Category: Thursday class

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Bro Teoh’s 5 September 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed are all the relevant links of our 5 September 2019 Thursday class dharma talk for sharing by all.
With metta always,
Bro Teoh
Dear Puan Chee and all,
Enclosed herewith are the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline Short notes of Thursday class dated 5 September 2019

  1. Bro Teoh discussed his transcript book: 75th lesson of Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra (page 37 onwards). Miss Lee’s question gave rise to conditions for Bro Teoh to explain further on the topic ‘Daily mindfulness and understanding cultivation’. Miss Lee asked, ‘according to Bro Teoh meditation began only when one had the silent mind but if the self-nature and the true mind is already in pure seeing, do we still need to meditate from the silent mind?’
  2. Bro Teoh replied, the way she asked her question showed that she haven’t really understood what Bro Teoh had taught her. Her first question should be, ‘is it true that unless you meditate until you can realize your silent mind, the real meditation hasn’t started?’ That is what I said all these while; not until your daily mindfulness is very stable, you cannot have (or realize) the silent mind. If one is caught in book knowledge and not coming from understanding, such questions will arise. Her 2nd question is, ‘if the mind is already quiet, does one have to stay with the silent mind?’ The silent mind is the meditative mind so why is there any need to stay there? Whatever that arises, the silent mind in pure awareness (which is without thought) can be aware of it clearly. This silent observation can give rise to wisdom and understanding.
  3. It is only the thought that asks such question. If it is through an understanding, one will know what to do. One just has to keep on developing the training of the mind to be mindful first. Then, stabilize it until it is ever mindful. The stabilizing of mind may take a while unless the five spiritual faculties are already strongly established. So, one just needs to continue with the training. If one still wants to meditate before the spiritual faculties are established, then use the mind-sweeping method coupled with metta to train the mind. To decondition the heedless thinking initially. Then use anapanasati to stabilize the sati.
  4. The heedless mind needs to be trained until it can enter the meditative state. One can also use anapanasati or any method or technique to anchor the mind. When the mind becomes quiet until even the subtle breathing stops, then the mind can just be aware without any thought. That is the silent mind.
  5. Whatever technique that is used to stabilize the mind is only an initial skillful mean. Once the mind is trained the awareness will be there, then maintaining this awareness for as long as you can, until the mind enters sati. As long as one has not trained the mind to go into that state during the formal meditation, chances are, it will be very difficult for one to develop the ability to be aware (or ever mindful) in the midst of life.
  6. When the mind has been trained to be aware without thought, whatever that arises through the six sense doors can be picked up through the stirring of the mundane mind. Awareness can observe all that is arising in the mind and understand how sankhara is being created via one’s views and opinions.
  7. Bro Teoh asked Miss Lee whether she had trained her mind to be silent and still. If she had not done so, then she must stabilize it first because dharma knowledge and theory cannot help one to arrive at that state. If she had to train her mind or work on the spiritual faculties to stabilize sati, then she had to do it first.
  8. Even if one does bowing as a skillful means, one must bow until mindfulness sets in. Until the awareness and kaya (the bodily movements) move as one in perfect harmony.
  9. The mind has to be trained until it is ever mindful and constantly meditative. Not only during formal meditation sessions but also while in the midst of life with sati and all the other spiritual faculties present. However, most meditators can only do that when they slow everything down during the formal practice under retreat condition. Hence, the moment they come out of the retreat they can’t maintain those calm states (heedful state) and realize that they have lost it again and become heedless again while in the midst of life. This shows that most cultivators do not understand what the real meditation is. The ever mindful, constantly meditative (cultivating the Noble 8-fold Path) and steadfast one will realize the unconditioned state of Nibbana.
  10. Sister Angie asked what happens, if while one is in the constantly meditative mode practicing the Noble 8fold Path but at times, there are lapses in awareness.
  11. Bro Teoh answered that it is alright and it is not a problem. It does happen especially in the initial stages of cultivation.

    Be aware of these lapses in awareness and return to heedfulness as soon as possible. Bro Teoh mentioned that when he was cultivating in the early years, he was able to be fully aware throughout the day, constantly contemplating, reflecting and meditating. Then later he shifted his contemplation and cultivation away from the essential dharma to focus on the cultivation of the Noble 8-fold Path. He had to start reflecting on the 1st path factor of right view with regards to the three spiritual laws of law of karma, law of mind and the law of dharma. (For more detail please do listen to the audio file from 1:01:08 onwards)

