Level One class 03 Life of the Buddha

2009-01-26

We covered the life of the Buddha in this class.

What are the things you can learn from his life?

For example, was Prince Siddhartha special as a young boy?

How did he react to ordinary experiences like seeing a sick person?

What kind of goals in life did he set?

Which qualities figure prominently in his personality?

How was he similar or different from founders of other religions or prophets?

Do you have or do you think you can develop these qualities that makes him a great person?

楞嚴經最後一堂課

楞嚴經終於講完了！

請大家讀這一篇介紹圓瑛法師的文章：

圓瑛老法師事略

若有興趣繼續研讀楞嚴，圓瑛法師的註解可說是最詳盡完整的：

楞嚴經講義

下週開始我們將上中台山新編的「高級禪修教本」，內容是有系統的介紹中國佛教的十個宗派的要義：淨土宗、三論宗、禪宗、天台宗、華嚴宗、律宗、法相（唯識）宗、密宗、俱舍宗、成實宗。我們也會藉此機會選讀各宗重要經論原典。

理則頓悟，乘悟併銷；事非頓除，因次第盡。如惟覺老和尚常說，頓悟不礙漸修，道理懂了，尚須事修，大家繼續努力！今世能聞佛法，實是百千萬劫難遭遇的福報。

有空的時候，會再整理「楞嚴經佳句選」提供給大家。

Level One class 02 Wisdom, responsibility, what is precious

2009-01-19

English Zen 1
We finished the first topic, "Introduction to Zen Buddhism" (sort of). Let's review some of the important points learned in our second class by these questions:

1. What is real wisdom?
2. What are the Three Poisons of the mind?
3. We are responsible for our suffering. What is a positive way to look at this teaching?
4. You can, and should, use your rational judgment in learning about Buddhism. What, then, is the value of faith in Buddhism?
5. From Bodhidharma's story, what is the most precious "thing" in the world? (Also, think of what is truly precious in your life.)
   
6. Are all beings truely equal? Why or why not?
7. Why are there different schools in Buddhism?
   

Level 2 Zen Class 2009-01-17 Bodhisattva Ideal

Welcome to the 21 students who returned for the Level 2 class!

Level 1 was focused on one's own liberation, namely the Four Noble Truths.
Level 2 will focus on the Bodhisattva's practice, namely the Six Paramitas (or Six Perfections).

Today we talked about the "Bodhisattva Ideal" by learning from five famous bodhisattvas and what they represent:

1. Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara): Great compassion
2. Manjusri: Great wisdom
3. Earth Treasure (Ksitigarbha): Great vow
4. Universal Virtue (Samatabhadra): Great conduct
5. Maitreya the Future Buddha: Kindness, and hope--that we can be a buddha too, if we follow the bodhisattva way.

Questions:

1. Find some pictures of each of these bodhisattvas and post them here.
   
2. What are the two possible meanings of the word "bodhisattva"?
3. What does a bodhisattva has to do besides attain complete enlightenment?
4. What are the two possible meanings of the name "Avalokiteshvara" ("Guanyin")?
5. Why does Bodhisattva Manjusri carry a sword?
6. Why is Bodhisattva Earth Treasure's work in freeing all beings in hell never done?
7. Maitreya is slim in India, and chubby in China. Guanyin is a man in India, and a woman in China. What does that say about our physical form?

Send in your answers via the comments button below.

New Face for the blog

Even though I like the old "scribe" look of our blog, it never showed the bullet lists and numbered lists properly, displaying a "flower" instead. So I change to a new template that handles the lists correctly.

Diamond Sutra 2009-01-15 Five Central Concepts

We welcomed the level 2 students who now join us in the Sutra Study class.

Continuing with the last part of Ch. 17,

Subhuti, there is actually no such thing called a bodhisattva.

All phenomena are free from the ideas of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span.

If a bodhisattva says ‘I will transform the world into a Buddha world,’ then he is not a bodhisattva. Why? The Tathagata teaches that one who transforms the world is not the one who transforms the world. That is to transform the world.

If a bodhisattva realizes the Dharma of non-self, the Tathagata says this is a real bodhisattva.

We discussed three fundamental observations in Buddhism:

1. What is created will perish
2. All that are created come from something else.
3. These "something else" are the specific causal conditions that must be met for something to happen or appear. These specific relationships lead to the Principle of Causality. And since all conditions change, all creation will perish.

