Sunday class (WPCS) Archives - Page 18 of 21

The class commenced with Gratitude Puja to the Triple Gem and Dharma Protectors in conjunction with our rather successful completion of the6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra teaching by Brother Teoh after a period of 3 years and 3 months of weekly sharing held at WPCS.
After the puja, Brother Teoh also expressed his gratitude towards Sister Lee and the committee of WPCS for allowing him to share those beautiful Dharma in WPCS and he also relate the earlier rather unique conditions behind how he was invited to share the Dharma in WPCS in the year 2012.
The 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra is the only sutra by a lay person that was accorded the same status as other sutras of the Buddha.

Brother Teoh then explained the importance of having true Dharma friends (Kalyanamittas) to walk the Path of Dharma. (To refer to our https://broteoh.com website for more details.)

Bro. Teoh’s Kalyanamittas – A Repository Of Dharma Material

broteoh.com

The Source is the Oneness nature or the Toa.It is the source or beginning of all the Myriads things. Pure awareness is the silent mind without any mind activity or movement as yet.It is only aware but it is capable of seeing things as they are (direct seeing). When one input the content of consciousness via wrong views into the pure consciousness, the mundane mind comes into being.

Brother Teoh did a review and summarized the 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra teaching as below:

The sutra started with Bodhidharma (1st Patriarch) setting foot in China.
Then comes the Prediction of the Mahayana teaching taking deep roots in China after the advent of the 6^th Patriarch (Master Hui Neng) 200 years later.
Analogy of the flag and wind dharma: Which moves, flag or wind? Flag moves because the mind through the seeing consciousness perceives the flag moving. Wind moves because the mind through the hearing and tactile consciousness perceives the wind moving. Without mind, how can flag or wind moves? It is Mind that creates the perception of movement hence the reason why Hui Neng said, ‘neither the flag or wind move but your mind moves’.
Normal merits vs pure merits. Normal merits are performed with mark of a self having the greed for merits. Pure merits are performed via understanding (without the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion).
Bodhisattvas are Enlightened Beings walking the Path of dharma to perfection to realize Samma Sambuddhahood.
The poems by Hui Neng and Shen Hsiu are the essence of the 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra’s teaching which is similar to the Heart Sutra’s teaching. (To refer to Bro. Teoh’s Heart Sutra short notes book – page 8 onwards for more detail explanation.)

Poems by Shen Hsiu (show that his practice or cultivation is still at the Theravada level and it is mainly thought based for he still haven’t realized his true mind or true nature).

The body is like a Bodhi tree, 身是菩提樹， Mind is like a mirror bright on a stand; 心如明鏡臺。

Time and again polish until it shines, 時時勤拂拭， (Above is incorrect understanding because Shen Hsiu misunderstood and he thought the mundane mind is the real mind. He created duality via the mundane mind and cling on to the perfect and the pure while rejecting the dust or defilement. This means his mundane mind which is the thought is still active so how can he develop thesilent mind to awaken or insight into truth). So that no dust can alight, 勿使惹塵埃。 {Above is incorrect understanding because the mundane Mind/thought has created the duality of wholesome (pure) and unwholesome (dust)}.

b. Poem by Hui Neng:

Bodhi is basically not a tree, 菩提本無樹，(Bodhi or Enlightenment is not a tree, but a realization; an awakening).

The true mind is neither the bright mirror nor the stand; 明鏡亦非臺。 Originally there is nothing, 本來無一物， (True mind has nothing.) Where can dust alight? 何處惹塵埃。

- Just relax, silent and maintain awareness then the mundane mind will slow down and cease. When the mundane mind ceases, there is no creation of duality anymore because there is no thought. Meditation must be develop with understanding.
- Hui Neng’s advice before his passing away is: ‘Understand your mind and see your nature within. Do not grief after his passing away for that is contrary to the Dharma. Have gratitude but not grief or attach to the form or image that has gone the way of nature’.

