Dear All,
Below are the audio links to our Thursday class recording dated 21st Jan 2018 for sharing by all. It is a very Highly Recommended talk. Please do listen to it attentively to develop the clear understanding of the very unique dharma shared. The short notes to the talk are also included below for your easy reference to help u understand better:
SHORT NOTES For Bro. Teoh’s Thursday class talk dated 18th Jan. 2018:
- Bro Teoh started the class by going through the 4th January 2018 Thursday class short notes. All the short notes for our Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday classes would be made available to all Kalyanamittas and all those attending our March 2018 coming 9 days meditation retreat at Cameron Highlands. These short notes will also be uploaded to our broteoh.com website so that it can help fellow Kalyanamittas to develop a clearer understanding of the topics and dharma discussed during the classes.
- Bro Teoh reminded Kalyanamittas to determine strongly and cultivate diligently during this Buddha’s Sasana so that they will not let this very important ‘window of opportunity to slip by.
- These short notes in written form will be reviewed and elaborated by Bro. Teoh in future classes to give clear understanding of the topic and dharma discussed thereby helping Kalyanamittas to progress along the path of dharma much easier.
- Bro. Teoh went through the short notes on 4th January 2018 and elaborated further on the following – (a) The 2 aspects of the 5 aggregates of form and mind. 1st aspect: as a human being (the physical body is the first aggregate then the consciousness that is trapped inside has 4 more aggregates and they are feeling, perception, mental activities and mental states etc. (contents of consciousness), and consciousness. 2nd aspect: the 5 mental aggregates where the mental form enters the consciousness or mind via the aggregate of perception. (b) If we deludedly grasp and cling onto these 5 aggregates thinking that they are real we will suffer. Hence, without wisdom, we will definitely suffer. (c) The 8 realities of life and existence will causing us affliction if we don’t have the wisdom. Hence, it is of utmost importance for us to understand the nature’s laws that govern all of life (especially the Law of Karma) and train the mind not to be deceived by the phenomenal world.
- Sister Angie asked: What about certain religions that need their devotees to confess their sins first.
- Bro Teoh replied: Asking for forgiveness is a good practice. By doing so, they could open up their heart and this would help them relief their suffering only temporarily and it’s usually not a permanent fix.
- For us Buddhists the understanding is deeper, we can do the following to help us recover:
(a) First, ask for forgiveness sincerely to break the karmic obstructions. According to the law of karma, such karmic obstructions were due to wrongful doings in previous existences. (b) Vow not to repeat all such acts that lead to karmic negativities via following the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil, cultivate goodness and purify our mind to take care of karma. (c) Determine to cultivate virtues and wisdom via cultivating the ten meritorious actions, Noble 8fold Path and observing the 5 precepts. (d) Invoke the power of merits (spiritual wealth) after we have cultivated sincerely so as to give rise to causes and conditions to help us resolve all our problems amicably or help others. - This understanding can also be used to help others of different faiths to recover from their problems as long as they have an open mind because its principles are based on the understanding of nature’s laws.
- Bro Teoh stressed again the importance of cultivating the dharma understanding. The Buddha’s teaching is very simple and it can brings about liberation of mind leading to freedom from suffering.
- Thought is response to memory and thought is the second aspect of the 5 aggregates of form and mind. Thought is consciousness and its content. We need mindfulness to see how thought via its delusion causes us to cling, grasp and hold onto the phenomenal world thinking that is real. That’s how human beings enter into depression because they grasp on to the cocoon of thoughts which make them suffer from a type of mental disorder called OCD (Obsessive and Compulsive Disorder).
- To break this cycle of repetitive OCD thought processes, we need to have right view leading to right thought. Right thoughts are thoughts that are fit for attention and they give rise to peace, harmony and understanding. However, wrong thoughts that conditioned our fear, worries and anxieties, etc.. have the evil roots and are thus unfit for attention. This has been explained in the Sabbasava Sutra.
- Without mindfulness, one cannot understand the twelve links or law of dependent origination which happens so fast. Then self-delusion will continue to deceive one to cling onto the 5 aggregates via mental defilements that has the evil roots to condition one’s habitual tendencies and heedless thinking.
- With mindfulness, we are very sensitive because we can feel and sense even the slightest subtle reaction of mind. Hence, mindfulness can prevent us from becoming afflicted.
- We should contemplate and realize that this Form and Mind (or the so called human being) is not a permanent unchanging entity that we can cling onto as the ‘I’ and the ‘Mine’ but instead it is karmic ally conditioned out for us to come to this existential world to live and experience life.
- Thought is like a knife which can be used for good purpose or to hurt and harm ourselves andothers. Hence one need to use it appropriately.
- Bro. Teoh related an experiences during dinner with his fellow engineers. He heard about a first-class honors Engineer classmate who had gone into depression. When his friends asked Bro. Teoh to help out, he mentioned that there must be conditions for him to do so. Moreover, the person concerned must be willing to listen with an open mind because the solution also involve spiritual understanding.
- Kalyanamittas can access our broteoh.com website, to reinforce understanding of what has been shared. Bro. Teoh thanked all who had contributed in one way or other towards the setting up of this website.
- Kalyanamittas should train themselves to understand clearly what has been shared until they are able to write out their understanding without having to refer to the notes.
- Without the dharma understanding, it is very difficult to decondition the heedless thinking mind.
- Via the silent mind, the form and mind which is connected to it (or the nature within) can awaken and understand.
(Note: The above draft short notes were prepared by Puan Chee)
From: Bro. Swee Aun
*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jan18, you can download at:*
https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180118.mp3
or at:
[https://www.dropbox..com/s/fo9kovl0zmltfbk/Teoh%20class%20180118.MP3?dl=0]https://www.dropbox.com/s/fo9kovl0zmltfbk/Teoh%20class%20180118.MP3?dl=0
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Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh