Dhamma audio file Archives - Page 52 of 58

February 27, 2018April 29, 2019

Re: WPCS Sunday class recording dated 25th Feb 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our recent Sunday’s WPCS Sunday class dharma recording for sharing by all. Please do listen to rather beautiful sharing given. Also attached are the short notes for this sharing.

Re: Short notes for our 25^th Feb 2018 WPCS Sunday class

During meditation just relax body and mind and maintain silence and let the thoughts arise because the untrained mind is heedless and it thinks a lot. Do not worry about them as they will dissipate away if you don’t feed them with anymore thought energy. This does not mean we should ignore or be indifferent towards the thoughts that arise. We must understand that we are heedless because we have not trained this mundane mind which lacks the 5 spiritual faculties and having wrong views. Understand this and just let things be via not trying to fight or suppress or control the thoughts.
Wrong views (especially self-delusion) stir one’s mind to create dualities, i.e. good and bad, right and wrong etc. Self-delusion give rise to the ego to arise the possessiveness where one will then grasp and cling onto the phenomena world of consciousness believing that they are real. As a result when things do not go our way, we become unhappy. We then start to project our thoughts leading to all the fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation etc.
To train the mind to be heedful to arise the silent mind, we can first begin with the mind sweeping method and metta to de-condition the heedless thinking to arise the silent mind. Then stabilise it via Anapanasati leading to mindfulness and heedfulness. When we are just mindful of the in and out breath without thought we have Sati (i.e. awareness and the breath move as one, with no thoughts). Alternatively we must train the mind to cultivate the 5 spiritual faculties to overcome the 5 mental hindrances.
Just relax and silent (to maintain awareness). When we are just aware without thought, we will become calm leading to piti and sukha. Then continue to relax and maintain awareness until passadhi or tranquillity of mind arise. This is the silent mind, the meditative mind in sati that can awaken to realise the wisdom via the direct seeing.
Common mistakes of cultivators are:

They try to suppress and control thoughts via method and techniques to focus and fix the mind so that thoughts cannot move or wonders off. But this is not a free mind, it is a conditioned focus mind in one-pointedness or samatha concentration leading to jhanas and energy fields. Instead of cultivating Anapanasati (which is mindfulness of the in and out breath) they focus on the breath to develop the samatha concentration to stop or suppress the thinking;
Another common mistake is verbalization via the noting method leading to thought-based meditation where the cultivator are also required to slow down all their actions and movements like walking, sitting, standing, turning, bending, etc. and are told that this is Vipassana or insight meditation. However, Vipassana is not a method or a technique but it is an understanding or an awakening that arise via insight into the 3 Universal True of impermanence, non-self and suffering via the direct seeing with the silent mind. Just be AWARE of all actions, movements and vibrations within the body and mind without verbalization.

Don’t stir the mind means not having likes and dislikes. Don’t arise dualities. The mind will then be still by itself. Likes and dislikes, are the first 2 mental hindrances of sensual desire and ill-will.
The highest meditation is to be aware of all moments and actions in the present moment which is the daily mindfulness cultivation or Mindfulness and clear comprehension cultivation in daily life.
Questions asked: a) Is verbalisation the same as suppressing and controlling thoughts? b) Do we ignore thoughts that arise in meditation and in daily mindfulness? c) Do we meditate until there is no meditator? d) Is the silent mind a prerequisite to meditation? (Note: Draft Short notes prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

With metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/68-6th-Patriarch-25-Feb-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/53d62f08z0j6bhe/68%206th%20Patriarch%2025%20Feb%202018.MP3?dl=0

68 6th Patriarch 25 Feb 2018.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

February 11, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro Teoh’s 8th Feb 2018 Thursday class recording

Below are the audio links to our last night 8th Feb 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all. The short notes are also attached as below:

8^th February 2018 Thursday class short notes

Bro Manjit was a newcomer. He realized most of the time, his mind thinks a lot and wandered off very fast. Bro Teoh said most human beings who have not trained their mind are heedless. Meditation is to train the mind so that it will listen to us via understanding. The mental hindrances are strong because of our habitual tendencies throughout the day. To overcome them, we need to cultivate the opposite 5 spiritual faculties. To develop further understanding of the Buddha’s teaching, Bro Manjit can access our broteoh.com website as well as read the free transcript books given to him.
We should continue with our cultivation even after the formal meditation by carrying this trained mind states into our daily life so that life itself is the meditation. It is not just the formal sitting but to use the trained mind states to live life via mindful or heedful living. Thoughts arise so fast that most normal living beings who are heedless are not able to cope with life unless they have trained their mind to have heedfulness (which is the inner awareness – a mind that is ever mindful with clarity within) to cultivate the Noble Eightfold path with particular attention on the four foundations of mindfulness. Heedfulness is called Appamada in Pali.
Dhammapada Verse 21 (Heedfulness is the path to the deathless whereas heedlessness is the path to the dead; the heedful never die and the heedless are as if dead), emphasizes the importance of heedfulness and the danger of heedlessness.
After the meditation session, Bro Manjit reported that his mind seemed to go everywhere. He tried very hard to follow Bro Teoh’s guidelines. He was successful for a very short period only then the mind became restless again. He had pains and ach too. Bro Teoh explained that it was important to understand what meditation is because the very trying is by the thought. You are supposed to relax and just feel and not think or try to suppress, control, focus or do away with your thoughts. By focusing, controlling and suppressing the mind you are feeding it with more thought energy and by doing so it can lead to a host of problems especially when the energy builds up and causes more thinking and harm than good. This is a conditioned mind state which is of not much use.
Bro Manjit was advised to use the four supports for awareness based meditation: a) Relax – into whatever mind states that arise; b) Aware within (which is the silent mind without thought); c) 24 hour (Maintain the awareness so as to be ever mindful to live life); d) Trust – the nature to do what is to be done without the interference of thought.
Most cultivators who feel pain or aches during the formal sitting dare not move because they see everyone sitting still. This is not the way to meditate. First, there should be the understanding that we are not there to torture ourselves. We are there to train our mind to be in a state of relax, peaceful and aware within. So, the key point is to relax into every mind state or sensation that Whenever mental hindrances arise, we should not fight them. If we have been heedless or stressed up throughout the day, it is only normal that our mind and body are not at ease. Bro Teoh kept reminding everyone not to fight these mental hindrances but to understand them. So, the key point is, there must be the understanding within us to know what we are doing in the name of meditation. We should not follow instructions blindly. Meditation is to be done with understanding!
During meditation, snoring can be heard. When we are aware, we can even hear our own snoring. This awareness can also be present when we are dreaming. The brain needs to find order to recuperate from all the stresses and strains of life of a tired day so resting the mind and via having dreams are a form of sub-conscious release then with the good deep sleep (without any thought interfering) will allow the life force to heal itself, bringing about recuperation to the body and mind. Otherwise, one can become `cuckoo’.
In the past, society was less sophisticated. Normally only older peoples have stress related problems. But nowadays, even the young generation can enter into depression because of the stress levels they are facing. Some of the reasons behind are: being over-pampered by their parents they lack survival skills, and they lack self-confidence. Hence, the teaching of the Buddha is very much needed especially in today’s modern society to help the young generation overcome all these mental hindrances and problems. The five spiritual faculties will definitely help them live life in a much more peaceful and meaningful.
When Bro Manjit mentioned about the problems he faced at work; like having to meet datelines, etc. Bro Teoh took the opportunity to share a very important understanding. He mentioned about the nature’s scientific and spiritual laws that governs life and existence and how the mundane mind always seeks security. People are so insecure nowadays hence their minds seek security. The question of `what if …, triggering off fear’ is a common problem when they project their thoughts. There is no absolute security. The only true ‘security’ comes from understanding the nature’s laws that governs life and existence especially the law of karma.
When we feel insecure, fear, worry and anxiety will arise. This is how the mundane mind gets into trouble. Without understanding the spiritual laws (Law of Karma, Law of Mind and the Law of Truth), we will always project our thoughts. Even if we have taken all the necessary actions and precautions, things can still go wrong. Seeking or wanting security is a form of fear because when you are insecure you seek security to do away with your fear and that seeking in itself is a mental craving. When we understand via the law of karma that `we reap what we sow; do good begets good and do evil begets evil’, we will only do what is necessary – that is to take care of karma which is most important. When we act with confidence, understanding and wisdom, the mind is composed, calm and peaceful because there is no more thought projection. In other words, we do what is needed – be it polishing up our skills, having self confidence, be diligent (working hard), etc. and there is no need to worry and be fearful over what if…., via unnecessary thought projections because no amount of fear and worry can help you. In fact it will make you worst because these are negative emotions. Without such right understanding (knowing that our life depends entirely on our karma hence only karma decides), one may visit feng shui masters or consult fortune tellers or seek out ‘bomoh’ etc. to give them the so-called solution and security. We have gone through deaths and rebirths for eons and eons of lives – so we never know what we had done in the past. The best we can do is to avoid the causes and take care of karma via resolving matters and issues amicably.
We should plant the seeds of goodness to reap its good effect. When we cultivate following the Law of Karma, we will be like very blessed. We will meet with good, kind, virtuous and wise people who will help us and things will turn out well most of the time. It is never worth it to violate this nature’s laws.
Finally, Bro Teoh goes through and did a review of our last Thursday class (1st February 2018) short notes.

