Four Foundations of Mindfulness 0

This coming Thursday (2009-4-2) we will begin teaching the Four Foundations of Mindfulness in the Sutra Study class.

We will use this translation as our basis:

Satipatthana Sutta by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

This version is freely available on the internet.

Another good translation is by Bodhi Bhikkhu, "Four Establishments of Mindfulness", found on p.281 in this book: "In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon", edited by Bodhi Bhikkhu, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in a well-organized compendium of the Pali scriptures.

Those interested can compare it with the translation from Chinese I referred to earlier, "Four Grounds of Mindfulness", from the Sarvastivadin tradition (different from Pali) but mostly similar.

I encourage you to read it first, although we will go through it in detail in class.

Master Jian Deng visits Seattle

2009-3-16 & 17
Master Jian Deng, abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, graces Buddha Jewel Monastery of Seattle.
中台禪寺住持見燈和尚蒞臨西雅圖佛寶寺開示並傳授三皈、五戒。

Master Jian Deng transmits the Three Refuges and Five Precepts to nearly 20 people.


Mr. Daniel Liao, Director General of TECO gave introductory remarks.
台北經濟文化辦事處處長廖東周先生致辭。


Master Jian Deng gave a Dharma talk to nearly one hundred people. The talk is simultaneously translated into English.
見燈和尚開示「追求真正的富貴」，現場英文同步翻譯。



Master Jian Deng and other Shifus have a brief tour to understand the rich culture and beauty of Seattle, including the Flight Museum, Space Needle, and Seattle Art Museum.
見燈和尚一行次日略為參訪西雅圖的勝景，如飛行博物館、太空針、西雅圖博物館等地。

Level 1 class 10 - The 3rd Noble Truth: Nirvana

1. The goal of cultivation is to pursue our Bodhi minds and the states of Nirvana, and further help other sentient beings to get libration from suffering and achieve their Nirvanas.
2. All kinds of worldly happiness are all impermanent. Nirvana is the true happiness that a Buddhist will make efforts for.
3. The characteristics of Nirvana
- Extinguish: the state of no greed, anger, or ignorance; no suffering
- Bliss: the greatest pleasure that transcend impermanence
- Libration: no fear, getting libration from the fear of the greatest suffering: death
- Transcendence: free from the cycle of life and death
- Tranquility: the true peace and serenity
- Unborn and deathless: vexation will not arise any more; original nature is unborn and deathless

十宗綱要-成實宗01: 介紹及十號品

2009-03-24 & 25

本週開始成實宗。在「高級禪修教本」第四課中第55頁講到第59頁。

補充資料：
成實論全文電子檔 (pdf)
成實論全文文字檔 (txt)

以下資料必讀：
cb01 成實論十號品(pdf)

以下資料非必讀，有興趣者可參考此一更深入的大綱：
cb02 成實論大意-太虛大師造(pdf)

作業：
請大家分成五組，每一組選擇成實論中五聚之一聚，每一位學員選擇這一聚中之幾品閱讀，並選出其中之佳句、好的章節，以 comment 回覆的方式上傳至本 blog。若不會中文打字的請各班的TA協助。請標示章句出處。

Level 2 class 09 - The perfection of diligence (Virya)

1. The function of diligence is to help us deal with the habits of indolence and laziness. From a more subtle aspect, the practice of diligence can help us to courageously face all the difficulties during meditation.
2. We should make efforts on the right way. Otherwise, the more diligent we are, the farther we are from our goals.
3. Focus our minds on one thing one time, then nothing can not be achieved.
4. It is easy to be diligent in the beginning of our practice, but it is difficult to be persistent in the practice.
5. Cultivation is very easy: turn what we are unfamiliar with to be what we are good at; turn what we are already good at to be what we are foreign to.
6. The perfection of diligence is
(1) to be mindful moment to moment without pausing.
(2) to raise no wandering thought and still keep our awareness.

Level 1 class 9 - the 2nd noble truth(2)

1. Dualistic Views are deviant from reality and could lead us to extreme way so we should be wary of the views we have now.
2. Failing to correctly understand causality can make us make efforts on wrong causes, expect wrong consequences, or blindly commit karmas without considering the existence of causality.
3. The most common erroneous behaviors are: greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt
4. Instead of showing arrogance, the meaning of “no doubting” here reminds us to be careful on the influence of the "doubt thought" in our mind during meditation. Therefore, when we have questions on teachers, teachings, or our practices, we should ask for help from our instructors.

