra, The Lotus Sutra, The Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra, The Vajra Sutra, and The Heart Sutra, and others. He teaches an ever-growing number of American disciples, many of whom have left home to become Bhikshus and Bhikshunis.

In San Francisco, the Master has founded Gold Mountain Monastery and lectured on The Avatamsaka Sutra there. He also established the International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts. He has made the solemn vow that wherever he goes the Orthodox Dharma will prevail and the Dharma-ending Age shall not set in. Most recently, the Master established the City of Ten Thousand Buddha, near Talmage, California, a vast complex of 237 acres and 60 buildings, to serve as a center of World Buddhism. The City of Ten Thousand Buddha also house the Dharma Realm Buddhist University, of which the Master is President, and soon to be established are many programs to benefit living beings in many ways.

The Master upholds firmly the Orthodox Dharma, for the Dharma he teaches proceeds from direct and authoritative transmission, and he works unceasingly for the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. This lively commentary constitutes the first authentic transmission to the West of the mind-seal of all Buddha which has passed in unbroken Patriarchal succession from Shakyamuni Buddha to the present day. We present this volume as the foundation for the flourishing of the Buddha Dharma in the West.

Bhikshuni Heng Yin

Buddhist Text Translation Society/Co-chairperson, Primary Translation Committee, International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts, San Francisco, Aug 1977

[Note: The City of Ten Thousand Buddha is pronounce as万佛城 (wàn fó chéng) in mandarin]

This was the foreword by the Primary Translation Society followed by the Reviewer’s Preface. It is good to go through all these so that you understand the purpose of this sutra, why they translate it in such a way. This reviewer’s preface also has a role. We shall read on:

Reviewer’s Preface

When the Fifth Patriarch transmitted the Dharma to the Sixth Patriarch he said to him, “Do not speak too soon, for the Buddha Dharma arises from difficulty.”

So this is the message from the 5th Patriarch.

Centuries later in Northern China, Tripitaka Master Hsüan Hua, then known as Filial Son Pai, was practicing filial piety. He cultivated and meditated for three years beside his mother’s grave. His only protection from the northern winds and rains was a five foot square hut made from stalks of sorghum bound together in an A-frame which left both ends exposed to the elements.

One day while cultivating a miracle happened. Filial Son Pai saw the Great Master the Sixth Patriarch come to his hut. He entered through one of the openings and talked to the filial son just like an ordinary person. Filial Son Pai thought that he was real, forgetting at that time that the Great Master had entered Nirvana over a thousand years ago. The Sixth Patriarch said to the Filial Son:

“In the future you can go to America.

You will meet this person and that person...

Five schools will divide into ten, to teach and transform living beings.

Ten will become a hundred, a hundred will become a thousand,

and so forth to endless, endless numbers, in abundance, abundance, abundance,

endless abundance–numbers incalculable as grains of sand in the River Ganges.

This marks the true beginning of the Proper Dharma in the West.”

So this was an encounter with the 6th Patriarch Hui Neng. That’s why when true cultivators relate their encounters with Great Beings; sometimes you need to have an open mind because you may not understand how these things are possible. You may think, “The Sixth Patriarch is already dead. How can he come back?” - Just like what Master Hsuan Hua mentioned. When in a dream, he couldn’t recall that the Six Patriarch was already dead over a thousand years ago. But what is your understanding on this? How come people can talk about it? Is it really true that the Sixth Patriarch came? What do you think actually happened? What is your understanding? Give it a try.

Sister Padmasuri: It is his nature that manifests.

Brother Teoh: Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! - Very Good. Thank you Sister Padmasuri. Yes! It is their nature that manifests.

Like when I said ‘Guan Yin came in 1986’, it is not Guan Yin. But her nature manifests because of her vows and affinity. When the condition arises, it will manifest - just like what I have shared with some of you regarding my earlier encounters with some of these Great Beings. In 2008, Maitreya Buddha’s nature came with a request to share the true dharma. Then in 1986, Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s nature came with the Triple Gem and her message was to move fast – not much time left. All these are not the real person. It is from their nature. They have their nature which is ever radiating for the cultivators of the way. When it is time for certain cultivators to arise and manifest, and when their form and mind are established, their nature will know. And their nature will come, especially Guan Yin Bodhisattva. They will protect, support, guide and bless their form and mind that are connected to that nature. When the time comes, they will come and send messages to your form and mind so that you will know what to do. You will also come to know that all these are meant to be because there are affinities and conditions behind all those happenings. That’s the reason why all these are possible and you have to have an open mind. Don’t use your limited mundane mind to simply comment, or come out with all the funny ideas that you may have. Do you understand?

So never, never look down upon anything or make fun of anything because if you do, you have everything to lose. The question is very simple. What happens if they are the real ones? Then you not only miss his teaching, you will also get yourself into deep trouble because your speech is not in accordance with N8FP. Why must you doubt? When you have an open mind, you don’t need to doubt. The moment you doubt that is delusion. What is doubt? It is one of the five mental hindrances, right? You lack faith. You cannot understand, yet you doubt; that is delusion because of your ego. You want to show off via your logical argument, ‘How can? It can’t be because the 6th Patriarch is dead long ago. This is definitely an illusion.’ If you want to say that, better make sure you understand what you are saying. If you don’t understand, the best policy is to keep quiet. That’s why ‘silence is golden’. Sadhu! For that good answer by sister Padmasuri. We shall continue.

After they had talked, when the Great Master moved to leave, the filial son rose to escort him. They walked together a few steps and suddenly the Sixth Patriarch was gone. It was then that Filial Son Pai realized, “Oh! The Sixth Patriarch entered Nirvana hundreds of years ago, but nonetheless, I met him today!”

Several decades after this miracle, following years of difficulty and hard cultivation, in a cold and tiny temple in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Tripitaka Master Hsüan Hua began transmitting the Dharma of the mind-seal of all Patriarchs. He continues to do so every day. Those who recognize him listen to it, consider it, and cultivate it.

In this commentary on The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra the Master says, “...you will succeed only if you do not fear suffering. The Buddha Dharma arises from difficulty; the more difficult, the better. So you must endure suffering. This is difficult, but you can do it, for it is the opening of your wisdom.”

Bhikshuni Heng Ch’ih

Buddhist Text Translation Society/Co-chairperson,

Primary Translation Committee, International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts San Francisco, August 1977

See the word he used, ‘endure suffering’ is the same as the dharma taught in the Sabbāsava Sutta. Certain āsava or defilement, which you need to endure, you must endure. Some you need to exercise restraint, you have to exercise restraint. Ok, we continue. Turn to the next page.

2.2.3  The Patriarchship Lineage

The 1st Patriarch is Sākyamuni Buddha, 释迦牟尼佛(Shì jiā móu ní fó).

The 28th Patriarch, Bodhidharma,二十八祖菩提達摩大师 (Èr shí bā zǔ Pútí dámó dàshī). He is the 1st Patriarch of China.

Then comes the 29th Patriarch, the 2nd Patriarch of China, 慧可大师(Huì kě dà shī).

Next, is the 30th Patriarch is the 3rd Patriarch of China 僧璨大师 (Sēng càn dà shī).

The 31st is the 4th Patriarch of China, 道信大师 (Dào xìn dàshī).

The 32nd is the 5th Patriarch, 弘忍大师 (Hóngrěn dàshī)

Then 33rd Patriarch is 6th Patriarch, Hui Neng, 慧能大师 (Huì Néng dàshī).

That day somebody asked, “How come, from Sākyamuni Buddha, straight away go to the 28th Patriarch?” I have explained it in my last talk because he is the 28th and the last Patriarch from India. After Sākyamuni passed away, it was passed down to Mahākāśyapa who then passed it down to another 26. Finally it reached Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma carried the patriarch ship over to China just like how Master Hsuan Hua carried it over to the west, America. He is the 1st Patriarch of the West in America. Then the next one he appoints will be the 2nd Patriarch in America. So hopefully when it reached the 6th Patriarch of the west, something great will also happen in the west. Hopefully more profound teaching like those of Master Hui Neng’s can arise. If this one comes out, he will be English speaking, as against Hui Neng who is Mandarin speaking. This one will have American accent.

Ok, next page, we shall read the opening statement which is very important. From now onwards, before we start, we shall recite the verse for Opening a Sutra. Let’s recite it together.

Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning.

So this one you have to bear in mind that this type of teaching is very rare and not easy to come by. Just like in the opening verse, Master Hsuan Hua mentioned: The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma is difficult to encounter not only in one eon, but hundred and millions of eons and one eon is one world cycle. Hence if you have the condition to receive it you should recite it with faith and determination: ‘I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it, and I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning’. So this is a very important determination.

2.2.4 Foreward By Master Hsuan Hua

Now we read the Foreword.

FOREWORD

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra has been explained in America before, but I do not know how well it has been done. Some lecturers simply read the text aloud, and, since each Sutra has its own special interpretation, merely reading it aloud does not reveal the meaning.

Understanding this is very important.

The Buddha Dharma flourished in China, but only the teachings of the Sixth Patriarch, the illiterate Patriarch, were made into a Sutra. It was recorded by the Master’s disciple Fa Hai. Although his transcription may not mirror the Patriarch’s exact words, the meanings expressed are correct. I hope everyone will study the Buddha Dharma with his true mind, and not hold the opinion that it is very easy. It is only by regarding the Buddha Dharma as extremely important that you will be able to comprehend the principles which I explain.

Here, study with your true mind is being emphasized. Hui Neng’s advice is don’t study with your thinking mind, mundane mind or your condition arising mind because that mind cannot understand/awaken. Those who understand will advice as follow, ‘I hope everyone will study the dharma with his true mind’. Why are women left out? Only ‘His’ is used and ‘her’ is not included. They should change the word to ‘their’ true mind. He used the word ‘everyone’, so it can be changed to ‘with their true minds’ so as to include women as well. English is very precise, gender specific. When you say ‘his’, ladies are not involved. This is the foreword by Hsuan Hua.

The note below states:

1. Dharma Master Fa Hai was a “room entering disciple” of the Sixth Patriarch. That means the Sixth Patriarch had transmitted the wonderful mind-seal Dharma to him and he was therefore privileged to enter the Patriarch’s room.

Fa Hai was actually the hand-picked successor of the Sixth Patriarch. So he will also become the Seventh Patriarch. After that it must be along that line that reached Master Hsu Yun. Then Master Hsu Yun transmitted it to Master Hsuan Hua.

We now move on to the Introduction. Then we can go into the Sutra proper, which is on page 3. This Introduction is quite long because he needs to introduce how all these came about.

2.2.5. Introduction to Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform is the specific title of this Sutra, and the word Sutra is a general term for all discourses given by the Buddha. In order to clarify their content, Sutra titles are classified into seven types, according to their reference to person, dharma, and analogy, as follows:

A. Three Single: Three of the seven types of titles refer to only one of the categories of person, dharma, or analogy, and so they are called the “three single.” For example:

1.  The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra is a title established solely by reference to person; both the Buddha and Amitabha are persons, for only a person can cultivate and realize Buddhahood. The Buddha is a person, and people are just Buddha. In Chinese, when we write the word Buddha (佛), the symbol for “person” (人) stands on the left-hand side.

2.  The Mahaparinirvana Sutra is a title established by reference to the dharma, “nirvana.” Nirvana is a Sanskrit word which in Chinese is composed of two characters “( 涅槃 )–nieh p’an” which may be explained as “not produced and not destroyed.”

3.  The Brahma Net Sutra is a title established by reference to analogy. In this Sutra the Buddha explains the precepts. If you keep these precepts, you will give forth light, like the great net in the heaven of the Brahma King. But if you carelessly break the precepts, you commit the grave offense of “knowing and yet deliberately violating dharma.” Your light then flows into the three evil paths: the hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts, where there is not the slightest trace of merciful treatment.

B.  Three Double: Titles established by reference to person and dharma, person and analogy, or dharma and analogy are called the “three double.” For example:

4.  The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is a title established by reference to dharma and analogy since the Wonderful Dharma is analogous to the Lotus Flower.

5.  The Lion Roar of the Thus Come One Sutra is a title established by reference to person and analogy. Thus Come One is the first of ten honorific titles given to every Buddha and therefore represents a person. The Lion Roar is analogous to his speaking the Dharma.

6.  The Sutra of the Questions of Mañjusrī is a title established by reference to a person, the Bodhisattva Mañjusrī of great wisdom, and the dharma he requested, Prajna.

Complete in One: The seventh classification contains references to person, dharma, and analogy.

7.  The Great Universal Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra (Avatamsaka Sutra) refers to the Buddha as a person, Great and Universal as a dharma, and Flower Adornment as an analogy.

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra is a Chinese, not an Indian Sutra, and its title is not classified according to the seven topics mentioned above. This sutra is classified according to person, dharma, and a place. The Sixth Patriarch is a person, the Dharma Jewel is a dharma, and the Platform is a place.

I will now explain the specific title of this Sutra.

The Sixth Patriarch.

Master Hui Neng of Nan Hua Temple, who spoke the Sutra at the beginning of the eighth century A.D., was the Sixth Chinese Patriarch. He lived six generations after Bodhidharma, who brought the Mahayana teaching to China from India and who became the First Chinese Patriarch. Bodhidharma was also the twenty-eighth Indian Patriarch, and so from the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Great Master Hui Neng is counted as the Thirty-Third Generational Patriarch.

Dharma.

Dharma is a method. It is like a rule, a model, or a pattern. If one cultivates according to this method that is practicing “Dharma.”

Jewel.

The Dharma is like a precious jewel.

Platform

The platform is the place where this Sutra was spoken. This Dharma Seat may be raised above the ground by three, five or nine feet, but never more than ten feet. In front of it sits a small table which holds Sutras. Dharma Masters speak Dharma, administer the Three Refuges, and transmit precepts from the Dharma Seat, which Dharma protectors, good spirits, and numerous diamond-treasury Bodhisattvas take turns protecting.

There are some notes on this page which say:

1. One formally becomes a Buddhist only when one has received the Three Refuges, transmitted in a traditional ceremony by a qualified member of the Sangha. They are: refuge in 1) the Buddha, 2) the Dharma (the teachings), and 3) the Sangha (Buddhist monks and nuns of the past, present and future).

That’s why 皈依三宝 (Guīyī sānbǎo), taking the 3 refuges is very important. If you don’t take the refuge seriously, you are not a true Buddhist, a true cultivator of the dharma because the Triple Gems, they are the gems in the entire universe. Only within the Triple Gem, can you find the teaching.

The translation of the Sangha may not be that accurate. Here they are referring to the Ariyan Sangha. To qualify as a Triple Gem, you must be an enlightened disciple of the Buddha, not any disciple that has taken refuge in the Buddhist tradition. So here, we may take note that their definition of all Buddhist monks and nuns of the past, present and future may not be that accurate. It’s all of the Ariyan disciples of the Buddha; it can also be a lay person. The Sangha within the Triple Gem is the ariyan sangha, the enlightened disciples of the Buddha.

2. Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit word. Bodhi means “enlightenment” and sattva, “being”. They do not enter Nirvana but choose instead to remain in the world and save living beings. Thus Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who enlighten other beings. “Diamond-treasury” refers to a division of Dharma-protecting Bodhisattvas.

Some of these dharma protectors are also bodhisattvas, like Wei Tuo (韦驮 or 韋馱) Bodhisattva. He is cultivating the Bodhisattva way. So don’t think they are normal devas, they can also be Bodhisattvas. Okay, we turn to the next page. 韋韋

Sutra

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform is the specific name of the Sutra, and the word “Sutra” is its general name. “Sutra” is a Sanskrit word which means “a tally.” Above, it tallies with the true principle of all Buddha, and below, with the opportunities for teaching living beings. Above, it tallies with true suchness, the miraculous principle of all Buddha, and below, it tallies with the living beings who need the teaching. Thus, a Sutra tallies with both the principle and the opportunity.

The word Sutra has four additional meanings:

All these we will skip through quickly as they are not important.

1. Stringing together. The principles of the Buddha dharma are linked together by the Sutras just like beads are strung together on a string.

2. Attracting. Creating the opportunities for teaching living beings, a Sutra attracts living beings just like a magnet attracts iron filings. All living beings who wish to study the Buddha dharma will be drawn to the principles in the Sutras, like iron filings to a magnet.

3. Permanent. From antiquity to the present, a Sutra does not change. Not one word can be deleted; not one meaning can be added. Not increasing or decreasing, a Sutra is permanent, unchanging.

4. Method. A Sutra is a method respected by living beings in the three periods of time. In the past, living beings relied upon this method to cultivate and attain Buddhahood. In the present, living beings depend upon it to move from the position of foolish common people to that of Buddhahood. In the future, living beings will also cultivate according to this method. A Sutra is a method, then, venerated throughout the three periods of time.

This is their interpretation, not important.

The word Sutra has many more meanings. For example, a Sutra is like a bubbling spring; principles flow from it like water bubbling up out of the earth. It is also like a carpenter’s chalk-line, which makes a perfectly clear, straight guide. But if you understand the first four meanings, you understand the basic meanings.

To explain a Sutra correctly, one must first outline it according to the Five Profound Meanings of the T’ien T’ai School:

1. Explaining the Name. According to the seven kinds of Sutra titles explained previously, this Sutra is established by reference to person, Dharma, analogy, and place.

2. Discriminating the Substance. This Sutra takes the Real Mark as its substance. The Real Mark is without a mark, and yet there is nothing which is not marked by it.

3. Clarifying the Principle. The principle of this Sutra is the realization of Buddha hood. If you cultivate according to this Sutra, you can realize the Buddha position.

4. Discussing the Function. This Sutra’s function is to lead you to understand the mind and see your own nature. If you understand the mind, you have no worries. If you see your own nature, you have no cares. No longer do you quit worrying about one problem only to begin worrying about another and, when that one is solved, find yet another one coming to take its place. If you understand the mind and see your own nature, then everything is easy.

Ah, this statement is very true and very profound. ‘You understand your mind, meaning your mundane mind, your 5 aggregates of form and mind, and see your own nature, your true mind, then everything is very easy.’

5. Determining the Teaching Mark. This Sutra is like sweet dew, the heavenly elixir of immortality. Drink it once and you will never die. The Sutra is also like ghee, a clarified butter with the most miraculous and subtle of tastes. Ghee is also used to describe the Sutras spoken by Sākyamuni Buddha during the Dharma Flower and Lotus-Nirvana periods of his teaching.

Note 5:

The T’ien T’ai School, systematized by the Great Master Chih-i (538-597), is one of the great teaching schools of Chinese Buddhism. It takes as its basic text the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, and divides the Buddha’s teaching into five periods; each period is represented by an analogy to a milk product.

The original dharma of the Avatamsaka is like fresh milk. With each new teaching, it becomes richer and purer, yet it is still the same basic substance– Dharma Food.

So these are the explanations, - not so important. I think the next chapter is trying to introduce to you the 5 previous Chinese patriarchs before Hui Neng. This one, we keep it for our next class. You can go back and read it up yourself if you want, page 9 onwards.

Anybody has any questions regarding the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra thus far? Are you all surprise? Suddenly the recording become so clear and without anymore disturbance again.

Kalyāṇamitta: I have a question which is probably a bit dumb. It’s a very basic question. Basically, you said, ‘you have to have an open mind to receive the teachings’. Then my question is: ‘there might be an issue here, if you look at everything with an open mind because certain teachings, certain paths lead you to a bad path. How then can you say if you do not use what you have learnt previously to screen it you won’t learn the wrong thing because there are so many paths in the world, more bad ones than good ones?

Brother Teoh: That’s a very good question. What is your understanding? You mentioned that you must not have an open mind. Is that your final conclusion?

Kalyāṇamitta: No, my conclusion is how can you put a filter in place?

Brother Teoh: If that is your meaning, then it is different. Then I will answer your question because it’s a very good question. That’s why I like people who enquire so that we can discuss it. It’s meant to be a discussion. Dharma discussion is important. I respect you for what you are. Likewise, I hope you respect me for what I am. We are here to share understanding; no right, no wrong because right and wrong will lead to unnecessary conflicts, arguments, division of opinions and non-beneficial things. What is important is this dharma sharing must be done to benefit everybody, do you understand? Sharing with mutual understanding and respect is very important. If I respect you for what you are and you respect us for what we are, then what we share becomes beneficial.

We are not talking about right and wrong. We are not trying to argue over a teaching or a dharma. Then we are not trying to be protective of what we believe in; my teaching, my teacher, my method, my technique, etc. - all these are no more issues. So what we are here for is to sincerely share something that we understand, and then we open it up for discussion. No right, no wrong, because for people with that understanding they will think it is right, but right according to them. Right according to them is still right. That’s why there is no right, no wrong in the ultimate sense because that right is a relative right according to them.

Likewise, if I say something, I will never say it’s right. I would say that this is the dharma that I understand. This is the truth that I have realized. It’s up to you - whether to use it, accept it, or make full use of whatever that is helpful and beneficial to help you move. Then you will benefit from such sharing or discussion. Whatever you cannot understand, unless you are very sure that it is not the correct one, then it’s better for you to have an open mind. Like I have said, what happens if it is the true one? This is the teaching that you have not yet understood because it is beyond you. If you don’t have an open mind, then you are creating unnecessary karmic obstruction of karmic negativity by reacting negatively to it. Rejecting it is ok but reacting to it negatively is very dangerous. Then when you start to say things heedlessly and hit out at others harshly, it’s even more dangerous.

So out of love and compassion for living beings, I call this a dharma sharing session. Sharing means - No right, no wrong like what I have explained. Whatever sharing that is beneficial, use it. Whatever you cannot understand just let it be via having an open mind. Then there is no more argument. No more right and wrong. Then the discussion can be very open, very frank and very meaningful and beneficial. Then everybody can feel free to comment and suggest or even share whatever he or she understands. So with that as a basis, I will answer you.

Your question is about filtering which is very good.  Filtering is something you can only do when you have a view or an opinion. If you don’t have a view or opinion, you don’t filter. You can have an open mind because you are open to truth. What you have to do, according to the Buddha is, you have to listen first. Listen attentively, don’t filter before you investigate, can you understand? If you don’t listen, you cannot investigate whether this is the truth or not; whether this person has wisdom and understanding beyond what you have or not. But if you can discern through your understanding, then you become beautiful. You don’t just filter with your views and opinions. That is very dangerous. Filter with your views and opinions means - you only want to listen to things that fit into your belief system, into what you think is the truth or the correct teaching. Such a person has this danger – just like what the Buddha said in the Sallekha sutta: “if you hold on tenaciously to your views and opinions, then even the Buddha cannot help you”. Also according to the Zen analogy, your cup is full. When your cup is full, whatever tea you pour in will overflow out because you don’t give it a chance for you to investigate with an open mind.

If you have an open mind it means you can listen without prejudice, without a view or opinion of whether it’s right or wrong. You will just listen and investigate. Then according to the Buddha’s advice to the Kalamas it is very easy for you to develop the understanding.

The Buddha told the Kalamas, ‘If you follow the advice given, does it harm you? Does it harm others? If it doesn’t harm anyone then you have nothing to lose.’ Maybe this is something beyond your understanding and you still don’t understand but that will be the criteria you can use. If you want to say, that is a filter, then I think it is a very good filter. But if you filter with a view and opinion, that is not a good filter because you don’t give truth a chance.

When you filter with understanding it means as long as it doesn’t harm you and harm others, you have nothing to lose. At the most, you will waste some time trying it out via investigating it because when I agree to try it out via putting it into practice, I have not believed it yet. Like the Buddha said - do not believe anything (including what he said) because his teaching which is the dharma is the truth, and if it is the truth it will stand up to investigation. That’s the reason why his Dharma is ‘Ehipassiko’. He can invite the monks to come and investigate it because the truth will stand up to investigation. And since the Dharma is related to life, you can put it to test in real life situations. If you investigate this way, you will not get into trouble. If it does not stand up to the test or investigation, then you can drop it because this is something for you to find out and investigate upon. But if you listen according to your views and opinion and you try to filter, that is not listening at all. That is resisting with your views and opinions.

The art of listening is different because first you listen with an open mind and you don’t filter. You listen, and then you investigate. But if you listen with a filter, with a view and opinion, you are not listening. You are commenting, verbalizing, judging and reacting. The moment you listen, you will comment, ‘Cannot be, truth is not like that. We cannot accept everything via an open mind! If we listen with an open mind, then how are we going to filter things, how? ’. So when you start to do all these, do you know what is happening? You are not listening attentively. A lot of very important messages from the teaching and sharing, you didn’t get to listen because your own views and opinions are opposing what are being said. There is this subtle right and wrong idea behind.

That’s why the art of listening is to listen with an open mind without prejudice. When I listen with an open mind, it doesn’t mean I believe and accept what is being said. I listen then I investigate and put it to test. If what they advise when I put it test cause me harm and harm others, I will not even investigate because it has got no benefit and it causes suffering via delusion instead. That is how the Buddha taught the Kalamas because the Kalamas were a group of people who didn’t know what truth is. Then there are so many teachers who came and teach, all teach differently. So one day, the head of the Kalamas gathered all his people. They had heard so much about Sākyamuni Buddha at that time because he was very famous. So they decided to approach him. The leader asked him this question which was very good and Sākyamuni Buddha answered him in a very beautiful way. That’s how it became the very famous Kalama Sutra. The Buddhists always refer to this Sutra.

The Buddha told the Kalamas, “You don’t have to believe anything just because it is spoken by a great being who is widely accepted, widely acknowledged and famous or just because it is written in a very famous holy book, or whatever status that person may carry.” The key point is to have an open mind not to believe but to investigate into everything that is being spoken. He even told the Kalamas, not to believe what he said. If you just believe, then its blind faith because you haven’t put it to test and you haven’t investigated it to find out whether it stands up to investigation or not or whether this can bring about downfall, unnecessary suffering and problem in the future or not. If you just believe, that is blind faith. Then like the blind leading the blind, you will end up somewhere else.”

The criterion is very simple. When I listen with an open mind, I can reflect and check because I have listened. I have given this particular sharing a chance. I have listened thoroughly meaning I understand what this person is trying to tell me to do but I do not reject when I listen. I have clarity of mind while listening. Then when I listen and understand what has been spoken, I can put to test. This first criterion is very simple. Then I can inquire, if I cultivate according to what he said, does it harm me, and does it harm others? If it doesn’t, I have got nothing to lose so I can investigate it.

When you investigate it, it becomes very simple. Just like the Buddha’s Dhammapada verses 1 and 2. (Are you all familiar with these two Dhammapada verses?) Oh, some of you are not familiar with the Buddhist teaching? Never mind. These two Dhammapada verses are very simple but they are very important. Maybe I will explain what Dhammapada verses are first. Do you all understand what Dhammapada verses are?

The Buddha spoke a lot of truth during his time but they managed to compile a total of 423 of these truths and put them into a book called the Dhammapada verses of the Buddha. Dhammapada verses are words of wisdom spoken by the Buddha and these are very unique and powerful wisdom because they are evergreen. Do you know the meaning of evergreen? Evergreen means it is always applicable irrespective of what period of civilization or era. Evergreen means it is a universal truth that can withstand the test of time and will be applicable forever no matter during what period of civilization whether it’s very ancient or modern or medieval age.

If you were to look at history it is not easy for any human being to come out with even one verse that will last for a certain period of time as truth. It is very difficult. Take for example science. During the early days, Newton’s law of motion was so popular. The apple dropped on his head and he discovered gravity. Newton’s laws of motion and law of action and reaction were so popular. Initially they were so accurate including the law of gravity. He can even calculate the movement of the planets and their gravitational pulls. Newtonian mechanic became very popular. That’s why they initially call it a hypothesis. Then after it passed the test - from hypothesis, it becomes a theory. Theory means it’s accepted because it has been tested and proven.

Then what happened when Einstein came? He revolutionized the Newtonian mechanic. The whole of the Newtonian mechanic collapsed, failed and could not stand up to the test because Einstein came out with a 4th dimension. He said time is relative. Can you understand? Einstein came out with the Theory of Relativity and he said Time is dependent on speed. When your speed tends towards the speed of light, there is no time. It’s timeless. There is a formula on it. Then he said that the relative velocity between 2 entities - when both travel near to the speed of light, it’s not according to Newtonian mechanic anymore. When the speed increases, let’s say when the speed is slow at 1,000 miles per hour travelling this direction and in the opposite direction another 1,000 miles per hour. Relative velocity according to Newtonian mechanic is (1000 + 1000) because these 2 will meet at a relative velocity of 2000 miles per hour. Einstein said no! There are some numbers at the back that is dependent on the Theory of Relativity and because of those numbers, when you reach near the speed of light; let’s say this entity travels near the speed of light and that the other one also travels near the speed of light. When the two go on different directions, their relative velocity should be twice the speed of light or almost that isn’t it? Einstein’s theory said no! The fastest moving entity within the phenomenal world is just the speed of light. It cannot exceed the speed of light because the speed of light is the fastest within matter. Then that Newtonian mechanic’s theory collapsed. Later on, they managed to come up with more advance theory like the Quantum Theory at microscopic level and the Photon Theory and the Wave-Particle Duality of Light. Quantum theory tells us that both light and matter consist of tiny particles which have wavelike properties associated with them. Light is composed of particles called photons, and matter is composed of particles called electrons, proton and neutrons. Quantum Field Theory is a branch of physics which explained the fundamental Theory of Nature at the small scales and energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles.

What I am trying to say is; it is not easy to come out with one truth that is evergreen because everything is subject to condition and everything else. So, it’s not only scientific truth. These are spiritual truths. The power of spiritual truths is very unique because it’s based on wisdom, which is so profound. The Buddha was able to come out with 423 such verses and until now since the passing away of the Buddha over 2,000 years ago, they are still applicable, evergreen, and you can investigate upon them because these are truths related to the spiritual teachings.

These first two Dhammapada verses are very simple. You can put them to test as explained by the Buddha. He said, ‘our mind is the forerunner of all things. Mind is chief. When mind arises, everything arises’. If you don’t take care of the mind, if you allow your mind to be heedless meaning you don’t give any attention to it, you just allow it to do anything it likes, then this mind will become heedless. Heedless means you are not serious about life. You are not training it. You are not giving it any importance. You just do what you like. You want to kill, you kill. If you want to do whatever, you do because you are heedless. You are not interested in its consequences; you are not interested in the truth that governs life and existence. If you were to act, speak and think with this type of heedless mind that is not trained, the Buddha said the evil roots borne of delusion, which are greed, hatred and delusion, will arise. For such a being, suffering will follow him. Just like the wheel that follows the hoof of the oxen wheel. This is Dhammapada verse 1.

The Buddha said, ‘your life, you decide how you want to live. You don’t have to believe it. You can put it to test’. A greedy person, a selfish person, a violent person, an emotional person with a lot of anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, deceitfulness etc.; and people who have a lot of what they call, lust, craving and desire to own things, to possess things, to take advantage of things; such a person when they live life with all these evil roots, are they happy? Do they inflict suffering on people?’ That’s why the verse says, ‘suffering will follow them because there is this law of karma. You reap what you sow; do good beget good, do evil begets evil.’ Finally it will hit back and they will become afflicted, miserable. If you don’t believe, you can try cheating and lying. You can try to commit sexual misconduct, rape or misappropriate things, then see what happens to your life.

Suffering will follow you whereas the opposite complementary verse, which is verse 2, the Buddha said, ‘similarly when you understand the importance of mind because mind is the forerunner of all things and mind is chief. When mind arises, everything arises. So if you are heedful, you choose to take care of the mind, train this mind so that it’s ever mindful not to arise the evil roots of greed (which is selfishness, craving, desire and lust), hatred (which is envy, jealousy, violent, emotional negativity) and delusion (all those mind states related to those evil roots of fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation, etc.) then for such a being, the Buddha said, happiness will follow him like a shadow that never leaves him.’ After you have trained your mind to be heedful, to be mindful of your mental intentions, all these evil roots will not arise and you will act, speak and think with a wholesome mind (with a pure mind) that is free of all these evil roots.

Evil roots are roots of all evil. They will make you evil. When you are selfish (which is the evil root of Greed), you can kill, harm and do all sorts of negative things because of your selfishness. That’s why it’s an evil root. When you are angry (also an evil root), you can become violent, you can kill, harm and do a lot of funny things too. That’s why it’s called an evil root. Out of fear, you will also do those sorts of things. Fear is also an evil root of self-delusion.

But out of love, you will never do such things. If you are heedful to cultivate virtues, love, understanding, respect, gratitude, contentment etc. – all these will lead to happiness. That’s the reason why a person who is heedful, trains their mind and develops the keen attention to check their mental intention behind all his actions, speech and thought processes; such a person, the Buddha said, happiness will follow him, just like the shadow that never leaves him. Just like how we started just now; precepts or virtues are the source of happiness. They are the source of spiritual wealth and spiritual peacefulness.  If I don’t kill, harm, misappropriate things, commit sexual misconduct, etc.; if I don’t lie or deceive people; if I don’t take intoxicants that make my consciousness low and lead to downfall, I will have a lot of peace and happiness. If I do and violate all these, I become evil. I will have a lot of enemies; a lot of people will come after me. The law will come after me. Then there is fear, worry and anxiety leading to restlessness of mind, misery, and all the negativities. That’s why you have to understand the importance of training one’s mind to maintain the precepts so that you don’t make mistakes in life.

These Dhammapada verses are just the first 2 twin verses. You can investigate further but if you don’t have an open mind because you have another type of teaching, then you say you want to filter. Before you understand, before you investigate, you want to filter. My advice is you must check - whether if you follow, will it harm you and others or not. Like the precepts spoken by the Buddha; if you have greed, hatred and delusion, you can check whether you can harm anybody or not, whether you will become evil or not. The moment you check and realize that if you have selfishness, - you will become evil, you will harm and deceive people and you will do all those evil things, then it not only harms you karmically, it will also harm others and this is something you cannot do. This is a very good check. The moment you check and it stands up to investigation, then you should ask yourself; my life, how should I live my life? I don’t want to end up following Dhammapada verse 1 and become afflicted and miserable. I don’t want to have suffering then you will determine to cultivate, to train your mind to be mindful, to be aware and attentive so that you are incapable of negativity.

That is the reason why the Buddha in his advice to the Kalamas is to investigate into everything and the best check is to see whether it harms you or harms others or not. If you do this, you are well protected but please don’t filter before you listen, can you understand? When you listen and try to filter with your views and opinions, you are not listening. You are actually judging, reacting, commenting and that’s what living beings are doing throughout the day, most of the time. That’s why they fail to listen.

The art of listening is very important. To listen with an open mind means I don’t prejudge the sharing, the situation. I will just listen and then I will put it to test and investigate on it via checking, if I do, does it harm me and harm others? If that investigative criterion passed, I tell myself there is no harm following that advice because it doesn’t harm others and it doesn’t harm me. There is no karmic effect. So I can give it a try. Then I put it to test, I really put it to test and if it stands up to investigation, I will adopt it and use it for the good of the many because I can learn from it. I can benefit from it. This is the meaning of having an open mind. This is the purpose of having an open mind discussion – which means we do not want to prejudge any sharing. Then whatever I don’t understand yet, I will maintain an open mind and still agree to accept whatever is shared based on our respect for our mutual understanding; for this is what he or she believes to be right or the truth. Then we respect them for what they are.

But if I have an understanding that allows me to explain it to you in a different way then I will explain it to you, without having to dwell on the issue of right or wrong. I just explain to you clearly that this can be explained in another way. Then you can go back and investigate again and then make a decision because this is your life, nothing to do with my nature or me. My duty is to share. After that whether you understand, don’t understand, agree, don’t agree or accept is not important. The important message is - whatever is shared please do listen with an open mind. Take whatever that can benefit you and use it for the good of the many and yourself. Ah, that is very important. To me it’s not about right or wrong. It’s about how you can develop the wisdom and understanding to improve your life so that you can be a better human being to develop the understanding of life. Okay? You can add or share any of your understanding, no problem.

Kalyāṇamitta: What you said, there are two ways to look at it. One is personally for me, the way I grew up in this world and considering I was from the science stream, we were taught from very young through education to have an opinion. So in order to have an open mind is not a natural instinct. When you go to work, you cannot be too open; you need to make a decision immediately. So how to do you flip, how do you learn to be totally open in your approach to life?

Brother Teoh: I think I understand what you mean - when it comes to career and the work environment or situation you find it very difficult to have an open mind. I am indeed very surprised when you said, ‘as a science student you were trained to have opinion’. I never learnt that. I am also a science student. I never learnt that in my science subjects.

Kalyāṇamitta: What I mean is opinion in terms of - for example when you are doing a research project, you need to propose a hypothesis, right?

Brother Teoh: Hypothesis is something I am not sure as yet and it’s not an opinion. I want to do a research thesis. A thesis is something my lecturer gives to me. You do this thesis because this field could be a green field and it is not clearly understood yet because there are lots of new ideas being presented. That’s why you do a thesis on it. Then the thesis will be based on what they think is the truth. That is a hypothesis not an opinion expressed.

Kalyāṇamitta: But in the scientific field, research is builds upon previous truths and that’s how science evolves. The problem I am face with is - I was brought up as a Buddhist and the issue that I have is it’s very difficult to look at it thoroughly with an open mind. It’s near impossible because you are already brought up with a preconceived notion. My second question is in terms of when you said that the initial filtering is, ‘do no harm unto yourself and others’, which is fine in theory but… (Comment by Brother Teoh)

Brother Teoh: That is not filtering. Just give me one minute. When you listen, you must listen with an open mind. Don’t exercise any prejudgment or filtering. When you listen with a view and opinion, you are not listening with an open mind. You are listening with your prejudice inside. That’s why you said you have expressed your opinion already. With that opinion, you approach the meeting, you approach your company discussion, and then it becomes your opinion against others’ opinion. That is the first point I want to make clear because when I said ‘you check’ - it means investigate whether ‘it harms yourself or harms others or not’ and this is not a filtering.

Filtering means the moment you filter, you express an opinion which is not checking. Checking means - I don’t know. That’s why I check, whether it harms me or not? If it harms me – then stop it straight away, no need to investigate further. Similarly if it harms others – no need to investigate. This is not what I meant by ‘you listen and you filter’. No! When you listen, you don’t filter. You listen until you understand then you give it a check. That check is not a filtering. That check is just to check whether ‘it harms others and harm you.’ If it harms others and harms you then this is something against nature’s law. Something that will bring about downfall and suffering, definitely you will never go ahead because it doesn’t stand up to investigation.

Maybe later you can continue and finish off your second question. Then I will try my best to make it clearer for you to understand based on my understanding. Your first question, before I forget, can I answer it first?

You talked about scientific understanding of expressing opinion. You said, without opinion, as a science student, you cannot move. Let’s say, during the olden days when we do not understand science that well, a few of these famous scientists, Galileo, Copernicus, they were put in jail. Why? Because they said the earth was not the centre of the universe; the earth was only one of the planets that go round the sun. Then when they said that the earth is round, nobody believed them because everybody said: “How can the earth be round?” Then when they said, the earth rotates on its axis and goes round in space, it was even more difficult for society to accept at that time but like you said science manages to evolve through all these because it is the truth.

Science is not based on belief whereas most religion is based on belief. That’s why the church condemned the scientists and put them in jail. But as science is based on hypothesis leading to theory because people want to see proof, so when the scientists can prove it, then only it is accepted. Ah, this is what I mean by an open mind. I don’t reject. I investigate. Then I come up with hypothesis and I confirm it with experiment before accepting it as a theory.

The moment they realized the truth, they progress very fast. If it is not the truth, science stagnates. That’s why after all these years; they come to realize that the scientific approach is similar to the Buddhist teaching. They investigate into everything and if it stands up to the investigation, then only they accept. That is what I mean by having an open mind. If you have a closed mind, like the early years churches because they didn’t believe in all these; they said these were against God’s written law. Men are born special, born in the image of God. Man is the centre of the universe therefore earth must be the centre of the universe by deduction. This is how they believe and what they believe is not the truth. The truth when it surfaces, humanity will evolve and grow. As humanity evolves and grows, all these belief systems, one by one will start to collapse.

That’s why the rise of science and technology leads to better and better understanding of nature’s truth. It is still evolving even though the earlier scientists thought they have understood a lot. I like this sentence that says ‘the more you understand or the more you know, the more you don’t know.’ Do you agree? Scientists now realize, the more they know, the more mysteries they unfold.

Now there is this latest revelation. Every Milky Way or what they call a major galaxy, there is one very, very big black hole that is like the centre that drives the whole galaxy and Milky Way. This black hole is so huge in proportion that scientists can never understand how it arises. How come it is like that? But based on what they observe through the Hubble telescope they can detect it because they emit a type of light that is so bright, the brightest in the universe and there are so many billions of them in the universe. That’s why the more they probe, the more mysteries they unfold.

It’s very difficult to put a statement of truth that can be applicable forever or remain evergreen. This is something nobody can do but when you look at the Dhammapada verses, you will be very surprised. The Buddha not only came out with 1 but 423 verses that are evergreen until today. That’s why the enlightenment of the Buddha is very unique. It’s not that we try to praise the founder of this religion. According to the Buddha, He said, ‘this teaching, the dharma was already there before him. Before he proclaimed it, the truth was already there in the midst of life and nature. He only rediscovered it, realized it like the scientists after his enlightenment.

Now scientists have discovered most of the important scientific parameters and entities that they need to understand our universe better. There is only one part that they fail to break through and that’s the main reason why the unified theory cannot come about. They discovered electricity, gravity, electromagnetic field and they even discovered a lot of those other very important entities that scientists benefited from except for one thing. Even the thought, they have gone into it quite deeply but consciousness is one thing they cannot penetrate. That’s why the unified theory cannot come about because they fail to understand the consciousness part.

Consciousness is the only entity that can move beyond the speed of light. I have explained this before; - the furthest entity that scientists can probe is about 15 to 17 billion light years away. Travelling at the speed of light, you need 17 billion years to reach the entity you can observe with the Hubble telescope. That is a very long time. So let’s say you want to make one phone call at the speed of light; you dial, 17 billion years later the message only reach there and for the other end to say hello and come back for you to listen, another 17 billion years even travelling at the speed of light. So we cannot function even at the speed of light, all these have no more meaning. By the time the message reaches there; the whole universe is different again. But there is an entity that can be within the moment, which they called, the wormhole. They talked about consciousness, super consciousness that can be there in an instant. So without consciousness, without the understanding of the spiritual field, the mysteries of the universe are very difficult to unfold and penetrate. That’s why in the Mahayana sutras, they have this famous sutra that can lead one back to the origin of time, and they call it the source whereas the scientist calls it the Singularity. The scientists also acknowledge that there is such thing as a Singularity. That’s why within a dust mote the entire universe is there because it is from that Singularity that the big bang and the expansion came about. Since everything comes from this Singularity hence the singularity will have the all-knowing understanding. That’s the reason why now the scientists also agree to accept this point of Singularity as the Origin or Source from which all things arise.

That’s the reason why in the study of the Buddhist teaching, there is this true nature, the original nature. It is not just the beginning of all things. It’s the original nature as it is before creation, before mind arises, before consciousness arises, before all these elements, continents, planets, star systems arise and all these are in the teachings. That’s why you have to ask yourself how the Buddha, 2600 years ago can answer them when they point to the stars. He told the people then, “The number of stars that are in the universe, are more than the sands that you can count on the river Ganges.” How can he know that? It is because he has realized the oneness nature. His nature has merged with that oneness nature. That’s why he has the universal wisdom and understanding to probe.

Coming back to the understanding of why I want you to have an open mind (or a free mind) is to be open to truth because the truth is not something you can easily understand. Even at this moment my nature is still very open to receive new truths because this civilization of ours is very unique. At the time when I was born - based on our consciousness and evolution, we might have understood many things until this point but beyond this point of time, a lot more new things will surface and arise because truth is unending. The whole of the cosmic and universe’s creation is beyond thought, beyond mind - cannot be understood by the rational thinking mind. It has to be from that nature. That’s why if you don’t develop the meditation and merge with that nature, a lot of these things you cannot understand. Even whatever I share with you at the moment I never study from the books. The books give me limited knowledge. Even the TV, the media or the internet gives you limited knowledge of what living beings can understand at this point of time. So if you have that understanding, then you will continue to have an open mind to receive a lot of new things, a lot of new truths, and a lot of the unknown because we never close our minds. We don’t say that science has to be like that. We don’t express our opinions and limit ourselves to just this. So this is my sharing for you all today.

I respect your view which is very good. You are willing to speak out based on what you understand. By speaking out, it creates very good condition for the sharing to be livelier. So thank you for all these sharing. Now that I have explained this to you, you can still express what you want to express, it’s not a problem because this is just a dharma sharing session. The only difference is the people who are here are more interested in the sutra that we are sharing, - ‘The 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra’.  If your field is different, maybe we can develop that sharing in a different environment because this is a sutra class. This is not a normal type of sharing class but today I don’t mind because a lot of them want to go back early. Normally, the first session (sutra class) is until 4:30pm, then after that is the meditation session. After meditation, you can ask any questions. During that time, the normal sharing will be discussed. What is the time now? Oh! Almost 5.30pm already. What time you all want me to end? 5.30pm? Okay then you can rejoice, Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

We will chant the sharing and transference of merits in Pāḷi. After that you can pay respects to all the great beings and worthy ones, then we end.

3rd Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 12th July 2015

It is exactly 3 pm, so we can start. Please relax body and mind, then compose your mind to develop the faith and prepare for puja.

3.1 Pūjā

We shall recite the salutation following the Mahayana tradition first:

Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó (南无本师释迦牟尼佛) (3x)

Nā Mó Guān Shì Yīn Pú Sà (南无观世音菩萨) (3x)

Námó fó púsà (3x) (南無佛菩薩) (3x)

Now we will chant the Theravada tradition. We will start off with the Salutation to the Triple Gem: the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha.

Vandanā - Salutation to Lord Buddha:-

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsaṃbuddhassa (3X)

Tisaraṇa - Taking of the Three Refuges:-

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Dutiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Tatiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Pañca Sīla - Renewing of the Five Precepts:-

Pānātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Surā-meraya-majja-pamā-daṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Rejoicing)

Now let us pay respect mindfully to Quan Yin Bodhisattva and all the other great beings that are worthy of respect and the Triple Gems to end the pre-pūjā.

Buddhaṃ pujemi; Dhammaṃ pujemi; Saṅghaṃ pujemi.

3.2 Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

A very good afternoon to all, Brothers and Sisters in the Dharma. Last week we didn’t have our class because I was away with my wife; we visited Macau. It was in fact a good experience because that was the first time we visited Macau. There were many good conditions behind that trip. It was a very good trip and a lot of things happened while we were on that trip even though it was just a short visit and we met up with some good people too. Anyway I would like to share something important with you all before we start our 6th Patriarch Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra class.

We were at page 9 and we are supposed to continue from there (where we stop). But before we do that, I just want to share with you all something which I have sent out this morning. It's a write-up on mindfulness which I saw in the Star paper.

Nowadays, Western societies are starting to appreciate the great benefits of a type of Buddhist meditation as taught by the Buddha, called mindfulness meditation or sati based meditation namely the Four Foundations of Mindfulness or sati sampajañña meditation. This was the meditation they picked up and they had developed great interest in it because it had helped them so much and this was also the topic we went through before we started on the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra series of dharma sharing. We covered the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness. What is interesting about this article is that, even though it's a short write-up, they manage to capture some of the key important understanding of this type of meditation but without proper explanation people may not understand because what is written here is just a very brief summary of what that thing is supposed to be. So if you don't have a clear explanation to link it back to the Buddha’s teaching you cannot get much out of it unless you have the experience and cultivation developed on your own during your past lives. That's the reason why when I saw it, I thought it's a good topic to share. I shall now read it to you.

This was printed in the Star newspaper today, 12th July 2015. The title was 'Meditate on this: Mindfulness as a Meditation tool offers many benefits'. They also have this understanding. What they have stated here is very good. That's the reason why I forwarded it to you all. It's a very good write-up on mindfulness. The write-up is as below:

‘If you have heard or read about mindfulness as a form of meditation, - you might be curious about how to practise it….’

Actually mindfulness cannot be practiced. Mindfulness is to be understood. The moment you understand, then it will be there. You cannot practice to be mindful. You cannot try to be mindful because that trying is by the thought. Whenever there is thought, there is no mindfulness. So mindfulness is not something you can practice. It is something you can train to develop - the heedless thinking mind can be trained to be heedful, to be aware because when this heedless mind doesn't think, doesn't wander off, doesn't verbalise or chatter, doesn't create, doesn't judge, react and does all those funny things, then thoughts will cease to be, then mindfulness will arise naturally. Without thought you are already aware or mindful.

Always remember - when you do not think, you are silent. I used to share this with you all before: - ‘the moment you are silent, you are already aware. You are already attentive, do you understand? Your problem is - you are never silent or seldom silent and before you understand and cultivate all these, you think a lot.’ That's the reason why the book, 'Emptiness' when it comes out, you are going to understand a lot more because I have explained it in a very clear and yet very simple manner with an in-depth coverage of what this thing is. When you read through this transcript book which was based on a 2 hour plus dharma talk I delivered in Klang Tiratana centre, Selangor recently you are going to develop a lot of understanding of what this teaching is all about; what heedfulness and mindfulness are all about; what the true mind is all about; and how that understanding can transform you and bring about great understanding of life; then you can really appreciate and live life to the fullness.

All these understanding are very important but because people don't understand, so they use such wrong words to express it, - 'you might be curious about how to practice it'.

Actually you cannot practice to be mindful. Mindfulness cannot be practised. Mindfulness must be understood. The moment you understand, you will realize it. The moment you are attentive without thought; the moment you are silent, you are already aware, you are already mindful but the moment you start to look for it, chase after it or practise it, you will never get it. That's the reason why I always advise you all, ‘when you do the bowing, you just do. Don't try to know and there is no thought involved. Do until sati naturally arises then the “form and mind” will understand what sati is.’ It's like swimming. The moment you realize or understand what swimming is, what flotation and buoyancy is, you do not need words to describe it. You will understand clearly because the ‘form and mind’ experiencing it there and then will understand, no word is needed. And that is true sati, not the word used to describe it. So for mindfulness it is the same. I will read on.

‘Mindfulness is the act of intensely aware.’

Ah! This description is correct - when you are just aware there is no thought. That's why he used the word, 'intensely aware', - but you have to be careful because ‘intensely aware’ can also be interpreted as you trying to be very mindful. The trying is a resistance, do you understand? It is supposed to be a naturally relaxed state of awareness. You just silent your mind and remain attentive. Attentive means be aware but don't force it.  Don't resist it. Don't try to understand it. Don't try to do anything about it. Just maintain silent. Then the awareness will be there. And when awareness is there, it's very beautiful.

‘Mindfulness is the act of intensely aware of what you are sensing, feeling at any moment or every moment – without interpretation or judgment.’

This means every moment, every instance, within the present moment, you are with it. No need to have the word, ‘intensely mindful’ of it. No need, you just silent your mind and your awareness is just with it, meaning just aware without interpretation or judgment.

He used the words correctly, - 'without interpretation or judgment'. Who interprets? What interprets? Ah! The thought, which is the egoic mind, interprets. So the moment you are silent there is no interpretation, there is no chattering, there is no judgment, there is no reaction, there is no trying to know or reason, all those cease to be. That's why without thoughts, you are already aware. The moment you are silent without thought you are already aware; so don't try and do those funny things that people ask you to do, like noting, verbalizing etc.

You see, this mindfulness sentence may appear to have a lot of dharma, a lot of beautiful things. But when you understand, you will become very clear and very precise. There are still a lot of things not ‘so correct’ within that sentence. They are still not sure, and that's why they contradict themselves via using such wrong words. They use such words because such words have appeared before; other people have used them before. These people who used them, don't have clear understanding. That's why in many places they contradict themselves. They use the words practice and intensely aware and at the same time they say without interpretation, without judgment etc. These are all words. If you don't understand, you contradict yourself without understanding what you are describing. So understanding is very important. The moment you understand all these words become superfluous and no longer necessary. I will read on:

‘Spending too much time planning, problem solving, or thinking negative or random thoughts can be draining. It drains away your mental strength, your energy and can develop a lot of stress. It can also make you more likely to experience stress and anxiety.’

They also know how a person becomes depressed. They think and think and think until it becomes a cocoon of thoughts, - keep on repeating those trains of wrong thoughts like a tape recorder.

Previous Sunday, before I went to Macau, I gave a dharma talk at SJBA and there was this lady who came to see me after the talk regarding her problem. She worked for a bank for more than 10 years. After hearing my talk, she approached me. She said, "Brother Teoh, I have some problems. What you said in the talk regarding those first noble truth realities are very true." She was facing some very stressful moments. The company (Bank) wanted to dismiss her, takes disciplinary action against her and she was full of fear, worry and anxiety and she didn't know what to do. Then when she heard me expounding the 1st noble truth realities regarding, ‘when you are with people whom you don't like – like career related issues; management by fear and harassment, etc.’ She said all these happened to her and they fitted in exactly. She was subjected to all those realities and she was still having intense fear while talking to me.

Since Brother Swee Aun was also there, I said to her, "Please give your contact details to Brother Swee Aun and he can help you." But she insisted on talking to me so I said, ‘I can only advise you not to panic. Don't develop the fear for it is not going to help you, do you understand? When you have these mental states of fear, worry and anxiety, you will become very confused because you don't have clarity of mind. These are negative energy fields. They will make you miserable. It will not solve your problem. It will make you worse. Why not you just calm yourself down first then develop some form of clear understanding, and learn to meditate a bit.’

That day, the Dharma talk’s title was very relevant and good; I spoke on the topic, 'The Importance and Great Benefits of Cultivating the Buddha dharma’. You have to cultivate the Buddha dharma, before you can understand all these. Then only can you reap its great benefit to help you overcome all of the 1st Noble Truth realities of suffering, the 8 conditions or realities.”

At that time, she was not listening. She can never be attentive because the depressive thoughts leading to the fear were so overwhelming and so intense. In fact Brother Swee Aun messaged me earlier on and said, ‘Bro. Teoh, you have to attend to her because she is breaking down or going cuckoo already.’ (It seemed Bro. Swee Aun also could sense it.) She kept on wanting to tell me her problems - like how they mistreated her; how they harassed her and how they subjected her to so much fear. Then I told her a very simply truth; if you can have the understanding of who you are and what you are and you are very clear about your rights, then you need not fear. Who fears? Only people who don't understand, deluded, have fear. Thought projections create fear. The thought that doesn't understand develops fear. When things go your way, there is no fear. When you cannot understand and when things don't go your way, you develop tremendous fear.

After I had explained these to her, she still could not understand, but she did maintain contact with Brother Swee Aun. What happened was, when she contacted Brother Swee Aun she started to ‘harass’ him until Brother Swee Aun also had no choice but to create a group chat on Whatsapp for the 3 of us. He forwarded her stressful messages to me. She kept on telling Brother Swee Aun what the company was going to do to her and all those stressful and fearful depressive thoughts and she was not listening to any of the advice at all. So Bro. Swee Aun forwarded them to me. If I were to read them, like what Bro. Swee Aun did, I might not have a good holiday in Macau. But because of my understanding I was still able to have a very good holiday in Macau. I didn't really want to reply to her because no point. Then later on, on the last day before I came back I texted them saying, "I am still overseas. I will only come back tomorrow."

Then what happened was, after I came back, I wrote in the Whatsapp group the same advice I gave her earlier on, i.e. 'do not arise the fear, maintain calm to have clarity of mind to resolve all these issues amicably with understanding.' I was hoping she could remember my advice but she couldn’t. Again immediately after that she said; ‘I must see you’. Then the problem started again boom, boom and boom - continued. I said, ‘If you continue to panic and do that, you will never get to understand your problem and you can never overcome your problem. So No point seeing me.’ I then wrote to her and said, ‘If you are free and willing to listen, you can drop by to discuss your so called problem. When you understand, there is no more problem. When you don't understand, you will have serious, big problem.’ Then luckily she agreed to come.

Last night, she made an appointment to come at 8 pm but she wanted to bring a friend because she was scared. It was her good friend, who received a lot of headache from her recently. She was her university friend and they have been together for very long. What happened was they came a bit late, arriving at 8:30pm because she needed to fetch her friend. They were so surprised because my terrace house was so big. And they commented, "Wah! Your house is so big, 2 units join together?" I said, “Yes! That’s why it has space, it has clarity.” Otherwise, like your brain, crowded with so much problems inside, hence no space, no clarity because clouded by your fear, worry, anxiety and problems. I then asked her to sit down to discuss her problems.

Again, before I could explain, she kept on repeating (like a tape recorder), those things that were haunting her or causing her fear and panic attacks. Luckily her good friend was there. Then I explained to her again. I reminded her again and again, “Did you really read what I wrote to you and what I had advised you?” I said, "Don't allow the fear, worry and anxiety to grip you and terrorize you because this will not help you." Again she continued, "But ... (letting out her so called problems again)". I reminded her and said, "Are you listening? If you are not listening, you might as well go home because you come here to seek advice and you are not listening. If you think your old ways can help you solve your problem, then go back. But because you have been doing it for so long and you have become so miserable it means it is not helping you."

Then I bring out the analogy of the red hot iron ball. If this thing (the wrong thought) is tormenting you, burning you out, and makes you so miserable, then why are you still holding on to it, lamenting and crying over it thus making yourself so fearful and so miserable. If you have been listening and you understand all these then what must you do? Put it down, right? Don't hold anymore.  Calm yourself down. Develop clarity of mind so that you are more aware, so that you can ask yourself, 'What are my options? How can I move?' Then you apply the Noble 8-fold path to resolve whatever issues amicably so that everybody is happy. If you understand all these, you will not have any problem at all.

After that, the friend understood and told her not to panic. I said to her, ‘if you just tell her this, it is of not much use’. Even I tried to let her understand but she was not listening because she had OCD (Obsessive, and Compulsive Disorder) problem; her obsessive and compulsive thoughts kept coming and they had become very intrusive. That was the sign of serious depression and I told her, “You are already in depression.” Then she said, "Yah, I know." I said, "Sooner or later, there will be suicidal thoughts." She said, "Not yet. I am not that stupid." Later on I came to understand that she had other related problems too: like boyfriend problems, character problem, harassing colleague’s problem etc. It was a very good sharing that night but too bad because the advice given to her that night was not recorded.

I questioned her, "Why must you panic and have so much fear? Why can't you just calm yourself down?" Of course, as usual she will tell me how the company mistreated her and wanted to do all those things to her. Threatened her, gave her the warning letter and threatened to dismiss her and forced her to sign the dismissal letter. I told her, "Ok. If you receive all these, if you don't have clarity of mind, if you are full of fear, worry and anxiety, how can you act? You are incapable of decision and action."

Then she kept on telling me she got an aunty - 'my aunty said this, my aunty said that'. Then I reminded her, ‘If what she has advised you worked, you will not be in this state, do you understand? So forget about what your aunty said and don't quote her anymore. Forget about what your office had said and what they will do to you because all these are wrong thoughts. The more you think, the more fear you will have and the more miserable you will become’. So what must you do?

She still didn't get the message then I asked her, "Do you have a piece of paper? You better write down all these advice one by one otherwise you won’t learn. The first thing you must do is, don't panic. Don't allow fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation to grip you”. She started to write all these down. The second point is, “learn to develop this ability to calm your-self down, to develop the positive energy field within because all those fear, worry and anxiety are very negative energy fields.”

Fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation will lead to stress because they are part of the 3 evil roots (roots of all evils) that make you evil and miserable. And these negative energies will set the condition for negative karma to arise and you will become worse. This is what you did to people in the past. Now conditions have arisen and you become the victim. If you don't have the wisdom and understanding, you will have to go through this suffering. What you have done to others earlier on, you don't understand. If you need to ask for forgiveness then you ask for forgiveness. That's the reason why I gave her the chanting book. Then I advised her to learn meditation via giving her the blue transcript book. I also gave her a copy of my seminar book to read so that she could understand life better. Then the last thing I advised her was to learn the teaching of the Buddha via reading the book, “The Ancient Path by Venerable Piyadassi. Her friend also wanted those books. I said to her, ‘You have to develop the proper understanding in order to solve your problems. If you keep on panicking via having all these fear, worry and anxiety it will not help.’

The third point is very simple. When you have calmed yourself down you will have clarity of mind, then you can ask yourself, is there a real problem? What are my rights? What have I done? Have I done anything seriously wrong like breaching the company's rules or society's rules that can allow them to act against me - to dismiss me? Otherwise, it's wrongful dismissal. So you don't have to worry and you can be rest assured that you will be well compensated by the industrial court. You don't have to worry about what happens. For you have worked for them for 10 years. Your rights are enshrined there. Did they gave you an appointment letter?” She said, “Yes.” They put you under probation for how long, 3 or 6 months? Did you pass the probation? “Yes.” They also confirmed you on the job right? And you have worked for 10 years and nothing has happened to you. You didn't receive any warning letter. Only recently these types of things started, so you just have to reply in a very simple manner via saying,

‘For your information, I was confirmed on the job after going through the probation, which means you accepted me base on my qualifications and experience and you are happy with my performance because for the last 10 years, I have got no issue with the company; there was no warning letter, or any letter to that effect. Only recently - I don't know what really happened, there has been a lot of these things going on, warning letter etc. But as far as I am concerned, I do not agree with what is written in your warning letter. I have tried my best based on my qualifications and experience. If I have tried my best you cannot wrongfully dismiss me just because you say I have failed to perform or failed to deliver. All these are what you say. As far as I am concerned, my training and qualifications are like that and I have tried my best, that's it.

According to her they asked her to deliver things that were beyond her capability because she didn’t have such experience. And she could not handle because there was no training given to her. So I told her, “That is not your job scope. You can ignore what they tell you because you don't agree with all those unreasonable accusations.” You can reply to them via telling them, ‘If you want me to do those work, you better promote me and send me for training and equip me with the necessary skills and understanding. Then I will try my best. You cannot just dismiss me over such unreasonable reason. This is wrongful dismissal (meaning they try to remove you without any valid reason)’. So I told her, when you understand all these, you don't have to panic. You don't have to be fearful unless you have done something wrong. Even if you have done something wrong, you don't have to worry too because the past is already gone. You have to move on. Then only she told me her other office problem involving her ‘boyfriend’.

She said, in the office she used to have a boyfriend….. Then I said, “Wait. Don't make it so complicated. Boyfriend means who?” She said, “My Boyfriend, lah!” Is he also a colleague who works in your office? She said, “Yes.” That’s how the whole thing started. It seemed she told the boyfriend certain things then there was a misunderstanding; then the boyfriend decided to avoid her.  She then called and texted her boyfriend nearly 400 times a day until her boyfriend also got fed-up with her and threatened to report her to the management for doing all those things.

I then said "Eh! That is too complicated because you never tell me the whole truth. You created such big problems yourself.” She toned down after that and even her friend who came with her that night laughed and said she had a lot of such problems. Whatever it is, luckily she heard what I said. Since these things already happened - even if you had breached the company’s policies, also there was no problem because what you needed to do was to resolve it amicably. Then she started to tell me the whole story.

She said this boyfriend actually took advantage of her, played her out on many occasions; wanted money from her and when she refused him, he started to ignore her. Then I said, “Since you already knew all these, why did you still allow yourself to be taken advantage of. Who can you blame? When you understand what is going on, then you better wake up and determine to end all these miseries. Work is work and relationship is a separate matter”. She then said, "I called him only after office hours." I advised her whether during office or after office it is the same because when there is misunderstanding, they will react.  So what is important is if you need to sever this relationship, sever it.  Then accept him for what he is.  Don't hate him and don't get angry.  Don't get yourself entangled with what has happened.  Solve your problems one by one. Then I continued to brief her further, “If you separate these two issues and don't allow them to entangle you, can you solve your problem now?”  She started to develop the understanding via saying, "Oh! Yes! I do have my rights as an employee.  I don't have to panic, hah. Then after that, I can apply for a job."

I then told her, “The industrial court, maybe after 10 years award you the compensation for unlawful dismissal. If you win the case, all the salaries plus interests, they have to pay to you and it can be a big sum of money.  It's like your pension or windfall coming.  So why do you panic?  This is the best outcome because your chance of winning the case is very high.  If they can dismiss you, it's the best.” She then said, "Yes, I want to check with the industrial court.”  Later she told me, ‘the Industrial court also said to wait until they dismiss me, then only go and see them.  Otherwise, no point.’

She started to calm down, then within one and a half hour or so, she was feeling so much better.  I could see the change in her condition and I told her, ‘at least now you look so much better than when you just stepped into my house.’  Then she started to smile.  After that, she and her friend were very happy.  It was so visible.  Then she looked at the clock and said, "Wah! 10pm already".

She needed to send her friend back, so I told her, ‘if you have already understood the problem, then you can go back.’ Remember the 3 points you wrote down: Don't panic, don't react and all those things,  then don’t go and allow the negative thoughts to continue to haunt you, grip you and paralyze you.  Calm yourself down.  Then she said, "That's the reason why I like to listen to your dharma talks. That dharma talk at SJBA was very good but I didn't really listen.” I said, ‘you thought you listened but you didn't really listen’.  These are the sharing and understanding that can help people. Her case was only one of the many things discussed.

In Macau, there was another lady, also a long time depression case but after they saw how our sister Alicia who was 16 years in depression just turned around after listening to my dharma sharing, they were in disbelief.  Even the Filipino friend of hers also was very impressed to see the sudden change in her. He also heard it from Freddy (Alicia’s husband) how Alicia turned around and  became so ‘beautiful’ after that.  Their long time Filipino friend, Teddy was so keen to talk to me when he finally met me in Macau.  He came over from Philippines.  He is a Catholic, Christian.  He said to me, 'I heard you teach Dharma.'  I said, 'yes’! Then I inquired – ‘are you a Buddhist?'  He said, 'No, I am a Catholic.’  He then said, ‘you have done wonders because Alicia recovered so beautifully and I heard a lot about you.  I want to understand more.'  He liked good food and he liked to drink too.  Over dinner he asked me many questions.  The way I answered him did impress him very much. He then suggested to Alicia's husband, Freddy, 'I think the next time I come to Malaysia,  we don't go drinking. Instead we go and attend Bro. Teoh's dharma talk.'

That was the most beautiful sharing because he used his Christian teaching to ask me questions and he was a very nice guy, very open-minded.  He said he liked to read other religions too.  He only believes in one thing: - he said,  ’whatever it is, he will not harm, cheat or deceive people.  He will always be good to everybody.’  I said, ‘Sadhu! That is a real religious person and  if you can do that, you are truly religious.’  You don't have to worry about what religious label you carry.  The religious label is not important.  But he said, ‘this was deep in him’.  He can never cheat, deceive and harm others.  That is how he lives his life.  That's why his life was good.  I said, “it is because you follow the advice of Jesus, the embodiment of Jesus’ love and compassion. And you keep his commandments.”  He said, “Yes, the commandments are very good. The commandments can be summarized into one word, 'Love'.  Love thy neighbour, love everyone.”  I said, 'Wah, you are very wise.  If you understand true love, you will have no more problems with life.’ Then he smiled.

We can learn from all these. These are all dharma, daily life dharma, day to day dharma.  So always remember, do not panic, do not create mental negativity.  This is what mindfulness is all about.  When you are mindful you have clarity and you don't have thoughts, which means you don't project into the future or the past.  Then you have no fear, no worry, no anxiety.  There cannot be any sorrow and lamentation.  Then you won't land yourself into unnecessary negative states of mind, such as depression or problem.  You will be beautiful.  But dharma can play a great role to help you understand life and overcome all of your life problems and situation.  Ok, we shall read on, so that you can understand better.

So now you understand.  Spending too much time, scheming, planning, mundane way of problem solving and thinking negative thoughts or random and heedless thoughts can be very stressful and draining.  It can also make you anxious and fearful. This is happening to most people in this world.  That's why that lady said people who have suffering, their mental states are more or less the same; they think and think and think and they project their thoughts, recall the unhappy past, their scars of memories... and they become miserable and this purple book of mine, - 'Emptiness' explains a lot on these.

Coming back to the Star newspaper’s write up on mindfulness, it continues as below:

Having mindfulness or developing mindfulness exercises can help you direct your attention away from all these kinds of heedless thinking and engage with the world around you.  It can have many possibilities or possible benefits including reducing your stress, anxiety and depression.  Less negative thinking and distraction will improve your emotion or your mood.  There are several ways to practice mindfulness. …

Towards the end he used the word, 'several ways to practice mindfulness' again.  Please remember Mindfulness cannot be practiced. It should be how to develop mindfulness. Paying attention is the first way, which is a very good way to develop mindfulness.

The next time you meet somebody...

This is what most people don't do, to develop the art of listening, remember? During our Tuesday class discussion? Go and listen to that recording on the Art of Listening again.

The next time you meet someone, do listen closely to his or her words. Think about their meaning.

The correct word should be ‘listen attentively’.  Don't go and use these words, ‘think about their meaning and you...’.  Don't go and think.  Just listen attentively.  Then you will understand.  You don't think, do you understand?  Understanding through attentive listening is different from thinking about what is being spoken. Can you all see the difference? You better make sure you can see the difference.  When you listen and think, what happens? It means you are not listening anymore because you are thinking, preoccupied with what he has said and try to develop your understanding via comparing it with your memory.  When you are doing these thinking, you are lost in thoughts, preoccupied with all these thinking, hence you can never be attentive anymore.  You are not listening anymore.  That's why you don't go and think.  You just listen, can you all understand? Cannot? Then never mind, just let it pass, then listen attentively again.  That is how you listen.  You don't go and react, don't go and comment, don't do all those funny things.  Just listen. That's the reason why the words they use here are not correct, ‘think about their meaning.....’. Forget about the thinking.  Just listen.  When you can understand, you will understand what I mean.  If you cannot, never mind.  But if you want to contemplate and reflect on what they say, you can do it later after the sharing to develop the second turning contemplative wisdom

Then it said,

Aim to develop a habit of understanding others…..

Ah! see, this one is correct but it is not a habit.  It is understanding because when you listen you have an open mind so that you can understand what is being conveyed, by the message.  Forget about right and wrong.  Just listen.  When you are attentive, there is no thought, there is clarity.  Then you will understand whether what is being spoken has meaning or not, relevant or not?  When you do that, more and more, more and more, more and more, you will transform  from a heedless way of listening and become different - meaning you have developed the art of listening via heedfulness. You become more heedful, less heedless. You shift over to heedful living listening with heedfulness. Walking, standing, turning and whatever you do in life, you can maintain the daily mindfulness; you are heedful most of the time, you are no longer heedless like before. That is the reason why paying attention and being attentive is a good training to develop mindfulness.  That's also the reason why the Buddha said, ‘standing - aware, walking - aware, bending, stretching, turning, seeing –also aware, - be attentive all the time.  Don't try to know, just do this training until it becomes a part of you and you will understand many things naturally.  When sati is there, everything can be understood.

Here, they still don't understand the real meaning of sati.  That's why they still use words that contradict themselves but it's already not so bad.

‘The aim to develop a habit of understanding….’ (Is not habit).  ‘Aim to develop a habit of understanding through listening…’ (Not through thinking.  Ah! They also used these words):

‘….and delaying your judgments and criticism.’

Forget about delaying…, don't even criticize or judge.  Who is trying to be right? Who is trying to judge?  The egoic mind, the personality that still holds on to a view and opinion isn't it? But when you can accept them for what they are, you don't have to judge, you don't have to react, you don't have to do all those funny things or criticize them because they are just the way they are; hence no right, no wrong and  you just accept them for what they are. And what do you mean by acceptance?  Acceptance is peace, not reacting, not commenting, not judging because you accept them for what they are.  So acceptance brings about clarity, brings about peace.  For you no longer blame, react and do all those funny things anymore.  You are at peace.  When you are at peace, there is clarity.  Then you can act, you can move, you can live life.  This is how a heedful living being lives life, not to be clouded by all these, give meaning, getting yourself entangled, create through your thinking (via your saṅkhāra, your views and your opinions and your reactions to what you hear, what you see, what you smell, what you taste, what you tactilely feel or think).  This is what saṅkhāra is all about.  This is what attachment, craving, clinging, grasping are all about? That's how the five aggregates of ‘form and mind’ become grasping aggregates.  They are no longer pure aggregates.

What do you mean by Pure aggregates?  It means when you feel, you just feel, when you perceive, you just perceive; only pure perception: just be with it attentively and be silent within.  Then you will understand many things because understanding doesn't come from the thought.  It's an awakening.  When you are silent, you will understand because there is clarity.  You will know how you function as a human being, how your mind stirs into all those mind states, then how the dependent origination comes to be, how the teachings come to be.  So all these dharma, you will understand them when you have developed the silent mind.

I will read on.  The second advice is: ‘Make the familiar new again.’

Ah, this is very important.  Can you all understand this? - ‘Make the familiar new again.’ How many of you don't understand this? Just like those things or your daily routine that you are very familiar with; every day you do it, you tend to take for granted. Like when you wake up, you will heedlessly (without mindfulness) go to your toilet.  Every day you are in a rush. Even when brushing your teeth, you tend to think a lot and you are hardly mindful of the moment in silent awareness. Worry about what to do after office; must go there buy what, deliver what, drink what, see who, attend to what and what, etc...  - what are you doing?   These are all familiar old things and you have been doing it habitually via habitual tendencies.  And you are very mechanical. You don't know what is going on because there is hardly any awareness or mindfulness all these while.

So their advice, 'make the familiar new again' means every moment, every instant, everything that you want to do like even ringing this bell or drinking a cup of tea or whatever it is – do it like it is a new experience.  You don't go and allow these memories and habitual tendencies make you mechanical.  Mechanical means you are thinking, you are lost in thought and you just do it like a machine mechanically, automatically or what they call reflex action.  Sometimes when you do it so mechanically, you don't even know – like when you go into the car and how you reach your office because it has become a part of your habitual tendencies or routines.  That's why when you don't have heedfulness and mindfulness, you will not be able to have this ability to be with the moment, to live life, to understand life and to develop the mindfulness training in life.  I will read this to you so that you can develop the understanding:

‘Find a few small familiar objects such as toothbrush, apple, or cell phone in your home or office.  Look at the object with fresh eyes.  Identify one new detail about each object you didn't see before.’

This suggestion by them is a very crude way of understanding sati.  In true Sati cultivation there is no need for you to slow down and look as per their suggestion, no need.  Just be attentive.  What does this mean?  When your hand is about to go there, hand and mind move as one and attentively observe how your hand moves and pick things up.  Then when you want to understand it, you really look at it.  When you drink the same cup of coffee, you drink with the silent mind without thoughts running all over, then you are really tasting the coffee and this coffee is ever refreshing.  Even if the person makes it differently, you will know; whether the coffee beans used is which particular type, you will know and how much sugar etc.  Because of the silence, you can taste it very clearly.  Then everything you see is very pristine.  It's like you are looking at the whole thing, you don't look with the ‘word’ and the ‘concept’.

Like this microphone, if you take for granted 'microphone', the word and the concept will prevent you from truly observing this microphone.  ‘Microphone’ as a word is an image, a concept which is not the reality. When I say, ‘I see things as they are without the words’ it means I see everything without the words and the labelling or images.  Then I have clarity.  That's why he said, 'new details'.   Actually it's not 'new details' because when you really look at this thing, without the word and the concept it is the direct seeing or seeing things as they and this type of seeing is very different.   But when you look at it without attentively observing it, what you see is just the image which you take for granted.  Ah! Microphone, that's it, you didn't look clearly because you are contented with the image you saw.

Even the art piece hanging on the wall or whatever, you didn't really look.  But when you are attentive and you look, the whole of the art piece becomes very different because when you look attentively with the silent mind, you can see all the pristine beauty as they are without word.  It's just pure perception leading to understanding.  Everything is like new because it's not accumulated in memories.

Then if you don't go and compare, you will see it as a completely new thing.  But human beings like to compare, and the very comparison is from the memory.  If you are aware of this arising of the memory, you are still being aware.  But if you are not aware of the action that the mind is going through, then you are completely lost in thoughts, you become heedless again.  All these are deeper understanding.  We shall go on.

‘Focus on your breathing. Sit in a quiet place with your back straight but relax.  Feel your breath moving in and out of your lungs.  Let your awareness and everything else fall away.’

See again they use the word ‘focus’ and ‘feel’ the breath, etc. When your mind wanders off, you are supposed to gently redirect your attention back to your breath.  Can you remember my instruction? The moment mind wanders off, bring it back.  Just maintain awareness in front of your nostrils so that the moment the mind detects the breathing you can develop Ānāpānasati via mindfulness of the in and out breath. That is, ‘Breathing in - aware, breathing out - aware, without thought.’ But they didn't give such detailed explanation;   that’s why you cannot do it.  If you try to follow their approach, chances are you will interpret it differently.  Their instructions are:

‘…you are simply becoming aware of what's happening around you, breath by breath.’

This is not Ānāpānasati, for Ānāpānasati is just awareness or mindfulness of the in and out breath.  You are not trying to be aware of everything around you, but just awareness of the in and out breath.  That is just to train your mind to be aware, to anchor it to the breath which is part of the kaya but they forgot the actual teaching.  They never go back and check it out. What is the teaching all about? The Buddha explained very clearly.  Why are you not peaceful? Why are you not able to be aware, to be in the meditative state of sati (awareness).  It is because of the mental hindrances. And mental hindrances arise because you lack spiritual faculties.  These are not taught, that's the reason why you cannot link the teaching.

If you know that you are heedless, you think a lot, you are not peaceful and you cannot be mindful is because of the mental hindrances which have become habitual tendencies, then what must you do? And all these are not taught, not shared.  That's the reason why you cannot develop the meditation.  I then advise you to develop the skilful means to decondition your heedless thinking. That's how the mind-sweeping method comes in.  That's how mettā meditation comes in to develop inner peace leading to inner well-being.  Then only the mind can become peaceful, calm, and quiet.  Then you can anchor it to any skilful means like Ānāpānasati or whatever method or technique of meditation to stabilize the mindfulness and all these should be taught. Hence the reason why you all don't understand what they are trying to tell you.

Then on another occasion they said,

‘Awaken your senses.  Get a raisin, smell it, feel it and anticipate eating it.  When you smell without thoughts it is very different’

Our Sister Susan replied to me saying that's what she did and she tried to teach this to her children, which was very good. But they forgot the words, 'smell without thoughts, feel, taste, (without thoughts) and just eat (means chew) and experience the taste consciousness without thought. If you do it with clarity, silent and without thoughts, it is so different.  But as you all do, the thoughts keep coming out.  For as you do all these, you are thinking, thinking and thinking.  There is no mindfulness at all.

