Awaken Magazine May-August 2022

Click here to read more from Awaken Magazine here  by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery Singapore here.  The following images are from the Awaken Magazine May-August 2022 issue. 

Guard Your Mind- Don't Follow Blindly. Question and Investigate First

We are constantly bombarded with lots of information from newspapers and advertisement that try to influence our lives and thoughts. 

Advertisements like to show people are happy because they own luxury items or you need to accomplish certain things to be successful or that loneliness is bad for health. Ironically, it was through quiet contemplation that Buddha became enlightened under the Bodhi tree. Instead, one should guide their minds from these influences. Question these information and investigate by questioning and from your own experiences. 

Kalama Sutta, Buddha had the following advice to the people from the town of Kalama  who seek his advice as they had received conflicting opinions and advice from the different 'holy teachers' on how to be happy and would like to know which teacher was speaking the truth.

Do Not Accept Any Doctrine From Reverence, But First Try it as Gold is tried by Fire.

From http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~beatrice/buddhist-practice/kalama-sutta.html

The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha's reply.

–	Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.
–	Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
–	Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.
–	Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.
–	Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.
–	Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
–	Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.
–	But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

From Access to Insight

 https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html

As they sat there, the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, "Lord, there are some brahmans & contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. And then other brahmans & contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain & in doubt: Which of these venerable brahmans & contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying?"

"Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering' — then you should abandon them.

"What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"

"For harm, lord."

"And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."

"Yes, lord."

"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"

"For harm, lord."

"And this aversive person, overcome by aversion, his mind possessed by aversion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."

"Yes, lord."

"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"

"For harm, lord."

"And this deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind possessed by delusion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."

"Yes, lord."

"So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?"

"Unskillful, lord."

"Blameworthy or blameless?"

"Blameworthy, lord."

"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"

"Criticized by the wise, lord."

"When adopted & carried out, do they lead to harm & to suffering, or not?"

"When adopted & carried out, they lead to harm & to suffering. That is how it appears to us."

"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them.

Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutram 般若波罗密多心经

I like listening to listen Imee Ooi's rendition of the Heart Sutra as it has this calming effect. This is the Sanskrit version.

Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutram 般若波罗密多心经

《般若波羅蜜多心經》(I took the following from a comment posted in youtube) 觀自在菩薩，行深般若波羅蜜多時，照見五蘊皆空，度一切苦厄。舍利子，色不異空，空不異色；色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、識，亦復如是。舍利子，是諸法空相，不生不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減，是故空中無色，無受、想、行、識；無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；無色、聲、香、味、觸、法；無眼界，乃至無意識界；無無明，亦無無明盡；乃至無老死，亦無老死盡。無苦、集、滅、道，無智亦無得。以無所得故，菩提薩埵，依般若波羅蜜多故，心無罣礙，無罣礙故，無有恐怖，遠離顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃。三世諸佛，依般若波羅蜜多故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。故知般若波羅蜜多，是大神咒，是大明咒，是無上咒，是無等等咒，能除一切苦，真實不虛。故說般若波羅蜜多咒，即說咒曰：「揭諦、揭諦，波羅揭諦，波羅僧揭諦，菩提薩婆訶。」 禮敬（namaḥ）所有智者（sarva-jñāya） 聖（ārya）觀 自在（avalokite-śvaro）菩薩（bodhisattvo） 深入（gaṃbhīrāyāṃ）般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitāyāṃ） 行（caryāṃ）的時候（caramāṇo） 照見（vyavalokayati sma）五蘊（paṃca-skandhāḥ ） 那些和（tāṃś ca）自性（svabhāva） 空（śūnyān）現（paśyati sma） 啊！（iha）舍利子（śāriputra） 色（rūpaṃ）空（śūnyatā）空性是（śūnyataiva）色（rūpaṃ） 色（rūpān）不（na）異（pṛthak）空（śūnyatā） 空亦（śunyatāyā）不（na）異（pṛthag）色（rūpaṃ） 是（yad）色（rūpaṃ）就是（sā）空（śūnyatā） 是（ya）空（śūnyatā）就是（tad）色（rūpaṃ） 如是（evam）如是（eva） 受（vedanā）想（saṃjñā）行（saṃskāra）識（vijñānāni） 啊！（iha）舍利子（śāriputra） 一切諸法（sarva-dharmāḥ）空相（śūnyatā-lakṣaṇā） 不生（anut-pannā）不滅（ani-ruddhā） 不淨（a-malā）不垢（na-vimalā） 不增（a-nonā）不減（na-paripūrṇāḥ） 是故（tasmāc）舍利子（chāriputra） 空狀態中（śūnya-tayāṃ）無（na）色（rūpaṃ） 無（na）受（vedanā）無（na）想（saṃjñā） 無（na）行（saṃskārāḥ）無（na）識（vijñānam） 無（na）眼（cakṣuḥ）耳（śrotra）鼻（ghrāna）舌（jihvā） 身（kāya）意（manāṃsi） 無（na）色（rūpa）聲（śabda）香（gandha）味（rasa） 觸（spraṣṭavaya）法（dharmāh） 無（na）眼（cakṣūr）界（dhātur） 乃至（yāvan）無（na）意識（mano-vijñāna）界（dhātuḥ） 無（na）明（vidyā）無（na）明盡（vidyāk-ṣayo） 乃至（yāvan）無（na）老死（jarā-maraṇaṃ） 無（na）老死盡（jarā-maraṇak-ṣayo） 無（na）苦（duhkha）集（samudaya） 滅（nirodha）道（mārgā） 無（na）智（jñānaṃ）無（na）得（prāptiḥ） 因（tasmād）無得故（a-prāptit-vād） 菩提 薩埵（bodhisattvāṇāṃ） 般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitām）依（āśritya） 住心於（viharaty）無（a）念（cittā）無罣礙（va-raṇaḥ） 心（cittā）無罣礙（va-raṇaḥ） 離有相（nāstitvād ）離 恐怖（atrastro） 顛 倒 遠 行（viparyāsātikrānto） 究竟（niṣṭhā）涅槃（nirvāṇaḥ） 三 世 所 經 （tryadhva-vyavasthitāḥ） 一切（sarva）佛（buddhāḥ） 般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitām） 依無上（āśrityā-nuttarāṃ）正等正覺（samyaksambodhim） 究竟正佛果（abhisaṃbuddhāḥ） 是故（tasmāj）應知（jñātavyaṃ） 般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitā） 大（mahā）咒（mantro） 大（mahā）明（vidyā）咒（mantro） 無上（'nuttara）咒（mantro）無等等（'samasama）咒（mantraḥ） 一切（sarva）苦（duḥkha）外息除滅（praśamanaḥ） 真實 (satyam) 不虛由於（amithyatāt） 般若波羅蜜多（prajña-pāramitāyām） 說（ukto）咒（mantraḥ） 即 說 咒 曰（tadyathā） 前往 （gate）前往（gate）彼岸前往（pāragate） 彼岸全前往（pārasaṃgate）覺悟（bodhi）圓滿（svāhā） 前說（iti）般若波羅蜜多心經（prajñā-pāramitā-hṛdayam） 圓滿（samāptam）

Five Precepts and Eight Precepts

Most lay Buddhists undertake the 5 precepts and for the more devoted Buddhists, they will undertake the stricter 8 precepts which include the earlier 5 precepts. 

This year Vesak Day, my friend took the 8 precepts at a local Buddhist temple. I was curious as he is married. He shared that the 8 precepts are only observed by laypeople during periods of intensive meditation practice and during uposatha (lunar observance) days. From the access to insight, "The Eight Precepts are based on the Five Precepts, with the third precept extended to prohibit all sexual activity and an additional three precepts that are especially supportive to meditation practice." My friend has been reminding me to practise the 8 precepts at Buddhist temple but I'm quite busy now. Maybe I go for 8 precepts in December. 

The five precepts are observed by most practicing lay Buddhists. As a Buddhist, I try to observe the five precepts. But sometimes I lapse by using incorrect speech when I get angry like being sarcastic or raising my voice. My practice is still not good. 

Buddha taught the Noble eightfold path to practise Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Thought, Right Understanding, Right Mindfulness, Right Effort and Right Concentration. By practising the five precepts, it helps the lay Buddhist to follow the right path. Thus the five precepts set by the Buddha are quite easy to follow. 

Whenever my friend said that Buddha did not say that we should not eat meat, I like to highlight one of the precepts to refrain from destroying living creatures. 2600 years ago during Buddha time, it was tough to have vegetables in the arid land. Thus Gautama Buddha did not take Devadatta's suggestion to enforce that monks don't eat meat else it would be tough for the people to offer food to the monks.

I also find it difficult to have no meat but at least I try to reduce the meat intake hopefully it helps to reduce suffering of sentient beings. If everybody can reduce meat intake, more lives can be indirectly saved.  

Website: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sila/atthasila.html

The Five Precepts:

1.

I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.

2. I undertake the precept t

o refrain from taking that which is not given.

3. 

I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.

4. 

I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.

5. 

I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

The Eight Precepts:

1. I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.

2. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.

3. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity.

4. I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.

5. I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

6. I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., after noon).

7. I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.

8. I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.

The Heart Sutra

Many years ago, I brought The Heart Sutra book by red pine which is the line by line translation of the Mandarin Heart Sutra. The Mandarin Heart Sutra is the summary of the Diamond sutra and it comprises 260 Chinese characters translated by Master Xuan Zang during the Tang dynasty to Mandarin version. Even though it is the shortest sutra, it contains the essence of Buddha's teaching. This 196 pages book is really informative. When I first heard that Form is emptiness and emptiness is form from the Heart Sutra, I decided to learn more about the Heart Sutra and started this blog in 2017 to share what I learnt.

 

Below are some quotes I find meaningful. 

Suffering only exists because of our attachment to what is impermanent. 

Whatever is form is impermanent. And whatever is impermanent is suffering.

The Heart Sutra

The noble Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, 

while practicing the deep practice of Prajnaparamita,

 looked upon the Five Skandhas and seeing they were empty of self-existence, 

5 said, "Here, Shariputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is form;

 emptiness is not separate from form, form is not separate from emptiness;

 whatever is form is emptiness, whatever is emptiness is form. 

The same holds for sensation and perception, memory and consciousness. to Here, Shariputra, all dharmas are defined by emptiness not birth or destruction, purity or defilement, completeness or deficiency. 

Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no perception, no memory and no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body and no mind; 

15 no shape, no sound, no smell, no taste, no feeling and no thought;

no element of perception, from eye to conceptual consciousness;

no causal link, from ignorance to old age and death,

and no end of causal link,

from ignorance to old age and death;

no suffering, no source, no relief, no path;

20 no knowledge, no attainment and no non-attainment.

Therefore, Shariputra, without attainment,

bodhisattavas take refuge in Prajnaparamita

and live without walls of the mind.

Without walls of the mind and thus without fears,

25 they see through delusions and finally nirvana.

All buddhas past, present and future

also take refuge in Prajnaparamita

and realize unexcelled, perfect enlightenment.

You should therefore know the great mantra of Prajnaparamita,

30 the mantra of great magic,

the unexcelled mantra,

the mantra equal to the unequalled,

which heals all suffering and is true, not false,

the mantra in Prajnaparamita spoken thus:

Gate gate, paragate, parasangate, bodhi svaha.  

心经

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，不垢不净，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，心无挂碍。无挂碍故，无有恐怖，远离颠倒梦想，究竟涅盘。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。

This is Lecture 1 of The Heart Sutra. There are a total of 28 lectures on the Heart Sutra.

 

Vesak Day 2022- Remembering Buddha's Teaching

Today is Vesak day, the day that Buddhists commemorates the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana of Gautama Buddha who left a life of comfort in the palace, searching for the truth. I'll spend the day meditating and watching Venerable Master Sheng Yen, Ajahn Keng and Venerable Guan Cheng dharma talks. 

After attaining enlightening, Buddha had compassionately taught sentient being the Four Noble Truths. He reminded us to think and investigate his or others' teaching before accepting it.

On the night of enlightenment, Buddha attained the ability to recollect his past lives at dusk. In late night, Buddha attained the second knowledge which is the passing away and rebirth of beings according to their actions and closer to dawn, Buddha attained the knowledge of the destruction of mental defilements and came to be the fully self-awaked Buddha. Buddha had compassionately spent the next 49 years teaching sentients being the path to end suffering with the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold path. More than 2500 years later, with the advance of technology and past lives regression, it verified what Buddha had taught about rebirths and karma- cause and effect.  If you want to read about rebirths, you can read Dr Brian Weiss's book like Many Lives, Many Masters which touched on individual and collective karma and rebirths. 

The Four Noble Truths are

1) The truth of suffering. Like it or not, both rich and poor go through suffering. The suffering of old age, not getting what you want, separation, sickness.

2) The truth of the  cause of suffering (craving, anger and delusion)

3) The truth of the end of suffering. (There is a way to end suffering) 

4) The truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering is the Noble Eightfold paths.

The Noble Eightfold paths which helps to develop Sila (ethical conduct), samadhi (mental discipline or meditation) and panna (wisdom) are as follows

1) Right thought

2) Right understanding

3) Right speech (Refrain from lying, gossip, idle, harsh speech. If one has nothing helpful to say, be silent)

4) Right action (moral, honorable and peaceful conduct)

5) Right livelihood (Honest living, Refrain from making a living that harm others like selling weapons, intoxicating drinks and toxins)

6) Right effort (prevent unwholesome state of mind)

7) Right mindfulness (be aware and mindful of one's thoughts and feelings

8) Right concentration (meditation)

Watch your cause. Watch your thought. Every thing comes because of causation. This I and ego is because of causation. Every cause is because of a thought. Every thought when you habituated all the time becomes your character, your personality. Your destiny is determined by your character.

Om Mani Padme Hum by Ven. Guan Cheng; Nine Stages of Training the Mind (1)

In this lecture, Venerable Guan Cheng shared on how Om Mani Padme Hum can train the mind.

Thought originate from your mind. Your mind can be like fire. It can be useful depending on how you use it. It can be destructive if it is subjected to anger. That is the mental affliction of anger. Observe your mind. Be mindful.