These three concepts are intimately related to another, and not so difficult to observe. What is more difficult to see is a fourth, related concept: emptiness.

4. Because all things depend on other conditions, therefore all things are empty of their own, instrinsic nature. All the observed characteristics of anything, including people, are empty.

And a fifth concept:

5. What is uncreated is unconditioned and cannot perish. The bodhi mind, which is formless and empty, is such an example.

Questions:

1. Name some examples of specific causal relationships.
2. Give examples of the empty nature of specific objects, e.g. water, rock, mountains. (That is: why is water empty?)
3. Give examples of the empty nature of events, e.g. winning an award, losing a job, breakup, getting sick.
4. Why is that we should make the bodhisattva resolve but yet there no such thing as a bodhisattva?
5. What else did you learn in this class?

楞嚴經研經班 2009-01-13/14

我們楞嚴經從2004年到現在，已經講了四年多了，現在終於要講完了。楞嚴經很深很廣，有些道理見護師可以很有信心的告訴大家，就是如此；有些道理，如佛菩薩證悟的境界，甚深禪定中的境界，就只能根據古德的註解，依文銷義，要大家自己親自證到才能體會了。

上學期講完五十陰魔，「魔」就是一切修行上的障礙。有外魔有內魔，其實都是心魔。心念正，就是光明，就是智慧，什麼魔也動不了你。

五陰就如五重布幕，蓋住這個覺性，讓我們看不清楚。要除五陰，自然要從最粗的色陰，「堅固忘想」破起。深深思惟這四個字，對於心、物是一元、二元，是同是異這個千古疑題，自然就能了解。

破了五陰之後，真正證悟到佛心，佛慧，就到達之前所說的「乾慧地」，證無生法忍，以後漸超五十二位階，直至成佛，都是用這一念「金剛心」。金剛者，一切無能破壞，一切畢竟堅固，也就是首楞嚴大定。

記得首楞嚴大定有五個名稱嗎？知道的請回應！

上了這麼多的楞嚴經，自己真正學到了什麼呢？也和大家分享吧！

下堂課應是最後一堂了！

Level One Zen Buddhism class 01 (2009-01-12)

Welcome the level one (mostly) new class members!

We had about 30 people signed up but over 60 people turned up. We hope most of you will stay through the class!

For your review, and in case you missed it:

1. Gave an introduction to the class structure and format.
2. Handed out the syllabus.
3. Gave an introduction to "Zen"
4. The purpose of meditation
5. Gave an introduction to the Zen Center
6. Instructions for our first meditation method, "Breath Counting"
7. Assurance that (almost) everyone's legs hurt when they first meditate. Endurance and patience are what makes the practice successful.
8. Everyone can become a Buddha!

Questions (reply via comments to this post)

1. What is "Zen"? Trace the word origin from India, through China, to Japan, and the West.
2. What can meditation do for us?
3. What is meditation? Why can walking be considered a meditation?
4. What is the name of this Zen Center? (Finally an easy one)
   

New term has begun at the Zen Center

We welcome the new year with hope.
And the best tools to realize that hope is to meditate and learn the wisdom of the Buddha.

Our website has the listing of all the new and continuing Zen Buddhism classes.
http://sunnyvale.ctzen.org

Grand Master Wei Chueh

Here is a picture of the Grand Master Wei Chueh when he visited the US in 2001.

惟覺法語：

學佛的目的，就是使我們的心在境界當中不受影響，仍能保持平定、寧靜。

Dharma Words of the Grand Master Wei Chueh:

The aim of practicing Buddhism is to free the mind from the influence of external circumstances and maintain peace and serenity within.

Zen-7 Poems

Some of the poems Ven. Jianhu mentioned in the Zen-7 Retreat:

見盧山瀑布題詩

穿雲透石不辭勞，遠地方知出處高
溪澗豈能留得住，終歸大海作波濤

--香雲智閑 & 唐宣宗

On Seeing the Waterfall at Mt. Lu

Penetrating the clouds and the rocks, you are not detered by the hardships
Haveing gone this far, you must come from a high place.
How can the rivers and streams contain me?
My place in to roam free in the great ocean.

--Master Xianyun & Emperor Tang Xuan Zong

---

塵勞迥脫事非常，緊把繩頭做一場。

不是一番寒徹骨，爭得梅花撲鼻香。

--黃檗禪師

Chill to the Bone

To be completely free from the burden of defilements
Is no ordinary undertaking;
Grab the rope firmly with all your might!
Only through the bone-biting chill of winter,
Will the plum blossoms
Smack you with their delightful fragrance.

--Master Huang Bo

---

學道之人不識真，祇為從來認識神。

無始劫來生死本，癡人喚作本來人。

--長沙景岑禪師

The cultivators never recognized what is real,
Because they always think of consciousness as the soul,
Which is the root of samsara since beginningless time;
They mistake the dummy as the original.

--Master Chang Sha

---

但自無心於萬物，何妨萬物時圍繞

--龐蘊居士

If the mind does not cling to anything,
It doesn’t matter if you’re surrounded by everything.

--Layman Pang Yun

Five Contemplations Before A Meal 食存五觀

Our translation team worked on a translation of the Five Contemplations which is used before we take meals in the monastery:

This offering is the fruit of many's work and care;
Reflecting on my conduct, "Am I worthy of a share?"
Be wary of the poisons, the foremost being greed;
Seeing food as medicine, I take only what I need,
Solely for cultivation, to realize the Buddha Way.
With gratitude I accept this offering today.

(It is slightly modified from the excellent version I got from Rev. Heng Sure of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery.)

食存五觀
計功多少，量彼來處
忖己德行，全缺應供
防心離過，貪等為宗
正事良藥，為療形枯
為成道業，應受此食

2008 Zen-7 Complete Verse 禪七解七法語

CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF SUNNYVALE
2008 WINTER ZEN-SEVEN RETREAT

Completion Verse
January 1, 2009

  You used up all your efforts to penetrate the clouds and the rocks,
Yet in an instant, turning back, you arrived at the source.
Having entered the great ocean of bodhi awareness you realize
That you’ve been swimming in the same place for endless time.
In one drop of water you see True Suchness;
All the rivers and streams flow from it.
The truth of emptiness, convention and Middle Way are replete in each thought,
The great essence, form, and function are complete in the One-Mind.

Good cultivators, for the completion of this Zen-Seven Retreat, how does the last verse go?

   Your heroic nature finally manifest itself—
Vowing to never rest until all sentient beings are free.

Done—

 穿雲透石勞心力 忽爾回首到源頭
入大覺海方乃知 無始劫來原處游
一滴水中見真如 百千河川從此流
空假中諦念念俱 體相用大無不周


諸位知識，即今起七一事，最後一句又怎麼說法？

英雄本色今日現 未盡有情終不休

解—

2008 Zen-7 Initiation Verse 禪七起七法語

CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF SUNNYVALE
2008 WINTER ZEN-SEVEN RETREAT

Initiation Verses
December 25, 2008

  Cold winds chase the winter rain outside
    Cultivators enter the Zen Gate inside.
 Let the winds sweep away layers of worries
    And the rain wash down all the dust.
 Focus your minds on the original awareness;
    Do not mistake it as the spirit or consciousness.
 As the thought-dust clear away themselves,
    You will see plainly the original person.

Good cultivators, for this Zen-Seven Initiation, how does the last verse go?

   Original or not, the person is just such;
  Like the morning sun—winds or rain can never touch.

Begin—

 窗外寒風逐冬雨   寺內行者入禪門
寒風掃除千層慮   冬雨洗盡萬點塵
禪子攝心觀自在   切莫錯認識中神
心清塵慮自淨盡   廓然得見舊時人


諸位知識，即今起七一事，最後一句又怎麼說法？

舊人新人祇這是 風雨何碍旭日昇

起—

Ten Precepts for the Mind 一心戒文

一心戒文

1. 於自性靈妙常住法中，不生斷滅之見，名不殺生。
2. 於自性靈妙不可得法中，不生可得之念，名不偷盜。
3. 於自性靈妙無著法中，不生愛著之念，名不淫欲。
4. 於自性靈妙不可說法中，不說一字，名不妄語。
5. 於自性靈妙本來清淨法中，不生無明，名不飲酒。
6. 於自性靈妙無過患法中，不說過罪，名不說過。
7. 於自性靈妙平等法中，不說自他，名不自讚毀他。
8. 於自性靈妙真如週遍法中，不生一相慳執，名不慳貪。
9. 於自性靈妙無我法中，不計實我，名不瞋恚。
10. 於自性靈妙一如法中，不起生佛二見，名不謗三寶。

Ten Precepts for the Mind

1. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is eternal, never give rise to views of death or extinction. This is the precept of No Killing.


2. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is ungraspable, know that one can possess nothing. This is the precept of No Stealing.


3. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is without attachment, desire nothing. This is the precept of No Sexual Conduct.


4. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is indescribable, utter no words. This the precept of No Lying.


5. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is pure and clear, never give rise to ignorance. This is the precept of No Intoxicants.


6. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is flawless, speak of no faults. This is the precept of No Publicizing People’s Faults.


7. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is impartial, make no distinction between self and others. This is the precept of No Bragging And Slandering.


8. From the profound and wondrous original nature which is universal, raise no selfish thought. This is the precept of No Greed.


9. From the profound and wondrous original nature which has no self, do not mistake the ego as real. This is the precept of No Anger.


10. From the profound and wondrous original nature that is one-suchness, have no dualistic view of buddha vs. sentient beings. This is the precept of Not Defaming the Three Jewels.

Zen-7 Verses from 2007

Our 2008 Zen-7 Retreat will be starting tomorrow. We'll update the blog with the new Zen-7 Dharma Initiation and Closing Verses as they become available.

Meanwhile, here are the verses from 2007 Zen-7 at the Zen Center:
這是2007年太谷禪七法語：


CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF SUNNYVALE
2007 WINTER ZEN-SEVEN RETREAT

Initiation Verses
December 25, 2007

  Zen disciples gather at Sunnyvale
   In a seven day intensive retreat to seek the bodhi mind.
 Zen disciples gather at Sunnyvale
   In a seven day intensive retreat to seek the bodhi mind.
 How can the bodhi mind be sought?
   Throughout time it’s never apart from the now.
 Like the vast Great Void the mind is boundless;
   In the depths of the Valley our original nature hides.
 Sights, sounds, smells, and tastes are all irrelevant;
   Yet in seeing, hearing, feeling and sensing you find a clue.

Good cultivators, for this Zen-Seven Initiation, how does the last verse go?

   Having studied ten thousand scriptures you are still nowhere near;
 Without a single thought, right here you are with the Buddha.

Begin—

 禪子迢迢聚太谷    精進禪七覓菩提
菩提那得容汝覓    亙古至今未曾離
太虛周遍心周遍    谷深無底性無底
色聲香味沒交涉    見聞覺知透消息

諸位知識，即今起七一事，最後一句又怎麼說法？

讀破萬卷未觸邊    一念不生到佛地

起—

---

Completion Verses
January 1, 2008

  The Zen-Seven Retreat at Sunnyvale is now complete,
    Having found the bodhi mind everyone is truly joyful.
How can the bodhi mind be found?
    All is already here, always; no confusion evermore.
The boundless Great Void is but a dust in the mind;
    All the scenery in the Valley leaves no trace.
Seeing, hearing, feeling, and sensing are all irrelevant;
    Yet in sights, sounds, smells, and tastes you find a clue.

Good cultivators, for the completion of this Zen-Seven Retreat, how does the last verse go?

   Mind, matter, existence, and emptiness—what’s the fuss?
 Green bamboos and yellow flowers reveal the Zen way.

Done—

 太谷禪七今圓滿    覓得菩提真歡喜
菩提那得容汝覓    本自現成永不迷
太虛原乃心中塵    谷裏風光無痕跡
見聞覺知沒交涉    色聲香味透消息

諸位知識，即今解七一事，最後一句又怎麼說法？

色心空有渾無礙    翠竹黃花皆禪機

解—

Zen-7 Retreat

Just got back from our annual Zen-7 Retreat for abbots at Chung Tai. In a couple of days our own Zen-7 will commence at Sunnyvale Zen Center.

The Grand Master has said, "Zen-7 is an all-purpose tonic", yes, for the body and the mind. I feel it more deeply than ever this time.

