Walk With Venerable Haiyun Jimeng

Our Only Choice 《我们只有一个选择》回答老狼夜话问

2011-03-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

回答老狼夜话问： “现在人人利字当头，谁还会理会自然生态呢？”

我不要求别人做什么，我只能管好我自己。自然生态既然与我们息息相关，也就是说大家都是呼吸着同一空气，那是我与地球众生灵所共享的福祉，我如何能不维护他！所以我常常呼吁，现在必须看清楚自由市场经济和资本主义，对地球生灵和各种植物、动物、矿物资源（当然包括人类）所做成的伤害！我们必须尽快同意采取崭新的经济体系，以取代当前的、剥削的自由市场经济和资本主义经济。我们整个民主社会都被少数资本家所掌控，别以为我是个共产主义者，绝非如此。我说的崭新的经济体系是马克思列宁之徒做梦也想不出来的！世界的人民必须及早回头是岸，返璞归真，共同缔造以划时代的“灵性经济学” （Spiritual Economy）体系，以取缔基于霸权掠夺的经济成长思想！心灵经济学的中轴线、主轴即是人性，是以人性为主轴开展的实践道路，即是人道，亦即是和谐社会的建构与开展。唉！我的坏习惯就是口沫横飞！老狼贤兄如有兴趣，可参看吾师海云继梦法师和我合作的《我们只有一个选择 - 一个既能保存现有文明成就，又能推动人类与地球永续生存的新时代愿景》：释海云(Venerable Haiyun Jimeng)著、释隆严（Venerable Sakya Longyen 即是本人）译一书，参见付图。

Yidam Wish-Fulfilling Gem

2011-03-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

There is an inspiring English translation of a traditional Tibetan prayer known as Calling the Lama from Afar, composed by Jamgon Kongtrul (1813-1899). The purpose of these words of wisdom is to strengthen the bond of the caller with the spiritual lineage of wisdom teachers, as well as with those positive influences in his or her life who may live at a distance, and with the deceased or those who can only be seen in person occasionally. These words will also intensify devotion of the caller and give voice to the longing for full awakening and the liberation of all beings from suffering, and turning his or her mind towards its transcendent source.

WISH-FULFILLING GEM

Glorious Lama dispelling the darkness of ignorance
Revealing the path of liberation
Wish-fulfilling Gem

Lama, think of me
Lama, think of me
You who know
Lama think of me

Glorious Lama salvation from samsaric ocean
Dispelling the sickness of five poisons
Wish-fulfilling Gem

Palden Lama, please bless me
To recall death and impermanence sincerely
To generate contentment within
To dwell in isolation in samadhi

Palden Lama, please bless me
To practice free of any interruption
To see the path of liberation in obstructions
To instantly achieve my own and others' welfare

Please bless me now
Blessing me this instant
Blessing here upon this very (cushion)
Please bless me now
Blessing me this instant
Blessing this entire (situation)!

The original song can be download free from the Turtlehill website.

Kuan - the State and Act of Contemplation

2011-03-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

'Kuan' is both a State and Act of Contemplation

The word 'kuan' as used in Chinese Ch'an practice and in esoteric practice carries different meanings respectively.

In Ch'an practices, it is a noun, meaning a realized state of contemplation manifested after a practitioner has eliminated all his illusions through the practice of vipassana or Ch'an. Such a state can be manifested as heterodox or orthodox, or as imperfect or perfect. The practitioner must then follow the guidance of his guru, carefully compare his realized state with what is written and taught in the sutras, and adhere to what is orthodox and perfect so as to enter the state of samadhi in real life.

In esoteric practices, however, the word 'kuan' refers to an act of immersing oneself in a physical, mental, and spiritual state so as to achieve a contemplated True Reality. The practitioner puts himself in real life situations to carry out such acts of contemplation according to esoteric principles and practices. Thus Esoteric Buddhism emphasizes 'kuan', both in action and at rest.

Moreover, in esoteric practices, special emphases are placed on the arrangement of the altar and use of mandalas. The four main classes of mandalas used in esoteric practices are (1) the maha-mandalas, representing the Buddha statue or image, (2) the Dharma or seed mandalas, representing the seed syllables of the mantras as embodiment of sutra texts, (3) the samaya mandalas, representing the instruments and mudras used in the ceremonial practices, and (4) karma mandalas, representing the descriptions or expressions of actions and accomplishments of of the Buddha having the function of cause and effect. All of such mandalas are used in association with mudras, mantras, and Dharma texts, forming the 'triple dharma seals of one reality' by uniting the body, speech, and mind. A practitioner is thus able to enter the state of the Dharmakaya.

You are what you eat – Your diet and your health

2011-03-06T02:42:00.000-08:00

There is a solar plexus/center/chakra at navel. Digestion slows down at night.

Diet - You are what you eat – Your diet, GMOs, and your health!

The body is sustained by food, water and air. Food is processed in the digestive system and converted to different ingredients like vatha, pitha, kapha. Food is converted to chyle, which is further processed sequentially to blood, flesh, fat, bones, bone marrow, and finally to semen. It takes one month to process to final constituent semen.

The ten ingredients mentioned above carry out all bodily functions. Their composition and quality depend on chyle i.e. diet and digestion. If the diet is unsuitable, it affects the quality of ingredient and disturbs the balance, thus setting the stage for disease. Thus diet, its quantity, suitability and digestive power is important for good health.

There is subtle effect of diet on the mind and on our temperament also.

Quality of Diet

The diet that we take has 3 qualities:
1. Nutritional value
2. Medical value
3. Spiritual value

Diet should be a balance one with respect to nutrition like fat, protein, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, etc. at per requirement based on work, exercise, age, etc. Natural products before they have been tempered with by the processors and refiners are the one source that has been consistently proven dependable. No truly adequate substitute for the products of nature have been discovered and prepared in laboratory. Processing removes vitally important minerals from the foods and either removes or makes values some or all of the precious vitamins. Enzymes are destroyed and many of the amino acids of the proteins in the food are destroyed. (Amino acids are destroyed by heat). Importance of eating fresh foods and uncooked vegetables should not be compromised, as they are sources of minerals, enzymes and vitamins. Minerals are important to the formation and maintenance of the blood, bones, teeth, muscles, glands and nerves.

The next suitable diet is boiled vegetables without losing water. Food values are evaporated by high temperate like frying and are chemically altered and rendered unsuitable foods. Nuts are sources of adequate protein. Green leaves, bananas, avocados, dates, figs, legumes and cereals contain proteins.

Canned foods, preserved foods, processed and refined foods, sulphured fruits, white flour, white sugar, white rice constitute poor minerals with which to produce healthy tissues, in many seeds such as sunflower seed, peanuts, soybeans, nuts and in avocados, olive nature has packed an abundant supply of the finest tastiest oils associated with minerals and vitamins. They are superior to oils on market.

Sweet fruits - dates, figs, raisins, sweet grapes, banana, persimmons and similar is finest sources of sugar. Learn to be moderate in eating habits

Diet acts as medicine also. Some of the food items and herbs have medicine values and should be consumed as per requirement.

Diet has spiritual value also. Food items and methods of preparation and cooking decide such value as satvic, rajasic, or tamasic, which affects our temperament, activity, inertia, restlessness, peace, etc. Satvic food contains items like fruits, fresh vegetables, juice, salad, milk, sweets, boiled vegetables without spices, honey, home made bread, butter, etc. It bring mental clarity, endurance, compassion and peace. Rajasic food contains items like fried, fatty, fast food, processed food, and spicy food. It brings anger, agitation, restlessness and passions. Tamasic food contains items like meat, fish, frozen, alcohol, and left over, etc., which brings inertia, ignorance, confusion, hatred, violence, etc.

Quantity and Time of Eating

Diet should be taken when you are hungry and not based on time. It should be a sparing diet leaving 1/3 of the stomach empty. There should be a 6-hour gap between two meals.

Food should be chewed properly as digestion starts from the mouth. No liquid should be taken before, during or just after the meal, otherwise the gastric fire is extinguished and digestive enzymes get diluted resulting in poor digestion. Water can be taken 45 minutes after the meal.

Wrong combination of food items should be avoided. E.g. Milk can be taken with cereal, bread, or oatmeal only. Not with vegetables, fruits, beans, yogurt, etc.

Cooking

Raw items like salad, fresh vegetables, juice, fresh fruits, sprouted beans or wheat are good. Cooking should be done at low temperature and not deep (prolonged time). Half cooked is better, particularly green vegetables. Wash the vegetables before cooking. Do not wash after cutting or do not discard water. If left over after cooking, as it contains vitamins like B and C. Freshly cooked food should be taken and not left over.

Process of eating

Diet should be taken as ritual, because it is an offering to the God within. So consider your body to be a temple, which should be preserved pure and pious.

Take time to eat so as to justify your body. Eat cheerfully. Don't eat when you are under grief or sorrow or tension, as digestive enzymes will not be secreted properly resulting in digestion and generation of toxins. Don't eat while standing or watching TV or doing some work. Concentrate on eating, chewing and enjoying the food.

Try to follow the wisdom of body. If there are symptoms of discomfort after eating or over eating, vomit the food out before it gets assimilated to the blood or avoid such food in the future.

Take food suitable to your body type (vatha, pitha, kapha) and blood group. Avoid junk food, processed food, left over and food having hydrogenated oil. Take lots of anti-oxidants, which act as oxygen scavenger so that cell health is maintained and aging process is delayed.

Give place for fresh fruits, salads, fresh vegetables, juice, herbs, in your diet as they provide living enzymes over and above minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals.

At times (once a week) observe fasting. This will ripen the unripe chyle circulating in the blood, gastric fire will get stimulated, and digestive system will get rest.

Drink sufficient water for efficient blood circulation, formation of enzymes and avoid constipation.

As far as possible, take pure mineral water and organic food so as to avoid chemicals and hormones. As you age, reduce salt, sugar, fat and dairy product. Instead take more vegetables, fruits and light food without oil. Use butter or ghee. A vegetarian diet is better as our body is designed for it. Meat/flesh does not contain fibre, or vitamin C. On the contrary, it has saturated fat and hormones, toxins and tension. Moreover, it is secondary food.

Take wheat grass juice and fresh juice of apple, beet, carrot, kale, collard greens, celery, parsley, spinach, fenugreek, coriander, tarragon, parsnip, cucumber, dandelion, watercress, romaine lettuce, ginger, etc. as they provide phytochemicals, minerals, vitamins and living enzymes. Whole grain flour is better compared to white flour. Brown rice or unpolished rice is better compared to polished rice, which has acidity.

As we age, acidity in the body increases. So avoid fermented food, cheese, meat, polished rice, paneer, bread, cake, beans, sour food and instead take more vegetables (boiled or raw) and alkaline fruits like fig, raisin, tomato, sugarcane, mango, melon, coconut, banana etc. Oat bran or wheat germ is better with soy milk. Our requirement for protein reduces as we age. Reduce the protein intake to 25 - 30 grams per day as excess protein is loading the cells and more waste products are getting locked in the cells.

You are what you eat! Exercise is as important as food. Dinner should be light but lunch can be heavy. Dinner should be taken before sunset. Our digestive power/gastric fire depends on the position of the sun. There is a solar plexus/center/chakra at navel. Digestion slows down at night.

Know about GMO and Join Forces to Fight Against Genetic Engineering.

Wish I could eat from my own crops like the ancient did. All genetic engineers should should be held accountable for changing the natural genetic make-up of our foods. Most of these genetic engineers will be still around to reap what they had sown in 20 years and see the world in turmoil. Still there's a silver lining, ray of hope, in every cloud.

Firstly, each one of us should know exactly 'how' and 'what' the genetic engineers are doing with their experiments to our foods. If you don't already know, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAP6ZtfP9ZQ. You will be shocked. These so called scientists are already using bacteria and virus invasion techniques to do their dirty jobs, destroying our immune system and causing early diseases such as diabetes and skin allergies in our young people. What are you going to do about it?