Reason why they said:

‘Taste the raisin slowly and deliberately chewing it.’

It should not be deliberately chewing it, you just chew to experience the taste consciousness.  Then whole of that movement, the awareness of it,  makes your mind very sensitive because you are silent.  That's what I have always told you all: ‘when you want to feel something (like when you put your hand on the floor),  if you are not silent you cannot feel because there are things going on in your head but the moment you are silent, the whole of the sensation becomes very clear.  That's why feeling becomes pure feeling and everything that happens within that tactile consciousness, you understand, the sensation and the vibration etc.  But when you think about it through a dharma or a word or a concept, you are not sensitive at all.  You totally cannot feel because you are trying to think.  You can only  do one thing at a time.  When you think, you cannot feel.  That's why when you feel, you must feel without thoughts. Just be aware and silent your mind then your feeling will become very clear.’  We shall move on.

‘Paying close attention to your senses might reveal insight into your relationship with eating and food.’

They are not able to explain it. They used the word 'might' - meaning maybe possible but they didn’t explain it to you. When you are more and more aware without thoughts, you can train your mind to be more quiet, more peaceful, with more clarity and more heedfulness and that will allow you to insight into phenomena, into the 3 universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering state and non-self.  These are also not taught, not explained by them.  That's why they just use the words, ‘might reveal insight into your relationship with eating and food.’

How can you develop insight into your relationship with eating and food if they don't explain it to you.  You are supposed to train your mind to be silent, to be aware so that it can insight into the characteristics of nature.  If these are not taught, then all these are only words and they don’t have any meaning. It only has meaning to those who understand.  Then the last part is the best.  They said:

‘Aim to practice mindfulness everyday…’

There is no such thing as practicing mindfulness. It should be ‘aim to be mindful most of the time, throughout the day.’  The reason being the moment you are silent without thought, you are already aware or mindful.  Hence you don't practice to be mindful because the practice or doing is by the thought or the so called ‘meditator’. Then they continue via saying:

‘If you do it for 6 months, over time you might find that mindfulness becomes effortless.’

See, how they contradict themselves? Effortless means you don't go and put in effort to practice, can you understand? You don't go and think. It becomes automatic. When you are silent without thought, you are already mindful throughout the day by itself.  That's why I used to advise you all, “when doing the bowing, you just bow”, don't try to know. You do the continuous bowing until the body and mind move as one without thought then when mindfulness is there, the ‘form and mind’ will understand what that mindfulness or sati is.

‘Just like swimming, go and swim and develop the understanding that the body is lighter than water hence its natural tendency is buoyancy. Just completely allow your body to float without struggling then you will understand what buoyancy, floatation and swimming is.’  You have to do it until it becomes a part of you.  Don't try to know when you are doing it.  That's the reason why the real training is very different from what is being taught.

Then they continue to say:

‘You might find that mindfulness becomes effortless.  Think of it as a commitment to reconnect with and nurture yourself.

This is the series of sharing from the Mayo Foundation, Medical Education and Research, Tribune News Services.  This is what I want to share with you all today before we start our class.

So any questions so far? Have you all developed a better understanding of what sati is?   After having gone through all these, it is about time most of you have a clearer understanding of what sati is and how you can develop the training to be more aware so that all these can be understood clearly so that your cultivation can become very different. With this understanding, you can progress faster.

My usual advices to you are, throughout the day your cultivation should be as follows:

i) Develop this daily mindfulness with understanding then stabilize

ii) Start your daily mindfulness cultivation (kāyānupassanā) with your daily routines that you do very often while at home, then extend it outwards; to your driving, going to office, shopping and other activities of the day; after that at your career environment (at the place where you work) etc. - until this daily mindfulness becomes a part of you; until you can be ever mindful during your entire daily life.

All these constitute meditation, the cultivation of Sati Sampajañña (mindfulness with clear comprehension of all actions and all movements in the present moment) and this is real meditation.  Before you can be heedful or mindful in the midst of life, the real meditation has not started yet.  All of your formal meditation, is of not much use if you do not have this ability to bring forth the daily mindfulness, the heedfulness in daily life to cultivate the 4 foundations of mindfulness and the Noble 8-fold path in daily life.

Okay, any questions, while I take a drink.  Anybody, has any questions? Where is the microphone?  The mic is here.  Anybody who wants to share something or ask any questions, you can.  Okay, never mind if there is no question we shall move on to the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra.  Before that maybe we read the verses for opening the sutra.  Turn back a few pages.

Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning.

You have to fold this page so that next time you can find it easily. Then we turn to page 9.

‘The Five Previous Patriarchs before Master Hui Neng….’

This part is quite interesting because before the 6th Patriarch, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Patriarchs, their lives were really not so fortunate as the 6th Patriarch.  They have to go through a lot of, what they call, very intense and tough conditions and through this understanding of the history behind, you will come to know how civilizations at times (even when the real teaching, the Buddha dharma is still around), living beings are still deluded, they cannot see, they cannot appreciate it and they cannot really hold on to it or go all out to receive it, to cultivate it and this is something that civilization has to learn.  Okay we can start now.

‘It wasn’t easy being the Sixth Patriarch. Many people wished to kill him and his disciples as well. For this reason, after the Great Master obtained the Dharma, he went into hiding, dwelling among hunters for sixteen years. (This refers to Master Hui Neng) Even after establishing his Dharma platform at Nan Hua Temple, followers of other religions still tried to kill him, and so the Great Master hid inside a big rock. He sat there in meditation, and although they set the mountain on fire, he was untouched by the flames. The rock could still be seen when I was at Nan Hua Temple.’ (This refers to Master Hsuan Hua)

‘Who wanted to kill him? In general, it wasn’t you and it wasn’t me. On the other hand, if you consider the insane things we have done in past lives, it might well have been you or it could have been me. But in this life it wasn’t you or me and so there is no need to worry about having broken precepts in this case.

‘As I told you, the Great Master is counted as the Sixth Patriarch from the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, who was the Twenty-eighth Indian Patriarch. “Bodhi” means enlightenment and “Dharma” means law. …… ‘ (Should be “Dharma” meaning the Truth but Master Hsuan Hua used the word, ‘law’, maybe he is referring to Nature’s Law that governs life and existence which is also the truth).

When Bodhidharma set off from India, fulfilling Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction that the Mahayana teaching would be transmitted to China during the time of the Twenty-eighth Patriarch, the Buddha Dharma already existed in China, yet it was as if it were not there at all. Although there were men who studied, there were few who lectured or recited the sutras and repentance ceremonies were seldom practiced. Cultivation was superficial. Scholars debated and argued, but none of them truly understood. The principles in the Sutras must be cultivated, but at that time in China they were not cultivated because everyone feared suffering. Now, in America, it is just the same. People sit in meditation. However, as soon as their legs begin to ache, they wince and fidget and then gently unbend them. People are just people and nobody likes to have aching legs.

While still in India, the Patriarch Bodhidharma sent two of his disciples, Fo T’o and Yeh She, to China to transmit the sudden enlightenment Dharma door. But no one, not even Chinese Bhikshus, would speak to them. So they went to Lu Mountain where they met the Great Master Yüan Kung, who lectured on mindfulness of the Buddha.

Master Yüan asked, “What Dharma do you transmit that causes people to pay you so little respect?”

Fo T’o and Yeh She could not speak Chinese, so they used sign language instead. Raising their arms in the air, they said, “Watch! The hand makes a fist and the fist makes a hand. Is this not quick?”

Master Yüan replied, “Quick indeed.”

“Bodhi (enlightenment) and affliction,” they said, “are just that quick.”

See, when you understand what the analogy of a fist and a hand is, you will awaken.  So Bodhi and affliction are just that quick. The moment you understand, no more suffering.  As long as you don't understand, suffering will continue to grip you, do you understand?

‘At that moment, Dharma Master Yüan became enlightened…’

See, I just open my hand and close my hand, - are you enlightened? Hah? That was what my nature was awakened to earlier on when one of my teachers just raised her hand like that.  She was explaining to another dharma friend from Singapore.  She said, 'you see'.   She then moved her hand like that and then like that. She then asked, "What did you see?"  The moment her hand moved like that and then like that, I awakened to the 3 universal characteristics straight away, no word, nothing because I was mindful and silent.  That Singapore friend was not silent.  He was trying to use the thought to understand.  That's why he could not get it.  And all these are possible.  That very instant she moved her hand, this nature just understood.  No word.  That's why the real dharma is not thought-based, nothing to do with the word.  All these are possible.

Similarly the sutra said,

‘At that moment, Dharma Master Yüan became enlightened, realizing that originally Bodhi and affliction are not different, for Bodhi is affliction and affliction is Bodhi. He made offerings to Fo T’o and Yeh She, and shortly thereafter, the two Indian Bhikshus died on the same day, in the same place. Their graves may still be seen at Lu Mountain. (Wah! Just to transmit the dharma.)’

‘Patriarch Bodhidharma saw that the roots of the Mahayana, the Great Vehicle Buddha Dharma, were ripe in China. Fearing neither the distance nor the hardship of travel, he took the Dharma there. The Chinese called him “barbarian” because he talked in a way that no one understood.’

You know Dá mó, 达摩祖师 (dá mó zǔshī), Bodhidharma. He is very fierce. The painting that they paint of him with all the beard and a very fierce look is because he is very strict. When children looked up at the bearded Bodhidharma, they ran away in terror. Adults feared that he was a kidnapper and so told their children to stay away from him.

Patriarch Bodhidharma went to Nan Ching where he listened to Dharma Master Shen Kuang explaining the Sutras. When Shen Kuang spoke, the heavens rained fragrant blossoms and a golden-petalled lotus rose from the earth for him to sit upon. However, only those with good roots, who had opened the five eyes^8 and the six spiritual penetrations were able to see that. Now! Isn’t this wonderful?

Now, you look at the note 8’s explanation listed at the bottom.

(Note 8: Opened through cultivation, the Five Eyes are: 1) the Buddha Eye, 2) the Dharma Eye, 3) the Flesh Eye, 4) the Heavenly Eye, and 5) the Wisdom Eye.)

After listening to the Sutra, Bodhidharma asked, “Dharma Master, what are you doing?”

“I am explaining Sutras,” Shen Kuang replied.

“Why are you explaining Sutras?”

“I am teaching people to end birth and death.”

You have to listen to this. This one is very profound.

“Oh?” said Bodhidharma, “exactly how do you do that? In this Sutra which you explain, the words are black and the paper is white. How does this teach people to end birth and death?”

Dharma Master Shen Kuang had nothing to say. How did he teach people to end birth and death? He fumed in silence. (‘He fumed in silence’ means he was not happy but he kept it inside).

Then even though heavenly maidens rained down flowers and the earth gave forth golden lotuses, yet Dharma Master Shen Kuang got angry. This is what it means when it says that the Buddha Dharma existed in China, but it was as if it was not there at all. (This is because he still has anger; because all these are psychic phenomena).

When angry, Dharma Master Shen Kuang used his heavy iron beads to level opposition. In response to Bodhidharma’s question, he reddened with anger and raged like a tidal wave smashing a mountain. As he whipped out his beads, he snapped, “You are slandering the Dharma!” and cracked Bodhidharma across the mouth, knocking loose two teeth. Bodhidharma neither moved nor spoke. He hadn’t expected such a vicious response.

There is a legend about the teeth of holy men. You must not ask about the principle, however, because it is too inconceivable. The legend says that if a sage’s teeth fall to the ground, it won’t rain for three years. Patriarch Bodhidharma thought, “If it doesn’t rain for three years, people will starve! I have come to China to save living beings, not to kill them!” So Bodhidharma did not let his teeth fall to the ground. Instead, he swallowed them and disappeared down the road. Although he had been beaten and reviled, Bodhidharma could not go to the government and file suit against Dharma Master Shen Kuang. Those who have left home have to be patient. How much more so must a patriarch forbear.

Bodhidharma then met a parrot imprisoned in a wicker cage. This bird was much more intelligent than Dharma Master Shen Kuang. Recognizing Bodhidharma as the First Patriarch, the bird said,

Mind from the West,

Mind from the West,

Teach me a way

To escape from this cage.

Wah! This bird very smart, - 西方四节 (xīfāng sì jié). It knew Bodhidharma was enlightened. It called him by such a nice name, ‘Mind from the west, Mind from the West, Teach me a way to escape from this cage’,

Although Bodhidharma had received no response from people, this parrot recognized him. Hearing the bird’s plea for help, Bodhidharma whispered a secret expedient teaching to teach this bird how to end suffering. He said,

To escape from the cage;

To escape from the cage;

Put out both legs,

Close both eyes.

This is the way

To escape from the cage!

Do you understand? This is very beautiful. Put out both legs and close both eyes.

The parrot listened attentively and said, “All right! I understand,” and stuck out his legs, closed his eyes, and waited. When the bird’s owner came home from work, he always played with his parrot. But this time when he looked in the cage he was shocked. (The owner thought the parrot died.

That’s why he was very wise and knew that the owner would open the cage).

The owner was on the verge of tears. He couldn’t have been more upset if his own son had died. He pulled open the cage door and scooped up the bird, which lay still and quiet in his hand. The body had not yet chilled. The owner looked with disbelief at the little body. He peeked at it from the left and right...it didn’t even quiver. Slowly, he opened his hand...PHLLRTTPHLRTTPHLRTT! The bird broke loose from his hand and flew away!

Now, like the parrot, we are in a cage. How do we escape? You may say, “I am already free. If I want to eat, I eat; if I want to drink, I drink. I do not have to follow rules. I can do anything.”

Don’t think you are so clever. This is not freedom, it is just confusion. To be free, you must be free of birth and death, and then, if you wish to fly into space you can fly into space, and if you wish to drop into the earth, you can drop into the earth. If you can do this, you are truly independent. Like the parrot, you are free.

As I explain The Sixth Patriarch Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra, I do not lecture well. This is not polite talk; it’s true. Some lecture well, yet do not dare explain. After I have lectured, you of true eloquence may follow. When you have opened your wisdom, you will understand.

In his great anger, Dharma Master Shen Kuang knocked out two of Bodhidharma’s teeth. He thought he had won a great victory because the Barbarian put forth no opposition. But not long after, the Ghost of Impermanence, wearing a high hat, paid a call on Master Shen Kuang:

“Your life ends today,” said the ghost. “King Yama, the King of the Dead, has sent me to escort you.”

Master Shen Kuang said, “What? Must I die? When I speak the Dharma, flowers fall from the heavens and the earth bubbles forth golden lotuses, yet I still have not ended birth and death? Tell me, is there a person in this world who has ended birth and death?”

“There is,” came the reply. “Who?” asked Shen Kuang. “Tell me, and I’ll follow him to study the Way.” “He’s that black-faced Bhikshu whose teeth you just knocked out. King Yama bows to him every day.”

Wow, this is really ‘gao lat’ or what they call in hokkien, ‘jiak lak’ (吃力). That’s why don’t end up this way, it’s very miserable. Some more he was told, ‘our King Yama bows to him every day.’

“Please, Old Ghost, speak to King Yama on my behalf. I want to follow that Bhikshu. I am determined to end birth and death. Can’t you allow me some more time?” “All right,” said the ghost. “Since you are sincere, King Yama will wait.”

Dharma Master Shen Kuang was delighted. He was so quick to rush after Bodhidharma that he forgot to thank the Ghost of Impermanence; in fact, he even forgot to put on his shoes. He ran until he met the parrot whom Bodhidharma had freed, and suddenly he understood, “Originally it is just this way! I need only act dead. I need only be a living dead person!”

Bodhidharma walked on, ignoring the barefoot Dharma Master following behind. Arriving at Bear’s Ear Mountain in Loyang, the Patriarch sat down to meditate facing a wall. Dharma Master Shen Kuang knelt close by. For nine years, Patriarch Bodhidharma sat meditating and Dharma Master Shen Kuang knelt beside him, seeking the Dharma.

Earlier, when I spoke this public record, an eleven year old child asked me, “During the nine years he knelt, did he eat?” I replied, “How could anyone kneel for nine years without eating and still live? When the Patriarch meditated, Shen Kuang knelt, and when the Patriarch ate, Shen Kuang ate.” But this is not recorded in the books. While the Patriarch was sitting, many people came to bow to him and were received as his disciples.

One day a great snow fell, and it rose in drifts as high as Shen Kuang’s waist, and yet he continued to kneel. Finally, Patriarch Bodhidharma asked him, “Why are you kneeling here in such deep snow?”

“I want to end birth and death,” replied Shen Kuang. “When I was lecturing Sutras I was unsuccessful. Please, Patriarch, transmit this dharma to me.”

“What do you see falling from the sky?” asked Bodhidharma. “Snow,” said Shen Kuang. “What color is it?” asked Bodhidharma. “It’s white, of course.”

“When red snow falls from the sky,” said Bodhidharma, “I will transmit the Dharma to you. You knocked out two of my teeth, and I have been most compassionate in not taking revenge. Do you really expect me to give you the Dharma?” This was the test Patriarch Bodhidharma gave to Master Shen Kuang. (Master Shen Kuang must be the 2nd Patriarch). “How did Shen Kuang complete the test? Cultivators of the Way carry a knife to protect the substance of their precepts. A true cultivator would rather cut off his head than break a precept. Shen Kuang drew his precept knife, and with one slice, cut off his arm and thus passed his test. His blood flowed onto the new fallen snow. He scooped up a bucket full of crimson snow, dumped it before Bodhidharma, and said, “Patriarch, do you see? The snow is red!”

Bodhidharma said, “So it is, so it is.”

He had tested Shen Kuang’s sincerity, and now the Patriarch was extremely happy. “My coming to China has not been in vain. I have met a person who dares to use a true mind to cultivate the Way, even forsaking his arm in search of the Dharma.”

The Patriarch then spoke the Dharma door of “using the mind to seal the mind.” It points straight to the mind to see the nature and realize Buddhahood. (This was the direct teaching, pointing towards the true mind. You can bypass the mundane mind, the thinking mind. All these thought based training are actually not required. But human beings cannot understand. They will foolishly think, ‘without thoughts, how to live? Without thoughts, how can I meditate?’ That’s why they must have thoughts. That’s why when I ask you to be silent, you reply, “Cannot, Brother Teoh. If I am just silent – I cannot learn anything, I don’t know anything.” You want to learn something, you want to learn Dharma and you go and use your thoughts. But the real Dharma is beyond thoughts. So you are chasing after your own shadow and you will never find it).

While hearing this dharma, Shen Kuang didn’t think about the pain in his arm, and before that he had thought only of making the snow turn red. But doing so, he once again produced discursive thought, “My arm really hurts!” he said. “My mind is in pain. Please, Patriarch, quiet my mind.”

(Actually the real wordings should be, ‘heal my mind’).

“Find your mind,” said Bodhidharma. “Show it to me and I will quiet it for you.” (Not ‘quiet it for you’ it should be ‘heal it for you’).

Dharma Master Shen Kuang searched for his mind. He looked in the ten directions: north, east, south, west, in the intermediate points, and up and down. He also looked in the same seven places that the Venerable Ananda looked when Shakyamuni Buddha asked him the same question in The Shurangama Sutra. That is,

1. He looked inside his body;

2. He looked outside his body;

3. He looked for it hidden somewhere in his sense organs.

4. He looked where there was light;

5. He looked at the place where conditions came together.

6. He looked in the middle, between the organs and their objects;

7. And, finally, he looked in the place of non-attachment, which is no-place.

At last Shen Kuang said to Bodhidharma, “I can’t find my mind! Great Master, it is nowhere to be found.” ‘This is how well I have quieted your mind’, said the Patriarch. (See, he just answered him this way.) At these words, Shen Kuang understood the meaning of the Dharma transmission, the wonderful, ineffable principle:

Ten thousand dharmas return to one; where does the one return?

Shen Kuang did not understand, and ran after Bodhidharma;

Before him at Bear’s Ear Mountain Knelt nine years

Seeking Dharma to escape King Yama

With the transmission of the Dharma, Shen Kuang received the name “Hui K’o” which means “Able Wisdom.”

Master Hui K’o asked Bodhidharma, “In India, did you transmit the Dharma to your disciples? Did you also give the robe and bowl as certification?”

“I transmitted the Dharma in India,” replied Bodhidharma, “but I did not use the robe and bowl. Indian people are straightforward. When they attain the fruit, they know they must be certified. If no one certifies them, they do not say, ‘I have attained the way! I have given proof to Arhatship! I am a Bodhisattva!’ They do not speak like this. Chinese people, however, are different. Many Chinese have the Great Vehicle Root, Nature ……. “

Do you know what Great Vehicle is? (A Kalyāṇamitta answered but answer could not be heard.) What is it? Louder, louder. Ya, but the meaning is deeper than that. You look at the note.

(Note 11: “Great Vehicle Root Nature” refers to the strong karmic affinity of those who in past lives have cultivated the Great Vehicle and who, by their meritorious actions, have sent down “deep roots,” that is, have established a firm foundation in the Buddha Dharma, which enables them to successfully understand and practice it in the present.)

These are people who have great roots which means they are cultivating the Bodhisattva way. They are not sainthood way cultivators. They really have the determination and understanding to go the Bodhisattva way. That’s the reason why it has to be transmitted.

“…..but there are also many people who lie. Having cultivated without success, such people claim to have the Way. Though they have not certified to the fruit, they claim to be certified sages. Therefore I transmit the robe and bowl to prove that you have received the transmission. Guard them well and take care.”

(So that was how the tradition came about but after the 6th Patriarch, the 5th Patriarch said, ‘stop the transmission of the bowl and the robe; do not transmit anymore.’ So that’s how the bowl and the robe tradition stopped at the 6th Patriarch).

While the Patriarch Bodhidharma was in China, he was poisoned six times.

(See not easy, right? Patriarch also can be poisoned and they have to endure all these).

‘….Dharma Master Bodhiruci and Vinaya Master Kuang T’ung were jealous of him. They prepared a vegetarian meal which contained an invariably fatal drug, and offered it to the Patriarch. Although he knew it was poisoned, he ate it. Then he vomited the food onto a tray, and it was transformed into a pile of writhing snakes. After this unsuccessful attempt, Bodhiruci tried again, using an even more potent poison. Again, Bodhidharma ate the food. Then he sat atop a huge boulder and spat out the poison. The boulder crumbled into a heap of dust. In four more attempts, jealous people tried without success to poison the Patriarch.

One day, the Great Master Bodhidharma said to Hui K’o, “I came to China because I saw people here with the Great Vehicle Root Nature. Now I have transmitted the Dharma and am ready to complete the stillness.” After his death, the Patriarch’s body was buried. There was nothing unusual about his funeral.

In Northern Wei (386-532 A.D.), however, an official called Sung Yün, met Bodhidharma on the road to Chung Nan Mountain in Ts’ung Ling. When they met, Bodhidharma was carrying one shoe in his hand. He said to Sung Yün, “The king of your country died today. Return quickly! There is work to be done.”

The official asked, ‘Great Master, where are you going and to whom did you transmit your Dharma?’ The Great Master replied, ‘Back to India and in China, after forty years, to Hui K’o.’

Sung Yün returned to his country and reported the incident. “Recently, in Ts’ung Ling, I met the Patriarch Bodhidharma who told me that the king of our country had died and instructed me to return to the capital. When I arrived I found it exactly as he had said. How did he know?”

His countrymen scoffed, “Bodhidharma is already dead. How could you have met him on the road?” Then they rushed to the Patriarch’s grave and found it empty, with nothing inside but one shoe.

Where did Bodhidharma go? No one knows. Perhaps he came to America. Wherever he wanders, no one can recognize him, because he can change and transform according to his convenience. When he came to China, he said he was one hundred and fifty years old, and when he left, he was still one hundred and fifty years old. No historical references can be found.

When Bodhidharma was about to enter Nirvana he said, “I came to China and transmitted my Dharma to three people. One received my marrow, one my bones, and one my flesh.” After the transmission, the Patriarch himself no longer had a body. Great Master Hui K’o received the marrow and Ch’an Master Tao Yü received the bones.

Bhikshuni Tsung Ch’ih could recite The Lotus Sutra from memory. After she died, a green lotus flower grew from her mouth. She received Bodhidharma’s flesh. In the end, the Patriarch had no body at all. So don’t look for him in America; you won’t find him.

This is Master Hsuan Hua’s way of having humour in his sharing.

The Second Patriarch, Hui K’o of the Northern Ch’i (550- 577 A.D.) whose family name was Chi, was formerly Shen Kuang. When he was born, his parents saw Wei T’ou Bodhisattva, the golden armored spiritual being, came to offer protection; thereupon they named their son “Shen Kuang” which means “spiritual light.” Not only was the Patriarch intelligent, but he had an excellent memory as well, and his skill and powers of discrimination were so remarkable that he could read ten lines at one go, when it took an ordinary person to read one. In a gathering of one hundred people, all talking at once, he could clearly distinguish each conversation.

The Great Master, however, had great anger; he disagreed with everyone and was always ready to fight. When Shen Kuang explained Sutras, as I have told you, he used his iron beads to win his arguments. Later, after he knelt for nine years in quest of the Dharma, it was his great anger which enabled him to cut off his arm and felt no pain. It was also because of this anger that he later felt pain. Afflicted by anger, he would have felt no pain. Pain is just an affliction and affliction is the cause of pain.

The Second Patriarch was forty years old when he left Bodhidharma. Having obtained the Dharma, he went into hiding because Bodhiruci and Vinaya Master Kuang T’ung, who had made six attempts on the life of Bodhidharma, also wished to kill his disciples. So although Hui K’o had great anger, he nevertheless obeyed his teacher and went into hiding for forty years. When he was eighty, he began to propagate the Buddhadharma, teaching and transforming living beings.

Later, the disciples of Bodhiruci and Vinaya Master Kuang T’ung tried to kill Master Hui K’o, who feigned insanity to lessen the jealousy of his rivals. But he never ceased to save living beings who were ready to receive his teaching. Because so many people continued to trust the Second Patriarch, Bodhiruci’s disciples were still jealous. They reported Hui K’o to the government, accusing him of being a weird inhuman creature. They charged, “He confused the people who followed him, he is not even human.” The Emperor then ordered the district magistrate to arrest him, and Hui K’o was locked up and questioned:

“Are you human or are you a freak?” asked the Magistrate. “I’m a freak,” replied Master Hui K’o. The magistrate knew that the Patriarch said this to avoid causing jealousy, so he ordered him to tell the truth. “Speak clearly,” he demanded, “what are you?”

The Great Master replied, “I’m a freak.” Governments can’t allow strange freaks to roam the earth, and so Hui K’o was sentenced to die. Now, isn’t this the way of the world?

The Patriarch wept when he told his disciples, “I must undergo this retribution.” He was a courageous man, certainly not one to cry out of fear of death. He was sad because the Dharma had not become widely understood during his lifetime.

“The Buddha Dharma will not flourish until the time of the Fourth Patriarch,” he announced, and then he faced the executioner.

“Come and kill me!” he said. The executioner raised his axe and swung it towards the Master’s neck.

What do you think happened?

You are probably thinking, “He was a Patriarch with great spiritual power. Certainly the blade shattered and his head was not even scratched.” No. The axe cut off his head, and it didn’t grow back. However, instead of blood, a milky white liquid flowed onto the chopping block.

You think, “Now really, this is just too far out.” If you believe it, that is fine. If you do not believe it, that is fine too; just forget it. However, I will give you a simple explanation of why blood did not flow from the Patriarch’s neck: When a sage enters the white yang realm, his blood becomes white because his body has transformed completely into yang, leaving no trace of yin. “I don’t believe it,” you say. Of course you don’t. If you did, you would be just like the Second Patriarch.

Yang realm is Bái yáng shìjiè. (白陽世界)

When the executioner saw that the Master did not bleed, he exclaimed, “Hey! He really is a freak! I chopped off his head, but what came out was not blood, but this milky white fluid. And his face looks exactly as it did when he was alive!” The Emperor knew that he had executed a saint, because he remembered that the Twenty-fourth Indian Patriarch, Aryasimha, had also been beheaded and had not bled, but a white milky liquid had poured forth, because he had been without outflows. When one has no ignorance, one may attain to a state without outflows and enter the white yang realm.

You think, “But you just said that Patriarch Hui K’o had great anger. How could he have been without ignorance?” You are certainly cleverer than I am, for I did not think of this question. But now that you have brought it up, I will answer it. His was not petty anger like yours and mine which explodes like firecrackers, “Pop! Pop! Pop.” His anger was wisdom and because of it his body became yang. Great patience, great knowledge, great courage, and great wisdom: that’s what his temper was made of. Realizing that Hui K’o was a Bodhisattva in the flesh, the Emperor felt great shame. “A Bodhisattva came to our country,” he said, “and instead of offering him protection, we killed him.” Then the Emperor had all the great officials take refuge with this strange Bhikshu. Thus, even though the Second Patriarch had already been executed, he still accepted these disciples.

The Third Patriarch, Seng Ts’an of the Sui Dynasty, was of unknown family name and origin. When he first came to visit the Second Patriarch, his body was covered with repulsive sores like those of a leper.

“Where are you from?” asked the Second Patriarch. “What are you doing here?”

“I have come to take refuge with the High Master, and to study and cultivate the Buddha Dharma,” answered Seng Ts’an.

“You have a loathsome disease and your body is filthy. How can you study the Buddha Dharma?”

Master Hui K’o was clever, but Dhyana Master Seng Ts’an was even cleverer. “I am a sick man and you are a high master,” he said, “but in our true minds where is the difference?”

This one is already somebody. He is not an ordinary guy. It’s just like Hui Neng when he went to the 5th Patriarch, remember? They called him a barbarian. He said that physically there is such a thing as a northerner and a southerner. But with regards to one’s True nature, there is no north and no south. That’s why after that, the 5th Patriarch said, he talked too much and sent him to the kitchen. Thereupon, the Second Patriarch transmitted the Dharma to Seng Ts’an saying,

“This robe and bowl have been passed on from Bodhidharma. They certify that you have received the Dharma Seal. In order to protect it you must go into hiding, because Bodhiruci’s followers will try to harm you. Be very careful and let no one know that you have received the transmission.”

The Third Patriarch Seng Ts’an also feigned insanity while he taught living beings. During the persecution of Buddhism by the Emperor Wu of the Northern Chou dynasty (reigned from 561-577 A.D.), the Patriarch fled into the mountains. While he hid there, the tigers, wolves, leopards, and other fierce animals all disappeared.

After transmitting the Dharma to the Fourth Patriarch, Tao Hsin, Master Seng Ts’an invited a thousand Bhikshus to a great vegetarian feast. After they had eaten, he said, “You think that to sit in full lotus is the best way to die. Watch! I’ll demonstrate my independence over birth and death!” The Master left the dining hall, followed by the thousand Bhikshus. He halted by the trunk of a tree, and after pausing for a moment, he leapt up and grabbed a big branch. Then while swinging from the tree by one hand, he entered Nirvana. No one knew his name or his birthplace. See this is how they can also realize Parinibbāna.

Someone is afraid and thinks, “The First Patriarch was poisoned, the Second Patriarch was beheaded, and the Third Patriarch died hanging from a tree. I certainly do not want to be a patriarch. It’s much too dangerous.” With this attitude, even if you wanted to be a patriarch you could not. As long as you fear death, as long as you fear anything at all, you cannot even be a patriarch’s disciple. Patriarchs are not afraid of suffering. They are not afraid of life and they are not afraid of death. Making no distinctions between life and death, they roam among people, teaching and transforming them. Like Fo T’o and Yeh She, they know that affliction is just Bodhi and that birth and death is Nirvana. So, tell me now, who is not afraid of birth and death? If there is such a one, I will make him a patriarch.

The Fourth Patriarch’s name was Tao Hsin. While very young, Master Tao Hsin left home under Master Seng Ts’an and for sixty years he sat in Dhyana concentration, without lying down to rest. Although he seldom opened his eyes, he wasn’t asleep. He was working at cultivation. When he did open his eyes, everyone shook with terror. Why? No one knew. Such was the magnitude of his awesome virtue.

Hearing of the Master’s great virtue, in the seventeenth year of the Chen Kuan Reign of the T’ang dynasty (643 A.D.), the Emperor sent a messenger to invite him to the palace to receive offerings. Unlike us common people, who would attempt to wedge ourselves into the court without being asked, the Great Master, the Fourth Patriarch, refused the invitation saying, “I am too old and the journey would be tiring. Eating on the road would be too difficult. I cannot undergo such hardship.”

When the messenger delivered the Patriarch’s reply, the Emperor said, “Go back and tell him that the Emperor says that no matter how old he is or how difficult the journey, I have ordered him to come to the palace.”

The messenger returned to the Patriarch and said, “Master, regardless of your health, you must come to the Emperor’s court. We will carry you back, if necessary!” At that time, since there were no airplanes or cars, travel was difficult.

“No, I cannot go,” replied the Patriarch. “I am too old and ill. Take my head if you must, but my heart will not go.”

The messenger thought, “There is nothing to do but to go back without him. I cannot take his head to the Emperor. This Bhikshu is very strange; he is hardly human.”

The messenger then hurried back to the Emperor. “Your Excellency, you may have the Master’s head, but his heart will not move!”

“Very well, go get his head,” replied the Emperor. He put a knife in a box and gave it to the messenger saying, “Slice off his head, but under no circumstances should you harm this Bhikshu.”

The messenger understood. He returned to the Fourth Patriarch. “Venerable Master, if you refuse to come, the Emperor has ordered me to cut off your head,” he said.

Patriarch Tao Hsin said, “If in this life my head gets to see the Emperor that will be great glory. You may remove my head now.” The messenger took out the knife and prepared to cut off his head. The Great Master closed his eyes and waited calmly for about ten minutes. Maybe it was ten minutes, maybe it was nine or eleven. Don’t become attached. It is certainly not determined exactly how long he waited. But nothing happened, and finally Master Tao Hsin got angry, just like the Second Patriarch, and shouted, “Hey! Why don’t you slice off my head?”

“The Emperor had no intention of harming you,” the messenger quickly replied. “He was just bluffing.”

The Patriarch heard this and laughed aloud. Then he said, “Now you know that there is still a person in the world who does not fear death.”

The family name of the Fourth Patriarch was Ssu Ma and his personal name was Hsin. Ssu Ma was an honorable ancestral name. Both the Emperor Ssu Ma of the Chin dynasty and the historian and skilled writer Ssu Ma Ch’ien of the Han dynasty had this name. When the Fourth Patriarch became a Bhikshu he took the new name Tao Hsin. He lived seventy-two years, sixty of which were spent without lying down even once to sleep. The Fourth Patriarch’s realm of accomplishment was inconceivable.

While Tao Hsin was cultivating, a nearby city was besieged by bandits for more than a hundred days, depriving its inhabitants of water and supplies. Seeing the lives of the people in danger, Master Tao Hsin left his mountain retreat to rescue the city dwellers. He taught them all to recite “Mahaprajna- pāramitā.” After they had recited for a time, the bandits fled and water reappeared in the wells. This is the response based on the Way which Master Tao Hsin evoked as a result of his superior cultivation.

When the Fourth Patriarch decided to build a temple, he looked with his Buddha eye and saw Broken Head Mountain surrounded by a purple cloud of energy. Observing this auspicious sign, the Master went there to dwell, changing its inauspicious name, “Broken Head,” to “Double Peak” Mountain.

The Master used expedient dharma to teach living beings how to discard their bad habits. These stubborn living beings, however, often discarded what was good and continued doing evil. But the Master persisted and by using all kinds of skillful means caused these stubborn living beings to realize their mistakes. He propagated the Dharma for more than forty years, transforming living beings greater in number than seedlings of rice, stalks of hemp, shoots of bamboo, or blades of grass.

One day the Fourth Patriarch said to his disciple Dharma Master Yüan I, “You should build me a Stupa. I am going to leave.”

In the second year of Yung Hui, of the T’ang dynasty (651 A.D.), on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth lunar month, Patriarch Tao Hsin, who had never been ill, sat down and entered Nirvana. His disciples locked his flesh body securely in the stone Stupa. A year later the iron locks fell away and the Stupa opened by itself. Looking in, everyone saw the body of the Fourth Patriarch still sitting in full lotus, appearing the same as when he was alive. The Master’s body had not decayed, but the flesh had dried out. The Fifth Patriarch, Hung Jen, wrapped the body with lacquered cloth and gilded it. This “true body” still exists today. The Fifth Patriarch, Hung Jen, also lived during the T’ang dynasty. His family name was Chou. He lived in Huang Mei County near Double Peak Mountain. When he was seven, he went to the temple on the mountain to attend upon the Fourth Patriarch. The Great Master Hung Jen cleaned the lamps and censer before the Buddha images; he swept the floor, carried water, split firewood, and worked in the kitchen. At age thirteen he took the ten novice precepts and studied under the Fourth Patriarch for over thirty years.

The Fifth Patriarch was eight feet tall and had an extraordinary appearance. When others treated him badly, he remained silent and unmoved. Because he did not give rise to discrimination, he never spoke of “right” or “wrong”, and when fellow Bhikshus bullied him, he never fought back. His calm, quiet manner indicated that he had realized a state of peace.

Even after working hard all day, the Master didn’t rest. Instead of sleeping, he sat in meditation, uniting body and mind in powerful samādhi. Master Hung Jen lived in the woods of P’ing Mao Mountain slightly east of Double Peak Mountain, so his teaching is called the East Mountain Dharma Door. Once, like his master the Fourth Patriarch, he saw a horde of bandits besieging a nearby city. Their leader, a Mongol named K’e Ta Ha Na Lu, and his followers had so tightly cut off the communications that even the birds couldn’t fly in or out. The Fifth Patriarch went down P’ing Mao Mountain toward the city. When the bandits saw him, they were terrified, for they saw not only the Patriarch, but also a retinue of golden-armoured vajra king Bodhisattvas armed with jewelled weapons, manifesting awesome virtue and brightness. The thieves retreated, their siege broken.

How was the Great Master able to command these vajra king Bodhisattvas? The Fifth Patriarch had cultivated and he recited the Shurangama Mantra. The Shurangama Sutra says that if you are constantly mindful of the Shurangama Mantra, eighty-four thousand vajra store Bodhisattvas will protect you from all danger. In the fifth year of the Hsien Ch’ing reign of the T’ang dynasty (660 A.D.), the Emperor invited Great Master Hung Jen to the palace. The Master declined the invitation. The Emperor sent a second invitation which the Master also declined. Finally, the Emperor sent a variety of gifts, including rare medicinal herbs, as an offering to the Great Master, the Fifth Patriarch.

In the fifth year of the Hsien Hsiang reign of the T’ang dynasty (674 A.D.), the Fifth Patriarch said to his disciple, Master Hsüan Chi, “Build me a Stupa. I am going to leave.” In the second month on the fourteenth day he asked, “Is the Stupa ready?” Master Hsüan Chi replied that it was. The Patriarch said, “For many years I have taught living beings. I have taken across those whom I must take across and have transmitted my Dharma to Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch. Now, in addition, you ten should become Dharma Hosts, and establish Bodhimandas to preserve and spread the teaching among living beings.”

The ten he addressed were: Dharma Masters Shen Hsiu, Chih Hsien, I Fang, Chih Te, Hsüan Chi, Lao An, Fa Ju, Hui Tsang, Hsüan Yao, and also Upasaka Liu Chu Pu, who had dealt with correspondence and accounting. The Fifth Patriarch sent each of these ten people to a different place to teach and transform living beings. Shortly thereafter, he sat very still and his energy dispersed as he entered Nirvana. So this was the history behind. During the seventy-four years of his life, the Fifth Patriarch Hung Jen had accepted many disciples, and had transmitted the Dharma to the Great Master Hui Neng.

So now we shall enter the Platform Sutra proper.  The history of the first 5 Patriarchs is just for your information.  They are not so important. The messages behind - you have to develop the understanding; all Bodhisattvas or Patriarchs when they come, not everyone has a good life. Do you realize that?  It depends on the period and how the conditions then unfold.  But whatever it is, when you start to understand that this 'form and mind' is not you, then you will be able to do things that are out of the ordinary.  And many things when you cannot understand, you tend to use the thought to try to understand them.  The thought will make it worse.

A lot of people used to tell me that these Mahayana Patriarchs, they were great beings (I used to hear this in the early days).  They came and they suffered so much and the way they died doesn't sound right.  Bodhidharma was poisoned so many times.  Then 2nd Patriarch was executed.  The 3rd Patriarch hanged himself and the 4th Patriarch had a stupa built for him.  They actually had very tough conditions at that time.  So a lot of them could not understand and they commented,  ‘Hey, you are a Patriarch, why must you die like that?’  The reason being they already understood that this 'form and mind' was not what it was.  If conditions were such, it had to be such.

They would have the understanding especially the 2nd Patriarch.  He was full of anger, remember? He was very arrogant but because of the King of Death, Yama he was taught a lesson, then he actually changed.  Then when he received the Dharma, which he understood, he didn't want to react like before and do all those foolish things anymore because - no point.  That's why he listened to Bodhidharma and went into hiding for 40 years.  Then when he came out, again he taught.  By then he was already 80 years old and in order not to offend those people and create unnecessary purging,  he would rather admit that he was a freak because when he admitted he was a freak, they would only execute him. The disciples would be ok.  Otherwise they would keep on purging all those link to him and  then they would make sure all were rooted out because the Chinese had a very bad culture.

When the king or Emperor wanted to finish you off, they must root out all the roots of the grass, 残草除根 (Cán cǎo chúgēn） - meaning all the roots, all the followers, everything they would remove. So you have to understand it's because of that culture. And they are with that type of mentality. Later many emperors actually wanted the Patriarchs to visit them but the Patriarchs knew, no point because not all the emperors had the Dharma understanding and what they wanted was something else.  That's why thus far, none of these Patriarchs went to them, except Bodhidharma who went for a while.  Then when the Emperor couldn't understand his teaching he left.

With this we will stop here and we will continue the rest at our next class. The next topic is ‘A General Introduction edited by Bhikhu Fa Hai of the Tang Dynasty.’ This topic is to introduce the 6th Patriarch, Master Hui Neng.  Go back and read it up.  Do you have any questions? No question. End of Dharma session.

4th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 19th July 2015

4.1 Pūjā

The usual pre-puja chanting of the Mahayana tradition’s salutation followed by the Theravada tradition’s salutation, 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).

4.2 Dharma and Sutra By Bro. Teoh

Just relax yourself. Maintain some form of attention; then we can start. We will continue from where we stop. We shall turn to page 31. But before that we will recite the opening verse for starting the sutra. Please turn to the first page, - Verse for Opening the Sutra. It's immediately after the introduction to the first 6 Patriarchs.

Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning.

So this verse is to serve as a reminder. It is very important that you understand the rareness of coming across such a sutra. Okay, we will turn to page 31.

A General Introduction (Edited by Bhikshu Fa Hai of the T’ang Dynasty)

What follows is not the Sutra text, but an introduction to the Sutra which was written by The Sixth Patriarch’s disciple, Fa Hai. …..

This was written by the 6th Patriarch's disciple called Fa Hai.

………When the Sixth Patriarch taught Dharma, Master Fa Hai followed him, recording all of the things the Patriarch said. Later, he compiled and edited his notes, calling them The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. (Bro Teoh: Had he not done this, we would have no way to study the Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma. Therefore, we should certainly be grateful for such compassion as his).

Now you understand why we also on many occasions expressed our gratitude towards Sister Yoon Chun. If Yoon Chun had not, during the year 2004, invited me to come out to share the Dharma, all these will not happen and we will not have what we are having now. If you look back, for those who don’t have that understanding, you will not understand how all these can be possible. Just a simple request, that very insignificant but rather sincere request, can bring about such changes because at that time, nobody knew me; only my nature knew what is happening.

Then because it happened, my nature finally consented. Actually for the first three times I sort of rejected her request via telling her, ‘never mind’ because every time people invite me to share, at that time the condition was not yet ready and not ripe as yet. I then said, ‘It is ok, just let things be’. When conditions are ready, things will manifest. That’s why I said ‘never mind’; means in a very subtle way I said, ‘not now’. Then after the third time, very strange, my nature inside knew something. Then it prompted me via saying, ‘Eh, it’s about time you come out to share. The conditions are already ready.’ So because of that, I reflected, then I knew the reason why I refused to come out and share the Dharma was because of my concern for the living beings.  In a way it is like the case of Sākyamuni Buddha. After Sākyamuni became fully enlightened underneath the Bodhi tree, he immediately reflected and he knew what he had realized was too profound for living beings to understand, hence the reason why he didn’t even have the intention to share and teach them.

For the first 7 weeks after his enlightenment, he did nothing. He just went through the whole 7 weeks of conditions which were meant to be. Then after the 7 weeks, when he reflected on it, one of the Brahma up there, Sahampati who can read the Buddha’s concern, came down and respectfully paid respect to Sākyamuni Buddha and requested Sākyamuni Buddha to share the Dharma via saying, ‘There are some who have little dust in their eyes who can understand you.’ Then Sākyamuni reflected and said, 'Ya'. There are some like his 2 teachers who taught him; if they were still around; they would have understood. So he surveyed the world. Then he realized both of them had just passed away. One of them passed away one week ago. The other one passed away one day ago.

It was meant to be because of their views and opinions of enlightenment. To them, they thought the 7th jhāna and the 8th jhāna is the highest. They already made determination and very strong aspirations to be reborn there thinking that was the ultimate goal. And because of that, it obstructed them from receiving the actual teaching or truth. That's the reason why they must die before Sākyamuni became fully enlightened. Otherwise their vows and aspirations cannot be fulfilled. That's why when you make vows; you have to be very careful. You don't make vow to obstruct yourself. So that was the reason why.

When you have gratitude and are grateful to people who understand, it will bring forth the causes and conditions for beautiful things to arise. So this disciple of the 6th Patriarch, his name is Fa Hai; he knew the master's teaching was very profound and at that time he didn't have the luxury of having a recorder to record the talk like us. So he has to write down the notes and do you know how difficult it was.

That day, we heard from Sister Alicia’s sharing, telling us how she appreciate those people who sacrificed their time and energy to do the transcript for us. It was not easy but when she knew that the transcript can be so beautiful and so meaningful, she also volunteer to do it. The first half an hour was really not easy. Then she came to realize how difficult it was to do it by those who have done it. Actually those who volunteer doing it, do so because of their strong faith. And they, after listening, realized the beauty of the dharma that was shared and their heart receive so much joy then they want to do up the transcript so that other people can also benefit from it. And when they started doing it, it's not easy, I can tell you. You can ask them all. Every sentence, every line when you listen, you have to pause and write it down. Otherwise you cannot follow. Then after you write it down, you read and read and reread or listen and listen and re-listen until it stabilizes. There is so much joy, then only you start to understand what has been shared was so beautiful. So we should thank them all. Sadhu! x3.

When you do it, it will benefit yourself and others too. So whatever thing you do, if it is based on goodness and wholesomeness of heart, it will bring about great benefits to all. Like yesterday I told my son the same thing. We went for breakfast at around SS2 area, within our housing area. All the parking lots were taken up but opposite the parking lot on the other side, you can do a parallel parking. There was just one space at the end, just enough for one car to go in. Then I told my son, "I think we park there." He said, "Okay, okay." But because I tried to park as near as I can and he actually had this kind thought. He said, "Daddy, I think I should reverse a bit." I say, "Ya. Otherwise the other car cannot come out." Then do you know what happened?

He reverse and parked. Then we went in for breakfast. After breakfast, I came out, then I shared with him, "There you see! That kind thought of yours had enabled the car in front to come out. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It helped us because there was another car that was parked behind us. No more space, because he parked very close to our car. If we had parked very tightly in front, we also cannot come out but because we allowed space in front, we could still come out.

So when you think you are helping others, you are actually helping yourself. These are the dharma that you can learn - as long as you have goodness, kindness, you are considerate and you feel for people, then whatever you do, those wholesomeness will protect you. It is your inheritance. So don't be selfish, don't be deluded and don't be so calculative. You may say, 'Ai! That fellow cannot come out, it is that fellow's problem!' If you think this way, in future you yourself may get stuck inside. You must never do that because later on, other people will do that to you when there is condition. Then you realize, during that time, you may said, "these people, they are so inconsiderate, how can they do this to me?" But who created the condition in the first place? It's you because nature or the law of karma is very fair.

Nature has its own nature's laws that governs life and existence. So if you accord and flow and you understand nature's law, you will know how to live. That's why this expression of compassion and gratitude towards Fa Hai is very good. You must always have this in your heart, so that your heart will open up, so that you will have more and more goodness and kindness. Please do listen to this, I seldom mention this (maybe I have mentioned it before but not often). Ultimately, the real dharma (after you have cultivated it), will ends up in only one way. If you want to know whether you really have the dharma or not, you will have to check whether you have more and more virtue or not. You will come to realize that finally it is the virtue in you that reflect the real awakening. If you cannot develop virtue on its own naturally, then you don't have the dharma. People who have the dharma will automatically have great virtue. Their mind, their nature, their heart are very kind, very considerate, very sincere, full of gratitude, contentment, respect, understanding, goodness and wholesomeness.

So when you cannot cultivate until you have all these virtues, it means you are still far from understanding the true dharma. When you think you are very good, your ego may still be very strong, behind all your thought processes because the true dharma has not being understood. You have not really developed the clear understanding. When you have, you will become very different. Your nature becomes different. It becomes very virtuous. It becomes very kind and very considerate. It can understand many things. Then it becomes very sensitive. And it loses its selfishness. It loses this, what they call, the egoic entity; the mark, the Centre from which it acts and moves. It slowly dissolves that Centre and becomes like you are nothing; you are insignificant; you are nobody and then humility is automatically manifested. Then there is no mark of a self within who still wants to pursue this, pursue that and weigh things, want and desire things. Even the subtle views and opinions of what should be or should not be is also no more; that one is still an ego and this egoic mind is very subtle. When it can still stir and move in the slightest manner, it is still an egoic mind. You will penetrate all these as you cultivate, you will understand it very clearly. The slightest movement within is due to the stirring of the mind. That's why that movement, if it is really nothing, everything will becomes still, silence and there is no movement at all. That's why the Mandarin saying - 起心动念 （qǐ xīn dòng niàn) is a very good expression of the mind’s movement. Its meaning is, ‘when mind arise, thinking (or thought) activities arise’. Then the first two dependent origination links, 无明言行 （wú míng yán xíng) or avijjā paccaya saṅkhāra (which is dependent on ignorance, thought activities arise) becomes meaningful, very clear and easy to understand. The moment you stir the mind, you arise the mundane mind, the thinking mind. Then you create saṅkhāra. That's the reason why the Buddha said, ‘avijjā paccaya saṅkhāra’. So 没有无明，心就不会起 (méiyǒu wú míng, xīn jiù bù huì qǐ) - meaning without ignorant there is no mental activities or arising of the mundane mind. Reason why, 起心 is because of 无明 hence 无明言行. So, 起心，动念，念头（niàntou) - activities of mind arises because you arise the mind; that egoic mind that wants to know, wants to do things, wants to experience.

That will allow you to understand clearly that mind is the forerunner of all things. Mind is chief. When mind arises, everything arises, everything comes to be and for mind to arise there must be these 5 aggregates of form and mind, a karmically conditioned vehicle and tool for you to come to this existential world. Otherwise, without contact upon the sense bases, there is no arising of consciousness. And when consciousness comes to be (just like what we shared at Brother Tune and Sister Padmasuri's house dana, upon contact consciousness comes to be) then the content of consciousness (basing on your views, opinions and conditionings) went in to arise the thought. That's how you know the world. That's how you interact with the world. That's how creation comes about. That's why mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is chief. When mind arises, everything comes to be.

You will come to understand how you function as a human being, how you perceive the world, how you know the world and how you interact with the world. Without the senses, you cannot function. So the consciousness that arise via contact with the senses are the conditioned mind, the mundane thinking mind. That's why it's the forerunner of all things. Without this, you cannot know the world. Without this, you cannot interact with the world. Without this, you are nothing, you are nobody. But when this arises, everything arises. The egoic mind arises, the evil roots arise, the mental hindrances arise, the dharma arise, and everything else via content of consciousness arises.

So the Mahayana teaching is also very profound. Somehow, the English words do not have the ability to carry those meaning through – not as clearly as Mandarin words. The Mandarin words about the mind, 一切一切为心照（yīqiè yīqiè wéi xīnzhào) is very good and very powerful whereas if you use the English words to express the same meaning you will have to use 2 sentences instead of one because the expression, 'everything arises from the mind' doesn't carry the same meaning as the mandarin, isn't it? ‘Everything arises from the mind’, you don't have much idea, but in mandarin一切一切为心照 means the mind create them all.

Everything arises from the mind because this mind is a conditioned arising mind that creates, 心照成的 (xīnzhào chéng de). Then the meaning becomes clear when you understand but the Buddha had to explain it. That's why he said, ‘mind is the forerunner of all things’. He has to come up with those words first. Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is chief. When the mind arises, everything else arises. That's why in the English language, it can’t give you the similar clear meaning, until I explained, ‘who are you? What are you? And how you function as a human being and through your senses, how do you know the world?’ Then ‘what is mind, the 5 aggregates of form and mind etc.’ Not until these are explained, Dhammapada verses 1 and 2 do not reflect these clear meaning but for Mahayana it is so different because the meaning really stands out clearly.

They cultivate direct via the true mind. They don't want to go through the form Dharma. They go direct to the mind. They go direct to the true mind. In order to understand the true mind, you must understand the mundane mind, the thinking mind. Then only you can understand the true mind. Without the mundane mind to create, there is nothing in this universe. Hey no you, hey no me; everything cease to be. But when mundane mind comes to be or arise, everything comes to be. That's why mind is the forerunner of all things. Mind is chief hence we need to take care of this mind. We need to train this mind. We need to be heedful via this mind. Only then can you develop the understanding of ‘who you are and what you are?’ From that understanding you can develop the wisdom to liberate your mind, to free your mind from all these delusions so that you are not entangled by what it creates for you. Once delusion is understood, then wisdom can liberate the mind. Then it can bring about cessation, then only it can bring about the ability for you to connect to the true nature. From there you can see things as they are to insight into phenomena, to break free from final ignorance.

Delusion which is self-delusion is only a very small part of ignorance. Ignorance is very immense whereas self-delusion is only a small integral part of ignorant but it is very powerful because from this small integral part, it can develop the very clear and important initial wisdom to enable the mind to cease, and for the mind to actually connect back to its original true nature. Then from there only, the great understanding, the great awakening can come about so that ignorance, 无明 can be completely rooted out.

Ignorance is very much deeper than self-delusion. Self-delusion is only about the egoic mind. Ignorance covers a lot more than the egoic mind. Ignorance covers the lack of understanding of all the nature's law that governs life and existence, not only the 5 aggregates of form and mind which is only a very small aspect of truth. But ignorance of the truth, the law that governs life and existence, that one is very powerful. That's why you must have wisdom to understand the law of karma (karma niyama), the law of mind (citta niyāma), then law of dharma (dhamma niyāma). Then you must also penetrate the other nature's laws; even the scientific law so that you can understand how the elements come about; how consciousness comes about; how all the various electro-magnetic forces come about, including gravity. Then there are a lot more that are related to consciousness: beyond mind, beyond thought, there is this consciousness. Consciousness is a very powerful dimension that can never be penetrated by the thought because it's beyond thought, beyond mind. The pure consciousness, the pure awareness, the pure mind, the true mind and the nature: all these require a lot of understanding. Okay, now we shall move on. After explaining that part, we shall move on to the second paragraph.

Dharma Master Fa Hai’s lay name was Chang, …

In Mandarin, its 张, which is the same as my surname. Some call it Chong, some call it Zhang. Here is Chang. In Hokkien, they call it Teoh. So when they asked you what your surname is, you said Teoh. Teoh means Zhang in Mandarin. In Hakka, it’s Zhong. So depending on which dialect, it’s pronounced differently.

…….and his common name was Wen Yün. ….

Wah, Wen Yün! I got a university classmate his daughter is also Wen Yün but her surname is Low. That one is Low Wen Yün, not Zhang Wen Yün.

…….He was a native of Ch’ü Chiang, which is about ten miles from Nan Hua monastery. He was a “room-entering disciple,” …..

What is ‘room-entering disciple’ in Mandarin? 入室弟子 (rùshìdìzǐ). 入室 means what? ‘Enter room’ means very close disciple. Oh, okay. That’s why the translation, I can tell you is not easy to understand (you catch no ball), - ‘room-entering disciple’ sounds like our Malaysian English. The taxi driver says, ‘my break no eat’. Wah! That one, the Englishman also cannot understand and they might wonder, ‘What? Break also need to eat?’ Because we translate direct from our hokkien dialect, break, ‘boh jiak’.

……that is, a disciple to whom the Master had transmitted the Dharma.

So that is the meaning.

Though his introduction is not part of the Sutra proper, I will explain it to you, because it narrates some important events in the life of the Great Master.

Text:

The Great Master was named Hui Neng. His father was of the Lu family and had the personal name Hsing T’ao. His mother was of the Li family. The Master was born on the eighth day of the second month of the year Wu Hsü, in the twelfth year of the Chen Kuan Reign of the T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 638).

At that time, a beam of light ascended into space and a strange fragrance filled the room. At dawn, two stranger Bhikshus came to visit. They addressed the Master’s father saying, “Last night a son was born to you and we have come to name him. It can be Hui above and below, Neng.”

The Father said, “Why shall he be called Hui Neng?”

The Monk said, “‘Hui’ means he will bestow the Dharma upon living beings. ‘Neng’ means he will be able to do the Buddha’s work.” Having said this, they left. No one knows where they went. The Master did not drink milk. At night, spirits appeared and poured sweet dew over him.

See, he has such pāramī, no need to drink milk but devas came. Great beings came and pour sweet dew over him.

Commentary:

The Great Master refers to the Sixth Patriarch, Hui Neng. The Master’s merit and virtue was great, he had great wisdom and compassion and so was a master of gods and humans.

This means that he is also very well cultivated and his cultivation is almost finishing, so he can become a Samma Sambuddha too.

When one is alive, one has a personal name. After one dies, that name is avoided. Hence it is called a personal name, a name which is not spoken.

When the Great Master’s mother gave birth to him, a fine beam of light arose, like that which the Buddha emits from his forehead. A strange, fragrant incense which had never been smelled before filled the room.

At dawn, the heavens are half dark and half light. Chü Hsi in “The Song of Household Affairs” wrote:

At dawn, get up; Sprinkle and sweep the hall.

The inside, the outside, you must clean it all.

In China at that time there was no linoleum. In the morning, people sprinkled water on the mud floors, waited a bit, and then swept their houses clean inside and out.

The two stranger Bhikshus were quite different from ordinary people. They were like the Fourth Patriarch who, by merely opening his eyes, caused everyone to tremble in fright. These two unusual Bhikshus came to name the Sixth Patriarch. Isn’t this strange? Who has two Bhikshus come to name him?

To say “above” and “below” when referring to a person’s name, is a most respectful form of address.

What the newly born Patriarch ate was sweet dew.

This one. What do you think? “Above” and “below” mean what? All the beings up there and down there also agree that he is the one – means above and below, 天地. Even like Sākyamuni Buddha. I think when the Mara challenged him, he raised the hand sign, remember? He pointed to the sky with one hand and the other hand to the ground. He said, 'Heaven and earth, bear witness.' because he has perfected the cultivation.

Text:

He grew up, and at the age of twenty-four he heard the Sutra^14 and awoke to the Way. He went to Huang Mei to seek the seal of approval.

Note 14: The Vajra Prajna Pāramitā Sutra, also called The Diamond Sutra. This Sutra, with the Venerable Master Hua’s commentary is available in translation from IITBT of SABA.

At the age of 24, he is illiterate, a wood cutter with no formal education. He just heard one verse, from the Diamond Sutra, 'the mind must have no dwelling' and he awakened straight away. It is like so easy! So now I repeat, 'mind must have no dwelling'. You all may awaken too, huh?

Commentary:

Some say that the Sixth Patriarch was twenty-four, others say that he was twenty-two. As the Chinese count he was twenty- four and as Westerners count, he was twenty-two. Whether he was twenty-two or twenty-four is not really important.

Do you know how the 2 years difference comes about? The Chinese has a peculiar way of counting, the Chinese counts from the day you are conceive. Then 10 months later, you deliver. So actually, the moment you are born, you are almost 1 year old already. Then end of that year, you are another year older. So you may be one month or 2 months old only but actually 2 years old already according to the Chinese tradition. Like my case I was born in the October month, the moment I am born, I am one year old. By end December or Chinese New Year time in January, I am 2 years old already. I was only 3 months old or thereabouts, but I am already 2 years old. That's why you have to add 2. During funerals sometimes they add 2, it's not wrong, not to say that they want to lengthen the deceased's life. It's because you are conceived in the womb. It can be between 7 to 10 months, sometimes 11 months.

Then there are some who are born into the world prematurely. They have to go through certain type of Caesarean birth to prevent harming the mother. Sometimes the foetus gets too big, very difficult to deliver. Then sometimes it's because of miscarriage or whatever, they have to do a Caesarean straight away to induce the birth.

When the Sixth Patriarch heard the layman recite The Diamond Sutra and reach the line, “One should produce that thought which is nowhere supported,” He was immediately enlightened.

This is another way of putting it, means a mind with no dwelling. Do you remember? And can you all understand? I think by now you can. You can also awaken if you have the pāramī. We have gone through this. Anybody wants to try? Come, you try? What is the meaning of ‘the mind must have no dwelling’? Maybe we put it the other way round. What is the mind that dwell? We have gone through - in the Tuesday class. Thursday class, I am not sure. Sunday class, I think we have also gone through this.

What is the meaning of a mind that dwells? Is your mind dwelling at any one time? Ya! Dwell everywhere isn't it? Like this table, how you know it's this table? How? You perceive it through your seeing consciousness then memory. So that mundane mind which is conditioned arising dwells on this table. That's why you dwell everywhere. Hear something you also dwell, see something you also dwell. How to have a mind that doesn't dwell? The mind must have no dwelling, means what? It must not hold on to anything. It must not perceive anything. How to have that type of mind? Ah! Awareness or Sati! What is Sati? Sati is the awareness before the knowing. So before you know, you don't perceive hence you don’t dwell. That's why the direct seeing, the pure perception that awareness of it, seeing things as they are, - you are not dwelling. It's just conscious, just aware. Then we go on to the 3rd part.

What does the Shurangama Sutra says? Shurangama Sutra got a famous saying, 'perception of form' is what? All these are interconnected. It is consciousness! Why is it consciousness? How do you know, this is a table? You perceive it through your mundane mind, thinking mind, which is consciousness and its contents. What is the content inside there? The content inside there is what? Your perception isn't it? You perceive it through your memory, isn't it? Perception of form can be anything: can be the table, the fan, the Buddha image, the Quan Yin image or this hall, Wu Ping Chin Seah, or even all the kalyāṇamitta (Dharma friends) or you perceive my voice, my vibrations etc. These are all forms, visual forms, verbal forms and vibration forms. So all these forms, if you perceive them, they come from consciousness. You will become conscious of what you hear and what you see etc. The moment you are conscious of what you see and what you hear, you dwell there, understand? So this is dwelling. You are dwelling everywhere.

You dwell somewhere, whereas its non-perception is wisdom - non-perception means what? When you don't perceive what does that means? Awareness before the knowing means you don't dwell. That's why it's wisdom. That's why the mind must have no dwelling. Straight away Hui Neng awakened. He straightaway knew because his mind was like that. He was born without the mundane mind. His mind never dwelled anywhere. He was aware. He was fully aware but he learnt all these from culture, from society, from the conditioning that the people taught him. That's why he was already born with a pure mind, a true mind. He didn't have a mundane mind. And because of that, when people spoke the truth, he immediately was awakened.

That's why you don't need to have any knowledge. You don't need to study anything. The moment you hear the truth, if your mind-state is already transformed, you will understand truth. That's why Dharma is to be realized. You cannot think about it. You have to awaken to it. Awaken means you cultivate until your silent mind insight into phenomena and awaken. If that mind is the true mind, then it will understand. That's why I said when you meditate, don't try to know. If you try to know it's the thought, it’s the thinking mind and that mind cannot know; that mind is always knowledge based, do you understand? In order to understand, you have to be silent without thought. That's why Hui Neng knew, this is what it is. The mind must have no dwelling. It must not dwell anywhere. The moment you perceive something you dwell there.

What is the phenomena? Anything that is perceivable by the mind is a phenomena. Anything that is perceivable by the mind is a dwelling by the mind. That's why your 6 sense doors are very powerful. You dwell everywhere. You give meaning everywhere. That's how you stir your mind. That's how you create duality. That's how delusion sets in because you cannot understand. You cannot ‘see things as they are’. You use a lot of words, a lot of concepts. You are subject to a lot of conditioning, giving rise to all the views and opinions. Then you have fear; you have insecurity; you have anxiety; you have your likes and dislikes, pleasant and unpleasant sense experiences. You create so much mental states and movements, all because of delusions, self-delusions, sakkāya-diṭṭhi. When you believe this is you, then the content of consciousness is capable of bringing about delusions to delude you into possessiveness, greediness, selfishness, and emotional negativities. That's why you will have all these fear, worry and anxieties, sorrow and lamentation, followed by insecurity and the lack of peace. All these come about through your own ignorance and delusion.

Now is it clearer? Clearer, huh! Slowly, as this one stabilizes, one day you will understand or 'gao dim' (in Cantonese meaning, 'done') already. Actually it's true. It's not difficult. Many of you very likely before the end of this year will come to understand what I mean. And these are possible, not difficult. As you slowly develop the understanding via reflection and contemplation, and listening (to straighten your views) and then cultivate the daily mindfulness (which is very important) sincerely, you will transform. You do the training of the mind until the mindfulness arises and stabilize then you will understand. When you are ever mindful, you will definitely understand. The form and mind will understand. Then the awakening will come; the understanding will come. Then during that time, the form and mind will come to realize very clearly the following: no wonder living beings cannot understand and no wonder living beings cannot break free because they hold onto the thought and the self-delusion.

That's the reason why all thought-based meditation, cannot lead to awakening and it is really pitiful. All those who do thought-based meditation, they are stuck and they cannot penetrate the Dharma and they can be stuck for many lives, even eons. As long as you don't understand, you cannot develop the ability to be silent, to be aware. I ask you one very simple question. If you use thought-based meditation, you will dwell everywhere, you will not have a mind that has no dwelling. Then how can you awaken? You better ask yourself that question. Everything you also want to know. Now you understand why I said when you meditate, don't try to know. Not knowing is non-dwelling, understand or not? Non-dwelling is silent.

The moment you are without thought, you are already aware, silent, peaceful, tranquil so no need to do anything. That's why you have to relax, aware and allow the mind to settle down. Then when mind does not stir, does not react; it means there is wisdom, there is understanding. Otherwise, the mind which is deluded and very 'kay-poh' (busy body and everything also wants to know and everything also wants to get involved) will create thoughts or saṅkhāra activities. Then it is also very good at ‘reasoning’ via asking, ‘if I don't arise the mind, how am I going to meditate; how am I going to understand?’ If you keep on going along those lines of argument which are all thought-based, it will give rise to a lot of verbalization and chattering.

That's why the truth is always the opposite of the apparent reality, of the mundane mind of worldly people for Truth is beyond thought, beyond mind. That's why you have to constantly contemplate, reflect and inquire clearly to realize that Dharma. Inquiries like why did the Buddha kept on advising you all to take refuge in the triple gem, chant the salutation, - Iti pi so bhagavā …. Etc. Chant with understanding, especially when it comes to chanting the salutation to the Dhamma, - Svākkhāto Bhagavatā Dhammo ….., that explained what are the characteristics of this Dhamma? It is, ‘Sandiṭṭhiko Akāliko Ehipassiko Opanayiko Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi ti’: if you cannot understand these words, then you cannot develop the correct meditation, the correct awakening because you cannot put to test, you cannot investigate, you cannot check if that realization matches with that salutation to the Dharma as proclaimed by the Buddha. Then who are the ariyan Sangha (the enlightened disciples of the Buddha)? What qualities do they have? Their special qualities are: - Supaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvaka saṅgho…..etc. They have all these qualities within. That's why you have to reflect and contemplate on them and when you chant, you have to chant with understanding. That's why when we do the invocation to the devas, we always chant ‘Iti pi so Bhagavā….; Svākkhāto Bhagavatā Dhammo….; Supaṭipanno…. - salutation to the Triple Gem so as to remind them constantly of what these triple gems are so that they understand what they are. Then from there, we will share the Dharma to help them penetrate the teaching. Then when they develop it accordingly and when they penetrate, they can check against the salutation of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, then they will realize that this is the correct cultivation and enlightenment. Otherwise you will be trapped in thought. You will become gullible and you will believe what people tell you.

Nowadays, especially during the Dharma-ending age, there are many gullible stories that can really make people gullible and be attracted towards what they propagate. Even Subbadda the wanderer, asked the Buddha in the Mahā-parinibbāna sutta:

“Venerable sir, these brahmins & contemplatives, each with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his group, an honoured leader, well-regarded by people at large - i.e., Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha Kaccayana, Sañjaya Belatthaputta, & the Nigantha Nataputta: Do they all have direct knowledge as they themselves claim, or do they all not have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct knowledge and some of them not?”

“Enough, Subhadda. Put this question aside. I will teach you the Dharma. Listen, and pay close attention. I will speak.”

“Yes, lord,” Subhadda answered, and the Blessed One said, “In any doctrine & discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no contemplative of the first… second… third… fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But in any doctrine & discipline where the noble eightfold path is found, contemplatives of the first… second… third… fourth order are found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine & discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first… second… third… fourth order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of arahants.”

At age twenty-nine I went forth, seeking what might be skilful, and since my going forth more than fifty years have passed. Outside of the realm of methodical Dharma, there is no contemplative. “And no contemplative of the second… third… fourth order. Other teachings are empty of knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this world will not be empty of arahants.”

Then Subhadda the Wanderer said, “Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! ..Siyā kho panānanda tumhākaṃ evamassa, atītasatthukaṃ pāvacanaṃ, natthi no satthāti. Na kho panetaṃ ānanda evaṃ daṭṭhabbaṃ. Yo kho ānanda mayā dhammo ca vinayo ca desito paññatto so vo mamaccayena satthā ti. ..”

Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, “Now, if it occurs to any of you — ‘The teaching has lost its authority; we are without a Teacher’ — do not view it in that way. Whatever Dharma & Vinaya I have pointed out & formulated for you, that will be your Teacher when I am gone.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “handa’dāni bhikkhave āmantayāmi vo, vayadhammā saṅkhārā appamādena sampādethā”ti.

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, “Now, then, monks, I exhort you: All fabrications are subject to decay. Bring about completion by being heedful.”

Ayaṃ tathāgatassa pacchimā vācā. (Those were the Tathāgata’s last words.)

In the Ani sutta, the Buddha also mentioned about the Dharma-ending age. The true teaching which is very profound in its meaning, deep, deep in its meaning related to emptiness will no longer be understood and will be neglected. During that time, the Dharma-ending age will arise. So all these are actually predicted by the Buddha during his time.

So with this, hopefully by now you can understand better. This is the 3rd or 4th time I had explained this teaching on ‘the mind must have no dwelling’. Do you have any questions? You better make full use of this condition to ask. Can you all follow? If you can follow, it's very good. Anybody wants to ask any question? It will be very useful. The mic is here. Anybody? Don't have? Then we go on.

Ah yes! There is a question by Sister Padmasuri.

Padmasuri: When the mind has no dwelling does it means we must have Yoniso Manasikāra (wise attention)?

Brother Teoh: Definitely. Otherwise your mind will dwell. You must have yoniso manasikāra because without the wisdom, the mind will dwell.

Initially as you cultivate, you will have glimpses of those moments of the mind that has got no dwelling but because it's not stable yet, that's why you can never penetrate the true. Then later on, you will come to understand why when the mind dwells, there is no understanding. Do you know what dwelling is? Dwelling means you are holding on to something. It's just like the heedless people. Heedless means you think a lot. Think a lot means you are lost in thoughts; preoccupied with the thinking; and mind’s reaction, stirring and emotion. That's how you become heedless. You are always lost in thoughts. You can never be aware of what is happening in the moment. And when you cannot be aware of what is happening in the moment, you cannot see things as they are. You cannot understand truth; wisdom cannot arise. So now do you understand?

This mind that is constantly dwelling, constantly perceiving, grasping, clinging, holding cannot understand truth. It is all knowledge (consciousness and its contents) and not wisdom. That's why the Buddha wants you to reverse all these cultivation. You look at the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, (the 4 Foundations of mindfulness sutta), what do they say? Standing - aware. Aware means what? Don't think and just Silent. Be with the moment in silent awareness. Feel it. Just Aware. Understand? When feeling has become pleasant and unpleasant it means it has stirred and moved already. Then Aware again, understand? Bring it back to awareness. Bring it back to the ‘true mind’ that has no dwelling.

But you all were taught the opposite. What did you do? Yes! Note. Note what? Note Pleasant, unpleasant feeling, or neutral feeling. Then note pain, pain, pain, fear, fear, fear, thinking, thinking, and thinking. What are you doing? You are not silencing the mind. You are not developing awareness. You are creating more thoughts, do you understand? So when you do that, your mind dwells everywhere. Then sometimes, you like to console yourself via saying, 'I must maintain awareness'. Who maintains? The thought isn’t it? The thought tries to be aware. That is not awareness. The real awareness is just aware, no dwelling – awareness before the knowing. It's just silence. To live life, you cannot be in that state all the time. Otherwise, you cannot live life. But in the formal meditation you can.

Then in the daily mindfulness, as you move around with awareness, you can be continuously aware. Then when you need to perceive, you perceive. When you need to know, you know because you have to live life. When you drive, you have to be aware of traffic but you don't go and think. The moment you are aware, you perceive, you understand, then you move. Your awareness move. Then you have a lot of clarity. Then you don't dwell into it by continuing to think about it or react over it or what they called proliferate meaning you don't allow it to continue to stir you leading to thoughts proliferation. The thought continues to multiply or proliferate. It's just like you are continuously heedless and think and think and think until you are completely lost in thoughts, meaning you are not aware at all. You think a lot and even when you are driving, you are also thinking. Then all of a sudden something happens then you panic. Or sometimes while at the traffic lights junction waiting for the light to turn green you may also be thinking especially so when you have problem that bother and worry you.

When we were in Macau, Alicia's friend, Ah Yee's husband: he has problem that worries him. He worries too much and he has too much thought disturbing him too. That's why one day he wanted to take us to one of those good restaurants that he knows - but very funny the restaurant which was on this side of the building, but instead he took us into another building, which was the hotel. Then we went up to that restaurant which he never made any booking and it so happened the restaurant was also under renovation and was closed. Then only he realized that it was not that restaurant. Then we went to the car park again, he took us and drive us out again, to go to the opposite building, parked there and then only go to the correct restaurant.

How did it happen? He himself, told us in Cantonese ('tai dor yeh lum’) – meaning he had too much thought bothering him. Too much thinking going on; that's why he cannot remember. When you think a lot, you become heedless and not aware anymore. Then as you drive and do your things, that thought will condition you to move to that place which you are so conditioned to go. And even if it is the wrong place, you also cannot remember because you have been carrying this thought for so long, the conditioning is so strong and there is no clarity. So that's why he himself knew that it is because he thinks a lot, that's how he makes the mistake. And he also admits that sometimes he makes mistakes and gets into trouble because 'lum yeh' (he was thinking) while he was driving; he was also thinking while he was doing other things. Therefore he was never mindful, never heedful, never with the moment. That's how he knows he has problems.

That's why without heedfulness the Buddha said, ‘The heedless as if dead’. Spiritually dead, no way of becoming awaken because your mind dwells everywhere. Dwells on what? Dwells on your so called problems, fear, worry, anxiety, unfinished business, your so-called work, career, relationship, and your other problems. You dwell on all those things because your mind is so entangled, so heedless, full of those accumulated memories that wants to do this and that, those unfinished businesses.

Just now, Sister Padmasuri asked a very good question. In order to have this ability of mind not to dwell anywhere, you must have yoniso manasikāra (which is wisdom), which is true.  And Yoniso manasikāra cannot be learnt. You have means you have. You don't have means you don't have. You can only cultivate it via keep on straightening your views until they stabilize. The moment they stabilize it means you have understood, then there is wisdom. Then at the moment of sense experience, the next time you see something, hear something, you will not be deluded like before anymore. You will not react and stir and dwell like before, like what Alicia had gone through. Straight away that awareness will be aware and the yoniso manasikāra will come out and tell her, 'hey! This reaction or stirring leads to suffering', not enough ah? - 16 years of depression which lead to all these and you still want to hold on? Then it's like the fish analogy that she came to understand after witnessing it at the Cameron Highland retreat; out of the pond, onto the land (like out of the suffering world) already, you still wants to jump back and continue with those affliction? You will never do that because it is like a red hot iron ball, burning and tormenting you, you had experienced it before so do you still want to hold on to it via thinking about it, dwelling and clinging on to it? That's why things that are unfit for attention, you will never pay attention anymore. You will go back to the Dharma, the 4 Noble Truths. You will keep on listening to the Dharma to straighten your view, and there is so much joy because it can reverse all of her previous negative tendencies and pains (which was so strong) caused by the depression and the delusion. That's how she recovered from it and became so beautiful.

All these are possible for every one of you if you are serious about your life. As long as you straighten your view and develop the understanding to change for the better you can come out of it. Then you reflect and contemplate on the dharma until it’s very clear then inquire, 'why must I always react like that, always stir my mind like that? Why must I always observe people that way, perceive people that way and perceive the world that way? Why must I always blame myself, blame others and create the egoic mind to dwell in so many things?' Life can be so different, so peaceful, so happy and so meaningful if only I can maintain heedfulness to be with the moment in silent awareness without having to dwell on anything. Then I will be able to experience all of the great pristine, beauty and wonders of life, every moment without words, so beautifully. I can just experience that anytime, because without thought, I have no fear, no worry, no anxiety, no sorrow, no lamentation, and no negativity of mind-state. It's just peacefulness, stillness, tranquillity and silence. That's why heedful living is so different from heedless living - no agitation, no stirring, no tension, nothing, everything is so beautiful.