Within this conditioned world, all are conditioned dharma. That is they are alldependent originating following nature’s laws hence they are not real. They areall dream like, an illusion, a bubble and a shadow, leading to suffering if one lack wisdom. So do not be deluded by them.
The present moment which is the only reality in life, arise and passed away very fast. Spit second it is gone so how real can life be? Form and mind are the same. They keep on appearing and disappearing.
The true mind has no duality, so no suffering. Silent your mind to experience thepeace and the stillness within.
Four essential conducts of the ariyan Sangha : i) Of Good conduct (e.g. keep precepts, generous, kind and helpful); ii) Of Upright conduct (e.g. righteous, sincere and honest), iii) Of Wise conduct (have right views and wisdom) & iv) Of Dutifulconduct (form & mind’s duty towards the law of Karma, regardless whether one is enlightened or not). Check whether these qualities are in you or not to know whether you are a true disciple of the Buddha. These qualities are also found in the Noble Eightfold Path which liberates the mind.
An enlightened person is always aware and mindful and their mind does not dwell or cling on to things.
Dharma is not a knowledge based. Dharma is never apart from life. Must be able to apply Dharma in life for life itself is where the dharma is.
Story of Master Xu Yun (Empty Cloud).
Sister Chwee’s questions on Hui Neng being born without a mundane mind and meaning of no mark.
Brother Ng’s sharing on his faith in Brother Teoh.
Diamond sutra teaching is very abstract: The Buddha said ‘Because there are no beings to be saved, there are beings to be saved’!

This means under ultimate truth, “there are no beings to be saved” because everything is anatta (empty and non-self) and this wisdom must be realised so that one will not be deluded by the form and mind but within the conditioned world of conditioned dharma there is such a thing as the law of karma that the form and mind is subject to so that is the reason why to the Buddha there are still beings to be saved.

September 19, 2018April 29, 2019

BroTeoh’s 2nd Sept 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday’s 2nd Sept 2018 recording for sharing by all. Also attached are the outline short notes link for sharing by all:

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

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Ms Lee Siew Gaik.

Sunday 2nd Sept 2018 class sharing links:

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

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tnmmjkihqxfnkxu/84%206th%20Patriarch%202%20September%202018.MP3?dl=0 . The Final Instructions.

84 6th Patriarch 2 September 2018.MP3

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August 28, 2018September 1, 2018

Bro Teoh’s 26th August 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 26th August 2018 Sunday recording for sharing by all. Also enclosed are the outline short notes for sharing by all.

OUTLINE short notes of Bro Teoh’s WPCS Sunday class dated 26^th August 2018

The 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra lesson 83

CHAPTER X, Final Instructions （Page 414 – 419）

1. Immediately after the Puja chanting Brother Teoh commenced the dharma sharing byasking us what we think of the statement: `I seek Enlightenment’ as stated in the text. He hinted that this statement is not correct and why is it not correct? Because of the ‘I’ which is the ego or self (atta) and ‘Seeking’ which is a craving. Whenever there is an `ego’ and a `seeking’ there can be no Enlightenment because Enlightenment can only berealized when there is no ‘I’ (or ‘becoming’) and no ‘craving’ (or `seeking’)!

2. In the same manner J Krishnamurti also asked, `what happens if The Seeker is the Seek?’Living being’s ignorant leads them to seek for enlightenment outside of themselves, not knowing that the enlightenment that `one’ seek is within one’s nature – which is the unconditioned.

3. Bro. Teoh further explained that `VI’ means – the 3 Universal characteristics of natureand `PASSANA’ means ‘To INSIGHT into.’ Hence Vipassana is an insight or a realizationborne of wisdom (an awakening) hence it cannot be practiced. For it is an understanding and not a knowledge or a skill where you need to learn and practice to acquire it. Enlightenment is a realization, an awakening which is not rigid (unlike knowledge).

4. The Commentary’s ‘DEVIANT VIEWS, means wrong views and the 3 POISONS means the3 evil roots of GREED, HATRED AND DELUSION.

5. Deviant views or confusion is the result of ignorance which creates love and desire (orcraving) leading to suffering borne of attachment, clinging and grasping. To reverse itone need to have right views leading to right thoughts, right speeches and right actions as per the N8FP teaching.
6. Bro Teoh explained the commentary’s terms of the Reward body, the Transformation body and the Dharma body in equivalent Theravada terms as below:

Reward Body – is the Nirmana kaya or Functional Body (which is the 5 aggregates of Form and Mind);
Transformation Body – is the Sambogaya kaya or Perfection Body or Spiritual Nature;
Dharma-body – is the Dharma Kaya.For us the Nirmana kaya is our karmically conditioned 5 aggregates of form and mind termed the functional body that perform the function of a human being forour this segment’s life. Then the Sambogaya kaya is our spiritual body or naturethat we can only inherit after we had connected via meditation to our true mind to realize our true nature. When this happened then the combination of the Nirmana kaya of the Buddha and his Sambogaya kaya will transform it into the Dharma kayathat enable the Buddha to speaks and teach the dharma. Not every living beinghas the Sambogaya kaya (spiritual nature) and not everybody can connect to theirtrue nature, unless they are true cultivators of the way. Once the true cultivator of the way has connected to their true nature he too can inherit his Spiritual Naturethen their form and mind will also transform to enable them to share their dharmaunderstanding according to their nature’s ability. WISDOM is unending.

