Tag: Emptiness

How to Cultivate Wisdom – Buddhism 2

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One of the fundamental teachings is that all the constituent forms (sankharas) that make up the universe are transient (Pali: anicca), arising and passing away, and therefore without concrete identity or ownership (atta). This lack of enduring ownership or identity (anatta) of phenomena has important consequences for the possibility of liberation from the conditions which give rise to suffering. This is explained in the doctrine of 12-links of dependent origination.

The concept emptiness (sunyata) of form (Pali: rūpa), an important corollary of the transient and conditioned nature of phenomena, is one of the most discussed themes. Reality is seen, ultimately, in Buddhism as a form of ‘projection‘, resulting from the fruition (vipaka) of karmic seeds (sankharas). The precise nature of this ‘illusion’ that is the phenomenal universe is debated among different schools.

释迦牟尼世尊于菩提树下睹明星悟道之际，世尊云：“奇哉奇哉，一切众生，皆具如来智慧德相，但因妄想执着，不能证得，若离妄想，一切智，自然智，即得现前。”
  世尊说众生皆具如来智慧德相，这智慧德相是什么呢?原来智慧德相，就是万德万能的佛性。
  佛性又称真如、自性、常住佛性、妙真如性、真如实相等。
  名称虽然不同，实际上是一个东西，它就是我们各人原具的本性。
妄想：由虚妄不实之心而产生的意念。
分别：没有超越二元对立世界观点时对事物的看法。比如有你我、美丑。。。等观念。
执著：指有所求的想法和行为。是指没有除去功利之心的境界。修行人必须以无为之心行有为之事，则可除去执著之病。

The teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha constitutes a method by which people can come out of their condition of suffering through developing an awareness of reality (see mindfulness). Buddhism thus seeks to address any disparity between a person’s view of reality and the actual state of things. This is called developing Right or Correct View (Pali: samma ditthi). Seeing reality as-it-is is thus an essential prerequisite to mental health and well-being according to Buddha’s teaching. Our suffering start from pursuing the wrong things (mental illusions stimulated by outside contacts through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mental thought). The karma seed of greed, aversion, ignorance, bias, bigotry is triggers by circumstances/situations, leading to our wrong thought, wrong actions in reaction to the illusory nature of reality. These result in new/more pain/suffer (karma). Letting go is to get rid of our discrimination caused by the duality, our clinging to gains and losses, and our attachments to outside objects.

The Heart Sutra translated by Master Thick Nhat Hanh presented the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore:

Avalokiteshvara
while practicing deeply with
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,
suddenly discovered that
all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,
and with this realisation
he overcame all Ill-being.

“Listen Sariputra,
this Body itself is Emptiness
and Emptiness itself is this Body.
This Body is not other than Emptiness
and Emptiness is not other than this Body.
The same is true of Feelings,
Perceptions, Mental Formations,
and Consciousness.

“Listen Sariputra,
all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness;
their true nature is the nature of
no Birth no Death,
no Being no Non-being,
no Defilement no Purity,
no Increasing no Decreasing.

“That is why in Emptiness,
Body, Feelings, Perceptions,
Mental Formations and Consciousness
are not separate self entities.

The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena
which are the six Sense Organs,
the six Sense Objects,
and the six Consciousnesses
are also not separate self entities.

The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising
and their Extinction
are also not separate self entities.
Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,
the End of Ill-being, the Path,
insight and attainment,
are also not separate self entities.

Whoever can see this
no longer needs anything to attain.

Bodhisattvas who practice
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
see no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there
are no more obstacles in their mind,
they can overcome all fear,
destroy all wrong perceptions
and realize Perfect Nirvana.

“All Buddhas in the past, present and future
by practicing
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
are all capable of attaining
Authentic and Perfect Enlightenment.

“Therefore Sariputra,
it should be known that
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
is a Great Mantra,
the most illuminating mantra,
the highest mantra,
a mantra beyond compare,
the True Wisdom that has the power
to put an end to all kinds of suffering.
Therefore let us proclaim
a mantra to praise
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!”

Life exists in the present, or nowhere at all, and if you cannot grasp that you are simply living a fantasy. Practice Buddhism is the process of repentance/purification and return to our original nature – the Buddha Nature. According to Master Thick Nhat Hanh, Oneness of body and mind is the fruit of practice that you can get right away—you don’t have to wait. He said,

When you wake up in the morning, you already can experience your interbeing (interconnectedness) with your bed, your blankets, your sheets, your pillows and your partner (if  you have one). Each of these items and people are connected to you in a deep way. The company that manufactured the bed had to obtain their raw materials from many places and hire many people to produce the bed. The sheets may have partially come from cotton that had be picked, sent to market, spun into cloth and sewn into sheets and pillow case. Many people and processes were involved in this step

Your blankets may be made of wool and you are therefore connected with the sheep, the farmer and everyone and everything else that brought the blanket into your house. If you went to the store to buy the blanket, how many people and things were you connected to in acquiring the blanket?

…….

Spiritual practice is not just sitting and meditating. Practice is looking, thinking, touching, drinking, eating, and talking. Every act, every breath, and every step can be practice and can help us to become more ourselves.

The quality of our practice depends on its energy of mindfulness and concentration. I define mindfulness as the practice of being fully present and alive, body and mind united. Mindfulness is the energy that helps us to know what is going on in the present moment. I drink water and I know that I am drinking the water. Drinking the water is what is happening.

Mindfulness brings concentration. When we drink water mindfully, we concentrate on drinking. If we are concentrated, life is deep, and we have more joy and stability. We can drive mindfully, we can cut carrots mindfully, we can shower mindfully. When we do things this way, concentration grows. When concentration grows, we gain insight into our lives.

Once people get the basic, there are two sutras in Buddhism that can elevate our wisdom: Surangama Sutra, and Lotus Sutra.

For over one thousand years, the Surangama Sutra has been held in great esteem in the Mahayana Buddhism, especially in Zen Buddhism. Theoretically speaking, this sutra contains teachings ranging from emptiness, Buddha-nature, to Vajrayana. From the practical aspect, it teaches about the Surangama Samadhi, which is associated with complete enlightenment, and also teaches practitioners how to avoid dangers that may be encountered when absorbed in meditation. One version is translated by Buddhist Text Translation Society with Excerpts from the Commentary by the Venerable Master Hsüan Hua. Another version is translated by Charles Luk and comes with a commentary by Ch’an Master Han Shan.

Hailed as the King of all Sutras, the Lotus Sutra is the symbolism of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment for it focuses on the essence of the Buddha’s teachings: complete liberation of suffering through attaining Buddhahood quickly. Hence, the Lotus Sutra is the veritable beacon of hope for people who wish to live with peace, happiness, and dignity. Lotus Sutra by Buddhist Text Translation Society has present us this great sutra.

The Wisdom of Emptiness – a Story of Cause and Effects Linkage

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The wisdom of emptiness. Einstein’s E=mc2 demonstrates that all matter, all of material reality is actually light-energy (prana, shakti, lung, pneuma, ch’i) arising from its vast basal primordial emptiness matrix or source-ground, just as the Hindu Vedas, Upanishads, Buddhism and other teachings of our Great Wisdom Tradition have told from the very beginning. 

On the account of our wisdom traditions then, the physical cosmos is not simply a linear, material chain of cause and effect from the “Big Bang” (“First Cause”) to the present, but rather, an atemporal, continuous emanation, manifestation, objectification, solidification or reification of light-energy from its great timeless, ultimately or perfectly subjective, utterly ineffable (to concept-mind but not yogic contemplative mind) base or source, the “supreme source” (cittadhatu), of all-inclusive Kosmos (gross/physical cosmos, subtle, causal and nondual aspects of the real dimensions of Body, Mind, Spirit), the primordial emptiness ground, Tao, Nirguna Brahman of our Great Wisdom Tradition.

The concept of emptiness often confuses people. We feel so real in the circumstances around us. The duality fools most of us, tricking us into all kinds of illusions that lead us into wrong thoughts/actions and misinformed emotions. Here is a creative work of the story of Hitler to illustrate the point.

In ancient Chinese Buddhism history, there is a famous case teaching on Cause Effect. 百丈怀海禅师与野狐禅公案的启示 —— 不昧因果. A wild wolf used to be an excellent Buddhist teacher 500 incarnations before. In that life, he made the mistake of telling his student that cause and effect stop functioning once they achieved the status of Buddhahood. As a result, he turned into a wild wolf this life and begged the help from Zen Master 百丈怀海. The Zen Master only made a word correction for him, and that made the whole difference between heaven and earth of this wild wolf. This may be a good answer to Hitler’s question in the previous paragraph.

Who am I? – Master Thich Nhat Hanh on Buddhist Essentials

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Another great Buddhist master who passed away in January this year is Thick Nhat Hanh. For about two decades, I had been visiting Ksitigarbha Vietnamese Temple in Lynnwood Washington. I have been really grateful for all the calming effects and peace I found in this temple. It is only until Feburary I realized that this temple I have been visiting for so long is actually under the guidance of Master Thick Nhat Hanh. Namo Amituofo Master Thick Nhat Hanh! Dear Thay, thank you for your unwavering support! You always do miracles with your wonderful words and teaching. Today I again found it from your teaching about overcoming fear and anxiety.

August 7- September 9 2022 is the Lunar Monkey Month in a Tiger Year. Because the monkey crashes with the tiger, there is a lot of nervousness about that. Recently U.S House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, visiting Taiwan triggered all kinds of speculations. One of these is about a 1968 Prophecy by 90-Year-Old Woman in Norwa recorded down by the evangelist Emanuel Minos. Relating to the regional political tension in the south pacific, the situation is putting people on edge about the trend going down. And so I found Master Thick Nhat Hanh’s teaching is so spot on for us to mindfulness meditation as well as mutual and self-understanding.

Survival and happiness, can these two things go together?  while struggling to survive, we have to destroy, to kill.  And the deep motivation inside is not only to survive but to have pleasure.  And looking deeply into the present situation, we can see very clearly people are killing each other.  Many believe that the others are the obstacles on their way to survival and sensual pleasures.  On one hand, we try to fight in order to survive, and on the other hand, we try our best in order to get sensual pleasures.  And both kinds of action are bringing a lot of suffering to us and to our victims.  The one who has to perish in the cycle of course suffers.  But the one who wins also suffers. 
And that habit, that seed is so deep in us: The drive to kill, the drive to get as much sensual pleasure as possible,   When we look into the teaching of the Buddha,  we can see a way out.  Budha does not speak about survival, he does not encourage us on the path of seeking sensual pleasure.  Buddha’s message is centered on how to cope with our suffering, and how to transform our suffering.

Below is part of the new translation of Heart Sutra by Master Thick Nhat Hanh. Relating to the concept of empty, here is what he illuminated:

In every school of Buddhism, there are three doors of liberation: emptiness, signlessness, and aimlessness…… Empty is empty of what? Full is full of what?  Like ‘consciousness’ is the consciousness of something.  So Bodhisattva tells you that the flower is full of cosmos.  The only thing it is empty of is a separate existence.  A flower cannot be by herself.   A flower does not have a separate existence, a self-nature(svabhava).  Everything contains the whole cosmos.  but is empty only of separate existence, of a self-nature.  If you remove the non-flower elements from the flower, there is no flower left.  the flower, according to Buddhist teachers,  it is only a name, a conventional designation.  

In the same light, the dollar doesn’t have a self-nature, it is only a conventional designation.   It doesn’t have a self-nature at all.   If everything has a self-existence, everything has a self-nature and does not need others to be there, then everything will remain the same forever.  

A child does not have self-nature, he is non-independent existence.   without father, mother, sunshine, water,  the food, a child cannot be.  A child is a conventional designation.  That is why a child cannot remain a child forever.  He will grow into an adult. Otherwise, he will remain a child forever.

Nothing has a self-nature, nothing has a self-existence.  Nothing can be by itself. Human being is a conventional designation.  Man is only made of non-man elements.  we have human ancestors, and we have animal ancestors as Vegetable,  and mineral ancestors.  If we remove all these non-man elements, animals, and plants, minerals, there is no man left.  Man can not be himself alone.  Man has to inter-be with animals, plants, and minerals.  That is why when you protect man, you have to protect animals, vegetables, and minerals.  That is the teaching of the Diamond Sutra.  That is the most ancient text on deep ecology.  Man is made of only non-man elements.

When you look into the son, you see the father, the mother, you see the ancestors.  A son cannot exist by himself alone, a son or a daughter can only inter-be with parents, ancestors, and so on.  That is not difficult to see.   As a biologist, you can look into the body of a person,  and you see that person is the continuation of his parents.  All the cells and all genes have been transmitted by many generations of ancestors.  

If a son got so angry at his parents.  They are something wrong in it.  There are young men who are so mad at their father, that they declare this: “I don’t want to have anything to do with him:  But it is nonsense. Your father is in every cell of your body.  You cannot remove your father out of you.  the fact is you are the continuation of your father, and you are your father.  You can not take him out of you.  You have no private, separate existence.  That self, the self (atma) does not exist.  A separate existence, some permanent, non-changing entity sometimes we call it ‘soul’, is not there. 

There is nothing unchanging.  When you look deeply into the five skandhas: form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness, you see everything is flowing, everything is changing.  you don’t see anything that can remain the same in two consecutive moments, and therefore a self, a soul, that remains always the same, does not seem to be something real at all.  There is no unchanging self.  You are empty of a self.  you are empty of a separate existence.

When we look into the brain, we see a lot of neurons.  They are firing, they are working together, exchanging information every moment.  There is no neuron that plays the role of the conductor,  the role of the president, the role of the commander.  That is a community of cells that operates like a symphony orchestra, but there is no conductor.  Neuroscientists has found out, that there is no conductor, there is a symphony,  In our body, there are billions of cells that are working together.  There is no cell that plays the role of the president, of the boss, of the one who is giving orders.  Therefore, a decision is made, but there is no decision-maker.

A decision is made, but there is no decision-maker outside of the decision.   There is a feeling taking place, but there is no feeler.  There is a perception that happens, there is no perceiver existing outside of the perception.  Practitioners of meditation and scientists can sit together, work together, and discover together.  Modern science has found out the truth of no-self.

Suppose you talk about the wind, And you say the wind blows.  It looks like there is the wind that does the job of blowing,    It is funny to say that the wind blows.  If it is not blowing, it is not the wind.  And we say the rain falls.  Imagine rain that does not fall.  But you can not find a Rainer.  The same thing is true with our feelings, perceptions, and decisions.  There is a decision that is made, there is no decision maker existing outside of the decision.   There is a feeling of sadness or of joy, but there is no feeler standing outside, in the background.  Because there is no self, there is no self-nature( svabhava)..  Everything is a conventional designation.  Everything depends on everything else in order to express itself.  And that is the teaching of interdependence and interconnection.  You can not be by yourself. It is impossible.  It is possible to inter-be, but it is not possible to be. 

That is why the teaching of the Buddha on Genesis is very simple.  – How the world comes to be is very easy, very simple: This is, because that is.  This is not, because that is not.  Everything is connected to everything else.  And that is the meaning of emptiness.

There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind.  And there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.   We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think.  When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.  Whatever a person keeps pursuing with his thinking, that becomes the inclination of his awareness.  Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.  So it is so important to know who we are. Here is what Master Thick Nhat Hanh says about rebirth and non-fear, and how we can get freedom from wrong views and fear itself.

There is a view of eternalism, which means you have a soul that is eternal, and after you die the soul remains intact and goes to another body and continues like that.  That is eternalism and the other extreme is that after you die, there is nothing left – nihilism.  

Nirvana is the extinction of these two views, eternalism, and nihilism.   Even in the lifetime of a person, say when you grow to 10 years old, you are no longer the same as when you are 5 years old.   So you at 5 and you at 10, you are neither the same nor a different person.   So the notion of ‘same’ and ‘different’ should be transcended also.  So if you don’t see it in that light, you don’t really understand the rebirth in Buddhism.

You might in the view of eternalism, then you are not different from traditions who hold a view that there is an immortal soul.  In the light of the teaching, everything is impermanent.  Nothing in the five skandhas can remain the same, exactly the same in two consecutive moments.  But nothing is lost, and creation in Buddhism means manifestation and from nothing you cannot become something.  So creation is really a continuation of manifestation.  If you don’t manifest in this way, and then you manifest in that way, like the cloud and the snow.  So when you get that wisdom, you are no longer afraid.  When you are non-fear, you are quite different from other people because they are subject to fear, fear of dying, fear of being nothing.  With non-fear in you, with that deep wisdom in you, you become supernatural. You are no longer a mortal.  

you don’t need to be a god.  To say the Buddha has a supernatural power is true also.  But he does not need to be a god in order to have that.  he need only to have freedom, freedom from wrong views, and freedom from fear.

Birth and death are like waves and you are riding on the waves, birth and death and you go without fear,  it is wonderful.