Category: Thursday class

Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 18 April 2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 18 April  2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
Whiteboard link: 
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 02 May 2019 03:07
To: Pheyyuen Chong

Dear Angie Chong,
Below is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline short notes for Brother Teoh’s Thursday Talk dated 18th April 2019

1.       Sister Tammy reported her meditation. She was aware of her body’s sensations (heat building up) and thoughts. She was also aware that her body moved (like spinning).

2.       Brother Teoh explained that when you feel heat or movement, it is due to the energy built-up inside. Regarding the heat it is actually due to the yin and yangimbalance. Sometimes it is just a test to see whether you are affected by it. Thus do not be deceived. Whatever state that arises, just relax into it and maintain awareness. Relax and silent your mind and let things be. Understand that when your sati is not stable these movements can happen. Those who do or practice Reiki, their body has a tendency to shake due to the energy built-up.

3.       Sati leading to heedfulness needs to be established during meditation. Understanding the meditation as taught by the Buddha is most important. Do not doubt. Relax and stabilize the awareness, then go back to the heart. Swaying will eventually stop when awareness has stabilized. Do not create any mental hindrances (especially the likes and dislikes).

4.       During meditation, there will be different experiences and states of mind that arise. You need the skill to understand what meditation is and what you are doing in the name of meditation. You need to be heedful and develop the understanding of who and what are you. Also to see clearly that all these movements (physical, mental and nature’s) are all dependent originating and condition arising phenomena. In pure awareness you can see all this.

5.       Brother Teoh shared his experience 30 years ago, when he was just aware at the heart area without any thought then all of a sudden he realized there was no one inside there. It is just an awareness from the nature arising and passing away, awareness is one with the heart beats.

6.       Thoughts are response from memory hence they are condition arising/dependent originating, nothing to do with the nature. Understanding comes by itself through the silent mind. You are the awareness which is beyond all these creation. All of your knowing is mainly thought based knowledge,accumulated as memory, not the reality. Reality is when your awareness seesand experiences all this and you are able to be with it and sees the whole movements without fragmentation to awaken.

7.       When the silent mind in pure awareness is with all phenomena, it can awakenvia an understanding which is not rigid. After this only can you relate to the teachings. Not the other way round. The other way round is to read the teachings and go look for those mind states mentioned in the teaching,believing you are in those states. All these are thought based meditation. Dharma in written form are merely words pointing to the truth. It is not the truth itself. Thus you cannot use words and concepts to realize the truth which is beyond thought and mind. Instead you need to meditate via sati (the silent mind without thoughts and concepts) to awaken.

8.       Thought is for you to use. When you awaken you will understand that your 5 aggregates of body and mind is subject to karma because it is Karmically conditioned from your karmic nature. Hence you will also understand that you have to have right duty to take care of karma even though the true unconditioned dharma is about emptiness; I.e. hey no you and hey no me, no form, no mind. You need the understanding of both the conditioned and unconditioned dharma to truly live life.

9.       Once you are able to locate your gateway to your nature, all the yin yang energy will melt into it to become pure energy.

10.   There are people who go into occult (pure psychic) energy practices and use it for healing and performing psychic ability. Since only wisdom andunderstanding frees the mind, nothing else so being involved in energy field does not free. With awareness based meditation leading to wisdom, you can also avoid threading on the evil or wrong path.

11.   There are 2 ways to cultivate the Bodhisattva way: one way is to develop the wisdom first; then locate the gateway to our nature to speed up our cultivation. The other way is to make use of the pure energy to locate the gateway first then only use it to develop the wisdom leading to all the other perfection. Without wisdom developed via the dhamma make available during the Buddha sasana or from a good guide (teacher), it is very difficult to go thewisdom way first. Similarly without the help of a true guide or a good teacher, it is also very difficult to develop the understanding of the gateway cultivationwhich is beyond thought and time.  But the first way is safer because the wisdom will protect the cultivator from going into the occult or psychic fields. (For more detail please do listen to the recording to develop the complete understanding. Especially the part relating to my last teacher and what is captured in this outline short notes is just a small part of what has been shared.)

12.   Brother Teoh further explained his last teacher’s meditation. If you do not know how to silent your mind to locate or realize your nature which takes you straight to the No thought state, you tend to go for thought based meditationwhich cannot lead you to the truth which is beyond thought. It is very difficult unless you have a good teacher. Even with a good teacher, it takes time for you to build up the confidence. The Six Patriarch Platform teaching helps you to understand this. For one to realize the 3 universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non self states is already very difficult if not for the Buddha’s teachings within this sasana because it involves understanding oftruths within conditioned and unconditioned.

13.   Thought is both matter and energy (). Matter is trapped energy. Thus thought based is related to energy field. Since thought is also matter so without thought, form will not come about. Since Form is the product of thought therefore thought can see form because thought has higher intelligence. But thought cannot see awareness because thought is a product of spacious awareness. Thus awareness has higher intelligence then thought.

14.   Theoretical dhamma are mainly concept and ideas. Theoretical dhamma has nothing to do with the direct seeing via the silent mind in pure awareness. You can awaken with this pure awareness which is beyond thought and beyond mind. Hence strive on with heedfulness. The moment you are heedful, you aredestined for enlightenment. Daily mindfulness leading to heedfulness is a must. Meditate with sati to see your defilements and to realize the essential dhamma leading to wisdom.

15.   When you are mindful of all mind states, you will understand how your wrong thoughts (with the 3 evil roots) which arise due to your deluded and conditioned mundane mind (borne of accumulation and memories of the good and bad experiences) can cause your negative emotions leading to suffering. You will also understand how all these wrong thoughts and negative emotion (like anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, trapped phobias and insecurity, etc.) condition your fear, worry, anxiety, selfishness, sorrow and lamentation etc. leading to suffering.

16.   It should be the awareness which is aware of the thoughts and emotions by being one with it and not via another thought knowing an earlier thought or emotion like anger, fear, worry, anxiety, etc. For example, aware when fear arises. When fear arises, stay with it and see clearly what happens when you are just aware (be with it) and don’t do anything. What happen to thatmovement or emotion? Fear will cease to be then you will understand Fear was never you but just a condition arising or dependent originatingphenomenon. It arises due to conditions (ones delusion or wrong view) then when condition cease to be it cease to be. It arises and passes away depending on condition hence impermanent and empty. Relax and aware and you will understand all this. All these condition arising mental states will disappears and cease to be because the original state of the true mind before its stirring is just pure awareness and there is none of this fear. It all comes about due to one’swrong view conditioning ones wrong thoughts leading to one’s reaction of mind.

17.   Brother Teoh’s daughter shared her earlier experience (before she understands the dhamma): After making a donation, the thought of being cheated arise in her mind for some time. She then recalled the advice from a previous dhamma sharing by Bro Teoh – “why this thought and not any other thought.” It made her investigate further into the suffering that arise due to this wrong thought. She realized that she was attached to the feeling – ‘I got cheated’ due to memory and thought. She then inquire: Who is it that has all this negative thoughts? Is this her? She started to experiment with her mind. When shechanged her perspective to think positively she realized her suffering was gone. They may be sincere and even if they are not sincere, it is because they need my money. Moreover what happened is already over why cling on to that wrong thought of ‘I have been cheated’? They will have their karma. She then realized her mundane mind really controlled her when she think that wrong thought. It was like holding to that red hot burning thing that was tormenting her.

18.   Instead of acting with wisdom, you allow your wrong thought to condition you to act negatively. On the other hand, with right view, you can trust your karma. After all it is not what you think; it is just a form and mind meeting another form and mind due to karmic conditioning.

19.   You need wisdom to root out insecurity. All is subject to karma. Karma creates the thought to project into the future causing you to feel insecure. You need to take care of karma, in turn karma takes care of you. With wisdom, understand that it is just form and mind and thoughts arise and pass away following the 12 links. Always remember only self-delusion can cause you to have such negative mind states leading to misery.

20.   Eric’s sharing: “some learns the dharma but do not practice because they thought they know already. This is dharma knowledge. But for me I learn and I put into practice what I have learnt.” He went through suffering, experienced them until he understands them deeply. Just like the burning hot charcoal analogy, if you know how it has been burning and tormenting you when you keep holding it, you will never touch it again.

21.   Fear, worry and anxiety cannot solve your problems but only conditions more negative karma in your life. Instead you need wholesome mental states borne of right views to give rise to good emotions coupled with faith to transform you into a beautiful being. Also understanding the 1st Noble truth’s 8 realities of life is very important because under the 2nd turning of the 1st Noble truth, it is stated that suffering is to be understood.

22.   You live a beautiful life through the dharma way i.e. following eightfold noble path. By developing inward beauty, your nature is beautiful and you will have right view, right thoughts, right speech, right action and livelihood, this leads to inward transformation. When inside is okay, outer no problem.

23.   When you understand the noble truth, you understand suffering. You are heedful and able to apply what you learn. When negativity arise, you are awareof your wrong thoughts, you understand they are impermanent, condition arising wrong thoughts borne of self-delusion. Thus the mind releases and is not deceived. You need to contemplate when it happens. This way is suitable for those who suffer a lot. When you are aware of all these negative mind statesconditioning your suffering you can retrospectively reverse them with the understanding, this itself is meditation. Awareness is very important.

24.   Meditation in daily life: any thoughts or emotions that arise, be aware (silent) and stay with it, eventually they all cease to be. Only true nature is real. No point clinging and grasping which only cause unnecessary suffering. You will understand that the body and mind is merely a karmically conditioned vehicle and tool for you to come to this existential world, hence use it well. You cannot control the form and mind from going the way of nature because it is dependent originating and not a permanent unchanging entity which you can call the ‘Me’ and the ‘I’.

(Outline short notes prepare by Sister Angie Chong)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh
Posted on

Re: Bro Teoh’s Thursday class video dated 30 May 2019

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below dharma video on ‘Understanding Enlightenment/the Essential Dhamma (especially on the 3 Evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion) for sharing by all. Please do view it attentively.
Dear Bro Chin How – Maha Sadhu! for the below video recording which you had so nicely video.
Whiteboard link:  to be viewed with the video.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
Subject: Re: Bro Teoh’s Thursday class video dated 30 May 2019

[01/06, 10:18] Chin How Video Link: https://youtu.be/2wazDo-98pU  🙏

Audio link: https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Thu-190530.mp3
[01/06, 11:40] teohkiankoon: 🙏🙏🙏👍 Thank u so much Chin How. Last Thursday class (30 May 2019) video above was very well done.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
Posted by: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Posted on

Linking the Avijja sutta’s 10 steps practices to the cultivation of the Four foundation of Mindfulness

Dear Kalyanamittas,
The below is a very good sharing for all kalyanamittas to develop the understanding of the cultivation. (To read the last email at the bottom first then its reply leading upwards from the bottom.)
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: xxxxxxx Sent: 01 May 2019 09:50
To: Bro Teoh Kian Koon
Subject: Re: Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 10th March and 7 April 2019

Dear Brother Teoh,

Thank you very much for the explanation. I know it’s due to my lack of understanding. I just want to understand how I got it wrong.
With Metta always,
xxx

On 1 May 2019 16:51, “Teoh Kian Koon” <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com> wrote:

Hi! xxxxx,
You still could not understand what the Buddha meant. It is not what u mentioned below. Because step 3 involves the whole  4 FOM (Step 3) cultivation. Before steps 7, 6, 5 and 4 are mastered u are not able to do the 4 FOM and that is the reason why the Buddha put in those words, ‘after overcoming covetousness and grief…’ then only can one cultivate the 4 FOM.  Your interpretation below is not accurate.
Step 7 is only the initial wisdom develop via 1st and 2nd turnings, especially the 2nd turning wisdom. This step can be done before cultivating step 6 (Mindfulness and clear comprehension or Sati Sampajanna).
And step 6 is not equivalent to the 2nd-4th foundation of mindfulness as mentioned by u. It is mentioned in the 1st foundation of Mindfulness – 3rd category of practice and can only be done after step 7 is being developedotherwise without the initial wisdom, a stable daily mindfulness is impossible to develop because the mind will continue to stir and react to sense experiences. So don’t be too impatient or eager to go into the 4 FOM firstbefore doing steps 7, 6, 5 and 4. If u do that u are wasting your precious cultivation time.
Hope this is clear to u by now.
​
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: xxxxxxx

Sent: 01 May 2019 07:43

To: Bro Teoh Kian Koon

Subject: Re: Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 10th March and 7 April 2019

Dear Brother Teoh,

Thank you for the explanation. If I understand correctly, steps 4-6 are also inclusive in step 3 as follows (??):
1. Step 4, ie three ways of good conduct are equivalent to right view, right speech, right action in step 3 (mindfulness of the N8FP).
2. Step 6, ie mindfulness and clear comprehension is equivalent to the 2nd-4th foundation of mindfulness
3. Step 7, ie wise attention requires right view in step 3 (mindfulness of the N8FP)
What I am trying to understand is, steps 4-6 seems to be part of step 3, and not a strict sequence as in must complete steps 4-6 first then only can reach step 3. Since step 4-6 are already part of step 3, then one is already cultivating the 4FOM before reaching the full blown step 3 which is the 4FOM itself.
Also, it says that the 4FOM is the only way out or sorrow and lamentation but it also says that we have to overcome covetousness and grief first before cultivating 4FOM. Isn’t sorrow and lamentation somewhat the same as covetousness and grief?

