The Cycle of Life — Dependent Origination (Q&A 2021/04/25)

Q&A 2021/04/25

Verse 76

Cloaked in ignorance, 

Bound by the knots of desire,

The body with consciousness continues, 

Ceaselessly continues.

~ The Way to Buddhahood

1. Are all actions volitional actions?

For example: If you walk from point A to B and your trip and fall.

~> this is a good question for self-notifications from moment to moment during mindful practices.

~> some actions start involuntarily, it will become voluntary when we feel safe/comfortable/confidence etc., then we will change to do it volitionally, and once it became our behavior, the action will arise voluntarily as well as involuntarily depends on our conditions. 

2. Does Volition mean intention?

~> yes.

3. Why is ignorance male and desire female?

~> it’s just a metaphor, to describe how our suffering or unsatisfactoriness arise, as similar as how we appear in the world due to the combination of a father (male) and a mother (female).

~> All sufferings caused by ignorance and desire. 

~> Put aside discrimination and sexism, maybe we can easily discover more ignorance (wrong views) in males and more desire (cravings) in females. This is a probabilistic statement, for reference only.

4. Is there shared Karma. How do you explain genocide in terms of karma? Is there environmental karma?

~> Indeed, there is a idea of “shared karma” under the topic of Karma.

~> Shared karma is kind of karma that is held in common by certain groups of people or effects that are shared with others as a result of their sharing activities. 

~> Some of the shared karma are due to environmental condition, and there are also certain shared karma caused by human factors, genocide sadly is an example.

~> However, during the campaign of genocide, we not only see those who have shared-karma, but also learned that there are some survivors who have unshared karma.

5. Is karma accumulated at the intersection of time and space...that moment? 

(Horizontal and vertical)

~> Yes, in worldly aspects, this is how we understand the accumulation of karma.

6. Is karma stored form all your past life plus more from your most previous past life? 

~>  What we encounter now is highly related to the past, the past in THIS life and PREVIOUS life. 

~> Although related, it (our current fruition) also constantly changing.

~> This is because what we have just done will become PAST immediately, and will influence the coming fruition.

~> And that’s why no matter how our fruits are inferior currently, we are encouraged to do more good physically and mentally, which will change our current situation.

The Cycle of Life — Dependent Origination (Q&A 2021/03/21)

 Q&A 2021/03/21

Verse 75

Suffering and accumulation become entangled with one another. 

Death and birth arise from dependent origination 

Which has twelve links, as taught by the Buddha. 

They are like a castle or a fruit tree.

~ The Way to Buddhahood

1. Dependent origination as a “vertical” explanation vs “horizontal” explanation of the first and second noble truth. What does vertical mean?  What does horizontal mean?

Dependent origination is a “vertical” explanation of the mutual production of accumulation and suffering, complementing the horizontal explanation of the first and second Noble Truths. ~ The Way to Buddhahood

~> The concept of horizontal and vertical is occasionally used in the interpretation of Buddhism.

~> The horizontal concept is mostly used in the analysis of the static (immobile) state, in other words, it’s an observation that does not involve the concept of time.

~> As for the concept of vertical, it is a dynamic analysis, which involves the concept of time, it is an observation how things change from past to present, from present to future.

~> Actually, the teaching of Dependent Origination and Noble Truth are the teachings that unveil the facts of CAUSE and EFFECT. The author tries to remind us that both of the teachings shared the same purpose, but reveal the facts in a different manner.

2. What does accumulation mean? What’s being accumulated? Karma?

3. This book describes the second noble truth as accumulation. How is that different from another version that says the cause of suffering is craving?

The Buddha said that there was no beginning to birth and death. Just as in the case of accumulation and suffering — suffering comes from accumulation and accumulation also arises from suffering — birth and death occur in a circular fashion. ~ The Way to Buddhahood

~> The Second Noble Truth, it is called samudaya in Pali, has many different translations in English. 

~> Indeed, it is the CAUSE of suffering mainly due to craving. 

~> However, when we observe the CAUSE of suffering, it is not just one or two cause(s), it’s like a “complicated bundle”, and that’s why in English, words like “accumulation, aggregate or exacerbation” are use to describe “samudaya” (集).

4. This section describes a castle being Guarding the door to liberation. Who are the guards? Are they our own afflictions. Is the only exit here referencing the path.