  12. It is important for one to understand the Law of Karma through understanding what constitutes evil and then follow up with the practice of avoiding all evil, cultivating wholesomeness, virtue and meditation. That is the beginning of cultivation. Then cultivate the three turnings of the Four Noble Truths to develop the 3 types of corresponding wisdoms of suttamaya panna, cintamaya panna and bhavanamaya panna. Develop the initial wisdom borne of the 1st and 2nd turnings through constantly listening to the true dharma and constantly contemplating, reflecting and inquiring into them to straighten our views. Then cultivate sati sampajanna (mindfulness and clear comprehension) in daily life until one is ever mindful and constantly meditative. When one can see how the mind reacting, stirring and oscillating between the dualities of sensual desires and ill-will, due to wrong view leading to habitual tendencies, then wisdom will keep on arising. Sati sampajanna will enable the mind to see clearly what is happening at every moment of sense experience. Witnessing all the essential dharma arising and passing away according to the Buddha’s teaching will enable one to understanding the 3 universal characteristics of nature clearly.
  13. Mindfulness with clear comprehension will protect the mind from going astray and being deceived by the phenomenal world ofconsciousness. Sense restraint will be possible and one cannot break the precepts anymore because the mind does not react through self-delusion anymore. When that happens, one’s thoughts, speech and action are in accordance with Noble 8-fold Path leading to one’s ability to arise the 3 ways of right conduct.
  14. Right thought is very important. They are all your virtuous thoughts that include the four Brahma Viharas mind states and the accompanying ennoblers of precepts (ennobler of anger is love, ennobler of stealing is generosity, ennobler of lust is contentment, etc.) Such virtuous thoughts can only arise when one has developed some level of wisdom. As the cultivation progresses, one moves from the contemplation of the essential dharma to the contemplation on how to cultivate the Noble 8-fold Path. Wisdom will then keep on arising and the mind will become non-grasping later. When that happens, the egoic mind borne of self-delusion can be rooted out.
  15. Our karmic nature follows us immediately life after life the moment we are born but for us to inherit from our spiritual nature one has to connect to our true nature first. Otherwise, it is not possible to inherit from the spiritual nature. Bro Teoh was able to do that in the year 1989 when he connects to his true nature to inherit all his past cultivation. Bro Teoh also shared with us that he is now able to share all these higher understandings with us because the kalyanamitta’s consciousness has evolved and many of us can now understand such profound teachings.
  16. On Page 40 of the 75th lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra transcript book, it was mentioned that all experiences acquired (by those who cultivate thought-based meditation) during retreats are conditioned mind states and they won’t bring about true transformation because they are using thought to meditate. The dharma is akaliko (beyond thought and beyond time) so how can the thoughts realize reality or the dharma? Only Awareness or mindfulness which is beyond thought can realize the dharma.
  17. Even the Jhanas are thought based (one-pointedness) energy field related cultivation that can cause cultivators to keep on chasing for better and better mind/psychic states. The Buddha taught us to realize wisdom to liberate mind which has nothing to do with fantastic meditative mind states. These are defilements of insight causing one to attach and cling leading to suffering. It is more important to cultivate correctly, the wisdom to awaken so that one is not deceived by our sense perceptions and the phenomenal world.
  18. Back to Miss Lee’s question (in the book), Bro Teoh mentioned that the question of ‘shall we stay with the silent mind?’ was a wrong question coming from the thought (non-understanding). The silent mind is the meditative mind that can insight into phenomena to awaken and understand reality. One has to cultivate until that silent awareness becomes a part of our nature so that it is always with us (ever mindful). We can then use it to cultivate, live life and awaken. One must not stay with it because it is just a nature, our true mind, a background awareness for us to develop the pure perception and the direct seeing to awaken.
  19. Most people are so gullible as to think, those objects of meditation, methods and techniques of meditation are the meditation itself. Instead they are only skillful means for one to anchor and train their mind before moving on to further contemplation and cultivation. They are only a means to an end. The real meditation is heedfulness as defined by dhammapada verse 23. Heedfulness = Constantly meditative + ever mindful.
  20. Bro Teoh mentioned that, in January 2017, when he was asked to do a write up for his new dharma website, he came across the Avijja Sutta which he had never heard before. It was strange indeed because that Sutta appeared to him on his computer screen when he was googling for some appropriate dharma to be included in the write-up. When he clicks on this Avijja sutta and saw the two cycles (ignorant cycle and enlightenment cycle) stated in the sutta, he immediately understood what they are and he decided to put it on the website because they are so beautiful and useful. He came to realize that was how he had cultivated his meditation following exactly the 10 steps as stated in the enlightenment sequence of the Avijja sutta. Bro Teoh belief many could not understand this Sutta because this sutta is very profound. Without a good understanding of this Sutta, one cannot root out or break free from ignorance.
  21. Initially, one has to use words to explain the Dharma. But, words can be misleading if they are not properly understood. Just as some Thai tradition’s books which use the translated word `knower’, like stay with the ‘knower’. Since it is anatta, there is no ‘knower’. The correct understanding should be stay with the ‘awareness’ nature. Hence, one needs some wisdom so as not to be so gullible by following blindly without investigating what has been taught.
  22. We cannot try to be aware. The trying is by the thought. The moment we do that; we are using another thought to look for mindfulness or to become mindful. When thought is active, how can you be aware? Instead we need to understand, the moment we are without thought, the awareness is already there. So just relax and don’t do anything, allow the thought to slow down and cease then the awareness is manifested. Then you will understand why the Buddha said, ‘in the seeing, initially there is just the seeing consciousness, the pure perception with no one to see as yet’.
  23. One cannot be silent because the wanting to know is by the thought. This is obvious from the first two links of Paticca Samupada – Avijja pacaya sankhara. Bro Teoh emphasized the importance of asking for clarification if you are not clear about the cultivation. Otherwise, you will be practicing wrongly. Whatever we do in the name of meditation, it is important for us to do it with understanding.
  24. Bro Teoh shared the dharma of an old monk, the late 广 钦 老 和 尚 (Guang Qing Lao He Shang) from China. He was an illiterate, but he was very wise. His dharma verse on, `过去心不可得 (The mind of the past which is already gone is not a reality), 未来心不可得 (the mind of the future, has yet to come, is also not a reality), and 现在心也不可得 (the present moment mind is also not a reality). So, there is nothing that we can hold onto, not even the present moment. But Bro Teoh cautioned us to be careful. We need the present moment mind in pure awareness to cultivate. For the ultimate realization, to transcend life, one has to transcend even the present moment leading to the cessation of form and mind which is the unconditioned. The present moment may be the highest in life but it is still within life.
  25. Bro Teoh mentioned comparisons between the Mahayana and Theravada approaches. The Mahayana teachings cover a wider scope of the Buddha’s teachings but lack a strong foundation of the essential dharma. The Theravada approach has the essentials laid out very clearly but it has not gone deep into the other aspects of the Buddha’s teachings. So when both can be integrated, the teaching becomes beautiful. This is what Bro Teoh has been doing in his classes. The Mahayana teaching is a spin off from the Theravada. If one has fixated ideas and views, one’s understanding will be very limited.

(Above draft outline short notes was prepared by Puan Chee)

with metta always,

Bro Teoh
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Bro Teoh’s 29 August 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the above audio and short notes links of our 29 August 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
With metta always,
Teoh
Dear Sister Poh Cheng and all,
Enclose below is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline Short Notes for Bro Teoh’s 29 Aug 2019 Thursday class

1)      Bro Teoh advised Tammy to forget about her various thoughts – thought behind a thought telling her this and that because this is not mindfulness.  When thought is active how can you be mindful? When she thinks she is mindful, actually it is the thought that is telling her what the previous thoughts are. But if you are aware, it is different. That is, when you have developed the ability to be aware, it is just silently aware. The awareness that is aware of the whole thing has no words, no verbalisation, completely quiet. While the thought has a lot of words, concepts, ideas and verbalisations. The background awareness which is quiet is aware of the arising thought.

2)      If she has developed the initial wisdom she will be very different. She will be able to understand what is going on in her mind. But most people don’t have this ability. This initial wisdom is very powerful. Without this initial wisdom, the egoic thought will have power to deceive you.  

3)      Is there is a thinker behind the thought? You have to silent your mind completely, in order to develop the ability to be aware. Then you will come to understand that thoughts are response to memory. Without memory there is no thought. That is the reason why a new born child with no memory and conditioning has no thought. Thought arise when we stir our mind due to our views opinions and conditioning. With mindfulness (awareness) we can see this movements clearly.

4)      Everything the mind can do is Sankhara. The content of consciousness is Sankhara, which means the aggregates of feeling and perception are part of Sankhara. That is why they have to use so many English words to translate it. Karmic volition is one of the words. Volition is intention. Mental activities like thinking, planning and scheming, etc. is another word. Mental states or mind states is another word. Our mind can experience all the various mind states like peaceful, silence, tranquillity, sadness, anger, restlessness, fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentations, etc. Some are wholesome and some are unwholesome. The good mind states are piti, sukha, tranquillity and stillness of mind, peacefulness and calmness. Mental formation is another word. . Mind can form pictures – mental images. These are all part of Sankhara. But Sankhara is a complete word while the English translation requires so many words to express its meaning. Reason why the Buddha only uses this one word Sankhara under his teaching when he frequently mentioned, ‘Sabbe sankhara annica, Sabbe Sankhara dukkha and Sabbe dhamma anatta’.

