Posts

Posted on

6th March 2018 Tuesday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links and short notes to our last night, 6th March Tuesday class recording for sharing by all.

Short notes for 6th of Mar 2018 Tuesday class Dharma Discussion

1. Sister Mimi shared her meditative experience at an earlier self-retreat (last month) in Ajahn Anan’s way place in Rayong, Thailand. On the 3rd days of the retreat onwards, she experienced calmness, spiritual joy & the blissful state of mind. Then later on she experienced the continuous mindfulness leading to the silent mind to realize the pure awareness mind which she realize is different from the mundane perceiving and thinking mind. She also said, she later after contemplation came to understand what non-attainment and the unreality of form and mind is and she also shared how she went into a blank state and manage to get a glimpse of what the cessation of mind…nirodha samapatti (extinction of feeling and perception) is.  Sadhu! x 3.

  1. Sister Anne Choong covered chapter 13 of ‘The life of the Buddha and his teaching’ on the topic ‘The Buddha’s Daily routine’. The Buddha’s daily routine is really extraordinary which no ordinary human being can do. His is full of love, compassion, wisdom and selfless sacrifices.
  2. Sister Han reintroduce the topic shared by Sister Huol Rung (earlier on), on the importance of cultivating Sila for discussion again. She said, Sila or precepts are related to the following essential dharma as taught by the Buddha: Dana, Sila and Bhavana and Sila, Samadhi and Panna of the Noble 8-Fold Path. Bro Teoh then re explained the importance of keeping precepts or Sila via quoting the Buddha’s advice as given in his chanting stating that: Precept is the source of spiritual happiness; Precept is the source of spiritual wealth and Precept is the source of spiritual peacefulness of mind. Bro Teoh also advocate the use of power of truth via Sila and aspiration to help us overcome our life difficulties, just like Venerable Angulimala’s case.
  3. Sister Huol Rung’s sharing: From the sharing given by Sister Anne she came to understand that the Buddha is very clear of his unselfish mission to benefit others and the world. Asked if we know our own present life’s spiritual mission or not?

(Notes: The draft short notes was prepare by Sister Yoon Chun)

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rong
Brother Teoh Tuesday Class on 06/03/2018 record :
or at:
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox
Posted on

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.
Posted on

Re: March 2018 – Bro Teoh’s Cameron Highlands Meditation retreat notes and Programme

Posted on

Re: 69th lesson of the 6th Patriarch Platform sutra

Posted on

Re: Bro Teoh’s March 2018 Cameron Highlands Meditation Retreat Briefing

Posted on

Re: Master Hsu Yun (虚云) 老和尚禅修开示 – 回向 愿以此功德。庄严佛净土。 上报四重恩。下济三途苦。 若有见闻者。悉发菩提心。 尽此一报身。同生极乐国。

Dear Kalyanamittas,

The below video by Master Hsu Yun Lao He Shan is very good. Please do listen to it attentively to understand its deep meaning.

The following important pointers were given:

i) Understand the nature of the true mind

ii) To silent the mind to realize the true nature.

iii) Meditate like a ‘dead’ person.

iv) Importance of having the right view with regards to the Law of Karma.

v) Be at ease and relax during meditation.

vi) Do not fight, suppress or control the thoughts. Just let them be and the thinking will slow down on its own and finally cease.

There are a lot of similarity between what he teaches and what my nature shared.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Teoh Kian Koon <teohkiankoon@hotmail.com></teohkiankoon@hotmail.com>

Sent: 01 March 2018 03:31
Subject: Re: 虚云老和尚禅修开示 – 回向 愿以此功德。庄严佛净土。 上报四重恩。下济三途苦。 若有见闻者。悉发菩提心。 尽此一报身。同生极乐国。

For sharing by all. Master Hsu Yun’s teaching.

https://youtu.be/YUqhh1jbkFM
youtu.be
回向 愿以此功德。庄严佛净土。 上报四重恩。下济三途苦。 若有见闻者。悉发菩提心。 尽此一报身。同生极乐国。
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s Tuesday class dated 27th Feb 2018 CNYear Pot Luck gathering

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Tuesday class recording for sharing by all.

With metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Hui Rong

Brother Teoh’s  Tuesday class on 27/02/2018 (2018 CNY potluck) recording :
or AT:
www.dropbox.com
Shared with Dropbox
Posted on

1st March 2018 Thursday class recording

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our last night’s Thursday class 1st March 2018 recording for sharing by all.

