everlasting happiness, as buddha attains · on television in taiwan, r.o.c. he has used the agama...

Everlasting Happiness, as Buddha Attains

Presented by Venerable Da Shi

Translated by The Dharma Committee

Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore)

~ EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, AS BUDDHA ATTAINS ~

i

Preface

Buddha came into this world to lead all sentient beings away

from suffering and towards enlightenment. He forsook his

throne and worldly possessions for the pursuit of

enlightenment. It was his wish to guide all sentient beings in

their understanding of the karmic cycle and the path to

Nirvana. After his passing into Parinirvana, his teachings were

collected and compiled by his followers.

It is Venerable Da Shi’s wish to continue the Buddha’s

teachings, spread the seeds of compassion, and carry on his

wish for all sentient beings to attain Nirvana. Since his

ordination, Venerable Da Shi has been actively involved in the

teaching of the Dharma in many places, including Taiwan,

Malaysia, and Singapore. In 2004/2005, Venerable Da Shi was

invited by the Life Television Station in Taiwan to present talks

on various Dharma topics. This book was written based on the

consolidated content of Venerable Da Shi’s televised talks, in

hope that his compassionate wish would be furthered

through the spreading of the Dharma.


iii

Foreword

EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, AS BUDDHA ATTAINS

Editorial Notes

The Buddha was born into this world out of great compassion

with the aim to help all mortal beings avoid sufferings and

attain endless bliss.

The world of mortal beings is full of suffering. It is a surreal

world of endless desires and yet fulfillment of all desires is

impossible. We have to work hard to find fulfillment but it is

all transient. It is like a trap where we relentlessly pursue

wealth, appearance, fame, gastronomic satisfaction, and

excessive sleep without ever pondering what all these could

lead to. We repeatedly go through birth, aging, sickness, and

death and in this continuous cyclic existence, we suffer

immeasurably.

The Buddha is like an expert doctor with the ability to

diagnose and treat all kinds of ailments. Indeed, he dispenses

~ FOREWORD ~

iv

eighty four thousands procedures for as much trouble that

mortal beings could possibly face in this world. All these are

found in the Buddha’s teachings. If we practice his teachings

with complete faith and realization, besides saving ourselves

from suffering in this life, we can also find liberation in time to

come.

There are very few fortunate beings that have the chance to

hear the Buddha’s teachings. The number of people who are

able to hear and learn the Buddha’s Dharma teachings is said

to be like the amount of soil caught in one’s nail if one were

to use hands to dig into the ground.

Everlasting Happiness, as Buddha Attains is translated from a

Chinese compilation of Venerable Da Shi’s Dharma teachings

on television in Taiwan, R.O.C. He has used the Agama Sutra

as the central focus of these teachings, supplemented by

relevant Dharma from Mahayana Sutras, including the Prajna

Sutras, the Middle Way, the Mahaprajnaparamita‐Sastra, the

Dasabhumika‐Vibhasa‐Sastra, the Saddharma‐Pundarika, etc.

for better understanding. Through his skillful narration and

explanation, Venerable Da Shi has made the Buddha’s

Dharma very easy to understand and at the same time,

interesting. There are also many citations of examples where

one can apply in one’s life and practice.


v

It is the wish of Venerable Da Shi that these teachings should

reach out to more people, Buddhists and non‐Buddhists alike.

For Buddhists who have sought refuge in the Triple Gem,

these teachings serve to strengthen their understanding of

the Dharma and improve practices. For non‐Buddhists, may it

serve as a guide to attain true bliss.

There are a total of five chapters to this book, dwelling on

four main themes. The first theme addresses the real benefits

of being a Buddhist and how to attain it. Theme two, three

and four expound the imperfections in our thoughts and

actions which prevent us from reaping the real benefits as

well as the methods to overcome them. This is the first of a

translated series and it will also be made available on our

website at www.mypty.sg. Other topics in the series will be

published progressively in subsequent books.

The Dharma introduced in this series is in the Chinese

Mahayana tradition, the text of which are translated from

Sanskrit scriptures. Hence, Sanskrit has been used for the

names and specific Buddhist terminologies in the text.

Readers can find help from the footnote on the relevant page

and the Glossary at the end of the book for explanation of

common Buddhist terms (first appearance in italics in the text)

and concepts.

~ FOREWORD ~

vi

The Dharma Editorial Committee at Miao You Pu Ti Yuan in

Singapore wishes all readers blissful fulfillments in reading.

@@@ This work is an effort to uphold and support Venerable

Da Shi’s great vow of spreading the Dharma in gratitude of

the Buddha’s compassion. Please help to spread the wisdom

and cheers of the Dharma by passing this book on to someone

else should you feel that you do not need it anymore. As the

Buddha taught, the gift of the Dharma excels all gifts! May all

have the chance to know the Buddha’s Dharma! @@@

The Dharma Editorial Team

Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore)


135

What Am I Really Craving For?

Why is sleep a "moon in the water"?

What do we desire? Our desires are like a "moon in the

water". Because of it, we create unwholesome karma and

continue to remain in Samsara. We crave for the five desires

and also the five aggregates. In pursuit of these, we create

unwholesome karma and remain in Samsara.

We crave for wealth, drinking, and food. Of these, a majority

is for wine and meat. The third desire we obsess over is sleep.

Why is sleep like a "moon in the water"?

~ WHAT AM I REALLY CRAVING FOR ? ~

136

If sleep was absolutely necessary, then all sentient beings

would need to sleep. However, the heavenly beings in the

World of Form do not sleep. Arahats do not sleep too.

Therefore, we can deduce that sleep is not a universal

requirement, but only a requirement for sentient beings in

this World of Sensuous Desires. Hence it is not indispensable;

the requirement will differ depending on causes and

conditions. It is illusory just as "moon in the water".

To sentient beings in the World of Sensuous Desires, the

purpose of sleep is for resting; it is not to be overindulged in.

1) What are the signs of sentient beings under delusions?

Example

Sleeping till one wakes up naturally, this is a habit among

sentient beings. However, monks and nuns wake up daily

at four in the morning, which is difficult for laypeople.

Whether we can get up at four or not, is not a fixed

behavior, but a form of habit. Hence, after one has joined

the monastic order for some time, one would habitually

wake up at four in the morning.

If sleep was an absolute requirement, why do some older

folks wake up at three, or even at two in the morning?

Hence, we can see that sleep is not an absolute


137

requirement; it is simply the union of causes and

conditions, as are reflections of the moon in the water.

Therefore we should adapt our habits, such that we have

just enough sleep but not any beyond that.

We should not oversleep, but should have enough sleep

to enable us to recuperate our physical strength.

Otherwise, what are we going to do if the time comes

when we do not wake up on our own accord? To sleep

and not wake up is to be dead; this will not be worth our

while.

2) Under what circumstances are delusions absent?

The Buddha told us that we sleep only to rest the body,

but the mind should remain clear. Hence, when sleeping,

we can chant the Buddha’s name and contemplate

brightness.

Example

While sleeping, though our body is resting, we should not

leave our mind in darkness. Otherwise, we will be like the

hare in its race against the tortoise. The hare was

confident in its physical prowess and speed while the

tortoise was slow moving. The former took a long rest

when it almost reached the finishing line.