{Above short notes draft was prepared by Sister Chee Guit Yeng (Puan Chee)}

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180208.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/svpcbdblnec00de/Teoh%20class%20180208.MP3?dl=0

Teoh class 180208.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

February 11, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro Teoh’s 25th Jan 2018 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 25th Jan 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all. The short notes link are also attached as below:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-180125.pdf

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun

*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jan25, you can download at :*

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180125.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k5zo99gzpx1wlef/Teoh%20class%20180125.MP3?dl=0

February 5, 2018February 8, 2018

Bro. Freddy and Sister Alicia’s house dana

January 23, 2018January 23, 2018

Bro. Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 16th Jan 2018

Dear All,

Below are the audio links to our last Tuesday class for sharing by all:

Brother Teoh’s Tuesday Class on 16/01/2018 recording :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Teoh-Tue-180116.mp3 or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/43kv355v4agwcp4/2018-01-16.MP3?dl=0

Sadhu! x3. Very good and I had edited the draft short notes and am pleased to attach and forward the edited short notes as below for sharing by all:

Short notes to our Tuesday class sharing dated 16.1.2018:

Bro. Teoh gave a Guided meditation on how to train one’s mind to be mindfulto develop the meditation as taught by the Buddha.
Nature’s Universal laws or orders ….. This whole universe is governed by these 5 natural universal laws (Panca nyamas) or orders: they are Nature’s physical order (utu niyama), biological order (Bija niyama), law of karma (karma niyama) , law of mind (citta niyama) and law of truth (dhamma niyama). Hence all beings are also subject to these laws. The 1st two are scientific laws and the last three are spiritual laws.
Mindfulnesswill arise when our mind is not crowded with thoughts, for mindfulness is awareness before the knowing or the arising of thought.When we are mindful we will be more aware of our own mental and physical movements and our environment and surroundings. We will also be more sensitive to our feelings and emotions including the emotions of others around us – we can feel and sense their fear, worry, anxiety and sadness etc. The problem is most people can’t cut off their heedless thinking, mental chattering and inquisitiveness. Such mental activities (which are our thinking and emotions) uses up a lot of our life force energy.
Bro. Teoh did a detailed review of our previous 9th Jan 2018 Tuesday class sharing bygoing through its printed short notes. These review and short notes will help kalyanamittas (especially the newer ones) to better understand all that were shared during the classes.