5)      All these Sankhara activities, be it mental states, mental intentions, mental formations, mental activities, etc. they arise and pass away very fast.  Reason why the Buddha said, ‘All of Sankhara is impermanent’. If you give meaning, attach and cling on to them via self-delusion, suffering or dukkha will arise. And because it is impermanent, it is not a permanent unchanging entity, hence its anatta or non-self nature.

6)      Pure feeling is before the emotion. There are 3 types of feeling – pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. What is pleasant feeling? It is a positive craving (sensual desire), a movement away from the pure feeling. A pure feeling is neither pleasant nor unpleasant. When the mind stirred because you like that good or pleasant feeling, it becomes a sensual desire (a mental hindrance). But pain and numbness are mental states that you dislike, so you label it negatively as unpleasant feeling which you dislike (also a mental hindrance). The neutral feeling can be due to indifference, you are neither happy nor unhappy because it has nothing to do with you or doesn’t concern you. So the egoic mind is not stirred, you just feel normal. But the 2nd type of neutral feeling which is Equanimity is different. It is borne of wisdom and because of that the mind states is always in the state of equanimity because it has the wisdom to understand. When it understands, it is neither positive nor negative. It does not stir but it is also not something you resist or suppress or don’t want to arise. Bro Teoh cited Sister Soo’s earlier sharing on her India pilgrimage trip as an example. Her thought was so still, as if no thought, neither happy nor unhappy but when she was mobbed and surrounded by beggars, she cringed and reacted with fear.  In her case, she suppressed and willed her intention to be in such conditioned state, which is not a free mind. The true equanimity enlightenment factor is borne of wisdom. The wisdom and understanding will have the ability to accept things as they are, to allow you to see things as they are, to be with the moment, to experience everything the way it is. You are always be at peace. The mind will not complain. You will understand and not be agitated or become affected by what happen. You can maintain the peace within at all time. Then your daily mindfulness can stabilize. That’s the meaning of upekkha, the enlightenment factor of equanimity, borne of wisdom that prevents you from reacting to sense experience while in the midst of daily life. You can have more moments of silence, stillness and space between thoughts. Then specific phenomena awareness and spacious awareness (without a centre) keep on arising.

7)      Bro Teoh urged us to develop the contemplative (2nd turning) and the meditative (3rd turning) wisdom/understanding of Sankhara.  Inquire deeply, what is Sankhara? What the Buddha mean by Sankhara? The texts give many vague explanations, which is too wide a topic. Difficult for most people. Nobody can really explain it clearly. But as you meditate you can develop the deep understanding. Bro Teoh saw them in his meditation and understand the deep meaning of Sankhara. Sankhara as defined by the Buddha is, ‘everything the mind can do including feeling and perception’. These two aggregates of feeling and perception are separated out because they are important aggregates of mind. Feeling is stated in his teaching, under the 2nd foundation of mindfulness on feelings (Vedananupassana). When feeling has moved to pleasant or unpleasant, you must be aware. It has already stirred or reacted. The mind has already developed the first two mental hindrances of sensual desires and ill-will. Pleasant feeling is sensual desire and unpleasant feeling is ill-will. If you understand this, next is to develop the 5 opposite spiritual faculties to counter it and the meditative understanding to root it out via straightening our views with wisdom. Perception brings the external form or rupa into the mind.

8)      Train the mind to develop the 5 spiritual faculties (Saddha, Viriya, Sati, Samadhi and Panna). The unshakeable faith in the Buddha’s teaching will allow you to understand the spiritual teaching and drive you to cultivate sati and Samadhi when you see the importance of this cultivation.

9)      Bro Teoh explained further to Tammy that once you have realise the true mind, this question of yours will be self-answered.  These are all thought based mind states not the real sati or awareness. When you are fully aware to experience the silent, the stillness, the tranquillity, etc. (especially when you go through the cessation, which is the enlightenment, even one glimpse is enough), the wisdom that arise will enable you to understand clearly straight away. Even the wisdom of a sotapan or a sakadagami – will enable them to know that there is: “hey no you, hey no me!” There is nobody inside. Non-self is not no self and it is also not nothingness. There is a form and mind but this form and mind is not you. This is not a permanent unchanging entity. There is no thinker behind the thought. (For more details please refer to the 18 August 2019 SJBA video Dharma Talk delivered by Bro Teoh on the topic: ‘The 3 Turnings of the 4 Noble Truths’ which is highly recommended to listen to, especially to the beautiful answers to the 2 questions on, the glimpse of  Nibbana (4 Noble Truth), its cessation and the egoic mind towards the end.

10)  Sis Tammy further shared about her thoughts arising and passing away moment to moment, anger comes and goes but when she grasps it, gives it meaning, it proliferates and deceive her into karmic negativity.  She contemplated that she just needs to be aware and let it be. No need to proliferate it.

11)  Bro Teoh reply, when you understand, ‘Sabbe sankhara anicca, Sabbe sankhara dukkha, I.e. all Sankhara are impermanent and leads to suffering, then you will not think unless you want to reflect and contemplate to develop the wisdom and understanding or arise to help people. The three ways of right conduct – right thought, right speech and right action will be there if you have developed the cultivation appropriately. You will know how to arise them.

12)  Sis Tammy recalled the topic on cultivating virtues as taught by Bro Teoh in their previous class and with that understanding, when her unwholesome thoughts appeared, she was able to be aware.

13)  Bro Teoh reply, virtues like gratitude, respect, kindness, gentleness, pleasantness, contentment, sincerity, etc. and wholesome thoughts will arise naturally when one has the Dharma. Without Dharma, all are still thought-based because the trying to arise the right thoughts, to do good or be good, is still by the egoic mind which has self-delusion. How can, the egoic mind arise the right thoughts? Only after having the Dharma understanding, the love and compassion can be sincere and genuine. Before that Dharma understanding, it is a make-believe good according to one’s egoic mind. When understanding unfolds, virtues become natural. You are incapable of evil. Everything that you arise is for the good of many without the evil roots.  Virtue is not according to you or who but according to nature’s law. Whatever that is without the evil roots is virtue. J Krishnamurti says, ‘the absence of evil is good’. If you are incapable of evil, as advised by the Buddha says, “Sabba pappasa akaranam” (avoid all evil); naturally you will become good as you are incapable of evil.  Mind without evil and ignorance, is naturally good. With the above understanding, Tammy can progress further.

14)  Develop mindfulness, heedfulness and understand what constitute evil.  Initially when you still have wrong views (self-delusion), unwholesome thoughts will arise first. You need to think of ways to abandon it via cultivating the 4 right efforts and the 5 ways to abandon the unwholesome thoughts as taught by Lord Buddha.

