We started Lesson 18 of Learning from Buddha College & Seminary course DCB23 with a discussion of the truth of emptiness as expressed in the lines from the Heart Sutra that says, “Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, conceptualization, action, or consciousness; ” A few of the questions discussed are summarized here:
Can one instantly illuminate one’s original nature in this current lifetime?
“Someone looks at you, and you smile at each other. Perhaps that will bring about illuminating your mind and seeing your original nature. However, this applies to those of great wisdom. It is not such a simple matter. Only when accomplishments in one’s practice achieved over many past lifetimes and eons converge in this current lifetime can one instantly illuminate one’s original nature in this current lifetime.“
What is the incomparable and supreme practice, the king of great Dharmas for continual practice?
“Even though I am expounding the Dharma to you in this manner, prajna will not emerge if your karmic hindrances are deep and heavy. This is a matter of cause and effect. To gain true liberation from the cycle of birth and death, you must start from cultivation. Otherwise, even if I were to expound prajna and intrinsic nature to you in such lofty terms that flowers drift down from heaven, and even if you seemingly understood what I was saying, you would actually still be separated by an endlessly long road from prajna and intrinsic nature and would never be able to reach them. That is why the World-Honored One listed various methods of cultivation. Of course, the incomparable and supreme practice, the king of great Dharmas for continual practice, is The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation. . . Once you have understood the doctrine of prajna and cultivate yourself in accord with the Dharma, karmic hindrances will naturally diminish or even go away. You will then suddenly have clear understanding. After clearly understanding prajna and intrinsic nature, you will suddenly achieve transcendence and directly enter the state of realization.“
Why can supernormal powers not be used to save living beings?
“So, if manifesting supernormal Buddha Dharma powers were used to save living beings, then demons are even better at manifesting supernormal powers. . . If you say that Buddha Dharma requires using supernormal powers to save living beings, then those demons are even better at using supernormal powers. They would then create confusion by passing off the fake as the real, which would cause totally unfortunate outcomes for all Buddhist disciples and lead them to their eventual descent. That is why the World-Honored Shakyamuni Buddha prescribed that supernormal powers cannot be used to save living beings. Only wisdom can save living beings. This is the reason.”
Next:
We will continue Lesson 18 of DCB23 at our October 12, 2024 ZOOM session at 9:00 am discussing the Heart Sutra, starting with question #155.
The class is still open to anyone who wants to join. 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, download study materials, 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 October 5, 2024 DCB23-Lesson 18 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; . . .”
October 5, 2024: Lesson 18A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, . . .” (133-154) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 28, 2024: Lesson 17B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, . . .” (122-132) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 21, 2024: Lesson 17A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, . . .” (86-89 and 90-121) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 14, 2024: Lesson 16B-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.” (71-85) and (HERE) for recording of class.
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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