Can Brother Teoh help please. TQ.

 With Metta always
xxx
On Wed, 1 May 2019, 11:47 Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.comwrote:
Dear xxxx,
Regarding your below question I had already answered them before. Please refer to the 10 steps as stated in the Avijja sutta on cultivation as reproduced below from our broteoh.com website.

The second sequence of Avijja sutta is:

1. True Knowledge (Vijja) leading to enlightenment and the nutriment for this is

2. The Seven Enlightenment factors (Satta Bojjhanga) and the nutriment for this is

3. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana) and the nutriment for this is

4. The three ways of good conduct (mind, body and speech) and thenutriment for this is

5. Restraint of the sense faculties and the nutriment for this is

6. Mindfulness and clear comprehension (Sati and Sampajanna) and nutriment for this is

7. Wise consideration (Yoniso Manasikara) and nutriment for this is

8. Confidence/Faith (Saddha) in Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha andnutriment for this is

9. Listening to true Dharma and nutriment for this is

10. Association with good Dharma and spiritual friends (Kalyanamittas).

(Note: Again you can see association with good Dharma or spiritual friendsor Kalyanamittas is a pre-requisite needed to arrive at that path that ends in True Knowledge (or Vijja)/enlightenment. That is the reason why the Buddha clearly instructs us via saying to Venerable Ananda: ‘havingDharma/spiritual/noble friends (kalyanamittas) is 100% of the holy life.”Hence developing and promoting true kalyanamittaship among all Buddhist within the Buddhist communities is most important.

Base on the above you  must have completed steps 4, 5, 6 & 7 before you can commence the cultivation of  the Four foundation of mindfulness (step 3). Step 7 (Yoniso manasikara)  will give rise to the initial wisdom required for sense restrain (step 5) leading to step 4 (the 3 ways of right or good conduct) to be possible. Having the 3 ways of good conduct means the cultivator already has the ability of overcome covetousness and grief.  Step 7 leading to step 6 is also very important because without step 6 you lack a very stable daily mindfulness to see your defilements and to overcome them via the 4 right efforts.
The other reason is, without steps 4, 5, 6 & 7 cultivated you will be wasting your time ‘cultivating’ step 3 which is the Four foundation of mindfulness because you are not ready and u don’t have the ability to do it because youcan’t understand the cultivation which is sati based and not thought based.
Hope the above helps and is clear by now.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: xxxxxx
Sent: 30 April 2019 14:44
To: Bro Teoh Kian Koon;

Subject: Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 10th March and 7 April 2019

Dear Brother Teoh,
I have a question. Why is it that only after overcoming covetousness and grief, can one start to cultivate the 4 Foundation of Mindfulness? Is it not because we have covetousness and grief that we need to purify ourselves through the 4 Foundation of Mindfulness? 

Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 10th March 2019

Brother Teoh’s transcript book: Cultivating the Bodhisattva Way, pages 55-62

  1. Karmic fruition triggers karmic obstruction and is very powerful.

  2. To clear karmic obstruction, ask for forgiveness from the Triple Gem and invoke power of merits. The Triple Gem are ever ready to forgive through their vow and pure wish so that sentient beings are able to cultivate the Way/Path of Dharma without obstruction.

  3. The 10 Perfections cultivation are generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, spiritual zeal, patience endurance, truthfulness, determination/aspiration, loving kindness and equanimity.

  4. Dharma is not just theory. It has to be cultivated in the midst of life. Investigate the Dharma in our daily life activities. When the Dharma stands up to investigation, there will be understanding and faith.

  5. Only Bodhisattvas have precepts to break because Bodhisattvas take precepts.

  6. It is very important to understand what constitute evil so that they can be recognised and abandoned.

  7. Strive to connect to our truth nature early in every life. Learn the Dharma fast so that the Bodhisattva seed is activated early and perfect our karmic nature until it cannot fall any more.

  8. Long or short period of time is of no difference for a Bodhisattva once Enlightenment is attained.

  9. Question from Sister Tammy: Is Adhitthana and Law of Attraction the same?

  10. Brother Teoh explained that the Law of Attraction does not give the whole perspective of things as it does not take into account the law of karma. If the thoughts are positive but with evil roots, negative karma will arise. Then, those positive thoughts (with evil roots) will only work in the beginning until merits are depleted, then negative fruition will kick in.

  11. Question from Sister Soo: What is cetasika? How can cetasika help in our cultivation?

  12. Brother Teoh explained that cetasika is just mental concomitant/states/content of consciousness which we must be aware of.

  13. Brother Song shares his cultivation experience where he has heightened awareness and understanding of the Dharma. He saw bright lights and was aware of birds flying above his head.

  14. Brother Teoh rejoiced with Brother Song’s progress but cautioned him against attaching to the manifestation (the bright light) which is just a conditioned state. Clinging will block progress.

  15. At feeling, understand the cause so that the mind does not stir and one will then have self restraint.

  16. Sister Soo asked why she has no feeling and thoughts during her spiritual trip to India. She also asked why she has so much aversion to beggars.

  17. Brother Teoh explained that her mind was suppressed through faith. If she has relaxed into it, it will change into a free mind. As for the beggars, there must be understanding to overcome the aversion.

Outline short notes for Sunday class dated 7th April 2019

Brother Teoh’s transcript book: Cultivating the Bodhisattva Way, pages 62-

  1. We are all connected in existence. Everything is interdependent. Our nature contributes to what the universe is today.

  2. The egoic mind that separates us from the Whole causes us suffering. Enlightened Beings can see clearly this reality of life, i.e. no mark and are conditions arising.

  3. Law of independence = Karma – due to causes and conditions.

  4. Explanation of 5 Daily Contemplation.

  5. Accept karma. Don’t react to karma with negativity. Develop the right view. Follow the Noble Eightfold Path to resolve the problem. When one understands this, one is liberated. If this is not understood, one will suffer or be miserable. With the Dharma, life is beautiful.

  6. We cannot help everyone all the time. When there is no condition, nothing can be done. When there is condition, help can be offered.

  7. Relationship is important only for the form and mind.

  8. Buddhahood is the completion of the cultivation of the Bodhisattva Path.

  9. Cultivate and investigate the Dharma to have the understanding life after life to break karmic obstruction.

  10. Do no play the game of suffering, i.e. cocoon oneself in wrong thoughts or holding to thoughts of previous negative experiences like phobia, sorrow which impacted on them – re-playing these negative memories again and again through thoughts or speech. Need to be aware of this and abandon this habit.

  11. Whenever we are not happy, there are defilements. One is caught in cocoon of wrong thoughts and is miserable.

  12. Question from Sister PG: How to establish affinity with Great Beings besides invoking power of merits?

  13. Brother Teoh explained that we can also pay respect with faith or call/chant name of the Great Beings.

  14. Brother Teoh went through the Q&A section of the Klang talk on understanding meditation where Sister Jeanne’s son asked whether anapanasati as taught by the Buddha is a technique or a meditation.

  15. Meditation is to train the mind to be heedful to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path (N8FP).

  16. Heedfulness is to be ever mindful and constantly meditative of the N8FP.

  17. The cultivation of the 4 Foundation of Mindfulness (after overcoming covetousness and grief) is the only way for the purification of beings, for overcoming of sorrow and lamentation and to realise enlightenment:

    (1) First foundation – Kayanupassana or mindfulness of the physical body

      • To train the mind to be mindful, the Buddha recommends us to start with anapanasati which is just a method and technique that serve as an initial skillful means to train the mind to be mindful so that it does not wander off and be lost in thoughts.

      • After anapanasati is developed, do not continue it any more. Move to daily mindfulness (sati sampajanna) of the 4 postures.

      • Then later move to mindfulness of all movements in between the 4 postures to reach stability of mindfulness, to see our mental intentions and to understand the spiritual teachings.

(2) Second foundation – vedananupassana or mindfulness of feelings

(3) Third foundation – cittanupassana or mindfulness of the content of consciousness

(4) Fourth foundation – dhammanupassana or mindfulness of the essential dhamma

      • Mindfulness of 5 mental hindrances and spiritual faculties

      • Mindfulness of 5 aggregates of form and mind

      • Mindfulness of 6 internal sense bases and 6 external sense bases

      • Mindfulness of of the 4 Noble Truths (N8FP is the last Noble Truth)

Thank you.

With metta always,

xxx

Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 11 April  2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 11 April  2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
Dear Phey Yuen and all,
Below is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Short Notes for Brother Teoh’s April 11 2019 Thursday class  

  1. Brother Teoh encouraged kalyanamittas to report their meditation as by reporting you can be guided in your understanding and others can learn too. When you can be mindful and heedful throughout the day, it can help you settle down very fast during your formal meditation. Anapanasati is developed very fast too. It is normal for thoughts to arise if you still have mental hindrances but if you are aware of them through understanding you will not be affected by it or drawn into it. Just let things be and relax then the thoughts will slow down until mind returns to its original state ofsilent inner awareness.
  2. Sister Eng Bee reported her meditation as follows: during sitting her mind was clear and she was mindful and aware most of the time. There was hardly any thoughts. Her awareness was very clear. Then she recall her intention to ask Bro Teoh a question.
  3. Brother Teoh explained that before you meditate, you already have the intention to ask that question, that is how it can condition such thoughts to arise. This is termed as subtle ‘accumulation’. As you have the intention to ask that question, it is already in your memory or subconscious mind. When you are quiet, these thoughts then arise as response to memory. As you meditate, you will be able to see other thoughts that you have held on to unknowingly from your heedless living. Just a little attention given to a thought or any life situation, due to habitual tendencies, it goes into your subconscious and gets accumulated, which then arise later on when there is conditions. But when you are aware with understanding, it does not get accumulated.
  4. Meditation is to train the mundane mind in sati then to stabilize it to realize Passaddhi (the tranquility and stillness of mind). Passaddhi needs to be very stable so that you are always aware even after you are out of your formal meditation. When your mind enters sati, everything you do, you are in sati. Your hearing, seeing, smell, taste, touch, etc. are all in sati. When this happens it is important that practitioners do not fall intocomplacency. Instead develop continuity of mindfulness i.e. to master the skill to do it consistently even after the meditation retreat. Thus agood daily religious routine is essential to stabilize our cultivation. When there is clarity in every sense experience, there is no accumulation butonly a flow of pure awareness within life. There is joy arising due to the clarity and understanding, but if you are not careful it can lead to complacency. The mind is just aware most of the time. Aware, aware, aware…
  5. When you are still under training, precepts are important to keep because you reap what you sow and you must not be complacent or getoverexcited when you experience some good results. You can share with others but only on what you understand and experience. To realizefruition of cultivation, the cultivator needs further contemplation andreflection. Fruition gives rise to understanding that enabling you to share with others easily. Prior to this, you only understand but could not express it clear to others as yet. As you cultivate, sharing arises by itself after your understanding has stabilized. Unless you have cultivated before in the past, you would have to go through the normal cultivation process step by step. You can only understand up to the level you have developed them in the past. From there, you will continue with your cultivation to progress accordingly following the training established.
  6. Master Hui Neng heard the truth of: ‘the mind must have no dwelling’ and awaken right away. This can only happen to those who have developed their past understanding.
  7. Buddha says “heedfulness is the path to the deathless, heedlessness is the path to the dead. The heedful do not die, the heedless are as if dead.” With heedfulness, you can see the arising of thought and if you are caught by it, you can come out of it if you are aware and heedful. You can also develop the ability to see your subtle accumulation and attachment to sense experiences, if you are ever mindful.
  8. Human beings have given undue importance to many small things in life and end up accumulating these things via their own likes and dislikes,thus making them restless and agitated most of the time. But withheedfulness and yoniso manasikara, the mind develops wisdom and does not stir anymore thus it can be at peace with whatever life situation. There is joy in life, no more panicking/reacting/getting overexcited. You understand the causes and conditions behind all these emotional arisingbecause you do things with awareness/sati. Thus you are able to live theheedful life from moment to moment and have clarity of mind to understand deeply the dhamma arising while in midst of life itself.
  9. True dhamma can only be realized while in the midst of life itself, not from theory in the book which are mere words, concepts and thoughts. The dhamma on the 3 evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion are usually taught as words and concepts whereas in real cultivation youexperience them and you are fully aware of them while in real life without words. When you can ‘see’ them arising within your form and mind and how they make you evil – that is true cultivation. No more theoretical dhamma. Just like the finger pointing at the moon – the finger is not the moon. To realize the moon one must gaze beyond the finger. Similarly the dhamma points to truth. To realize the truth one must not cling to the dhamma which are mainly words. Real dhamma only arisewhen your daily mindfulness is very stable. When you can ‘see’ it clearly in life you transformed from within, leading to real awakening. Then you will come to understand that life itself is our greatest teacher for things are just the way they are and Truth which is beyond word is everywhere. Living beings tend to use words which tend to camouflage the real seeing.
  10. Before the views, conditioning and thoughts get involved, you can see thing as it is. But your memory’s views, opinions and conditioningintervene very fast to distort your pure seeing. All that you know areknowledge, words and concepts arising through memory and thoughtsand these are not real understanding. The real understanding lies inknowing their movements leading to the understanding of the law of dependent origination or 12 links (paticca samuppada) teaching.
  11. Dhamma is an understanding which is not rigid – unlike knowledge because everything is in a state of flux and Life is always a dynamic flow which is not static. Hence it can only be understood via wisdom.

  12. Hey no you, hey no me. As you awaken through daily mindfulness you will know this very deeply through wisdom and not mere words. Later on the mundane mind collapses, resulting in real seeing with clarity from ones nature. (Brother Teoh shared his experience on this). Please do listento the audio recording to develop the clear, beautiful and deep understanding of the dhamma shared on that night.
  13. Thought is limited and egoic. Pure Awareness shrinking into a small spaceto form a thought upon perception by the mundane mind. The small space receives the content of consciousness (memories, views, opinions and conditioning) inputted via our brain to form a thought. Thesubconscious and the unconscious have all the trapped phobias, scars of memories, insecurities, etc. accumulated previously. These then trigger off fear and causes suffering. BUT you are the pure awareness beyond the thoughts, that spacious awareness without a center.  So who fear? What fear?
  14. Insecurity is not easy to root out because it is tied to the self and onesnon understanding of the law of karma. Why are you insecure? Thought which is egoic tends to project itself and creates insecurity via the atta (self). Understand that Law of karma only manifests through conditions so we should trust our karma to give us real security. Thus without such understanding, the sense of insecurity will be there. It is a false conceptwhich deluded living beings cling on to. Wisdom is needed to root this out.
  15. You need to cultivate until your awareness is so clear and stable that you can see the subtle greed, hatred and delusion that arise. Only then youcan root them out through wisdom. They come through mental accumulation borne of self-delusion. Whatever you give meaning to, you will accumulate. With strong daily mindfulness and understanding, there and then we are able to see it clearly.
  16. It is only a thought and thought arises and passes away very quickly so how come it has power to make you feel so miserable and unhappy? It is because the user of thought is deluded. It arises wrong thoughts tocondition your fear, worry, anxiety and all the other negative emotionsleading to suffering. However by contemplating the beautiful dhamma to understand how all these come about, you will have wisdom leading tomore joy, peace, calmness, contentment, metta, faith in the triple gem, good spiritual faculties and wholesome mind states borne of right thoughts. We will become more respectful and appreciative of life and we will have more space between thoughts leading to more moment of awareness and quietness of mind.
  17. Contentment, gratitude and an appreciative mind are good virtues. When you can appreciate life and what your loved ones and nature have given you (their love and their sacrifices) you will not complain anymore. When you have contentment in life, you do not compare and crave for more things hence you will be have less suffering and more happiness as you are already contented and more at peace. Your mind becomes beautiful. You are grateful to others who have helped you. These are virtues of true cultivators.
  18. Sister Eng Bee further shared that she was aware of all the many external vibrations caused by heavy rain and internal sensations of her body like her heartbeats etc. As her awareness (without words) was very clear, herunderstanding suddenly came allowing her to understand clearly that ‘all things arise due to conditions’ and they are all dependent originating. She then did the lying down meditation.
  19. Brother Teoh explained that lying down meditation is good as it frees your energy build up. This will make you more aware with much clarity then all things flow as it is and you will understand condition arising, causal phenomena very clearly. When there is contact at the sense bases, sense consciousness arise. This is condition arising. All phenomena exhibit these characteristics: Empty nature, impermanence and non-self. The form and mind is like a mechanical thing. In every movement of awareness there is no one there. In the seeing, there is only the seeing consciousness, no one to see. Same with thought, hearing, smelling, taste and tactile feeling. All these are condition arising/causal phenomena. Hence there is no permanent unchanging entity within. A lot of things will happen when you have a stable daily mindfulness. Not until your daily mindfulness has stabilized the real meditation has not started yet.
  20. The Buddha said, ‘strive on with heedfulness’ for Heedfulness (ever mindful and constantly meditative) is the path to the deathless. As you are aware with more clarity, wisdom will arise and when your heartbeat starts to slows down trust your nature and let your awareness be. Yourvibrations will become more refined. You will detect the gateway to your nature. The Yin and Yang energies will melts and flows through your gateway to your nature as pure energy. This pure energy will opens up the nadi (minor chakras) and major chakras. When this happens, do not do anything but just silent, relax and trust the nature to do. Don’t allow the thought to interfere with your meditation. The by-product is gas. Your body system is cleansed. Pure awareness shines forth. This wisdom energy can cause the mundane mind to collapse as the mundane mind istoo gross to exist in this field of fine wisdom energy. Bro Teoh shared his above experiences in fairly great detail that night. For more detail please listen to his this audio file.

  21. Awakening can happen if you listen attentively with a silent mind. Brother Teoh shared that his nature came into this world with his past vows, aspirations and cultivation thus able to understand all these. For you all to be born as humans during Buddha sasana also show that you all have your past cultivation. Brother Teoh shared that one of his very unique aspirations was to realize the highest wisdom possible whenever his nature arise.
  22. In the Diamond sutra it is stated that merits accrued by those who understand its 4 stanzas and able to share them with the world is very high and very rare. To realize ones true nature (which is without thought) is very important. Enlightenment is always spontaneous and the moment you understand you awaken. It does not take time.  Either you awaken and understand or you don’t.
  23. True mind is without thought whereas mundane mind is full of imagesand thinking. 
  24. Brother Teoh confirmed Sister Eng Bee’s understanding that ‘all the conditioned phenomena must cease for the unconditioned to arise’. Form and Mind must cease for the realization of nibbana to arise. When it happens, the 3 areas of main consciousness at the brain, heart and Tan Tien areas returns to the gateway and shut down. It returns to the nature and completely ceases. Pure awareness is also gone. But you are not dead. There is no word to describe this. When you come out of that cessation, the 3 area of consciousness arise again. This whole process is seen clearly by the form and mind that realize that cessation. According to Brother Teoh cessation happened many times: once while in Cameron Highlands, a few times at home and once in New Zealand when he meditated with his last teacher at his house in Hamilton. (Above draft was prepared by Sister Phey Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 4 April  2019 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 4 April  2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 10 April 2019 08:50
Subject: Re: Thursday class April 4th 2019 short notes

Dear Sister Angie and all,
Sadhu! to you for your below draft. Enclose herewith is the edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Outline Short Notes for Brother Teoh’s April 4th Thursday class

1.       Meditation is to train the mind to be heedful. When the 5 spiritual faculties are developed, you can just straight away meditate. Relax and be aware to realizethe silent mind (which is the meditative mind).

2.       First step towards wisdom is to be aware. The moment you are without thought you are already aware. When you are aware that you are heedless (no longer aware), at that moment, there is mindfulness and awareness. This is what sati is. Or in the words of J Krishnamurti, ‘the awareness of inattention is attention’.

3.       With this awareness, you can understand how you function as a human being and how you get lost in thought. It is through all this understanding that you can get to know what you are (the 5 aggregates of form and mind) and who you are. See that clearly: ‘When you are without wisdom, the 3 evil roots of greed hatred and delusion are actively conditioning the wrong thoughts to cause you problems in life’. Without the 5 spiritual faculties of saddha, viriya, sati, samadhi and panna, the opposite 5 mental hindrances will arise to hinder your mind from enter the meditative state of inner peace and inner awareness.

4.       Mind that is collected and unwavering has samadhi and samadhi can prevents the mind from stirring. With sati and samadhi, you can see things as they areand awaken to the reality of the moment, before the conditioning, views and opinions from memory come in to intervene/interfere with our seeing. Wisdom arises. Without the spiritual faculties and the understanding of the dhamma, mental hindrances will arise causing the mind to react and stir. Pleasant and unpleasant sense experiences (which are the first 2 mental hindrances) will then arise within your mental states. Without viriya, you will feel lethargic to meditate. Without sati, Samadhi and wisdom, you will have restlessness of mind, hence your lack of peace.

5.       Real meditation can only starts when ones daily mindfulness is very stable. You need to be heedful and use the ever mindful state to cultivate the noble eightfold path. To progress you need to constantly meditate via having a good religious routine and a very stable daily mindfulness. At the same time constantly reflect and contemplate to straighten your view. Your life is your greatest teacher. The truth is within yourself.  You will then understand who you are, what you are and how you function as a human being via the wisdom developed. This is what meditation is all about.

6.       With awareness, you have space between thoughts i.e. clarity, silence and hence peaceful of mind. The moment you are aware of your negative thoughts and heedless thinking, the momentum of these negative thoughts to continue the habitual thinking breaks. When there is space between thoughts the conditioned mind can break free. Thus when you are constantly aware, the heedless thinking mind fails to have power over you.
7.       Because of heedlessness, human beings tend to react to situations due to their habitual tendencies borne of wrong views. The conditioned mundane mind pulls you into negativity and it is this deluded mundane mind that lives your life. As you realize the unreality of form and mind, you can then straighten your view to break free. 

8.       Meditation as taught by the Buddha: is to develop a stable sati to see things as they are to insight into the 3 universal characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta to develop the wisdom to free our mind. No more delusion or suffering. Relax into whatever mind states (whether pleasant or unpleasant) that arise. Know that this like and dislikes are due to your mundane mind’s conditioning and habitual tendencies. After having awaken to this understanding and wisdom, you can transform your life for the better. You will have morewholesome mind states that arise via your new heedful way of living which are so different from those of your past rather unwholesome mind states borne of heedless living. 

 

9.       The true mind is the tranquil and still mind in pure awareness without thought and such a mind – can awaken to the 3 universal characteristics of impermanence, suffering state and non-self or empty nature of existence.

10.   Without wisdom, maras may come and attack you, making you miserable. Most human beings merely existed through life because they are only conscious of life and they are hardly mindful and aware within. But when you are constantly aware, you truly live life.
11.   If you do not know who you are, what you are, then who is living your life? Thedeluded thought is living your life. Beforethoughts arise, our nature is just pure awareness, the true mind (or spacious awareness without a center). When you perceive something, a thought arise. From spacious awareness, you zoom into a limited space to perceive something to arise the thought. After you perceive, you input the content of consciousness following your views and opinions. Thought is pure awareness with its content of consciousness. That is how the 5 mental aggregates of form and mind arise.

12.   This thought is limited because after you focus, thought arise within this small limited space. This limited and egoic thought cannot see the whole and is incapable of awareness. This thought is not you but merely a dependent originating (or condition arising) thought entity.

13.   Upon contact of mind with the sense bases, you can become conscious of what you see, smell, taste, tactile feeling and think. With proper meditativeunderstanding you will understanding that this thought is not you. But when you think they are you, self-delusion sets in. Wrong thoughts cause your lack of peace. The 3 evil roots of greed, hatred, delusion, which comes from your accumulated memories of good and bad experiences are all embedded deep in your subconscious and unconscious. Most deluded people tend to hold onto their negative emotions thus creating more wrong thoughts and suffering. The main cause of suffering is attachment, clinging and craving borne of self-delusion. Thus if you do not know who you are, you can be deluded by these thoughts. These wrong thoughts then live your life.

14.   The 5 mental aggregates of body and mind (feeling, perception, mental states, mental form and consciousness) arise and pass away but you did not die. Hence they are not you. You are the pure awareness which is beyond the form and mind.

15.   Brother Danny, after our recent retreat at Cameron Highlands shared a book by Paul Ferrini. From John Bradshaw’s commentary on Paul Ferrini’s Heal Your Life books – it is mentioned that Paul Ferrini’s work is a must read for all people who are ready to take responsibility for their own healing. From Larry Dossey’s commentary on his work – Paul Ferrini is a modern day Kahlil Gibran, a poet, mystic, visionary, teller of truth.

16.   Excerpt from Paul Ferrini’s book: “Silence is the essence of the heart. You cannot be in the heart unless you are in forgiveness of yourself and others. You cannot be in the heart if you are worried or angry. You cannot be in the heart if your breathing is shallow or labored. When the breath is labored, thinking is driven by fear and anxiety. Your mind-states are rooted in the past or future. Unless you return to the heart, you cannot see with compassion. And one who does not see with compassion does not see accurately. All that is perceived is a fabrication, a hyperbole. It simply feeds your boredom or anxiety.”

17.   Brother Teoh further explained that when you forgive others you free yourselfbecause when you forgive others your hatred, envy and jealousy (evil roots)are gone (or rooted out) hence your heart is free. Brother Teoh also did not quite agree with Paul Ferrini’s statement on ‘silence is the essence of theheart’. To be more precise, it should be ‘silence is the essence of our nature or true mind’ – it has nothing to do with the heart. Instead the heart is where theconscience resides. There is also a gateway to our nature within our heart. The conscience comes from our nature. It can only arise when we are withoutthought. You need to be mindful enough to know it. When you are silent in your heart, you can be mindful and aware.

18.   Excerpt from Paul Ferrini’s book: “When you return to the heart, you abide in the silence from which all sound comes. Like a boat on the ocean you feel the waves swell beneath you. You move with the waves, but you know you are not the waves. Thoughts come and go, yet you know you are not the thoughts. You abide with the ebb and flow of the ride, moving in and out, feeling the contraction and expansion of thought. Beneath the thinking mind is a pure, non-judgmental awareness. When you discover the awareness, you fall into the heart. Then giving and receiving are effortless.” Meditation is effortless because the last support is truth and all true meditation is by the true mind which is without thought.

19.   As you understand who and what you are, it is essential to do the 5 daily contemplations (I am subject to aging; I am subject to illness; I am subject to death; I will separate from all that is dear and appealing to me; I am the owner of my actions. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir) as taught by the Buddha.

20.   You make use of this body and mind (as a vehicle and tool) for you to live life. Even when you know this is not you, you need to do your duty in life because this form and mind is subject to karma.

21.   The pure nature cannot come out and live life, but everything arises from there. Thus you can only truly live life when you are with the awareness and not when you are constantly lost in thought.

(Above draft short notes is by Sister Angie Chong)

Date: 4 April 2019

Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 28 March 2019 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 28 March 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
With metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 04 April 2019 05:59
To: Pheyyuen Chong
Subject: Re: Bro Teoh’s March 28th 2019 Thursday class 

Dear Angie Chong,
Below are the above 28 March 2019 Thursday class edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Short Notes for Brother Teoh 28 March 2019 Thursday class Talk

  1. Sister Tammy asked that in her daily life, she realized that even though her mind is relatively calm and mindful, there is still thoughts arising. She sometimes still gets involved in it. She is aware of her aversion or dislike when these thoughts arise. She is also aware when she has been distracted by the thoughts.
  2. Brother Teoh shared that when you are aware, the mind actually separates from this thoughts. There is aversion because you still perceivethose thoughts negatively. Meditation is to develop the ability to silentthe mind while in the meditative state to develop the wisdom and understanding needed for awakening. Whatever mind states that arises, you just relax into it first, regardless of whether you like it or don’t like it. These likes and dislikes are your habitual response due to your conditioning.
  3. As you stabilize your awareness, your mind becomes calm and it will startto experience piti leading to sukha. As you relax further into it, the mind will become very quiet and tranquil. If you continue to silent and relax your mind, you will finally develop passaddhi (the tranquility and stillness of mind).
  4. Those who go into adsorption and one pointedness samatha concentration also experience piti and sukha. Experiencing these jhanic factors, the energy field built up is strong, some use it for psychic powers. Some also use to radiate loving kindness and metta. Thought based energy is still within the field of thought, as such it cannot brings about wisdom and if you don’t know how to use, it can give rise to problem due to yin yang imbalance. Without wisdom they can be deceived by maras too.
  5. If you can relax and maintain your awareness, whatever that arise can give rise to understanding/wisdom. With understanding, you will know why you behave in such a way due to your views, opinions, belief system and conditioning. It is the accumulated views and opinions that cause your likes and dislikes. But with awareness, you will understand and you are able to break the pattern. Key word is relax and be aware. You will reach a point where you are aware naturally (mind enters sati).
  6. Life itself is our greatest teacher, all that arise within our own form and mind is our teacher for us to develop self-knowledge leading to wisdom. This is basically what meditation is all about.
  7. By straightening your views, you will understand and be aware when greed, hatred and delusion arise. As you cultivate more awareness, there is less stirring of mind, more sati, you are more peaceful and calmer. With strong daily mindfulness, there is heedful living.
  8. As you contemplate the truth, there is understanding.  The moment any thought arises, the yonisomanasikara (the initial wisdom developed after straightening your views), will come out and guide you. You see your thoughts and know whether you have been lost in thought or not. When you are aware that you are lost in thought, you must not develop the aversion but instead accept it via wisdom to relax into it. When you can do that the momentum of thinking breaks, you can then be free of its conditioning. So when you meditate just silent, relax and be aware.
  9. This awareness will slow down and follow your heartbeat, then as you continue to relax and silent, the mind becomes very quiet until there is no more movement. Mind is still. No observer at all but just awareness itself.
  10. With meditation, you hardly dream. If you dream, it is usually only thebalance of subconscious and unconscious releases. In the deep state of sleep, any hidden phobia or fear are released. After they are fully released, there is no such dreams anymore.
  11. When you are in your subconscious state, you may not know about the trapped phobias, thus believing your fears/thoughts. But the moment you understand, you can root them out. No need to fear or suppress it. They can be rooted out through wisdom. These phobias are released with wisdom while in the meditative state.
  12. Initial wisdom developed through hearing, contemplation and reflection (the 1st and 2nd turnings wisdom) is very important. When there is sati sampajanna (developed via a very stable daily mindfulness), there is morespace between thoughts and quietness and calmness of mind can be felt more frequently. Then the cultivator can break free from their thoughts conditioning. Space between thoughts is wisdom energy. This is the true mind. When wisdom increases, vibration becomes more refined. The Mundane mind will finally collapse when it is too gross to exist within that fine vibration environment. Your awareness will then just shines forth thereafter. It is the mundane mind that obscures your true mind. When you are lost in thoughts and preoccupied with the thinking and the emotions, you will become heedless and there is no chance for the awareness to shine forth.
  13. The book, ‘Understanding the Heart and the Mind’ explains the karmic force and the gateway to your nature.
  14. Your mind is like a garden, thus take good care of this garden by planting only the good seeds of wholesomeness (all the right thoughts of gratitude, generosity, goodness, gentleness, pleasantness, love, compassion and wisdom, virtue, kindness, contentment and respect, etc. instead of planting weeds (the unwholesome wrong thoughts of anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, enmity, vengeance, sorrow and lamentation, fear, worry and anxiety, etc.) to conditioned our suffering. The moment you are heedful, you will be ever mindful, then you can meditate and wisdom will unfold.
  15. When you know how to meditate, wisdom will be there. Withoutmindfulness, there is no heedfulness. Thus you must always be mindful to develop the spiritual faculties and the meditation. The moment you are relax and just aware (without thought), there is sati. You then stabilize itand use it to cultivate Noble Eightfold path (leading to heedfulness). Withwisdom developed you can straighten your views and all other essentialdhamma will then fall into place. There is understanding of who you are and what you are. You see clearly the evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion. You can then cultivate the 4 right efforts to constantly purifyyour thoughts, speech and actions leading to the 3 ways of right conducts. This is how the whole cultivation can be developed resulting in joy and transformation.
  16. The mundane mind will be a good tool for you to use. No more wrong thoughts controlling your life. Instead you are the master of your own thoughts. You use the 4 right efforts to root out the unwholesome thoughts. After that there is sense restraint leading to the 3 ways of right conducts and the cultivation of the 4 foundations of mindfulness. The 7 factors of enlightenment will keep arising.
  17. With sincerity you never deviate. Perseverance and faith drives you on to cultivate. You will then understand the whole cultivation and awakening processes. With faith and constant diligent contemplation & reflection the initial wisdom (yonisomanasikara) follows suit resulting in sati sampajanna.