7. Bro. Teoh once again shared with us how from the Source, living beings evolved in stages into the PURE AWARENESS (or True mind) stage, the MUNDANCE MIND (5 aggregates of Form and mind) stage and then finally into the Phenomena world of consciousness stage.Meditation is to reverse all these via understanding. That is to reverse or return the phenomena world of consciousness back to the mundane mind then mundane mind to the True Mind. Then finally when the mundane mind realizes itself and cease leading to the realization of the unconditioned or Nirvana (Source).

8. The mundane mind is impermanent and dependent originating hence empty andunreal. Not you and not what you think; anatta (or non-self) – not a permanent unchanging entity hence empty nature of existence and it brings about suffering when one deludedly clings and grasps via ignorant.

9. To relax and silent our Mundane Mind to realize the True Mind. Once our True Mind is awakened wisdom will keep arising.

10. Dharma sharing of experiences by Kalyanamittas on their recent 9 Days 8 Nights Spiritual trip to Shangri La, Dugu Lake, Lijiang, Dali and Kunming (Yunan province) were discussed:

The above dharma sharing by many of the Kalayamittas were very good, rather insightful, beneficial and beautiful. To develop the full understanding and benefitsplease do listen to the sharing via the below audio links:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/83-6th-Patriarch-26-August-2018.mp3

(Above draft outline short notes is by Sister Quinni)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Ms Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/83-6th-Patriarch-26-August-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/as9c3zojld1dbrr/83%206th%20Patriarch%2026%20August%202018.MP3?dl=0

83 6th Patriarch 26 August 2018.MP3

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August 10, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro Teoh’s 5th August 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 5th August 2018 Sunday class recording for sharing by all. Also attached are the outline short notes to assist you in the understanding.

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-WPCS-180805.pdf

Outline short notes for lesson 82 of the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra dated 5thAug 2018

Page 413 Chapter X Final Instructions

Stages of mind’s creation: From the Source comes the Pure Awareness, then the Mundane Mind followed by the Phenomena world of consciousness.

The Source is the Oneness nature or the Toa. It is the source or beginning of all the Myriads things.
Pure awareness is the silent mind without any mind activity or movement as yet. It is only aware but it is capable of seeing things as they are (direct seeing).
When one input the content of consciousness via wrong views into the pure consciousness, the mundane mind comes into being. This Mundane mind is manifestative and it can only arise when there are sense bases (the 6 sense bases), sense data and mind coming together to arise contact. Mundane mind lead to creation of Karma (moral causation).
Whatever perceivable by the mind via the senses is a phenomenon. The existential world is a Phenomena world of consciousness. With delusion one will grasp (via giving meaning) at the phenomena world of consciousness.2. The way of Consciousness:

C (Pure Awaeness/Pure Consciousness)

W(Wisdom)S(Senses)-5 Aggregates of –>Enlightened living. Form and mind(the phenomena world)