Secondly, be a food cartel watchdog. Go on the internet and get updates from activists who are constantly fighting against these food cartels and those involved in the dealings of GMO. Go here, "New Hope 360" at http://newhope360.com/saying-no-gmos-anti-gmo-activist-launches-new-initiative - Say No to GMO - is a good start. Join them or at least read about what's happening. I'm already a member!

Thirdly, be an anti-GMO activist! You'll be doing yourself and many innocent people a great favour by taking active part in the fight against GM activities. You can write about it, tell about them, help identify and make know GMO food products on market and boycott the use known food products.

Fourthly, if you're a billionaire and needs to do something good for a change, then exercise your influence on the political arena, or invest money in the development of traditional methods of farming, marketing and distribution and storage of foods, or set up academic programs of studies to educate the young generations in innovative farming without involving genetic engineering so that such tradition and innovative farming can regain a competitive edge over GMOs, causing financial loses to existing GMO cartels and GMO development.

All in all, our generation of young people must have a clear understanding of the harmful effects of genetic engineering and must stand up against further GMO developmental activities.

Venerable M. Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra’s Net
support@newhuayen.com

March 5, 2011

Natures Law of Reaping What You Sowed

2011-03-06T02:33:00.000-08:00

Pigs awaiting quarantine, South Korea, Ansung

]
Large hole off pig farm in South Korea Ansun

South Korea Buries 1.4 Million Pigs Alive

South Korean quarantine officers throw live piglets into hole in Ansung

Dustin Á' Hjz
March 4, 2011
Killing Millions of live sentient beings is the equivalent of genocide. Could have put them to sleep gently or seek other options such as VACCINATIONS.

"They did it because they didn't want to pay for euthanasia drugs."

But no, humans are greedy and selfish, and when a problem threatens the very well being of these selfish individuals, their quickest response is to KILL in the most cost efficient manner without due care. Animals are stricken with diseases that AFFECT humans for a reason. It is natures way of saying, you can no longer eat our diseased flesh. If such event does disturb you, consider removing pork from your diet or a simple reduction of intake in pork/flesh. You will save millions(people) in the future by balancing the world food crisis, REDUCE risk of HEART DISEASE, CANCER and INFLAMMATORY type illnesses in your own body.

For those who do not care, please continue to enjoy your life as a consumer of sentient beings for as long as your body allows.

Happy Healthy Living to you all.

p.s. no racist/racial comments. Being Korean / Asian has nothing to do with this. We are all human.

D'Hym (Akira Tomiyama)
March 4, 2011
Oh boy! Bad karma big time, really bad commonly shared karma! The mass murderers will definitely have to pay back their indebtedness to the pigs. Just wait and see.

Yes, Euthanyl is expensive and must be administered individually by lethal injection. So the Korean health authority resorted to mass live burial, which is excruciatingly painful for the packed struggling animals to suffocate and die, for it could take up to 20 minutes. O Sentient Beings I Weep For Thee!

But you know what, by so doing, the mass murderers (yes murderers) will have incurred a commonly shared debt for the entirely South Korean population and will definitely have to pay back when they come back the next around!

During payback time, the former murderers will reincarnate into swine themselves. They will be butchered, eaten by their own people (this time by their former victimized pigs in human form) and when their debts are not paid in full (because many innocent pigs were uninfected animals with no Foot to Mouth Disease), these reincarnated pigs will develop FMD themselves.

Venerable M. Sakya Longyen
Huayen On Indra's Net
support@newhuayen.com
4 March 2011

A Buddhist Overview of Reincarnation, Conception, Renunciation and Buddhahood

2011-03-06T02:27:00.000-08:00

A Buddhist Overview of Reincarnation, Conception, Renunciation and Buddhahood

This articles deals with the following basic foundational concepts in Buddhism.

Reincarnation

Conception

Renunciation

Buddhahood

I. Reincarnation

All Buddhists believe in reincarnation.

During the first 49 days after a human being breathes out his or her last breath and up to the time of reincarnation, his or her spirit or “soul” survives for up to 49 days. This survival is known as the “bardo,” the “outcast,” or the “body in the Yun,” a period during the good and bad karma of the former life is being weighed and judged. Since his or her karma is not yet formed to determined where he or she will reincarnate, the bardo is extremely free. And since the bardo is extremely light, agile, and keen, its strength of awareness is seven times stronger than before death during this period, and possesses his bardo throughout. Mediums can read their minds or even varying the length of this survival period for seven days, 14 day, 21 days, 28 days, 35 days, 42 days and up to 49 days, at which time his or her karma for the next lifetime will have been determined and the bardo will undergo reincarnation accordingly.

How does a bardo choose his next parents? All Buddhists believe in cause and effect. This is the foundation for karma. Without a cause, there can be no effect. A certain cause will definitely produce a certain effect. Like a seed in the cause and in a seed or fertilized ovum is hidden all the genes that will determine what plant or animal or human is to be born next. Besides, causes and effects, relations are also a determining factor of the next life. Bardos will only seek out parents who are somehow related to them in their past. These relations can be either good or bad. A bad relation with someone in the past will lead a bardo to seek you out so that you will have to suffer for your past karma or debt to that particular bardo when you become its parent or parents. This explains why some children are very good to their parents and some extremely bad. The bad ones come to collect their debts. For example, the parents of such a child have to love him or her very much only to lose him or her in the end, such a death by fatal accidents after the parents have given him or her a good education. When the child has collected his or her debts, they will leave the parents behind. On the other hand, other children may be very filial pious to the parents because they had good relations with them in their former lives.

II. Conception

How is his sex determined in relation to conception? When a bardo has seek out is parents, the next item on the list is determination of the sex of the child to be born. If the bardo sees the parents in copulation and is attached to the physical body of the man, then its sex will be female and the child is so conceived; if the bardo sees the parents in copulation and is attached to the physical body of the woman, then its sex will be male and the child is so conceived. They sperm will only do what it is supposed to do. Because of such attachments of the bardo in choosing its parents, both the male and female born will suffer later in their life because of the opposite sex either through infatuation, sexual desires, love, separation, and strong attachments.

III. Renunciation

In almost all cultures both eastern and western, men are considered more rational and women more emotion, and so goes the saying “men are from Mars and women from Venus.” Because of this, the Buddha originally did not allow women to become monks lest they came into contact with them and emotional influenced them. Because Buddha’s the first cousin Ananda begged the Buddha to save his mother and the Buddha was compassionate, by choice the Buddha shortened 20 years of his own lifespan to allow Ananda’s mother to enter the monastic community. Such was the beginning of nuns in the Buddhist monastic community. Strictly speaking, even to this date in most monasteries, monks and nuns are not allowed to practice under the same roof. The Buddha set down 384 commandments for nuns to obey unconditionally, but only 250 commandments for monks. The additional commandments deal with, prevent and protect the integrity of the entire monastic community and guide nuns in their daily practices with clear advices for nuns as to how they should treat their own emotions.

Why did the Buddha manifest himself as a man and not a woman? In Buddhism, it is generally believed that because her emotional makeup and her strong attachment to love and desire, a woman has to undergo rebirth 500 times before she can assume the body of a man. And since a man is more rational, once born, he has the potential to become a Buddha if he so chooses! Even today, who in this world would be willing to allow her own husband to leave the family behind to become a monk? With the attachments of a family, it is almost hopeless for any man to undergo ascetic practices to become a Buddha! He will not only have to learn to love and save his own children but also the children of all humankind! This was why Gautama Siddhartha manifested himself as a prince, married and had a son before he renounce his family and set out to learn from the greatest Yogis of his time the way to liberation and to save his people from suffering.

IV. Buddhahood

Of the six realms of sentient beings, heavenly beings, humans, asuras, animals, ghost, and demons, only humans has the potential to become Buddhas. Heavenly beings indulge themselves in leisure and enjoyment and therefore never intend to become Buddhas. They enjoy extraordinary long life spans and when they die, they fall down from heaven into Samsara again to become any of the lower levels of existences. All humans go through some kind of suffering in their life time. The more they suffer, the more they reflect upon the true meaning life and it is because of this that some of them may choose ascetic practices to become Buddhas. Asuras are also heavenly beings: male asuras are handsome looking but vengeful; female asuras are ugly and belligerent. All they think of is how to rage wars with the gods and therefore they also are too preoccupied to even think of practicing to become Buddhas. Animals are born into their own forms to repay their past karma. They have fur, hair and horns, but no free will. Most animals end up on dinner tables. They cannot even stand upright like humans can and therefore they suffer and become game or are butchered. Some humane pet owners may be kind to their pets but can only love them to a limited extent. There is a really need for animal rights activities worldwide nowadas. But even so, they cannot teach them the meaning of life, but can only feed and walk them, so all animals will die in vain without the slightest idea of why they are here in the first place. Hungry ghosts coexist with humans in the same dimension. Since they do not have physical bodies, they cannot perform good karma to change their existing karma at will, and so they only suffer for their past karma unless saved by a good human being or Bodhisattva such as Ksitigarbha who is too willing and powerful. Demonic beings in the hells suffer most for eons without the slightest hope of rebirth! Like the hungry ghosts, they do not have physical bodies either and so they cannot perform good karma to change their existing karma at will, and so none of them have the chance of becoming Buddhas on their own.

V. Conclusion

In summary, if a sentient being wishes to follow the teachings of the Buddhas, practices Buddhism and eventually to become a Buddha, he or she must first become a human being, and then listen and believe in the Dharma. He or she must also try their utmost to complete their practices in this lifetime, lest they would lose their human body upon death. For human life is fragile as flower petals and no one can guarantee that he will have the choice or chance to take human form the next time around!

Venerable M. Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra’s Net
support@newhuayen.com
March 4, 2011

Yoga and Zen

2011-02-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

According Patanjali, "Yoga is freedom from mental disturbances." (The yoga sutras of Patanjali 1.2) Yoga is defined as union of the self with the super-self. When in union, the self is one with the universal consciousness. Hence, Yoga is a process by which a practitioner purifies the self physically, mentally and spiritually until such union is attained. In such a state of union, the consciousness is no longer fragmented, but is pure, devoid of subject and object. It is devoid of differentiation and the oneness is experienced as pure bliss.

In Zen, this state of freedom from mental disturbances is known as "the original look before father and mother were born." Other descriptions include original nature, ultimate reality, suchness, essence of reality, emptiness, and Sarvajnata. The Zen Buddhist eliminates his mental attachments, detaches the self until the "I", the meditator, and the object of meditation disappear. The most common methods of meditation are anapanasati, vipassana, and Zen, all of which pay particular attention to the control of breathing in their practice.

In the Heart Sutra, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in deep prajna meditation saw that his five skandhas were all empty and so he was freed from all suffering. This state of emptiness pervades the whole universe and is the universal consciousness, the origin of all life forms and phenomena, the Creator, or God. Avalokitesvara was thus liberated from Samsara and became super-ordinary, i.e. a saint. Such realization and union with the universal consciousness has led Saint Avalokitesvara into Moksha.

In Christianity, this universal consciousness or being is called God and the hope of all Christians is to return to Heaven to be with God through the sacrifice and deliverance of Jesus Christ the Savior. When God created Adam and Eve, He breathed into his mouth and gave him life. This is the source of life and in Yoga it is known as prana. The life span of a human being is determined by the number of breaths he has in his life time. Therefore in yoga, the yogi trains his prana and harnesses the spiritual energy he can get from each prana, which technique is known as pranayama, the fourth limb of ashtanga yoga.