15)  5 ways to abandon unwholesome thoughts, speeches and actions as taught by Lord Buddha:

  • Think of the direct opposite wholesome thoughts;
  • Think of the consequences of holding on to those wrong evil thoughts which is the root of all evil that can cause your karmic nature to fall. Is that what you want?
  • Meditative way – just relax and maintain awareness of whatever mind state that arise. Whatever emotions like fear, anger, lust etc. if you can be with it without thoughts, just aware, and then the emotion without new energy to fuel it will slow down and cease to be. No need to do anything because they are dependent originating mind states, not intrinsic in our nature.
  • Trace the originating factors via mindfulness and reverse it retrospectively through right view and the right understanding developed. Through wrong views, the Buddha says, you stir your mind because you cannot see things as they are, cannot accept them for what they are, and cannot accept the world for what it is. And you fail to understand, whatever that arises in this universe there are causes and conditions behind (mainly attributed and connected to our past karma). If due to karma, then we have to accept it for we are all born of our karma, heir to our karma, conditioned and supported by our karma and we reap what we sow. This is how we develop the understanding of the Law of Karma, Law of mind or Dependent Origination and the law of truth or dharma to accept whatever happened. All phenomena are Conditions Arising, causal phenomenal.  Even our 5 aggregates of form and mind are not what living beings think!  Hey no you, hey no me! Everything is just a phenomena world of consciousness; dependent originating, not so real. Then you will understand why the Buddha says, we must to learn ‘to see things as they are’ through the direct seeing, through the silent mind to awaken to the truth. When you can see things as they are without the words and concept, then there is nothing, because initially before the delusion sets in, there is only the seeing consciousness, no one to see as yet. The ego (atta) is not involved as yet, for ‘things are just the way they are’. J Krishnamurti called it ‘What IS’ – the Suchness of things. Living beings are deceived by phenomenal world. The moment you realize this, the whole of phenomenal world collapsed in front of you and then the phenomenal world will have no power over you.
  • If all above fails, the last resort is through will power to determine strongly to abandon it via tongue against palate!

16)  Adam’s 1st question: His mind has this thought, to be compassionate and he wants to help a suffering cat. On the other hand, he realized, so much effort is involved in caring a cat.  He is troubled by the thought – to help or not to help?

17)  Bro Teoh reply: Who is trying to help? It is the thought. Don’t try to be a hero!  There are millions of people suffering in this world. How many can you help? This is not help. The thought is telling you. I want to be compassionate. I want to help and be a blessing to all. The ego wants! When you don’t have the understanding of the Dharma, and you are in no capacity to help, Bro Teoh advice is not to touch it unless there is condition to do something. Helping is very noble but without Dharma, one can still get themselves entangled with karmic consequences. (Do refer to Master Hsuan Hua case of our previous session for more understanding).

18)  However, if you have the conditions, passion and love to do it and you are gifted from your past, then you can do it, the healing to help people. But you must have the Dharma because the Dharma way is to teach them the Dharma. If they understand, they will know how to help themselves. Bro Teoh advice, not to interfere through doing it for them.  No point because it is their life, they better decide how they want to live their life. Unless there is condition, Bro Teoh will not help. Conditions mean in the past they have past karmic affinity and had done certain goodness, they have helped people before and these people recovered. In this life, they got into trouble. Therefore, in summary without conditions, don’t get involved unless you are gifted in the past and you wanted to do that.

19)  Adam’s 2nd question: Related to his personal problem. He tried to advise people and people took it negatively and proliferated their unwholesome comments which he heard.

20)  Bro Teoh reply: When they don’t want you to help, don’t interfere and be a ‘kaypoh’ or a busybody in the hokkien dialect. You will get those unpleasant comments. Not everybody is what you think. Your thoughts will tell you all sorts of things. Always remember, unless you have the Dharma and you are ready, otherwise what you can do to help is always very limited.

21)  The form and mind even though not you but it is subject to karma so it still has to abide by its duty towards this law of karma. If you can understand this, you can develop the wisdom to make use of it to live the noble life, to truly live life to the fullest – to experience the 3rd phase of Dharma, Pativedha ( to live the noble life of an ariya, an enlightened being).

22)  Bro Teoh reviewed 15 Aug 2019 outline short notes as a revision with the class.

 (Above outline short notes draft was prepared by Sis Poh Cheng)

With metta always,

Bro Teoh
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Bro Teoh’s 22 August 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the above audio and short notes links of our 22 August 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.

Short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-190822.pdf

 
With metta always,
Teoh

Dear Puan Chee and all,
Enclose is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline short notes for Thursday class dated 22ND AUGUST 2019

1.       Bro Teoh explained to a newcomer the importance of having the five spiritual faculties of mind needed to overcome the opposite 5 mental hindrances of mind, which hinder the mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness. During the meditation session, Bro Teoh guided those who were new on how to train their mind to develop the meditation. This mind sweeping method is a skillful mean, used to decondition the heedless thinking mind to calm it down. Then develop anapanasati to stabilize their sati.

2.       After meditation, Bro Teoh went through the outline short notes of his 18th August 2019, SJBA Sunday dharma talk on the topic: ‘The 3 turnings of the 4 Noble Truths astaught by Lord Buddha’. This dharma talk was very comprehensive, clear and good and one can view it at this YouTube  video link : https://youtu.be/cHd59b3UF3E

3.       As long as living beings do not have the Dharma understanding, the egoic mind (borne of self-delusion) is always active. But this self-delusion (sakayaditti) will be rooted out when one becomes an Ariya. Without wisdom, everything we do, there is always the sense of a self (an atta) to condition our selfish intention (for me or not for me). It is this personality (the Ego) that give rise to the evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion.

4.       The ego desires things, gets angry and is hurt because of self-delusion. This causes one to stir and react to sense experiences. But with the dharma, one becomes different because the dharma can transform living beings via wisdom. Life then becomes meaningful and one can have so much joy, gratitude, respect and love for the Buddha.

5.       The Buddha’s teaching is priceless because it can lead one to awakening. Only great beings with loving kindness can offer the dharma for free to the world. Most will think of making money first. It is rare to find people with genuine love and compassion, who can freely contribute to the world (without any selfish intention). So, we are indeed very blessed to have received the Buddha’s teaching for free.

6.       Without wisdom, we cannot resolve our afflictions. If one cannot resolve suffering, then calling oneself a sotapan does not make sense. Without planting wholesomeness and blessing, how can one be blessed with good life? To be blessed with good life, we have to keep cultivating merits and virtues.

7.       Bro Teoh related, how blessed his family was.  All these are possible was because of their past life cultivation and dharma understanding.

8.       By taking the Bodhisattva vows, we strengthen our faith in The Triple Gem through planting the Bodhi seed deep within our hearts (nature) to arise the causes and conditions for our segmented life to keep on receiving such beautiful teaching of Lord Buddha life after life. Bro Teoh advised fellow Kalyanamittas to read through his transcript blue book, ‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’ again and again so as not to miss out on this window of opportunity make possible by the present Buddha Sasana.  Reaffirming the vows with great faith and sincerity will keep us firmly on the Bodhisattva path.

9.       When one walks the Bodhisattva path, the cultivation is very much more rewarding. Not only can one realize the cessation within one’s nature, one can also perfect the vows to become a Samma Sambuddha.

10.    The vows taken by Amitabha Buddha can turn existence into pure land. Whenever Bro Teoh heard the recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s name (‘A mi to fo, A mi to fo, …’), there was strong mindfulness and much joy in Bro Teoh’s heart.

