We finished our discussion on Lesson 27 on the “Hearing the Dharma and Small and Great Dharmas” today. We have also posted a 40-question quiz on this entire lesson for those of you who are enrolled in this course.
The following are some of the questions addressed during this ZOOM session:
What should we hear when we hear the Buddha Master expound the Dharma?
“You should not take me as the focal point of your experience here. What you should hear is not my voice. Rather, you should hear the meaning of the Dharma expounded through the mystery of speech.You should focus your attention on hearing the Dharma.”
What Dharma most easily conveys living beings to liberation?
“The mahamudra of liberation is great. The xianliang (directly verified) Dharma is most excellent. The substitute body is a vajra flower. Nirvana opens a holy ride. There are many paths not yet heard of. Phowa is an ordinary Dharma. Through it, one can ascend to the home of ultimate bliss. By chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, one climbs with steady steps. Prajna Dharma is the greatest. Nirvana is inseparable from prajna. In both the greater and lesser vehicles, precept observance, dhyana, and wisdom are the three excellent things. Truly cultivate them in unison. Roots and buds grow according to causal conditions. The law of cause and effect is flawless and impartial.”
Do differences exist among Buddha Dharmas?
“Today I tell you disciples that from the perspective of worldly phenomena, there are differences among Buddha Dharmas. From the perspective of the absolute truth, the truth to be realized by everyone contains no differences. That is because the truth or reality to be realized by everyone is, after all, the perfect, absolute truth for ending the cycle of birth and death. Buddha-nature is equal for all living beings. Everyone is like a Buddha. Everyone is as great as the World-Honored Shakyamuni Buddha. How could any differences be found? Thus, there absolutely are no differences. Everything is the non-differentiated state of ultimate truth that pervades everywhere. Once you have realized the stage of supreme enlightenment, it is all the same.”
What is the best Dharma for you?
“However, with Dharmas, it is a just matter of corresponding with the condition and practitioner’s spiritual capacity. Which Dharma one can receive and practice depends on one’s capacity as a Dharma vessel. This involves the respect that the practitioner has toward Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the sincere faith and resolve that the practitioner has generated toward a Master who is truly one of great holiness, and the effort of the practitioner to make progress in his or her own cultivation and practice. One will receive whichever Dharma accords with one’s virtuous conduct, attained virtue, and state of realization. This is a matter of the never-erring law of cause and effect.”
If the Dharmas do not differentiate, why can you not receive them?
“Although Dharmas do not differentiate, you differentiate them through your own conduct. Why does your conduct differentiate them? When your conduct is not up to standard, I, your master, will screen you through the Determination by Holy Selection Dharma. The yidam and Dharma protectors in charge of the Determination by Holy Selection Dharma decide which initiation you will receive and which Dharma you will be transmitted. If you are unqualified, you will not be transmitted such-and-such Dharma.”
What must you rely upon to end the cycle of birth and death?
“However, no matter which Dharma method one practices, anyone who wants to end the cycle of birth and death must rely on prajna to realize the path to nirvana.”
What determines what Dharma you can learn?
“In other words, with respect to what Dharma you should learn, there naturally is a Dharma that corresponds to you. This is within observation by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They gave rise to such an intent while in the state of ultimate truth. As such, they bestowed to all of you a kind of reward of good fortune, a reward of good fortune that transcends the world. Therefore, what Dharma one should learn depends on what karmic conditions one has. This is the unerring relationship of cause and effect. . . The law of cause and effect induces all retribution or reward. With the fruits yielded from the causes you plant by cultivating yourself in accord with the Dharma, you can succeed. Nothing in the universe is predestined. Rather, all phenomena arise from causes and conditions.”
The Buddha Master also discussed why you will or will not experiencing beneficial effects from a particular Dharma and other ways Dharmas may differ as well as what to do if you make mistakes. He also repeated what we must do and not do to cultivate ourselves.
