vajra diamond sutra june 10 2011 lecture
TRANSCRIPT
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The Vajra (Diamond) SutraJune 10 lectureas outlined by a Buddhist monk(Listen live or recorded audio explanations at
www.wondrousdharma.org)
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Manifesting real appearance prajna
The Heart Sutra and the Vajra Sutra
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Verse for opening a sutra
Homage to the Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra and theVajra assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (3x)
The unsurpassed, deep, profound, subtle, wonderfulDharma,
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In a hundred thousand million eons, is difficult toencounter, Now that Ive come to receive and hold it, within my
sight and hearing,
I vow to fathom the Thus Come Ones true andactual meaning.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Sutra: How should this Sutra be explained for others? By notgrasping at appearances and being in unmoving thusness.Why?
All conditioned dharmasAre like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, or a shadow,
Like dew or like a lightning flash,
on emp a e em us.Comments:
Conditioned dharmas are fundamentally empty but also not
totally empty - the real appearance or wonderful Reality
In this respect, conditioned dharmas are like transformations.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Because conditioned dharmas are transformations, we shouldnot grasp at these appearances of conditioned dharmas.
The wisdom of responding by non-attaching to what wasfundamentally unreal is therefore unreal.
The above is the very reason why s 32 is described as
Responses and transformations are unreal.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
The present reality in this world is that we are now dwelling inconditioned dharmas as a result of our past conditions.
So, we have first to detach from the appearances.
in mind.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Unmovingness is the function of Reality or real appearance
prajna-wisdom.
Unmovingness is the awesome demeanor of a Buddha in s 29The quiescence of his awesome demeanor
Being unmoving and still, the mind is subdued.
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Buddhas 3bodies
The principle Principles
Transformationbody
All conditioneddharmas are like adream an
illusioncontemplate
them thus
Conditioned dharmasare fundamentallyunreal; just
appearances seen in
the mind
Response body(referred to as the
Not grasping atappearances (negating
Responding to what isfundamentally unreal is
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greatransformationbody)
conditioned dharma asunconditioned; but youhave to put down thisrejection)
unreal itself; dwelling inthe unconditioned.
Realappearanceprajna wisdom
the Dharma
body; the truebody of a Buddha
Unmoving thusness(united with theDharma body; neitheraccepting nor rejecting
conditioned dharmas)
When you arrive atnot producinganything, you see theoriginal self nature of
neither produced nordestro ed - stillness
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Stages incultivation
Perception Reality
We are now living inconditioned
existence
Conditioneddharmas are real in
our present life
Not Empty world ofcommon people
common truth
We then detach from
conditioned
Dwell in the
unconditioned as
Empty world of
Sages and worthies
ex stence con t one armasare unreal actua trut
We finally returnedhome to our selfnature
Conditioneddharmas are neitherreal or unreal
Empty and notempty world ofBuddhas the truth
of the Middle Way
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Why is unmoving thusness the real appearance prajna?
Here is an explanation by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua:
When you understand one truth, all truth is understood.
The myriad externals are produced from the state which is thusunmoving and
Within the mind which is thus thus unmoving true Reality is tobe found.
Seen in this way, this state is the original nature exactly; It is the highest enlightenment.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Here is explanation by the Great Master Sixth Patriarch:
Fully able to discriminate among appearances But unmoving in the primary sense
The very act of viewing in this way
tse s t e unct on o true suc ness ea ty
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Here is explanation by Great Master Patriarch Bodhidharma: When a man abandoning the false and embracing the true and
Single-mindedly practice contemplation,
He finds that the common and the Sages are of one essence
.
He will not be a slave to words,
For he is in silent harmony with Reality itself;
Free from conceptual discrimination,
He is serene and non-acting. 11
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal Manjusri then asked Vimalakirti, We have each made our own
explanations. Venerable One, you should now explain how the
Bodhisattva enters the Dharma gate of non duality? At this point, Vimalakirti was silent, saying nothing.
Manjusri exclaimed, Excellent, excellent! Not to even havewords or speech is the true entrance into the Dharma of non
duality.
1. Non duality is to be without appearance of self, others, living beings and alife.
2. Non duality is real appearance prajna wisdom.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unrealA pertinent question: How do we manifest the unmovingness?
It requires deep roots and faith in the Dharma.
And firmly holds to this belief and never sway away therefrom.
From faith and understanding, we enter into the inconceivable
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal And the Great Masters tell us to be like:
If you cultivate non-movement, like insentient beings you will
not move A dead person
A painting in the wall
A living dead person.Why so?
It is because a dead person is serene and non responding.
It simply means one has accepted Reality.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Accepting Reality is not to be confused by external
appearances; one is peaceful and at ease inside, just then
suddenly return and regain the original mind.
In doing so, what seems unnatural at the onset becomes our
Merging with our natural self is when we have totally put downthe attachment to the self.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Not grasping appearances is to be without the self.
1. put down the self as being the false self
2. put down the knowable,
3. put down every sense objects and
4. finally put down the thought of having put down.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
Leaving appearances then stillness! (s14)
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
A pertinent question: As a living dead person, would it not mean onedoes not do any wholesome actions?
Ignoring the society and not doing anything is the fallacy ofseeing the world as unreal, the path of the Two Vehicles.
Being like a dead person means one is not afflicted nor happyby situations arising as one see through to its original character
that situations are appearances.
A living dead person is a person without the appearance of aself.
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
One still does wholesome dharmas without the four
appearances. S 23 A pure mind does wholesomedeeds
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Vajra Sutra Nature of existence Principles
S 30 principle of a
unity of appearances
True emptiness and
wonderful existenceare two; yet not two.Still they are
appearances
Form is emptiness;
emptiness is form
S 31 knowledge and Appearances No emptiness; no
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views are notproduced fundamentallydont exist form
S 32 responses and
transformations areunreal
Contemplating
appearances asfundamentally notexisting yet it
appears
All conditioned
dharmas are like adream, an illusion, abubble.
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Vajra Sutra Intent of thesection
Principles
S 29 the quiescenceof his awesomedemeanor
Still cessation of aBuddha
The Thus Come Onedoes not come norgo
S 30 principle of aunity of appearances
The dharma ofleaving appearances
of form
Form is emptiness;emptiness is form
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now e ge an
views are notproduced
e arma o
leaving appearancesof views (thoughts)
o emp ness; no
form
S 32 responses andtransformations areunreal
First, leaveappearancesThenstill cessation
First, not grasping atappearancesThen, unmovingthusness
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S 32 Responses and transformations are unreal
What is the intent of the Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra?
Recite it like this:
Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
Go to, go to the other shore of enlightenment of aBuddha.
This tallies with s 2
Now how do we reconcile the final sections 29 to 32 of
the Vajra Sutra with the Heart Sutra?
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Vajra Sutra Equivalent in HeartSutra
The teachings
S
30
pulverize athree-foldgreatthousand
world systeminto fineparticles of
Shariputra, form does notdiffer from emptiness;emptiness does not differfrom form. Form itself is
emptiness; emptinessitself is form.
World system is agathering of finedust. One worldsystem is many fine
dusts.
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dust. Whatdo you think;would thoseparticles of
dusts bemany?
cognition, formation andconsciousness.
systems to allappearances
including theinterdependencies ofconsciousness and
sense objects (form).
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Vajra Sutra Equivalent in HeartSutra
The teachings
S
3
0
If those
particles ofdusts did
exist meandusts donthave a
Shariputra, all
dharmas are emptyof characteristics.
Without the function of
consciousness, form willnot be seen and vice
versa. Both are withoutnature of their own.
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na ure otheir own.
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Intent of thesection
Equivalent in HeartSutra
The teachings
S
29
Stillcessation ofa Buddha;neither come
nor go
They are not produced,not destroyed, not defiled,not pure, and they neitherincrease nor diminish
This is the Reality ofthings; they neitherexist nor not existfrom the Buddhas
perspective
S The dharma Therefore in emptiness,there is no form, feelin ,
The dharma of
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appearancesof form
cognition, formation orconsciousness; no eyes,ears, nose, tongue, body ormind; no sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, objects oftouch or dharmas; no field ofthe eyes, up to andincluding the field of mind
consciousness
Sages pertains tothe turning around
the consciousness.Let go of thisDharma and move
on to Bodhi.
I f h E i l i H Th hi
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Intent of thesection
Equivalent in HeartSutra
The teachings
S
31
Let go of theviews of self,othersletgo of your
knowledge
And no ignorance orending of ignorance, upto and including no oldage and death or ending
of old age and death.
This is the Dharma ofPratyekabuddha. Letgo of this Dharma;proceed to Bodhi.
There is no suffering, noaccumulatin , no
This is the Dharma of
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extinction, no way, of this Dharma,proceed to Bodhi
And no understanding
and no attaining
This is the Dharma of
Bodhisattva. Let go ofthe thought ofattaining before fullrealization of self
nature
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Dedication of merit
May every living beings,
Our minds as one and radiant with light
Share the fruits of peace, with heart of goodness
luminous and bright. If people hear and see, how hands and hearts can find in
giving unity
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, ,
and to joy. May kindness find reward; may all who sorrow leave their
grief and pain;
May this boundless light break the darkness of theirendless night.
Because our hearts are one, this world of pain turns intoparadise;
May all become compassionate and wise (2x)