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Bro Teoh’s 31st May 2018 Thursday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Thursday class dated 31.5.2018 recording for sharing by all. As per Bro Swee Aun’s message: the below sharing   is *Highly recommended, must listen*👍👍👍 for it summarises very clearly all the   important   and essential  understanding needed for cultivation of the Buddha dharma leading to awakening.

SHORT NOTES FOR THE THURSDAY CLASS DATED 31ST MAY 2018

  1. Bro Teoh started the sharing by discussing the Sunday class short notes dated 27th May 2018. It contains the final instructions of the 6th It also summarizes all that we need to know about the cultivation. The ultimate cultivation takes us directly to the true mind or true nature.
  2. Three Kalyanamittas asked very good questions which helped to complement the whole understanding of the cultivation. The self-nature or oneness nature as expounded by Master Hui Neng is the Source of all thing which is also the unborn, the unconditioned where everything arises from.
  3. Master Shen Xiu has yet to realize his true mind when he wrote his poem for the 5th Bro Teoh explained that Master Shen Xiu had mistaken his mundane mind to be his true mind hence his mistaken focus on cultivating with his mundane mind. This was the reason for his failure to penetrate the true dharma.
  4. According to Master Hui Neng, if we do not create through the mundane mind, there is no duality. Bro Teoh continued to explain that when we use words created by concepts and ideas, there is division (such as race, religion etc). There will also be concepts of right and wrong, good and bad etc. These are relative truth, not ultimate truth.
  5. It is impossible to use the mundane mind to do away with duality. Hence, the practice of meditation should be understood. It should not be done to just overcome defilements and cling on to good mind states. Reason why the Buddha said ‘Imasmim sati idam hoti, Imasmim asati idam na hoti’ – ‘With the arising of this that arises; with the cessation of this that ceases.
  6. If one does not create, things are just the way they are, no right, no wrong, no good no bad. This is a very important understanding. This is wisdom. When we can accept things as they are, there is no more duality. So, we will always be at peace and there would be no more problems.
  7. Through delusion, the mundane mind creates duality. It is therefore important for cultivators to straighten their views. When there is right view, the mind will not stir and react to sense experiences because one can accept the reality of the moment. There is no more thought proliferation. The true mind will be able to see things as they are.
  8. Within the stillness and awareness, there is direct seeing which is unaffected by memory, views, opinions and conditioning. One can then understand the true suchness nature of all conditioned things.
  9. The form and mind is just a vehicle and tool for us to come to this existential world so use it appropriately with wisdom to live the noble life. With the wisdom of the unconditioned borne of the direct seeing, this form and mind will not be deluded by the phenomenal world anymore. Hence the reason why we should learn how to use the conditioned arising mundane mind yet not be deceived by it.
  10. Bro Teoh advised fellow Kalyanamittas not to waste time on tinted merits. Many Buddhists like to do dana. Merits alone cannot free our mind; without wisdom, there is still the concept of self that wants to do merits. Hence the action that follows comes from greed (subtle craving or desire) for those merits. Relying on tinted merits is not a safe refuge and it will not bring about wisdom to free the form and mind.
  11. Awakening to the truth and reality is not about sitting without understanding. We have to cultivate until we can reach the silent mind stage and then proceed from there to realize the true mind via the direct seeing. Otherwise, it is very difficult for one to awaken.
  12. Bodhidharma was the first Patriarch in China, the 28th after Sakyamuni Buddha. When Bodhidharma first arrived in a monastery in China, the monks didn’t respect him. Bodhidharma knew the monks were practicing meditation wrongly. Eventually, Bodhidharma was able to guide them back to the correct cultivation after making them realize that they did not have the basic understanding of the two aspects of mind as yet.
  13. From the self-nature, everything arises. It is complete by itself and how amazing it is that all dharmas arise from this self-nature. From the self-nature (the source) arises pure awareness. We can use this to cultivate even though the Self-nature cannot come out and live life. Bro Teoh reminded us of Dhammapada Verses 1 and 2.
  14. Mind is the forerunner of all thing, when mind arises, the entire phenomenal world arises. The mundane mind which is thought based cannot meditate because it is egoic hence deluded, thinking the phenomenal world is real. The ego which is the `atta’ or the personality craves to own and possess things. This leads to clinging and When it cannot get what it desires, the egoic mind become unhappy and stirred leading to more karmic negativity. Hence, one should not meditate using the mundane mind which is still within the field of thoughts. Thought based meditation cannot free the mind because the dharma is ‘akaliko’ – beyond thought (the timeless).
  15. But if we learn to silent the mundane mind to mindfully observe then wisdom can arise to retrospectively reverse everything; this cultivation can enable the form and mind to realize the true mind via wisdom.
  16. All koans are inquiries leading to the silent mind. Hence, the mundane mind must cease to realize ones true nature otherwise we are wasting our time following blind instructions to meditate without understanding.
  17. The Buddha’s teaching on right view with regards to the Law of Karma will enable us to understand how Dhammapada Verses 1, 2 & 183 (the advice of all Buddha – to avoid all evil, do good and purify mind) come about.
  18. The cultivation will enable us to realize impermanence and the unreality of form and mind via comprehending that everything within the conditioned world is dependent-originating and not real.
  19. Ignorance leads to unending births and deaths and without wisdom, living beings will be trapped in samsara.
  20. All methods and techniques are a waste of time if we do not know how to silent the mind (the analogy of allowing the pool of water to settle down after the bullock cart has passed over it during the Buddha’s time).
  21. The thought wants to practice but when we understand only wisdom frees, then our focus in cultivation is different. We can then accord and flow within the conditioned world following the famous Zen sayings on the 3 types of seeing: `Seeing Mountain as mountain (conventional or mundane seeing); seeing mountains as not mountains (direct seeing); and finally seeing mountains as mountains again (seeing things as they are or wise/suchness seeing)’. These are different stages of seeing depending on the level of one’s cultivation. Duality will always exist within the existential world.
  22. The best way to deal with sense experiences that impinge the mind is, to silent the mind to see things as they are. Using knowledge from memory is not wisdom. It is better to approach mind states like anger etc. using the 3rd way as taught by the Buddha via just being silent, aware and be with the anger (or any other emotion) then eventually anger which is condition arising ceases on its own when one does not react to stir the mundane anymore. But we cannot use it always because we have to live life. So, the best way is to reflect and contemplate via the 4th way to trace its origination factors until the understanding becomes very clear.
  23. The Buddha advised us to retrospectively reverse the stirring process via wisdom to see things as they are. `Why did I react? What is the cause?’ It is due to our wrong views. Learn how to straighten our views via understanding that if we have duality and concepts, suffering will arise. We have been conditioned to behave this way through the layers of conditioning since time immemorial. It’s the form and mind that needs to awaken to the 3 universal characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta. Without the awakening, it is very hard to break free from delusion.
  24. We are lucky because there are teachers who have discovered the ‘prototype wisdom’ for us to follow in cultivation. There is no need to search or find out via trial and error our self. Bro Teoh has the understanding and therefore his sharing can make our cultivation easier via acceptance of the reality.
  25. Always bear in mind that whatever that arises, there are causes and conditions behind. Human beings are the way they are due to karmic conditioning. This is what dharma is all about. By cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path together with the Four Right Efforts, wisdom will keep on arising. We should continue to contemplate until the understanding becomes so stable that in the midst of life, at every moment of sense perception, the mind does not stir and react anymore. If there is yoniso manasikara (wise attention) at the moment of sense experience the mind will be quiet and at ease. So overcoming duality is not about using knowledge. What we need is wisdom at the moment of sense consciousness. Otherwise, it is very difficult to overcome the habitual tendencies.
  26. Once wisdom arises, everything falls into place. There is that nature within which is independent of thinking. This awareness within can be aware of silence and stillness in nature even though there is no vibration or sense data.
  27. All beings are connected to the self-nature (the eternal nature) which is never born.
  28. When one understands this, meditation becomes easy. Meditation is not about right or wrong, not about what one must do. We need to understand what we are doing in the name of meditation. The mundane mind needs to be trained for it to realize the true mind. Not until there is mindfulness, there is no meditation leading to wisdom.
  29. In the midst of life, we should cultivate the daily mindfulness. Learn to see the physical, mental and nature’s flows within the phenomenal world. This is what daily mindfulness is all about and when our kayanupassana is stable, then only can we have the ability to see mind to cultivate cittanupassana. Many people think that they can see mind. In actual fact, most of them are only using thought to observe.
  30. Only when the daily mindfulness is very stable and one is aware most of the time with the silent mind, is there  sati sampajanna. This sati is either specific phenomena awareness (awareness and phenomena move as one, or spacious awareness without a center.
  31. Human beings are mostly too busy thinking, planning and worrying about life. Cultivation is to reverse all these negative tendencies so that one becomes heedful and aware most of the time.
  32. Learn to live life instead of thinking, planning and worrying about life. If we cannot do this, we cannot cultivate. Most heedless people are doing the reverse because their thought is always active. They are hardly aware. It is important to do our daily religious routine and bowing mindfully to decondition the heedless thinking mind.
  33. Try not to accumulate through memory so that there is space in the brain. We are just form and mind. So, as real as it can be, it is only within the moment. Split second it is gone. There is no reality in life, `Hence Hey no you! Hey no me!’ Be wary of accumulating scars of memory or toxic memory that makes one heedless.
  34. Whenever there is avijja we cannot deal with sense experience. So, we should contemplate the dharma until very clearly. Don’t worry about what people tell you just investigate and continuously straighten your views.
  35. Reading from short notes dated 27th May: When there is awakening, wisdom that arise will be connected to the form and mind. The form and mind (or human being) is no longer deluded, one can say it has become enlightened. However, this form and mind is not you and it is still subjected to the Law of Karma. This must be understood so that one can cultivate correctly.