Diamond Sutra Ch25-30

We are almost done with the Diamond Sutra! Next we'll study the "Four Foundations of Mindfulness", four meditation methods of fundamental importance in Buddhism. We'll base our studies on this translation. Meanwhile, here are summaries of the last three classes.

2009-03-05 Ch 25-27

Chapter 25 There Are No Beings to Liberate

There are in fact no sentient beings for the Tathagata to liberate. If there were sentient beings liberated by the Tathagata, it would mean that the Tathagata holds the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span. Subhuti, when the Tathagata says ‘I’, there is actually no ‘I’. Yet ordinary beings think there is a real ‘I’. Subhuti, the Tathagata says that ordinary beings are in fact not ordinary beings.

Three significant ideas:

1. The Buddha liberates people without thinking about liberating people. We've encountered this concept before (Ch. 5, 13, 20) but now the Buddha is speaking from his own experience, not just a philosophical teaching. Try to see this teaching from the four perspectives (corresponding to the for sections of this sutra): from faith, from intellectual understanding, from cultivation, and from someone who has attained this stage.
   
2. The Buddha sometimes uses the term "I" in order to communicate with worldly beings, but even so, he has no ego.
3. Ordinary beings are not ordinary beings.

Chapter 26. Seek the Buddha Not in Form or Sound

Those who see me in form,
Or seek me through sound,
Are on a mistaken path;
They do not see the Tathagata.

A well-known verse from the Diamond Sutra. In Chapter 7, we learned that "there is no fixed teaching called unsurpassed complete enlightenment. And there is also no fixed teaching that the Tathagata can convey. " In Chapter 21, "Whoever says that the Tathagata has a Dharma to teach slanders the Buddha." And again in this chapter, Buddha is very clear that one should not even cling to the Buddha Dharma. How should we teach it then? In Chapter 32 the Buddha shows how.

Chapter 27. Avoid Nihilistic Views
So to avoid the mistaken notion that the Buddha does not possess the physical marks of perfection and powers, Buddha teaches this chapter.

2009-03-12 Ch 28-29

Chapter 28. Bodhisattvas Do Not Accumulate Merits

Bodhisattvas do not cling to the merits they generate. Therefore I say that they do not accumulate merits.

1. This chapter mentions the important stage of a bodhisattva attainment called "forbearance of the selfless nature of all phenomena", which we explained in class.
2. One common mistake people make about the Buddhist teaching of "non-attachment" or "non-clinging" is that we shouldn't talk about merits or blessings. To avoid thinking about it is also an attachment. To the Bodhidharma, they can talk about it, or not talk about it, or think or not think about it, without any clinging. Then all merits become infinite merits.

Chapter 29. The Thus-Come One Neither Comes Nor Goes

Subhuti, whoever says that the Tathagata (‘Thus-come One’) comes, goes, sits, or lies down does not understand the meaning of my teaching. Why? The Thus-come One neither comes nor goes. Therefore he is called "Thus-come One".

We explained the many meanings of the name Tatha-gata or Tatha-agata, as "thus come", "thus gone", "neither coming", or "neither going". Try to see how each case applies to the Buddha (and ourselves). Then we get closer to reality.

2009-03-19 Ch 30

Chapter 30. The Nature of the World

"If these tiny particles had real existence, the Buddha would not call them tiny particles. What does this mean? What the Buddha calls ‘tiny particles’ are not tiny particles. Therefore they are called tiny particles. World Honored One, that which the Tathagata calls 'all the worlds of a trichiliocosm' are actually not worlds. Therefore they are called worlds. Why? To the extent that these worlds really exist, they do so as a composite. The Tathagata teaches that 'composites' are not composites. Therefore they are called composites." "Subhuti, a composite is actually ineffable, but ordinary beings form attachments to such phenomena."

Again, great and profound ideas in this chapter.