11.   Starting on the 8th September, 2019, our Sunday class will use a new book: `The Path to Truth for the Modern-day Bodhisattva Practitioner’ as cultivated by Bodhisattvas. It will be a very beautiful sharing. The next new book for our Tuesday class is the ‘Sutra of Innumerable Meanings’. This sutra is the first book of the Threefold Lotus Sutra or fǎ huá sān bù jīng (法 華 三 部 経). There is a whole chapter’s teaching covering ‘Virtue’ as cultivated by great beings (Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas) within that sutra.

12.   As we go through the books, we can develop deeper understanding of the teaching and the cultivation leading to fast progress and further evolution.

13.   Sister Angie asked the question, `As practitioners, when can we start the perfection of the ten paramattas?’

14.   Bro Teoh answered that initially, most cultivators do not have a clear picture of this cultivation. It is advisable to read through his blue transcript book on ‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’ first, to develop the full understanding. By taking the four basic vows, we have started the cultivation of these ten perfections, which are basically cultivating all the appropriate virtue. But it is only when wisdom has been developed can one develop real virtues. Therefore these virtues or perfections and vows can only be perfected when wisdom has been perfected. There is no true virtue without wisdom. Without wisdom, the evil roots will be very strong.

15.   Wisdom has many levels too. The sainthood way is relatively much simpler. But people feel offended when this is mentioned. The perfection of the Bodhisattva way is very extensive as such it is incomparable. As one progresses, wisdom keeps on arising.

16.   The thought tells us that the Bodhisattva path is very long. One should instead strive on to cultivate following the 3 hallmarks of Master Hui Neng’s teaching (of no thought, no marks and no dwelling) which is similar to the four famous dharma stanzas as stated in The Diamond Sutra to speed up one’s cultivation. The famous 4 stanzas are:

一 切 有 爲 法,        (All are conditioned dharma or phenomena);

如 夢 幻 泡 影,        (They are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows);

如 露 亦 如 電,    (Like dew and like lightning flash);

應 作 如 是 觀. (One should contemplate them thus).

17.   If one can understand and teach the above 4 stanzas, one’s merits are immeasurable. When one reaches the cultivation stage of no thought, it means that one has realized one’s true mind. By then the three universal characteristics of impermanence, non-self and suffering state will become very clear.

18.   The five stages of Bodhi mind developments start with the planting the Bodhi seed deep within our nature when we take the Bodhisattva vows.

19.   Many people misunderstand the deep meaning of the perfection of renunciation. They think renunciation only means to renounce the world to become a monk or a nun. The true meaning of renunciation is very deep. It includes renouncing all things within the phenomenon world of consciousness. This perfection of renunciation has to be perfected for one to fulfil the 2nd vow of the Bodhisattva to endure and severe all suffering.

20.   One has to complete the cultivation of Love and Compassion to cultivate the 1st Bodhisattva vow.

21.   Once one had completed the fulfilment of the third vow of the Bodhisattva, the fourth vow of perfecting the ten perfections to become a Samma Sambuddha will become fairly easy.

22.   Bro Teoh mentioned that, all of us are so blessed to be born in this ‘golden era or age’ where Science and technology has enable us to experience such great civilization advancement which our parents and grandparents were not able to witness. With this high tech revolution of ours giving rise to great information technologies and AI advancement, our world and civilization had advanced so fast. The world of sights and sounds, high level of sensuality, travels, sports, foods, tickets to indulgence, beautiful homes, hotel and resorts, etc. are so convenience nowadays for those who have the means. One can truly live life to the fullest and one can also experience all the pristine beauties and wonders of life.

23.   According to J. Krishnamurti, for the planetary consciousness to transform for the better, the individual must change and transform for the better. If at least 1% of the world’s population has the spiritual understanding, then we can really have a civilization which will be really beautiful. Human Beings would evolve to another level to become super humans. Even if our planet gets destroyed, it would not be a problem anymore. Because by then, one can even travel faster than the speed of light to stay at other places.

24.   But scientists have yet to explore the field of consciousness which is capable of bringing mankind to such an evolved level. One needs meditative wisdom to go into this field. Scientists still use thought to come up with inventions such as AI.

25.   Bro Teoh emphasized the importance of spiritual understanding to go hand in hand with the fast-paced technological advancement. Otherwise, problems will arise and the planet is at risk of being self-destruction, due to human greed, divisions, conflicts, arguments and wars, etc.

26.   Bro Teoh cracked a joke when PG mentioned, she may not be around to witness the evolved human species of this golden age. Bro Teoh said that, one just needs to go to broteoh.com website and cultivate following his blue transcript blue (‘Cultivating the Bodhisattva way’) to learn how to come back to this Buddha sasana again. As one explores this possibility, one will come to realize that the information given in the book is like so familiar. But during that time, it would be a new segmented form and mind with a new body and a different gender because PG vows to be born as a male in future.

27.   At the end of this sharing, Bro Teoh lead all Kalyanamittas to share their merits with Bro Siah Wen Chiang (Bro Siah Chee Way’s son) for his quick recovery to good health from his recent surgery.

(The above draft outline short notes was prepared by Puan Chee)

With metta always,

Bro Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 15 August 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the above audio and short notes links of our 15 August 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
Whiteboard link: 

With metta always,

Bro Teoh
Dear Sister Tammy and all,
Enclosed is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline Short Notes for Brother Teoh’s 15 Aug 2019 Thursday Class

1.   The key to successful meditation are the 4 supports for awareness based meditation: Relax, Aware, 24Hours and Trust. You may listen to the recording for more instructions on preparation before meditation.

2.    Sis Angie’s question: When she is relaxed, she can be mindful of her breathing very clearly and she can also see the 3 universal characteristics of impermanence, non-self and Dukkha. Hope Bro. Teoh could guide her further.

3.   Bro. Teoh replied: Can you explain how you are able to see the 3 universal characteristics?

4.    Angie replied by saying, when she just let things be, the mind settled down and becomes very peaceful and quiet but when she clings on to it, the thinking or sankhara activities will perpetuate and proliferate and it is as if, when you keep chasing after the thinking, you make it into a big issue. This was how she gets entangle.

5.     Bro Teoh: You may maintain meditative silent, without thought to observe and develop the contemplative understanding via relating what you observed to the essential dharma. This observation and contemplation can give you some initial 2nd turning wisdom’s understanding and this 2nd turning wisdom can be stabilized if one continue to contemplate after the formal meditation to develop the clearer understanding.

6.  Bro. Teoh added that, it will be better if the understanding can come about via the direct seeing when you are in a meditative state of deeper silence. This type of wisdom is more penetrative. After that, when one reflected into it, the understanding become very different, it is very penetrative and more stable. However, this state is rather difficult to realize. The 1st and 2nd turnings wisdom, which is easier, can lead to the arising of the initial wisdom (yonisomanasikara) needed to stabilize your daily mindfulness leading to step 5 of the avijja sutta, which is sati sampajanna.