• There is no replacement in the world for one's own diligent practice in meditation. Everyone needs it, though not everyone realizes it.
• When the left hand hits the right hand, both hands hurt.
• "I" is nothing but the "similar succession of thoughts". However, while this understanding illuminates the nature of the gross self, there is still a subtler "self" residing in each momentary instance of a thought.
• Even when one's mind can remain unmoved with whatever is happening, there is still a self and other.

There has never been a self,
There has never been the other.
When the left touches the right,
There is neither contact nor separation.
What is there to overcome?
What is the need to remain still?
All is empty as it is,
As all phenomena make their appearances.
Liberation is immediate.

禪七

剛從中台山的住持禪七回來，太谷的禪七就要開始了！
對老和尚所說，禪七真正是一個身心的「十全大補湯」，這次感受特別深。

• 左手打右手，兩邊一般疼
  

• 縱得泰山崩於前而面不改色，心不動一絲毫，猶有自他在。
  

• 相似相續，能破相續我。而仍有細微剎那我在。
  

• 自本非自，他本非他，左右相交，亦無觸背。何用對治，何須不動。當體即空，不礙諸相。當處解脫。

When Buddha Meets "the Matrix"

Some major topics we discussed in our "Buddhism in the Movies" workshop:

1. Awakening from the world of illusion

• What is illusion? What is reality? Do you feel something is missing in your life?
• What choices have you made to take your life to this point?
• What choices will you make, and where will they take you in the future?
• How to wake up from this all-enveloping illusion?
• Humans were used as batteries by the "sentient machines" in the movie. A commentary on how we treat our farm animals only as product and energy source?
• Residual self-image: what a great term. How we view ourselves is but a shadow, projection, a residual image of what we truly are. This false self image is a composite of our life experiences.

2. Free your mind

• How we limit ourselves by thinking "I can't"
• If we are willing to let go of our fear, doubts, and disbelief, how much can we accomplish?

3. Levels of faith and levels of reality

• How much faith do we have in ourselves, in our beliefs, and in our teachers?
• How much are we willing to believe in illusions, even when we know they are illusions?
  
  (e.g. in the movie, "Mouse" is willing to have a date with the "woman in red dress" which is a simulation he created; Cypher goes a step further, betraying the crew so he can return to the illusion of Matrix. We do that all the time, e.g. eating the cheesecake or steak or drinking alcohol that we know we shouldn't)
  
  Do we really want to know the truth?
• Is faith necessary in enlightenment?
  

4. "There is no spoon"

• To what degree is the physical reality created by our mind?

5. Oracle, omniscience, knowing the future

• In times of uncertainty, we want to turn to some authority to tell us what to do.
• In the movie, the Oracle actually doesn't tell you what to do. What does she do? How is her method similar to that of a Buddhist Master?
• The future is shaped by the past, but not fixed in cement. Instead it is a ever-unfolding process that changes as we make decisions each moment.
• What then is omniscience?

6. Death and rebirth

• Did Neo have to die in order to complete his transformation as the One? What is this significance? Compare with Christianity and Zen (where many Zen masters describe their enlightenment experiences as having the old self died.)
• How is it possible that Neo came back to life? How is it logical in the movie? Do you die if you believe you will die?

7. Concept of a Savior/Bodhisattva

• What qualities did Neo have to become The One?
• What did his transformation/training involve?
• Can only certain special being beTthe One (Christianity, in the movie) or can anyone become The One (Buddhism)?

8. Duality of Good and Evil

• In the first Matrix movie, Good and Evil, reality and illusion are very clear and disctinct. In the second and third movie, both boundaries become blurred until .... (we didn't discuss this as this is an important topic in the subsequent movies)

Live from Seattle, This is Saturday Night

We just finished our second Heart Sutra lecture (心經講座) and the "When Buddha Meets the Matrix" workshop, where we had many first time visitors to Buddha Jewel Monastery attracted to the topic.

Of special note is that we have a dozen disciples from Zen Center of Sunnyvale that came yesterday and today, and they immediately went to work as experienced volunteers to help with the service tomorrow. What great disciples.



Also, tonight is the first day it snowed in Seattle this year. Heavens were kind to us, as snow only camd after our workshop was finished. Our Californians were quite excited.


Shifu snapped these couple of pictures as I was leaving, heading for the Zen-7 retreat in Taiwan. So don't complaint about the picture quality!

Live, from Seattle, Saturday night at the airport.