Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山 English Dharma Class

1. Bodhisattva Mind, Chan Practice Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山English Dharma Class Thursday November 17th, 2011

2. Letting Go 放下 • What is the problem with the “self”? • What does the “self” do? • Letting go is letting go of illusion • What do we let go into?

3. Buddha Nature - revisited 佛性 • What is Buddha Nature? • Moving from selfishness to non-existence of selfishness • Ability to awaken • Fulfill our potential • Self-nature 真我, original face 本來面目 • Faith and cultivation • Nourish our Buddha Nature • Emptiness • In emptiness, everything is possible • That which you are seeking is causing you to seek.

4. Bodhicitta 菩提心 • Practice of a Bodhisattva • The Mind of Enlightenment • 發無上心 • Practice for the benefit of self and others • Without the understanding of Emptiness 空…. • a bodhisattva is not a Bodhisattva • Universal liberation • Before self-liberation • Relative and Absolute Bodhicitta

5. Bodhisattva Vows • Four Great Vows • 四弘誓願 Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to deliver them. Afflictions are endless, I vow to end them. Dharma gates are measureless, I vow to learn them. The Buddha’s Way is unsurpassed, I vow to attain it. 眾生無邊誓願度 煩惱無盡誓願斷 法門無量誓願學 佛道無上誓願成

6. Paramitas – the Perfections • 波羅密 – Paramita • Something that helps to cross to the “other shore” • Six Paramitas • Giving 佈施 • Dana • Morality 持戒 • Sila • Patience 忍辱 • Kshanti • Effort 精進 • Virya • Meditation 禪定 • Dhyana • Wisdom 般若,智慧 • Prajna Prajna-paramita Bodhisattva

7. Chan Buddhism • Dhyana • Meditation • Bodhidharma • 5th/6th century • Not relying on words • “wordless teaching” • Chan 禪 • Gateless gate • Not relying on the mind or on a method • 應無所住而生其心 Zen Chan 禪

8. Four Practices • Bodhidharma - 菩提達摩 • Accept karmic consequence • All things have a cause • Positive use of suffering • Be in accord with conditions • All-acceptance • Adapting to conditions • Practice without seeking • Learn to let go of expectations • Allow the practice to do the work • Practice in accord with the Dharma • Study, contemplate, practice

9. Precepts • Threefold Learning 三學 • Precepts 戒學 • Meditation 定學 • Wisdom 慧 • Precepts • Five Precepts • Restraining the causes of suffering • Formless Precepts • Through clear vision • Willingness to make a mistake

10. Meditation Practice • Why do we meditate? • What is meditation? • Samatha and Vipassana • 止觀 • Cessation and Clear Observation • Methods • Following the breath 數息觀 • Huatou話頭禪 • Silent Illumination 默照禪 • Reciting the Buddha’s name 念佛 • Mindfulness 念, concentration 定, insight 觀

11. Wisdom • Study of Right View • Understanding of Karma • Creating and cessation of suffering • Seeing the Four Noble Truths • Taking refuge in Emptiness • Precepts and Meditation • Essential for Wisdom • Seeing one’s “self-nature” • Free from any thought of “self” • Direct insight into emptiness • Non-self 無我

12. Chan Practice – 信心銘 信心銘 僧璨大師 – 600 A.D. 至道無難  唯嫌揀擇  但莫憎愛  洞然明白 The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undisguised.

13. Chan Practice – 信心銘 毫釐有差  天地懸隔  欲得現前  莫存順逆 Make the smallest distinction, however and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart. If you wish to see the truth then hold no opinions for or against anything.

14. Chan Practice – 信心銘 To set up what you like against what you dislike is the disease of the mind. When the deep meaning of things is not understood the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail. 違順相爭  是爲心病   不識玄旨  徒勞念靜