The Pure Awareness is the silent mind (without any content) that first arise from the Source.
The pure awareness via its direct seeing develops wisdom.
When wisdom is connected to the form and mind (living being), there is noble (enlighten) living.
However, for unenlightened beings the pure awareness is over looked and they manifest via the mundane seeing; seeing the phenomena world via the mundane mind. That is upon contact with sense bases, the respective mundane consciousness comes into being. Via delusion one will inputs the wrong content of consciousness into the sense experience. This will cause the mundane mind to stir and react to sense experience hence the reason why one is not at peace at the moment of sense experience.
Whatever created by the mundane mind is not real because they are dependent originating, condition arising hence impermanent (not a permanent unchanging entity) that we can cling on to or hold onto as the ‘I’ and the ‘Me”.
If one focuses the mind to stop thinking (using energy field), it is a conditioned state hence not a free mindand this is not the true mind. It is still within the field of thought (one-pointedness focusing).
Pure Awareness is a free mind. There is no concentration involved yet the silent mind which is free is collected and unwavering. This is real Samadhi.
Most beings are trapped at the mundane mind stage. Why is it so difficult for beings to realize the silent or true mind? The reason being when one experience great peace and calmness of mind during meditation they tend to attach and cling onto such peace and calmness and they do not know how to just relax into itto allow it to return to its original state of stillness and tranquility. And most of the time, beings begin to feel fear as their breath become so subtle until it is like there is no breathing at all then the fear of death will arise to cause the mundane mind to stir up again.
Apply the 4^th support of ‘trust’ at the Pure Awareness stage to locate the ‘gateway’ to our nature and after that just let things be and silent everything for cessation to happen, i.e. to realize Nibbana. This is the way of the Bodhisattva.
Bodhisattva takes birth not via ignorant like normal beings but via a pure mind with love and compassion borne of wisdom and their vows.
Vinanam is the (=) empty consciousness or the receptacle (the 4^th aggregate of mind).
Citta = [consciousness + content of consciousness (feeling, perception and sankhara)] = the thought (5 mental aggregates of form and mind).
Mano = mind (all of mind – true mind, mundane mind and the Supra mundane mind)
It is impossible to ‘cut’ at the feeling link to prevent the craving link from arising because without wisdomor when there will be no yoniso manasikara (wise attention) at the moment of sense experience, feeling will be conditioned into craving straight away. For wisdom is to be awaken to because it is not a knowledge – so if you don’t have (the wisdom) it means you don’t have. You cannot learn to be wise because it is not a knowledge or something for you to commit to memory. Only with wisdom or the arising of yoniso manasikara at the moment of sense experience can the feeling link remain as pure feeling. Withoutwisdom feeling will immediately condition craving.
Avijja → (paccaya) sankhara → vinanam → nama rupa → 6 sense bases … (following the 12 links or dependent origination movements).
Due to ignorant or avijja (wanting to know) thinking (sankhara) arise. Thinking give rise to contact within the mind (which is also a mental ‘organ’), giving rise to mind (mental) consciousness (vinanam). Then when the content of consciousness is inputted it condition the arising of the 5 mental aggregates of form and mind (nama rupa).
Sister Eng Bee asked whether there is avijja at the vinanam link because if there is, vinanam cannot be just pure consciousness. Brother explained that this vinanam link is just the sense door consciousness that arises upon contact before the input of the content of consciousness matching what the Buddha said in his teaching, “In the seeing there is only the seeing consciousness initially.” That is there is no one to see as yet because the content of consciousness that give rise to the egoic mind has not gone in yet.Dated: 6.8.2018 (The draft outline short notes was initially prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/82-6th-Patriarch-5-Aug-2018.mp3

or at:

August 2, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro Teoh’s 29th July 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday (29th July 2018) recording for sharing by all. Also enclosed below are the outline short notes to assist you all to develop the understanding.

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-WPCS-180729.pdf

Outline short notes for lesson 81 of the 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. Page 408-413 Chapter X Final Instructions

1. If we do not use the mundane mind, the silent mind will be there. 2. Use the silent mind to investigate and meditate. 3. The 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s unique Teaching are:

(1) No thoughts borne of a free mind (Sainthood way)Without thought you are already aware (in sati) so don’t try to be aware. The silent mind which is the meditative mind is just aware. Cultivators must allow the mundane mind to naturally cease via not doing anything (wisdom) to realize the true mind. The mundane mind is the thinking mind which is dependent originating, i.e. dependent on ignorant, mental activities arise (avijja paccaya sankhara). Only need to maintain awareness via allowing the mundane mind to return to its original state of stillness and silent before the stirring.
(2) No mark (Bodhisattva way)No mark of a ‘self’ cultivating, no mark of others and no mark of life, existence and dharma.
(3) No dwelling (Bodhisattva way)(1) to (3) – the 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s teaching are Diamond Sutra’s cultivation.4. We grasp and cling onto the form and mind because of sakayaditthi or self-delusion. We think this form and mind or the human being is real and we exist as a permanent unchanging entity that we can call self. 5. The 5 aggregates of form and mind are empty because they are impermanent.

For notes 6 and 7 (notes with diagrams please refer to link attachment below for details)

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-WPCS-180729.pdf

Source (S) —->

Pure Awareness (P. A.)——–>

Mundane Mind (M.M.)—>

Phenomena World (P.W.)

8. The phenomenon world is a world of consciousness and it is not real because it is dependent originating, hence impermanent and empty. And we created the phenomenon world with our mundane mind via our mundane consciousness. Reason why the Buddha said, ‘Mind is the forerunner of all things, mind is chief and when mind arise all things within the phenomena world arise’.

9. Trace the origination factors on why the mind stirs? For according to the Buddha, whatever that arise there are causes and conditions behind. When conditions are such(like that), things will be like that. Cannot be otherwise. So accept this reality as wisdomto deal with things in life for this is Suchness – Tathagata. The ‘Is-ness’ of things. The Truth, the Reality of our conditioned world which is govern by nature’s laws.

