Dharma video Tuesday class dated 14 May 2019

Dear Kalyanamittas – below dharma video on understanding the 5 Aggregates of Form and Mind (or who are you?) for sharing by all.
Dear Bro Chin How – Maha Sadhu! for the below video recording which you had so nicely video.
https://youtu.be/_tE6a14b6s0    Yesterday Tuesday (14.5.2019) class talk on *Understanding the 5 Aggregate of Form & Mind*   A very good video for sharing by all.

With metta always,

Bro Teoh

Bro Teoh’s 9 April  2019 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 9 April  2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
Dear Sister Yoon Chun and all,
Enclose below is the edit outline short notes for sharing by all.
Brother Teoh’s Apr 9 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes

Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings –WHAT IS IT THAT IS REBORN?Chapter 29, Page 453 – 454)

  1. Apart from the 5 Aggregates or Mind & Matter, there is NO eternal Soul,or a permanent Unchanging Entity. Buddhism refutes the theory of an Almighty and all-powerful God. If that was so, we should be living in a Utopia, without all the nature’s disasters, diseases, problems, conflict, fighting, wars and suffering in this World. This was corroborated by a very famous and popular Physicist, Steven Hawkins too. His rationale is that if a Creator God did exist, then how did he come into existence and what was he doing before he created the World and Man?
  2. So, what is reborn? What dies and Who diesDeath is just the separationof the consciousness from the form (body) after the death consciousness has occurred. The physical form which consist of the 4 elements will disintegrates and go the way of nature at Death. The rebirth consciousness which immediately occur  after the death consciousnesswill seeks out another body (a new form and mind or segmented life) to start another life according to the law of karma. Technically, No one is reborn because the new form and mind is  dependent originating and it is not permanent unchanging entity. It is connected to our karmic nature but it is not us. It is just a karmically conditioned form and mind (‘vehicle and tool’) for us to come to this existential world to live life. It is the craving force that binds the consciousness to a Form for life to exist.
  3. We should make our own investigations into such matters with our Silent Mind or with our True Nature. Through proper meditation we will gain understanding of the truth and come to realize who and what we are clearly.
    (The above draft short notes is prepared by Sister Hooi Yoon Chun).

Bye! with metta always,

Teoh

Bro Teoh’s 2 April 2019 Tuesday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Enclosed below are the audio and short notes links to our 2 April  2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 05 April 2019 15:36

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

Brother Teoh’s April 2 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes

 Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings – HOW REBIRTH TAKES PLACE    Chapter 28, Page 446 – 451)

 1. At the point of death, the good and bad deeds or thoughts that occurred during a person’s life time or immediately before his death (habitual actions) determines where he will be reborn. This is usually the case unless he has committed one of the 5 heavy kamma or the 5 heinous actions (Garuka Kamma) which are killing one’s parents, hurting a Buddha, causing schism in the sangha community. The very strong good action is being in Jhana. These 5 heavy kamma and such strong mind states override all other actions to determine rebirth destination.

 2. Signs/vision of habitual tools used like knife of surgeons or butchers or food for dana may appear to the dying person. These are Kamma Nimitta. He may also see symbols of destiny (Gati Nimitta) like fire, forest, mountains, mother’s womb or celestial mansions, etc.

3. Towards the end, his Bhavanga & mind door consciousness are interrupted & pass away, leaving 5 very weak thought moments to condition & regulate rebirth. After this last thought or death consciousness (Cuti Citta) death occurs. The Wind element of the Body dissipates first, then heat, water and lastly earth. The body finally turns into Dust. The remnant of consciousness then leaves the physical body immediately after the craving force that held it to the bodydissipates.

 4. The gender of the new being is determined by kamma.

5. Bro Teoh mused that women with higher average mortality age tend to live longer than men and asked for the possible reasons. The responses are women tend to have higher pain threshold and they experience less stress as they are usually housewife or simple career ladies.  They also like to express their displeasure more easily (to reduce their discomfort) because they are more emotional and they also takes less risks thus have fewer worries. They have more love because they can sacrifice for their loved ones.