In Taoism, the origin of all life forms and phenomena is nothingness. From nothingness came Taichi or One, from Taichi came Yin and Yang, the female and male principles, from Yin and Yang came the four cardinal divisions of the Blue Dragon Qinglong in the east, the White Tiger Baihu in the west, the Red Phoenix Zhuque in the south, and the Grand Turtle Yuanwu in the north, and finally from the four divisions came the eight divinatory trigrams of the Book of Changes, and thus the whole universe was formed. The Taoist practitioner practices Taichi or Qigong in order to harness his Chi or breath. He knows that as the Chi pervades the whole universe it also runs in his nadis. He has to run it through each and every energy nodes in his body. This Chi or breath in Yoga is known as prana, the source and sustenance of life. Because the number of breaths a human being has is determined, whether in Qigong, Taichi, or Yoga, the practitioner never wastes each breath.

From the above, I can safely conclude that Yoga is Zen without its Koans and Huatous, and Zen is Yoga without its asanas, pranayamas and dhautis because both share the same goal and should share the same practical methods. In China, Japan and Korea where Zen is practiced, the methods of training have been reshaped by culture such that each country has its own forms. The original need for purification of the body through Yoga is neglected and their methods tend to be metaphysical. Over time, the historical methods of Yoga have been lost and only doctrinal Yogacara remains. The Yogacara doctrines have become too difficult for modern Buddhists to understand much less to practice. Therefore, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Zen or Ch'an Buddhists must now look to India, and find a guru who can illumine them on the practical methods of Yoga, and that Great Guru, the last real Great Guru of our time, is Swami Rajarshi Muni.

In 629 defying imperial proscription by Emperor Tai-Chung 唐太宗 of the T'ang Dynasty, the famous Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang 玄奘 secretly set out on foot on his epochal journey to the land of the Buddha from Chang'an 長安 (then capital of China) to learn Yoga and brought back to China many Yoga and other scriptures.

1381 years thereafter in 2010, once again an accomplished Chinese Buddhist monk, Master Sea Cloud 海雲繼夢法師 of the Da Huayen Monastery 大華嚴寺 (Great Floral Garland Monastery) Taiwan, came to India to learn Yoga from Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni 惹查西牟尼, Founder of the Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission 拉克魯希神國際覺明傳道會(LIFE Mission 生命傳道會). Like Master Hsuan Tsang the first Chinese Buddhist Yogi, he is the second Chinese Buddhist Yogi in Chinese history to humbly learn from an Indian Guru. People like Master Hsuan Tsang and Master Sea Cloud only come once in a millennium. In this age, these people are few and far between. Why Yoga?

Photo of Master Sea Cloud with Sri Swami Satyanand of LIFE Mission
Sakya M. Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net
http://newhuayen.com

Huayen on Indra's Net Recent Visitors

2011-02-26T23:41:00.000-08:00

Ehipassiko – come and see

2011-02-26T16:47:00.000-08:00

Dependent Origination is the teaching which makes the Lord Buddha's path unique among all other types of meditation. It is the doctrine of arising and ceasing of phenomena. Lord Buddha says, "He who sees Dependent Origination sees the Dhamma, he who sees the Dhamma sees Dependent Origination." [Middle Length Sayings [Majjhima Nikaaya] Sutta 28 section 38] This means seeing and realizing all of the "Four Noble Truths of Suffering, of the Origin of Suffering, of the Cessation of Suffering, and of the Path Leading the Way Out of Suffering."

There is another interesting sutta about seeing of the Four Noble Truths, found in the Digha Nikaaya Sutta number 16, section 5.27. From this section of the sutta, one concludes that the way to attain enlightenment is by following the Eightfold Path and realizing the Noble Truths. It says:

Quote:

5.27 In whatever Dhamma and Discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, no ascetic is found of the first grade (meaning a sotaapanna), second grade (meaning sakadaagaami), thirdgrade (meaning anaagaami), or fourth grade (meaning an arahat). But such ascetics can be found, of the first, second, third, and fourth grade in a Dhamma and Discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is found. Now, Subhaadda, in this Dhamma and Discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is found, and in it are to be found ascetics of the first, second, third and fourth grade. Those other schools are devoid of [true] ascetics; but if in this one the Bhikkhus were to live to perfection, the world would not lack for Arahats."

Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net
http://newhuayen.com

Anapanna-sati and Vipassana

2011-02-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

It should be noted that in any form of meditation, the body should be fully relaxed and not hindered. Whether full lotus, half lotus, or just crossed-legged is a matter of personal preference. A picture of Pa Auk Bhikkhu in meditative sitting posture is given here: http://www.paauk.org/images/PaAukPhotoAlbum/slides/Pa-Auk%20Sayadaw%20when%20young.html.

For example, in Myanmar sarong-clad practitioners would sit with their legs folded to their side because the sarong would hinder sitting in any lotus postures.

A picture of me training in anapanna is given here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101913446508183&set=t.100000685852482&theater.

In Padmasan on solar eclipse 2010 over the Holy Narnada River, Asha Yogashram:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101914353174759&set=a.101455126554015.3318.100000685852482&theater.

Further reading: A Revision of Meditation Methods by Bhante Seng is given here: http://fccheonghome.com/center/Q%20&%20A.htm.

Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net
http://newhuayen.com

Realizing Huayen Buddhism

2011-02-20T13:22:00.000-08:00

Your original nature, the nature of the Buddha, of Tathagata, the nature of all existence, of emptiness, and of totality are just the same. When you can appreciate the beauty of a single flower, your whole life would change. At that moment, look into your own nature to see who is appreciating the wondrous beauty. Then, even the sound of a thunderclap, the flash of a lightning, the sight of a distant star, the full moon, a cup of tea, a mud puddle, the wind of a hurricane, or even landslide are no more beautiful or ugly, because they are what they are. They are both many and one, and this is holistic harmony. This is the realization of Huayen Buddhism in the Dharma Realm and in real life.

Sakya Longyen
Indra's Net

Practicing Huayen Buddhism

2011-02-18T12:04:00.000-08:00

A brief introduction into the practice of Huayen Buddhism is given at http://newhuayen.com/page24.html.

Thomas Cleary's Flower Ornament Scripture is the best translation available. The appendices are especially helpful in giving a correct perspective. His style is both original and creative. A comparison of a more verbatim translation (incomplete) can be found at http://www.cttbusa.org/avatamsaka/avatamsaka_contents.asp.

As regard the influence of Neo Taoist thoughts on Huayen Buddhism, I rather think that it was the Chinese Huayen masters who utilized Taoist terms to gain a foothold in Chinese soil. Both my guru Venerable Haiyun Jimeng and I agreed with Ch'eng-kuan that though the terms may be the same the meanings are totally different.

T'an-luan (476–542). Early Chinese Pure Land thinker and popularizer. He began his monastic career as a scholar, and was in the middle of composing a massive commentary on the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra (Chin., Ta-chi ching) when he came down with a serious illness. He left his monastery and sought out a renowned Taoist alchemist to receive the teachings on immortality. After receiving from him ten scrolls of Taoist scripture, he set out for home. However, on his way back he reportedly ran into the Indian monk Bodhiruci. T'an-luan asked him if there were any Indian Buddhist sūtras better than Taoist works on immortality. At this Bodhiruci is said to have become very angry and spat on the ground, saying that one cannot find the secret of immortality in any Chinese book. Taoism may prolong your life for a while, but by means of its teaching one cannot escape.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Tan-luan.aspx.

You may continue to practice Vipassana at home on the basis of what you've learnt. To refresh your memory, a short video is provided here at http://video.server.dhamma.org/video/vipassana/apvip.mov.

Finally thank you for your interest in Huayen Buddhism and your continued support of the Indra's Net at http://newhuayen.com.
__________________________
Bring holistic harmony, peace and love by helping someone cultivate altruism, benevolence, compassion, and keep inner peace.
Sakya Longyen

My Perfect Soul Mate

2011-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

My Perfect Soul Mate
I may stumble as I talk if you look too pretty before me. Don't be shy if I stare too long into your eyes to search your soul for that sparkle of love to connect us.

Perfect Match
If you can appreciate the beauty of a single flower, if you're vegetarian, like Korean, Chinese, or Japanese food, enjoy a foreign film or a sitcom drama even if you don't understand the language, if you don't racial profile, if you like Stanley Park, English Bay, and Robson street, if you love mother earth, care about the environment, understand social and spiritual ecology, don't mind taking public transport, sort out your garbage and recycle your empties, I know this is too much, but hey, who's perfect!

Ideal date
Just to meet up and get to know each other really well. Meeting can be anywhere and casual. An afternoon at a nearby Starbucks, read you my poetry at sunset on the beach, lie staring at distant stars on the grass on a moonlit night, together we’ll do yoga, hear Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, take a foot bath, but if you like fancy candlelight dinners on the rotunda, I'll go for it.

Abide in Truth as it Abides in You

2011-02-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

"What is the meaning of life?" Edward looked eagerly as he asked me.
"Your life? Or mine?" I asked.
Edward was a little confused though his bright eyes and smile did not betrayed his continued interest in the quest for an answer.
He is only 20 and has already arrived at a crossroad in life where he has to begin his quest for truth.
No one but himself can tell him what his truth is.
For his truth in life abides in him.
All Edward has to do now is to abide in his own truth,
His own abode,
The very meaning of his life.

Dedicated to Edward, a very fine young friend.

0 and 1

2011-02-11T06:42:00.000-08:00

All in One in All – Preface to the first Edition

With the exception perhaps of abstract mathematicians, the differentiating ordinary human intellect is accustomed to defining things or beings as units and individuals; such being the case, it is hard for man to see there is no contradiction in the book title, and so I am I, you are you and there is no way to comprehend a circle with no center. The Avatamsaka Buddhist totally reject this individualized cosmic view. To them One includes All and All include One. Hence the title of this book All in One in All.

For example, we are accustomed to counting from 1 to 10; then in the late 60′s and early 70′s when computers first hit the consumer market, we were taught different counting methods, i.e., from 0 to 9 in decimal, from 0 to F in hexadecimal, and from 0 to 1 in the binary system of computing. Human intelligence is not unlike computer intelligence, thinking in either 0 or 1; hence the identity of the self. The computer never asks you why and how you get from 0 to 1 and programmers don’t, or don’t bother to know.

This is why with over 2500 years of western civilisation since Socrates, philosophers, theologians, psychologists, and scientists still cannot explain two fundamental questions in life: 1) Why is every individual selfish? and 2) Why should every individual be good? Answers like God tells me so, or my parents tell me so will not satisfy the fundamental agnostic. The point is they don’t know why and how to get from 0 to 1 and back from 1 to 0 and that 1 and 0 are not mutually exclusive but mutually inclusive, and interpermeating without obstruction. From 0 come 1 and 0 but 0 and 1 must come from 1.

Only an enlightened being or a Buddha knows this truth and the first Sutra that Buddha Sakyamuni spoke to the bodhisattvas and devas of all universes at all times and in all places was the Mahavaipulya Buddha Avatamsaka Sutra in which the very truth that all is in one and one is in all is thoroughly expounded. As long as every man is an island and every circle has its own center, conflicts and wars will continue to plague us.

Some may preach the Armageddon and salvation through Jesus, but Islam or other religions may preach otherwise. The Avatamsaka Buddhist do not argue with anyone for they know the answers to both questions and have been applying them to actualizing their own spiritual growth. May all readers of this book benefit from the insight of the post modern Avatamsaka Buddhist and may there be peace on Earth.

See “All in One in All – The Huayen Buddhist e-Handbook” at http://allisoneisall.blogspot.com/2009/01/table-of-contents.html.

0 y 1
"All in One in All" - Prefacio a la primera edición
de Akira Tomiyama, El Viernes, 11 de Febrero de 2011
Español traducido por Agustin Elizondo

Con la excepción quizá de los matemáticos abstractos, las diferentes inteligencias de la gente común están acostumbradas a definir las cosas y los seres como unidades e individuos; tal es el caso, que es difícil para el hombre el ver que no hay contradicción en el título del libro, por lo que soy, tú eres tú y no hay manera de comprender un círculo sin un centro. El budismo Avatamsaka rechaza totalmente esta visión cósmica individualizada. Para ellos Uno incluye todos y todos son uno. De ahí el título de este libro Todo en Uno en todo.