(Draft prepared by Puan Chee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun

*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class May31, you can download at:*
or at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7ek9yoo5ti1kbi/Teoh%20class%20180531.MP3?dl=0
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*Highly recommended, must listen*👍👍👍

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Bro Teoh’s 24th May 2018 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Thursday night’s 24th May 2018 recording for sharing by all. Also enclose below is the outline short notes:

Outline notes for 24th May 2018 Thursday class sharing

1.  Recap of 1st May 2018 Tuesday class short notes.

2.  Recap of 17th May 2018 Thursday class short notes on GE14 and Karma.

3. The analogy of a cluttered table top, used to describe the untrained/heedless thinking mind:

  • Without right views one will deludedly accumulate a lot of  “rubbish” (views and opinions, conditioning, belief systems, rites and rituals, superstitions, psychological memories of fear, worry, anxiety, insecurity, etc) within our brain/memories.
  • Hence brain is cluttered with no Space to allow one to move around or act freely. Due to self-delusion one is full of sankhara (wrong thoughts), living a life of disorder.
  • Space (between thought) is freedom. Without thought there is no fear, no worry, no anxiety, etc. hence one can be with the moment to experience the pristine beauty and wonders of  nature and life.
  • Thoughts are response to memories so spaciousness or not accumulation of memories means no thought.
  • No thought implies silence, tranquility, stillness, peace and clarity of mind.

4.  Choose to contemplate dhamma until it is very very very clear to stabilize ones 2nd turning wisdom to prepare the stable base for one to receive/awaken to truth. 5.  Do not neglect your physical form and mind. It is karmically conditioned for us to come to this condition/existential world hence learn to use it and do not be deluded by it.