10. Silent the mundane mind to realize the true mind. The true mind is your meditative mind which is just aware, still and tranquil. It was there all the while but because of your delusion and heedlessness you are not aware of its existence.

11. Sister Eng Bee shared her recent holiday experience in France where her family encountered an unpleasant incident and how she was able to just stay aware withunderstanding and not get involved with what happened. She can accept the reality of the moment with understanding because things are just the way they are. She saw clearly why all parties involved were behaving just the way they are. Their anger, their emotions, leading to all the misunderstanding and commotions were so vividly expressed.

12. Brother Teoh advised that the most important thing in life is to resolve everything amicably via wisdom and understanding (without being egoic).

13. Sister Tammy shared an incident on how her ‘inner nature’ was able to suddenly spoke and shared from her heart and not from memory. Her mundane mind just cannot understand what happened.

14. Do not mistaken memory (which is knowledge) as wisdom. When we commit whatever ‘understanding’ to memory it becomes knowledge because memory is always the past – no more a reality.

15. Understand clearly what constitute evil (so that we can deal with them). The same goes for all the other essential Dharma (so that we know how to use them to develop the cultivation).

16. Develop wisdom via the direct seeing then we will be able to live in the world of marks and yet not be affected by them because we know they are illusionary and not real.

Dated: 1.8.2018

Notes: (Draft outline short notes was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/81-6th-Patriarch-29-July-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ajdf068e1n10nft/81%206th%20Patriarch%2029%20July%202018.MP3?dl=0

81 6th Patriarch 29 July 2018.MP3

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July 19, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro Teoh’s 15th July 2018 Sunday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our Sunday class dated 15th July 2018 recording for sharing by all. Also attached is the outline short notes as below:

Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 15.7.2018 on

Lesson 80 of the 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra Pages 395-408 Chapter X Final Instructions

1. Many cultivators makes the mistake of ‘practising’ or trying to blank or empty their mind. Cultivators should just relax and allow the mind to return to its natural state without ‘doing’ anything.

2. Samadhi is not concentration. Samadhi is when one is able to has an “unwavering“ and “collected mind” while in the midst of life (normal living).

3. Samadhi of one mark arise when one can live a life without “mark” while in the midst of marks as proclaimed by the 6^th Patriarch; i.e. no mark of a self cultivating, no mark of others and no mark of life/existence.

4. Brother Teoh relate the story of Bodhidharma and the 2^nd Patriarch.

5. If you want to know your karmic past, then you should look at what your sufferring is. If you want to know your future karma, you should look at what you are doing now/in this life.

6. The law of karma states that ‘you reap what you sow. Do good begets good and do evil begets evil. If you plant the seed of virtue you will reap the fruit of virtue.’ So accept the reality of your current life. Don’t get angry or blame anyone. There must be heedfulness borne of right view to cut off negativity and the stirring of one’s mind.

7. Be at peace so that the mind has clarity to handle the perceived situation with wholesomeness. ‘Problem only arise’ when we perceived the issue or situation with negativity then through this ignorance or delusion fear, worry, anxiety and anger may arise.

8. One should then via right view act with wisdom and understanding. If you need to seek for forgiveness, then ask for forgiveness and repent to break one’s Karmic obstruction. Cultivate all virtues and then invoke power of merits for causes and conditions to turn around or recover from the situation.

9. Sister Karen (Tammy’s mother) shares her earlier experience of her relatives and office colleagues taking advantage of her kindness. Brother Teoh advised her not to be calculative when cultivating the N8FP. Instead to act with good conduct, righteous conduct, wise conduct and dutiful conduct.

(The above draft outline notes were prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Ms Lee Siew Gaik. Audio links:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/80-6th-Patriarch-15-July-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y9e7v1eh54g832l/80%206th%20Patriarch%2015%20July%202018.MP3?dl=0

80 6th Patriarch 15 July 2018.MP3

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July 3, 2018April 29, 2019

Bro Teoh’s 1st July 2018 Sunday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links with the outline short notes to our last Sunday class’s recording dated 1st July 2018 for sharing by all.

