vajra diamond sutra june 10 2011 lecture

8/13/2019 Vajra Diamond Sutra June 10 2011 Lecture

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The Vajra (Diamond) SutraJune 10 lectureas outlined by a Buddhist monk(Listen live or recorded audio explanations at

www.wondrousdharma.org)

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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal

Manifesting real appearance prajna

The Heart Sutra and the Vajra Sutra


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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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Sutra: How should this Sutra be explained for others? By notgrasping at appearances and being in unmoving thusness.Why?

All conditioned dharmasAre like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, or a shadow,

Like dew or like a lightning flash,

on emp a e em us.Comments:

Conditioned dharmas are fundamentally empty but also not

totally empty - the real appearance or wonderful Reality

In this respect, conditioned dharmas are like transformations.

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Because conditioned dharmas are transformations, we shouldnot grasp at these appearances of conditioned dharmas.

The wisdom of responding by non-attaching to what wasfundamentally unreal is therefore unreal.

The above is the very reason why s 32 is described as

Responses and transformations are unreal.

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The present reality in this world is that we are now dwelling inconditioned dharmas as a result of our past conditions.

So, we have first to detach from the appearances.

in mind.

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Unmovingness is the function of Reality or real appearance

prajna-wisdom.

Unmovingness is the awesome demeanor of a Buddha in s 29The quiescence of his awesome demeanor

Being unmoving and still, the mind is subdued.

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Buddhas 3bodies

The principle Principles

Transformationbody

All conditioneddharmas are like adream an

illusioncontemplate

them thus

Conditioned dharmasare fundamentallyunreal; just

appearances seen in

the mind

Response body(referred to as the

Not grasping atappearances (negating

Responding to what isfundamentally unreal is

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greatransformationbody)

conditioned dharma asunconditioned; but youhave to put down thisrejection)

unreal itself; dwelling inthe unconditioned.

Realappearanceprajna wisdom

the Dharma

body; the truebody of a Buddha

Unmoving thusness(united with theDharma body; neitheraccepting nor rejecting

conditioned dharmas)

When you arrive atnot producinganything, you see theoriginal self nature of

neither produced nordestro ed - stillness


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Stages incultivation

Perception Reality

We are now living inconditioned

existence

Conditioneddharmas are real in

our present life

Not Empty world ofcommon people

common truth

We then detach from

conditioned

Dwell in the

unconditioned as

Empty world of

Sages and worthies

ex stence con t one armasare unreal actua trut

We finally returnedhome to our selfnature

Conditioneddharmas are neitherreal or unreal

Empty and notempty world ofBuddhas the truth

of the Middle Way

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Why is unmoving thusness the real appearance prajna?

Here is an explanation by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua:

When you understand one truth, all truth is understood.

The myriad externals are produced from the state which is thusunmoving and

Within the mind which is thus thus unmoving true Reality is tobe found.

Seen in this way, this state is the original nature exactly; It is the highest enlightenment.

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Here is explanation by the Great Master Sixth Patriarch:

Fully able to discriminate among appearances But unmoving in the primary sense

The very act of viewing in this way

tse s t e unct on o true suc ness ea ty

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Here is explanation by Great Master Patriarch Bodhidharma: When a man abandoning the false and embracing the true and

Single-mindedly practice contemplation,

He finds that the common and the Sages are of one essence

.

He will not be a slave to words,

For he is in silent harmony with Reality itself;

Free from conceptual discrimination,

He is serene and non-acting. 11


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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal Manjusri then asked Vimalakirti, We have each made our own

explanations. Venerable One, you should now explain how the

Bodhisattva enters the Dharma gate of non duality? At this point, Vimalakirti was silent, saying nothing.

Manjusri exclaimed, Excellent, excellent! Not to even havewords or speech is the true entrance into the Dharma of non

duality.

1. Non duality is to be without appearance of self, others, living beings and alife.

2. Non duality is real appearance prajna wisdom.

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S 32 Responses and transformations are unrealA pertinent question: How do we manifest the unmovingness?

It requires deep roots and faith in the Dharma.

And firmly holds to this belief and never sway away therefrom.

From faith and understanding, we enter into the inconceivable

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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal And the Great Masters tell us to be like:

If you cultivate non-movement, like insentient beings you will

not move A dead person

A painting in the wall

A living dead person.Why so?

It is because a dead person is serene and non responding.

It simply means one has accepted Reality.