138

By the time the hare woke up naturally, the tortoise had

overtaken it. Hence, we should not indulge in sleep as that

is a "moon in the water" as well.

Why is fame a "moon in the water"?

Within the five desires which are all regarded as reflections of

the moon in the water, the fourth is fame and power. Why is

this so? Let us ponder over this carefully. Example

Would you regard the President’s post as a "moon in the

water"? We don’t usually give a thought about it and would

probably think not. In fact, the President’s post is a reflection

of the moon in the water. Consider this, how does a

"President" come about? The people, taxes, government

officials, the land, and sovereignty; all of these constitute the

basis of what is called a "country" and the leader of this

country is called the "President".

Only with the existence of a country, which is the union of

causes and conditions, can a President come into being. Thus

the post of President which arises from the union of causes

and conditions is also a "moon in the water". We should not

create unwholesome karma for something unreal and sink

ourselves into an abyss.


139

Without land, citizens, government officials, sovereignty, and

taxes, a country cannot function. Without a country, we do

not need a President; hence the President is a "moon in the

water". As such, we should not create unwholesome karma

for the sake of this inherently non‐existent possession – the

power and status of a President.

1) What are the signs of sentient beings under delusions?

Example

During the Qing dynasty, there were two famous figures,

Emperor Yongzheng and Nian Gengyao. Nian assisted

Yongzheng in his quest for power and Yongzheng created

a lot of unwholesome karma so as to obtain the throne.

These have been recorded in history. Both Nian Gengyao

and Emperor Yongzheng created karma, all for the sake of

fame and power. Under such delusions, they had killed

and harmed many sentient beings.

Therefore when we observe such situations in our daily

lives, we need to remember Mencius’ teaching that "those

whom are ennobled can lose their status"; and not create

unwholesome karma in pursuit of fame and power, as

these are merely "moon in the water".


140

2) Under what circumstances are delusions absent?

Example 1

After the Yuan Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty’s territory was

the largest in China’s history. Emperor Shunzhi, the

founder of the Qing Dynasty, upon realizing

impermanence, gave up his throne. Thereafter, he

composed a poem in praise of the Sangha, i.e. the

monkhood was praised in the poem. The poem 8 is

translated as follows:

"Rice is aplenty in the monasteries of this kingdom,

Whereby, with one's alms bowl, one is free to have

a meal anywhere,

Gold and white jade are not the most precious and

rare,

Only putting on a monk's robes is the most difficult

and rare."

Emperor Shunzhi knew that fame and fortune were all

delusions, but he himself was not deluded. He knew that

these are merely like the "moon in the water", hence he

renounced and gave up his throne.

8 Emperor Shunzhi expressed his admiration for the life of a monastic and his

regret for being born into the imperial family through this poem.


141

Example 2

Though fame, status, and power are false phenomena in

the mundane world, nevertheless, how can we make use

of them when we have them? Think of it this way, "A general’s achievement is built upon

the bones of ten thousand soldiers"9. For a general to rise

up through the ranks, for each rank, he requires the

contributions of many people to help him gain power. He is able to attain his rank, only because many had

sacrificed their lives since he alone cannot single‐handedly

achieve his victories. Thus if a general recognizes this, he

would not deny those under him, but would praise,

acknowledge, and be grateful towards the tens of

thousands of soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for him.

Example 3

We know that assistance from others is required for the

union of right conditions to happen. Therefore, we should

be grateful for everything and be grateful towards all

sentient beings. Besides being grateful, we should help all

sentient beings to achieve such blessings. The National

9 Similar to “What millions died – that Caesar might be great?” by Thomas

Campbell, Scottish poet (1777‐1844). Pleasures of Hope (pt. II, I.174)


142

Preceptor of the Qing Dynasty, Yu Lin, had no intention to

take on the role initially. However, under the insistence of

Emperor Shunzhi, he finally took on the role, helping to

revive Buddhism in China at the same time. He

propagated Buddhism effectively and took great care of

the common folks, demonstrating how power and status

might be put to good use.

Example 4

Let us contemplate this: Have you noticed that government

officials in the Executive Yuan10 are completely replaced

after every election? So where is the Executive Yuan then?

It is in fact located nowhere and is but merely a name. The Executive Yuan is simply a borrowed name. Change

the President and everyone else in office will also be

changed. Therefore the Presidential Office is just a

fictitious label and together with the Executive Yuan, does

not exist inherently; they are devoid of inherent nature

and unattainable, just as the moon’s reflection in the

water would be.

10 Executive Yuan: is the highest administrative organ of the Republic of China

(ROC), headed by a president (usually referred to as the premier of the ROC), a vice president, and various other ministers. It is one of the five Yuans of the government of the ROC, the other four being the Legislative Yuan, the Judicial Yuan, the Control Yuan, and the Examination Yuan.


143

All that arises from these are merely false phenomena;

these are not worth craving for or clinging onto. In this

mundane world, we use these false phenomena to teach

sentient beings the tenfold meritorious cause of action (i.e.

not to kill; not to steal; not to commit sexual misconduct;

not to lie; not to slander; not to speak harshly; not to talk

frivolously; not to be greedy; not to hate; and not to be

deluded), so that they may develop the Right

Understanding and Right View. This is one way to utilize

power and status.

Example 5

What are the consequences of not having the Right

Understanding and Right View? For those who pursue

power and status; the higher they climb, the harder they

will fall. With promotions to higher positions, one suffers

more when the time comes for him to step‐down11. For

example, when he is still in power, numerous supporters

would rush to send him off on an overseas trip. Upon

stepping down and seeing the supporters gravitate

towards the person who took over his duties, would he

not feel sadness? Therefore, one should not be obsessed

with "moon in the water". 11 This type of suffering can be categorized under the suffering of separation from

loved ones, which is one of the eight sufferings.


144

Example 6

Very often, we witness children overly preoccupied with

their school results. This preoccupation persists through

every stage of their education. But as they scale towards

the top, it becomes harder to retain the number one

position. Upon sliding into second or third, or perhaps

faced with a rare case of failure, they would sink into

depression and may even attempt suicide. Why is that so? Clearly, they failed to recognize these as

"moon in the water" and suffered from depression as a

result. We should teach the Dharma to our children,

letting them recognize reality as it is. They should put in

their best effort in their studies, but should not regard

their academic achievements to have inherent existence

or as something substantially real. For if they do so, they

would only bring torment and suffering unto themselves.

Why is lust regarded as a "moon in the water"?

Life is dear, love is dearer.

But to liberate oneself from the reins of Samsara,

both may be forsaken.

Both lust and love are "moons in the water". If they are

substantially real, a change of heart should not occur, which


145

would render them otherwise. Is love substantially real? It is

not. When a couple gets married, we give our blessings in

hope their marriage shall be everlasting, but squabbling

couples are common. Example

We shall illustrate this with a Taiwanese folk song, and the

lyrics are translated as follows: "Amidst the sky with dark clouds looming and pending rain,

Grandpa brought his hoe to dig for yam.

He dug and dug, and he dug and dug,

And he dug out a loach, …

Grandpa wanted it to be cooked salty but Grandma

preferred it bland.