7.     All sankhara are of the nature to arise and pass away. If you give meaning and follow the sankhara without the requisite understanding, you will get yourself entangled with the clinging and suffering. Sabba sankhara anicca, so it is not a permanent unchanging entity, not ‘I’ and not ‘Me’. One must reflect until this understanding becomes very clear within one’s daily mindfulness contemplation.

8.     How do we cultivate this contemplation? We can do it when we are alone, in a quiet setting or on a silent morning when others are still asleep. We can sit in a quiet place or walk or pace up and down slowly, reflecting via inquiry on the dharma that Lord Buddha had taught us. Through contemplation and reflection, clear understanding and joy will arise as the beautiful dharma unfold. After that whenever we encounter similar sense experiences or situations, our understanding (yonisomanasikara) will prompt us not to react via telling us that all phenomena exhibit the 3 universal characteristics of nature.

9.      This straightening of view will liberate one’s mind. One will understand, there is nobody inside this form and mind to cling, grasp and hold. The dharma on: Sabba sankhara anicca, Sabba sankhara dukkha and Sabba dhamma anatta will be very clear and there will be no more intention to be right or to argue with others. Unless there are conditions for it to bring about wholesomeness to help out in the situation, one will not do anything inappropriate. One will only arise the understanding to act appropriately with wisdom following N8FP. With this understanding, one is able to apply this living dharma to live our daily life. Wisdom (yonisomanasikara) at the moment of sense experience will prompt us to act according to wisdom and understanding, that ‘things are the way they are; can’t be otherwise’. The mind will be at peace and have the understanding to act and resolving all life issues and situations amicably with right speech, thought and action.

10.   The 4 right efforts are important cultivation needed to develop sense restraint leading to the right thought, speech and action. The first 2 right efforts are to deal with defilements first. The 1st right effort is to abandon the wrong thought, speech and action that had arisen. To do that one must understand what constitute evil? And one must also have a very stable daily mindfulness to see those defilements. The 3 evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion are the root of all evil. One therefore need to expand on the 3 evil roots until it is very clear (for more details please do listen to the recording). The 5 ways to abandon the wrong thought as taught by the Buddha must be cultivated. This is the beginning of cultivation.

11.   The Buddha taught 5 ways to ABANDON unwholesome thoughts, speech and action are:

  • 1st way: To think of the direct opposite wholesome thought, (like hatred with love, lust with contentment etc.)
  • 2nd way: To think of the consequences of holding on to that wrong thought. (However, both 1st and 2nd ways are still thought based and not the meditative way.) 
  • 3rd way: Just aware (this is the meditation way). The moment one is aware, there are no more condition for the defilements to proliferate, the defilement will cease due to the law of dependent origination. However, this type of wisdom is not penetrative enough.
  • 4th way: To trace the origination factors then retrospectively reverse it. From our 6 sense doors, especially our seeing, hearing and thought (recall through memory) consciousness, we can see how the unwholesome mind state of angry, hatred and fear, etc. arise through our wrong view. According to the Satipatthana Sutta, if one had developed the mindfulness of the 6 internal and 6 external sense bases, one will have the ability to know how this defilement come to be, then one will know how to reverse it retrospectively through right view or right understanding developed after contemplating – why did I stir my mind? Through reflection and contemplation, one will understands that people are the way they are and the world is the world – conditions like that, things will be like that. One must have this right view to accept the reality of the moment via seeing things as they are (as advised by the Buddha) in order to be peaceful.  
  • 5th way: If all the above 4 ways also cannot help you, then you must determine strongly through your will power to abandon it. That is with tongue against your palate determine strongly to abandon it.

12. The 1st right effort is to cultivate the above 5 ways as taught by the Buddha to abandon the wrong thought that has arisen. The 3rd and the 4th ways are meditative ways leading to wisdom and transformation.

13. The 2nd right effort is the right effort to prevent all the wrong thought, speech and action from arising. With yonisomanasikara, at the moment of sense experience, this initial wisdom will prompt you to understand how this evil wrong thought will lead to karmic negativity that will make us suffer. All these understanding will arise, and you will be able to prevent all these wrong thoughts from arising.

14. The 3rd right effort is the right effort to cultivate or arise the wholesome thought, speech and action that are still not in us through cultivating the N8FP. One need to know clearly what constitute right thought, speech and action, so that one will know how to cultivate them. All your virtuous thoughts are right thoughts. All proper, gentle, wholesome, kind and pleasant speeches that lead to love, understanding and harmony are right speeches. All generous, kind, sincere and good actions are right actions.

15.  The 4th right effort: right effort to refine upon whatever right action speech and thought that are already in you as there are always room for improvement.

​16. Adam’s 1st question is about fear. Which category of the 3 evil roots is fear classified under?

17. Bro Teoh explained, ‘Fear is classified under the evil root of delusion’. When one doesn’t understand truth, there is fear. Fear about the future. Fear of death etc.

18. Adam’s 2nd question: Regarding a friend of his, clinging strongly to her success. Should she follow her heart or her thoughts? Bro. Teoh replied, ‘Yes, she should follow her heart which is the conscience (the good part). The mundane mind (your thoughts) before you are enlightened is always cunning, selfish and deluded (having evil roots). Conscience can comes up and prompt us to prevent you from making mistake. However, the conscious mundane mind with its view, opinion, and conditioning and believe system is deluded and it is the one that always very keen to condition you into negativity. The heart is always soothing, calm and peaceful whereas the deluded mundane mind is usually selfish, deluded, emotional and noisy and it also chatters a lot.

​19. Continuation of question 2): Adam helped a friend overcome her depression and she no longer clinging to her success, but she has a different faith.

20. Bro. Teoh replied, changes will happen to her when you change, then with her faith in you, she will change too. Dharma is nature’s truth or law. The proper application of Dharma can lead to a good life, which means be successful in whatever you do, whatever you want to achieve or develop as a career. Success in life normally covers the whole lot of materialistic successes that normal living being look to. Like academic success, career success, financial success, relationship success and having a harmonious family unit, etc. However, without the spiritual understanding, your life is still incomplete. You may be successful, materialistically, but if you do not follow the righteous way, there will be karmic repercussions, and you may lose them after a while. Without the spiritual understanding when one is confronted with the realities of life, as outlined in the 1st noble truth, one will also suffer. The 8 realities are: old age, sickness and death, separation from love ones and prized possessions, etc. When you are with someone whom you do not like and can’t get along with. When you cannot get what you want, are you still peaceful and happy? Spiritual success can allow one to have the ability to lead a good and comfortable life free of all worry and suffering. Live the life of a noble one (an enlightened being) – a life of tranquillity stillness, peacefulness, joy, happiness and understanding. Free from all suffering.

 ​21. Adam’s 3rd question: How do we cultivate goodness (like healing people) wisely?