That's how words create duality, create stirring and create all the mind-states. That's how the mind grasps, clings, holds and dwells. Without words, you see things as they are - silent, no duality, no this, no that and you are so peaceful. And all these require a lot of understanding. That's why only wisdom frees, nothing else. You have to reflect, contemplate until it is very, very clear like what my teacher used to tell me. Then when you see them, straight away you understand - saṅkhāra anicca (all of saṅkhāra are impermanence; they come and they go, then why do you still hold on to them? Why do you still want to think? It's only a thought. The moment you grasp, think and hold, suffering comes to be. This is a universal characteristic, do you understand?) and sankhara dukkha.

Dwell means you are holding, grasping and clinging like our last week Sunday’s sharing - this is affliction, samsara. When you close your fist what does it means? It means the 5 aggregates of form and mind, which are non-grasping, you grasp, hold and cling. That's why ‘this is affliction’, said Hui Neng. And this is how the 2nd Patriarch became enlightened; when he cut off his hand, he was in that state of agony and pain because of what he did; but when Bodhidharma agreed to transmit him the Dharma seal, he was full of joy. At that moment, he forgot about the pain. Then the moment after that is over, he is conscious of that great pain again. Then he shouted out and told Bodhidharma that there was tremendous pain. He said, 'my heart is very painful'. Then Bodhidharma asked him a very simple question, 'show me your heart and I will heal it for you'. Then he checked everywhere, he cannot find his heart, he cannot find his true mind. Then Bodhidharma told him, 'it has been healed' because when he said, ‘he cannot find,’ it means it's not within all those consciousness of the mundane mind. It also means the 2nd Patriarch to be had finally realized that this mundane mind is not the true mind. That’s the reason why Bodhidharma said, 'you have been healed'. Then he straightaway awakened, just like Hui Neng.

The mind must have no dwelling and that is the reason why, it cannot be found because all those are consciousness. They are not the true mind. They come and they go; they come and they go hence the moment you hold and give meaning, suffering will arise. That's how the 2nd Patriarch awakened. Then he realized that the body is just a body. You have to endure you have to endure because when you cut it off and the consciousness is trapped inside, you will feel it. But if you don't grasp and cling and hold deludedly, then there is no suffering because there is nobody inside there. It's just consciousness, so what? It's just the tactile consciousness that will keep on arising then you have 2 choices; react to it and become miserable via thinking that it's your consciousness, thinking that you are the one in pain. Then not only the body suffers, the mind also suffers. That's why Buddha said, 'When your body is sick, do not allow your mind also to be sick.' So that's the meaning. When you have that understanding, you can awaken. That's why the moment you grasp and cling, this is affliction. Then Bodhidharma said, 'when you don't grasp and don't cling’, this is freedom because the 5 aggregates of form and mind are non-grasping. Non-grasping means pure aggregates. Don't dwell anywhere because you understand that these are all not you. That's why these aggregates of rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra and, viññāṇa, they are all not you. They are impermanence, they come and they go, conditional arising, causal phenomena. The moment you grasp and cling, suffering will arise and when you see clearly that impermanent nature, you will see clearly their non-self-nature because you cannot hold onto to it, grasp on to it and said, 'This is I, this is me. Therefore all these can be mine.' There is no such thing because this form and mind - the 5 aggregates they are condition arising hence not a permanent unchanging entity that you can hold onto, grasp onto and cling onto. Can you follow? So these are very important pointers that can develop the clear understanding of the Dharma. Very good. We should thank Sister Padmasuri for the good question. Now Sister Eng Bee also wants to ask.

Eng Bee: Bro. Teoh, so the mind that has got no dwelling, means it is able to live life heedfully in sati?

Bro Teoh: Heedful means you are aware.

Eng Bee: Just aware?

Bro Teoh: The moment you are aware, the general spaciousness awareness without a centre is just silent because everything that arises is just that moment, that moment, that moment, do you understand? It just comes and goes, comes and goes, no reality. It's only a thought. What is thought? Consciousness and its contents. If you input grasping and clinging, then it arises affliction but when you input with understanding without grasping, it becomes pure aggregate. It becomes something like a vehicle and a tool for you to use, to live life. Then use it, to live. Don't go and worry about it. Don't go and entangle yourself with it. Don't be deluded by it. Then everything is no longer like before already. Ah, then the moment you look at Bro. Chim, it's different already. You can love him with all your sincerity, love because of your affinity with him. You can be a very good mother, wife and spouse. You can do your duty but you will not be affected when something happens to them. Whatever happens, it's just a form and mind, no reality and all these will be very clear to you because your mind no longer dwells and grasps and give meaning. Also because you understand both conditions; one is the arising (or apparent) reality within the conditioned world, which is govern by nature's laws. That's why there is the Law of Karma, where you have to do your duty appropriately. If you have to love them, you have to care for them, you have to, but you don't attach, cling and hold because these are all conditioned arising entity, no reality – non-self and empty. The moment you grasp and cling, suffering will arise. This is the Noble Truth. Then the second aspect is via the understanding of the ultimate truth, - the mind that doesn't dwell has got no words, nothing. 'Hey no you, hey no me' so where got loved ones, where got all these? All these are creations, mind made. That's why the phenomenal world is a world of consciousness and what is consciousness? Images that come and go, come and go; only thoughts, consciousness and its contents. How real can it be? And as real as it can be (as explained by me via the Heart Sutra short notes book and the Emptiness book), split second it's dead and gone, split second it's dead and gone and that is the only reality in life.

Moment to moment, life passes by, split second it's dead and gone. Everything is just consciousness and memory: Wǎngshì zhǐ néng huíwèi (往事只能回味) - past is only a memory, no reality. Then why do you still grasp, cling and hold. It's only a thought. How can it have such power over you? Unless the living beings are deluded and heedless, thought has no power over them. That's why when you have that clarity, you can never suffer anymore. Life becomes very different. By now I think you will penetrate the dharma. Sadhu to you!

Eng Bee: I just want to say. Is it something like (in Cantonese ’hang yet boh, keen yet boh‘ (走一步,看一步) at the present moment?

Bro Teoh: Yes and No, because everything is like you have understood it, not so real. Everything is just within the moment. When you say ’hang yet boh, keen yet boh‘, - when you understand it is beautiful because there is no reality. Every moment will just slip by. So whether you recall through memory or don't recall through memory it has no difference, understand? But for those who are deluded they will recall through memory then what happens? They will clinging, grasping and holding because memory will tells you, 'I am Eng Bee', 'I am the spouse', 'I have children', 'I have Dharma friends', 'I work where', 'I am so and so'. All these are memories but the reality is! - Moment to moment, life passes by. What are you doing?

Via your true nature - when you understand that the form and mind is not you, then you will know how to use it to live, for they serve you. Then life becomes beautiful and meaningful. Then there is such a thing as 真空妙有（zhēnkōngmiào yǒu) - within true emptiness is wonderful existence. Then life will become wonderful and meaningful. That's why use it to live. Don't go and worry about it. Don't panic and don’t deludedly hold, grasp, cling and grief over emptiness.

That famous saying from a mandarin movie of the 60s, is very good, it says, - 来也空，去也空 (Lái yě kōng, qù yě kōng) 那么施主,,何必苦苦 为空流泪 (Nàmo Shi zhǔ Hébì kǔ kǔ Wèi kōng liúlèi). The meaning is, ‘you come to this world empty handed (because you were born into this world empty). When you leave this world, you will also leave without anything. Then in between, why do you grief over emptiness. Why do you have so many unresolved businesses, sorrow and lamentation, suffering and misery? Isn't that delusion? And who suffers? The form and mind suffers. And who grasp and who clings? The form and mind grasps and clings. That's why when there is no clarity of mind, no heedfulness, no awareness; you cannot see all these. You get yourself entangled and trapped within the 5 aggregates of grasping then suffering and misery will be the result, without you knowing it. But the moment you are awaken, the moment you have developed the ability (or clarity) to see clearly, you are no longer deluded by it. Then you will understand that ‘this is not me’. This is only a karmic ally conditioned ‘vehicle and tool’ for you to come to this world for you to use to develop the understanding and for you to live and move. Then life becomes completely different. When you don't attach, cling and hold to these 5 aggregates of form and mind, then they are for you to use and they will serve you well. Then they become beautiful and meaningful. There is such a thing as life; moment to moment (even though not so real), there is such a thing as existence which includes peace, happiness, joy, love, family members, kalyāṇamittas, etc. as long as there is understanding and wisdom to live it. Then everything is just the way it is and it can bring about great conditions for a lot of wholesomeness and goodness to arise. That's why there is such a thing as living life to the fullest. There are such a things as having great meaning to life. So do not be deluded by what people tell you, 'Aiyah! Everything also empty and impermanent hence no more meaning to live life?'

Just like that day at Sumeru, Klang, Sister Kuan’s son came and talked to me. He said, "Brother Teoh, what you said was very true. Now I can see suffering everywhere." He can see everybody is suffering. But he doesn't understand the second turning. In the first noble truth’s second turning, the Buddha said, ‘suffering is to be understood’. But he had not understood suffering. He only saw suffering; suffering is everywhere. Then do you know what he told me? He said, "Life really has no meaning because suffering is everywhere." I said, "Who teach you that type of dharma?" He said, "Brother Teoh, everywhere there is suffering. Life really has no more meaning."

I said, "The Buddha never taught that way. The Buddha said there is a 3rd Noble Truth. Then only he started to laugh and said, "Yah! 3rd Noble Truth is Suffering need not be…., huh?" Then I reminded him, “Yes! When there is wisdom, suffering need not be then then why did you still say, ‘suffering is everywhere, no more meaning? Live life also no more meaning?’ That is delusion, do you understand? Suffering only applies to people who are deluded.”

People who are not deluded, they don't have to suffer. Suffering is everywhere, yes! - The prevalence of suffering but only apply to those who are deluded, who don't have the wisdom but those who have the wisdom, suffering need not be. That's why life can be wonderful. When the form and mind is connected via the direct seeing, with the wisdom and understanding, that form and mind is no longer deluded, hence incapable of suffering. That ‘form and mind’ you can say is enlightened but that one is not you. That one is condition arising, impermanent. The moment you grasp and hold, it leads to suffering and because it's impermanent, it's not a permanent unchanging entity, it will go the way of nature. That's why it's non-self, it's empty. Ultimately, it will cease to be. When you understand all these, you will come to realize that life can be very beautiful and meaningful.

Suffering need not be, so he only need to develop the wisdom to free but if he only cultivates the 1st and 2nd Noble truths and never cultivates the 3rd and 4th Noble Truths he will ends up half baked. But that's already very good for him (to have the ability to see suffering so clearly). He sees the prevalence of suffering everywhere; living beings may suffer but it doesn't mean life has no more meaning. When you see all these, you better wake up to the urgency of cultivation. If you don't cultivate, you will end up like them. You will become miserable like them. So this is for you to understand that the 1st Noble Truth is very, very real. It will torment you and make you miserable if you grasp, grip and hold on to it but the moment you understand that there is a cause behind all these sufferings, then you must determine to cultivate to realize the solution towards liberating your mind from all these causes. That's why the second turning of the 3rd Noble Truth and the 4th Noble Truth are very important. Even the second turning of the 2nd Noble Truth, the cause of suffering which is sakkāyadiṭṭhi, self-delusion that conditions your craving said, this craving is to be abandoned. That's why you have to cultivate until you have the wisdom to abandon this self-delusion. Otherwise suffering will continue. So when you understand what suffering is and you understand the cause behind, you must realize the wisdom to abandon it, to liberate your mind so that it is no longer deluded by it so that it can free the mind, so that the mind can liberate and go beyond. So this is the real teaching. That's why a lot of understanding needs to be developed.

Every time you cultivate, if you are not sure, you will get stuck, then you have to reflect, contemplate and inquire. After that, if you can, you should ask questions so that those who have the understanding can explain to you and you can cut short your cultivation journey. Just like Sister Kuan’s son, if he had not met me at the Sumeru retreat, he would have stagnated at that stage for very long and yet thinking that he had understood the cultivation via saying, 'suffering is everywhere, no point living'. Understanding it that way doesn't spur him to move because that teaching is very difficult to understand and very few people can reach those stages to guide him. So because of that, if you cultivate without proper guidance and understanding, you can actually get trapped and you will lose a lot of precious time via stagnating at those levels. That's why constant reflection, contemplation, and inquiry into the second turnings of the Four Noble Truths are very important.

My teacher Ajahn Yantra, he advised me (no less than 6 times) when I was with him alone during the early years. He kept on repeating and reminded me, ‘we choose, contemplate and reflect on the dharma until it's very, very clear.’ Then I came to realize, that was what I had been doing all these while because for me, if I don't understand I don't want to start the cultivate, I don't want to move. That's why I have this very unique past inheritance. I must see the big picture first. I must understand first, then I can move fast. Then when I understand, when I move, I don't make mistakes anymore because I am very clear of the direction where this nature is heading and the real Dharma that this nature is searching. That understanding will unfold by itself. So all these are very useful pointers and understanding. Okay. Sadhu! Thank you so much. Let us now rejoice with Padmasuri's and Eng Bee's good questions. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu! These are very important.

As you reflect, contemplate and cultivate all these understanding will stabilize and become more and more clear to you. Then one day, all of a sudden you will understand and it is like the whole thing has been understood and became like so clear. Then your life becomes very different. Then when you live life, even in the midst of life, every moment you see something, hear something or smell something; even while at home, you cannot react like before; your mind cannot stir like before; you had become very different. The ‘inside of you’ will know - 'how come now it is like that already'. Last time, when anything happened to your loved ones, you panic like anything, you worry like anything but now it looks like nothing happened. Then you will know what needs to be done will be done. You will not lament anymore. You don't panic anymore. You will just say, 'it’s ok, never mind. Let us resolve it.' No more like last time - panic, fearful and confused already.

Eng Bee: Brother Teoh, last Thursday, when I was driving home from my office; While still driving, don't know whether it’s an understanding or what, just crop up: 'Brother Teoh always said this body and mind is karmic ally conditioned out for us to use, so use it wisely.'

Bro. Teoh: Yes! Sadhu!

Eng Bee: I was driving, so okay and let's say this car is my body and this driver who is driving it is the mind (controlling the car). So I won't be so foolish as to drive recklessly to cause harm or accident to anyone or to myself. So in the same way, I should use this body and mind heedfully, ever mindfully, carefully so as to not harm myself and not to harm others. So by this analogy while I live life, this body and mind should not harm others and myself. I even shared this with Sister Lily during Yoon Chun's house dana. She was also very happy and commented, 'Ya! Definitely we won't use the car to knock others.’

Bro. Teoh: This is what can happen when you know how to reflect and contemplate appropriately. It becomes very clear. Do you know how I was able to share with you all about the car and driver analogy? I reflected and contemplated on it during one of the retreats about 30+ years ago. After the retreat, all of a sudden I become so still, so quiet and so silent. Then I was just sitting around there reflecting while they were reporting their meditation. For me, it was not important whether I report or I don't report the meditation. So I just reflected and I understood so beautifully, the car and the driver analogy. That's how I developed that understanding. How come living beings cannot see? If it is a car and a driver, you can see very clearly, isn't it? Ability to control doesn't mean you own the car or you are the car. The car you also can control. If you want to drive fast, you can. If you want to brake, to turn, and to manoeuvre in whatever manner you can but it's only within the limits of its design, understand? Whatever the car is designed for, you can have certain amount of control and ability to manoeuvre it but beyond that you cannot. You can’t ask the car to levitate and fly, the technology is not there yet. It cannot. Like this body, you want to levitate and fly but the Technology is not there yet, unless you develop psychic ability, then it's different. So in a similar way you must know the limitation of the form and mind too. Then you will come to understand exactly like what Eng Bee had gone through.

If the driver is the mind that drives or instructs this body to move, and if I deludedly worry about this car, - every time it gets damaged due to accident or whatever, then I fear and worry that I might die thinking that the car is me then I suffer. But because the consciousness is trapped inside, it's slightly different. You will feel the damages or whatever injury that the body suffers. The consciousness is conscious of it so actually you can feel it. And that is really feeling it but in the case of a car, because you are attached to it, you think you own that car, so you very ‘sum tong’ (meaning heartache in Cantonese) and you are afflicted. In a similar way because you think you own that car, then you think you have to come out with the money to pay for the maintenance and the repair etc., so you ‘sum tong’ in that sense, - materialistically. But in the case of the car you are not conscious of the damages that inflicted the car; whereas for the case of the actual form and mind, the mind is trapped inside, so like when you get a cut or an injury or you harm your own physical body or you have an accident, you actually feel it. The tactile consciousness is really there, you can feel it but if you understand that it's not you, then you can endure it and if you need to seek medical attention, you seek hence no more problem. You just go about doing what you have to do. But people who don't understand, they have fear, they panic, they cry, they react because they think this body belongs to them. So in the driver and the car analogy it's the same. Ability to control and manoeuvre doesn't mean it belongs to you. So when you can see this very clearly, then why can't you see it in your own body and mind?

The consciousness that is able to instruct this body to move around and has the ability to control it doesn't mean the consciousness owns it. The body is the body; the mind is the mind. Just like the car and the driver, when you see these 2 as separates entities then you understand. If you don't take care of the car, if the driver is reckless (like what Eng Bee said), - red light also go then it will get the summons etc., then who suffers? Of course, the car does not suffer. The driver suffers because it has to pay the summons and if he is not careful and there is an accident, the car also suffers, not only the driver. So both also suffer. Then when you do that, you can also cause damages and sufferings to others. So when you understand this, you will be determine to train this mind to be heedful so as not to become heedless to recklessly drive and use this car just like how you train your body and mind. You will take care of it but you will not attach, you will not cling, you will not abuse this body.

Just like how I reflected base on what my teacher taught me. He said, if this body can talk and speaks to you, you will be very shy because the body will tell you this, 'Oh Master. Harm me not….' (Means he knows, he is the servant who is supposed to serve you). That's why he called you, 'Oh Master, harm me not for I am only tissues and cells. Have me work for you while I am still capable, young and energetic before this body of mine is too weak, too fragile and too sick to serve you for the benefit of all and others.' When you listen to the body telling you this, you will develop the shame. The body also has love and compassion to remind you that this is for you to use. He is willing to serve you but instead every time you are unhappy and miserable, you go and drink, you go and make yourself miserable. You go and torment yourself developing habitual tendencies that actually harm and hurt yourself, and you think and think and think the wrong thoughts until you become so miserable. Then you drink and make yourself drunk. Then the next day when you wake up, you got morning sickness and hangover etc. So why do you do that to your own body Instead of making full use of it through wisdom to serve you for the benefit of all?

The car is also the same. It can help you, provide service to take you around and to take others around. If you are careful, heedful and mindful and you don't violate the traffic rules, then it's just like you keep your precepts, you don't bring about karmic negativities or downfall. You don't hurt others, you don't hurt yourself, or harm yourself. Then it brings about great benefits to everybody. That's what mindfulness and heedfulness are all about. The Buddha has an analogy under the sutra, he said one must develop the balancing act. He gave the analogy; you can go and read about it. It's in the sutra. It is about developing the balancing act so that you protect yourself and protect others with mindfulness. Otherwise, you are being heedless. So all these, the Buddha actually explained it very clearly. Then when you start to understand, you will develop your own contemplative wisdom. Then you will see very clearly that this form and mind is actually more or less (but not exact), like a car and a driver analogy; whereas the true owner is neither the car nor the driver. Sometimes you can hire a driver to drive you around. Then the owner, the unseen one sits at the back because this owner is not a physical human being. That's why you have to connect to this unseen one, which is your true nature, your true mind. When your driver understands clearly through that wisdom borne of that direct seeing, then this driver (which is your mundane mind) is no longer deluded. When this driver is no longer deluded, it will not attach and cling to anything. Then it will know how to live. It will know how to serve you well. That's why the trained mind listens to you. You want it to be silent it’s silent. You want it to be aware it's aware. It's no longer heedless. It no longer does all those funny things. It no longer reacts, stirs and becomes deluded like before. It becomes so beautiful. That's how you to use the form and mind.

That form and mind will become beautiful and it can serve you well. Then life takes a turn and becomes meaningful. That's how the whole Dharma should be understood. That's why, start by cultivating to develop the initial understanding of who you are and what you are? Then after that determine to cultivate to develop the wisdom. Then when wisdom arise, you (your nature) will connect to this form and mind, then you will come to know very clearly that this form and mind is not you and you need to have this wisdom in order not to be deluded by the phenomenal world so that you will have the wisdom to understand life and to live life. Then you can realize the third phase of dharma which is Paṭivedha, thereby enabling you to live the life of an enlightened being. That is how you should cultivate so that you can develop the ability to awaken this form and mind. Then the third phase of dharma, which is the most beautiful part of your life, can become a living reality even though it's not so real; arise only from moment to moment but that phase can be really beautiful. If you can connect early, like Sākyamuni, at the age of 35, he still has 45 years of beautiful life after that. So all these are possible. Okay. Very good. Sadhu. You should rejoice with what Sister Eng Bee gone through. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

And all these can happen because it has happened to me earlier on. All of a sudden, the understanding just arise. I reflected on the dharma that arise then later on, I developed my own understanding and was able to come out with my own version of understanding of the truth. Then I can share it differently. It's just like this particular segment of my nature's life - meaning this so called Bro. Teoh (or this segmented life’s ‘form and mind’) that my nature takes to come has developed a lot of understanding on its own. That's how I can use it to teach and share with you all. Later on after you had understood my sharing, you can also use it to share and teach others in your own way just like Hui Neng and ‘me’. Hui Neng penetrated this truth and that’s the reason why the 2 poems mentioned become like very revolutionary. It marked the rise of Mahayana - like it is the spark for the next era of Buddhism. That's why Mahayana flourished after of advent of Hui Neng because his teaching was very penetrative. Likewise, after I had shared with you all my understanding which were all recorded and Tran scripted, you will come to understand them later on. Of course some of these understanding, I had developed them after listening attentively to my earlier teachers' sharing. They also have their own understanding. Then because of my unique nature, I can understand whatever they shared. I can even go deeper into it and refine it further, then perfected it. After that I was able to come out with all these new understanding: like the dharma regarding the 3 periods of time, the silent mind, what is sati? Who are you and what are you, etc.? Those understanding are mainly from this life, not from the past. All these understanding, you all will start to have the condition to receive them because all these dharma sharing they are not only recorded but also Tran scripted into books. It's all in the sharing and all these sharing are very profound because as you deepen your understanding of this Dharma and sharing, they are very penetrative and all these understanding, in years to come and in future, will benefit a lot of living beings.

Similarly, there are a lot of other great beings who can also contribute and help evolve further all these understanding. That's why you start to see how J. Krishnamurti came in his own unique way and also Eckhart Tolle, he also came in his own unique way to share all these special understanding with the world. Then our 6th Patriarch, Hui Neng also came in his own rather unique way. Then there are many others who will surface in years to come. This era is going to be very unique and very beautiful. What's the time now? Oh! 4:45pm already. Okay. Just nice. Please pass the mic to Sister Chooi.

Sister Chooi: Brother Teoh, you talked about people like Eckhart and so on. I am just wondering in the Buddhist world, if a man of this nature comes out and he doesn't speak English, is he recognized as someone of that standing? I mean, you said that but I don't know whether the Buddhist's world recognizes people like them.

Bro Teoh: Okay, so the question is: people like Eckhart Tolle and J. Krishnamurti, they speak in different languages. They don't use normal Dharma terms or words. Does the Buddhist world recognize such people? To me, it's not important because Truth is just truth. Whatever that is the truth, will points towards the reality and whatever truth that can help humanity is more important then having division. Why do you want to segregate our self via arguing whether it's Buddhist or non-Buddhist? That is a very important understanding. Otherwise division will continue. Then our criteria is not to investigate into truth. Our criteria is, 'Is this Buddhist?' If it is not, we don't want to recognize it. We don't want to have anything to do with non-Buddhist. That is not what the Buddha told the Kalamas. The Buddha told the Kalamas that they don't even have to believe him. You just have to investigate into everything that is spoken even by him. Don't believe first. Investigate first. If it is the truth, it must stand up to investigation. So when it comes to Buddhist or non-Buddhist, it's just a label. How do we define a Buddhist? If you say, it doesn't tally with the Buddha's teaching, then non-Buddhist. Is this a fair way of expressing it? Is it fair? Chooi, is it fair?

Sister Chooi: My point is all these things about religion, Buddhism, rites and rituals, blah, blah, blah are meaningless if you actually look at the greater picture of things because there are beings all over the place who have such wonderful realization and are walking the path. So to me, I am sorry, you guys are all Buddhists here. You know, Buddhism actually is nothing to me. It's just a way of life. It's not the religion. It's nothing. Bowing and all that is a way of showing respect but that's about all.

Bro Teoh: So what is your question? Just now you asked me: is it right for the Buddhist to accept them?

Sister Chooi: How does the Buddhist, in a way, looks at these type of people because if you follow the Buddhist tradition, which many people do: they want to do dana; they want to do this, do that but in actual fact these people don't do it in that way. Yet, they are great beings.

Bro Teoh: Okay, now I get you.

Sister Chooi: So to me … (interrupted by Brother Teoh)

Bro Teoh: Earlier on, I thought you tried to segregate them from the so called Buddhist.

Sister Chooi: No, no, no! I am not looking for trouble. I am just trying to say that Buddhism is just a label.

Bro Teoh: Now I understand what you are trying to find out which is very good. So when you have the understanding like what sister Chooi has just explained, it will be very beautiful because you must have open mind, do you understand? What do you mean by Buddhist? Like just now I tried to explain it via saying, ‘whatever that tallies with the teaching of the Buddha, you can call it Buddhist, right? Because it's taught by the Buddha. But how many of you really understand the Buddhist teaching? There is another question? The Buddha's teaching about truth, about Dharma is very deep and very penetrative. That's why I said when it comes to truth like just now, sister Chooi realized that there are so many great beings who also have the truth and understanding. Truth doesn't need words. That's why J. Krishnamurti’s teaching was so powerful and they are so identical with those of the Buddha's teaching but people cannot understand because they look at the words. And when they cling on to the words, their teachings appear like very contradictory because they cannot understand what was share.

What they tried to share with us are beyond words and beyond thoughts. That's why he always mentioned in his sharing: J. Krishnamurti said, 'never take the word for what it is because the word is not that thing'. Then when he used a lot of those important terminologies that he came out with, if you don't understand them, then it appeared like they are contradictory. That's why when he said, ‘wherever there is a meditator, there is no meditation’ - surely, you cannot agree with him anymore. Then when he said, 'wherever there is effort, there is no meditation', then you will quote the Noble 8 fold path as taught by the Buddha as having right effort, hence J Krishnamurti is talking ‘rubbish’ because he is contradicting the Buddha. When you understand, there is no contradiction at all. The Noble 8-fold Path’s right effort are applicable only when dealing with thoughts. That's why there is a path factor called right thought. Then right effort with regards to action, speech and thought but when it comes to purifying the mind it's all about mindfulness. There is no more effort. It's about cultivating with the silent mind. It's about awareness only no more thought. That's the reason why J. Krishnamurti used the word 'awareness'. That's also the reason why nowadays people also start to use this word, 'awareness' more and more. Words like choice less awareness, etc.

Then Eckhart used the words, 'Power of the now' - what does it mean? This moment before the words and the concept arise, there is only an awareness via the true mind, just the clear or pure awareness. That's why he said there is a portal for you to go in to connect to the true mind. And Eckhart is actually not bad. His portal is feeling, from pure feeling (before the stirring of mind) you go in, you silent your mind to develop awareness. You feel and you go in and these are the portals that can take you in.

Then there are many other great beings who came and explained the truth in their own words, even Byron Katie’s Inquiry into the Thought via her 4 lines of questioning: 1. whenever the thought tells you something, she said, inquire: 'Is this the truth? 2. Are you sure this is the truth?’ (The first 2 questions, you will definitely say 'yes' because this is what my thought actually tells me.) Then the 3rd and 4th questions, she will corner you; 3. ‘What happens if you think that thought?' (You are miserable and afflicted right?) 4. What happens if you don't think that thought? (You are peaceful, right?) Then you realise that it's not the truth. Because when you say, 'My husband cheated on me. I hate him. I want to do something to take revenge upon him. When you set your line of inquiry, 1. Is it the truth? (What the thought tells you). You will definitely say it's true because you saw him cheat on you and you have proof that he cheated on me; and because of that, you say, ‘I hate him’. So to you, you are very convinced that it is the truth. Then she asked the 2nd question, 'Are you sure that this is the absolute truth?' (Yes, 100% it's the truth.) Then the 3rd question is, 3. 'What happens if you think that thought? You develop all the anger, the jealousy and the hatred isn’t it? Then the 4th question is, 'What happens if you don't think that thought before you develop all the anger, the jealousy and the hatred? When you were courting, you were very peaceful. So without this thought, you don’t have anger, no hatred, no anger and sadness. Then how come when you think that thought, all these problems come about. Then you start to understand that thought is the one that created all these delusions and divisions - you and him. Why can't you accept him for what he is? If I don't think that thought, I am peaceful. If I don't divide him as cheating on me, what on me and all those things, then I become peaceful.

And her solution to all these is very simple. The truth is that you cannot fight the reality. Condition like that, things will be like that. So if you have the wisdom to see things as they are, to accept him for what he is, then you are at peace with him. Then you will not react, stir and get angry with him. Deluded people do deluded things; selfish people do selfish things; lustful people do lustful things. He is just the way he is. If I can accept him for what he is, this ‘form and mind’ will be at peace. Then you will know how to act and move. Then you will not harm yourself through getting angry, emotional or allowing the evil roots of greed, hatred, jealousy and delusion to arise. Stirring your mind and becoming miserable over what happened. All these are very simple solution to human suffering and although she didn't use the words like the 4 Noble Truths but her teaching indeed finally points towards the 4 Noble Truths. It points towards delusion as the cause of suffering. When you don't think that wrong thought, you realise there is no such problem meaning what the thought is telling you is a delusion and it's not the truth but just mundane ‘truth’ according to people who are deluded (with self-delusion, Sakkāyadiṭṭhi).

So all these when you really penetrate and understand, you will come to realise that what they have realised has a lot similarities with what Sākyamuni Buddha is trying to teach you. It's the 4 Nobles Truths put in another way, through inquiry. That's how you break the wrong thought and your self-delusion, sakkāyadiṭṭhi. You will come to understand how you create through thought; how you divide and how you create duality and all these negativities. And to her, end of the day, the reality is the most important. Truth is! She says, you cannot go against the truth. The moment you go against truth, you suffer. Then when she has that understanding, she develops the acceptance of what is and when she accepts what is, she becomes peaceful. When she becomes peaceful, she knows how to act, how to live, then she will know how to arise the right thought, right speech, right action and she will know how to live life which is the right livelihood and because she can accept and be at peace, that's why she can develop the silence, the stillness and she can develop the meditative understanding. Then finally she will come to know clearly who she is, what she is. That's how she will come to know the mind, the condition arising mind and the true mind; the two are different. When she is silent, via having the wisdom to accept 'what is', she is at peace. When she is not silent, the mind stirs, thoughts arise, create all these things. Then she realises delusions has set in, Sakkāyadiṭṭhi has sets in. Attachment has comes to be.

All these finally, if you trace back, they actually point towards the same truth. So when you start to have that understanding, your mind will have the ability to open up meaning has an open mind. You will not become like very attached to the religious label just like how sister Chooi understands that religious label is actually just a label; it doesn't define who you actually are. Religious label is just something that living beings use to create division and identity. 'I am a Buddhist' means he is a follower of Sākyamuni Buddha's teachings and because of that he thinks he is religious by implication or by direct association. You cannot do that, because when you don't truly understand the Buddha's teachings and you cannot put it into practice, you are far from being a true Buddhist. Even that label, you also don't qualify to use via calling yourself a true Buddhist because a true Buddhist is somebody who follows the advice of the Buddha so as to be worthy of him. And to have the quality of a Buddhist you must follow his teaching, 'to avoid all evil and to do good and purify the mind'. If you have these qualities only then it's meaningful - meaning all those who follow the advice of great beings, they have the truth, they have the dharma, then they are no longer using the religious label only. They are different from those who only use the religious label and don't cultivate, which means they do not have the embodiment of the great beings' teachings yet they claim to be Buddhists, then it's a totally different thing. That label doesn't qualify them to be a Buddhist. So I always used this word, 'religious label is just a label’. Whether you are spiritual or not spiritual depends on your heart; your goodness, your kindness and your sincerity. If you don't have goodness, kindness, sincerity and love or compassion in your heart, you can hold on to any religious label but you are not spiritual at all.

You are only spiritual when you have a good heart, a good mind. When you have love, compassion and understanding, incapable of negativity, that really defines the religious person or a spiritual person. So spirituality is about understanding, not about the religious label. Okay? With that you will be able to move on and progress with an open mind. Then you will not get trapped in all these religious labels issues and argument because most of these followers they just want to argue base on their religious label, and they try to glorify their own religion through argument, through what they call, promoting their religious belief and through trying to monopolise truth because every religion claims to profess the truth and they want to monopolize the truth; 'Only my religion has the truth. All other religions are not the truth.' If you do that, it shows that you don't understand truth because 'truth is' and the meaning is very deep. Truth cannot be monopolize by anybody - meaning not your truth, not my truth or anybody else's truth for Truth is nature's laws. Anything that can explain the way things are, according to what happens, that is the truth. And that truth cannot be monopolized because that is nature's law, nothing else. That's why the scientists came to know that there is such thing as Nature's law, nature's physical law and biological order and they realise that there is a lot of consensus when you understand those laws. So likewise, when it comes to the spiritual understanding, you also have the spiritual law that governs life and existence. If you penetrate them, you will also progress very fast and like the scientist, you will come to understand a lot things within the spiritual field. That's how Sākyamuni Buddha became so wise, the fully enlightened one because he has this all knowing great wisdom borne of his cultivation and perfection over the aeons and aeons of cultivation. He had developed the very penetrative understanding of these 3 great laws of nature: the spiritual law of karma, law of mind and law of dharma or truth and these 3 spiritual laws when you develop the understanding of them the mind will awaken and you will understand what that Buddha nature is, what that true nature is, what that oneness nature is, what that original nature is, and all of religions who hold the truth will point towards that same nature, nothing else and that nature has no words. It's the unconditioned. That's why the Buddha explained it very clearly and very well via stating that ‘Nirvana is the unconditioned’.

Likewise it is similar to the Tao’s definition, ‘whatever that can be spoken, described or talked about is not the true Tao but nothing is apart from the Tao. Then what can Tao be? That's why it's like the unconditioned. Nothing is apart from the Oneness, the unconditioned because the conditioned is also part of the unconditioned but the conditioned and the unconditioned are duality that people create. That's why now the scientists also come to know it's from the Source or the Singularity or the Original nature that all things arise.

Remember, the Singularity is the starting point, the Source. Buddhism called it original nature, your true nature. Original nature before thing arises. That's why from that singularity, everything comes to be, then the division starts - the unconditioned and the conditioned. Then the true nature and the conditioned world. That's how the mundane mind arise and from there, the first thought of ignorance conditioned subsequent thoughts. The Surangama Sutra, explained very clearly how living things come about, how the universe, stars and the planets come about. That's why Buddhism which is a very unique teaching is very ultimate in the sense that it goes back to the source. It can connect and link everything back to the source of all things and it's not only very scientific, it's very profound because it's beyond science. Science is limited to thoughts, the 5 mental aggregates of form and mind, the consciousness. But the spiritual understanding that the Buddha has realised is actually beyond thought, beyond time. That's why it is the pure nature, the oneness nature, the original nature, the source of all things, the Singularity. That's why from there, everything comes to be. That's the reason why whatever that can be known, the Samma Sambuddha can understand and know because they have realised that enlightenment which is complete and perfect that enable their nature to return to the original starting point which is the source of all things. From there, the oneness nature will arise and it will understand all things. So this is the uniqueness of the Buddhist teaching and that one is very difficult to comprehend, not until you have cultivated to that stage, it is not easy to comprehend. But it is very beautiful. Okay? Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu! We should thank Sister Chooi for that rather good question.

Sister Chooi: Brother Teoh, just as a joke, 开玩笑 (kāiwánxiào), your next talk at SJBA would be, 'Are you sure you are a Buddhist?' That will be very useful.

Bro Teoh: We can. Yes! I think the next Klang talk is at the end of the month, I don't know what the title is. I think I can use the title you suggested for my Klang talk. I need to check it out. I remember I have a talk, but what the title is I forgot. Ah, okay, please check. July this month. It's a Friday. (Searching for the title of the Klang talk)  Oh, I can use Chooi's topic because this Satipaṭṭhāna Sutra 1 and 2, I had finished already. Ya, 'Are you sure you are a true Buddhist?' can be a good title. I will tell Brother Gan, to use this topic. That title should be useful because many Buddhists, they tend to argue with people. They say, 'No, no, no, no' because they always want to be protective of Buddhism. Actually the more you try to protect it, the more conflict you will end up with. If it is the truth, it will stand up to investigation. Why do you want to argue with people? People have the right to come to their own conclusion and belief. They are just the way they are.

It's just like in the early years which I remembered. They tried to create a hoo-hah in the Buddhist community. Do you remember, the Buddha Bar incident? The Buddha Bar was a restaurant chain. If I am not wrong, they do sell liquor, they drink, they entertain but I don't know if they are involved in prostitution or not? They put the Buddha image in their bar then they called it the Buddha Bar. You go to a bar, and you drink in front of the Buddha; the Buddhists were not happy so they created a very big hoo-hah and I think there was an uprising. A lot of people put in their comments. At that time (about eight to nine years ago) - I saw what was happening then, and if this is allowed to go on, it may not stop because I saw a lot of Buddhists started writing to condemn what happened. Then I wrote one email to explained the situation and after that, all toned down because I said, ‘the Buddha rūpaṃ placed at the bar is not the Buddha. According to the Buddha, this Buddha rūpaṃ or image is only one of the four holy objects of veneration. You can venerate it - meaning you can pay respect to it via recalling to mind the 9 great virtue, wisdom, loving kindness and great compassion of Lord Buddha. It means you can recall to mind the true qualities of Lord Buddha and those are the embodiments of Lord Buddha’s great virtue and wisdom. The statue was never the Buddha. So why do you get yourself entangled with all these things by believing that they are trying to do or say something bad about your Buddha. I said whatever they do to the image will not affect us because if my so called Buddha is so easily contaminated or made defiled by just what people do, then that Buddha has no meaning. The Buddha that I have taken refuge and have faith in is not the statue. It's the embodiment of his great wisdom, perfections, virtue and understanding, including love and compassion. Those things, no one can take away from us despite what they have done to the image. If you understand this, you should not create all these unnecessary arguments and all these so called infighting via using words and whatever.

The way I wrote it, I cannot recall but it was very beautiful. It's in the email, stored up somewhere and I said it in a very subtle but very meaningful way. The great embodiment of Sākyamuni Buddha or all Samma Sambuddha is their wisdom and perfection that they had developed (which are virtues, love and compassion). These nobody can take it away from the Buddha because it is part of their nature and when you have faith in that (which is the Buddha that we take refuge in) then we are not affected. And this is refuge-safe, because that Buddha is not the image, the rūpaṃ; the image is just a symbol for us to recall to mind his great qualities, hence nothing can defile that Buddha. That's why do not associate with all those who do not understand the meaning of what is true refuge. When you understand your true refuge, you are not shaken by what people do. They can go and disfigured the Buddha image, like what happened in Afghanistan where the Bayan people bombed, deface and disfigure the images of the Buddha statues. Still there is no problem because that one is not the Buddha, do you understand? Only foolish people think that that is the Buddha. If that is the Buddha, then the refuge which I take has no meaning; one bomb can just destroy that image. So that is not the refuge you took.

That's why the triple gem, the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha, they can never be taken away because these are the embodiment of great wisdom and great virtue. And the great wisdom and great virtue that make that being the fully enlightened one is not something that you can take away, because that is the embodiment of his perfection over eons and eons of cultivation and it has become a nature of its own. And that nature has its special power and ability. That's why when you take refuge with faith in the Buddha and his Dharma you will have affinity with the Buddha and his wisdom and perfections that he has perfected. That's how he will have the understanding of the Dharma. Then when the Dharma is there, when he teach, there will be the Sangha which are the enlightened disciples of the Buddha. That's why all these three: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha; these are refuge-safe, they will never be shaken by anything that people do or the world do because these are the embodiment of perfections that has been realized and this is part of nature's law and it cannot be taken away by anybody through whatever act or means.

When you have that understanding and faith, your religious label doesn't matter anymore. Then you are not hurt by what people say about Buddhism because Buddhism is just a label. Before the advent of the Buddha, there was no Buddhism but because he was the Buddha, they added the 'ism' at the back, the –ism makes his teaching became Buddhism. But what is Buddhism? Buddhism is actually not what people think. It's not a religious label that everybody who is an author of a book can define. Buddhism was never around when Buddha was around. When the Buddha was around, he said he only help to re proclaimed the truth or the dharma which was already there before him.

The dharma was there before him and after he had realized it, he proclaimed it. And when he did that, he declared it to the world that this is the teaching that points towards the truth because all his teaching points towards the truth. That's why his main teaching or the essence of his teaching is the 4 Noble Truths (ariyasacca). All the teaching of the Buddha is called the Dharma or truth. The essence of his teaching is the 4 Noble Truths, not only truths but noble truths. That's why his teaching is very unique. When you understand these noble truths, you become noble ones or enlightened ones. So he not only teaches us the truths, he teaches us the noble truths that can make living beings enlightened. That's why he is very unique and to be worthy of him - to be called a true Buddhist, you must at least heed his advice, follow his advice to avoid all evil, do good and purify your mind to cultivate the 4 noble truths. Not until you have the 4 noble truths understanding to enable you to live it, you are still not worthy of him and you cannot label yourself as a true devotee of the Buddha or call yourself a true Buddhist because that religious label is just a name that people hold onto. For me it's not important.

When people ask me, 'Are you a Buddhist?' I always answered this way, do you know what my answer was? I will just say that I started as a Buddhist because that was the first religious teaching that touches my heart and started my search for spiritual truth. I was looking for answers when I was in Form 4 or Form 5. I knew it was beyond me because at that time I was gazing at the stars on the night sky, then I asked myself, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘What am I?’ I was only one of the insignificant 5 to 6 billion people (at that time the world population was not 6 billion yet, maybe about 5+ billion) on this Earth? How come I was only one of the miserable human beings on this Earth and Earth is only one of the many planets that orbit around the sun and this sun is only one of the many, many stars that existed in the universe. I knew all these because I was a Science student.

So I knew human being is very insignificant. But I also knew at that time at the age of 17, while in Form 5 in the year 1971 that I must meditate to understand all these. But I didn’t even know what meditation was then. I only knew I must meditate to understand. So very strange, the moment I was given this book, 'What Buddhists Believe' authored by our late Chief Reverend K Sri Dhammananda when I was in Lower 6; I remembered then, straightaway I didn’t have to search anymore because when I was in Form 5, I went to all the other religious organizations to search except Buddhism. I didn't want to go into the Chinese or Buddhist temple then was because at that time when I saw my mother doing all those things such as: ‘offering and negotiating with deities via saying, ‘you help me then I will offer you more; like you help my children pass exams, recover from their sickness then I will offer you more. Then I said, 'Wah! This type of Buddhism, I will KIV'. Then I went in search for truth. They took me to the churches. We talked to the pastor until the pastor also gave up. Then the pastor said, 'You wait. My more senior or higher one will come.' We talked but he also gave up on us. Then we went to many other religions, including Bahai which was also not able to convince us. Finally the conclusion was that we were too scientific because when they tell us ‘God’ create, we can never accept. My question to them is, then who created ‘God’? Then they will reply via saying, ‘God is almighty. You cannot ask these types of questions.’ Then I cannot just believe, because for me it's very simple, if you said God creates, then everything must have a creator so who created God? There must also be a time in history when ‘God’ creates, then my question is what was ‘God’ doing before He creates?

Ah! That was the question by Stephen Hawking too. He was very wise. He wants to know: before God creates (because you said there was a beginning in time when everything started with God's creation. So assume there was a moment in history where all creations started and that moment you can define): - So before God creates, what was God doing? To the scientists, they know, nothing can be created nor destroyed. How can you have something before anything? So again the question was unanswered. So Stephens Hawking was very wise. Actually you don't need a ‘God’ to create, hence he said ‘when the big bang starts, you don't need a God.’ That's how the Big Bang theory comes about.

Big Bang is the beginning of time. They called it the Singularity or the Source - from one, that moment it all started. It's a black hole which became so intense, so saturated that it starts all over again. Then the expanding universe starts again, that was what scientists came to realize. That's why from that Singularity everything starts again. So with that understanding, I just let things be and then the book came when I was in form 6. My classmate's sister gave me that late Chief Reverend K Sri Dhammananda’s book, 'What Buddhists Believe'. That was the first book I received. It was the 1st Edition, a red book, very thin. It was written there that what my mother had been doing are rites and rituals, all pertaining to the Chinese culture, the Taoist practices, etc. and they have nothing to do with Buddhism. Wah! Suddenly my heart rejoiced for I knew why I had not in the first place check on what Buddhism was. Then the moment I saw the 4 Noble Truths, straightaway the ‘inside’ knew, no need to search anymore, that's it. I said, 'Nobody 2600 years ago can summarize all of his enlightenment and understanding into just 4 Noble Truths, so beautifully. At that time, I straight away understood the 4 Noble Truths the moment I read it. I then said, ‘nobody can summarize all of life, both the mundane and the supramundane into just 4 noble truths.' Even at that time, I told myself that if I were to awaken like the Samma Sambuddha, Sākyamuni, I also couldn’t summarize all my understanding into just the 4 noble truths, no way. That's the reason why after that no need to search and my nature straightaway told me that this was the truth. And from then on, I never turned back. I was really determined to understand this teaching and cultivate all the way and I was very lucky because of my past cultivation that had helped me so much. The moment I got that book, I made the determination to cultivate sincerely and accordingly.

I did very well in my form Six and I was able to get myself admitted to University of Malaya (MU) where I did my Civil Engineering course. On the first day at that university, because of affinity I met our late Chief Reverend KSri Dhammananda, then the rest was history. So that was how my investigative dharma came about. That's how all the understanding came about. Then later on, after I read through those Dharma books, I met many teachers and guide. Later on, I had the opportunities to come into contact with various types of other teachings. The books just came, the teachers, the guides, etc. they just came (everyone was very different) and I didn’t know them. Then within those 3 years (1986 till 1989), everything just came and the transformation just happened.

That ‘nature’ that understands will have an open mind and it can accept everything. Wherever there is truth it understands. Then it can relate to Truth clearly. That's how when Eckhart Tolle’s book the ‘Power of Now’ came out after I had come out to share (at the request of Dharma friends) I can understand his book and his book at that time was already very famous. They showed me the book. Most of the time, after I go through these books I will tell them, 'never mind, this one, you all can go and read yourself' because the book is not harmful. Then when I read that book, I realized that this book is very different from the rest. I told them this was a very good book, a very great book because the way Eckhart explained what happened to him in the book’s introduction on how he went into those stillness states, and how he came out of it then how he suddenly understood the Dharma, I can understand what happened and I knew he had his past, otherwise he cannot become like that.

Earlier on, he went through severe depression. Then if you read the book (the Introduction section) you will come to know how he actually went in and how after he came out from those states then after that how he completely understood the truth. Just before it happens, he was fighting with the thought because he was in great depression, then suddenly that thought came out and said, 'If I cannot accept all these, it means there is another thought which cannot accept all these wrong doings'. He was thinking deep into life, then he realized almost everybody including the pastors lied. Do you know the church pastors, sometimes they also lie, cheat and deceive. He realized his father also lied, his parents also lied, his friends also lied and he himself also lied. Then the inner nature said, 'this is wrong and I cannot accept all these’.

Then in the midst of deep depression, suddenly that thought awakened. He said, ‘if there is another thought that said he could not accept all these, it means there are 2 of these in me. Then all of a sudden, his mind went blank - Pop! no more thought, went into cessation because that spark triggered off and he went inside, the whole of consciousness went into cessation deep inside for a few hours. Then all of the sudden when he come out of it again, he became totally different. Then when he looked at his room again, it was like he had never seen it before, wow! All of a sudden everything was so pristine and so beautiful; starting with the light coming in through the window. Then he said everything was so pristine because at that time, the mundane mind must have collapsed and the true mind came out. That's how he can understand all teachings that point towards Truth after that.

Before he understood the teaching, he was still a nobody. After he came out, he described in his own book, everything was like totally new, so pristine and he could feel the great stillness, the silence, the tranquillity, the beauty and the joy deep inside him but he didn't know what all these were. Then he didn't work. He just sat in the park for about 2 years but he was full of joy, full of happiness, so serene, so peaceful that people found him very amusing and went there to talk to him. Then after a while, people asked him about religious things. He said, 'I don't understand.' They showed him the book. They quote the phrases. The moment he heard these Truth, he understood. Then people got interested in him. That's how he become famous and decides to come out to share his understanding. Then he started to write books. All these can come about was because he had gone through that cessation. He had realized that awakening. Then later on, he also knew about the segmented body and mind but not as clear as the way I had described it to you all. He also mentioned, 'If you choose to come, you have to go through that period of suffering before you connect (he used the word ‘before you connect’ also) to your true nature via that segmented life. He has to suffer because he came that way; he suffered experiencing severe depression. That's why after that wherever there is truth, when he reads them, he will understand.

Then J. Krishnamurti's book was even more difficult to understand but I was very fortunate because after I had realized those earlier understanding in 1989, I actually don’t need any more teachers to teach me. But there was one last guide that came to me. How I met my last guide was also very strange. The condition kept on arising and my ‘nature’ knew this is someone that I must meet up. There was no such thing as everything happened through chance or by coincidences. If the condition to meet can continuously arise for 6 times, it means this person I must meet. I didn't know who he was but my nature kept telling me this person I must meet even though it knows I doesn’t need to see anybody anymore because the condition to meet happened 6 times. Normally after 2 times, I would have gone to meet up.

After I met him, I understood why I had to see him because he explained and show to me the ‘gateway’ to my nature. Immediately after that I don’t need him anymore. I understood what that ‘gateway’ was. Then he also told me that I should pay attention to this person's teaching, J. Krishnamurti. I didn't even know who J. Krishnamurti was at that time. Then it was indeed very strange because after that J. Krishnamurti’s books keep coming to me. That Singapore friend who introduced my last guide to me also liked J. Krishnamurti’s teaching because he was heading the Theosophical society while in Singapore; they also have a lot of J. Krishnamurti's quotes. So he was the one that sent me those books and quotes of J. Krishnamurti.

Then as usual, the moment I saw the quotes, I understood what he said. The words he used were so different, so revolutionary. That's the reason why most people cannot understand his teaching. Most people find it very difficult to understand him, like he is a very tough nut to crack because the way he speaks and shares, he uses modern terminologies and words and he was against all forms of organized religion. He was very critical of almost every organized religion’s practices. He used these words, 'wherever there is authority, there is no religious freedom' which means religion must not have authority to conditioned and put fear into the individual. Then he also talked about: ‘whenever there is a meditator there is no meditation’ and ‘freedom from the known’ etc. Then he said, if you were to do all those things that organized religions advised you to do, you are wasting your time and he was like very contradictory – against the norm. That's why when you Google his teaching to read some of his famous quotes and phrases, you will be shocked by what he said. But later on, people started to give him recognition. People started to realize that he was very wise but not all religion can accept him because he only praise (if I am not wrong), Sākyamuni’s teaching. He said at least that one was not so bad compared to other religion that asked you to believe. He said this one asked you to investigate so this one is not so bad. Investigates into truth. He never asks you to believe. Those that ask you to believe all of them have authority upon you and there are many of such teachings.

Later on as you develop the understanding, you will know whether it is the truth or not. Like Hui Neng, if it is the truth, he will understand and it will also stand up to investigation. That's why you don't have to worry whether it is Mahayana or Theravada tradition. If it is the truth, those who have awakened they will understand. Like Eckhart Tolle, after he had gone through all those transformation, you can show him any religious book that has the truth, he will know how to interpret them. And in his book, he said this very sad truth; he said most religions actually have the truth, the only problem with those religions was that the original teachings of the founder were already lost. That's why they were not so potent as before. They cannot have that potency to actually give rise to the condition to awaken living beings. He made that statement. He said that the truths are still within the teachings but people cannot understand them now. That's why he said, ‘it has lost the potency to awaken living being’. It is written in his book, The Power of Now. It was beautifully described there and I was full of joy when I read that part because that was what I realized too. Even our Buddhist teachings; over the years, have really lost its potency, its true original meaning is no more there.

That's why, if what has been taught over the years is still the authentic dharma of Sākyamuni, you should agree with me that there should be a lot more enlightened beings, right? Just like science and technology, when you develop the understanding, science and technology progress very fast. If the teachings were still what they were during the time of the Buddha, there would have been a lot of enlightened beings isn't it?

Even during the Buddha's time, do you realize or not, everywhere he goes, all of a sudden thousands of monks all awakened. Then almost everywhere you would see, first stage of sainthood, 2nd stage of sainthood, 3rd stage of sainthood and Arahants, everywhere. How come over the years, they start to tell people (this is written in certain books, we don't want to quote name) nowadays even to find one stream-entry, a sotāpanna is already very difficult? They have reached such a conclusion, do you know why? Because they themselves also have no more faith. To them they believe it has deteriorated until such a state. So if it has become so bad, then why do we still continue to follow such teaching? We should inquire deep into it. What has gone wrong, what has changed over the years? Then from there, go back to the original teaching. Then find out who are the ones who still have the ability to explain all those teachings to you. And who can help brings about the understanding and the awakening. Then only you cultivate it otherwise no point.

Just like that Klang talk, the transcript book on ‘Emptiness’ is coming out soon. Printed already? Can show me the book? Let me have a look. It is the printer’s master for checking, right? Very good. After that how long would they take to get it printed? After Hari Raya? Oh! Very good, very good. Okay, I will check through, then I will confirm with you by tonight or latest tomorrow. Then we can have this book printed.

I used to say you must have open mind, do you remember? Why you must have an open mind? If you have come to understand that after so many years of cultivation, it has still not brought about any real transformation in you then what must you do. Why don't you give yourself a chance to listen to something that is new and give it a try because you have got nothing to lose. What happens if this is the truth and you have been holding on to your old view tenaciously thinking that what you have been taught is the truth and you refuse to have an open mind to even give it a try? Then it is you who have everything to lose. If you give it a try what does it mean? The worst case scenario is you lose some time learning it. Besides if it is not the truth, it will not stand up to investigation.

But if what you have been doing over the years is not leading you anywhere and you still continue with that way, then I ask you one very simple question. What do you think will be the result and the outcome? You will continue to be what you are, right? And you will never change. That's why you must investigate into a teaching that can enable you to understand very clearly and change for the better. Then you can straighten your view and put it to test. Then you can know for your own self whether this is the truth or not? Not until you can inquire into the truth and have this open mind to receive the truth, your own views and opinions will block you. That's why a lot of cultivators have been blocked by their closed view because the conditioning is so strong and their thought keeps on telling them these, ‘You mean so many people doing this type of meditation, they are also wrong? You mean they also don't understand?’ Then sometimes they even add in these words, 'you mean monks also don't understand? They have been teaching this type of meditation all these while.' It's not a question of monks understand or don't understand. It's about investigating into truth. Why do you want to pose all these questions, which come from the thoughts to block and trap you?

Forget about the thoughts. Forget about what the thoughts tell you because the thoughts is always trying to keep you away from new things. What is thought? Memory, right? Memory means accumulation of your past. Do you know why they want to hold onto the past? So that they feel secure and complacent. Just like your job, every day you complain that your bossed don't really take care of you, don't really pay you adequately, take advantage of you, etc. You complain so much but you dare not leave that job. You still cling onto that job. So the thought is the same because within the known, you feel comfortable. You feel you are safe. So that wrong thought is the one that actually holds you back. Then you refused to venture into new things because you feel very insecure when you go out into something new that you haven't heard before for you always follow the crowd instinct. What is crowd instinct? If nobody does it before, I also don't want to try it out. If you are like that, you cannot learn truth.

My nature is the other way round. If nobody does it, I will go and do it. Also later on, after my nature had realized the truth, it also comes to know that Truth is always the opposite what human being thinks. Just like the stock market, if you cling on to the herd instinct you will surely die but if you dare to go against the herd instinct, you will make good money. When everybody panic, you better go and buy. When everybody at that time is very gung-ho and very confident, you better sell because how can everybody makes money, where got such things? When everybody makes money, you must panic because there is no such thing as a free lunch. When too many people make money it means the market is already very euphoric because - like a very good party with good food, good music, beautiful ladies, handsome guys and very nice atmosphere; end of the day somebody must foot the bill. Those who enjoy the party until drunk and don't know how to go back will end up footing the bill but for those who stay near the door, after they had enough they can go, these people escape. So don't become gullible. That's why there is no such thing as a free lunch except the Buddha dharma.

The Buddha dharma is really free and it doesn't ask for anything in return from you. So when you really have an open mind, you will be able to have the condition to reflect, contemplate, inquire and investigate into the truth shared. Then you have got nothing to lose. You must every time remind yourself, if I don't learn new things, I can never progress'. That's why J Krishnamurti warned cultivators and living beings via asking them the question, ‘who is the most dangerous person in this world’? The most dangerous person in this world is the one who said, ‘I Know’. When you think you already know, you cannot learn anymore. Your cup is full. The Zen analogy also tells you that. When your cup is full, nobody can teach you. J. Krishnamurti says that is the most dangerous person in this world because if you are like that, nobody can teach you. The Buddha also said the same thing in a slightly different way. He said, ‘he who holds on to his view tenaciously (as stated by the Buddha in the Sallekha Sutta) even the Samma Sambuddha also cannot save him because he is not open minded. You hold on to your views tenaciously means you already think you know. Nobody can teach you already because before you even listen, you already said you know, so how to share with you? How to help you understand because you are so rigid in your views and opinion due to your conditioning.

That's why the art of listening (which is to listen with an open mind) is very important. When you listen with your conditioning with your views and opinions, thinking that you already know, then you not listening. You are resisting understanding because that knowledge prevents you from opening up, prevents you from listening. That's why when you listen, just listen silently; don't comment and don't interfere or intervene. If it is the truth, you will understand. If it is not the truth, you will also understand. Then you will know what to do because when you listen without conditioning it means when you can understand (because your mind has clarity), you can understand and when you cannot understand, you will not understand. Similarly if it is the truth or not the truth, it is the same. When you are not ready, you cannot understand, so it is better for you to have an open mind.

When you are ready and when you can understand you will know whether it is the truth or not? If it is the truth, it will stand up to investigation. Then you will understand. This is what will happens, it is from the understanding, for your nature has already transformed. The moment you listen, if it is the truth, you will understand. No matter what words they use, what language they use, what terminology they use, you will know, that person has realized but if it is not the truth, it will also understand because truth cannot be that way. It is just like that day at Yoon Chun's house dana, when they asked the two questions regarding karma. You will understand straightaway.

Then the other thing about open mind is that, you must not restrict yourself to one religious label or one aspect of truth or understanding because truth is unending. Truth is ever evolving. It’s all about Reality and Reality keeps on evolving: - different times, different civilization; different conditions, different understanding will arises and it's not rigid. That's why Truth is! You cannot commit to memory for truth is not rigid. Truth is an ever-moving reality and whatever that is continuously in a state of flux within the moment needs a lot of wisdom to develop the understanding because there are a lot of conditions behind which need to be understood for you to understand those movements. Besides these movements are very, very great movements that involved the entire universe’s movements (even though it can have some localized conditioning which are very strong but it involves a universal movement. That's why you have to be a Samma Sambuddha to really understand the intricacy of this law of karma which is one of the major spiritual law of nature that governs life and existence. All these understanding can come about is because there are conditions for their arising, that's why today we manage to share them.

We may have to stop now. What's the time now? Another 8 minutes to go, so it is just nice. Why not I finish off this part then we end? Just now we were at page 34.

A great many people had heard The Diamond Sutra, but none of them had become enlightened.

Ah! Hsuan Hua also said that.

Now in the West, perhaps someone will hear, “One should produce that thought which is nowhere supported” (or the mind that has no dwelling) and, understanding the principle, become enlightened. That is what I hope. Whether or not it will actually happen is another matter. After becoming enlightened, he did not say, “Hah! I am enlightened.”

See, they won’t say it because they know that the ‘form and mind’ is never them.

He was not like some people today who do not understand even a hair’s breadth of the Buddha Dharma, yet claim to be enlightened.

So this is Hsuan Hua’s way of putting it.

The ancients, even when they had become enlightened, did not recklessly say, “I am enlightened!” Even less would people who had not become enlightened claim to have done so. It is necessary to seek certification from a good knowing advisor, a person who has already awakened. That is why the Sixth Patriarch went to Huang Mei to seek the Fifth Patriarch’s seal of certification.

But this is Hsuan Hua's understanding or his way of putting it because as far as my nature’s understanding is concern, Hui Neng did not go to the 5th Patriarch to seek certification because the dharma is paccattaṃ (can be realized by the wise each for himself). So you don't need people to certify you. The more likely reason why Hui Neng wants to see the 5th Patriarch was because he knew if the 5th Patriarch can teach such beautiful teaching such as the Diamond Sutra, it means he must have wisdom which is much higher than Hui Neng at that time. That's why he wanted to meet up with him and he knew the condition has arisen. There are many things that he needs to develop the clear understanding because since he was born 20 over years, nothing really happened. Then all of a sudden, the condition arises. That's why he will know. He will know that the time has come for him to move. At first he was reluctant to go because his mother was still around and he needed to care for her; it is his duty to take care of this mother. But the owner of that place and the merchant that recited the sutra knew that he was gifted and he had to go. So they decided to help him out. They promised him to look after his mother, take care of the mother; then gave him the needed sustenance to go there. That's how the 6th Patriarch, Hui Neng went to Huang Mei mountain to meet up with the 5th Patriarch. I think we shall stop here at page 34. Always remember. If you need people to certify you or confirm you, chances are, you have not realized the true awakening because the true awakening is ‘Paccattaṃ’ (can be realized by the wise each for themselves) so no need certification, straightaway you will understand. Okay, we have at least finished 3 pages (pages 31 to 34). So this part is very interesting because a lot of the important teachings of the 6th Patriarch are in the introduction. How he met the 5th Patriarch and how the 5th Patriarch handed over the patriarch ship to him. There were a lot of beautiful dharma exchanges at that time and from the way Hui Neng received them via just talking to the 5th Patriarch he had this great awakening. And again it's the due to the Diamond Sutra’s teaching which we had covered in our earlier Heart Sutra sessions. Maybe the next lesson, you bring the Heart Sutra book. We shall go through that same 5th Patriarch's sharing with Hui Neng because that version was more precise. I changed what Miss Lee sent to me at that time because the version she sent to me was not the correct version. It was another version, which when I read I knew was the wrong version. That day was very strange. I decided to check it up via Google search and somehow straightaway this authentic version came out. When I read it I was full of joy because that was the right version. That one, the translation was very accurate. I only needed to modify a few English words. That's why the one in the Heart Sutra which we will go through next week is very beautiful. That version when you go through it again, many of you will develop a much deeper understanding of the Buddha dharma by now because over the last 2 to 3 years of sharing of the Heart Sutra’s teaching, the foundation has been set. So this time around when we go through it again, it will be very different. Even at the RECENT March Meditation retreat, when I read and shared it, I remembered Sister Eng Bee and Sister Padmasuri they all benefited a lot from those sharing. This time around if I repeat it for the 3rd time, it will be very different and very penetrative especially for those new kalyāṇamittas who were not there at that time. They really benefitted, even Sister Alicia (who was very new) also benefitted at that time when I repeated this Heart Sutra sharing at that Cameron Highlands retreat.

When is our next class? Oh, next Sunday which means we can only have 2 hours of sharing because at 5 pm, the Korean nun will be coming. So our class will be from 3pm to 5 pm and we will try because 2 hours should be enough. You try to come a bit earlier so that we can start at 3 pm sharp. I will do the puja earlier; maybe at 5 minutes before 3pm we will start the puja. Then exactly at 3 o'clock, we can start and it will be very interesting because this particular version which I managed to get from the internet, I only need to modify a few of the English words which were not so accurate. Then I realized that was what could actually happened because this nature of mine can feel how it was possible for Hui Neng and the 5th Patriarch to really developed the understanding that way at that time and it was so clear, so beautiful. The reason being even with my nature, if I was there, I could also understand and receive such truth. It was so powerful. That's why Hui Neng straight away came to great awakening. The moment the 5th Patriarch explained that part (this mundane mind, you must know how to use it and yet not be deceived by it) - wah! Fantastic awakening! After that Hui Neng said, ‘How amazing that all Dharmas are inseparable from the self-nature. How amazing that the self-nature is originally pure. How amazing that the self-nature is unborn and undying. How amazing the true or self-nature is inherently complete on its own, perfect and so beautiful. How amazing that the self-nature neither moves nor stay! Who will ever know these Truth?’ That's why his teaching is directly pointing to the true or self-nature. That's why his teaching is called the sudden teaching leading to sudden awakening. That's how Hui Neng realized it so profoundly. Actually my nature also teaches that way but since most of you are not ready I cannot direct you all to that nature straight away and that's the reason why I always said, ‘all your methods and techniques’ you can forget about them. You don't need to train your mind that way because that is the mundane mind but you all have no choice because the 5 mental hindrances are so powerful and you all don't know how to get rid of it and peace is so difficult to come by. If you follow the direct teaching you don't need to go through all these thought based training. The moment you understand, the moment you are silent, you are already that thing. That's why you can go into it and you can connect to that self-nature very fast. In one instant you can be awakened if you understand. It can be done and it's not difficult. But because the traditional way is so crude that’s why it is as if everything must always start from A, B, C; then you learn how to form words after that, how to make sentences, then must also learn grammar. If you ask Sister Chooi, she will tell you to master the proper English first. Wah! If you take all those steps, you tend to waste a lot of time, right? But if can just listen like a child; you can learn very fast. But you must listen to or learn from the qualified English speaking person. Learning via the direct listening is the fastest way to learn. That's why the kids, don’t need to learn via A, B, C. Just ask them to listen attentively and sing songs. They will learn very fast but if you go and instruct them to write and memorize the words, it will take a long time.

We shall end here because it is already 6 pm. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

9th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 6th September 2015

9.1 Pūjā

We can start the puja now. Compose your mind; develop the faith (saddhā) and spiritual zeal (vīriya). Then pay respect mindfully before we start. We will chant the Mahayana tradition first:

Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó (南无本师释迦牟尼佛) (3x)

Nā Mó Guān Shì Yīn Pú Sà (南无观世音菩萨) (3x)

Námó Fó Púsà (3x) (南無佛菩薩) (3x)

Then we will chant the: Salutation to the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha) in the Theravada and Thai tradition.

Arahaṃ Samma-sambuddho Bhagavā Buddhaṃ Bhagavantaṃ Abdhivādemi.

Svakkhato Bhagavatā Dhammo Dhammaṃ Namassāmi.

Supatipanno Bhagavato Sāvaka - saṅgho Saṅghaṃ Namāmi.

Vandanā - Salutation to Lord Buddha:-

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā-sambuddhassa (3X)

Tisaraṇa - Taking of the Three Refuges:-

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Dutiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Tatiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Pañca Sīla - Renewing of the Five Precepts:-

Pānātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Surā-meraya-majja-pamā-daṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Rejoicing)

Now let us pay respect mindfully to Lord Buddha, Quan Yin Bodhisattva and all the other great beings that are worthy of respect and The Triple Gem to end the pre-pūjā.

Okay. We will turn to page 1 to recite the Verse for Opening a Sutra.

Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning.

9.2 Dharma and Sutra By Bro. Teoh

We shall turn to page 61. This one we will run through it quickly because we have covered it under the Heart Sutra Short Notes earlier on. That one is more accurate. Now you can go through this one which is based on Hsuan Hua's commentary. It is slightly different but by now you should be able to understand and develop the clear understanding of it. You go back a little bit to page 60 where the Sutra starts.

Sutra:

One day the Patriarch summoned his disciples together and said, “I have something to say to you: for people in the world, the matter of birth and death is a great one. All day long you seek fields of blessings only; you do not try to get out of the bitter sea of birth and death. If you are confused about your self-nature, how can blessings save you?”

This English translation is not so precise and not so clear. Anyway, this was Hsuan Hua's translation at that time. If you want to have a better one, you should refer to our Heart Sutra short Notes transcript book. That one is better. We will now read the Commentary.

Commentary:

The Fifth Patriarch said, “Regardless of whether you are extremely rich or bitterly poor, you cannot avoid birth and death. Consequently, you should know how you were born. If this question of birth and death is not resolved, life is dim and confused, and you are confused with coming and going.”

“You do nothing but seek merit among the gods and among humans; you do not know how to seek wisdom. Thus, you swirl and drift in the suffering sea of birth and death.”

The Mandarin words were literally translated. That's why it became 'suffering sea' (苦海, kǔhǎi) of birth and death.

It is said that one who cultivates wisdom and does not cultivate merit is like an Arahat with an empty begging-bowl; he is very wise, but no one makes offerings to him. But if one cultivates merit and neglects wisdom, he is just like a big elephant wearing a pearl necklace; beneath the adornments of blessing, he is stupid and will never solve the problem of birth and death.

So this was Hsuan Hua's analogy, not so important. Okay then the sutra continues.

Sutra:

“Each of you goes back and looks into your own wisdom and use the Prajna-nature of your own original mind to compose a verse. Submit it to me so that I may look at it. If you understand the great meaning, the robe and Dharma will be passed on to you and you will become the sixth patriarch. Hurry off! Do not delay! Thinking and considering is of no use in this matter. When seeing your own nature it is necessary to see it at the very moment of speaking. One who does that perceives as does one who wields a sword in the height of battle.”

That's why this analogy that Hsuan Hua used was more of like going to battlefield and the English was also not so precise and not so clear. Anyway this was Hsuan Hua's commentary. So we can go through the Commentary quickly.

Commentary:

“Verse” here is the Sanskrit word “gatha.” A gatha is composed of lines of uniform length, though the length may vary from gatha to gatha

“Go quickly!” said the Fifth Patriarch. “Go as if a fire were about to overtake you. Do not dawdle and procrastinate saying, ‘Oh, I cannot do it today. I will do it tomorrow instead,’ and then the next day saying, ‘Not today either, perhaps tomorrow...’ Do not keep putting it off and do not try to think about it. It is useless to use your discriminating mind. If you have deep prajna wisdom, you understand the moment you hear the words spoken. Just as one grabs a weapon and confronts the oncoming enemy, so do you perceive. You can see your nature in the same immediate way.”

So the English translation was really not so appropriate and clear. What he wanted to mean was not expressed clearly. If you depend on the English translation then this translation is not something you should follow. You should follow the Heart Sutra short notes version. Anyway we go on.

Sutra:

The assembly received this order and withdrew, saying to one another, “We of the assembly do not need to clear our minds and use our intellect to compose a verse to submit to the High Master. What use would there be in this?”

“Shen Hsiu is our senior instructor and teaching transmitter. Certainly he should be the one to obtain it. It would be not only improper for us to compose a verse, but a waste of effort as well.”

Hearing this, everyone put his mind to rest, and said, “Henceforth, we will rely on Master Shen Hsiu. Why vex ourselves writing verses?”

So they would rather leave it to their most senior teacher Shen Hsiu who had actually taught them, guided them and instructed them all these while.

Commentary:

They went away to other courts, other gardens, and other buildings, saying to themselves, “Why worry about writing this verse? We do not need to waste the effort.”

I believe the people who spoke this way were of Shen Hsiu’s party. Why did they not write verses? Because Shen Hsiu’s followers were trying to make him the patriarch; all his followers, disciples, Dharma brothers, friends, and relatives contrived to set up the position for Shen Hsiu. They convinced everyone else not to write verses, because if anyone else wrote verses, then perhaps Shen Hsiu might not get to be the next patriarch.

So this was what they thought.

They secretly passed it around and whispered behind the scenes, like friends of a candidate for President who say, “Hey! Vote for this one! He can be President!” They spread it about and stuffed the ballot box.

Convinced that they had no learning, the assembly decided it was useless to write verses. Swayed by the rumours, they said, “The Senior-Seated Shen Hsiu is second to the Abbot. His literary skill is good, his virtue is high, he lectures on the Sutras and speaks Dharma for us. Certainly he should become the sixth patriarch.”

When the assembly heard Shen Hsiu’s followers saying things like, “If we write verses, they will be very unpolished and certainly not good enough to submit,” they all decided not to write verses themselves. They didn’t want to compete with Shen Hsiu, their superior.

So that was the Commentary. Then after that we shall read the Sutra.

Sutra:

Shen Hsiu then thought, “The others are not submitting verses because I am their teaching transmitter. I must compose a verse and submit it to the High Master.”

“If I do not submit a verse, how will the High Master know whether the views and understanding in my mind are deep or shallow?”

“If my intention in submitting the verse is to seek the Dharma that is good but if it is to grasp the patriarchate, that is bad, for how would that be different from the mind of a common person coveting the holy position? But, if I do not submit a verse, in the end I will not obtain the Dharma. This is a terrible difficulty!”

It looked like he was in a dilemma.

Commentary:

The Fifth Patriarch had announced that in order to obtain the Dharma, one must compose a verse. Shen Hsiu knew that if he did not submit one, the Fifth Patriarch would not know whether Shen Hsiu had wisdom and he could not transmit the Dharma to him. Shen Hsiu fretted and worried, “What shall I do? This is very hard; it is just too difficult!”

Sutra:

In front of the Fifth Patriarch’s hall were three corridors. Their walls were to be frescoed by Court Artist Lu Chen with stories from the Lankavatara Sutra and with pictures portraying in detail the lives of the five patriarchs, so that the patriarchs might be venerated by future generations.

So this was what they called the wall that they reserved for the court artist to do up the painting of the first 5 patriarchs and all those things. The commentary goes on...

Commentary:

A court artist is one appointed as an official to the Imperial Court because of his talent.

The title of The Lankavatara Sutra has two meanings: “city” and “cannot be gone to.” This city, located behind Malaya Mountain, is inaccessible to those without spiritual powers. Shakyamuni Buddha used his spiritual powers to go there and speak The Lankavatara Sutra for the benefit of those who had spiritual powers. The court artist was to depict the miraculous, inconceivable, wonderful transformations which took place in the assembly on Lanka Mountain.

The court artist was also to paint pictures illustrating the flow of the Dharma from Great Master Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch, to the Great Master Hui K’o, the Second Patriarch, and onward from generation to generation, to the Fifth Patriarch, Great Master Hung Jen. The paintings would remain in the world so that future generations might receive benefit from respecting and making offerings to them.

Sutra:

After composing his verse, Shen Hsiu made several attempts to submit it. But whenever he reached the front hall, his mind became agitated and distraught, and his entire body became covered with perspiration. He did not dare submit it, although in the course of four days he made thirteen attempts.

This is another version of the sutra. This one was not in the original Heart Sutra's Notes. Anyway it's not important. Maybe we skip this. Then we continue with the Sutra text at the bottom of page 66 bottom.

Sutra:

Then he thought, “This is not as good as writing it on the wall so that the High Master might see it suddenly. If he says it is good, I will come forward, bow, and say, ‘Hsiu did it.’ If it does not pass, then I have spent my years on this mountain in vain, receiving veneration from others. And as to further cultivation–what can I say?”

That night, in the third watch, holding a candle he secretly wrote the verse on the wall of the South corridor, to show what his mind had seen.

So we straightaway go to the verse on the Sutra further down.

Commentary:

Verse:

The body is like a Bodhi tree,

The mind like a bright mirror stand.

Time and again brush it clean, (Bro Teoh: It should be, 'Polish it until it shines,')

And let no dust alight.

After writing this verse, Shen Hsiu returned to his room, and the others did not know what he had done.

Then he thought, “If the Fifth Patriarch sees the verse tomorrow and is pleased, it will mean that I have an affinity with the Dharma. If he says that it does not pass, it will mean that I am confused by heavy karmic obstacles from past lives, (Bro Teoh: See, he also understands what karmic obstacles are) and that I am not fit to obtain the Dharma. It is difficult to fathom the sage’s intentions.”

In his room he thought it over and could not sit or sleep peacefully right through to the fifth watch.

So this was the version given by Hsuan Hua. Then we move on to the next section of the Sutra.

Sutra:

The Patriarch already knew that Shen Hsiu had not yet entered the gate and seen his own nature. At daybreak, the Patriarch called Court Artist Lu Chen to fresco the wall of the south corridor. Suddenly he saw the verse and said to the court artist, “There is no need to paint. I am sorry that you have been wearied by coming so far, but The Diamond Sutra says, ‘Whatever has marks is empty and false.’ Instead leave this verse for people to recite and uphold. Those who cultivate in accordance with this verse will not fall into the evil destinies and will attain great merit.”

He then ordered the disciples to light incense and bow before it, and to recite it, thus enabling them to see their own nature. The disciples all recited it and exclaimed, “Excellent!”

Commentary:

“If you cultivate according to the principles contained in this verse,” said the Fifth Patriarch, “you will not fall into rebirth in the three evil paths of the hells, animals, or hungry ghosts, and you will receive many benefits.”

The Sutra continues.

Sutra:

At the third watch, the Patriarch called Shen Hsiu into the hall and asked him, “Did you write those verses?”

Shen Hsiu said, “Yes, in fact, Hsiu did it. He does not dare lay claim to the position of Patriarch, but hopes the High Master will be compassionate and see whether or not this disciple has a little bit of wisdom.”

The Patriarch said, “The verse which you wrote shows that you have not yet seen your original nature but are still outside the gate. With such views and understanding you may seek supreme Bodhi, but in the end will not obtain it. Supreme Bodhi must be obtained at the very moment of speaking. In recognizing the original mind, at all times, in every thought, you yourself will see that the ten thousand Dharmas are unblocked; in one truth is all truth and the ten thousand states are of themselves ‘thus’, (Bro Teoh: ‘thus’ means suchness) as they are. The ‘thusness’ of the mind is true reality. If seen in this way, it is indeed the self-nature of supreme Bodhi.”

5th Patriarch had given Shen Hsiu a lot of very important pointers and hints but too bad, he couldn't understand. Yet Shen Hsiu couldn't comprehend and that was the reason why he couldn't come out with another verse to confirm his understanding and realization.  We shall read on.

Commentary:

The Patriarch chose the same hour at which Shen Hsiu had written the verse on the wall the night before. He secretly called him in and said, “Psst! Was it you who wrote that verse?”

