We started Lesson 16 of Learning from Buddha College & Seminary course DCB23 with a discussion of the truth of emptiness as expressed in the line from the Heart Sutra that says, “Form is emptiness; emptiness is form.” The Buddha Master provided many examples to explain this concept. A few of the questions we discussed follows:
Explain the statement that “Everything that has form is empty and false”.
“However, you should know that understanding and attainment are empty. If you think you have any attainment, then you have not yet understood that it is in reality an illusion. That is, we should know this principle that what is understood or attained is empty. We should understand the truth of emptiness. As long as you think you have any attainment, as long as you think you know and have attained this state of emptiness, then there is no reality that you have realized. Moreover, what you have realized are illusions that truly exist, but they are still illusions. This is due to the effect of the obscuration of non-ultimate realization. Based on the ultimate meaning of something and the enlightening illumination of correct understanding, once you give rise to the notion ‘I have understood the ultimate meaning of this,’ then the ‘attainment’ of that understanding is just an illusion. This is a very important and very subtle matter. The Diamond Sutra tells us, ‘Everything that has form is empty and false.’ That confirms this absolute truth imparted by the Bodhisattva.”
Why do we not realize our five aggregates are empty?
“Because the dark karma and white karma of living beings accumulated since beginningless time has covered their original appearance that is formless and truly empty, they are attached to what is false, thinking it is true. Thus, they erroneously see the various illusory phenomena. . . Whether it be you disciples, other living beings, or all beings with sensation and consciousness, hindrances that cover and obscure are caused by the many delusion-based actions in the form of good deeds and bad deeds done since beginningless time. Having been created, such hindrances cover and obscure one’s beginningless, formless, and truly empty original appearance. To put it in a straightforward way, any good deed or bad deed plants the seeds of cause and effect, or karma. Such karma is the karma of action. . . The karmic hindrances produced by the karma of action cover our own original appearance. Hence, we do not realize our five aggregates as being empty. As a result, our six sense bases are unable to be equal such that everything is empty and nonexistent. We are then attached to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and objects of mind, making it even more impossible for us to clearly understand that the truth of marvelous existence is the principle of true emptiness.”
How do ordinary people differ from holy beings?
“We human beings are also like this. Our original nature, our essence, is motionless. All forms are empty. However, once we activate conditions by the arising of thoughts in the mind, then there is activation. With the activation of conditions, there is mind consciousness. With mind consciousness, one descends into the state of an ordinary person. Effects will then be generated. Being an ordinary person entails generating effects by way of differentiation. The state of a holy one is emptiness and tranquility that is devoid of characteristics, a state where true emptiness is marvelous existence, a state that generates the effect of saving living beings.”
What is meant by “all levels” of Buddha-nature?
“Why did I say all levels of Buddha-nature? That is because what Arhats realize, what Bodhisattvas who are classified by their many different stages realize, and what Buddhas realize are not of the same basic nature. So, Buddha-nature is classified into many levels and aspects. That is why I said all levels of Buddha-nature. However, actually, Buddha-nature is our original body or essence that is of a single-taste. There certainly are sundry conditions mixed in that prevent one’s Buddha-nature from being as bright or complete as it could be. Thus, with perfect non-differentiation, the World-Honored Shakyamuni Buddha realized supreme, correct, equal-minded, perfect enlightenment, or anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, which is called the single-taste enlightened nature, the ultimate and most perfect Buddha-nature, and the supreme and unsurpassable Buddha- nature. . . It is correct that there are not different kinds of Buddha-nature as true-thusness. . . Exactly because there are differences in awakening to the truth of the empty nature of phenomena, there are distinctions between Buddhas and great and small Bodhisattvas.”
What is the nature of all conditioned phenomena?
“All conditioned phenomena are impermanent. Sentient beings will definitely die. Insentient things will definitely perish. There is not one illusory thing that is real.”
Because there was considerable discussion on the meaning of the term “MARVELOUS EXISTENCE”, a PDF file listing the 54 references to that term by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III provided in Learning from Buddha College & Seminary (LFBCS) courses DCB21, DCB22, and DCB23 are included in Lesson 16. Those enrolled in DCB23 can CLICK to download that file. An additional 24 references will be added in future classes.
Next:
We will continue Lesson 16 of DCB23 at our September 14, 2024 ZOOM session at 9:00 am discussing the “Second-Phase Principles” in questions 71-85.
If you have enrolled in C41 or DCB22 (or DCB21 or DCB26) you may continue to use the same ZOOM link to attend the Saturday morning discussions. You will need to enroll in DCB23 to be able to watch the video recordings of the classes or study the related questions.
TO DATE: DCB23-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: PART TWO–II and C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice
The recording of the September 7 DCB23-Lesson 16A class is now available. You must be enrolled in DCB23 in one of the membership programs at the LFBCS to access the course materials, questions covered (in parenthesis), and/or the class recordings. Please note that these links will only work if you are logged into LFBCS with your membership identification number AND are enrolled in this class.
“Sariputra, Form Does Not Differ from Emptiness; Emptiness Does Not Differ from Form. Form is Emptiness; Emptiness Is Form. The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, emptiness is the characteristic of all dharmas. They do not arise or perish, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, conceptualization, action, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or objects of mind; no realm of eyes, up to and including no realm of mind consciousness; no avidya and also no ending of avidya, up to and including no aging and death and also no ending of aging and death; . . .”
September 7, 2024: Lesson 16A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . Sariputra, Form Does Not Differ from Emptiness; Emptiness Does Not Differ from Form.” (49-70) and (HERE) for recording of class.
August 31, 2024: Lesson 15B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . Sariputra, Form Does Not Differ from Emptiness; Emptiness Does Not Differ from Form.” (34-48) and (HERE) for recording of class.
August 24, 2024: Lesson 15A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . Sariputra, Form Does Not Differ from Emptiness; Emptiness Does Not Differ from Form.” (1-33) and (HERE) for recording of class.
CLICK for article on the entire text of Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra.
CLICK for article with instructions on how to enroll in LFBCS classes and how to register for the 8 ZOOM discussions.
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB22 and links to videos of all 21 ZOOM class discussions on DCB22 held from February 10, 2024 to August 3, 2024.
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB21 and links to videos of all 18 ZOOM class discussions on DCB21 held from November 2022 to April 2023. Note: not all of the forwards, notes, and introductions are complete.
CLICK for article on last class held on DCB26 and links to videos of all 8 ZOOM class discussions held on DCB26 held from April 2024 to June 2024.
CLICK for Background information on Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra and why it is such an important text.
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