The Sixth Patriarchs Sutra January 27, 2012 lecture

as outlined by a Buddhist monk

at 1777 Murchison Drive, Burlingame, California 94010, free to public (phone 650-6925912) (Listen live or recorded audio explanations at www.wondrousdharma.org)

Q&A Mind is the myriad phenomena; myriad phenomena are the mind Q&A the 84,000 Dharma practices Chapter 2 Prajna the greatness of
Mahaprajnaparamita
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Verse for opening a sutra

Na Mwo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha (3x) Homage to the Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra (3x) The unsurpassed, deep, profound, subtle, wonderful Dharma, In a hundred thousand million eons, is difficult to encounter, Now that Ive come to receive and hold it, within my sight and hearing, I vow to fathom the Thus Come Ones true and actual meaning.
Exhortation to uphold the Buddhadharma from the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra:

The Thus Come One knows the Dharma of one appearance, one flavor, that is to say, the mark of liberation, the mark of separation, the mark of extinction, the mark of ultimate Nirvana which is constantly still and extinct and which in 2 the end returns to emptiness. (one appearance is the Reality of the mind and the
nature of living beings; the mind ground)

Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: What is meant by Maha? Maha means great. The

capacity of the mind is vast and great like empty space, and has no boundaries. It is not square or round, great or small. Neither is it blue, yellow, red or white. It is not above or below, or long or short. It is without anger, without joy, without right, without wrong, without good, without evil, and it has no head or tail.
Comments:

The vastness of Maha is such that it does not discriminate nor exclude anything. Everything is included; yet nothing is excluded the inconceivable vastness of Maha.
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Chapter 2 Prajna
How is it possible to have such inconceivable qualities in Maha that everything is included yet nothing is excluded ? It is because

Everything came from the original self nature (original mind) and nothing else. And everything will eventually return back to nothing or empty and clear, the original self nature (original mind) Prajna paramita is just that mind that is empty and clear at all times; seeing everything for what they ultimately are in that everything is empty of characteristics. Mahaprajnaparamita is just the original self nature (original mind) within every living beings!

Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: All Buddha-lands are ultimately the same as empty

space. The wonderful nature of worldly people is originally empty, and there is not a single dharma which can be obtained. The true emptiness of the self-nature is also like this.
Comments:

The vastness of Mahaprajnaparamita lies in its unity in appearance; the one appearance that ultimately is no appearance or there is not a single dharma that can be obtained. Planet earth is within the Saha world. The Saha world is the Buddhaland created by Shakyamuni Buddha to teach us. Our understanding of Prajna is multilayered.
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Chapter 2 Prajna
Initially form is emptiness, emptiness is form refers to the form we see and the empty space of the false conscious minds. Here the emptiness is the false emptiness in space manifested by the mind in confusion. (conditioned existence) When there is no more confusion, false emptiness doesn't exist anymore or there is nothing at all, not even emptiness.
(conditioned becomes unconditioned existence)

Chapter 2 Prajna

Because the conditioned is fundamentally empty without appearance, there is no difference between the conditioned and the unconditioned. Ultimately the unity of appearance of Ultimate Reality between conditioned and unconditioned is true emptiness where there is not a single dharma that can be obtained or All dharma are empty in nature or all dharmas are empty of characteristics.
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Chapter 2 Prajna
A verse to summarize the foregoing:

The self nature (mind) is like empty space It contains within itself both truth and falsehood Enlighten yourself to the original substance (original self nature) In one penetration penetrates all.

What is being ultimately penetrated?... all dharmas are empty of charateristics. (Heart of Prajnaparamita)
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Q&A
Mind is the myriad phenomena; Myriad phenomena are the mind. Question: What is the difference between the two?
Answer:

The proper knowledge of a Buddha is that the mind or the self nature produces the myriad phenomena; not otherwise. Because the self nature is empty and clear of appearances and if we want to see and know the self nature, it is just the myriad phenomena Buddhadharma is the teaching that points to addressing the mind; turning around from a confused mind to understanding 9 the original mind.

Q&A
The Fifth Patriarch knew of Hui Nengs enlightenment to his original nature and said to him, Studying the Dharma without recognizing the original mind is of no benefit. If one recognizes ones own original mind and sees ones original nature, then one is called a great hero, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha.

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Q&A
Originally the mind is empty and clear; then confused movement in mind produces the myriad phenomena. The myriad phenomena are the manifestation of the mind. Being a manifestation of the mind, the myriad phenomena is ultimately empty of characteristics because they will revert to emptiness when the mind is no longer confused. Therefore the myriad phenomena is not separate entity from the mind. This is the knowledge of the universe or the knowledge of the 11 nature of the dharma realm.

Q&A

The Buddha is One of proper knowledge and universal knowledge.

Note the sequencing: proper knowledge is mentioned first because

the Buddhadharma is the teaching of the Reality of the minds of living beings (mind ground Dharma) to understand the knowledge of the universe.

Hence, mind is the myriad phenomena; myriad phenomena are 12 the mind.

Q&A
Science on the other hand is trying to understand the myriad phenomena Do you think science will be able to fathom the myriad phenomena?... No, because the myriad phenomena is endless as the confused mind or the self nature keeps on generating new ones; these mundane knowledge are the first of the 6 coarse appearances that eventually lead to attachment and creation of karma. Now do you understand why the proper knowledge begins with 13 mind is the myriad phenomena.

Q&A
And the myriad phenomena are the mind because the myriad phenomena cannot standalone without the mind.

Hence Myriad phenomena are the mind is a knowledge of the universe.