Por ejemplo, estamos acostumbrados a contar desde uno hasta diez, luego a finales de los años 60 y principios de los 70 cuando las primeras computadoras golpearon el mercado de consumo, se nos enseñó otro método de conteo, es decir, de 0 a 9 en decimal, de 0 a F en hexadecimal, y de 0 a 1 en el sistema binario de la informática. La inteligencia humana no es diferente de la inteligencia computacional por lo de la identidad del yo, pensando en 0 o 1. La computadora nunca se pregunta por qué y cómo llegar de 0 a 1 y los programadores no lo hacen, o no se molestan en saber.

Por ello, con más de 2500 años de civilización occidental desde Sócrates, los filósofos, teólogos, psicólogos y los científicos todavía no pueden explicar dos cuestiones fundamentales en la vida: 1) ¿Por qué todas las personas son egoístas? y 2) ¿Por qué cada individuo es bueno? Respuestas como, Dios me lo dice, o mis padres me dicen , lo que no se cumple en los fundamentos agnósticos. El punto es que no sé por qué y cómo llegar de 0 a 1 y vuelta de 1 a 0 y 1 y 0 que no son mutuamente excluyentes, sino que se incluyen mutuamente.

Sólo un ser iluminado o un Buda conoce esta verdad y el Sutra del Buda Shakyamuni por primera vez habló con los bodhisattvas y los devas de todos los universos, en todo momento y en todos los lugares fue el Mahavaipulya Buda Sutra Avatamsaka en el que la misma verdad que todo está en uno y uno está en todo es expuesto completamente. Siempre y cuando cada hombre sea una isla y cada círculo tenga su propio centro, los conflictos y las guerras nos seguirán como una plaga.

Algunos pueden predicar el Armagedón y la salvación por medio de Jesús, por el Islam u otras religiones que pueden predicar lo contrario. El budista Avatamsaka no discute con nadie, porque conocen las respuestas a ambas preguntas y las han estado aplicando para actualizar su propio crecimiento espiritual. Que todos los lectores de este libro se beneficien de la visión del post-moderno budismo Avatamsaka y puedan tener paz en la Tierra.

Consulte "All in One in All" - El budista Huayen e-Manual" en http://allisoneisall.blogspot.com/2009/01/table-of-contents.html.

What is Buddhism

2011-02-02T04:24:00.000-08:00

Buddhism is not a religion in the traditional sense of the word in that one has to believe in God or gods. It is a doctrine taught by Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha in the 6th century BCE. It is neither a dogma nor a revelation by a supernatural agency. Buddhism is a spiritual path based on personal inquiry an experience, self-knowledge based on the understanding of the human condition and suffering, and how to overcome it through wholesome living, spiritual cultivation and wisdom. The Buddha was, in effect, a great Siddha, an accomplished knower of truth, a healer of the spirit.

To a seeker of truth it is not important where an idea comes from. To understand truth, it is not necessary to know whether the teaching comes from the Buddha or anyone else. What is essential is seeing and understanding it. Most traditional Buddhists do not see Buddhism as a form of spirituality but understand it as a religion. There are also scholars who study Buddhism as a philosophy. Buddhism should not be treated as a religion or a philosophy. Our modern society needs a spiritual training process to bring about peace and harmony to all beings and Buddhism is exactly this. Buddhism as religion tends towards dogmatism, supernaturalism and the occult. Buddhism as a mere philosophy limits its benefits to man. We should live the truth to realise it. Thus, Buddhism is the raft that ferries us from the bondage of delusion to liberation.

Buddhism is neither an abstract philosophy based mere intellectual activity. Philosophy means the love of truth. It is the path of awakening to the truths of existence and laws of nature. The Buddha's method of teaching was unique; he encouraged people to observe for themselves. He criticised the enslaving ways of the traditional religious authorities and emphasised the importance of observation and analysis.

“Do not believe in anything simply because you’ve heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken or rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. After observation and analysis, if you find anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

“If we could see the beauty of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.”

- Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)

¿Qué es el budismo?

de Akira Tomiyama, El Martes, 25 de de Enero de 2011

Español traducido por Agustin Elizondo

El budismo no es una religión en el sentido tradicional de la palabra en el que uno tiene que creer en Dios o en dioses. Es una doctrina enseñada por Siddharta Gautama, el Buda histórico en el siglo sexto antes de Cristo. No es ni un dogma ni una revelación de un agente sobrenatural. El budismo es un camino espiritual basado en la investigación personal de una experiencia, conocimiento de sí mismo basado en la comprensión de la condición humana y el sufrimiento, y la forma de superarse a través de una vida sana, el cultivo espiritual y la sabiduría. El Buda fue, en efecto, un gran Siddha, un conocedor consumado de la verdad, un curandero del espíritu.

Para un buscador de la verdad no es importante cuando una idea viene. Para entender la verdad, no es necesario saber si la enseñanza viene del Buda o cualquier otra persona. Lo esencial es ver y comprender la misma. La mayoría de los budistas tradicionales no ven el Budismo como una forma de espiritualidad, sino entenderlo como una religión. También hay eruditos que estudian el budismo como una filosofía. El budismo no debe ser tratado como una religión o una filosofía. Nuestra sociedad moderna necesita de un proceso de formación espiritual para lograr la paz y la armonía en todos los seres y el budismo es exactamente esto. El budismo como la religión tiende hacia el dogmatismo, lo sobrenatural y lo oculto. El budismo como una filosofía simplifica los límites de sus beneficios para el hombre. Debemos vivir la verdad para darnos cuenta. Por lo tanto, el budismo es la balsa que los transbordadores, nosotros, nos lleva de la esclavitud de la ilusión a la liberación.

El budismo no es una filosofía abstracta basada en una mera actividad intelectual. Filosofía significa amor a la verdad. Es el camino de despertar a las verdades de la existencia y las leyes de la naturaleza. El método del Buda de la enseñanza era único, animó a la gente para observar por sí mismos. Criticó las formas esclavizantes de las autoridades religiosas tradicionales y destacó la importancia de la observación y análisis.

"No creas en algo simplemente porque lo has escuchado. No creas en algo simplemente porque se dice o se rumorea por muchos. No creas en nada, porque está escrito en tus libros religiosos. No creo en nada simplemente por la autoridad de sus maestros y ancianos. No creas en tradiciones porque han sido transmitidas de generación en generación. Después de la observación y el análisis, si encuentra algo que está de acuerdo con la razón y es conducente al bien y beneficio de todos y cada uno, a continuación, aceptarlo y vive conforme a ello.

" Si pudiéramos ver la belleza de una flor con claridad toda la vida iba a cambiar "-. Siddharta Gautama (Buda)

Ariya and Anariya

2011-01-11T18:20:00.000-08:00

REALISED INDIVIDUALS (ariya) and ORDINARY FOLKS (anariya)

The difference between these two groups in in terms of spiritual attainments. In Theravada Buddhism, there are four types of realized individuals:
1. Arahata - worthy one
2. Anagami - non returner
3. Sakadagami - once returner
4. Sotapanna - stream winner

All of the above would have experienced the "unconditioned reality" to varying extent, with the highest level of attainment reached by becoming a worthy one. At each level, defilements in varying stages are being uprooted with eventual termination of rebirth.

The ordinary folks include all good and foolish folks. In fact, you will rarely, if ever, come across a really evil person. We'd rather look at them as weak or "sick" and need compassion. Conversely, to be totally "good" is to have "realized". Most would come in in-betweens.

Anyways, it's not easy to know who has "realized" and guessing would not help to ascertain this either.

Alternatively, we could classify them as:
a. spiritually inclined beings
b. spiritually uninclined beings

Again, be careful how you respond to this. If you consider yourself spiritually superior, then pride may arise. But if you consider others more superior than yourself, you may develop inferiority complex. The solution to both situations is to replace them with humility and respect. Then the feeling of fellowship and faith will arise instead, and metta loving kindness follows. When loving metta kindness arises, we can make use of this as a common ground for civilized interfaith open dialogue.

You don't have a soul

2011-01-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body." - C.S. Lewis

Well, at least that was C.S. Lewis's assertion and most people's unquestioned assumption. But it is one of the basic tenets of Buddhism that there is no independent, continuous and unbroken ātman (self). Even our body is only a collection of aggregates. If this is the case, who goes to heaven or hell, or is reborn into another life, assuming there are such things?

Yogācāra Buddhism posits the existence of a part of the mind called the ālaya-vijñāna (store consciousness) that is uninterrupted and firmly retains the aftereffects of all we have done. The ālaya-vijñāna flawlessly retains all of our past experiences, and recognizes and contextualizes things as we cognize them. Our experiences, according to their depth and significance upon our lives, are difficult to remove.

As noted, Yogācāra posits no self, nonetheless the part of our mind that reconciles our identity is called the manas, a function of mind that is secretly, ceaselessly attaching itself to the notion of a continuous and unbroken self. The manas transforms objects of cognition by a deep attachment to the self, and by the resulting tendencies to protect and further that self. This is the part of you that says, "This looks so good to me and I like it!"

This ālaya-vijñāna and the manas together form our deep consciousness. They are followed by the six surface levels including the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, and thinking consciousness, each is aware only of their own objects. It is only a person's ālaya-vijñāna that lives on from one life to another, not his soul.

Written by Ven. Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net

Huayen Sutra Study Procedure

2010-12-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

I. Finish each session in 53 days in a two-month period with a 7-day floating period.

II. Every day during this 53-day period, read your sutra of choice in whole or in parts by following these steps.

A. Making offerings to the Buddha including offerings in kinds such as incense, flowers, water, and fruit and by act of prostrating yourself 108 times before the Buddha.

B. Recite your sutra of choice.

C. After each reading, chant the name of the Buddha 1080 times.

D. Dedication of Merit

I dedicate the merit and virtue from this profound act of Universal Worthy,
With all its boundless superior blessings,
Making the universal vow that all beings sunk in defilement,
Will quickly go to the Land of the Buddha of Limitless Light (Amitabha).
Homage to all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time,
All Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, and
Maha Prajna Paramita!
Homage to the King Bodhisattva Mahasattva of Universal Worthy! (Three invocations, three prostrations)

E. After completing the daily practice, sit in meditative pose for ten to 15 minutes to reflect on your own acts of body, speech, and mind, so as to purify any defilement.

At first, the daily practice may take up to four hours, but with practice, you may be able to reduce it to two. After doing this for six months, you will notice marked reduction in mental defilements, increase in wisdom and quality of life, and winning praises from those around you.

53-day Circumscribe Recitation of the Avatamsaka Sutra

2010-12-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

Commence a 53-day circumscribed recitation of the Avatamsaka Sutra as your dedicated practice to pray for [SAY YOUR WISH HERE, for example, the success of the 2011 Huayen Sangha-Dana, the 8th WBSY General Conference, and the Second Huayen Global Forum]. Please follow the guidelines below to complete the practice.