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Accepting Reality is not to be confused by external

appearances; one is peaceful and at ease inside, just then

suddenly return and regain the original mind.

In doing so, what seems unnatural at the onset becomes our

Merging with our natural self is when we have totally put downthe attachment to the self.

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Not grasping appearances is to be without the self.

1. put down the self as being the false self

2. put down the knowable,

3. put down every sense objects and

4. finally put down the thought of having put down.

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Leaving appearances then stillness! (s14)

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A pertinent question: As a living dead person, would it not mean onedoes not do any wholesome actions?

Ignoring the society and not doing anything is the fallacy ofseeing the world as unreal, the path of the Two Vehicles.

Being like a dead person means one is not afflicted nor happyby situations arising as one see through to its original character

that situations are appearances.

A living dead person is a person without the appearance of aself.

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One still does wholesome dharmas without the four

appearances. S 23 A pure mind does wholesomedeeds

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Vajra Sutra Nature of existence Principles

S 30 principle of a

unity of appearances

True emptiness and

wonderful existenceare two; yet not two.Still they are

appearances

Form is emptiness;

emptiness is form

S 31 knowledge and Appearances No emptiness; no

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views are notproduced fundamentallydont exist form

S 32 responses and

transformations areunreal

Contemplating

appearances asfundamentally notexisting yet it

appears

All conditioned

dharmas are like adream, an illusion, abubble.


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Vajra Sutra Intent of thesection

Principles

S 29 the quiescenceof his awesomedemeanor

Still cessation of aBuddha

The Thus Come Onedoes not come norgo

S 30 principle of aunity of appearances

The dharma ofleaving appearances

of form

Form is emptiness;emptiness is form

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now e ge an

views are notproduced

e arma o

leaving appearancesof views (thoughts)

o emp ness; no

form

S 32 responses andtransformations areunreal

First, leaveappearancesThenstill cessation

First, not grasping atappearancesThen, unmovingthusness


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What is the intent of the Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra?

Recite it like this:

Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!

Go to, go to the other shore of enlightenment of aBuddha.

This tallies with s 2

Now how do we reconcile the final sections 29 to 32 of

the Vajra Sutra with the Heart Sutra?

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Vajra Sutra Equivalent in HeartSutra

The teachings

S

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pulverize athree-foldgreatthousand

world systeminto fineparticles of

Shariputra, form does notdiffer from emptiness;emptiness does not differfrom form. Form itself is

emptiness; emptinessitself is form.

World system is agathering of finedust. One worldsystem is many fine

dusts.

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dust. Whatdo you think;would thoseparticles of

dusts bemany?

cognition, formation andconsciousness.

systems to allappearances

including theinterdependencies ofconsciousness and

sense objects (form).


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Vajra Sutra Equivalent in HeartSutra

The teachings

S

3

0

If those

particles ofdusts did

exist meandusts donthave a

Shariputra, all

dharmas are emptyof characteristics.

Without the function of

consciousness, form willnot be seen and vice

versa. Both are withoutnature of their own.

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na ure otheir own.


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Intent of thesection

Equivalent in HeartSutra

The teachings

S

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Stillcessation ofa Buddha;neither come

nor go

They are not produced,not destroyed, not defiled,not pure, and they neitherincrease nor diminish

This is the Reality ofthings; they neitherexist nor not existfrom the Buddhas

perspective

S The dharma Therefore in emptiness,there is no form, feelin ,

The dharma of

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appearancesof form

cognition, formation orconsciousness; no eyes,ears, nose, tongue, body ormind; no sights, sounds,

smells, tastes, objects oftouch or dharmas; no field ofthe eyes, up to andincluding the field of mind

consciousness

Sages pertains tothe turning around

the consciousness.Let go of thisDharma and move

on to Bodhi.

I f h E i l i H Th hi


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Intent of thesection

Equivalent in HeartSutra

The teachings

S

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Let go of theviews of self,othersletgo of your

knowledge

And no ignorance orending of ignorance, upto and including no oldage and death or ending

of old age and death.

This is the Dharma ofPratyekabuddha. Letgo of this Dharma;proceed to Bodhi.

There is no suffering, noaccumulatin , no

This is the Dharma of

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extinction, no way, of this Dharma,proceed to Bodhi

And no understanding

and no attaining

This is the Dharma of

Bodhisattva. Let go ofthe thought ofattaining before fullrealization of self

nature


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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 june 10 2011 lecture

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