We started Lesson 28 today on “With nothing to attain, therefore, . . . ” with a discussion of the terms “inclusion” and these words from the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra. The following are some of the questions addressed during this ZOOM session:
Why does everything reduce to “nothing to attain”?
“The reason is that if one thinks there is something to be attained, one descends into a differentiating mind. Perhaps the differentiation is very subtle, stemming from neither conceptualization nor non-conceptualization. Perhaps the differentiation comes from attachment to phenomena based on realizing the Hinayana state. As long as one thinks there is something to be attained, one will descend into differentiation. As a result, one will be unable to realize the truth of supreme and profound prajna.”
What happens when you realize there is nothing to attain?
“Although I have explained it in this way, it is, after all, theory. You must actually start to do it. That is, you must actually enter prajna deeply to personally experience it, and you must cultivate yourself. Only then can you separate yourself far away from your beginningless hindrances. Only by being far away from hindrances and by practicing pure contemplation can you deeply enter prajna to gain firsthand experience, personally experiencing its truths of inner realization. Only on this basis can you say that everything reduces to nothing to attain. . . When you realize there is nothing to attain, all of your attachments that ordinary living beings have will be completely wiped out. Conversely, after you realize that all of your attachments that ordinary living beings have are empty, with nothing to attain, the situation becomes that everything is to be attained. You will give rise to great utilization, great bliss, and full knowledge and understanding. You will attain the fruit of enlightenment, great wisdom, great supernormal powers, and the unhindered ability to shape-shift. You will not be subject to any of the bonds of samara. You will transform and make use of all conditioned phenomena at the will of your mind. At this stage, you become a holy one who experiences unhindered beneficial effects.”
What must we do to truly end the cycle of birth and death?
“Speaking of nothing to attain, only after we realize such state will all of our mundane cognition that ordinary people have be wiped out. The truths of Buddha Dharma are immeasurably profound. We must look within ourselves to get a thorough insight. Only then will we be able to understand. Only with such understanding can we better enter the practice. Only after we realize the state of nothing to attain can we transform consciousness into wisdom. If we cannot transform consciousness into wisdom, then we have not truly ended the cycle of birth and death.”
If there is nothing to attain in anything, why should we still practice this Buddha Dharma?
“The six sense bases and the six sense objects, and even the five aggregates, have to go through refinement in the great furnace of developing cultivated powers through practice. Eventually, one’s intrinsic nature will be bright and perfect. Only then can one enter the state of a holy person. After one enters the state of a holy person, this situation turns around to become that everything is to be attained. Everything becomes unhindered.”
What is the natural law governing the level of accomplishment of one’s Dharma state?
“You must understand that in everything, there is nothing to attain. As to the state in which there is attainment, when you realize that there is nothing to attain, even when you are thinking that nothing is to be attained, there will still be attainment. This is not governed by your mind consciousness of an ordinary person. That is the principle.”
What is the purpose of learning from Buddha?
“The purpose of learning from Buddha is eventual liberation and entrance into great utilization and great bliss.”
What can one achieve through Buddha-Dharma?
“Through it, one will not only achieve great utilization but also great bliss and the fruit of enlightenment.”
There was also a discussion of what is meant by “great utilization,” “great bliss,” “Dhyana bliss,” “worldly bliss,” the “fruit of enlightenment,” as well as what you can use these powers for and the problems with acquiring great supernormal powers. The Buddha Master used the story of Vimalakirti and Shakyamuni Buddha’s arhat disciples as well as that of Patriarch Milarepa and his disciple Rechungpa to illustrate these teachings. He also gave examples from our own time of the mysterious and wonderous occurrences that happen when encountering genuine holy beings and warned us on who we should follow.
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 continue our discussion of Lesson 28-“With Nothing to Attain, Therefore, . . .” of LFBCS Course DCB24 at our March 29, 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 & Paths 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 2, 2025: Lesson 28A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–III, “With nothing to be attained, therefore, . . .” (166-190) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
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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