4 July 2004: A request to be taught Buddha Dhamma

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Buddhist Hour
Radio Broadcast on Hillside 88.0 FM
Buddhist Hour Script 336 for Sunday 4 July 2004

This script is entitled: A request to be taught Buddha Dhamma.

Over the quarter of a century since our Temples establishment in 1978 by the late Master John David Hughes, its founder, students and countless visitors have been blessed by members of the Sangha from around the world who have come and taught Buddha Dhamma within this heavenly place.

On the evening of 16 June 2004 Venerable Ayya Medhanandi, a Theravadin Nun from Canada and resident in Wellington New Zealand attended our Centre to give a Dhamma talk and meet with our Members.

Venerable Ayya Medhanandi dedicated the Dhamma talk and meditation to John David Hughes. She said he must have been a great being for this place to exist where you can feel the wonderful energy. The Buddha Dhamma is very much alive. To have all these wonderful people to continue to care for this place after he has passed away.

Venerable Ayya chanted in pali and gave five precepts, guided meditation and gave a dhamma teaching about the story of the Bamboo Acrobat. The story is of a Bamboo Acrobat Master and his apprentice.

This account is taken from the students recollections of the talk:

The Master acrobat constructed a bamboo pole and tells his assistant to climb up, he then tells his assistant, Fryypan, the apprentice... when you are performing, I will watch over you, guide you and care for you. When I am performing you will watch over me, guide me and protect me and in this way we will watch over each other. You be aware of my body and I will be aware of your body, then we will not fall down and we will do a good performance.

Fryypan the apprentice said, no Master, that will not do at all. I must watch over myself, guide myself and care for myself and in that way protect myself. If I am busy looking after you then who will protect me. We should each look after ourselves and in that way guide and protect ourselves,
then we will not fall down and we will do a good performance.

The assistant was correct.

The Venerable Nun explained why the assistant was correct and how we can use the awareness of the body to lead in a linear fashion to awareness of the feelings in the body (being pleasant, unpleasant or neither pleasant nor unpleasant), then feelings in the mind (being pleasant, unpleasant or neither pleasant nor unpleasant), and lastly to awareness of the mind itself. This awareness or mindfulness, will then help us in many situations.

At the conclusion of the talk Venerable Nun Ayya Mehdanandi asked if any students would like to ask questions.

One student asked of the Nun: What does one do when confronted, abused or yelled at by someone, causing negative feelings to arise, how does avoid making more negative kamma from a situation like this.

Venerable Ayya answered in the following way: When negative kamma arises - for example when someone is yelling at you – it is usually quite intense – you need to generate the same intensity of loving kindness as an antidote to the negative emotions that are being directed at you.

The Venerable Nun explained that we first need to find out why we are experiencing abuse. It maybe necessary to remove ourselves from the situation or speak up in our defense.

Our Abbot asked if there was anything that we as a group could be doing better.

The Venerable Sister expressed that when she took her vows she did not fully understand that they were lifetime vows but that was good because if someone had asked if she could practice in this way for the rest of her life she would have felt overwhelmed, but a day at a time is easy.

She explained that it is difficult when one’s teacher passes away, but if we continue one day at a time to practice we are doing the correct thing. She also commented that we have a very peaceful and welcoming environment and group.

The Venerable then spoke of the power of generating metta to use as a skillful weapon against war. She suggested one could imagine peoples hatred turning to flowers. Venerable told the story of the Brahmin who went to the Buddha very angry and he said bad things and carried on.

The Buddha did not react, and the Brahmin asked why?

The Buddha explained that if the Brahmin invited guests to his house and offered them food and they did not eat, who owned the food?

The Brahmin said I do.

The Buddha explained, I do not except your anger so you own that too.

The Venerable also spoke of the negative emotion of worry. When worry arises it has an effect on the body. It causes the brow to furrow and become tense, and suggested that instead of worrying try smiling as it will physically change the body and has a most positive effect on the mind.