6.  Sis Eng Bee’s question:

  • what Bro Teoh meant by “the Consciousness had started to move since the year 2008”;
  • about the speculated prophecies of the words “RAHMAN” and “MAHATHIR”.

(Note: Outline prepared by Sis Soo Yee)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun

*if you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class May24, you can download at*
or at:
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Bro Teoh’s 3rd May 2018 Thursday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 3rd May 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all. Below are the short notes for the above talk:

SHORT NOTES OF TALK ON 3 MAY

1. Sharing by Sis Adeline

  • During her recent retreat at Cameron Highlands with a few Kalyanamittas (Mahayana Retreat), there was a lot of chanting. It was a struggle for her on the first day, but on the second day, her faith and mindfulness was so strong that her mind settled down and became one with the chanting. The five mental hindrances ceased and were replaced with the five spiritual faculties. 2.  Sharing by Sister Padmasuri
  • She explained the wordings and meaning of the chanting done during the recent Mahayana retreat. It will help a lot if one can chant them with understanding because their meanings are very profound. If one has strong faith in Kuan Yin, during times of danger and difficulties, Kuan Yin’s nature via its vows can appear to help bless, protect and guide one.
  1. Bro Teoh’s answer
  2. When doing repentance, do it with sincerity and understanding from the heart.
  3. Asking for forgiveness has a slight difference as compared with repentance. Repentance is more effective and powerful because there is a strong determination not to repeat this karmic negativity anymore.
  4. If one is a true cultivator, never allow one to break the precepts and commit karmic negativity that will give rise to negative karmic fruition.
  5. One should really repent and vow never to repeat the old ways. Instead, determine to change to a new way of living life via following the advice of the Buddha.
  6. As one goes deeper into the practice or cultivation, one’s understanding of the dharma deepens in stages.
  7. If one has cultivated before in past lives, it will be much easier to connect to the true mind.
  8. The real cultivation begins when the mind is just aware and silent within (without thought).
  9. When the stability of the silent mind is strong, one can awaken to the 3 characteristics.
  10. Understanding path and fruition in cultivation. For some, they can bypass certain stages if they have cultivated before in the past.
  11. One should not be impatient with one’s cultivation. If one uses the mundane mind to give rise to doubts, this becomes a mental hindrance. Instead, one should understand the nature’s laws. Only when there are causes and conditions, things will unfold accordingly.
  12. We too have to go through the stages of cultivation unless we have our past. If we have not cultivated before in the past, we should put in more faith and diligence this life as well as learn to make aspirations for causes and conditions for us to progress along the path of dharma. It is not easy for these teachings to come about.
  13. Whatever we do in the name of cultivation or meditation, if it doesn’t bring us back to develop the 5 spiritual faculties leading to heedfulness to cultivate the Noble 8fold path, then it is not the meditation as taught by the Buddha.
  14. Before the transformation happens, we cannot understand many things, so don’t worry but just proceed on with faith and sincerity to cultivate accordingly because after the transformation, the understanding will unfold naturally. The key thing is: `train your mind to be heedful.’
  15. Hence, don’t be gullible and be influenced by what others tell you. Bro Teoh advised us to constantly check ourselves with these questions – i) am I training my mind to be heedful?   ii) Are my 5 spiritual faculties developed? iii) Am I cultivating the Noble 8-Fold path?
  16. It is essential that we see the importance of returning to daily mindfulness training via bowing and chanting etc. Also to develop the spiritual faculties, cultivating mindfulness of the 4 postures and sati sampajanna leading to the silent mind. If the spiritual faculties are still not developed as yet then to use the mind sweeping method & metta to de-condition the heedless thinking first, before stabilizing the silent mind with anapanasati leading to a stable mindfulness. When the mind becomes so quiet and still with hardly any movement until the mind enters sati and to bring this trained mind state into daily life so that throughout the day, you are mindful and heedful with awareness and clarity within.
  17. Coupled with the Noble 8-Fold path cultivation, we can reflect or contemplate on all the essential dharma as taught by the Buddha. Even if one manages to have a glimpse of Nibbana, there is still the need to constantly reflect and contemplate all dharma to develop the stability and more penetrative understanding.
  18. As one gains more insights, wisdom grows leading to further straightening of one’s views. One begins to see how all the essential dharmas are connected. One also starts to see things as they are without the grasping or clinging. The wisdom that arises will help one deal with the reality as they are (without the memory or conditioning coming in to interfere and distort ones seeing. The sensual desires and ill-will cease because most of the time, one is aware and peaceful within due to one’s wisdom.
  19. The transformed mind has less sankhara and it becomes more and more quiet/silent. Eventually, one reaches the silent mind state of passadhi leading to Samadhi to arise the direct seeing and then wisdom keeps on arising. The views will also keep on being straightened out.
  20. As one’s views continue to be straightened, one is peaceful and aware most of the time. The world of duality doesn’t delude us anymore because of the ability to see things as they are. The world is the world so it cannot be otherwise. Problem only arises when we perceive the phenomena with negativity. Everything is dependent origination and condition arising, – mind made are they. One will then realize that the phenomenal world is a world of consciousness. The form and mind is for us to use without the need for us to worry about it from growing old, getting sick or die. We can then accord and flow with whatever that manifests then Life becomes meaningful, beautiful and wonderful.

3. Sharing by Sister Adeline continued

  • After a few days of chanting during the Mahayana retreat, her sati developed. She felt very light and her sitting became very easy. There was no more pain and she could get into the silent mind state straightaway. Her consciousness need not stay at the brain area anymore and she could stay at the heart to listen from her heart most of the time. She felt very relaxed and mindful most of the time. There were no more sankhara to disturb her. Her brain was always clear and light. She could just walk mindfully in a very relaxed and natural manner.
  1. Bro Teoh explained the importance of making aspirations and cultivating the spiritual faculties. Sister Adeline’s determination to be mindful most of the time bore fruit during her retreat in Rayong, Thailand. And this has helped her to progress further. She has strong faith and sincerity in her cultivation.

4. Sharing by Bro. Song:

  • He shared his experience before the March 2018 Cameron Highlands retreat. During puja in one of the Tuesday classes, the chanting came from his heart.
  • During the retreat, he hardly sat or lay down. Instead, he helped out at the kitchen area and did not participate in the morning chanting.
  • He just walked in a relaxed but mindful manner most of the time.
  • On the 4th day of the retreat, he was doing sitting meditation at the Shrine Hall. He experienced his form disappearing leaving only the breath which was very clear, long and slow. He was very calm and everything dropped to his heart. He could hear his heartbeat very clearly and the sound of the motorbike though it was a distance away.
  • His heart’s vibrations slowed down and there was deep silence within. After 20 plus minutes, his consciousness started to appear. He returned to normal consciousness and then went to help out in the kitchen.
  • When he was listening to the dharma (shared by Bro Teoh), he didn’t feel the need to listen.
  • On the eighth day, while talking to Sister Alicia, he saw his mind arise from the heart. He realized the meaning of being ever mindful to cultivate the Noble 8fold Path.
  • His understanding came from his experience and not from thoughts. When he went back to work in his office, the minute he heard the Heart Sutra on his computer, the heart area started to vibrate. When he was told about the Kuan Yin Retreat at Cameron Highlands, he immediately felt like going though later, he asked himself why he needed to go. He finally decided to follow his first instinct to attend the Mahayana Retreat. However during the retreat, he did not chant but remained silent. On the third day, he continued reciting his Bodhisattva vows and realized his mind state was different. His heart kept vibrating and he could feel his whole body vibrating. When he joined the Mahayana chanting and walking meditation of going round the Bodhisattvas, he felt his movements becoming awkward if he had kept to their walking paces. Initially, he wanted to correct his movements to keep up with their paces but the realization came that there was no need to do so. Again, he gained new insights by doing so.
  • Kuan Yin Bodhisattva has served 10,000 billion Samma Sambuddhas and her vows are deeper than the oceans.
  • After his recent Cameron Mahayana retreat, he realized he does not have the chattering mind anymore. His faith and understanding by following Bro Teoh’s advice has helped him move from one level of cultivation to another.
  1. Bro Teoh’s answer:
  1. If one’s faith is strong, our aspirations or vows can manifest.
  2. Bro Teoh explained how the Heart Sutra book was published. It has helped many people learn very fast.
  3. For this year’s retreat, the Penang group has benefited greatly because their understanding of the dharma has deepened. They have attended many dharma talks before in the past but they still did not have a clear understanding of the dharma and how to apply it in their lives as so clearly explained by Bro Teoh.
  4. Bro Teoh emphasized the need to be heedful and ever mindful to cultivate the meditation as taught by the Buddha (which is the Noble 8-Fold path)..
  5. If one takes the Sainthood way, the mind can still arise though there is wisdom.
  6. However, if one goes the Bodhisattva way, even when things happen, one doesn’t use the brain but straightaway go to the heart. One acts through understanding (wisdom) and accepts the reality of the moment so that there is peace within always.
  7. With wise-attention or yoniso manasikara at the moment of sense experience, questions of why and how do not arise anymore. There is the understanding to accept things as they are as well as accord and flow with the conditions that unfold.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Swee Aun

Bro. Teoh’s Thursday class sharing (3 May 2018) is ready for download:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Teoh-Thu-180503.mp3

or at:
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Teoh Thur Class 20180503.MP3

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Bro Teoh’s Thursday class (12th April 2018) recording

Below are the audio links to our last Thursday class (12th April 2018) recording

for sharing by all. The following were shared:

Bro Teoh’s talk on 12th April

  1. Bro Eric’s question:
    1. I can see my own ‘Ego’. Is Ego good or bad? Isn’t Ego useful?
    2. Does having no ego mean we let others do what they like to us?

      Bro Teoh’s answers to question 1(a):

  2. Many Buddhists will say Ego is bad. But what they don’t understand is Ego is part of the mundane mind borne of self-delusion (Sakayaditti).  So Ego needs to be understood. When there is understanding, your mind can be freed and this is very important. So, it isnot about whether the Ego is good or bad. Ego is just like money and thought – neither good nor bad for it depends on its user.  The user of thought is more important. Whenthere is wisdom you can see your own Egoic form and mind, which is a good thing. The Ego then loses its power when you understand how via self-delusion you get entangled. The true mind can then awaken the form and mind via wisdom. With wisdom connectedto the form and mind, this form and mind is no longer deluded. It will then be able to live the third phase of dharma, Pativedha. One can then get to enjoy the fruition of one’s hard work to live the life of a noble being.
  3. Bro Teoh said, ‘If you seek security, you will end up becoming miserable’. Do you agree with this statement? Security is a myth. For when you take cares of mind, mind takes care of karma, karma takes care of your life, and then everything is taken care off so there is no need for Security. True ‘Security’ comes about through this type of understanding (or wisdom) but not through the craving mind that wants and craves forSecurity. For the lack of Security (which is Insecurity) brings about fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation caused by the 8 realities of the First Noble Truth. By taking care of karma via following the Noble Eightfold Path, you are confident of how life will unfold. Peace, clarity, tranquility and stillness of mind arises through this understanding.
  4. Always remember not to accumulate psychological memory through self-delusion. Self-delusion arises due to the belief that one exist as a human being. Memory includes the accumulation of all our experiences, good and bad. Thought is response to memorythat is accumulated. Negative habitual tendencies arise wrong thoughts. So, we shouldlearn how to use thoughts to live life appropriately and wisely.  It is foolish to use thought negatively to harm ourselves and hit out at others. Wrong thoughts arise throughself-delusion.
  5. Striving to realize one’s ambition with understanding is a good thing. However, if one violates the karmic laws to realize that ambition then there will be Karmic consequences. Some people become gullible and trusted fortune tellers, mediums and feng shui masters, etc. All these will not work because this is done via not understanding the root of the problem. The Buddha said, `we are born of our karma, heir to our karma, conditioned and supported by our karma.’ So, if we don’t take our karma, then our life will be affected and suffering will be the result.
  6. Without wisdom, the Egoic mind is heedless. So, meditation is essentially to train theheedless thinking mind (which is clouded by thoughts of fear, emotions and negativity, etc.) to develop the inner peace, the inner awareness and calmness, stillness and heedfulness within to insight into truth to arise the wisdom. Bro Eric’s amazing transformation as explained by Bro Teoh in his sharing is a very good testimony for after having those understanding he felt free for the first time in his life after so many years in depression.
  7. Bro Eric’s second question 1 (b) – How can understanding Ego help? Does it mean that when people hit at you or abuse you, you don’t do anything?

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. Without the understanding, you believe you exist as an entity (name given to you). So, what happens when others hit out at you or abuse you? You will start to react with yourusual habitual tendencies conditioned by your wrong thoughts. But when you reallyunderstand that this so-called human being or personality is just a karmically-conditioned form and mind for us to come to this world, then there is no more problem. The reality is, you have a true nature within and what causes suffering is your mundane mind that is deluded. Who is there to fear, who is there to seek security? It’s themundane mind, the Egoic mind. When this is understood via the direct seeing with thetrue mind then wisdom will arise to liberate the mundane mind. Then there is justawareness, peacefulness, calmness, clarity, tranquility and stillness within. When you understand that Ego arises due to self-delusion, then this so-called entity cannot be deceived into suffering anymore.
  2. Answer to Bro Eric’s question on, not reacting when people hit at you:

    Bro Teoh explained that it is not possible to do that because this question arises from the thought. The real understanding lies in straightening one’s view to see things as they as via accepting them for what they are. Then you may smile at him because you havecompassion for him. Through ignorance, he behaves that way because he doesn’t understand the karmic law.  Your smile and metta towards him has to be sincere. Without the ego, the so-called entity (the 5 aggregates of form and mind) will be beautiful. However, this does not mean Ego is bad. We have a functional body so use it but do not be deluded by it. We exist in this world with this body and mind, so the Ego (or mundane mind) and the physical or functional body has its place in life.

  3. Why did, the Buddha left the palace when he saw the four signs? When he saw the first three signs, he realized he has real problems will regards to old age, sickness and death. Under the Bodhi tree, He came to great liberation when He realize that the body and mind was not real (because it is condition arising/dependent originating) hence not apermanent unchanging entity, not Him.
  4. The five aggregates of form and mind, even though it is not you, but it is very useful. The reason being, you need it to develop the understanding via the cultivation. Then, youcan experience the pristine beauty and wonders of life. Life then becomes very meaningful. With this understanding, you can still achieve success, have ambition andbecome a blessing to all while at the same time, live the life of a noble one. Without the five aggregates, you cannot arise in this world neither can you connect to your true nature. So, do not be deluded by what others tell you, – `Ego is bad, thought is bad. Just let go of them’. Who let go? It’s the thought that wants to let go. So, the advices given are wrong. Without understanding, you will try to practice letting go. But, when you understand, you will not hold. If you don’t hold, what is there to let go? People are just the way they are. So, how can we dislike them just because they give us problems? It is because the ego is so strong. Without understanding, we cling to words, concepts and ideology.
  5. It is important for us to meditate to understand what this human being is all about. With this understanding we can use it appropriately. When the user of thought is wise, the thoughts are pure and non-grasping (they are right thoughts without the 3 evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion).
  1. Sis Keat Hoon’s question – How can we change the past?

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. The past is already gone hence not a reality anymore. We need to inquire – What is life? To live life, one has to go through existence. So Life can be equated to Existence. Then what is existence? It is time-related, right? There are three periods of time – past, present and future. So to understand life, we have to understand time.
  2. Past is already gone, no more a reality. Why must you carry it in your memory and project it causing you all the psychological misery? What is future? It has yet to come, also not a reality. The present moment is the only reality in Life. So what must we do? It’s only in the present moment that we can cultivate wisely to arise the appropriate right conditions to prevent the negative conditions from arising to condition our negative karmic fruition. If we cannot change the past then why do you still pay fortune tellers to change the past?
  1. Sis Keat Hoon – What are past parami? What do they mean?

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. If you have cultivated before, you will have past parami (your good merits and perfections) to protect you.
  1. Sis Keat Hoon – What do we need to do to ensure that we can have better parami in this life?

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. The present moment is the only reality in life. Moment to moment, life passes by what are you doing? All heedless people are too busy thinking, planning and worrying about their life. Instead one should develop the cultivation to be heedful and aware to avoid all evil via following the Buddha’s advice to keep one’s precepts, cultivate virtues and purify one’s mind. This is how you can avoid arising anymore new negative karma to take care of your life from that moment onwards. Then, with heedfulness you can cultivate the Noble 8-Fold Path to develop your parami. Thus, avoiding condition for negative karma from the past to ripen too. This is what is meant by `you take care of mind, mind takes care of karma then karma take care of your life.’ The trained mind that has clarity can bring about the transformation via wisdom.
  2. When we take care of karma, there is no condition for bad karma to arise. Even if bad karma were to arise, wisdom will enable you to act without negativity. You will know how to take the necessary appropriate actions like asking for forgiveness, repentance, cultivate wholesomeness to invoke power of merits for turnaround etc. and not to react negatively like before.
  3. With clarity of mind, tangible solutions can be taken without projection of thoughts to arise the fear, worry and anxiety.
  1. Sis Keat Hoon’s question – What is karma?

