"To be beautiful
means to be yourself.
You don't need to be
accepted by others.
You need to accept yourself" — Thich Nhat Hanh
In striving for an authentic life, I realize that accepting myself as I am is the secret to humility. By being humble enough to be myself, I am empowered by unconditional love to accept myself.
By loving myself as I am, I realize that the key to self perfection is the ability to accept myself. No matter how imperfect I am, becoming perfect is a guide to a better life.
However, I do not seek to be perfect. Perhaps I am perfect by accepting myself, warts and all.
It is said that the pure mind is recovered after calming the mind until its pureness is revealed. After calming the mind through breath meditation (samatha), I am able to stay still, for there is no need to keep moving to prove that I am alive.
For I am beautiful enough to humbly accept myself as I walk on this journey called the authentic life.
Reference:
The pure mind mentioned in this article is the amala consciousness, the ninth consciousness of Yogacara Buddhism.
For details on the nine consciousnesses, see: http://operationmeditation.com/discover/levels-of-consciousness-a-buddhist-perspective/
Showing posts with label yogacara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yogacara. Show all posts
20130313
Notes on the Ego as Seventh Consciousness
The state of transposed substance that has the obscuring indeterminate nature is the connection between the sentience and the basis.
The state of transposed substance has two modes: the real and the seeming. Real transposed substance refers to the seventh consciousness relating to the eighth consciousness by falsely transposing the latter's perceiver division into a 'self'. That 'self' has no reality of its own, but is based upon the substance of the perceiver division of the eighth consciousness. [The seeming transposed substance refers to the sixth consciousness's relations with external states.]
The seventh consciousness is referred to as the "Ego", "Ego-self", and for cases of mental disturbance, "Ego-delusion" e.g. paranoia, phobia, anxiety to the point of confusion and hallucination (mental mirages).
The "self" is a delusion arising from the experience of the eighth consciousness' perceiver division. Having no independent reality, it appears in the mind (manas, or Sixth Consciousness) as the hallucination of the "self".
The obscuring indeterminate nature is one of two modes of the indeterminate nature, the third of the Three Natures. The other mode is the non-obscuring indeterminate nature. Obscuring refers to those states of consciousness that have the function of, literally, 'covering' one's true nature. That is what the seventh consciousness does. As will be explained, it 'covers'--it distorts the true nature of--the perceiver division of the eighth consciousness. The non-obscuring nature refers to the perceived division of the eighth consciousness. It is said to be non-obscuring because it does not distort or obscure the true nature of the mind.
"Obscuring" refers to the ability to hide (occultation). Its opposite is "non-obscuring."
The seventh consciousness obscures the mind (manas) regarding the eight consciousness. By hiding the true nature of the mind, the ego mistakes the eighth consciousness for the "self".
In the mind arises the thought "I have a self", and close examination of the ego leads to obscuring the eighth consciousness.
Sometimes, the more you confront yourself with the truth, the more the "self" establishes itself as "real".
With meditation though, it is possible to remain calm and perceive the seventh and eighth consciousness as they truly are.
The eighth consciousness is non-obscuring since it does not distort or obscure the true nature of the mind.
In between the seventh consciousness--'sentience' in the verse--and the perceiver division of the eighth consciousness--'basis' in the verse--there arises a state of transposed substance, which is the object of the seventh consciousness and which is identified by the seventh consciousness as being the 'self'. This is the process that obscures one's true nature.
Through one's sentience, one misperceives the basis of eighth consciousness as the "self". Hence "sentient being" is synonymous with "one who mistakes the basis of consciousness for the self", and also implies that sentience is not empty of ego-delusion nor empty of ego-self.
However, only the seventh consciousness is full of "ego-delusion" arising as the "self" or "ego-self".
Reference:
VERSES DELINEATING THE EIGHT CONSCIOUSNESSES by Tripitaka Master Hsuan-Tsang of the Tang Dynasty, Translation and Explanation by Ronald Epstein: http://online.sfsu.edu/rone/Buddhism/Yogacara/BasicVersesseventhcons.htm
The state of transposed substance has two modes: the real and the seeming. Real transposed substance refers to the seventh consciousness relating to the eighth consciousness by falsely transposing the latter's perceiver division into a 'self'. That 'self' has no reality of its own, but is based upon the substance of the perceiver division of the eighth consciousness. [The seeming transposed substance refers to the sixth consciousness's relations with external states.]
The seventh consciousness is referred to as the "Ego", "Ego-self", and for cases of mental disturbance, "Ego-delusion" e.g. paranoia, phobia, anxiety to the point of confusion and hallucination (mental mirages).
The "self" is a delusion arising from the experience of the eighth consciousness' perceiver division. Having no independent reality, it appears in the mind (manas, or Sixth Consciousness) as the hallucination of the "self".
The obscuring indeterminate nature is one of two modes of the indeterminate nature, the third of the Three Natures. The other mode is the non-obscuring indeterminate nature. Obscuring refers to those states of consciousness that have the function of, literally, 'covering' one's true nature. That is what the seventh consciousness does. As will be explained, it 'covers'--it distorts the true nature of--the perceiver division of the eighth consciousness. The non-obscuring nature refers to the perceived division of the eighth consciousness. It is said to be non-obscuring because it does not distort or obscure the true nature of the mind.
"Obscuring" refers to the ability to hide (occultation). Its opposite is "non-obscuring."
The seventh consciousness obscures the mind (manas) regarding the eight consciousness. By hiding the true nature of the mind, the ego mistakes the eighth consciousness for the "self".
In the mind arises the thought "I have a self", and close examination of the ego leads to obscuring the eighth consciousness.
Sometimes, the more you confront yourself with the truth, the more the "self" establishes itself as "real".
With meditation though, it is possible to remain calm and perceive the seventh and eighth consciousness as they truly are.
The eighth consciousness is non-obscuring since it does not distort or obscure the true nature of the mind.
In between the seventh consciousness--'sentience' in the verse--and the perceiver division of the eighth consciousness--'basis' in the verse--there arises a state of transposed substance, which is the object of the seventh consciousness and which is identified by the seventh consciousness as being the 'self'. This is the process that obscures one's true nature.
Through one's sentience, one misperceives the basis of eighth consciousness as the "self". Hence "sentient being" is synonymous with "one who mistakes the basis of consciousness for the self", and also implies that sentience is not empty of ego-delusion nor empty of ego-self.
However, only the seventh consciousness is full of "ego-delusion" arising as the "self" or "ego-self".
Reference:
VERSES DELINEATING THE EIGHT CONSCIOUSNESSES by Tripitaka Master Hsuan-Tsang of the Tang Dynasty, Translation and Explanation by Ronald Epstein: http://online.sfsu.edu/rone/Buddhism/Yogacara/BasicVersesseventhcons.htm
20130228
Won Cheuk on Yogacara Philosophy
Disclaimer: The following is a direct quote from the website referenced at the end of the article. It constitutes fair use as it is only a part of the whole article. If the authors of buddhapia consider it copyright infringement, then I only ask for an email to delete or shorten it.
For both K'uei-chi and Wŏnch'ŭk, the Heart Sūtra a represents an upāya of the second turning of the Dharma Wheel, which, for them, explains why it emphasizes emptiness (空)and nonexistence (無). That emphasis, according to the theory of the three turnings of the Dharma Wheel expounded in the Sa9dhinirmocana Sūtra and elsewhere, was a response to the first turning of the wheel during which—in an effort to concretize the abstruse and unclear—basic facts of existence (有) were asserted. That emphasis on existence, since it lent itself to the extreme of eternalism, needed to be corrected by counter-stressing emptiness. K'uei-chi and Wŏnch'ŭk both associate this second turning of the wheel with Mādhyamika (though in different ways). The second turning, since it could foster the opposite extreme of nihilism, needed to be supplanted as well, this time by a third turning of the Wheel, represented by Yogācāra thought, which provided the culminating corrective to the existence/nonexistence dialectic. Both Wŏnch'ŭk and K'uei-chi cite the same passage from the Madhyānta-vibhāga (vs. 2-3) to illustrate this12:
Abhūta-parikalpa exists.