Attending with the Venerable Ayya were the Kurrupa family and friends who have visited our Temple many times for chanting over the past 18 months.

The Venerable Ayya was thanked for giving us the Dhamma talk and blessing our Temple with her visit and was presented with two gold Buddha Images, one a standing Buddha, the other a reclining Buddha.

Our Abbot offered a copy of the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review Volume 10 No.1. On the front of which is a photo of the Phra Chaiyaporn Pasurt Buddha Rupa that sits on the Golden Pavilion in our Centre’s Heavenly Dhamma garden.

Members also offered a photograph of our Teacher, John D. Hughes, as well as flowers and copies of the Brooking Street Bugle and recent issue of our online Buddha Dhyana Dana Review.

Later in the same week, on the evening of 18 June our Centre was blessed by the visit of two Korean Buddhist Nuns, Dae Wol Sunim and Sang Hoo Sunim. They were attended by their translator Chung Suk Lee. The Nuns are residing in Rowville, Victoria at present and plan to establish a Korean Buddhist temple in Australia.

The Nuns commenced the teaching by chanting the Heart Sutra. We will now play the recording of the chanting.

(play audio tape)

At the conclusion of the chanting Dae Wol Sunim guided a short meditation.

Sunim then gave a Dhamma talk about the Heart Sutra explaining line by line in a brief conceptual translation of the meaning of the sutra to students and disciples in attendance.

The talk was on impermanence to help students come to the point of no-self and seeing emptiness.

We would now like to read the Heart Sutra or Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra to you, first in Korean and then in English.

The title in Korean is: Banya Sim Kyeung

Maha Panya Para Milda Sim kyeung

Kwhan Ja Jai Bosal Heang Sim Panya Para

Milda Si Jo Kyun O on kai gong do

il che go aek Sariza, Saek Pul E gong

Gong bul E saeck Saeck Zeuk Si Gong

Gong Jeuk Si Sack Su Sang Heang Sik

Yuk bu yeusi Sariza Si Je bup gong Sang

Bul Saeng Bul Meul Bulgu Bu Jeung

Bu Zung Bul Gam Sigo Gong Jak

Mu Saek Mu Su sang Heang Sik Mu

An Ni Bi Sul Sin Wy. Mu Saek Sung

Hyang Mi Chok Pup. Mu An ge Nae Ji

Mu Ny Sik gae. Mu Mu Myung Yeuk Mu

Mu Myung Jin Nae Ji Munosa

Yeuk Mu No Sa Jin Mu go Jip Meul do

Mu Ji Yeuk Mu Duk Imusoduk go
Bori sal Ta Ny Panya Para Milda Go

Sim Mu ga ae Mu ga ae go Mu yu gong po

Won Ri Jun do Mong Sang Gu kyung

Yeul pan Sam Se Je bul Wy Pan ya

Para Mil da Go Duk Anyok Da ra

Sam Myak Sam Bori Go Ji Panya

Para Mil da Si Pae Sin Ju Si Pae

Myung Ju Si mu Sang Ju Si mu

Deung Deung Ju Meung Je il Che go

Jin Sil Bul her Go Seul Pan ya Para

Mil da Ju Juk Sul Ju Wal

Aje Aje Para Aje Para Seung

Aje Moji Sa ba ha

Aje Aje para Aje para Seung

Aje Moji Sa ba ha

Aje Aje para Aje para Seung

Aje Moji Sa ba ha

The completing words to the sutra are repeated three times. Their English translation is:

Gone gone, gone beyond,

Gone completely beyond,

Awakened, So be it.

We will now read the English translation of the Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra or Heart Sutra.

The sutra begins:

Avaloskitesvara Bodhisattva while contemplating profoundly the Prajna Paramita,

realised that the five skandhas are empty, and thus he was able to overcome all sufferings,

Sariputra, form is not different from Emptiness, Emptiness is not different from form,

Form is in fact Emptiness, Emptiness is in fact form.

the same is of feeling, conception, impulse and consciousness.