And they fought and broke the pot."

Grandpa and Grandma had been a loving couple since young.

Unexpectedly, because they each wanted to have the loach

cooked in their own way, they ended up squabbling over this

disagreement and even broke the pot. So is love really that substantial? If yes, there should not be

any squabbling. As it turned out, the squabbling between the

old couple goes to show that love is not substantially real.

Love is like a reflection of the moon in the water. So, we


146

should not be mesmerized by it, as losing ourselves in it will

only result in much suffering.

1) What happens when sentient beings of the mundane

world fall under the influence of delusions?

Example 1

In a Chinese classical poem, a verse was translated as

follows:

"What is love? That which is pursued in life and in death."

As Buddhists, we should not be infatuated with such

worldly love, upon hearing such poetic expressions.

Otherwise, we will die a miserable death; instead we

should amend the verse as such:

"What is love? That which is pursued in Samsara."

This is an important point; we need to understand that

love would keep us in Samsara.

Many years ago, in a university’s chemistry research

faculty, there were two female students who killed each

other for the sake of a man. Would this not keep them in

Samsara? What is love when it leads one to create


147

unwholesome karma by killing a friend? Is this not a

tragedy? There is only suffering for those who create

unwholesome karma for the sake of a "moon in the

water".

Example 2

There is another situation, in which an old lady with a

wrinkled face continues going for facelifts. She does so to

show her husband and others a complexion that is

smoother and youthful. Is she not treating the reflection

of the moon in water as something substantially real?

Perhaps five to ten years after, the skin would sag again.

So is there a need to go for the facelift? It is indeed

unnecessary.

Example 3

In the Western fairy tale of Snow White, she laid in her

coffin after the witch cast a spell on her. After a great

many years, Prince Charming came and rescued the

beautiful Snow White. After he kissed her, they fell for

each other and they lived happily ever after. Or is it? First

of all, let’s ask ourselves this question, how old would

Snow White have been at the time when the Prince

rescued her? She would have been really old.


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Is this not saddening for the Prince who actually fell for an

old lady?

We can see many instances of delusions during the pursuits of

lust and love.

2) What happens when we break free from such delusions?

Example

In a story told by the Buddha, a woman once met a monk.

This monk is a Pratyeka Buddha with supernatural powers.

Attracted by his dignified appearance, she proposed to the

Pratyeka Buddha, "Be a monk no more so that the two of

us can live together, wouldn’t that be nice? I’m beautiful

and you are handsome, we will surely be happy living

together." Although this woman had professed her love to him, the

Pratyeka Buddha, being a Venerable One who had

attained liberation, had absolutely no desires for love. He

thus asked her, "What do you love about me?" She replied,

"I love your eyes". The Pratyeka Buddha then dug out his

eyes for her. The Pratyeka Buddha was a Venerable One

so he could remove his eyes from his eye sockets. The dug‐out eyes, once out of their sockets, were not

lovely anymore. Why were they seemingly beautiful


149

before that? Because of misperception. If you see a

person and covered his entire body, exposing only one

section, it would not look good at all. On its own, would an

eyebrow still look cute?

Thus, the Pratyeka Buddha told her, "If you say that you

love my eyes, they are yours; if you love my nose, it is

yours; if you love my teeth, they are yours as well."

Upon seeing this, the woman’s desire vanished totally and

she realized that she had fallen in love with the "moon in

the water". With her desires gone, she knew that her

thoughts and actions were wrong so she sought

repentance from the Pratyeka Buddha and begged the

Venerable One to accept her repentance. The woman

knew that her actions were greatly unwholesome as she

had tried to seduce and abduct a monk.

Hence, after her repentance, the Pratyeka Buddha told

her, "It is excellent that you realized your need to repent

your wrongdoings. Once you have repented, you will be

purified and all your unwholesome karma will be cleansed

as a result. Now, you may start contemplating this body as

a union of thirty‐two parts.


150

These thirty‐two parts include: the hair of the head,

eyebrow, eyelashes, nasal hair, hair on the body,

fingernails, toenails, teeth, skin of the whole body, the

body’s sinews, flesh, bones, and bone marrow.

The hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin,

flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, and kidney; there are

also the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, pleura, intestines,

mesentery, stuff in the stomach, feces, and brain; next

comes the water element, which consist of our bile,

gastric juice, pus, blood, sweat; the body also has fats, and

would secrete grease, which makes this body oily

sometimes, and the hair too will become oily; there are

also the tears, nasal mucus, mouth's saliva, urine, and the

synovial fluid in every joint. This body is simply a union of

all these individual parts; hence it is called the body. In

fact, it is devoid of inherent existence; it is just like a

reflection of the moon in the water. Once you

contemplate it in this manner, you will experience a

praiseworthy state."

Thus, the Pratyeka Buddha taught the woman to

contemplate over the thirty‐two parts of the body.

Through repentance, the woman’s mind was purified;

hence she was able to contemplate with much calm. By


151

the time she passed away, she had attained the Four

Divine States of Mind, which are Maitri, Karuna, Mudita

and Upeksa.

Since all sentient beings are simply similar, she was able to

treat all sentient beings equanimously, with no greed,

hatred, delusion, or Wrongful Views. At this point, she

then took rebirth in the Brahma World.

Hence, simply through contemplation over the thirty‐two

parts of the body, which is one of the practices of the Four

Foundations of Mindfulness, the merits gained would

already be great. Free from delusion, this sentient being

was fortunate to have met a Venerable One who taught

her this Dharma. Through this book, we teach this to all

readers as well, if you can contemplate in this manner

over your spare time, you will attain great merits.

How should we treat lust and love, which are just like

reflections of the moon in the water? By contemplating in the

same way as the Pratyeka Buddha did, we can teach it to

others as well should such opportunities arise. In this way, we

can lead sentient beings into a state of equanimity free from

petty comparisons: such as those involving our children’s

looks when placed beside others.


152

We should not differentiate between beauty and ugliness, or

good and bad. Seeing the five desires as "moon in the water",

we will not desire them.

Why are the five aggregates regarded as the "moon in the water"?

The five aggregates are: form, feeling, perception, volition,

and consciousness. Once we recognize these as reflections of

the moon in the water, we will not desire them and drown

ourselves in the pursuit. The five desires originate extrinsically

while the five aggregates originate intrinsically; the latter

serves as the basis of our sense of self. Example

With the five aggregates forming the basis of our sense of self,

we start off by defining ourselves with our names. For instance, someone might say, "Venerable Da Shi12, your

name is great." My reply to this would be, "Which part of the name is good?

Which of these three characters释大势 (Shi Da Shi) made it

great? " 12 Venerable’s full name is Shi Da Shi (释大势). The first character Shi is the family

name/surname of all the monks and nuns who ordained under the Mahayana tradition.


153

If I had removed any one character from my name, would the

remaining part of my name sound as great? No, it would not.

Hence, a name is merely a fictitious label which is fabricated

and devoid of inherent existence.

1) What will happen when sentient beings are deluded?

Example

Some people seek to change their names, preferably to

better sounding ones which would bring them luck,

developing an attachment over such endeavors. If it is

true that our names determine our fortunes, how about

changing one’s name to Sakyamuni Buddha, instantly be a

Buddha? But is this possible? Of course not.