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

    1. Karma is moral causation. It involves mental intention (wholesome or unwholesome). In Pali, it is called cetana. Your mental intention will condition the thought to have karmic effect. Moral causation is different from Newton’s physical Law of cause and effect (for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction).

 

  • The Buddha said, `you reap what you sow. Do Good begets good, do evil begets evil.’ Through self-delusion, the Egoic mind makes us selfish and possessive and when we grasp and cling through our wrong views, conditioning etc. suffering will be the result. 

 

  1. Sis. Keat Hoon’s question – Is there karma when a thought arises?

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. When your view is wrong, your thoughts will be wrong for it is cetana or mental intention that I call karma.
  2. When the mental defilements are there, there is karma already even though it is only at the thought level.
  3. In the Buddha’s time, there is a Jataka story about a man who changed gender due to a lustful wrong thought. (Extracted from the Internet: This is the tale of a householder name Soreyya. The story goes that, on seeing the beautiful skin colour of a bhikkhuMahakaccayana, Soreyya had the wish to have him as his wife or else that his wife might have a similar bodily hue. This impure lustful thought caused him to change into a woman right on the spot. The tale continues, with his experiences as a woman until at some point she has the condition to offers a dana meal to Mahakaccayana and asks to be forgiven, whereupon she gain back his male gender.)
  4. Thought is very powerful so do not simply thinks the wrong thought.
  5. Jataka story of Devadatta described by Bro Teoh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seri-Vanija_Jathaka_Katha, http://www. Palikanon .com/english/pali_names/d/devadatta.htm) also involve very strong negative thought.
  6. According to the Buddha, karma is a very complex subject and cannot be understood by normal beings unless one’s mind has attained to a very high level of understandingbecause it involves understanding a lot of conditions. Only a Bodhisattva who has gone through all the 31 planes of existence will be able to have that understanding.
  7. We are born of our karma, conditioned and supported by our karma and we are what we are because of our karma. So what are we waiting for if our entire life is dependent on karma? There is no one who can escape this powerful law. So, it is never worthwhile to violate this law.
  1. Sis. Mee Fong shared the importance of cultivating more goodness to overcome tough conditions borne of karmic negativity’s fruition.                           Bro Teoh’s answer:
  1. When a thought is created, there are seventeen thought moments within that thought.
  2. When the mind is not receiving any sense stimuli, it is in a state of bhavanga. There isno awareness. When you are in a bhavanga state, you need strong sense stimuli to impinge upon the mind stream to become conscious.
  3. If it is the first Javana cetana, karma can only ripen this life if there are conditions. Otherwise, it ceases.
  4. If it is the last Javana cetana, karma will carry on to the next life. Without the conditions, it ceases too.
  5. But most people create the second to the sixth cetana, then karma will follow them to eternity (even for Arahants). This happened to Angulimala when the Buddha encouraged him to endure and take it in that life rather than having to experience it in hell where the suffering and misery is worst and may last much longer.
  6. If you cultivate only nominal goodness but have committed so much negative karma, it is equivalent to having a lot of salt in a small glass of water. When one avoid all evil and do good there is only pure water and no more salt because the pure water is your good karma so that no more salt is added thereby diluting the earlier water.
  7. With wisdom, karma ceases to affect you. However, without wisdom, it will continue to torment you.
  1. Sis. Mee Fong shared about the five type of heavy karma – matricide, patricide, causing a schism in the Sangha, wounding a Buddha, killing an Arahant.

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. If one commits any of these heavy karma, there is no escape from the effect of such karma.
  1. Sis. Keat Hoon’s sharing – I always thought karma was fatalistic. But after listening to Bro Teoh’s sharing, it is not. We can still do something about it.

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. Sir Francis Light, a famous philosopher who studied Buddhism said, `the past may condition us but it does not dominate over us.’ The reason being, moment to moment we can still do something to improve our karma.
  2. When we have wisdom, karma does not have power over you because karma will reverse itself once it can’t torment you anymore.
  3. Most Buddhist books explanation of the dhamma have not done proper justice to the real teaching.
  4. The Buddha was able to summarize all of Life (both the mundane and the supra mundane) into just the Four Noble Truth which is the essence of his teaching.
  5. The Buddha has penetrated the fields of consciousness and even understood the Unconditioned.
  1. Sis. Keat Hoon’s question – We talk about Right View but we are so diverse in our wayof looking at things. So, my view may differ from your view.
    Bro Teoh’s answer:
  1. The Buddha’s Right View is not about your views and my views. This are the individual’s views or belief systems. Right View here refers to the universal spiritual laws of nature: Law of Karma, Law of Mind and Law of Dhamma.
  2. This teaching is beyond thought and beyond mind.
  3. The dharma can only be realized by the wise.
  1. Bro Teoh mentioned that the mind of the enlightened ones is non-grasping.
  2. Bro Teoh complimented Sis. Keat Hoon on a good job done for the short notes of the previous Thursday’s class.
  3. Above draft was prepared by: Puan Chee.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

 

From: Bro. Swee Aun

*if you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Apr12, you can download at:*

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Teoh-Thu-180412.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ftljwcwqcxxwhx0/Teoh%20class%20180412.MP3?dl=0

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

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Re: Bro Teoh’s 5.4.2018 Thursday class

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Re: Bro Teoh’s Thursday class sharing dated 29th March 2018

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Re: Short notes for talk on 8th march 2018