I. SOLEMN PLEDGE
Compassionate and Great Buddha, for the purpose of perfecting Buddhahood and delivering all living beings and for [the success of the 2011 Huayen Sangha-Dana, the 8th WBSY General Conference, and the Second Huayen Global Forum], I [YOUR NAME], DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to engage in a 53-day circumscribed practice from [DATE] to [DATE], during which period I will recite one consecutive chapter of the 80-fascicle Avatamsaka Sutra each day. I earnestly pray to all Buddhas of the ten directions for protection, to the Bodhisattvas of the past, present, and future for acceptance, and to our patriarchs for blessings. (One prostration)

II. REPENTANCE
I [YOUR NAME], from eons without beginning in the past, have created all kinds of measureless and boundless evil karma with my body, speech, and mind because of greed, hatred, and delusion. If that karma had substance and form, all of space could not contain it. I now completely purify these three karmas, and before the assemblies of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, throughout the Dharma Realm in lands as many as fine motes of dusts, I sincerely repent and reform my offences and vow never to create them again. I will always dwell in all merits and virtues of the pure precepts until I perfect Buddhahood. My repentance and reform will only end when all living beings are delivered in thought after thought without cease, my three karmas never weary of such deeds. (One prostration)

III. AVATAMSAKA SUTRA RECITATION
Namo Upadhyaya Sakyamuni Buddha (Three invocations, three prostrations.) [Contemplate gradually its meaning as you recite the following stanza.]

The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma
Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons.
I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,
And I vow to fathom the Tathagata's true meaning.

[Contemplation vow: As you open the Avatamsaka Sutra, contemplate the Dharma Wheel always turns, that all living beings who hear the Dharma shall attain Bodhi.] RECITE ONE CHAPTER OF THE AVATAMSAKA SUTRA AS YOUR DAILY CIRCUMSCRIBE PRACTICE.

IV. DEDICATION OF MERIT
May the merit and virtue accrued from this act help all gods, devas, dragons and Dharma protectors attain Buddhahood expediently. May all great good and wise advisors who preach the Huayen tradition and spread its teachings long remain in the world to turn the Great Dharma Wheel. May all beings in the Dharma Realm generate supreme Bodhi-mind and attain the Essence of Reality. May the Huayen Dharma prosper and flourish, and may the Right Buddha-dharma long remain in the world. May peace be on earth, may there be social harmony, may the winds be gentle and the rain be mild, and may all countries prosper and their people peaceful. May there be success in [SAY YOUR WISH HERE: For example, the 2011 Huayen Sangha-Dana, the 8th WBSY General Conference, and the Second Huayen Global Forum].

I dedicate the merit and virtue from this profound act of Universal Worthy,
With all its boundless superior blessings,
Making the universal vow that all beings sunk in defilement,
Will quickly go to the Land of the Buddha of Limitless Light (Amitabha).
Homage to all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time,
All Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, and
Maha Prajna Paramita!
Homage to the King Bodhisattva Mahasattva of Universal Worthy! (Three invocations, three prostrations)

Avatamsaka Sutra Mantra

2010-12-22T09:21:00.001-08:00

The unattainable heart speaks not

2010-12-21T18:17:00.000-08:00

The heart yearning for the past is unattainable.
The heart yearning for the present is unattainable.
The heart yearning for the future is unattainable.
The future becomes the present.
The present becomes the past.
Seek not the heart that connects the three.
The unattainable speaks not of what can be pursued.

过去心不可得。
现在心不可得。
未来心不可得。
未来已成现在，
现在已成过去。
随心而去。
看能得否！

El anhelo del corazón por el pasado es inalcanzable.
El anhelo del corazón por el momento presente es inalcanzable.
El anhelo del corazón por el futuro es inalcanzable.
El futuro se hace presente.
El presente se convierte en el pasado.
No busques el corazón que conecta con los tres.
El inalcanzable no habla de lo que puede llevarse a cabo.

Subhashita

2010-04-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

FORGIVENESS AND SACRIFICE

narasya aabharaNaM ruupaM
ruupasya aabharaNaM guNaH .
guNasya aabharaNaM jñaanam
jñaanasya aabharaNaM kShamaa .

The physical form adorns the man;
Virtue adorns the physical form;
Knowledge adorns virtue;
Forgiveness adorns knowledge.

Rivers don't drink their own water;
Trees don't eat their own fruit;
Clouds don't eat their own crops;
Working for the welfare of others is the mark of excellence of a virtuous man.

pibanti nadyaH svayameva na ambha
svayam na khaadanti phalaani vRukShaah .
na adanti sasyaM khalu vaarivaahaaH
paropakaaraya sataaM vibhuutayaH .

Click here to hear me chant the subhashita (good saying).

Are there things in the physical world?

2010-04-04T12:24:00.000-07:00

A thing is a noun. A noun isn't a part of nature it's a part of speech. There are no nouns in the physical world, but are there things in the physical world?

Let's just say that from the smallest thing like an atom or the biggest thing like a star and everything in between, living or not living, everything is made up of matter. We can see matter that takes forms. Matter can be transformed into energy because E=MC square. Like electricity.

Human beings and animals have three bodies, a gross body made up of matter, a subtle body and a causal body. The gross body by definition is gross. It is made up of the food the being eats and it is subject to aging, disease and death. The subtle and the causal bodies move on to take up new form after death and the soul is reborn. This is Samsara. Ghosts don't have gross bodies and they sometimes possess people to achieve certain good or bad
aims.

A spiritual person knows how to make good use of her gross body and use it as the instrument for spiritual practice and therefore eventually leads to liberation from Samsara. The dogs around you have chosen to stay with you because they have a strong affinity with you. In Buddhist and Hindu beliefs we say that you and they knew one another in former life times and there were unfinished business. Therefore in this life, you and they come together again. And so is your marriage and so are your children and so are your parents whom you chose to take up your form in this life.

Non-living things get trashed when their useful lives expire. The earth on which we live has an expiration date and therefore we need to love it. It doesn't have unlimited regenerative power. And so are our natural resources. And so I call for global reduction in demands starting with me. Do not buy a new X when you can still use your old X. Don't listen to ads of any sorts and be your own Lord when it comes to needs and wants and buying things. And this is how we should relate to things. For development of natural resources is limited whereas development of spiritual and humanity resources is unlimited. Transform all economies based on consumerism and therefore physical resource exploitation into economies based on development of spiritual and humanity resources. No more statistics on GNPs, GDPs, profit margins but instead statistics on how much spiritual progress the human race as a whole has made.

Nilakantha Dharani in Sanskrit

2010-03-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

大華嚴寺釋隆嚴持梵文大悲咒

Master Longyen chants the Nīlakantha Dhāranī in Sanskrit. Commonly known as the Great Compassion Mantra, this Dharani can work miracles. Master Sea Cloud recommends that everyone chants this mantra 10,800 within 2 months.

Master Longyen chants the Nilakantha Dharani in Sanskrit. Commonly known as the Great Compassion Mantra, this Dharani can work miracles. Master Sea Cloud recommends that everyone chants this mantra 10,800 within 2 months.

This mantra is 105 sec. long. If you wish to complete 10,800 within 2 months, you need to chant 180x per day or devote 315 minutes, i.e. 5 hrs 20 minutes each day. Plan your practice wisely and you will make it.

Master Sea Cloud recommends 54,000 times up to 108,000 times per year for advanced learners. The clip is available at
Nīlakantha Dhāranī in 105 sec.

नीलकण्ठ धारनी
namo ratnatrayāya namah ārya avalokiteśvarāya
नमो रत्नत्रयाय नमह् अर्य अवलोकितेश्वराय
bodhisattvāya mahāsatvāya mahākārunikāya
बोधिसत्त्वाय महासत्वाय महाकारुनिकाय
oṃ sarvarabhaya sudhanadasye namaskrtvā imam
ॐ सर्वरभय सुधनदस्ये नमस्क्र्त्वा इमम्
āryāvalokiteśvara raṃdhava namo narakindi.
आर्यावलोकितेश्वर रंधव नमो नरकिन्दि।
hrih mahāvadhasama sarva athadu śubhuṃ ajeyaṃ.
ह्रिह् महावधसम सर्व अथदु शुभुं अजेयं।
sarva satya nama, vastya namo vāka, mārga dātuh.
सर्व सत्य नम वस्त्य नमो वाक मार्ग दातुह्।
tadyathā oṃ avaloki locate karate, e hrih
तद्यथा ॐ अवलोकि लोचते करते ए ह्रिह्
mahābodhisattva. sarva sarva, mala mala, mahima hṛdayam,
महाबोधिसत्त्व। सर्व सर्व मल मल महिम हृदयम्
kuru kuru karmuṃ, dhuru dhuru vijayate mahāvijayate,
कुरु कुरु कर्मुं धुरु धुरु विजयते महाविजयते
dhara dhara dhirīniśvarāya, cala cala, mama vimala muktele,
धर धर धिरीनिश्वराय चल चल मम विमल मुक्तेले
ehi ehi, śina śina, āraṣaṃ pracali viṣa viṣaṃ prāśaya.
एहि एहि शिन शिन आरषं प्रचलि विष विषं प्राशय |
huru huru mara hulu hulu hrih
हुरु हुरु मर हुलु हुलु ह्रिह्
sara sara siri siri suru suru bodhiya bodhiya
सर सर सिरि सिरि सुरु सुरु बोधिय बोधिय
bodhaya bodhaya. maitriya nārakindi
बोधय बोधय । मैत्रिय नारकिन्दि
dharṣinina bhayamāna svāhā siddhāya svāhā
धर्षिनिन भयमान स्वाहा सिद्धाय स्वाहा
mahāsiddhāy svāhā siddhayogeśvarāya svāhā
महासिद्धाय् स्वाहा सिद्धयोगेश्वराय स्वाहा
narakindi svāhā māraṇara svāhā
नरकिन्दि स्वाहा मारणर स्वाहा
śira saṃha mukhāya svāhā sarva mahā asiddhāya svāhā
शिर संह मुखाय स्वाहा सर्व महा असिद्धाय स्वाहा
cakra asiddhāya svāhā padma hastrāya svāhā
चक्र असिद्धाय स्वाहा पद्म हस्त्राय स्वाहा
nārakindi vagalaya svāhā mavari śankharāya svāhā
नारकिन्दि वगलय स्वाहा मवरि शन्खराय स्वाहा
namaH ratnatrayāya namo āryavalokiteśvarāya svāhā
नमः रत्नत्रयाय नमो आर्यवलोकितेश्वराय स्वाहा
oṃ sidhayantu mantra padāya svāhā
ॐ सिधयन्तु मन्त्र पदाय स्वाहा

Floral Garland Meal Time Dharma

2010-03-16T11:20:00.001-07:00

Saying Grace Before a Meal

We offer this meal to the Ocean Assemblies of Enlightening Beings in the Floral Garland Repository Oceans of Worlds.

We offer this meal to the Buddhāvataṃsakamahāvaipulyasūtra.

This food is light, pure and prepared according to the Dharma. It contains all six tastes and we offer it to the Buddhas and the Sangha. We wish all sentient beings in the Dharma realm universally partake of it.

When we eat, we wish that all sentient beings take meditative joy as their food and feel joyful of the Dharma.

Ending a Meal

namaḥ saptānām samyak-saṃbuddha-koṭīnāṃ tadyathā oṃ cale cule cunde svāhā

A truly giving person will always reaps his rewards. If he gives for happiness, he will reap peace and happiness.

Meal time is over. May all sentient beings complete their tasks according to the teachings of Lord Buddha!

Giving in money or in kind (dharma) is one and the same. It is danparamita, complete and perfect.

華嚴道場　二時臨齋儀

供養　華藏莊嚴世界海　華嚴海會佛菩薩　大方廣佛華嚴經

　三德六味　供佛及僧　法界有情　普同供養

　若飯時時　當願眾生　禪悅為食　法喜充滿

結齋儀

薩多喃　三藐三菩陀　俱胝喃　怛姪他　

唵　折隸　主隸　準提　娑婆訶

所謂布施者　必獲其利益　若為樂故施　後必得安樂

飯時已訖　當願眾生　所作皆辦　具諸佛法

財法兩施　等無差別　檀波羅蜜　具足圓滿

Shifu, Heshang, Hershang, and Upadhyaya

2010-02-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

Shifu 父師 (shī fù), Heshang 和上 or 和尚 (hé shàng), Hershang, and Upadhyaya

父師 (shī fù) is Master, a generic term, literally father and mentor, like calling a Catholic priest Father. It has its origin in the teachings of Confucius, "If someone can be your mentor for a single day, treat him as your father throughout your life." In Vancouver, some Catholic on the street would call me Father. But master connotes a master/servant relationship and it puts the caller in the position of servant. In fact, a Master is the servant to God and all beings.