“Yes, yes,” Shen Hsiu whispered back, “yes, in fact, I, Hsiu, wrote it. I do not dare seek the status of the patriarch, but...”

“Your verse shows that you are still an outsider,” said the Fifth Patriarch. “You have not yet seen your nature. As soon as you speak the words, know your original nature!”

When you understand the mind and see your own nature (or true nature), you know that the nature is not produced and not destroyed; for at all times, all dharmas are perfectly fused, without the slightest bit of obstruction. There is no place where all dharmas are not identical.

When you understand one truth, all truth is understood. The ten thousand externals are all produced from the state which is “thus, unmoving,” and within the mind which is “thus, thus, unmoving,” true reality is to be found. Seen in this way, this state is the original nature exactly; it is the highest enlightenment. And so, in response to Shen Hsiu, I wrote a verse myself:

So this one, I think it's Hsuan Hua's one.

Because of the Way, ten thousand things are born.

One who obtains it penetrates the mystery oneself;

Awakened, the basic substance is fathomed:

Bodhi does not decrease or increase.

So this was Hsuan Hua's response to the poem. Then we go on to the Sutra.

Sutra:

“Go and think it over for a day or two. Compose another verse and bring it to me to see. If you have been able to enter the gate, I will transmit the robe and Dharma to you.”

Shen Hsiu made obeisance and left. Several days passed, but he was unable to compose a verse. His mind was agitated and confused and his thoughts and mood were uneasy. He was as if in a dream; whether walking or sitting down, he could not be happy.

So that was the state of mind of Shen Hsiu. We will continue with the Sutra section.

Sutra:

Two days later, a young boy chanting that verse passed by the threshing room. Hearing it for the first time, Hui Neng knew that the writer had not yet seen his original nature. Although he had not yet received a transmission of the teaching, he already understood its profound meaning. He asked the boy, “What verse are you reciting?”

“Barbarian, you know nothing,” replied the boy. “The Great Master has said that birth and death are a profound concern for people in the world. Desiring to transmit the robe and Dharma, he ordered his disciples to compose verses and bring them to him to see. The person who has awakened to the profound meaning will inherit the robe and Dharma and become the Sixth Patriarch. Our senior, Shen Hsiu, wrote this ‘verse without marks’ on the wall of the south corridor. The Great Master ordered everyone to recite it, for to cultivate in accord with this verse is to avoid falling into the evil destinies and is of great merit.”

So that was the Sutra. Then we move on further to the next page.

Sutra:

Hui Neng said, “I, too, would like to recite it to create an affinity. Superior One, I have been pounding rice here for over eight months and have not yet been to the front hall. I hope that the Superior One will lead me before the verse to pay homage. The boy then led him to the verse to bow.”

Hui Neng said, “Hui Neng cannot read. Please, Superior One, read it to me.” Then an official from Chiang Chou, named Chang Jih Yung, read it loudly. After hearing it, Hui Neng said, “I, too, have a verse. Will the official please write it for me?”

The official replied, “You, too, can write a verse? That is strange!”

Then we go on to the next section of the Sutra at the bottom of the page 74, last paragraph.

Sutra:

Hui Neng said to the official, “If you wish to study the supreme Bodhi, do not slight the beginner. The lowest people may have the highest wisdom; the highest people may have the least wisdom. If you slight others, you create limitless, unbounded offenses.”

The official said, “Recite your verse and I will write it out for you. If you obtain the Dharma you must take me across first. Do not forget these words.”

Hui Neng’s verse reads: (Bro Teoh: Hui Neng recited this verse to counter Shen Hsiu's poem.)

Originally Bodhi has no tree, *

The bright mirror has no stand.

Originally there is not a single thing:

Where can dust alight?

* (Bro Teoh: This is a direct translation. because the Mandarin words are: 菩提本無樹 (Pútí běn wú shù), 本 is from word, 本性 (Běn xīng). That's why the correct words should be, ‘originally Bodhi is not a tree' but he said, '... originally Bodhi has no tree.)

When this verse had been written, the followers all were startled and without exception cried out to one another, “Strange indeed! One cannot judge a person by his appearance. How can it be that, after so little time, he has become a Bodhisattva in the flash of time?”

So everybody was caught by surprise. Okay, we shall read the Commentary by Hsuan Hua.

Commentary:

Originally, Layman Lu had not planned to say a thing, but if he had remained silent, no one would have helped him write a verse. So in reply to the mocking of Layman Chang, the Master said, “If you wish to study the highest Bodhi, do not ridicule those who are studying the Buddha Dharma for the first time.”

It may well be that those who appear to be the lowest and stupidest have the highest wisdom, for those who have truly great wisdom may act as if they have no wisdom at all. No matter what they are asked, they reply, “I don’t know,” This is an example of the great wisdom which is like stupidity. For instance, when I ask a question of my disciples they often say, “I don’t know.” When they first came to study, they said, “I know everything!”

So it's just like J. Krishnamurti’s famous verse, 'The most dangerous person in this world is the person who says, I know.’

Once I met a person who said he knew everything. I asked, “How can you know everything? If you know all there is to know, I’ll ask you a question.”

He said, “What is your question?”

I replied, “Do you know how many grains of rice you swallowed at lunch today?”

“No, I didn’t count them,” he admitted.

“Your ‘not counting’ is just ‘not knowing,’” I said.

Those who do the most menial work often have wisdom excelling that of people in high positions. Then again, those who ordinarily have great wisdom may have times when their wisdom is suffocated by thoughts of desire.

“Okay, okay,” said the official, “that’s right. You certainly speak with principle. Now, what is your verse? Recite it and I will write it out. You don’t have to say another word. But you must remember to take me across first because if I don’t write your verse no one will know of it.”

So that was Hsuan Hua's Commentary.

Originally Bodhi has no tree. Bodhi is just the Way of enlightenment, and that’s all there is to it; how can there be a tree? (Bro Teoh: The Pāḷi word, Bodhi means enlightenment. That's why Bodhisattva; Sattva is a living being who walks the path of Bodhi to become Samma Sambuddha.) If there is a tree, Bodhi becomes a mere thing, a place of attachment. Originally Bodhi doesn’t have anything. If you say you are enlightened, what is enlightenment like? Is it green or yellow? Is it red or white? Can you speak of the appearance of Bodhi when it has no appearance?

So this was Hsuan Hua's Commentary, his interpretation.

The bright mirror has no stand. You may say the mind is like a bright mirror stand, but there is actually no stand at all. If you have a stand, you have a place where you can dwell. But you should “produce a thought which is nowhere supported;” how can you have a stand? If you have a stand, then you have a dwelling place, a place where you are attached; therefore, the bright mirror has no stand. What is the appearance? No appearance.

So again this was Hsuan Hua's interpretation or commentary. What is your understanding about the second line of the verse? The first line is 菩提本無樹 (Pútí běn wú shù) - Pútí or Bodhi is not a tree because Bodhi is enlightenment, wisdom. Wisdom is not knowledge. It cannot be compared to anything.

Then the second verse, Hsuan Hua's interpretation was 'The bright mirror does not have any stand; 明鏡亦非台 (Míngjìng yì fēi tái). The actual meaning was different but Hsuan Hua interpreted it this way. He thought if you have a stand, you dwell but the actual dwelling, the meaning is very deep. What Shen Hsiu wrote in his poem under the 2nd line is not the true mind, that mind that he described was the mundane mind; that was not the true mind. Even without the stand, that mirror bright was still the mundane mind.

The true actual meaning is; the second verse 明鏡亦非台 (Míngjìng yì fēi tái); the one that Shen Hsiu wrote, 'The mind is like a mirror bright on a stand'; that is the mundane mind; that is not the true mind. That's why Hui Neng said that the true mind has nothing to do with the mirror bright (明鏡, míngjìng) and the stand. So when you understand, its meaning is different. That's why when Hsuan Hua quoted the Diamond Sutra, his interpretation is so different. Hsuan Hua explained it differently.

The real understanding is different because the true mind is just the pure awareness before the knowing. The moment you perceive; the moment you know, you already dwell; dwell on what you perceive; dwell on whatever arises. The mind that has no dwelling is the enlightened state of the true nature, the true mind. It doesn't dwell. It is just aware without a centre. So the moment it perceives, holds or does anything via words and concepts it is already dwelling. So this is the real understanding. This part you have to contemplate, reflect and develop the understanding yourself. Okay? Then we move on. The rest we can skip.

Okay we turn to page 78.

Sutra:

The Fifth Patriarch saw the astonished assembly and feared that they might become dangerous. Accordingly, he erased the verse with his shoe saying, “This one, too, has not yet seen his nature.” (Bro Teoh: The word Hsuan Hua used is 'seen'. Nature cannot be seen. It has to be realized.)

The assembly agreed.

Then we move on to the next section of the Sutra.

Sutra:

The next day the Patriarch secretly came to the threshing floor where he saw Hui Neng pounding rice with a stone tied around his waist, and he said, “A seeker of the Way would forget (risk) his very life for the Dharma. Is this not the case?”

So the 5th Patriarch knew why Hui Neng was so daring. Then we move on to the next section of the Sutra. Never mind, we will also read the Commentary (page 80) because I also don't know what Hsuan Hua wrote.

Commentary:

The next day everyone was quiet and no longer worrying about who was enlightened and who was not. The Fifth Patriarch secretly left his room and went quickly to the threshing floor (means the kitchen) to see the Great Master Hui Neng. As he went he peered about to see if anyone was looking; just like Shen Hsiu when he had finished writing the verse, he ran silently, darting glances over his shoulder to make sure no one saw him.

When the Fifth Patriarch got to the threshing floor, he saw Hui Neng pounding rice. He had tied a stone around his waist and pounded rice so that others could eat. What was he doing? He was practicing the Bodhisattva Way, forgetting others and having no notion of self. He did not think, “Why should I pound rice for you to eat? You don’t work. You don’t do anything at all! I pound rice all day and it is very difficult!” He did not think that way. Instead, he thought, “You do not work? Fine, I will do it myself,” just like one of my disciples who is so busy that when he is called to lunch he says, “Wait a minute, wait a minute!” I really like that kind of disciple, but not everyone can be that way.

“Isn’t that so?” the Fifth Patriarch said. Remember this. It ought, it must be this way! You must give up being afraid of difficulty to the point of forgetting to eat. No one knows how many days the Sixth Patriarch went without eating. No one called him to eat, and he himself forgot about it until he had no strength. He tied a heavy rock around his waist to add weight to his body so that he could pound the rice. I think he used the stone to add to his weight because he had not eaten for some time; (Bro Teoh: I think this is Hsuan Hua's commentary but in real life, I don't think this is the case. He still eats but he eats with understanding and he adds on the weight because he is not heavy enough to pound. So adding the stone pestle is just a skilful means which is appropriate so that it can make your weight heavier. Then with that, you need less effort to lift up the pestle that pounds the rice. Okay we shall go on.) However, you should not get attached and think, “It was definitely like that.” On the other hand, don’t think, “It’s definitely wasn’t like that.” The profound insight comes from precisely that kind of non-attachment.

So the above is based on Hsuan Hua's commentary. We just leave it. Then page 81, the Sutra continues.

Sutra:

Then the Fifth Patriarch asked, “Is the rice ready?”

Hui Neng replied, “The rice has long been ready. (Bro Teoh: Actually the English used is not so good. The other version 'Ready long ago since the day I arrived' is better.) It is now waiting only for the sieve.” The Patriarch tapped the pestle three times with his staff and left. Hui Neng then knew the Patriarch’s intention, and at the third watch he went into the Patriarch’s room.

So this is how the transmission started. I will continue with the Commentary.

Commentary:

The Fifth Patriarch rapped the pestle three times with his staff and left. Old monks who have left the home life to become Bhikshus often carry a walking stick. Sometimes these staffs are made of twisted vines. The Great Master Hsü Yün said:

We go to pick the ivy lively like a dragon, beating wind and rain beating empty space. The ivy vine curves and twists like a dragon who by attacking the wind and rain attacks empty space. That is certainly a case of going out to look for trouble. If that vine were as busy as my disciples it would have no time to beat space and wind.

“Knock, knock, knock,” went the Fifth Patriarch’s staff, and how do you know he left? If you know, then you know. If you don’t know, then you must wait until I tell you. He went out with his two hands behind his back, holding his crooked staff.

Why did the Patriarch tap three times? Do you understand the meaning of that? The Sixth Patriarch understood right away. The tapping meant, “Come to my room at the third watch, at midnight.” This is called “speaking the Dharma without words.” Here in the meditation hall, for example, when the wooden fish is hit twice, it means “Walk;” hit once, it means “Stop and sit down;” hit three times, it means, “Meditate! Work hard!” All these are like “speaking the Dharma without words.”

Why did the Fifth Patriarch carry his staff behind his back? Now you are going to ask me, “How do you know he carried it behind his back since it doesn’t say so in the Sutra?” Well, how do you not know? I know that you don’t know. He carried it behind his back to indicate that the Sixth Patriarch should come in by the back door. “Do not let the others see you come in!”

If the Fifth Patriarch had said openly, “Come to my room at the third watch and we’ll have a little talk,” I am sure that the word would have spread like fire to Shen Hsiu’s ears and Shen Hsiu and his disciples would not have been very kind to the Sixth Patriarch. The Fifth Patriarch tested the Sixth Patriarch’s wisdom by tapping his staff three times and putting it behind his back.

The Sixth Patriarch understood but no one else did. They were all as if deaf and dumb, without any idea as to what had transpired in this wordless exchange of Dharma.

At midnight, as soon as the Sixth Patriarch entered the room, there was a quick exchange.

“What are you doing here?” demanded the Fifth Patriarch.

“But the Patriarch told me to come at the third watch!” came the reply.

“Really? Did I tell you that? How could I have forgotten? What do you think you are doing? Why did you come in the back door instead of the front door?”

“Did the Master not tell me to use the back entrance?”

The Fifth Patriarch laughed and said, “You are not bad, really not bad. You are all right!”

You, ask how I know that? I ask, “How do you not know it?”

That was the Commentary by Hsuan Hua but it is not important. We shall go back to the Sutra.

Sutra:

The Patriarch covered them with his precept sash so they could not be seen, and he explained The Diamond Sutra for him down to the line, “One should produce a thought that is nowhere supported.”

This one was actually recited by the other merchant before Hui Neng came. So here, the sutra defers a bit. Anyway we shall read on, to see what Hsuan Hua's commentary is.

Commentary:

The Fifth Patriarch was afraid that someone might have seen the Great Master Hui Neng enter his room and might be outside the window eavesdropping. At that time the windows were made of paper; so, to insure privacy, the Fifth Patriarch pulled his robe over both their heads. (Bro Teoh: Okay! Let's assume what he said was true.)

The Fifth Patriarch’s explanation of The Diamond Sutra was not a public one, such as I have given you. His was a secret and very difficult explanation, telling the Sixth Patriarch how to forge an indestructible vajra body. When he heard the words, “One should produce a thought which is nowhere supported,” Hui Neng achieved the great enlightenment and knew that all the ten thousand dharmas are not separate from the self-nature. He suddenly experienced that even greater enlightenment.

Although the Sixth Patriarch knew the method, his afflictions of views and thought had not yet been completely eliminated. That he was waiting for the sieve can mean, also, that no one had certified him. Even though, in his intense vigor, he had reached a high peak, and the fire in the censer was pure green, he had not yet been certified by a good knowing advisor. So when the Fifth Patriarch heard him say that the rice was ready and merely waiting for the sieve, he prepared to certify the Sixth Patriarch.

Because I have a kind of radar, I was able to record their conversation and I shall now replay it for you. Keep in mind that this is a T’ang Dynasty recording, not a present-day one:

So this is (maybe) Hsuan Hua's joke.

“Do you want to reach Buddhahood?” asked the Fifth Patriarch.

“Yes,” said the Sixth Patriarch, “I just want to become a Buddha. I do not seek anything else. I only want to attain Buddhahood.”

“Your resolution is extremely firm,” replied the Fifth Patriarch, “but if you want to realize Buddhahood you must first cut off ignorance, for it is ignorance which produces the afflictions of delusion, brought on by false views and false thought. If you want to cut off these afflictions, you must first cut off ignorance.

“For example, the cycle of birth and death is based on the state of emotional love. When you break through ignorance, then the delusions of false views and false thoughts which are tied to birth and death also ceases to exist, for ignorance is the root of birth and death. If you want to cut off ignorance and thereby put an end to birth and death, then, as The Diamond Sutra says, “produce a thought which is nowhere supported.” That means do not dwell in emotional love, get rid of desire, and cast out craving. Then you can bring an end to birth and death.

The Sixth Patriarch heard this and suddenly became enlightened. He saw through to his original face and said, “Ah! It is basically just like this! It is not difficult at all! In fact, it’s very easy!” Thus he became enlightened.

This has been a T’ang Dynasty recording which has just been played for you to hear.

In cultivating and studying the Buddha Dharma, you should produce an unsupported thought. That means to dwell neither in emotion nor love. If you dwell in emotion and love, you dwell in ignorance, and thus in birth and death. If you do not dwell in emotion or in love, if you do not dwell in existence or non-existence, you know the Middle Way. The Middle Way is not separate from existence and is not separate from emptiness, nor does it exist elsewhere. The ability to transform emotion and love into genuine Prajna or wisdom is enlightenment. Not changing them is confusion. It is said, “Although the sea of suffering is inexhaustible, a turn of the head is the other shore.” The difference between confusion and enlightenment is just in knowing how to turn. If you accept emotion and love and run after desire, then the more you run, the more confused you become. If you can turn your head, you arrive at Nirvana, the other shore. If you do not turn your head, you become more and more confused. The more confused, the farther away you are and the deeper you sink into confusion. But although you are extremely far off, one turn can be sudden enlightenment. Sudden enlightenment is awakening. Awakening is the Buddha.

You may be thinking, “If I become a Buddha, there won’t be any work for me to do. Wouldn’t I just sit in a lotus flower all day and wait for people to come and light incense and bow before me? Frankly, I don’t think that sounds the least bit interesting!” If that is what you think, you can go on being a living being, but you can be a living being who is a friend to others, taking them across to Buddhahood.

You need not worry about Buddhahood being uninteresting. Yesterday I talked about the ghost who had no trouble and as a consequence did not want to become a person.

This is Hsuan Hua's poem:

I’ve been a ghost for three thousand years,

Without happiness, without fears,

Shen Kung tells me to go be a man,

But I really just don’t think I can!

The ghosts have no fears, but they only come out at night, because they belong to the yin, the darkness principle. The Buddha is totally yang, like the light of the sun. So, you decide. Do you want to be a ghost or a Buddha? If you want to be a ghost, then it is all right to have emotion and love. But if you want to be a Buddha, you must “produce a thought which is nowhere supported.”

So this part was Hsuan Hua's interpretation. This part was not in the new translation. That's why I said the new translation as given in my Heart Sutra Short Notes was the more authentic one. Anyway, we shall move on to the next section of the Sutra and see what Hsuan Hua said.

Sutra:

At the moment he heard those words, Hui Neng experienced the great enlightenment and he knew that all the ten thousand dharmas are not separate from the self- nature. He said to the Patriarch:

How unexpected! The self-nature is originally pure in itself. (Bro Teoh: Actually the words should be 'How amazing!')

How amazing! The self-nature is originally neither produced nor destroyed.

How amazing! The self-nature is originally complete in itself.

How amazing! The self-nature is originally without movement.

How amazing! The self-nature can produce the ten thousand dharmas.

So this part is quite similar except the word 'unexpected' changed to 'amazing'. Then we skip the rest and go on to the Sutra section.

Sutra:

The Fifth Patriarch knew of Hui Neng’s enlightenment to his original nature and said to him, “Studying the Dharma without recognizing the original mind is of no benefit. If one recognizes one’s own original mind and sees one’s original nature, then one is called a great hero, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha.”

Okay, we shall go on to the next section of the Sutra.

Sutra:

He received the Dharma in the third watch and no one knew about it. The Fifth Patriarch also transmitted the Sudden Teaching and the robe and bowl saying, “You are the Sixth Patriarch. Protect yourself carefully. Take living beings across by every method and spread the teaching for the sake of those who will live in the future. Do not let it be cut off.”

So based on what is written here, I think the translation differs. Based on what we have got from the other version (which I had extracted from the internet) that one was more authentic and I had used that version in our Heart Sutra Short Notes sharing. This first verse, 'the mind must have no dwelling’, he actually heard it from the merchant earlier on (before he came to see the 5th Patriarch). Then when the 5th Patriarch expounded the Diamond Sutra to him, halfway through Hui Neng suddenly become greatly enlightened. (Suddenly, Hui Neng awakened to a very profound and great enlightenment). Can you all remember what that section was? When the 5th Patriarch read to him that part, which part was it? Can anybody recall? It's not this part. This part was by Hsuan Hua. The other one which was in the Heart Sutra Short Notes - that one is very accurate. The 5th Patriarch explained to Hui Neng, ‘because the self-nature or the true nature was already complete, thus, thus, and without anything….' Then he continued, 'Even if you have understood this, you have to know that as a living being when you come to this world, there is another mind which is the mundane mind, the conditioned arising mind; you have to learn how to use that mind and yet not affected by it.' The moment he heard that, he came to great enlightenment and that one was very profound and that was the authentic version. So as far as this version by Hsuan Hua is concerned, you just have an open mind. His understanding is this way. Maybe he got it from another source.

Then we move on. We have to turn to page 94.

Sutra:

The Patriarch further said, “In the past, when the First Patriarch Great Master Bodhidharma first came to this land and people did not believe in him, yet he transmitted this robe as a symbol of faith to be handed down from generation to generation. The Dharma is transmitted from mind to mind, leading everyone to self-awakening and self-enlightenment.

“From ancient times, Buddha only transmits the original substance to Buddha; master secretly transmits the original mind to master. Since the robe is a source of contention, it should stop with you. Do not transmit it, for if you do, your life will hang by a thread.”

So that's how, after the 6th Patriarch, he was advised not to pass on the alms bowl and the robe anymore. Then we go on to page 95, last paragraph.

Sutra:

“You must go quickly for I fear that people might harm you.”

Hui Neng asked, “Where shall I go?”

The Patriarch replied, “Stop at Huai and hide at Hui.”

Hui Neng received the robe and bowl in the third watch. He said, “Hui Neng is a Southerner and does not know these mountain roads. How does one reach the mouth of the river?”

The Fifth Patriarch said, “You need not worry. I will accompany you.”

The Fifth Patriarch escorted him to the Chiu Chiang courier station and ordered him to board a boat. The Fifth Patriarch took up the oars and rowed. Hui Neng said, “Please, High Master, sit down. It is fitting that your disciple takes the oars.”

The Patriarch replied, “It is fitting that I take you across.”

Hui Neng said, “When someone is deluded, his master takes him across, but when he is enlightened, he takes himself across. Although the term ‘taking across’ is the same in each case, the function is not the same.”

So that was the conversation. We shall now go through the Commentary:

Commentary:

The Fifth Patriarch instructed the Sixth Patriarch to leave quickly, for he knew that Shen Hsiu’s followers would certainly want to kill him when they realized he had inherited the patriarchate. “Do not stay here,” the Fifth Patriarch said. “Stop at Huai and hide at Hui.” Huai is a district in Kuang Hsi, Wu Chou, and Hui is Szu Hui, now called Hsin Hui.

High Master is a respectful form of address used for a teacher or an Abbot, so the Sixth Patriarch used it to address the Fifth Patriarch “High Master, it is only proper that your disciple take the oars.”

“Hey!” said the Fifth Patriarch, “Let me take you across the river.” The Master and disciple exchanged courtesies, but although they each used the same term “taking across,” it meant something different in each case. For the teacher to take the disciple across is not the same thing as for the disciple to take the teacher across. Hui Neng understood. “When the student is confused,” he said, “the teacher must save him. But when the student becomes enlightened, he must save himself.”

Before becoming enlightened and obtaining the original substance of the self-nature, the disciple is confused and lost. His teacher advises him to work hard: “Do not be afraid of the pain in your legs when you sit in meditation. If you are afraid of suffering you cannot become enlightened.” The Sixth Patriarch, when he hung a stone around his waist so he could pound the rice harder, was not afraid of suffering. The rock which the Layman Lu, the Sixth Patriarch, used to tie around his waist when he pounded rice is still on P’ing Mao Mountain at Tung Shan Ch’an Monastery and carved on the rock is the inscription: “The rock Hui Neng, the former Layman Lu, tied around his waist.”

So this one, it seems is still there. Then the Sutra continues.

Sutra:

“Hui Neng was born in the frontier regions and his pronunciation is incorrect, yet he has received the Dharma transmission from the Master. Now that enlightenment has been attained, it is only fitting that he takes his own nature across.”

The Patriarch replied, “So it is, so it is. Hereafter because of you, the Buddha Dharma will be widely practiced. Three years after your departure I will leave this world. Start on your journey now and go south as fast as possible. Do not speak too soon, for the Buddha Dharma arises from difficulty.”

So based on this statement, we will come to understand that the 5th Patriarch would pass away into Parinibbāna 3 years after Hui Neng had left him. We can skip this part and go to page 101.

Sutra:

After Hui Neng took leave of the Patriarch, he set out on foot for the South. In two months he reached the Ta Yü Mountains. The Fifth Patriarch returned to the monastery but for several days he did not enter the hall. The assembly was concerned and went to ask: “Has the Master some slight illness or problem?”

“There is no illness,” came the reply, “but the robe and Dharma have already gone south.”

“Who received the transmission?” they asked.

“The Able One obtained it,” said the Patriarch.

The assembly then understood, and soon several hundred people took up pursuit, all hoping to steal the robe and bowl.

So this was in the Sutra. This part was not mentioned in the summarized version. But the next section which we are going to read is reflected in that video show, the 6th Patriarch Hui Neng show. So I believe this part was in the Sutra. Turn to page 103.

Sutra:

One Bhikshu, Hui Ming, a coarse-natured man whose lay name had been Ch’en, had formerly been a fourth class military official. He was intent in his search and ahead of the others. When he had almost caught up with Hui Neng the latter tossed the robe and bowl onto a rock, saying, “This robe and bowl are tokens of faith. How can they be taken by force?” Hui Neng then hid in a thicket.

When Hui Ming arrived, he tried to pick them up, but found he could not move them. He cried out, “Cultivator, Cultivator, I have come for the Dharma, not for the robe!”

Hui Neng then came out and sat cross-legged on a rock. Hui Ming made obeisance and said, “I hope that the Cultivator will teach the Dharma for my sake.”

Hui Neng said, “Since you have come for the Dharma, you may put aside all conditions. Do not give rise to a single thought and I will teach it to you clearly.”

(Bro Teoh: Can you do it? Now I shall say to you the same thing. ‘Do not give rise to a single thought. Then I will help you awaken’. If you can do that you are already destined for enlightenment.)  After a while of silence, Hui Neng said, “With no thoughts of good and with no thoughts of evil, at just this moment, what is Superior One Hui Ming’s original face?” At these words, Hui Ming was greatly enlightened. (Bro Teoh: It is so easy! So can we try it now (laughing). The Commentary we shall read through now.)

Commentary:

Bhikshu Hui Ming was coarse and uneducated. He never opened his mouth unless it was to scold someone, and if they refused to listen, he beat them. He could smash a rock of several hundred pounds with one blow. With this extraordinary strength he became a fourth class army officer.

Hui Ming had one peculiar trait. His feet were covered with feathers which enabled him to run fast. He could travel sixty miles a day, compared to the ordinary man’s thirty. His feathered feet and great strength carried him far ahead of the others. As he flew along, his mind raced, “I’ll get the robe and bowl and then it will be mine! It belongs to the strongest man.” When Hui Neng saw this big crude feather-footed pursuer, he was a bit frightened. Although he had obtained the Dharma, he had just begun to cultivate and did not yet have great spiritual power. He shouted into empty space: “This robe and bowl are symbols of the faith. How can you take them by force? How can there be any dispute?”

What do you think? Hui Ming had actually intended to grab the robe and bowl and run. But he could not move them. Why couldn’t he move them? After all he was so strong he could have smashed the bowl to smithereens with a single blow and have ripped the robe to shreds. Yet for all his strength and as light as the robe was, he couldn’t budge it. This indicates that there were Dharma protectors–gods, dragons, and others of the eight divisions present guarding the robe and bowl. Since he couldn’t grab them, he thought, “That’s strange. I can’t use force here. Ah! I’ll ask for the Dharma instead.” Had he truly been seeking the Way he wouldn’t have first tried to grab the robe and bowl but would immediately have said, “Cultivator, Cultivator, I come for the Dharma, not for the robe and bowl.” Don’t you think my opinion about this is logically sound? (Bro Teoh: Of course it’s sound.)

Hui Neng emerged and sat in lotus position on a rock. Hui Ming bowed to the Sixth Patriarch. He understood now that the Dharma of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas cannot be taken by force. “You say you’ve come for the Dharma.” said Hui Neng. “Did you really come for the Dharma and not to steal the robe and bowl? That’s fine. Put aside all conditions. Put your mind to rest. Stop grasping at conditions and then I will explain the Dharma clearly for you.”

For seven or eight minutes the Great Master sat waiting. Neither he nor Hui Ming gave rise to a single thought. Everything stopped. Not even the ghosts and spirits knew what was happening. Everything was empty.

Hui Ming was not giving rise to thought. He was not thinking north, south, east, or west. So Hui Neng said, “With no thoughts of good and no thoughts of evil, at just that moment, what is Superior Ming’s original face?” Since the Sixth Patriarch was at that time still a layman he respectfully addressed Hui Ming as “Superior One.”

The word “what” means “who”. In the Dhyana School we meditate on the question, “Who is reciting the Buddha’s name?” When Hui Ming heard the word “what” he became enlightened. “Oh!” he said, “originally it’s just this way!”

Hearing these words, have you become enlightened?

So this is Hsuan Hua's Commentary.

Okay, what is the time now? Almost 4:30pm. I think maybe we can stop here, at page 106. The rest you can go back and read about it. Maybe we can discuss it at the next session.

Next Sunday is the 13th of September. After that we will be going to Putuoshan, China. On the 13th, I've got something on, I forgot what it is already. Oh! Now I remember, my son is coming back. Okay maybe we cancel the next Sunday class. Then because of our Putuoshan spiritual trip, we have to cancel yet another Sunday class. So we will have it after the Putuoshan trip which is at the end of the month. We arrive on Friday. Then at least you all can rest on Saturday. If you all are too tired, please let me know or we can also cancel that Sunday class. Otherwise, we can have that one. Sister Lee said, ‘It's full moon on that day, 15th September and you have your celebration here’, and then we might as well cancel it. Will be too tired having to clean up the place and doing all those preparation, right? Maybe for 3 Sundays we shall take a break and we start again in October. Okay, so far any questions?

This page 106, I will read through it quickly. Then you can reflect and contemplate on it.

Sutra:

Hui Ming asked further, “Apart from the secret speech and secret meanings just spoken, is there yet another secret meaning?”

Hui Neng said, “What has been spoken to you is not secret. If you turn the illumination inward, (Bro Teoh: 回光返照 {Huíguāng fǎnzhào}; you reverse the light and look within), the secret is with you.”

Hui Ming said, “Although Hui Ming was at Huang Mei he had not yet awakened to his original face. (Bro Teoh: It means the true nature.) Now that he has been favored with this instruction he is like one who drinks water and knows for himself whether it is cold or warm. The cultivator is now Hui Ming’s master.”

“If you feel that way,” said Hui Neng, “then you and I have the same master, Huang Mei. Protect yourself well.”

Hui Ming asked further, “Where should I go now?” Hui Neng said, “Stop at Yüan and dwell at Meng.”

So this was the instruction by Hui Neng to Hui Ming. Later on, you will see the relevant link and connection. So this part was how Hui Ming, after he had suddenly understood what that nature was, he thought there was some other teaching. That's why he asked, 'Apart from the teaching you have taught me, is there yet another secret meaning.' Hui Neng said, 'If you look within. Reverse your light and realize that nature. You will understand everything.’ It's nothing esoteric or secret. Actually the true teaching is very simple, very direct. The funny thing is that before you have that condition, you can never understand. Before you develop the ability to have that direct seeing, you cannot understand. That's why Dharma is very strange; simple and yet very profound; can only be realized by the wise, each for themselves and that saying is very true.

Okay we will stop there. So do you have any questions or anything that you want to discuss, ask or share regarding this 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra, which is still at the introduction phase? We are finishing off the part on: How Hui Neng came to know about 5th Patriarch; he then determined to visit the 5th Patriarch; then how he reported to the 5th Patriarch on arrival, then later on how he was transmitted the Patriarch-ship; then how he left; then how he was instructed to go south, lie low and waited for conditions; then how he met Hui Ming and how he instructed Hui Ming.

So this is the initial part of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra which is already very important and very useful because there are a lot of very profound teachings within. Then after this, is the part on how he came out to share the Dharma. Regarding his life with the hunters, I still don't know how much was written of it in the Commentary by Hsuan Hua. I haven't read it myself too. Anyway, we will come to it later. Then later, after he had come out from his 16 years of lying low, when conditions had ripened for him to come out to share the dharma, that’s when the interesting part of his teaching started to surface. That one is at the later part. Okay. Anybody wants to ask any questions? If you don't have, maybe we can have our meditation now.

End of Sutra session.

9.3 Session 2

9.3.1 Meditation

Today I can give you more time to meditate because we end at 4.30pm exactly. Since everybody has been here before, you all can start your meditation straight away. We will have 45 minutes of silent awareness meditation. Can someone help off the lights? Just relax body and mind and maintain silence. If you need to train your mind then do it. If you already trained then you just stabilize your sati. Then if you have already stabilized your sati you only need to relax, maintain awareness and silent your mind completely to develop the meditation. Then your self-nature or true nature will meditate. Then you will understand clearly everything that is going on within your own form and mind. (45 minutes of silent meditation …………. Ting, Ting, Ting)

Okay for those who still wants to continue to meditate you can continue. For those who have had enough slowly and mindfully come out of your meditation. Always remember this is the mind that you have trained and because it is already trained the spiritual faculties will be there. And when the spiritual faculties are there the hindrances will be gone. And because it is already trained this mind will listen to you and you can use it. You want it to be silent it will be silent. If you want it to be peaceful it will be peaceful. If you want it to be aware it will just do that. And such a mind is the meditative mind. Such a mind can develop heedfulness and you can use it to cultivate daily mindfulness leading to the heedfulness so that you can insight into phenomena to understand clearly who you are and what you are? And also what is going on within your own form and mind. All of the activities within, your 5 aggregates of form and mind, you will understand them and you will see them. Then you will come to experience all the essential dharma. And through that you will understand the Buddha Dharma very clearly and easily. That’s why spiritual faculties can allow you to have this quality of mind that can understand spiritual teachings very quickly and easily as opposed to the mental hindrances that will hinder you from entering the meditative states of inner peace, inner calmness and inner awareness. So these 2 states of mind are very different. That’s why before the Buddha passed away he said, ‘Strive on with heedfulness’. You must have this heedfulness and as we have learnt – to be heedful is to be ever mindful then use it to cultivate the wisdom or the Noble 8-fold Path (which is the meditation as taught by the Buddha). And the bulk of it is the cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness. So these are key pointers to understanding meditation.

9.3.2 Meditation reporting followed by Q & A session

Now we will open up for meditation reporting and Q & A. If you have any questions related to the meditation or the teaching or how to apply what you have learnt to help you understand life and overcome your life problems, you can ask. Here is the microphone (mic), just raise your hand and we will pass you the mic. Anybody wants to report his or her meditation or ask any question? Huh! How come everybody is so quiet, no question? What about your meditation? You just have to report your meditation accordingly. Are yes! Please pass the mic to Sister Susan, Sadhu!

Sister Susan: Bro. Teoh regarding my meditation, I am aware, when I am in the lying down posture I am definitely more relaxed when compared to my sitting. During sitting I am aware there is more tension. So should I just continue to lie down every time I want to do the sitting meditation?

9.3.2.1 Understanding Lying Down Meditation

Bro. Teoh: It is up to you because there are times to sit and times to lie down. If you want to train your mind it is easier to do it while in the sitting posture because in the sitting posture you can maintain awareness or mindfulness of the in and out breath (ānāpānasati) better. Initially the sitting posture is usually more conducive but later on as you develop the ability to have this meditative mind that is already so quiet, so peaceful, so clear and so tranquil – which means you have developed the ability to go into stillness of mind (which is passaddhi) rather easily. Then when that happens, if you continue with the sitting posture you will find it very difficult to go into that relaxed state of a free mind to maintain this state of tranquility and stillness of mind unless you know how to relax very well. When you have the ability to relax so well, the whole of your body and mind will be in the state of complete relaxation even while in the sitting posture but because of your crossed legged posture there will be energy built up without you realizing it. Then this energy built up together will your cross legged posture, actually restrict the flow of chi and that is why during that time you are not so relaxed and if you can, you should try meditating with the lying down posture. Then the mind that has the ability to become so quiet and so still will become a free mind that is naturally relaxed.

Initially the mindfulness or awareness is at the ānāpānasati (or in and out breath) region, until it becomes very subtle then finally one day it will drop down to the heart or mind-base then you just stay there because that is the location which is very near the ‘gateway’ to your Nature. From there, if you continue to relax and silent your mind, then one day that silent and still pure awareness that is without thought and craving will be able to detect the ‘gateway’ and go in. The lying down posture is the most relaxed posture as you have found out on your own. This is a very important posture because in the lying down posture you do not create any restriction or constriction in your flow of chi then chances of going into concentration is much lower because this energy cannot build up. If you are in a crossed legged position all of your energy field and chi (they) will be building up without you knowing it, then from your spine it can go up to the brain then you can push it up to develop all the jhānas. But if you are in the lying down posture and if you know how to relax into it, all these energy fields will not build up. The moment you relax into it, it will stabilize. Then after that, it will become very quiet and very still until you are very sensitive. During that time you will come to understand that the lying down posture is the best posture. If you can detect the ‘gateway’ after you have become very quiet and very still then all your yin and yang energies which you have developed and stored up earlier on (whether via mindfulness or energy fields training from your chi qong, tai chi, dan tian, yoga, Wai dan qong or whatever energy field related practices) they will all melt into the ‘gateway’ and during that time the ‘meditator’ or the ‘cultivator’ which is the form and mind that is in that state will understand because all these yin and yang energies as it goes through the gateway will be transformed and purified into pure energy. This is the pure energy that is already intelligent. This one is not thought based because there is no thought behind; you just silent, relax and aware and the last support is ‘trust’. You just silent and don’t do anything, no thought invoked then the pure energy will develop the internal movements which most people cannot understand because they have never done it before. That is the real ‘opening’ of all the nadis and chakras within your internal bodily movements. All these will happen without any thought, without any directive or effort via mental intention from the thought – which means there is no will, no effort or mental intention involved and there is also nobody doing the meditation. So this is the reason why J Krishnamuti via his understanding said, ‘wherever there is a ‘meditator’ there is no meditation and wherever there is effort there is also no meditation.’ All these, the cultivator will come to understand them clearly. When this transformation happens your mind will become very still, very quiet and very tranquil very fast. After that you can even maintain this state of awareness or mindfulness in the midst of your daily life very easily. The reason being by the time you can detect the ‘gateway’ you must have already progressed very far in your meditation and you must have already touched your nature; you are already like Hui Ning and the other great beings, understood what the true mind is. So the key to understanding meditation is: posture is not critical. You can use any posture. Even in the Satipaṭṭhāna or Four Foundations of Mindfulness Sutta, it is stated that all the four postures, standing, sitting, walking and lying down you can use them to meditate. But the real wisdom or insight comes from meditation in daily life. After you have developed all these abilities to be peaceful, to be quiet, to be aware and to be heedful then you will have to come out into life and apply this trained mind state, which is the awareness or mindfulness to insight into phenomena, to insight into the three universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering state and non-self via the direct seeing to penetrate the dharma. And later on to reflect and contemplate via the 2nd turnings of the 4 Noble Truths to prepare the base for receiving truth; then after that any of the 3 turnings, (either 1st turning, 2nd turning or 3rd turning) can awaken your nature because by then most of the time you are aware, silent and heedful - then it can trigger off the awakening any time.

After you have had this initial wisdom, only then can you cultivate the real Noble 8-fold Path and the Four Foundation of Mindfulness in a more refined and deeper manner. After you have developed all these understanding borne of daily mindfulness, you can lie down and do your meditation again. By then it will be very different because during that time you will understand very clearly and you will know what to do. Then you will understand that the lying down posture meditation has its purpose and function because to realize the more stable Nibbāna you need a formal posture and the lying down posture is the most conducive. There are two types of awakening: the 1st type is via the sainthood way in daily life whereby the realization of Nibbāna is just a glimpse or a moment of cessation of the form and mind – those realized by the Sotāpan (the 1st stage of Sainthood) and the Sakadāgāmī (the second stage of Sainthood); then there is a 2nd type of awakening that is more stable and last longer – those realized by the Anāgāmī (3rd stage of Sainthood), the Arahants (the 4th stage of Sainthood) and the other great beings. For the first two stages of Sainthoods the cessation happens only for a moment, or momentarily for one moment of cessation only but that’s good enough because that itself is the realization of Nibbāna; that moment is enough to awaken especially the Sotāpannaship and Sakadāgāmīship Sainthood ways and this can happen in the daily life while cultivating the daily mindfulness. One doesn’t need to be in a formal meditation posture. But for Anāgāmī and Arahants onwards usually they will have to go into cessation for longer period. To realize this 2nd type of awakening one needs to be in a more stable formal meditative posture. During the early days, most of them do it in their daily life via the 1st and 2nd turnings of the 4 Noble Truths. That is via hearing the sutta followed by contemplation, reflection and inquiries into what the Buddha had proclaimed or taught. Then there are some who develop Samatha meditation first via going into jhāna first and that is the reason why they like the sitting posture which is more conducive but later on they still have to release their energy field and return to normal awareness and go into daily mindfulness to develop the initial wisdom via insight into the 3 universal characteristics of nature to realize the enlightenment. After that they will sit again or go into the formal meditation to realize the more stable cessation. Then sitting can also awaken them. During the time of the Buddha a lot of his disciples did it in the sitting posture but later on for those who understand they will come to realize that the lying down posture is in fact more conducive. That is also the reason why later on the Buddha was in the lying down posture during his Parinibbāna. Then whenever he rested, he was also in the lying down posture. This lying down posture was seldom taught because most living beings don’t have the ability to meditate that way. If they are not trained they tend to fall asleep very fast. Then it becomes ‘sleeping’ meditation and not lying down meditation anymore. That’s the reason why it was seldom (or not) taught because very few people can do it. And because of that it was hardly taught. But for those who understand they will know, the moment you can do the lying down meditation you are already a very good and an advanced cultivator. The lying down posture has its purpose – it is needed when you are developing the 2nd type of awakening, when you go into this so called cessation of form and mind to realize Nibbāna. In the lying posture you can develop it much more easily, you can go into it very fast and you can stay there for quite a while. Then it depends - if you are ready and about to do it, you have to develop some form of tactfulness because you have to let those who are around you, understand what you are doing otherwise they may think you are already dead when you go into this cessation. You are really like a dead person. The only difference between you and a dead person is you won’t become very cold, you won’t become like the dead corpse, your body will not rot, and your body will not emit those foul smells. But you really have no heartbeat. Even the brain activities and everything else also ceased - no more activity, no more consciousness, nothing, the whole body and mind is like no difference from a dead person except the stillness’s pure energy of Nibbāna, they are still within the form. And because that being is in that state, so in order to prevent any confusion it is advisable to let people know so that when you go into it, people will understand. But as far as I know you don’t have to worry so much because it is not easy to go into that state for long periods of time. It depends on your past cultivation, it depends on your understanding and it also depends on how skilful you are and most of these cultivators when they go into this cessation they will know how to come out. It is automatic but you cannot predict when to come out because it is the un-conditioned. You can only come out at the time when the conditions are there for it to come out. So all these are part and parcel of lying down meditation and lying down meditation is only to be done after you have trained your mind very well. After you have developed the passaddhi enlightenment factor, until your mind is very stable and very still and after your daily mindfulness has stabilized. Then you will come to understand why this lying down posture is the most relaxed, conducive or appropriate, and then you can do it. Especially at night when you are at home you have to learn to meditate in the lying down posture so that you can rest very well, so that when you arise the next day you can become very fresh and mindful. The other reason is because human beings spend almost 1/3 of their time sleeping. If you sleep 8 hours a day it is exactly 1/3; if you sleep even 6 hours a day it is ¼ of the days’ time. Regarding the lying down posture meditation, if you can understand and develop the ability to meditate in that posture it will help you a lot. It can help speed up your cultivation. This type of formal meditation can be done any time even when you are resting.

And finally if you want to understand: what is 24 hour meditation? You have to be skilful in the lying down meditation first, and then you will come to realize that you can be mindful throughout the day and 24 hour meditation is possible. I can share this with you all because this nature of mine had done it before during the early days of its cultivation. So it is all up to you. Don’t worry about the posture. Whichever posture that is more conducive to you, use it. You only need to understand your meditation focus by inquiring: ‘Do you still need to train your mind?’ If you have already stabilized the sati and there is no need to train your mind anymore then by all means, whatever posture will also be suitable for you because by then your spiritual faculties are already established. Since you have already trained your mind hence you can meditate via a relaxed mind. You can silent your mind easily, and then you can develop whatever understanding you want. Then you will understand very clearly what this form and mind is all about. It is for you to use so use it to live life, to meditate, to develop understanding and to cultivate, and it is all up to you. Then whatever posture that is the most suitable and conducive you will also come to know, because by then very likely - throughout the day you are already heedful and mindful. So there is no difference between standing, walking, sitting or lying down, no difference at all. Then meditation becomes like a part of your nature; you are in that state of heedfulness or awareness throughout the day, you don’t have to rely on anything else to be mindful. You don’t need an object of meditation anymore. Then you will come to realize that all these methods and techniques or objects of meditation are only initial skilful means used by cultivators to train and anchor their mind and it has nothing to do with meditation. It is just to train the heedless mind to be mindful and heedful. But a lot of people cannot understand this very important point. That’s why that day I forwarded one email regarding this to you all recently – have you all seen it?

It was written by a monk by the name of Bhante Kumara of SBS, Taiping. According to that email he said, he has been asked many times at many places by yogis on - what method or technique of meditation does he teach? He said he didn’t know how to answer them and every time he answered them he found his answer to be unclear and inadequate. Then he came out with one answer which he thought was very good. I will try to get it from the email and read it to you so that we can discuss it. This may be good because this can help clear up a lot of things.

That’s why even monks and cultivators are also not sure or are not clear about all these: like what is the meditation as taught by the Buddha? And what are methods and techniques or objects of meditation for? So when I read the email I felt I should send it out to our Kalyāṇamitta for them to develop the reflection and contemplation, so that hopefully they can understand better. Let me try to look it up.

Okay I have got it. According to him he said:

“From time to time, I've been asked this question, ‘Bhante, what method do you teach?’ and I keep having trouble answering it properly. They wanted me to name it, and I don't have one for it. Usually, I resort to saying I teach this and I teach that. In that way, it can seem like I've a muddled way of teaching. Some time ago, it dawned upon me: I don't teach a method. I'm not interested in that. Instead, I teach people. I show them how to free themselves from suffering, in the best way I know for them at that time. Every experienced teacher knows that every student is different. To think that one method fits all is unreasonable. Sometimes I conveniently fall back on some sort of standard methods too, and that's when I'm not operating at my best, that's when I'm not using discernment, and the results aren't so good. Results are the best when I drop all ideas of methods, pay full attention to the person, and let wisdom decide. So, I don't want to use any specific method, but whatever method that is suitable, even if I've never used it before, i.e., one that occurs spontaneously to me. So, next time, I know how to answer the question of what method I teach. I try not to. I teach people.” …. Posted by: Kumara Bhikkhu

So with this we can open it up for discussion. What are your views and understanding on this basing on your cultivation’s understanding? What are methods and what are techniques? Do you know why he has a problem or not? If I am not wrong he studied Byron Katie’s teaching and he also used Byron Katie’s technique or the work (using the 4 lines of questionings) to teach. And he also shared a bit of the ‘Power of the Now’ – a best seller book written by Eckhart Tolle. And because of that his students asked him, ‘So what is your teaching? What method do you teach? He couldn’t describe them because those teaching are neither a method nor a technique. It is more of an inquiry. With this I hope you all can have a better understanding of the above topic.

9.4 Appendix

9.4.1 What is the Work?

The Work is a simple yet powerful process of inquiry that teaches you to identify and question the thoughts that cause all the suffering in the world. It’s a way to understand what’s hurting you, and to address the cause of your problems with clarity. In its most basic form, The Work consists of four lines of questioning and the turnarounds.

9.4.1.1. Ask the Four Questions

The Work is meditation. It’s about opening to your heart, not about trying to change your thoughts. Ask the questions, then go inside and wait for the deeper answers to surface. Investigate each of your statements from these four questions:

1. What your thoughts have been telling you, is it true? (Yes or no. If no, move to 3.)

2. Can you absolutely know that it's true? (Yes or no.)

3. How do you react or what happens, when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

“I discovered that when I believed my thoughts, I suffered, but that when I didn't believe them, I didn't suffer, and that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that. I found that suffering is optional. I found a joy within me that has never disappeared, not for a single moment. That joy is in everyone, always.” —Byron Katie

People who do The Work as an ongoing practice commonly report:

- Alleviation of depression: Find resolution, even happiness, in situations that were once debilitating;

- Decreased stress: Live with less anxiety or fear.

- Improved relationships: Experience deeper connection and intimacy with your partner, your parents, your children, your friends, and yourself.

- Reduced anger and fear: Understand what makes you angry and

- Increased mental clarity: Live and work more intelligently and effectively, with integrity.

- More energy: Experience a new sense of ongoing vigor and well-being.

- More peace: Discover how to become “a lover of what is (the reality).”

9.5 Closing Puja

Anumodanā (Sharing of merits with the devas)

Ākāsaṭṭhā ca bhummaṭṭhā May all beings inhabiting space and earth

Devā nāgā mahiddhikā Devas and Nagas of mighty power

Puññaṃ taṃ anumoditvā share this merit and may

Ciraṃ rakkhantu lokasāsanam they long protect the Dispensation

Ettāvatā ca amhehi May all beings share this merit

Sambhataṃ puñña sampadaṃ Which we have thus acquired

Sabbe devā anumodantu And may all Devas rejoice

Sabbasampattisiddhiyā May it contribute greatly to their well-being and happiness.

Patti Dāna (Transference of merits to the departed)

Idam me ñātinaṃ hotu May this merit accrue to our departed relatives and

Sukhitā hontu ñātayo(x3) may they be well and happy always. (x3)

Pattana (Aspirations to the World)

Devo vassatu kālena May the rain fall in due season and (may there be)

Sassa sampatti hetu ca the right conditions for all good fortune.

Phito bhavatu loko ca May the world be prosperous and peaceful

Rājā bhavatu dhammiko May the government, rulers and kings always be righteous.

Patthanā (Aspirations for one self)

Iminā puñña kammena By the grace of this merit that

Māme bāla samāgamo I have acquired, may I never follow the

Sataṃ samāgamo hotu foolish, but only the wise, up to the time

Yāva nibbāna pattiyā I attain final liberation (Nirvana)

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu!

Pay respects mindfully to Lord Buddha, Quan Yin Bodhisattva, and all the worthy ones and then we end.

36th Lesson Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra 27th November 2016

White Board Note of 36th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

Purpose of Meditation - to see the Truth means to Realise The Wisdom.

If you try to stop you Thought - It means you are suppressing / controlling it.

Dwell - A place where you stay.

36.1 Pre-Pūjā

We can start the pūjā now. Compose your mind, develop your faith, and then pay respect mindfully to Lord Buddha. We shall pay our respects first before we start the pre-pūjā:

Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó (南无本师释迦牟尼佛) (3x)

Nā Mó Guān Shì Yīn Pú Sà (南无观世音菩萨) (3x)

Salutation to Lord Buddha:-

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa (3X)

Taking of the Three Refuges:-

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Dutiyampi - Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Tatiyampi - Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Renewing of the Five Precepts:-

Pānātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Surā-meraya-majja-pamā-daṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Rejoicing)

We shall now pay respect mindfully to Lord Buddha, Guan Yin Bodhisattva and all the Worthy Ones to end the pre-pūjā.

36.2 Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

Today is the 27th Nov 2016, we will continue with our 36th Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra class. Please turn to page 206 and we will continue from there.

The master instructed the assembly:

‘Good knowing Advisors, the Single Conduct Samadhi is the constant cultivation of maintaining a direct straightforward mind in all places (this is very important), whether one is walking, standing, sitting or lying down’. As the Vimalakīrti Sutra says, ‘The straightforward mind is the Bodhimaṇḍala; the straightforward mind is the Pure Land.’ This 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra’s opening statement is very profound. It’s exactly the same as what I have been sharing with you all this while, except they use a different name (Single Conduct Samadhi) here to express it.

How do they define the Single Conduct Samadhi? According to Master Hui Neng, it’s the constant cultivation but in the text, they use the word `practise’. Practise is not such an appropriate word because when you ‘practise’ something, it’s repetitive and mechanical in nature. But when you ‘cultivate’, it develops understanding, so constant cultivation of maintaining a direct straightforward mind in all places means the constantly meditative and ever mindful mind. This is what Heedfulness is all about.

This Single Conduct Samadhi is actually the cultivation of the continuity or stability of mindfulness to develop the meditation - which is equivalent to Heedfulness as taught by the Buddha. Master Hui Neng explained it this way: If your mind can maintain a direct straightforward ‘silent mind’ in all places whether one is walking, standing, sitting or lying down (it includes the in between movements i.e. whatever activities or movements between the four postures), then he quoted, ‘As stated in the Vimalakīrti Sutra, the straightforward mind is the Bodhimaṇḍala.’ Bodhi is wisdom and Mandala is a way place so Bodhimaṇḍala is a way place where you cultivate your wisdom. Bodhimaṇḍala, the direct straightforward ‘silent mind’ is your true mind or Pure Land. This is very good and profound dharma.

This Vimalakīrti Sutra is a very unique sutra. But it’s a Mahayana Sutra; you will not find it in the Theravada text. This Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti is a very wise and a very unique Bodhisattva. He likes to come in the form of a lay person. According to the Sutra, he had met not less than 90 million Sammā Sambuddha and he has a lot of wisdom, a lot of understanding.

We move on: ‘Do not speak of straightforwardness with the mouth only’ – it means lip-service’. That’s why verbal knowledge is not the real wisdom. If you cultivate verbal knowledge, you will not realize the enlightenment. You can never progress. ‘So do not speak of straightforwardness with the mouth only while the mind and cultivation are crooked. Do not speak of the Single Conduct Samadhi without maintaining a straightforward mind. Simply just cultivating, keeping a straightforward mind and have no attachment to any dharma is what you are supposed to do’. “The confused person is attached to the mark of Dharma while holding onto the Single Conduct Samadhi and saying, `I am sitting or I sit unmoving and falseness does not arise in my mind. This is the Single Conduct Samadhi’. Such an interpretation serves to make him insensate and obstruct the causes and conditions for attaining the way because if you hold onto the concept and idea of that single straightforward mind, you can never realize the way.”

`Good knowing Advisors, the way must penetrate and flow. How can it be impeded? If the mind does not dwell in Dharma, the way will penetrate and flow. The mind that dwells in Dharma is in self-bondage. To say that sitting unmoving is correct is to be like Venerable Sariputta who sat quietly in the forest but was reprimanded or scolded by Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti.’ Do you know Venerable Sariputta? – He is the chief disciple of Sākyamuni Buddha with foremost wisdom.

In this respect, there is was a passage in the Vimalakīrti Sutra. It seems there was an incident when Venerable Sariputta was sitting quietly in the forest meditating then Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti passed by and saw him doing the meditation. Then he spoke to Venerable Sariputta, ‘what are you doing?’ He said, ‘I’m cultivating meditation and meditating.’ And the way Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti reprimanded him actually woke him up. He said to Venerable Sariputta, ‘who told you that meditation is just sitting unmoving like that.’ He then explained the real cultivation to him. ‘If your mind is quiet, peaceful, still and silent when you are in a stable posture, that is not meditation. That is trying to bring forth the condition for the mind to be very calm. So indirectly, you are seeking peace, quietness and silence instead of wisdom. You are experiencing the conditioned mind. The real meditation is in the midst of life itself, in the midst of activity; when you can still be peaceful, silent, still and unaffected by whatever life situations or conditions. That is the real meditation.’ At that time Venerable Sariputta has not developed that type of understanding yet.

In the Sutra, it was mentioned, there was an incident where there was a very famous great Being whom all the Buddhas of the entire universe respect; they will send their representative or they themselves will go with their disciples to pay respect and make offerings. But because this being that they are supposed to pay their respect and gratitude (if I am not wrong it’s Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti) is extremely wise hence they have to be more careful. At that time, everybody was trying to suggest who should go? Then everybody pointed at Venerable Sariputta because he was the wisest among Sākyamuni Buddha’s disciples. Venerable Sariputta, when he heard of Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti’s name, straightaway he told the Buddha and the congregation: `No, I cannot go because I am of no match for his wisdom. He had reprimanded me before.’ Finally, they had no choice but to seek Mañjusrī Bodhisattva, `Wen Shu Pusa’ who is also foremost in wisdom. For Mañjusrī Bodhisattva, has reached a very high state of cultivation - having completed the perfection of wisdom; that was what that Sutra was all about. That is the reason why, Master Hui Neng mentioned it here: `The mind that dwells in Dharmas is in self-bondage. To say that ‘sitting unmoving is correct’ is like Sariputta who sat quietly in the forest but was reprimanded by Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti.’ So this is the story behind. If you have not read the Vimalakīrti Sutra, you may not understand.

Now we shall go into the commentary and see what Master Hsuan Hua said in his commentary. Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary: “You should not speak of directness and act dishonestly. If you greet rich people with smiles and compliment them with saying `Welcome! Welcome!’ In mandarin, it is `Huan ying! (欢迎!) Huan ying! (欢迎!).” When in fact, it’s not the person you are welcoming, but their money, power and status instead. So that is flattery. If you speak of the Single Conduct Samadhi but you act improperly, such hypocrisy betrays a cultivator’s mind. But if you cultivate keeping a direct straightforward mind, a sincere mind, a silent mind then your mind is the Bodhimaṇḍala. You should manage all your affairs with a direct sincere mind with no attachment.”

A stupid person gives rise to Dharma attachment. Hence they will comment and they will say, `I sit here unmoving and I have no false thinking. This is equivalent to the Single Conduct Samadhi.’ Master Hsuan Hua said, `Such a person is foolish. He is completely wrong. One who thinks this way turns into a vegetable.’ I don’t know why he uses the word vegetable. In the Mahayana Zen Monastery, if you sit like a statue, not moving (like a rock), do you know what they will do to you? The Zen master will come and whack you and tell you, `we have enough Buddha statues here; we don’t need another one.’ Do you understand? Can you follow?

When you sit there unmoving, no false thinking, no thought - what are you doing? You are like the statue, isn’t it? The statue is also unmoving, also no thought, but I think what Master Hsuan Hua meant, could be this: When a person suffers a stroke or when they no longer have control over their physical senses or body, they are said to be a ‘vegetable’. It means you cannot have any movement or activity physically. You may be conscious but you cannot move or talk, in that sense it could be a simile. But the actual meaning is they meditate until there is no more thought, which means their mind is in absorption or in one-pointedness, energy field concentration which is a conditioned state.

Then they will say their mind is unmoving and without any false thinking, without the heedless thinking or mental thinking. Even in that state Master Hui Neng said, it is not the real meditation. So you have to be very careful when you meditate. That’s why when you meditate without understanding, you can become gullible especially so if you go to a retreat with all the tranquil setting, the peacefulness, and you do a lot of sitting and a lot of formal meditation until your mind becomes very calm, very still, very silent, no more false thinking, no more movement, in very strong absorption or one-pointedness Jhāna etc. thinking that you have done well, then you believe you have progressed and you equate those experiences to enlightenment or awakening. You are deluded if you think that way because that is a conditioned mind held in energy field hence not a free mind. That’s why for those who understand, especially the Zen Master, they will tell you this: `we don’t need another Buddha statue here because we have enough of them and have you forgotten the purpose of you meditating?’

36.2.1 What Is The Purpose Of Meditation?

Let us now go deeper into this topic to develop a clearer understanding of what is the purpose of meditation and what is meditation according to the Buddha? Come, give it a try. What is the first purpose? Just now I heard somebody mention something like ‘to see the truth’. Who was it? Miss Lee, right? ‘To see the truth’ what does that mean? To see the truth means to realize the wisdom. Because only wisdom frees the mind! Nothing else! Just like what I have always explained to you all. Even if you can sit in meditation to experience all the fantastic meditation, the calmness, the stillness until you have no more thought, no more false thinking, so what? After you come out of that meditation, you still need to go back to life; then you will become heedless again because you have not developed the wisdom and the understanding via the direct seeing to root out your defilements and free your mind as yet. That’s why in the midst of life you still cannot cope. Now you understand why you go for meditation? Do not be gullible. Don’t always believe what other people tell you.

Nowadays there are a lot of meditations being taught, some very well-known internationally and they have this usual ten-day retreat. You join this retreat, and due to the rather conducive conditions there, the beautiful setting and nature etc, your mind will become very calm, very peaceful and you can experience a lot of good meditative states. Hence for the first two occasions, a lot of people would endorse to it that this particular meditation is fantastic and very good. But then they didn’t know that it’s just a conditioned state. It’s like you experience some beautiful mind states because of the conditions there. So what?

Meditation as taught by the Buddha is not about just seeking calmness and peacefulness. It’s about insight into the characteristics of nature to develop wisdom so as not to be deluded by the phenomenal world, not to be entangled by the delusion that arises in your mind (when you are lacking in understanding and wisdom). Understanding this is very important and very fundamental to the whole cultivation and this is what Hui Neng is trying to point out to all those people in his Platform Sutra teaching.

Can you follow? If you can then it is good and I rejoice. Otherwise, a lot of people will not be able to accept what I said earlier on. All along, I have been telling you the same message; if you go for retreats just to sit and develop all the fantastic and beautiful meditative mind states: the Jhānas, the tranquillity, the stillness, the calmness until your mind is like no more false thinking, no more thinking, no more thoughts, then you believe you have done very well because you experience fantastic mind states, you see nimittas, you can lock onto it, you can build up all the energy fields and develop all the psychic abilities to see images which you think are your past lives. And a lot of other related things, like you can read mind and see your past etc. But to the Buddha, this is not the meditation he taught. That is why he warned the monks at that time. He said, `if you train your mind to do psychic and perform psychic, you are violating the Patimokha (monks precepts); to show off and impress people with your ability.’

That’s why for those who understand, they will not pay attention to all those phenomena. No point because without wisdom, your mind can still be entangled. You can still be deluded by what you see, what you hear, what you smell, what you taste, what you tactilely feel and think. The phenomenal world still has power over you and you can still be afflicted when you confront the eight types of first noble truth realities starting from birth, old age, sickness and death, leading to separation; when you are with people whom you don’t like, when things don’t go your way, when you cannot get what you want, expectations in life are not met, etc.) You also fail to understand who you are and what you are? The 5 aggregates of form and mind, they appear so real to you and you grasp, cling and hold onto them. The Buddha summarized all of sufferings as your self-delusion that conditions you to grasp and cling onto the 5 aggregates of form and mind (the human being) via thinking those are what you are. That’s why he said the 5 Upādānakkhandhas or grasping aggregates is dukkha or suffering. So this understanding is very important and very fundamental to understanding meditation. If you meditate and you still cannot understand who you are and what you are, what these 5 aggregates of form and mind are and how when you attach, cling and grasp, suffering comes to be then you are not doing it right. If you cannot insight into phenomena to realize the impermanence leading to suffering and because they are impermanent, condition arising, dependent originating hence it is not a permanent unchanging entity that you can call, this is me, this is I, and therefore all these can be mine. There is no such thing. Hence, if your meditation does not lead to such understanding or awakening, then it’s not the meditation as taught by the Buddha. Then it’s just like what they call `Wai Tao’ or externalist type of meditation. Those who develop these types of meditations are more interested in the psychic field, in energy field and seeking out fantastic meditation experiences.

Okay? We shall move on to page 207 third paragraph:

‘A stupid person gives rise to dharma attachment. I sit here unmoving and I have no false thinking…’ This part, we have gone through. `This is the Single Conduct Samadhi. So people who say that, he is completely wrong, one who thinks this way turns into a vegetable.’ We were here. Now you understand?

`The way should flow without obstruction …’ – what does it mean? If you have wisdom, you will know how to accord and flow. You will not resist anything. ‘If you stop your thoughts, you turn into dead ashes and rotten wood and become useless.’ See, this is what meditation is all about. Stop your thoughts means what? Yes! Very good! And Sadhu! If you try to stop your thoughts, it means you are suppressing them or controlling them. This understanding is very important; you cannot suppress and control the thoughts. The question is, `who is controlling, who is suppressing?’ The thought which says `I don’t want to have any thought because it makes me think a lot, it makes me heedless, so I have to stop the thought.’ Who is saying all these? The ‘thought’, so the thought wants to suppress, the thought wants to control, not understanding that the ‘controller is the controlled’. Thought is trying to control thought; thought is trying to suppress thought. How can you do that? It is like; you are trying to control yourself. That is clearly suppression!

If you don’t have violence and anger, there is no need for suppression and control. But if you have violence, anger, emotion and fear then you try to control them yourself. What are you trying to do? You are being stupid, isn't it? Because the fact is, you are violent, you are emotional, you are selfish, and you have fear. That’s why you must cultivate until you have developed the wisdom to liberate your mind then there is no need for control and suppression. Then naturally when you have the wisdom, there is no need for control and suppression of the thought.

Thought is just thought. Like what I had told you all before, thought is neither good nor evil, just like money. Then why do you say ‘Money is the source of all evil and thought is the one that causes you all the heedlessness’? Is this the reason why you want to control and suppress the thought? That’s wrong because it’s the user of money that is more important (or the user of thought that is more important). If you have wisdom, there is no more problem. You don’t have to control, you don't have to suppress. Thought can just arise (due to response to memories). And what is thought? Thought is condition-arising, dependent originating, impermanent not real. If you grasp and cling and hold, it leads to suffering; meaning you grasp and cling at the wrong thought. But if you don’t grasp and don't cling and understand that thought is just an instrument for you to use, to live life, then it will be different because you will know how to use it appropriately with wisdom, with understanding. Then what happens? Thought becomes your friend, it will serve you well. Then you can make use of it to arise the right thought, the wholesome thought following the noble eightfold path based on right view and right understanding which is wisdom. Then thought becomes wholesome, thought becomes beautiful. Then you don’t have to control thought. When there is wisdom, there is understanding; there is no movement because it doesn’t deludedly latch on anymore. It doesn’t cling; it doesn’t have to think anymore because there is no more fear, worries, anxiety and delusion. It understands, it sees things as they are, it accords and flows and it can be with all things, no more rigidity, no more resistance, thing is just the way it is. That's why with this understanding, the whole of meditation and cultivation becomes very different. Now can you understand?

That’s why all of meditation usually starts off with this wrong understanding. When you don’t have the correct understanding, you will do it wrongly because you think thought is a problem; Thought is the one that makes you heedless; that creates the division and all those things. But you do not understand that all these divisions and heedlessness come from your inner delusion. If you have wisdom, all these will not arise. Like the Buddha said, without the spiritual faculties, the mental hindrances will arise and when the mental hindrances are there, the evil roots are there. That is how thoughts can make you evil, bring about downfall, and bring about negativity of mind states which includes all of your fears, your worries, your anxieties, your sorrows, your lamentation and insecurities, etc. They all come from your delusion, nothing else.

Hence meditation has to be developed with understanding. It is about developing understanding and wisdom to liberate the mind. Always remember: don't try to control or suppress anything. Thing is just the way it is. Develop wisdom. That's why mindfulness is very important; to be mindful is to be aware without thought; only then can you be in a state of silence to see clearly via the silent mind. To see clearly how this mundane mind that is entangled with the wrong view arises the causes and conditions for you to become evil, for you to become heedless. And through that understanding, you just have to straighten your views and reverse all these retrospectively. With that understanding, you are no longer deceived, no longer deluded; then the 5 aggregates of form and mind will become different because it now understands how it becomes entangled, how it gets itself drawn into all these via delusion.

Hui Neng is very wise and he straightaway knew this is where the problem is. Almost all meditators and cultivators go into energy field and they love that type of meditation because they can straightaway become so calm, so peaceful, no more thought, no more false thinking, enjoying the bliss, the pīti, the sukha, the very strong energy and all of the nimittas experiences, including all of the by-products of this type of meditation (which is energy field, thought-based and psychic-based). Then like the Zen Master said, even Hui Neng also said, `This is not the real samādhi, this is not the one that can bring forth the wisdom. This is the one that traps you.’

That is the reason why, in the Zen way place, if you go there and sit like a statue and every day doing the sitting and walking then sit and sit and sit, thinking that by doing this so-called meditation, one day you will become enlightened. Then they will give you the frog analogy via telling you, ‘If by sitting, you can become enlightened, then all the frogs would have become arahants, enlightened because they also sit a lot’. It is not the sitting; it’s the development of wisdom. When the Zen Masters, know that you are doing concentration or Samatha Meditation, they will come and hit you and tell you, `We have enough Buddha statues here. We don’t need another one’

Now can you understand? That's why, daily mindfulness is very important and it is the key to development of wisdom. The formal meditation, the retreat can be useful for you to train your mind initially. But then the ‘real meditation is life itself’ – daily mindfulness leading to heedfulness. Can you maintain that silent mind, that type of so-called free mind that is in Samadhi, without control, without suppression? That free mind, through its own understanding and wisdom, connected to the form and mind, becomes beautiful because when it is no longer deluded, then that mind serves ‘you’ well, it will listen to ‘you’. It will make you beautiful; then you can use it to develop wholesomeness, cultivate virtues, goodness and love so that you can become a blessing to all. This is what meditation is all about. This is what meditation is for.

That is also the reason why I have always said, ‘when you have developed the right meditation according to what the Buddha has taught you, it will bring you back to the Noble Eightfold Path cultivation’. You will have right view leading to right thought, right speech, right action, right effort, right living/livelihood then right mindfulness and right Samadhi. If whatever you do in the name of meditation makes you more egoic (after experiencing all the fantastic meditation), and it doesn’t bring you back to the Noble Eightfold path cultivation to transform you personality wise, character wise and wisdom wise then you better check, because that is not the meditation taught by the Buddha. If your emphasis is only on the Jhāna, on the calmness, the peacefulness, the stillness, the fantastic nimittas experiences and all the other various types of fantastic manifestations of mind (when you reach those so called deep ‘samādhi’ or deep ‘Samatha’ concentration or absorption mind states), then it is a deviation because that is not what the Buddha taught.

The first six years before his enlightenment, the ‘Buddha to be’ learned from all those teachers those meditations and He did all those energy fielded, thought based meditation too. That's why he was still stuck and He knew. That is the reason why He left them and continued to seek on his own. In a similar way Master Hui Neng, the 6th Patriarch via his Platform sutra pointed it out to you very clearly that this type of meditation is a deviation. Okay? With this we shall move on.

36.2.2 The Mind Must Have No Dwelling

‘The way should flow without obstruction. If you stop your thoughts, you turn into dead ashes and rotten wood and become useless’ like another statue. ‘You should instead produce that thought which is nowhere supported’. You remember the Diamond Sutra that states: ‘The mind must have no dwelling’? It must not dwell anywhere. In Mandarin, what do you call it? ‘Xīn wú gua ài’ (心无挂碍), or ‘Xīn wú suǒ zhù (心无所住)’ meaning your mind must have no dwelling. It must not dwell anywhere. Can you have that type of mind? That is the real meditative mind. Your mind doesn’t dwell on anything; the silent mind that is able to have the direct seeing will not dwell. Do you know how you dwell? What is dwelling? The Mandarin word is ‘Zhù’ (住)- which is a very good word. Dwell, is like you live somewhere; like a place where you stay or dwell.

Do you know how your mind dwells? How do you dwell? Throughout the day, you arise thoughts and you have been dwelling everywhere. How do you dwell? The moment you perceive something, you dwell there. Can you understand? Then the moment you perceive, you think, you become heedless again. That is why the silent mind is the meditative mind and the silent mind which is Sati, is capable of direct seeing. What is the definition of Sati? Sati is awareness before the knowing. What knows? Perception! - The moment you perceive you know. How do you know my voice? The moment you perceive it, you dwell here hence you are not aware of the outside world. The moment you perceive that Buddha image that instant your mind will dwell there. The worst is, when you dwell, you allow your conditioned mind to condition you into further thinking. `Hi! This Buddha image is very nice, very beautiful. I wish I could have one. Where did you buy it?’ So this proliferation of thoughts, if you are not mindful and not aware, it already takes you off tangent and makes you heedless (lost in thought). You easily become heedless and this is how dwelling can make you heedless. So the mundane mind dwells everywhere because it constantly perceives.

But when you have the silent mind, the true mind, it is just aware. It sees things as they are. It does not dwell. That’s why, you can just be aware, aware, aware…. in the midst of life. It just flows. Everything just flows, the mind and the phenomena as one (specific phenomenal awareness). It just flows. It doesn’t dwell. But to live life, you have to arise your thought and you have to perceive. But when you have the understanding and the wisdom, you can perceive without attachment, without accumulation and without dwelling on it, without getting lost in it. It just perceive, aware, aware then perceive again… etc. That’s what meditation is all about. That is the reason why I used to remind you all that you have to meditate until you can realize and understand all these so that you can produce a mind, a free mind that does not dwell anywhere. That is Zen and that is meditation; that is heedfulness or Appamāda and you have to be in that state in the midst of life, most of the time. That is why the real meditation is not what people think! It is not only about sitting quietly, okay? I’ll read on.

This chapter is going to be very good and very interesting. I didn’t know - this chapter already talks about this. Master Hui Neng said, ‘you should produce a mind (not thought) which is nowhere supported or the mind that has no dwelling, by attaching yourself neither to emptiness, to existence nor to dharma’. Attachment to dharma results in attachment to existence, and attachment to existence results in perishing in emptiness. But when you are unsupported the Way will circulate freely.

This is Hsuan Hua’s commentary and interpretation because theoretically they will talk about these. To add to that my explanation is clearer and deeper: You neither attach yourself to emptiness is because the word emptiness is not emptiness and the understanding of emptiness is not an intellectual knowledge, not a concept; then nor to existence. You know what is existence? - The phenomenal world; all of phenomena - if you dwell, attach and cling you will get into trouble for they are not real and mind made are they. Nor to Dharma for Dharma is truth that can allow you to realize the wisdom and the understanding to live life.

36.2.3. Only Truth And Wisdom Liberates The Mind

But when you attach to Dharma then what happens? If you dwell on it, attach to it and want to argue about it via right and wrong then you will have problems. You want to be right so you want to challenge others. Then it defeats the whole purpose of meditation. That is attachment to dharma. Dharma is the truth. Truth liberates the mind, frees the mind. It is an understanding. The moment you understand, the mind is liberated. The mind realizes itself and sets itself free. That’s why the mundane mind that realizes itself will cease to be. It sees the delusion in doing all those things, the foolishness in doing all those things. That’s why meditation is mainly about wisdom. The moment you understand, you’re free. But the moment you don’t understand, you remain the same, continuously heedless, continuously deluded. You will continue to hold, cling, and react to sense experience through your views and opinions and conditionings because you lack wisdom. You cannot understand truth, the reality. You cannot see things as they are. You see things through your tinted perceived views and opinions and conditionings, your memories, your conditioned mind, your storehouse of consciousness, accumulated knowledge and experiences of life; everything that you hold onto, cling onto like your fears, your phobias, your insecurities, your scars of memories, your happy and unhappy moments, your miseries, etc - you hold onto them and accumulate them all. Then you retain them all in your memory. Now you understand why accumulation is suffering.

Memory is useful but it is not for you to store all these psychological memories that can give rise to suffering, which can condition your fears, worries and anxieties because these are all wrong memories, wrong thoughts. That’s why I always teach you how to understand what wrong thoughts are - which is more important. What are wrong thought? Thought that conditions your fears, your worries, your anxieties, your sorrows and lamentation, etc. When you project your thought, you worry about the future. When you recall the unhappy past (some scars of memory), then it conditions you to be unhappy. It also includes thoughts that condition your selfishness, your emotional negativity, your doubt - which are the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. Without greed, you cannot be selfish. That’s why all these are wrong thoughts borne of wrong view. When you understand that all these are wrong thoughts, then your mind that understands via this wisdom will enable you to straighten your views. You will not create all these wrong thoughts anymore. Then you will diligently learn how to develop through right effort and right view, what constitute right thought? What are right thoughts? All of the good and wholesome thought that bring about love, compassion, kindness, goodness of heart, respect, gratitude, contentment, harmony, peacefulness, happiness and joy, etc are right thoughts.

Apart from the 4 Brahma Vihāra’s right thought of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, there are also a lot of other right thoughts: like thoughts of generosity, respect, contentment, sincerity, etc. These are all right thoughts. Then thoughts of gentleness, pleasantness, kindness, goodness, all these are also right thoughts. The thought of love to help people so as to be a blessing to all is also a right thought. Then to have faith, to develop the spiritual faculties of Saddhā, Vīriya, Sati and Samadhi leading to wisdom is also a right thought. To be in the state of awareness/mindfulness leading to heedfulness is also a right thought. Then to enable you to cultivate the first 2 of the four right efforts to abandon the wrong thoughts that have arisen and to prevent the arising of wrong thoughts you must understand what constitute wrong thoughts. Then to enable you to cultivate the third right effort to cultivate the right thoughts that are still not in you, you have to understand what are right thoughts which you still don’t have. Like the thought of kindness, goodness, generosity, good emotions, love and compassion, etc. Just like the mandarin video which I just sent out this morning for sharing - what does it say? The first thing you must have if you want to improve your life greatly is what? Take care of what? The words in Mandarin that say if you have that vital virtue in you all of your problems will fall into place and get resolved.