Changing one’s name to Sakyamuni would not make one a

Buddha or guarantee one’s Buddhahood. A name is just a

borrowed label and we should not consider them as

substantially real.

2) What happens when delusions are absent?

Example

If names had inherent existence, saying the word "fire"

should bring forth bursts of flames. Mentioning "water"


154

should cause it to appear. Knowing that names are merely

fictitious labels, how should we respond when someone

addresses us wrongly? Suppose your surname was Wang

but someone mistook it as Huang instead, it really does

not matter. It was just a minor pronunciation mistake

which would not matter since it is just a fictitious label.

However, in this world, there is a Chinese belief and saying

which goes like this "A real man relinquishes not his given

name". Hence people get acrimonious over such matter. To

behave this way is being deluded into names game and if we

got lost in the game, it will cause us to create unwholesome

karma and lead us to great suffering.

Why are Form, Feeling, Perception, Volition, and Consciousness regarded as "moon in the water"?

1) Form Aggregate

This is what we generally refer to as the physical matter; it

has physical obstructing properties, occupies a definite

space and is a creation of the four great elements: Earth,

Water, Fire, and Wind. Our intrinsic physical body and the

extrinsic world of matter are all provisional unions of the

four great elements and are all Form Aggregates. If the body inherently exists, then it would not age, grow

sick, and cease functioning; a healthy body would also not


155

deteriorate. Our bodies which age, grow sick, and cease

functioning eventually, are surely devoid of inherent

existence, just as the reflection of the moon in the water

would be. If clouds were to block the moon from sight, the

reflections would disappear.

A change in causes and conditions would alter the

reflections. The same applies to our bodies; as long as

there is a slight change in causes and conditions, the body

will grow sick. Without sufficient rest, our bodies may get

hotter, our teeth would loosen and pustules would begin

to develop inside; isn’t this similar to a reflection of the

moon?

What would we do when we are deluded?

Example 1

For the sake of such a reflection of the moon, we would

do our utmost. For example, some would rather spend

tens of thousands of dollars to take care of their bodies

than to spare any of it to help others and perform some

wholesome deeds. We do all this to take care of the body,

though it would always never recover fully, remain strong

or be free from sickness. We need to understand this so as

not to be deluded.


156

Example 2

When we were young, the tables and chairs used in

schools were connected together13; male students would

sit on one end of the table, while female students would

sit on the other end. A line would be drawn on the table

between the male students and the female students.

While drawing the line, male students liked to tease the

female students by calling this line in the middle the

dividing line between the two ancient Chinese states of

Chu and Han.

The male student would intentionally shift his belongings

over to the female student’s side of the table; the irritated

female student would push them away. Why did they

behave in this way?

It is because they treated the boundary and the items

within it as their possessions, which are all in fact Form

Aggregates. Hence, they were unwilling to share them

with others. Are these situations not delusional? To have

two people squabbling like this till their graduation

demonstrates how delusional this situation is.

13 These would be long tables and benches made for two persons to use.


157

How should we behave so as to avoid delusions?

Example

If we are not deluded, we will not drown ourselves in

pursuit of the "moon in the water". Let us look at our

hands. If we close a thumb and four fingers together, what

do we have? A fist! Hence, a fist is formed from a thumb

and four fingers, a union of causes and conditions. It is not

substantially real as it is formed through the repositioning

of our thumb and fingers. It is not found in the thumb, the

index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger, or the little

finger.

Hence, a fist did not exist at all in the first place. It came

into being only as a union of causes and conditions. It does

not exist inherently and is merely a false phenomenon,

like a reflection of the moon in the water. With this

understanding, we need not be preoccupied with such

issues anymore. Big or small, beautiful or ugly, old or

young, it does not matter.

Looking back at the body, it is only considered as one

when a union of the thirty‐two parts of the body occurs,

which includes: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails,

teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow and kidney,

heart, liver, spleen, lungs, pleura, intestines, mesentery,


158

stuff in the stomach, feces, and brain. Next come bile,

gastric juice, pus, blood, fats, grease, sweat, tears, mucus,

saliva, synovial fluid, and urine.

However, the body is not hidden in any of these thirty‐two

parts. This shows that the body is a false phenomenon just

as a reflection of the moon would be, so we should not

create unwholesome karma for its sake. It matters not if

someone bumps into us as we can be nice to them and

apologize in return. We must realize that if we do not

have this body, there would not be any cause for anyone

to bump into us. But because we have this body, it then

becomes a cause through which others can bump into us.

Therefore, we should not blame others but ourselves.

The union of these thirty‐two parts is described as "form

resembling accumulated foam". It is like the laundry

powder we use. If we were to mix it up in water, it will

give rise to more and more soap bubbles. The soap

bubbles would not be stationary and will instead gather

together at one point to form foam. The soap bubbles will

subsequently burst and vanish. Such disappearing acts

show us that foam is not substantially real, but merely the

union of causes and conditions, hence the saying that

"form resembles accumulated foam".


159

The thirty‐two elements of our body are similar as well:

hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, etc.,

these are all constantly undergoing transformation. The

hair on the head may drop off any moment; it is also

growing daily, growing all the time. The eyebrows,

eyelashes, hair on the hands, hair on the legs are similarly

undergoing transformation all the time. So are the finger

nails, teeth, and skin.

Therefore, these thirty‐two parts act like accumulated

foam that is constantly undergoing transformation. As we

can see, the accumulated foam is devoid of inherent

existence. However, we all treat it as substantially real and

create unwholesome karma for the sake of this body.

When we hear any sound that is not to our liking, we

would get upset. When we see anything that is not to our

liking, we will be angered. These are all totally uncalled for

and unnecessary. There is no need to create karma over

the Form Aggregates which is like the "moon in the water".

Knowing that form is like accumulated foam, are we going

to destroy it? Definitely not! This is not the way. We

should make wholesome use of this body. While we are

still alive, we must cultivate our practice through this body.

Since we have yet to attain liberation, we would still need


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this body to pay obeisance to the Buddha and chant the

Sutras. We need to perform wholesome acts, to practice

meditative concentration, to observe the precepts, and to

practice with wisdom. At this life’s end, it is best to donate

this body to others, and let them utilize it, thus giving our

body "residual value".

Would it not be great to utilize our body to its fullest? As

for the remaining bones, it is best to cremate them and

scatter the ashes across the land, rather than have it

occupy a corner of this mundane world. Wouldn’t that be

pure and clean? How great it would be to not have any

hindrance in our mind!

Hence, once we have understood that form is devoid of

inherent existence just like reflections of the moon in the

water, we will not be deluded and will make wholesome

use of it. We will be able to enjoy happiness while living

and not have to wait till death to be free from worries.

2) Feeling Aggregate

Feeling Aggregate is the realization and acceptance that

occurs when the six sense bases meet the six sense

objects. It is the objective sensory function of the six sense

bases, which include pleasurable feelings, painful feelings,

and also feelings neither pleasurable nor painful.


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Pleasurable feelings: when we eat candies, the sensation

of sweetness is a pleasurable feeling. Did the pleasurable

feeling come from the candy? No. Otherwise the candy

itself would be pleasure and may be felt without tasting.

