Category: Spiritual Cultivation
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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/
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Diamond Sutra – How to Pray – 金剛經 – 如是祈祷
So far, we have learnt the importance of setting our spiritual intention beyond form, and we also learnt the importance of not following the notions of a self, others, beings, and immortality in our practice. One may ask, without the notion of the self, how can we set our spiritual intention? Careful examination of one’s self…
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Diamond Sutra – The Dissolving of Negative Karma – 金刚经 – 罪业之消灭
This chapter describes the process of letting go negative karma. From individual karma point of view, where everything we experience now is a consequence of our past actions and habits, the experience of attacks and insults from others are the results of our past actions and habits. If, at the moment of experiencing attacks/insults/unpleasant situation,…
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Diamond Sutra – The Setting of Spiritual Intention – 金刚经 – 菩萨发心
In the Buddhist tradition, the most important part of spiritual cultivation is the first step and also the ongoing step – the setting of intention (发心). As the Chinese Classics describes, the superior man is prudent in the beginning, as an error of millimeter in beginning will eventually lead to an error of thousands of…
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Diamond Sutra – The 4 levels of Arhat – 金刚经 – 四果罗汉
Arhats are enlightened beings who attained individual liberation in Buddhism. They are 4 levels of Arhats: 1. Srota-apanna (须陀洹) – partial enlightenment, still need 7 returns to earthly life before full liberation 2. Sakrdagamin (斯陀含) – partial enlightenment, still need 1 return to earthly life before full liberation 3. Anagamin (阿那含) – partial enlightenment, no need to return…
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Diamond Sutra – 2 Stages of Surrender – 金刚经 – 两个阶段的放下
There are 2 levels of surrender: First level pertains to the transcendence of the “self”, second level require one to transcend the notion of there is a fixed “teaching”, to be followed towards the ultimate reality. The second level of transcendence, requires a solid work in the first level before it can mean anything. Otherwise,…
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Diamond Sutra – Solid foundation leads to real faith – 金刚经 – 一念生净信
If you heard of teachings of this Sutra and there is a sudden realization and resonance in you which brings you faith in the truth described. Congratulations! Your good effort has led to right karma and wisdom which leads you to come in touch with this impenetrable wisdom. Learn thoroughly what this Sutra has to…
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Diamond Sutra – how does Bodhisattva do charity? – 金刚经 – 菩萨如何布施?
Last week we learn that Bodhisattva does not cling to the notion of self, others, beings, and immortality. This week we learn that Bodhisattva not only transcends the above 4, but also continue to serve through charity. In Buddhism continuous service and virtue are essential to complete the process of cultivation and enlightenment, even for…
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Diamond Sutra – self, others, beings, immortals – 金刚经 – 我相,人相,众生相,寿者相
In this Chapter, Buddha described the essential nature of Bodhisattva (enlightened beings that serves in this world): transcendence of the notion of: self, others, beings, and immortals. self: a separate sense of individual self others: what appears outside of one’s self beings: the collective living beings immortals: any part of life, form or no-form, that…
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Diamond Sutra – The direct transmission of Mind – 金刚经 – 如是住,如是降伏其心
In the Zen/Chan Buddhist tradition, there is an emphasis on cultivating and transmitting of Mind beyond forms. In the actual happening of such incidences, the knowledge/experience/realization of the teacher is transmitted directly to the student without the aid of words. Such was the attempt of the Buddha when asked by his prominent disciple Subhuti in…
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Diamond Sutra – The Buddha eats – 金刚经 – 佛陀吃饭
How do you approach food? Do you love it, or do you hate it? Some people like food so much that they develop strong attachment in eating, while others dislike food so much that they develop an aversion to eating. The Buddha himself suggested the middle way: After going through both extremes, as a prince…
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Confucius Analects – Men’s nature are alike – 孔子论语 – 性相近,习相远
Are we alike? Are we different? Despite of our racial, cultural differences, we are all human. Confucius said the same. He said that we are all alike at the source, yet our habits, believes and choices make us apart. 17.1 Men’s nature are alike 子曰、性相近也、習相遠也。 The Master said, ‘By nature, men are nearly alike; by…
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Confucius Analects – Virtue attracts alike – 孔子论语 – 德不孤,必有邻
There is a Chinese saying: giving is more blessed than receiving (施比受更有福). Is it true? Confucius reported so. 4.6 Virtue attracts alike 子曰、德不孤、必有鄰。 The Master said, ‘Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbors.’ * * * I would like to share a personal story of charity here. One…
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Confucius Analects – Surviving the Changing World – 孔子论语 – 隐士的文化
We live in a turbulent world. External events come and go, internal reactions rise and fall. While we could have a fairly stable way to, or expectation on how to live our lives, often time the reality falls short of our expectations. How did Confucius survived this changing world? * * * 8.4 Selecting place…
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Confucius Analects – Rush and you won’t arrive – 孔子论语 – 欲速则不达,见小利则大事不成
13.2 Do things thoroughly, avoid the temptation of seeking quick and minute advantages 子夏為莒父宰、問政。子曰、無欲速、無見小利。欲速則不達、 見小利則大事不成。 Zixia, being governor of Chu-fu, asked about government. The Master said, ‘Do not be desirous to have things done quickly; do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small…
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Confucius Analects – Fulfill your roles – 孔子论语 – 做好本份
12.5 How to govern 2 齊景公問政於孔子。 孔子對曰、君君、臣臣、 父父、子子。 The Duke Jing [Ching], of Qi {Chi], asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, ‘There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son.’ 8.5 Mind your own business 子曰、不在其位、不謀其政。 The Master said, ‘He who…
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Confucius Analects – Side tracks – 孔子论语 – 小道
19.1 Superior man avoids side tracks 子夏曰、雖小道、必有 可觀者焉、致遠恐泥、是以君子不為也。 Zixia said, ‘Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carrythem out to what is remote, there is a danger of running into mud. Therefore, the superior man does not practise them.’ * * * What…
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Confucius Analects – Hearsay Information – 孔子论语 – 道听涂说
17.4 Exercise caution against hearsay information 子曰、道聽而塗說、德之棄也。 The Master said, ‘To tell, as we go along, what we have heard on the way, is to cast away our virtue.’ * * * When we hear about something that we do not directly experience, and spread the information without verifying the validity of it, we are…