What is that? Yes! ``Pí qì’ (脾气)- which is your anger, your emotions, your mental negativity; ‘Pí qì yào hǎo (脾气要好); Pí qì hǎo (脾气好), Yī qiè dōu hǎo (一切都好)’. That’s why if you don’t have that understanding, if you don’t have this goodness, this kindness, then every time you get angry, throw your tantrums and become emotional, unhappy, and aggressive and hit out at others you will become evil because all these are evil roots, roots of all evil that will make you evil. That’s why it will bring about downfall. Your business will fail, your relationship will fail, your marriage will be affected and you will have problems with your children. Even when you go to your office, you don’t know how to communicate with your colleagues and staff, interact with them because you don’t have this goodness and kindness in you as well as this understanding in you.

So meditation is all about Noble Eightfold Path. That is right view leading to right thought, all the good and virtuous thoughts. You should check your life. How often do you cultivate this right thought? Your gratitude towards what people have done for you, whether it is a part of your nature to thank people sincerely for what they have done for you, for what they have sacrificed for you? Rejoice in all the wholesomeness and goodness that people have done. Be sensitive to others. Understand the world, understand fellow living beings and understand everything else within nature. To do that you must have wisdom only then you can feel for them so that you are not selfish. Otherwise you will always think of yourself and selfishness which is a very strong evil root will always be there because the deluded mind can cunningly  come back through the back door to deceive you again via telling you to consider selfishly, ‘for me or not for me, advantage to me or not? Otherwise I don’t want to do them’. All these are selfishness. Nothing to do with my family, my business, I don’t want to get involved. No advantage to me, I don’t want to know. That’s why you don’t have love. You don’t have sincerity, generosity, kindness and goodness. You are not able to help people. You are incapable of kindness and goodness. That’s why such people cannot develop virtues because they don’t have sincerity and they are very selfish. They always think of advantages and motives.

Hence meditation has a lot to do with the Noble Eightfold Path. That’s why, life itself is the meditation. Because it’s only in life, you can apply the Noble Eightfold Path factors and this is real meditation. If you cannot develop a mind that is free, that understands, that does not dwell you will suffer. Do you know, what will happen when you dwell on your unhappy past? Meaning you hold onto your grudges. Do you know the meaning of grudges? In Mandarin, it’s pronounced as ‘Chóu hèn (仇恨)’. This means you hold onto your vengeance and grudges so strongly. When you understand all these, you will develop the wisdom to straighten your views to reverse all these negativities of mind states. When you understand that all these bring about downfall and bring about wrong thought leading to suffering, cause your karmic nature to fall and they will make you weak and miserable and when you also understand that: ‘you hold the key to your own life destiny, to be happy or unhappy have a choice’; you will never allow yourself to become afflicted again or become so deluded anymore. That’s how you will wake up and you will choose to be happy and change overnight. This is just common sense! And you will not do all those stupid and deluded things again because the moment you understand you are free, you can liberate your mind. This is the real meditation. Okay? Can you all follow? ‘Can!’ - Good then we read on.

‘Attachment to Dharma results in attachment to existence and attachment to existence results in perishing in emptiness. But when you are unsupported, the way will circulate freely’. It means when you don’t dwell, when you don’t deludedly grasp and cling and hold you will not have suffering. You become free, your mind is liberated and there is nothing in this world that can bring forth the condition for you to have fear, worry and anxiety, sorrow, lamentation or even the slightest unhappiness. No more, because you see clearly how that form and mind, with the wisdom connected, understands that all these are not real. They are just condition-arising and dependent originating phenomena and mind made are they. Only form and mind, form and mind, and Hey no you, Hey no me! Just like what the Buddha said via his Dhammapada verse. He said, ‘my son, my children, my wealth, my property, these only the fools (foolish ones) lament, for that very body also doesn’t belong to him, wherein son, wherein wealth and all those things.’

Those who have wisdom, they will understand all these. They will not cling, not hold but they also understand that the condition world is the condition world and the existential world is the existential world. In the existential world ‘there are things’ even though they are ‘not real’ (in the ultimate truth sense) but they are still subject to its sets of nature’s laws. For example the law of karma which recognizes relationship and things but that pertains to the form and mind, nothing to do with the ultimate wisdom. But because our form and mind is born of its karma, heir to its karma, conditioned and supported by its karma and it is what it is because of its karma (subject to this law of karma), therefore the form and mind still has its duties towards this law. But with true wisdom (or in true emptiness – as stated in the Heart Sutra), there is none of all these. So when you have that ultimate truth understanding and the understanding of the existential world, meaning the supra mundane and mundane, then you would have developed perfect wisdom. This will help complement your understanding. Then you can live anywhere on both sides because you understand the unconditioned and the conditioned worlds.

That’s how your mind can transcend duality; transcend all the phenomena world of consciousness. Like the lotus, it will arise even though it is from the muddy pond but it will stay above the filth to blossom into full blossom. That’s why it is so beautiful and so unique. That’s why the symbol for Mahayana enlightened being is the famous lotus flower.

Okay. This part is very good. ‘Then the way will circulate freely’ - means you are free to move. There is no resistance no more impediments. There is no rigidity, you just accord and flow. ‘The mind that dwells in Dharma is in self-bondage’. This statement is very powerful. When you dwell in Dharma, you create the Atta, the Self. You create the attachment to Dharma. That’s why it’s self-bondage via sakkāyadiṭṭhi or self-delusion. ‘If you get attached to the meditation Dharma and sitting without moving, you tie yourself up and become a prisoner’. Sariputta, Sākyamuni’s disciple foremost in wisdom, sat in the forest, quietly meditating. But the layman Vimalakīrti reprimanded him saying, `What are you doing? What use are you sitting there like a corpse?’ It should be like a statue. This particular understanding on chapter 4 is very useful. That’s why the title is about Samadhi and wisdom.

Do you remember? Samadhi and wisdom go hand in hand and Samadhi is not concentration. Please bear that in mind. Samadhi is the collected mind, unwavering mind. That is why it is related to wisdom. When wisdom is stable, Samadhi will become even more stable then it will cumulate into Upekkhā, the last factor of enlightenment. But initially without Samadhi you cannot see things as they are, to realize the wisdom. That’s why the two are inter-connected and related. You cannot separate them. You cannot say I just want to cultivate Samadhi. They are inter-connected in many ways, like the stick analogy I gave last Sunday. When you pick up a stick, there are two ends to it. You cannot say I hold this end. I don’t want that end. Then the stick disappears. That’s why Samadhi and wisdom (Panna in pāḷi), they are together. Okay. Do you have any questions? Don’t have? Then we shall move on.

The last paragraph: ‘Good knowing advisors. There are those who teach people to sit, looking at the mind and contemplating stillness, without moving or rising. They claim that it has merits’.

What do you think? A lot of people do that. They call it Cittānupassanā, according to their own interpretation. They say, ‘I can be mindful of my thought’. “They claim that it has merits. Confused men, not understanding, easily become attached and go insane (and Master Hsuan Hua used such harsh words ‘go insane’). There are many such people. Therefore you should know them. Teaching of this kind is a great error”. By now, I really hope you can understand.

I will go through this one more time. ‘There are those who teach people to sit …..’

The key word is to sit a lot. Then keep on ‘looking at the mind and contemplating stillness without moving or arising’. Who is the one looking and doing all these? Huh! The thought is looking at the mind and contemplating stillness! And because of that they are so actively arising the thought and thinking instead of meditating. So one thought is trying to look at another thought and they call that ‘Cittānupassanā’. The real Cittānupassanā is about mindfulness. It’s about the silent mind in sati choicelessly ‘watching’ via awareness. You don’t go and look for it. Only the awareness is aware of it. It is totally different. Then when you sit in the formal meditation, don’t contemplate. You only contemplate when you are out of the meditation, having a free mind, then you can contemplate and develop the inquiry. Then from there, the contemplative understanding (which is the 2nd turning wisdom) will arise through the silent creative mind in contemplation.

All these ‘meditation’, when you do it without understanding you will end up doing all these (including sit without moving or arising); it means you sit like a statue down there. Do you think by just sitting, one day, you can become enlightened? Maybe your mind can become more and more calm, more and more peaceful and more and more stable. But then, every time you have problems when you are back to society, you will have to run back to the retreat or meditation centre and try to perfect it again. Again when you come out of such meditation, you realize that you are not peaceful when you are back to normal life so you go back in again. That’s why a lot of people say they cannot live in society anymore after going for long meditation retreats. They say society and the world is crazy.

Of course, they use a lot of Dharma - mainly knowledge wise. They say crazy, in the sense that there is so much noise and disturbances outside there; there are so many activities and problems in life. There is also too much sensuality and distractions. There is no way one can meditate. Then society also has so many things that can make people miserable. So by running away, sitting in meditation and making themselves peaceful in a tranquil setting with such a conditioned state of mind, is not going to free them. It’s just a temporarily measure. But the moment you go back to society, you cannot cope; you cannot live as a normal living being. And you say, ‘it’s a crazy world full of crazy things’. If the Buddha is like that, he cannot be the Buddha. He’s the Buddha because he is at peace everywhere, in the midst of life and society. All these need understanding. That’s why Hui Neng can understand.

Now let us look at Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary: “The deluded person does not understand the principle (means the true cultivation). They think, ‘I will just sit here and not get up. This is the way to attain skill in Zen meditation’. They get attached to what they are doing (meaning the sitting) and they go insane’. For example, many people have come here, saying that they are enlightened. That is insanity.

There are many such people. Teachers from their number say, `if you certify my enlightenment, I will certify yours’. Like an exchange, I honour you Datukship and Tan Sri, you honour me back. ‘That is a big mistake. In China, in the Tang Dynasty, there were false Buddhist Patriarchs who practice intellectual Zen’. You know what is intellectual Zen? Intellect means knowledge; based on knowledge and the intellect. They have clever answers but no foundation in actual cultivation. They can answer you in debate because they quote the book; they repeat the answers that Master Hui Neng and other Zen masters gave. But they don’t have the understanding. They will quote to you like, ‘the mind must have no dwelling, ‘Xīn wú suǒ zhù (心无所住) or ‘Xīn wú gua ài’ (心无挂碍), and all those things.’ But they don’t have the understanding. They only have the words, the knowledge. They have not realized. Then they will argue with you on what that means according to their interpretation. They have clever answers but no foundation in actual cultivation. “It’s not surprising that we find such people even in America today But these impostors who falsely claim to be enlightened pave the way for those of true enlightenment. No one knew about enlightenment so the impostors say, ‘we are enlightened.’ Everyone then says, `So this is enlightenment,’ and they examine themselves closely to see what enlightenment is. Suddenly a true enlightened being comes and no one believes in him. They think that the truly enlightened one is the same as the impostor. You who now cultivate to become enlightened will be forced to deal with the widespread influence of such pretenders or impostors”. That leads Master Hsuan Hua to advise you as follow: ‘when you become enlightened, you should not say that you are’. That is the best method according to him. This is the way of the world, `true, true, false false; false, false, true true’. I think it’s a direct translation from the Mandarin words: `Cen cen jie jie, jie jie cen cen.’ If you are true, they say you are false. If you are false, they say you are true. Therefore you should not speak of true and false. Tell people to go and see for themselves (meaning you don’t attach or cling to duality). Thing is just the way it is, no right no wrong, true and false is your perception. One should inquire - True according to whom? False according to whom?

But the reality is just the way it is. That’s why there is no right, no wrong. Unenlightened beings will say that they are enlightened. If you have already become enlightened and claim to be enlightened then you are just like those who are not. Why? People who are actually enlightened do not introduce themselves, saying, ‘Don’t you know me? I am enlightened. I am the same as so and so who is also enlightened’. Enlightenment and non-enlightenment are the same, not different. Do not hang out a false name - enlightened. You are a human being, unenlightened; you are still a human being even when enlightened.

The enlightened and the unenlightened both can realize Buddha hood. It’s just a question of time so do not advertise yourself. If no one knows you, that is the best. Then your straightforward mind is the Bodhimaṇḍala. That’s why the ego will not be there. You would not be tempted to tell people. But for those who understand, they will tell you very clearly that this one is not them. You can say that this form and mind, when it has developed the wisdom, the insight and the direct seeing, it is enlightened. But this one is just the form and mind, not a permanent unchanging entity. How can it be you? That’s why, how can you claim that you are enlightened? It has got no meaning.

That’s the reasons why for those who don’t understand; they will go around and deludedly claim that they are enlightened. They will use words to impress you because they want respect from you and they want followers. When they have followers and people who respect them then they will get a lot of monetary support from them. But for those who are truly enlightened, they will naturally understand that their virtues, wisdom and understanding will shine forth on its own and there is no greed in them. There is no delusion in them and they can never take advantage of you or ask you to believe them or join them. They will allow you the freedom to decide, to investigate for yourself, to find out for yourself because it’s your life, nothing to do with them.

Their duty/nature is to share what they understand when there is condition. These are what cultivation is all about. You have to have that understanding not to be deluded, not to be gullible, not to just easily believe people and allow people to condition you. If without proper investigation and understanding, you just simply go and quote, then follow the crowd to promote all these - that can be very dangerous. But if you yourself have cultivated and developed the understanding then you don’t have to worry.

Just like during the earlier years after I met my teacher, Phra Ajahn Yantra, I learnt so much from him. I could feel him. Then many years later, he got into some issues in Thailand and there were many types of negative stories about him. Then they forced him to disrobe. Despite what happened, I never wavered because my nature knew. I could feel his nature and I learned a lot from him, I received the dharma from him and I have continued even up till today dare to say that he was my teacher and he taught me very well despite what the world said about him. Can you understand? Most people would have run away, trying not to have anything to do with him because they may think if he goes down, their image or reputation will also be affected. If you have anything to do with him, others may perceive you the same.

It’s like what the Buddha had said. It’s not like that. There are causes and conditions behind. If you cannot see those causes and conditions, you will not understand. Even the Buddha, during his time, he was also affected by the Cinca incident. Can you remember? For many months he had to endure all those abuses and accusation (whatever people said about him). Cinca had accused the Buddha of making her pregnant for many months until Ananda also could not take it anymore. He told the Buddha, `We have to leave this place. Nobody trusts us anymore. We don’t even have proper support anymore.’ The Buddha said, `No, three months from now it will come to pass. If you try to walk away, wherever you go the same news will travel.’ He said this was due to his past karmic action.

The Buddha knew and he told Ananda, `I have to endure all these abuses and accusations and it will come to pass in three months time.’ That’s why after that everything cleared up because the Cinca pregnancy was a fake used to plot against him. She was not even pregnant but ill intended people wanted to bring him down. It happened because in one of the past lives when he (Sākyamuni Buddha) was a Bodhisattva, he scolded and abused a Pacceka Buddha without knowing that he’s a Pacceka Buddha. He said a lot of bad things to that person. That’s why when he became the Sammā Sambuddha, when there’s condition; he got it back - the Cinca incident.

Even my teacher, Ajahn Yantra also had a similar karmic condition of the past affecting him this life. I met one of his disciples who visited me at my house after somebody told me about him. Then we decided to invite him over to share with us what he knew. There were conditions then. After that we came to know a lot of things. According to him, Ajahn Yantra told him that all those happenings are related to his karmic past. He had to pay back all those past wrong actions. Hence the reason why he can accept what happened. Then he was very happy, very peaceful because he just allowed the thing to settle. It seems many lay people and monks helped him to fight the case and finally got him an amnesty to stay in the US. He won the cases. He cleared them all. It seems they tried to extradite him from the US government via diplomatic channel because it was politically motivated. But finally everything was cleared but that news was no longer important by then.

What you need to understand is - don’t become gullible by the big names you hear or be affected by the bad news you hear. You should investigate them yourself, cultivate and realize the true dharma. When you have realized the true Dharma, you will understand then you have no more worries about what the world says, what people say. Just like the famous quote of the Buddha: ‘the incense, its fragrance will shine forth and spread out far and wide.’ The incense really has its fragrance hence similarly for those who have the pāramīs, the wisdom, the virtues, the understanding, when they share the Dharma, their nature will shine forth just like the fragrance of the incense.

All these, if you have the understanding, the wisdom and the meditative training, then you can sense them. You can feel them and you can recognize them. Just like my cultivation in the early days, I didn’t chase after famous teachers. I didn’t chase after big names and all those popular monks and teachers. I will investigate and I will find out for myself via listening attentively and observing them first. When there were conditions, I would go and listen. But because my nature understands, the moment I listen, I will know which one has the dharma and which ones don’t have the dharma. That’s why I have a lot of affinity with a lot of good teachers; good masters and I learnt a lot from them.

But for those that my nature didn’t have affinity with, somehow it didn’t click and I couldn’t develop much understanding from what they shared. Some were very famous and popular but no point because this nature understands very clearly the way and the cultivation. That’s why it’s very different. Hence Hui Neng’s sharing on this part is very important, very beautiful, so that you understand.

36.2.4. Meditation Is Not About Sitting Only

Meditation is not about sitting only; prolonged sitting until the mind becomes very calm, very peaceful, very still and no more false thinking, thinking that is the result. Then you better check because this is a conditioned mind, a conditioned state. Meditation is not about developing all the peacefulness, the calmness and the fantastic meditation and the fantastic mind. It’s about insight into phenomena, developing the wisdom, the understanding, realizing the characteristics of nature, the impermanence, the suffering state and the non self or empty nature. This understanding is most important and very different. If meditation does not bring you back to the Noble Eightfold Path to realize the three types of right view, the wisdom that is related to the Buddha’s teaching, then that is not the meditation as taught by the Buddha.

Hence it’s not about retreat condition alone. It’s not about calmness, peacefulness, running away from society etc. That’s the reason why when I met Ajahn Yantra and when he told me, ‘life itself is the real meditation, life itself is our greatest teacher’, immediately those words resonate deep in my nature, because it was like I had heard them before and I knew this was it all the while. Even though as a lay person in my early years of my cultivation I had never heard from people about this before.

Then when I relate them to the teaching I realized they matched perfectly. That’s why after that I decided to reverse my cultivation. I come out of Ānāpānasati and released the absorption calmness borne of continuous mindfulness via relaxing into it. While in the university days of the 70s, I was already very good in Ānāpānasati. I could do the Ānāpānasati until my ‘nature’ could carry that calmness, that absorption mind state with me while in the midst of life and the mind was so still and full of mettā. But later on, when I came out to work, when I started to touch money, intermingled with society and went into life, when I didn’t meditate so often I realized this calm mind started to move and stir again. The calmness loses its power and the mind started to stir. Then I realized the thoughts started to develop all the craving like before. It wanted to be successful financially, career wise; it wants to study not only engineering, it wants to do an MBA, the law degree and it had a lot of ambition (like make more money to achieve financial freedom).

I realized there was still movement inside the mind. Then I recalled an incident in the Sutra where the Buddha said, ‘A glass of water with sediment still down there, the moment you stir it, it will arise again. But if you leave it and allow the sediment to settle down on its own then the water appears clear again, like when you do concentration or samatha meditation, all the defilement or mental hindrances will be suppressed.’ I realized that must be the reason. All along, that mind was peaceful, calm and full of mettā due to the Ānāpānasati absorption, the continuous mindfulness. I didn’t go into the daily mindfulness at that time until my teacher Ajahn Yantra told me this: The highest meditation is, ‘we choose aware every action, every movement in the present moment.’ The moment I heard that I knew I have not done this type of meditation as yet. Then I checked; I was hardly even aware or mindful for 5 minutes in a day.

I determined to do it from that moment onwards. I even put up my hand when he asked, `who wants to promise the Buddha?’ I remember at that time two of us put up our hands. I did not know who the other guy was. Within two weeks, the mindfulness came and the whole of meditation became very clear after that. After that my nature’s silent mind and awareness became very different. It started to understand that the eternal nature was already there all these while; once connected the spiritual inheritance and everything else came back to support this nature. That’s how all the conditions fell into place and it matched. Then all of a sudden after that, I started to ‘see’ a lot of things via the true direct seeing and insight kept on arising; then the teacher came, the guide came, the books and everything else came. Everything just fell into place. This nature becomes what it is on its own and it understands that there is no being inside there. That’s why I always told you that this form and mind which you call Bro. Teoh is not me. It’s just a ‘vehicle’ and a ‘tool’, karmically conditioned out for this nature of mine to use, to live life, to perform the function of this nature to fulfil its vows, its affinity with living beings, etc. via this functional body that performs the function of Bro. Teoh for this segment of its nature’s life and to continue with its cultivation and its perfection until all its vows are fulfilled.

36.3 Teoh’s Closing Remarks

This is what meditation is all about. Understand it clearly and don’t be gullible. That’s the reason why I always said, ‘you must meditate with understanding’, otherwise no point. You are wasting your time. You can still be led astray, while thinking you have progressed. Because progress is not about how strong your mind is, how beautiful your mind or meditation is. It’s about understanding via wisdom to free your mind from delusion. When you have that, when you have become more and more mindful, heedful, and the free mind understands, that is the real progress. When `Avijjā Paccaya Saṅkhāra’ weakens; less saṅkhāra, implies less mental activity, less thinking, more clarity, more awareness, more moments of silence and stillness and you become more heedful, that is progress.

There is no need to have all those fantastic meditations. When you can understand things clearly with every moment of sense door contact, your mind will become different. When you return to society and life, it will not stir or react like before. It does not get itself entangled anymore because it has developed the 5 spiritual faculties and understanding to straighten its views. When you have the 5 spiritual faculties cultivated, the 5 mental hindrances will cease to be and the mind will be in a meditative state on its own naturally because there is no more mental hindrance.

It has become a free mind, hence no need to concentrate, no need to focus, no need to train, no need to do anything. It will be like that by itself. But you need wisdom and the spiritual faculties to stay in that state. When you understand that, the whole of meditation becomes different; no more according to what they say. All the methods and techniques, sitting and walking, you only need to do them if you haven’t stabilized the spiritual faculties. That is the reason why you have to train the mind that is still heedless and work very hard. But if you continuously do that and think that is meditation, then you are being gullible because that is just an initial training to anchor the heedless mind when you still lack the stability of the spiritual faculties to make it heedful. That’s why they need to train their heedless mind via all those thought based meditation of noting and focusing, etc.

If you already have the spiritual faculties, the 5 mental hindrances will cease to be by themselves. Then the moment you sit, you are already calm, still, silent, in a free mind state with no more movement. Then when you come out of it, you are also the same; aware and mindful. Walk also the same, go around doing whatever in life you are also in that state of mindfulness. When you lie down to sleep or rest, you are also aware within. This is the real Samadhi, not the calm mind that becomes heedless again (so fast) once it is out of the retreat. All the suppressed mental hindrances can still come out because they are not rooted out via wisdom as yet. This is a very important understanding. We shall stop here at Pg 209. It’s already 4.40pm. Do you have any question? Is there anything that you still need me to clarify? Can you follow? Good! There are some who can. Pass the microphone to our sister Chin over there.

36.4 Questions And Answers

Q1. Sis. Chin: Bro. Teoh, I have seen in your WhatsApp sharing of the Bodhisattva vows and it’s written there - `nature of mine’. I don’t quite understand.

Bro. Teoh: It’s a very good question. This ‘human being’ is just one segment of our countless lives. We are born into this world because the law of karma brings forth the condition. The Buddha said, ‘We are all born of our Karma, heir to our Karma, conditioned and supported by our Karma; we are what we are because of our Karma’. Hence your question is very good because in the Bodhisattva vow, I use the words `this nature of mine vows’. This word your ‘nature’, the meaning is very deep. It’s not about this form and mind alone because this one is just this life’s segment. It is a ‘vehicle’ and a ‘tool’ for you to come. This ‘nature of mine’ means, all of the countless, billions of births and deaths, the billions and billions of form and mind that had come through karmic conditioning; the summation of all these, is your form and mind’s existences. That one will cumulate into a ‘nature’ which we call ‘karmic nature’ - summation of all your karmic existences. The summation of everything you do – good and bad. They are all accumulated and become your ‘karmic nature’. That’s why through this karmic nature which is recorded in the Nature’s Law, it will condition rebirth.

There is another part which we call the ‘spiritual nature’. ‘Spiritual nature’ means after ‘you’ come as the form and mind, then you develop the understanding to meditate and it enables ‘you’ to connect to that nature of yours which is your true mind via the silent mind. You can, from that moment onward inherit your spiritual nature’s perfections and cultivation to continue your present life spiritual cultivation. And when you connect, that is the moment your ‘spiritual nature’ (with whatever spiritual perfection, wisdom and virtues that you have cultivated from the distant past until now), will help you to understand the cultivation. It can only come in at that time. But if you don’t meditate, if you don’t have the ability to connect to that nature, you cannot inherit; you can only inherit your karmic nature.

When I use those words ‘this nature of mine’, it includes both the karmic and spiritual nature. Which means it’s not about you now making the vow. All of the form and mind that come in the future, they are also included. Then when you cultivate the ‘spiritual nature’, they are all connected. That’s why it will continue life after life until the full perfection. That nature is very different. Like when we vow, “Whomsoever from the distant past until now, that ‘this nature of mine’ whether knowingly or unknowingly has caused any karmic negativity or suffering or mislead, we would like to sincerely ask for forgiveness”. It means you are requesting on behalf of your nature (meaning each and every birth and death, segmented life that you have come before) that has caused any karmic negativity, etc. That’s why it’s very complete; it covers everything. Hence it is also the same for the Bodhisattva vow; it covers everything, not only this life. That ‘nature of mine’ is your entire nature, both karmic and spiritual. Sadhu! To sister Chin for asking such a good question. She will progress very fast. I really rejoice. Sadhu! X3. Okay is there any other question?

If you are not sure you should ask. Like Sis. Chin. She can learn very fast because she’s very sincere and she is a clean slate with hardly any conditioning. She just has faith, then read with faith. Whatever she doesn’t understand, she asks. All her questions thus far are all very good and related. For somebody who really wants to understand she will inquire and investigate. Then the moment, she understands she will progress again. This is how meditation should be developed. You have to be sincere to cultivate sincerely. Don’t be `paiseh’ (shy in hokkien) and feel scared to ask. This is what the thought will tell you. The thought is `paiseh’ or shy not you. But if you are sincere, you just sincerely bring forth whatever question because it will arise the causes and conditions for the Dharma to flow. Do you have any more questions? Otherwise you can meditate. We will switch off the light and you can have thirty five minutes of meditation. I will set the alarm clock for 35 minutes.

You can relax and silenced your mind, then develop the training of the mind if you need to. If you already have the ability to meditate, then you just continue with the meditation. Those who are doing the recording, if you want to pause it you can, then the battery won’t drain so fast.

( 35 minutes of meditation) - Ting! X 3.

For those who still want to meditate, you can continue. For those, who have enough, slowly and mindfully come out of the meditation. Always remember, you are here (most of the time) to stabilize this mindfulness, the silent mind and to train your mind to develop the natural state of awareness, a free mind that is not in concentration, Samatha, one-pointed ness or absorption. Relax into every mind state that arises, and then maintain the silence and awareness within to stabilize it. And when the silent mind stabilizes, it will become very different. It will enable you to develop the meditation; then it will understand. After that you have to make sure, you can bring forth this trained mind state of awareness or sati (the silent mind) to be with you so that in the midst of life you can use it to develop the daily mindfulness cumulating to heedfulness, to be ever mindful, to understand, to develop the wisdom and to insight into phenomena. Also to contemplate and cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path; all these will bring forth the way.

When you are in Sati leading to Appamāda or heedfulness, you are destined for enlightenment. So don’t try to know. Just maintain that daily mindfulness, awareness in all actions and activities daily. Then when you go back, every action, every movement, determine to be aware. When you reach home, it’s the same. When you go to office, working the cultivation is also the same. Maintain mindfulness and this daily mindfulness will arise. It will stabilize.

If you can, have a proper daily religious routine; every day when you reach home, pay respects to your altar. Early morning after you wake up, before you get to do whatever daily chores or answer nature’s call you can determine to pay respects to the Triple Gem first. If it’s urgent, that you have to answer nature’s call first then do it mindfully. After that come out with full awareness to sit (meditate) for a while. If you need to radiate loving kindness (mettā) do it. If you need to do some chanting do it. Then silent your mind to meditate for about fifteen minutes (if you can, half an hour will be very good). Then you can share and transfer merits. In the afternoon, whenever you have the free time, like lunch break or whatever, developed the ability to silence your mind and meditate. Then at night before you sleep, do the same. In between, maintain mindfulness and awareness of whatever that is going on from moment to moment. If you cultivate this way you will progress and your mind will transform. You will become different. Heedfulness will arise. Then you will understand many things including all of the dharma sharing that I have given because they come from the silent mind and you can relate to them easily.

Now we will open up for meditation reporting and Q&A (questions and answers). You can ask any questions related to the meditation or the Dharma. Pass the microphone to Sis. PG.

Q2. Sharing by Sister PG : Bro Teoh, on the way to work and while coming to our class today, I was listening to last Thursday’s dharma sharing by Sis. Eng Bee. The one thing that came to my mind is, how true it is, that we are attached to so many things including good and bad people. She started off with negative people. Then she reflected on people who are kind to her and all that. To me, it shows that we are all so attached. Towards the end of today’s sitting, it just occurs to me, that the Second Noble Truth is so true. It is our attachment and craving that leads us to all our suffering.

Every day, my mind is so restless. Now I can see that it is all due to my attachments to what I have done, from way back then until now. Very often, the mind just runs along, I could see the thoughts keep coming up. But of course, I have not reached the stage where I can be mindful enough to understand that all these thoughts coming up are just condition-arising phenomena, hence impermanent, lead to suffering when we deludedly cling and grasp. The heedless mind without the wisdom just runs along and proliferates so fast and that is the cause of all the restlessness in my life. And that’s also the reason why I can’t sleep at night. This is just part of my sharing today which I hope will help others to understand. Thank you.

Bro. Teoh: Very good! I rejoice with your latest understanding even though you still can’t cope with what has happened. To be able to see this is already a very good progress. It is the beginning of wisdom development and later on deeper understanding will follow. That’s why the Buddha said; when you can see how all these mental activities which are saṅkhāra borne of your self-delusion make you heedless and behave that way then you will understand that it is not because you do it or you make it. It’s because of the conditioning, the attachment and the self-delusion borne of wrong view. You haven’t developed the right view or ability to cope with what happened because the wisdom and the stability of understanding borne of the 2nd turning contemplation and 3rd turning direct seeing is still not there yet. It’s okay. It will come later because today is just the beginning. This is already very good because when you can see how your mind proliferates and thinks a lot via attachment borne of self-delusion as the cause of your suffering you can then reflect and contemplate until very clear then retrospectively reverse it via straightening your views.

If you reflect and check back via mindfulness you will come to realize that it’s all the old stories, the old attachment, your habitual tendencies, your wrong views and your opinions, the way you have been behaving, your conditioning, your reaction and stirring of mind. And when you look clearly, all of a sudden you will realize and understand, this is what the Buddha meant by ‘Sabbe Saṅkhāra Dukkha’. That is: all of Saṅkhāra (mental activities and thinking borne of attachment) bring about suffering, nothing else. Then like you say, they are also impermanent. You will come to understand the reason why the Buddha said, ‘Sabbe Saṅkhāra Anicca’; Anicca means Impermanence, they come and they go; they are dependent originating. You have to reflect and contemplate on all these until you understand them clearly. Then you will realize, no point thinking, holding and reacting. All these have become habitual tendencies borne of your wrong view and heedlessness. These habitual tendencies are very difficult to root out. That’s how it makes you heedless. That’s how you become what you are. When you understand, this is the cause of suffering. What must you do? You have to straighten your views. Straighten your views means what? Allow it to arise, don’t resist it, don’t suppress it, and don’t control it. Do not be afraid of it. Just allow the saṅkhāra to arise and pass away. Don’t follow. Don’t continue your old way of habitual thinking, habitual verbalization and chattering etc. Forget about it because you already knew as you were in tears just now.

If you saw that as the cause of your suffering, it means the Second Noble Truth is so true. It’s your attachment, your clinging (via self delusion) when you give meaning to them and all these seem so important to you. All these are the understanding of it. This is an initial realization, realizing that these are all Saṅkhāra (mental thinking, activities due to your wrong view, your conditioning, the way you perceive thing) and mind made are they. A phenomena world of consciousness, an illusion hence how real can it be? Then why do you still continue to react, stir and allow all these wrong thought to proliferate. This is mere delusion right? Why not, allow them to be via seeing things as they are, do not resist, do not become unhappy, do not blame yourself and do not ask why am I so heedless after hearing so much dharma, after going to so many meditation retreats. No need. You just accept them for what they are. Then there is no resistance, no suppression and no control. You allow it to be and let it flower. Then tell yourself, ‘the untrained mind without the spiritual faculties, without the stability of understanding is heedless’. It thinks a lot, these habitual tendencies have yet to be rooted out. That’s the reason why meditation is mainly about developing wisdom and the straightening of views to deal with all these. It’s not about suppressing all these through calmness, through peacefulness, through all the formal meditation, no use.

When you are peaceful in the midst of life and your mind is not in a conditioned state, the free mind does not think, does not proliferate, does not do all these. That is the real meditation, the real Samadhi, which is the real silent mind, the true mind, the meditative mind. Hence allow it to be. Do not resist it. Then through the silence, you will start to understand and witness slowly how the Saṅkhāra slows down, loses its power day by day, as you learn to accept the reality of the moment or ‘what IS’. Do not resist, do not try to do anything because all these doing, trying, control, suppressing, and resisting, they come from the thought. And thought create more mental activity and make you more heedless because thought is knowledge, thought-based knowledge.

Knowledge which is accumulation via memory arises as thought to condition one to keep on saying, ‘I must not think, I must not be heedless.’ No point because the source of heedlessness is your deluded thinking and your thinking comes from your thought and thought is response to memory. As long as you accumulate and hold on to them via memory heedlessness will continue. Why can’t you just relax, silent and let things be. Just like swimming, relax and free yourself. The natural tendency of the body is buoyancy. When you relax and don’t struggle you will float. You don’t have to learn how to float right? In a similar way, your mind, if you just relax and allow it to be, then this thinking will slow down on its own because the natural state of mind before its stirring and reaction to sense experience is stillness, silence and just aware - without thought. The moment you are without thought you are already aware. Hence the silent mind is very important. You just allow it to be, until one day, you will realize, ‘Hey! I don’t have to do anything. I just have to relax and stay silent then the silent mind just understands.’

Don’t try to know. Just be aware of the arising and passing away of all phenomena. That’s it. Don’t try to know. Don’t try to link the Dharma. Don’t try to do anything. Then the understanding will arise. It’s just like how you saw your own suffering. After a long time of observation, you will come to understand. Then the next phase is, allow it to be. Don’t resist, don’t fight, don’t control, don’t suppress! Let it be. Then everything is just the way it is, dependent-originating, conditioned arising. Without ignorance when you understand you will straighten your view and allow it to be, there is no more resistance, suppression, nor control; there is also no ‘meditator’ and ‘controller’ for the ‘controller is the controlled’ and the ‘meditator’ is the thought. When this is understood, the thought is no longer active. Then you just allow it to be or let things be.

But these habitual tendencies need wisdom to root out and it will take some time. Then like what J. Krishnamurti said, `the very flowering of that thought process is the very ending of that thought process’ because thought is energy based, dependent originating, condition arise via ignorance and delusion. When you have straightened your views and don’t feed it with anymore thought energy via delusion, when you don’t do anything, everything will start to slow down. Then you will come upon the silence and the stillness on its own via not doing anything. This is the 3rd way to overcome unwholesome thought as advised by the Buddha.

If you find difficulty with the sitting posture, you can sit on a chair like what I’m doing or you can lie down - silent and just aware. The danger is, initially when you are still not stable, you may fall asleep. Initially it’s okay. But maintain awareness within. Then later on when you are skilful, you can lie down on the floor to meditate. This is the most relaxed posture. If you know how to relax and just let things be then the silence will be there more and more and this is mindfulness. If you have trained yourself in Ānāpānasati, then do Ānāpānasati. After you come out of your meditation, you can continue with your Ānāpānasati. But you have to relax into every mind state that arises and whatever thought that arises, just let it be because when you are in this very strong continuous mindfulness, the defilements are also suppressed. It’s the same as concentration and energy field meditation. You have to relax and release it out into normal awareness. That’s why for those who do Ānāpānasati, when they are very absorbed in their meditation, they are not able to develop much wisdom because it’s a conditioned state with all the mental hindrances still suppressed. You have to release it out and then go into daily mindfulness cultivation. Train the mind to reach the stability of a normal mind (not in a conditioned state). Then use that to meditate, to live life. Use it to understand what is going on in life, to observe yourself, the movement of thought, the movement of the activities of mind (Saṅkhāra) and your aggregates of mind. You will witness all the essential Dharma within. Take for example the mindfulness of the 5 mental hindrances which is the 1st category of practice of the 4th foundation of mindfulness (Dhammānupassanā). You will start to see them according to the Sutra because when you are silent, observant and just aware you will understand how the ‘un arisen mental hindrance’ comes to be. They arise due to your wrong view at the moment of sense experience.

According to the Buddha without the stable 5 spiritual faculties the 5 mental hindrances will arise. They will hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness. These 5 mental hindrances of sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness of mind and doubt will become your habitual tendencies thereby making you heedless. If I just let it be and continue to relax and maintain silence within then sati will arise because you no longer stir the mind via wrong view to arise the mental hindrances of sensual desire and ill-will. That’s how you meditate. When you become quiet, peaceful and still and you don’t deludedly give the mental hindrances any more meaning via arising the spiritual faculties of sati, these mental hindrances will disappear and cease to be. Then you will come to realize that the original state of mind, without the wrong view to condition those Saṅkhāra’s stirring and thinking via habitual tendencies is already in the meditative state of inner peacefulness and stillness. Realizing this is wisdom.

Sati (or mindfulness) will give rise to the pure awareness - which is the original state of mind before the stirring will be there. It is already mindful, it is already aware, it is already peaceful. This is how you learn. Then like what the sutra said, ‘you will come to understand how the arisen mental hindrances cease to be, just by not doing anything, following the Buddha’s 3rd way to meditate - via just silent and aware’. To develop the more stable wisdom, you have to use the 4th way as taught by the Buddha to trace the origination factors via sati then retrospectively reverse it. It every time comes in through your senses especially via the seeing, hearing and thought mind doors. This is how you come to trace its origination factors via sati. Then don’t react or stir your mind, just allow it to be; the natural state of mind which is already aware (in Sati) will arise because without thought, you are already aware. This is how you meditate.

Regarding tracing the origination factors you have to be very mindful. It’s always from one of your senses. Your thinking is the mind door and it moves very fast. It arises every time you see something, the moment of sense impression, sense perception, seeing consciousness, hearing consciousness, thought consciousness etc. Then later on, when you are more skilful, more stable in your daily mindfulness cultivation, you can even understand how your taste and smell consciousness function; how it arises the subtle craving of sensual desire and ill will (mental hindrances) via your wrong view. You will understand them all. Then when you reflect and contemplate, you will start to understand that ‘Thing is just the way it is’.

When I am near to something smelly or pungent or with foul smell the senses will pick it up, then your mind have two choices; whether I accept the reality of the moment and be at peace with it or the moment I smell through my perception and negativity, I react. Then I will have the aversion to move away. This is how I see within my mind, how the unarisen mental hindrance of ill-will comes to be.  Why can’t I accept the reality of ‘What IS’? I am just a form and mind with the senses; when I am nearby, I will smell it. If I have to endure, I have to endure. I have to let it be, then walk pass it because thing is just the way it is. When I am near this place, the sense experiences will come. If I can accept it, I don’t have to fight it, resist it or push it away. Technically I don’t have to do anything. I just mindfully move on. If I need to walk away, then I just walk away.

The best test was: - about 20+ over years ago, I like to walk to our ‘pasar malam’ (night market in SS2) and ‘wai sek kai’ (glutton square) because at night they have a lot of nice food. At that time my mindfulness was already so stable, I ‘saw’ how the sense data come, how upon contact it triggers off consciousness, then how the mind wants to latch onto it because of habitual tendencies. With the understanding, it can accept things as they are via understanding; when your senses are there, when you are nearby, it will come and these are dependent originating, conditioned arising phenomena, saṅkhāra - mind states are they. They arise and they pass away following the law of dependent origination. That’s how the understanding frees the mind. Then it just senses. It’s just aware and it does not get lost in thought. It does not get entangled anymore. It moves on. It’s fully aware and mindful. That’s how daily mindfulness is to be cultivated. I can still decide what I want to buy. Sometimes I just walk one round then I come back didn’t buy anything. Sometimes I buy something.

Whenever I travel or move around, even while in my office, my mind is very sensitive and fully aware. It can sense many things. But it’s not involved because it understands, these are the realities. If you continue with this type of daily mindfulness cultivation via straightening your views constantly, you will progress much faster than those who just go for formal meditation and retreats to experience all those good meditation, calmness and peacefulness but never develop the daily mindfulness; never contemplate to develop the straightening of their views to develop the wisdom to cope with life, to cope with the mundane and the heedless mind, the delusion and the attachment.

You will definitely progress a lot faster. This is the real mediation, not the sitting, walking and the doing without understanding. Those are just for those who still have the mental hindrances and those whose spiritual faculties are not stable yet, to train their minds. That’s the reason why they have to do that. They have no choice. They have to anchor their mind to the object of meditation, and these are all thought-based, still involving a lot of thought-based noting and doing.

Have you not suffered enough via your delusion all these while? Do you still want to continue with all these types of gullible meditation? The moment you come out of this type of meditation retreat you are back to square one and very soon you become heedless again. Why can’t you see that? Why can’t you develop the understanding and remind yourself, ‘I need to be mindful in the midst of life. I need to have awareness. I need to have all these understanding so that I can cope with life, so that I can cope with the sense experiences arising from the six sense doors’. Do you know, they arise and pass away so fast? In the midst of life, mental activities arise and pass away so fast; sense experiences arise and pass away so fast, hence without a stable daily mindfulness leading to Heedfulness in daily life how can you cope? Without wisdom, without Yoniso Manasikāra (the wise attention at the moment of sense experience) you cannot cope with life. Then you can forget about meditation because according to Dhammapada verse 21 of the Buddha, ‘the Heedless are as if dead’ hence all these doing without understanding have got no more meaning. If you meditate without understanding then you are trying to fool yourself, deceiving yourself, thinking that you have meditated. No! The real meditation is to understand all these in the midst of life, to see your defilements, to see the essential dharma, to straighten your views and to free your mind; not to latch onto all those so called good meditation via delusion anymore and not to cling onto them anymore. Wisdom cannot be developed via knowledge. It is only possible to develop it via the silent mind that sees and understands all these. If you are serious about life, serious about meditation, you will see them through your silent mind.

That’s the reason why meditation is about training this mind to be aware, stabilizing it, developing the spiritual faculties to overcome the mental hindrances. When you have cultivated the 5 spiritual faculties until they are very stable, your mindfulness will be there. You will be mindful naturally. You can meditate very easily in any posture, anywhere, anytime and anyplace. The problem with human beings is, initially they are already heedless because they haven’t developed the opposite 5 spiritual faculties to cope with their mental hindrances. Hence they don’t know what to do. Just like your case, you only start to see how it affects you and how it torments you. The Second Noble Truth is so true and clear to you only now.

If this is the case then you have to determine and inquire, ‘How can I develop the wisdom to free my mind? How can I come out of it? How can I develop the wisdom, especially the contemplative wisdom of the Second Turning to free?’ Reflect on the Dharma that the Buddha has taught us. Reflect on what I have shared with you. I have introduced a lot of skilful means, a lot of understanding for you to awaken, to liberate, for you to understand and not to be gullible anymore. These are all the understanding that can help you straighten your views.

I used to advise you as follows: ‘whenever you are not peaceful and not happy, the mental hindrances are there’. This is how you check for defilements. You will come to realize that you have been holding onto all these (likes and dislikes and pleasant and unpleasant reaction of mind) all the while. That’s why most of the time you are heedless and not peaceful; to sleep also you have difficulty. But now, at least, you can see that these are the causes of suffering. Then when you relate it to the Dharma you will understand: No wonder, the Buddha said. `Sabbe Saṅkhāra’ (all of these mental activities) led to suffering. And why did the Buddha say, `Sabbe Saṅkhāra Aniccam’? Why did he say, they are impermanent? As I had explained, you have to reflect and contemplate until you understand. Saṅkhāra are mental activities and they arise and they pass away. That’s why they are impermanent; they are condition-arising, dependent origination, based on your views and opinions. Wrong views create wrong thoughts. You have to understand what constitutes wrong thoughts. Only then can you determine to arise the right effort to abandon them because these are evil thoughts that are unfit for attention according to the Sabbāsava Sutta.

Then things that you have to endure, you have to endure. For precepts, you have to restrain yourself. You have to restrain from killing, causing harm etc. When condition is harsh, you have to endure, you have to endure. Dangerous situation you have to avoid. For some defilements you have to overcome them through wisdom, you have to reflect and contemplate and develop the understanding to straighten your views. When you have the ability to see what constitutes evil and wrong thoughts then you can arise the right effort to abandon them straight away via using the 5 ways as taught by the Buddha. The first two ways are thought based, then the third way is meditative followed by the fourth way which is the wisdom way.

After you have the ability to abandon them, you can arise the right effort to prevent them from arising the next time. The moment you see or hear you will know, the habitual tendencies (your old way of reaction to sense experience, they will come again. Then you can use your understanding, your wisdom to stop it via saying, ‘Enough! You have caused me enough suffering before.’ Then it ceases to be. The defilements move with the same pattern. You just aware and you will understand, just like what happened to Sis. Alicia. After 16 years of severe depression, she just came out of it after having this understanding. There is no need for any medication or to visit the Psychiatrists anymore. After that every time the thought tries to arise, to let her think the old way, the negative way, she will just say, `Enough’, then finish! ‘You have tormented me for so long. That’s it, enough! That is so stupid of me!’ She can do it now because of her new understanding.

Later on, when you start to cultivate more of these, right thoughts, wholesome thoughts, love, mettā, borne of right views, this will be your new way of living life, the heedful way, the wholesome and righteous way. This training will help you de-condition your heedless thinking and do away with all the wrong thoughts. Later on, you don’t need to have the right effort to abandon the wrong thoughts or prevent them from arising anymore because you will be always cultivating the right effort to arise the right thoughts that are still not in you, like sincerity, generosity, gentleness, pleasantness, kindness, goodness, the good emotion - 好脾气 (hǎo Pí qì’). Good emotions mean you will not behave like last time via selfishness and delusion. That is cultivating the 3rd right effort to cultivate the right thought, right speech, right action and right living and livelihood that are still not in you followed by the last or 4th right effort to refine upon and perfect all those right thoughts, right speech, right action, wholesomeness and understanding that you have already cultivated. Then you will have a lot of gratitude, a lot of respect for others and you will rejoice whenever there is wholesomeness. You will rejoice in the goodness of what people do - their wholesomeness. No more envy and jealousy. You don’t perceive people with negativity anymore. You will come to realize, all these understanding can help straighten your views and when you have right views it will condition your right thoughts then you become beautiful and wholesome. Your mind becomes so different and people will like you. The animals will like you, all the beings, they can feel you. Then your nature shines forth. There is an aura that is rather radiant and very different. They become your karmic inheritance. Then you become beautiful. That’s how you transform and this is what meditation is all about; then your cultivation becomes beautiful and this will transform you from a heedless deluded way of living into a heedful wholesome way of living life. Then your life becomes so different. There is so much love, so much understanding and so much joy. Then life takes a turn and become so meaningful. You can experience all of the pristine beauties and wonders of life. You see life in a different light, not like before, every day getting angry, unhappy, stressful, miserable, running around here and there, holding onto this, holding onto that, worry about this and that, etc. That is crazy, heedless living with so much suffering and so much misery. Why can’t I develop the understanding to be more aware, to be at peace with every moment and every situation in life? Then I can get to experience all of the pristine beauties and wonders of life.

I can be with the moment more and more, more and more, with more and more joy. If I don’t think, don’t carry things or all those burdens around, don’t worry about them, then I am at peace. Why do you have to worry? Why do you carry? All these come from delusion, due to your wrong views. You don’t have right view. You don’t have faith in your own karma. That’s why you project your thoughts and you worry so much. If you have faith, if you have followed the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil, do good and purify the mind, take the Bodhisattva vows, your nature will be beautiful.

You will have the ability to avoid all the negative conditions that can lead to negativities of karma. Then all these beautiful understanding and cultivation will help arise the conditions for good karma to come, for you to receive your good karmic inheritance and your spiritual nature will also come. Then when you continue to develop the purification of mind, the wisdom, you become more and more beautiful, you become more wholesome and virtuous. And this is what meditation is all about. Not all the sitting, the walking and doing of all those funny things without proper understanding. They have no choice but to do them because they have not trained their minds. They don’t have the spiritual faculties. They don’t understand this very important point and they still think what they have been doing all these while is meditation. That is the most gullible because that is just a skilful means to train their heedless minds. But most of them don’t understand and instead go into energy field via focusing and concentrating their mind. That’s why they cannot progress. They get trapped there via clinging to the peacefulness and the calmness of mind.

All these peacefulness, calmness and stillness of mind will come when you have the correct understanding to meditate because these are by products of meditation. But there are 2 types of meditation. If you go into energy field, then it is Samatha bhāvanā and you develop all the calmness and peace - that is also one way to get it. The other one is the wisdom way via Vipassanā insight. You just silent your mind and allow it to develop the understanding; this one is very peaceful and harmonious. The calmness, the stillness, the quietness come from understanding, come from a free mind that doesn’t hold and cling because of the understanding.

That’s why if you cultivate the wisdom way there is this Upekkhā (equanimity) enlightenment factor borne of wisdom as opposed to the other one. That one, you have to be in energy field which is a conditioned state, to be peaceful, calm and still but the defilements, anusayas (latent tendencies) are still inside, not rooted out yet because they are all suppressed by the energy fields generated to make the mind still. That one cannot cope with life, that one cannot understand life, that one cannot live life. That’s the reason why when you understand these two differences, you will not be gullible. You will not be doing all those thought based meditation. You will just know what to do, what is important, what is essential. If you need to train the mind, train it. If you need to build up the spiritual faculties build them up and be patient. Then have a good religious routine, develop daily mindfulness and I can assure you - you will progress very fast. Then contemplate to straighten your views. This is what meditation is all about. Okay? We should thank Sis. PG for asking the good question and providing the good condition for this beautiful sharing to be possible! Sadhu! (3x)

We still have two minutes. Do you have any more questions? …. Ah! Pass the mic (microphone) to our sister. Today’s recording I hope it is in order. The dharma shared can help many people.

Q3. Sis. Chin: Bro Teoh, it’s actually not a question. I would like to share my experience. That day I think it is a Tuesday class after I listen to its recording about the consciousness - I don’t quite understand yet I tried to listen. So during that night, I was in deep sleep and my mind like ‘awakened’. It is not with full clarity but it is good enough for me to be aware of my body. I don’t call it body because it’s like white foam. It’s just the awareness of it, full of vibration. Then when the mind tried to understand, the concept of the body starts to arise, and then I felt the vibration again. Then it continued for one or two minutes. Then it went back.

Bro. Teoh: Very, very good! I rejoice! Sadhu! (3x) When you really meditate with understanding, it becomes like that. You can see, her mindfulness is good, that’s why she can feel her whole bodily vibration and there is no word or concept of a body. Because when you are in the state of awareness, you can feel the whole thing. But there is no word. Then when she tried to understand - that’s when the thought tried to come out and relate it. Then she saw how the creation, how the solidity came back. This is what meditation is all about; this is what that mind is all about. When you are fully aware, you will understand that the true mind and the mundane mind are so different. The moment perception arises, the aggregates of mind arise and the mundane mind arises. That’s why she saw. And this is what meditation is all about and this is how you develop understanding and wisdom. This is how beautiful it can be. That’s why I rejoice with her good progress. Sadhu! (3x)

Continue with your cultivation to develop the training further. Do not be complacent, otherwise you can lose it. So this is meditation. That’s why I said, you must have faith. You must have a simple mind, listen attentively and give it a try. Have an open mind. When you contemplate and reflect and come to a realization that what I have shared with you (regarding those thought based meditation they do) is so true, i.e. it will not lead them anywhere, then you will no longer be gullible. Otherwise you can be wasting a lot of your precious time year in and year out; sometimes for thirty years, forty years, doing the same thing and you are still back to square one, not much change except maybe Dharma knowledge wise. For these people, when they sit, they are calmer and more peaceful. But when they don’t sit, they are back to square one and yet they still don’t understand. They still think they are meditating. In the midst of life if you cannot be heedful and mindful, you don’t stand a chance. The reason being, the Buddha said it very clearly under Dhammapada verse 21, ‘the heedless are as if dead (spiritually). Heedlessness is the path to the dead’. Without heedfulness, you don’t stand a chance. Okay. Good! And I rejoice (Sadhu! x3). I hope it’s recorded. We should end because my brother from Alor Star is coming over. We will do the sharing and transfer of merits etc. – the closing puja.

36.5 Closing Pūjā

Closing Pūjā chanting: (covering the sharing of merits, transference of merits, invoking the blessing for our nation and making of aspiration etc. The class ends with reverential salutation via mindful bow of respect to Lord Buddha, Guan Yin Bodhisattva and all the Worthy Ones).

46th Lesson Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra dated 14th May 2017

White Board Note of 46th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

A very good afternoon brothers and sisters in the Dharma. Today is 14th May 2017, a Sunday at Wu Pin Chin Seah Vihāra and we will be having our 46th lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra class. Before we start as usual we shall do our puja. Compose your mind, develop the saddhā (faith), the vīriya and mindfully we shall commence the puja chanting.

46.1.  Pūjā

We shall pay our respects first before we start the pre-pūjā chanting:

Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó (南无本师释迦牟尼佛) (3x)

Nā Mó Guān Shì Yīn Pú Sà (南无观世音菩萨) (3x)

Nā Mó Fó Púsà (3x) (南无佛菩薩) (3x)

Salutation to Lord Buddha:-

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsaṃbuddhassa (3X)

Taking of the Three Refuges:-

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Dutiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Tatiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Renewing of the Five Precepts:-

Pānātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Surā-meraya-majja-pamā-daṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Rejoicing)

Now let us pay respect mindfully to the Triple Gems to end the pre-pūjā:

Buddhaṃ pujemi; Dhammaṃ pujemi; Saṅghaṃ pujemi.

46.2.  Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

You all can be seated. Please turn to page 1 of the text on Verse for Opening a Sutra:

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning

Please turn to page 236 and we will continue from there.

46.2.1  Chapter VI Repentance and Reform (page 236)

Sutra (page 236):

“Good Knowing Advisors, now that you have made the four all-encompassing vows, I will transmit the precepts of the triple refuge that has no mark. Good Knowing Advisors, take refuge with the enlightened, the honoured, and the doubly complete. Take refuge with the right, the honoured that is apart from desire. Take refuge with the pure and the honoured among the multitudes.”

This is the sutra part. Then let us go into the commentary by Master Hsuan Hua.

Commentary:

Take refuge with the Buddha; the Buddha is enlightened.

Enlightenment is simply the Buddha. The Buddha is nothing but enlightenment.

The Buddha is “doubly complete” because he has perfected both blessings and wisdom.

That’s why we always contemplate on the 9 great virtues of the Buddha. These 9 great virtues symbolize what Buddha is all about. He is not only enlightened, he is fully enlightened and because of that, he has these two very unique perfections which we call the doubly perfect - meaning he is perfect in both wisdom and virtue. So you can relate to the Buddha as a very unique being who is supposed to be the wisest and most virtuous living being ever to be born. This doubly perfect means he has completed the training to develop wisdom and virtue and he has reached the pinnacle of both. That’s why he is called the doubly perfect.

Commentary:

Take refuge with the Dharma which is “right” and proper. Do not take refuge with deviant teachings, heavenly demons, or heterodox religions. Take refuge with the genuine Buddha Dharma which is the “honoured that is apart from desire.” Everyone has sexual desire and it actually kills people. Why don’t we realize Buddha hood? It is because of desire, greed, hatred and stupidity which accompany it. We study the Buddha Dharma in order to get rid of desire and cut off love. The absence of lust is the honoured that is apart from desire.

So this is Hsuan Hua’s commentary. Then the third one is:

Commentary:

Take refuge with the Sangha; the Sangha is pure and its members are called “pure fields of merit.” True, genuine cultivators should maintain the precept against handling money. Without money, you are pure; with money you are dirty.

This again is Hsuan Hua’s interpretation because according to him, he thinks ‘without money, you are pure; with money you are dirty.’  When one doesn’t have the understanding one will think that way. This precept is introduced to prevent the monks from becoming greedy. The precept is – not to touch money. But they have to understand the deep meaning behind it. The Buddha said, one has to abstain from touching money otherwise temptations can arise.

During the early days, in the 8 precepts; if you may recall, the Buddha said you have to abstain from taking solid food after the allowable time, which is mid-day at the place where you are and you are to abstain from all those dancing, singing, sleeping on high and comfortable bed etc. All these you have to understand - they are precepts laid out for those who are still under training. If you are under training, you need to observe these precepts. Otherwise it can lead to downfall. This is to prevent sensual indulgence, desire, lust and craving. Otherwise sensual indulgence and craving can arise due to delusion. All these have been laid down as pātimokkha or monks’ precepts for training purpose only.

But when it comes to money you cannot blame money or technology for all those downfall or vices that happen. It is the user of money and technology that is more important. If the user has wisdom and understanding, then they can touch money and money becomes beautiful and useful for it serves its purpose; it’s the same for technology.

In one of the sutras if you may recall, there was an incident when Venerable Ananda came and talked to the Buddha and said, “We have somebody here and his teacher taught him this teaching which is very good.” Do you remember? That particular person came and told Ananda, “My teacher teaches: see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Then by virtue of that, you will become virtuous; you will become wise and enlightened”. The Buddha reprimanded Venerable Ananda saying, “Foolish one. When did I teach you such dharma? You are supposed to see, hear, communicate and yet there is no evil arising. That is the teaching; not to suppress and avoid all these because your desire, your delusion and your greed are still there.”

So if you don’t develop wisdom to confront them via understanding, to see their impermanent universal characteristics leading to suffering, non-self and empty nature, you cannot free your mind, you cannot liberate. Hence all these precepts are laid down to prevent downfall initially because you have not developed the understanding as yet.

It is just like the first five precepts where you have to develop the understanding via right view with regards to the law of karma. Then you will know that the law of karma is so powerful because we are born of our karma, heir to our karma, conditioned and supported by our karma and we are what we are because of our karma. Knowing this - i.e. all of our life is almost 100% due to our karma because we are born of our karma, heir to our karma, conditioned and supported by it and we are what we are because of it. So what must we do? We have to take care of our karma, right? (Note: only the form and mind is subject to karma.) Then how do you take care of karma? You have to avoid all evil, do good and purify the mind following the advice of all Buddha. How to avoid all evil? The Buddha recommended that you keep your precepts. But you have to investigate into why the Buddha said you must keep the precepts. Why must you abstain from all those things? If you don’t abstain, it will lead to karmic negativity. Then you have to check, who are the people who violate karma? They are evil people with the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. Then you will understand why you have to abstain, why you have to maintain the precepts. As we cultivate with this understanding, we can avoid a lot of potential karmic negativities or causes for karmic negativities to arise. That’s the reason why the Buddha said all cultivations have to start with Sīla. The three steps or approaches that you need to take to cultivate the teachings are: Sīla, Samadhi and Paññā.

Sīla is morality or precepts and Samadhi is the trained mind which is collected and unwavering. This mind is very stable, collected and unwavering. With your mind in Samadhi you will have the ability to see things as they are, then wisdom will arise and this is the one that can liberate the mind via understanding. When you have understanding, you will awaken. That’s how you cultivate.

So the purpose of precepts or the monks’ rules which is the pātimokkha is to develop the training of the mind so that you don’t have so much karmic negativities. And when you are without karmic negativities, you stand a better chance because they are the conditions for you to cultivate. If you break your precepts, if you don’t have these training rules to train you, you will keep on creating karmic negativities. So without Sīla, it is very difficult for the mind to enter Samadhi. It’s very difficult to train your mind to develop the meditation. You will know why isn’t it? If you break your precepts, you will have a lot of mental hindrances. You will have a lot of karmic negativities that will bring about situations that will make you less peaceful.

Also without morality you cannot develop the goodness, the wholesomeness and the merits. And without the merits, the wholesomeness, you cannot have the good conditions to allow you to come and train your mind, to meditate. So that is the reason why precepts were introduced initially for you to avoid all evils so that you can have better conditions to train your mind. Your mind will have less karmic negativities, less fear, worries, anxieties, sorrow, lamentation and karmic fruition; then you will have a more peaceful mind with less restlessness, less agitation and fewer mental hindrances. After you have the mindfulness you will have the ability to avoid evil, then you can start to develop the other aspects of goodness via the 4 right efforts.

The first right effort is to abandon the wrong thought, action and speech that have arisen. That is to do away with all action, speech and thought that have the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. Then when you have the wisdom and understanding developed, you can prevent them from arising. This is the first stage of cultivation where you need to make sure from now onwards; you will not introduce any more karmic negativity into your life conditions so that you will have the good conditions to allow only the good karma from your past to arise because by doing so, you have set the base for goodness or virtue to arise.

But if you don’t keep your precept or Sīla, it’s very difficult to develop Samadhi, the second stage of cultivation. That’s the reason why the Buddha emphasized a lot on Sīla or morality. This is the virtue that you need to enable you to walk the path of dharma, to train your mind, to arise the causes and conditions through your mental aspirations. You can invoke the merits for causes and conditions to avoid the foolish and meet up the wise so that enlightenment in the here and the now can be realized as soon as possible. Then you can invoke the power of truth. Without Sīla, all these will not be possible. Therefore sīla is very important.

In the commentary by Master Hsuan Hua, he didn’t explain this deeper meaning. They are just like ordinary people who will advise you not to touch money because they believe the precept has a good reason for it. But they don’t understand that this precept is only needed during the initial phase of training because before you have the wisdom and the understanding and before Samadhi kicks in, you cannot stabilize your mind, to have the clarity to see things as they are, to insight into phenomena and to realize their universal characteristics thereby giving rise to the wisdom. You still cannot deal with defilements as yet because the mundane mind is still deluded and egoistic.

The teaching is staged out into Sīla, Samadhi and Paññā for you to understand. That’s the reason why when you are under training, you have to observe your precepts. You cannot play the fool with them. You have to uphold them. But the moment you have Samadhi that leads to the awakening and understanding, then the ‘form and mind’ which is the user of thought and the user of money and technology becomes wise; that user has wisdom and understanding. Then thought becomes right thought and money becomes wholesome and technology can be put to good use. Then precept is no longer applicable to such people because these precepts are only for people who are still under training. That’s why in the teaching; there is such a thing as beyond training; sekha and asekha. Sekha are those still under training. Asekha are those beyond training. When you are beyond training, then you will come to understand that these training rules are put in place for those who are still undergoing the training because they haven’t yet developed the wisdom.

It’s similar to traffic lights; why does the government introduce traffic lights? Of course everybody knows that it is to regulate traffic. So their purpose and intent is to regulate traffic. What happens if the traffic light is no longer functioning, like when there is a short circuit or something is wrong and it is no longer performing that function? If you are rigid about rules, what will you do? You see the red light and you say, “No, red light means stop, you cannot go” and then you wait. You wait until the people at the back honk at you because it’s not serving its purpose anymore. If it is not serving its purpose anymore; you must not be gullible, you must not be rigid. You must not just say ‘because the Buddha said so’ hence you cannot do this and you cannot do that. The Buddha never said you cannot do, the Buddha said you undertake the training rule to abstain from doing it. You have to understand why you have to abstain? It’s because it will lead to evil and downfall. That’s why you cannot do it. Then the abstinence from money is the same. There is a big difference between the abstinence from touching money and the first 5 precepts. Even though the precept says you have to abstain from accepting or touching money, it does not mean that when you touch money you have committed negativity of karma. This is because it is not like the first precept - when you kill or harm, you have violated the precepts. But if you use the money negatively then only you have violated the karmic law, do you understand? The precept on money is needed when one is under training because the moment they touch or accept money before they have the Samadhi and the wisdom they can be tempted to use it out of greed and delusion leading to negativity of karma.

Similarly, when you understand this, you will understand why the precepts are phrased in such a way. You will always see the last few words, ‘veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi’. That means ‘I undertake the training rule to abstain from doing something’. So that is the reason why I always emphasize to you all that the dharma is to be cultivated with understanding. Meditation is to be done with understanding. Why do you take the precepts? Why do you take the refuge? Why do you do the puja? All these need understanding and when you understand, you will do it well, via doing it with understanding. Even meditation is the same. So when you read the commentary, you have to understand. They didn’t explain the last part. They go by the book, which is the precept. The commentary said: ‘Without money, you are pure. With money you are dirty’. Do you agree with that sentence? Cannot be, isn’t it? Without wisdom, even without money, you are still not pure. How can they say without money, you are pure? If they word it differently, then maybe it’s more meaningful. Without money, chances are you will not become greedy because you don’t have the chance to own the money. Then you will not think of stealing or misappropriating the money. That is the meaning. If they don’t allow you to touch money, it means it’s done out of love and compassion for you because before you develop the understanding and the wisdom, it is advisable that you don’t touch it. It will lead to downfall. In a way it’s like drugs, do you understand? You touch them but if you don’t take them, you are still ok. But chances are, if you own them or you are given, you will try it. Then through your delusion, your craving and desire, you will get yourself into trouble, you can get addicted. So that part is not taught. But I haven’t read the rest of the commentary so I don’t know whether it will be explained later or not.

Master Hui Neng’s meaning is different. You read the sutra. He only talks about taking refuge with the Triple Gem, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. But in Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary he said: ‘Take refuge with the Sangha; the Sangha is pure and its members are called “pure fields of merit”, which is true. True genuine cultivators should maintain the precepts, which are also true because the precepts include - against handling money. But the next sentence you have to careful, ‘Without money you are pure, with money you are dirty.’ Ah, that one, you have to contemplate and you will understand what I mean. This statement is no longer true. It assumes that if you are with money, you will use it negatively. That is because that person is deluded. Whether with money or without money, that person is deluded. To say that without money you are pure, there is no such thing. Ok, we shall go on.

Commentary:

Members of the Sangha who truly wish to cultivate should stay away from money.

They should add in the word, ‘initially’ stay away from money.

On the other hand, without money you cannot nourish the Way, you cannot cultivate.

Although you need money, you should not be attached to it.

Ah, this part is correct; you should not be attached to it.

. …… and depend on its source, thinking all day, “Who has several million in the bank?

I’ll go and beg from him. Then I can build a temple or a school or perhaps print an edition of the Tripitaka as a meritorious activity.” That’s just profit seeking.

You are just seeking for merits and all those things.

While in Manchuria there was a short period during which money and I parted company.

I never touched money for a good reason. Living in the temple where I lived when I left home were forty or fifty bhikshus, but sometimes as few as ten. When I first arrived at the temple, the abbot was out begging and none of the bhikshus knew me. “I know the abbot,” I said, and they welcomed me.

The word ‘begging’ is not appropriate, it should be ‘out for alms round’.

After leaving home, I practised austerities, but not the ones you practise.

You type, translate Sutras, and meditate, but in the big rural temple where I live was a lot of outside work to be done. Sweeping the courtyard alone took an hour.

My first job was to clean the toilets, which weren’t flush toilets, but pit toilets, and every day the waste had to be removed because the cultivators did not want to smell the odour.

They gave this work to me because I had just left home and had not yet cut off my attachment to smells. I did it every day and didn’t mind too much.

This was referring to Master Hsuan Hua’s early days’ situation that he had to go through.

I got up at two in the morning to prepare the hall for services.

When it snowed I swept the walkways so that they were clear at four when everyone else got up. When the abbot returned and saw me he said, “So you have come!”

“Yes,” I said, “I have.” After I had formally left home, he called a meeting, wishing to elect me as manager, a position second only to the abbot.

Is the manager called 当家 (dāngjiā), the person who manages everything on behalf of the abbot? I think so, right?

When the abbot retires, the manager or当家 (dāngjiā), becomes the new abbot. So everyone objected. “He has just left home,” they said. “How can he possibly be manager?”

“Very well,” said the abbot. “Let’s go before the image of Wei Tou Bodhisattva and draw Names.”…..

Do you all know who Wei Tou is? He is a Dharma protector, Wéi Tuó Púsà (韦陀菩萨).

…Oddly enough, they drew three times and my name came up each time.

No one said a word because I had been elected by Wei Tou Bodhisattva himself.

Later, when the abbot wanted to make me an administrator, I said, “All right, but I will not touch money. Other people must handle and count it. That was my condition.”

So administrator is the当家，not the manager as I had thought earlier on. As a monk, you should have this kind of understanding because the rules are meant to train you. In the Theravada tradition the monk will have a kappiya to manage all the offerings and money on his behalf. But if you have in the past, been deceiving people, cheating people or as kappiya you are not honest, then when you become a monk, you will have kappiya who will in turn cheat on you, not honest to you and all these are possible. Let us continue.

Commentary:

Unusual things happened while I held this precept.

Whenever I went to the train station I would sit and wait for someone who knew me to come and offer to buy me a ticket. If no one came I just waited, but strangely enough whenever I went to the station someone will come forward to buy me a ticket.

If you don’t handle money, you are pure. If you keep even one cent, you are unclean.

Take refuge with the Sangha, which occupies the purest, highest, and most venerable Position “the honoured among the multitudes.”

So this is Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary. This is how he did it, which is very good. There is one part, which I need to explain to you. In the Theravada tradition when the Buddha started this pindapata (going for alms round) tradition, he did it with a very important understanding. There must be a synergy between the lay community who offer and the receiver of the alms. That’s the reason why monks who go forth must have this understanding too. To be a monk, technically, you have to be worthy of offering or must have a lot of virtues. You have to have a lot of pāramī (perfections) from the past. If you believe in your virtues, in your pāramī, then you can keep the precepts well just like what Master Hsuan Hua went through because those pāramī will come to fruition. Then whenever you need anything, you will be able to receive it because this is your pāramī which you have cultivated before. That’s why during the Buddha’s time, whenever they want to go to a remote place which is very cold, chances are you won’t be offered warm clothing and food. The Buddha knew hence he said you take along this disciple because he has got a lot of pāramī. He had donated and offered a lot of warm clothing in the past before. So even when they are there at a remote place, there will be people there to offer them warm clothing.

Then the others are food and shelter. So you must have those pāramī. If you keep to that understanding which is the right view and you have the faith in your cultivation then you will be alright. Just like what happened to Ajahn Jagaro; he has been a monk of many years and he told me there were only 2 occasions where he was not able to get food and during those 2 occasions, he did not eat. The rest of the occasions, he would surely receive offerings from the lay community.

If you have those understanding and your pāramī is there and you follow the advice of the Buddha, which is to keep the pātimokkha accordingly then you will do well. That’s why they always advise the forest monk or the dhutaṅga monk, to live nearby a village where you can go for pindapata. It should not be too far and too near because by the time you go out and come back and have your meal, you should do it before noon. Sometimes they have to leave early if it is a bit far. Then they have to endure the harsh terrain, conditions and climate so that they can come back before noon to eat their meal. Then only they can have time to cultivate. As they go for pindapata, they also cultivate mindfulness (daily mindfulness) and all those other training. These are the pātimokkha or monks’ training rules and precepts that the Buddha introduced for monks to train. If you can keep to the monk’s precepts, the pātimokkha which has 227 rules, it will train you very well in developing mindfulness - for you have to be mindful of so many things under the pātimokkha; do you understand? Then when you can be mindful over all these things, your mindfulness will become very stable or become a part of you. Everything that you come to experience, or encounter or come into contact, you have to reflect and contemplate mindfully. Is this allowable? Am I worthy of the food? Am I keeping the pātimokkha? Did I violate any part of the pātimokkha? All these are training rules.

You have to be constantly aware and with that type of training you will definitely become enlightened. Like the Buddha said, “Heedfulness is the path to the deathless; the heedful never dies whereas the heedless are as if dead.” So the moment you decide to renounce the world whether as a monk or not as a monk - you have already determined to train yourself to be mindful and heedful because renunciation is inwardly. Then you are destined for enlightenment because according to the Buddha the heedful never dies and Heedfulness is the path to the deathless - the Buddha’s teaching is very clear. This is the reason why you have to determine and aspire to cultivate and develop all these training; to develop the 5 spiritual faculties and the essential dharma leading to the understanding and constantly work on the cultivation starting with Sīla, then Samadhi and Panna which is essentially the cultivation of the noble 8-fold path. Then within the noble 8-fold path, all the essential practices are there; the four foundation of mindfulness, which include Ānāpānasati, mindfulness of the 4 postures, the daily mindfulness etc.

Cultivate the right views leading to right thought, right speech, right action and right livelihood. Then develop the 4 right efforts to constantly purify and improve on yourself. Then right Sati and Samadhi will follow. That’s how the cultivation can become beautiful and you can perfect it. These are the essential understandings that are not taught. So this is the part I want you to pay attention to. I have added it in because this is the understanding that I came to realize but is not mentioned by others. Now we will move on to the next part of the sutra, page 238.

Do you have any questions? You can raise your hand and I will pass the mike to you so that we can discuss it further. Since there is no question we shall move on. This is the sutra part.

Sutra (page 238):

‘From this day forward, we call enlightenment our master and will never again take refuge with deviant demons or outside religions. We constantly enlighten ourselves by means of the Triple Jewel of our own self-nature.’

“Good Knowing Advisors, I exhort you all to take refuge with the Triple Jewel of your own nature: the Buddha, which is enlightenment, the Dharma, which is right(teaching), and the Sangha, which is pure.

The Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha, they are the Triple Gem. What are gemstones? They are the most precious among the precious stones. So when you take refuge with the Triple Gem it means these are really precious Gems the most precious among the precious stones. That’s why they are called gemstones. The reason why they are so precious is because you can only find the teaching within the Triple Gem.

Take for example the first gem, which is the Buddha himself. Who is the Buddha? Is it the image? If it is not the image, then who is the Buddha? Of course you can tell me he is not only enlightened but also fully enlightened. He is the embodiment of his perfection of wisdom and virtue. That’s what the Buddha is. Those qualities, nobody can take away from him. Even by destroying his image, by abusing his name, the Buddha is never affected because that is not him. That image or rūpa is for you to recall to mind the 9 great virtues of the Buddha. That’s why they are objects of veneration. They are not the Buddha. This understanding is very important. If you have this understanding, you can cultivate correctly. With this understanding your mind is different. You are not gullible like other people. You will not become affected or afflicted when someone does something to the image and you will not go and say, “How can this guy be so disrespectful?” Like what they called the Banyan people of Afghanistan when they destroyed the Buddha images using modern weapons. Many Buddhists around the world got very agitated and very unhappy. They said they (the Banyans) never respect our Buddha and all those things with all the big hue and cry.

Luckily when I saw the comments, at that time, on the Internet, I wrote a very simple explanation and after that all quieted down. Before that, the emails came non-stop and some people were getting very emotional and unhappy with what the Banyans were doing. Everybody was giving their very unhappy views. Then I said, “That is the image and not the Buddha. The Buddha is the embodiment of his perfection of virtues and wisdom.”  And you have to understand that only the spiritual nature with its perfection of wisdom and virtue is the Buddha, not the image. The Buddha took the wisdom path and taught the 4 Noble Truths which is the essence of his teaching.

He is the Buddha, a fully enlightened one and because of that he will have the teaching. That’s why you must take refuge in the Buddha because the Buddha is the embodiment of his 9 great virtues, resulting from his perfection of all virtues and wisdom. Then the Dharma is the teaching that the Buddha proclaimed or brought forward to the world after he became the Samma Sambuddha. That one can really awaken you, that is the reason why it is a true refuge.

Then the Sangha are the enlightened disciples of the Buddha who have already realized the truth. That’s why they will also have the teaching and this is true refuge. If you take refuge in them then you are safe because the Buddha under the Dhammapada verse said, “There is no other refuge safe outside of the Triple Gem”. Only in the Triple Gems is there refuge safe because only in them you can find the teaching, the 4 Noble Truths. And these 4 Noble Truths can liberate your mind and awaken you. That’s the reason why you have to take refuge in them. So this is a very profound understanding. And this part we will have to read through it because the sutra did mention this. The commentary part, we will go through afterwards and see what it says. We will now continue from page 239.

Sutra (page 239):

“When your mind takes refuge with enlightenment, deviant confusion does not arise. Desire decreases, so that you know contentment and are able to keep away from wealth and from the opposite sex. That is called the honoured, the doubly complete. When your own mind takes refuge with what is right, there are no deviant views in any of our thoughts. Because there are no deviant views, there is no self, others, arrogance, greed, love, or attachment. That is called the honoured that is apart from desire.

When your own mind takes refuge with the pure, your self-nature is not stained by attachment to any state of defilement, desire or love. That is called the honoured among the multitudes.”

So this is the explanation of the sutra regarding the Triple Gem. We shall move on.

Commentary:

To lessen desire, it is not enough to be a vegetarian and to read Sutras. You must cut off all sexual desire:

If one does not cast out thoughts of lust, One will never escape the dust.

So this is Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation through his commentary. The first part is very interesting and meaningful. To lessen desire, it is not enough to be just a vegetarian and just read sutra. This part I think you can understand. If you claim to be a vegetarian, this is outward form dharma. It does not mean that if you are a vegetarian, you are more compassionate. Do you know why? You can claim you are a vegetarian but if you have not developed the cultivation as yet, what difference does it make? You can claim to be a vegetarian but you have not cultivated the dharma and the teaching which means you are still deluded. So how can there be love and compassion? Love and compassion come from cultivation. If you cultivate until you understand, then automatically, you go vegetarian – that is good because that is based on understanding. But if you only hear people say, “Hey, you better become a vegetarian for it will make you more compassionate and pure”. Then through believing, you do it without cultivating the understanding via mindfulness leading to the heedfulness; this has not much meaning.

What happens is that you never get to see your self-delusion, your own evil roots. Without cultivating the mind, wisdom cannot arise. You will still be what you are, meaning a puthujjana and still deluded. So outward form dharma cultivation or what they call outward form level cultivation does not give understanding for you have not moved on to cultivate the mind dharma. You have not developed the training of the mind to develop Samadhi to awaken to the truth. So the first part is useful. As per what Master Hsuan Hua had shared – ‘to lessen desire it is not enough to be just a vegetarian and to read sutras. You must cut off all desire.’ Here he also emphasized on sexual desire because he believed people find it very difficult to cut off sexual desire but the correct explanation should be - you should cut off all craving, all desire and all attachment in whatever form.