(Note: The above draft short notes was prepared by Sister Hooi Yoon Chun)

Bye! and with metta always, Teoh

January 23, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro. Teoh’s Sunday class dated 21st Jan 2018 recording

Dear All,

Below are the audio links to our Bro. Teoh’s WPCS Sunday class dated 21st Jan 2018 recording for sharing by all. It is a very Highly Recommended talk. Please do listen to it attentively to develop the clear understanding of the beautiful dharma shared. The short notes to the talk are also included below for your easy reference to help u understand better:

Short notes for WPCS Sunday class dated 21 Jan 2018

The human being consists of the 5 aggregates of form and mind, i.e. the physical body(1st aggregate of form) and mind (which has 4 more aggregates of mind). The ‘form and mind’ come into being as a result of Karma, i.e. it is dependent originating – arise due to causes and conditions. The ‘form and mind’ (which is the human being) exists but it is not a permanent unchanging entity hence not you.
When we meditate via the silent mind (without any interference from our views, opinions, scars of memories, conditionings, traditions and belief systems etc.) to see things as they are, we will be able to insight into the 3 universal characteristics of nature to realise that this ‘form and mind’ is not us (self).
In cultivation, we should allow thoughts to arise and pass away naturally and not to suppress, control or resist them. When we try to control, resist and suppress thoughts, unwittingly we are actually using another thought to resist or stop these thoughts. When we do this we are using thought to meditate leading to ‘thought-based meditation’. Who meditates, who note? The thought! So whenever there is a ‘meditator’, there is no meditation because thought cannot realise the enlightenment which is beyond thought and beyond time. Before one is enlightened thought is always egoic.
Dhammapada verses 21, 22 & 23 confirm the importance of Heedfulness in meditation and since Heedfulness = ever mindful + constantly meditative (cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path); first we need to train the mind to be mindful then stabilise it to be ever mindful. After that use it to meditate via following the below steps:

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

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

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

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

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

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

http://brohttps://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/67-6th-Patriarch-21-Jan-2018.mp3teoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Teoh-WPCS-67-6th-Patriarch-2018-01-21.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oo8y6kb5nh2vd4g/67%206th%20Patriarch%2021%20Jan%202018.MP3?dl=0 . Highly Recommended!

67 6th Patriarch 21 Jan 2018.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

January 23, 2018January 23, 2018

Bro.Teoh’s Thursday class dated 11th Jan 2018 recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Thursday class dated 11.1.2018 recording for sharing by all. The short notes are also enclosed as below.

Short notes to our Thursday class sharing dated 11^th Jan. 2018:

Bro. Eric reported that during meditation, he realizes that he thinks a lot and these thoughts were related to his work and many other personal things.
Bro Teoh’s explaination:
These habitual heedless thinking arises due to your lack of the 5 spiritual faculties of Saddha, viriya, sati, Samadhi and panna and because of that the opposite 5 mental hindrances of sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and Torpor, restlessness of mind and doubt (that hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness) will arise. These heedless thinking arise because of your fear, worries, anxiety and attachment borne of delusion, making your mind restless and When you cling and hold on to your accumulated phobias, what people had said about you and your fear borne of your own thought projection and wrong thoughts, suffering will arise. Your daily unsolved mental activities or thinking can also give rise to heedless thinking caused by attachment.
Via memories we input our contents of consciousness according to our views, opinions, belief system, traditions, conditioning, fear, scars of memories, phobias, insecurities, etc which we had accumulated into our memories via attachment borne of wrong view. Hence acting according to memory is not acting at all. One should instead act with wisdom and understanding borne of right views as taught by the Buddha under his Noble 8-Fold Path teaching.
Memories are our accumulation of experiences – both good and bad. Via our wrong mental perception borne of wrong view, all of our life experiences (good or bad) are stored in the brain as memory of If we are mindful and aware (via the silent mind), we can see and understand how thoughts arise and pass away thereby understanding clearly that ‘thoughts are indeed response to memories’ because without memories (like a new born baby) there is no thought. When the content of consciousness inputted into our thoughts has the evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion then wrong thoughts (that condition your fear, worries, anxiety, restlessness of mind, panic attacks, sorrow, lamentation and misery etc. leading to suffering) will arise. This is always the case for unenlightened beings. That’s how our fears, scars of memory, phobias and insecurity (borne of attachment to our mental perceptions deposited into our memories) can give rise to heedless thinking or wrong thought leading to intense suffering and miseries. Our ‘good’ memories can also lead to positive craving and attachment.
The Practical living dharma that can relate to life and help free people’s mind are more importantbecause theoretical dharma which are not practical are of not much use.
Conventional truths are relative truths which are not real ultimate truth.
The Buddha said if we attach to the 5 aggregates of Form and Mind, thinking that they are real; like our body belongs to us, our loved ones, prized possessions and property belong to us, our feeling, perception, mental states, thought processes and consciousness also belong to us then suffering arises.
Without the 5 spiritual faculties, the opposite 5 mental hindrances will arise.
Without mindfulness, we cannot see all these because our mind will be lost in thoughts and preoccupied with all those habitual heedless thinking thus clouding it.
Thought is response to memory.
Due to our conditioning we cling on to all those wrong views, opinions, belief system and attachment etc. that mould us and make us become what we think we are.
At every moment of wrong sense door perception, we will stir our mundane mind that is deluded to attach and cling onto the phenomena world via positive or negative emotions of likes and dislikes.
If we are mindful and heedful, we will be very sensitive and we can feel and sense the slightest movement, stirring and reaction of mind arising from the pure feeling aggregate.
It is important to train the mind to be aware within the moment to see things as they are to straighten our views so that we don’t cling via delusion. To do that, we must have the wisdom borne of meditation to understand the three universal characteristics of nature.
We need a silent mind, to be aware within (without the thought as ‘meditator’, ‘thinker’, ‘analyser’, etc. to interfere with the direct seeing). Otherwise the thought will try to control and suppress ‘What IS’ via wanting things their way borne of craving.
Defilements come from delusion but they are not the real problem. So don’t try to suppress or do away with the defilements because they are there due to your lack of wisdom and only wisdom free the mind, nothing else can.
One reacts and stirs one’s mind because of wrong view and delusion.
It is important to understand the law of dependent origination (12 links) to understand how we function as human beings.
The cause of worry is fear. Without fear one has no problem.
When facing problems, one has two choices: 1^st choice – most people react, panic, project their thoughts and worry about the problems hence mind becomes restless with these proliferation of thoughts. The 2^nd choice is – don’t panic, react and project the thoughts (to arise all the fear and worries which does not help), then act with wisdom and right views via following Noble 8-Fold Path.
An untrained mind with the 5 mental hindrances (especially restlessness and doubt) cannot calm down to enter the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness.
Memory should be used to store useful information but human beings have used it wrongly to store their psychological memories of their fear, phobias, scars of memories, insecurities etc. thereby arising all the wrong thoughts. Whether it is right thought or wrong thought depends on the user of thought. If the user is wise then thoughts become right thoughts.
The Buddha under the Sabbasava sutta said, if one give attention to things that are unfit for attention one will give rise to wrong thoughts that will cause the un-arisen three evil roots and defilements to arise and the arisen defilements will proliferate. Right thought brings about love, compassion, kindness, gentleness, goodness, gratitude, respect, sincerity, generosity, etc and wisdom hence such thoughts like contemplating on the 3 turnings of the Four Noble Truth are fit for attention.
Through cultivation, the mind can become quiet to enable us to insight into the three universal characteristics of nature.
One must inquire, ‘how can thoughts which are only consciousness and harmless can have such power over the living beings to make them so sorrowful, miserable and so full of fear. If you truly love yourself then you will not use your own thoughts (as a tool) to harm yourself and hurt yourself or hit out at others. Just like the knife analogy – you must use that knife as a tool and use it appropriately to help you do things that are useful but instead if you use it to harm yourself, hurt yourself and others then that is real delusion and foolishness.
True action is acting according to wisdom via having right views with regards to the universal laws that govern life and existence. Then Dhammapada verses 1 and 2, 21, 22, 23 and 183 will become very clear.
Life is very simple. When we accept the reality of the moment which is ‘What IS’, there is no reaction or stirring of mind. There is clarity and calm to act appropriately then we can ask our self – what are our options and how we can resolve all these amicably following the Noble 8fold path and the Law of karma then we can use our right view, right thought, right speeches and right actions to act appropriately to resolve all situations amicably without negativity. We should always act with wisdom or right view. If need to ask for forgiveness, repent and later invoke power of merits to improve our life, do it because if one act with right view one will reap the good karmic fruition.
To de-condition the heedless thinking leading to the silent mind, we can use the mind sweeping method combining with metta meditation to do it then followed by Anapanasati to stabilize the silent mind.
When we are mindful, there is not thought. As we relax into every mind state that arises, the mind becomes very quiet and finally very still. With the clarity of mind arising from the silent mind without thought, we become peaceful and fully aware. Then stabilize the silent mind to realize the true mind, until the mind enters sati so that daily mindfulness can come about.
Once the mind is trained, we can become ever mindful. The meditative mind can understand truth and this is what meditation is all about. Then one will understand, technically there are no right and no wrong because these are only relative or conventional truth. People and the world are just the way they are because when conditions are like that, things will be like that – cannot be otherwise.