和上 or 和尚 (hé shàng) or Upadhyaya in Sanskrit means my personal Guru or spiritual advisor. The first script is popular Taiwanese usage. Many Buddhists from Hong Kong, or China would not understand this. The second script with the same meaning is acceptable throughout China and Hong Kong. Although this latter form of address connotes a personal relationship to one's own spiritual advisor, anyone may address Master Sea Cloud using either form. Master Sea Cloud told me anyone may call him Sea Cloud, Haiyun, Jimeng, Shi-fu, He-shang, or Her-shang.

Interestingly, the word Her-shang stems from He-shang because an English speaker tends to mispronounce He-shang as hee-shang, ergo Her-shang because He in Mandarin sounds like Her without the "r". In conclusion, you can call him he or her!

Master Sea Cloud 海雲比丘 Sagaramegha

2010-02-20T11:59:00.000-08:00

Master Sea Cloud 海雲比丘 Sagaramegha

海雲 in Mandarin is hǎi yún. He chooses his Dharma name from the 40-Fascicles Avatamsaka Sutra (四十卷華嚴經) Ch. 5, “On Entering Into The Inconceivable State Of Emancipation By The Practice And Vows Of The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Of The Buddhāvataṃsakamahāvaipulyasūtra,” opening paragraph, which Sakyamuni Buddha described the story of Kumara Sudhana's (善財童子) long spiritual path toward attainment Absolute Truth and liberation to become a Buddha.

In this story, Kumara Sudhana, already a Bodhisattva (菩薩) learned from 53 different benevolent spiritual advisors before he finally attained Ultimate Enlightenment (阿耨多羅三藐三菩提 ANUTTARA SAMYAK SAMBODHI) and became a Buddha. First, he sought the spiritual guidance of Manjusri Bodhisattva (文殊師利菩薩, who was Himself a Buddha, but He manifests Himself as a Bodhisattva to be the teacher of seven subsequent Buddhas). Manjusri Bodhisattva, having answered all of Kumara Sudhana’s questions, instructed Kumara Sudhana to go south to the country of Sea Door (海門國) to seek the advice of Sagaramegha (海雲比丘 Hǎi Yún Bhikkhu), where Kumara Sudhana asked Sagaramegha (海雲比丘 Hǎi Yún Bhikkhu) how to renounce his worldly life (捨凡夫家) to be born in the Family of Tathagata (生於如來家), how to cross the river of births and deaths (斷生死流) over to the river of Buddha's purified acts (入佛淨行流), how to destroy the Sansara wheel (壞生死輪) to achieve the Wheel of Great Vows (成就大願輪), how to control his sea of passions and desires (竭愛欲海) to add to the Sea of Great Compassion (增長大悲海), how to shut the doors of the three forms of existence (kama-loka, rupa-loka, and arupa-loka) and of the eight forms of suffering (閉三塗八難門 ) to open the doors to Nirvana for man and gods (開人天涅槃門), how to exit the city in which all beings are bound in the three forms of existence (出三有繫縛城, again kama-loka, rupa-loka, and arupa-loka) to enter the city of liberation by acquiring Buddha’s wisdom (入種智解脫城), and finally how to relinquish all worldly gems, toys, possessions, and means (棄捨一切珍玩資具) to do good for the benefit of all beings (饒益攝受一切眾生).

Excerpt from 40-Fascicles Avatamsaka Sutra (四十卷華嚴經) Ch. 5 “On Entering Into The Inconceivable State Of Emancipation By The Practice And Vows Of The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Of The Mahavaipulya Buddha Avatamsaka Sutra,” opening paragraph - English translation by Master Longyen (釋隆嚴).

Master Sea Cloud was inspired by Kumara Sudhana’s great vows and by the spiritual advice 海雲比丘 Hǎi Yún Bhikkhu gave Kumara Sudhana when he read the Avatamsaka Sutra. Therefore he chose to name himself Haiyun or Sea Cloud in English. I have included below the original Chinese scriptural text of the 40-Fascicles Avatamsaka Sutra (四十卷華嚴經) Ch. 5, “On Entering Into The Inconceivable State Of Emancipation By The Practice And Vows Of The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Of The Buddhāvataṃsakamahāvaipulyasūtra,” for anyone interested in further study.

The Mahavaipulya-buddhāvataṃsaka-sūtra (Sanskrit: “The Great and Vast Buddha Garland Sutra”), also called Garland Sūtra, or Avatamsaka Sutra (preserved in both Tibetan and Chinese versions was the sublime revelation by Sakyamuni Muni Buddha upon his Enlightenment. He assumed the dharma body of the Great Deity Maha Vairocana, (also in Tibetan Buddhism, and as Dainichi Nyorai 大日如來, of Shingon Buddhism of Japan,) and spoke the Dharm simultaneously in nine assemblies of man, devatas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas in seven locations. Only the shortest version of the Sutra is comprehensible to man and therefore still remains on earth. It contains 10, 000, 000, 095, 048 words and is the basic Sutra practised by the Floral Garland School of Buddhism. This is the Sutra most read in the Da Huayen Monastery, founded by Master Sea Cloud.

To put you in the present context from the historical perspective of this Sutra, in a recent conversation between Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni, Founder of the Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission (LIFE Mission) and Master Sea Cloud, Founder of the Da Huayen Monastery, Muniji explained that Samantabhadra is Lord Shiva the King of the Universe while Master Sea Cloud said that Samantabhadra is the Primeval Buddha. When we are liberated, we become one with Bharm, Lord Shiva, or Samantabhadra the Primeval Buddha in whose body all Buddhas of the past, present and future dwell.

大方廣佛華嚴經卷第五
　　　　罽賓國三藏般若奉　詔譯
　　　　入不思議解脫境界普賢行願品
　　爾時善財童子。聞善知識教。一心正念。隨順思惟所有

智慧光明門。隨順通達所有甚深解脫門。隨順憶持所有自在三昧門。隨順敬奉所有清淨教誨門。隨順觀察所見諸佛威德門。隨順欣樂所見諸佛住處門。隨順解了所見諸佛軌則門。隨順思念所見諸佛出現門。隨順趣入所見諸佛法界門。隨順安住所見諸佛境界門。漸次南行。向海門國。詣海雲比丘所。頂禮雙足。遶無數匝。於前合掌。白言聖者。我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。欲入甚深最上智海。而未知菩薩云何能具菩薩行。長養菩提種。云何能捨凡夫家。生於如來家。云何能度生死海。入佛智慧海。云何能離凡愚地。入佛最勝地。云何能斷生死流。入佛淨行流。云何能壞生死輪。成就大願輪。云何能滅魔境界。顯示佛境界。云何能竭愛欲海。增長大悲海。云何能閉三塗八難門。開人天涅槃門。云何能出三有繫縛城。入種智解脫城。云何能棄捨一切珍玩資具。饒益攝受一切眾生。唯願慈哀。為我宣說。時海雲比丘。告善財言。善男子。汝已發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心耶。善財言唯。我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。海雲告言。善哉善哉。善男子。發菩提心者。不可得聞。何況自能深心發趣。善男子。若諸眾生。未曾修種深固善根。則不能發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。是故菩薩。要得平等無礙境界普門善根光明照故。要得真實巧方便藏正道三昧光明照故。要得積集功德海藏廣大福聚莊嚴身故。要得增長種種白法。念念出生無休息故。要能供事真善知識。諮問法要。無疲厭故。要捨慳吝。無所藏積。於身命財。無愛著故。要離憍慢。心無高下。安住不動。如大地故。要恒慈愍。隨順眾生。平等饒益。無違逆故。要處生死。於惡趣中。度苦眾生。心不捨故。要恒觀察如來境界。欣求修習。至究竟故。要恒利益安樂一切諸眾生故。如是乃能發菩提心。發菩提心者。所謂拔濟苦惱諸眾生故。發大悲心。平等福祐諸眾生故。發大慈心。除滅眾生諸苦蘊故。發安樂心。為息眾生不善心故。發饒益心。救護怖畏諸眾生故。發哀愍心。捨離執著障礙法故。發無著心。普遍法界諸佛剎故。發廣大心。等虛空界無不往故。發無邊心。見一切佛妙色身故。發無垢心。觀三世法智無盡故。發清淨心。為欲普入一切智智甚深海故。發大智心。發如是等種種心故。是名菩薩發菩提心。

Dukkha, Origin of Dukkha, Karma, and Arhat

2010-02-17T23:21:00.000-08:00

Dukkha, Origin of Dukkha, Karma, and Arhat

In Buddhist philosophy, how is one supposed to do anything? What causes suffering? What is the unattached state?

There is a serious misinterpretation of the first Noble Truth - Life is dukkha or suffering. The author is not alone. In most English texts about Buddhism you will find this formulation of the First Noble Truth. This formulation that life is all about suffering has given Buddhism a bad name, that it is pessimistic and negative. For it is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. Something is definitely lost in translation. True, Buddha says life is dukkha but he did not say that life is only suffering. Dukkha in Pali or Duhkha in Sanskrit is suffering, Dukkha is impermanence, Dukkha is imperfection, Dukkha is emptiness, and Dukkha is Anatta (not-self). There is no English word for Dukkha, and so out of respect it is better not to translate it into suffering.

On the contrary, Buddha taught in the Pali Canon that there can be Sukha (opposite to Dukkha) in life. Sukha can be enjoyed in our material as well as spiritual life. For example, there is Sukha in family life, Sukha in the senses, Sukha in renunciation, Sukha in the physical body, Sukha in spiritual experiences, and Sukha in meditation. Buddha acknowledged these Sukha but he went on to point out that such Sukha is impermanent and eventually leads to Dukkha. He concluded that impermanence is Dukkha.

Next we discuss the second Noble Truth - the origin of Dukkha. Man suffers externally from the limitation of place and from the limitation of time. Man also suffers internally from wants. Wants come in three forms: viz. (i) wanting sensual pleasures, (ii) wanting to live, to continue living, and failing so, to reproduce, (iii) wanting to cease to exist. These three forms of wants constitute the origin of Dukkha. Wants are not limited to physical attachments such as wealth and power, but also it includes wanting to hold on to certain ideas, viewpoints, opinions, concepts, theories and beliefs. All conflicts arise as a result of such wants. Few people can go without food but wanting to eat whale or dolphin meat Sashimi is quite something else. You can easily see that no matter how hard people try to make harmony, it has been futile because of such wants.

How does one supposed to do anything?
Karma is action, deed, or effort performed through thought, speech, and the body. Karma causes experience and experience causes further Karma, forming the Karmic cycle. A person does things out of individual and collective Karma. Individual Karma governs the person alone and collective Karma governs the collective to which the individual belongs. You don't have to know this to do things, but everything you do you do out of Karma.

What is the unattached state?
A person who has become an arhat attained the unattached state. An arhat is someone who is free from all attachments. He does not need to eat, drink, sleep, blink his eyes, or breath and is not bound by gravity, space, and time. He can take a journey within a journey – time travel. He can create a new body, take control of an existing one, or assume a dead one to revive it. He decides when to leaves his gross body and transforms into pure energy to unite with the Supreme Being and when he does so, he will not be born again. He is someone who has truly conquered birth, disease, old age and death.

Universal Oneness

2010-02-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

禪觀趣入三摩地
坐攝真如法性空

Chan guan qu ru san mo di
Zuo she zhen ru fa xing kong.

Through Yoga, one goes into Samadhi, and
In Samadhi one becomes the Supreme Cosmic Consciousness.