So did the pleasurable feeling come from the tongue? If

yes, why is there a need to have the candy as a medium?

Therefore, the pleasure did not come from the tongue as

well. Does that mean that it came from the mind? If yes,

why is there a need to have the tongue and the candy?

We can see that this pleasurable feeling does not come

from anywhere and it does not exist anywhere.

Pleasurable feelings arise through the union of these

causes and conditions. Therefore, pleasurable feeling in

itself, is just a form of false phenomenon like a reflection

of the moon in the water. Do we want to crave for and

cling on to such pleasurable feelings? Of course not! There

is nothing to crave for or cling on to and we will not be

deluded as a result.

What is it like to be deluded?

Example

There was a person, who had taken refuge in the Triple

Gem but did not practice properly. Once, he came over to

where I was staying after a visit to another temple. When I


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saw him, I welcomed him and he said, "Master, you are so

nice! I’m so glad that you welcomed me."

I asked him, "Where did you come from?"

He said, "I came from that Buddhist temple ahead. In the

past, the Master there treated me very well. He would

greet me, "Have you eaten? How have you been recently?

How are your family members?" However, when I was

there today, the Master did not welcome me, so I felt very

miserable." I then asked him, "When you were there today, was it

crowded?" He replied, "That’s correct! Today is Sunday, it was

crowded." I explained, "The Master considers you as an experienced

lay practitioner so he sees no need to attend to you, as

you are capable of attending to yourself and perhaps even

helping to attend to others. Therefore, you should help by

attending to others rather than being attended to."

The man had felt great joy when the Abbot welcomed him

previously. In this manner, he developed a misconception

and immersed himself in the Feeling Aggregate which is


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like a "moon in the water", clinging on to the pleasurable

feeling. I told him that he should not be so possessive over

the Master and advised him to apologize and repent to

that Master. However, he rejected my suggestion outright.

What an unexpected refusal from an old lay practitioner,

who has taken refuge in the Triple Gem for so long. As we

can see, we really need to be sincere in our practice. It’s

only when we learn from the Buddha with a sincere and

honest mind that there will be progress in our practice.

We, disciples of the Buddha and lay practitioners, need to

know what it is that we are learning from the Buddha. We

should not trap ourselves within the pleasurable feeling

which is a "moon in the water". Whenever we feel slight

displeasure, we would criticize and scold others, thereby

creating unwholesome karma. It is not wise to have such

delusions and to get trapped in it. What is it like not to be deluded?

Feelings will emerge and disappear like water beads on a

rainy day. Plop! Plop! Drop by drop, water beads would

fall and disappear in an instant. We may have received

praises from others saying, "You have practiced well!" and

developed pleasurable feelings. However, when someone

else says, "What you’re practicing is false!” painful feelings

would arise. So, was the pleasurable feeling initially felt


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substantially real? It is not and is in fact suffering in

disguise. Perhaps later on, you might be praised again and

the pleasurable feelings would return.

So, was the painful feeling substantially real then? It is not

as well. Pleasurable feelings, painful feelings, and those

which are neither, are all not substantially real. Once we

can truly perceive these feelings and the Feeling

Aggregate for what they are, we will be able to gain

liberation from them.

In this way, we will not lead our lives based on our feelings

and become deluded, because they too are like reflections

of the moon in the water, illusory and unreal. Once we

have mastery over Feeling Aggregate and have also

experienced painful feelings, we should make a vow to

seek liberation. We should seek liberation for ourselves

while developing empathy for all sentient beings who are

suffering. Hence we should embrace Great Compassion

and Bodhicitta, vowing to save and liberate all sentient

beings from suffering and to help them attain bliss.

Through feelings, we know that we are experiencing

suffering and that all sentient beings are suffering too.

Although feelings are like "moon in the water", sentient

beings are trapped within it and are unable to free


165

themselves. Hence, we develop willingness to save and

liberate sentient beings from such sufferings.

When we have experienced happiness, we would wish

that all sentient beings may also have such happiness.

Furthermore, from such happy experience, albeit that is

like a reflection of the moon in the water, we are all aware

that it is merely that and therefore we do not indulge in

them. True bliss is gained as a result. Hence, once we have

gained understanding over the Feeling Aggregate, we

would willingly make a vow to renounce the worldly way

and generate Bodhicitta and Great Compassion so as to

save and liberate all sentient beings.

3) Perception Aggregate

To perceive is to be conceiving forms in the mind, to be

imagining within the planes of wholesomeness or

unwholesomeness, of hatred or love and so on, holding on

to varied perceptual concepts and creating varied ideas.

The day‐dreaming that we normally engage in is clearly a

"moon in the water". The random thoughts that we

usually indulge in are obviously illusory as well, as they are

the union of causes and conditions, basically do not exist

at all.


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If someone tells you, "Your boss said that he will promote

you to the post of manager tomorrow." You would

experience a pleasurable feeling when you hear that. Then,

you would start to imagine about the powers of a

manager and also the salary increments. Clearly, at the

mere mention of a word, our ego would start to inflate

and we would indulge in it. Is this not foolish? The

thoughts that we have are all false phenomena, they are

basically not substantially real. They are just like "moon in

the water". We should not be infatuated by or indulge in

them. What is it like when sentient beings are deluded?

Example

Once, I went to a place to expound the Dharma. One of

the devotees, who had attended the teachings, called me

on the phone two days later and said, "Master, last night, I

dreamt that you came and blessed me by laying your hand

on my head." I was both amused and saddened by what he said. I replied, "I wasn’t there while you were dreaming, so how

could I be there to lay my hand on your head to give you

blessings? So who had actually laid his hand on your head

to bless you?"


167

He then thought, "That’s right! Master did not come to my

place, so who was it? It was a dream after all." Dreams are

groundless and unreal and so he realized, "What a mistake

I’ve made! I was wrong."

Upon hearing my reply, he realized that dreams are

illusory and not substantially real, just like "moon in the

water". Thus he was able to liberate himself from this

delusion. When we think over matters, why do we cling on

to perceptions and become deluded? This is something we

should not be doing.

What is it like when sentient beings are not deluded?

With this understanding, what are the origins of

"perception"? Perception is like a mirage. We see mirages

when driving on a tarred road or an expressway during

daytime; they resemble pools of water on the road but are

in fact not there when we drive across them. As we can

see, the pool‐like images are not substantially real.

The scriptures call this a mirage, an illusion of liquid‐like

matter under the sun. Once we know this, we will realize

that random thoughts or dreams are all unreal. So next

time you dream of something, do not come and ask the

Master, "Master, I dreamt someone was chasing me and


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wanted to kill me, what should I do? Do I need to change

my fortune?" There is no need to do so! What fortune is

there to change! Just practice properly! Meditate more on

loving‐kindness and compassion.

Although we know that the Perception Aggregate is not

substantially real, we can still utilize perception to practice

contemplation. Hence, when we are chanting the name of

the Buddha, we should contemplate on the thirty‐two

major physical marks of the Buddha, starting from the

white curl between the eyebrows, right down to the soles

of the feet.

