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Bro Teoh’s 4th Sept 2018 Tuesday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 4th Sept 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. Also enclose below is the outline short notes link for sharing by all:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Short-Notes-Teoh-Tue-180904.pdf

Brother Teoh Tuesday Class dated 04/09/2018 recording :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/Teoh-Tue-180904.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vnroouxk2rgvp4c/2018-09-04.MP3?dl=0
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BroTeoh’s 2nd Sept 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

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

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

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 28th August 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 28th August 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. Also attached are the outline short notes.

Brother Teoh’s 29 August 2018 Tuesday Talk outline Short Notes

  1. Review of 9 Aug outline short notes prepared by Sister Phey Yuen.
  2. Sister Padmasuri was full of joy after hearing the Yunnan spiritual trip’s reports from Kalyanamittas in previous classes on how it had benefitted them and also how it had turned out so beautifully. She recollects the occasions when her thoughts projection lead to proliferation of her fears (during landslides, bad weather, etc) and anxieties (when encountering unfamiliar rites and rituals). She then shares her realisation that without those wrong thoughts, those negativities are immediately unfounded and she was able to return to experiencing the beautiful Yunnan nature within its vicinity.
  3. Discussion on importance and significance of straightening our views to inculcate wholesome right thoughts, to challenge our rigid belief systems, formed through society’s conditioning via investigating within to develop the understanding.
  4. Bro Teoh expanded on the topic regarding rites and rituals, with examples of differing views and opinions (all seemingly logical debates from each person’s standpoint). Then he recaps the following reminders to kalyanamittas:

a.  Faith not born of understanding is blind faith.

b.  Faith born of understanding is unshakable.

c. Without understanding one is force to just belief or accept what is being told.

5. Expression of gratitude to Mr. Er for his good itinerary suggestions leading to the wonderful and unhindered visits to so many rather meaningful and beautiful temples with good energy, especially those in Dali region, which still preserves the Buddha teachings.

6. Sharing of real life experiences that reveal to the true cultivators, the profound workings of nature and karmic forces. How with understanding leading to the right cultivation that resulted in nature’s rather favourable conditions unfolding all the way leading to such beautiful and wonderful spiritual trip that was like meant to be.

7. Sister Padmasuri wraps up by remarking that the planning for every of our spiritual trips (5 thus far) are all very unique experiences because they are all very different. It is not applicable to leverage considerations / decisions from past trips. Each and every decision needed was made in accordance to conditions that arise during the progression of the trip via understanding, leading to each and every unpredictable journey also unfolding beautifully; like everything just falling into places. Have faith and just trust your beautiful nature developed via right (true) understanding.

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

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sis Hui Rong

Brother Teoh Tuesday class on 28/08/2018 record :

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Teoh-Tue-180828.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ffode163p0ha6bo/2018-08-28.MP3?dl=0

2018-08-28.MP3

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Bro Teoh’s 26th August 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

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

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

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

CHAPTER X, Final Instructions （Page 414 – 419）

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Above draft outline short notes is by Sister Quinni)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s 23rd August 2018 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last Thursday class (23rd August 2018) recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes link are also given as below:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-180823.pdf

