Heart Sutra

Approaching the Heart Sutra in terms of Time: 12 links of dependent arising

In this video, Master Sheng Yen explained the verse, " No ignorance and also no ending of ignorance, until we come to no old age and d...

心经 Heart Sutra

观自在菩萨,行深般若波罗蜜多时,照见五蕴皆空,度一切苦厄。 舍利子,色不异空,空不异色,色即是空,空即是色。受、想、行、识,亦复如是。舍利子,是诸法空相:不生、不灭;不垢、不淨;不增、不减。是故空中无色,无受、想、行、识;无眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意;无色、声、香、味、触、法;无眼界,乃至无意识界,无无明,亦无无明尽,乃至无老死,亦无老死尽。无苦、集、灭、道,无智亦无得。 以无所得故,菩提萨埵,依般若波罗蜜多故,心无罣碍;无罣碍故,无有恐怖,远离颠倒梦想,究竟涅槃。三世诸佛,依般若波罗蜜多故,得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。 故知般若波罗蜜多,是大神咒,是大明咒,是无上咒,是无等等咒;能除一切苦,真实不虚。故说般若波罗蜜多咒,即说咒曰:   揭谛揭谛!  波罗揭谛! 波罗僧揭谛! 菩提萨婆诃!Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha! Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha! Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha!

Monday, February 15, 2021

Past Life and Karma

Recently I read another inspiring book " Same Soul, Many Bodies" by Dr Brian Weiss, a Jewish American psychiatrist, hypnotherapist and best-selling author who used past-life regression to help his patients. Today I'm going to share about the core messages from "Same Soul, Many Bodies" and "Many Lifes, Many Masters". If you read Dr Brian Weiss books, he gave many examples of rebirths and karma. You can read on my earlier post on Many Lives, Many Masters here.

What is Karma? In Buddhism, Karma refers to intentional action which leads to future consequences and affect the rebirth in the six realms. There are 31 planes of existence. You can read it here

In Many Lives Many Masters, page 122, the Master Spirit shared that "Life is endless; so we never die; we were never really born." this this fear of death would dissolve. This reminds me of one of Heart Sutra verses, 不生不灭 or no birth no death. or neither arising nor ceasing. 

The Spirit from the lower level that spoke via Catherine, the patient that Dr Brian Weiss hypnotised said that" We have debts that must be paid. If we have not paid out these debts, then we must take them into another life... in order that they may be worked through. You progress by paying your debts. Some souls progress faster than others. When you are in physical form and you are working through, you are working through a life...If something interrupts your ability.. to pay that debt, you must return to the plane of recollection, and there you must wait until the soul you own the debt to has come to see you." 

We all have debts to pay. For example, husband has to pay debt to wife or vice versa or parents to children. In one Chinese article I read, a monk shaked his head when using his divine eye, he saw that the young man married his late grandmother who was reborn again. Before her death, the grandmother was upset she could not look after the grandson. There is a common saying in Chinese that your daughter was your past life lover. Indeed, Dr Brian Weiss's patient exclaimed that his current daughter was his wife in his past life. This life he has to take care of his daughter for not being a good father is his earlier life. 

In the book, Same Soul, Many Bodies, John a wealthy man was deeply unhappy despite his wealth so he went to see Dr Brian Weiss. During past life regression, he saw that in a previous life, he died in London great fire. He realised that he was slowly burned to death due to cruel actions he did due to an earlier life as a warrior raped the defeated ruler's daughter and set fire to a city filled with people and, bolting the gates closed behind him.

Evelyn another wealthy lady, a Jewish who felt strongly for Israel and hated the Arabs. During regression, she learned that she was a Nazi officer, a member of the SS who shot the Jews who tried to escape. Dr Brian Weiss shared that he discovered that the surest way to be reincarnated into a particular group of people, defined by religion, race, nationality or culture is to hate those people in previous life, to be prejudiced or violent against that group, Her intense pro-Israel stance in this life was a compensation for her anti-Semitism in her previous German life. 

Thought is energy. Regret, anger, pining, depending on the emotion before you pass on, it will decide on the next rebirth. 

This book is a confirmation of what Buddha, the awakened one who taught for more than 49 years more than 2500 years ago on karma and rebirth and the importance of observing the Noble Eightfold paths and precepts. Buddha taught that the action that you done in this lifetime will affect your next rebirth in one of the six realms. 

Thus Buddha taught sentient beings precepts and the Noble Eightfold path: Right View, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Meditation. Be mindful of your action. Do good and be compassion to all sentient beings. 

