vajra (diamond) sutra march 18, 2011 lecture

8/7/2019 Vajra (Diamond) Sutra March 18, 2011 Lecture

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/vajra-diamond-sutra-march-18-2011-lecture 1/27

The Vajra (Diamond) SutraMarch 18 lecture©

as outlined by a Buddhist monk(Listen ‘live’ or recorded audio explanations atwww.wondrousdharma.org)

1

mp y, no emp y, emp y an ye no emp yQ&A Certain days I sit well, certain days not so

S 28 No greed and nothing acquired



Verse for opening a sutra

• Homage to the Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra and theVajra assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (3x)

• The unsurpassed, deep, profound, subtle, wonderfulDharma,

2

• In a hundred thousand million eons, is difficult toencounter,• Now that I’ve come to receive and hold it, within my

sight and hearing,

• I vow to fathom the Thus Come One’s true andactual meaning.



Q&A

Question: A book explaining the Vajra Sutra when translated says, “Noupholding or violating precepts; this is the Middle Way.” Please

explain.

Answer:

• A clearer translation should read, “no upholding or not violating

• It is too wieldy if it was said, “no upholding or upholdingprecepts; this is the Middle Way.

• But because ‘upholding’ is ‘not violating’ therefore…

3



Q&A

• It should read as ““no upholding or not violating precepts; this isthe Middle Way.”

• Yet this definition is the preliminary definition of the Middle Way

because it still has dualities.

• “No upholding” represents dharma on emptiness.

• “Not violating” represents dharma on existence.

• How does this relate to the Vajra Sutra and what is the ultimatedefinition of the Middle Way?

4



Q&A

• Since existence came from emptiness, yet ultimately it isinseparable and should not be distinguished per se.

• Therefore,1. No upholding precepts

2. Not violating precepts;

3. No upholding and yet not violating precepts;• this is the Middle Way.

• All 3 is actual one, the True Appearance prajna or Reality.

5



4-line verses Principles Precepts Middle Way

S 5 All

appearancesare false andempty…

Conditioned

dharma isfundamentallyEmpty

No upholding The 3

comprisingempty, notempty, and

‘empty yet notempty’ whentaken to the limit

is 1 absolute that

S 26 One wholooks for me informs, or seeks

Thoughconditioneddharmas

Not violating

is there isnothing at all.

The inherentnature of everyliving being isalready perfect

and complete. All

3 encompassesthe Middle Way

sounds…

is empty, it is‘not empty’

S 32 Allconditioneddharmas are

like a dream,

an illusion

Thereforeconditioneddharma is

‘empty and yet

not empty’

Noupholding,yet not

violating

6



4-line verses Principles Precepts All 3 is One Vehicle

S 5 All

appearancesare false andempty…

Conditioned

dharma isEmpty

No

upholding

Because of suffering,

the Buddha firsttaught the TwoVehicles.

S 26 One wholooks for me

in forms, or

Thoughconditioned

dharmas

Notviolating

The Buddhaeventually introduces

the Bodhisattva

sounds…

is empty, it is‘not empty’

compassion for othersstill suffering.

S 32 All

conditioneddharmas arelike a dream,an illusion…

Therefore

conditioneddharma is‘empty and yetnot empty’

No

upholding, yet notviolating

Finally when the

Bodhisattva Vehicle isperfected there is nodistinction between‘empty and not empty’

merging with Reality.7



Q&A

Question: A book explaining the Vajra Sutra when translated says, “Noupholding or violating precepts; this is the Middle Way.” Please

explain.

Answer:• No upholding precepts means you uphold the precepts without

the appearance that you are upholding it; this being done

feeling of being pure.

• No violating of precepts means upholding precepts but with

appearance of having done so.

8



Q&A

• What is meant by no upholding?

• We practice without the appearance of practicingupholding and not violating precepts.

• Section 9 of the Vajra Sutra says, “World Honored One,the Buddha has said that I am foremost in the

attainment of No Strife Samadhi, and I am foremostArhat free from desire.

• Yet, World Honored One, I do not have the thought, ‘Iam an Arhat free from desire.’

• If I had the thought, ‘I have attained the Way of theArhat,’ then the World Honored One would not say,‘Subhuti is foremost in practicing Aranya.’

9



Q&A

• Since Subhuti actually does not practice anything,he is called ‘Subhuti who delights in practicing

Aranya.” (s 9)

• Also, s 22 “As to anuttarasam aksambodhi there is

not the slightest dharma which I could attain.” Why?• Our inherent self nature is pure, perfect and complete.

• As such, we should hold precepts without any

appearance.

10



Conditioned dharmais Empty –actual truth

Conditioned dharmais Not empty-common truth

Empty and yet notempty – Middle Way

Four lineverses

expressesempty, notempty, and

Allappearances

are falseandempty…(s5)

One who looks for mein form, or seeks me in

sound, one practices adeviant way andcannot see the Thus

All conditioneddharmas are like a

dream, an illusion, a

bubble, a shadow anda lightning flash,

11

yet notempty

.

thus (s32)

Pertaining toprecepts

Noupholding

Upholding or notviolating

No upholding and yetnot violating

Preliminaryconcept ofMiddle Way

No upholding or not violating; this isthe Middle Way

Middle Way No upholding or not violating, No upholding and yet notviolating; this is the Middle Way



Q&A

• As regards others living beings, we don’t discriminateothers as having uphold or having violated the precepts.

• When one were to hold to certain aspects of the

precepts and become attached to them, then one islikel to initiate dis utes.

• Consequently thoughts of affection or hatred may arise

out of holding or violating of precepts.

12



Q&A

• “Therefore, when the Bodhisattva contemplates those

who commit offenses and those who do not commitoffenses, his mind remains free of detestation andaffection.