(Note: Draft short notes was prepared by Puan Chee)

With metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro. Swee Aun: If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jan11, you can download at:*

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Teoh-Thu-180111.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/p244d0i1nv6id2s/Teoh%20class%20180111.MP3?dl=0

Teoh class 180111.MP3

www.dropbox.com

January 17, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro. Teoh’s Sunday class’s recording dated 14th Jan 2018

Dear All Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday’s 66th lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform sutra recording dated 14th Jan 2018 for sharing by all. The following important short notes link and its details are enclosed below for your easy reading, listening and understanding:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Short-Notes-Teoh-WPCS-180114.pdf

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

Audio mp3 : https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/66-6th-Patriarch-14-Jan-2018.mp3

Whiteboard Note : https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/66-6th-Patriarch-14-Jan-2018.jpg

Samadhi is different from concentration

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

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

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

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

Surangama Sutra

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

2.1 Explanation for “Perception of form is consciousness”

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

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

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

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

2.2 Explanation for “Non-perception is wisdom”:

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

3.0 Question and Answers session after meditation

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

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

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/66-6th-Patriarch-14-Jan-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/67wk1lw7vpx8zte/66%206th%20Patriarch%2014%20Jan%202018.MP3?dl=0

66 6th Patriarch 14 Jan 2018.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

January 9, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro. Teoh’s Thursday class dated 4th Jan 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Thursday class dated 4th Jan 2018 recording for sharing by all. This talk is very good and *Highly recommended* by Bro. Swee Aun. To preview the talk some useful short notes are listed as below:

Short Notes for Bro. Teoh’s Thursday class Dharma sharing dated 4th January, 2018:

Sister Yoon Chun’s friends (a couple) from Canada shared their experience of having studied the Dharma for over twenty years thinking they have understood the Dharma – but after reading my transcript books they finally realized that they still didn’t really understand the true teaching;
They were happy that Bro. Teoh was able to express the dharma so clearly to them that their faith has been greatly strengthened;
Bro Teoh realized that not only this couple, in fact many so-called Buddhists also lack the real understanding hence the reason why the following very useful topics were discussed that night: I) Why do we seek religion or the teaching of the Buddha? ii) How can we put the dharma into practice to develop the cultivation?
What must we do to qualify as true Buddhists or to be a worth disciple/devotee of the Buddha? We must at least heed his advice to avoid all evil; do good and purify our mind hence the religious label claiming to be a Buddhist is not important at all.
Benefits of being a Buddhist – Dharma can help transform and improve our life for the better; arise inner peace and clarity leading to wisdom; can allow us to live the noble life; take care of our karma and to develop more karmic wholesomeness; to have a better understanding of life; to enable us to confront the 8 realities of Life and Existence with understanding and ease.
The dharma is very scientific – no need to believe anything because it is based on nature’s law.
Understanding the importance of cultivating the 3 phases of Dharma – Pariyati (learning of the teaching), Patipati (putting the teaching into cultivation) and Pativedha (to live the Noble life via reaping the fruit of one’s hard work).
Importance of training of mind to be mindful to develop the silent mind leading to inner peace and inner clarity ‘to see things as they are’ and to awaken via insight into the universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering-state and non-self to liberate the mind.
Bro. Swee Aun’s friend, Bro. Eric (a newcomer) – his reason for attending the class – is to be happy.
Bro Teoh asked is there any other reasons why one seeks religion? Answers from kalyanamittas: I) to be happy, ii) to have peace of mind, iii) to understand life and its meaning, iv) to help overcome one’s problems of Life, v) to end all mental and physical suffering, vi) to seek enlightenment (wisdom).
The Realities of Life and Existence that can cause suffering are: relationship failure; financial, health and career related problems; Disease; Death; separation from our loved ones and things that we hold on to dearly like our prized possessions, wealth, properties etc. When our expectations in life are not met, when we cannot get what we want, when things don’t go your way; fear of dying and fear of the unknown.
The essence of the Buddha’s teaching is the 4 Noble Truth which is like the secret of life because it can summarize to us all of life (both the mundane and supramundane) into just this Four Noble Truth.
Importance of meditating to investigate and find out `Who am I? What am I? And what is this human being all about?
Importance of doing the 5 daily contemplations.
Importance of understanding the right view with regards to Law of Karma.
When things do not go our away – you always have two choices – I) react to it and project your wrong thoughts to arise the suffering and misery or ii) to follow the Noble 8-fold Path to resolve issues amicably. (Note: Above original draft was prepared by Puan Chee)

Sadhu! x3

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro. Swee Aun

*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Jan4, you can download at :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-180104.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vqhmx6igvjxm2bg/Teoh%20class%20180104.MP3?dl=0 … *Highly recommended*

Teoh class 180104.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox

January 9, 2018

Bro. Teoh’s Sunday class dated 7th Jan 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday’s 7th Jan 2018 recording for sharing by all. The sharing is very good and a copy of the talk’s synopsis is enclosed below for your further sharing:

Synopsis for lesson 65 of the 6th Patriarch Platform sutra dated 7.1.2018:

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

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

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

4. Using the mundane mind means not observing with the silent mind to understand things clearly. One will always react to situations and this will become habitual. Just relax and silent your mind during meditation; even when there is pain or heedless thinking arising, or uneasiness of mind etc. –

just patiently observe without reaction then the mind will revert to its original state of stillness and silence before the stirring. Don’t label or try to stop the heedless thinking or mental activities and states (sankaras). Just allow it to be; be with it; accept them for what they are and just let things be. Acceptance via wisdom (right view) is peace whereas ‘acceptance’ without wisdom is suppression giving rise to affliction.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sis. Lee Siew Gaik.

Bro. Teoh’s Sunday class dated 7th Jan 2018 sharing :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/65-6th-Patriarh-7-Jan-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/564dzv7gaoc1hmz/65%206th%20Patriarh%207%20Jan%202018.MP3?dl=0