Author: Derek
-
The way to longevity – 養生之道
The way to longevity is to cultivate the spirit; the key in cultivating the spirit is to cultivate virtue. If virtue is absence, longevity cannot be achieved no matter what medicine you take. – Tang Dynasty Medical master Sun Si Miao. 養生之道, 重在養神; 養神之要, 重在養德. 德行不全, 縱服玉液金丹, 未能廷壽. – 唐代名醫孫思邈養生之道, 重在養神; 養神之要, 重在養德. 德行不全, 縱服玉液金丹,…
-
Online Class – foundation course completed – 网上课程 – 基础课程完成
Dear readers, After 26 months of discussion and exploration, we have finally completed our online discussion on the core teachings of the three great classics in Chinese Civilization. With the focus on personal and spiritual cultivation, we first learnt about the transcendental reality and the way towards it from Laozi’s Daodejing. After understanding our…
-
Diamond Sutra – All phenomena are like a dream – 金刚经 – 一切有为法，如梦幻泡影
With every beginning this is an end. After 9 months of exploration and discussion, we have finally come to the end of this classic. In this last chapter, the Buddha reiterates the blessings of following and sharing this sutra, and reminds us again that we should not attached to various forms when sharing the wisdom…
-
Diamond Sutra – perceive, see, believe, understand as such – 金刚经 – 如是知，如是见，如是信解，不生法相
When the Buddha about to conclude this sutra, he tested his student Subuti and asked: “when someone talk of the notions of self, others, living beings, and immortality, does s/he understand what i teach?” Subhuti answered: “no, because these notions too, are merely names and mental conceptualization, are not to be attached, and not to…
-
US Tour April 2014
Derek is coming to the US again for a lecture tour this coming April! Check out his teaching schedule: http://lisiming.net/study-with-derek/us-tour-april-2014/ Don’t miss this rare chance to further your understanding and practice on Chinese Philosophy and Spirituality! Please register early to ensure availability. If you want to organize a workshop or schedule a private session with Derek…
-
Diamond Sutra – the limitless universe – 金刚经 – 一合相
In advanced meditative state, one sees the limitless universe. Is this real? Is it the end? Some arrives there and claim it is so. The Buddha says in this chapter: despite of its magnificence and splendor, it is not the ultimate, as when we attach ourselves with it, we becomes and limits to it. Therefore…
-
Diamond Sutra – Buddha can neither come nor go – 金刚经 – 无所从来，亦无所去，故名如来。
Tathagata in Chinese is “如来”, which means “as is”, or “as is originally is”. This “original is” is a state prior to all mentalizations and descriptions, and is beyond the descriptions of coming and going, sitting or lying, a he or a she, etc, which are identifications built on the notions of time and space,…
-
Diamond Sutra – Bodhisattvas do not receive reward for their merits – 金刚经 – 菩萨不受福德故
There is virtue in practicing charity, which follows the law of karma (law of attraction); Ordinary people claims the virtue as theirs, which reinforces and continues the “self” and its way of life; Bodhisattva dedicates the virtue for the well-being, fulfillment, growth, transcendence, and liberation of themselves and all beings. * * * 不受不贪分第二十八 NO GREED AND…
-
Happy Chinese New Year of the Horse! – 新年快乐，马年进步！
Wish all health, prosperity, happiness in this new year of the horse! For students, wish you great learning and leap in your understanding of your self and the world; For the meditators, wish you new break through and steady improvement in your concentration and awareness; For worldly practitioners, wish you success in all your relationships…
-
Diamond Sutra – understanding can be sudden, which sweeps away all mental blockages, practice is not sudden, which get perfected in stages – 金刚经 – 理即顿悟,乘悟并消；事非顿除,因次第尽
After expounding that real Buddha is beyond image and sound, the all compassionate Buddha reminds us that real Buddha does not mean no image and no sound either, and that we should not satisfy with just the proper understanding of truth and should diligently practice it in our life. Why did the Buddha say so?…
-
Diamond Sutra – Buddha is beyond image and sound – 金刚经 – 若以色见我，以音声求我，是人行邪道，不能见如来
Further to our earlier discussion “Buddha beyond form and appearance” and “Buddha beyond form and no-form“, in this chapter the Buddha reiterates, real Buddha is beyond appearance and sound. If one “sees” or “hears” the Buddha, one has probably been side-tracked. Next time you see or hear something resembling something like the Buddha,…
-
Diamond Sutra – the Buddha did not save any living being – 金刚经 – 实无有众生如来度者
Further to his earlier teaching “are we living beings, are we not“, the Buddha reminds Subhuti again in this chapter, “don’t think that I have liberated any being, for if you think so, i will be fallen into the limitation of a self, others, beings, and immortals“. As devoted students of healing and enlightenment, don’t…
-
Derek is now in Hong Kong
To truly live up with his teachings and to further deepening his own practice, after spending 4 years in the Wudang Mountain, Derek has decided to relocate back to Hong Kong, and will be stationing there starting this year. He will continue his writing and teaching there part-time, and the weekly online class on…
-
Diamond Sutra – Blessings and Wisdom Beyond Compare – 金刚经 – 福智无比
How much will you contribute to support yourself? How much more would you contribute to support your family? How much more will you contribute for your community, country and the world? If we contribute 10 dollars, we can buy someone a meal; if we contribute 10 million dollars, we can perhaps build a…
-
Diamond Sutra – Way to Enlightenment – 金刚经 – 成佛之路
The highest truth and the way to it is revealed in this chapter. If we adopt an open mind and examine carefully what being said, we can see that what the Buddha suggests here – cultivate selflessly all good virtues – is no different from the core message of the founders of all other world’s…
-
Diamond Sutra – there is really no Dharma to gain – 金刚经 – 得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，为无所得
In a typical learning process, we receive some information, digest it intellectually or follow it experimentally, then it become part of us as an integrated part of our life. Very often, we consider it a gain after we learn something. However, in this sutra, after telling us that there is really no Dharma to teach, and…
-
Derek’s Approach – update – 教学方案 – 更新
No self is the Dao, no self and no “no self”; Proper awareness is the Buddha, and there is no such thing as proper awareness; Charity is the Superior Man, who proceeds in middle of Confucianism Daoism and Buddhism. 无我就是道，无我无无我； 正觉就是佛，正觉非正觉； 布施是君子，儒佛道中行。 http://lisiming.net/study-with-derek/dereks-approach/无我就是道，无我无无我； 正觉就是佛，正觉非正觉； 布施是君子，儒佛道中行。 http://lisiming.net/zh/study-with-derek/dereks-approach/
-
Diamond Sutra – Are we living beings? Are we not? – 金刚经 – 彼非众生，非不众生
After learning the highly profound yet seemingly paradoxical teachings from the Buddha, Subhuti couldn’t help but ask the Buddha, based on our limited wisdom, can we as living beings develop faith to accept and follow these teachings? The Buddha, possessing the perfect 5 eyes which penetrate all truths, see that there is the potential of falling…
-
Diamond Sutra – there is really no Dharma to teach – 金刚经 – 说法者，无法可说，是名说法
There is really no Dharma to teach, said the Buddha. Does it sound familiar to Chapter 1 of Laozi’s Daodejing (whatever spoken is not the real and everlasting Dao)? If the two masters met, i imagine there will be a smile of mutual recognition! But the Buddha put it out more seriously in this chapter,…
-
Diamond Sutra – Is there merit? Is there no merit? – 金刚经 – 福德有实，福德无？
In chapter 8 of this Sutra, the Buddha said blessings of sharing this Sutra far surpass that of any worldly offerings. Is it really so? Can we acquire this great merit or huge blessings for sharing the wisdom of this Sutra? The Buddha continues in this chapter: if the real merit can be described, it…