The 6th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra lesson 78 dated 1^st July 2018 outline short notes (Pg 394-395 Chapter X Final Instructions)

Brother Teoh went through the J. Krishnamurti daily quote on Extraordinary seeing(same as direct seeing, i.e. to see things as they are without interference from past experiences and the thoughts).
Brother Teoh did a detail review of the outline short notes for Thursday class dated 21 June 2018.
When there is mental stirring, one cannot be aware.
Whatever that is logical, may not always be the truth. Knowledge is not wisdom.
Only wisdom or understanding frees one from suffering. If one merely tells oneself not to be angry when one is angry, this will not help as this is a form of suppressionnot wisdom because when similar issues or conditions crops up again, anger would still arise. However, if one understands via acceptance of the fact that things and peoples are just the way they are, then anger cannot arise. One will not react with anger to any other situation again after having those understanding.
Brother Teoh explained the difference between Path and Fruition enlightenment stages. Under the 7 stages of purification or satta visuddhi, there is a stage called ‘Purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (maggamagga-nanadassana-visuddhi). Path leads to wisdom and enlightenment whereas non-Path leads to delusion and deviant path. Path here means your cultivation is on the right path leading to enlightenment and when you are on the path your enlightenment factors will keep on arising. One must have already got a glimpse of Nibbana or the cessation of Form & Mind to be on the path. Fruition here means having reached the completion of cultivation of the Path leading to stability of understanding that can enable one to share and teach those understanding.
If one is on the right Path, the 7 main factors of Enlightenment of: (1) Sati(Mindfulness), (2) Dhammavicaya (Investigation of Dharma), (3) Viriya (Spiritual Zeal), (4) Piti (Joy), (5) Passadhi (Tranquillity of the mind), (6) Samadhi (collected and unwavering mind) and (7) Upekkha (Equanimity borne of wisdom) will keep arising.
All the four stages of sainthood enlightenment of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anāgāmi and Arahant have their own Path and Fruition. The 4 stages of sainthood enlightenment linking the 10 fetters that bind living beings to samsara were also explained.
Brother Chin How asked whether he can contemplate while doing walking meditation after he has reached some point of calmness? Brother Teoh adviced Brother Chin How to find this out himself (meaning investigate into it) instead of waiting for his answer. The question should not be what one should be doing. If he wants to do the walking meditation to develop mindfulness then just go ahead and do. He should just walk naturally until the body and mind become one(without the thought saying that it wants to be mindful) as often advised by Brother Teoh. Once that happened then the form and mind that is in sati will know what sati is without words. If he wants to contemplate then just contemplate via a calm mind in creativity. Just do and the result will automatically arise if he has done them correctly with the appropriate faith, sincerity and understanding.
Sister Tammy asked: i) After doing the mind sweeping method cum metta meditation to de condition the heedless thinking the mind is calmer then I am is supposed to stabilise it via Anapanasati. But I am averse toward Anapanasati so is there other way to stabilise the mindfulness? Brother Teoh advice Tammy that any method (or skilful means) and technique that she is familiar and comfortable with, she can use them. There are no hard and fast rigid rules. It all depends on the individual’s preference. ii) If there is sloth and torpor during meditation what must I do? Brother Teoh: ‘what do you normally do?’ Tammy replied, I try to open my eyes? Brother Teoh: Does it help and are you able to stabilise your mindfulness?Tammy: Sometimes it helps to keep me awake but I still can’t stabilise my mindfulness. Brother Teoh: Can you remember what I used to advice you all when it comes to sloth and torpor? You are supposed to inquire! What is sloth and torpor? It is one of the 5 mental hindrances, right? So don’t try to suppress or fight it or do away with it via aversion or disliking it. In doing so you are creating another mental hindrance of aversion. This is delusion. Why can’t you develop the acceptance of it via understanding that without the 5 spiritual faculties the mental hindrance will continue to arise; so don’t create the mental hindrance of aversionunnecessary? Understanding this, you can then apply the 5 ways to overcomeunwholesome thought as taught by the Buddha. 1^st way is to think of the direct opposite wholesome thought or spiritual faculty of viriya to overcome it. If this is not effective then the 2^nd way is to think of the consequence of allowing this mental hindrance of sloth and torpor to stay in your mind. It will hinder your mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and awareness, right? So you have to abandon it via the 3^rd way which is the awareness way. Just be aware of the sloth and torpor or be with it via maintaining silence to be at peace with it (without arise any aversion). Without aversion there is no mental hindrance then sati will take over. When this happen all of a sudden there will be a shift inconsciousness that can result in great awareness in your mind leading to clarity and viriya then the sloth and torpor is totally gone. This cultivation is base on the 4^th foundation of mindfulness (dhammanupassana), 1^st category of practice on ‘mindfulness of the 5 mental hindrances’. When the mental hindrance of sloth and torpor is present you just aware – imply no aversion towards it. Just maintain awareness and be at peace with the sloth and torpor and when the shift of consciousness occurs you will know how the arisen mental hindrance of sloth and torpor cease to be. You will also come to know how the earlier haven’t arisenmental hindrance comes to be because before you meditate there is no sloth and torpor. So you will understand that sloth and torpor is dependent origination due to lack of viriya or your body too tired. Once you ‘see’ these in the meditation you will understand how to root out this sloth and torpor.(Above outline short notes was prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/78-6th-Patriarch-1-July-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1vpoe71nidfmoi7/78%206th%20Patriarch%201%20July%202018.MP3?dl=0 . Highly Recommended.

