One World (music by U2 - "One")

This video was created for our Thanksgiving dinner gathering, where over a hundred people joined us at the Zen Center for vegetarian hotpot dinner and we shared green tips to help the environment.



(click on the title link or the picture to see the video)

Interconnections: Buddhist Views on the Self, Beings,
and Global Harmony

Ven. Jianhu, Ohio State University, 20081121

Modern technology and the internet has effectively created a global community that transcends physical boundaries, a fact that, interestingly, parallels the ancient Buddhist view of a global, interconnected community bound not by blood or culture but by karma (“karma internet”!). That is, since ancient times we have been inter-related by our actions and interactions that span the past, present, and future. We explore and explain this world view and how it brings insights on attaining global harmony.

1. Characteristics of the Internet

a. Everyone is interconnected

b. Everyone can act, influence, and be influenced

c. Instantaneous (and gradual) action and response

d. No boundaries: Ethnic origin, skin color, geography, social status are all irrelevant.

2. Karma internet has the exact same characteristics

“Karma” means “action”

a. We are tied to each other by our direct and indirect actions
(Think of how many people are interconnected with us)

b. We constantly influence and are influenced by others (the internet only makes this more apparent)

c. The cause-and-effect chains are created instantaneously with each action, but the results may take days, years, or even lifetimes to become observable.

d. Karma acts on all beings equally, without boundaries.

3. The Law of Causality

a. “When we create good karma, happiness or fortune comes back to us. When we create bad karma, suffering will come back to us.” “As you sow, so will you reap.”

b. With the Law of Causality, karma interactions means responsibility. We are responsible for our actions and how they influence the world.

c. Who created this law? Nobody and everybody. (Web 2.0—bottom up)

4. Karma net ties the past and future together into the present moment.

5. Self and others

a. In view of the karma net, what am I? An individual? A mere action point in the net? A node and all its connections? The whole network?

b. “We are one, but we’re not the same.”

6. The hope of global harmony

a. Each person is both a node and an indivisible part of the network

b. Each person can have great influences (both good and bad)

c. Understanding this karma internet well, we begin to see the whole picture

d. Causality and the karma net together implies: to help others is to help oneself. To hurt others is to hurt oneself.

Columbus, Ohio

Left before sunrise, arrived at sunset
From sunny vale to chilly air
Sprinkled with snow specks
So different, yet so alike

Diamond Sutra, Ch. 17

Then Subhuti addressed the Buddha, saying: “World Honored One, if good men and good women resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment, how should they abide their mind, and how should they subdue their thoughts?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti: “Good men and good women who resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment should think like this: ‘I will liberate all sentient beings by bringing them to nirvana.’ Yet when all sentient beings have been liberated, not a single sentient has actually attained nirvana. Why not? Subhuti, if bodhisattvas abide in the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, they are not bodhisattvas. Why? Subhuti, there is actually no resolve for the attainment of unsurpassed complete enlightenment.”

“Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata met Dipankara Buddha, did he obtain anything in order to realize unsurpassed complete enlightenment?” “No, World Honored One. As I understand the meaning of your teaching, when you met Dipankara Buddha, there was nothing to obtain for the realization of unsurpassed complete enlightenment.”

Why did Subhuti ask the question again of the Buddha as he did in the beginning, here in the middle of the sutra?

1. So others can also understand. Indeed! Subhuti may have understood the Buddha's teaching very well, but, being the foremost disciple in understanding emptiness means that others may not understand this profound teaching nearly as well. He asks again so others may have a second chance.

2. There may be subtleties of the teaching that he missed. The prajna paramita (perfection of wisdom) is the most profound teaching, and the layers of meaning are infinite.

3. Buddha's first answer, while introducing the concept of "no self, no person, no beings, no life span", focused on how to practice giving, morality, etc., without the ego. The second time, Buddha said, "there is not even a resolve to become a buddha." Not only that we help others without holding to the idea that we are helping them, but the whole "dana" or giving/helping/charity concept is eliminated.

We need to work hard to attain nirvana, but then the idea of nirvan must be wiped off as well, otherwise we don't attain nirvana.

The Buddhist practice is not about creating or achieving something great. It is about getting rid of what is not there in the first place. In the end, we return to what simply "is". No more, no less.

Like bird flying through the sky; it flew, but left no trace.

Question: what was the crucial event that happened when Shakyamuni, before he became a buddha, met the Dipankara ("Lamp-Lighting") Buddha?

Homework: find out information about the Dipankara Buddha and their encounter.

Tolerance

2008-11-10 Level 2 Zen Buddhism Class

How do we practice tolerance? The Buddha and the past sages taught us many ways. Here is an excerpt from our lecture notes:

1. By the Principle of Causality, we undergo suffering because of past wrongdoings; since we are paying off our karmic debt, we shouldn’t be angry or feel that life is unfair. We should even feel relieved.