Although perception is like a reflection of the moon, if we

can single‐mindedly contemplate on the Buddha, we will

certainly be able to see the Buddha in the future. Hence,

when we are not deluded, we may make wholesome use

of perception.

4) Volition Aggregate

The Volition Aggregate arises when the mind, upon

contact with the external environment, go through

examination and judgment and thereafter turn into the

volition of body and speech. This volition then transforms

into actions, thereby creating all kinds of wholesome and

unwholesome karma.


169

What is it like not to be deluded?

Example 1

If I were to say, "I love you, I love you very much", this

love would appear to be substantially real; or I may say, "I

want you to love me", this sense of being loved would also

seem substantially real. However, if no corresponding

party was involved, where then is this love? This love

would not exist at all. If I do not exist, I’m not there to love

someone, would this love not be unreal too? It surely

cannot exist.

Without you and I, love cannot exist. When love arises, it

requires one who is capable of loving and another who is

capable of being loved; such love is not substantially real.

Recognizing it as "moon in the water", we may let it go.

Example 2

When hating a person, should the hating party or hated

party, or perhaps both parties cease to exist, so would the

hatred. Therefore, whenever we are angered by someone,

think of it this way: If one of us or perhaps both of us do

not exist, would there be a need to bicker over and cling

on to this "moon in the water" that arose from the union

of causes and conditions?


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Hence, if we can let go of the Volition Aggregate of hatred,

greed, anger, delusion, pride, doubt, and a lack of Right

View, we will not be deluded by them anymore.


Sentient beings have mistaken these illusions to be

substantially real. Hence, we would cling on tightly to

worldly concepts of righteousness and justice, seeking to

uphold them. When learning the various doctrines, we

may even go to the extent of considering the one we are

practicing as the best, while others’ doctrines are not as

good. Such mutual antagonism is not right. We should

respect others and be tolerant towards them.

"Volitional Activities are like plantains (or banana trees)".

When you peel off the plantain, layer by layer, you will

find that its centre is hollow; there is nothing substantially

real inside. But as the aggregate of volitional activities is

manifested through willpower, we must make good use of

this willpower to practice the Buddha’s teachings and to

perform wholesome deeds.

5) Consciousness Aggregate

It represents the ability to understand clearly and

distinguish. It is the cognitive function that all living beings


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have in response to phenomenon. It refers to the

consciousness of the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue,

the body, and the mind. These six consciousnesses rise

and fall, ceaselessly and never halting. We often think that

the mind is permanent and unchanging, but it is in fact

impermanent, rising and falling from moment to moment.

Hence, once we have understood this, we should put our

minds into learning and practicing the Buddha’s teachings.


Example

There are people, who after retirement would not know

what to do with their lives. A retired man would wander

aimlessly and die if he loses the ability to do that. As for

retired mothers or grandmothers, they will be busy

looking forward to taking care of grandchildren. How

tiresome can that be! Once we are aware of such deluded

situations, our minds would no longer be deluded.

Make full use of the mind to perform wholesome deeds.

When we know that all phenomena are merely "moon in

the water", as Buddhists, we need to have Right

Understanding and Right Faith in Buddhism and not put

our faith into these two "religions", that of "jealousy" and


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that of "pettiness"14. Within an illusory world like "moon

in the water", there is no beauty or ugliness. Hence, there

is no need to be jealous or petty. When we understand

that everything is like a reflection of the moon in the

water, we will understand this as well:

"Life is dear, love is dearer.

But to liberate oneself from the reins of Samsara,

both may be forsaken."

Don’t crave for the "moon in the water" and drown ourselves

in it. Let us recognize clearly that all phenomena are merely

like reflections of the moon and therefore we should not cling

onto them. In this way, we can gain complete freedom and

attain complete liberation.

14 The last character of the Chinese words for “jealousy” and “pettiness” sounds

the same as the Chinese character which means religion. Hence, these are mentioned as religions in this context.


235

Glossary

Altruistic Joy: Also known as Sympathetic Joy or Mudita. See

also Four Divine States of Mind. Amitabha Buddha: The Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite

Life, who presides over the Western Pure Land, to which

anyone can be reborn through single minded recitation of or

meditation on the Buddha’s name. Anagamin: One who has attained the third stage of Liberation.

Such a person, upon passing from the human realm, will take

rebirth in one of the heavenly realms, from which he will

attain Arahatship and will never return to the human realm.

Hence, he is also known as a Non Returner. See also

Arahatship. Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi: The Supreme and Complete

Enlightenment. Arahat: One who has traversed the Eightfold Noble Path to

reach the fourth and final stage of Liberation, called

Arahatship. Also known as the Perfect One. See also

Arahatship.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Arahatship: The fourth and final stage of Liberation, in which

one is fully liberated from Samsara and is no longer subject to

death and rebirth. The four stages of Liberation are: The First

stage known as Srotapanna; the Second stage known as

Sakradagamin; the Third stage known as Anagamin; and the

Fourth stage known as Arahat.

Avici Hell: Also known as the Hell of Uninterrupted Torture. It

is the deepest and worst hell. Those born in this hell suffer,

die, and are instantly reborn to suffering without interruption,

until they have exhausted the retribution for their evil karma.

Bad existences: The three lower realms of hell beings, hungry

ghosts, and animals; as opposed to the good existences,

which are the three realms of humans, asuras, and heavenly

beings. See also Six realms of cyclic existence.

Bhikshu: A fully ordained male member of the Buddhist

Sangha or monk observing 250 Precepts. Bhikshuni: A fully ordained female member of the Buddhist

Sangha or nun observing 500 Precepts. Bodhicitta: Also known as the Bodhi‐mind or the Bodhi‐heart,

in which "Bodhi" means "enlightened". It is the aspiration to

attain supreme Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient

beings.


237

Bodhisattva: A being who has developed Bodhicitta and is

striving for enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient

beings.

Brahma: The King of the Brahma World.

Brahma World: In the widest sense, this is the name of the

World of Form; in a narrower sense, it is the collective name

of the first three heavens of the World of Form. See also

Three planes of existence.

Buddha: The Fully Enlightened One, who possesses perfect

wisdom and compassion.

Chakravartin: Literally means “whose wheels are moving”, in

the sense of “whose chariot is rolling everywhere without

obstruction” – a universal emperor and protector of Buddhism.

Compassion: Also known as Karuna. See also Four Divine

States of Mind and Great Compassion.

Cycle of existence: See Samsara.

Cyclic existence: See Samsara.

Dana: Charity; benevolence; generosity.

~ GLOSSARY ~

238

Defilements: The mental states of greed, hatred, and delusion

which temporarily cloud the mind and manifest in

unwholesome actions. These defilements are seen as the very

roots of samsaric existence and are known as the three

poisons.

Deva: A heavenly being.

Dharma: The Teachings of the Buddha.

Eight precepts: Observed by lay Buddhists during certain

retreats: (1) Do not kill; (2) Do not steal; (3) Do not engage in

sexual activities; (4) Do not tell lies; (5) Do not take intoxicants;

(6) do not wear bodily adornments, use perfumes, engage in

singing and dancing, and watching dances or plays; (7) do not

sleep in a raised bed; and (8) do not eat after noon.

