Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山 English Dharma Class

1. Bodhicitta and Buddha Nature Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山English Dharma Class Thursday November 10th, 2011

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Four Essentials for Practice • Faith • Trust and confidence • Understanding • Study and Right View • Practice • Action in accord with the Dharma • Realization • Awakening • Confirmation

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Bodhisattva Vows • Four Great Vows • 四弘誓願 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. 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

11. 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

12. Chan Buddhism • Dhyana • Meditation • Bodhidharma • 5th/6th century • Not relying on words • “wordless teaching” • Meditation • Letting go Zen Chan 禪

13. Four Practices • Bodhidharma - 菩提達摩 • Accept karmic consequence • All things have a cause • Positive use of suffering • Be in accord with conditions • All-acceptance • Adapting to conditions • Practice without seeking • Learn to let go of expectations • Allow the practice to do the work • Practice in accord with the Dharma • Study, contemplate, practice