Signs Of This Dharma-Ending Age

2009-12-19T23:58:00.000-08:00

SIGNS OF THE DHARMA-ENDING AGE

The time following Buddha Sakyamuni's demise has been divided into three periods: i) the Perfect Age of the Dharma, lasting 500 years, when the Buddha's teaching was correctly practice and Enlightenment often attained; ii) the Dharma Semblance Age, lasting about 1,000 years, when a form of the teaching was practiced but Enlightenment seldom attained; iii) the Dharma-Ending Age, lasting some ‘ten thousand' years, when a diluted form of the teaching exists and Enlightenment rarely attained. (Thành & Leigh, p.58)

Ven. Meng Ts'an, one of the patriarchal dignitaries of Da Huayen Monastery, has indicated at least three signs of the Dharma-Ending Age in our time:

1. The first sure sign of our Dharma-Ending Age is that the role of the teacher and pupil is reversed in the teaching of the Dharma. Lay people are teaching the Dharma and the Sangha are the pupils, often not respected by their teachers, who think they are not knowledgeable. In many universities and colleges, Buddhism has now become an increasingly popular subject taught by people who may not even believe or practice what they profess. It has become just another subject among the myriads of subjects in the humanities department. When Buddhism is being imparted as academic knowledge and not as a way of life to attain Enlightenment, students may pass the course but will never attain Enlightenment.

2. The second sure sign of this Dharma-Ending Age is that non-Buddhist con artists crowning themselves as true Buddhas mushrooming everywhere and the masses listen to and believe their false claims, pouring billions of dollars into these scamming schemes, whereas on the other hand, when Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis speak the truth, the masses pay little attention or support them.

3. The third sure sign of this Dharma-Ending Age is that in the People's Republic of China, some Bhikkhus have given up celibacy. Upon their deaths, their sons and grandsons fight for the inheritance of the temples property and go to court. When Buddha Sakyamuni established the Sangha community, he also established a set of rules or precepts regulating the operation of the Sangha community, including the sharing of communal property. Accordingly, no communal property shall be owned by anyone because all Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, like the Buddha, have renounced their worldly lives. This practice of keeping wives and raising children directly breach the Bhikkhu's precepts.

Ven. Meng Ts'an. On Impermanence. Xiamen, PRC. 13 October 1998. (Audiocassette) Trans. Ven. Longyen.

Buddha Sakyamuni. Sutra of the Medicine Buddha. Trans. Minh Thành & P.D. Leigh. Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. Nov 2001. 19 Dec 2009. <http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/medbudsutra.pdf>

240-Day Circumscribed Practice

2009-12-02T02:58:00.000-08:00

240-DAY CIRCUMSCRIBED RECITATION OF THE AVATAMSAKA SUTRA FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE 2010 HUAYEN SANGHA-DANA AND 7TH WBSY GENERAL CONFERENCE

All members of the Da Huayen Monastery and the Huayen World Community shall commence a 240-circumscribed practice to pray for the success of the 2010 Huayen Sangha-Dana and the 7th WBSY General Conference. If you wish to join us in this solemn pledge, please use the Dharma program below:

I. VOWS

Compassionate and Great Buddha!
I (_________), for the purpose of perfecting Buddhahood and delivering all living beings and praying for the success of the 2010 Huayen Sangha-Dana and the 7th WBSY General Conference, now vow to engage in a 240-day circumscribed practice from 1 December 2009 to 28 July 2010, during which I will recite one chapter consecutively of the 80-fascicle Avatamsaka Sutra each day. I earnestly pray to all Buddhas of the ten directions for protection, to the Bodhisattvas of the past, present, and future for acceptance, and to the our patriarchs for blessings. (One prostration)

II. REPENTANCE

I (_________), from eons without beginning in the past, have created all kinds of measureless and boundless evil karma with my body, speech, and mind, because of greed, hatred, and delusion. If that karma had a substance and form, all of empty space could not contain it. I now completely purify these three karmas, and before the assemblies of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, throughout the Dharma Realm in lands as many as fine motes of dust, I sincerely repent and reform my offences and vow never to create them again. I will always dwell in all merit and virtue of the pure precepts until I perfect Buddhahood. My repentance and reform will only end when all living beings are delivered in thought after thought without cease, my three karmas never weary of such deeds. (One prostration)

III. AVATAMSAKA SUTRA RECITATION

Namo Upadhyaya Shakyamuni Buddha (Three invocations, three prostrations.) (Contemplate its meaning gradually as you recite the following verse.)
The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma
Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons.
I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,
And I vow to fathom the Tathagata’s true meaning.
(Contemplation vow: As you open the Avatamsaka Sutra, contemplate the Dharma Wheel always turns, that all the living beings who hear the Dharma attain Bodhi.)

IV. DEDICATION OF MERIT

May the merit and virtue accrued from this work
Help devas, dragons and Dharma protectors realise their Buddhahood early.
May all great good and wise advisors who preach the Huayen tradition and spread its teachings long remain in the world to turn the Great Dharma Wheel.
May all living beings in the Dharma Realm generate supreme Bodhi-mind and realise Thusness and Ultimate Reality.
May the Huayen Dharma prosper and flourish, the Right Buddhadharma long remain in the world!
May peace be on earth, may there be social stability, may the winds be gentle and the rain be subdued, and may all countries prosper and their people be at ease!
May the 2010 Huayen Sangha-Dana and the 7th WBSY General Conference be successful.
“The supreme, endless blessings from Samantabhadra’s conduct
I now universally transfer to all.
May every living being, drowning and adrift,
Soon return to the Land of Limitless Light!”
Namo Universal Worthy King Bodhisattva Mahasattva! (Three invocations, three prostrations)

Transmitting the Three Refuges and Five Precepts

2009-09-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

On the Methods for Practicing the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra

2009-09-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

ABCBC 2009 vassa schedule

2009-04-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

The Avatamsaka Buddhist Community of British Columbia 2009 vassa schedule

This weekly schedule of the Avatamsaka Buddhist Community of British Columbia shall be effective as of Wednesday 1 July 2009 and shall remain in effect until further notice.

Mon	10 am – 12 pm	Bhaisajyaguru Liturgy
Wed	9:30 - 11:30 am 1:30 - 4:30 7:30-9:30 pm	Anapanasati All Day, ends end of July.
Fri	9:30 – 11:30 am 1:30 - 4:30 pm	Anapanasati 5 sessions, ends end of July.
Sat	10 am – 11 am	Samantabhadra Liturgy
Sat	11 am – 12 pm	Avatamsaka Book Club ("ABC")
Sat	1:30 pm – 3:30 pm	Bodha Paksika Dharma 37 Facets of Spirituality
Sun	10 am – 12 pm	Avatamsaka Liturgy starts July 19
Sun	1:30 pm – 3:30 pm	Yang's school of Taichi Boxing , ends end of August.
Sun	3:30 pm – 5 pm	DVD show "The Call to Homecoming ," by Haiyun Jimeng, ends end of August.
Address:	5891 Lincoln St. Vancouver BC V5R 4P8
Phones:	604-921-2837	778-317-7630
Email:	puxianhuayen@newabcbc.org
Website:	http://newabcbc.org/

We are a non-profit learning community: we appreciate and thank you for your continuous generous support.

G67 The Key to Srotpanna *Original text in Chinese

2009-03-25T23:22:00.000-07:00

Huayen's major holistically sudden dharma begins with elimination of root vexations (mulavidya), matures on entry into the Dharmadhatu (sarvajnata/omniscience: knowing the true nature of reality) and culminates on perfect goodness (anuttara samyaksambodhi). Such is the basic definition of Huayen's major holistically sudden dharma, under which eliminating mulavidya is contingent upon freeing one's mind from conscious thoughts, and the attainment of srotpanna (the first of four stages of attaining arhat) is the key to entry into Samantabhadra's innumerable vows! Attaining srotpanna is contingent upon freeing one's mind from conscious thoughts and attachments and the ability to emit life force energy.

Besides, to attain srotpanna, one must find such life force. A practiser is by definition someone who can feel the existence of such a life force. If one fails to do so, one cannot feel life's existence and will lack vitality and life energy; therefore upon freeing one's mind from conscious thoughts, actively finding such life force has become the most important task of a practiser candidate.

Therefore, intellectually oriented students often fail to free their minds from conscious thoughts because they are highly conceited (attached to self), and hence they fail to emit life force energy. Students whose minds are full of irrelevant information and a strong sense of greed often fail to find the life force because they are highly opinionated (attached to dharmas/phenomena); they easily fall into trances within the realms of form (Rupyadhatu) or formlessness (Arupyadhatu) and branch off to non Buddhist meditation with no progress in attaining perfect enlightenment, which is a real pity! So there you go, whether you can make to srotpanna really depends on the two conditions described above.

G66 Insight - Switching on the Buddha's Transcendent Wisdom

2009-03-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

The technical aspect of attaining the Buddha's transcendent wisdom encompasses five steps in principle, the third of which is "to observe the root nature and to move with it"; this is the critical point or "state" at which the practiser is so called "enlightened!" To put it in common terms, it is the magical "Open Sesame" wand that leads to reality.

During the whole Shaktipat training process, "to observe the root nature and to move with it" is the same as "to energise life force and to seek its existence;" the two are in fact two sides of the same coin. The practiser must be able to see this.

The practiser must be able to tell whether he/she has reached the third mental state and if so, how he/she should focus his/her mind. He/she should be in a state where "the true mind doesn't move, but only the energised life force moves!" At this critical moment, a practiser observing with the true mind should be able to tell whether his/her body, speech or consciousness is vigorous, but most importantly, he/she must not be distracted by it! The unmoving mind clearly should be able to safe-guard this state at all time! If he/she can do so, he/she is in the third state of mind; if not, he/she is still in the second state.

However, sometimes if a practiser is seemingly able to safeguard a third state of mind but experiences certain ecstasy, bliss, fear or terror, and is therefore being held back or needs to avoid such feelings, or uses the intellect or conscious effort, then he/she is in fact in the second state and may err by falling deeper into non-Buddhist meditation that will ultimately prevent him/her from enlightenment!

The practiser therefore must be constantly on the alert and only observe through the unmoving true mind but not use any conscious effort. If he/she can do so, nothing will hinder him/her from ultimate enlightenment, which is the Buddha's transcendent wisdom!

G65: Two Foundations for Shaktipat

2009-03-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

The two foundations for the Right Passing of the Practice of the Dharma (Sanskrit, Shaktipat) are: Firstly, to eliminate vexations (Sanskrit: avidya): i.e. to eliminate root vexations (Sanskrit: mulavidya) and eradicate conceptual activities; and Secondly, to seek prajña or life force: i.e. to energise one's prajña or life force.

The first foundation deals with the faith of the practiser:
A practiser cannot eradicate conceptual activities without strong faith! Primarily there is information irrelevant to one's practice of the Dharma; especially those young elite Buddhists who seek after Buddhism in its ideological form, who are both conceited and opinionated and who over emphasise the memory functions of the brains and thus are unable to free themselves from conceptual activities. As a result, they cannot see the conditional dependency of "the seeker (noesis)" and "what is being sought after (noema)" because of their conceptuality and conceitedness, and thus they are unable to eliminate root vexations (or mulavidya). They must therefore first build up utmost faith in this Dharma and then retake the three refuges and firmly vow that they will wholeheartedly practise Samantabhadra's purified conduct. This is most important to the practiser and is also a necessary step by which he/she can truly purify himself/herself.

