vajra (diamond) sutra april 8, 2011 lecture

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

1/25

The Vajra (Diamond) SutraApril 8 lecture

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

1

o gree an no ng acqu reObservation: Leaving appearances in emptyworld and not empty world.

Q&A If everything is empty, what about the hells?

Q&A Why is greed mentioned here in section 28and not elsewhere in the Vajra Sutra?


2/25

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,

2

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.


3/25

S 1 The Buddha illustrates Reality Introducing Reality

S 2Bodhi resolve and quiet the mind Intent

S 3 Empty Ignorance is discrimination Cause of confusion

S 4-13

Prajna is not grasping at appearances 1) Thoughts of

AttachmentS 5- 24

Stillness or unmoving nature 2) False thinking

to s28

empty

inherently dont exist but areappearances from false discrimination,cease the mad mindS29

-s

31

oneappea-

rance -Emptyandyet notempty

S32

Conclusion -not grasping atappearances and be unmoving bycontemplating Reality that all

conditioned dharmas are like a dream,an illusion, a bubble or a shadow.

Awakening is tocontemplate andrecognize the true mind

(Reality) and see thewise and unmoving

3


4/25

S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

Sutra: Subhuti, a Bodhisattva might fill up world systemsequal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges Riverwith the seven precious gems and give them as a gift. But

if another person were to realize that all dharmas aredevoid of self and attain patience, that Bodhisattvas meritand virtues would surpass the merit and virtues of the

revious Bodhisattva.

Observation:

From section 25 onwards the Buddha elaborates more on theissues of the common people of the not empty world.

Section 25 states common people think that they have aself.

Section 28 teaches that All dharmas is devoid of self4


5/25


Why is everything devoid of self? It is without identity; it was allone true appearance; being appearances from or projections of

the mind.

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

existence)

All dharmas are devoid of self would then mean everything is

originally empty; everything is fundamentally non existent butappearances of the mind.

5


6/25


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.

6


7/25


Observation to 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.

7


8/25


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.

8


9/25


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.

9


10/25


Sutra: Why Subhuti? Because Bodhisattvas do not acquireblessings and virtues.

Comments:

Bodhisattvas do not acquire blessings and virtues wouldmean blessings and virtues originally dont exist becauseevery living being is replete with blessings and virtuous

conduct of a Buddha exce t that it is resentl covered b

confusion.

They are expedients to negate the false and reveal the truth.As such they are a product of projection of the mind. This

accords with Reality.

Therefore nothing was acquired. This is prajna paramita to

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

10


11/25


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 fundamentally

dont exist. 11


12/25


Sutra: Subhuti addressed the Buddha, World Honored One,how is it that Bodhisattvas do not acquire blessings andvirtues?

Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should neither be greedy for, nor beattached to the blessings and virtues which they foster.Therefore I say they do not acquire blessings and virtues.

Comments: Because we now see the Reality of Appearance of blessings

and virtues, we see it as fundamentally empty and thus we donot greed for nor attached to them.

12


13/25


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

to see Reality

Holding on to the fallacy that the self exists (s 25) how muchthe more so others, living beings and a life.

Reality is 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.

13


14/25


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.

14


15/25

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. 15


16/25


Did the Buddha entertained any wandering thoughts

whilst doing all the above?

No because the Buddha is one who has no random.

16


17/25


Observation: Section 25 says: common people think theyhave a self and section 28 says all dharmas aredevoid of self What do we see from both sections?

Comments: From s 3 until s 28, the Vajra Sutra explains the teaching

in the empty world of Sages and worthies and so it

appearances.

On the other hand, from s 25 until s 28, the Vajra Sutra

addresses the not empty world of common people.

17


18/25


The 26 sections in the empty world has already addressed indetails pertaining to putting down and leaving of appearances.

And so in the not empty world the Buddha addresses ashorter version of letting go yet suited to the problem of thenot empty world of common people.

18


19/25

S 28 No greed and nothing acquired To let go of attachment the very first thing to know is that the

self doesnt exist. This is not a problem in the empty world of

Sages and Worthies.

When we acknowledge that this body is our false self, only

And then put down the attachments of everything else.

19


20/25

Teaching Common People in not empty world to let go

Teachings Reasons Methodology

S 25 Self doesnt exist This body is notour true body

Contemplation

S 28 Everything else is just

appearances

Our self nature is

already perfectand complete

Patience and

recognizingReality

preliminary teachingon planting ofblessings and wisdom

attachment toDharma

and recognizeReality

S 27 Refuting annihilation When sweepingaway all

appearance there

is still the eternalself nature.

Comprehendand recognize

Reality

20


21/25

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.

21


22/25

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 theThree Thousand Great Thousand World system exist?

22


23/25

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 sections25 to 28.

Why does the not empty world starts with section 25?

Section 25 states that common people think that theyhave a self.

23


24/25

Q&A on section 28

From sections 3 to 24, the Buddha was explaining the

principle in empty world of Sages; and subtleattachment is an issue whilst greed was not the main

issue in the empty world of Sages.

with greed; section 3 to 24 addresses the principle to letgo of the thought of attachment and false thinking.

The principles in section 3 to 24 guides the Two Vehiclesinto the Bodhisattva path by emptying emptiness asthese sections teaches the principle of

anuttarasamyaksambodhi.24


25/25

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

25

, ,

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 8, 2011 lecture

Documents