小靜於林， 大靜於市，大大靜於正行(及正不行)。

External tranquility found in nature, inner tran

quility cultivated in city, ultimate tranquility realised in wise action (& inaction).

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!

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

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

KNOWLEDGE AND VIEWS ARE NOT PRODUCED, THIRTY-ONE

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.”

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, and on the notion of “self” vs. others.  Therefore, whoever say here comes the Tathagata, or the Tathagata is sitting, lying, eating, or even teaching, does not really understand the real meaning of Tathagata.

* * *

威仪寂静分第二十九

THE QUIESCENCE OF HIS AWESOME DEMEANOR, TWENTY-NINE

须菩提！若有人言：如来若来若去、若坐若卧，是人不解我所说义。
何以故？如来者，无所从来，亦无所去，故名如来。
“Subhuti, if someone says the Tathagata comes or goes, sits or lies, he does not understand what I mean.
“Why? Because the Tathagata has neither whence (to come) nor whither (to go); therefore, He is called the Tathagata.