1. The "trichiliocosm", or on the order of a billion worlds, is the region of sentient beings reachable by a single Buddha.
2. Particles are not particles, then what are they? Waves? Fields? Modern physics such as quantum mechanics, relativity, and field theory validate the Buddha's statement from thousands of years ago.
3. "Worlds are not worlds", if particles which comprise the world, are not what they seem, then what does that say about the universe as we perceive it?
4. The "boundary of the universe" is a flawed concept that Buddha refuses to answer, because it really doesn't make sense to talk about the boundary of anything, large or small.
5. The world is a composite of different entities, but each entity is both individual and an inseparable part of a network. E.g. the economy, is a composite of many economic entities such as U.S., China, Japan, etc. But can U.S. & China really be separated economically? Are they one or two? We need to understand how something is both a composite and how it is not a composite to get to reality.

十宗綱要-俱舍宗: 俱舍論之英譯

補充資料：

俱舍論之英譯，先是有 Stcherbatsky 所意譯的 "The Soul Theory of the Buddhists", 之後有 Louis de La Vallee 的法文譯本（根據唯一的梵文註釋 by Yasomitra，及玄奘譯本及三本中文註釋），之後由 Leo Pruden 將此法文譯本翻成英文，即是 Abhidharmakosa 三大本，在太谷的圖書館有。但是，根據師父的經驗，這本譯錯的地方可能不少。

另外，1936年在西藏發現俱舍論的梵文本，但直到1967、1975 年才出版校正過的梵文本。根據梵文本，James Duerlinger 重譯了第九品，破執我品，即是 "Indian Buddhist Theories of Persons--Vasubandhu's 'Refutation of the Theory of Self'"，於 2003 年出版。

Ven. Master Jian Deng visits Bay Area (1)

2009-03-14

Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, Master Jian Deng and five other Dharma Masters arrives at SFO from Taiwan on March 13.




March 14: "Karma, Causality, and Destiny" at Buddha Gate Monastery
因緣果報與命運，佛門寺

Level 1 class 8 - the 2nd noble truth(1)

The Second Noble Truth: The cause of suffering
1. The cause of suffering--Klesa can be classified as two categories: erroneous views and erroneous behaviors.
2. The perception of an ego-identity is the fundamental casue of suffering.
3. It is difficult to define the term "I".
4. The concept of "I" is ever-changing.
5. A sense of "I am superior than you" leads to a lot of problems in our life.
6. The concept of "I" also reinforces our needs for complaining.

Sunset

Iron birds crisscrossing above the clouds
Busily carving out forgettable traces
The sun sets alone

雲端鐵鳥 來去匆匆
天際足跡 瞬間即逝
孤日當空 自升自沒

Sixth Patriarch's Platform Sutra (2-1)

六祖壇經英譯

I will begin posting our translations of the Platform Sutra by the great Chinese Chan master Huineng. Since Chapter One is mostly autobiographical, we started with Chapter Two, straight to the teaching of prajna. The original text is very beautiful, poetic, and profound while using simple languages befitting of his humble origins. For our first effort we only try to make it accurate. If you can suggest more poetic refinements of the translation, let us know. The translation is going quite slowly so they will appear little by little. The Chinese text is at the end. I've also highlighted some famous phrases from the sutra.
----------
Platform Sutra by the Sixth Patriarch Huineng
Chapter Two: On Prajna

On the following day, upon Governor Wei’s request, the Master took his seat and addressed the assembly, “Let us purify our thoughts and mindfully recite Maha-prajna-paramita.”

Then he said:

Learned audience, bodhi prajna wisdom is inherent in all people of the world. Only because their minds are deluded, they fail to realize it themselves. Therefore, they need the guidance of great masters to see their true nature. Know that Buddha nature is no different in the wise and the ignorant. What separates them is whether one is enlightened or deluded. I will now teach the maha-prajna-paramita so that each of you may attain wisdom.

Listen attentively! I will explain it to you.

Learned audience, people speak of prajna all day, yet they do not recognize the prajna inherent in their nature. Just as talking about food cannot appease hunger, talking about emptiness for countless kalpas will not reveal their original nature; ultimately it is of no benefit.

Learned audience, maha-prajna-paramita is a Sanskrit term meaning “the great wisdom leading to the other shore.” It must be practiced from the mind and not merely spoken of. Prajna, only spoken of but not practiced, is like an illusion, a mirage, a dewdrop, or lightning. By doing both, our speech and mind are in mutual accord. Our original nature is Buddha; apart from this nature there is no other Buddha.