In this, duality is entirely nonexistent.
In this, only emptiness exists,
In that [i.e., emptiness] also exists this [i.e., abhūta-parikalpa].
Hence it is said: all dharmas
are neither empty nor not-empty.
Existence, nonexistence and again existence,
This conforms to the Middle Way.
Wŏnch'ŭk expresses the corrective project entailed in the relationship between Mādhyamika and Yogācāra in terms of a debate between Bhāvaviveka and Dharmapāla. According to his understanding, Bhāvaviveka stressed the negative, i.e., wu (無), while Dharmapāla countered that by re-emphasizing the positive, yu (有). Wŏnch'ŭk casts this debate not as an intractable sectarian impasse, but as two faithful bodhisattvas expressing two sides of the same Buddhist truth, complimenting rather than conflicting with each other.(T.33.1711.544a.) It is not uncommon in such literature to find an author conflating 'emptiness' with 'nonexistence,' as if the two were synonymous, and Wŏnch'ŭk's text displays some degree of guilt in this regard. However he does show that he is aware that these should not be conflated, when, for instance, he writes during his discussion of the Heart Sūtra passage "form is emptiness, emptiness is form"13:
However, then emptiness does not contradict existence; that is precisely the principle of emptiness. Nor is it that nonexistence does not contradict emptiness; that is precisely the explanation of how rūpa (form) establishes itself. 'Both emptiness and existence' accords with and establishes the two truths. 'Neither emptiness nor existence' conforms to the Middle Way. Isn’t this the Great Tenet of the Buddha Dharma? [emphasis added]
He also summarizes Dharmapāla's project, in one place, in the following way (T.33.1711.544b.8-10.):
Dharmapāla, based on the Sandhinirmocana sūtra, etc., and Maitreya's tenets, established a contemplation gate, i.e., retaining consciousness while refuting sense-objects (在識遮境). By discerning through the gate of emptiness contemplation, he established that all dharmas are understood as existent and nonexistent.
This both "existent and nonexistent"14 he explains through the trisvabhāva.
Parikalpita: [the dharmas of] sentient beings in principle are nonexistent.
Paratantra: [dharmas] exist because of causes and conditions.
Parinispanna: [dharmas] in principle exist and are not nonexistent.
Wŏnch'ŭk's contention—one drawn, I believe, by misreading some of his sources—is that a key difference between Bhāvaviveka and Dharmapāla involves their disagreements about trisvabhāva theory. According to Wŏnch'ŭk, Bhāvaviveka insists that the first two natures—parikalpita and paratantra—have to be negated15, and possibly all three svabhāvas must be negated, while Dharmapāla argues that only the first nature, parikalpita, must be negated. Wŏnch'ŭk uses this distinction to buttress one of his underlying themes, one derived possibly more from his reading of Paramārtha's works than Hsüan-tsang's: Discrimination (fen-pieh 分別). Paramārtha renders all sorts of terms— especially terms connected to the Sanskrit root √klp—into Chinese with fen-pieh, including his term for parikalpita (fen-pieh-hsing 分別性), and thus he tends to stress that the fundamental problem involves introducing discrimination into a nondiscriminate purity16. It is likely that Hsüan-tsang devised a new rendering for parikalpita—(遍計所執) pien-chi so-chih—precisely to move Chinese thinking about parikalpa beyond a narrow focus on the 'discrimination' issue, so that Chinese Buddhists would instead address the issues of attachment (so-chih) and pervasive mental constructions (pien-chi).17 For Wŏnch'ŭk, Dharmapāla's interpretation of the trisvabhāva indicates that the reason why emptiness is taught at all is so that parikalpa can be negated. That, in itself, is not an unusual claim in Yogācāra works, so he can call on a number of proof texts, such as the Yogācārabhūmi, to illustrate how emptiness and negation must be applied to parikalpita. What remains problematic is (1) Wŏnch'ŭk's frequent reduction of parikalpita to 'discrimination'—though at times he does take cognizance of Hsüan-tsang's rendering and its focus on "attachment" (so-chih), as we'll see shortly—and (2) his neglect of the equally important trinihsvabhava (three non-self-nature) theory, in which all three svabhāvas are negated, as he has only Bhāvaviveka claim.18
Wŏnch'ŭk, from the beginning of his commentary, indicates that the Buddha-Dharma is deep, profound, beyond words or discrimination, but gets carved up, discriminated, when efforts are made to teach it. In one place he returns to that theme to blame all sectarian disputes on assertions made by unenlightened so-called scholars in the name of Buddha-Dharma (學者未悟乃成異說).(T.33.1711.544a.9)
K'uei-chi also briefly seems to slip into the same error of conflating emptiness and nonexistence in his commentary, but he quickly and rigorously corrects it a little further on.19 However, one feature of Wŏnch'ŭk's work is an at times inconsistent treatment of the implications of 'existence' and 'real,' at times hypostatizing — treating as real the concept of emptiness and nonexistence &mdash these notions more than one would expect from a Yogācāra thinker. In a few places, Wŏnch'ŭk shows an affinity with tathāgatagarbha thought.20" —
Reference:
A Korean Yogacara monk in China: Won-Cheuk (612--696) and his commentary on the Heart Sutra
Writer : Chang-geun, Hwang. 2000. THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON : http://eng.buddhapia.com/_Service/_ContentView/ETC_CONTENT_2.ASP?PK=0001387872&danrak_no=&clss_cd=&top_menu_cd=0000000808
Sandhinirmocana Sutra: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhinirmocana_Sutra
For both K'uei-chi and Wŏnch'ŭk, the Heart Sūtra a represents an upāya of the second turning of the Dharma Wheel, which, for them, explains why it emphasizes emptiness (空)and nonexistence (無). That emphasis, according to the theory of the three turnings of the Dharma Wheel expounded in the Sa9dhinirmocana Sūtra and elsewhere, was a response to the first turning of the wheel during which—in an effort to concretize the abstruse and unclear—basic facts of existence (有) were asserted. That emphasis on existence, since it lent itself to the extreme of eternalism, needed to be corrected by counter-stressing emptiness. K'uei-chi and Wŏnch'ŭk both associate this second turning of the wheel with Mādhyamika (though in different ways). The second turning, since it could foster the opposite extreme of nihilism, needed to be supplanted as well, this time by a third turning of the Wheel, represented by Yogācāra thought, which provided the culminating corrective to the existence/nonexistence dialectic. Both Wŏnch'ŭk and K'uei-chi cite the same passage from the Madhyānta-vibhāga (vs. 2-3) to illustrate this12:
Abhūta-parikalpa exists.
In this, duality is entirely nonexistent.
In this, only emptiness exists,
In that [i.e., emptiness] also exists this [i.e., abhūta-parikalpa].
Hence it is said: all dharmas
are neither empty nor not-empty.
Existence, nonexistence and again existence,
This conforms to the Middle Way.
Wŏnch'ŭk expresses the corrective project entailed in the relationship between Mādhyamika and Yogācāra in terms of a debate between Bhāvaviveka and Dharmapāla. According to his understanding, Bhāvaviveka stressed the negative, i.e., wu (無), while Dharmapāla countered that by re-emphasizing the positive, yu (有). Wŏnch'ŭk casts this debate not as an intractable sectarian impasse, but as two faithful bodhisattvas expressing two sides of the same Buddhist truth, complimenting rather than conflicting with each other.(T.33.1711.544a.) It is not uncommon in such literature to find an author conflating 'emptiness' with 'nonexistence,' as if the two were synonymous, and Wŏnch'ŭk's text displays some degree of guilt in this regard. However he does show that he is aware that these should not be conflated, when, for instance, he writes during his discussion of the Heart Sūtra passage "form is emptiness, emptiness is form"13:
However, then emptiness does not contradict existence; that is precisely the principle of emptiness. Nor is it that nonexistence does not contradict emptiness; that is precisely the explanation of how rūpa (form) establishes itself. 'Both emptiness and existence' accords with and establishes the two truths. 'Neither emptiness nor existence' conforms to the Middle Way. Isn’t this the Great Tenet of the Buddha Dharma? [emphasis added]
He also summarizes Dharmapāla's project, in one place, in the following way (T.33.1711.544b.8-10.):
Dharmapāla, based on the Sandhinirmocana sūtra, etc., and Maitreya's tenets, established a contemplation gate, i.e., retaining consciousness while refuting sense-objects (在識遮境). By discerning through the gate of emptiness contemplation, he established that all dharmas are understood as existent and nonexistent.
This both "existent and nonexistent"14 he explains through the trisvabhāva.
Parikalpita: [the dharmas of] sentient beings in principle are nonexistent.
Paratantra: [dharmas] exist because of causes and conditions.
Parinispanna: [dharmas] in principle exist and are not nonexistent.
Wŏnch'ŭk's contention—one drawn, I believe, by misreading some of his sources—is that a key difference between Bhāvaviveka and Dharmapāla involves their disagreements about trisvabhāva theory. According to Wŏnch'ŭk, Bhāvaviveka insists that the first two natures—parikalpita and paratantra—have to be negated15, and possibly all three svabhāvas must be negated, while Dharmapāla argues that only the first nature, parikalpita, must be negated. Wŏnch'ŭk uses this distinction to buttress one of his underlying themes, one derived possibly more from his reading of Paramārtha's works than Hsüan-tsang's: Discrimination (fen-pieh 分別). Paramārtha renders all sorts of terms— especially terms connected to the Sanskrit root √klp—into Chinese with fen-pieh, including his term for parikalpita (fen-pieh-hsing 分別性), and thus he tends to stress that the fundamental problem involves introducing discrimination into a nondiscriminate purity16. It is likely that Hsüan-tsang devised a new rendering for parikalpita—(遍計所執) pien-chi so-chih—precisely to move Chinese thinking about parikalpa beyond a narrow focus on the 'discrimination' issue, so that Chinese Buddhists would instead address the issues of attachment (so-chih) and pervasive mental constructions (pien-chi).17 For Wŏnch'ŭk, Dharmapāla's interpretation of the trisvabhāva indicates that the reason why emptiness is taught at all is so that parikalpa can be negated. That, in itself, is not an unusual claim in Yogācāra works, so he can call on a number of proof texts, such as the Yogācārabhūmi, to illustrate how emptiness and negation must be applied to parikalpita. What remains problematic is (1) Wŏnch'ŭk's frequent reduction of parikalpita to 'discrimination'—though at times he does take cognizance of Hsüan-tsang's rendering and its focus on "attachment" (so-chih), as we'll see shortly—and (2) his neglect of the equally important trinihsvabhava (three non-self-nature) theory, in which all three svabhāvas are negated, as he has only Bhāvaviveka claim.18
Wŏnch'ŭk, from the beginning of his commentary, indicates that the Buddha-Dharma is deep, profound, beyond words or discrimination, but gets carved up, discriminated, when efforts are made to teach it. In one place he returns to that theme to blame all sectarian disputes on assertions made by unenlightened so-called scholars in the name of Buddha-Dharma (學者未悟乃成異說).(T.33.1711.544a.9)
K'uei-chi also briefly seems to slip into the same error of conflating emptiness and nonexistence in his commentary, but he quickly and rigorously corrects it a little further on.19 However, one feature of Wŏnch'ŭk's work is an at times inconsistent treatment of the implications of 'existence' and 'real,' at times hypostatizing — treating as real the concept of emptiness and nonexistence &mdash these notions more than one would expect from a Yogācāra thinker. In a few places, Wŏnch'ŭk shows an affinity with tathāgatagarbha thought.20" —
Reference:
A Korean Yogacara monk in China: Won-Cheuk (612--696) and his commentary on the Heart Sutra
Writer : Chang-geun, Hwang. 2000. THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON : http://eng.buddhapia.com/_Service/_ContentView/ETC_CONTENT_2.ASP?PK=0001387872&danrak_no=&clss_cd=&top_menu_cd=0000000808
Sandhinirmocana Sutra: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhinirmocana_Sutra
20130217
We Can Become Buddhas
Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche says:
It is because this ground or sugatagarbha or potential is common to all beings that they are capable of attaining enlightenment. If they did not have such a ground then they could never become buddhas.
For example: a stone doesn’t have the ‘ground’ or potential to produce oil, and so no matter how much you might press it and grind it — even if you use modern tools and machinery — you will never extract any oil. A sesame seed, on the other hand, does have the potential to produce oil, and by pressing it in the right way, sesame oil can and will be produced. So it is because the potential exists as part of our basic nature that we can become buddhas.
In my previous blog post, I wrote about the Eight Consciousnesses of Yogacara School. In it, the eight consciousnesses revealed, and of them, it is the eighth consciousness that will help with the understanding of the Buddhist term of "ground". For the eighth consciousness is also called "all-ground consciousness" in Tibetan Buddhism.
Sugatagarbha is the Tibetan Buddhist term for Tathagatagarbha, or Buddha Nature.
Buddha Nature is common to all sentient beings, for every being is capable of attaining enlightenment.
Since the potential to become Buddha exists as part of our primordial nature, we all can become buddhas.
Indeed, Buddha Nature is awaken by hearing the Teaching of the Buddha. Inspired by his message, one may choose to become a Buddha, and develop Bodhi Mind, which is both the determination to become a Buddha and the aspiration to help other sentient beings become enlightened.
One of the ways to become enlightened is to become a Zen master, which might involve a backache and perhaps the risk of hemorrhoids. Seriously though, traditional Zen involves the preliminary chanting of the Heart Sutra followed by hours of the sitting in meditation of zazen.
However, the whole point of meditation is to firstly develop the calm mind and secondly, achieve samadhi (one-pointedness of mind or single-minded concentration). To aid in this task, the disciple is given a koan, which is like a Chinese finger puzzle for the mind. For the intent of a koan and zazen is to make the mind flexible enough to achieve satori (seeing into one's true nature).
This happens when the disciple lets go of clinging to what Zen is supposed to be, and has that moment of sudden enlightenment when he lets go of what he thinks Zen is.
When the Zen practitioner carries the burden of Zen as a bunch of rules requiring discipline to practice just sitting in excellence, it's like the Zen master who carried a beautiful girl across a flooded stream and his disciple.
For the purpose of meditation is not just to achieve a calm mind, but to also develop the flexibility of mind to let go of clinging to thoughts. With every breathe he takes, the disciple learns discipline.
Even though sometimes I may mock the Zen practitioner, it is to discover if his meditation has resulted in the joy of satori. This is why when I meditate, it is done with a smile.
Master Hui-Neng inspired his disciples by teaching them about "no-thought."
No-thought is the state of mind where one cannot find the word for objects he sees and his mind clings to nothing.
In contrast, Hui-Neng's description of the "pure and unattached mind" which "comes and goes freely and functions fluently without any hindrance" reminds me more of the coming and going of the flow of thoughts without doing more than returning to just breathing when their distraction leads one away from meditating.
Even if we meditate and do not achieve Nirvana in this life, it still is possible to become a Buddha in the afterlife.
Yet the Buddhist remembers that she does her mindful practice for all sentient beings. If she chanted daily even ten Buddha Recitations, then that will help her become reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.
As long as she did this with utmost sincerity to help all sentient beings become Enlightened, and is determined to be reborn in the Pure Land, her rebirth there is assured.
If she would rather chant the Heart Sutra before meditation, and she chanted it with single-mindedness, it's said she'd discover its true meaning.
In Sanskrit, the beauty of the mantra is found in chanting "gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā."
This mantra is pronounced as: "Guh-teh guh-teh PAH-ruh-sum-guh-teh bohd-hee swa-ha."
The Dalai Lama translated the Heart Sutra mantra as "go, go, go beyond, go thoroughly beyond, and establish yourself in enlightenment."
It's been said that all sentient beings have the potential to become buddha, for Self nature is Buddha Nature. Indeed, the Self is filled with selflessness, that sense of psychic prowess performing acts of random kindness in a friendly, loving manner.
Yet it is also empty of the self, which is depicted in Buddhism as the egocentric Monkey mind swinging from thread to thread of thought without a clear focus on the truth of one's actions, or even better, the truth of the Dharmakaya.
For Dharmakaya is but the Truth of the Tathagata that all phenomena, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are essentially empty of permanence, being a part of the temporary nature of all phenomena. Even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are finite despite living uncountable ages.
It is wonderful to contemplate the myriad Buddhas, bodhisattvas and the Buddhist pantheon of gods and goddesses pacified by the Buddha to protect him, the Dharma and the Sangha through skillful means.
Although my words about Buddhism may seem hypocritical for exposing the less interesting aspects of Buddhism for Westerners, it is not so.
All my words on Buddhism are inspired by what the Buddha said. For the truth is, we can become Buddhas, by going beyond an intellectual understanding of the Dharma to actually practising meditation.
Though I prefer silent Nembutsu practice of Buddha Remembrance in combination with some kind of breath meditation to prevent my chanting from annoying the neighbours! >:)
References:
Buddha nature: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Sugatagarbha
Eight Consciousnesses Revisited: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-eight-consciousnesses-revisited-poem.html
Yogacara: the Eight Consciousnesses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogacara#The_eight_consciousnesses
It is because this ground or sugatagarbha or potential is common to all beings that they are capable of attaining enlightenment. If they did not have such a ground then they could never become buddhas.
For example: a stone doesn’t have the ‘ground’ or potential to produce oil, and so no matter how much you might press it and grind it — even if you use modern tools and machinery — you will never extract any oil. A sesame seed, on the other hand, does have the potential to produce oil, and by pressing it in the right way, sesame oil can and will be produced. So it is because the potential exists as part of our basic nature that we can become buddhas.
In my previous blog post, I wrote about the Eight Consciousnesses of Yogacara School. In it, the eight consciousnesses revealed, and of them, it is the eighth consciousness that will help with the understanding of the Buddhist term of "ground". For the eighth consciousness is also called "all-ground consciousness" in Tibetan Buddhism.
Sugatagarbha is the Tibetan Buddhist term for Tathagatagarbha, or Buddha Nature.
Buddha Nature is common to all sentient beings, for every being is capable of attaining enlightenment.
Since the potential to become Buddha exists as part of our primordial nature, we all can become buddhas.
Indeed, Buddha Nature is awaken by hearing the Teaching of the Buddha. Inspired by his message, one may choose to become a Buddha, and develop Bodhi Mind, which is both the determination to become a Buddha and the aspiration to help other sentient beings become enlightened.
One of the ways to become enlightened is to become a Zen master, which might involve a backache and perhaps the risk of hemorrhoids. Seriously though, traditional Zen involves the preliminary chanting of the Heart Sutra followed by hours of the sitting in meditation of zazen.
However, the whole point of meditation is to firstly develop the calm mind and secondly, achieve samadhi (one-pointedness of mind or single-minded concentration). To aid in this task, the disciple is given a koan, which is like a Chinese finger puzzle for the mind. For the intent of a koan and zazen is to make the mind flexible enough to achieve satori (seeing into one's true nature).
This happens when the disciple lets go of clinging to what Zen is supposed to be, and has that moment of sudden enlightenment when he lets go of what he thinks Zen is.
When the Zen practitioner carries the burden of Zen as a bunch of rules requiring discipline to practice just sitting in excellence, it's like the Zen master who carried a beautiful girl across a flooded stream and his disciple.
For the purpose of meditation is not just to achieve a calm mind, but to also develop the flexibility of mind to let go of clinging to thoughts. With every breathe he takes, the disciple learns discipline.
Even though sometimes I may mock the Zen practitioner, it is to discover if his meditation has resulted in the joy of satori. This is why when I meditate, it is done with a smile.
Master Hui-Neng inspired his disciples by teaching them about "no-thought."
No-thought is the state of mind where one cannot find the word for objects he sees and his mind clings to nothing.
In contrast, Hui-Neng's description of the "pure and unattached mind" which "comes and goes freely and functions fluently without any hindrance" reminds me more of the coming and going of the flow of thoughts without doing more than returning to just breathing when their distraction leads one away from meditating.
Even if we meditate and do not achieve Nirvana in this life, it still is possible to become a Buddha in the afterlife.
Yet the Buddhist remembers that she does her mindful practice for all sentient beings. If she chanted daily even ten Buddha Recitations, then that will help her become reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.
As long as she did this with utmost sincerity to help all sentient beings become Enlightened, and is determined to be reborn in the Pure Land, her rebirth there is assured.
If she would rather chant the Heart Sutra before meditation, and she chanted it with single-mindedness, it's said she'd discover its true meaning.
In Sanskrit, the beauty of the mantra is found in chanting "gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā."
This mantra is pronounced as: "Guh-teh guh-teh PAH-ruh-sum-guh-teh bohd-hee swa-ha."
The Dalai Lama translated the Heart Sutra mantra as "go, go, go beyond, go thoroughly beyond, and establish yourself in enlightenment."
It's been said that all sentient beings have the potential to become buddha, for Self nature is Buddha Nature. Indeed, the Self is filled with selflessness, that sense of psychic prowess performing acts of random kindness in a friendly, loving manner.
Yet it is also empty of the self, which is depicted in Buddhism as the egocentric Monkey mind swinging from thread to thread of thought without a clear focus on the truth of one's actions, or even better, the truth of the Dharmakaya.
For Dharmakaya is but the Truth of the Tathagata that all phenomena, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are essentially empty of permanence, being a part of the temporary nature of all phenomena. Even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are finite despite living uncountable ages.
It is wonderful to contemplate the myriad Buddhas, bodhisattvas and the Buddhist pantheon of gods and goddesses pacified by the Buddha to protect him, the Dharma and the Sangha through skillful means.
Although my words about Buddhism may seem hypocritical for exposing the less interesting aspects of Buddhism for Westerners, it is not so.
All my words on Buddhism are inspired by what the Buddha said. For the truth is, we can become Buddhas, by going beyond an intellectual understanding of the Dharma to actually practising meditation.
Though I prefer silent Nembutsu practice of Buddha Remembrance in combination with some kind of breath meditation to prevent my chanting from annoying the neighbours! >:)
References:
Buddha nature: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Sugatagarbha
Eight Consciousnesses Revisited: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-eight-consciousnesses-revisited-poem.html
Yogacara: the Eight Consciousnesses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogacara#The_eight_consciousnesses
The Eight Consciousnesses Revisited (poem)
Introduction
In this world of birth-life-death,
when we do not interact with the world we live in,
reality appears non-existent.
Through the six senses organs
and their corresponding objects
we interact with the world.
During sleep or unconscious,
our six consciousnesses are dormant.
The Sixth Consciousnesses Arise
Reality exists through our experience of phenomena.
By interacting with it through the six senses,
we constantly experience reality as being real.
Our experiences are moderated by our mind as consciousness.
Therefore reality exists because we constantly interact with it.
While awake and fully conscious, our six consciousnesses arise.
When eyes see a visual object, sights lead to visual consciousness arising.
When ears hears a sound, sounds lead to auditory consciousness arising.
When nose detects an odor, smells lead to olfactory consciousness arising.
When tongue detects tastes, tastes lead to gustatory consciousness arising.
When body feels tangibles, feelings lead to tactual consciousness arising.
When mind ideates, thoughts leads to mental consciousness arising.
the Seventh and Eighth Consciousness
From the mind arises
two more consciousnesses,
base consciousness and
storehouse consciousness.
When mind experiences a disturbing emotion or attitude, self grasping leads to deluded awareness.
When mind experiences reflexive awareness, memory leads to all-encompassing foundation consciousness.
The Sense of Self is of the Mind
According to the Tibetan Lama Thrangu Rinpoche,
When sometimes you have a sense of self,
and you think “I”, that is an operation
not of the seventh consciousness
but of the sixth.
The Three Mental Consciousnesses
In the Chittamatra and Svatantrika-Madhyamika schools,
three mental consciousnesses exist, mental consciousness,
base consciousness, and store-house consciousness.
Of these three consciousnesses, mental consciousness
and base consciousness are active, and
the store-house consciousness is not active
being a subtle, neutral level of consciousness.
In it, traces of past actions are stored as "seeds"
ready to ripen into future experience.
For their further manifestations and activities, these seeds are potential energy
retained by the store-house consciousness, which receives impressions
from all functions of each of the other seven consciousnesses.
Seventh Consciousness as Source of the Other Consciousnesses
According to conventional Yogacara tradition, deluded awareness,
being the base consciousness, is the "source" of
the other seven consciousnesses, which all evolve and transform
based on experience of phenomena which make up reality.
The Names of the Seventh and Eight Consciousnesses
According to the Tibetans lamas of Vajrayana,
base consciousness is called emotional consciousness.
Lama Chökyi Nyima calls it afflictive aspect of consciousness.
Padmakara calls it defiled emotional consciousness.
Gyurme Dorje, the Agyur Rinpoche, calls it deluded consciousness.
The store-house consciousness is called all-ground consciousness.
Called the "seed consciousness" or container consciousness,
it serves as the "container" for all experiential impressions
Store-house Consciousness Empowers Rebirth
The store-house consciousness accumulates all potential energy
for the mental and physical manifestation of a sentient being's existence.
It is the storehouse-consciousness which induces transmigration
or rebirth, causing the origination of a new existence.
Base Consciousness Focuses Inward
In Tibetan Buddhism, the base consciousness
focuses inwards on the ground of all (alaya)
that is mistaken for a self that is real,
which results in all experience of reality
then consists of the choice of wanted or unwanted.
Always present, it is the basis for
all ordinary mental states,
be it virtuous, non-virtuous or neutral,
The base consciousness only stops
when the Bodhi Mind arises,
in the highest state of samadhi,
or during the non-abiding nirvana —
the great nirvana beyond
both ordinary existence in Samsara —
this world of birth-life-death, —
and in the basic nirvana of self-power.
Tathagata and Alaya Vijnana are One
Both the Lankavatara Sutra and Ch'an & Zen agree:
the Tathagatagarbha and alaya vijnana are one,
identical and fundamentally pure.
Atman is the permanent, unchanging self,
and prakrti, the original and primal nature
from which all things evolve, whether
it be mental, emotional and physical.
Though the Tathagatagarbha looks similar to atman
and alaya vijnana, prakrti, the Tathagatagarbha
conforms to the non-self doctrine,
and alaya vijnana is the mind-stream.
Mind-stream or consciousness-stream,
both streams are the same, but
cannot be reified as atman at all.
Ayatana (sense bases): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana
Salayatana (the six sense bases): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana
Eight consciousnesses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses
http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eight_consciousnesses
In this world of birth-life-death,
when we do not interact with the world we live in,
reality appears non-existent.
Through the six senses organs
and their corresponding objects
we interact with the world.
During sleep or unconscious,
our six consciousnesses are dormant.
The Sixth Consciousnesses Arise
Reality exists through our experience of phenomena.
By interacting with it through the six senses,
we constantly experience reality as being real.
Our experiences are moderated by our mind as consciousness.
Therefore reality exists because we constantly interact with it.
While awake and fully conscious, our six consciousnesses arise.
When eyes see a visual object, sights lead to visual consciousness arising.
When ears hears a sound, sounds lead to auditory consciousness arising.
When nose detects an odor, smells lead to olfactory consciousness arising.
When tongue detects tastes, tastes lead to gustatory consciousness arising.
When body feels tangibles, feelings lead to tactual consciousness arising.
When mind ideates, thoughts leads to mental consciousness arising.
the Seventh and Eighth Consciousness
From the mind arises
two more consciousnesses,
base consciousness and
storehouse consciousness.
When mind experiences a disturbing emotion or attitude, self grasping leads to deluded awareness.
When mind experiences reflexive awareness, memory leads to all-encompassing foundation consciousness.
The Sense of Self is of the Mind
According to the Tibetan Lama Thrangu Rinpoche,
When sometimes you have a sense of self,
and you think “I”, that is an operation
not of the seventh consciousness
but of the sixth.
The Three Mental Consciousnesses
In the Chittamatra and Svatantrika-Madhyamika schools,
three mental consciousnesses exist, mental consciousness,
base consciousness, and store-house consciousness.
Of these three consciousnesses, mental consciousness
and base consciousness are active, and
the store-house consciousness is not active
being a subtle, neutral level of consciousness.
In it, traces of past actions are stored as "seeds"
ready to ripen into future experience.
For their further manifestations and activities, these seeds are potential energy
retained by the store-house consciousness, which receives impressions
from all functions of each of the other seven consciousnesses.
Seventh Consciousness as Source of the Other Consciousnesses
According to conventional Yogacara tradition, deluded awareness,
being the base consciousness, is the "source" of
the other seven consciousnesses, which all evolve and transform
based on experience of phenomena which make up reality.
The Names of the Seventh and Eight Consciousnesses
According to the Tibetans lamas of Vajrayana,
base consciousness is called emotional consciousness.
Lama Chökyi Nyima calls it afflictive aspect of consciousness.
Padmakara calls it defiled emotional consciousness.
Gyurme Dorje, the Agyur Rinpoche, calls it deluded consciousness.
The store-house consciousness is called all-ground consciousness.
Called the "seed consciousness" or container consciousness,
it serves as the "container" for all experiential impressions
Store-house Consciousness Empowers Rebirth
The store-house consciousness accumulates all potential energy
for the mental and physical manifestation of a sentient being's existence.
It is the storehouse-consciousness which induces transmigration
or rebirth, causing the origination of a new existence.
Base Consciousness Focuses Inward
In Tibetan Buddhism, the base consciousness
focuses inwards on the ground of all (alaya)
that is mistaken for a self that is real,
which results in all experience of reality
then consists of the choice of wanted or unwanted.
Always present, it is the basis for
all ordinary mental states,
be it virtuous, non-virtuous or neutral,
The base consciousness only stops
when the Bodhi Mind arises,
in the highest state of samadhi,
or during the non-abiding nirvana —
the great nirvana beyond
both ordinary existence in Samsara —
this world of birth-life-death, —
and in the basic nirvana of self-power.
Tathagata and Alaya Vijnana are One
Both the Lankavatara Sutra and Ch'an & Zen agree:
the Tathagatagarbha and alaya vijnana are one,
identical and fundamentally pure.
Atman is the permanent, unchanging self,
and prakrti, the original and primal nature
from which all things evolve, whether
it be mental, emotional and physical.
Though the Tathagatagarbha looks similar to atman
and alaya vijnana, prakrti, the Tathagatagarbha
conforms to the non-self doctrine,
and alaya vijnana is the mind-stream.
Mind-stream or consciousness-stream,
both streams are the same, but
cannot be reified as atman at all.
Ayatana (sense bases): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatana
Salayatana (the six sense bases): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%A2a%E1%B8%8D%C4%81yatana
Eight consciousnesses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Consciousnesses
http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eight_consciousnesses
20130210
Buddha Nature as the Original Nature of the Unborn
Indeed, Buddha Nature is the original nature of all sentient beings from before they are born.
Then before we awaken to the purpose of our lives (to become enlightened), we develop the self as real (ego) out of spiritual ignorance and go onto imagine the soul as real out of fear of nonexistence.
Wen we ignore the essence of the primordial nature of the mind (Buddha Nature), we develop the delusion that the ego is real and that the soul exists as a permanent thing which reincarnates.
To the Buddhist, we are merely spiritually ignorant of our True Nature i.e. that our primordial goodness is Buddha Nature.
Only the spiritually shallow call the Buddhist who patiently tries to awaken others to this sublime truth "mad" due to their fear of nonexistence. He would be prudent to not retort in kind, but to realize the spiritually shallow will not awaken to truth because they are attached to their worldliness.
In this way, the Buddhist learns the folly of trying to awaken the spiritually shallow to Buddha Nature.
For he who sees Buddha Nature as the original nature of the Unborn due to his mindful practice consisting of meditation and Buddha Recitation should continue with his practice.
Leaving the spiritual shallow alone, he should associate with his spiritual friends and encourage their mindful practice.
Originally posted: June 27, 2010 2309H
Updated: February 10, 2013 1928H
20130203
Destroying Samsara
Samsara is the human realm where all sentient beings wish to be reborn.
For the Buddhist devotee needs to develop non-deluded doubts about samsara.
Furthermore, the devotee who develops doubts about Emptiness will damage Samsara's hold over human beings.
Even samadhi leading to Bodhi Mind will not happen due to non-doubt in what the Buddha taught.
Indeed, Buddhism arose to help its followers awaken to the fact that transmigration is not of souls as Hindu define souls.
Rather, the store (alaya) consciousness is what is reborn due to the working of karma, both good and evil.
For me then, the optimal balance of karma ought to be equal amounts since the Middle Way is the pivot between good and evil.
For the Buddhist devotee needs to develop non-deluded doubts about samsara.
Furthermore, the devotee who develops doubts about Emptiness will damage Samsara's hold over human beings.
Even samadhi leading to Bodhi Mind will not happen due to non-doubt in what the Buddha taught.
Indeed, Buddhism arose to help its followers awaken to the fact that transmigration is not of souls as Hindu define souls.
Rather, the store (alaya) consciousness is what is reborn due to the working of karma, both good and evil.
For me then, the optimal balance of karma ought to be equal amounts since the Middle Way is the pivot between good and evil.
20130130
Only Consciousness is Reborn
Mind undergoes rebirth, not a permanent soul.
Yet you may ask, "is the mind then permanent?"
No, when one considers it spiritual energy, the ordinary mind is impermanent.
For the consciousness which merges with the physical form "creates" mind.
When one dies, that consciousness (mindstream) returns to the Absolute as Alaya.
Then it is sent out again according to karmic merit, to influence the destiny it chooses, be it rebirth as the creation of new life in a new existence (samsara), or rebirth in the Pure Land.
In essence, consciousness enters the mind continuum as the mindstream and is reborn according to the fruition of karma.
A thorough reading of Yogacara and certain Vajrayana sutras will confirm this.
Yet you may ask, "is the mind then permanent?"
No, when one considers it spiritual energy, the ordinary mind is impermanent.
For the consciousness which merges with the physical form "creates" mind.
When one dies, that consciousness (mindstream) returns to the Absolute as Alaya.
Then it is sent out again according to karmic merit, to influence the destiny it chooses, be it rebirth as the creation of new life in a new existence (samsara), or rebirth in the Pure Land.
In essence, consciousness enters the mind continuum as the mindstream and is reborn according to the fruition of karma.
A thorough reading of Yogacara and certain Vajrayana sutras will confirm this.
20130104
Mind and Consciousness As Viewed by the Buddhist
Is the mind a quality of consciousness? No, the mind cannot be a quality of consciousness as it (the mind) arises through the outflow from the brain.
It is an impossibility for conscious to be aware of the mind, since the mind being aware indicates consciousness, whilst consciousness is a quality of the mind.
Is consciousness a quality of the mind? Yes, for the mind is conscious of self and others.
With respect to the consciousness-only school of Buddhism, consciousness itself arises from the mind, which itself arises from the brain's activities.
If the brain dies, so too does consciousness and the mind. Therefore, it can be said that consciousness is also a quality of the active brain.
Thus, consciousness is vaguely aware of itself but to be conscious of consciousness is redundant in syntax. This is why such consciousness is called awareness. Another term used is meta-consciousness, though I haven't heard of it or read of it.
If we replace consciousness with awareness, then the questions are better answered.
Is the mind a quality of awareness? No, because you need a mind to be aware of itself and consciousness.
Is awareness a quality of the mind? Yes, because the mind can be aware of itself and consciousness.
However, could the mind become a quality of awareness? It is possible, despite syntactical errors.
Then it is possible for consciousness to be aware of consciousness, and for the mind to be aware of consciousness. However, the mind can be aware of itself too. Such a mind is known as the diamond mind. Being aware of itself implies clarity of mind as well as mental transparency (the ability to see things through).
Thus awareness is not equal to consciousness but are two facets of the mind..
Since both the mind and consciousness can be aware of consciousness, it follows that the mind is similar to consciousness.
Yet the mind cannot be equal to consciousness since without the mind, it is gone.
Yet is an unconscious mind aware? No, it cannot use the senses.
You'll find that using the senses one can find out a lot about the mind: it can experience phenomenon, both inner (of the mind) or outer (material). Also, the mind can experience phenomenon that has no existence outside fictional works be it in print, on the big and silver screen, especially video.
As well, the mind can be aware of the fact that every character and sentient being in a manga is a conscious entity and thus possesses consciousness, despite the fact that every character and sentient being have no physical existence apart from a poor sketch of each character.
Going further, since Amida Buddha has a cover story, it depicts a mythical king who pledged allegiance ot a Buddha of a bygone era before the historical Buddha, and consequently founded a Buddha world called "The Pure Land of Bliss." After many lifetimes he became the twin Buddhas, Amida Buddha and Amitayus Buddha (Boundless Light of Wisdom and Boundless Life of Compassion respectively. These twins meditated for many eons and soon merged as one, called Amida Buddha.
How is this related to awareness and consciousness? Metaphorically, awareness denote a generalization of the feeling of being aware that is shared between all sentient beings. In contrast, consciousness is the generalization of the feeling of being consciousness. Just as one can be conscious of having a mind, a mind can be aware of being conscious. Thus being conscious and being aware are almost alike just a Amida and Amitayus are alike and just as Wisdom and Compassion are alike.
Compassion applies being able to be selfless enough to lose self-consciousness. Ergo it is associated with awareness. Thus one can be aware of being compassionate, yet have an awareness of compassion.
Wisdom on the other hand applies to experiencing phenomenon from a personal point of view, must as being conscious is. Thus one can be conscious of being wise, and wisdom is thus the shared view of being wise.
Thus awareness of compassion is possible and being conscious of wisdom is too possible.
Likewise one can be aware of being wise, and be conscious of compassion.
Therefore wisdom and compassion are but two facets of the diamond mind.
It is an impossibility for conscious to be aware of the mind, since the mind being aware indicates consciousness, whilst consciousness is a quality of the mind.
Is consciousness a quality of the mind? Yes, for the mind is conscious of self and others.
With respect to the consciousness-only school of Buddhism, consciousness itself arises from the mind, which itself arises from the brain's activities.
If the brain dies, so too does consciousness and the mind. Therefore, it can be said that consciousness is also a quality of the active brain.
Thus, consciousness is vaguely aware of itself but to be conscious of consciousness is redundant in syntax. This is why such consciousness is called awareness. Another term used is meta-consciousness, though I haven't heard of it or read of it.
If we replace consciousness with awareness, then the questions are better answered.
Is the mind a quality of awareness? No, because you need a mind to be aware of itself and consciousness.
Is awareness a quality of the mind? Yes, because the mind can be aware of itself and consciousness.
However, could the mind become a quality of awareness? It is possible, despite syntactical errors.
Then it is possible for consciousness to be aware of consciousness, and for the mind to be aware of consciousness. However, the mind can be aware of itself too. Such a mind is known as the diamond mind. Being aware of itself implies clarity of mind as well as mental transparency (the ability to see things through).
Thus awareness is not equal to consciousness but are two facets of the mind..
Since both the mind and consciousness can be aware of consciousness, it follows that the mind is similar to consciousness.
Yet the mind cannot be equal to consciousness since without the mind, it is gone.
Yet is an unconscious mind aware? No, it cannot use the senses.
You'll find that using the senses one can find out a lot about the mind: it can experience phenomenon, both inner (of the mind) or outer (material). Also, the mind can experience phenomenon that has no existence outside fictional works be it in print, on the big and silver screen, especially video.
As well, the mind can be aware of the fact that every character and sentient being in a manga is a conscious entity and thus possesses consciousness, despite the fact that every character and sentient being have no physical existence apart from a poor sketch of each character.
Going further, since Amida Buddha has a cover story, it depicts a mythical king who pledged allegiance ot a Buddha of a bygone era before the historical Buddha, and consequently founded a Buddha world called "The Pure Land of Bliss." After many lifetimes he became the twin Buddhas, Amida Buddha and Amitayus Buddha (Boundless Light of Wisdom and Boundless Life of Compassion respectively. These twins meditated for many eons and soon merged as one, called Amida Buddha.
How is this related to awareness and consciousness? Metaphorically, awareness denote a generalization of the feeling of being aware that is shared between all sentient beings. In contrast, consciousness is the generalization of the feeling of being consciousness. Just as one can be conscious of having a mind, a mind can be aware of being conscious. Thus being conscious and being aware are almost alike just a Amida and Amitayus are alike and just as Wisdom and Compassion are alike.
Compassion applies being able to be selfless enough to lose self-consciousness. Ergo it is associated with awareness. Thus one can be aware of being compassionate, yet have an awareness of compassion.
Wisdom on the other hand applies to experiencing phenomenon from a personal point of view, must as being conscious is. Thus one can be conscious of being wise, and wisdom is thus the shared view of being wise.
Thus awareness of compassion is possible and being conscious of wisdom is too possible.
Likewise one can be aware of being wise, and be conscious of compassion.
Therefore wisdom and compassion are but two facets of the diamond mind.
20121231
Buddhism: The Toolkit of Consciousness
My lifelong experience with Buddhism has proven to me that being deeply spiritual requires suspension of disbelief, faith in subjective reality and the objectivity of reason.
The Buddha, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Dharma - these actually are actually processes contained in the mind to define, and to experience consciousness more fully. They are actuated through meditation.
Hence they are mind tools in the sense that they actually are used to explore the psychology of the mind. For all the discrete concepts of Buddhism represent at their core the many different facets of consciousness itself.
However, take care not to worship anything in Buddhism as a thing in itself. For Buddhism has no room for idolatry. It is essentially a toolkit that has been used for over 2500 years to explore the depths of consciousness.
Today, only fools consider Buddhism to be a religion like Christianity, and thus useless to the pursuit of profit. This flies in the face of daily proof that religious institutions actually gather together people of like mind to not only worship but also to profit from what amounts to a golden chain of love for each other's mutual good. For religious endeavor of any kind funded for spiritual profit is worthy of contribution, both financial and scholarly.
So, take what you want from what you learn about Buddhism to use as tools to explore consciousness, such as meditation and even the various layers of the consciousness as described in the Yogacara school of Buddhism.
I expect anyone reading this to do their research first. My blog contains enough clues to learn about the Buddha and what he symbolizes.
Even so, nobody is obliged to do so. All I ask is that anyone who wishes to walk on without careful research to avoid disrespecting the Buddha in a serious manner, because I might just show the fruit of your karma and make you eat it. >:)
Summary of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/outlines/YBh-summary-utf8.htm
Search for "self and other" in the above webpage.
The Buddha, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Dharma - these actually are actually processes contained in the mind to define, and to experience consciousness more fully. They are actuated through meditation.
Hence they are mind tools in the sense that they actually are used to explore the psychology of the mind. For all the discrete concepts of Buddhism represent at their core the many different facets of consciousness itself.
However, take care not to worship anything in Buddhism as a thing in itself. For Buddhism has no room for idolatry. It is essentially a toolkit that has been used for over 2500 years to explore the depths of consciousness.
Today, only fools consider Buddhism to be a religion like Christianity, and thus useless to the pursuit of profit. This flies in the face of daily proof that religious institutions actually gather together people of like mind to not only worship but also to profit from what amounts to a golden chain of love for each other's mutual good. For religious endeavor of any kind funded for spiritual profit is worthy of contribution, both financial and scholarly.
So, take what you want from what you learn about Buddhism to use as tools to explore consciousness, such as meditation and even the various layers of the consciousness as described in the Yogacara school of Buddhism.
I expect anyone reading this to do their research first. My blog contains enough clues to learn about the Buddha and what he symbolizes.
Even so, nobody is obliged to do so. All I ask is that anyone who wishes to walk on without careful research to avoid disrespecting the Buddha in a serious manner, because I might just show the fruit of your karma and make you eat it. >:)
Summary of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/outlines/YBh-summary-utf8.htm
Search for "self and other" in the above webpage.
20110828
On the Mind
Kashyapa said: "Mind is not to be found within. Nor does it exist outside. And it can not be observed anywhere else."
To which Maitreya adds: "Mind has no shape, no colour and no location. It is like space."
In our delusion, what is arrogant and conceited but ego?
Yet ego itself has no substance (no, shape, no color, no location), is impermanent, existing neither within nor without.
It is the seventh consciousness, and once it is appeased, delusion falls away.
Yet the eight consciousness is seen to be non-self, i.e. not a soul that transmigrates, but where the seeds of karma are sown, including the desire to spiritually awaken.
Originally written June 28, 2010 at 11:29 PM
To which Maitreya adds: "Mind has no shape, no colour and no location. It is like space."
In our delusion, what is arrogant and conceited but ego?
Yet ego itself has no substance (no, shape, no color, no location), is impermanent, existing neither within nor without.
It is the seventh consciousness, and once it is appeased, delusion falls away.
Yet the eight consciousness is seen to be non-self, i.e. not a soul that transmigrates, but where the seeds of karma are sown, including the desire to spiritually awaken.
Originally written June 28, 2010 at 11:29 PM
20101102
the mind continuum (Poem)
the mind arises and falls;
for birth is merely the mind
arising and death, its fall.
for birth is merely the mind
arising and death, its fall.
20100811
Head Up High (Poem)
I saw the chair that the Buddha sat in.
I hear the words that the Buddha had spoken.
I felt the rain, looked up in the sky, and
Held my head up high, despite the pain.
Childhood is sorrow, the ancients did say.
Wait until tomorrow, and do as you may.
When one man conquers himself, he gains
much more than wealth and power.
He redeems his whole life forever more.
No "I am" is that there is at all.
Raise up Ego and see yourself fall.
In a mirror darkly is seen the face
of the one who blows dust off it.
The ancients said true consciousness exists,
but this world is ephemeral and fleeting.
Thoughts come and go, but the serenity of mind stays.
Feeling arise and fall, but pure mind remains.
Hold up your head high and go forward!
I hear the words that the Buddha had spoken.
I felt the rain, looked up in the sky, and
Held my head up high, despite the pain.
Childhood is sorrow, the ancients did say.
Wait until tomorrow, and do as you may.
When one man conquers himself, he gains
much more than wealth and power.
He redeems his whole life forever more.
No "I am" is that there is at all.
Raise up Ego and see yourself fall.
In a mirror darkly is seen the face
of the one who blows dust off it.
The ancients said true consciousness exists,
but this world is ephemeral and fleeting.
Thoughts come and go, but the serenity of mind stays.
Feeling arise and fall, but pure mind remains.
Hold up your head high and go forward!
20100703
Buddha Nature and the Nature of All Things
Having Buddha Nature, all sentient beings are buddha. Thus, through interaction with others, each of us helps to care for each other and to be of service to others.
Having heard the Buddhadharma, specifically the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Noble Path and dependent arising, one is awakened to the purpose of life, which is to help others and to be of service to them. Thus is one spiritually awakened.
Indeed, the spiritually awakened strive for Enlightenment, and learn from their interaction with the world to let go of anger, delusion, fear, hatred, and other mental negativities as well as the behavioral negativities arising from them.
Through meditative practice, one learns to calm the mind so that one develops the insight necessary to understand the Buddhist teachings.
Thus one is able to see that dependent arising leads to mastery over the five consciousnesses of the five senses, the sixth consciousness of the mind, the seventh consciousness known as "ego" and the eighth consciousness falsely considered the "soul" through validation of emptiness.