2. Anger is a destructive emotion that poisons others as well as oneself. Being calm and forgiving and learning to see the other’s point of view help to resolve the problem. Anger will not solve the problem.

3. Adversity gives us a good opportunity to practice tolerance, to filter out the impurities of the mind, just like extracting gold from its ore. Nagarjuna says, “I should thank and respect those who inflict pain on me; they make me strong, they are my teachers. They help me perfect the practice of tolerance.”

4. We may also think: I now want to practice the bodhisattva way. A bodhisattva wishes to benefit all beings; how then can I be angry or take vengeance on others, thereby increasing their suffering? They are our brothers and sisters also.

These are practical principles and methods we need to apply when we encounter an upsetting situation.

Homework: remember each of these four principles by heart, and apply them. Share with us stories of your own results.

Question: what, then, is the perfection of tolerance?

楞嚴經：行陰

2008-11-11 & 11-12 楞嚴經研經班

五十陰魔中之行陰第七至第十已講完。

行陰之魔考與前不同的，是這十種境界完全是對宇宙、人生之認知所產生的錯誤。

色陰是在精進修行時，因為色身的變化、淨化，以致於對世間所見的一切產生了偏差，甚而出現一些光怪陸離的現象。這些其實不是壞事，而是破除凡夫一般的，錯誤的，以為是真實的世界的這些堅固妄想所需經歷的過程。

受陰及想陰則是對自己種種感受及對人生種種想法有了偏差及執著，導致受到外道的誘惑而走入歧路。

行陰則是在色、受、想陰皆破了之後，對人生之認知比以前更清楚，更細密，然而尚未究竟，乃至生出種種理論與結論，然皆是錯誤。

在課堂上，我們也順便提到了「別解脫戒」、「定共戒」、「道共戒」，「修德有功，性德方顯」，及「相似相續」的道理。

我們一般所熟悉的「五戒」、「八戒」，「菩薩戒」，「比丘戒」，「比丘尼戒」，皆屬於「別解脫戒」。

這意思是，你持守一條戒，就得一種解脫。如持不殺生戒，將來就不會有短命、被殺、多病的果報，能健康長壽；能由多病、短命的苦果中得解脫。

持不偷盜戒，就從被偷被搶、貧困無助的苦果中得解脫。

所以持越多戒，將來越自在。

問題1：行陰這十種境界，每種皆有一個至數個邪見，總共加起來是多少？這個數目有什麼意義？

問題2：什麼是定共戒？道共戒？

問題3：我們常說「這念覺性本來清淨，不生不滅」，這與行陰中種種常見有何不同？

問題4：先預習、詳讀識陰的十個境界。它們與前四十個境界有何不同？（或相似之處？）

Guanyin Blessing Ceremony

We had our first service, Guanyin Blessing Ceremony at Buddha Jewel Monastery today.

Guanyin means "to hear the sounds of the world", and this bodhisattva's vow or, shall we say "mission", is to hear people's needs and respond with compassion. When the cries are from life-threatening situations, Guanyin will manifiest to save you if you sincerely called out Guanyin's name.

Guanyin, as the Lotus Sutra describes, is able to transform into many different personalities to best help each person. Many Buddhists have had personal encounters with Guanyin.

Why is Bodhisattva Guanyin so powerful? Because (1) He believed that he can be that powerful (2) He practiced according to the Dharma, and (3) We believe in Guanyin.

Guanyin, or anyone of us, can be that powerful, because our mind is infinite. But we need to learn to discipline the mind through meditation, awaken the mind to the truth, and be free from one's ego to be able to appear as any person. When we are fixated about who we are and who we are not, we can't be flexible, and therefore, our abilities become self-limited.

Question: Why does Guanyin only help those who call out his name? Isn't that ungenerous and limited in compassion (Guanyin is known as "the Great Compassionate One")? Shouldn't the bodhisattva help everyone equally?

What do you think?

觀音菩薩的力量來自何處？一、對自己能成佛的信心。二、依法修行，由聞思修入三摩地。三、我們對觀音的信心。

觀音為何能三十二應身？因為無我。有我則有限，是我則非彼，則不能隨類化身，應念現形，廣度眾生。

疑問：觀音為何只度「一心誦念觀音名號」的人？這樣不是不夠慈悲嗎？你的答案是什麼？

（來日分曉）

iCalm

iCalm: Overcome Anger the Zen Way

Buddha Jewel Monastery, Seattle

Since this is a fairly complicated topic with many ideas, I tried to organize it so that it's easy to remember. A good name is half the success, right?

i: internal, introspection, i generated it, i can overcome it
C: Causality, changes
A: Acceptance
L: Let go, learn from adversity
M: Mindfulness

It takes several hours to explain these principles.
But ultimately, one word is enough: illusion.
Anger is an illusion; it comes from a wounded ego. When the illusive ego is eliminated, we'll have true inner peace.