78 6th Patriarch 1 July 2018.MP3

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June 26, 2018

Bro Teoh’s Sunday class recording dated 24th June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday’s recording for sharing by all. Its outline notes are as follows:

Outline short notes for the 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra dated 24th June 2018. (Page 386-395 Chapter X Final Instructions):

Duality is created by the mundane mind via words. E.g. If you arise the concept of “darkness” (the cause), then the opposite which is “brightness” will arise (effect).
Whatever that can be created, is false because it is dependent originating, a causal phenomenon hence it is impermanent.
When there is wisdom, one sees things as they are. Without wisdom, one sees things through one’s views and opinions and one’s conditioning (false).
When one does not understand, one will indulge in duality.
Within movements, there is non-movement. This is the similar to those sayings, “in the midst of activities, there can be stillness (true mind) and ‘in the midst of sound and vibrations there can be silence (of mind).
When one does not create via the mundane mind, there is silent.
Bro Teoh shared his understanding on how one can deal with the death of someone close (can be one’s loved ones or one’s teacher):

Death is just a separation of the consciousness from the physical body of the form and mind. There is no reality behind the death process. There is no such thing as ‘my’ parents, Teacher, Buddha etc. in the ultimate sense.
But within the conditioned world, the segmented (form and mind) life does exist and it has its own ‘reality’ within the existential world. There is such a thing as Life even though it (the human being) is impermanence (dependent originating) and is subject to Karma.
They only become like ‘real’ when one gives meaning to this segmented life’s form and mind (the human being) via self-delusion borne of ignorant. The mundane mind via ignorant cling on to them then all these: “my parents, Teacher, Buddha etc.” exist and hence emotions can arise in one who is deluded.
What we can do is to expressed our gratitude (via wisdom) towards our deceased loved ones and teachers by recalling to mind all the blessing, protection, guidance, love and sacrifice etc. that they had given us. We can also share and invoke the power of merits for our loved ones to have a better life in the hereafter instead of lamenting.
How do you thank your Teacher? The best way to thank them is by cultivating diligently and sincerely. As per the Buddha’s advice ‘he who sees the dharma sees me’.
The form and mind is just a ‘tool’ for us to use but do not be deceived by them. When the causes and conditions for their arising have come to past, they will cease to be. So no amount of sorrow and lamentation will bring back the dead.

8. Formal meditation is mainly just to train the mind to be mindful until it is very stable(ever mindful) even in the midst of life.

9. Sis Padmasuri’s requested Bro Teoh to explain the meaning of the sentence “to use the mind but yet not be deceived by it”. Bro Teoh explained that this form and mind is karmically conditioned for us to come to this conditioned world for us to use but we should not be deceived by it (the thoughts and duality that the mundane mind creates). To live life, we need to arise the thought to perceive, arise concepts etc. but the user of thoughts is most important and it must have the wisdom connected to it to enable it to have the understanding to avoid all evils, develop right views, right thoughts etc. to free the mind via the 4 right efforts. Cultivating these noble 8-fold path factors is most important.

10. Wrong thoughts are thoughts that condition one’s evil roots, fear, worry, anxiety etc. We must be able to be aware of all these wrong thoughts that will make us evil as they arise within our mind states.

11. Right thoughts are thoughts that bring about love, compassion, sincerity, contentment, gentleness, pleasantness, kindness, generosity, understanding leading to harmony etc. – thoughts which are free of the 3 evil roots.

12. Wanting things your way = grasping and clinging.

13. Committing the Teachings to memory = knowledge, which is not the same as wisdom which is to be realized and awaken to.

14. Real Meditation only starts after mindfulness is established. Constantly reflect and contemplate on the essential dharma to understand clearly (pariyati) before one can cultivate the N8FP correctly to cease all suffering in the here and the now.

15. The objective of Mahayana chanting is to cultivate the 5 spiritual faculties of saddha, viriya, sati samadhi and panna to understand spiritual teaching.