六祖大師法寶壇經
般若品第二

次日，韋使君請益。師陞坐，告大眾曰：『總淨心念摩訶般若波羅
蜜多。』復云：『善知識，菩提般若之智，世人本自有之，只緣心迷，
不能自悟，須假大善知識，示導見性。當知愚人智人，佛性本無差別，
只緣迷悟不同，所以有愚有智。吾今為說『摩訶般若波羅蜜』法，使汝
等各得智慧。志心諦聽，吾為汝說──

善知識，世人終日口念般若，不識自性般若；猶如說食不飽，口但說
空，萬劫不得見性，終無有益。善知識，『摩訶般若波羅蜜』是梵語，
此言大智慧到彼岸。此須心行，不在口念。口念心不行，如幻如化，如
露如電。口念心行，則心口相應。本性是佛，離性無別佛。

Snow at Dharma Jewel Monastery, Atlanta

Early March, big snow at Dharma Jewel Monastery, Atlanta, GA, Chung Tai's latest branch in the U.S.

中台山在美國最新的分院，法寶寺，今年三月初的大雪。

東庵每見西庵雪，
下澗長流上澗泉，
半夜白雲消散後，
一輪明月到床前。

--宋．靈澄禪師

From east chamber I see the snow on west chamber
The water downstream flows always from upstream
When the clouds are scattered away after midnight
The full, round moon arrives high above my bed.
--Ch'an Master Ling Cheng, Song Dynasty

Level 1 class 7 - Three Refuges

1. The meaning of Three Jewels
1-1. Buddha: the role model of our cultivation
1-2. Dharma: the guidance for eradicating our past bad karmas and ceasing the generation of new bad karmas
1-3. Sangha: mentors who teach and practice Buddha's teachings.

2. The meaning of Three Refuges
2-1. The effective way to deal with our fear in this world.
2-2. The simulus for further progress in our meditation
2-3. The way to get help and blessing in pursuing buddhahood

Level 2 class 07 - The perfection of moral conduct (Sila)

1. The definition of Sila
2. The function of Sila
2-1. The fundation for meditation and wisdom
2-2. Build up a self-control, self-restraint mechanism in our minds
3. The first precepts--are both simple and difficult
4. Precepts for Monks
5. Precepts for Laity
6. Why are five precepts so important for your cultivation
7. The perfection of moral conduct
7-1. From passive aspects to active aspects
7-1. From our behavior to our thoughts

The Thief of Time

Living yet dead
The thief of time
Sleep

Living yet dead
The thief of enlightenment
Unmindfulness

雖活猶死
時間之賊
睡眠

雖活猶死
開悟之賊
失念

Diamond Sutra Ch23 & 24 All Dharmas Are Equal

2009-02-26

This class we talked about the organization of the Diamond Sutra, that each 8 of the 32 sections follow this sequence: faith, understanding, cultivation, and realization (信解行證). We should reread this sutra in this light and try to understand the subtle differences in the teaching.

Furthermore, Subhuti, all dharmas are equal, none is superior or inferior.

This is a very famous line from the Diamond Sutra, and one worthy contemplating on over and over. To properly understand this teaching, we must not fall into the two sides of dualistic views: one the one hand, that things have intrinsic value that is fixated (a permanent self view), and, on the other hand, that all things are equal without differences.

A student raised the question: if all dharmas are equal, why in the next chapter Buddha goes on to compare the merits? Try to see this again from the Two Truths point of view: from the absolute truth, and from the conventional truth. Only then we'll see the Middle Way without falling into one extreme view or another.

As with all Dharma, please think of applications in real life.