(Above short notes is by Sister Angie Chong)

With metta always,

Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 7 March 2019 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Below are the audio and short notes links to our 7 March 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all:
Video on: The 4 Supports for awareness based meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=cbozlwbCMw0
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 12 March 2019 03:15
To: Angie Ng
Subject: Re: Short notes for Thursday class MARCH 7 2019

Dear Angie and all,
Enclosed are the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Bro Teoh’s Thursday Meditation class March 7, 2019 Outline short notes

  1. Bro Teoh advised all Kalyanamittas to sincerely (with faith) cultivate the Buddha Dhamma to transform their life for the better and to use their dhamma understanding to live the good life for the benefits of all.
  1. Sis Angie shared that learning to relax is very profound and important in our meditation practice and has helped her see how her body and mind moved as one and has now experience much less tension. Bro Teoh rejoiced and confirmthat the first support for awareness based meditation to  always relax into every mind states that arise during meditation is very important, otherwise one may develop meditative concentration and energy build up, leading to stress, tension and headache. This concentrated and focused mind is a conditioned mind, is not a free mind and will not lead you to wisdom and understanding of who you are and what are you. Only the free mind can allow you to see things as they are to develop the wisdom i.e. having the direct knowledge and vision of the reality to understand the Truth (Nature’s laws that govern all of life and existence) as taught by the Buddha.
  1. Relax is the first of the 4 supports for awareness based meditation:
    • To relax into every mind state that arise. Be at ease so that there is no tension, no suppression, no concentration, no control and focusing of the mind. The relaxed mind is a free mind which is just aware and there is no thought to cloud the true mind and this will allow the mind to enter satiand samadhi (the collected and unwavering free mind).
    • Without thought, you are already aware and you don’t have to doanything to be aware. The natural state of your mind before your heedless thinking and stirring thought process, is actually stillness and tranquility. The reason why most people cannot realize that tranquil silent state of mind is that their thoughts are active throughout the day. Thoughts = mundane mind = thinking mind = conditioned arising or dependent originating mind. Understand this and your meditation will become easy. The mundane mind arises from your mental stirring borne of your own delusion.
    • Aware and silent the mind. Aware means relax and silent – no thinking. Don’t try to do anything. When you are silent, everything will slow downand cease and your original state of mind will return. This is real meditation. The moment you are without thought, your true mind is there. When there is mental activities (stirring of mind), thought arises, the mundane mind arises and there is delusion.
    • When you stabilize your true mind, you develop samadhi and your daily mindfulness will fall into place. Do not belief in what people say or what is shared here too, but inquire, reflect and investigate into all this and find out for yourself to see if this stand up to investigation. That is how you can develop the understanding to straighten our view.
    • 24 hours support means trying to maintain our awareness for as long as we can.
    • Trust your true nature
  1. Bro Teoh also shared the 3 hallmarks of Hui Neng’s teaching which lead directlyto the true mind having: No Thought, No Mark and No Dwelling.
  1. No thought = true mind. Without understanding the true mind, you cannot understand truth. You cannot realize your true mind if your spiritual faculties are not developed. Your mental hindrances prevent you from entering themeditative state of inner peace, inner calmness, well-being and awareness.
  2. The Buddha taught Anapanasati is to help you develop mindfulness of the in and out breath leading to heedfulness. With mindfulness (you are without thought), you will experience piti and joy. With Sati when you investigate the Dhamma(Dhammavicaya), Viriya will arise when the Dhamma stands up to investigation. Viriya will drive you to cultivate further and your Sati will stabilize, then Piti will arise. Then you are supposed to relax into all mind states and maintain awareness then Piti will become more and more refine until it cumulates into Sukha. Continue to relax and your mind will become very quiet and subtle, and the mind enters sati leading to Passaddhi (the tranquility and stillness of mind) which is still, aware and without thought with nothing within. Stabilize it further till the mind is in Samadhi. With Sati, Pasaddhi and Samadhi, you can see things as they are and you will awaken. Wisdom will be developed leading to the arising of the last enlightenment factor of upekkha.
  1. Having dhamma friends -> listening to the true dhamma -> faith in the Triple gem (Buddha and his teaching) -> Yoniso manasikara (initial wisdom) -> Sati Sampajjana (mindfulness and clear comprehension). Sati when stabilize leading to heedfulness. Heedfulness = ever mindful + constantly meditative (cultivating the N8FP). Heedfulness (sati sampajjana) -> develops sense restrain -> develops the 3 ways of right conduct -> cultivate the 4 foundation of mindfulness -> leading to the 7 factors of enlightenment -> true knowledge leading to enlightenment, will fulfil all the 10 steps as stated in the enlightenment cycle of the Avijja Sutta.
  1. The Buddha advice the Kalamas to investigate into all Truth told to them. If it is the truth it will stand up to investigation. It will also bring above more wholesomeness and be conducive for the good life.
  1. Take care of Karma and karma will take care of your life and you will have the good life. Realize the true mind and be awaken to the Truth.
  1. Without thought, you are just aware, and there is no fear, no worry, no anxiety, no sorrow, no lamentation and no problem. You are just calm, peaceful and at ease. This is wonderful living.
  1. Bro Joseph enquired when we are in Sati, is it ok for us to recall the positive and beautiful songs and enjoy them. Bro Teoh thank Joseph for the rather good question because it will give rise to causes and conditions for him to discuss this rather important topic concerning life especially how to live life which many do not understand. As long as you are mindful and you understand, you can listen to nice music and watch the video or any cinema show. You can also have good food if there is condition for you to have them. The only advice by the Buddha isnot to be attached, not to cling and not to have craving. When there is no condition to have them, just accept the reality of it and do not allow the cravingto make you miserable or unhappy.

Human beings problem is, when they recall through  memories their scars of memories, phobias, life’s problem etc. they develop the unnecessary fear,  worry and anxiety instead of resolving them amicably with wisdom and understanding borne of dhamma understanding.

Do not accumulate such psychological memories borne of wrong views. Treat memory like random access memory (RAM) as in a computer, only access them when need to use them. The memory can still be there (inside the brain) but we don’t go and hold onto or cling on to them all the time to arise the unnecessary fear, worry and anxiety. Just be aware and don’t get lost in it and don’t crave for it (if it is something pleasant that you desire/like).

(The above draft outline short notes is by Sister Angie)

With metta always,

Teoh
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s Thursday class 28 Feb 2019

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Below are the audio and short notes links to our 28 Feb 2019 Thursday class for sharing by all.
7 factors of enlightenment video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJQdrzhThPc
 
 
With metta always,
Teoh