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Q&A
Mind is myriad phenomena; myriad phenomena are the mind expresses true emptiness of the mind and wonderful existence of myriad phenomena. The mind and phenomena or the mind and the universe are not separate and they do not obstruct each other; the true emptiness of the mind in that it is not totally empty because it gives rise to myriad phenomena. The wonderful existence of the myriad phenomena is not really existing because it is fundamentally empty as they came from and will return to the original true mind which is empty and clear. 15

Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: All Buddha-lands are ultimately the same as empty

space. The wonderful nature of worldly people is originally empty, and there is not a single dharma which can be obtained. The true emptiness of the self-nature is also like this.
Comments:

Our wonderful inherent self nature is empty of characteristics. The wonderful nature of worldly people is originally empty tells us that the prajna wisdom is inherent in the self nature of every people. Because people revolves in the six destinies, all the living beings in the six destinies have the inherent prajna wisdom.
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Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: All Buddha-lands are ultimately the same as empty

space. The wonderful nature of worldly people is originally empty, and there is not a single dharma which can be obtained. The true emptiness of the self-nature is also like this.
Comments:

In the Heart of Prajaparamita Sutra contains the heart of Mahaprajnaparamita. The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra describes our self nature as: All dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced, not destroyed. Not defiled. Not pure. They neither increase nor diminish.
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Q&A
Question: The Buddha says there are 84,000 Dharma practices.

Can you tell me all of them?

Answer:

All the 84,000 Dharma practices is just prajna wisdom. That is, all the Dharma practices leads us to the emptiness of prajna wisdom which is inherent in every living being. In the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra it says that there is only one Buddha Vehicle, not two or three. The reason is all are expedients and ultimately it leads us to the real appearance of emptiness of all dharmas - the essence of Mahaprajnaparamita. 18

Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, do not listen to my

explanation of emptiness and then become attached to emptiness. The most important thing is to avoid becoming attached to emptiness. If you sit still with an empty mind, you will become attached to undifferentiated emptiness.
Comments:

Not to become attached to the emptiness, we have to empty this emptiness. Ultimately it neither existence nor emptiness; but the principle of the Middle Way of true emptiness where you dont cling to emptiness and You dont reject existence
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Chapter 2 Prajna
The practical interpretation of true emptiness is Not clinging to emptiness is prajna wisdom

Not rejecting existence is great compassion.

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Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, do not listen to my

explanation of emptiness and then become attached to emptiness. The most important thing is to avoid becoming attached to emptiness. If you sit still with an empty mind, you will become attached to undifferentiated emptiness.
Comments:

If you sit still with an empty mind, you are no different than a block of wood where you have not fathomed the principle of true emptiness in prajna wisdom And when you do uncross your leg, you become confused amidst the society.
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Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, the emptiness of the

universe is able to contain the forms and shapes of the ten thousand things: the sun, moon, and stars; the mountains, rivers, and the great earth; the fountains, springs, streams, torrents, grasses, trees, thickets, and forests; good and bad people, good and bad dharmas, the heavens and the hells, all the great seas, Sumeru and all mountainsall are contained within emptiness. The emptiness of the nature of worldly men is also like this.
Comments:

The emptiness of the nature is our inherent self nature or Buddhanature. Those who have resolved their minds on anuttarasamyaksambodhi do not affirm the destruction of the 22 appearances of all dharmas. (Vajra Sutra)

Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, the ability of ones own

nature to contain the ten thousand dharmas is what is meant by great. The myriad dharmas are within the nature of all people.
Comments:

The greatness of Maha is that everything is included inside and nothing is excluded. Because nothing is excluded, the false world of existence should not be excluded

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Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, the ability of ones own

nature to contain the ten thousand dharmas is what is meant by great. The myriad dharmas are within the nature of all people.
Comments:

Excluding the world of existence is to discriminate the false yet the false came from the true and it will return back to the true eventually. How unexpected! The self nature produces the myriad dharmas. The dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi is the awakening to 24 the teaching of being level and equal, without high or low.

Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: If you regard all people, the bad as well as the

good, without grasping or rejecting, without producing a defiling attachment, your mind will be like empty space. Therefore it is said to be great, Maha.
Comments:

Dont discriminate the false and the true The original self nature is non dual because everything comes from the self nature. The dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi is the awakening to the teaching of being level and equal, without high or low.

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Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, the mouth of the

confused person speaks, but the mind of the wise person practices. There are deluded men who sit still with empty minds, vainly thinking of nothing and declaring that to be something great. One should not speak with these people because of their deviant views.
Comments:

Being delusional about what ultimately is the objective of practicing sitting meditation. The Great Master is breaking the attachment to sitting still with an empty mind and remind that the objective of sitting meditation is ultimately to activate the inherent prajna wisdom.
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Chapter 2 Prajna
Sutra: Good Knowing Advisors, the capacity of the mind

is vast and great, encompassing the Dharma realm.

Comments:

Buddhadharma is about opening up our minds that the entire dharma realm to the ends of empty space is just our minds. For example, when we do transference of merit and virtue, we transfer it to the entire dharma realm to the ends of empty space and not merely planet earth.

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Dedication of merit
May every living beings, Our minds as one and radiant with light Share the fruits of peace, with hearts of goodness luminous and bright. If people hear and see, how hands and hearts can find in giving unity May their minds awake, to great compassion, wisdom and to joy. May kindness find reward; may all who sorrow leave their grief and pain; May this boundless light break the darkness of their endless night. Because our hearts are one, this world of pain turns into paradise; 28 May all become compassionate and wise (2x)

Dedication of merit
I vow that merit made from this deed will become, Adornments for the Pure Land of Bu-ddhas. Repaying the four kinds of kindness above, And aiding those in three paths below. May all who see and hear of this deed Bring forth the resolve to reborn In the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

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