Saturday, February 21, 2009

Diamond Sutra Ch22 - No Attainment Is Supreme Enlightenment

2009-02-19
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, when the Buddha attained unsurpassed complete enlightenment, was nothing actually attained?” “So it is, Subhuti, so it is. As to unsurpassed complete enlightenment, I have not attained the slightest thing. This is why it is called unsurpassed complete enlightenment.”

We talked about the difference between knowledge, practice, understanding, and realization. When we first learn and examine the Dharma, and become familiar with the ideas and principles, it is knowledge. But the Dharma, that is, these principles and methods are to be lived, moment to moment, day by day--this is the practice. With practice and contemplation we come to a deeper understanding of the validity of the Dharma. With further persistent practice, eventually we realize the truth of the Dharma, that is, we actually experience, as the Buddha and countless past masters have, the truth of these teachings. This is why the same teachings seem to be repeated many times in the Diamond Sutra, but actually there are subtle differences each time the same questions or same topics are discussed. I encourge you to look closely the similar passages and see if you can find the differences in depth of the realization of these teachings.

The Buddha has not attained anything by reaching Buddhahood. But he was not an ordinary person anymore. What is the difference?

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Level I Class 06 Impermanence & Suffering

2009-02-16

We finished the topic "Karma & Causality" (more or less), and discussed the First Noble Truth, that everyone's life has some duhkha -- suffering, dissatisfaction, unpleasantness, pain.

Please review with the help of the following questions:
  1. We listed the eight types of suffering (birth, illness, aging, death, separation from loved ones, meeting with people you dislike, desiring things you cannot have, and imbalance of body and mind) Do these events or situations necessarily cause suffering? Why or why not?
  2. Of these eight types of suffering, some are physical, some are psychological, some are both. Which are which? If we want to change suffering to happiness, which ones do we start with?
  3. Why does Buddhism talk so much about suffering? To make us depressed?
  4. I skipped the question, "how is it that good/innocent people suffer?", which we will discuss in the next class. But what do you think the answer is? Given what we have taught in the class.

十宗綱要‧俱舍宗: 阿含經

2009-02-17 & 18

這堂從學員們提供的長阿含、增一阿含摘錄的經文中選了幾篇來閱讀及討論,希望引起大家對阿含的興趣。

這次也開始講解俱舍宗課文 p.103 至 p.106 第一段。請大家查一查以下的資料:
  1. 世親造俱舍論的詳細因緣
  2. 世親迴小向大的因緣
  3. 中國的四大譯經師之介紹
  4. 「一身六足論」內容各各為何?
  5. 俱舍論的註解,今日能見到的有那些?
下堂課我們會選一些六足論中「法蘊足論」及俱舍論的本文來研讀,並繼續俱舍宗的講解。

這裏是來自學員的二部阿含選錄:

長阿含經選讀
增一阿含經選讀

另有學員幫大家找到了一個很好的資源:
網路藏經閣

其中,四部阿含經全文的 pdf 版本(CBETA製作)都在「大正藏」之下的第一卷及第二卷中。
《俱舍論》在「大正藏」第29卷。《法蘊足論》在第26卷。《俱舍論》的注釋在「卍續藏」第53卷。另外,近代俱舍論頌最完整詳盡的注釋當屬演培法師所著的《俱舍論頌講記》(共三大本,天華出版社。太谷圖書館有)。不過,演培法師出自於印順之門,對於禪宗、頓悟等的見解,見護並不一定認同。

* 大家在回應時,請註明是回答那一題。

Monday, February 16, 2009

Level 2 Class 05 - Perfection of Charity

2009-02-14

One may think: I'm giving something to you, you should be grateful to me. Buddhism teaches that we should respect and be grateful to the people we are giving to. Do you remember why?

The perfection of charity (dana paramita) is a difficult idea, involving the "Triple Emptiness": there is no giver, there is no object being given, and there is no receiver. People who has achieved perfection of charity give continuously without thinking that they are giving, that someone is indebted to them, or even that the gifts were from them.

We'll encounter the same similar concept in the other five perfections.

Diamond Sutra Ch21 - No Dharma to Teach

2009-02-12
“Subhuti, do not think that the Tathagata holds the thought ‘I have something to teach.’ Do not even think such a thing. Why not? Whoever says that the Tathagata has a Dharma to teach slanders the Buddha, because he does not understand my teaching. Subhuti, in teaching the Dharma there is no Dharma to teach. This is called teaching the Dharma.” Then the wise Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, will there be sentient beings in the future [during the Dharma ending age] who will generate faith upon hearing these teachings?” The Buddha said, “Subhuti, they are neither sentient beings nor non-sentient beings. Why? Subhuti, the Tathagata teaches that sentient beings, who go through many births, are not sentient beings. Therefore they are called sentient beings.”It has become a running joke in the class as I kept saying, "we'll go through the remaining chapters quickly." I planned to go through three chapters this class, but still managed only one.