十宗綱要‧俱舍宗: 俱舍論選讀

2009-03-03 & 04

這堂課我們選讀了《俱舍論，界品第一》中論主世親解題、緣起、及俱舍論之組織綱要之部分。
作業：

1. 解釋「二十五有」，以及其與三界、四生九有之關係。
2. 什麼是「十六行觀」？
3. 什麼是「勝義阿毘達磨」及「世俗阿毘達磨」？
4. 無漏五蘊有另一個更有名的名稱，是什麼？與一般的五蘊有何關係？
   
5. 有為法與有漏法是同義詞嗎？無為法與無漏法是一樣的嗎？有何不同？
6. 舉例說明「擇滅無為」與「非擇滅無為」。
7. 讀了這一小段《俱舍論》，有何感想？
   

下次我們會研討俱舍論選讀中「破我品」及「十六行觀」。

Mindfulness in Las Vegas

2009-2-27 ~ 3/1

We just completed three-days of lectures and meditation in Las Vegas. Thanks to careful and devoted planning by Maikwe, with assistance from Naomi, Alex & Tran, many new and returning people got to experience the Dharma in this meadow of the desert.

Day 1:
Topic: Zen Advice in Turbulent Times
College of Southern Nevada

Jianhu Shifu explained how to go from suffering to hope with three steps: 1. The power of acceptance, 2. Right mindfulness, 3. Right action.

Topic: Mindfulness and Serenity
The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany

Starting with the Serenity Prayer, Shifu explained how the practice of mindfulness can bring about serenity and wisdom.

Day 2:
Topic: The Sword of Wisdom
West Sahara Library

Manjusri's wit is unmatched, his exchanges with the Buddha points to profound truths we overlook in our lives. E.g., when the Buddha asked him to get some herbs that can be used as medicine, he came back from the forest empty handed, saying, "I don't find any herb or plant that cannot be used as medicine." In our daily encounters, any event can be a medicine to us, as well.Eight people took the Three Refuges to become Buddhists that day.And this one-year-old has his own ideas of Dharma fun.


Day 3:
Half Day Meditation Retreat

We rented a Kung Fu School, but no one showed up to unlock the door! We had to figure out an alternative quickly. Fortunately, Mark offered his house which was a few minutes away. Surprisingly, just about everyone came, nobody complained. It was a cozy retreat with 60 people squeezed into the lounge and living room area! We practiced mindfulness of the body, and did walking meditation in the backyard. So many sincere people seeking the path, right here in Vegas.

Sorry, no pictures of the Strip. But we did spot the following two signs: Performing in Vegas: Zowie Bowie, Donny & Marie. What an amazing town.

十宗綱要‧俱舍宗: 法蘊足論，俱舍論之組織

2009-02-24 & 25

1. 這堂課我們摘錄了一段「法蘊足論」。其中有一首偈：
   欲我知汝本 汝從分別生
   我更不分別 汝復從何起？
   這首偈與「四十二章經」中那一首偈很相近？
2. 上課時，提到「法蘊足論」有何重要性？為何值得學習？
3. 俱舍論每一品的內容是如何組織建立的？請做（或找到）一張俱舍論的組織圖表。

法蘊足論選讀
俱舍論選讀

接下來我們會做「俱舍論」的原文選讀，以及繼續介紹課文中第參節，「俱舍要義」。

目前收到的作業：

從四十二章經中找出舆下列句子意義相通的經文: 「欲我知汝本 汝以分別生 我若不分別 汝復從何起」
------------------------------
四十二章經, 第三十一章 - 心寂欲除 佛為說偈：「欲生於汝意，意以思想生；二心各寂靜，非色亦非行。」 佛經云：「心生故種種法生，心滅故種種法滅。」 斷欲須從心斷。推此欲從意生，意復從思想生。思想寂靜故，意即寂靜。意寂靜故, 欲即寂靜。欲寂靜故，觀一切色,一切行如幻。 --Kay Chan

俱舍論的組織圖表 (pdf)

總說四諦的性質		講述苦、集二諦 (有漏的生死流轉因果)			講述滅、道二諦 (無漏的生死還滅因果)			明無我之理
明萬法之存在		明迷之因果			明悟之因果			結
從總體上建立有漏、無漏法		講苦諦的內容 (世是苦果)	講集諦的內容 (業是苦因, 煩惱是苦緣)		講滅諦的內容	講道諦的內容
1界 品	2根 品	3世間品	4業 品	5隨眠品	6賢聖品	7智 品	8定 品	9破我品
名 、 色 世 界	有 情 之 心 身	有 漏 果	有 漏 之 近 因	有 漏 之 遠 因	無 漏 果	無 漏 近 因	無 漏 緣 (遠因)	全 論 之 抉 擇

--Vicky