Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山English Dharma Class

Thursday November 10th, 2011

Bodhicitta and Buddha Nature

Summary – where are we?

• Four Noble Truths• Suffering, its cause, its

cessation, and the Path

• Noble Eightfold Path• Wisdom, ethics, meditation

• Three Refuges• Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

• Two Vehicles• Mahayana and Theravada

Master Ren-jun ( 仁俊法師 ) and Bhikkhu Bodhi

What is our Purpose?

• What is the Buddha’s purpose for teaching the Dharma?

• Three Purposes• Happiness in this life• Happiness in a future life• Liberation from suffering

• Lotus Sutra 法華經• Buddhahood

• Universal Buddhahood

Mahayana: Way of the Bodhisattva

• Bodhi – sattva• 菩薩

• Two pillars:• Wisdom• Compassion

One who cannot let go of himself lacks

wisdom. One who cannot let go of others lacks

compassion.

Four Essentials for Practice

• Faith• Trust and confidence

• Understanding• Study and Right View

• Practice• Action in accord with

the Dharma

• Realization• Awakening• Confirmation

Wisdom 般若 / 智慧• Prajna (Prajna-paramita)• Insight into Emptiness 空

– Non-self 無我 , impermanence 無常 , and the Middle Way 中道

– 無有及無無有 – 色不異空空不異色

• Inter-dependence– Dependent Co-arising 緣起– Cause and effect

• nothing is without a cause

• Non-substantiality– Nothing is more one thing than

another

• Freedom– Liberation from limitations

Compassion 慈悲• The wish to help relieve the

suffering of others• We are not separate

• Three types (three sources)Taking other beings as the

object of compassion• Seeing their suffering

Seeing the true nature (empty nature) of phenomenon• Other’s happiness is our own

Compassion without distinction• 心佛眾生三無差別• There is no difference

Bodhicitta 菩提心• Practice of a Bodhisattva• The Mind of Enlightenment

• 發無上心• Practice for the benefit of

self and others• Without the understanding

of Emptiness 空… .• a bodhisattva is not a

Bodhisattva

• Universal liberation• Before self-liberation

• Relative and Absolute Bodhicitta

Paramitas – the Perfections

• 波羅密 – Paramita• Something that helps to

cross to the “other shore”

• Six Paramitas• Giving 佈施

• Dana

• Morality 持戒• Sila

• Patience 忍辱• Kshanti

• Effort 精進• Virya

• Meditation 禪定• Dhyana

• Wisdom 般若 , 智慧• Prajna

Prajna-paramita Bodhisattva

Bodhisattva Vows

• Four Great Vows• 四弘誓願

眾生無邊誓願度煩惱無盡誓願斷法門我量誓願學佛道無上誓願乘

Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to deliver them.Afflictions are endless, I vow to end them.Dharma gates are measureless, I vow to learn them.The Buddha’s Way is unsurpassed, I vow to attain it.

Buddha Nature 佛性• What is Buddha Nature?• Something? Nothing?• Buddha within• Ability to awaken from

the dream of ignorance and suffering

• Faith and cultivation• Nourish our Buddha

Nature

Chan Buddhism

• Dhyana• Meditation

• Bodhidharma • 5th/6th century

• Not relying on words• “wordless teaching”

• Meditation• Letting go

Chan 禪 Zen

Four Practices

• Bodhidharma - 菩提達摩1. Accept karmic consequence• All things have a cause• Positive use of suffering

2. Be in accord with conditions• All-acceptance• Adapting to conditions

3. Practice without seeking• Learn to let go of expectations• Allow the practice to do the work

4. Practice in accord with the Dharma• Study, contemplate, practice