vajra (diamond) sutra april 1, 2011 lecture

8/7/2019 Vajra (Diamond) Sutra April 1, 2011 Lecture

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The Vajra (Diamond) SutraApril 1 lecture

as outlined by a Buddhist monk(Listen live or recorded audio explanations atwww.wondrousdharma.org)

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ecogn z ng e rue m n s o a e nReality continuation

S 28 No greed and nothing acquired


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Verse for opening a sutra

Homage to the Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra and theVajra assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (3x)

The unsurpassed, deep, profound, subtle, wonderfulDharma,

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In a hundred thousand million eons, is difficult toencounter, Now that Ive come to receive and hold it, within my

sight and hearing,

I vow to fathom the Thus Come Ones true andactual meaning.


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Q&A

Question: What can we learn from the teachings on the Reality ofdharmas?

Continution of Answer from previous lecture:

The entire Vajra Sutra answers the question and we will show it in the ensuingtables.

Here is a just an example using Section 28, the section we are presently at.

We, common people, greed and attached to things because wefail to see Reality as the truth of the matter is

1. All dharmas are devoid of self. The fallacy is to treat this worldas real and create the causes for continuation in this not

empty world by false thinking and attachments;

2. And therefore, Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should neither begreedy for, nor be attached to the blessings and virtues

which they foster. Therefore I say they do not acquireblessings and virtues.

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Reality Blessings and virtues Practice

Empty Practice as if notpracticing

Sages and worthies

Not empty I practice blessings andvirtue Common people

empty

blessings and virtues andits practice as nothing is

attained. The Budddha

nature is perfect andcomplete.

and worthies andcommon people;

every living being h

the Buddha nature.is just a matter of ti

every living beingunite with Reality.

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Verses on Reality Principles on Reality All 3 is One Vehicle

S 3 If a Bttva

has anappearance ofself, others

Because of

discriminatingthoughts comeconditioned dharmas

From amidst equality

comes the notion of selfand others; the cause ofsuffering is attachment.

S 5 Allappearancesare false and

em t

Conditioned dharmasare fundamentallyEmpty

Because of suffering, theBuddha first taught theTwo Vehicles.

S 26 One wholooks for me informs, or seeks

me in sounds

Conditioned dharmasare not empty

The Buddha thenintroduces Bttva Vehiclehaving compassion for

others still suffering.S 32 All

conditioneddharmas are

like a dream, an

Therefore

conditioned dharmais empty and yet not

empty

When Bttva Vehicle is

perfected there is nodistinction between

empty and not empty5


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Summary brief of Vajra Sutra Category

S 1 The Buddha illustrates Reality Reality in everyday life

S 2 Bodhi resolve and quiet the mind Intent

S 3 Ignorance is discrimination Cause of confusion

S 4 to13 Prajna is not grasping at appearances 1) Thoughts of Attachment

S 14to 25

Stillness or unmoving nature 2) False thinking

S 25to 31

Because everything true and falseinherently dont exist but are appearancesfrom false discrimination, cease the madmind

S 32 Conclusion -not grasping at appearancesand be unmoving by contemplating Realitythat all conditioned dharmas are like a

dream, an illusion, a bubble or a shadow.

Awakening is tocontemplate and recognizeReality and see the wise

and unmoving nature 6


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Reality Summary brief of Vajra Sutra Categorize

S 1 The Buddha illustrates Reality Reality in everyday life

S 2 Empty Bodhi resolve and quiet the mind Intent

S 3 Ignorance is discrimination Cause of confusion

S 4-13 Prajna is not grasping at appearances 1) Thoughts ofAttachment

S14- 25

Stillness or unmoving nature 2) False thinking

S26to s28

Notempty

Because everything true and falseinherently dont exist but areappearances from false discrimination,cease the mad mindS29

-s31

one

appea-rance -Emptyandyet not

empty

S32

Conclusion -not grasping atappearances and be unmoving by

contemplating Reality that allconditioned dharmas are like a dream,

Awakening is tocontemplate and

recognize the true mindand see the wise and

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1 Initialwisdom

Compassionsupplements

wisdom

Equality

Reality Empty Not empty Empty andyet not empty

2 First Then

Empty People Dharma(thought)

Patience

Leaving appearance Form Mind activity

3 50% 50% Equal

practice ofwisdom and

stillness

Abiding in Reality Notattaching

Unmoving(stillness)

Contemplateand

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Reality Precepts Practice Principles

Empty No upholding Sages and

worthies

No thought of

upholding

Not empty Not violating Common Having thoughtof upholding

Empty and yetnot em t

No upholdingand not

No distinctionbetween sa es

Both are equalbecause the

violatingbecausenothing wasattained

and common to be one withall living beingsis truly great

compassion

never existedin the firstplace.

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Sutra: Subhuti, a Bodhisattva might fill up world systems equalin number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River withthe seven precious gems and give them as a gift. But ifanother person were to realize that all dharmas are devoid

of self and attain patience, that Bodhisattvas merit andvirtues would surpass the merit and virtues of the previousBodhisattva.

Why is everything devoid of self? It is without identity; it was all

one true appearance; being appearances from or projections of

the mind and inherently dont exist.

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One true appearance is without appearance (our inherent truemind) yet within nothing everything manifest. (this world ofexistence)

All dharmas are devoid of self would then mean everything isoriginally empty; everything is fundamentally non existent but

appearances of the mind.

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From the Lankavatara Sutra:

When it is clearly understood that there is nothing in theworld but what is seen of the mind itself, discrimination no

more rises, and the wise are established in their true homewhich is the realm of quietude.

e gnoran scr m na e an wor ry ng o a usthemselves to external conditions, and are constantlyperturbed in mind; unrealities are imagined anddiscriminated, while realities are not seen and ignored. It is

not so with the wise.

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Observation to the passage from the Lankavatara Sutra:

When you see that everything is made from the mind, itis to recognize that everything is empty and false madeby the false discriminating mind.

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Because we see through everything as devoid of self, we seethrough its true character that everything is inherently non

existent and empty.

Therefore it is not surprising that the sutra says:

all dharmas are devoid of self and attain patience- devoid.

Because everything or Reality is seen as empty and not realbut projections of the mind, one attains patience.

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Extract of s 28: But if another person were to realizethat all dharmas are devoid of self and attain

patience

1. He sees every living being as empty and not real; being

causes and conditions.

2. He sees every phenomena including thoughts as not real

or empty; being appearances of the false mind.

3. Therefore he attains patience with not producing of

dharmas or phenomena; nothing was produced nordestroyed because originally there was nothing at all.15


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Sutra: Why Subhuti? Because Bodhisattvas do notacquire blessings and virtues.

Comments:

Bodhisattvas do not acquire blessings and virtueswould mean blessings and virtues originally dont existbecause every living being is replete with blessings and

virtuous conduct of a Buddha exce t that it is resentl

covered by confusion.

They are expedients to negate the false and reveal the

truth. As such they are a product of projection of themind. This accords with Reality.

Therefore nothing was acquired. This is prajna paramita

to see Reality in its true form. What is Reality? 16


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What is Reality?

The Appearance of Reality is without Appearances.(s 14) Basically there was nothing at all.

From absolute nothingness comes this world of

existence which fundamentally doesnt exist.

When seen in this way, no blessings or virtues areacquired in this world of existence which fundamentallydont exist.

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Sutra: Subhuti addressed the Buddha, World HonoredOne, how is it that Bodhisattvas do not acquire

blessings and virtues?Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should neither be greedy for,nor be attached to the blessings and virtues which

.

blessings and virtues.Comments:

Because we now see the Reality of Appearance of

blessings and virtues, we see it as fundamentally emptyand thus we do not greed for nor attached to them.

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We greed and attached to things which we like because we fail

to see Reality

That inherently there was nothing at all.

And so we dont even greed for blessings and virtues we foster.

Then how should we conduct ourselves when we fosterblessings and virtues?

That it is Reality to do so. That the way it is. Thats all.

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What do you mean by it is Reality to foster blessings and

virtues?

Foster blessings and virtues is just fostering blessings

anything special or different.

It means we are neither happy in having done blessings

and virtues nor are we sad that we have not doneenough.

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S 28 No greed and nothing acquiredThe following illustrates how the Buddha conducted in accord withReality in section 2 of the Vajra Sutra:

At meal time, the World Honored One put on his robe, took

up his bowl and entered the great city of Shravasti tocollect alms.

After he finished his sequential alms-round, he returned tohis dwelling.

When his meal was completed, he put his robe and bowlaway.

After he washed his feet, he arranged his seat and satdown. 21


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Did the Buddha entertained any wandering thoughts

whilst doing all the above?

No because the Buddha is one who has no random.

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Q&A pertaining to s 28

Question: If all dharmas are devoid of self, what about the hells?

Answer:

Great Master Yung Chia,

When one is certified to the characteristic of Reality,

There are no people or dharmas

,

If I were deceiving living beings with untrue words,

Id invite upon myself the Ripping Out of Tongues for eons asmany as dust and sands.

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Q&A on section 28

Great Master Yung Chia,

In a dream, very clearly, there are six destinies;

After enlightenment, completely empty, there is nouniverse.

Explained by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua:

While people are confused in a dream, the six paths of

gods, humans, asuras, hells, hungry ghosts and animalsare distinctly evident.

After one becomes Enlightened and is roused from theconfused dream, emptiness is pulverized, home is

broken and people vanish. Then how could there the

Three Thousand Great Thousand World system exist? 24


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Q&A on section 28

Question: Why is greed mentioned here in section 28 andnot elsewhere in the Vajra Sutra?

It is because greed is the problem in this not emptyworld.

Section 28 is in the section which pertains to the not

empty world of common people which is from sections26 to 28.

From sections 3 to 25, the Buddha was explaining theprinciple in empty world of Sages; and attachment is an

issue whilst greed was not the main issue in the empty

world of Sages. 25


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Dedication of merit

May every living beings,

Our minds as one and radiant with light

Share the fruits of peace, with heart of goodness

luminous and bright. If people hear and see, how hands and hearts can find in

giving unity

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, ,

and to joy. May kindness find reward; may all who sorrow leave their

grief and pain;

May this boundless light break the darkness of theirendless night.

Because our hearts are one, this world of pain turns intoparadise;

May all become compassionate and wise (2x)

vajra (diamond) sutra april 1, 2011 lecture

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