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 tran
quility cultivated in city, ultimate tranquility realised in wise action (& inaction).
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).
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.
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 school; if we contribute 10 billion dollars, maybe we can establish a fund which feeds an organization or a small country. What if we contribute the wealth of the entire world, in all potential worlds and universes? We would imagine that a lot could be done, which leads to infinite merit… Yet, according to the all knowing Buddha (who possesses 5 eyes which penetrate all truths in this universe), the merit of contribute all wealth of all universes, is not even comparable to the merit of studying, following, practicing, and sharing this Sutra. Do you know why? Do you believe?
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福智无比分第二十四
须菩提!若三千大千世界中所有诸须弥山王,如是等七宝聚,有人持用布施;若人以此《般若波罗蜜经》,乃至四句偈等,受持读诵、为他人说,于前福德百分不及一,百千万亿分,乃至算数譬喻所不能及。
“Subhuti, if (on the one hand) a man, in his practice of charity (dana) gives away the seven treasures piled up in a heap as great as all the Mounts Sumeru in the Universe put together, and (on the other hand) another man receives, holds (in mind) reads and recites even a four-line stanza of this Prajna-paramita Sutra, and expounds it to others, the merit resulting from the former’s dana will not be worth one-hundredth, one-thousandth, one-ten-thousandth and one-hundred thousandth part of that obtained by the latter, as no conceivable comparison can be made between the two.”
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 offer, and use it to further your practice in your life.
Such was what happened to the Chinese Zen Buddhist Sixth Patriach Hui Neng. As an uneducated woodcutter who had never heard of Buddhism in his life, one day when he past by a farm house and heard of someone chanting a phrase of the Diamond Sutra “应无所住而生其心 (let the mind abide in nothing – no things and no no-thing)“, there was a realization which initiated him to his later study and eventual succession of the tradition.
If you have not experience any particular reaction after hearing this sutra, don’t worry, it is already great karma, as will be described in later chapters, that you got to hear about it. Stay put in your effort and your realization will come.
须菩提白佛言:世尊!颇有众生,得闻如是言说章句,生实信不?
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, will there be living beings who can develop a true belief in these words, sentences and chapters when they are expounded to them?”
佛告须菩提:莫作是说。如来灭后,后五百岁,有持戒修福者,于此章句能生信心,以此为实,当知是人不于一佛二佛三四五佛而种善根,已于无量千万佛所种诸善根,闻是章句,乃至一念生净信者,
The Buddha said: “Subhuti, do not speak like that. In the last 500 years, before the final passing of the Tathagata, there will be those who will observe the rules of morality and perform good actions which will result in blessing. These people will be able to develop a faith in these sentences which they will consider as embodying the Truth. You should know that they will not have planted good roots in just one, two, three, four, or five Buddha lands. They will have planted them in countless thousands and tens of thousands of Buddha lands. Upon hearing these sentences, there will arise in them a single thought of pure faith.
Diamond is the most precious material on earth. Besides of its scarcity, diamond is also the hardest material on earth. Therefore it is adopted as the name of this Buddhist text. The full name of this text is: “金刚般若波罗密经”. “金刚” means hard/impenetrable; “般若” means wisdom; “波罗密” means conducts leading to liberation; “经” means sutra/text. Together it means: The text on the impenetrable wisdom towards liberation and enlightenment.
In the 6 core practices of Mahayana Buddhism (others 5 being charity, precepts, diligence, endurance, and concentration); wisdom is the last and perhaps the most important one. A clear and firm understanding and application of this impenetrable wisdom facilitates the practice of other 5, while the study and practice of other 5 does not necessarily results in arising of this wisdom. Therefore, in the foundation study of Chinese philosophy and spirituality, the Diamond Sutra is selected as a core text to be studied together with Daoist Daodejing and Confucius Analects.
子曰、不逆詐、不億不信、抑亦先覺者、是賢乎。
The Master said, ‘He who does not anticipate attempts to deceive him, nor think beforehand of his not being believed, and yet apprehends these things readily (when they occur);– is wise.’
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Some people think that to be honest and to cultivate spirituality brings stupidity, detachment, and failure in the world. Confucius said otherwise. When one is wise, one perceives people (including oneself) accurately and see when deceives and dishonesty arises. This is by means of spiritual awareness, not from intellectual deduction and speculation. Therefore, proper spiritual cultivation brings wisdom and awareness (of one self, others, and the world). Are you ready for it?
-> Externally we seek to understand others (e.g. our family, company, country); internally how many seek to understand our own “self”? We might understand our personality, including strengths and weaknesses, but more fundamentally, what is this personality? Where does it come from and how does it arise? Can it last or is it temporary? All in all, what am “i”?
-> In conquering others, we can use external force such as armies, allies and money. In conquering our “self”, internal strength is needed: we need courage to face our “self” and the world, willlingness to work through habits and believe systems, acceptance of our limitations and short-comings, reason to contextualize and understand, kindness to love and to forgive, and humility to see and surrender our attachments and illusions. Conquering others by force is temporary (as can be seen in world history), while internal mastery is forever.
-> With spiritual maturation, we become more appreciative to the richness of life. Those who are thankful are rich.
-> Cultivation is a life-long dedication, persistence is essential.
-> Our real root is not subjected to changes and the temporariness of physical life, when we realize our true nature which is beyond physical death, we reach real longevity.
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Chapter 33 Discussion:
This chapter starts by describing the different between external power and internal strength, that spiritual studies require one to direct our attention to within. When we develop our internal strength, face life with gratitude, and dedicate our life to the fulfillment and upliftment of all (including ourselves), then our contentment with life expands. Eventually we realize our everlasting root, beyond the limitations of physicality and changes, we are finally home.
Bilingual version of Ch33: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/
-> When one has been to, and is everywhere, one cannot be traced or described by a particular trace.
-> They communicate perfectly and completely and therefore left no fault.
-> All is known and there is no need to count or record.
-> Job is done perfectly without extra and unnecessary measures.
-> When Sage embrace everything completely, there is nothing left out and unsaved.
-> Sage embrace and treasure all impartially, including the layman and those labelled undesirable.
-> When one still have bias in receiving certain people (whether sage or layman) or situation, one is still in the dualistic separation of a self and others, and therefore is away from the reality of oneness and nonduality.
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Chapter 27 Discussion:
Instead of labeling people as good or bad, sage or layman, Laozi recommended embracing all, and treasuring all without personal bias. When one does this, every people and situation can be seen as blessings to cultivate one self, is welcomed and treasured, for they provide opportunity to test what’s left in personal bias, and opportunity to cultivate awareness and compassion. Gradually ones acceptance and compassion will grow and eventually to encompass all. Gratitude (described as treasure by Laozi) therefore, is an useful attitude in cultivation and to face life.
Bilingual text of Chapter 27: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/
-> Emptiness here refers to reality beyond form. Stillness here refers to reality beyond mind. When one realizes this reality, one sees things coming and going, fully aware, but not affected by them.
-> Despite of diversity of forms, all things are manifested in cycles of birth-growth-wither-death. E.g animal, plants, species, planets, galaxy, etc. Root here refers to the center that is beyond the cycle of birth-growth-wither-death. Return to the root, or answering to destiny, means realizing and abiding in one’s center, which is beyond diversity and transitory of forms.
-> Abiding in the center is normal. Knowing, realizing, recognizing the center as normal is wisdom (ordinary people would properly think otherwise). Where in fact, according to Laozi, not knowing this normalness and act selfishly, randomly, aimlessly, and ignorantly is reckless.
-> When we abide in the center and see all things come and go via this center, we can see equality of all (that we all arise from the same source), and therefore are in position to accept and be compassionate. When we have respect, compassion, and value all equally (including one’s “self”), we can then live without personal bias and arrive impartiality. When we live impartially ours actions and intentions are noble. As the purification continues, ones life becomes heavenly, which is a quality of Dao (see Ch5: Impartiality and heavenly of the Dao). This Dao is everlasting, and lasts even without form. Therefore, when one realizes, one is freed from the attachments to, identifications with, and limitations of forms.
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Chapter 16 Discussion:
The first part of this chapter describes the difference between enlightened being vs. normal people. Enlightenment is a state where life is lived in alignment with the everlasting center, while ordinary people are lost in the diversity of forms and cycles of life and death. Enlightenment means one knows where one is from, ordinary people do not know its source and therefore are threatened by the changes and temporariness of forms.
The second part of this chapter describes the process of Dao cultivation: study and know about the center, which provides basis for true compassion, which when cultivated and expanded leads to impartiality, nobility, heavenly, and finally to the realization of the Dao. How to proceed? We learn about the center, cultivate respect and compassion, let go of personal bias and attachments, and follow the guidance of and the flow of the universe, instead of to one’s self.
.DDJ Chapter 16 bilingual text: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/
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