Sariputra, Emptiness is the nature of all Dharmas.

It can neither be created nor annihilated, polluted nor-cleansed, increased nor decreased.

Therefore in Emptiness there is no form, no feeling, conception, impulse or consciousness;

no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind; no form, sound smell, taste, touch or conception;

no object of eye to the realm of consciousness;

no ignorance, nor its extinction; no aging and no death, nor their cessation;

no suffering, causes, cessation nor the path; no wisdom with nothing to attain.

As there is nothing to attain, a Bodhisattva that relies on the Prajna Paramita has neither worry nor obstruction.

Without worry and obstruction, there is no fear,

away from confusion, daydreaming and thus reaches Nirvana.

Buddhas of the past, present and future, also rely on the Prajna Paramita,

to attain Supreme Enlightenment.

Thus, one should know that Prajna Paramita is the great mantra,

the mantra of illumination, the supreme of all mantras,
It is unequaled and able to emancipate all sufferings.

This is true and not false Thus proclaim, the Prajna Paramita Mantra,

saying thus, “Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi svaha”.

Following are excerpts from Dae Wol Sunim explanation of the Heart Sutra translated by Chung Suk Lee.

We apologise for any error that we may have made in our transcribing of the Dhamma talk by the Venerable Nun and request the foregiveness of those who are listening or read this script online.

Dae Wol Sunim began the commentary with the following words:

The Heart Sutra is precious for the Buddha. When discussing the profound illumination, the state of mind, the Venerable Sariputra spoke to the Noble Avaloskitesvara, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva saying...how should those of a good family...who wish to follow the profound practise of the wisdom gone beyond?

Bodhisattva, Mahasattva replied to the Venerable Sariputra some who are born of a good family who wish to follow the profound practise of wisdom gone beyond should look at like this.

Analysing the five skandhas by nature, empty.

Form is empty, emptiness is form. Empty is nothing other than form. Form is nothing other than emptiness.

In the same way feeling, recognition, karmic formation and consciousness are all empty, therefore... Avaloskitesvara said to Sariputra all phenomena are all empty, without characteristics they are unborn... they are neither impure or free from impurity, they neither decrease or increase.

Venerable Sariputra, here in emptiness there is no form, there is no feeling, there is no recognition, there is no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind.

There are no skills of the eyes... there are no skills of the mind there are no skills all the way up to the sphere of mental consciousness.

There is no ignorance, there is no destruction of ignorance, there are no bodies... and no old age and there is no destruction of old age.

Because there is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no cessation of suffering and path and no wisdom, no attainment and no non attainment.

Sariputra, because there is no attainment all Bodhisattva hold to wisdom gone beyond. And because there is no obscurity of mind they have no fear, passing totally beyond falsity they reach a beautiful boundless of sorrow.

All the Buddhas who dwell in the three parts by relying on the wisdom gone beyond, fully, clearly, awakened... unsurpassed, most perfect and complete enlightenment.

Therefore the mantra of wisdom... gone beyond, the mantra of great insight, the unsurpassed mantra, the one we call the mantra, the mantra there calms all suffering she would be known as the truth, for there is no deception the mantra of wisdom gone beyond, is proclaimed.

So this is very important.

At this point, the conclusion to the commentary the Dae Wol Sunim guided the conclusion to the Heart Sutra with those in attendance that this is true and not false Thus proclaim, the Prajana Paramita Mantra:

chanting thus, “Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi svaha”. three times.

The translation is: gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond.

Yes, the concept is that the pain the wisdom gone beyond this Heart sutra, the bodhisattva is saying that the profound practise of the wisdom is best way to understand, analysing the five aggregates by nature is empty.

Sunims translator asked: does everyone understand what are the five aggregates?... and the students answered... the five groups, the five skandhas...

The Nun then asked, can anybody here explain the concept of matter? What is matter... the five aggregates?

One student responded that matter, one explanation, is that matter is four great elements... air, fire, water and earth element.

