On March 30, 2024 we began our study of Lesson 11A, the Fifth Aggregate-Consciousness, from DCB22- Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra-Part Two-I. The following are key points from last week’s class:
What is the Consciousness Aggregate?
“Consciousness is understanding and differentiating all dharmas, including what has form, what is devoid of form, avidya, awareness, karma-induced delusion that has deeply accumulated in the consciousness like innumerable dust and sand, and so on. Consciousness understands and differentiates all objects that are produced by causal conditions. It has the functions of understanding and differentiating all conditioned sense objects with which one comes into contact.“
What are the Eight Consciousnesses?
“Besides the six consciousnesses (1-eyes, 2-ears, 3-nose, 4-tongue, 5-body, and 6-mind-consciousness) that we know of, there are also the seventh, or manas consciousness, and the eighth, or alaya consciousness (eighth consciousness mind-king).“
Upon What is the Understanding and Differentiating of Consciousness Based?
“All of the other aggregates receive directions from the aggregate of consciousness. Consciousness is understanding and differentiating all dharmas, including what has form, what is devoid of form, awareness, avidya, and karma-induced delusion that has deeply accumulated in the consciousness like innumerable dust and sand. Consciousness has the function of understanding and differentiating all objects that are produced by causal conditions. That is, consciousness is understanding and differentiating done toward all phenomena in the aspects of the material or spiritual, such as good and bad, short and long, red, green, blue, and white, and so on. What consciousness can imagine includes that which has form and that which has no form. It gives rise to the mentality of differentiation, including differentiations based on avidya and differentiations based on awareness.”
We also learned that our consciousness in not limited to what we have experienced in this lifetime and that consciousness can imagine things that do not exist.
When Does the Seventh or Manas Consciousness Appear?
“When the sixth consciousness completely stops functioning, the seventh, or manas consciousness, will appear. When the seventh consciousness appears, it is frequently the case that you know you are in the midst of your Dharma practice, but you will also see phenomena, or what is called illusions. This type of illusion comes and goes freely and vividly. Actually, they are not illusions. They are manifested by your own seventh consciousness, or manas consciousness. Candidly speaking, they are still phenomena that you differentiated and imagined.”
We were also warned to be careful when this happens and told how this differs from what happens during the practice of qigong.
What Happens in the Eighth or Alaya Consciousness?
“At that point, it is not merely a matter of seeing something. It is a matter of doing things at will and with ease, being able to do whatever you please. Sometimes with one visualization thought, what was visualized will suddenly appear. When that state appears, even you disciples present here might be able to see it, which may even be an instance of someone going through a wall and so on. It could be anything. This is a type of state with true utilization retrieved from within the alaya. Entering a state of supernormal powers is just a response of the eighth consciousness mind-king. ”
There were also warnings given with examples and more information on the sources and rules governing the use of supernormal powers and how we must cultivate ourselves. The text also explains why we remain as ordinary people and do not attain liberation.
What Is the Specific Relationship between the Five Aggregates, Yourself, and Prajna?
“Because living beings are attached to false forms and characteristics, holding on to them without loosening their grip due to greed and attachment arising from delusion, they are unable to eradicate delusion and manifest the truth. Thus, they sink into the bitter sea of birth and death. The reason is that they do not know that the five aggregates are two kinds of worldly, illusory phenomena—material and mental. Material phenomena refer to the aggregate of form, also called dharmas of form. Feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness refer to mental phenomena and are also called dharmas of the mind.”
The Buddha Master also explained why this is so and what He will do to help us.
Next:
We will continue this discussion at our April 20 ZOOM session starting at 9:00 am by further exploring the last of the Five Aggregates-consciousness, manifesting illusory existence, having good fortune and avoiding karmic retribution, eating meat, and more. We may be able to start Lesson 11B-Dual-use/Two body Dharma. Please note that after discussing this part of the text with the translator, Bodi Wentu, the text has been modified and I have also modified question #171.
TO DATE: DCB22-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra, Part Two-I and C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice
The recording of the March 30 class is now available. Please note that the title designation for this discussion has been changed from 10C to 11A.1 and the course name has also been changed. You must be enrolled in DCB22 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. Please note that Lessons 6A and 6B are part of Course C41.
“Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when practicing deeply the prajna-paramita, illuminated the five aggregates, saw that they are all empty, and crossed beyond all suffering and adversity.”
March 30, 2024: Lesson 11A.1-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth the Heart Sutra, Part Two–I, “Consciousness”, (155-170) and (HERE) for recording of class.
March 23, 2024: Lesson 10B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Five Aggregates”, (144-154) and (HERE) for recording of class.
March 16, 2024: Lesson 10A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Five Aggregates”, (114-143) and (HERE) for recording of class.
March 16, 2024: Lesson 9B.2-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Two Levels”, (108-113) and (HERE) for recording of class.
March 9, 2024: Lesson 9B.1-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Two Levels”, (87-107) and (HERE) for recording of class.
March 9, 2024: Lesson 9A.3-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Practicing Deeply”, (78-86) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 24, 2024: Lesson 9A.2-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Practicing Deeply”, (59-77) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 17, 2024: Lesson 9A.1-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Practicing Deeply”, (51-58) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 17, 2024: Lesson 8C-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Bodhisattva”, (37-50) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 17, 2024: Lesson 8B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Avalokiteshvara”, (31-36) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 10, 2024: Lesson 8A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–I, “Avalokiteshvara”, (1-30) and (HERE) for recording of class.
February 3, 2024: Lesson 6B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra-Prajna(Wisdom) & Dhyana(Ta), (355-369) and HERE for recording of class.
January 20, 2024: Lesson 6A–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra-Prajna & Dhyana(Ta), (317-354) 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 ZOOM discussions.
CLICK for course DCB21-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: Forwards, Introductions, & Title.
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