The second foundation deals with the basic process of nurturing the life force of the practiser. A practiser who wants to see through the true nature of reality but who life force is not energised will often make the wrong turn thus forcing his physical efforts to the four levels of dhyana heavens or to the four levels of emptiness heavens or even to the level of heaven where the anti-god dwells (Sanskrit: paranirmitavas/avartina) or to the realm of the demons! For this reason, prajña or life force is used to directly translate "root nature," and which process is directly known as the seeking the "existence of the root nature"! The practiser must seek or experience the existence of the root nature or of life. How he/she names it doesn't matter. The practiser's experience will invigorate his/her life force, life sense, and life energy and will make it possible for him/her to undergo the right passing of the practice of the Dharma, or rather the sublimely clear and true mind (Sanskrit: bhutatathata) by the culmination of the Buddha's transcendent wisdom.

Haiyun Jimeng 2009 Renewed First Quarterly Itinerary

2009-01-02T00:25:00.000-08:00

January
Jan 5 ~ Jan 14 Datong, China Topic: 40-scroll Avatamsaka Sutra

February
Feb 24 ~ Mar 9 Beijing, China Topic: 40-scroll Avatamsaka Sutra

March
Mar 12 ~ Mar 18 Penang, Malaysia
Mar 19 ~ Mar 25 Kuala Lumpar Topic: Kshitigarbha Sutra
Mar 26 ~ Apr 1 Singapore Topic: Bhaisajyagura Sutra
April
Apr 24 ~ May 2 Beijing, China Topic: 40-Fascicle Avatamsaka Sutra

Huayen Regional Contacts:

Beijing, China 86-1-3601073711
Penang, Malaysia 60-4-2290525
Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia 60-1-63802009
Singapore 65-9622216

How to eradicate karmas and vexations

2008-12-31T09:02:00.000-08:00

Nurturing life is a process whereby one affirms the fact that life exists, understands the function or purpose of life, eradicates one's impurities and bad karmas, and manifests one's original nature in life...
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Nurturing life is one of the integral components in the Avatamsaka study program.

In the Avatamsaka Sutra, through a life transforming process, sentient beings in attachment and karmic bondages are transformed into practitioners free of such karmic vexations and afflictions, and the series of applications to educate and transform the mind and spirit through such a process is the complete blueprint for nurturing life.

The goal of such life nurturing process is completely different from that of the model of education whereby the brain acquires knowledge. In the latter model, the premises are hypothetical, and the hypotheses are in turn based on existing knowledge; therefore knowledge based education does not challenge the correctness or incorrectness, goodness or badness of such premises but only concerns itself with the conclusion of the logical process.

On the contrary, given the fact that life exists in the first place, the process of nurturing it is to affirm its existence, understand its function or purpose, and in the process of so doing eradicate its impurities and bad karmic qualities, and finally manifest its original nature!

Focus on your life and truly live!

2008-12-30T21:10:00.000-08:00

Life truly begins with awareness and continues until perfect goodness is achieved...
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Awakening in life begins with awareness of such life's experiences as suffering, happiness, birth, death, coercion, fear, etc., etc. The prelude to awakening in life includes all such life related events as activities in life, living conditions, personality, life and death, vitality, existence, etc., etc. The ability to be aware of such facets of life is the force of awareness. Thus the starting point of true life only commences when such force of awareness begins to act on life itself and continues to bring it to a state of consummation and perfect goodness. What then is life? The answer is obvious.

For this very reason, life is compared to the "mind," the definition of which also commences with awareness, and continues up to a point where the mind, the Buddha, and all sentient beings are identical without difference, between which two points there are immeasurable steps and countless grades of which the practitioner should be aware!

From having mind actions to seeing with mind's eye

2008-12-28T14:50:00.000-08:00

Consummative visualisation is not characterized by gradualness; nor is it just a function of the emergence of wisdom, but is transcending mind actions so as to see with the mind's eye! ...
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Transforming the three natures (trisvabhava) to the three non-natures is a cognitive process. As far as the practitioner is concerned, merely acquiring theories and concepts is not enough. The most important aspect is to receive instructions on modes of actions that can rectify and purify his or her elements of life. Therefore, the second procedure becomes very significant, whereupon actual training is involved, which technically is called gradual or graduated visualisation.

Since the purpose in graduated visualisation is to train the practitioner in the realisation of the Three Marks of Existence and Emptiness (Śūnyatā), from a procedural standpoint, this is the point where wisdom is brought into play. In other words, the practitioner has to bring all the altar dharma instruments into his or her daily life and then embark on a series of graduated visualisations.

Visualising according to "conditioned arising, dependent origination, or conditioned genesis" (pratītya-samutpāda), the practitioner gradually transforms his or her visualisations from emotive becoming to virtual becoming and then true becoming.

Then visualise again, according to emptiness (sunyata), transforming emotive becoming to principle-non-becoming, virtual becoming to nature-non-becoming, and true becoming to appearance-non-becoming.

In such graduated manner, the practitioner repeatedly practises until he or she is completely familiar without asking why and not ceasing even when total familiarity has been achieved... Familiarity is the mother of skilfullness, without which there will be no consummation. With this, he or she enters tertiary "consummative visualisation".

"Consummative visualisation" is not characterised by gradualness nor is it merely a function of the emergence of wisdom, but is transcending mind's action so as to see with the mind's eye!

"The mind actions" are the six sense organs vis-à-vis the six senses; "to see with the mind's eye" is to have omniscience (sarvajnata), which is "nispana" and the sublimal function of which is all pervading and beyond all description!

Nothing is unusual about practising!

2008-12-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

Nothing is unusual about practising, save in the quest for the achievement of ultimate goodness in life, you choose any method (dharma) that you can repeatedly practise and put your mind to it, whereupon you incessantly and relentlessly repeat the method! Since everyone chooses one's own mind training method, and so everyone can do it; as each chooses his or her own method, and thus all methods are equal, i.e., none is greater or lesser than the other!

Besides mind training methods, all other are media. Some people need to rely on media, but media ultimately is not the goal; that is why the practitioner must not fixate on them and must be able to surrender!

Whether your mind training method can help you achieve the goal of ultimate goodness depends on your attitude towards achieving ultimate goodness in life and not your mind training method! By practising the same method over and over again, the practitioner is subject to a very profound and long thought training process, and if his attitude is incorrect, he will be easily deceived by the "mirage" of ideology!

That is why a practitioner needs first and foremost in practising is a benevolent guardian to initiate and impart rudimentary knowledge to him so that he will not fall for the mirage deception!

Transforming the Three Realms into Samadhi

2008-12-25T11:17:00.000-08:00

In Buddhism, habitual tendencies or dispositions (vāsanā)in life are generally referred to as fixations(including inhibitions, hang-ups, and the like) (abhinivesa) which, strictly speaking, is defined as both "self (atta) fixation" and "dharma fixation, and as a result of such fixations, one cannot transform the three realms. If one is aware of this and transcend, one is instantly 'at ease'! ...

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In practical procedures, how to transform the three realms into samadhi is the most distinctive and unsurpassed virtues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas not commonly shared with others (avenika-buddha-dharma), which is also the purpose of avenika-buddha-dharma. To speak of entering samadhi is to speak of the ability to enter and to speak of entering the dharma realm (dharmadhatu) is to speak of the object of such entering; both manifest the truth about the existence of life. On life's journey, one must be able to search among the myriads of phenomena and find the truth about life, which is likened to picking up a needle from the bottom of the great ocean. No wonder this has been compared to 'a 1000 years old blind turtle living at the sea bottom that surfaces every 100 years to take a breath just happens to lift its head through the hole the size of its head in the center a piece of wood that happens to float by'; I speak of this from the standpoint of 'the ability to enter samadhi.'

If I speak of this from the standpoint of 'the ability to transform the three realms,' then 'the most serious problem facing man in the three realms is habitual and routine living, for delusions come from routines, and delusions are the primary cause of lack of awareness. In Buddhism, habitual tendencies or dispositions in life are generally referred to as possessiveness, which strictly speaking, is defined as both "self fixation" and "dharma fixation); as a result of such fixations, one cannot transform the three realms! The three realms incorporate such components as desires, wishful thinking, and dependence or wishful dependence and so on, such are the habitual tendencies or dispositions (vāsanā) related to the three aspects, and this is why man has no way to transcend!

If today's practitioners of the Dharma can be aware of this and transcend the three realms, their bodies and minds are instantly at ease!

Perfecting Personality Traits

2008-12-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

If a practitioner has not acquired all the prerequisite provisions before embarking on a particular practice, then to speak of achieving professional or technical knowledge for that matter is merely a trivial utterance, and has no benefit whatsoever in changing his life! ... ...

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"Personality traits" includes four elements, namely:

an integrated whole personality,
a wholesome perspective of life,
a perfected human nature, and
good social skills.

A practitioner must possess all such elements and moreover, must achieve a score of at least 85%, if not 100%, on each such element in order to pass the standard personality traits test before he can start practising. Failing this, he lacks the prerequisite provisions for practice, and will be easily hindered from having a strong devotion and maintaining diligent practice. Therefore, he should always examine himself in this direction, putting such items on his self-encouragement checklist, and be alert day or night to see whether he has improved!

As for the technical knowledge regarding his practice, such as keeping or abandoning the precepts (shila), meditative (dhyana) practical procedures, esoteric practical hand seals, visualization methods and stages, development and usage of wisdom, and so on and so forth, such questions belongs to the placement of the practitioner in the second stage of practice. If he fails to meet any of the standards in the primary developmental stage, then achieving technical knowledge is but a mere trivial utterance and has no significance whatsoever in changing the practitioner's life! I hope that every practitioner does not make such a grave mistake for himself in the great current of life!

Walk With Venerable Haiyun Jimeng

Our Only Choice 《我们只有一个选择》 回答老狼夜话问

Yidam Wish-Fulfilling Gem

Kuan - the State and Act of Contemplation

You are what you eat – Your diet and your health

Natures Law of Reaping What You Sowed

A Buddhist Overview of Reincarnation, Conception, Renunciation and Buddhahood

Yoga and Zen

Huayen on Indra's Net Recent Visitors

Ehipassiko – come and see

Anapanna-sati and Vipassana

Realizing Huayen Buddhism

Practicing Huayen Buddhism

My Perfect Soul Mate

Abide in Truth as it Abides in You

0 and 1

What is Buddhism

Ariya and Anariya

You don't have a soul

Huayen Sutra Study Procedure

53-day Circumscribe Recitation of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Avatamsaka Sutra Mantra

The unattainable heart speaks not

Subhashita

Are there things in the physical world?

Nilakantha Dharani in Sanskrit

大華嚴寺釋隆嚴持梵文大悲咒

Master Longyen chants the Nīlakantha Dhāranī in Sanskrit. Commonly known as the Great Compassion Mantra, this Dharani can work miracles. Master Sea Cloud recommends that everyone chants this mantra 10,800 within 2 months.

Floral Garland Meal Time Dharma

Saying Grace Before a Meal

Ending a Meal

華嚴道場 二時臨齋儀

結齋儀

Shifu, Heshang, Hershang, and Upadhyaya

Master Sea Cloud 海雲比丘 Sagaramegha

Dukkha, Origin of Dukkha, Karma, and Arhat

Dukkha, Origin of Dukkha, Karma, and Arhat

In Buddhist philosophy, how is one supposed to do anything? What causes suffering? What is the unattached state?

Universal Oneness

Signs Of This Dharma-Ending Age

240-Day Circumscribed Practice

Transmitting the Three Refuges and Five Precepts

On the Methods for Practicing the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra

ABCBC 2009 vassa schedule

G67 The Key to Srotpanna *Original text in Chinese

G66 Insight - Switching on the Buddha's Transcendent Wisdom

G65: Two Foundations for Shaktipat

Haiyun Jimeng 2009 Renewed First Quarterly Itinerary

How to eradicate karmas and vexations

Focus on your life and truly live!

From having mind actions to seeing with mind's eye

Nothing is unusual about practising!

Transforming the Three Realms into Samadhi

Perfecting Personality Traits

Our Only Choice 《我们只有一个选择》回答老狼夜话问

華嚴道場　二時臨齋儀