Legacy of Bodhidharma: 10 Questions for Grandmaster

[Markus Kahila]

Answer to Question 23

Question 23:

Sifu as you have mentioned in the teachings that Samsara is Nirvana and Nirvana is Samsara, does karma also arise in ‘the mind’? does it only exist when ‘the mind’ arises to the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion? and thus not existing when the mind is ‘empty’ ?

- Parveen

Answer to Question 23:


"
Much depends on what you mean by “mind”. If we take mind here to mean your personal mind, yes, karma arises in the mind. Karma, or cause and effect, exists only in the phenomenal realm. In transcendental Cosmic Reality, there is no karma. In other words, karma does not arise in the Universal Mind.


No, besides the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion, karma also arises when the personal mind thinks of good thoughts, like generosity, peace and understanding. Evil karma arises from evil thoughts, and good karma arises from good thoughts. Indeed it is because of the thought or feeling of great compassion that Bodhisattvas postpone attaining Buddhahood, and Buddhas return to the phenomenal realm as Bodhisattvas.


Yes, karma does not exist if the personal mind is perfectly empty, in which case it merges with the Universal Mind as undifferentiated.
"

- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Best wishes,

[Andrew R]

Sifu Markus, thank you for keeping this thread going, and thank you, Sigung, for taking so much time to answer all of the questions. I found the answer to question 23 especially enlightening!

I have one question in regards to Buddhas coming back as Bodhisattvas. I had always understood that Bodhisattvas postpone final enlightenment to remain in the phenomenal realm in order to aid other beings. If Buddhas can choose to come back to the phenomenal realm, what makes it advantageous to remain as a Bodhisattva? Is there something that makes it more favorable for aiding beings?

With Gratitude,
Andrew

[veenie]

Shaolin Salute.

Sifu, thank you for the answers.
Siheng Markus, thank you for the posts.

With love,

Parveen

[Markus Kahila]

Answer to Question 24

Question 24:

Sifu if everything we are surrounded by now in our phenomenal reality is a manifestation of our mind and from seeds sown in the past, yet everything is impermanent, can we instantly change our reality through our present thoughts or is always subject to karma?

- Parveen

Answer to Question 24:


"
The answer to both questions is yes. Yes, we can instantly change our reality through our present thoughts. Indeed, this is happening all the time, though the manifestations are too minute or subtle to be noticed by most people.

When a sick person who previous thought that his illness could not be cured, suddenly thinks that his illness can be cured, reality instantly changes. Not only there is a change in his emotions and mental set-up, there is also change in his physical body.

Everything in our phenomenal world is subjected to karma. That does not mean that karma is rigid and unchangeable. Karma is the result of thoughts, words and actions. Every time you change your thought, speech or action, you change your karma.
"

- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Best wishes,

[joko]

Sifu, thank you for all the answers.

They are all illuminating.

Markus Sihing, thanks for keeping the thread alive.

Joko

[Markus Kahila]

Answer to Question 25

The Lankavatara Sutra written in Chinese

Question 25:

Sifu could you please offer an insight into the Lankavatara sutra and if one can realize enlightenment through compassion alone as compassion is non -dualistic and egoless? ?

- Parveen

Answer to Question 25:


"
The Lankavatara Sutra is a very important surtra in Zen Buddhism. It explains that the phenomenal world is the result of consciousness. Mind scientists as well as physicists will be amazed at the breadth and depth of knowledge about the mind presented in the surta.

One may become a Bodhidattva through compassion alone, but not realize perfect Enlightenment. Compassion is not dualistic and egoless. The counterpart of compassion is cruelty. Thus compassion and cruelty constitutes an aspect of dualism. It needs a being like a kind person to be compassionate. Hence, it is not egoless.

As soon as there is a thought or feeling of compassion, the transcendental Cosmic Reality starts its transformation into the phenomenal realm. In transcendental Cosmic Reality experienced in perfect Enlightenment, there is no compassion, no cruelty, no ego to feel or receive compassion, and no anything else. It is an undifferentiated spread of Consciousness.
"

- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Best wishes,

[Andy]

Dear Sifu,

Thank you for the continuing series of answers.

Dear Markus,

Thank you for initiating and mediating these insights to us.

Shaolin Salutations,

Andy

[LeeWeiJoo]

Namo Omitofu
Namo Omitofu
Namo Omitofu

With Shaolin Salute,
Lee Wei Joo

[veenie]

Thank you for showing us the raft Sifu.

Shaolin Salute

[Anthony S]

This is a remarkable thread. Thanks.

[Anthony S]

I'm pleased to let people know that Sifu is visiting the Western USA this fall and the weekend theme is entitled "The Legacy of Bodhidharma"
info can be found at http://www.elitechikung.com/announcements.html