action without awareness is child, action with awareness is adult
stillness with awareness is deep sleep/meditation, stillness without awareness is samadhi
Where is Dao? …shh……
Zen!
有尋無伺是孩兒, 有尋有伺成年人;
無尋有伺深睡思, 無尋無伺無想天;
道在當中那一個? …噓……
禪!
Broad minds see goodness, narrow minds see badness.
If don’t acknowledge goodness, one would not feel gratitude, if frequently remember badness, one would not feel serenity.
心寬之人, 常記人善;
心窄之人, 常記人惡;
記不住人善的人, 難有感恩之心;
常記人惡的人, 難有祥和之時.
玉不琢，不成器。 人不學，不知義。苦難磨練人，智慧提升人。
Jade stays raw without polish, man remains ignorant without learning. Sufferings refine us, wisdom uplifts us.
佛為心、道為骨、儒為表，大度看世界；技在手、能在身、思在腦，從容過生活。
– 南懷瑾老師 (1918-2012)
Buddhist heart, Taoist bones, Confucius persona, compassionately perceive the world;
Skills on hands, abilities in body, thinking via the brain, serenely live life.
– Master Nan-Huai-Chin (1918-2012)
“Derek is a genuine man of wisdom, and an authentic spiritual teacher who embodies and masterfully passes on the wisdom of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian traditions that he absorbed from both traditional and contemporary teachers. He is of gentle, intelligent, kind disposition, and a heart of compassion that moves him to generously disseminate and share the wisdom of Chinese culture and civilizations with the rest of the world. Not to be missed to mention among those are the various ways of healing, psychological renovation and spiritual advancement which lead to longevity, optimism and happy life….” full letter
– Prof. Rev. Olga Louchakova-Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Comparative Religion, Sofia University, US
* * *
“I recently had the pleasure of organizing a student-centered event led by Master Li Siming, on the topic of Daoist philosophy and religion, for Macalester College’s Department of Religious Studies. I highly recommend Master Li to similar groups….” full letter
– Prof. Erik W. Davis
Associate Professor, Religious Studies, Macalester College, US
Advance weekend intensive at the Yoga Center Minneapolis:
Five animal qigong workshop at School of Shaolin Kungfu:
Essential principles in Chinese Spirituality/ Practical considerations in spiritual cultivation at Formless Form Qigong:
Integrating Daoist Confucius and Buddhist teachings into a personal philosophy and practice Lecture at Macalester College:
Taoist Meditation workshop at Body Balance Academy:
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
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 self, and going beyond it, we then learnt the importance of fulfilling our personal, family and social responsibility in the world through practical advises from Confucius’s Analects. Finally, after mastering the world and the reality beyond it, we learnt from the Buddhist Diamond Sutra that all teachings and phenomena, no matter how extraordinary and spectacular, are temporary like dreams and bubble and therefore are not to be attached.
If we can gain a throughout understanding of these three classics, and integrate them into our daily life, then a solid foundation is laid on the roadway of personal and spiritual cultivation. Hopefully these discussions could serve as an opening door and overall guidance for further studies and practice.
This concludes this series of our online classes. As Laozi said, “excessive speeches exhaust our reason, it’s better to stay centered.” The foundation understanding of cultivation has been laid and it is time for practice and integration into our life. If you have further question on the topics mentioned, you may contact me for advice or further discussion. Thank you for your interest and support all along.
Best wishes to you in your life, studies, and practices.
Regards,
Li Siming
March 2014
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 of this Sutra. Why? The Buddha summarizes this into a four-line stanzas:
一切有为法 如梦幻泡影 如露亦如电 应作如是观
All self-based phenomena, are like bubbles and dreams;
like dews and lightening, should perceived as such.
* * *
应化非真分第三十二
须菩提！若有人以满无量阿僧祇世界七宝持用布施，若有善男子、善女人，发菩萨心者，持于此经，乃至四句偈等，受持读诵，为人演说，其福胜彼。
“Subhuti, if on the one hand, someone gave away in alms (dana) the seven treasures inquantities sufficient to fill all the worlds in uncount-able aeons, and if on the other hand, a virtuous man or woman developed the Bodhi-mind, and received, held (in mind), read and recited even a four-line stanza of this sutra and expounded it to others, the latter’s merit would surpass that of the former.
云何为人演说，不取于相，如如不动。何以故？
一切有为法 如梦幻泡影 如露亦如电 应作如是观
“In what manner should it be taught to others? By teaching it without attachment to form with the immutability of the absolute. “Why is it?
“Because: All phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble and a shadow, Like dew and lightning. Thus should you meditate upon them.”
佛说是经已，长老须菩提及诸比丘、比丘尼、优婆塞、优婆夷、一切世间、天、人、阿修罗，闻佛所说，皆大欢喜，信受奉行。
When the Buddha had finished expounding this sutra, the elder Subhuti, together with bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, and all the worlds of devas, men and asuras who had listened to His teaching, were filled with joy and believed received and observed it.
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 be understood as the ultimate truth from the Buddha.” The Buddha compassionately furthered: “Whoever made the intention of supreme enlightenment, should perceive as such, see as such, understand as such, and do not let teachings develop into fixed notions. And same applies to this conclusion as well.
Once we embark on the journey to truth and spiritual enlightenment, teachers teachings knowledge method pathway technique experience will come. They are all to be treasured, but not to be attached. If we perceive them, see them, believe them, and understand them as this Sutra suggests, we will be walking on solid path.
* * *
知见不生分第三十一
须菩提！若人言：佛说我见、人见、众生见、寿者见。
须菩提！于意云何？是人解我所说义不？
“Subhuti, what do you think? If someone says: ‘The Buddha speaks of the view of an ego, a personality, a being and a life,
“Subhuti, does that person understand what I mean?”
不也，世尊！是人不解如来所说义。何以故？
世尊说：我见、人见、众生见、寿者见，即非我见、人见、众生见、寿者见，是名我见、人见、众生见、寿者见。
“No, World Honoured one, that person does not understand. Why?”
“Because (when) the Tathagata speaks of the view of an ego, a Personality, a being and a life, it is not really, (but) is (expediently) called the view of an ego, a personality a being and a life.”
须菩提！发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者，于一切法，应如是知，如是见，如是信解，不生法相。
须菩提！所言法相者，如来说即非法相，是名法相。
“Subhuti, he who develops the Supreme Enlightenment Mind, should thus know, see, believe and comprehend (all things); he should not set up the perception of things (dharma-laksana) in his mind.”
“Subhuti, the so-called form of things (dharma-laksana), the Tathagata says is not, but is, (expediently) called the form of things.”
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