• ,

that results in the realization of prajna paramita.”(Nagajurna Bodhisattva)

• Why is this so?...

13



Q&A

• … Our resolve is to become a Buddha and Buddhas are

awaken to …

• S 23 says “..this Dharma is level and equal; nothing ishigher or lower. Therefore it is calledanuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

• The teachings of the Buddha is the teaching of the Middle

Way; therefore …

• “No upholding, not violating, no upholding and yet not violating

precepts or ; this is the Middle Way.”

14



Q&A

Great Master Sixth Patriarch:

• “Simply cast out the mind that finds fault,• Once cast away, troubles are gone;

• When hate and love don’t block the mind,

• Stretch out both legs and then lie down.”

• “I both see and do not see.

• What I see is the transgression and error of my ownmind. I do not see the right, wrong, good or bad of other

people.

• This is my seeing and not seeing.15



Q&A

Question: Certain days I sit very well with the mind subdued offalse thinking. Certain days I have a lot of false thinking. Why?

Answers:

• When you start to examine and reflect the reasons that causesyou not to sit well, it tantamount to engaging in more false

thoughts when in fact ‘all thoughts are no thoughts.” (s 18)

• The reason for wanting to find out more is because we areattached to days when you sit well.

• S 10 ‘ produce a mind which does not attach to anything’ isteaches us how to subdue the false thinking mind.

16



Q&A

• The attachment has caused disturbance in the mind.

• When we sit in meditation, we have no expectations ofanything at all. This accords with the Vajra Sutra.

• en we s t we , we are so.• When we don’t sit well, we are also so.

• Neither allowing our minds to be swayed by the

attachment to happiness and sadness is just subduingthe mind; the practice of equanimity.

17




Sutra: Subhuti, a Bodhisattva might fill up world systems equalin number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River withthe seven precious gems and give them as a gift. But ifanother person were to realize that all dharmas are devoid

of self and attain patience, that Bodhisattva’s merit andvirtues would surpass the merit and virtues of the previousBodhisattva.

ommen s:

• All dharmas means everything that is:

• It means even the teachings of the 3 Vehicles within theBuddhadharma

• All dharmas include our self, living beings and the environmentwhich we come into contact as sense objects include ourthoughts.

18




• Why is everything devoid of self? It is without identity; it was allone true appearance; being appearances from or projections of

the mind.

• One true appearance is without appearance (our inherent true

mind) yet within nothing everything manifest. (this world of

existence)

• All dharmas are devoid of self would then mean everything isoriginally empty; everything is fundamentally non existent but

appearances of the mind.

19




• Because we see through everything as devoid of self, we seethrough its true character that everything is inherently non

existent and empty.

• Therefore it is not surprising that the sutra says:

• “all dharmas are devoid of self and attain patience”- devoid.

• Because everything or Reality is seen as empty and not realbut projections of the mind, one attains patience.

20



S 28 No greed and nothing acquired• Extract of s 28: ‘But if another person were to realize

that all dharmas are devoid of self and attain

patience’

1. He sees every living being as empty and not real; being

causes and conditions.

2. He sees every phenomena including thoughts as not real

or empty; being appearances of the false mind.

3. Therefore he attains patience with non producing of

dharmas or phenomena; nothing was produced nordestroyed because originally there was nothing at all.21




Sutra: Why Subhuti? Because Bodhisattvas do notacquire blessings and virtues.

Comments:

• “Bodhisattvas do not acquire blessings and virtues”would mean blessings and virtues originally don’t existbecause every living being is replete with blessings and

virtuous conduct of a Buddha.

• They are expedients to negate the false and reveal the

truth. As such they are a product of projection of the

mind. This accords with Reality.

• Therefore nothing was acquired. This is prajna paramitato see Reality in its true form. What is Reality?

22




• What is Reality?

• “The Appearance of Reality is without Appearances.”

(s 14) Basically there was nothing at all.

• From absolute nothingness comes this world of

existence which fundamentally doesn’t exist.

• When seen in this way, no blessings or virtues areacquired in this world of existence which fundamentallydoesn’t exist.

23




Sutra: Subhuti addressed the Buddha, “World HonoredOne, how is it that Bodhisattvas do not acquireblessings and virtues?”

“Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should neither be greedy for,nor be attached to the blessings and virtues which

.

blessings and virtues.”Comments:

• Because we now see the Reality of Appearance of

blessings and virtues, we see it as fundamentally emptyand thus we do not greed for nor attached to them.

24



Q&A pertaining to s 28

Question: If all dharmas are devoid of self, what about the hells?

Answer:

Great Master Yung Chia,

• “When one is certified to the characteristic of Reality,

• There are no people or dharmas

,

• If I were deceiving living beings with untrue words,

• I’d invite upon myself the Ripping Out of Tongues for eons asmany as dust and sands.”

25



Q&A on section 28

Great Master Yung Chia,

• “In a dream, very clearly, there are six destinies;

• After enlightenment, completely empty, there is no universe.”

Explained by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua:

• While people are confused in a dream, the six paths of gods,humans, asuras, hells, hungry ghosts and animals are distinctly

evident.

• After one becomes Enlightened and is roused from theconfused dream, emptiness is pulverized, home is broken andpeople vanish. Then how could there the Three Thousand

Great Thousand World system exist? 26



Dedication of merit

• May every living beings,

• Our minds as one and radiant with light

• Share the fruits of peace, with heart of goodness

luminous and bright.• If people hear and see, how hands and hearts can find in

giving unity

27

• , ,

and to joy.• May kindness find reward; may all who sorrow leave their

grief and pain;

• May this boundless light break the darkness of theirendless night.

• Because our hearts are one, this world of pain turns intoparadise;

• May all become compassionate and wise (2x)

vajra (diamond) sutra march 18, 2011 lecture

Documents