Two important ideas here: One, that there is "no Dharma to teach". Two: sentient beings are not sentient beings.

One: The Buddha taught so many Dharmas in so many years, yet he says he has nothing to teach. Why? Some of the reasons we discussed in class were:
  1. The Buddha did not invent the Dharma. He said he learned from many past buddhas and bodhisattvas. He was simply describing reality for those of us who cannot see it clearly.
  2. The Buddha had no ego. He doesn't claim credit for the great teaching.
  3. What is the Dharma? In words? In book form? In interactions? In nature? In the Amitabha sutra, it says, "the trees and the birds all speak the Dharma."
  4. No matter how well we teach, the Dharma can be misheard and misued, then the medicine can become poison.
  5. Our buddha nature is complete in itself.

Two: sentient beings are not sentient beings.
  1. The Chinese term of pudgala is 眾生, which liternally means "many births". Ordinary people die and take rebirths endlessly, unless they get enlightened and reach nirvana. However, what we perceive as deaths and rebirths are, in reality, the mindstream going through endless changes. So there is no real deaths and rebirths, just different experiences from one moment to the next.
  2. Ordinary beings are really not ordinary beings, right?
We also talked about how the authors of some of the greatest Chinese classics are unknown. E.g. The three great "mysterious" classics, the philosophical text I-Ching (Book of Changes), author unknown; Tao Te Ching, the source of Taoist philosophy, nobody knows much about the author Lao Tze; The Inner Sutra of the Yellow Emperor, the basis of Chinese medicine, author unknown. The four great Chinese classic novels: Dreams of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Outlaws of the March, and Three Kingdoms, their authors are all in dispute. There is the idea, perhaps, that "it's not important that people know who I am, as long as the book/teaching is spread." To become rich from authoring books was a foreign idea in China before the modern age, in this land that loved the written words.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Dharma in Schools

This month Shifu visited, will visit, or received visits from several schools to introduce Buddhism, ranging from kindergarten to college. They include the Delphi Academy, about 20 4&5 year olds, Walnut Creek Intermediate School 6th graders (12 classes, about 300 students), San Jose's Independence High School (religion panel with Islam, about 500 students), Palo Alto's Terman Middle School 6th graders (8 classes, 200 students), San Jose State University's stress management class (about 30 students), and Adventist Academy High School's multi-religious panel (9-12th grade, about 100 students).

It is great that in the American school system students of all ranges may get first-hand exposure to the living religions, if the teachers are willing. The sixth graders, for example, will have learned about Prince Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the bodhi tree, and so on.

Even sixth graders can have very serious questions about life, creation, and moral dilemmas when they hear the Dharma. They also have very funny questions, too.

Boy: Why are you a vegetarian?
Shifu: Do you have a puppy? Would you chop off its leg and cook it?
Students (laughing): No!
Shifu: What about a chick leg?
Students: (silence/confusion/arugments)
One kid: I'm gonna be a vegetarian.
Another: But chickens are delicious!
Another: But chickens are stupid!

Boy: Would you sign my shoe?

Girl (looking at the handbell I brought): Is that ninja stuff?

Girl: Are there girl monks? Do they have to shave their heads too?

Q: When you meditate, can you float?
Q: Do you use computers and cellphones? What ringtone do you have? Are you on MySpace?
Q: Can you eat during meditation?

Boy: Do you know Hanna Montana?
Shifu: Who?
Girl (with disdain): She's a lousy pop star.

They also ask serious and thoughtful questions.
Q: When Siddhartha left, what happened to his family?
Q: Do you consider Buddhism a religion or a teaching?
Q: How do you believe the world is created?
Q: If you give up your vows (to be a monk) do you get punished?
Q: Did you give up worldly possessions when you become a monk?
Q: What if a person has a gun and is about to kill people, can you kill him?
Q: What is the Buddhist view of life and death?

Sometimes the kids really put me on the spot:
Q: Have you reached nirvana?
Q: Are you enlightened?
Q: Have you ever fallen asleep during meditation?

In High School, their questions are a lot more serious. In college, the students are dealing with stress, parental expectations, relationships, sense of failure or inadequacy, etc.

As these innocent and carefree kids grow into stress-laden adults, so few of them have the good fortune to be guided by wise mentors. Hopefully one day all schools will have these "mental health care" resources available to all the students.

These are some pictures from the Delphi Academy kindergarten kids:







These are some pictures from Walnut Creek Intermediate School (from 2007, we don't have any more recent photos):






Wednesday, February 11, 2009

十宗綱要‧俱舍宗: 阿含經

2009-02-10 & 11

本週介紹四部阿含的特色,及閱讀中阿含中二段關於無常無我觀、及「念處經」。由其「念處經」對四念處中的身念處,有特別詳細的說明,是一部很重要的經典。

本週補充資料:阿含經介紹 中阿含經選讀

這一週請學員繼續閱讀各部阿含,並選錄出來與大家分享。
由學員根據本blog大家回應所整理出來的「十宗綱要」補充資料夾,也已放在太谷圖書館。

Level I Class 05 Karma & Causality

2009-02-09

We finished the last of the Four Tenets, "In all endeavors be true."
There are many examples around us of people who are true to their duties and responsibilities, and people who would do anything for money or power. In terms of karma, everyone eventually gets what one deserves. However, this may take a day or many lifetimes.

We told the story of the Ming Dynasty person Mr. Yuan Liao Fan. See if you can find the "Four Lessons of Liao Fan" in English.

The key to understanding issues such as fate, past, present, future, why we suffer, why someone is gifted or fortunate, etc., is in the verse:
To know what you've done in the past,
Just look at what is happening to you in this life.
To know what will happen to you in the future,
Just look at what you are doing now.
Contemplate on this deeply.

As a review, please answer the following questions:
  1. What is "karma"?
  2. Do you see the Principle of Causality at work around you? Why or why not?
  3. Accepting what happens as a result of past karma can bring us peace of mind. However, doesn't that seem too passive? Why not?
  4. Causality is the basis of both science & Buddhism. Explain.
  5. Everything that happens in life is a result of a long chain of causes and effects. Actually, a result of many causal chains intersecting at one point. Can we ever see this interrelated karma network clearly?

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Level 2 Class 04 - Dana Paramita - The Art of Giving

Dana paramita is the perfection of charity.

We talked about different kinds of of charity: external material giving (money, food, clothing), and internal material giving (body parts, sacrificing one's own life). Just as important is the giving of solace and courage. Even more important is the gift of the Dharma.

We also discussed some cases when not giving is the right thing to do!
Someone mentioned the "art of giving". I think that is an excellent way to think about the perfection of dana.
  1. Is the act of charity purely out of our kindness, or do we have a duty to give?
  2. Who are the people that regularly risk their lives to ensure the rest of us have a safe environment to live?
  3. What if a friend is addicted to gambling or drugs and wants to borrow money from you?
  4. Share an incident of how your life was deeply affected by an act of giving.
  5. What is involved in "the art of giving"? That is, how can we give in a way that truly benefit others the best?
I will begin by sharing an incident of mine. I was a college freshman taking the bus for the first time. It was late at night, all the stores were closed, and I got lost in downtown LA. Finally I got on the last bus to Pasadena. When the bus driver had no changes for my $20 bill, I asked if anyone on the bus did. Dead silence. Actually, more like complete ignorance. I stood there embarrassed, not sure what to do. Finally, a black man walked to the front, dropped a couple of coins, and returned to his seat without saying a word. I never forgot his slim shadow as he disappeared into the darkness in the back of the bus.

I often thought of how this small act of kindness penetrated to the very core of my being.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Snow in Oklahoma

Our Buddha Mind Monastery in Oklahoma is covered with snow!



Diamond Sutra Ch20 - On Physical Attributes

2009-02-05
Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be recognized by means of his perfect physical body?” “No, World Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be recognized by means of his perfect physical body. Why? The Tathagata teaches that a perfect physical body is not a perfect physical body, hence it is called a perfect physical body.” “Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be recognized by means of his perfect attributes?” “No, World Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be recognized by means of his perfect attributes. Why? The Tathagata teaches that ‘perfect attributes’ are actually not perfect attributes. Therefore they are called perfect attributes.
  1. We discussed the idea of beauty and what is considered "perfect body". People in class mentioned that there were some studies suggesting that there may be a "standard" idea of beauty, by symmetry, by averaging thousands of faces, or by measuring a "golden ratio". What do you think? Any references? How does this relate to Buddhism?

  2. Buddha, because of his perfect merits, is said to have a "perfect body", at least to the people of India. We get an idea of what Buddha may look like in different countries by their Buddhist statues. What will an American Buddha look like?

  3. More generally, physical or non-physical attributes of a person may help us see and judge a person (using the attributes), but we can never be 100% sure (attributes are not attributes), such is the reality of attributes. What virtues or attributes do we find in the great people of history? Give examples.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

十宗綱要‧俱舍宗: 阿含經

2009-02-03 & 04
十宗綱要課程,我們先從俱舍宗開始。
俱舍宗的基礎,是阿含經及歷代高僧大德為解釋阿含經所作的論典。

許多人學佛但從未看過佛典的基礎,阿含經。阿含經傳到中國,有雜阿含,中阿含,長阿含,增一阿含。我們先選讀幾段雜阿含。

本週補充資料:雜阿含選讀1
線上閱讀大藏經:CBETA

本週的作業是:
  1. 這四種阿含,各有何特色?
  2. 請大家從這四部阿含中摘錄一些你喜歡的片段,與大家分享。
  3. 閱讀阿含的時候,有什麼感想、心得?與大乘經的教理比起來如何?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Level I Class 04 Four Tenets of Chung Tai

2009-02-02

Grand Master Wei Chueh, founder of Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Taiwan, has distilled the following practical guideline for applying Buddhist principles in our lives. They are called the Four Tenets of Chung Tai:
To our elders be respectful
To our juniors be kind
With all humanity be harmonious
In all endeavors be true
In the words of a Buddhist Master, "they are so simple that a 3-year-old can understand, but take a lifetime to practice."
  1. In this class we covered the first three tenets, and Shifu gave examples. Can you provide some stories or examples of your own to illustrate the importance of respect, kindness, harmony, and truthfulness? You can write it, give a link or a reference. Maybe Shifu will use them next time in class!
  2. Does it make sense to treat another with respect if the other person does not treat you with respect?
  3. Similarly, what happens if others are unkind and we repay with cruelty? What happens if we repay with kindness instead?
  4. How can harmony be achieved when there are strong conflicts of opinions? Think what would be the first step to take.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Groundhog Day Buddhism; Movies with Buddhist Themes

Today is Groundhog Day, the writer Perry Garfinkel wrote an article called "Groundhog Day Buddhism Sutra" on the Hoffington Post, where he analyzed the Four Noble Truths in the movie. Perhaps it is time we watch this movie again, and try to see how many Buddhist principles you can find in it! The Dharma is everywhere, isn't it?

We've done several "Buddhism in the Movies" workshops, on the movies "Matrix" and "What the Bleep Do We Know". Another good one, which we showed in a Denver retreat, was "Peaceful Warrior".

Send in your suggestions for movies with Buddhist themes! We may pick it for a future workshop.

Another exercise: apply the Four Noble Truth (or other Buddhist teachings) to a movie of your choice (like Perry has done), and explain how you observe these principles in the movie.

Art & Floral Exhibit at Buddha Jewel Monastery 佛寶寺書法花藝展

2009-02-01
We had a Guanyin Ceremony for the Lunar New Year at Buddha Jewel, together with an Art & Floral Exhibit with artists from Taiwan & Seattle. Over a hundred people attended. Some very nice artwork on display!















Diamond Sutra Ch18-2 & Ch19: Intangible Thoughts, Diamond Zhou, & Merits

2009-01-29
Chapter 18. All Thoughts Are Intangible
... The Buddha said to Subhuti: “The Tathagata is fully aware of the thoughts of each sentient being dwelling in all these Buddha worlds. How is it so? The Tathagata says all these thoughts are not thoughts. Therefore they are called thoughts. Why, Subhuti? Because past thoughts are intangible, present thoughts are intangible, and future thoughts are intangible.”

Chapter 19. No Merit Is Great Merit
“Subhuti, what do you think? If a person were to fill all the worlds of the trichiliocosm with the seven jewels and give them all away in charity, wouldn’t this person’s merit be great?” “Yes, World Honored One, this person’s merit from such an act would be extremely great.” “Subhuti, if this merit were real, the Tathagata would not say that there is great merit. It is because this merit is non-existent that the Tathagata says that the merit is great.”

We finished Chapter 18 & 19. Discussion questions:
  1. In the story of "Diamond Zhou", who was enlightened when Master Lungtan (Dragon Lake) gave him a candle for the night walk and immediately blew it out, what could have Diamond Zhou realized?
  2. The Buddha can know all beings' thoughts because "thoughts are not thoughts". In which ways are thoughts not thoughts?
  3. In Chapter 19, why does the Buddha say, "this merit is great because it is not real." How do we understand this?
  4. How can we apply these examples of emptiness to our lives?

Level 2 Zen Class 03 Five Precepts

2009-01-24 & 01-31

In these two classes we covered a topic that we should've done in the Level One class but ran out of time.

Please reflect on the following:
  1. No Killing
  2. No Stealing
  3. No Sexual Misconduct
  4. No Lying (or Verbal Offense)
  5. No Intoxicants

Questions:
  1. Is killing a human as bad as killing a chicken? Why or why not?
  2. Is killing a puppy as bad as eating veal? Why or why not?
  3. Why is the livestock industry responsible for more greenhouse pollution than the air, land, and water traffic?
  4. What's wrong with alcohol, if I don't get drunk? (Think of the purpose of meditation).
  5. What are the correct intentions or mental attitudes in observing the Five Precepts? For example, in observing the "No Killing" precept, the underlying attitude is "not to harm anyone". What about the other four precepts?
  6. Are there exceptions to these Five Precepts? For example, is it ok to say something you know is not true, under some special conditions?
  7. Then, is it ever justified to kill a person?
  8. How about stealing and taking intoxicants?