It’s just like what I have explained before; if there is good food, if there is condition for you to have it, you can have it as long as you don’t get attached and you don’t develop craving and the desire for it when there is no condition to have it. That understanding is very important. That’s why there must be understanding behind contentment. Attachment and craving have the deep rooted evil root of greed behind. When there is no condition for you to have, yet you want it, then it becomes a craving, a desire. Then it will make you miserable. It afflicts you because there is a very strong craving to get what you want.

When you understand that there is condition for things to arise, then use it. Just like this form and mind, if the condition arises for you to be born into a wealthy family, to receive all these because of your pāramī, then use it. Rejoice in it. Also thank your good karma. But don’t be deluded by it. Don’t cling and be attached to it. Don’t be miserable when this thing is no longer around when you don’t have the condition to have them. This non-greed is very important. That understanding of it will not make you rigid, gullible and deluded. Otherwise you will become the other extreme like what I explain before.

If you have become enlightened, you must not have craving or desire, right?  Have you heard of this before? There is nothing wrong with the statement of, ‘you must not have craving, you must not have desire.’ But they interpret it differently. To them, eating good food is a type of craving. Sleeping on nice bed is craving. But when you are under training you are supposed to abstain from enjoying or indulging in all those things because when you are under training, you don’t have the understanding yet. So it’s better for you to abstain. But when you have the understanding already, it’s different.

When there is condition to have it, then have it but you must use it with understanding. If you have the condition, (the good karma that manifests this condition) for you to have it then you can have it. Just like during the time of the Buddha, he was invited to the palace by the king and the rich people to their home and do you think they offered him simple food? No, they offered him very good food and he still partook, but he did not overeat. He did not develop the craving for it. He did not compare that with those simple foods his received from people when he went for pindapata or alms round. So that is the understanding behind the teaching, not to be attached, not to have craving or desire.

When there is condition for things to arise, if you have the condition to receive it and to have it, then you can have it. Or you can give it out to help other people just like what my teacher did. He received a lot of offerings and I saw it happening. Here he receives, there he gives. Then sometimes he used to tell us, he said, “Mr. Teoh, sometimes, we have to be sensitive. If people offer, then immediately you give, they may not be happy.” See, he had the understanding. That’s why he passed them to his kappia first. Then later on, he would just give it to someone else. It’s because I think people complained to him before. They said, “Aiyoh, how can Phra Ajahn do this? I purposely go and buy all these good food and I offered it to him but instead he just gave it away, just like that. I should have saved my money instead.” If you have these thoughts it means you don’t understand. The moment you have offered and you have done it sincerely, it’s already a meritorious action. After you have offered, what they want to do with the offering is up to them. Instead of rejoicing, you get unhappy. See, you are still attached to your offering. Already offered yet you became unhappy. So what type of cultivation are you practicing?

It’s just like you go for retreat, you cultivate very seriously. The moment you are out of the retreat, your old anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, greed and craving start to manifest again. Then it defeats the purpose of that so-called retreat or meditation training, right?

Sometimes, they may go on a spiritual trip (or a pilgrimage) and when they come back, they are supposed to have developed some form of spiritual understanding and cultivation. But the moment they are back, they go back to their old way. Then there is no meaning behind all you do while on such trips because you are not really cultivating. You are just thinking about the merits you can get while going on such spiritual trips. The desire for merits is a craving with the greed behind. So behind all these actions of yours is the evil root of greed; greed for merits. But if you understand that the principle of cultivation is to develop the spiritual faculty of faith so that when you are on such trips, your faith (or saddhā) can be strengthened, leading to the vīriya (or spiritual zeal) for you to plant the seed of Bodhi which is most important then you will progress because after that you can make the aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva way. And diligently, day in and day out, renew your vows until they become a part of you, until you fully understand; and that is real cultivation. Just like the monks who had renounced; they undertake the training rules to abstain from all those things and keep the 227 monk’s precepts. All these things, if you do them accordingly, you will become ever mindful. You will be destined for enlightenment. Cultivation is about cultivating the heart with understanding; constantly purifying, renewing your understanding, your faith, your virtue, your saddhā, vīriya and sati then stabilize it until it becomes Samadhi. Then via the direct seeing awaken to the truth which is wisdom.

When these spiritual faculties are so stable until they become balas or unshakeable, then they will become a part of your nature. Then you will become very different. Your meditation and cultivation will also become completely different. You are already heedful throughout the day naturally and meditation has become part of your nature. You don’t need to train anymore because the spiritual faculties will ensure that you will have the meditative mind in every moment and every instant. That’s the power of these spiritual faculties. That’s why within the 37 factors of enlightenment, the spiritual faculties are repeated. It occupies 10 out of the 37 and they are very important for progress. The spiritual faculties will allow you to understand spiritual teaching, will allow you to overcome the 5 mental hindrances, and will make you mindful, heedful on its own. The meditative mind will just manifest like that, no need to train, no need to do anything. Whatever posture you are in, you are always in the meditative state. That is real cultivation, okay? Now we shall move on.

We will go through the commentary. The first part we have covered.

Commentary:

Unless you rid yourself of sexual desire … - Should use just the word ‘desire’ instead of sexual desire’ as it’s more encompassing. …..you will never get out of the Triple World: the world of desire, the world of form, and the formless world.

Do you understand the meaning of these triple worlds? Yes, sensual world, the form world and the formless world. They are your kama loka, rūpa loka and arupa loka. They call it the 3 worlds. The first one is world of desire or the sensual realm which is kama loka. Then there is the world of form which is rūpa loka and Loka is world. Finally we have the arupa loka which is the formless world.

….“Contentment” means not being greedy.

This word is very important. You must have contentment. If you are contented with life and you are contented with the way things are or whatever that arise then you are at peace because to have contentment is to have wisdom. For according to the Buddha, contentment is the highest wealth. When you no longer need anything else, it means you are already wealthy. That’s the reason why contentment is the highest wealth. Contentment is wisdom. Without wisdom, you cannot be contented. You will always have craving and desire. We will read on.

“Contentment” means not being greedy. Dying of poverty, dying of starvation, no matter what’s the difficulty, you are never greedy.

This part is very meaningful. When you are in this world, going through life, you will experience many things. If you don’t take care of karma, what will happen to you? Just like those who are born in less fortunate conditions, such as war zones, famine areas or under developed areas where there is not enough food, proper shelter, proper medication etc. What will happen? You have heard of people starving to death because of under-nourishment, going through malnutrition. These are the people who are not so fortunate because of their karma born of their past actions. They don’t have the merits and the dana pāramī. That’s why they cannot receive any food while going through such harsh situations and they have no choice. You have to understand what hunger is, what famine is? All these people, sometimes they have to go without food for days. Sometimes water is also difficult to find because they are born in desert area, dry area.

We should count our own blessings and develop contentment. Because of our good karma, we are born with such favourable conditions, in such beautiful places and locations. When you look at our country, Malaysia it is considered a very blessed country; a land of abundance with a lot of opportunities but there are still people who are very poor and miserable. They are the ones who live below poverty line and it’s not to say that these people don’t receive aids but sometimes because of karma, they don’t have the conditions to receive them - not until when people highlight their conditions. Only after the newspaper, the press, the media or whatsapp highlight them, do they receive aids and help or something can be done. Malaysia is considered a blessed country, blessed with lots of wealth, resources, hardworking and talented people. So we should have this contentment and count our blessings and develop the joy when compared to those who are less fortunate. We are already blessed. We not only have all those basic needs of life, like food and shelter, etc. We also have our parents to raise us and provide for us. We have good conditions for education. And when we grew up and become financially successful, we have good family units, good children and good relationship with people and our loved ones. You cannot take all these for granted because these come about because of your good karmic inheritance and conditions; from the way you understand life and the way you have lived your life basing on that understanding.

This life you can have all these blessing is because in the previous sāsana you have also developed a lot of wholesomeness and goodness just like in this life. The question to ponder is what will happen when the sāsana is no more? Have you all contemplated and reflected into this matter? What will happen? That’s why you have to have this clear understanding to make the appropriate affirmation. With this condition, you should bring forth the deep clear understanding and resolve to vow and make the aspiration so that life after life whenever you come (whether there is sāsana or no sāsana), your nature will come with the bodhi mind planted, with the bodhi seed planted and properly nurtured with understanding. It will just manifest. Then you will know what to do. You will never get lost again and you will never have to go through the cycle of ups and downs, the karmic cycle. Then your progress will be all the way up based on right view and right understanding; based on all the beautiful conditions that you have planted. Then even without the Buddha sāsana, you will know how to come, how to cultivate and develop all these. Then when the next sāsana arise, your pāramī will bring forth the causes and conditions for you to manifest as beautiful beings to take across other beings, just like what happens when other great beings take you across.

Unless you have this understanding and determination to do all these, your future cannot be secured. Chances are during the dark ages (dharma-ending ages), your karmic nature may fall again, then this cycle of ups and down will continue for very long. Then you will have to wait till the next sāsana - provided this sāsana you have done something. But for most of you, most likely you all may have your past cultivation and this sāsana’s window can help you all achieve quite a lot of wholesomeness and good progress. What I want to advice is ‘don’t waste this window of opportunity.’ Make your determination now so that in future whether there is sāsana or no sāsana, your nature is beautiful. And this is what my nature wants to share with the beings of this civilization so that you can have this understanding and you can become beautiful too. Okay, we shall continue.

“Separate from wealth and beauty.” Do you see how clearly it says that you should not covet wealth, or the opposite sex, or fame? …..

This is Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation. He said ‘separate from wealth and beauty’ means don’t get involved. Maybe as a monk, yes but if you live a life of a layperson, you have to understand that the world is still the world. What they call wealth or money is not evil. Even beauty and good food, you can experience it. You can live life to the fullest to experience the pristine beauty and wonders of life. You can have them all if you have the understanding and the condition. You don’t have to separate from it. It’s just like money – it is not the source of all evil. Technology is also not the source of all evil. All these are part of nature’s condition and evolution. That’s why the Heart Sutra said that when you realize true emptiness, life can become wonderful, life can become meaningful and beautiful and all these are possible. So what you have read here is Master Hsuan Hua’s own commentary because his advice is based on his own understanding. We shall read on:

…..That is to be doubly complete, perfect in blessings and wisdom.

His focus is on cultivation which is very good but that part ‘to separate from all things’, it’s just the initial stage when you are under training. But the moment you have awakened, you can transcend duality and you will not be deceived by it, not be deluded by it. Then you can live in the world, like the lotus above the muddy lotus pond. It stands above but it is still connected to the pond. That’s why it can rise above and beyond. It will not be deceived or deluded by it nor attach or cling on to it anymore. But the world is still the world. Condition arising dharma still exists within the condition world. That’s why you must have the wisdom of both sides. Then you can live life beautifully.

We have this ‘form and mind’, which is subject to karma. This ‘form and mind’ of yours which is within the conditioned world is connected to your nature. If you have connected and liberated your mind via meditation it means you have developed the wisdom and chances are you have developed it via your past cultivation and inheritance. Then when you come, with this understanding and the vows, it will connect you to your nature pretty fast. Then this wisdom will unfold and when this wisdom is connected to the ‘form and mind’, it is no longer deluded and deceived. Then the user of this form and mind becomes beautiful.

That’s how you can understand life. That’s how it will enable you to live life to the fullest and that is the true dharma - not to be one-sided, not to just avoid all these things. Avoiding evil is correct. Money, as I had said is not evil. Wealth is not evil. It’s only evil when the user of it is evil. So that part you have to understand. Avoiding all evil means avoiding all evil actions but not the thing you call money and wealth. There is no definition of it as evil because it depends on the user, just like the ‘form and mind’. How can you say all ‘form and mind’ are deluded? If the wisdom is connected to it, then the ‘form and mind’ is enlightened but it’s not you. That’s why you will know how to use it, for the good of the many and to be a blessing to all. You cannot just by a stroke of a pen say all ‘form and mind’ are deluded. There is no such thing. Like our Sister Keat Hoon at our recent Cameron Highlands retreat said, “Isn’t it human nature to be deluded?” When I heard her said that, I understand because she was approaching it from a layperson’s view-point. It’s nothing to do with human nature; it’s a human condition. When there is avijjā (ignorance) you will become like that but to her it’s like human nature, or second nature. No! That’s why, there is such a thing as an enlightened ‘form and mind’, an enlightened being. We shall go on.

Commentary:

“States of defilement” here refers to all social and political situations. You should not be moulded by the society, but rather transform it. Teach living beings; do not be taught by them.

This one is true when you have the wisdom, when you are already enlightened. But when you are also deluded and you teach human beings, you will get yourself into trouble.

Once, when I noticed that one of my students had been talking on the phone for over an hour, I asked her what she was doing. “I’m trying to convert my boyfriend to Buddhism,” she said.

Wow, this one is a very good answer, a very classical one. Then Master Hsuan Hua replied.

“Really? What is he now?” “He’s a Catholic,” she said.

“Be careful and make sure he doesn’t convert you.” I said. “His belief in Catholicism is firm.

Take care that he doesn’t take you across!”

Sure enough, not long afterward she ran off. Now what she believes, whether she saved others or was saved by them, is unknown.

So this is just Master Hsuan Hua’s example.

The non-defilement of the self-nature is called “the honoured among the multitudes.” Living beings are all defiled. If you wish to be an exceptional individual, you must leave desire behind. To separate yourself from desire is to be a great hero and true student of the Buddha dharma. Unless you correct your faults, what little Buddha dharma you do know is useless.

Correcting your faults is constantly acknowledging your delusion, your evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. Okay, we have finished the commentary part. Do you have any questions? Is there anything that you would like me to clarify? We can stop here for today at page 240. Today’s session is quite easy to understand. It’s just about refuge taking and about cultivation and all those related things. The only thing you have to pay attention to is the finer points of cultivation. Just raise your hand if you have any questions? Yes, Sister Mindy?

Sister Mindy: Brother Teoh, my question is not related to today’s teaching. Actually I was listening to your dharma recording. In one of your talks on consciousness (the conscious and the sub-conscious mind) - do we need to know that at our current level of cultivation?

Bro. Teoh: Later on in your cultivation you will go through a transformation stage where your mindfulness or awareness will become so stable that you can have that state of awareness within your nature that is able to be aware of your subconscious and unconscious mind states even while you are sleeping. If you can do that you are already very good; you would have progressed very far in your cultivation. But don’t worry about that because this ability is not the normal training for normal people. To reach that ability, you must have a very unique and very profound and deep past cultivation. Then only can you have such ability. Then during this life when you come, you will connect to your true nature and inherit your past cultivation early thus enabling you to have such ability after stabilizing your understanding. Then your mundane mind will collapse and your true nature will shine forth. Then your ability to be aware becomes very stable and very natural. Only those types of beings can be aware of the subconscious and the unconscious creations from moment to moment.

But for normal living being, maybe you can maintain some form of mindfulness and understanding too. You can recall or recollect what you go through while you are asleep. You may not have the ability to be aware inside and you cannot follow your subconscious release (via dream states etc.) because you don’t have the stability of the true mind to go inside. But you can recall through memory. As you go through the dream state, the subconscious is released and you can recall some of them. Then you will come to understand why this type of dream arises? Why not other type of dreams? Sometimes the images that come out don’t seem to be connected at all. Then very fast it transforms, transforms and transforms. You will come to know and to understand that these are the subconscious releases and some of the unconscious releases because of attachment. When you reach the stage whereby you get very little of all these subconscious and the unconscious releases, it will become more and more clear to you because by then your sleep and all those releases will become like very fine and very light. It’s like you don’t really have any movement inside but then once a while you can still go into the unconscious or the subconscious mind states. Then within that there are these releases and you will see them arising as dream states because you have some form of memory when they arise. When they arise and you reflect back, you will come to know what they are. Then you will be able to check and come to realize that they are due to your attachment in daily life. These are the subtle attachments that are still there. Not rooted out as yet.

When this subtle one also goes, then finally it will be like normal again, like nothing inside. Then everything is like very still, nothing and no movement at all. It’s just like the calm sea, no wave, nothing. Then as you go deeper into your cultivation, you will start to experience the stillness, the silence. It’s like in the deeper part of the ocean or the deeper part of the lake where the surface wave or, even the very calm surface waves also no more because these surface waves even though relatively calm and mild, still have their movements. But as you go deeper there is no movement at all, no activity at all. So stability of mindfulness, awareness and the true mind is more or less the same. When the superficial mind is no more (especially after the mundane mind has collapsed), then all these gross images and mind states will cease. Then even in your daily life, there is no more of this mundane mind creating mental activities and thinking - absolutely nothing. It’s just the clear nature shining forth. All these, you will come to experience them, as you go through the cultivation. It may take some time, so don’t worry. As it happens, as it transforms, your nature will know, your ‘form and mind’ will also know. Okay, Sadhu for the very good question. Let us rejoice. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! (Note: She was listening to an earlier recording hence the question.)

Last Thursday’s talk was also very good because there were two new people and I explained the 5 mental hindrances and the 5 spiritual faculties differently (via a different approach). Then somebody asked a question and I answered her with a question: “Do you know the differences between – ‘you are conscious of life but you are not aware of life’? “

Human beings are conscious of life but they are not aware within the moment, hence they are not aware of life. To be conscious and to be aware are 2 totally different things. The moment you wake up, you are already conscious, right? You are conscious of your environment, your body etc. You are conscious of many things but you are not aware within. You are conscious with heedless thinking. You are usually too busy thinking, planning and most of the times, worrying about life so much so, you never really live life. You are never with the moment, with silence inner awareness to experience the reality of the moment; the great pristine, beauty and wonders of life within the moment. Your mind just cannot be quiet, cannot be silent. The moment you wake up, you start to think, you start to recall what you are supposed to do. Sometimes, your tactile consciousness and other types of sense door consciousness will trigger off the mental activity and thinking. And most of the time, you are not aware at all. To cultivate is to be heedful, - constantly meditative and ever mindful. That’s why this mindfulness has to be very stable. Not until you can develop that stability of mindfulness, you have yet to develop the real meditation.

All those formal meditation you do - whether while in a retreat or at any meditation way places, they are mostly just conditioned mind states that make you calm, make you more peaceful, let you experience some fantastic meditative mind states or manifestations of mind. Most people don’t even get to experience that. Most people in fact experience a lot of pain, a lot of what you call mental suffering. It’s like a torture to them. They force themselves to sit through all the discomfort, pain and numbness, the itchiness and the restlessness of mind; with all the mental hindrances. Yet they dare not tell people. Sometimes they try not to even move. Even when they want to release the gas or fart, they are also very embarrassed and scared. All these are happening because they don’t know what meditation is? They think everybody sits, so they must also sit. Everybody doesn’t talk, doesn’t move, they must also not talk and not move. But inside the mind, psychologically there are a lot of negativities, a lot of unhappiness, and a lot of suffering.

Then sometimes you force yourself to sit through or you go into concentration or one-pointedness of mind via methods and techniques, then you will experience some form of peace and calmness. Then the pain seems to go off for a while. Then you thought you have progressed, you thought you were very good and you tried to talk about it, “Wah, I experienced the formless mind because my body is missing; I cannot feel my body.” Let’s say you get to experience all these, so what? Does it give you any understanding or wisdom? Does it allow you to see your defilements to understand the essential dharma? Have you transformed? Chances are you do not have any of these. Even the enlightenment factor is also not there, the right view is also not there. What meditation is, you also don’t understand. You don’t even know what sati is? You also don’t understand the spiritual faculties. All these you also don’t understand and yet you said you meditate. That’s why if you do all these without understanding, you become gullible and it’s very difficult for you to progress. That’s the reason why I have been emphasizing and sharing with you all for the past few months - the importance of having a clear understanding of what is the meditation as taught by the Buddha?  You have to listen to it attentively and then write it out so that you are more focus when it comes to developing the meditation with understanding. Then you make sure you understand all these and put them into practice with understanding.

Phase one of the dharma cultivation is just to understand the teaching via Pariyatti, which is the learning of the teaching. Then when you have developed the clear understanding, you put it into practice. That is phase two, Paṭipatti. Unless you understand it very clearly, it’s very difficult for you to put into practice. Then you will not know or understand what you are doing in the name of meditation because you have become gullible and you think by doing all these is meditation – i.e. by going to retreat, sit there, don’t move or do the noting, walking, sitting and bowing, etc.

As long as you don’t have clear understanding, technically, you are actually wasting your time because the real cultivation when you do with proper understanding, will lead to very fast progress. You will understand it very beautifully and you will have a lot of joy and when your 5 spiritual faculties had stabilized, you will come to understand that the whole of meditation is not what you think, it is completely different, - leading you to the daily mindfulness cultivation. When you start to see all those things clearly and awaken to the characteristics of nature, then you will come to a clear understanding that all these are not what the books say or what people tell you earlier on.

It is through your own self-cultivation, self-realization that brings forth the understanding and that is the real cultivation; which is just to develop the silent mind, which is the meditative mind in sati or awareness leading to the Samadhi to insight into phenomena (Vipassanā insight) via the cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness. You have to go through and experience them all. Only then can you understand the nature of the true mind, the meditative mind, and how meditation using this true mind can translate into wisdom and awakening via the direct seeing. This is the summary part of the cultivation and hopefully with this understanding, more and more kalyāṇamittas can develop the cultivation with clear understanding.

You all have improved a lot in the actual sense of the word. But in the spiritual sense of the word, true progress demands deeper understanding which is beyond just the superficial essential dharma understanding. You all may see the importance of this teaching and the danger of not cultivating according to this understanding but the difficult part is to put into practice, all those essential dharma like the 4 right efforts, the 4 foundations of mindfulness, the training of the mind to develop the 5 spiritual faculties until they become very stable, until you are mindful most of the time throughout the day is the difficult part. The moment you start to do that, you will progress very fast and you will become very different.

Even the noble 8-fold path cultivation will become different. You will start to reflect and contemplate via the first turning and the second turning of the first path factor, which is right view (the three types of right views). After that you put them into practice. Then all the essential dharma will become very clear and meaningful to you.

Then with the initial understanding of the teaching of what constitutes evil, how to avoid evil, and how to develop the mindfulness to be aware of evil, you can then reflect and contemplate deeper into what actually constitutes evil, especially the subtle evil that you are unable to see before this via the direct seeing and how your 5 mental aggregates of ‘form and mind’ actually arise and pass away following the Law of Dependent Origination. That is true meditation. That is the one you need to go in and develop. That understanding, no one can teach you. Just like what the Buddha said, ‘he can only show you the way and you have to walk the path yourself.’

You have to cultivate yourself. You have to realize and awaken yourself. Then the 3rd right effort, is to cultivate the right thought, right speech, right action which are still not in you. Develop the understanding of what constitutes right thought, right speech and right action. Then how you can arise that right effort to do it so that it can become a living reality – part of your character and personality; so that when you live life, when you communicate with people, when you arise your thoughts, when you develop pure actions in life, you have this understanding and you have the embodiment of all these understandings then your right effort to cultivate them can really materialize until they become a part of your nature, until automatically you become like that. You are incapable of evil, and then everything you do is with understanding, wisdom, wholesomeness, virtue, contentment and respect. All these have become your second nature. These are the virtues that you have developed and you understand that it is not worthwhile to violate all these nature’s laws. Then finally the 4th and last right effort is to refine upon and perfect what you have already developed. That is the perfection of virtues, leading finally to the perfection of the 10 pāramitās to become a sammā Sambuddha. That one, even bodhisattvas also have to do, do for very long because you have to refine upon and perfect them. Like dana pāramī, you have to perfect it. Then you need wisdom to perfect it, the 3 stages. Then you need to perfect the pāramitā of mettā or love, then that of vīriya and the rest like khanti (patience), adhiṭṭhāna (self-determination or affirmation) and so forth.

There are a lot more you can develop when you have taken the Bodhisattva’s vow. The 4 basic vows of the Bodhisattva can help you perfect all these things. You will have the contentment and all the other virtues. The first vow is to enable you to develop love and compassion. The second vow is to help you develop renunciation and contentment. Your ability to endure and severe all suffering means you have renunciation and contentment. To have renunciation is to have wisdom. To have contentment is to have wisdom. Then after that, the 3rd basic vow leads to the perfection of wisdom via realizing and penetrating all dharma. After that, your cultivation will become very different. Then the 4th basic vow can be fulfilled via your ability to renounce samsara at the 4th stage of the Bodhi mind development or Bodhisattva hood training. Then when you have perfected the 4th stage, you will realize the 5th stage, which is the consummate stage, which means you have perfected the 10 pāramitās. Then Buddha hood can be realized which means you can have the same nature as the other sammā Sambuddha. We will stop here and you can have your 30 minutes of meditation.

{Ting! X3…} Okay, for those who still want to meditate, you can continue. For those who have enough, you may slowly and mindfully come out of the meditation. Try to maintain whatever inner peace, inner calmness and inner mindfulness that you have developed for as long as you can. These are the mind states that you have trained. You need to use these trained mind states which are your spiritual faculties, especially sati (mindfulness), to cultivate your daily mindfulness. To be able to be in this state of awareness via the silent mind in sati throughout the day most of the time (whenever you are awake) is a very important aspect of the daily mindfulness training.

46.2.2.  Meditation Reporting and Q&A

Now we will have the meditation reporting session. You can raise your hand to ask any meditation question or report your meditation and I will help you to develop the understanding.

Sister Mindy: Brother Teoh, I understand that during my daily practice, I just need to silent my mind.

Brother Teoh: Yes, just relax; maintain silence then just aware and let whatever happens arises. The awareness will understand.

Sister Mindy: How can I contemplate more on the 12 links of the law of dependent origination?

Brother Teoh: You should come out of the formal meditation then only you do the contemplation. You don’t contemplate during the meditation. When you are doing the meditation, if you try to contemplate, you will cause the thought to arise. This is where a lot of cultivators fail to understand. When you are meditating, you just relax and maintain silence. Unless you can develop the stability of silence until it is so stable and clear - such that when something happens, you can reflect on it and contemplate on it to develop the understanding. But while you are in the formal meditation, don’t do it. When you do it, you are not in the meditative state anymore because that is the active mode of contemplation. That one you should only do when you are out of the formal meditation.

Let’s say you go for a walking meditation; just relax and be in silent awareness. Then you stop somewhere, like while in the Cameron Highlands retreat; you can either walk down towards the staircase or go out to the monastery’s vicinity. You can also walk up to the hilltop or any place that is quiet and you can just look at nature. Then whatever that arises from your nature, just reflect and contemplate. If you want to go through the 4 noble truths; the first noble truth, the first turning, you contemplate and reflect. Then sometimes you can also sit on a bench somewhere quiet, and during that time you can silent your mind and just contemplate. When you contemplate, you just throw the inquiry out - whatever you want to understand like the first noble truth of dukkha. Why did the Buddha say birth, old age, sickness and death are suffering? Separation from love ones, prized possessions and all the things we hold on to dearly is suffering? To be with people whom we don’t like is suffering? When we can’t get what we want, when things don’t go our way, when our expectations in life are not met, also lead to suffering. Then in short, the final summary, etc. - all these you can reflect and contemplate.

It depends on which one you choose, like birth. Why did the Buddha say birth is suffering? Then you can recall to mind, via mindfully recollecting what the birth process is like? You cannot recall your own birth because you were too young. Then as a mother you can recall how you gave birth to your child. Then before you gave birth, what other things you experienced during the conceiving and confinement stages? Then as you reflect and contemplate, these reflection and contemplation will give rise to an understanding. They call this the recollection phase.

As you recollect, you mindfully go through the birth process. Then all of a sudden, you can recall during that time, you had a lot of pain, morning sickness, vomiting and other side effects of pregnancy. Then sometimes, you have to see the doctor, you have to go for follow-up. As the pregnancy develops, as the baby or the foetus grows, it starts to kick you and give you a lot of other discomfort. Your movement becomes affected as the baby grows, as your womb develops and expands, etc. You recollect all the stages leading to the birth itself. Whatever you can recollect via memory, can help you develop the understanding. Then suddenly you will understand: ‘no wonder the Buddha said that birth is suffering because there is so much suffering that comes with birth.’

After the baby is born, the baby will experience old age, sickness and death and this will lead to suffering. This is the reality; this is the dharma. Then as the baby is born, there is attachment to it: the mother, the parents, the grandparents, and those who have relationship with the child. Then if anything were to happen to the child, the parents and their loved ones will worry for them, and that is attachment leading to suffering. Then when there are complications during birth, it will lead to more suffering. All these, you will start to understand, then you will reflect deeper and further on why the Buddha said ‘this suffering is to be understood under the second turning of the first noble truth.’ The 1st turning of the first noble truth is just the proclamation of truth by the Buddha then the 2nd turning inquiry should be why the Buddha said - birth is suffering? If you have gone through these reflection and contemplation, you will understand why. If you don’t reflect and contemplate you cannot understand the birth process, how it brings about suffering. Then why suffering is to be understood, you have to inquire deeply; why the Buddha said that. If you don’t understand what suffering is, it means when you are caught in suffering you still don’t know that is suffering because you cannot see the attachment. You cannot see how the outcome of birth leads to all these sufferings. As you reflect and contemplate via the second turning, you will develop the understanding to confirm what the Buddha said is very true. Birth is indeed suffering because birth is part of the human condition for the physical form goes the way of nature. You will then come to understand another reality: that these birth, old age, sickness and death are the realities of life and existence. And each and every living being has to experience and confront all these realities when the time comes, if you live long enough. If you have the conditions to confront them and if you confront them without wisdom, you will attach, you will cling, you will grasp, and you will develop the suffering: fear, worry and anxiety and then you will understand how the mind gets itself entangled.

The cause of suffering is attachment, clinging, grasping, thinking that this child really belongs to you, the atta (ego) etc. In reality it’s only a form and mind like yours. The form goes the way of nature and is made up of the 4 elements. The 4 elements are the physical element called Pathavi (or solidity, the hardness and the softness of the form) then the wind element, Vāyo, (like our breath, our pulse of life, and whatever vibration that is within our body); then you have the heat element, which is Tejo. Then you have the water element Apo. Then you realize that these 4 elements are part of nature and their states will fluctuate and they are interchangeable.

When you have excessive heat, you will have fever and you will have problems. When you have too little heat, you will be affected by the weather condition, the external factor because of the climate. When the weather is very cold, very chilly, it will cause your temperature to drop and you will feel the instability within that element. This will lead to suffering in the form and the consciousness that is trapped inside will experience all these. Then without the consciousness, without attachment, you will realize that the elements just go the way of nature.

That’s why when you cultivate kayanupassana’s last category of practice which is the 9 stages of cemetery decomposition - when the form is devoid of consciousness or when the consciousness has come out then this body’s 4 elements (which go the way of nature), it will decay. Then there is no more feeling, no more perception, no more activity of mind or mental states and no more consciousness. That’s why you cannot feel anymore. There is no suffering because there is no more mind to develop the attachment and the suffering. You will understand without the mind, there is nothing. Then you move onto the understanding of the mind. You can then check: Is feeling really me? Are perceptions really me? Are the mental states of mind, mental activities or whatever saṅkhāra that arise really me? Because when they arise and pass away did you die; this nature never dies, so how can they be you? They arise and pass away because they are conditioned arising dharma hence impermanent and not you.

If you attach and cling to feelings, to perception, to mental state, views, opinions and your conditioning, you will suffer. Even when you are attached to consciousness you will also suffer. Then you will come to realize that the final summary as proclaimed by the Buddha is so true. It’s attachment that conditions suffering.  So this part is on contemplation. Then you can move into the other realities of the 1st Noble Truth, the second noble truth, third noble truth, and the fourth noble truth. Again you can go for the first turning, second turning, which is the contemplation and the third turning, which is the meditation because when you really meditate, the wisdom that arises is bhāvanā-maya panna; wisdom borne of bhāvanā, which is the meditative training or the meditation itself. It doesn’t involve the thought or any contemplation. It’s just the silent mind that is aware. It will awaken to the universal characteristics of all phenomena. That’s why you must be aware of the 4 foundations of mindfulness. The first foundation is kāyānupassanā where you first train your mind in ānāpānasati to develop sati then after that you are ready to move on to cultivate the mindfulness of the 4 bodily postures followed by the mindfulness of all your movements in the present moment and that is the daily mindfulness or mindfulness and clear comprehension cultivation. When you develop this, you are cultivating the third turning. You will insight into phenomena, the 3 universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering state and non-self or empty nature.

When you have that initial understanding, then you will start to have an understanding of why Buddha said that the 5 aggregates of form and mind are impermanent leading to suffering. Hence, non-self, empty, not me! That is the beginning of the cultivation of no mark, no mark of a self. If you don’t even exist, how can others exist? That’s why no mark of others, no mark of your loved ones and all those things. Then there is no reality, no mark of a life. Everything is dependent originating; condition arising and just a causal phenomena - a phenomenal world of consciousness: mind-made are they, hence no reality. Then when this understanding deepens as you silent your mind to awaken to their universal characteristics you will become different. After that you can reflect and contemplate until your understanding becomes very clear and stable. Then in the midst of your daily life, as you continue to be silent, aware and mindful; all of a sudden one day, you will come upon an insight that will allow you to understand deeply and clearly the 3 universal characteristics. That is all of a sudden, you will awaken to these 3 universal characteristics because everything is just the way it is.

All phenomena be they physical, mental or nature’s phenomena, exhibit these characteristics. Then you will start to understand that truth is everywhere - in the midst of life and nature, the universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self or empty nature characteristics are everywhere. This is the truth, the reality - which is everywhere in the midst of life and nature. Why can’t you see?  For those who see, the enlightened ones, they always see. Ah, that is the final awakening leading to liberation of mind from all bondage.

When you have that understanding after the awakening, it means your mindfulness is already very stable. Then in the midst of life and nature, the characteristics of nature are everywhere, so clear, so vivid, and so beautiful. And that will allow you to further develop the contemplative wisdom until this understanding becomes very stable. Then there is no more doubt. That’s how you liberate your mind. When there is no more doubt, you would have at least cleared the first stage of sainthood, which means the first 3 fetters that bind living beings to this world are already severed. There are a total of 10 fetters.

The first one is self-delusion. The second is rites and rituals; you won’t believe in all these anymore because you have understood that there is no permanent unchanging entity within the form and mind that we can call, “this is ‘me’, this is ‘I’, and therefore all these can be mine“. Then even if people were to tell you, “After you die, you will become what and what….” You will know that there is no such thing because this is only a ‘form and mind’, hence not me and no reality. This form and mind is never me because there is no more self-delusion. You won’t believe in rites and rituals and you will not be gullible anymore. The third fetter is your faith in the teaching, the Triple Gem, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha; it will become unshakeable because by then the understanding is already so clear. Nature’s laws, the existential law and all of the 5 universal orders will also become very clear to you. That’s why you will have no more doubt and your faith will be unshakeable.

And you will come to understand that the Triple Gem with the teachings of the 4 Noble Truths is the secret of life. You will understand them; you will have no more doubt in this teaching because it’s all about truth, the 4 Noble Truths. These 4 Noble Truths is a universal truth because the moment you understand them, you can become enlightened. It’s like the secret of life. When you understand the secret of life, you know how to live life, and then you are not deluded or deceived by the form and mind anymore because you know this is not you but only a karmically conditioned form and mind or ‘vehicle and tool’ for you to come to this existential world.

Likewise, all other living beings are the same. For everything is dependent originating, conditioned arising and a causal phenomenon. All these will become very clear to you. So when you meditate during formal meditation, don’t contemplate but when you come out of it, you can contemplate. Sometimes, like I said, if within that silent formal meditation, all of a sudden something happen, then you can decide to come out of it to reflect and contemplate on it. If that is the case, even while in the meditative state, you can also reflect and contemplate provided you can do it mindfully, then no problem. But you have to be very clear about the conscious decision that you have made and you can be mindful of what you are doing. If you decide to contemplate, then you are not meditating; you reflect and contemplate to develop a deeper understanding of what has happened. But the things you want to contemplate must be from the 4 Noble Truths because contemplation is about the 2nd turning of the first, second, third or fourth noble truth. These are the cultivation processes. So don’t worry.

When you are in the formal meditation, just relax, be silent and maintain awareness of body and mind. Formal meditation is to train the heedless thinking mind until it is very quiet to realize the silent mind, then to make it very stable. Then when you come out of it, all these movements, your mindfulness, your awareness is like magnified. The slightest movement is like magnified into a very big movement. Even the subtle breathing will become very clear to you. When your mindfulness has become very stable and when it has become a part of you, it means your mind has entered sati, you mind is already in sati. This stability of mindfulness donates that your 3rd spiritual faculty of sati has been stabilized and established. And when the mind is in sati, even when you come out of the formal meditation, that mind is always aware of all the movements and activities. It’s very clear. Then all these movements will be like magnified. Even when you sit, the subtle breathing and movements are like magnified. You are very calm, peaceful and very still because your passaddhi (tranquillity of mind) is already established and always there.

As you come out of the meditation and go into life, you will come to realize that every moment of hearing you are in sati. Every contact, the moment of smell, taste, tactile you are very mindful and always in sati. Then every moment of seeing, the mind is in sati. That’s why you can see things as they are. The specific phenomena awareness and the spacious awareness without a center, has become a part of your nature because of that stability of mindfulness. When your mind is in sati, everything you do in life you are aware. So you don’t have to learn to be aware. You only need to train until it is very stable and until that stability has become part of your nature, which means mindfulness has been developed and stabilized until your mind has entered sati.

When your mind enters sati, technically, you no longer need an object of meditation. You don’t need to train this mind anymore because this mind is already trained. It’s just like playing badminton, or learning cooking or running, swimming or any game you are good at; if you have trained until you are so skilful, you don’t need to train anymore because it has already become a part of you and you just know how to execute it and it’s always spontaneous, without thought. It has becomes so graceful, so easy, just like the case of badminton; you will know how to return the shot naturally. The only thing lacking is whether you have the stamina to do it or not. But with mindfulness it doesn’t need that much stamina. The moment you are silent without thought you are already mindful. And mindfulness when developed continuously will become power. It has the ability to develop wisdom and understanding. And mindfulness will develop a very strong mind state that is very different because this mind is just aware. It can insight into phenomena and understand many things. It can see things as they are. It can give rise to wisdom.

Mindfulness by itself has nothing inside there. It’s just an awareness state that arises when the mundane mind doesn’t stir, when there is no interference from the thought process. So all these, as you go through your cultivation, you will start to understand. But to understand until that stability where you can share and teach is not easy. It will take a while. So don’t worry. Initially, after you have connected and awakened, it’s like you still don’t know anything. Then you may try to remember what you have understood. But don’t do that, don’t try to remember anything. The moment you are awakened, the understanding is already there, connected to the form and mind. It won’t disappear unless the form and mind die. When it’s there, every time you encounter something, the understanding will manifest. It will know what to do. It’s not knowledge anymore. It’s not from memory. It just understands by itself. Okay? Sadhu to you for arising such good conditions for me to share all these rather beautiful teaching. Does anybody else want to report your meditation so that I can advise you on how to develop it further? Where is Brother Chin How? Has he gone back? He texted me a question from Sister Sandra Chan of Singapore and Sandra would like her question answered in the class.

Sister Sandra: Bro. Teoh, I have challenges like everyone else. I still have a lot of āsava and saṅkhāra. Your book, “Knowing and seeing” has helped to point out the way for me to overcome them. The mundane mind is very active especially in my workplace and during meetings. When the mind is silent it can sees the 3 characteristics of nature.

Brother Teoh: She quoted what I said, “All is impermanent. More importantly is to take care of karma at all times.” Then she said, “It’s easy to say but to cultivate there are challenges.” See this is what I mean. You may think you know but cultivation is different.

Phase 1 of dharma is Pariyatti which is the understanding of the essential teaching. After you have understood the teaching, you must put it into practice under phase 2 of dharma which is Paṭipatti. You know you have to avoid evil and do good but how to avoid all evil? You have to keep the precepts. Are you doing it? How to keep the precepts? You must understand what constitutes precepts? Why do you keep these precepts? Then what constitutes evil? Those who violates the precepts they have the evil roots. That’s why you have to reflect on them and when you understand them, then only you can go deep into the understanding of the essential dharma of what constitutes evil, the 3 evil roots etc.  You have to expand on it. Then only can you develop the mindfulness to do it. All these need understanding and cultivation and cultivation or meditation needs to be done with understanding. I came to realize, a lot of cultivators never go into (or reflect and contemplate on) all these. So Sandra knew these are challenges. Then she continued.

Sister Sandra: I am tasked to manage a staff who has not been performing in his job. My management wants me to axe him but it is very difficult for me to do so. I have given tasks for the staff to do but he failed to do so. He still goes back to his old ways even though he has been put on performance improvement programme.

Brother Teoh: Sandra just mentioned all these. She didn’t ask specific questions. From the way she asked, I think what she wanted is some advice on how to deal with the staff she is supposed to take action on it.

You see, meditation is to train your mind, to develop the ability to meditate and to awaken to the truth so that you can realize the requisite wisdom and understanding to know who you are, what you are and to allow you to have the understanding to understand the secret of life, the 4 noble truths. And then from there you will know how to live life and this is what meditation is all about. This is what the dharma is all about. Without those understanding, it is very difficult for you to understand life and to live life; to apply what you have understood, to help you understand life, to help you overcome all of life sufferings and problems. So what she has brought up is a typical life problem - one of the challenges that she is facing in the office. How do you approach all these? Via the dharma way is very important. That’s why she herself realizes that when you develop the meditation, when you are silent, you can insight into the 3 universal characteristics of nature, then you will come to understand that these are the things you have to do but her challenges are that she doesn’t know how to go into it. So this is where her problem is.

If you cannot penetrate the dharma, it’s very difficult for you to apply the dharma. It’s like the chicken and egg story. Before you have the dharma, you still have to go through life, you still have problems and every time you have problems, what do you do, like her case? Of course, to seek advice is very important but seeking advice is like meditation. You don’t go and ask what must I do, do you understand? If you do that, you will never learn because you have not developed the understanding and cultivation as yet. So what people advise you is based on their understanding and cultivation. Then you will ask, ‘so in my case, what must I do?’

After putting this particular staff that has problems, in that performance improvement programme, he still has not changed and the management puts pressure on him to axe him. This is a very normal or common problem of society, right? But if you have the dharma you will know what to do and that’s the reason why I have to make the assumption and ask, ‘if you have the dharma, how will you act in such a situation?’ How would you deal with such a situation? You can act in the mundane way via getting angry. You want me to axe and you can say, ‘I will axe him, via giving him a ‘love letter’ and finish with it!’ But is that the way to act? If that is not the way to act, then how should you act?

Comment from a kalyāṇamitta: Identify the problem with the staff, whether there is weakness in his skill and attitude.

Brother Teoh: Yes, you can do that and that is analysis, do you understand? The mundane approach is to analyze. Let’s say you analyze, based on what? - based on your views and opinions of him. You are not going to solve the problem because it’s based on your views and opinions. Then you come out with an idea. This guy must change just like what Sandra did. But he continued to behave the way he is and he has not changed. Then she said he has a problem. If you perceive him with negativity, then it becomes a problem. Can you see this? The management wants you to axe him; they have already come to a conclusion. But you want to be fair to him. You try to give him a chance but the management is not going to give him a chance so you try your approach via telling him ‘you cannot do like that, you have to change for the better and you have to do it like this, or like that’. And all these are mundane approaches.

When you have the dharma you don’t do things that way anymore. That’s why you have to act differently. You have to act according to the noble 8-fold path with understanding and your approach will be different. Every condition is different. Everyone is different. I cannot advise you on how to act. You yourself have to reflect and contemplate on the teachings and use your own understanding to assess the ‘form and mind’. He is just the way he is. There are causes and conditions behind, and many other things involved, could be karmic too. That’s why it’s not a straightforward thing. There are a lot of possibilities involved. That’s why without that wisdom and understanding, you cannot act.

What she is trying to do is, to use the mundane mind to analyze, then through her views and opinions, she comes out with a solution or she may follow the company’s procedure and take action against this person. This is one of the probable approaches which normal living being will do or which society will do. But when you have the dharma it’s totally different and I cannot be specific here because there are not enough details. I don’t have enough information about that person and you cannot ask me question like before, “So Bro. Teoh, what must I do?” It’s like meditation, after I had explained the dharma part, then you asked me, “So, what must I do?”

You don’t want to investigate yourself and you don’t even want to understand what I had taught you – this will make you gullible, do you understand? Then if I were to give you an answer and you take my answer as what you perceive then I will become equally gullible. You may say, “Ya, Brother Teoh said not to care about him or just tell him off via giving him a warning, etc.” There is no meaning, right? This is something I cannot teach you because it’s the wisdom part where you have to develop your own understanding. You can approach it from the dharma way, like I used to explain. The Noble 8-fold path will lead to the end of all suffering so I act with Noble 8-fold path, then I will not suffer. So what is Noble 8-fold path? I am not acting from memory. I am not acting from my conditioning. I am not trying to analyze anything. He is just the way he is. These are the things that have happened already. So based on right views, there are causes and conditions behind, it’s mainly karmic. So it’s not about helping this person anymore unless there is condition to help. Then let him learn the dharma, advise him to ask for forgiveness, etc. and change following Noble 8-fold path. But this thing is not happening because this person that is involved in this karmic thing does not understand dharma and you are just a staff working there.

With this Noble 8-fold path, you have to act with the understanding that he is what he is and because of karmic conditioning, he becomes like that. So what I have to do is to arise the right thought. I have to have sympathy, love and compassion. Then I have to talk to this person. I have to be sincere and explain to this person via saying: “I have a duty to explain all these to you. Otherwise, the company is going to take action against you.” So this is the dharma part. This dharma part you must know how to express it via the right speech, the right action, the right way to attend to this thing and the right thought that you have to arise, meaning the love, the compassion and the understanding that I had explained just now. This can be one of the ways but it depends on that person. If that person has karmic negativity and is not listening, then there is not much point because you are just wasting your time. Then you have to approach it differently but it depends on his condition then. If he is willing to listen, because you had said it in such a way (following the right speech, right action and right thought), he will feel better. Just like how I started just now. You have to call him in a very friendly manner. Then explain to him this is a company that he is working in, and he has done something that is against the company Acts, rules or policies. Maybe he came to office late, or whatever job that was given to him, he didn’t even try his best, etc. I don’t know what the problem is, so I cannot be specific. I can only teach you how to apply the dharma.

So applying the dharma is very simple, approach him with right speech, right action and right thought and explain to him very nicely what’s happening because it is going to affect his future; his job is at stake, they may want to dismiss him if he continues his way, if he does not make an effort to change, if he doesn’t recognize that what he has done is not in accordance with the company rules and principles. If he tries to argue with you, then you have to explain to him, it’s not about right or wrong anymore. It’s not about you arguing with me anymore because I am tasked to review and explain to you what you have done and what the company is going to do to you. That’s it, finished. How you take it, is your decision because it involves you, your life, your career, your job, etc. So if you can explain to people in a very nice and easy to understand manner, then it’s like you are not taking action against him, you are not biased against him and you are not angry with him. You still treat him as your staff, like any other staff but because there is a condition involved, the company wants to take action and axe him. So you have to approach it with understanding so that there is no karmic negativity. You don’t get angry; you don’t have selfish intention behind what you do. You are not emotional. So greed, hatred and delusion are not there. You have the embodiment of the Noble 8-fold path. You have the right speech leading to right thought and right action. That is true action.

After you have applied the Dharma action with understanding, you can then advise him as follow, “They are willing to give you a chance. That’s why they put you on this performance programme. So if you can prove yourself to be otherwise, then there is a possibility that they will retain your service and give you a chance. Otherwise, there is nothing much we can do because this is a company policy.”

Always remember that if that person has karmic negativity to argue and quarrel with you, you have to maintain your understanding and composure, i.e. no more emotional negativity, no more wrong speech, wrong thought and wrong action. Just have to understand him and feel for him and talk to him in a very nice way via saying, “Yes I understand your condition is pretty difficult. You have a dilemma but you are not the only one affected. There are others who have to go through the same review. Only those who are willing to change can be given a second chance. Those who are not willing to change, the company has to take action and you may have to go. If you are not happy, you can go for arbitration or you can report to the industrial court and file for unfair dismissal. All these are your rights.”

You have to advise them this way so that they know their rights, and they know you have been sincere; you have been helpful and you have no selfish interest. You are not causing him fear. If you don’t know how to approach him, if you just give him a ‘love’ letter and then tell him off. Or if when he approaches you, and you just get angry and speak your mind; it’s not going to help. It will only create more misunderstanding and problems.

Life is just the way it is. People are different. Conditions are different but when you have the dharma, you will know how to act. So what I have shared with you is just the dharma part, the understanding part but if you have not cultivated or developed the training, you cannot arise that type of right thought, right speech, right action or the right understanding via right view. It’s very difficult to apply the dharma when you yourself have not developed the understanding, especially so if you have not cultivated it. Of course you can try. That’s why you have to start the cultivation by actually trying it out.

After you have heard what I had explained, you can start your cultivation but what is more important is unless you have developed the cultivation you cannot attend to and help solve these problems. You will also come to understand what I meant by everyone is different because conditions are always different. Just like meditation, you must understand what meditation is for you to have the ability to just meditate with understanding. Of course, you can ask for guidance. You can report your meditation so that I can advise you but you have to start the cultivation process.  As you do and encounter problems, you can ask, then I can advise you. But if you have not even done it, you just listen to theory then you ask a lot of questions and you are not interested in developing the understanding yourself via doing the actual cultivation, then no amount of questions can help you because every time people explain to you, you are not listening. You are trying to use your own knowledge to understand it or to counter it and to argue. You can continue to repeat all those things. It’s not going to free you but if you are willing to learn and listen attentively to understand the message and put it into practice and cultivate it, then you will develop the understanding. You will transform and progress.

These are more useful and more tangible advice. So hopefully with this you can develop clearer understanding to put in the hard work to develop the cultivation yourself. Just like meditation, if you understand what meditation is, you can put it to practice. If you understand life, you will know how to live life. Then you can deal with all these, which are normal life situations or problems. For these are the realities of life and existence. These are career related, realities. Career means involving your job, your work, your livelihood, etc.

We will stop here. It’s better for you all to write down your questions if you have any. You can ask but make sure you have done some cultivation before asking. Otherwise you can just report your meditation and I can guide you as to where you have gone wrong; I can also explain to you why when you do this so called meditation without understanding, you are being gullible and actually wasting your time.

Unfortunately and unknowingly, a lot of meditators just do all these noting, labelling, verbalizing, focusing and concentrating, etc. in the name of meditation thinking that they are meditating because they have never really understood the teaching and the message of the Buddha - especially on what is the meditation as taught by the Buddha? If you don’t understand what is the meditation as taught by the Buddha, you cannot start and you cannot put into practice. You need understanding to develop this type of meditation. As I have explained many times before you should inquire - why are you not peaceful? You have to understand the essential dharma; the 5 mental hindrances and the 5 spiritual faculties, then from there: the right view and the rest. Then you put them into proper structured flow charts by writing them down for you to go through it, reflect on it until it is very clear then only can you put into practice efficiently.

If you need to train the mind, then train it. If your spiritual faculties are still not there then develop them. You must have a clear focus and understanding of the teaching so that you know what to do while meditating. Then as you do the meditation according to understanding, you will progress. Don’t be influenced by what people say. Like, “Oh, they meditate that way and I must follow them.” If you do that it means you are being gullible and you don’t understand. You think their meditation is more superior. But what is that meditation? It’s just one of the methods and techniques; the usual noting and verbalizing type of thought based meditation. That is not meditation at all because methods and techniques, as you already know never define the meditation. All these doing will create more delusion because the thoughts are rather active and yet you can still become gullible. People may tell you, “If you use this technique or method to meditate you can progress very fast because that person who has taught this type of meditation is an enlightened person.” Then you lose your focus of what is meditation. You are more interested in what people tell you and you become gullible. Then you may say, “Oh, I think I must give it a try.” Then everything you try like good food, initially you find it interesting but after a while, what happens. When it is repeated, it’s no longer special. It’s no longer good to you anymore. That’s why you develop the same problem over and over again because you are chasing after method, technique, teacher and meditation and you meditate without understanding. This is not what the Buddha taught. What the Buddha taught are the essential dharmas. If you have understood the essential dharmas then you can relate to all these teachings that people have said to you.

They don’t understand. If they understand, they won’t teach that way. It’s as simple as that. So this part you really need to develop your own understanding. Understand it clearly; make sure you write it down. If you can write it down and express it very clearly based on what has been taught then you can apply it by putting it into practice via phase 2 of the dharma which is paṭipatti. After pariyatti (phase 1 of the dharma), you go on to the cultivation which is Paṭipatti. Then you will progress very fast. You will be amazed at how fast you progress and how fast you can understand the teaching. What you do now is completely different from what other people do because you no longer rely on those traditional methods, techniques and so called gullible thought-based teaching to meditate.

You just do what you have to do base on your understanding of the essential dharma. If you need to train the heedless thinking mind, then train it via any skilful means that you are familiar with. After that, use it (the trained mind) to meditate because these are the spiritual faculties that you have developed. The most important spiritual faculty is sati. You have to stabilize it. For saddhā, and vīriya, you have to contemplate to develop them whereas, for sati you have to do the daily mindfulness and the bowing etc. to establish and stabilize it. After you have developed some form of stability of sati in your daily life, then you have to stabilize it in the formal meditation. That’s why you do the lying down and formal sitting meditation. Just relax, silent and aware, let whatever arise to just arise. Do not try to resist or suppress or control them. If you find your legs are hurting you when age catches up, then sit on a chair, a couch or just lie down. Then develop the posture that you are most comfortable with to meditate. If you are using Ānāpānasati (mindfulness of the in and out breathe) to stabilize your sati then you have to relax into it and let it develop until it is very stable. This stabilizing of sati is very important. You have to stabilize it until the breathing becomes very subtle. Until the object of meditation which is the breath becomes so quiet and so subtle like there is no more movement. This is the mind entering passaddhi. When you have reached this stage of tranquillity of mind, stillness of mind, the silent mind will arise, then don’t do anything. Just silent everything and relax into it, while maintaining the awareness within. Then the mind will finally enter sati. That is the mind that can be mindful in the midst of life. That is the mind that can develop the daily mindfulness.

You are supposed to develop the meditation with all these understanding and not to do all the other thought based things like noting, verbalizing, focusing, concentrating, chasing after nimitta, Jhānas, nana etc. thus deviating. Even the mantra chanting is the same; it is just for you to develop the faith (saddhā), vīriya and the sati or mindfulness. After the sati has stabilized and become passaddhi, technically the object of meditation is no longer required and you don’t have to hold on to it anymore then you just silent your mind and don’t do anything. You chant until that chanting and the awareness become one. Until no one is chanting. The chanting can manifest by itself through your subconscious and unconscious mind states. Then your mindfulness and awareness is just with it. That will stabilize your mindfulness. Doing it is just like doing the lying down meditation to stabilize your awareness. Then throughout the day you will have this, “阿弥陀佛 (Amítófó), 阿弥陀佛,…..” chanting arising - But it is not you chanting. It’s the awareness that is aware of the chanting. The chanting will come out by itself. Then you have to inquire who is chanting the Buddha’s name, 谁在念佛 (shuí zài niàn fó)? In fact there is nobody chanting.

The Buddha is in your heart, 佛在心头 (fó zài xīn tóu); it’s within your true mind. Only the awareness is aware of the chanting and there is nobody chanting. You will come to realize that - it’s exactly what the Buddha teaches. So this true mind is to be realized. This clarity has to be very stable. Then only can you be mindful in the midst of life itself. That’s the daily mindfulness leading to the real meditation; the beginning of the real satipaṭṭhāna practices. If you cannot do that and need to rely on formal sitting to have some form of good meditative experiences and stability of mindfulness then you can forget about doing it right. If you don’t believe, you can try it out. You can repeat this for many lives yet it’s not going to transform you unless you have cultivated in your past life before. Then you will know how to release the concentration energy and go back to the daily mindfulness practices. End of the day it is the daily mindfulness practices and nothing else. If you cannot be heedful in the midst of life via daily mindfulness then you don‘t stand a chance because according to dhammapada verse 21 of the Buddha, ‘The heedless are as if dead.’

46.3  Closing

Now you can rejoice, Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

We will do the sharing and transference of merits. After that you can pay respects to all the great beings and worthy ones, then we end.

54th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 13th August 2017

White Board Note of 54th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

Today is our 54th lesson of the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 13th August 2017 held at WPCS Mahayana vihāra. Let us now compose our minds, develop the Saddhā (faith) and the Vīriya (spiritual zeal), then mindfully, we shall commence the Puja chanting.

54.1 Pūjā

We shall recite the salutation following the Mahayana tradition first:

Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó (南无本师释迦牟尼佛) (3x)

Nā Mó Guān Shì Yīn Pú Sà (南无观世音菩萨) (3x)

Námó fó púsà (3x) (南無佛菩薩) (3x)

Now we will chant the Theravada tradition. We will start off with the Salutation to the Triple Gem: the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha.

Vandanā - Salutation to Lord Buddha:-

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsaṃbuddhassa (3X)

Tisaraṇa - Taking of the Three Refuges:-

Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Dutiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Dutiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Tatiyampi Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, Tatiyampi Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi

Pañca Sīla - Renewing of the Five Precepts:-

Pānātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi;

Surā-meraya-majja-pamā-daṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! (Rejoicing)

Now let us pay respect mindfully to Quan Yin Bodhisattva and all the other great beings that are worthy of respect and the Triple Gems to end the pre-pūjā.

Buddhaṃ pujemi; Dhammaṃ pujemi; Saṅghaṃ pujemi.

54.2 Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

You all can be seated. Miss Lee, have you on the recorder? Ok. Just relax body and mind, maintain some form of attention. Then we can start our lesson 54 of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra. Let us turn to page 1, verse for opening a Sutra.

Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,

Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathāgata’s true meaning

54.2.1 Understanding Mahayana and Theravada Traditions

Now turn to page 272. Before we go into the Sutra proper, there is something important that I would like to share with you all so that you all can develop the understanding. You see, nowadays, there are a lot of controversies between Theravada and Mahayana practitioners because of some lack of understanding among their cultivators and practitioners. This misunderstanding is mainly due to the division created by those who have not developed the true understanding of the teaching. As I have explained before, the Buddha Dharma are truths taught by the Buddha. His teaching is essentially the Dharma. That’s the reason why we take refuge in the Buddha, in His the Dharma which is his teaching, and the Sangha which are the enlightened disciples of the Buddha. When you take refuge in the teaching it means you take refuge in the Dharma which is truth itself. And this truth points towards enlightenment as per our earlier discussion. The scripture, the Dharma is not the enlightenment but these are truths that point towards enlightenment. If you understand its meaning, then you can just cultivate according to the teaching to realize the enlightenment. After you have realized the enlightenment, there is no more division because basically, what the Buddha taught is just the Dharma or Truth and Truth is!

The essence of the Buddhist teaching is just the Four Noble Truths which are common to all traditions, whether Theravada, Mahayana or Vajrayana. But some vehicles expanded on their teachings. Then when people don’t understand (or with their limited understanding), they like to comment from their own limited point of view; that’s how it can lead to complications. But sometimes when the followers of other vehicles, expanded and share those teachings, don’t have the deep enough understanding, what they share may sometimes deviate from the truth. But basically they come from the same teaching which is the Dharma. How they expand from the teaching is, to me, not the issue. The main issue is, do you understand the main/core teaching? When you understand the main teaching, whatever the vehicle, you can understand how they come about and whether the commentaries of those that have been shared are the truth or not.

Without your own cultivation and your own ability to investigate into all these through an understanding, there is no way you can understand them. So focus on the cultivation to realize the Dharma first. That is more important - rather than holding onto your views and opinions to create the division, unnecessary arguments, misunderstanding, trying to be right and to protect that particular vehicle that you are associated with. This is how the mind can create division and misunderstanding leading to unnecessary conflicts, arguments and the egoistic mind. The egoistic mind that does this is the mind that has delusion (self-delusion). This understanding can only come about through realization of the Dharma. In order to avoid such unnecessary misunderstanding, I have made it a point that wherever I go, depending on the way place we are in, I will approach it initially from the Theravada tradition because most English educated students or practitioners find it very difficult to learn Mahayana teaching. Mahayana teaching is normally taught in Mandarin and without an understanding of Mandarin, it’s usually very difficult to comprehend Mahayana teaching. Sometimes it can be comprehended but it’s very difficult. That is the reason why the English educated are mostly with the Theravada tradition. But it doesn’t mean all English educated are with the Theravada tradition. There are quite a number of Mandarin educated ones, who are quite strongly associated with Theravada Buddhism because they feel that its teaching is more authentic. You will also come to an understanding that throughout my years of sharing, I prefer to blend and integrate both the Theravada and Mahayana teaching together into one common tradition of the Buddha because both traditions have their pros and cons and if you understand, they complement each other beautifully.

Theravada Buddhism is the teaching of the elders because Thera are called the elders (monks who have more than 20 years of monkhood). So they are called Vehicle of the Elders. But originally, when it started, they called it Hinayana, the smaller vehicle of the orthodox tradition. Orthodox means they limit their teaching to what was recorded and what they believed to be the original teaching. Whatever outside of it, they just refused to take it in and they just chopped it off. Like what I have explained before, there are pros and cons in what they do. Theravada teaching has its very beautiful advantage in the sense that it preserves the original teaching and this original teaching that was preserved is very authentic especially the Pāḷi chanting. These are the words that came from the Buddha direct - like our Puja chanting, salutation to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha etc. It has never changed.

The taking of refuge, renewing of the precepts and the importance of precepts. All these have never changed. Then the Pāḷi chanting of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutra, the various other Sutras like the Fire Sermon have never changed because they were passed down over the years via chanting. Chanting is a very good way of preserving the authenticity of the teaching. But the problem with the Theravada tradition is, as the years go by, after the enlightenment of the Buddha, all these explanations of the teaching or the Sutra get defiled or are no longer the true interpretation of the actual teaching as taught by the Buddha. That’s why they lose their potency to awaken living beings unless you have your cultivation developed from the past. Or you have been diligent with your cultivation and practice then you may develop the understanding. Otherwise, most of the cultivators, find it very difficult to understand the teaching because most of this teachings are based on the translation which were only committed to writing many hundred years later (after the Buddha’s passing away or Parinibbāna). Then after they were committed to writing, these writings again were subjected to interpretation or explanation by the translators before they called them commentaries. After all these commentaries came out the main problem is there are many versions of the commentaries. Then different teachers, different monks started to teach it differently. That’s how it had ended up this way; it’s no longer the authentic teaching. Finally it ends up with all the various methods and techniques of meditation of different teachers with their various views and opinions of the teaching.

Then when it comes to Mahayana, it’s the same. There are pros and cons too. For Mahayana, the advantage is, later on they were able to expand on the teaching because they have Great Beings, like Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch, and the various other Patriarchs including Bodhidharma, the Fifth Patriarch and many others. They were all very good. They have the understanding. That’s why their teachings are very different. They expanded on it and many cultivators benefited from it. And those who have cultivated this way before, they will understand it. And this particular vehicle was able to expand on all these is because within their vehicle, there are many of these Great Beings (the Buddha and Bodhisattvas), most of them are very special Beings with great perfection and understanding.

That’s how the teaching gets expanded. But the shortcoming or disadvantage of Mahayana is, too much emphasis on the higher teaching. They like to talk about the various, very profound Mahayana teachings. They even have the Shurangama Sutra, the Heart Sutra then the Diamond Sutra and the various types of Lotus Sutra and all these teachings are very abstract and very difficult for normal practitioners to understand. And because of that, the Theravada vehicle’s followers find it very difficult to accept the Mahayana teaching because a lot of their teachings appear very controversial, like it’s completely opposite of what the normal mind can understand especially the Heart Sutra’s teaching.

It talks about form being empty, ‘form itself is emptiness and emptiness itself is form’ and ‘form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form.’  All these, they find it very difficult to understand and comprehend. Then they started to comment via saying that these were never taught in the Theravada tradition. These were things that came later. It may not be the authentic teaching etc. but then if you check the Theravada teaching, they have such a word as Suññatā. Suññatā is emptiness but it was never elaborated because this term is seldom used by the Theravadas to teach or to share. But that word exists in their teaching. What they are more familiar is anattā. In actual fact, if you penetrate anattā, you will also penetrate suññatā; there is no difference. In fact, understanding anattā is a very beautiful awakening, a term that the Buddha used so beautifully.

It’s from the understanding of anattā that allow one to realize suññatā. Without realizing anattā, one cannot understand suññatā. Suññatā means emptiness but this emptiness is very profound, the meaning is very deep. It doesn’t mean nothingness, doesn’t mean empty of everything. No, its deep meaning is ‘empty nature of existence’, ultimately it’s not so real, not what you think. It’s empty of essence, empty of a permanent unchanging entity that you tend to cling onto, grasp onto and hold onto and say, this is me, this is I, therefore all these can be mine. When it comes to this type of understanding, you need to awaken to it. Otherwise, you cannot understand.

My nature is not interested in - whether it’s Theravada or Mahayana because these are divisions created by living beings and cultivators who don’t have the clear understanding. What is more important is, we need to do away with this division and come together as followers of the Buddha, traditional devotees of the Buddha to cultivate His teaching via not creating such unnecessary division. But society is such, and that’s the reason why when you see me coming to WPCS (which is a Mahayana vihāra started by Miss Lee’s teacher, Bo Yuan Zhang Lau) to teach or share the dharma, my opening Puja will start off with the Mahayana tradition’s salutation first then followed by the Theravada tradition’s puja chanting. We pay respects to our original teacher, Sākyamuni Buddha via chanting `Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó’ followed by Quan Yin’s because Quan Yin’s nature is very beautiful, unique, full of love, compassion and wisdom and she is also very well-respected in the Mahayana tradition and even in this temple, WPCS. You look at the statue behind, which is more prominent? Quan Yin or Sākyamuni? Quan Yin is more prominent, isn’t it? You have a full Quan Yin statue whereas Sākyamuni’s is only one poster at the back. That’s why we recite `Nā Mó Běn Shī Shì Jiā Móu Ní Fó’ followed by `Namo Quan Shi Yin Pusa’ because a lot of our Kalyāṇamittas have great affinity with Quan Yin Bodhisattva. And Quan Yin is a very beautiful and unique Being, full of love, full of compassion and wisdom.

Bo Yuan Zhang Lau was a direct descendent of Master Hsu Yun … (Master Hsu Yun was very famous. Even Master Hsuan Hua, Yun Chen Fa Tze and many of these Mahayana great masters, they were all his first line disciples and they came from that tradition of Master Hsu Yun). We need to understand all these in order to avoid controversies, arguments and misunderstanding.

After I have chanted the salutation (which include the final salutation to all Buddha and Bodhisattvas), I then combine it with those of the Theravada tradition and chant the salutation to all Buddha in the Pāḷi version: - `Arahant Samma Sambuddho Bhagavā, Buddhaṃ Bhagavantaṃ Abivademi.’ This is salutation to all the Buddha. Then the second one is salutation to the teaching, the Dharma which we chant, `Svākkhāto Bhagavatā Dhammo… etc.’ The third one is salutation to the Sangha, `Supatipanno Bhagavato Sāvaka Saṅgho … etc.’ This is to remind us of the original authentic Pāḷi chanting of the Theravada tradition.

Then, we continue with our taking of refuge, the renewal of precepts and paying of respects to the Triple Gem. This way we can do away with tradition; meaning from one tradition, we move on to connect to the next. Then after that, we study whatever Sutras that have the authentic teaching. In fact, whatever Mahayana Sutra that cannot be explained through the Theravada understanding is not the authentic Sutra. And that itself, is a very important point to note and to understand. If you cannot explain it through the Theravada understanding, then that Sutra is not the authentic Mahayana Sutra. When I mention this, I don’t mean the limited understanding of a traditional Theravada practitioner and I hope you understand.

What I mean is, a real practitioner; you can call yourself Theravada or whatever but after that so called being (the form and mind) has the realization, he will be able to comprehend the Mahayana teaching. There is no difference, because basically it’s from the same Dharma that those teachings come about. That’s why if you look at the Diamond Sutra, it’s very clearly explained. The Diamond Sutra is a very unique Sutra. There are – (I don’t know how many chapters, I think thirty something, maybe thirty-two chapters). If you go through the teaching you will realize one rather unique thing. There is no real teaching in that sutra. The Diamond Sutra only explains to you how you should develop the cultivation.

Your cultivation must reach that level of realization because this is a Sutra that explains the cultivation of Great Beings, the Bodhisattvas cultivation. That’s why it points towards the cultivation of no mark; no mark of a self- cultivating, no mark of living beings to save, no mark of life, no mark of Dharma. And this is also what Heart Sutra teaches, - ‘in true emptiness, there is none of all these.’ So, essentially and basically, the teachings are the same except that it explains to you many things that are associated with this type of cultivation. And that Sutra is so beautiful even though there is no real teaching. But for those who understand, they can expound to you the teaching hidden behind, how all these cultivation can bring about the understanding leading to those realization.

For those who have attended the classes before, they will know that the Diamond Sutra we have covered is so unique and wonderful. When you cultivate according to that sutra, the field of merits is completely different, way beyond your capacity to comprehend. When you cultivate the normal Sainthood way and the Diamond Sutra way, it’s a world of a difference, completely different. That’s the reason why the ten perfections or Pāramitās to realize Samma Sambuddhahood must be perfected. In order to fulfil the perfections, you have to cultivate following the Diamond Sutra’s teaching. Without that, there is no way you can realize or fulfil it.

But the moment you can have that understanding and cultivate according to the Diamond Sutra, your nature becomes very different. It can leapfrog and develop the perfections very fast. Then you will start to understand why you have to commit yourself to the four basic vows of the Bodhisattva, to walk the Bodhisattva way. Then, why you need to keep the three sets of pure precepts which arise from the advice of the Buddha. And all these will become very clear to the cultivator and the practitioner.

Okay? I hope the above sharing can help clear up any misunderstanding so that you don’t have to worry about whether the teaching is Theravada or Mahayana. Don’t try to create unnecessary division or arguments leading to further misunderstanding. With that you can (as per my earlier advice) make full use of whatever tradition’s good teaching to help you develop the understanding.

Whatever you cannot understand, have an open mind. Don’t use your limited knowledge to comment or argue and do things which may lead to karmic negativity without you knowing it. So, hopefully with this, when people ask about these two teachings again, you can just say never mind, there is no difference if you truly understand. Both came from the same teaching so let us not discuss all these anymore. What is more important is whether the teaching from both traditions can benefit you or not? If they can benefit you, use it. Why do you want to argue about it? Why do you want to doubt it? Please don’t. In fact the best way is, to take the best from both sides. What is weak on the Mahayana side (which I haven’t explained to you all) is, - they teach you mainly the higher teaching, the abstract Sutra and other abstract Zen sayings and analogies, - like the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra’s famous poems, then the analogy of the flag and the wind and many other Zen stories. But what they lack is the foundation teaching, the essence of the Buddha’s teaching which is the Four Noble Truths and its spin-off teaching, the Buddha’s essential Dharma.

That one, not to say Mahayana doesn’t have, they have, but not stressed upon, not dwelt into and not properly taught. If you don’t believe me, you can go to any Mahayana temple and find out for yourself, see what you learn. The first thing they ask you to do is, sweep floor, clean toilet, do all those worldly things, then help out everywhere. If you don’t have the patience and the understanding, you may find it boring because you cannot understand what is going on; then every day, chanting, chanting, and chanting. Then once in a while they have Sutra classes. But these Sutra classes are very difficult to understand. That’s why I have a lot of Dharma friends who later on, came and talked to me on these. They were Mandarin educated hence the reason why they join the Mahayana tradition. But when they were there, they couldn’t understand the true teaching, not even the basic teaching. But after attending my class, or talking to me, through having meals with me (which can be lunch or dinner or even breakfast); just through talking, or sometimes listening to the Dharma sharing, they learn so much more. They said, ‘these are the relevant teachings that can allow them to relate to life and yet they can’t learn it when they are with the Mahayana tradition because all these essential Dharma were not really taught and much less stressed upon.’ Teaching like the law of Karma, the 3 evil roots, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the 5 Spiritual Faculties and 5 mental hindrances, etc. they do have them because they were mentioned, but never taught to them. It’s unlike the Theravada tradition, where they start with all those basic teachings; how from the Four Noble Truths, the rest of the teaching (those essential dharma) spin off from there. The Theravada sutras have a lot of essential Dharma teachings. That foundation of essential dharma’s teaching is very important.

When you want to build any building, you need a very strong foundation. It is from there that the whole construction can come about and become very stable. This foundation, the authentic teaching is still with the Theravada tradition. But the interpretation of it, the understanding of these essential dharma teaching is lacking. So, to really understand them, you need those who have awakened to the higher realization, with the higher cultivation, to explain it to you. Otherwise, it is very difficult.

By now you should understand that both, Theravada and Mahayana have their pros and cons. So, if you know how to take in both, the good aspects of each tradition, then you will stand to benefit the most and you will progress beautifully. That’s why, it is very important to have an open mind, have sincerity and faith to go this way. Then just cultivate, persevere and don’t try to know, don’t even want to argue; no point because right and wrong is for the egoic mind. It’s not the mind of a true cultivator. The mind of a cultivator has to transcend duality. It has to go beyond right and wrong, me and others because sakkāyadiṭṭhi or self-delusion is very powerful.

You have to go beyond duality, beyond form, beyond mind to realize that nature within. Otherwise, you cannot understand all these teachings. The teaching is not abstract; it appears abstract because you don’t have the ability to understand, to insight into it, to liberate the mind. Because you fail to understand what your true mind, or true nature is, you don’t know how to silent your mundane mind to realize the true mind. And without that true mind, you cannot cultivate because without silence, there is no Sati.

That’s why Sati is awareness before the knowing, before the arising of thought. When thought is active, there is no silent mind hence no clarity to see things as they are. When there is no Sati, there is no meditative mind. Then you cannot realize the true mind, the true nature. Then, how can you see things as they are? This is because the delusion of your mundane mind, thinking mind and your condition-arising mind is so powerful. It continuously arise and cause delusion in you, developing all the self-delusion, to condition you to grasp, cling and give meaning to the phenomenal world, to the five aggregates of mind which is consciousness and its contents. That’s why the phenomenal world is a world of consciousness, not what you think. Then you fail to see their universal characteristics, their impermanence, suffering state, non-self or empty nature characteristics; it is not a permanent unchanging entity. All these cannot happen because you fail to penetrate the dharma. That’s why you are limited to thought. And through thought, you create views, opinions, knowledge, and ideas etc. which are all thought-based. It cannot lead to awakening. It cannot lead you to an understanding of that which is beyond thought, beyond mind which is the true Buddha Dharma. So, all these, you have to develop the understanding. Then when you understand, you will know what to do. Your focus then is very different. It’s not about right or wrong anymore, it’s not about debating or criticizing. Why do you want to associate yourself with a particular tradition? To be a true follower of the Buddha or to be worthy of the Buddha, to be called a true Dharma practitioner or a true devotee of the Buddha, you must at least understand His basic teaching and heed His advice, to avoid all evil, do good and purify the mind. And that is what the teaching and the cultivation are all about.

If you do that, you are cultivating the mind, training the mind to be mindful, to be constantly aware, to cultivate Noble Eight Fold Path which is the same as avoiding all evil, do good and purify your mind. And these are the key understanding that you need to have. Then all the other things are not important, not relevant. Then you will come to realize, you are beautiful, you are at peace, you no longer have this division in your mind, to cling onto any tradition. Whatever tradition comes, you can just understand. Then you can have joy, love, tranquility and stillness of mind, clarity of mind to understand all these and explain it to those who have the condition to listen. Then you can be a true blessing to all of humanity. It will make you a true kalyāṇamitta, cultivating with understanding. So, hopefully from now onwards, you all will no longer be affected by all these so-called Theravada or Mahayana or Vajrayana type of argument. They are not important. Let us rejoice. Sadhu (3x)!

54.2.2. The 6th Patriarch Sutra Proper

Okay? So with this, I will start the actual sharing of the 6th Patriarch Platform sutra.

Now turn to page 272. We are at the Sutra part:

Hearing the verse, Fa Ta was remorseful and he said, “From now on I will respect everyone. Your disciple recites the Dharma Flower Sutra but has not yet understood its meaning. His mind often has doubts. High Master, your wisdom is vast and great. Will you please explain the general meaning of the Sutra for me?”

See, when you have become humble, your ego is no longer as strong as it used to be. So, hearing the verse, Fa Ta was remorseful. Remorseful means regret. And then he said, `From now on, I will respect everyone.’ Why did he say, `From now on, I will respect everyone.’? Anybody, wants to try to answer that? Can you remember the previous Sunday’s sharing? When he bowed, what did he do? His head did not touch the floor, isn’t it? Then, what happened? The Sixth Patriarch immediately knew and reprimanded him. Then, after he was reprimanded, he came to realize that he was very egoistic; with thoughts which make him think he was better than the Sixth Patriarch. Remember? He thought he had recited the Lotus Sutra, (the other name is the Dharma Flower Adornment Sutra) 3000 times so he thought his merits were far more than the Sixth Patriarch’s. But when the Sixth Patriarch reprimanded him and explained to him, then only he realize where he went wrong.

That’s why do not arise this egoistic mind, thinking that you know better. In fact, if you have truly penetrated the Dharma you will have the understanding, or finally come to a realization that ‘you are nothing and you are nobody’. Do you understand? I will write on the white board (when you can realize this, you become beautiful) - ‘You are nothing and you are nobody.’ So, if you can realize this, you are beautiful – it means you have the Dharma. A lot of people will find this statement very strange, isn’t it? If I am nothing and nobody, then who is cultivating? Who is enlightened? Do you understand? Do you want to try to answer these questions? If you are nothing and you are nobody, then who is cultivating and who are you? Also who gets enlightened? Then what for, go and learn the Buddha Dharma, to finally come to the understanding that you are nothing and you are nobody? But the beauty of the teaching lies there. When ‘you are nobody and you are nothing, you are at the same time, everything’ because it’s not you anymore. It’s the oneness understanding, the sudden understanding that the ‘form and mind’ was never you. That’s why you are nobody, nothing, because the form and mind was never you. You are the oneness, you are the essence, and you are the true nature, the source of all things. That’s why ‘you’ become beautiful. Good, Sadhu!

After Fa Ta had this understanding he said, `Your disciples recite the Dharma Flower Sutra, (Miao Fa Lian Hua Ching), but has not understood its meaning’ (means although he had recited it 3000 times, he still hadn’t got the understanding of what the Sutra is). That’s why he humbled himself down, lowered his ego, then through humility, he asked, His mind often had doubts. Actually he himself knew that he hadn’t really understood. That’s why he had doubts and doubt is a mental hindrance. And then, he requested nicely from Master Hui Neng, `Hi Master! Your wisdom is vast and great. Will you please explain the general meaning of the Sutra for me?’ (So he dared not request for the full meaning of the Sutra but only a general one will do).

He was just contented with the general meaning which means he realized he didn’t have any understanding at all, what the Lotus Sutra was all about. What he understood were just words like parroting, chanting. Then the Master said, (huh, this is the part you have to understand), `Dharma penetration, the dharma is extremely penetrative or penetrating, but your mind does not penetrate it.’ (So, this part is very beautiful because this Fa Ta is using which mind? Huh, the mundane mind. That’s why the Dharma is very beautiful according to Hui Neng. He said, `Dharma penetration, the dharma is extremely penetrating but your mind does not penetrate it. That’s why you cannot understand). There is basically nothing doubtful in the Sutra.’ (See, the Sutra is complete by itself).

`The doubts are in your own mind.’ (This is the mundane mind that is still deluded, doesn’t have the clarity and the awakening). `You recite this Sutra but what do you think this teaching is?’ (So, that is the question, he post to Fa Ta). Then Fa Ta said, `this student’s faculties are dull and dim.’ (Now, he admits. Like `very cha’, dull and dim). `Since I have recited it by rote’, (what is the meaning of this word `rote’? Is it memory? Check, or Google this word. Nobody understands this word. ‘Memorize, Memory’ - thanks Mimi.)

‘Since I have recited it by memory or rote, how can I understand his teaching?’

Fa Ta is now different. He doesn’t want to argue anymore. He just humbly wants to understand the teaching.

The Master said, `I cannot read but if you take the Sutra and read it once, I will explain it to you.’

Isn’t it Strange? Because Hui Neng was an illiterate. But, he said if you read it to me, I can explain it to you. Just like the bhikkhunī who asked him the meaning of the word. He said, `I’m an illiterate. I don’t know how to read.’ She then said, `You are illiterate and yet you tell me you can explain to me the teaching? How extraordinary!’ Then Hui Neng replied, Understanding the teaching is not understanding the word alone. It’s understanding the true meaning of that teaching because the words are concepts. Words that point towards the truth is not the truth. But if you are already awakened then from that word, you will understand. It’s exactly the same as what I used to share with you all, remember? After that person has realized, he can describe his understanding in whatever manner, it may not even follow the textbook or the teaching. But for those who have awakened, they will understand what he says. `Yes, this person has realized.’ He doesn’t have to use the same essential Dharma words, the scriptural description. No need. He can use his own words because that understanding is very different. It’s just like the analogy I used to give to you all. Let’s say you haven’t been to KLCC, the famous 88-storey Twin Tower of Kuala Lumpur. If you were to describe to me what that Twin Tower is like, and if you haven’t been there before, what can your answer be? What is written in the book only, isn’t it? Correct? ‘88-storey with a link bridge in Kuala Lumpur, highest in the world at one time when it was built.’ That’s what you can say. Then if I ask you, `have you been there?’ If you happen to be there before, you can answer. Otherwise, you cannot. You cannot explain beyond that. But if you have realized it, it is like you have been there, then it will be easy for you to express it.

Whether you have been there via LRT or you take a taxi there or you go there by bus or whatever; at least if you have been there before, you would have seen certain aspects of the Twin Tower. The first thing you see if you reach the main entrance is of course, KL Suria. Then I ask you, `What do you see on the inside? Did you walk in?’ If you have not been there, you cannot describe. But if you have been there, you can describe via saying, `Yes, the taxi guy took me there and I saw the Suria KLCC sign. He told me that is the Twin Tower. Then I walk in, I saw the shops, the escalator, then it took me down towards the end where there are a lot of food outlets. Then I can see many stories up.’ The air conditioning is very good, you can describe all that. The food outlets, you can describe them. Then the musically fountain, you can also describe it because you have been there. Everyone who has been there can describe it differently because some arrive through the parking, they drive themselves down the basement parking, how they come up, they can tell you. But everyone can be describing it differently yet you know they have been there before.

Just like those who went by LRT. They say after the LRT station, you come out, you have to clear the gate, and then you have to walk a short distance before you reach KLCC. Then you have a choice to come out or go into the mall etc. It means that person has been there. But you must have somebody who has completely understood what KLCC is. Then only he can know. `Ah yes, this person has been there.’ No matter where you describe, he knows because he already has the full understanding of the whole thing. But if you had only realized just the Sainthood way or what they call the Arahant way, you may realize it through your own cultivation, your own way, then you can only describe that aspect of your realization.

Then when other people said, `No, when I went there, it was not like that. Where got LRT because I straightaway reached the main entrance, then I went in.’ He only saw that part he came from. So this is in a way quite similar as an analogy so that you understand. After that form and mind awaken, he can describe in his or her own words what has been realized. The moment he or she describes, the enlightened one who has gone through the whole training will understand. `Yes, that person has been there before, realized that awakening before.’ That’s why he can describe it using his own words. Even as an illiterate who doesn’t have any education, he can still describe it.

Can you remember what Hui Neng told the merchant who chanted the Diamond Sutra? He was curious and he asked the merchant. `What was it that you are chanting?’ he said. Then he was very amazed. He knew Hui Neng was an illiterate, a woodcutter, who didn’t understand anything. He was very surprised why Hui Neng asked him such a question. He said, `This is a very profound Mahayana Sutra. It’s called the Diamond Sutra. How come you are interested?’ So Hui Neng just told him, `When you recite to the point, ‘the mind must have no dwelling’, my mind became greatly awakened, like I could understand the meaning very clearly and very deeply.’ So this merchant knew this guy Hui Neng must be gifted. Then from there, he asked him where he heard this teaching.

He said it was from the Fifth Patriarch up in the north. Then he decided to go. He said, `can you tell me how I can go there and meet up with this teacher or this monk so that I can learn from him?’ The merchant was really excited and amazed. He said, `No problem. I can sponsor your trip and help arrange for your mother to be taken care of, before you leave. When he arrived, the moment he met the Fifth Patriarch, the Fifth Patriarch asked him (do you remember, the dialogue that transpired between the two?), `Where are you from?’ He said, `I am from the south.’ The 5th Patriarch reply, `Oh a southern, an uneducated, barbarian. Then why are you here for?’ He told the Fifth Patriarch, `I’m here to seek Buddhahood, nothing else except Buddhahood. The Fifth Patriarch was also surprised. `Wah, you are a southerner, an illiterate and yet you want to seek Buddhahood, do you stand a chance?’ Asked the 5th Patriarch. The way Hui Neng replied was so dramatic and beautiful because from his past, he knew. He said, `In physical form, there are north and south. But as far as the nature is concerned, Buddhahood is concerned, there is no difference. Everyone has that nature.’ Then the Fifth Patriarch already knew that this guy is gifted. So he said, `Ok. You talk too much. You go to the kitchen now.’ He straightaway assigned him there. Those who have the awakening and the understanding, the moment they speak, the enlightened one will know, they will understand them. So, this part, do make a note.

We will continue. The Master said,

`I cannot read but if you take the Sutra and read it once, I will explain it to you.’ So Fa Ta recite loudly until he came to the analogy chapter. The Master said, `Stop! This Sutra is fundamentally based on the principles underlying the causes and conditions of the Buddha’s appearance in the world. None of the analogies spoken go beyond that. What are the causes and conditions? The Sutra says, ‘All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world for the causes and conditions of the One important matter.’ The one important matter is the knowledge and vision of the Buddha. Worldly people, deluded by the external world, attach themselves to marks, and deluded by the inner world, they attach themselves to emptiness. If you can live among marks and yet be separated from it, (This is a very powerful statement, please do make a note: ‘you can live among marks and yet be separated from it’), then you will be confused by neither the internal nor the external.

This part is just like the lotus flower analogy because the conditioned world recognizes mark, recognizes relationship. The form and mind within the conditioned world is ‘real’ and is subject to karma. There are such a thing as birth, old age, sickness and death within the conditioned world. That’s why when you live life within the conditioned world, you live among the marks. You cultivate with marks like the lotus flower in the lotus pond. From the lotus pond, (the dirt, the conditioned world, the existential world) where all the dirty things, all the evil roots are all there. From there, it can rise above and stand above the world, the lotus pond. So, here is the same. If you can live among marks, (mark of a self, mark of a living being, mark of Dharma, mark of life or living), and yet, be separated from it knowing that they are unreal and ultimately empty you will be beautiful.

Then nothing can confuse you, whether internal or external, the phenomenal world. You will not be deceived and deluded because you can live within the world of marks and yet be separated from marks because you have the true understanding, the awakening. That’s what ‘Heart Sutra’ is all about, ‘in true emptiness, all these don’t exist.’ But in life, they exist. So, this form and mind, this segmented life that you come is subjected to karma. You cannot play a fool with it. You cannot say, `Oh, I use my true mind to act hence there is no karma.’ Huh? You can go and try it out. That form and mind may not be you but that one (it) is subject to karma. That one recognizes relationship. You cannot just say, `It is just a form and mind. I can kill because there is nobody inside there. Hey no you and hey no me.’ That is delusional. If you think like that, it means you don’t have the understanding. You are being deluded. That’s why Fa Ta could not penetrate because he had a lot of doubts. In fact a lot of Theravada practitioners have this same problem. When you discuss with them non-self, empty nature and all those other dharma, they cannot comprehend because on the one side, he heard the Buddha say, `you are born of your karma, heir to your karma, conditioned and supported by your karma and you are what you are because of your karma’. They may argue via saying the Buddha said, `I exist, I am born of my karma, heir to my karma, conditioned and supported by my karma and I am what I am because of my karma. Then why do you say, not me, non-self, etc. To them, it appears contradictory. So, what is your understanding?

Did the Buddha lie? The Buddha didn’t lie, isn’t it? Can you explain why the Buddha didn’t lie? Because when He said, ‘you are born of your karma, heir to your karma, conditioned and supported by your karma and you are what you are because of your karma’, what is He referring to? What is the entity that He is referring to? That one came from the karmic nature. And He is referring to your ‘form and mind’. The ‘form and mind’ is born of karma, that’s correct. But this ‘form and mind’, the Buddha said, it’s not you. That is the penetrative awakening. When one realizes this Dharma, one is awakened, then one will come to the understanding that all these are condition-arising or dependent-originating phenomena hence not real and not what one thinks.

The ‘form and mind’, both, are not real because they are dependent-originating or condition-arising. That’s why they are impermanent; dependent on conditions, they arise. When conditions cease to be, it cease to be. So, who are you, what are you? This ‘form and mind’, when the consciousness separates, did you die? When they (all the aggregates) arise and pass away (which you have already experienced in your meditation), did you die? Feelings come and go, pleasant feeling becomes unpleasant, did you die? You didn’t die, isn’t it? Thoughts arise and pass away, you didn’t die. So, thought is not you, feeling is not you, perception is not you. And these will become very clear to you after one awaken.

If they are not you, then who are you? What are you? Then, how did it arise in you? This is what the teaching is all about. That’s why you have to silent your mind through meditation, through Sati, to awaken to it, to realize it. This is what Paṭicca Samuppāda or dependent origination is all about. When your mind is silent, you are in sati meditating; you will see how they come to be as described in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutra. How the un-arisen mental hindrances come to be, then how the arisen mental hindrances cease to be. You will see them, then you will come to realize they are all dependent-originating, and there is no permanent unchanging entity behind. This is what meditation is all about. Not, note this, note that, focus on this, focus on that, etc. - all those doings are not the meditation. The true meditation is just silently aware to realize all these through an awareness because your physical form (body) has the senses, your mind the consciousness that can make contact; then upon contact, if you are mindful, you are aware, you will understand what arises. It is not a one dimensional dependent origination flow, such as upon contact, feeling arise, then feeling conditions craving etc. No!

What really happens is, together with feeling, so many things arise simultaneously. Without wisdom (the yoniso manasikāra or wisdom at the moment of sense experience) feeling will straightaway condition craving, then it will condition grasping, clinging and becoming, then you become that. You remember, Bro. Pang at the previous Thursday class? He asked me that same question, `Bro Teoh, this dependent origination, I have gone through it many times. But I cannot do anything about it because it happens so fast,’ he said. `Upon contact, straightaway suffering already, that is, I ‘react’ already. So how to see? You can only see if you have the stability of mindfulness. At the moment of feeling, feeling will remain as pure feeling because there is no self-delusion. But before you have that understanding or ability, it will become craving first.

Then when it becomes craving, you cannot cut, you cannot stop because this dependent origination is a continuous link. You can only come to the understanding if you continue to be silently aware and follow the four foundations of mindfulness teaching to realize it clearly; it means seeing it in the meditation that this is really dependent originating, not what you think; exactly like the Buddha’s explanation in the Anattā Lakkhaṇa Sutra. That’s why after the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutra, He continued with the Anattā Lakkhaṇa Sutra, the Sutra on non-self or empty nature of existence. After that all the five ascetics become Arahants straightaway. That’s why it is a very powerful sutra.

Anattā is empty nature or non-self-nature (not a permanent unchanging entity). Via that realization, you will awaken. The five ascetics were not meditating. They were just listening attentively with their Right View developed from their past cultivation and past pāramīs. That’s how it can happen, and this is what meditation is all about, not what you were originally taught by others those type of meditation where they instruct you to do the noting, concentrating, focusing and labeling, etc. - they are not the real meditation. The real meditation doesn’t use thought. You just aware, silent and that silent mind which is the meditative mind, which is your true mind will understand. It will awaken.

But for you to have the ability to be silent, your spiritual faculties have to be very stable. Especially the mindfulness, it has to be very stable. The reason why it is not stable is because of your wrong view, your delusion that conditions your five mental hindrances. These mental hindrances are so powerful. They constantly hinder you from entering the meditative state of inner peace, inner calmness and inner mindfulness. That’s the reason why throughout the day, living beings are hardly mindful, hardly aware. If you are hardly mindful and hardly aware, how can you become enlightened? How can you meditate and cultivate? The Buddha already mentioned clearly under Dhammapada Verse 21, `only the heedful never die and heedfulness is the path to the deathless whereas the heedless are as if dead.’ Heedlessness is the path to the dead, which means spiritually you don’t stand a chance, you cannot awaken.

If you don’t develop the understanding of what heedfulness is and cultivate with that understanding, you can never penetrate His teaching to realize the awakening. Heedfulness is defined clearly by the Buddha under Dhammapada Verse 23, `the constantly meditative, ever mindful and steadfast one (means one who holds onto these two cultivations firmly), will realize the Supreme Borne-Free Nibbāna,’ which is the enlightenment. So what is constantly meditative? Constantly cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path, then ever-mindful means you not only train your mind to be mindful, you have to stabilize it until in the midst of life, you are constantly aware and ever mindful.

This means the mindfulness, the inner awareness is always there. Then you are destined for enlightenment. You don’t have to worry about what people say. You just do that and you will realize the Supreme Born-free Nibbāna. That’s why mindfulness is the first factor of enlightenment. Stabilize it until ever mindful then you can investigate Dharma. Then all the other enlightenment factors will follow. Then you can use it to cultivate Noble Eightfold Path. This is what heedfulness is all about. If you are constantly meditative, throughout the day, ever mindful to cultivate this noble teaching of the Buddha which is the Noble Eightfold Path, it will lead to the end of all suffering, the realization of Nibbāna which is the enlightenment in the here and the now. Okay?

You have to understand the above very clearly. Then your focus becomes very different and very clear. Then you will not go back to your old habitual way of meditation. The old way is just to seek peace because the moment you sit, you just want to have calmness and peacefulness. Then you just want to force your mind to be mindful, aware, but you don’t know what you are doing, in the name of meditation because you have been conditioned by your habitual tendencies. Besides, in the past, almost all meditations are taught that way; like you must sit, must note, must do Vipassanā, and must do Jhāna. When you do without understanding, you are not focused. Then how can you progress? Progress can only happen when you understand. So first thing to check against is Dhammapada Verse 21 which states that, `the heedless are as if dead.’ So you must check, are you heedful or heedless? If you are still heedless, what must you do? If throughout the day, most of the time, you are not mindful at all, then how can you be heedful? To be heedful, you must be ever mindful. Then use it to cultivate Noble Eightfold Path then only the whole teaching can be understood. That’s what the Klang talk is about this. You must listen to the last Friday night’s Klang talk, it’s very beautiful. Then only the whole of the cultivation of the Noble Eightfold Path can comes about.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a very elaborate set of cultivation, starting with Right View (Right Understanding); the three types of Right Views: the spiritual Law of Karma, Law of Mind, and the Four Noble Truths which is Dharma Niyāma. That one alone is a lot for you to cultivate. Even to understand the Law of Karma leading to the understanding of how the advice of the Buddha comes about is not easy. That itself is a whole set of very elaborate cultivation.

You have to train your mind to be ever mindful. Then only you can have the ability to be aware of your evil roots that condition you into karmic negativity. Then you have to understand clearly what constitute evil. Then only you can follow the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil. That is the first thing you have to do. So without mindfulness, you cannot start. You can’t even be mindful of who you are, what you are. If you don’t understand what constitute evil, how can you cultivate the precepts because you can’t even be aware of the evil roots? That’s the reason why you all have to go into all these to develop the understanding. Then when you have the ability to identify them, the next step is to arise the Right Efforts to abandon the unwholesome thoughts, the unwholesome speech, action and livelihood that have arisen followed by the other remaining 3 right efforts.

Then, after you have contemplated, reflected and straightened your view, you can prevent it from arising via the second Right Effort. Then the third Right Effort is to develop those virtues, wholesomeness, kindness and goodness that are still not in you. So, all these Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood or Right Living, you have to cultivate them all. Basically the third right effort is to cultivate the Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood that are still not in you. To cultivate these you have to understand what constitute Right Thought, what constitute Right Speech, what constitute Right Action and what constitute Right Livelihood. Write them down then only you can cultivate them and put them into practice so that they can become a part of you. This is a whole set of cultivation. The way you live your life, you have to be ever mindful, guided by the Noble Eightfold Path.

You cannot deviate; otherwise, it is impossible for you all to understand all these. When you can write it down, only then can you have the understanding to arise the right effort to cultivate and develop all these Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood or Right Living that are still not in you.

Then finally the fourth Right Effort is to purify or refine upon them and perfect all these virtues of Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Living or Right Livelihood. This is a very elaborate set of cultivation by itself too. If you have not been doing all these, it means you still have a lot of work to do. Then, after that, of course, you can simultaneously cultivate the next path factor which is Sati or mindfulness. After you have developed the Sati, you have to stabilize it until it is ever mindful. Then Samadhi will come. With Sati and Samadhi in the midst of life, constantly meditative and ever mindful, you will become heedful. Then you can see things as they are, the direct seeing will awaken your nature to the universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering state and non-self.

Then you are no longer deluded. After you awaken, you can straighten your view. Then you can see things as they are. Then you can cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path beautifully. This is how the whole Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed. When it comes to Sati, you have to cover the Four Foundations of Mindfulness practices. Otherwise you cannot awaken. Then only you can understand what those Enlightened Beings said: `Truth is everywhere in the midst of life and nature. Why can’t you see? For those who see, they always see because the universal characteristics are in all phenomena, all the time, everywhere, in the midst of life and nature.’ So this is what the actual teaching points towards. When you understand all these, then you should write it down, you can use it as a check-list, - to inquire stage by stage if you have understood all these? When you meditate you can check and inquire, are you focused on all these understanding? That’s why the first training is to train your mind to be mindful then stabilize it then use it to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path. Then only there is this stability of mind to be ever mindful and constantly meditative to begin the real cultivation. Hope you all understand.

That is follow what I have taught you all; from the first Right View, regarding the Law of Karma, cultivate as per the advice of the Buddha; keep the precepts, develop mindfulness to avoid all evil, then do good; cultivate the four Right Efforts, then understand what constitute evil, what constitute Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, etc. All these, you have to do with understanding. Then only you can put it into practice and cultivate until this heedfulness becomes a part of you. Then the four Foundations of Mindfulness is what you have to do. Then you will come to understand that the so-called ‘Vipassanā’ or the formal meditation that you all used to do in the past is only a small integral part of the whole Noble Eightfold Path practices. The Noble Eightfold Path starts from the three Right Views and these three Right Views are very important, from the Law of Karma, all His essential Dharma on avoiding evil, doing good comes about. Then purification of the mind also starts from there. After that, you have the second Right View, Citta Niyāma - means order of the mind, to understand how you function as a human being following the Paṭicca Samuppāda, Dependent Origination teaching.

Then you must see the link within your meditation, how your mind due to ignorance, creates Saṅkhāra activities. When you see something, don’t react to it, don’t use knowledge via saying, `Oh, this is Saṅkhāra. Saṅkhāra Paccaya viññāṇaṃ….’ Forget about all these verbalization and thought based doing, just silent your mind to realize and understand. Theory is theory. The realization is in the meditation itself. Then upon contact, not only feeling arises, Saṅkhāra also arises because ignorance-contact conditions what? When you don’t have wisdom, it will condition not only feelings, it becomes craving straight away, and then the mind concocts through memory via likes and dislikes, mental states and activities etc. That’s why Avijjā Paccaya Saṅkhāra, or ignorance-contact conditions mental activities and it moves so fast, you cannot see. You still think, upon contact feeling arise, or phassa paccaya vedanā then you try to note `feeling’, note, note and note via verbalizing. The mind moves so fast, Saṅkhāra, inside churning and moving so fast, that’s why concocting and yet you all are still so gullibly noting `feeling, feeling, feeling’ and want to cut at feeling. All these are verbalization, thought-based, not the real meditation. The real meditation has no words, just silent. Through that silence, the true mind will awaken. It will understand what this is. Then all of a sudden, the understanding will be there. The mind will realize, then it becomes so different, so profound. Then after that, your mindfulness becomes very stable because you have straightened your view. Straighten your view means less avijjā or less ignorance, and less delusion. Then what happens to the first two links? Yes! They are weakened. That’s why less thought, just like what Sister Eng Bee said. That’s why if your meditation does not lead you to have less thoughts (within the free mind state), you are not doing it correctly. But if you force your thoughts not to arise through concentration and one-pointedness, that is also not the real one. The thoughts must be less and less in the midst of your daily life leading to more clarity hence more heedful living.

Why must you think? You think because there is Avijjā . If there is no Avijjā, who is there to think? Thing is just the way it is. Think also like that, don’t think also like that. Can you all remember what I told you all before? I only use thought when I need to share with people, interact with people, and communicate with the world. Then I have to use thoughts, words, and speech. That’s why this ‘form and mind’ is just a segmented life for my nature to use while in this existential world. It’s not me. When you understand this, you can be in the midst of mark and yet be separated from mark. That is the true meaning of what cultivation is.

This ‘form and mind’ becomes a vehicle and a tool for my nature to come and use. This is not me hence I don’t have to worry about it getting old, getting sick and die. I trust that karmic nature because if I take care of karma, karma will take care of this ‘form and mind’. That’s it. If you take care of karma, karma takes care of your life. If you don’t take care of karma, the ‘form and mind’ suffer, becomes miserable, even though not you but your consciousness is trapped inside. That’s why that ‘form and mind’ through delusion can still become afflicted, miserable and that is what the teaching is all about. Even though not you, but you will grasp, you will cling, you will believe it’s you. That’s why there’s such a thing as suffering, such thing as birth leading to old age, sickness and death. This is what the real teaching is all about, not what you think. A lot of people through delusion, - do you know what they will say, `Aiyah, it’s Anattā, not me so I will do first, because next life, somebody else suffer,’ they think this way. `Now I rob, I rape, amass wealth, everything, then next life, not me, another guy suffer.’ He goes and think like that.

Then when he kills, he also wants to justify via saying, `this is only a ‘form and mind’, not me, not a being so I didn’t kill.’ Maybe, when they go to court, they can tell this to the judge, “I didn’t kill. My teaching tells me this one is not real, just a ‘form and mind’ only.” You go and try, then see whether the judge believes you or sentences you. If in China, they will immediately, `枪毙' (Qiāngbì) you (sentence you to death or capital punishment), they kill you. So all these, need understanding. Without understanding, the thought can condition you into this type of wrong thinking. Then you still think you are right. You still want to justify your action. So this is the part because of conditions, I have shared it with you and hopefully it will help you all. Okay?

Now we shall go back to the Sutra.

So the one important matter is the knowledge and vision of the Buddha which is, I repeat,

Worldly people deluded by the external phenomenal world, attach themselves to marks (mark of what? - Of a self, of a being existing, cultivating or living life and mark of others.

That’s why there is division, the mark of the phenomenal world, mark of life, mark of Dharma - all these are marks) and deluded by the inner world …, (inner world, what is your inner world? What do you do when you are alone? You think a lot, isn’t it? Your inner world is your thoughts, your Saṅkhāra activities, your mundane mind, condition-arising mind, thinking mind. That’s why you think a lot. You chatter a lot. The other aspect is verbalization and chattering. You verbalize a lot, you talk to yourself a lot.) …they attach themselves to emptiness (because they use knowledge.)

Then the thought will tell them, “everything is empty, why worry? (Do you think they can be free from suffering when they use their thoughts to think that way?) Also they may quote, ‘according to Bro Teoh, everything is not so real’, then why do you attach, why do you cling, please let go”.

Bro. Teoh: But how to let go? The person who holds cannot let go. You need understanding. The moment you understand, no need to hold. Hence you don’t need to let go. That is the understanding. Not what they teach you, - ‘to practice letting go, practice non-grasping, cut at feeling so that craving cannot arise, etc.’ these are all words only. There is no such cultivation! If you don’t have wisdom or the understanding you will grasp, you will cling, you will hold. That’s why you need wisdom, and awakening because nothing frees you except your understanding, your wisdom. That’s why if you don’t have the stability of mindfulness, the heedfulness to awaken, you can’t use Dharma knowledge to free. Because you are using words. `The Buddha said ‘aniccaṃ, dukkhaṃ and anattā’ i.e. everything is impermanent. If I give meaning and I hold, I will suffer, then not real, not me, non-self, etc. But when the physical body gets injured or got sickness, all the Dharma is forgotten. `Aiyoh, I must see a doctor. I must do this, I must not complain. How come this time it is so terrible? The last time, I went to see the doctor, he gave me some medication and I recovered. Now maybe old already’ - continue to complain. `When I was young, my body is so good. Now here rheumatism, there rheumatism, walk also not steady, vision also blur, hearing also not so well. Aiyoh, how lah!’ Who is saying all these? The ‘form and mind’, the thought, which is not you. That’s why the Buddha said the five daily contemplations, do reflect on them. `This body of yours is of the nature to grow old, get sick and die for it goes the way of nature. It’s not you, it’s impermanent, it’s condition-arising, dependent-originating; - contemplate on all these, reflect on them every day. Did you do this until it becomes very clear? Then you will understand because these are elements.

When you meditate, you will know why it is not you because apart from being elements only, there is a consciousness trapped inside. Then this consciousness with its content or the other aggregates keep on arising and passing away yet you are still around. Then how can feelings be you, how can perception be you, how can the thinking, the views and opinions be you, then how can the consciousness that arises and passes away be you, how can the thought be you. That’s why there is no thinker behind the thoughts. Then a lot of cultivators are so gullible and so deluded, every time, they have anger or hatred or fear, do you know what they will say? `Aiyoh, I fail again. I still have anger.’ Failing to understand that ‘Anger’ was never you. That’s why when your Sakkāyadiṭṭhi or self-delusion is still so strong; how can you be free?

Later when you meditate - thinking that you are a very good cultivator and you may think you will not get angry anymore, then when there is anger, you are affected and you become unhappy and complained, ‘I have been meditating for so long, and my vipassanā nana already confirmed by the monk, that I had attained what nana and what nana, yet I reacted, and still get angry.’ So what is happening? This is not understanding the Buddha’s teaching because the Buddha said, `before anger arise, there was no anger.’ You are supposed to silent your mind, develop mindfulness and be aware to trace the origination factors as to how anger arise. Did you do that? If you do that, you will understand. Then you will not complain, ‘Aiyoh, I still got anger. I come here to meditate. I am supposed to have more peace, more calm and have more clarity, leading to good meditative experiences. But I am not getting all these. My meditation is lousy. Maybe I should look for another teacher, use another technique, another method, or go to another temple.’ Sound familiar right? This is what your mind will tell you and create more doubts in you. `Maybe that teacher is not so good and I heard that one is very good, had realized Arahantship, already or whatever.’ So this is what gullible cultivators will do because the real understanding is not there. That’s why I said, ‘you can go everywhere and yet you cannot find truth because the truth is within you.’ Truth is not outside of you, it’s within your nature. When your nature awakens and realize, everything becomes clear, no need to search.

Who is searching? The best is the famous quote by J Krishnamurti: ‘what happens if the searcher is the searched?’

You go everywhere searching for a teacher, an enlightened one. But the truth is, the searcher is the searched. What are you trying to search? You want to be enlightened, isn’t it? You meditate because you want to be free from all suffering. So, this is what you are searching, searching for enlightenment. Who is searching? Actually, your nature itself is searching. But you don’t understand what your nature is. You use the mundane mind which is not your true mind to search. That’s the reason why you cannot realize because the nature or true mind is within.

This is supposed to be your nature. But instead, through delusion, you use the mundane mind or thinking mind to search. That’s why you cannot find. This is what happens. The thought takes you around, maybe go many rounds, to ‘Holland’, and don’t know how to come back because you use the mundane mind to search. You cultivate all those thought-based meditation, and you never look within. In fact, that nature which is your true mind, and your true nature has always been there within you. Your nature is already awakened. This is the one you are searching, your true mind. But you run all over the places, searching outside. That’s why in the earlier sharing, if you may recall, Master Hsuan Hua reminds you to reverse the light, {hui guang fan zhao, 回光返照} and look within. That is what meditation is. This silent mind cannot think. It can only be aware of all the movements inside (meaning the Saṅkhāra activities of the form and mind), the dependent-originating activities, the essential Dharma, the three evil roots, the 5 mental hindrances, the 5 spiritual faculties, etc. within. They are all inside for you to be aware. But you all never meditate this way. You use the thought (the mundane thinking mind) to go and look, - look for what, look for impermanence, look for calmness, look for Pīti, look for nana, Jhāna, and all the psychic via dharma knowledge.

This is the part, cultivators don’t understand/realize. If you don’t have this understanding, you will not be able to understand the Buddha Dharma. You will not be able to awaken because to awaken is very simple. Just search within because everything is within you. Everybody has the Buddha nature. Everybody has the potential to realize that Buddha Nature. The Buddha Nature is never apart from your form and mind; always connected. The only reason why you cannot realize it is because you are lost in thought, that’s why you deludedly cling onto the phenomenal world created by thought - which is essentially consciousness and its content.

That’s how the phenomenal world of consciousness deceives you and makes you believe that this is real; and makes you believe this is what you are. Do you remember the Shurangama Sutra’s teaching? - Who becomes the traveler in space and time? Consciousness created the world and the continents and who becomes the traveler in space and time? Wah, so fast, you all forget. I will write it down so that you all can remember. `Consciousness created the world and the continents.’ Who is this traveler? I can give you a hint. Start with `k’. Very good. She got it. Huh, the knower. The knower becomes the traveler in space and time. This knower comes from where? From your self- delusion because you think the consciousness is you. You think there is somebody who knows. Who knows? Because you think there is a knower behind the thoughts. When you perceive something, you think there is a knower behind the perception. There is somebody behind the feeling. That is self-delusion. This knower is an illusion. It is self-illusion. You (the thought which is egoistic) created the knower) there was nobody there. It’s just the consciousness. Do you remember the physics experiment? The Buddha said, `in the seeing, it’s only the seeing consciousness.’ There is no one to see, - understand that so that consciousness does not become egoistic. How can you meditate when your consciousness is so egoistic? Most meditators complain via saying, ‘I still have anger. My meditation is not good!’ Who is saying all these? The egoistic mind, the I, the Me. Maybe my teacher is no good, - again the mind projects. Then how can you meditate? This is Sakkāyadiṭṭhi. You are supposed to be silent and just aware. When you are silent and aware, it means this ‘knower’ doesn’t exist. There is nobody to be aware. That’s why the Buddha said, `in the seeing, there is only the seeing consciousness.’ Like in the Physics experiment, do you remember the Physics experiment involving the light bulb, the battery and the switch? Upon contact, what happens? The battery is analogous to the mind (power source) and this switch is the contact. Upon contact, what happens? The light bulb lights up and you become conscious of what you see.

Do you need a God to create seeing consciousness? This is automatic, arise via nature’s law, isn’t it? Upon contact, the light bulb lights up. Your seeing consciousness, is the same, so is hearing consciousness; it’s just like one becomes conscious of that thing. There’s nobody behind the seeing. It’s just the seeing consciousness. The Buddha explained this teaching to two of the monks who met him, in the Vamika Sutra. During Kassapa Buddha’s time there were four monks then who later took birth during the Buddha’s time and supposed to meet him and become Arahant. He taught two of them this same teaching. One of them met him when he was doing the Pindapata, the alms-round; he wanted to see the Buddha. The disciples said, ‘No, you have to wait till the Buddha finish his alms-round then you can come’. He said no, ‘this is urgent, I cannot wait, I may not have the time to wait’. Then the Buddha overheard this, the Buddha came over - saw and knew the conditions behind. Then the Buddha spoke to him, `Okay, can you wait? Afterwards I will come back and I will teach you.’ The monk said, `No! I may not live that long. I may die before that. So I need to talk to you now.’

The Buddha then said, `Okay. Now you can ask. What is it that you want to know?’ I want to understand life. I want to realize the enlightenment. How can I awaken? Then the Buddha said, `do listen!’ Asked him to sit down, then through those conditions with clarity of mind, the Buddha instructed him. He just said these 6 things, `In the seeing, it’s just the seeing consciousness, there is no one to see. In the hearing, it’s just the hearing consciousness, no one to hear. In the smell, taste, tactile and thought process, it’s the same.’ There is no being within. But there is an awareness which can be aware of all these. Straightaway, he became an Arahant.

You want me to repeat? Then, maybe some of you can also become Arahant. It’s really that easy, not that difficult. When you are ready with the conditions, you will awaken. This diagram (on the Physics experiment), I purposely draw it out to let you understand it clearly.

Every moment of sense experience, it’s just like this bulb, lights up (or you become conscious). It’s not a being inside that become conscious. Consciousness itself arise. At the moment of sense experience, it’s just the consciousness. There is no one inside. But, when did the ego, self-delusion or atta, goes in? When? Huh, when you act according to memory. Your memory tells you what? ‘I see, therefore I am’. Do you understand? Since birth until now, I always say, `I see.’ When people ask you, `who is the one who sees?’ Now we can go through it. Who is the capital ‘I’, because you always say, I see, isn’t it? Let’s go into specific. Who is this fellow? That’s why if you are gullible, and you never investigate deep into it, you will not understand. This is the egoistic mind that we talk about. But you cannot define what this is. So when I ask you, `who is the ‘I’ that sees?’ How do you answer? You answer, `That Form and mind’, following the text again because you never investigate and you are never aware. But when you meditate, you will come to understand that without eye, you cannot see, isn’t it? Without the eye functioning, you also cannot see.

Then if you are gullible you will say, `maybe my eyes see.’ But you never check. Is it true that your eyes see? With eyes, you may not see because when you are asleep with eyes open, you cannot see. A dead man with eyes open also cannot see. That’s why eye alone doesn’t see. Why can’t you see? Then you try to be smart. I need the mind to see. Then you say, `my mind sees.’ Then you introduce another one. Instead of eye see, you say, `my mind sees.’ Agree or not? Don’t agree? Tell me why. Why the mind alone cannot see? With mind and the eye, I can see. But you say if it’s the mind alone that sees, you are not right. Why? The dead man without mind cannot see. So you think you are right. With mind, only I can see. But, if you ask a blind man with mind to see. Can he see? Can the blind mind see? He cannot see, isn’t it? So, mind alone doesn’t see. Eye alone doesn’t see. Then what is seeing? The three conditions have to be there. There must be the eye that is functioning, there must be a battery with the energy similar to the mind. There must be contact. When these three conditions come together, the nature’s law automatically triggers off seeing. That’s how the consciousness arises or lights up. So seeing is dependent-originating, condition-arising. It’s not created by God. It’s not a being, a soul inside that’s responsible for seeing. Can you follow? You are supposed to see all these in your meditation. If you have daily mindfulness, this is what you will see. The direct seeing before the egoistic mind comes in. You see things as they are. What does it means? The pure seeing like a baby’s seeing – seeing without word, without concept. That’s what happens, during the early days of my cultivation, after 1989, something just happened then when I looked at everything around me, I was so amazed. I looked at thing as a whole complete seeing. I don’t look at the concept of a flask or a Tupperware or a bell or whatever. No, that is word. The seeing is the actual perception of it without the word. When you say, `I saw this table,’ you are not seeing. This has become a concept you create in your brain, via your mundane mind. The ‘I’ is the egoic mind. The direct seeing is just the consciousness that is conscious of it. There is no name. Seeing things as they are.

Do you think this table knows that it is a table? To a Malay speaking person, it becomes ‘meja’ and to a Mandarin speaking person it is, ‘桌子’. Then what is this fellow? This fellow is ‘as it is’ has no name but because it performs a function, you give it a concept then it arise, and you call it a table. That’s why the Zen master whacked his disciple who claimed to be enlightened. The master pointed to the table and asked, `what do you see?’ The student said, `Table.’ The master straightaway whacked him. Master said, `you said you are enlightened and yet there is a still table.’

Because he still perceived form. ‘Perception of form is consciousness whereas its non-perception, the direct seeing is wisdom.’  So, consciousness created the world and the continents. All of these that exist in this existential world, they are all mind-made. Mind-made are they. Only Consciousness, and nothing else. That’s why the whole of existence is a phenomenal world of consciousness. If you understand this, you understand the teaching. Ok? Can you all follow? This is like a revision. If you go back and read the Heart Sutra notes, it’s all there. I had shared it under the Shurangama sutra teaching before and it’s mentioned on many occasions within the Heart Sutra notes.

Ah yes, pass the mike to Sister Mei Hsiang.

Question by Mei Hsiang: I just want to clarify the seeing consciousness, we have the mind, the organ, and then we talk about the contact. Can you explain about the contact?

Bro. Teoh: Contact is just contact. When the mind is there, it will make contact, isn’t it? When you direct your mind at the seeing consciousness, it will make contact, isn’t it? Not only come together, your mind is the common denominator. The mind that is aware can be anywhere. When it’s aware, if you want to see, it’s not a person seeing. The ‘form and mind’, if it wants to see, what does it do? The mind will go to what it sees, isn’t it? So that you can have the consciousness of seeing. Then if it doesn’t want to see, like a very loud vibration comes to your ears, then what happens? It goes there because this sense data impinging the ear is stronger. So, this one takes over while you are daydreaming, creating saṅkhāra or `building castles in the air’. Then somebody, maybe Wai Hong comes from the back and call, `Hey Mei Hsiang, or maybe darling, or honey, then what happens?’ Your ‘castles’ suddenly no more. Your saṅkhāra also no more. Then, this one which is more powerful takes over. And you reply, `anything?’ Then he said, `Nothing. Just a joke.’ Then maybe you get angry. `I was having this saṅkhāra creation, and I was enjoying it then why did you suddenly come along and disturb me?’ That is how you may function as a human being.

While you are walking, thinking, happy-go-lucky, let’s say you didn’t wear shoes, then suddenly, pricked by a nail or a broken glass or a sharp stone. `Aiyoh’, your mind goes there straight away. It means contact is there already. You forgot about what you think because that sensation, that tactile consciousness takes over. That’s how you function as a human being. Wherever you place your mind, there will be contact. That’s why I say, wherever you place your mind, energy will build up there because it’s consciousness. Without the organ, how can the consciousness arise? That’s why it needs the organ as a condition for it to arise, for it to light up.

Let’s say the battery was put in the reverse order, then no current, light bulb won’t light up, isn’t it? It’s like if your karmic force is not there, no more heart beat, and you cannot become conscious anymore. That’s why the light bulb cannot light up. That’s why a dead man cannot see. So when the battery is there, the moment you press the switch, it will light up. The switch is like your mind. Wherever you place it, at the organ, it will establish contact. Then upon contact, if you are mindful, it’s very beautiful. It’s just like this light bulb. `Thuc!’ You know what is `Thuc’ or not? Like you become conscious. Then, at that moment, it can be nothing. You can be at the moment of contact, at the moment of consciousness. That’s why I said when your mindfulness is very stable, you can be aware of or see all these. It’s not a theory. You cannot just say, Bro Teoh said, ‘upon contact, seeing consciousness arise.’ Without the stability of mindfulness, you cannot be aware and be with the moment in silent awareness. Straightaway, the perception will comes out, the views and opinion, the association with what you see will come out, and then you start your description. `Wah! This is very nice, very beautiful. I want to take a photo shot with my hand phone.’ While you are doing all these, you are not mindful. You are hardly aware because these are your habitual tendency.

This is how most human beings live their life. But when you are mindful, it’s completely different. You will have an understanding then you decide. It’s like what I had shared with you all before, in the morning, when your bladder calls and you to go to the toilet, most of the times, how you come up from the bed also you are not aware, how you enter the toilet, how you open the door, how you undress to answer nature’s call also you don’t know. Then how you sat in that posture also you are not aware or don’t know. The only thing you may know is when you are sitting on the WC answering nature’s call.

The Buddha said you are supposed to be mindfulness of every action, every movements in the present moment. You can only be conscious, but you are not aware; conscious when you have released it out because that tactile consciousness that is disturbing you is no more. You are hardly aware, you are only conscious that it is relieved already. That is not mindfulness at all. That’s why I say you are conscious of life but you never live life. You are hardly aware. You are not with the moment. When you are with the moment, you can decide. You can tell the thought, `No, not you, I decide.’ I can decide when to go, even under very severe emergency, you have to go, you can still decide. I have tried it before. `I just say now I decide.’ Then I come out mindfully, mindful of all the movements, like how the comforter or blanket were moved, how the hand moves, how I turn, get down from the bed, all fully aware; then how I walk there, body and mind as one, which hand comes out to open the toilet door. Sometimes, if it’s not locked, I just push it. Then, how I turn, goes on to the WC, undress, how I sit down, answer nature’s call, etc. - all fully aware.’ That is what mindfulness is all about. It’s not a joke. You have to do it. That is just the beginning. You have to be in that state throughout the day. That’s why I say, start with your daily activities at home, things you can have control of, where you don’t have to be subject to external interference because the moment you move out of your house, all your other senses are fully engaged especially when you are driving your car. You have to be conscious of what you see. Then you must have the awareness, the mindfulness, and the attentiveness to act and to drive. There are a lot of things moving. That’s why if your mindfulness is not stable enough, you cannot cope with life. Your six sense doors move so fast, you are fully engaged. Saṅkhāra arise and pass away so fast, create so many stories for you. The egoic mind is so fast. Yet, you are completely not aware. You are still thinking, thinking. `Aiyoh, what to do when I reach the office? Aiyoh, red light already.’ Then, getting angry and unhappy, etc.

Most living beings are not mindful, not aware. You are hardly aware because you are not able to be silent. Your spiritual faculties are not stable, your mental hindrances are there, and you haven’t straightened your views. That’s why the whole of the cultivation of the Noble Eight Fold Path is a very elaborate practice or cultivation. You have to do it to experience and understand all these so that what I describe and share, you can follow. If you have not done so, you may not understand and even be skeptical as to comment, ‘Can the cultivation make you such? True or not?’ Then maybe you will go and ask Bro Song. If Bro Song says, `I don’t know. I also haven’t done it.’ Then you will have more doubts.

If you listen to this recording, it will help you a lot because if you listen attentively and put it into practice the cultivation can comes about. Can you remember that day’s sharing by Sister Mimi during the Tuesday class? What did she draw on the white board? The Buddha and His teaching - what is lacking? Phase 1 dharma is the learning of the teaching, understanding the teaching until it’s very clear, and then put it into practice. This is what a lot of people didn’t do. In fact, the first one, learning of the teaching also never do it correctly? You think you know, but you never write it out, you are not focused, you don’t have the full picture. You only think, `Ya, Bro. Teoh keep on repeating all these, - I must be mindful, I must be heedful.’ But you never go into it. What is heedfulness? How is it possible for me to develop that quality of mind called heedfulness? Then you have to start training your mind to be aware, developing the five spiritual faculties to overcome the five mental hindrances. Have you done that? After you have done that, your meditation will progress. When your spiritual faculties take over, no more mental hindrances, then most of the time, you are aware. Then you stabilize that awareness. You can use a method, a technique or any skilful means like ānāpānasati to stabilize it. Otherwise you have to develop the formal meditation in whatever posture that are more suitable for you, whether lying down or ānāpānasati etc. until your mind becomes so subtle and so quiet until like no more movement. Until your mind enters Sati and passaddhi. Only such a mind can come out into the daily life to cultivate the daily mindfulness. Unless the mind is in Sati, daily mindfulness is impossible.

When the mind is in Sati, do you know what will happens? Every moment of hearing is in Sati, every moment of seeing is in Sati, every moment of smell, taste, tactile, thought or arising of Saṅkhāra the mind is in Sati. That Sati can see, can understand because it can be at the moment of contact, moment of consciousness, moment of feeling, moment of Saṅkhāra activities and all mental movements. All these are possible because your mindfulness is already very stable. Like I used to share with you all. It can be at the moment of contact, it just stays there. No sound, but the awareness is just there because there is no more delusion. That’s why upon contact, the feeling is there and Feeling will remain as pure feeling because it cannot move. If you want to think, it will arise saṅkhāra, mental thinking. It can be at the moment of consciousness, at the moment of perception, etc. When it perceives something, the perception that comes out, although it’s also from memory but it’s the pure non-grasping aggregates of mind that you use. You are not deceived or deluded by it because you know this is condition-arising, impermanent, dependent-originating, empty, and not you. So, feeling is not you, perception is not you, all these thinking, Saṅkhāra, views, opinions are not you. Then why do you allow them to delude you, deceive you and make you so miserable and afflict you until you suffer until people can go into depression and want to commit suicide. For the enlightened ones, they know, without delusion, you will not get into all these entanglement. But because of delusion, it has its power. It becomes possible for living beings to go through suffering, misery even to the extent of having suicidal thoughts because these are very severe depressive thoughts which have become intrusive.

You have heard of this word, isn’t it? They call it obsessive, compulsive and intrusive thoughts. All these, the psychiatrists have a word for it. I forgot which word, they have got a term for it. Is it OCD (obsessive and compulsive disorder)? The thoughts become obsessive and compulsive and keep on intruding into your mind because of your attachment to that incident which can make you very sorrowful; like loss of a loved one, or a very bitter memory of something that has happened to you before, like child abuse, relationship failure, divorce, etc. It has such a great impact on you. That’s why these thoughts keep on coming back to haunt you. It’s so obsessive, compulsive and intrusive. You cannot stop it because of your own delusion, lack of understanding and clarity. This is what the mundane mind is all about; via delusion and ignorance, it can be conditioned into such states. So, have I answered your question? ‘Yes!’ Very good. Use the mic. (Question from Mei Hsiang again).

Mei Hsiang: Do you mind if you can explain this concept again with our thoughts?

Bro. Teoh: Explain again? You can listen to the recording isn’t it? Why do you want it to be repeated? We can spend our time on other more useful things. If you listen to the recording and you still cannot understand, then you can ask again. Then I can explain to you one more time. It’s recorded unless Miss Lee again makes a mistake, meaning the battery has not enough charging. Still got light? Okay, good, it means it is recording. So, Mei Hsiang, don’t worry, it’s recorded. There is an assurance given. Now, you can have an idea of what this is. But, don’t attach to it. Attach to it means don’t go and look for it.

Before you have the stability of mindfulness, you cannot understand. So, don’t try to look for it in the meditation. You may say, `Bro Teoh, I can be at the moment of feeling.’ You may try very hard in your meditation inquiring, `is this contact?’ Or verbalizing inside there, chattering and trying to confirm via saying, `Yes! This must be contact. I saw the contact. Then the feeling come. Then this feeling really become craving very fast.’ If you meditate this way, you can forget about it. That’s why I said, when you meditate, don’t try to know. Don’t do anything, just silent, just allow that mindfulness to understand. The silent mind will understand by itself.

How many of you have really tried that? Huh, very good there are some who had done it. Better let Sister Alicia share. Then after that, Mindy can also share because these are the people who had done it so they know because they straightaway put up their hands.

Alicia: Once I was doing my repentance, after that I called to mind Pu Hsien Pusa. Then my mind was just like what you said….

Bro Teoh: Yes, the shift of consciousness, then you become fully aware and you connect to the nature via your faith (Saddhā). Then after that, the mind that is in Sati will know what it is. That’s why she after going through 17 over years of depression, yet over the last three years, she can still be so ‘beautiful’ because she has developed this awareness to be aware. She can even tell you how all these Saṅkhāra activities which are all wrong thoughts torment her until she can tell the mind, `Enough, you had already deceived me for 17+ years. Enough is enough. Finish!’ Then all those wrong thoughts straightaway they are gone. These are wrong thoughts, - thoughts that condition her fear, her worries, her anxieties, her sorrow and lamentation leading her into depression for so many years. She understood what wrong thoughts are. She realized all the thoughts she was thinking previously (last time) were envy, jealousy, hatred, and the other unhappy thoughts. Every time, pointing finger at others.

Things like `why is my sister-in-law like that? My brother-in-law like that, my husband, my children and my good friends also like that? Why can’t they understand me?’ This is how people in depression will think. `How come my life is so unlucky? Why is God so unfair?’ They keep on doing these until it becomes habitual tendencies because you keep on thinking about it. It becomes a cocoon of thoughts. That’s how one enters depression; like a tape recorder that keeps on repeating, repeating. Then sometimes, you may have a sense of remorse because you have parents who have passed away. Then you lament and said, `I should have paid more attention to what they said when they are still alive. If I know they are going to die, I would not have reacted that way and said all those things to my parents.’

Because of delusion and remorse, these things can haunt you and make you miserable. Why must you allow all these to torment you via clinging on to them through memories? For the past is already gone so what must you do? It’s no longer a reality, then what are you doing? You are still thinking about it - meaning you give meaning, you attach, you cling, you grasp, and you accumulate them into your memory. That’s what you are doing. All these are your scars of memory; your anger, your hatred, you blame yourself for not doing enough. All these come from the egoic mind. Can you understand? That’s why accumulation is the cause of suffering. How do you accumulate? Through your own anger, hatred, remorse, jealousy and your fears, your phobia, and your scars of memory, etc. you keep on thinking about it, cling onto it and hold onto it.

When People talk to you, you don’t want to listen. You say, `Enough. I do not wish to be disturb’ then you lock yourself up. That’s how you enter depression. If there is no good karmic condition from the past, if you have not helped people before, if you don’t have the condition to come out of it, nobody will come around to help you. But if you have helped people before, like Alicia’s case, then when she encountered such problem, there will be people who will bring her to the right Dharma. Then after she understands, she helps so many people, her good friend in Macau and other friends of hers, like Elsie, etc. She brings them to the Dharma.

So this is what karma is about. Karma is: ‘you reap what you sow, do good begets good and do evil begets evil.’ Whatever goodness, wholesome action you have developed through your pure love, compassion, genuine and sincere intention to be a blessing to all, to help those who are in need of help will translate into merits and karmic fruitions that you will reap in the future. For you reap what you sow. In future, when you are afflicted, there will be people who will come and help you, bring you to the correct teachers with the right Dharma understanding for you to come out of it. So do not be selfish. When you have the understanding, whenever there is condition, you should play your role and do your duty because it’s just the ‘form and mind’ subject to this law of karma. If there are conditions to act, to advise, you just act, advice and do. Then you can invoke power of merits to arise the causes and conditions for you to avoid the foolish, meet up with the wise so that enlightenment in the here and the now can be realized. So all these are so beautiful. Now we pass the mike to Mindy to let her share.

Mindy: Bro Teoh, I want to explain what I have experienced. The experience happened during my sleep. The consciousness understands that the body is just the body. The mind said, `I want to do something.’ So, from that time onwards, I understand that whenever the mind says `I want to do something’ – that is the mundane mind.

Bro Teoh: Yes! That is the mundane mind, the thought. That’s the reason why I always advice you all via saying, ‘you have to be ever mindful’ is because of that. Whenever this thought arises and tells you things, you have to be mindful. So what is thought? Saṅkhāra, right? Then what is saṅkhāra? Why did the Buddha said, ‘Sabbe Saṅkhāra aniccaṃ, Sabbe saṅkhāra dukkhaṃ and sabbe dharma anattā. If you had contemplated on these, then straightaway, this wisdom or understanding (yoniso manasikāra) will arise, just like what Sister Eng Bee went through the last time. At the moment of sense experience, it just knows that these are saṅkhāra. Then the deeper aspect is like what Alicia has gone through. These are all wrong thoughts that conditioned her suffering, her sorrow, her lamentation, fear, phobia, insecurities and unhappiness, etc. – all these are wrong thoughts that are unfit for attention and you are supposed to abandon them. If you are aware and you had paid attention at the moment of sense experience, what will happens? The un-arisen mental hindrances will arise and proliferate, the arisen mental activities will become more intense. That’s why these are things that are unfit for attention, so don’t pay attention to all these wrong thoughts which are unfit for attention. These are taught by the Buddha in the Sabbāsava sutta.

Things that are fit for attention, what are they? They pertain to the 4 Noble Truths, the essential Dharma of the Buddha. So very simple, isn’t it? One only need to be constantly aware and check, what are you paying attention to from moment to moment? Is it something that is unfit for attention, like creating division over the Theravada and the Mahayana traditions, why must you go and think this wrong thoughts which are unfit for attention, for it doesn’t lead to Dharma understanding, and harmony, and it only leads to what? Yes! Trying to be right, division, create more argument, so why want to dwell on all these which has nothing to do with the teaching?

Of course you can argue with me via saying, ‘Hey Bro. Teoh, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist teachings are so different, why you say nothing to do with me?’ What I mean is it has nothing to do with the real Dharma. Do you think the Buddha created Theravada and Mahayana? Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana come about a few hundred years later after the Buddha had passed away. It’s created by living beings. He only taught the Dharma, which is the truth. So this is a very important understanding.

Mindy’s sharing is very good. When she has the faith she just do. I remembered, one or two years ago, when she first came to our class, she just did the meditation according to the instructions in the recording that I spoke on, because she has faith and she just do. Then she was able to realize the silent mind. For this teaching is the reverse of what she did earlier on. What she did earlier on was thought based meditation involving energy field. She, in the past must have done this type of energy field and concentration type of meditation, that’s why she can see and experience all those things this life. Then she cried and determined not to go the wrong way anymore, because she had been looking for this teaching for a very long time already. This could have happened before during the previous Sāsana. This life, there is condition, and her nature recalled, then it comes out. Then she was able to go in via the silent mind because the faith was there and also because this teaching develops the awareness, not concentration. She then said, when she was silent, the nature understands that the body is just the body, - not via the thought telling her anymore.

Then later on, the thought comes in. The thought says, `I must meditate like that, I must do this. I must try this.’ These are all from the thought. So if you are really clear about the teaching, the focus is, `what am I doing in the name of meditation?’ First, am I training my mind to be aware? If you are not, you are out of focus. If my mind is already trained, aware, can I stabilize it and use it to cultivate the Noble 8fold Path so that I am heedful in the midst of life? That is your focus but initially if you can’t even develop the Sati or mindfulness, you cannot train it because the mental hindrances are too strong. So, what must you do when the mental hindrances are too strong? You must cultivate the opposite 5 spiritual faculties! Are you doing it? Do you know how to do it?

Through the Puja, the chanting, the salutation to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, understand what they are, then Dhammapada Verses on the taking of refuge stating that, ‘it’s only in the Triple Gem that you can find refuge safe. There is no other refuge safe other than the Triple Gem because only in the Triple Gem, you can find the teaching.’ So, all these you have to develop the understanding. Then only your meditation can progress. If you don’t do all these checks and you are not clear about the teaching, then you will not be able to develop the cultivation. You cannot cultivate something that you have not developed the understanding. It means you do not know what you are doing in the name of meditation.

People ask you to note, you note, people ask you to focus, you focus, people say this method, this technique, you just do without understanding. Then you cannot progress. So the enquiry based on understanding is very important. Are my spiritual faculties there? If they are there, the mental hindrances cannot arise, so I have to focus on the spiritual faculties. The first two spiritual faculties of saddhā and vīriya are very easy. Like what I share with you before, you have to understand clearly who the Buddha is and how wise and virtuous a being He is. He is not only virtuous and wise, he is the wisest and most virtuous living being ever to be born because He had cultivated over a long period. Then he developed the perfection of wisdom and virtues, the ten perfections to become a Samma Sambuddha. He is not only enlightened, he is fully enlightened. To have such a being to be your teacher, you should count your blessings, express your gratitude and deep respect for the Buddha

Then what are you waiting for? Also because of His long cultivation and perfection, He is able to summarize all of His understanding (His teaching, the Dharma) into just the 4 Noble Truths (essence of his teaching) which is so beautiful, so complete that can let you understand the secret of life, both the mundane and the supra mundane. Then this will drive you to cultivate leading you to enlightenment, liberation from birth and death, hence no more suffering. Then what are you waiting for? So, that faith will drive you to cultivate. That’s how your vīriya can arise. Then when your vīriya and saddhā become unshakeable, you will listen attentively to understand his teaching. The vīriya (spiritual zeal) will drive you to cultivate the Sati leading to the stability of it to cultivate the Noble Eight Fold Path, leading to heedfulness in daily life. If you do this, the Buddha via His Dhammapada verses 21 and 23 guarantees you enlightenment in the here and now because He said, ‘the heedful never dies.’

Heedfulness is the path to the deathless, hence you only need to train your mind to be heedful. Is it that difficult? It’s not difficult, isn’t it? I already shared with you, it’s easier than learning how to ride a bicycle. Learning to ride a bicycle, you keep on falling and you hurt yourself. This one, the most that can happen is, you fail but you won’t hurt yourself. It could mean - not enough vīriya, when doing it. Like learning to ride a bicycle, every time you fall come up and try again. Fall down, come up again. Then, as you are able to have that one stroke of balancing, the first stroke, when you cycle and you can be on the bicycle, balance only for a while, then you put your other leg down. That will give you confidence. Wah! At least I can balance a little bit already. If I continue, I can make it. I remember how I learned to ride the bicycle. One morning, I tried doing it, by mid-day, I could already cycle, not good at balancing yet, but the first two hours was miserable, I kept on falling because the bike was so big, the one with a centre bar, not the lady’s bike. Then I had to use my hand, grabbed onto the handle, one other hand hold this bar and one leg between the centre bar because that time, I was very small size, I use the leg to cycle. Then when I fell, I was trapped underneath the bicycle because I was so small size. But I was determined to learn because I wanted to understand how it was like to ride a bicycle. I wanted to learn to ride a bicycle to go to school. My school was 4 km away, I could cycle every day. So, that vīriya drove me, inspired me and gave me the will power to succeed. That’s why you must have the vīriya, to drive you on with heedfulness. Then you will make it. It’s not difficult.

Train yourself to be mindful like riding a bicycle. Initially, maybe you cannot do it. Then after a while, you start to feel that you can. At least, one cycle, then balance, fall again, come up again, then as you try, you become better and better on the balancing. Then when you can ride for about 10 feet, I can tell you, that was my greatest joy. Then I braked and I felt the joy. It’s just like mindfulness. When you cultivate until the mindfulness comes, your ‘form and mind’ will know. It’s just like riding a bicycle. You cannot lie, isn’t it? If every time you have to put your foot down, it means you still cannot balance the bicycle. But if you can cycle until you don’t need to put your foot down because you can balance on the bicycle, it means you have developed the skill and the understanding. But you are not skilful yet. So, you continue to train. If every day I train I will learn very fast. Wah! Already 5.30pm - maybe no need to have the meditation today okay?

Just to summarize, so heedfulness is not difficult. Easier than learning how to ride a bicycle. First, develop the 5 spiritual faculties. After that, you just relax and sit, then very easy to meditate. Without the mental hindrances, the mind is quiet, straight away. Then what you need to do is, you can use any object of meditation that you are familiar with to stabilize it. Even when you lie down, the thoughts may still arise, let it arise. After a while, it will slow down and cease because you don’t give it anymore thought or mental energy to continue the mental proliferation or thinking. When you understand that the untrained mind is heedless, thinks a lot, you will not try to resist, suppress and control the thought but instead you just let it be, then it will cease by itself. It will return to quietness because the original state of mind before the stirring is stillness, silent and aware. So, just let that mind go back to its natural state, that’s it. No need to do anything. Like one of the ladies just now mentioned, no need to do anything. The other important understanding is don’t try to know.

Why? Because when you try to know, your thought is active. You are no longer in Sati, hence you cannot meditate. That’s why you must have faith (saddhā) and vīriya, then Sati will arise. And when Sati takes over, if you don’t create likes and dislikes, which are sensual desires and ill will (mental hindrances) or label it as pain etc., your meditation will progress very fast. Then you become very quiet, very still. Continue to allow the stillness, the quietness to develop. Then later on, even your object of meditation or skilful means that you use to initially anchor your mind, you also don’t need them anymore. The mind will become very subtle until no more movement. Then, during that time, your mind has entered Sati. It has become more refined. Then the mind that is more refine give rise to the stability of Sati. Then when you come out of the formal meditation, your form and mind will know, you are completed different already. Then every action, every movement, like eh, the mindfulness is with you, everything like slowed down and magnified. Even in your formal meditation, while sitting, the slightest movement (like your subtle breathing) will come back to you. Then anywhere you maintain attention with your awareness during that time, you will be very sensitive. That awareness is able to pick it up. Then you can feel your own heartbeat without the need of a stethoscope, you can feel your own vibration in any part of your body even in your brain. That is the real Sati, the real cultivation and it can be done. It’s not difficult especially during this Sāsana. If you have faith, all these can come about. Okay? I think it’s enough for today. If you listen to this recording, it’s going to help you. It’s beautiful. So we shall go on with the Sutra. You can rejoice. Sadhu! (3x).

Turn to page 273. This one important:

The One Important Matter is the knowledge and vision of the Buddha. Worldly people, deluded by the external world, attach themselves to marks… (Just like what I had explained before, the mark of a self, the mark of others, the mark of life, the mark of the phenomenal world and deluded by the inner world, means your mundane world, your mental activities, your saṅkhāra, your verbalization, your chattering and your thought processes.) Then they attach themselves to emptiness. This is attachment to Dharma. They have a concept of emptiness. Emptiness is to be realized through an awakening, not a concept. Then the actual advice according to Hui Neng is:

If you can live among marks and yet be separate from it, then you will be confused by neither the internal nor the external, means the external and the internal will no longer delude you, deceive you, and condition you into negativity and heedlessness. Do you know the difference between internal and external?

External means what? Yes, all your external sense objects. That’s the reason why I also want to ask you how do you know the world and how do you interact with the world? You know the world through your senses, isn’t it? Upon contact, you become conscious of the world. Conscious of what you see, what you hear. They call it sights and sounds. Then conscious of what you smell, what you taste, what you tactilely feel and think. This is the external world. That’s why the external world is a phenomenal world of consciousness, mind-made are they, dependent-originating, condition-arising, not real because mind is the forerunner of all things. Mind is chief. When mind arises, everything arises. So, we choose to take care of mind. That is a very important understanding in Dharma cultivation.

These are the pointers that you must have. Then internal means your mental world. There is no more external phenomenal world for you to perceive. Your internal world is your own views, opinions, chattering, your verbalization, your own anger, hatred, remorse, unhappiness, etc. Of course, if you know how to train your mind, develop the ability to be mindful, peaceful, to be aware, then you get to experience all the good mind states, the tranquillity of mind, the stillness of mind, the silent mind, all these are possible when you have the understanding, when you have trained this mind. You will come to understand, without the thought, the true mind is naturally there and it’s beautiful. That’s why you don’t need to do anything. You only need to allow the mind to be, means the mundane mind to settle down like the Buddha’s analogy when he asked the monks to collect the water. Every time you stir the water, you are not going to collect any clear water. When will the water be clear? When nobody cross the pool of water, when there is no bullock cart to stir or churn the water, then it will return to its original state of clarity and stillness. Your mind is the same. The ripples, the waves, the movements, all that you see on the surface of the lake, when you compare it to the rough sea, it is relatively calmer, right? Human beings who are deluded (heedless), their minds are like the rough sea.

What is a rough sea? A lot of wind, a lot of waves, then sometimes, thunder, sometimes storm. Then before the storm comes, there is a calm that comes before the storm. But if you have trained your mind, most of the time, it is like a lake. Quiet and still most of the time because little or no movement. There are only ripples when branches fall or when people throw a stone in, you will see the ripples spreading. Then the surface movement is like your surface mind, your conscious mind. You still have activity, sometimes a little bit of wind but it won’t create waves. A lake is a lake unless there is monsoon or hurricane or whatever. Otherwise, it’s relatively still.

Then, deep down, at the deeper part of the lake, there is completely no ripple, no movement. That is like your true mind; at the deeper level there is no movement. Whereas the stirring, the ripple movements, etc. they are condition-arising activities, like your mundane mind. But, when you meditate, as you straighten your view, you have less ignorance, (avijjā), then you will think less, you will get less ripples, less surface movement. Then, this mind is like the lake, become quiet on its own. Then you develop the stability of it until you are most of the time at the lower depth of the lake, no movement at all, just silence and stillness. Then it can be aware of all the things within the lake. In a similar way, your true mind works the same.

When the surface vibration, the conscious part becomes quiet, then you will return to your original state of stillness before the stirring. If you leave the water as it is, it will become clear. All the sediments will settle down. The true mind is the same, all the thinking, activities of mind, saṅkhāra, reaction, stirring, etc. they will all settle down on its own because if you don’t give it any negative energy, delusion, thought energy, it will cease to be. The reason being, these are dependent-originating and condition-arising phenomena. Just like J. Krishnamurti’s saying, ‘How can the flower flowers?’ It will continue to Flowers because it has not finished blooming. But J Krishnamurti said, ‘that very flowering of that thought is the very ending of that thought.’ You let it flower until it cannot flower, then what happens? No more supportive karma or energy to flower anymore. So, once it finishes the full flowering, what will happen? It will wither, then it’s gone, isn’t it? Huh, your thought is the same. When it thinks until its fully flowered, no more thought energy, then what happens? It will wither, it will cease.

You have to see it in your meditation. That’s why you have to find out - is anger really you? When there is anger, when there is fear, when there is phobia, when there is negativity of mind states or agitation, just silent everything and stay with that mental state. That is the best way to find out because I broke free during the early days through mindfulness from that moment of realization. Then suddenly, I realize, within less than 1 minute, the agitated state, the unhappy state, the stirring that brought forth the emotions, they just slow down and dissipate when I don’t do anything. Then, all of a sudden, I felt at the heart there, completely still. Then there is this understanding. No wonder the Buddha said, ‘all these are not me’.

The mental states, the emotions, the anger, the fear, the hatred, the envy and the jealousy, they are dependent-originating. Through wrong view, we stir and it becomes what it is. Then if you allow it to be without feeding it with anymore wrong view, then it just dissipate and cease. That’s why I can understand what J. Krishnamurti meant when he said, `the very flowering of that emotion or thought, is the ending of that thought.’ It ends, it ceases. You have to realize that cessation. Then you can realize your true mind. When you can allow it to be, it will stabilize, then you can reflect and contemplate on what happen, after you come out of the meditation. It will be very beautiful because you will have so much joy, immediately after you experience that cessation. Then you will come to realize, the mundane mind is not what you think, it’s not you, exactly like what the Buddha taught and that is the awakening after you have silent your mind and stay with it to witness it ceasing. It’s not a theory anymore. You witness it through your own inner awareness. Then you realize these are dependent-originating mind states and this is what saṅkhāra is all about. That’s why saṅkhāra aniccaṃ. It comes and goes, arises and passes away. It’s dependent-originating, condition-arising. Without conditions, it doesn’t arise. What are the conditions for its arising? You have to trace the origination factors. How come every time you react you become emotional, angry and unhappy? It is because of your wrong view. You perceive that person with negativity and you want things your way. These are attachments, craving, clinging, borne of wrong view because you fail to see things as they are and you fail to understand living beings for what they are.

If you continue to cultivate this way, you will progress very fast. Then, all of a sudden, one day, things will become so clear and your mind becomes different. No more wrong view, no more delusion, the phenomenal world ceases to have any effect on you. Then, you can just be at peace, happy, have this inner peace and clarity of mind. Then most of the time, you are just aware, that’s how heedfulness comes about, then all the teachings like become very clear to you. Why did the Buddha say attachment borne of self-delusion is suffering? What is attachment? It’s no more the word, it’s the exact understanding - understanding clearly the meaning of attachment, craving (taṇhā), etc. All these will become very clear to you. So, these are the ways you can develop the awakening and understanding of the Dharma when you really try it out in the meditation. That’s why don’t be afraid of emotions and anger. Even when there is fear, stay there, stay with it, and see what happens. It will cease to be. Everything will cease to be. But you have to stay with it, experience it and go through it. That is real cultivation because it can give rise to realization as you go through the process. That’s why I say you have to be aware at the moment of its arising (the phenomena), its sustenance and its passing away. It means you have to see the moment it arises, stay with it until it passes away and ceases. At the moment of sense experience, its arising, sustenance and passing away, you have to see it there and then with mindfulness. Then only this awakening to the three universal characteristics becomes very stable and very clear. But without a stable mindfulness, you cannot see all these. Maybe in the formal meditation it is easier but in the midst of life, which is the real one, you have to have this stability of mindfulness. That’s why daily mindfulness is a must, there no other way to awakening; even for those who do Samatha or concentration meditation, they have to release it out and go into daily mindfulness. Otherwise, they can’t develop the awakening because all the anusaya or latent tendencies, delusion, they are not rooted out as yet. They are all suppressed because of energy field. Without wisdom you cannot root it out. You cannot develop the understanding to liberate your mind.

If you awaken to this Dharma in one moment, your mind will open to the enlightenment.

(This is exactly what I told you. The moment you understand, you are free. It’s not a gradual process. Wisdom is immediate, you have means you have, you don’t have means you don’t have. You cannot learn it, you have to awaken to it.)

So, if you awaken to this true Dharma, the true understanding, in one moment, your mind will open to enlightenment. It will just cease then you will understand. Then the direct knowledge and vision of the reality is just that.

(It is just that, means you awaken to what the Buddha has realized. You develop the understanding of it.) So, the Buddha itself is enlightenment.

There are 4 divisions:

1. Opening to the enlightened knowledge and vision, (means your insight into phenomena, develop the understanding via the direct seeing and awakening).

2. Demonstrating the enlightened knowledge and vision, (After your insight, you can reflect and contemplate into it, to stabilize the understanding until it become a part of you. Then you can use it.

3. Awakening to the enlightened knowledge and reality. (This part is the true awakening. The earlier one is demonstrating means it shows it to you.)

4. Entering the enlightened knowledge and vision. (This one is after you have reflected and contemplated. Then it becomes so stable. Then after that, you can teach, you can share. If you don’t reach the 4th stage, you cannot teach, you cannot share. You only understand yourself. You are very limited in your ability to express all these. You know what it is, you have awakened to that enlightened knowledge and vision but you have not yet entered the enlightened knowledge and vision).

Then Hui Neng continued,

‘If you listen to the opening and demonstrating, you can easily awaken and enter. That is the enlightened knowledge and vision, the original true nature becomes manifest.

(So that true mind, the true nature, you really have to come into contact with it and realize what it is).

Then Hui Neng continued.

He gave this advice, be careful not to misinterpret the Sutra.

(This is what I have been telling you all).

By thinking that the opening, demonstrating, awakening, and entering of which it speaks is the Buddha’s knowledge and vision ….

(Because these are words, this is knowledge, this is not the real thing. The real thing is when you had realized it).

…And that we have and that we have no share in it. To explain it that way would be to slander the Sutra and defame the Buddha. (See, you must never use your thought or your mundane mind to express it). Since he is already a Buddha, perfect in wisdom and virtue or knowledge and vision, what is the use of his opening to it again? You should now believe that the Buddha’s knowledge and vision is simply your own mind, for there is no other Buddha. All Buddha nature is the same oneness nature, the source, the original true nature before everything arises. But, because living beings cover their brilliance with greed and with the love of states of defilement, means your evil roots, external conditions and inner disturbance make slaves of them. It means you become slaves to your thoughts, to your own delusion. That troubles the World-Honored One to rise from Samadhi, and with various reproaches and expedients, he exhorts living beings to stop and rest, not to seek outside themselves; See, reverse the light and seek within, and to make themselves the same as he is. That is called ‘opening the knowledge and vision of the Buddha.’ I, too, am always exhorting all people to open to the knowledge and vision of the Buddha within their own minds, or true nature. “The minds of worldly people are deviant. Confused and deluded, they commit offenses. Their speech may be good, but their minds are evil. They are greedy, hateful, envious, given over to flattery, deceit, and arrogance. They oppress one another and harm living beings. Thus they open not the knowledge and vision of Buddha but that of living beings. If you can with an upright mind constantly bring forth wisdom, contemplating and illumining your own mind, (see, this is cultivation, mindfulness, that’s why he said you have to constantly bring forth wisdom, means the understanding via contemplation).

Then use that contemplative understanding to illuminate your mind. If you can practice the good and refrain from evil, (means follow the advice of the Buddha with mindfulness), you, yourself will open to the knowledge and vision of the Buddha. In every thought, see, (ever mindful is this meaning), you should open up to the knowledge and vision of the Buddha; do not open up to the knowledge and vision of living beings. To be open to the knowledge and vision of the Buddha is transcendental; (means to go beyond thought), to be open to the knowledge and vision of living beings is mundane, (means the mundane mind). If you exert yourself in recitation, clinging to it as a meritorious exercise (greed), how does that make you different from a yak who loves his own tail?

This is trying to tell Fa Ta because he thinks by chanting, he has accumulated a lot of merits via chanting the Lotus Sutra. So he said if you exert yourself in recitation, means very diligently keep on reciting, and then thinks having a lot of merits, means you have progressed. So, clinging to it as a meritorious exercise, thinking that is meditation, how does that make you different from a yak that loves its tail (means you are not cultivating, you are wasting your time).

Ok. We end here. We’ll go into the commentary next Sunday. Sadhu! (3x).

Next Sunday is house dana by Brother Chin How. So, we cannot have the class. Then we will wait for the next Sunday. Anybody has any questions? Is there anything you want to clarify? Oh ya, 31st what day is it? It’s a Thursday, which means I’ll be back by 1st night. I’ll be flying off on the 30th night to Alor Setar, then the next day, I’ll be in Hatyai with my family. There I will stay one night (31st night) and I will fly back on the 1st of September which is a Friday, hence the class for next Sunday will be on.

If you want it to be off, then, cancel it. So next two Sundays, no class. Don’t worry. Sis Lee will send out the notice. I’ll be away on the 30th night, come back on the 1st September night. Okay. Any questions? Don’t have questions, then we’ll do the sharing of merits.

Let us recall to mind all of the wholesomeness or meritorious actions that we have developed over the past three hours and share these merits with all beings:

Akasaṭṭha ca bhummaṭṭhā Deva nāga mahiddhikā

Puññaṃ taṃ anumoditvā Ciraṃ rakkhantu loka sāsanaṃ

Ettāvatā ca amhehi Sambhataṃ puñña sampadaṃ Sabbe deva anumodantu Sabba sampatti siddhiya

Idaṃ me ñātinaṃ hotu Sukhitā hontu ñātayo (Repeat 3X)

Iminā puñña kammena Māme bāla samāgamo Sataṃ samāgamo hotu Yāva nibbāna pattiyā. Sadhu! (3x)

Let us pay respect mindfully to Lord Buddha, Quan Yin Bodhisattva and all the worthy ones.

75th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 27th May 2018

White Board Note of 75th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

75.1.    Puja

The usual pre-puja 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).

75.2.    Dharma and Sutra Sharing By Bro. Teoh

Ok, you all can be seated. Then maintain some form of attention. We will now commence the Six Patriarch Sutra. Today's lesson is lesson 75. Very good, we should be ending soon. We were at page 382 the final chapter. Ok, the sutra said external insentient things have 5 pairs of opposite. (Someone gently reminded Brother Teoh about recitation of the verse of opening the sutra). Oh yes, thank you. We should turn to page 1 to recite the opening verse.

Ok, thank you.

Verse for Opening a Sutra

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma, is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

And I vow to fathom the Tathagata's true meaning.

75.2.1. Chapter X: Final Instructions - Opposites and Duality

Please turn to page 382, the sutra part.

Sutra:

'External insentient things have five pairs of opposites: heaven and earth, sun and moon, light and darkness, yin and yang, and water and fire.'

This is typical mandarin culture. They always talk about Tian (天) and Di (地) - Heaven and Earth. Heaven is what they call as Tian (天), that is why the heavenly realm is called 'tian fa jie" (天 法界). Then we have the earthly realm like earth bound devas within our planet. So they call it heaven and earth. And they also treat the sun and the moon as a pair and, in the same manner, light and darkness, ying and yang and water and fire. So these are the five pairs of opposite.

'In speaking of the marks of Dharmas one should delineate twelve opposites: Speech and dharma, existence and nonexistence, form and formlessness, the marked and the unmarked, the presence of outflows and the lack of outflows, form and emptiness, motion and stillness, clarity and turbidity, the common and the holy, membership in the Sahgha and membership in the laity, old age and youth, largeness and smallness.'

So this is the way they actually categorize the mark of dharmas.

'From the self-nature nineteen pairs of opposites arise: length and shortness, deviance and orthodoxy, foolishness and wisdom, stupidity and intelligence, confusion and concentration, kindness

and cruelty, morality and immorality, straightness and crookedness, reality and unreality, danger and safety, affliction and Bodhi, permanence and impermanence, compassion and harm, joy and anger, generosity and stinginess, advance and retreat, production and extinction, the Dharma-body and the Form-body, the Transformation-body and the Reward-body.'

The master said, "If you can understand and use these thirty-six pairs of opposites you can connect yourself with the dharmas of all the Sutra and avoid extremes, whether coming or going. When you act from your self-nature in speaking with others, you are separate from external marks while in the midst of them and separate from inward emptiness while in the midst of emptiness. If you are attached to marks, you will add to your wrong views and if you grasp at emptiness, you will increase your ignorance".

So this is the sutra part, the classification held by them. Now we can go on to the commentary by master Hsuan Hua.

Commentary:

"Opposite" means mutually dependent and mutually opposed. Nineteen opposites arise as a function of the true-suchness selfnature. For example, if there was no long, there would be no short. Long is the opposite of short and short is the opposite of long. Long and short are relative terms and between them is the Middle Way.

Kindness bestows happiness and is the opposite of cruelty. Morality and immorality are opposites. Morality is thepractice of all good actions and the absence of all evil. Compassion pulls

living being out of suffering and is the opposite of harmfulness. Generosity means giving; if you can give, you arenot stingy. The dharma-body pervades all places and is the opposite of the form-body.

So this is just a short summary by Hsuan Hua. The actual sutra is much more detailed. But as far as the dharma is concerned, this is just an expression based on the mandarin language and the Chinese culture at that time. These are the expressions that are commonly used - like the commentary says "...from the self-nature, you can come out with 19 pairs of opposites". But as we all know, these are dualities. Duality is limitless. It is not limited to 19 pairs of opposites or any number of pairs. Like the first five pairs of opposites for external insentient things, they always talked about the first opposite of Tian Di. (天地). Even in the game of Pai Kao (排九), they also have 'Tian' 'Di' (天地) pair of cards which are the two 'biggest' cards. Then, I don't know if there is this mandarin word, 'Koon' (坤), [pause...response from floor]. yes, this ft is my last name. So they said Heaven, Heaven is 'Tian' [written on the whiteboard as 天], is this correct? [Response from floor...'yes']. Then 'Di', [Bro. Teoh wrote 'Di' (地) on the whiteboard], is this correct? They said this 'word', (pointing to '坤' on the white board), is the 'highest' on earth. You can go and check it up - it seems this one came from the 'Tong Shu' (通書). So on earth, this one is the highest. I think somebody read it to me and I asked him what the word is and he said this is 'koon'. Then I said my last name is also "koon". Like you all said, 'qian kun' - What is the meaning of 'qian kun’? 乾坤). They always use these two words 乾坤 (qian kun) meaning Heaven and earth, Yin and Yang and the Universe. As far as I know, this word 'kun' is the highest on earth. It means on earth, he is the 'One'. So is Tian Di (天地). That is why since young, when I heard these words; it is like my nature understands these two words very deeply. There is heaven and there is earth. And of course the Sun and the Moon,

light and darkness, Ying and Yang. Ying and Yang is from the 'Dao' (道) teaching. Do you know 'Dao' - the teaching of 'Lao Zhi' (老子)? Ying and Yang are infinite in numbers - not limited by any numbers. So, what I want you to understand is, just what the Fifth Patriarch told Hui Neng: all Dharmas arise from the self-nature. So it is not limited to just nineteen pairs. Hsuan Hua didn't explain all these. He just summarized it. So what you need to understand, as far as my nature is concerned, you don't have to worry so much about the description of the opposites. You only need to understand 'duality'. This English word is very good. 'duality'. Is there an equivalent Mandarin word? You all only use the word 'Fen bie xin' (分別心). But duality is a very good word. Yes, duality or 'xiang dui fa' (相對法). So, if you can remember this dharma, it is enough already. 'Duality' is a very important concept in Buddhism, because like what Hui Neng had said about theself-nature, 'originally there was nothing', or 'ben lai wu yi wu’ (本來無一物) just as per his poem. That selfnature is 'ben lai wu yi wu' (本來無一物), or originally there is nothing, because this is the Oneness, the source of all things. From here everything arises. "How amazing", Hui Neng said, "all dharmas arise from this self-nature". Originally there was nothing. So Shen Xiu didn't understand this part. Shen Xiu was trapped in the mind, the mundane mind. He thought that was the true mind. That is not the true mind but is the condition arising mind - mundane or thinking mind. So, that is the reason why Hui Neng said, 'Ben Lai Wu Yi Wu, He Chu Re Chen Ai' (本來無一物, 何處惹塵埃).    I.e. originally there was nothing, where can the dust alight? So this dust comes from duality, the concept of duality. But because Shen Xiu didn't understand the concept of duality, to him there is only wholesome and unwholesome dharma or pure and impure states of mind. So, to him, dust is like impure or defilement. When you create this duality of 'dust' and 'non-dust', then you have 'problem' already. Once 'impure' arises, the opposite will also arise, do you understand? If it is not pure, then it's opposite which is impure will arise. So, what

happens is when Shen Xiu created this, he was trapped in his own creation? That was why Hui Neng countered it by saying, "Originally there is nothing, where can the dust alight". If you don't create duality, there is no such thing as pure and impure - there is no such thing as dust and non-dust, so why do you create it? And after you have created it, you try through the mundane mind to meditate to do away with it (the 'dust') and that is why Shen Xiu said, 'polish until it shines, so that no dust can alight'. Can you do that? You can't, isn't it? The moment you create this, the opposite will manifest. Then you try to attach to the pure, to the perfect, to the wholesome. Then you try to reject whatever that is the opposite ('impure', defilement, unwholesome, etc.) - so what are you doing? You are fighting your own creations, do you understand? And cultivation is not this way or like that. If you cultivate this way, you will not awaken because this is the mundane mind. The mundane mind creates and then it tries to cease its own creations. How can you cease your own creations? To do that, the thought must die, do you understand? And the thought refuses to die because it is egoic. So the thought that you use refuses to die. That is why when Hui Neng realized this, he could counter Shen Xiu's Poem. The Fifth Patriarch also knew. That's the reason why He told Shen Xiu: 'You have reached the gate of enlightenment, but you don't know how to go in', which means he has developed just the normal cultivation of the sainthood way. He didn't know that he had to cease all these. He hadn't realized that self-nature which will arise naturally once the mundane mind ceases because it is always there. The moment you don't create duality and you cease all these movements, then, that true mind manifests - because that true mind or nature is all the time there. So that is where Shen Xiu got caught. He got caught in duality; in not understanding all that. That is why the Fifth Patriarch gave him another chance to come out with another poem to show that he is deserving of the inheritance of the Sixth Patriarchship, the insignia alms bowl and the robe. But Shen Xiu at that time was very

tensed and he couldn't come out with any. Because of that, the condition was such that Hui Neng would be the one to inherit the Patriarchship. Because from the poem, the Fifth Patriarch knew, he already had the conditions to receive this Patriarchship. But he just wanted to give Shen Xiu a chance (that was before Hui Neng wrote the counter reply). For the next one or two days, Shen Xiu couldn't come out with any. When Hui Neng came to know about the poem several days later, he came out and asked somebody to write his poem for him. The Fifth Patriarch immediately knew the implications and that was why he immediately rubbed off the poem and said, "Never mind, this one also hasn't really seen the true nature". Then after that he walked to the kitchen area where Hui Neng was doing the pounding of the rice. Then he saw Hui Neng with the pedestal. He was small size and lacked the weight, so he put on a pedestal rock and tied it to his waist and used it to help in the pounding. The Fifth Patriarch knew Hui Neng was gifted and he had his past cultivation since he could understand all these. That was why he knocked three times with the pestle he was using to pound the rice. Before he did that, he actually had a short conversation with Hui Neng. He said "Isn't it madness to sacrifice your life all the way to come just to seek Dharma?" Then Hui Neng replied, "I seek nothing less than Samasam Buddhahood". Then the Fifth Patriarch said, "Is the pounded padi ready?" To this Hui Neng replied, "Ready long ago, waiting to be sieved only". The Fifth Patriarch knew immediately and he gave the sign for Hui Neng to see him that night on the third watch, (三 更). That was how Hui Neng went to see the 5th Patriarch and when he heard the Diamond Sutra, he became thoroughly awakened. He was only short of understanding of how to use the mundane mind. You know why Hui Neng had this problem? Because he was born without a mundane mind. That was why he didn't understand how normal human beings with the mundane mind through delusion became entangled. This was because he was born without a mundane mind. So when

he was born without a mundane mind, he didn't understand all these because his mind, his nature was already like that. So when the Fifth Patriarch expounded to him the Diamond Sutra and reached the part which I have been sharing with all of you, he said "This mind which is the mundane mind, the five aggregates of form and mind, karmically conditioned out for you to use, you have to learn how to use it, and yet not be deceived by it". The moment he heard that, he came to complete enlightenment. This means he completely understood what these things are. The reason why he was able to understand the first part, which is the unconditioned was because his mind was without the mundane mind all these while (since birth). So he already understood the unconditioned part and what he lacked was the conditioned world's part regarding the mundane mind. That was the reason why when he came to this part, he straight away understood that this mind that came with this physical body that he was having, - even though it was the supra mundane mind (because he was born without the mundane mind), you still need to use it and yet not deluded by it because this one is dependent originating, condition arising, causal phenomenal, not real and impermanent. That is why it is annicam. If you attach and cling, it will lead to suffering. And because it is impermanent, it can never be a permanent unchanging entity where you can grasp onto, cling onto and hold onto and say this is 'me', this is 'mine', therefore all these are 'mine'. Or this is 'me', this is 'I', all these are 'mine'. So straight away he came to great awakening. That is why this part is very important and when Hui Neng came to the understanding, he was transformed completely, and he knew how to use them. But the Fifth Patriarch knew the causes and conditions were such that, he could not come out straight away because that form and mind was at risk of being destroyed; people would go after him. There was this mundane type of condition that would manifest because the people at that time expected Shen Hsiu to be the only one eligible for the Patriarchship. Do you remember, after the 5th

patriarch had told them, "Don't waste time on tainted merits, strive on to come out with the verse to show me that your cultivation has reached the level of understanding so that I can pass on the Patriarchship to whoever that can come out with the appropriate verse." Then, all of them decided nobody should write except Shen Hsiu (?^^). That was why they expected him to be the successor or the receiver of the Patriarchship. The 5th Patriarch knew very well the danger Hui Neng was in and that was why he straight away told Hui Neng to leave immediately. In the middle of the night, he sent him off. The story continued. When they were at the boat and wanted to steer off, the 5th Patriarch said "I will steer you, then you go". He said, "No, after you have transmitted the teaching to me. Now, it's my turn to steer you". That is why he steered the small boat and he was able to leave the way place. The 5th Patriarch then came back to his monastery. The next morning, only things started to happen. I think when they realized Hui Neng was not around already, there were rumours that the Patriarchship had been transmitted. That's why all these came about because of his second poem. So because of jealousy, a lot of the followers tried to chase after Hui Neng. They tried to track him down to bring back the insignia of the robe and the alms bowl, so that Shen Hsiu can be officially proclaimed to be the 6th Patriarch. Do you see at that time, they even went against the 5th Patriarch's wish to go after Hui Neng. So civilization can be such. The part on Bodhidharma's life in China is also very interesting too. Previously, I sent out a video clip, short version for sharing, remember? It was actually from a cinema show. It is very interesting. It shows how Bodhidharma transmitted the dharma to China, to the East and how he actually introduced this teaching. He said to Hui Ke (慧可), the 2nd Patriarch that this tradition of passing down this robe and alms bowl, shall continue only until the 6th Patriarch, after the 6thPatriarch there is no need for the transmission because by then this teaching, the Mahayana teaching, would have taken root. So that was how all these

happened. In the Bodhidharma series, towards the end, it was very interesting. At first when he came, do you remember what happened? It was because the Emperor invited Bodhidharma, and so Bodhidharma came. As usual, you know in the ancient civilization during the early years of China's civilization, they expect you to come as an ambassador from India and especially with the dharma, they expected you to be very famous with powerful dignitary and large following. But when they saw Bodhidharma come alone without any followers, without any grand things, the Abbot and all those temple monks that were instructed by the Emperor to receive him, looked down upon him. They had some misunderstanding but Bodhidharma was not affected. Then one day they decided to have a 3-day and 3-night session of silent sitting meditation. The Abbot and three of his senior monks went in. Bodhidharma was around so Bodhidharma also went in. They made this ruling. They were supposed to develop silent meditation, so nobody should speak. Whoever spoke would be disqualified and had to get out. So what happened was, they meditated for quite a while until the middle of the night. Then, there were wind, very severe wind movements, howling sounds and rain; suddenly the window started to move. So, as we know, for Chinese, they usually have this fear especially at night. With the wind, the howling and the sound of the window movements, one of the monks developed fear and spoke "What is that sound? And the oil lamp light is gone!" Then the other monk laughed and said, "Ha, you are not supposed to talk so you break the rule". The last monk said, 'I am the only one that didn't talk.' Then the other monk said, "You also break the rule". So everybody broke the rule except Bodhidharma. But Bodhidharma didn't do anything. Then there is this glazeware where they used to cover the Chinese tea cup; he used the glazeware cover to make some grinding sound on the table. Then when they heard him doing that, they asked Bodhidharma, "What are you doing?" Then, Bodhidharma asked back "What are you all doing?" They then

answered, "We were sitting in silent Zen meditation to realise Buddhahood". He then replied, "I am polishing this glazeware to make it into a mirror". They laughed at him saying, "You must be crazy. This is a glazeware. How can this become a mirror?" Then he replied, "If polishing the glazeware cannot make it into a mirror then how can sitting in Zen without understanding make you a Buddha? What I am trying to tell you is, if what I am doing with this glaze ware is impossible, meaning it is foolish to do, but I see you all doing the same foolish thing while sitting in Zenwithout understanding". They cannot understand him. (You all must listen to this, and you will learn a lot). They then asked Bodhidharma, 'How then can we become Buddha? Bodhidharma replied, "One must start by understandingthat the Buddha is the embodiment of his perfection of wisdom and virtues and not in his posturesand movements like how He sits, walks and meditates. The Buddha has no fixed postures and Zen is not just about sitting in silence! Do you think by sitting this way without making any noise can make you enlightened? " He said enlightenment is not about the form, not about sitting, not about not talking and all those gullible so-called Zen practices. Enlightenment is an understanding, a wisdom to be realised by the wise each for themselves and that theself-nature or true nature is to be awakened to via the direct seeing with the silent mind. You all only know youhave to sit in meditation but you all don't understand why you meditate and how to meditate so how can you realise the truth and awaken to the way? All the monks were stunned by his reply. Do you know what they asked him back? "What do you mean? Everybody sits. If you don't sit in Zen then how can we awaken to the way?" Then Bodhidharma told the monks, "You must start from basic." So these words are very important -"Start from basic" means what? So you know what the monk's response was? The monk thought it meant to start as a Samanera or all those basic preliminary practices. So they asked Bodhidharma, "What do you mean by 'starting from Basic?' We are all senior

monks. We have already gone through that entire thing. That is why finally we need to sit." Bodhidharma replied, "you have to start from basic which means start from mind or  心为根本  (xin wei ken pen) and you must understand what thismind is all about (its 2 aspects) so that you can understand clearly who you are and what you are? If you can't even understand that you have a self-nature and everything arises from this self-nature via creation by the mundane mind which is dependent-originating and condition-arising then you are being superficial in your cultivation and you are wasting your time. Whether wholesome, unwholesome, evil and non-evil, etc. they all arise from here, this isbasic understanding." This basic understanding of the self-nature and the mundane mind is also the reason why Sakyamuni Buddha, said, "Mind is the fore-runner of all things. Mind is chief, when mind arises everything arises."Hence good and bad, wholesome and unwholesome, etc. - they all arise via the mundane mind's creation. And Bodhidharma said, 'If this basic teaching also you don't understand, then how can you meditate? Do you follow? Thisbasic understanding teaches you that your mind creates duality of good and bad, wholesome and unwholesome, etc. and that is why the Buddha said, 'Mind is the forerunner of all things and they all arise from the self-nature, including the mundane mind. And the mundane mind is the source of good and bad, right and wrong, wholesome and unwholesome, etc. If you also don't have this understanding which they call "根本" or basic understanding, then you are being superficial in your cultivation and you all are wasting your time. You can go and sit for umpteen years, yet you can never awaken. That's why you have to understand you have a nature which is independent of thought.Thought is dependent-originating, condition-arising and from it everything comes to be. This is basic understanding.That is why Bodhidharma's teaching and Hui Neng's teaching are the same; both take you direct to the true mind. Do

you understand? Then, from there you can meditate and everything will become easy.

After that the monks started to respect him. They started to listen to him. Then Bodhidharma started to teach them. Then even the Abbott started to develop the real cultivation and understanding. Towards the end, I think he gathered them. I don't know how many of them, I forgot. Was it 10 or 6? Before Bodhidharma passed away, he called them together and sat down with them. According to that video, there were only 5 of them. So he asked each and every one of them what they have learned?

"After my passing away, you all should go each in different direction to teach - you all should know what you are supposed to teach and how to teach. So I want to hear from each and every one of you what you have learnt from me thus far." So one by one they started to say something. You can go and read the Sutra, it is very interesting, or watch the video. The first monk said something very simple regarding non-attachment to words and concepts of dharma. Bodhidharma said, "You only learn superficial Dharma" which means like the surface of the skin; very superficial. Then the next one said something "deeper" concerning contentment borne of the direct seeing or awakening. To this second monk, Bodhidharma said, "You have received the flesh." The third one went "deeper". He talked about impermanence, everything is unreal, the 4 elements including space are unreal and empty and everything is dependent originating and that the entire 6 sense consciousness are empty and unreal. He talks about the unreality of form and mind touching on the deeper and more profound dharma. To this, he said "You receive the bone," or something to that effect. And there is another

one. This one talked about empty nature of all things, everything is impermanent, everything is unreal, and everything is dependent originating; very complete. He said, "You are not bad". I don't know what analogy he used but he said "You received beyond the bone, you received quite a bit". The last one he asked was Hui K'o, the future second Patriarch, whom he passed the insignia, robe and the alms bowl to. Before he passed it to him, he asked 'Hui K'o, "What have you learnt?" You know what he did? You all don't know what he did, ah? He didn't do anything. He just got up and paid respects to Bodhidharma. Then after that everybody looked around in disbelief. It is like he didn't learn anything. Then Bodhidharma said, "That is it! That is it!', because what one has learnt and awakened to cannot be expressed. Do you understand? Whatever can be expressed is just dharma, not that thing. "Ah, you have received everything, I will pass you the robe and the insignia". That is why don't talk a lot, don't talk too much. The one who understands doesn't talk. The one who talks doesn't know because the best way is just to express your gratitude via paying your respects, that's it, no words can express it. The moment he knelt in front of Bodhidharma for 3 days and 3 nights to request for The Dharma, Hui Ke (慧可) already had the resolve. Do you all know who this Hui Ke is? Yes, he was the one that chopped off one of his arms (a result of karmic problem). But before that, do you know who he was? If I am not wrong, he was the one that was very violent and hot tempered. Do you remember? And he whacked the tooth out of Bodhidharma's mouth. Do you remember? He almost died because the King of Hell wanted to see him. He asked, "What have I done wrong?" And he was told, "You have done terrible wrong. You whacked the guy." According to King Yama, "There is a fully

enlightened being around but you are teaching false dharma and you are very violent." He said, "Cannot be, tell me who the one is? The one you whacked!" Then he asked for permission, "Give me some time. I will come by, I need to see him first." That's why he chased after Bodhidharma and finally caught up with him. Finally, he was the one who was able to receive the Patriarchship from him. After that he was given the name Hui Ke meaning Able wisdom. So you look at the way the Zen series of stories from Bodhidharma onwards until 6th Patriarch, all these are beautifully described in the sutra. So when Hui Ke (慧可) received the insignia, the robe and the bowl, Bodhidharma told him that this robe and the bowl shall stop at the 6th Patriarch. Just now I have related this to all of you already. According to Bodhidharma by then the dharma, the Mahayana teaching would have flourished (after the appearance of the 6th patriarch's teaching). So there is no need to pass on; after which all subsequent patriarchship would not have the robe and the insignia.

We visited most of the 6th Patriarch's way places last year - last year's spiritual trip was most beautiful and meant to be. We went to his birth place and all the other places he visited, one of which was where he spent his sixteen years of hiding with the hunters and all those related stories. When he finally came out, he was able to have the condition to be recognized, and was then put in-charge of that temple. What was the name? The Abbott saw him because of the flag and the wind incident. Then they invited him to teach. Then from there he was given the position to actually transmit the true Dharma. That Monastery was very famous, I forgot its name already, what is the name? Yes! "Guo En Shi" (國恩寺)? So that place was beautiful. Do you remember, we went in there and I think the first

hall we visited was Fa Hai (法海) and Shen Hui (神會). Shen Hui is the youngest disciple. Fa Hai (法海) is the chief disciple. Then there is the drum, like the Tibetan one, which is very big where we turned it around, but whatever it is, all these are very beautiful and we managed to visit almost all the places and we even managed to meet up with some very good monks too. Then one of the monks even took us to the place where the relics are. He helped us to chant like what you all did 'Rou Fo' (绕佛) as we went round the relics. He took us to do the 'Rou Fo' (绕佛) 3 rounds. The monk was very good. So the conditions were very beautiful, that is why it was meant to be. The trip was very wholesome and very beautiful. So all these are to let you understand, I just want to repeat this part so that you all may recall the beautiful spiritual trip. Apart from rejoicing, the basic understanding for cultivation must be there too. He said if this basic also you don't understand, you are wasting your time. Really, instead of talking about thought-based meditation and all those things, you have to really understand this self-nature. Each and every living being has it because all beings are connected to this self-nature. From here everything arises. Then the basic teaching is as per Sakyamuni Buddha's proclamation: "Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is chief, when mind arises everything arises and all dharmas arise from the self-nature; all dharmas, all dualities and things, including the phenomenal world of consciousness."And whatever that arises is dependent-originating, condition-arising within the existential world. But this self-nature is the unconditioned, it's the source, it's already there originally because it is never born - whatever that is never born will never get old, sick or die. So when you understand this then you can start the cultivation. That's how the basic teaching starts with mind - means you have to

understand the mundane mind and the true mind. This mundane mind needs to be trained. You need the spiritual faculties and the silent mind to cultivate because you need to return to this selfnature. If you cannot return to this self-nature, you cannot awaken, you cannot understand all these. That is the reason why mindfulness is very important and it can enable one to return to the true mind to realise the self-nature. When you are mindful, aware, without thought there is no mundane creation, no heedless thinking, no sankhara, and no thought process. Then everything becomes clear, then the stillness, the silent, the tranquillity, the clarity allows you to see things as they are and that nature can awaken to the 3 characteristics of nature. It is only when this nature awakens that the wisdom comes about and this wisdom needs to be connected to the form and mind to liberate it. The five aggregates of form and mind, originally before it is enlightened, there is no wisdom connected to it as yet. This wisdom is very important and this one can come about only via direct seeing. Not until this wisdom is connected to this form and mind, this form and mind will be deluded. But the momentwisdom is connected then you can say this one is enlightened. But this is not you. So the whole of cultivation is just to go back to the self-nature or the true mind or the silent mind. Then from there, the direct seeing awakens this form and mind. So this wisdom can only come about via the direct seeing - means seeing things as they are. So this is the awakening. So when the awakening comes about, the wisdom is developed and this wisdom will be connected to the form and mind that realises it. So this one we can say is enlightened, the 5 aggregates of form and mind with the wisdom connected. Without the wisdom connected, this one is deluded. This one will become ordinary Puthujjanas. The

moment it's connected, this one becomes an Ariya. So whether one is an Ariya or not depends on whether an Ariya is connected or not. This one is an Ariya, because it is connected (pointing to the whiteboard's drawing). Otherwise this one is just an ordinary being or worlding, puthujjana. But this one is not you because this one is impermanent, karmically conditioned out for you to come to this existential world; that is why you must know how to use it as a vehicle and tool for you to live life. This one is subject to Karma. That's why you must have right duty, one of the four qualities ofan enlightened disciples of the Buddha, the Ariya Sangha. Of good conduct, of upright conduct, of wise conduct, then last one is of dutiful conduct, because this form and mind is subject to Karma. That is why you have your duty; you cannot simply act, because this form and mind is subject to the nature's law of Karma. When you understand this, you understand the whole of life, the whole of cultivation, so a lot of Buddhists or cultivators can't progress because they don't understand this aspect of the Buddha dharma. So this part about the form and mind and its duality, the meaning is very deep, which Hsuan Hua didn't manage to explain and share. So now with this understanding maybe we can move on. Do you have any questions regarding this, about the self-nature? Anybody has any questions? Is it clear now? Yes! Pass the mic to Sister Adeline.

75.2.2. How to Transcend Duality

Sister Adeline asked: Brother Teoh, how to cultivate to overcome or transcend duality? - is that the middle way? If we are on the middle way can we overcome this problem of duality?

Brother Teoh: I will explain that. Do you have any particular question? Or is that your question? 'Yes! That is my question.' Ok, thank you and very good. You all should rejoice with the rather good question.

You see the question is, "How can we overcome duality?" To overcome or transcend it, you have to understand duality(as I have already explained many times before). That is duality is to be 'understood' but maybe this time (because of conditions) it can allow you all to have the clear understanding. So this duality pertains to what? Ahhh, pertains to themundane mind, because the mundane mind creates dualities via words, concepts and ideas. Do you understand? Themundane mind is part of the conditioned world. So this duality will always exist within the conditioned world, theexistential world. Can you follow?

Duality pertains to the mundane mind because duality is the mundane mind's creation and it exists within the conditioned world. This one (duality) will always exist within the conditioned world, the existential world. This is because to live life,you must use the mundane mind or the thought. It must arise. So this one (duality) pertains to the conditioned world because this duality is created by the mundane mind. That is why this one exists and it has karmic implications. So, only understanding frees your mind, not how to meditate to overcome duality. You meditate to realize what? Yes! Wisdom. The moment you have wisdom, you have understanding which liberates your mind because you are not deluded anymore. So, you don't have to fight duality, just like the mental hindrances. You don't have to be, like every time you see something, you recall based on memory (which is knowledge) - Brother Teoh said: 'no

duality' and you try to practise the middle way... this is not the way. The middle way is the Noble Eightfold Path because the Buddha said, 'He teaches the middle way,' and there are two very deep meanings to it. The first one is: to avoid the two extremes of self-mortification and sensual indulgence. You already have the understanding of the first meaning because this is very simple. That's why those who go by the delusion way, they go and mortify themselves thinking that after you have mortified your body long enough, all the bad karma will be cleared. When they have no more bad karma, they think they will become enlightened. This is wrong view. Enlightenment has nothing to do with whether you have good or bad karma, or whether you have exhausted all your bad karma or not? Enlightenment is about awakening. So, that is the first aspect of the middle way. That's why the Buddha said: "Avoid the two extremes," via following theNoble Eightfold Path. A deeper meaning of The Middle Way which is not explained in the Sutra is totranscend duality. (This is the second meaning or aspect of The Middle Way). To transcend duality - you must have wisdom. That is why I always teach you all the understanding that came from my nature's realization (straight away) so that you don't have to find out for yourself. I always tell you, people are just the way they are, the world is the world, thing is just the way it is. The Buddha also said, 'Whatever that arises, there are causes and conditions behind, and when conditions are like that, things will be like that, cannot be otherwise.' So, whatever happens within the conditioned world, you have to accept. Acceptance means no more duality (via reactions of mind). No more right and wrong, because he is just the way he is. He will behave like that because his conditioning is like that, his views, opinions and everything he holds onto is like that;

conditions like that, things will be like that. That is the wisdom part. So, to transcend duality, you need enlightenment or wisdom. What is the Noble Eightfold Path? It's the path that leads to enlightenment leading to the end of all suffering. That's why the moment you are enlightened, you will realize this second aspect of The Middle Way. The reason why you have to cultivate Noble Eightfold Path is: for you to be truly enlightened, you need to have the embodiment of all thenoble qualities of The Noble Eightfold Path. If you look at The Noble Eightfold Path factors, every one of them is related to living life. Can you remember what I have always explained to you all? Without right view, the first path factor, you cannot understand life, you cannot understand who you are and what you are. You cannot understand the secret of life: The five universal orders of nature especially the three spiritual universal orders of Karma Niyama, Citta Niyama and Dharma Niyama. All these are part of life. So when you have the right view, then you can understand life, then you will know how to live life. You will understand what is right and wrong (still a duality because this is still within the existential world). Do you understand? With right view, you cultivate right thought, right speech, right action and right livelihood, and these are noble qualities, these are virtues of enlightened beings. You are a noble one, you are noble in all aspects of life: the way you communicate, the way you arise your speeches, your actions, the way you live your life, the way you arise your thoughts, they are all in accordance with the Dharma - wholesome, pure, right, no negativity. That's why theNoble Eightfold Path is indeed the advice of the Buddha. The advice of the Buddha is to avoid all evil first. How to avoid all evil? This means clear away all your wrong views. Straighten your views through your meditation,

the direct seeing and awakening. Keep on straightening your views (your wrong view, your rites and rituals, your belief system, your attachments, your craving, your clinging, thinking that this five aggregates of form and mind is real, thinking that everything is permanent and there is no such thing as suffering when you are very rich and wealthy). No, the truth is the opposite. When you have all these views straightened, you will come to realize that this form and mind is not you. That's how wisdom comes to be, that's how (this wisdom) protects this form and mind from being deluded.So, that right view alone is so powerful, it will condition right thought; it will know it is never worthwhile to break the precepts and violate the law of karma. That's why you will automatically develop the ability to cultivate the right thought leading to the right speech and right action, and the right way to live your life. Then you constantly arise the four right efforts to purify your thought process, to abandon the wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action and to prevent them from arising (the second right effort). The third right effort is to cultivate whatever right thought, right speech, right action and right livelihood that are still not in you. Then the last effort is to refine upon them and perfect them all. Then of course, you will be heedful and mindful all the time. That's why Sati and Samadhi are always there. All the Noble Eightfold Path factors are there. These are all related to life. That's why the enlightened being must have all these qualities. This is the reason why you have to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path. This is also the reason why I always emphasize to you: whatever meditation you do in the name of meditation, if it doesn't bring you back to the Noble Eightfold Path cultivation, that is not the meditation as taught by the Buddha. You can claim to be enlightened, having fantastic

meditative experience etc.; you can perform psychic, magic; it is not important because that is not the enlightenment and is not the unconditioned. All these teachings are very important because when you understand, you transcendduality with wisdom - nothing else. The Noble Eightfold Path is His first teaching after His enlightenment when He met the five ascetics; this is the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta - The First sermon proclaimed by the Buddha. The Buddha straight away advised that the two extremes of self-mortification and sensual indulgence are to be avoided in his opening statement. This is because he realized how they all went wrong. He himself also went wrong for almost 6 years. He was mortifying his physical body and he attained to all the Jhanas and yet there was no awakening. That's why he knew and he left his teachers. He also knew when he was in the palace, he was enjoying his life via sensual indulgence which also could not bring about enlightenment. That's why he decided to eat again via adopting the middle way to avoid these two extremes so that he could have a healthy body that can sustain his practice, his cultivation leading to the understanding. All these need to be understood. When he had the understanding, he meditated according and when he silent his mind, he was able to connect back to his true-nature, then he managed to inherit his past perfection (the Sambhogayakaya) from his spiritual nature and that's how it could combine with the Nirmanakaya (his functional bod) to become the Dharmakaya, the Dharma body of the Sammasambuddha that could teach the Dharma. All these understandings are very important. We should thank Sister Adeline for asking such a very good question. Otherwise, there is no condition to explain all these to you all because for this part, just now I only talked about duality    part.    Duality    is

very important and duality is to be understood with wisdom.

Otherwise you cannot break through because this one (duality) comes from the mundane mind that created them through delusion. The reality is like what the Buddha said, Suchness, Tathata and nanadassana or direct knowledge and vision of the reality via seeing things as they are. No duality; that is the truth. That is the reality. That is suchness, the "Is"ness of things. That's why nanadassana means the direct knowledge and vision of the reality. That's why you need to have thedirect seeing to see things as they are, not according to your views, opinions, conditioning, belief system, etc. because these are all from memory. Memory is knowledge of the past. But when you see with the direct seeing (with non-perception), without the mundane mind, all these don't exist. Can you remember? When you see the image, and the art work via the direct seeing, it is just the pure perception, like how the baby can see without the memory coming in. Do you understand? Just that thing, as it is, the seeing consciousness of it. That's why the Buddha said, 'in the seeing there is only the seeing consciousness,' and there is no one to see, there is nothing to label because it is before the knowing, before the perception, before the words, before the concept, - that is the direct seeing. Now can you understand? This is what you need, nothing else. And this is the secret for understanding the Buddha Dharma. All these years I have been trying to share only this, nothing else. Everywhere I teach, I have been repeating this understanding. But today's sharing is very good because there are conditions for this overall teaching to come out. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

75.2.3. The Four Noble Truths, - Mundane and Supra mundane Cultivation

Sister Eng Bee: Can I ask one more question? The Noble Eightfold is the middle way and yet it is still has duality: right view - wrong view, right thought - wrong thought, right speech - wrong speech etc. To transcend duality, I remember on Tuesday class, Bro Teoh always said this Noble Eightfold Path is the mundane cultivation leading to supra-mundane. I would like to ask Brother Teoh, how to transcend these pairs of duality contained within the Noble 8-Fold Path?

Bro Teoh: This is very good question. Sadhu! Looks like it is meant to be. Today's condition and sharing will complete everything that you need to know regarding the cultivation. Do you remember in one of the short notes, I think it is in the Tuesday class, I said 1st Noble Truth, Second Noble Truth, they are mundane Noble Truths. When the Buddha expounded the essence of his teachings, which is The Four Noble Truths, I already said, since the year 1971 when I read about it, 'I already knew nobody can do that except the Samma Sambuddha.' Even my nature at that time said, 'If I were to have this type of enlightenment, this type of wisdom and realisation, I also cannot summarize all these teachings into just the Four Noble Truths in such a simple way.' These noble truths are so complete that it explains to us all of life, the complete mundane and supra-mundane aspects of life. That's why I use the word - the secret of life.

So which part is mundane? Which part is supra-mundane? The first noble truth talks about the noble truth of dukkha, the noble truth that explains to you the realities of life and existence. He said

suffering is everywhere if you don't have the wisdom, the understanding of his teaching. That's why this is a noble truth that explains the prevalence of suffering. There are eight conditions or realities in life and existence that will lead to suffering when you confront them without understanding. That is the first noble truth and the Buddha never said 'Life is suffering'. In the second noble truth, He said whatever that happens, whatever that conditions suffering, there are causes behind and that cause is basically craving borne of self-delusion. Because of self-delusion, you think you exist, and because of that you attach, you cling, you grasp and hold. So these first two noble truths are mundane in nature pertaining to the conditioned world. In the third noble truth, the Buddha said suffering need not be, Nibbana which is the cessation of form and mind leading to the enlightenment which can be realized in the here and now before you die. This is supra-mundane. This is the enlightened state; when you awaken, when you have realized Nibbana, this form and mind, can be said to be enlightened, but this one is not you. Do you understand? So, that's why after enlightenment, the form and mind is still there but connected with the wisdom and this one can get to live the third phase ofDhamma (Pativedha). You can realize the state of enlightenment and live the life of an enlightened being; which means you reap the fruits of your hard work. This phase is the most beautiful. You get to live life to the fullest; you get toexperience the wonders and beauty of life. That's why true emptiness is wonderful existence. You get to experience all of the pristine, beauties and wonders of life and you get to live the life of an enlightened being. This is so beautiful. This is what that thing is. So, the third noble truth is about this possibility of enlightenment, the supra-mundane. You have thissupra-

mundane understanding which is the wisdom. When your mundane mind collapses, you become a great being, a Bodhisattva to cultivate the perfection which will allow you to experience the supra-mundane mind. Do you understand? That mind is no more mundane. That mind is the supra-mundane mind because your mundane mind has already collapsed. Like Hui Neng, he was born without that mundane mind. The great being when they reach that level of enlightenment, the mundane mind will collapse. Then you get to live the life of an enlightened being. That's why thethird noble truth is about the supra-mundane aspect of life. Then you have the 4th noble truth which Sister Eng Bee asked. The Buddha said, 'If you cultivate this noble eightfold path, it will lead to the end of all suffering. But this noble eightfold path still has its duality of: right view - wrong view, right thought - wrong thought, right speech - wrong speech etc. so when you cultivate you must understand that duality is part of the existential world created by the mundane mind. Then you can transcend duality while living in the world of duality. It means with wisdom you can understand that if you don't create them in the first place then there is neither this nor that. Things are just the way they are! When you realize the enlightenment, which is Nibbana, you can transcend them because you are no longer deluded by them. That's why I said from the mundane, it will lead you to the supra-mundane. That is what the four noble truths is all about? So, when you cultivate noble eightfold path, it's mundane. Do you understand? But you need this, because these are the qualities of an enlightened being because you are a noble one and you have to be noble in all aspects of your life. Do you understand? Without the noble eightfold path cultivation, you are not an Ariya. Do you understand? You can never become an

Ariya, because you don't have these noble qualities within the conditioned world. You don't have right view, this form and mind doesn't understand, so it simply does things. But when you have this right view cultivated, - law of Karma (Karma Niyama), then dependent origination (Citta Niyama), and then Dhamma Niyama, then this one is no longer deluded. It will know the Law of Karma. It will not violate it. It will know what is right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, etc. (which exist within the conditioned world) and it will cultivate all these. Then the four right efforts to constantly purify the thought processes. You clear the entire unwholesome mind states. That's how you can become a truly enlightened being, an Ariya - a noble being with noble understanding, noble character and personality and noble mind states; which means you are always mindful, ever mindful, heedful and in the state of Samadhi. That's how from the cultivation which is mundane it leads to the supra-mundane which is the awakening, the enlightenment. The moment you awaken you know the duality is the mundane. So you won't get yourself entangled anymore. That's why at that time - "看山又是山". No more argument. Do you understand?

First person said "看山就是山" - ya, you will agree.  The second person said "看山不是山" because of his direct seeing, -you will also agree and said, 'Ya, "看山不是山".  But the third level or phase of seeing which is the suchness seeing, is where a lot of cultivators cannot integrate back or get it. That is going back to life. That's why finally "看山又是山". That's why Hui Neng said how amazing it is that all Dhammas arise from the self-nature, and the self-nature is already complete by itself. No need anything else. All the teaching comes from this understanding. So, now you are clear? Ok Sadhu! X 3.

This mundane cultivation of noble eightfold path will lead to the enlightenment. That's why from the mundane, it leads to the supra-mundane realisation. If you can recall all my teachings, and you go back and reflect and contemplate, then you will understand my final summary today. They are all connected. They are all linked. Since the year 2004 until now, all the teachings are the same; there is no difference except people cannot understand. Because last time they used to tell me, "Bro Teoh, now you share differently" but I told them to go back and listen to all the old recordings, and they will realise everything is still the same. It was because at that time they could understand. It was already shared but at that time they all could not understand. Now towards the tail end, especially so after you all have gone through the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra sharing, you can understand better. The Heart Sutra is very important because all the basic teachingsbefore the Bodhisattva way are all there. After that, the blue book, the cultivating the Bodhisattva way will complement it. That's why after this, I think we will go through the blue book, because that day Miss Lee suggested it which is very good - Cultivating the Bodhisattva Way. After that maybe the Dhammapada which is also very useful. I have to bring most of you all back to the basic Buddhist teaching, because a lot of you all are not from Theravada tradition. Like the Tuesday class, we now share 'The Life of the Buddha and His Teaching''. We have to go through that. Otherwise, a lot of you may not know how these certain things come about. There are a lot of teachings in the Dhammapada sayings. I always taught you all the basic, the handful of leaves that are needed for cultivation. Recently because of the election, I have added in two more, Dhammapada verses 119 and 120. There are a lot of the Dhammapada sayings that are very

important and very, very beautiful. So this class completes the whole understanding, and I think because of conditions, that's why the questions are all very direct and very relevant. We should thank Sister Adeline and Sister Eng Bee. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu. Okay, very good, anymore questions? Four more minutes, you can have your meditation. We shall stop here. We will go through the commentary during the next Sunday class.

75.3. Meditation and Mediation Reporting

We will switch off the lights and you can have your half an hour of silent meditation. (Meditation for 30 minutes)

Okay, for those who still want to meditate, you may continue. For those who have enough slowly, mindfully come out of the meditation. Then we will have our meditation reporting followed by whatever Q & A. You just put up your hand; we will pass you the microphone. Anybody wish to report meditation or ask whatever questions related to the Dharma or meditation? Anybody?

75.3.1. Daily Mindfulness and Understanding Cultivation

Sister Lee: Meditation only begins when you are able to have the silent mind, which means you begin with the silent mind. Am I getting it right?

Bro Teoh: So that is your question?

Sister Lee: My question is - the self-nature and the true mind are

already in pure seeing, right? So, if it is already in pure seeing, then when we meditate, do we still need to meditate from the silent mind, when the mind is already very quiet?.......

Bro Teoh: So, what is your actual question?

Miss Lee: My question is ... when the mind is already very quiet and silent, do we still stay with the silent mind? Or we just let anything arise from it and just be aware of it?

Brother Teoh: Okay, I will answer you. I think I know why you ask those questions because you haven't really understood. That's why you still keep on trying to understand using your knowledge. You see, your first question is, 'Is it true that unless you meditate until you can realize your silent mind, the real meditation hasn't started?’ This is what I have been telling you all these while; not until your daily mindfulness is very stable, you can't have the silent mind, do you understand? So, you have to develop the training of the mind to have this ability to be mindful first. Thenstabilize it until it is ever mindful. This is what I have been sharing all these while with you all. First, is to inquire, 'Areyour spiritual faculties (especially sati) developed?' If it is still not developed, you will be heedless. You will think a lot because of the mental hindrances. So, you have to cultivate the spiritual faculties. If you haven't worked on that and still want to meditate then you have to use either the mind sweeping method combine with Metta, to stabilize the mind so that the heedless thinking is temporarily at bay. You just feel and relax, feel and relax.. to de-condition the heedless thinking, so that it doesn't think anymore. Then it will be calm. Then when it is calm, you can use either Anapanasati orwhatever skilful means like methods and techniques or objects of meditation that you are familiar with to anchor the mind to stabilize the sati. Just do that. Do you understand? Do until your mind becomes very quiet, until your breathing also becomes very quiet like there is no more

breathing, until the subtle breathing also stops, and then the mind is just aware (without any thought). This is the tranquil mind which is silent and still. Have you done that? If you have not done that, it means you have not trained this mind. If in the formal meditation also you can't get it right, then how can you get that state of silence (silent mind) to do the daily mindfulness in the midst of life? Do you understand? That's why your question will keep on arising as long as you have not done that. Because you try to pre-empt the thing and you try to use your dharma knowledge to understand and believe you are doing it right. I have told you, it is not about right and wrong. Meditation has to be done withunderstanding and understanding means - it is not about whether I am doing it right or wrong. It's more of whether I understand what meditation is or not. When I understand what meditation is, I just do what I have to do. If I need to train the mind, I train. If I need to work on the spiritual faculties, I will work on them. If I need to stabilize the sati, I will stabilize it. That's why the bowing comes in, chanting continuously comes in. If you only do it in the retreat or in whatever    (7

days Zen retreat) or even for 1 month, it is not going to help you much, because after that you have to come out of it, then you go back to square one, and become heedless again. So, what I have been sharing with you all is train your mind, develop the spiritual faculties until it is very stable, until in the midst of formal meditation you are already ever mindful and aware, the silent mind is already there. The mind is already in sati. Then bring it out into the daily life, via having a good and comprehensive daily religious routine so that throughout the day, you stabilize your daily mindfulness to develop the heedfulness cum meditation. Not until you are able to have that stability of “ever mindful state while in the midst of life," the real meditation hasn't really started.

All those retreat experiences done by those who don't have the understanding are mostly conditioned states meditative experiences borne of thought-based meditation, because they are trying to meditate with concepts and ideas created by the thought. They are trying to do all those things in the name of meditation without proper understanding. And they don't understand that all these doing are by the thought. So, who is meditating? The thought is meditating. Why can't you just relax, silent and stabilize your spiritual faculties, stabilize your sati or silent mind and don't try to know anything. Just do. Do until the stability of mindfulness arises or comes about then the form and mind will know what that sati is. Do until when you bow, your body and mind move as one. When you walk, act, speak and moves your body and mind is always as one. You have to do until that sati really stabilizes.

Then coming to your second question: your question comes from the thought. Why must you stay with anything? When you use words to describe, you must not be entangled and confused by the words. When they tell you, stay with the knower, like some Thai tradition, many of them never inquire - who is the knower? There is no one to know, do you understand? The moment you know, you are not in sati already because you have started to perceive. So this is the wrong word to use. What they mean is stay with the awareness. The awareness is just “aware", which means don't arise the thought. They use the wrong words in the translation and you all don't understand, because in the translation it says “stay with the knower". It is not the knower because the knower has already

perceived; has already known something and that is the thought. So stay with the awareness. The awareness is already there when your mind is silent, or without thought, you are already aware. Why do you want to try to be aware? Why do you still want to stay with anything? The moment you are without thought (after you have trained the mind to be silent), the awareness will arise. Without thought, the awareness is already there, then why do you want to try to be aware or use another thought with a concept to look for that sati or mindfulness? That awareness or sati is not the word for it cannot be named. If you have the understanding, when your mind is silent it is already there for mindfulness is awareness before the knowing. But you can't be silent because you want to know via thought. That's how your problem comes in. It is because you are too eager to know. You are searching it from your thought, from your knowledge. That's the reason why many of them are trapped, not only you. So, what you need to understand is not whether what I have done is correct or not (right or wrong), that one comes from the thought. It's more about whether I understand what I am doing or not. When I understand, I just do. The understanding is more important because when we understand that without the spiritual faculties, the five mental hindrances will be there. So, I will silent my mind to check. Then I can see the sankhara movements - the restlessness of mind, the sensual desires and other emotions arising within the daily life. If I realize that the mental hindrances are still active, it means I have not trained my spiritual faculties. If my spiritual faculties are there, and the sati is very stable, then there is no thought. If that is so then how can the duality arise? How can sensual desire and ill-will arise? Then when I have Samadhi, I can see things as they are at the moment of sense experience. When I

eat something, see, smell, hear and tactilely feel or think of something, this mind doesn't move anymore because it iscollected and unwavering. It is just aware. It can be with the moment. So, when you understand, you just train this minduntil it is ever mindful. That part you have to do. That's why whatever method or technique you use like "rising & falling" or "chanting," - you can chant until there is no one chanting, until the awareness and the vibration become one.Sometimes the Amitaba chanting can arise in the brain somewhere here, it will arise.

it will arise without you chanting, and the awareness is always with it. That is the real chanting. As long as you still need to verbalize you have not reached the stage where there is no one to chant. It means the voice is still there. But initially you need the voice because that is the one that gives you the faith to anchor the mind. Do you understand? So, with the faith and the vTriya, you chant, chant, chant and chant until one day you come to realize the chanting is gone, then that chanting appears by itself in the brain or whatever. Then sometimes, you may go somewhere, the moment the chanting starts, your awareness is with it already. Then initially you can follow it via verbalising it from inside, (阿弥陀佛，阿弥陀佛，阿弥陀佛…), and you can also use your voice to make it strong if you want. But, if you have the stability of mindfulness already, the voice doesn't come out anymore. It is from inside. It is just the awareness and the thing as one. Then later on, no more chanting from outside also, the inside will chant by itself because you have developed it. The faith has manifested. You are connected. Then the awareness is always there. Then in whatever condition, the mind is in that state of Samadhi because the chanting has developed the spiritual faculty of sati and samadhi. The faith is also very important,

because when the faith comes in, the vTriya is there, and every day you do it like a religious routine. So for the Mahayana, almost every day they are chanting, mindful and aware of whatever they do. That's how they develop the stability of sati and saddha. So, you have your morning chanting, your evening chanting, sometimes full moon and new moon chanting, and they also have all the various other chanting, like the seven days, the ten days, the nine days and the thirty days. So, they continuously develop their spiritual faculties; just like what you all did during your recent Quan Yin retreat in Cameron Highlands. So, because of the continuous chanting, that's the reason why some of them like Sister Adeline, the mindfulness just came because she did it continuously. Do you understand? She already tried to stabilize her sati before she went for the retreat - while at Rayong Thailand. Because she was very determined and with the faith and the vTriya, she could do it. She was ready when she was at the recent retreat. This was the reason why she benefited so much when she was at the retreat.

She knew the daily mindfulness was very important and most of the time, she and those who have gone through it, like Brother Song, they are aware and mindful throughout the day most of the time. That's what cultivation is all about. As long as you are not heedful, ever mindful to cultivate the Noble Eightfold path, you are as if dead, for according to dhammapada verse 21, the heedless are as if dead. That's why you must train your mind until you are ever mindful most of the time so that you are heedful in the midst of life. Otherwise you are as if dead. The heedless are as if dead.

This training is not difficult when you understand. When you understand, you just do. Don't try to know, don't worry about right or wrong. Every time the thought wants to know, you should inquire, am I doing it right? Who is trying to be right? Thethought is trying to be right. It is too eager to know. Do you understand? Then the ego manifests without you knowing - saying, "Hey, I have got it already!" especially so if I were to tell you: 'Your meditation reporting is good, please continue.' Then your thought will tell you, 'Brother Teoh says I am doing it right.' Then you become complacent, do you understand? You think you have got it, and then you stop your cultivation. The real meditation is not about doing it right or wrong, it is about understanding what you have to do. If my spiritual faculties are not stable, then I have to work on it especiallymindfulness. Cultivating saddha, and VTriya are relatively easier. But sati, you must develop it, throughout the day, as per my earlier advice. A good daily religious routine is very important. Before you sleep, meditate. Silent your mind and relax. When you go to sleep, be mindful. Silent, meditate until you sleep. Then the most important is the next morning, the moment you wake up, be aware of your posture, then be mindful, everything you do, be mindful, then pay respects to the Triple Gem. Do your meditation again. If you need to wash up, brush your teeth etc. Do it mindfully. Then go to your altar to develop some form of meditation. After that, whatever you do, like preparing your breakfast and taking your breakfast, develop mindfulness. If you find it difficult, start with the four postures, then connect them with other movements to develop the awareness of all the in between movements and activities. You have to do all these. Before you go out of the house, pay respects to the Triple Gem again, have faith. Every time you pay respects with your palms, there is energy that goes to your heart. Initially your heart area has to open up first, because if your heart is not sensitive, I realize that it is not easy to cultivate because you cannot be mindful from there. When you are not able to open up your heart area, you will not be sensitive to detect energy. You cannot even be aware of your heart area, so you tend to use your brain and your thoughts more. The reason is you think a lot. I find that very few people can develop the faith until their heart area opens up. Every time you pay respects with faith, there is an energy going in without you knowing it if you are not sensitive. But later on, it will become sensitive, then you can feel a lot of things from there. The awareness from there can actually speed up the cultivation because the true sati starts from there. Every time you lapse into heedlessness, like while doing anapanasati, you bring it back, then you determine to be aware by coming back to your heart area; from here, be aware of the outside, everything you do, be aware from here. If you train this way, sooner or later, one day you will come to realize that your mind is now different. You can develop awareness of the outside from the inside every time. Everything you do, from inside (the heart area), you are aware. You can see and you can trace back via recollection of mind. Then, all these daily religious routine, whether you are working or doing your daily chores, you have to maintain mindfulness, even while driving. So, that part needs to be stabilized and established. That's why it is a full time job. I used to use these words, but it doesn't mean that you have to be in the working environment alone. Full time job here means you don't have to retire to be meditating full time, which means in the midst of your working life you can also develop mindfulness; that is what I mean by full time. Otherwise, like one of the Kalyanamittas (ten years ago), she thought when I said, 'Meditation is a full time job,' she approached me and talked to me and said, "Brother Teoh, I still need money, how can I retire?" I said, "Who asked you to retire?" She said "You said it is a full time job." I said full time job means whether you are working or not working, you are full time developing the training of your mind to beaware or mindful because this is what meditation is all about. It doesn't mean that you have to retire from your job. No! If you need to work, you work. If you have to work, you work. If you can afford not to work, then it's your decision. You can either semi-retire or retire. But whatever you do, whether retire, semi-retire or working, you can still cultivate. Cultivation is about developing continuous mindfulness (awareness), and this is what the real cultivation is all about. So, develop this understanding, so that you are clear. Then, your focus is there. By doing that you won't get lost again. Otherwise, this question keeps on coming up because it is from the thought. The thought wants to know whether I am doing it right or not. It is nothing to do with right or wrong. It is like if you want to learn something, take for example cooking or whatever, you can read up all the theory but as long as you don't try to cook, it's all theory, no use. Do you understand? If once in a while you cook, then you ask people to try to taste it and you ask, 'Does it taste good?' If they say yes! Then you think you have done it already. Then you become complacent, then you write down the formula, through knowledge to remember how you do it. That is not a skilful cook; a skilful cook doesn't need anything. That manual only serves as a guideline and he knows that all those things that are mentioned in the book are based on assumptions because all these are just guidelines. It is not rigid and ultimate because everywhere the source of those ingredients are different. The cucumber, onion, and vegetables you buy, the oil you use, - all these ingredients may come from different places and they are bound to be different. Do you understand? And the way you understand the instructions is also very important; that's why everybody will cook it differently, but if you are a skilful cook, you don't need to rely on the manual. You smell, you see, then you will know how to start the cooking already. You will know how to buy the ingredients, and then you will try it out. Then after a while, they will understand how much salt to put or depending on where you get the vegetables etc., then how you cook, depending on your skill. That is the understanding part. You don't become rigid so that you don't become knowledge-based or thought-based. Then you may go and argue with others via saying, 'The book says cook like that,' do you know? 'The manual says cook like that, you know? Why you go and put so much of this and that? Even though the same brand, sometimes the quality also may not be so reliable. Do you understand? That's why you may buy from different batches, the different types of product, but the person who cooks, the moment he smells them, he will know already, this is not the one they used to have. That's why your skill and your understanding will make the difference.So, when you have all these understanding, you are not gullible. You don't look for knowledge from others or the books. You observe, you understand, then you try it out. The trying out is very important. You must do it until it has becomes a part of you, until you become very skilful, until you don't need anything to guide you anymore. It is like the object of meditation. Initially, it is a skilful means to assist you to train; to anchor the mind. After that, if you still use it, you cannot progress. That's why for all these objects of meditation, later on, you must relinquish them; even the chanting, you have to relinquish so that the awareness within is always there. That's why there is no one to chant. The awareness is with the chanting as one; nobody behind. It is the same for Anapanasati, you develop it until the very subtle breathing also cease, then no need to do already because your mind already enters sati. During that time, whatever you see, you are in sati, whatever you smell, taste, tactile feel, you are in sati. So, that mind is different now. You must have the stability ofmindfulness to have that ability. Otherwise you cannot understand what this cultivator is trying to share with you. I realized most of you have not really understood that part. That's the reason why you all keep getting caught in the vicious cycle, trapped inside there, due to your old habitual thinking - you are too eager to know. Do you understand? That was what happened to Sister Padmasuri last time but now she is already different. She no longer has that problem. Too eager to progress may also be a problem because it's like one becomes very anxious - wants to have the progress but cannot, then inside say, 'Wah! I tried so hard, I did so much but still not there yet.' To awaken, you cannot have this type of craving inside your mind. Do you understand? The thought that has the desire to progress, to be awakened is a craving - so it cannot happen because to awaken, the appropriate conditions have to unfold. That's why you just do diligently, sincerely with faith and don't try to know. Then when all the conditions are there, all of a sudden, you will understand. Then when your daily mindfulness is firmly established, you will see a lot of things that you have never seen before. You will see your subtle mental intention clearly, you can also see how your sankharas arise and pass away, how upon contact, feeling arises to condition craving if there is no yoniso manasikara (or wise-attention) at the moment of sense experiences. You can be with the moment of feeling, attention (or perception), sankhara activities etc. After that no need to do anything, it is just like that all the time. Then the whole TV programme, the phenomena world, your awareness will just flow with it. Everything is like a flow (specific phenomena awareness). That's why you can see the physical flow, the mental flow and nature's flow. Everything is just in that state of awareness - most of the time, it is in this specific phenomena awareness. Then, once in a while in spacious awareness without a centre. Your mind is just like that, that's why there isno dwelling.

So, first train your mind until no thought. If "no thought" also you cannot arise, it means you are still not ready to develop the meditation as yet because you have yet to realise your true mind (silent mind). When you are most of the time aware (ever mindful), it means, most of the time, you are without thought. You are just aware, then when you perceive, you are aware, then the thought arises, but it stops. After that, it doesn't proliferate anymore. Then you continue with yourdaily life. Thoughts will arise, but immediately after that, they do not proliferate anymore because of your wisdom andunderstanding and it doesn't move like before anymore. Then, it is always with the moment in pure awareness more and more, more and more. Previously before you have the mindfulness developed, you tend to think ahead. You tend to think of many things and you are hardly aware because you are too busy thinking, planning and worrying about life most of the time. You think of your problems, worry about them and you also plan to do all those unfinished business that you have given importance to. Then your conditioned thinking; let's say when you are at home, you say, 'Ya, I need to go upstairs to take something.' Then it conditioned you to walk towards the staircase but as you did that you were not aware of your walking and instead you were thinking and heedlessly lost in thoughts and you were not aware of what you are doing. Do you understand? The thought conditioned you to go upstairs, then as your body turned to go upstairs, you were not aware, you were still thinking, then when you reached the staircase, your thought asked you, "Why are you here?" Then you recalled, 'Oh! I am supposed to do something. That's why I am here.' You are not mindful. When you are mindful, all these things cannot happen because you are with the moment. But when yourthought is ahead of your action and activities, that's how you become heedless. You think a lot. And the thought is ever proliferating ahead of your action and you are hardly aware because you are not mindful. Hence, you think a lot. Human beings' problem is they are too busy thinking, planning and worrying about life. They are never with the moment to truly live life, to be aware of what is happening within the moment. That's why I always give this advice, 'Whatever you need to do, write it down so that you don't have to use so much memory; so that you don't have to retrieve it through the memory via your thinking.' Just write it down, very simple. Then the mind doesn't have to worry about it because it is already written down and you won't forget. Do you understand? What are the things you need to do, you just write it down. Then it saves you a lot of memory because there is no need to remember anything. Then when your braindoesn't register, your brain has space. Like this table, if I don't have anything on the table, or like this altar (the last time I commented), it was very crowded with the offerings, the fruits and all those things. You can't move around it, there is no space at all. And do you know what all these items are? These are equivalent to your rites and rituals, belief system, your "pantang" and your superstitions, etc. Just like those 'pantang' that your mother might have said to you: cannot do this, cannot do that, and on the 7th lunar month of the Chinese calendar you cannot go out because it is the hungry ghosts festival and so on. So, these things create fear in you. Next week is the 7th Chinese lunar month and that is the month when all the hell beings are being released and you believe that, so your memory of what your mum told you will put fear in you and with that you tend to put fear into others too due to this 'pantang' or belief. That's why you have fear. When you accumulate all these things that you are holding on in your brain, in your mind, you don't have space and since thoughts are response to memories, you will think a lot until there is hardly any space between your proliferating thoughtsbecause you lack mindfulness.

It become worse if you also accumulate all your psychological fears, worries, anxiety, misery, sadness, sorrow and lamentation, your problems, insecurity, and your scars of memory, etc. - you deposit and cling onto all these things in your memory. And since thoughts are response to memory, these wrong thoughts will keep on arising to haunt you. That's why if you don't straighten your views and clear off all these rubbish through the daily mindfulness to arise the direct seeing or wisdom, your brain will not have space because you will cling and hold on to all these things via your delusion. The memory can be there, but they are not on the table (i.e. your mind is not clinging onto them). Do you understand? Your brain is free to move. The mind that understands doesn't have rites and rituals, "pantang", belief system. It is just aware. Thing is just the way it is. You just manifest, move, freely, without restriction, no need to worry about this and that and who says what. You just act

according to wisdom and understanding and follow the Noble Eightfold Path. If I have right view, I will do the right thing. If I don't have right view, I will do the wrong thing. That's why the user of thought is very important. Without right view, without wisdom, you don't know how to use thought. Then there is delusion. That's why all the thoughts becomewrong thought because the user of thought is deluded. That's why the ego, the selfishness, the emotion, the anger, the hatred, the fear, the worry, the anxiety, all these exist because of the "atta" or ego. Without the "atta", who is having fear? Nobody right? Who is selfish? Nobody and there is nothing! It is just a form and mind for me to use so I use it. There is no more about me, it's about the law of Karma, that's why this one (the form and mind) has a duty because it issubject to karma, so it cannot simply do things.

Am I violating the law of Karma? If so, the karmic nature is affected, then this form and mind will have to inherit all those karmic things because you are born of it, heir to it, conditioned and supported by it. This is wisdom, this is right understanding. So, you act according to wisdom, not with your memory, which are your conditionings, your fear, your worry, your anxiety and all those rubbish. That's why there must be space (or awareness), space between thought. When there is space, there is freedom. When there is space, there is no thought. No thought means no fear, no anxiety, no sorrow and no lamentation. Then there is peace, there is tranquillity, there is stillness, there is clarity, there is understanding. That's why this one can awaken. This one can insight into the 3 characteristics of nature.

I have just sent out the transcript done by my daughter for our last Thursday class's sharing. It is all there and when you read through it

with understanding, reflect and contemplate until very, very clear, until you understand it clearly then you just do. Don't ask any more questions after that. Not to say you cannot ask, you can ask, but only ask after you have done the cultivation correctly. Otherwise, you will continuously get trapped in the same thing. Ask means, ask the questions that are relevant to cultivation. When you have understood the cultivation already, you go ahead and cultivate. Then you will encounter other types of questions. Those types of questions are very useful and very relevant, like Adeline's question just now. Because she has done the cultivation, then she wants to know how to overcome duality. Do you understand? Her daily mindfulness is already there, established. This is the wisdom part. That's why I explained regarding duality. It is different; you don't have to do anything. You only need to develop wisdom, and then you will know this duality pertains to the mundane world. Just like what I explained just now. Duality is for the mundane world, the condition-arising world because this is created by the mundane mind. So within the mundane mind, the conditioned world, duality will exist, and you have to accept it. People will talk that way; human beings will behave that way. They will arise all these but you know these are duality, conventions of society, of living beings who don't have wisdom and the dharma. But if you already have the wisdom, then, this duality doesn't apply to you. Do you understand? People are just the way they are. That's whyonly wisdom frees. Then you are not attached to duality because you understand that right and wrong are conventions of society. When I can see things as they are, accept them for what they are, my mind is free.The world is the world. Human beings are just the way they are. With this understanding (which is wisdom), mymind liberates from duality. This is the second aspect of the middle way. You can transcend duality because the wisdom will allow you not to be caught up within the phenomena world of existence created by the mundane mind through delusion.So, you will know how to use the form and mind because it is for you to use for you know this is not real, not you. That's why you can use it accordingly and you will also know how to do your duties with it. This is what enlightenment is all about. That's why when they cultivate, they will come to understand this part which most of them haven't understood.That's why they will ask this type of questionwhich is a correct question. But if you don't have the initial cultivation of the daily mindfulness, you cannot ask this type of question. You haven't even reached the cultivation to ask this question. That's why it is the same for Sister Eng Bee, - after reading my earlier outline short notes, she can ask about the Noble Eightfold Path cultivation concerning the mundane cultivation leading to the realisation of the supra mundane. That's why they can ask these types of questions. And both of them are doing the daily mindfulness. They have done it until their daily mindfulness is already very stable (for quite a while already). If you don't believe, you can go and ask them. So, this is how the cultivation differs; when you understand, you just work on it, then you will become different and you will transform. But when you don't understand, you will continuously entangle yourself within the same cocoon of non-understanding because you cannot break free. So, listen to it. Reflect, contemplate, write it down, understand them and then just do. All these are the same messages that I have been answering you all since the very early days until now. It is the same. If you have the understanding, my nature will know. My nature will further advise you on how to develop the cultivation after that. So, work on the daily mindfulness. Get it right. After that, you will ask different questions. After that, you will come and thank me for what I have advised you. Once the daily mindfulness is stabilized, you will become completely different. Your knowledge is all gone because now, you can see different things. Your mindfulness will allow you to see a lot of things because your mind has become very sensitive, very aware. Then, all of the mental intentions, everything else like starts to slow down, your thought processes, your sankhara activities too will like slow down; otherwise, you cannot progress. What is progress? The Dependent Origination's first two links of avijja paccaya sankhara; what is avijja? Avijja is ignorance. What is ignorance? Not understanding the truth, isn't it? So, dependent on ignorance, what arises? Sankhara. What is sankhara? Yes, mental activities; you think a lot because you don't understand. Wanting to know, wanting to experience, you think. That's why as long as this avijja link is not weakened, you cannot be mindful in the midst of life, do you understand? That's why you need to straighten your views. First is through Pariyatti -understanding the teaching so that you know what memory is, what the psychological memory is, what are the things that you accumulate that causes you to have this heedless thinking. Then the essential dharma which has been explained to you - because you lacked the five spiritual faculties, the five mental hindrances keep on arising to stir your mind and make you heedless. That's why sankharas continuously arise. So, what you are supposed to do in meditation is to train your mind to de-condition the heedless thinking. This means you have to work on the five spiritual faculties. Whenthe spiritual faculties are there, the hindrances are gone. But this is what most people cannot do because they cannot get sati right. They can get saddha and vTriya right, but for sati they cannot get it right. So, they need to work on sati. That's why all the training whether mind sweeping method, anapanasati, the chanting and the bowing, etc. is to train the daily mindfulness, to anchor the mind, then stabilize it until it's part of you, until you are ever mindful in the midst of life. That part you have not done. That's why you cannot understand. You have to do that. Once that one is done, your views will all change because you can see things very clearly now. You can put the Dhamma to test. Dhammapada verses 1 and 2, will stand up to investigation very clearly. So, I have to avoid Dhammapada verse 1 and be heedful to follow Dhammapada verse 2. Then I have to arise the four right efforts to purify. Otherwise your evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action will continuously arise. That's why you must have the right effort to abandon and to prevent it from arising. When you are not mindful, you cannot prevent it from arising. It's only when you have understood what the evil roots are - what is greed, what is hatred, what is delusion - and understand all these very clearly, then in the daily life you can see them. Then only you can develop the ability to abandon them. How to abandon them? There are five ways as taught by the Buddha. The meditative way, which are the third and the fourth ways are most effective; so do it. Then your mind will become different. Do you understand?Then, whenever anger arises, you understand anger is not you because it is condition-arising. So, try it out. Go in and silent your mind and stay with the anger. Then when it ceases, you will understand. No wonder the Buddha said anger is not me because anger is dependent-originating. Then you have to trace the origination factors. How did you get angry? It's from your senses, from your memory. Then how to reverse it? You have to have the right view, able to see things as they are. What is the meaning? Accept them for what they are. Then the next time, you see people whom you don't like, your mind doesn't stir anymore. Do you understand? This is how you straighten your view. When you have less and less of these mental hindrances,your mind does not stir like before. You become more and more calm, more and more peaceful, have more and more clarity, less and less of these wrong thought - sankhara. That's how how you improve and progress. When your mindfulness progresses, your thoughts will become less. "Avijja paccaya sankhara" is weakened and attenuated. That's how you progress; not by asking questions like, 'Am I doing it right?' If I am equally gullible like those other teachers who don't have the awakening, then I may also (like some of them) comment by saying that you have done well. Then you willalso become gullible. Do you understand? Sometimes you will also quote your teacher saying that you have already reached such and such level of Jhana or level of insight knowledge (nana) and you have already done well (up to this level). Forget about all these rubbish. Do you understand? Are you really living the life of a Noble one with the embodiment of the Noble Eightfold Path factors? If don't have any of these, it means you are still far away in your cultivation. You cannot even maintain your right thought, right speech, right action and the right livelihood in the midst of life. You cannot even develop the stability of mindfulness to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness in the midst of life. So you are nowhere near to enlightenment. Without all these, your enlightenment factors cannot come about. These seven factors of enlightenment, the main ones, will keep arising if you have done it correctly. If you are not mindful, you don't have sati (the mindfulness), then you cannot investigate Dhamma (Dhammavicaya). Do you understand? When youcannot investigate Dhamma, you cannot have vTriya to drive you; because it doesn't stand up to investigation and you cannot understand. But when you have sati (1st factor of enlightenment) to investigate into Dhamma (dhammavicaya - the 2nd factor of enlightenment), it stands up to investigation. Then, you will come to realize that the Buddha's teaching is so beautiful. Then your vTriya (3rd enlightenment factor) will arise. That's how the 5 spiritual faculties can bring about the seven factors of enlightenment, starting with Sati, then Dhammavicaya. After that, your faith strengthens, then vTriya arises and when there is vTriya, you will continue to cultivate diligently, then piti (the 4thenlightenment factor) arises. When piti arises, if you continue to relax and silent, passadhi (the 5th enlightenment factor) will arise. Of course you may also go through sukkha (blissfulness of mind). Passadhi is the silent mind, which you must develop, the stability of mind, the silent or meditative mind, the true mind. Then with passadhi developed, you will experience the tranquillity and stillness of mind leading to the realisation of the true mind. Then when it's connected, your whole understanding becomes different. After that you can stabilize passadhi until Samadhi (the 6thenlightenment factor) arises until this mind is unwavering and collected. Then, in the midst of life, at the moment of seeing, hearing, tasting, smell, tactile and thought process, whatever that arises through your sense door consciousness, this Samadhi will prevent it from stirring and reacting. That's why it can stay there, observe, see things as they are, the reality of what it is. There are no words. Then it just understands. One day, when you have reflected and contemplated enough, your stability of this second turning wisdom is already established, it will awaken. Then suddenly you will be able to insight into phenomena. The 3 universal characteristics of annica, dukkha and anatta will suddenly be very clear to you. Everything in this conditioned world, every phenomena, (may it be physical, mental or nature's phenomena), - they all exhibit these 3 universal characteristics. Then you start to see very clearly that every phenomenon is like that, everything is like that, both within and without. That's how you awaken. Otherwise, you cannot understand. This type of understanding is very important. Thi means from that understanding of what meditation is, you just work on it. Just do and don't try to know, okay?

This important understanding of the cultivation is not only for you, It's for everybody especially for those who have not yet developed the stability of daily mindfulness. This way is not difficult if you give it a try. But, it demands a lot of sincerity, hard work which means diligence, faith and perseverance. So, don't be afraid of failure. Do you understand?Failure is very common. Everybody also needs to start from somewhere. You look at Thomas Edison. how did he discover electricity? He failed almost a thousand times. He tried everything and every time he failed, he continued to persevere. Finally, he hit it right because he was waiting for the lightning to strike and then he realized that the lightning flash was actually electricity. That's how he discovered electricity. Do you think it is easy to discover electricity? How many of you are science students? Nobody? Now I ask you if you don't have your text book, your physics book, to go by first principle to find out, how do you know there is such a thing as electricity. To generate electricity also you don't know because this thing was not known before Thomas Edison's time. Do you understand? I can tell you it is not easy to discover electricity. That's why you need people with an inquisitive mind When he saw the lightning, he saw the light flashed through. Then he knew it went down somewhere. That's why he tried. Then, he became successful. Then he came to realize that electricity can be generated via magnetic field and copper wires. Later he created the generator to generate electricity and through the battery you can also create electricity and so on. This is science, do you understand? So, it is more or less the same for spiritual cultivation. When you inquire, when you develop the mind that has this ability to be aware, it can understand many things. That's why those with the spiritual understanding can progress further. Way, way beyond and that's why theBodhisattva way is a very, very extensive cultivation. What you have learnt is just the handful of leaves, enough for normal saint hood way enlightenment.

That day, who was the one who asked me about the handful of leaves? Yes, it was Brother Song, the question was very good. The handful of leaves is just the essential Dhamma needed to awaken the normal living being to the sainthood way to realize up till arahantship. But beyond the handful of leaves cultivation is the Bodhisattva wayleading to the perfection of cultivation to realize Samma Sambuddhahood. These are like the leaves on the trees in theforest and comparatively, the handful is very easy to cultivate, not that difficult. But the other way is very extensiveand very comprehensive. It looks very difficult, but when you understand, it is not difficult too. When you understand your vows will take you along, your affinity with the great beings and their vows will take you along. And what you need is only to have sincerity, faith and perseverance, then everything flows. That's why I said don't try to know, just do. Initially plant the seed of Bodhi,determine strongly to have that understanding, to have that Bodhi mind, so that this Bodhi mind when it is strongly planted, it will take deep root. Then, every life you arise, because of these vows planted via your first stage of Bodhi mind development, it will recall all of your vows, your right views, and whatever aspirations that you have made. Then every life you come, whether there is the sasana or no sasana, this understanding is always there. This is what you need to do this life so that you won't miss this window, so that all of your future lives will be taken care of. And you are so lucky to have this teaching. That's why if you allow this minute window to slip by, I can tell you, you have to wait very, very long, as stated by the opening verses for starting a sutra. For 5 hundred million eons, you may not come across this true teaching. It is not easy. Okay? I think we have to end early today as I am supposed to have a dinner this evening.

Sadhu!Sadhu!Sadhu!

Now, let us recall to mind all of the wholesomeness. We shall now share and dedicate all these merits to all beings, starting with the devas. (Closing puja chanting.....)

75.4. Lesson's outline Short Notes prepared after the class.

Outline short notes for lesson 75 of the 6th Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra dated 27.5.2018

Continue from Page 382 Chapter X - Final Instructions:

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

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

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

4.    We must learn to use the mundane mind and yet not be deceived by it.

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

6.    Story of Bodhidharma transmitting the dharma from India to China.

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

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

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

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

11.    The mundane mind needs to be trained via mindfulness to realize the true mind (silent mind).

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

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

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

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

16.    In the midst of life, cultivate the daily mindfulness, i.e. learn to see the physical, mental and nature's flow withinnature. If there is mindfulness, thoughts will not arise. But, when

thoughts do arise, just be aware and do not allow them to continue or proliferate into a chain of heedless thinking.

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

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

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

20.    When there is awakening, the wisdom that arises will be connected to the form and mind. The form and mind (or human being) is no longer deluded; one can then say it has become enlightened. However, this form and mind isnot you and it is still subject to the law of Karma. This must be understood so that one can cultivate correctly.

21.    Enlightenment has nothing to do with whether one has completely exhausted one's bad Karma or not?

22.    2 aspects of the Middle Path: i) To avoid the 2 extremes of self-mortification and sensual indulgence; and ii) totranscend duality via wisdom. Duality is to be understood. Duality pertains to the conditioned world.

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

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

25.    The 1st and 2nd Noble Truths are the mundane aspect of life.

26.    1st Noble Truth explains the reality of life and existence, i.e. the 8 realities leading to dukkha if one lack wisdom, the prevalence of suffering if one confronts them without proper understanding.

27.    2nd Noble Truth - the cause of suffering is craving borne of delusion.

28.    3rd noble truth - Suffering need not be. Nibbana can be realized in the here and the now.

29.    4th noble truth - cultivate the N8FP (mundane cultivation) leading to the realization of the supra mundane.

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

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

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

(Above draft outline short notes were prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

84th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 2nd September 2018

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

https://i1.wp.com/broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/84-6th-Patriarch-2-September-2018-Original.jpg

84.1 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.

84.2 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).

84.3 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.

84.3.1 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

84.3.2 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.

84.3.3. 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 die it means this is not you, then what happen to that form and mind? It is just separate and condition cease to be; it just disperses. 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 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 easy and very natural. 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 mine 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 our 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, 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.

84.4. 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.

84.5. 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

ALL Lesson of the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra 2015 - 2018

Biodata of Bro. Teoh Kian Koon

Preface

Acknowledgement

Audio MP3 Download

2nd Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 21st June 2015

2.1 Pūjā

2.2. Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

2.2.1. Tripitaka Master Hua’s Introduction

2.2.2 Translator’s Introduction

2.2.3 The Patriarchship Lineage

2.2.4 Foreward By Master Hsuan Hua

2.2.5. Introduction to Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

3rd Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 12th July 2015

3.1 Pūjā

3.2 Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

4th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 19th July 2015

4.1 Pūjā

4.2 Dharma and Sutra By Bro. Teoh

9th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 6th September 2015

9.1 Pūjā

9.2 Dharma and Sutra By Bro. Teoh

9.3 Session 2

9.3.1 Meditation

9.3.2 Meditation reporting followed by Q & A session

9.3.2.1 Understanding Lying Down Meditation

9.4 Appendix

9.4.1 What is the Work?

9.4.1.1. Ask the Four Questions

9.5 Closing Puja

36th Lesson Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra 27th November 2016

White Board Note of 36th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

36.1 Pre-Pūjā

36.2 Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

36.2.1 What Is The Purpose Of Meditation?

36.2.2 The Mind Must Have No Dwelling

36.2.3. Only Truth And Wisdom Liberates The Mind

36.2.4. Meditation Is Not About Sitting Only

36.3 Teoh’s Closing Remarks

36.4 Questions And Answers

36.5 Closing Pūjā

46th Lesson Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra dated 14th May 2017

White Board Note of 46th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

46.1. Pūjā

46.2. Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

46.2.1 Chapter VI Repentance and Reform (page 236)

46.2.2. Meditation Reporting and Q&A

46.3 Closing

54th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 13th August 2017

White Board Note of 54th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

54.1 Pūjā

54.2 Dharma Sharing By Bro. Teoh

54.2.1 Understanding Mahayana and Theravada Traditions

54.2.2. The 6th Patriarch Sutra Proper

75th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 27th May 2018

White Board Note of 75th Lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra

75.1. Puja

75.2. Dharma and Sutra Sharing By Bro. Teoh

75.2.1. Chapter X: Final Instructions - Opposites and Duality

75.2.2. How to Transcend Duality

75.2.3. The Four Noble Truths, - Mundane and Supra mundane Cultivation

75.3. Meditation and Mediation Reporting

75.3.1. Daily Mindfulness and Understanding Cultivation

75.4. Lesson's outline Short Notes prepared after the class.

84th Lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra dated 2nd September 2018

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

84.1 PrePūjā sharing

84.2 Pūjā

84.3 Dharma and Sutra Sharing by Bro. Teoh

84.3.1 Verse for Opening a Sutra

84.3.2 Sutra proper

84.3.3. The Sudden Teaching of Master Hui Neng

84.4. Closing puja

84.5. OUTLINE SHORT NOTES