Today, we finished our ZOOM discussion of the Dharma to Pass through Barriers in Lesson 39, Learning from Buddha College and Seminary (LFBCS) class DCB26 “How to Realize Prajna.” The discussion focused on what is required to do this practice with considerable discussion on how one develops a firm faith, so necessary for advancement. We only answered the four questions listed below and read a page of text, but it triggered a discussion and sharing session that was most helpful. The Buddha Master had told us that “. . . if you dare not repent, it would truly be extremely ridiculous to think that you would dare to accept self-examination as your task.”
What should you do if you discover your mistakes?
“You should adopt the Dharma to pass through barriers. There are the eight Dharmas to pass through barriers.“
What are the eight Dharmas to pass through barriers?
The eight Dharmas to pass through barriers means using the Dharma to pass through barriers as explained in the footnote of Lesson 39. They are to completely eliminate eight types of evil karma stemming from (1) saying one thing yet meaning something different; (2) killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; (3) sowing discord and speaking harshly; (4) greed and stinginess; (5) anger, hatred, and jealousy; (6) arrogance and disrespect; (7) not having a firm faith; and (8) afflictions from attachment to self. The Buddha Master tells us that “with the adoption of the eight Dharmas to pass through barriers, you can eradicate your mistakes. Only after you have reached the generation stage of the preliminary practice can you enter the formal practice. Only then can you enter the Dharma practice of carrying out the myriad practices subsumed in the Six Paramitas. Then, it will be easy for you to correspond with those practices.” We will continue to study how to practice the Six Paramitas next week and then proceed to study the formal or main Dharma practices.
What is the method used in practicing the Dharma to pass through Barriers?
The Buddha Master taught us to “. . . select the most serious mistake of ours. You first choose the mistake that you are most apt to commit. It may be, for example, your worst habit in your life. For this kind of offense or fault, you make a resolution before Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in which you say that within a certain number of days or within two months you are determined to correct the mistake completely, that you will definitely achieve that goal. You then must achieve that goal within two months. Since you made that resolution to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, you must resolutely fulfill it within two months. After that, you will proceed to overcome the second difficult problem. Once you have overcome major difficult problems, the smaller ones will be easily solved. Your fruits and conduct will naturally be upright. This is called the Dharma to pass through barriers.”
What can you do if you commit the mistake again after having made a resolution?
In two words, “forget it.” You only get one chance with this method. There are no mulligans. The Buddha Master told us “If you commit the mistake again after having made a resolution in accordance with the Dharma to pass through barriers, you might as well not make another resolution.” The Buddha Master further advised us that “since we want to cultivate ourselves, we should truly do so. Do not deceive yourself, thereby wasting time and failing to cultivate yourself.“
Next:
We will continue DCB26 Lesson 39 with the next steps to take after understanding how to practice and actually practicing the Dharma to Pass through Barriers at our June 8, 2024 ZOOM session starting at 9:00 am. This will include learning how to practice the Six Paramitas or Perfections followed by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and more.
The recording of the June 1 DCB26 class is now available. You must be enrolled in DCB26 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.
DCB26-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: “How to Realize Prajna”
June 1, 2024: Lesson 39.1-The Dharma to Pass through Barriers, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (108-111) and (HERE) for recording of class.
May 25, 2024: Lesson 38.2-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (95-107) and (HERE) for recording of class.
May 11, 2024: Lesson 38.1-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (82-94) and (HERE) for recording of class.
May 11, 2024: Lesson 37.2-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (76-81) and (HERE) for recording of class.
May 4, 2024: Lesson 37.1-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (53-75B) and (HERE) for recording of class.
May 4, 2024: Lesson 36.3-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (47-52) and (HERE) for recording of class.
April 27, 2024: Lesson 36.2-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (18-46) and (HERE) for recording of class.
April 20, 2024: Lesson 36.1-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (1-17) and (HERE) for recording of class.
CLICK for links to DCB22-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: PART TWO–I. through Lesson 11a.2-“Consciousness.”
CLICK for link to 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 Background information on Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra and why it is such an important text.
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