Karmic power and the unconscious by Master Sheng Yen. In terms of psychology, the unconscious is not something that we can control or are aware of, while karmic power, a Buddhist concept similar to the unconscious, is a kind of power produced by our actions in countless past lives, which we can change our karma by understanding its source and not letting it grow. This life is the result of causes accumulated in past lives. Master Shengyen shared that Karma this concept means that in countless past lives from beginning less time, life after life, we have performed all kinds of actions- bodily, verbal and mental actions. These actions produce a kind of power which persists through time and is concentrated in this life. This is called karmic power. Will all the karmic power of our past lives be manifested in this lifetime? Not necessarily. It depends on what kind of karma is the strongest. Also the type of karma which has the closest affinity with the circumstances of our current life. Shakaymuni Buddha taught us to believe the causality of the 3 periods in giving us guidance and explanation about our lives. I find the following quote by Master Sheng Yen really helpful. 

The four steps in dealing with any problem: face it, accept it, deal with it, let it go.  面对它, 接受它, 处理它,放下它。

How to reduce karma by Ajahn Keng






Sunday, January 31, 2021

Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Keng December 2020

Use the opportunity to do good in this life. Tomorrow on 31 January, there will be Dharma talk online by Ajahn Keng at 2pm Singapore time. 

In this video, Ajahn Keng spoke in both English and Mandarin.


Sunday, December 13, 2020

Heart Sutra

Approaching the Heart Sutra in terms of space: the six sensory organs, the six objects, and the six consciousnesses.

The 18 realms, which encompass all the physical and psychological phenomena, including our life, are actually empty in essence.


Saturday, December 12, 2020

Be Mindful When Walking

Its the monsoon season in Singapore, with bright sunny weather in the morning and heavy rain in the afternoon. 

Recently I noticed many snails being squashed flat by people on the pavement. I think it's good to be mindful when walking and be careful not to step on the snails who are out of the wet muddy grass. That's why whenever I walk, I will look ahead and try to avoid stepping on the snails. Sometimes when I see them in the middle of the pavement, I will just put them on the side of pavement. Perhaps there should be a signboard to advise pedestrians to be mindful of stepping on snails. 

Snail Facts for Kids | LoveToKnow

Image from here

Monday, November 30, 2020

Eliminating attachment by contemplating the causes and conditions



 Knowing that things come and go due to causes and conditions, then we won’t have any attachment and distress, and therefore we won’t suffer.

Sunday, November 1, 2020

The Heart Sutra - Lecture 1 - Ven. Guan Cheng

When I started this Heart Sutra blog, I was wondering how many posts I could add to the Heart Sutra as it is the shortest sutra with 260 Chinese characters with the version translated by Master Xuanzang 1400 years ago during the prosperous Tang Dynasty in China. 

I was so wrong. Even though it is the shortest sutra with only 260 Chinese characters, it has deep and profound meaning. However as one understands the Heart Sutra, one has less worries and just enjoy the moment. One learns to let go and not be too attached to results like gain or loss. Just try your best. 

One must learn to control one own's senses. Many people experience suffering as they let their senses control them. For example when someone see something beautiful with their eyes, they want to own it and they feel miserable when they can't. Sometimes I was wondering if the person own the thing or the thing own them. For example, long after the person passed on, the gold or jewellery still exist. 

Recently, I came across the video on the Heart Sutra lecture by Venerable Guan Cheng from International Buddhist Temple in Canada. There are a total of 28 lectures on the Heart Sutra. Below is Lecture 1 of the Heart Sutra on the explanation of the history and meaning of the Heart Sutra. 



Sunday, October 25, 2020

Blessing of Observing the Precepts

Lately I read comments that Buddhism is a philosophy. In my opinion, it is more than philosophy. It is putting into practice what Buddha taught more than 2500 years ago. It is important to observe the precepts, meditate and read the dharma. 

Buddha taught about karma which is cause and effect. Good action leads to good outcome and vice-versa. Thus he encouraged lay Buddhists to observe the five precept.

As a lay Buddhist, I try to observe the five precepts. From my experience, I noticed that when I accidentally break the precept like accidentally hurting an ant, there be some bad effect. But if I observe the precepts, the day goes by more smoothly. 

The Five Precepts
  • Refrain from taking life. Not killing any living being. 
  • Refrain from taking what is not given. Not stealing from anyone.
  • Refrain from sexual misconduct. No affairs.
  • Refrain from wrong speech. No lying or gossiping about other people.
  • Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind.