Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山English Dharma Class

Thursday October 27th, 2011

Chan, Buddhism, and us

Four Noble Truths 四諦1. Truth of Suffering 苦諦2. Cause of Suffering 集諦3. Cessation of Suffering 滅諦4. The Path to the Cessation

of Suffering 道諦

Second Truth - The basic cause

• Attaching to vexations• greed, hatred, delusion• believing in them

• Vexations “color” our minds• Clothes are dyed with color• Or take on the smells

around them• Therefore, transforming

our vexations eliminates suffering

Five Causes of Mental Disturbance

• Greed• Anger• Arrogance• Despair• DoubtThe Great Bodhisattvas are free of these Five Causes.

Their statues show us what this looks like.

Prajnaparamita Bodhisattva

Two Methods of Healing the Mind

• Recitation of the Buddha’s Name

• Meditation

Truth of Cessation – 滅諦• It is possible to be free from

suffering.• Nirvana (Nibbana) 涅槃• 滅 – Cessation• 煩惱

• 解脫 – Liberation• 無為 – the Unconditioned, Unborn, Unformed,

Unmade• Like a flame going out• Released – where does the flame go?

Truth of the Way – 道諦• Noble Eightfold Path - 八正道• Right View/Understanding – 正見• Right Intention/Thoughts – 正思惟• Right Speech – 正語• Right Action – 正業• Right Livelihood – 正命• Right Effort – 正精進• Right Mindfulness – 正念• Right Concentration – 正定

“Right” means: • Correct • Skillful In accordance

with the Dharma.

Seeingthe Law of

Karma

Thoughts of Kindness,

generosity,Letting go.

Truth, kindness,

consideration for others

Living an ethical lifeNot earning

a living through harming others

Reduce our vexations, increase

our goodness

Paying attention to

what we are doing,

saying, and thinking

Meditating to realize the Truth

The Three Refuges 三歸依 • The importance of refuge• Three Treasures 三寶歸依處處求 求之遍十方究竟歸依處 三寶最吉祥

People seek refuge everywhere,Seeking refuge in all the ten directions,Finally realize that the ultimate place of refugeIs to be found in the most auspicious Three Treasures.

The Refuge of the Buddha

• Refuge in his Awakening• Refuge in his Teaching• Refuge in his Action• Faith in the Buddha• confidence

• Hearing, studying, and contemplating

• Four Noble Truths• Refraining from

creating suffering• Training our mindsThere is always

something we can do

The Refuge of the Dharma

The Refuge of the Sangha

• “Good spiritual friends”

• Teachers• Fellow

practitioners• All beings

The Two Vehicles• Theravada– the “Way of the Elders”– the “small” vehicle 小乘– self-cultivation,

self-liberation– South-east Asia

• Mahayana– the “Great Vehicle” 大乘– Bodhisattva Practice– Universal liberation– East Asia, Tibet

Master Ren-jun ( 仁俊法師 ) and Bhikkhu Bodhi

The Two Vehicles

Mahayana: the Way of the Bodhisattva

• Breaking through the self-delusion

• Two pillars:• Compassion• Wisdom

One who cannot let go of himself lacks

wisdom. One who cannot let go of others lacks

compassion.

Emptiness 空• Without the understanding of

Emptiness, a bodhisattva is not a Bodhisattva

• 無我，無常，中道– Non-self, impermanence, and the

Middle Way ( 無有及無無有 )• Inter-dependence

– Dependent Co-arising 緣起– Cause and effect

• nothing is without a cause• Non-substantiality

– Nothing is more one thing than another

• Freedom– Liberation from limitations

Buddha Nature 佛性• What is Buddha Nature?• Something? Nothing?• is it caused or uncaused?

• Ability to awaken from the dream of ignorance and suffering

• Faith and cultivation• Nourish our Buddha

Nature

Paramitas – the Perfections

• 波羅密• Six Paramitas• Giving 佈施• Morality 持戒• Patience 忍辱• Effort 精進• Meditation 禪定• Wisdom 智慧

Prajna-paramita Bodhisattva

Four Essentials for Practice

• Faith• Trust and confidence

• Understanding• Study and Right View

• Practice• Action in accord with

the Dharma• Realization• Awakening• Confirmation