Eightfold Noble Path: The fundamental teaching of the

Buddha that shows the path that leads to the cessation of

suffering: (1) Right View or Right Understanding; (2) Right

Thought; (3) Right Speech; (4) Right Action; (5) Right

Livelihood; (6) Right Effort; (7) Right Mindfulness; and (8)

Right Concentration.

Eighteen kinds of transformation: Includes (1) moving

objects or even worlds; (2) emitting fire from the body;


239

(3) illuminating innumerable worlds; (4) causing sentient

beings in all the six realms to be seen; (5) changing an object

into something different; (6) roaming freely by penetrating

walls, mountains, water, air, and so on; (7) rolling anything

into a minute size; (8) enlarging objects to gigantic

proportions; (9) storing up swarms of people, mountains, or

earth within the body; (10) entering any group, assuming their

forms and voices, preaching to them, and then disappearing;

(11) magnifying the body to a thousand fold; (12) hiding this

magnified metamorphosis; (13) subjecting sentient beings to

one’s will; (14) controlling the supernatural powers of those

below one in spiritual achievements; (15) endowing sentient

beings with eloquence; (16) restoring memory to those who

forget the Dharma; (17) giving joy to listeners; and (18)

lighting up the creatures in all the worlds.

Eon: See Kalpa.

Equanimity: Also known as Upeksa. See also Four Divine

States of Mind.

Five aggregates: Form, feeling, perception, volition, and

consciousness.

Five desires: Wealth, lust, fame, food and sleep.

~ GLOSSARY ~

240

Five precepts: (1) Do not kill; (2) Do not steal; (3) Do not

engage in sexual misconduct; (4) Do not tell lies; and (5) Do

not take intoxicants.

Five sensual pleasures: Pleasurable feelings derived from the

contact between the five sense bases of eye, ear, nose,

tongue, and body, and the five sense objects of form, sound,

odor, flavor, and tactile object.

Four Divine States of Mind: (1) Maitri or Loving‐kindness; (2)

Karuna or Compassion; (3) Mudita or Sympathetic Joy; and (4)

Upeksa or Equanimity.

Four Foundations of Mindfulness: (1) Contemplation of the

body; (2) Contemplation of feelings; (3) Contemplation of the

state of mind; and (4) Contemplation of phenomena. See also

Right Effort.

Four Noble Truths: (1) The noble truth of suffering; (2) The

noble truth of the cause of suffering; (3) The noble truth of

the cessation of suffering; and (4) The noble truth of the path

leading to the cessation of suffering.

Good existences: The three upper realms of humans, asuras

and heavenly beings; as opposed to the bad existences of hell


241

beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. See also Six realms of

cyclic existence.

Great Compassion: The aspiration to remove the sufferings

and causes of sufferings of all sentient beings.

Heavens of the Deva Kings of the Four Heavens: Also known

as the Heavens of the Four Deva Kings. This is the first of the

six heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. See also Three

planes of existence.

Heavens of the Four Deva Kings: See Heavens of the Deva

Kings of the Four Heavens.

Hell of Screaming: One of the eight hot hells. The other seven

are: the Hell of Thoughts, the Hell of Iron Chains, the Hell of

Crushing, the Hell of Great Screaming, the Scorching Hot Hell,

the Extreme Scorching Hot Hell, and the Hell of Uninterrupted

Torture (also known as the Avici Hell).

Kalpa: Also known as Eon. It is often used to denote a very

long period of time. There are small, medium, great, and

incalculable kalpas. A great kalpa indicates the length of time

between the creation and recreation of a universe, spanning

the period of the universe’s formation, existence, destruction,

and non‐existence.

~ GLOSSARY ~

242

Karma: The deeds carried out by a person and their effects on

the person’s future, especially in relation to their succeeding

rebirths. Karma can be classified as actions of the body,

speech, and mind, each of which can have the moral quality of

wholesomeness, unwholesomeness, or indeterminate.

Karuna: Also known as Compassion. See also Four Divine

States of Mind.

King Yama: The King in charge of the hell realm.

Law of causality: Also known as the law of cause and effect.

This is a fundamental concept within Buddhism governing all

situations, in which all actions, which is a cause, will produce a

corresponding effect. It is also stated as good begets good,

evil begets evil; good will not beget evil, evil will not beget

good.

Law of Dependent Origination: The principle that phenomena

do not come into existence on their own but as a result of

causes and conditions.

Loving‐kindness: Also known as Maitri. See also Four Divine

States of Mind.


243

Maitri: Also known as Loving‐kindness. See also Four Divine

States of Mind.

Mara: The Demon King who resides in the Paranirmita

Vasavartin Heaven.

Mudita: Also known as Altruistic or Sympathetic Joy. See also

Four Divine States of Mind.

Naga: Dragon or serpent. A beneficent divine being who

governs the various water bodies, such as seas, lakes, rivers,

and springs.

National Preceptor: The Religious Adviser to the King

equivalent to the position of a Prime Minster.

Nirmanarati Heaven: This is the fifth of the six heavens in the

World of Sensuous Desires. See also Three planes of existence.

Nirvana: The perfect state of mind that is free from greed,

hatred, and delusion, and hence all suffering. See also

Parinirvana and Residue‐less nirvana.

Non Returner: See Anagamin.

~ GLOSSARY ~

244

Once Returner: See Sakradagamin.

Paranirmita Vasavartin Heaven: This is the sixth of the six

heavens in the World of Sensuous Desires. Mara, the Demon

King, resides in this heaven. See also Three planes of existence.

Parinirvana: Also known as the Great Nirvana; it indicates the

Buddha’s entering into the state of residue‐less nirvana. See

also Nirvana and Residue‐less nirvana.

Perfect One: See Arahat.

Prajna: Wisdom; insight; divine intuition.

Pratyeka Buddha: Also known as the Silent Buddha, or Self‐

enlightened One. The Pratyeka Buddha appears in an era

when there is no Buddha or the Buddha’s teachings. He lives

apart from others and achieves enlightenment through self‐

contemplation and realization of dependent arising.

Pure Dharma Eye: The pure vision of the true Dharma.

Residue‐less nirvana: Also known as nirvana without residue.

It refers to the state of total liberation from all physical and

mental conditions. This is in contrast with nirvana with

residue, where the body still exists. See also Nirvana and

Parinirvana.


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Right Action: To conduct oneself in moral, peaceful, and

honorable ways, that is in keeping with the precepts of not

killing, not stealing, and not committing sexual misconduct.

See also Eightfold Noble Path and Tenfold meritorious cause

of action.

Right Concentration: To develop one’s meditation according

to the four Dhyanas. See also Eightfold Noble Path.

Right Effort: To develop the four types of efforts: (1) the

effort to get rid of unwholesome thoughts that have already

arisen in one’s mind, such as the desire to take another’s

property; (2) the effort to prevent the arising of unwholesome

thoughts; (3) the effort to develop wholesome thoughts of

loving‐kindness and compassion; and (4) the effort to

maintain and develop further wholesome thoughts that have

already arisen in one’s mind. See also Eightfold Noble Path.

Right Faith: To develop faith in the Triple Gem and the Four

Noble Truths, that through practicing Buddhism, all sentient

beings can eventually attain liberation from Samsara.

