Legacy of Bodhidharma: 10 Questions for Grandmaster

[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

[Anthony S]

This is a remarkable thread. Thanks.

[veenie]

Thank you for showing us the raft Sifu.

Shaolin Salute

[LeeWeiJoo]

Namo Omitofu
Namo Omitofu
Namo Omitofu

With Shaolin Salute,
Lee Wei Joo

[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

[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,

[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 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,

[veenie]

Shaolin Salute.

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

With love,

Parveen

[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

[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,

[veenie]

Dear Sifu

Thank you for the teachings.
It is a blessing to be given direct answers.

I am moved to tears for how wonderful it is that we have been transmitted the arts which enable us to understand our nature, to have good health, enjoy life and be shown the diamond teachings to cut through illusion/dualism.

Shaolin Salute
With Love & Gratitude to all

Parveen

[Markus Kahila]

Answer to Question 22

Question 22:

In the Breakthrough Sermon Bodhidharma mentions three precepts and the six paramitas. Sifu can one “dispel the three poisons drive away the six thieves” by ‘just being’ in the present moment?

- Parveen

Answer to Question 22:


"
In Buddhist context, the three precepts are taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Sanka, and taking refuge in the Dharma. The six paramitas are perfection of charity, morality, tolerance, effort, meditation and wisdom.

The three poisons are greed, anger and delusion. The six thieves are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. Why are these six sense organs called the six thieves. It is because they distort the Supreme Cosmis Reality, called the Spiritual Body of the Buddha, and cause us to experience it as differentiated entities, or the phenomenal world.

No, in conventional language, one cannot dispel the three poisons and drive away the six thieves by just being. In other words, by doing nothing, one cannot overcome greed, anger and ignorance, and perceive reality as an undifferentiated spread of energy.


We can overcome the three poisons with the first three of the six paramitas. In other words, when we are charitable, morally upright and tolerant of other people’s beliefs, we will not be greedy, angry and deluded. By practicing the other three paramitas, we can drive away the six thieves. In other words, when we persist in practicing meditation we will acquire the cosmic wisdom not just to know that the phenomenal world is an illusion but actually experience that everything is undifferentiated.

Bodhidharma also teaches that by merely following the three precepts one cannot attain Enlightenment. In Zen terms it is described as the three precepts are useless in pointing at the Mind. Those who do not understand the teaching deeply, which means most people, will find the teaching sacrilegious. In essence it is like saying, “If you meet a Buddha, kill him!”

The deep meaning is that by merely believing in Buddhism, even becoming a monk, and reciting sutras and sitting in a lotus position, one cannot attain Buddhahood. Similarly, if you still perceive someone in this world or in the divine realm as a Buddha, differentiated from other entities, you still exist in the phenomenal. Only when you can break through the phenomenal and perceive everything as undifferentiated, you have attained Enlightenment.


Hence, in the cosmic sense, by just being one can dispel the three poisons and drive away the six thieves. By just being, one returns to the Original State, which is Buddhahood.
"

- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Best wishes,

[Markus Kahila]

Answer to Question 21

Question 21:

In the Bloodstream sermon, Bodhidharma points out “To find the Buddha you have to see your nature” Sifu, can we point directly to ‘the mind’ to ‘find Buddha’ through our practice of Chi Kung, Smiling from the Heart and Don’t Worry, Don’t Intellectualize, Enjoy your practice?

- Parveen

Answer to Question 21:


"
Yes, we can. Our chi kung practice like smiling from the heart, not worrying and not intellectualizing, and enjoying our practice are the method which can be used to attain supra-mundane goals like pointing direct at the mind to find Buddha.

We can also use the same method for mundane goals like enjoying good health and vitality, and attaining peak performance in our work and play.
"

- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Best wishes,

[Markus Kahila]

Answer to Question 20

Question 20:

Dear Sifu, how closely related are the teachings of Confucius and Zhang San Feng? And, are the teachings of Confucius related closely to other well known Masters in history?

- Sifu Mark Blohm

Answer to Question 20:


"
The teachings of Confucius and of Zhang San Feng are worlds apart.  


Confucius, the founder of Confucianism and regarded by many as China’s top philosopher, was pragmatic and taught good living in this phenomenal world. The hallmarks of his teaching were loyalty to the state and filial piety to parents.


Zhang San Feng, a great Taoist master and regarded as the first patriarch of internal arts, did not care much about worldly affairs. The hallmarks of his teaching were internal cultivation and attaining the Tao.


Confucius also talked about attaining the Tao. But the Tao of Confucianism and the Tao of Taoism are vastly different. To Confucians, attaining the Tao means living a long and righteous life here and now. To Taoists, attaining the Tao means attaining immortality or blissfully integrated into the Cosmos.


The famous master most closely related with Confucius was Mencius. Mencius taught Confucian teachings, but what distinguished him from Confucius was that while Confucius emphasized rituals to attain a glorious state, Mencius focused on humanity to lead a meaningful life. In other words, one worked for the king, the other worked for the people
"

- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Best wishes,