For emptiness proves dependent arising accounts for the eight consciousnesses, which are but qualities of the mind.
Yet were the mind to be impermanent, could seeds of karma planted in the eighth consciousness come to fruition? And could they be planted at all in the absence of the mind?
Yes, but only if the eighth consciousness is Buddha Nature, which, of course, is the nature of all things.
20100628
Letting go of Ego (poem)
Letting go of ego
being embraced by
Thusness, the wise ones cut through
delusion and view
Buddha Nature as Self Nature.
Holding onto ego,
letting go of Thusness,
the fool tightly clings
to delusion with all his might --
Phantasies are at his command!
Seeing ego as delusion,
calm mind is the mindful one's reward
for just sitting still --
with such purity of mind
one uncovers Buddha Nature.
With five senses arise
five consciousnesses with
the sixth reflecting upon these five,
to realize ego is impermanent,
the seventh consciousness is free
to view Alaya consciousness as Thusness,
leaving all eight empty of substance.
Not clinging to them at all,
one is liberated from samsara,
only to return to this world
to help others find the Way.
So let go of ego as self,
and cut through the delusion
of Alaya consciousness as soul
to uncover Buddha Nature
which is Self Nature for
both are empty of substance.
Thus does this foolish one
stop clinging to ego,
and all thought of soul transmigrating
is washed away by all waters
flowing into the Ocean of Mind,
that refreshes us all
with liberation from samsara.
being embraced by
Thusness, the wise ones cut through
delusion and view
Buddha Nature as Self Nature.
Holding onto ego,
letting go of Thusness,
the fool tightly clings
to delusion with all his might --
Phantasies are at his command!
Seeing ego as delusion,
calm mind is the mindful one's reward
for just sitting still --
with such purity of mind
one uncovers Buddha Nature.
With five senses arise
five consciousnesses with
the sixth reflecting upon these five,
to realize ego is impermanent,
the seventh consciousness is free
to view Alaya consciousness as Thusness,
leaving all eight empty of substance.
Not clinging to them at all,
one is liberated from samsara,
only to return to this world
to help others find the Way.
So let go of ego as self,
and cut through the delusion
of Alaya consciousness as soul
to uncover Buddha Nature
which is Self Nature for
both are empty of substance.
Thus does this foolish one
stop clinging to ego,
and all thought of soul transmigrating
is washed away by all waters
flowing into the Ocean of Mind,
that refreshes us all
with liberation from samsara.
Realizing Emptiness
"It is said that not fearing the profound meaning of emptiness but feeling inspired by it is the sign of a fortunate being who has heard and trained in the teachings before and is destined to swiftly reach awakening." -- The Two Truths, Patrul Rinpoche, Lotsawa House - http://www.lotsawahouse.org/patrul/two_truths.html
For me, the profound meaning of emptiness is inspiring.
In stating that I am inspired by it, there is not even a tinge of clinging to it.
Indeed, once realized, the profound meaning of emptiness is liberating, for one is freed of doubt.
Even though I am fortunate, it does me no good to tell the whole world.
Perhaps I have heard and trained in the teachings before this life.
That I may be destined to swiftly reach awakening only inspires me to dedicate myself to the Buddhadharma.
For me, the profound meaning of emptiness is inspiring.
In stating that I am inspired by it, there is not even a tinge of clinging to it.
Indeed, once realized, the profound meaning of emptiness is liberating, for one is freed of doubt.
Even though I am fortunate, it does me no good to tell the whole world.
Perhaps I have heard and trained in the teachings before this life.
That I may be destined to swiftly reach awakening only inspires me to dedicate myself to the Buddhadharma.
The Samadhi of sageb1 (poem)
Since no sanity can be observed "sanity" is just a name.
Since only lies can be observed "lies", too, is just a name.
The same goes for "nutbag", and other names for what one perceives about others.
Ultimately the phantasm called "sageb1" is empty of these fallacies.
In being empty of them, he is free of the power of names by letting go of them.
In being free of that power, he just is, neither mad nor a liar.
YMMV
Since only lies can be observed "lies", too, is just a name.
The same goes for "nutbag", and other names for what one perceives about others.
Ultimately the phantasm called "sageb1" is empty of these fallacies.
In being empty of them, he is free of the power of names by letting go of them.
In being free of that power, he just is, neither mad nor a liar.
YMMV
20100627
Sanity as Buddha Nature
Suffering (mental unrest) is due to mental projections based on delusions created by the mind due to ego arising by clinging to the fallacy of permanence, especially that of the self and the soul.
Indeed, the self is none other than the ego; and the soul, the store consciousness.
Through a thorough understanding of the Three Non-self Natures, it is possible to cure oneself of this fallacy and see that non-self is impermanent and the store consciousness as it is, too, is transient.
Indeed, even the eight consciousnesses are mental constructs designed to aid the mindful in remembering the Buddha, so as to see reality as it is, and thus become enlightened.
Once enlightened, suffering is over. One's sanity is uncovered, for it is nothing but Buddha Nature.
Indeed, the self is none other than the ego; and the soul, the store consciousness.
Through a thorough understanding of the Three Non-self Natures, it is possible to cure oneself of this fallacy and see that non-self is impermanent and the store consciousness as it is, too, is transient.
Indeed, even the eight consciousnesses are mental constructs designed to aid the mindful in remembering the Buddha, so as to see reality as it is, and thus become enlightened.
Once enlightened, suffering is over. One's sanity is uncovered, for it is nothing but Buddha Nature.
Enlightenment and Oneness (poem)
Using the third nature -
the Non-self nature of
perfection -
to abandon reification
of self and other,
one becomes enlightened,
free from delusion
and liberated from
all concept of dualism.
Thus is the mind made pure:
free of mental unrest,
the ego dissolves,
leaving behind emptiness,
the root of Buddha Nature.
For self and Buddha are one,
both being empty of substance.
Abandoning all mental constructs,
the enlightened mind is just so.
the Non-self nature of
perfection -
to abandon reification
of self and other,
one becomes enlightened,
free from delusion
and liberated from
all concept of dualism.
Thus is the mind made pure:
free of mental unrest,
the ego dissolves,
leaving behind emptiness,
the root of Buddha Nature.
For self and Buddha are one,
both being empty of substance.
Abandoning all mental constructs,
the enlightened mind is just so.
Of the Mind Be Mindful!
Without the mind nothing matters. Thus mindlessness results from delusion. With the mind be fully mindful. For reality itself is the mind's creation.
Each act we do sows seeds of karma, which ripen in due time. By performing merit, we sow seeds of karma considered to be good. By acting foolishly, we sow seeds of karma consider to be evil.
From birth to death, one's goal is enlightenment. How rare it is to be born as a human being, and given opportunity like this to understand one's true purpose. For uncertainty and sadness is the result of delusion, and its cure is found by following in the footsteps of Gotama Buddha.
This mind is a precious gift, and it's best not to waste it by clinging to this world mindlessly. Indeed, the sooner one realizes one's true purpose is to be mindful of the Buddha, the sooner one becomes enlightened after uncovering Buddha Nature.
Having quieted mental unrest, and transformed all negativities, both behavioral and mental, into loving-kindness and other forms of merit, how well remembered is the Buddha by all those of us who are mindful!
Each act we do sows seeds of karma, which ripen in due time. By performing merit, we sow seeds of karma considered to be good. By acting foolishly, we sow seeds of karma consider to be evil.
From birth to death, one's goal is enlightenment. How rare it is to be born as a human being, and given opportunity like this to understand one's true purpose. For uncertainty and sadness is the result of delusion, and its cure is found by following in the footsteps of Gotama Buddha.
This mind is a precious gift, and it's best not to waste it by clinging to this world mindlessly. Indeed, the sooner one realizes one's true purpose is to be mindful of the Buddha, the sooner one becomes enlightened after uncovering Buddha Nature.
Having quieted mental unrest, and transformed all negativities, both behavioral and mental, into loving-kindness and other forms of merit, how well remembered is the Buddha by all those of us who are mindful!
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