心經的智慧1

Buddha Jewel Monastery, Seattle, 11/07

解釋「摩訶般若波羅蜜心經」經題。

摩訶是大，因為這部經的道理是最大、最高的。為什麼？因為心量無限大。心量是空，所以是無限大。

又，能真正了解這個道理，即是般若智，般若智最大。有般若智慧，則苦是虛；無智慧，則苦是實。所以行深般若波羅蜜，就能度一切苦厄。

下次佛寶寺心經講座：12/12/2008

Buddha Jewels

Diamond Sutra, Ch.17

Then Subhuti addressed the Buddha, saying: "World Honored One, if good men and good women resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment, how should they abide their mind, and how should they subdue their thoughts?" The Buddha said to Subhuti: "Good men and good women who resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment should think like this: 'I will liberate all sentient beings by bringing them to nirvana.' Yet when all sentient beings have attained nirvana, in fact, not a single sentient being has been liberated."

In tonight's class (via telephone from Seattle) I explained the "Sutra Opening Verse":

The Dharma, infinitely profound and subtle,
Is rarely encountered even in a million kalpas.
Now we are able to hear, study, and follow it,
May we fully realize the Tathagata's true meaning.

"Tathagata" is one of the ten titles of the Buddha (What are the others? Q1). It means, among other meanings, "the way it is." This is the attitude we should have in studying the Dharma, to know the Buddha's true meaning. It's what scientists try to do with physical reality--know it as it is.

And then we started on Ch.17, the beginning of the second half of the Diamond Sutra. It's very interesting that here Subhuti asked the exact same question that he did at the beginning of the sutra. Why? Did he not learn anything? He who is the foremost in understanding emptiness among Buddha's disciples? (Q2)

The Buddhist practice is about fully realizing the power of your mind. To do that we need to go through the five stages of the bodhi mind.

1. Give rise to the bodhi mind.
2. Tame the mind.
3. Awaken to the bodhi mind.
4. Gradual attainment of the bodhi mind.
5. Ultimate bodhi mind.

What are these five stages? (Q3)

Which passages/chapters in the Diamond Sutra correspond to each of these five stages? (Q4)

We also learned that to give rise to the bodhi mind, to make a vow to help all sentient beings to enlightenment, is the single most important decision we can ever make. Once made, how do you practice it everyday? Most of us are not enlightened, can we help others get enlightened?

It means a fundamental change in our attitude toward every person and every being. It means when we see each person, we think: "how can I enlighten you?" Or, at least, "how can I make you happy?" That is how you can begin the practice of "liberating all sentient beings."

Have you made the bodhi resolve? If so, how has that changed you? If not, what is making you hesitate? (Q5)

Answer any or all of these questions as a review and reflection of tonight's class.

楞嚴經是「人心使用手冊」

最近台灣有一本暢銷書，「人體使用手冊」，用科學觀點解釋中醫學之奧妙。

那麼，人心呢？

楞嚴經就是一本「人心使用手冊」。

它教你怎麼看清楚真心與假心，如何善用自己的心，如何能不誤用心，如何能讓心圓滿展現，心得大自在。

（昨天今天在西雅圖用電話給太谷上課。諸位學員，這前面每一小句，是指楞嚴經的那段經文？）

放下、提起

梵志帶兩束花供養釋迦牟尼佛，求佛開示悟道之法。

佛說：「放下。」梵志將花放下，合掌恭敬。

佛說：「再放下。」梵志不解，將雙手放下。

佛說：「還要放下。」梵志更迷惑了，問：「還要放下什麼呢？」

佛說：「能放下的心也要放下。」

惟覺老和尚開示：

這個公案是什麼意義呢？佛說放下花，就是要我們放下外面的境界──色、聲、香、味、觸五塵境界。接著，手也要放下，代表放下五根──眼、耳、鼻、舌、身。最後，這個心也要放下，遠離顛倒夢想。這就是放下所謂的六根、六塵、六識，如此一來，十二入、十八界便通通放下，就能見到空性、覺性，進而能夠得解脫、超生死、入涅槃。

如果只知道放下，而不能提起，就成了障礙；如果只知道提起，卻放不下，這又是生死、煩惱。所以，放得下，又要提得起。但是放下之後，這個心在哪裡？提起的時候，這個心又在哪裡？我們的心要能作主，人在哪裡，心就在哪裡，如禪宗祖師說：「挑柴運米都是神通妙用」。

要能夠堅住正念，處處作主，就是要看得破，要放得下。面對自己應負的責任，就要提得起。提起以後，還要得自在，要提而無提，如《四十二章經》所說：「念無念念，行無行行，言無言言，修無修修。」提起，是心的運用；放下，安住這念心，就是心的體。有體有用，用不離體，體不礙用，體用一如，就是真正的菩薩行。

Arriving at Seattle

So many sentient beings ...

Taking applications for bodhisattvas ...

Bodhi leaves after rain

Taking a stroll outside the Zen Center in the morning, I was struck by the pure beauty of the bodhi leaves after the rain, rising upward toward the sky.

Our bodhi tree has sprouted many new leaves this summer. It was shorter than me in Spring, and now it is taller than me. May sentient beings blossom in their bodhi wisdom in the same way.

一花一世界，一葉一如來

In each flower is a universe
On each leave is a Buddha.

The Inconceivable Mind (六祖壇經)

什麼是不可思議？中道實相，見到自己的本心本性，這念心超越了時間、空間，當下這念心的境界就是不可思、不可議，稱之為如來妙心、無住真心。《金 剛經》講：「應無所住而生其心。」這就是不可思、不可議，在禪宗稱之為「本來面目」。悟到自己這念無住心、無為心，又能站得住、站得長，這念心就是不可 思、不可議的境界，這就是菩提心。這念心只能契悟，沒有辦法想得出來。如果能想得出來就有「生」，有生必有滅。不可思、不可議的境界，就是不生、不滅的境 界。什麼是不生、不滅？師父說法、諸位聽法的這念心，不想過去、不想現在、不想未來，一個念頭都不起，這就是不生，因為本具的真心是不住任何境界、是不滅 的，當下不生不滅的這念心就是不思議。悟了這念心，就如古人所說的「如人飲水，冷暖自知」，只有自己知道，別人沒有辦法了解。

--惟覺大和尚開示《六祖壇經》

What is "inconceivable"? The Middle Way Reality, to see one's original mind, original nature, that this "present mind" transcends time and space; this very mind is in the realm of the inconceivable. This is called the profound Buddha Mind, the non-abiding true mind (or true mind without any attachments). The Diamond Sutra says, "The mind should act without any attachments." This is "inconceivable", what we call "the original face" in Zen (Chan).

To awaken to this non-abiding mind, this unconditioned mind, and to be able to stand firm on it continuously (i.e. maintain mindfulness), then one enters the realm of inconceivable, that which is beyond concepts and language. This is the bodhi mind. One can only awaken to, or realize this "present mind", you cannot intellectually understand it. If you can get it by thinking, then it has birth; whatever is born will perish. The inconceivable is beyond birth and death.

What is unborn and undying? As Shifu speaks, you all have this mind which can listen; if it doesn't think about the past, the present, or the future, giving rise to not a single thought, that is "unborn". The inherent true mind does not abide in (attach to) any situation, it does not cease. This unborn, undying "present mind" is inconceivable. When you realize this present mind, like the ancient sages say, "like drinking water, only he knows what it feels like." Only that person knows what it is like. Nobody else can comprehend it.

--Excerpt from Grand Master Wei Chueh's lecture on "The Sixth Patriarch Huineng's Platform Sutra"

Chung Tai Chan Monastery

Buddhism compared with Science and Philosophy

Buddhism is like philosophy, science, and religion; but it is also different from all three.

Philosophy, like science, observes and studies our lives and our world and try to understand it all. Science, base on its observations, come up with theories of reality, but need to prove it rigorously. Philosophy, base on its observations, come up with theories of reality, but don't need to prove them; they just need to think and talk. They have no ways of proving them either. So science is more concrete and believable, yet it can only deal with the physical world primarily. Philosophy can be more fluffy, but it is free to deal with issues like Truth and ultimate freedom.

Buddhism deals with Truth and ultimate freedom, but like science, it finds a methodology to verify it. How? Through meditation, our mind becomes so clear that it can perceive the truth. It is repeatable and verifiable; anyone who practices the right way will get enlightened and reach nirvana. It is unlike science, though, because the results, being non-physical, cannot be shown to others. So those who refuse to believe and practice will never see it.

In this way, Buddhism is unique; it is possible to attain nirvana through practical methods.

Level I Zen Class - 2nd Noble Truth

We talked about the Second Noble Truth today.

As universal causes of all human suffering, they are of two categories: erroneous views, and erroneous behavior.

In erroneous behavior, we discuss 1. dualistic views. 2. denial of causality. 3. false self. We only talked about the dualistic view and a little bit of false self today. We'll continue with the rest via skype next week (from Seattle).

One of the points discussed was how Buddhism relate to philosophy and science. See the next post.

Meanwhile, for students of the class, review and think about:

1. What are examples of dualistic views?

2. What dualistic views do you have?

3. How can we transcend these extreme/biased perspectives?

4. The blind men and the elephant--how are we like the blind men?

5. Read the lecture notes and think about the "false self".