Bye! and with metta always,

Teoh

From: Bro. Swee Aun
*If you missed Bro Teoh’s Thurs class Mar1, you can download at :*
or at:
Posted on

Re: WPCS Sunday class recording dated 25th Feb 2018

Dear Kalyanamittas,

Below are the audio links to our recent Sunday’s WPCS Sunday class dharma recording for sharing by all. Please do listen to rather beautiful sharing given. Also attached are the short notes for this sharing.

Re: Short notes for our 25th Feb 2018 WPCS Sunday class

  • During meditation just relax body and mind and maintain silence and let the thoughts arise because the untrained mind is heedless and it thinks a lot. Do not worry about them as they will dissipate away if you don’t feed them with anymore thought energy. This does not mean we should ignore or be indifferent towards the thoughts that arise. We must understand that we are heedless because we have not trained this mundane mind which lacks the 5 spiritual faculties and having wrong views. Understand this and just let things be via not trying to fight or suppress or control the thoughts.
  • Wrong views (especially self-delusion) stir one’s mind to create dualities, i.e. good and bad, right and wrong etc. Self-delusion give rise to the ego to arise the possessiveness where one will then grasp and cling onto the phenomena world of consciousness believing that they are real. As a result when things do not go our way, we become unhappy. We then start to project our thoughts leading to all the fear, worry, anxiety, sorrow and lamentation etc.
  • To train the mind to be heedful to arise the silent mind, we can first begin with the mind sweeping method and metta to de-condition the heedless thinking to arise the silent mind. Then stabilise it via Anapanasati leading to mindfulness and heedfulness. When we are just mindful of the in and out breath without thought we have Sati (i.e. awareness and the breath move as one, with no thoughts). Alternatively we must train the mind to cultivate the 5 spiritual faculties to overcome the 5 mental hindrances.
  • Just relax and silent (to maintain awareness). When we are just aware without thought, we will become calm leading to piti and sukha. Then continue to relax and maintain awareness until passadhi or tranquillity of mind arise. This is the silent mind, the meditative mind in sati that can awaken to realise the wisdom via the direct seeing.
  • Common mistakes of cultivators are:
  1. They try to suppress and control thoughts via method and techniques to focus and fix the mind so that thoughts cannot move or wonders off. But this is not a free mind, it is a conditioned focus mind in one-pointedness or samatha concentration leading to jhanas and energy fields. Instead of cultivating  Anapanasati (which is mindfulness of the in and out breath) they focus on the breath to develop the samatha concentration to stop or suppress the thinking;
  2. Another common mistake is verbalization via the noting method leading to thought-based meditation where the cultivator are also required to slow down all their actions and movements like walking, sitting, standing, turning, bending, etc. and are told that this is Vipassana or insight meditation. However, Vipassana is not a method or a technique but it is an understanding or an awakening that arise via insight into the 3 Universal True of impermanence, non-self and suffering via the direct seeing with the silent mind. Just be AWARE of all actions, movements and vibrations within the body and mind without verbalization.
  • Don’t stir the mind means not having likes and dislikes. Don’t arise dualities. The mind will then be still by itself. Likes and dislikes, are the first 2 mental hindrances of sensual desire and ill-will.
  • The highest meditation is to be aware of all moments and actions in the present moment which is the daily mindfulness cultivation or Mindfulness and clear comprehension cultivation in daily life.
  • Questions asked:   a) Is verbalisation the same as suppressing and controlling thoughts?  b) Do we ignore thoughts that arise in meditation and in daily mindfulness?   c) Do we meditate until there is no meditator?  d) Is the silent mind a prerequisite to meditation?                                                                            (Note: Draft Short notes prepared by Sister Mun Yuen)

With metta always,

Teoh

From: Sister Lee Siew Gaik

https://broteoh.com/wp-content/uploads/68-6th-Patriarch-25-Feb-2018.mp3

or at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/53d62f08z0j6bhe/68%206th%20Patriarch%2025%20Feb%202018.MP3?dl=0

68 6th Patriarch 25 Feb 2018.MP3

www.dropbox.com

Shared with Dropbox
Posted on

Bro Teoh’s 8th Feb 2018 Thursday class recording