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Complete audio of the talk can be downloaded : https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-190822.mp3 Whiteboard note : https://broteoh.com/wp-content/up…
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Short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-190822.pdf
Outline short notes for Thursday class dated 22ND AUGUST 2019
1. Bro Teoh explained to a newcomer the importance of having the five spiritual faculties of mind needed to overcome the opposite 5 mental hindrances of mind, which hinder the mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness. During the meditation session, Bro Teoh guided those who were new on how to train their mind to develop the meditation. This mind sweeping method is a skillful mean, used to decondition the heedless thinking mind to calm it down. Then develop anapanasati to stabilize their sati.
2. After meditation, Bro Teoh went through the outline short notes of his 18th August 2019, SJBA Sunday dharma talk on the topic: ‘The 3 turnings of the 4 Noble Truths astaught by Lord Buddha’. This dharma talk was very comprehensive, clear and good and one can view it at this YouTube video link : https://youtu.be/cHd59b3UF3E
3. As long as living beings do not have the Dharma understanding, the egoic mind (borne of self-delusion) is always active. But this self-delusion (sakayaditti) will be rooted out when one becomes an Ariya. Without wisdom, everything we do, there is always the sense of a self (an atta) to condition our selfish intention (for me or not for me). It is this personality (the Ego) that give rise to the evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion.
4. The ego desires things, gets angry and is hurt because of self-delusion. This causes one to stir and react to sense experiences. But with the dharma, one becomes different because the dharma can transform living beings via wisdom. Life then becomes meaningful and one can have so much joy, gratitude, respect and love for the Buddha.
5. The Buddha’s teaching is priceless because it can lead one to awakening. Only great beings with loving kindness can offer the dharma for free to the world. Most will think of making money first. It is rare to find people with genuine love and compassion, who can freely contribute to the world (without any selfish intention). So, we are indeed very blessed to have received the Buddha’s teaching for free.
6. Without wisdom, we cannot resolve our afflictions. If one cannot resolve suffering, then calling oneself a sotapan does not make sense. Without planting wholesomeness and blessing, how can one be blessed with good life? To be blessed with good life, we have to keep cultivating merits and virtues.
7. Bro Teoh related, how blessed his family was. All these are possible was because of their past life cultivation and dharma understanding.
8. By taking the Bodhisattva vows, we strengthen our faith in The Triple Gem through planting the Bodhi seed deep within our hearts (nature) to arise the causes and conditions for our segmented life to keep on receiving such beautiful teaching of Lord Buddha life after life. Bro Teoh advised fellow Kalyanamittas to read through his transcript blue book, ‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’ again and again so as not to miss out on this window of opportunity make possible by the present Buddha Sasana. Reaffirming the vows with great faith and sincerity will keep us firmly on the Bodhisattva path.
9. When one walks the Bodhisattva path, the cultivation is very much more rewarding. Not only can one realize the cessation within one’s nature, one can also perfect the vows to become a Samma Sambuddha.
10. The vows taken by Amitabha Buddha can turn existence into pure land. Whenever Bro Teoh heard the recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s name (‘A mi to fo, A mi to fo, …’), there was strong mindfulness and much joy in Bro Teoh’s heart.
11. Starting on the 8th September, 2019, our Sunday class will use a new book: `The Path to Truth for the Modern-day Bodhisattva Practitioner’ as cultivated by Bodhisattvas. It will be a very beautiful sharing. The next new book for our Tuesday class is the ‘Sutra of Innumerable Meanings’. This sutra is the first book of the Threefold Lotus Sutra or fǎ huá sān bù jīng (法 華 三 部 経). There is a whole chapter’s teaching covering ‘Virtue’ as cultivated by great beings (Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas) within that sutra.
12. As we go through the books, we can develop deeper understanding of the teaching and the cultivation leading to fast progress and further evolution.
13. Sister Angie asked the question, `As practitioners, when can we start the perfection of the ten paramattas?’
14. Bro Teoh answered that initially, most cultivators do not have a clear picture of this cultivation. It is advisable to read through his blue transcript book on ‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’ first, to develop the full understanding. By taking the four basic vows, we have started the cultivation of these ten perfections, which are basically cultivating all the appropriate virtue. But it is only when wisdom has been developed can one develop real virtues. Therefore these virtues or perfections and vows can only be perfected when wisdom has been perfected. There is no true virtue without wisdom. Without wisdom, the evil roots will be very strong.
15. Wisdom has many levels too. The sainthood way is relatively much simpler. But people feel offended when this is mentioned. The perfection of the Bodhisattva way is very extensive as such it is incomparable. As one progresses, wisdom keeps on arising.
16. The thought tells us that the Bodhisattva path is very long. One should instead strive on to cultivate following the 3 hallmarks of Master Hui Neng’s teaching (of no thought, no marks and no dwelling) which is similar to the four famous dharma stanzas as stated in The Diamond Sutra to speed up one’s cultivation. The famous 4 stanzas are:
一 切 有 爲 法, (All are conditioned dharma or phenomena);
如 夢 幻 泡 影, (They are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows);
如 露 亦 如 電, (Like dew and like lightning flash);
應 作 如 是 觀. (One should contemplate them thus).
17. If one can understand and teach the above 4 stanzas, one’s merits are immeasurable. When one reaches the cultivation stage of no thought, it means that one has realized one’s true mind. By then the three universal characteristics of impermanence, non-self and suffering state will become very clear.
18. The five stages of Bodhi mind developments start with the planting the Bodhi seed deep within our nature when we take the Bodhisattva vows.
19. Many people misunderstand the deep meaning of the perfection of renunciation. They think renunciation only means to renounce the world to become a monk or a nun. The true meaning of renunciation is very deep. It includes renouncing all things within the phenomenon world of consciousness. This perfection of renunciation has to be perfected for one to fulfil the 2nd vow of the Bodhisattva to endure and severe all suffering.
20. One has to complete the cultivation of Love and Compassion to cultivate the 1st Bodhisattva vow.
21. Once one had completed the fulfilment of the third vow of the Bodhisattva, the fourth vow of perfecting the ten perfections to become a Samma Sambuddha will become fairly easy.
22. Bro Teoh mentioned that, all of us are so blessed to be born in this ‘golden era or age’ where Science and technology has enable us to experience such great civilization advancement which our parents and grandparents were not able to witness. With this high tech revolution of ours giving rise to great information technologies and AI advancement, our world and civilization had advanced so fast. The world of sights and sounds, high level of sensuality, travels, sports, foods, tickets to indulgence, beautiful homes, hotel and resorts, etc. are so convenience nowadays for those who have the means. One can truly live life to the fullest and one can also experience all the pristine beauties and wonders of life.
23. According to J. Krishnamurti, for the planetary consciousness to transform for the better, the individual must change and transform for the better. If at least 1% of the world’s population has the spiritual understanding, then we can really have a civilization which will be really beautiful. Human Beings would evolve to another level to become super humans. Even if our planet gets destroyed, it would not be a problem anymore. Because by then, one can even travel faster than the speed of light to stay at other places.
24. But scientists have yet to explore the field of consciousness which is capable of bringing mankind to such an evolved level. One needs meditative wisdom to go into this field. Scientists still use thought to come up with inventions such as AI.
25. Bro Teoh emphasized the importance of spiritual understanding to go hand in hand with the fast-paced technological advancement. Otherwise, problems will arise and the planet is at risk of being self-destruction, due to human greed, divisions, conflicts, arguments and wars, etc.
26. Bro Teoh cracked a joke when PG mentioned, she may not be around to witness the evolved human species of this golden age. Bro Teoh said that, one just needs to go to broteoh.com website and cultivate following his blue transcript blue (‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’) to learn how to come back to this Buddha sasana again. As one explores this possibility, one will come to realize that the information given in the book is like so familiar. But during that time, it would be a new segmented form and mind with a new body and a different gender because PG vows to be born as a male in future.
27. At the end of this sharing, Bro Teoh lead all Kalyanamittas to share their merits with Bro Siah Wen Chiang (Bro Siah Chee Way’s son) for his quick recovery to good health from his recent surgery.
(The above draft outline short notes was prepared by Puan Chee)
With metta always,