22. Bro Teoh: To you, you are applying what you think is goodness (like healing others) to help people. But this is goodness according to you. The Dharma way is different. The dharma way is just explaining to people the dharma to let them have the understanding to solve their problem through that understanding. If they do not have the understanding, they will always look for you to help them solve their problem. To heal others with thought energy may get you entangle with their negative karmic energy and some of these karmic energy may have karmic consequences. The healer must have the appropriate wisdom and understanding, otherwise they may get into trouble themselves. It is advisable to develop the Dharma understanding first and only manifest to do something appropriate when the conditions are there for you to help others. To have a better understanding of this, please do listen to the audio recording shared by Bro Teoh on Master Hsuan Hua’s experience.

23.     Sister Angie asked about this anatta nature that the Buddha taught.

Bro. Teoh explained, that one can see this anatta nature in your 5 aggregates of form and mind. They exhibit the 3-universal characteristics. Hence, it is not you for they go the way of nature. When feeling changes you didn’t die, so feeling cannot be you. Same with perception, sankhara and consciousness. This physical body (rupa) made from 4 elements, can’t be you either. Hence, these 5 aggregates of form and mind are non-self. If one grasp and cling, it will lead to suffering because it is not a permanent unchanging entity. They are dependent originating, condition arising and a causal phenomenon; when condition is there, it arise, if it is not there it ceases to be.

​24. Then what is this 5 aggregates of form and mind? This is a karmically conditioned vehicle and a tool for us to come to this existential world, so use it and not be deluded by it.


 25. Anatta means, it is not a permanent unchanging entity that you can call, “this is ‘Me’, this is ‘I’. No, this does not belong to you”. This one is non-self but it is not nothingness, it is not no self, because there is such a thing as a human being. Human being exists and it is subject to karma. True nature is not subject to karma. This is a nature which is beyond the form and mind, and this eternal nature is also anatta, not a being, not a permanent unchanging entity, although it is the unconditioned. Your understanding will deepen when your mindfulness is very stable. Only when you go through the cessation, you can only truly understand what anatta is. Even a glimpse of it will lead to the change of linage and transform your form and mind into an ariya (a noble or enlightened being).

 

26. The initial wisdom (yonisomanasikara) borne of listening to the dharma and Dharma contemplation leading to the 1st and 2nd turnings wisdom is very important. Without this initial wisdom the daily mindfulness cannot stabilize and the glimpse of cessation also cannot arise. For the 3rd turning wisdom (Bhavanamaya panna) to arise, you must go through the direct seeing awakening via the silent mind while in the meditative state. Only after realizing the cessation of Nibbana can the form and mind understand the unconditioned. After that the egoic mind will have no power over you as this self-delusion has been completely rooted out. 

27. Regarding the recent protestors and unrest in Hong Kong. People are just the way they are. Not right or wrong. These are just their views, their opinions of things, their conditioning and their ideology. When they are so conditioned, they will react that way, that’s it, finished! Let society evolved on its own. We can contribute by radiate love and metta and sharing merits after our dharma classes. We do our best, we share and transfer merits to make the world a better place through goodness and virtue in our heart. It is important that every individual must change for the better in order to have a better collective consciousness with more understanding, virtue and less negativity. This is also the reason why J. Krishnamurti said, ‘the individual must change, for society to change as we are the summation of the collective consciousness of the society’. 
 
28. May there be love, joy and peace within their heart. Keep on radiating all these wholesomeness and virtue and it will have its effect. Radiate to all beings starting from your love ones, our kalyanamittas, and cultivators and to all beings on this planet, our mother Earth. Wishing everybody have the good understanding of life and a kind heart to bring about more peace to all. May all beings on this planet have more goodness and kindness in their hearts.
29. All of you have this kind heart but you do not know how to generate it, to make it strong and powerful so that it can open up and be a blessing to the world.
(The above draft outline short notes was prepared by Sister Tammy)
With metta always,
Teoh
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Bro Teoh’s 13 August 2019 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the above audio and short notes links of our 13 August 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
With metta always,
Bro Teoh
Dear Sister Yoon Chun and all,
Brother Teoh’s Aug 13th 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes

Book Review: The BUDDHA & his TEACHINGS

Chapter 38: The way to realize Nibbana   Page 543

  1. Transient and Sorrowful are all Conditioned Things

             Soulless are both the Conditioned and the Un-conditioned.

  • Impermanence is a Universal Characteristic of Nature that is to be realised. Non-Self (Anatta) means it is not a permanent unchanging Entity. It also implies Empty Nature of Existence.
  • Both the conditioned and unconditioned Dhamma must be understood to enable one to Truly understand life.

1.      Jhana (Jhanic state) only suppresses and inhibits the mental hindrances temporarily. Hence Evil tendencies can still surface anytime in the future when there is condition. Only Insight born of Vipassana meditation can wholly eradicate them with Wisdom (Panna) after realising the 3 Universal Characteristics of Impermanence, Unsatisfactoriness and Non-Self.

2.      Our present existence is due to past causes of Ignorance (Avijja), Craving (tanha), Grasping (Upadana), Kamma and Physical food of Present Life, etc.

3.      Everything is in a state of constant flux within the conditioned arising and dependent originating world.

4.      Eventually, when one realises cessation (a glimpse of Nibbana) for the first time, one becomes a Sotapanna or a Stream Enterer. With this change of Lineage one becomes an Ariya (a Noble One). One has eradicated the first 3 Fetters of the 10 fetters that bind living beings to samsara. They are:

  1. Sakkayadithi, – Wrong understanding (self-delusion) that believes in a permanent unchanging Self.
  2. Doubt with regards to the existence of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, Disciplinary Rules, Past and Future and the law of Dependent Origination.
  3. Adherence to Wrongful Rites and Rituals

A Sotapanna will not violate any of the 5 Precepts and will have a maximum of 7 more lives to live in the sensual Realms till it becomes an Arahant.

5.      With further cultivation he will progress to a Sakadagami (a Once-Returner) stage by weakening 2 more Fetters, Sense Desire and Ill will. He may still show occasional signs of subtle anger and craving. He will be born in the Human Realm only once before realising Anagami leading to Arahantship.

6.      The third stage of sainthood is an Anagami (a Non-returner). He would have uprooted the next 2 fetters of the previous stage entirely with the balance of the last 5 fetters of minor conceit or Pride (Mana), Restlessness (uddhacca), Ignorance (Avija), attachment to Form Realms and Formless Realms remaining. After death, he is reborn in the Pure Abodes to complete his cultivation.

7.      Those in the first 3 Stages of Sainthood are term Sekhas as they still require training. However, an Arahant do not need any more training and is known as an Asekha (beyond training). He is not subject to rebirth as he does not have any more avijja.

8.      The Anagmis and Arahants can go through uninterrupted Nibbanic Cessation for 7 days or longer. In this cessation (which is the unconditioned) his mental activities (including the pure awareness) all ceased. His stream of life force consciousness also temporarily ceases to flow, but the body’s vitality and faculties are still intact. He appears to be dead with no respiration, no heart beat (pulse) and perception, but his life force will return to his body eventually.

9.      Bro Teoh reviewed the outline short notes of August 8 2019 Thursday class regarding awareness, daily mindfulness and how to develop the requisite wisdom to see and accept things as they are. 

(Above outline short notes draft was prepared by Sister Yoon Chun)

  With metta always,

Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s Thursday class dated 8 August 2019

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the above audio and short notes links of our 6 August 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.

short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-190808.pdf

 
With metta always,
Bro Teoh

Dearest Soo Yee and all,
Sadhu! and enclose is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s 8 Aug 2019 Thursday Class outline Short Notes

  1. Sis Angie shares that there is more clarity in her practice. More awareness. Whenever the mind wanders off, she is able to bring it back.
  2. Bro Teoh: The moment you are aware that you are not aware; that is sati. The moment you realise that you are not paying attention, that is attention. Attention of inattention, is attention.
  3. To develop daily mindfulness, we must start by constantly reminding our self of the need to be constantly aware. We must determine to be aware throughout the day (ever-mindful/constantly aware). After developing the daily mindfulness, until it is very stable, our seeing will become very different. It is like suddenly, we can see all the external sense data and our internal mental movements (emotions/mental intentions/etc.) very clearly. It will dawn upon us that before we understand the dharma, all these are habitual heedless thinking borne of our mental stirring caused by avijja. Without wrong views or avijja (ignorant) there will be no mental stirring or reaction to sense experience. Why does one reacts to sense experience? – Because their mind lack wisdom and it is restless due to its inability to understand and accept the realities of the moment for ‘things are just the way they truly are’.
  4. When there is wisdom to accept the reality of the moment (to understand the causes and conditions behind every phenomena), there will be peace within the mind and one can be peaceful from moment to moment (having true ability to make peace with all that transpires) while in the midst of living life.
  5. This is learning to see things as they truly are because ‘people are just the way they are’ (deluded people do deluded things, etc.) and the ‘world is the world’ (when conditions are such things will be such).  This is right view.
  6. However, the untrained mind has strong habitual tendencies (borne of habitual reactions to what we see, hear, recall from memory, etc.) when we lack the 5 spiritual faculties. And because of that, their untrained mind becomes agitated and heedless very fast. Ever so quick to form opinions, argue, take sides and fall into the duality trap of right/wrong, good/bad, kind/cruel, clean/dirty, fragrant/foul, pleasant/unpleasant, wholesome/unwholesome etc.
  7. Once we have the stability of Sati, we will have the understanding to see things differently, without the mental reaction and stirring like before. Our mind becomes calmer, more peaceful and quieter. There is more understanding, leading to more equanimity of mind, then there is more joy and happiness in our heart. This is heedful living. No longer easily agitated, panicky, fearful and unhappy, which is heedless living.

  8. Stability of daily mindfulness allows us to understand the form and mind clearly. (How one input the content of consciousness and cause the mundane mind to stir and arise.)

  9. The Mundane mind goes the way of nature, i.e. it is impermanent, it comes and it goes, arises and passes away. If we are deluded, it has power over us. It can conditions us to stir/react to sense experiences and create the evil roots of greed, hatred, delusion (especially selfishness and sakayaditthi or self-delusion).
  10. As long as thoughts are active, the egoic mind borne of wrong view is still there.
  11. The real meditation only starts, when our daily mindfulness has stabilised.

  12. Sis Angie has made some progress but she should continue to stabilise her daily mindfulness. When her daily mindfulness has stabilized, she will be different because by then “everything she do” she will be aware and her awareness will be very stable. It’s like, the phenomenon and her awareness moves as one. This is specific-phenomena awareness. With this specific-phenomena awareness, the mind no longer interferes (with its views, opinions, memories and conditioning). Should you choose to understand what it is, you may perceive it through the memory lens, then it stops (no further proliferation of thoughts and emotions, etc.)
  13. Having a good religious routine is crucial, to cultivate daily mindfulness, throughout the day.

  14. As a revision, the class did a review of their previous Thursday’s 1 August 2019 outline short notes.

  15. With the daily mindfulness, one become more aware and more attentive. There is also more clarity and the mind is more sensitive. Then through constant contemplation and reflection the 2nd turning wisdom of cintamaya panna will arise. This is followed by the direct seeing, then the wisdom (bhavanamaya panna) that arise is no longer just at the knowledge and contemplative level, but at a more penetrative insight level.

  16. When mindfulness stabilized, the awareness within becomes so sensitive that even the slightest movement within, before the “like/dislike” arises, can be clearly felt. We can feel that the stirring is about to begin. And since we have contemplated deep enough to know that this stirring will lead to suffering, then the initial wisdom (yoniso manasikara) already developed will prompt us, at the moment of sense experience, to cause the mundane mind not to stir like before. With yoniso manasikara, avijja becomes attenuated/weakened, hence weakening sankhara
    leading to less and less heedless thinking within our mind.

     

  17. With that understanding, we can develop sense restraint, leading to more calmness, and less sankhara (or stirring of mind). Being more present and aware, the space between thoughts start to lengthen, resulting in more peace, clarity, stillness and tranquillity of mind.

  18. The meditative mind must be a “free mind” which is silent, collected and unwavering (in Samadhi) but not in concentration so that the mental hindrances are not suppressed. So that it can see things as they are clearly to develop the wisdom via the direct seeing.

  19. Cultivation following the 10 steps of the Avijja sutta’s enlightenment sequence was re emphasis by Bro Teoh.

  20. Reading the “PAEON OF JOY” (recited by the Buddha after his enlightenment underneath the Bodhi tree) from page 11 of our Chanting book.

    UDĀNA GĀTHĀ PAEON OF JOY

    Aneka jāti saṃsāraṃ, Sandhāvissaṃ anibbisaṃ, Gaha kārakaṃ gavesanto, dukkhā jāti punappunaṃ, Gaha kāraka diṭṭhosi puna gehaṃ na kāhasi, Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā gaha kūtaṃ visaṅkhitaṃ, Visaṅkhāra gataṃ cittaṃ taṇhānaṃ khaya majjhagā ti

    Through many a birth I wandered in this saṃsāra (endless cycle of births and deaths), seeking but not finding, the builder of the house. Sorrowful is repeated birth. O house builder! You are seen. You shall build no house again. All your rafters are broken. Your ridge-pole is shattered. My mind has attained the unconditioned. Achieved is the end of craving.

  21. Reading of “Pancasatavipassakabhikkhu Vatthu” from Dhammapada Verse 170:

    

    Yatha pubbulakam passe, yatha passe maracikam, evam lokam avekkhantam, maccuraja na passati.

    If a man looks at the world (i.e., the five khandhas) in the same way as one looks at a bubble or a mirage forming during a heavy rain, the King of Death will not find him.

(Above outline short notes draft was prepared by Sis Soo Yee)

With metta always,

Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 18 August 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the above video, audio and short notes links for sharing by all.
Complete audio of the talk can be downloaded : https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-190718.mp3 Short Notes pdf : https://broteoh.com/wp-content/up…
youtu.be
With metta always,
Bro Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 11 July 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio, video, whiteboard and short notes links of our 11 July 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.

Short notes link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-190711.pdf

 
Whiteboard link: 

with metta always,
Bro Teoh