Right Livelihood: To live honorably in a profession which is in

no way harmful to sentient beings, and in keeping with the

precepts. See also Eightfold Noble Path.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Right Mindfulness: To practice the Four Foundations of

Mindfulness. See also Four Foundations of Mindfulness and

Eightfold Noble Path.

Right Speech: To abstain from telling lies, slandering, frivolous

speech, and harsh speech. See also Eightfold Noble Path and

Tenfold meritorious cause of action.

Right Thought: To have only thoughts which are in line with

Buddhist teachings. See also Eightfold Noble Path.

Right Understanding: See Right View.

Right View: To develop the understanding or view that

complies with the Buddhist teaching of causality or the law of

cause and effect; understanding the Four Noble Truths. See

also Eightfold Noble Path and Right Understanding.

Saha World: The secular world, which is known as the world

that must be endured as it is full of sufferings.

Sakra: The King of Trayastrimsat Heaven.

Sakradagamin: One who has attained the second stage of

Liberation. Such a person, upon passing from the human

realm, will take rebirth in the heavenly realms, after which he


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will be reborn in the human realm one last time to attain

Arahatship. Hence he is also known as a Once Returner. See

also Arahatship.

Samadhi: Meditative concentration. Often used to denote the

deepest state of pure concentration, in which the mind is free

from distraction and totally absorbed in the object of

concentration. There are many levels and types of samadhi,

such as the Samadhi of Loving‐kindness and Compassion.

Samsara: Also known as the Cycle of existence or Cyclic

Existence. This refers to the endless cycle of suffering caused

by birth, death, and rebirth in the six realms of cyclic

existence.

Sangha: The Buddhist monastic order or community.

Seven Factors of Enlightenment: (1) Mindfulness; (2)

Discriminative investigation of the Dharma; (3) Effort; (4) Joy;

(5) Ease of body and mind; (6) Concentration; and (7)

Equanimity.

Sila: The precept; code of morality; Buddhist ethics.

Siksamana: A female novice nun in waiting observing Six

Precepts.

~ GLOSSARY ~

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Six consciousnesses: The consciousnesses of the eye, ear,

nose, tongue, body and mind. Six realms of cyclic existence: The realms of hell beings,

hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras, and heavenly beings. Six sense bases: Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Six sense objects: Form, sound, odor, flavor, tactile object,

and phenomena. Sramenera: A male novice monk observing Ten Precepts. Sramanerika: A female novice nun observing Ten Precepts. Srotapanna: One who has attained the first stage of

Liberation. One who has attained this stage is said to have

entered the Stream that leads to Liberation, hence he is also

known as a Stream Enterer. He will not be reborn in the three

bad existences again, and will take at most seven cycles of

rebirths alternating between the heavenly realm and the

human realm before attaining the final stage of Liberation,

Arahatship. See also Arahatship. Stream Enterer: See Srotapanna. Supernatural powers: The six supernatural powers are: (1)

Divine eye or clairvoyance; (2) Divine ear or clairaudience; (3)


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mental telepathy or ability to read the thoughts of others; (4)

psychic travel or telekinesis; (5) knowledge of the past and

future; and (6) ending contamination. The first five

supernatural powers can be acquired by one who practices

deep concentration, but the sixth supernatural power is only

attainable when one has attained Arahatship.

Sympathetic Joy: Also known as Altruistic Joy or Mudita. See

also Four Divine States of Mind.

Ten directions of space: The directions of North, South, East,

West, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Zenith,

and Nadir, thus covering all spaces.

Ten Kinds of Mindfulness: (1) Mindfulness of the Buddha; (2)

Mindfulness of the Dharma; (3) Mindfulness of the Sangha; (4)

Mindfulness of the Precepts; (5) Mindfulness of Generosity; (6)

Mindfulness of the Heavens; (7) Mindfulness of the Cessation

of Thoughts; (8) Mindfulness of Breath; (9) Mindfulness of the

Impermanence of the Body; and (10) the Mindfulness of

Death.

Ten Stages of Bodhisattva Practice: According to the Prajna

sutras, the ten stages of Bodhisattva Practice are: the stages

of (1) dry wisdom, (2) nature, (3) the eighth person, (4)

insights, (5) diminishment of afflictions, (6) freedom from

~ GLOSSARY ~

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desire, (7) completion of discernment, (8) the Pratyeka

Buddha, (9) the Bodhisattva, and (10) the Buddha.

Tenfold meritorious cause of action: (1) Do not kill; (2) Do not

steal; (3) Do not engage in sexual misconduct; (4) Do not tell

lies; (5) Do not slander; (6) Do not engage in frivolous speech;

(7) Do not engage in harsh speech; (8) Do not bear greed; (9)

Do not bear hatred; and (10) Do not stay deluded.

Three periods: The past, present, and future.

Three planes of existence: The World of Sensuous Desires,

the World of Form, and the Formless World. All beings in the

six realms of cyclic existence can be found in the World of

Sensuous Desires as these beings are plagued by various

sensuous desires. Beings in the World of Form have

abandoned sensuous desires but still cling on to physical

forms, while beings in the Formless World have even

relinquished the physical forms and exist only in mental states.

Three poisons: See Defilements.

Trayastrimsat Heaven: Also known as the Thirty‐three

Heavens. It is the second of the six heavens in the World of

Sensuous Desires. See also Three planes of existence.


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Triple Gem: The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

Tusita Heaven: This is the fourth of the six heavens in the

World of Sensuous Desires. Maitreya Bodhisattva is currently

residing in this heaven, awaiting for the causes and conditions

to ripen for him to descend to the human realm and become

the next Buddha to save and liberate all sentient beings. See

also Three planes of existence.

Upeksa: Also known as Equanimity. See also Four Divine

States of Mind.

Western Pure Land: Also known as Sukhavati in Sanskrit. It

refers to the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.

Yama Heaven: This is the third of the six heavens in the World

of Sensuous Desires. See also Three planes of existence.

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About this series

"Everlasting Happiness, as Buddha Attains" is based on a

series of video Dharma teachings presented by Venerable Da

Shi. We hope to continue releasing more titles in this series at

a later date. You may check our website (www.mypty.sg) for

updates.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all who have contributed to the

translation of this series of works into English.

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Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Taiwan, R.O.C.) has granted permission to Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore) for the translation and publication of this book. This book is for free distribution only, not for sale. If you wish to reprint this book, please contact Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore) at (65) 67496460 or email to [email protected].

The Gift of Dharma excels all other Gifts If you would like to share the Gift of the Dharma with others by supporting the production cost of Dharma DVDs and books for Free Distribution, please kindly contact Zhi Jue at (65) 98768524 or Pu Xuan at (65) 97657881.

Title: EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, AS BUDDHA ATTAINS Presenter: Venerable Da Shi Editor: The Dharma Editorial Committee,

Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Taiwan, R.O.C.) Translator: The Dharma Committee,

Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore) Publisher: Miao You Pu Ti Yuan (Singapore) Address: 15 Lorong 29 Geylang

#02‐01 PTH Building Singapore 388069

Contact (65)67496460 Website: www.mypty.sg E‐mail: [email protected] Publish date: June 2011 ISBN: 978‐981‐08‐8798‐8

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