We will start our discussion of Lesson 28-With Nothing to Attain, Therefore, . . .” of LFBCS Course DCB24 at our March 22, 2025 ZOOM session at 9:00 am.
Be sure and enroll in DCB24-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: Part TWO-III, if you want to join our long term study of the Heart Sutra or the broader study of C41(A)-the Three Principle Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice. There is an expanded article on C41(A) that explains its scope and content, which was discussed before starting DCB24 last Saturday. CLICK for video of that discussion and revised maps of this roadmap to C41(A). DCB24 is one of the Learning from Buddha College & Seminary (LFBCS) courses that are included in C41(A). There is also another article that discusses G03(A) and G03 Evolution of Buddhism, two additional courses that are also part of C41(A).
CLICK for a list of available classes in each of the programs: Auditing, Buddhist Studies, and Xiuxing Seminary. Those with membership in the Xiuxing Seminary Program who are only interested in serious practice and not opening a Dharma Center may also elect to follow the Xiuxing Practice Program and take a seven or thirty-day Solitary Retreat.
Next:
We will start our discussion of Lesson 28-“With Nothing to Attain, Therefore, . . .” of LFBCS Course DCB24 at our March 22, 2025 ZOOM session at 9:00 am.
If you have enrolled in C41(A) or DCB24 or DCB23 or DCB22 or DCB21 or DCB26) you may continue to use the same ZOOM link to attend the Saturday morning discussions. However, you will need to enroll in the appropriate course to be able to watch the video recordings of the classes, download study materials, or study the related questions.
TO DATE: DCB24-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: PART TWO–III and C41-Three Principal Stages & Path[;s of Buddhist Practice.
The recordings of the March 15, 2025 DCB24-Lesson 27 class is now available. All of the recordings and summary of ZOOM discussions for DCB21, DCB22, DCB23. and DCB26-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra are now available along with the questions for DCB25. You must be enrolled in each of these classes in one of the full 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.
“. . . no suffering, no accumulation, no cessation, and no path; no wisdom, also no attainment. With nothing to be attained, therefore, . . .”
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 ZOOM discussions.
March 15, 2025: Lesson 27C-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Hearing the Dharma and Small and Great Dharmas (143-165) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
March 8, 2025: Lesson 27B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, The Five Vidyas (128-142) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
March 1, 2025: Lesson 26 & Lesson 27A–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Qigong (115-122) and (HERE) for recording of that part of the class and The Five Vidyas (123-127) and (HERE) for recording of that part of the class. The part of the discussion relating to Lesson 26-Qigong is a repeat of the material covered the previous week, but with 22 additional questions.
February 22, 2025: Lesson 26-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Qigong (115-122) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 8, 2025: Lesson 25B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Prajna Is Unequaled Dharma (93-114) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 1, 2025: Lesson 25A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Prajna Is Unequaled Dharma (77-92) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 1, 2025: Lesson 24B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, No Wisdom, Also No Attainment (71-76) and (HERE) for recording of class.
January 25, 2025: Lesson 24A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, No Wisdom, Also No Attainment (57-70) and (HERE) for recording of class.
January 18, 2025: Lesson 23B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Methods Used by Different Schools & Traditions (31-56) and (HERE) for recording of class.
January 11, 2025: Lesson 23A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, Methods Used by Different Schools & Traditions (15-30) and (HERE) for recording of class.
January 4, 2025: Lesson 22–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, “. . . no suffering, no accumulation, no cessation, and no path; . . .” (1-14) and (HERE) for recording of class.
January 4, 2025: Roadmap to C41(A)–Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice. Video of class discussion.
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB23 and links to all 13 ZOOM class discussions on DCB23 held from August 24, 2024 to November 16, 2024,
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 April 20, 2024 and from June 29, 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 21, 2022 to April 1, 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 20, 2024 to June 22, 2024.
CLICK for Background information on Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra and why it is such an important text.
CLICK for information on S01-Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation (SAUMOL) Seminar.
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