 (Above short notes draft prepared by Sister Yoon Chun)

With metta always,
Teoh

Bro Teoh’s 26 March 2019 Tuesday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Below are the audio and short notes links to our 26 March 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
With metta always,
Teoh
From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Sent: 29 March 2019 02:41
Subject: Re: Tuesday Class 26 March 2019 outline short notes
Dear Sister Yoon Chun and all,
Below is the above edited outline short notes for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s  March 26 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes. Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings – PLANES OF EXISTENCE Chapter 27, Page 435 – 444)

1.      There are 31 planes of existence which beings manifest according to their moral and immoral kamma. Of these planes, 4 are states of unhappiness or Kama Dugati and they are:

Hell realm, with endless suffering,

Hungry ghosts (Peta) realm, dominated by greed. Can only receive merits transferred from their relatives (Tirokudda Sutta)

Animal realm, dominated by ignorant.

Asuras or demon realm, dominated by anger.

2.      The Happy planes (Kama Sugati) are:

Human Realm with both happiness and pain

6 heavenly realms – abode of devas

  (Together with the 4 unhappy planes, they are known as KAMALOKA, sensual realms or planes)

3.      Brahma Realms -16 realms of Rupaloka, resided by those who practise jhana      

4.      Arupaloka (formless) Realms

5.      Sis Padmasuri enquired which plane would those taking the Bodhisattva vows be reborn.

Bro Teoh replied that they can be reborn in any realm but they prefer mainly either the human, animal or deva realms.

 6.      Sis Han asked if it is easier to meditate without form. Logically there is no suffering without form. But devas enjoy life so much that they normally don’t have the conditions to think of cultivating.

  7.      Sis Adeline shared a little about her experiences during the recent Cameron Highlands Retreat. 
8.      Bro Teoh commented that the 5th patriarch taught that All Dhammas arise from Self Nature and we have to know how to use our mind (especially our mundane mind) but not be deceived or deluded by it.
(Above draft is by Sister Yoon Chun)

With metta always,
Teoh

Bro Teoh’s 12 March 2019 Tuesday class sharing

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Below are the audio and short notes links to our 12 March 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.
Bye! with metta always,
Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Tues class 12 March 2019 outline short Notes

Dear Sister Yoon Chun and all,
Enclosed are the edited outline short notes for sharing by all.
Brother Teoh’s Mar 12 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes

Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings – MODES OF BIRTH & DEATH     (Chapter 26, Page 432 – 434)

1.      Bro Teoh introduced a Mahayana teaching called Sutra on repayment of Kindness (Ullambana Sutra). This sutra relates to Maha Moggallana’s falial piety to rescue her mother who was born in the hunger ghost realm.

According to the Buddha there are 4 types of Kindness which are difficult to repay, viz. kindness by Father, Mother, the Buddha & Dhamma Teachers.

 2.      Sis Chwee enquired how authentic is this sutra since it is not recorded in the Theravada text. Bro Teoh explained that not all Buddha’s teachings were propagated under the Theravada texts. The Mahayana teachings were mainly from some great beings and Bodhisattvas who received them from other source.  One of it is from Tusita heaven when Sakyamuni Buddha was preaching the dhamma to his mother using his transformation body. Fortunately, some teaching were also brought into China by people like the 1st Patriarch of China (Master Bodhidharma) and Kumarajiva and other teachers.
3.      Sis Tammy covered this lesson on the modes of death, via: 
Reproductive Kamma having exhausted

Expiration of Life Term

Both of the above causes occurring simultaneously

Destructive kamma that causes Sudden Death.
                                                                                                                            4.      Modes of birth are either via egg, womb, water or spontaneous rebirth
(Above prepared by Sister Hooi Yoon Chun)

With metta

Teoh

Bro Teoh’s 19 Feb 2019 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,
Below are the audio and short notes links to our 19th Feb 2019 Tuesday class for sharing by all.

