Category: Chinese Philosophy
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How to be a happy person – 如何能成一個快樂的人
[:en]弟子問達摩:如何才能成為一個自己快樂,也給別人快樂的人? Student asked Bodhidarmma, how to be a happy person for oneself and others? 達摩笑著回答說:有四種境界,你去體會其中的妙趣吧! Bodhidarmma said, there are four stages, contemplate the wonder! 一、首先,把自己當成別人,此是無我。 First, treat yourself as others, this is selfless. 二、再之,把別人當成自己,此是慈悲。 Second, treat others as yourself, this is compassion. 三、而後,把別人當成別人,此是智慧。 Third, treat others as they are, this is wisdom. 四、最後,把自己當成自己,此是自在。 Finally, treat…
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Infant fills oneself, gown up nurtures the world – 窮則獨善其身,達則兼善天下
Mencius said, when you are strained, take care of your self ; when you attain great height and has spare capacity, help nurture the world. 孟子云: 窮則獨善其身,達則兼善天下 孔子云: 行有餘力,則以學文
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3 levels of tranquility
小靜於林, 大靜於市,大大靜於正行(及正不行)。 External tranquility found in nature, inner tranquility cultivated in city, ultimate tranquility realised in wise action (& inaction).
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Zen Reality and Practice – 不著不舍
實際理地不著一塵,萬行門中不捨一法。 – 禪宗祖師 Ultimate reality is not bounded by any manifestation, yet actual practice embraces all of them. – Zen Master實際理地不著一塵,萬行門中不捨一法。 – 禪宗祖師
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Action without awareness is child, action with awareness is adult – 有尋無伺是孩兒, 有尋有伺成年人
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!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!
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Broad minds see goodness. – 心寬之人, 常記人善
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.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.
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Jade stays raw without polish – 玉不琢,不成器
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.
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Buddhist heart, Taoist bones, Confucius persona – 佛為心、道為骨、儒為表
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)
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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?…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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/