The Venerable commented that everything in the universe consists of four elements.

Because Bodhisattva Master saying... he goes to the conceptual wisdom, the main concept of the Heart Sutra was to analyse these five aggregates and Sunim asked how do you draw the concept of emptiness from the concept of matter?

A student replied in answer: because there is no self.

Dae Wol Sunim then asked how could you how relate then to when you say there is no atman, that is - a permanent self - and the self, and how is related to conceptual matter and when you draw from no self here. The Venerable asked... how then is there no self, how did you collect this conceptual matter, this body, if there is no self, why?

One student replied to the question, because one is changing.

How then is it changing?

The response from another student was to explain by describing indicators on the body: you get sick, you get tired, there’s pain comes goes, theres good things comes and go... there is always a state of change... anicca... and then the body dies.

Beautiful, was the reply from the Venerable Nun. You are fantastic.

Dae Wol Sunim then asked: why if things are changing from moment to moment, why... why anicca... why is there no permanence?

The response offered by the students was... citta... one moment... because of the things you have done in past lives... past kamma must arise... you grab [it] second by second your kamma comes up. You don't know emptiness, you grab onto it.. so it must come back again.

Venerable Dae Wol Sunim expounded further that things are changing because of dependent origination. She asked what is dependent origination?

Many causes... nothing coming from nothing... cause and effect ... perpetualism... linked...we see something, we hear something, we grab something, and we say I like, I don't like.

That is fundamental.

As soon as we say and or dislike we make kamma.

At this point Dae Wol Sunim’s translator noted that it is good that the students had the concepts clearly understood in their mind.

Because of emptiness, because of all things the movement is impermanent, and this is why there is no self, and that is emptiness.

So aggregate is sensation. One student noted that, you can have good feelings, you can have bad feelings, but they all come and go... they change... you get a good feeling comes along and you want to keep... but then you get pain because it goes away... pain... if you let it be... it will go away too.

Pleasant or not pleasant... good or bad.

We have this knowledge, but the question is how to live?

So the skandhas, what is the perception of emptiness in the idea world?

When you contact the object through your six senses, then you have an idea of, for example conception of a tree, conception of a woman. The reality is it is a projection of your mind.

So the fifth aggregate is mental formation, what is kamma, what is the conception of emptiness within the conception of kamma.

One student replied: it is because everything is arising just because of your kamma, from your past, there is no self in it... it is coming from past causes.

A rhetorical question was then posed: so, you cant conquer even our birth and we have no choice about it, what kind of family you are from or born too?

The student responded: we can make good kamma, we can understand emptiness, we can make the kamma to become enlightened. Becoming pure buddha kamma, and then becoming enlightened.

It is our state of mind.

At the conclusion of the Teaching one student asked: When you are doing meditation what should you focus on?

Dae Wol Sunim answered the question saying that: when in Korea the Master gives the disciple a koan - to focus the student on the koan who is instructed to keep asking in their meditation, what is this about?. Its purpose is to tie up the mind, to keep it focussed so that it does not go off onto all different subjects and theorise. This practice develops one pointedness and concentration.

The Venerable Nuns were thanked for the Buddha Dhamma talk on the Heart Sutra and offered flowers and asked to please come to our temple again and again.

May Buddha Dhamma Teachers continue to come to Australia to teacher the Dhamma.

May Buddha Dhamma Teachers continue to come to our Temple.

May we continue to request to be taught.

May the Buddha Dhamma dwell, be practised and be taught
at our Temple for the next five hundred years.

May all beings be well and happy.

Today's Buddhist Hour Broadcast script was prepared by Anita M. Hughes, Julian Bamford, Helen Costas, Leanne Eames, Leila Igracki, Lisa Nelson, Julie O'Donnell, Lainie Smallwood and Amber Svensson.

References:

Dae Wol Sunim. Banya Sim Kyeung (the Heart Sutra or Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra) translation from Korean characters to English. 2004.

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