We finished Lesson 19 of Learning from Buddha College & Seminary course DCB23 with a discussion of the truth of emptiness as expressed in the lines from the Heart Sutra that says, “. . . no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or objects of mind; no realm of eyes, up to and including no realm of mind consciousness; . . . ” and started Lesson 20 with ” . . . no avidya. . . .” and the twelve links of conditioned origination. Some of the questions discussed are summarized here and in another article on “The Wheel of Life (Bravachakra).“
What can the mind consciousness cause you to do?
“This mind consciousness can cause you to become accomplished and can cause you to descend. Everything relates to the mind consciousness. When the mind consciousness is halted, everything is halted. Consciousnesses, as intermediaries, by themselves have nothing to stand upon. If the internal sense bases of the body and the external sense objects are all realized as being empty, then the intermediary mind consciousness has no role to play. This is what we are told here. On the one hand, when the mind consciousness is halted, external sense objects can be realized as being empty. Conversely, as I said, when one can realize the sense bases and sense objects as being empty, the mind consciousness naturally has no role to play.“
What will happen if you can realize emptiness with this state of realization?
“The same is true for the truth about the six consciousnesses. The same reasoning is applicable to the truth about the six consciousnesses. If you can realize such emptiness, if you can in this aspect achieve emptiness, you will naturally leave the boundaries of the six ordinary dharma realms (the three good realms and the three bad realms). If you can realize emptiness with this state of realization, you will not descend into samsara. You will have transcended samsara and gone beyond the boundaries of the six ordinary dharma realms.
What is the state called when one has transcended the realm of transmigration mentioned above?
“Using the illumination of prajna wisdom, one realizes the emptiness that is reality. Thus, one is not bound by birth and death. One is not fettered by birth and death. When one is not fettered by birth and death, how can there still be samsara? One has transcended the realm of transmigration and has entered the true-thusness that is the dharma-nature, the state of true emptiness and marvelous utilization, the state that is forever free of birth and death. This is called the state of liberation or accomplishment, the land or world of Buddhas.”
What is the meaning of “avidya”?
“Avidya is a hindrance resulting from beginningless afflictions in past lifetimes. Beginningless means endlessly in the past. This hindrance, born of afflictions from any number of years ago, covers the brightness of your wisdom and your worldly cleverness. It has even created a kind of confused and deluded mind, such that you are unaware, attached, and ignorant. It makes you dwell in a state of confusion and attachment. Being confused and attached, you do not know the absolute truth. Those who are seriously hindered do not even have correct knowledge and views to handle matters and deal with people. They have no way to understand the truth. They are confused and unclear about all kinds of truths.”
What is the purpose of the phrase “No avidya and also no ending of avidya, up to and Including no aging and death and also no ending of aging and death” and which of the ten dharma realms does this phrase relate to?
“The entire sentence is a revelation by the Bodhisattava that can be marvelously applied to realize the emptiness of the Pratyeka-buddha dharma realm. . . This is mainly an elucidation of the truth of “avidya.” The marvelous usefulness of realizing there is no avidya is realizing the emptiness of the Pratyeka-buddha dharma realm and realizing the emptiness of the six ordinary dharma realms that are among the ten dharma realms. The six ordinary dharma realms refer to the realms of us humans, hell beings, hungry ghosts, devas, asuras, and even the animal realm, which is one of the three lower realms. Each of the four holy dharma realms has its own wonderful Dharma for realizing its emptiness. That is, besides the six ordinary dharma realms, there are also the four holy dharma realms [the Śrāvaka, the Pratyekabuddha, the Bodhisattva, and, finally, completely enlightened Buddhahood].”
What is the perfection of the dharma realm of the Buddhas?
“That is, the most magnificent holy dharma realm is the dharma realm of Buddhas. The perfection of a Buddha is based on the three bodies and four wisdoms. One can also say that it is based on the four bodies and five wisdoms.”
What is practice in the Bodhisattva Realm?
“In the realm of Bodhisattvas, the constant practice is to enlighten oneself and others and to universally save living beings based on great compassion.”
How do Arhats realize emptiness?
“Arhats realize emptiness to end their own transmigration in samsara. As to Arhats, they realize emptiness through the Dharma of cutting off the notion of self and personhood, becoming one who liberates oneself. They do not save living beings. Although Arhats do not save living beings, they have also realized the six supernormal powers.”
How do the Pratyeka-buddhas realize emptiness?
“The Dharma for this is contemplating the twelve links of conditioned origination in the forward order and the reverse order so as to give rise to emptiness, become enlightened, and realize the truth of non-arising.”
What are the twelve links of conditioned origination?
“[They] state the sequence of dependent arising by which living beings are involved in the three times as they transmigrate in the six realms. . . The twelve links of conditioned origination mainly explain how living beings undergo change during the three times of past, present, and future. . . the twelve links of conditioned origination are also called the twelve links of dependent arising [1-Avidya, 2-action, 3-consciousness, 4-name and form, 5-six entrances, 6-contact, 7-feeling, 8-craving, 9-grasping, 10-existence, 11-birth, 12-aging and death].“
What is the principle expressed in these twelve links?
“The principle of the twelve links of conditioned origination speaks to the changes a person undergoes in a lifetime, how one becomes an ordinary person due to attachment, and how one can become liberated.”
The Buddha Master also gave several detailed examples to help explain these twelve. We will discuss each of them next week.
Next:
We will hopefully finish Lesson 20 of DCB23 at our November 2, 2024 ZOOM session at 9:00 am discussing the Heart Sutra, starting with question #236.
The class is still open to anyone who wants to join. If you have enrolled in C41 or DCB22 (or DCB21 or DCB26) you may continue to use the same ZOOM link to attend the Saturday morning discussions. You will need to enroll in DCB23 to be able to watch the video recordings of the classes, download study materials, or study the related questions.
TO DATE: DCB23-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: PART TWO–II and C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice
The recordings of the October 26, 2024 DCB23-Lessons 19B & 20A class are now available. You must be enrolled in DCB23 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.
“Sariputra, Form Does Not Differ from Emptiness; Emptiness Does Not Differ from Form. Form is Emptiness; Emptiness Is Form. The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, emptiness is the characteristic of all dharmas. They do not arise or perish, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, conceptualization, action, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or objects of mind; no realm of eyes, up to and including no realm of mind consciousness; no avidya and also no ending of avidya, up to and including no aging and death and also no ending of aging and death; . . .”
October 26, 2024: Lesson 20A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . . No avidya and also no ending of avidya, up to and Including no aging and death and also no ending of aging and death; . . . ” (220-235) and (HERE) for recording of class.
October 26, 2024: Lesson 19B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or objects of mind; no realm of eyes, up to and including no realm of mind consciousness; . . . ” (215-219) and (HERE) for recording of class.
October 19, 2024: Lesson 19A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or objects of mind; no realm of eyes, up to and including no realm of mind consciousness; . . . ” (177-191 192-214) and (HERE) for recording of class.
October 12, 2024: Lesson 18B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “. . . no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; . . . ” (155-176) and (HERE) for recording of class.
October 5, 2024: Lesson 18A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, conceptualization, action or consciousness; . . .” (133-154) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 28, 2024: Lesson 17B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, emptiness is the characteristic of all dharmas. They do not arise or perish, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease.” (122-132) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 21, 2024: Lesson 17A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “The same is true of feeling, conceptualization, action, and consciousness. Sariputra, emptiness is the characteristic of all dharmas. They do not arise or perish, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease.” (86-89 and 90-121) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 14, 2024: Lesson 16B-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “Form is Emptiness; Emptiness Is Form.” Second-Phase Principles” (71-85) and (HERE) for recording of class.
September 7, 2024: Lesson 16A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “Form is Emptiness; Emptiness Is Form.” Second-Phase Principles (49-70) and (HERE) for recording of class.
August 31, 2024: Lesson 15B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “Form is Emptiness; Emptiness Is Form.” (34-48) and (HERE) for recording of class.
August 24, 2024: Lesson 15A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–II, “Sariputra, Form Does Not Differ from Emptiness; Emptiness Does Not Differ from Form. Form is Emptiness; Emptiness Is Form.” (1-33) 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 8 ZOOM discussions.
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 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 2022 to April 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 2024 to June 2024.
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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