Brother Teoh’s February 19 2019 Tuesday Class Short Notes

Book Reference: The Buddha and His Teachings – PATICCA SAMUPPADA (Chapter 25, Page 419 – 427)

1.  Bro Teoh reviewed the 12 links or dependent origination teaching of the Buddha. Although the text book described it as occurring over 3 life timesbut Bro Teoh emphasised that this 12 links teaching are consistently occurring within every moment of our lives. Birth as described in this 12 links teaching is not physical but mental birth manifesting into speech and actions (transgression). Upon contact, feelings immediately arise. Withoutwisdom it will condition craving and grasping, then becoming, thereby being: “born” i.e. manifesting into transgression. These are all mind-made.

2.      For puthujjana, their thinking (sankhara) are based on ignorance (avijja) and they tend to act from memory of past experiences via their views, opinions and mental conditioning. Whereas the ariya (enlightened noble being)having realized wisdom, view the world from their true nature andunderstanding. Their volition, perception and thinking are with wisdom i.e. no evil roots and their 5 aggregates are non-grasping (pure aggregates).

3.      Ignorance is not understanding Non-self and the 4 Noble Truths. It is also latent in moral activities. 

4.      Human birth takes place when the following 3 supporting conditions are present: 
a) A physical body (after conception of ovum and sperm) b) a rebirth consciousness c) kammic force (which becomes the life force) that comes from our karmic nature to pump our heart. (Reason why our blood also has this life force energy)

5.      Thus with Sati, we can be aware of our whole body where there is blood. Our nerves is spread throughout our body to signal to us when any problem appears in our body. When we have our mindfulness (Sati) developed we can detect these signs quickly and take action to heal ourselves.

6.      When the 3 supporting conditions are in place, the being will arise. But at conception the cells only start to subdivide. The being is not formed at this time yet…because No heartbeat. Soon the heart is the first organ to be formed with the life force within. Heartbeat begins by the 3rd week of conception.

According to science the process of conception 
leading to fetus development are as follows:    
Month 1
  • The first month marks the conception with the implantation of the zygote on the uterine wall
  • Some of the multiplying cells develop into a baby while the rest form the placenta that nourishes the baby
  • The heartbeat begins by the 21st day and the spinal cord, nerves, and muscles start developing by the fourth week
Month 2
  • As you enter the second month, the tiny life is no more called a zygote but an embryo, which is just a fraction of an inch long
  • The heart and a basic blood circulatory system are in place
  • Pancreas, liver, and stomach are formed
  • The limb buds are distinct now
  • By the end of this month, all the facial features start developing

    Month 3

  • Starts developing muscles and bones, tooth buds, and fingers and toes. After ten weeks, the baby is called a fetus
  • By week 12, the fetus will measure around 3in and weigh an ounce
  • The skin is transparent
  • Eyelids are closed
  • Muscles and nerves are developing

    Month 4

  • Begins to suck with the mouth
  • The eyebrows, eyelashes, and fingernails have grown
  • Fingerprints are evident
  • The skin has a wrinkled appearance
  • The kidneys start functioning by producing urine
  • Sex determination is possible by this month through anultrasound scan
  • Bowel movements start and meconium is produced in the intestinal tract

    Month 5

  • Measures 6in and 9oz
  • The movements become more distinct and frequent
  • The skin develops fine hair called lanugo and a waxy coating called vernix for protecting and covering the thin skin
  • Can start hearing and swallowing

    Month 6

  • Measures around 12in and weighs about 2lb
  • The bone marrow begins formation of red blood cells
  • Taste buds are formed
  • Lungs develop but not completely
  • The eyes begin to open and the hair starts growing
  • Develops reflexes
  • Genitals are developing faster with boys having testicles descending into scrotum and girls having ovaries with eggs for the lifetime

7.      The Gateway to our nature and the Seat of Consciousness are within our heart area. The feeling or emotion body also resides within this heart.  

(Above draft is by Sister Hooi Yoon Chun)

With metta always,
Teoh

2019 Tuesday classF1outline short notes