Brother Teoh’s 23rd August 2018 Thursday Talk Outline Short Notes

  1. Sister PG shares her recent China spiritual trip experiences. It was a very good but tough trip for her because of her health condition. As she was prone to car sicknesswhile travelling on winding mountainroads, she purged and vomited for quite a while when travelling on the bus on such roads and it took a toll on her physically and mentally. Initially she had difficulty walking up to the temple at the summit. One important lesson she learnt during the whole trip is Mindfulness and patient endurance. She then walked up the steps, feeling light and like only the feet touching the steps. It was easier to walk up with mindfulness and patient endurance.
  2. Brother Teoh explained that mindful and patient endurancedo help. When there is thinking, it stirs up memoriesas sister PG is prone to motion sickness. The road was much more winding than the road up Cameron Highlands. The second day, she could mindfully walk up the steps by silencing her mind. Brother Teoh further explained that when the mind is not involved to remind her of her problem, the problem does not exist. She could even recover and feel good. All in all, the long stretches of mountain climbing were physically draining. On the way going down to another temple from the summit, luckily the tour guide used a short cut to link us back to the cable car; differing from the way going back up then down again otherwise it was not easy for the body. Mindfulness, awareness, faith and patient endurance were important.
  3. For Brother Teoh, the fatigue pain in his feet only came on the third daybecause of age. However he persevered with understanding. Quinny too persevered with a walking stick at the age of 70.
  4. Sister PG continued her sharing – saying for every step she took, she repeated the mantra ‘love and gratitude’to persevere while keeping her faith.
  5. Brother Teoh stressed the importance of cultivating Khanti (patient endurance) with wisdomand understanding thenperfecting this virtue via having love, vows, faith and compassion. When there is Viriya (spiritual zeal) and saddha (faith), one is able to endurewith understanding. Endurance without understanding only leads to suppression.
  6. Venerable Master Xu Yunin his biography book endured a lot of hardship. The temples he tried to rebuild were robbed. He had to gather people to help rebuild these temples. Disciples who have faith in him came to help and the restored templeslater flourished.Brother Teoh and kalyanamittas visited these temples at and around Ji Zu mountain of Dali and they were beautiful. There was one where 11 of the past emperors of China had renounced to become Buddhist monks there.
  7. First two days, they visited Dugu Lake and Shangri La where many minority China tribal groupswho were mainly of Tibetan descendants live. These people cling onto a lot of rites and ritualsthat came about due to their more primitive civilization. They believe by having their own ideology and tradition will makes them different. But it also leads to a lot of problems too as it make them rigid. The reason they need this ideology and tradition is because they don’t have a guiding principle to live life. One peculiar tradition they have is two men would marry one lady, as they have this belief that it is easier for the two men to support one family. These are rites and rituals that come out of tradition. The second fetters that bind living beings to this world, according to the Buddha is attachment to rites and rituals. So if one do not follow their tradition and marry another lady from another tribe or tradition, this person would end up as an outcast, hated uponby their own tribe. That is why they can’t have harmony and peace. The Buddha never taught ideology. He taught instead the Dhamma, the Truth. With these truths, you don’t need to follow any ideology or tradition because you will understand the nature’s laws(the 5 panca niyamas) that govern all of life and existence and you will know how to live life accordingly.
  8. Truth is something that can explain the way things are and how things come about so no need to have rites and rituals or superstitions etc. which are   delusions   that arise out of fear and ignorant. When you have truth, you do not need ideology or tradition to guide you to live life. That is why during the early years, Brother Teoh discouraged his mother from continuing with her Chinese traditional practice of slaughtering chicken as offering to the deities then negotiating with them to gain back some favor and blessings from them – this is not proper because first it involve killing the chicken  then   secondly this is not the dhamma way. But when you have the Dhamma, the understanding of the truth will enable you to live the noble life beautifully via following the advice of the Buddha to do good, avoid all evil and to purify the mind. This is a good enough – a very good guiding principle to live your life well. These advices will enable you to take care of your Karma and develop wisdom to free our mind. With wisdom developed you will come to know who you are. What you are? And you will be able to avoid and overcome all problems and conflicts because you will not be deceived or deluded by the phenomena world anymore. That is how you break free. You will also understand that there is no mark of a self and no mark of others and life but this form and mind of ours is subject to karma. Your children have their own life; they have their own karma so let them decide how they want to live their life; your duty as parent is to provide for their basic needs, support, guide and advice them accordingly. This is dhamma.
  9. Form and mind is subject to karma. Each and every individual form and mind must have this understanding to take care of their own karma. Otherwise it will lead to downfall and the karmic repercussion and negativity will hit back leading to suffering for this from and mind, regardless of where you are born. Then take the Bodhisattva vowsfollowing my blue transcript book (Cultivating the Bodhisattva way). This understanding will protects you not only this life but also all of your subsequent births and lives. Your karmic naturewill become beautiful, and then you can cultivate your spiritual nature. As you develop more understanding andwisdom leading to more virtues, you become a truly beautiful being. You then become a blessing to all and a noble one (that is an enlightened being with the noble eightfold path qualities in you). That is what you need for life NOT ideology.
  10. Ideology comes from thought,from the word “Idea” created by thought to start a tradition or a belief system to divide humanity. In every country, ideology differs. It is all part of civilization and the evolution of consciousness.