Short Notes for Talk on 8th March

  1. Bro Teoh informed the Kalyanamittas that 4 new transcript books were recently printed for free distribution. One of them entitled `Importance of having mindfulness and heedfulness to cope with life’s problems and suffering’ (a method of stress release via meditation) was based on his dharma talk dated 23rd June 2013 held in SJBA. This book is very useful especially for those who have depression and suicidal tendencies problems. He further advised the Kalyanamittas to read through the book because it is a very good book.
  2. Bro Teoh shared certain pages of the book to emphasize the key points of the dharma especially on the importance of mindfulness, heedfulness, the essential dharma and the benefits of meditation in helping resolve ones life’s problems. He often stressed on the need to train the mind and apply mindfulness to live life following the Buddha’s teaching. Mindfulness alone is insufficient but when coupled with the Noble 8fold Path cultivation, it becomes Appamada or heedfulness. When this is cultivated, it will lead to enlightenment and help people (especially those with mental suffering, traumas and suicidal thoughts to overcome their problems).
  3. After the meditation session, Bro Teoh advised Kalyanamittas not to torture themselves unnecessarily during meditation. If they have learnt how to relax into every mind state that arise, then they will be able to face (or endure) bodily discomfort and pain with ease. If they need to change their posture, then do it mindfully. The agitated or disturbed mind is restlessness instead one should have a peaceful and silent mind to do the meditation.
  4. Bro Teoh reminded Kalyanamittas that if any of the mental hindrances of sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor has arisen during the sitting meditation, they should just stay with it and be with it. If they can do that, the spiritual faculties of sati will take over. The shift of consciousness will happen and all of a sudden, the sleepiness can completely disappear. Hence, never suppress any mind state that arises. The true mind is originally peaceful and without thought. But, when we become heedless via holding onto the wrong views, the mental hindrances will arise. However, many meditators have been taught by certain traditions to note and label such mind states that arise as, `pain, pain, pain, and thinking, thinking, thing etc. By doing so, they give rise to verbalization and aversion which is a mental hindrance thus hindering the mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner calmness.
  5. Another advice from Bro Teoh is to use the mind-sweeping method combined with metta to decondition the heedless thinking hence bringing about a peaceful mind state. When the mind is silent and sensitive, even the ticking of the clock and the beating of the heart can be heard distinctly. When the silent mind has entered sati, it can feel the slightest movement or stirring of the mind. Hence, heedfulness can be very well-established. We can see a big difference between a trained and an untrained mind. The mindfulness is so stable that we can see how sense experiences via delusion can condition us to react and stir our mind. All the essential dharma can also be witness and understood when we can see how the mind reacts due to one’s delusion. The awareness can be so stable that we become incapable of any negativity of mind state. As we continue to straighten our views and stabilize our heedfulness, wisdom will keep on arising. Such a mind can insight into phenomena and awaken to the three universal characteristics of impermanent, non-self, empty nature and suffering state. Even the late Chief, K.Sri Dhammananda did mention that the human mind cannot be trusted and when it is subjected to conditions, it can simply react. This shows how important it is for us to train this mind and have wisdom to live life without getting ourselves entangled in problems.
  6. Bro Jimmy reported that his second meditation experience was so different from the first time. He felt quite sleepy this time and during his sitting, he had a lot of worries as well as images of his colleagues appearing. Bro Teoh advised Bro Jimmy to stay with the sleepy mind state and maintain awareness as far as possible. If mindfulness is sharp, the shift of consciousness can happen. When we are skilful, we can even hear our own snoring and be in a meditative state during our sleep.
  7. Bro Teoh explained that whatever we give meaning to, we accumulate them into our memories, then it will trigger thoughts to arise for thoughts are response to memory. Thoughts come and go so they are impermanent. But through our greed, hatred and self-delusion, we cling via giving meaning to them, then we accumulate them giving rise to a conglomeration of wrong thoughts. These thoughts will condition us to have fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation. Through self-delusion, we think we exist so we become egoic and selfish. Instead of wrong thoughts, we should apply right thoughts of generosity, gratitude, kindness, contentment etc. that bring about joy, harmony and well-being. Bro Teoh hopes that Bro Jimmy can develop a clearer understanding of the dharma by reading the books handed out to him during the session.

(Note : The above Short notes draft was by Puan Chee)

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Re: Bro Teoh’s 8th March 2018 Thursday class recording

Dear kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to oour last night’s Thursday class recording for sharing by all. Please do listen to the rather good sharing on 1 of  the 4 new transcripted books of mine that were recently printed for free distribution. The title of the book is:

Importance Of Having Mindfulness And Heedfulness To Cope with Life’s Problems And Suffering (A Method Of Stress Release Via Meditation)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Swee Aun
*if you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Mar8, you can download at :*
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox
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Short notes for WPCS 4th March 2018 Sunday class and Short notes for talk on 1st March 2018

Short notes for WPCS 4th March 2018 Sunday class

  1. The form and mind goes the way of nature, i.e. they are impermanent and therefore it is empty. If one grasp and cling onto the form and mind, it will lead to suffering. The mundane mind is the mental aspect of the 5 aggregates of form and mind. Feeling changes all the time hence the mind’s fleeting nature.
  2. All sensual pleasure is a prelude to suffering. Sensual pleasure means pleasure or desire derived from the conditions arising world just like your wealth, title, reputation, loved ones, etc. which are all impermanent.
  3. The above sentence is true only when one perceives the world with the deluded mundane mind, i.e. with no understanding.
  4. The above sentence is no longer true if there is understanding because there will be no attachment to the condition world. Understanding will free your mind.
  5. From Karma point of view, one must understand that our form and mind is subject to karma hence it has its duty towards nature and you can love your loved ones whole heartedly but you must have no attachment towards them.
  6. Shen Hsiu’s incorrect teaching:
  • Dwell with the mind. (By dwelling you make the mundane mind active hence no more silent mind);
  • Contemplate stillness. (Implies attachment to the calm state of mind);
  • Sit up all the time without lying down. (Not natural and cannot be in a state of relax to develop the daily mindfulness)

The true mind (which is the silent mind in pure awareness) doesn’t dwell. The silent mind is obscured when thought and emotion arise. The conditioned or focus mind in concentration is not free. Mind in Samadhi is free, collected and unwavering.

  1. Hui Neng’s true teaching:
  • Realize the true mind. Work on the true nature, not the body and the mundane mind.
  • The true mind does not dwell.
  • Not necessary to sit still but be mindful of all actions, movements and anything that arise in the midst of life (daily mindfulness). When you force yourself to sit, it is a conditioned state and there is resistance to the sitting.

The mind dwells when it perceives and when thought focuses on something and input the content of consciousness. However, we need to use the mind to live life, just do not proliferate the arising thoughts. Realise that a lot of the thoughts are unnecessary. Know how to use thoughts with wisdom to arise only the right and wholesome thoughts. Always accord and flow with conditions and act with wisdom following Noble 8-fold path.

  1. When the mind is calm, it has clarity and it is peaceful and happy. When there is no more mental hindrances, the spiritual faculties of sati will take over and the mind can be in sati to detect the very subtle mind and physical movements.
  2. Endurance via understanding is non-resistance. Moving to make yourself comfortable is not endurance. Just relax.
  3. If the mind is silent, nothing will disturb it, not even in the midst of a storm. The mind will not be drawn into any phenomenon. It will not be affected or disturbed by any conditions.
  4. Factors of enlightenment are: Sati (mindfulness) → Dharmavicaya (Dharma investigation) → Viriya (spiritual zeal) → Piti
  5. Fantastic meditative experiences and special feelings or sights during meditation should not be mistaken as a sign of progress unless it can give rise to wisdom. Usually it is just nature’s blessings and something to help increase the faith.

Short notes for talk on 1st March 2018

  1. Today is Chap Goh Meh, the last day of the CNY 2018 celebration. The lunar calendar of the Chinese culture has evolved through careful observation and astronomy. Bro Teoh said, over the last thirty years or so, civilization has evolved and progressed very rapidly. With the understanding of dharma, life can become very meaningful and beautiful. Our present Sasana is also very unique because this is the golden era where the consciousness has evolved beautifully and many cultivators will progress very fast. Bro Teoh mentioned that while surfing the internet recently, he came across a lot of wise people having the ability to share the rather profound teaching of Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching). Nowadays, the consciousness is so developed that people can understand this great teaching. Bro Teoh shared a video on Master Hsu Yun. The Master mentioned that when you meditate, behave like a ‘dead’ person and continue to develop the silent mind. Even when thoughts arise, do not worry but relax and be at ease. This also explains the opening verse of the Heart Sutra: `观自在菩萨 …. When Bodhisattva at ease (Avalokiteshvara) was cultivating the profound prajna paramita, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.’ So, the Bodhisattva is always at ease (自在菩萨). Real emptiness is to be awakened to. Technology has given us the opportunity to listen to such profound teachings.

 

  1. Bro Teoh emphasized the need to train the mundane mind so that we can use the trained mind state to develop the meditation in the midst of life and be aware every moment, every instant from within. Most human beings are not conscious of life but instead they are constantly lost in thought most of the time via thinking, reacting, planning and worrying about life. Without the dharma, we cannot cope with life. Most people focus and concentrate on what they want to achieve through hard work, striving diligently to be successful. This is the mundane way to develop success. However, the spiritual approach is to train the mind to see things clearly and act via wisdom instead of following what the mind tells us. Acting according to memory is not acting at all because our accumulated memories are either good or bad. When we react to life so often, these habitual tendencies will condition us to be heedless thus hindering the mind from entering the meditative state of inner peace and inner calmness.

 

  1. Bro Eric apologized for turning up late for the class. He mentioned that he was very angry during driving leading him to take the wrong way thus arriving late for the class. Bro Teoh make use of Bro Eric’s experience as conditions to share the dharma. When you are angry or unhappy, the evil roots are present, creating conditions for other things to happen. Without clarity and understanding, we will make wrong decisions. The thinking mind reacts very fast bringing about negative mind states that condition negative karma to arise. Anger is a very negative emotion. Bro Eric continued to explain that he had not been listening to the dharma for quite some time. Bro Teoh further explained that the habitual tendencies will arise due to long periods of heedless thinking. This will further condition the mind to `chatter’ and get caught in a cocoon of thoughts. When we are mindful, we are sensitive and aware. So, all these cannot happen. It is important to tell yourself, `I will never allow these ‘evil roots’ to arise no matter what happens.’ Hence, if we are not mindful, the evil roots will take over. We should bear in mind how to apply the following right effort to abandon the wrong thoughts:
  2. a) Think of the direct opposite wholesome thought (anger is not you but condition-arising);
  3. b) Think of the consequence of holding on to those wrong thought;
  4. c) Silent the mind and maintain awareness (this is the meditative approach);
  5. d) Trace the origination factors and retrospectively reverse it (the wisdom approach);
  6. e) Finally, if all these fail, then with your teeth clenched and tongue against the palate, abandon the wrong thought (by sheer will-power).
  7. To prevent such wrong thoughts from arising, we should straighten our views through reflection and contemplation. When we do this, one day, we can awaken to this wisdom and the mind will not behave in the old way anymore. Then, a new way of life takes over. This becomes mindful living because even the slightest movement of the mind can be felt. We must be determined to have this mindfulness to be aware. Then, we can transform from a heedless way to a heedful way of living. Finally, Bro Teoh reminded us to ask questions because it is the fastest way to learn the dharma because it sets the conditions for dharma to unfold. All of life is dharma and nature is our best and greatest teacher. Nature has its own set of nature’s laws so if we know these laws we will know how to live life and we will not get entangled in life.