We finished our ZOOM discussion of Lesson 38-Preliminary Practices, Learning from Buddha College and Seminary (LFBCS) class DCB26 “How to Realize Prajna” on May 25, 2024. The discussion focused on the three stages of practice of the Four Limitless States of Mind.
Can you practice the first three Four Limitless States and not have the fourth–the mind of non-differentiating generosity?
The Buddha Master told us that we could not. He said that “if a person does not even have the mind of non-differentiating generosity, no matter what status of holiness this person may have, he or she is a person without the Four Limitless States of Mind.” However, He also said that “when one has successfully cultivated the mind of non-differentiating generosity, it will be easy to cultivate the other three limitless states of mind. As long as you put them into practice in accord with the Dharma, you will generate the reality state of the Four Limitless States of Mind.”
To whom should you start cultivating the Four Limitless States of Mind?
We were told, “When cultivating those states of mind, you should start from people who are closest to you in the world. At that time, you should look within yourself and proceed in the sequence of closeness. If your treatment of even your own parents, spouse, and children still does not correspond with the Four Limitless States of Mind, then any utterance by you that your conduct toward living beings already corresponds with the Four Limitless States of Mind is false. In such case, your claim that your conduct toward living beings corresponds with those states of mind is false. Such causes that you plant are not real. You are not planting causes that correspond with the Four Limitless States of Mind.“
What are the three stages that the practice of the Four Limitless States of Mind is divided into?
“The first is the generation stage. The second is the completion stage. The third is the stage of the oneness of generation and completion. . . If you want to experience the beneficial effect that is liberation, you must realize the stage of the oneness of generation and completion. That is because I am talking about the Bodhisattva state.” The discussion covered examples of how each of the stages is practiced including what you do when witnessing an extreme accident of someone being run over by a car and the abandonment of a pet dog.
The Buddha Master also explained the qualities of the three stages: “The difference between the completion stage and the generation stage is mainly in the naturalness with which one acts. People at the completion stage do not consider either merit or demerit. Once they have acted, they forget about it. They are naturally good people. Their actions spring forth naturally, without the slightest reluctance. They do not force themselves to act. Such people possess the four types of limitless mind states. . . I will continue talking about reaching the stage of the oneness of generation and completion in the Four Limitless States of Mind. This stage is called the ultimate truth. It is the four limitless states devoid of contamination and attachment. It is closely related to prajna. . . If one has entered the stage of the oneness of generation and completion, one’s mind will rely on the reality state illuminated by the wisdom of prajna to help that living being.” It is the Bodhisattva state that is required to experience the beneficial effect of liberation.
Next:
We will continue DCB26 with Lesson 39-a discussion on the Dharma to Pass through Barriers at our June 1, 2024 ZOOM session starting at 9:00 am.
The recording of the May 25 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”
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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