What is the DHARMA?
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What is The DHARMA ? – Question Reality ! 3 Jewels • Buddha • Dharma • Sangha • DHARMA :: DEFINITION of this often-used, popular word. • “Not taking the Impermanent for Permanent” • Learning-Quotes of DHARMA-Truth • "Hsin Hsin Ming" Zen's most beloved teaching-poem The Great Way is not difficult - have no preferences ! To read Here just begin to SCROLL ▼DOWN " Let a Dharma-based Compassion keep influencing your Wisdom ~ and Let a Dharma-based Wisdom keep informing your Compassion." The Bodhisattva Manjusri Lord of Wisdom with Sword & Scripture |
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Question Reality !
Knowing 'others' is intelligence.
Knowing 'yourself' is true wisdom
~ Lao Tse
" TO KNOW THY SELF – CONSTANTLY QUESTION."
~ Heracletus the Greek ~
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This Is The Complete Buddhist Dharma Practice in one sentence:
" Let a Dharma-based Compassion - keep influencing your Wisdom ~
and Let a Dharma-based Wisdom - keep informing your Compassion." <A>
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~ definition ~
“Dharma: I see this Asian word all over now, on TV, all around me these days ...“
♦ WHAT is the “DHARMA” ? ( Sanskrit ) a Complete set of "Wisdom-Truth-Teachings" according
to Traditional Buddhism: a Way, a Tao, a Path, a Logic; 'The Science of Objective Reality'; Pragmatic Psychology;
'The Natural Laws of Reality' – 'Observations' based on Empirical Reason open to Rational Discussion & Inquiry.
Dharma: The Truth about "the way things really are" – not as we wish, want, project or fantasize them to be.
True 'Dharma' is a non-mystical, non 'emotional'-based, non-theistic Truth. An 'Impersonal' Truth. The 'Laws' of
Objective Reality. Mr. Spock & the Trekkies would just love this! The Buddhist Dharma is a Logic and a Science.
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"The Dharma-Teachings" are simply about deeply 'learning-in' a new program – and sweating out the toxic old
programmed conditioning and self-limitations & resistances. Surrendering to a self-taught re-education practice,
a willing Brain Washing – a 'conversion'. Don't get spooked ! All spiritualities, religions and psychotherapies work
this way. They always have. Out with the bad, in with the good. It's just that they so quickly get misused and then
abuse. That's a particular human problem. After the Buddha died, 'Buddhism' never had an absolute or authoritive
leader ( not even a Dalai Lama is in charge ). Still, Buddhism's brilliant philosophy was always a close second to
kindness & compassion – and has remained leaderlessly so. Then ask yourself alone, one question –
“ Does this Path have a Heart? ” – If it does, the path is good - If it doesn't - It is of no use.”
Meditating and studying the Dharma-teachings is like installing a new set of software - a new software download
that continuously updates itself – and eventually becomes an 'operating system' all by itself – upon more & more
steady Applied Practice and Awakened 'Realizations' – both in and out of sitting meditation. "Dharma" means the
'Laws' of Objective Reality – Reality is an everyday phenomena, isn't it? Often it happens when you're not looking.
Awareness is all any good spirituality or personal improvement regimen is all about. Any of 'em you can name.
'Dharma' is the Buddha's teaching-regimen that he imparted as applied 'working theories' for you to inform your
mind with a wholesome Dharma – as you study, as you meditate, and as you live your everyday life. Gradually
the 'Dharma-informing' of your mind replaces the misconceived old 'programmed conditioning of the mind as it
still somewhat is now – tired, worn out, old, outdated software and clinging to sad stories that you usually use to
define, operate and run your life with.
Your self-investment in the 'ego-mind' illusion is tremendous & tenacious. The Dharma is about 'considering'
that absolutely everything is 'Impermanent' and that the survival-obsessed 'ego-self'' is just not a skillful very
sophisticated software tool that hardly works well anymore - much less even being 'Real'. So with your frequent
meditation practice at home, and some Dharma-theory study, and especially the 'Spirit' of the Dharma that you
begin to carry around with you in your everyday Heart-Mind – integrated with your good-character – available
for any situation – a long welcomed overwrite just might happen as you download more and more Dharma.
"Dharma-Mind" begins to grow and develop in wise, powerful and ready-to-go skillful and compassionate ways.
Most of all - Find a really clear, no-strings-attached Dharma, any GOOD Dharma that 'works' for you, challenges
you, intelligently supports your better-nature – and then with your whole heart 'work' that program. Because of
the 'Laws of Impermanence': you can count on Change occuring. It's gauranteed ! 'Potential' lives by Change.
And again - be brave and don't quit. Continue to sit regularly. Love yourself for actually doing the practice.
Constantly keep the practice rolling around in your mind. And be supremely patient - and keep the faith !
" Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference."
~ Reinhold Niebuhr 1934; AA version in 1939 by Bill W.
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~ impermanence ~
"So should you view this fleeting world:
as a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream,
a flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream."
~ The Diamond Sutra
What is the whole of Buddha's "Dharma - Truth - Teaching"?
What it's all about in one very hard-to-bear sentence –
♦ “ Not taking the Impermanent for Permanent ” ♦
~ and internalizing this core 'realization' very seriously!
And remembering to ‘recognize’ this ‘Realization’
whoever, wherever you are - whatever you’re doing,
very consciously, very wisely, very kindly, very mindfully –
while standing up, walking, sitting down or lying back.
“Not taking the Impermanent for Permanent ”
sabbe sank'hara a.nicca
"whatever is composed is decomposable"
A Big Mis-take: "Taking the 'Impermanent'
for 'Permanent' resulting in Suffering"
which is the basic core of what the Buddha mainly taught.
Observing our perpetual ‘process’ of 'Attachment'
"Am I attached?" is the big Question. Ask it gently, gently.
Can we have a non-attached Mind yet a passionately
empathic & compassionate, tender, loving Heart ?
and again . . .
The Buddhist absence of 'Attachment' -
is not necessarily at all, in any way,
the absence of profound loving."
~ Sri Ananda Maitreya
"Anicca, Anicca, Anicca" • 'Impermanence'
The damn hardest mantra there ever is ~
The FULL Realization of uncompromising,
unarguable, unambiguous, unequivocal,
unmistakable, undeniable, indisputable,
explicit, obvious, definite, plain & clear -
total, absolute 'Impermanence'.
~ Venerable Sudu Hom'dru ~
“Exactly, Totally, Absolutely”
~ Contemporary way over-used American vernacular
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'Truth'
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“This is Not 'Mine',
This I am Not,
This is Not My 'Self'.”
Maha-Rahulovada Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya #62
“ It is not ‘What’ or ‘Who’ I am ~ but simply that I Am.”
The simple ‘fact’ that I simply am, not that ‘I am’ a name or identity.
~ Sri Ramana
"I tore myself away from the safe comfort of ‘certainties’ –
Only through my love for Truth .. and Truth rewarded me."
~ Simone de Beauvoir
“This above all:
To thine own self be true,
for it will follow, as the night the day,
thou then canst not be false to any man."
~ Polonius to his son Laertes ~
William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Being True to yourself is the beginning of
your relationship with the rest of the world.
"Certainly, the Buddha taught many people
in the compromised, relative 'Duality-World',
the teachings of being Kind and Skillful –
helping them avoid karma-mistakes in
everyday life & to acquire spiritual-merit.
Yet, to a very few others he taught
uncompromised 'Non-Duality' & ‘Emptiness’
that some people find profoundly frightening."
~ The Yogi Milarepa – 1100 AD
"There is suffering - but no 'one' who suffers.
'Doing' exists - although there is no 'doer'.
'Extinction' is - but no extinguished 'person'.
Although there is a 'Path' - there is no 'goer'."
~ The Vissuddhimagga ( 5th century AD )
"There is neither 'creation' nor 'destruction',
neither 'destiny' nor 'free will',
neither 'path' nor 'progress'.
This is the final Truth."
~ Sri Ramana
"What I love about Taoism is that it talks
about how everything is made of 'energy'.
The 'Tao' is basically energy. It's not a god.
It's not any-thing 'in particular'.
And yet you can tap into it.
You can create things from it.
We are made from it
and we return to it."
~ Wendi Moore-Buysee
In the future they will compare the 'Reality' to the photo
instead of comparing the the photograph to the Reality.
~ Alfred Steiglitz, pioneer photographer
"It is always still up to you to choose
to join with ‘truth’ or join with ‘illusion’.
But remember that to choose one -
is to let go of the other.
Can you bear the loss?"
~ The Tao
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"The Hsin Hsin Ming" text from 600 AD China, with its first line ~
'The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences'
– is one of the most beloved chant-verse-poems of all Zen meditation traditions
– as well as being its core-teaching. It is also the first full-length authentic text
of Zen-practice when it was created by Seng-ts'an, The 3rd Chinese Zen Patriarch.
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"The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent – everything becomes clear and undisguised. 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. 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. __________________________________________________ The Way is perfect like vast space where nothing is lacking and nothing in excess. Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things. Live neither in the entanglements of outer-things, nor in inner-feelings of emptiness. Be serene in the oneness of things and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves. When you 'try' to stop activity by passivity your very effort fills you with activity. As long as you remain in one 'extreme' or the other you will never know Oneness. __________________________________________________ Those who do not live in The Single Way fail in both activity and passivity, assertion and denial. To deny the reality of things is to miss their Reality To assert the emptiness of things is to miss their Reality. The more you talk and think about it, the further astray you wander from the truth. Stop talking and thinking, and there is nothing you will not be able to know. To return to the root is to find meaning, but to pursue appearances is to miss the source. At the moment of inner enlightenment there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness. The changes that appear to occur in the empty world we call 'real' only because of our ignorance. Do not search for the truth – only cease to cherish opinions. __________________________________________________ Do not remain in the 'dualistic' state. Avoid such pursuits carefully. If there is even a trace of this and that, of right and wrong – the mind-essence will be lost in confusion. Although all dualities come from The One, do not be attached even to this One. When the mind exists undisturbed in The Way, nothing in the world can offend. And when a thing can no longer offend, it ceases to exist in the old way. __________________________________________________ When no 'discriminating-thoughts' arise, the old mind ceases to exist. When 'thought-objects' vanish, the 'thinking-subject' vanishes: As when the mind vanishes, objects vanish. Things are 'objects' because of the subject (mind): the 'mind' (subject) is such because of things (object). Understand the R-e-l-a-t-i-v-i-t-y of these two and The Basic Reality: 'The Unity of Emptiness'. In this Emptiness the 'two' are indistinguishable and each contains in itself the whole world. If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine, you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion. ___________________________________________________ To live in The Great Way is neither easy nor difficult. But those with 'limited views' are fearful and irresolute: the faster they hurry, the slower they go. And clinging (attachment) cannot be limited: Even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray. Just let things be in their own way – and there will be neither coming nor going. Obey the nature of things ( your own nature ) and you will walk freely and undisturbed. __________________________________________________ When thought is in bondage the truth is hidden – for everything is murky and unclear. And the burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness. What benefit can be derived from distinctions and separations? __________________________________________________ |
If you wish to move in The One Way do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas. Indeed, to accept them fully is identical with true Enlightenment. The wise man strives to no goals but the foolish man fetters himself. There is One Dharma, not many. Distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant. To seek Mind with the mind ( discriminating-mind ) is the greatest of all mistakes. __________________________________________________ Rest and unrest derive from illusion. With Enlightenment there is no liking and disliking. All dualities come from ignorant inference. They are like dreams or flowers in air – foolish to try to grasp them. Gain and loss, right and wrong, such thoughts must finally be abolished at once. __________________________________________________ If the eye never sleeps, all dreams will naturally cease. If the mind makes no discriminations, the "ten thousand things" are as they are – of single essence. To understand the mystery of this One-essence is to be released from all entanglements. When all things are seen equally – the 'timeless-mind-essence' is reached. No comparisons or analogies are possible in this causeless, relationless-state. Consider movement stationary and the stationary in motion. Both movement and rest disappear. When such 'dualities' cease to exist, 'Oneness' itself cannot exist. To this Ultimate-Finality no law or description applies. __________________________________________________ For the Unified-Mind in accord with The Way all self-centered striving ceases. Doubts and irresolutions vanish and life in True Faith is possible. With a single stroke we are freed from bondage: Nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing. All is empty, clear, self-illuminating, with no exertion of the mind’s power. Here thought, feeling, knowledge and imagination are of no value. In this world of Suchness there is neither 'self' nor 'other-than-self'. To come directly into harmony with this Reality just say when doubt rises "Not Two". In this 'not two' nothing is separate, nothing is excluded. No matter when or where, Enlightenment means entering this Truth. And this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time and space: In it a single thought is ten thousand years. __________________________________________________ Emptiness here, Emptiness there, but the Infinite Universe stands always before your eyes. Infinitely large and Infinitely small – No difference, for definitions have vanished and no boundaries are seen. So too with Being and Non-Being. Don’t waste time in doubts and arguments That have nothing to do with this. One thing, All things – move among and intermingle without distinction. To live in this Realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection. To live in this Faith is the road to non-duality, because the Non-Dual is one with The Trusting-Mind. ___________________________________________________ Words! The Way is beyond language – for in it there is no yesterday no tomorrow no today. " ~ Translated from the Chinese by Richard B. Clarke and our thanks to Alan Clements for printing & distributing it |
Paula Gable's COMMENTARY says: The original poem "Hsin Hsin Ming", or “Trust in Mind”
This premier enlightenment-poem is attributed to Seng-ts'an, The Third Patriarch of Zen Buddhism,
who lived in the late Sixth Century AD. In it he warns of the many pitfalls of practice: you are as far
from inner-freedom as heaven is from earth. And throughout, where it is a grand teaching-poem
about Non-attachment as the 'working practice' and the prime Key to authentic freedom & joy.
( 'Non-attachment' as an idea can be confusing when first introduced to the beginning-student's mind...)
"Remaining in 'duality', you'll never know of Unity.
And not to know this Unity lets 'conflict' lead you far astray.
When you assert that things are 'real' - you then miss their True Reality."
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The Chinese word 'Hsin' means Mind. It also means Heart, and also means Warning.
The Hsin Hsin Ming points to the basic Buddhist conviction that at the true bottom of
all phenomena lies the 'One-Mind', the 'Buddha-Mind', the 'Universal-Consciousness'
which is one with our authentic true-nature. It is the understanding that we are not
isolated beings, but all connected in mystery and miracle in the deepest way possible.
The great sage Seng-ts'an teaches us from his very own direct experience.
Another version says:
"The Great Way Is Not Difficult
to those who are not attached to their own 'preferences'.
Let go of longing and aversion and everything will be perfectly clear.
Yet, when you grasp and cling to a hair's breadth of distinction,
heaven & earth are set far apart.
If you want to Realize the truth, don’t be for or against anything.
The struggle between good and evil is the primal-disease of the mind.
Not grasping its deeper meaning you just trouble your mind’s serenity.
But because you constantly 'select' and 'reject' –
you can’t really perceive its True Nature."
I’d have to admit that I don’t always stay centered – even though a fundamental part
of my Zen meditation practice is the intention to do so. Yet, when I fail to remain centered,
completely at ease - I know that’s OK too. For, another important part of Zen practice is
“not being attached to our preferences.” Not being attached to my preference to be cool,
calm and collected – rather than hot, agitated and scattered. Both calm and agitated are
natural parts of the human condition, as are cool and hot, collected and scattered. It’s not
that one is “good” and the other is “bad.” Instead, each of these elements in these so-called
“dualistic pairs” simply are. We don’t need to judge them. And, if we can learn to suspend
the judgment and just 'experience' them directly, as the two parts of a single whole, we can
release our suffering as we open our lives to this new awareness of the Absolute Oneness of Being.
This is the essence of what I believe the “Hsin Hsin Ming” aspires to teach us. “The Great Way is
not difficult for those who are unattached to their preferences. Let go of all longing and aversion
and everything will become perfectly clear.” NOTICE that Seng-ts'an did NOT say, “The Great Way
is not difficult for those who have no preferences.” Because, we ALL have preferences – and
none of them are absolute. And they are naturally shed like a snakes's skin according to season.
I prefer chocolate ice cream to vanilla. But if the cook at dinner serves vanilla ice cream, I will
still be very grateful and will enjoy it immensely – since I’m not-attached to my 'preference'
of chocolate ice cream as the only right type of ice cream to eat. “The Great Way is not difficult
for those who are unattached to their preferences.”
It is so important to understand that non-attachment does not mean apathy. Rather, apathy is
the near enemy of non-attachment. Apathy leaves us shriveled and dry and disillusioned. Apathy
causes us to withdraw from life and live it less abundantly. To care less: Apathy says “I don’t care”.
Non-attachment says “I care deeply but I’m not attached to how things should be. I’m always very
interested in how things are and could be. In this way, non-attachment calls us to more life –
more joy, more inspiration and more possibilities. Non-attachment teaches us to rejoice in this very
precious, very present moment, rather than cling to the past, or dread the future. In traditional Taoist
& Zen Buddhist terms, the teaching of non-attachment calls us to surrender our lives to The Great Way.
In traditional Western theological language it teaches us to “Let go and let God.”
“Let go and let God” is a refrain that is heard frequently in Twelve-Step Recovery programs such as
Alcoholics Anonymous. It is the understanding that we are not individually at the center of the universe.
We are not in control. We are part of the endless stream of life that moves in us, around us, everywhere.
At times we can do much better to align ourselves to this stream of life – rather than to stubbornly swim
upstream against the current. Then again, radicalism makes for great change. But first we have to let go
of the last rock to which we are clinging, and release ourselves into this vast stream of swift-moving water
that will eventually flow into a deep, still sea of love, peace and joy. The only thing we have to do is let go
of our 'attachment' to 'preferences'. ~ Paula Gable, UU Ministries: all commentary above
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So .. What Was It ?
What did the Buddha Awaken to ?
What the Buddha Awakened to
was the "Universal Law of Absolute Impermanence".
When unrecognized, like any illness, it causes psycho-physical Suffering:
a painful domino effect-cycle of desire, grasping, attachment and loss - thru
a self-created 'survival' chain-reaction called Inter-Dependent Origination:
a complex, massive web of cause & effect of un-dealt-with, unresolved,
unconscious karmic conditioning. A 'programming' where Everything depends
on everything else. In other words, "It's happening and you just don't know it."
You need to wake up to Awaken, remain Awake to See that the whole IS simply
the sum of the 'parts', but only for you. You gave all those parts precious names
and extraordinary significance and meaning: See the parts and whole for what
they really are: empty - just stuff. Stuff. Impersonal but True. Feelings? Observe it.
The 'Enlightenment', the Awakening ( Bodhi - "to awaken" ) of the Buddha was simultaneously his liberation
from suffering ( dukkha ) and his insight into the true nature of the universe – particularly the nature of the
lives of conscious ‘sentient beings’ ( humans & animals). What the Buddha awakened to was the truth
of Dependent Origination – the Buddhist 'Unified Field Theory' . . .
This is the 'Understanding' that any phenomenon ‘exists’ only because of the ‘existence’ of other phenomena in
an incredibly complex web of cause and effect covering time past, time present and time future. This concept
of a 'web' is symbolized by Indra's Net, a multi-dimensional spider's web, on which lies an infinite amount of dew
drops or jewels – and in these are reflected the reflections of all the other drops of dew ad infinitum.
Stated in another way, everything depends on everything else. For example, a human being's existence in any
given moment is dependent on the 'condition' of everything else in the world ( and indeed the universe ) at
that moment – but, conversely, the condition of everything in the world in that moment depends in an equally
significant way on the 'character' and 'condition' of that human being. Everything in the universe is interconnected
through the web of cause and effect – so that the whole and the parts are mutually inter-dependent.
The character and condition of entities at any given time are intimately connected with the character and condition
of all other entities that superficially may appear to be unconnected or unrelated. All inter-related & co-conditioned.
Because all things are thus conditioned, in flux, ever in movement and transient: impermanent (anicca), they
have no stable, no 'real' independent identity (anatta) and so do not truly ‘exist’, though to ordinary developed
minds this 'appears' to be the case. All phenomena are therefore fundamentally insubstantial and ‘empty’ (sunya).
In our everyday-level of experience, this Loss disappoints most human beings conditioned by unmanagable desires
and 'attachment' and they suffer. Learning the Dharma may reverse this aggitating or depressing condition. Or it may
not at this time as all 'conditionings' are certainly different from the 'desire' for security. There are Twelve Links of
Conditioned Existence. In this application of pratitya-samutpada, each link is conditioned by the preceding one, and
itself conditions the succeeding one. A karma-game of dominos. Practice awareness to see beyond the grossly obvious.
Wise human beings, who ‘See Things As They Are’ (yatha-bhuta-ñana-dassana), obsolete attachment and clinging,
transform the energy of desire into awareness and understanding, and eventually transcend the 'conditioned realm'
of attaching to form and become Buddhas.
also see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratitya-samutpada
When this is – that is.
When this is here – that is here.
From the arising of this – comes the arising of that.
When this isn't – that isn't.
When this isn't here – that isn't here.
From the cessation of this – comes the cessation of that.
Imasming sati, idang hoti.
Imass’ uppādā, ida uppajjati.
Imasming asati, idang na hoti.
Imassa nirodhā, idhang nirujjhati.
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At some later point, visit our Archive: "The Heart Sutra Project"
"The Heart Sutra" or "The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra" ( Mahaprajna Paramita Hridaya Sutra )
"Hsin Hsin Ming" or “Trust in Mind Sutra” or “Faith in Mind Sutra.” ( here above )
"The Diamond Sutra" your guide to genuinely & sincerely aspiring to Bodhisattva-hood !
These epiphany-based threads (sutras) are the highly-esteemed and beloved-core
of 'later' Buddhist deep contemplations and repetitious mantra considerations as to
what is Wisdom. Visit this Archive-section as we are developing it ....
http://www.zentrance.com/archive
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