(Above draft outline short notes are prepared by Sis. Mun Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: SISTER LEE SIEW GAIK

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/77-6th-Patriarch-24-June-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ff4ljqq5k5bb5o/77%206th%20Patriarch%2024%20June%202018.MP3?dl=0

77 6th Patriarch 24 June 2018.MP3

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June 19, 2018

Bro Teoh’s Sunday class dated 17th June 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Sunday 17th June 2018 recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes are as below:

Outline short notes for lesson 76 of the 6^th Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra dated 17^th June 2018 – Chapter X Final Instructions (Pages 383-385):

Bro Teoh does a recap over the outline short notes dated 27^th May 2018. Thisshort notes are very important because it summarizes to us all the understanding needed for cultivation.
To understand meditation, one should start from the mind, i.e. investigate what this mind is. To understand the 2 aspects of mind, the silent/true mind and the mundane mind. The silent mind does not need sense data to function and isindependent of thoughts and conditions. The mundane mind is the opposite, it is dependent origination and it requires sense data and other related conditions to function.
When the mundane mind is active, one cannot see the silent mind because one is lost in thoughts. When the mundane mind ceases, the silent mind will manifest.
Mundane mind is the forerunner of all things. Through the mundane mind, wholesome and unwholesome thoughts arise, depending on one’s understanding and delusion.
Consciousness and its content = Thoughts. Mental formation or activities (sankhara) that arise due to stirring of the mind clouds the silent mind.
The N8FP cultivation is to develop right views (or wisdom) to remove all creationsof mind borne of wrong view to make the mind still so that one is always aware in the midst of life to arise the wisdom needed to realize the supra mundane mind (after the mundane mind ceases).
Right view is very important because it leads to right understanding to enable one to cultivate correctly.
Take care of Karma by avoiding all evils via keeping one’s precepts. Understand clearly what constitute evil then apply the 4 right efforts and cultivate mindfulness to constantly purify one’s mind.
When the true mind arise, there is clarity and calmness. One is then able to see things as they are to awaken to the Truth without the interference of thoughts.
When there is no duality, there is no creation of wholesome and unwholesome. Then there is no unwholesomeness to get rid of or any need to practice letting go or non-attachment.
Duality: when this arise, that arise. When this ceases, that ceases.
Observe to see clearly that everything within the condition world is dependent origination.
When one attaches to words like non-duality, emptiness, practice letting go, non-attachment, etc. (which are viewed as wholesome), one will try to practice them to realize such states. This is wrong view borne of attachment to dharma and is not the way to cultivate. The proper way is to understand that duality is just a conceptcreated by the mundane mind and it exists within the mundane world. That is ‘duality is to be understood’ and only wisdom frees – nothing else.
The ‘moment you understand you are free’ – no more need to practice non-attachment or letting go etc. The truth is there is no duality of wholesome and unwholesome when the mundane mind does not create. When this is understoodthen there is no need to try to get rid of unwholesomeness, no need to practice letting go etc. For understanding or wisdom cannot be practiced. It has to be awakened to.
Understanding does not involve memory so don’t try to remember and retrieve Dharma from memory because ‘acting according to memory is not acting at all’. One should always act with wisdom and nothing else.
Without wisdom, there is no real virtue.
Do not refrain from thinking. The problem is not the thought. It is the user of thoughts which is more important. The user of thoughts must be wise to enable the arising of right thoughts. Thoughts are required in the conditioned world for one to live life.
Use understanding to let the thinking or mundane mind settle down by itself. Do not force the mind to be still or quiet.
Bro Song shares his recent experiences involving his cultivation. Bro Teoh rejoice with his good progress and advise him to remember to relax further into whatever mind states that arise, then maintain awareness or silence, leading to the 4^thsupport of Trust throughout and always remember – ‘don’t try to know’ what is happening while meditating. The understanding will arise or unfold by itself.
Sister Adeline’s question on whether contemplation and reflection are thought based cultivation. Bro Teoh’s reply it is ‘not’ because when the mind is heedful and peaceful with clarity within as a result of the stability of one’s daily mindfulness,one is calm and one can reflect, contemplate and inquire mindfully into all things clearly. Truth or dharma is everywhere – in the midst of life and nature so why can’t you see?
Advise in a nutshell for true cultivators :
– Cultivate the Bodhi mind with strong faith and sincerity until it is very stable.
– Develop daily mindfulness until it is very stable and ‘don’t try to know’
– Stabilize one’s formal meditation via the 4 supports of Relax, Aware (or mindful), 24 hours and Trust until one can locate one’s gateway to one’s nature clearly.
– After that learn to listen from the heart (stay at the heart with inner awareness within and remain silence at all time).
– Reflect and contemplate all dharma until very clear (after coming out of formal meditation).
– Experience all transformation with awareness and understanding from within.
– Do not listen to questions from the thoughts/duality.
– Have faith, sincerity and perseverance.