  11. Sister PG was able to maintain mindfulness throughout the day. She could feel beings were different at different locality and she seek their forgiveness. She finds that from this trip, her affinity is still with Quan Yin Bodhisattva. On two occasions, her feelings arose strongly showing her the affinity with Quan Yin Bodhisattva.
  12. To ask for forgivenessis a good practiceso that you can overcome any misunderstanding or suffering caused by you (whether knowingly or unknowingly) to others. Sometimes your negative thoughts could trigger conditions for these non-humans to be weary of your visit to their territory. Non-humans can read your mind and know what you are thinking. You also have to understand that at different places, beings are different, tradition or ideologies are different, religions are different too. Thus you need to be sensitive. The best is to radiate love and metta, to ask for forgiveness if you have caused any misunderstandings or inconvenience, and to wish them well-being and happiness. If you go to a hotel and can’t sleep at night as things are disturbing you, sit quietly and radiate love and metta and talk to the non-humans to seek their kind understanding. After that you’d be able to sleep better.
  13. Sister Elsie shared that she was glad to have joined the trip. Overall it was very beautiful andmeaningful. Everything unfolds beautifully, the weathers were very kindto us even though it was the rainy season there. Was also told by the China tour guide that Dali was raining ‘cats and dogs’ for 7 to 8 days before we arrived and the moment we arrived the weather became so beautiful – no rain and very good weather all the way till the last day of our trip. Foods were good. Thanks to Sister Padmasuri who recommended those good eatery places. When she walked up the temple, she walked mindfully. She also found that her body was very light, not too much problem for her to walk up the mountains. She was happy during this entire spiritual trip especially so on seeing how it all unfolds so beautifully. The tiger leaping gorge with waterfall flowing from on top of the mountain down to the gorge was also very beautiful. She used to have fear towards waterfall’s roaring water. However this time, she was very calm. Could even meditate at the waterfall and gorge despite the roaring and gushing water ahead. She enjoyed the still energy and strong vibration there. Weather was cooling too. She just followed the flow of the whole tour and it was very smooth sailing and she was not tired.  Dhamma discussions for the first few nights were good – able to develop better understanding of attachment to rites and rituals as a fetter. Although there were a lot of very beautiful dhamma sharing on cultivation on the first night, but they were not recorded as there was no microphone. We intend to buy 2 sets of portable microphones so that we could be better equipped in the future.
  14. There was a nunnery Jiu Lian Si (9 Lotus monastery) with very meticulously craftedBuddha and Bodhisattva rupas in their shrines. Its works reflects their founder’s virtue andbeautiful mind states and understanding. That is they have the virtues, patience, understandingand dhamma to do all these so meticulously. The Abbess was also very warm, kind, understanding and friendly towards us. We sincerely expressed our profound gratitude and special thanks towards the Abbess and temple committee for allowing us to visit and use their way place to have our meditation and dhamma session. They also treated all of us to a delicious vegetarian meal. In return we make a special donation to express our gratitude and thanks and at the same time establish affinity with them.
  15. Most tourists going to temples are to pray and make offering of cash donation only (Pai Pai Fo) whereas Brother Teoh’s spiritual trip isdifferentbecause we kalyanamittas went with dhamma understanding. When they were at the nunnery, they pay theirrespects to all the great beings natures, meditate, have dhamma session and chanting, etc. Because of the chanting, the nuns and people there could feel that this group was different. Although facing earlier rejection upon their first request to use their hall, the abbess nun finally agreed for them to use the hall after talking to one of the local guide (Mr. Er) and hearing about their earlier Emei shan, Pu To Sun and 6th Patriarch spiritual trips. The nun knew from the chanting that this group was following the Theravada tradition. However, most of the kalyanamittas also have great affinity with the Mahayana’s Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Before returning home, the nuns offered all the kalyanamittas, our guides and bus driver their blessed chains and pendants which have been chanted (Shuragama mantra) upon.
  16. There are now more and more good monasteries in China due to their country’s recent evolutionof consciousness. Even our Malaysian PM praised that China is so different now. He believes that China can be a great trading partner. They are very innovativewith good technology advancement and we can learn from them.
  17. Of the 1.3 billion Chinese, 950 million do nothave religion due to the Cultural Revolution of the 60s. Only 350 million have religion – of this 60% is Buddhist, 20% Taoist, Islam is third and Christianity is fourth. The rest comprises minority groups with primitive religion (Animism) praying to rocks, trees, thunder etc.
  18. Back then, if you were born in China, you would be said to have bad karmaas there was much suffering then. Unlike these days, if you are born in China, you are considered to have good karma with goodfinancial means to travel out of the country. With the recent affluent the temples in China received much more cash donation from their local tourists.
  19. Dhamma enables one to accept others and the world for what they are via understanding.The Buddha said, ‘mind is forerunner of all things, mind is chief, when mind arise, everything arise. If you don’t train your mind (or develop heedfulness) you will act, think and speak with a heedless mind, then suffering would follow suit.’ This is the universal truth and it is evergreen. The only wayto be free of suffering is to follow the advice of the Buddha, to avoid Dhammapada verse 1 and cultivate heedfulness. When you are heedful, with a well trained mind, you will act speak and think with a heedful mind, free of evil roots of greed, hatred and delusion then happiness will follow you like the shadow that never leaves you. That’s how you should approach life and live life. With this understanding you would not be influenced by what people do or say. You will have your own understanding of what virtue is, what constitutes evil and how it leads to negativity of karma, downfall, suffering and misery. Whatever you do, you cannot go against or violate the nature’s law of karma.
  20. A true story in Taiwan told by a monk called Hai Tao:

There was an old man with a dog. This dog was a female pregnant dog. Whenever the man leaves his house, the dog will chase up. But this time, the dog could not chase after him all the way as she was pregnant. It eventually stopped half way and gave birth to 7 puppies along the way. But the old man was not around to feed her. The dog went to seek for food and found a family making offering to the deceased. When they went off to have their rest, the hungry dog ate one of the chickens and then fed her puppies with her milk. The people came back and found that the chicken was missing. Angry, they made another offering and waited there. When they saw the female dog taking the chicken, they killed it. Without the female dog the 7 puppies all also died. The karmic fruition caused the family to be in trouble. The children died one by one until the final one. He went to enquire desperately why this happened to his family. The wise one told him that out of anger, hatred and delusion, he killed that one dog which caused all the 7 puppies to perish from hunger. To reverse the karmic effect, he has to gather all the bones of the dead dogs and do some prayer otherwise his youngest son also will die. He did as told and everything went on well after that. The message here is not to toy with karma. That is why during war, when people are killed, the karmic can be very severe.

(Above draft outline short notes was prepared by Angelica Chong Phey Yuen)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Tune 
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Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 21st August 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 21st August 2018 Tuesday class recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes link is as below:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-180821.pdf

Brother Teoh’s 21st August 2018 Tuesday Class outline Short Notes

  1. Bro. Song’s recent spiritual trip sharing on his special encounter while visiting the temple at Shui Mu Shan. Brother Teoh rejoice with his good new understanding now. That is after understanding that whatever happened in meditation (no matter how wonderful and beautiful or unique those experiences may be) they are just conditioned states of mind and if it does not brings about wisdom and understanding or awakening then it is of not much use. So don’t cling otherwise ‘mana’ or minor conceit will arise.

 

2.   Bro. Teoh summarised what Kalyanamittas were able to learn from their recent spiritual trip to China:   

  • How to break free from the 2nd fetter (attachment to rites and rituals) that binds living beings to samsara. 
  • How to breaking free of the 9th fetter (minor conceit or mana) that binds beings to samsara.
  • How the 7 factors of enlightenment is to be developed and cultivatedvia following the following sequence of cultivation:

Sati > Dhamma Vicaya > Viriya > Piti > Passadhi > Samadhi > Upekkha. That is with a stable daily Mindfulness (sati) established leading to > Dhamma Investigation. When the dhamma stands up to investigation > faith and Spiritual Zeal (viriya) arise leading to > Spiritual Joy (piti) > Stillness and tranquillity of mind (passadhi) leading to > Collected & unwavering mind(Samadhi) leading to > wisdom (borne of the direct seeing) thereby arising the last factor of enlightenment of Equanimity of mental formations borne of wisdom.

3.       3. There are 2 types of mind:

a. Mundane or Thinking mind is impermanent because it is dependent originating and condition arising. It is basically thoughts triggered by Ignorance or Avijja. They are thoughts that containing the 3 evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion and the 5 mental hindrances and they arise following the law of dependent origination or the 12 links as shown below:

Avijja paccaya-> Sankhara -> Vinnanam -> Name Rupa -> Salayatana -> Phassa -> Vedana -> Tanha -> Upadana -> Bhava -> Jati -> Jaramarana …… [That is dependent on Ignorance arises -> Mental Activities -> mental Consciousness -> 5 mental aggregates of Form and Mind -> 6 Sense Bases -> Contact -> Feeling -> Craving -> Grasping -> Becoming -> Birth -> whole mass of suffering.]

b. True mind is the Silent mind, the Meditative mind that is just aware and without thought.  When the mundane mind does not arise (or when the thinking mind slows down and cease) the True mind (which is always there) will surface. Within the true mind there is only peace, clarity, awareness, stillness and tranquillity or Passadhi which is the 5th enlightenment factor. When Passadhi is stabilised it leads to > Samadhi.

  • The True mind in passadhi and Samadhi can lead to Direct seeing and awakening > giving rise to the initial wisdom needed for the upekkha enlightenment factors to arise.

 

       4. Sis. Alicia’s shared her progress on cultivation of awareness and mindfulness. Her initial wisdom came mainly from the 2nd turning of the Four Noble Truths which she developed via constant contemplation, reflection and inquiry on the essential dhamma as taught by the Buddha. Brother Teoh advise her to continue to develop the daily mindfulness until it is very stable to realise the 3rd turning wisdom which is more stable. 

 

    5. Bro. Teoh emphasises the importance of cultivating Kayanupassana daily mindfulness until it is very stable before moving on to Vedananupassana and Cittanupassana, otherwise it is just thought based meditation i.e. thought trying to watch another thought. 

6. The sentence on “After overcoming covetousness and grief...” – as stated in the Satipatthana sutta clearly indicate to us the prerequisite of cultivating the initial wisdom borne of Kayanupassama (of the 4 foundations of mindfulness) to overcome covetousness and grief  in this world before going into  vedananuppasana, cittanupasanna and dhammanupassana. 

 

       7. The 6 categories of Kayanupassana practices are as follows:

 

    1. Mindfulness of the in and out breath (Anapanasati) – to establish mindfulness or sati (1st factor of enlightenment;

       

    2. Mindfulness of 4 postures – to establish daily mindfulness on the 4 postures first;

       

    3. Clear comprehension and mindfulness (Sati Sampajanna) of all actions and movements in the present moment – to establish a very stable daily mindfulness leading to the initial wisdom;

       

    4. Mindfulness of the 4 elements – to overcome form delusion;

       

    5. Mindfulness of the 32 parts of the human body – to overcome sakkayaditthi (self-delusion);

       

    6. Mindfulness of the 9 stages of cemetery decomposition – to overcome lust for pretty form via understanding that when the form is devoid of consciousness it goes the way of nature.

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

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rong
Brother Teoh Tuesday Class on 21/08/2018 record :
or at:
www.dropbox.com
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Bro Teoh’s Thursday class dated 9th August 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our yesterday’s Thursday class (9th Aug 2018) recording for sharing by all. The outline short notes are as below:

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Short-Notes-Teoh-Thu-180809.pdf 

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

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Bro Teoh’s 5th August 2018 Sunday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

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

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

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

Page 413 Chapter X Final Instructions

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

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

                              C (Pure Awaeness/Pure Consciousness)

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

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

Bye! and with metta always,
Teoh

From: Sister  Lee Siew Gaik

Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 2nd August 2018 Thursday class

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our 2nd August 2018 Thursday class recording for sharing by all. Also enclosed are the outline short notes to help you all to develop the understanding better.

OUTLINE SHORT NOTES OF THURSDAY CLASS DATED 2ND AUGUST 2018

A.     Instructions before meditation

  • Just maintain awareness and eventually the silent mind will return to its original state of inner peace, calmness and mindfulness. Stabilize it to arise theunderstanding.
  • There is no need to do anything. When we are silent within, we will be sensitiveand aware. The understanding will eventually arise for us to understand how we function as human beings. We will also be able to understand all the teachings that the Buddha taught and see them in our own form and mind.
  • We will understand Paticca Samupadda via our meditation; how dependent onignorance, sankhara or mental activities arises and how due to delusion we get ourselves entangled when mental activities arise. Upon contact, the 7 universalswill arise simultaneously and feeling will not remain as pure feeling if we lackwisdom and because of that feeling will be conditioned into craving straight awayleading to grasping, becoming and birth hence triggering off the whole mass of suffering.
  • There are two types of births in dependent origination – mental and physical. Physical birth only happens once in a life time. However, mental birth takes placeevery moment when there is ignorance, leading to craving, grasping andbecoming via our wrong views and mental conditioning.
  • If we are sensitive and mindful enough, we will understand how the contents of consciousness is inputted (based on our views and mental conditioning) to cause the arising of wrong thoughts when we act according to memory instead of acting according to wisdom following Noble 8-fold path.
  • The evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion are so strong yet living beings cannot see them because they lack mindfulness which is the sensitivity of mind in awareness.
  • With the 5 spiritual faculties in place the opposite 5 mental hindrances will beovercome then our cultivation will eventually lead to the realization of the true mind (which is always there). This happens when the mundane mind ceases then the true mind’s original state of inner peace, inner calmness and inner awareness will be revealed. We should always bear in mind the 4 key supports for awareness based meditation of relax, aware, 24hour and Trust to guide us in our cultivation.

B.      Questions & Answers (Q&A) after Meditation

  • Sister Tammy asked Bro Teoh why some people say we should practice the four Brahma Viharas when it is the mind doing it. She has experienced that it is not a practice but those qualities can just arise naturally via understanding.

     Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. People who do not understand will use verbalization and parroting when they do it.
  2. When we understand, we will do it differently. We should reflect and contemplateon the qualities of these 4 Brahma Viharas mind states of metta, karuna, muditaand upekkha.
  3. When we cultivate correctly, metta becomes universal love, then metta does not turn into anger or hatred when things don’t go our way. Regardless of the outcome, the love towards all is always there when there is understanding. The true cultivator will always have love and is incapable of negativity despite whatever circumstances he is in. These qualities are radiated out from the heart regardless of whether the one receiving it is a friend or an enemy. There is no prejudice orpreference as to who the recipient is.
  4. Many people hold a misperception about vegetarianism. It is not what we eat that makes us pure or compassionate. If one’s level of cultivation is not at that level ofrefinement yet, then becoming a vegetarian has not much meaning because theirbasic defilements (evil roots) are still very gross and strong.
  5. However, if one has the understanding after reaching a certain level of cultivationthat is a different matter. For such a person, it is good because by then he can’t even harm or kill small insects like ants, flies etc. So compassion has to come about via true understanding.
  6.  Bro Teoh shared with fellow Kalyanamittas how he had such an experience when he was at his second last teacher’s house. He saw many ants when he opened up the storeroom of the house. He tried his very best not to cause any harm or fear to the tiny insects when he swept them out slowly. He could see and feel the ants scurrying around in fear in the process.
  7. Bro Teoh’s nature was so sensitive that he could feel the fear among the ants. Immediately, he asked for forgiveness. He experienced another incident subsequently which he knew was karmic in nature. He was bitten by ants at another place when he accidentally stepped on them (their nest) unknowingly. Again, he asked for forgiveness. Since then, he had no more of such encounters with ants.
  8. It is understanding that will allow us to act in such a way so as not to cause fear to others. There is no more mental intention (cetana) to harm or to kill.
  9. During the Buddha’s time, Devadatta tried to cause a schism in the order by asking the Buddha to implement the prohibition of taking meat within the monk’s community.
  10. The Buddha understood how important it was to have the proper synergy between the lay people and the monk’s community. The laity offered food to the practicing monks who are worthy of offering, thus helping to sustain their monastic life while receiving merits in return.
  11. If the Buddha had imposed strict vegetarianism, it would have caused a lot ofunnecessary difficulty to the lay people. Hence, he refused to do so.
  12. Bro Teoh emphasized the need to understand what we do in the name of meditation. We need to find out and investigate into the truth taught by the Buddha before following his advice to develop our cultivation.
  13. Bro Teoh shared one of his experience during the early days of his cultivation – when he suddenly (for no apparent reason) started to abstain from eating meat for a period of time after his cultivation had reached certain level of refinement. However, his body became weaker. He then realized that vegetarian meals were not suitable for his this life’s body. It was as if the DNA that came with this birth was not suitable for vegetarian food. Then during one of his meditation, he came to therealization that his nature (in the past) had taken a special vow ‘to take across all living beings that manifest as food for him to eat’. From that understanding, he reverted to take his food as normal again basing on what the body need.
  14. There was this lady (Bro Teoh’s dharma friend who lived in Australia) who became a vegetarian for a long time after recovering from a brain tumor operation in Australia. Then many years later she contracted cancer, and she decided to go for the chemo treatment. But she felt very weak both physically and mentally after the chemo treatment so she sought the advice of Bro Teoh. Brother Teoh explained to her that her immune system was weak because this chemo drugs kills all cells (good and bad) and it also will affect her mental emotions severely thereby making her weak, tired, miserable and sickly (often accompany by suicidal thoughts). So she need to be mentally strong to take care of her mind states and physical health. In that sense, if she need to eat non-vegetarian good and appropriate nutritious food she must. Eventually, she understand and was mentally prepared then she returned to consume nutritious and healthy food (with understanding) and managed to recover beautifully. This was more than 6 years ago.
  15. Again, Bro Teoh emphasized that it is not what we eat that makes us pure. It isheedfulness leading to wisdom and understanding that is more important to makeus virtuous and wise thereby enabling us to live the good life.
  • Sister Tammy expressed her curiosity as to why people say we have to do this or that when everything becomes so natural if wisdom is present.

    Bro Teoh’s answer:

  1. Bro Teoh shared about his experience when his mother asked him to hold on tightly to the chicken which would be slaughtered. He let go of it when he saw the knife which his mother was holding. He was not capable of supporting what her mother was about to do.
  2. We should always inquire, investigate and find out first before accepting any advice, so that we are not gullible to follow blindly what others preach to us.
  3. We cannot just imitate what the Buddha did – like how he walk (bare footed), sit, eat, etc. hoping to become a Buddha like Him one day because the Buddha is theembodiment of his wisdom and perfection of virtues. By following what he did physically will not make you a Buddha because all these are form dharma that hasnothing to do with his cultivation of wisdom and virtue.
  4. Bro Teoh advised Kalyanamittas to read through the recently printed book (75thlesson of the Sixth Patriarch Platform sutra) and gain insights from the transcript book. Bro Teoh read through pages 14, 15 and 16 of the book to highlight the ‘importance of understanding what one is doing in the name of meditation instead of just following instructions to meditate blindly’.
  5. It is important that we develop our daily mindfulness and stabilize it to live life so that most of the time, we are mindful and without thought to cultivate the Noble 8-fold path.

    C.      Other sharing by Brother Teoh:

  • Bro Teoh shared with us a few emails from the United States Dhammasukha site. They touched on consciousness: mundane and supra mundane, the four elements, enlightenment and the law of dependent origination etc. This site is hosted by Bhante Vimalaramsi who teaches the 6Rs technique of meditation in the States.

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

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro Tune