The Buddha used different parables to explain the twelvefold dependent origination. First, he said it is like a castle. Sentient beings are like people enclosed in a castle unable to get to the door. The only exit is blocked by guards, so if they approach a door they are unable to get out. ~ The Way to Buddhahood

~> Absolutely, the GUARDs here are our afflictions. We are trapped in the CASTLE, the twelve links of Dependent Origination. 

~> The PATH (the practices) is the TOOL to find the EXITs and the EXIT-PASS, so that we can show to the Guard. This is what I'm going to share with you in Section 4 when you’ve finished the reading.

The Cycle of Life — Dependent Origination

Progress suggestions:

Section 1: Brief talk about the 12 terms in Dependent Origination by Ven. Ekāyana (30-45 minutes)

Section 2: Read the article written by Joseph Goldstein 

Section 3: Read the contents in the The Way to Buddhahood verse: no. 75, 76 & 77

Section 4:  Let’s talk about the daily application of Dependent Origination with Ven. Ekāyana 

Related to The Way to Buddhahood verse: no. 75, 76 & 77

Verse 75

Suffering and accumulation become entangled with one another. 

Death and birth arise from dependent origination 

Which has twelve links, as taught by the Buddha. 

They are like a castle or a fruit tree.

Verse 76

Cloaked in ignorance, 

Bound by the knots of desire,

The body with consciousness continues, 

Ceaselessly continues.

Verse 77

Originating in consciousness there is name and form. 

From these come the six sense organs. 

The meeting of faculties and objects forms contact. 

From contact comes sensation. 

Through sensation arises desire. 

Increasing desire becomes clinging. 

Therefore they accumulate to form existence in the future, 

And birth, aging, and death all follow.

Article Reading: 

Dependent Origination: The Twelve Links explained by Joseph Goldstein

Food for thought:

Can I see the Dependent Origination in my daily life or work?

Q&A 2021/2/28

Is it possible if we just cut one link we could then be liberated? If so which one? 

～ This is a good question, I will talk about it in Section 4.

Q&A 2021/3/07

1. Is walking meditation a part of practice for sensual consciousness?

~> First of all, when we talk about sensual consciousness, these include senses from eyes, ears, nose.....the six sense organs.

~> If we walk without noticing, we usually miss those sensual consciousnesses. However, if we walk mindfully, means that we see mindfully while we walk, we feel mindfully when our feet touch the ground etc., then the whole process can be considered as “a practice of walking meditation”.

2. Page 2, paragraph 2, from the bottom line 3 - the author mentions "All the elements of matter", does that mean the four elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind?

~> Indeed.

 3. If rebirth consciousness is considered at the moment of conceiving, what would be the Buddhist point of view on abortion?

~> Traditionally, most Buddhist Master will highlight “Do not kill” on the issue of abortion.

~> My view points personally as below:

(1) No one and no scripture can decide “what we should/can do or what we shouldn’t/cannot do” for us, as well as no one can vote for us for what we shall/shall not do. (refer Kalama Sutta) 

(2) We observe the precept of “Do not kill” in order to respect and appreciate living beings, but it is inappropriate to  observe it blindly or forcefully. 

(3) “Should a person having abortion” is the RIGHT for the person-involved, they are free to make their own decision after seeking professional advice from a psychologist or physician.

(4) Of course, if we have alternative options to take good care of the fetus and mother, physically and mentally, I will definitely be on the side of not aborting. 

(5) A quote worth contemplating: “Buddhism is a demanding moral practice; it turns over to each person the power to decide what is right to do in any given moment. Buddhist morality is not imposed by an outside authority. Our morality is imposed from within, from our felt sense of what is true. There is no single catechism.” (~ excerpted from A life in her hand by Sallie Tisdale)

4. Is Craving stronger than feeling? Is Feeling always present before craving / desire?

~> Maybe we can put aside the concept of stronger or weaker, just recognize that Feeling is the cause for Craving to arise.

~> When we have Unpleasant Feelings we CRAVE for something to soothe our mind and body.

~> When we have Pleasant Feelings we CRAVE for something to maintain our happiness or comfortableness.

5. The differences between desire and carving, could one have desire without craving? 

~> I will say yes, with strong mindfulness. Maybe you all can give me some real life scenarios, then we can discuss them in detail accordingly.

~> In Buddhist scriptures, we have a term which is “善法欲”, literally means “seeking to cultivate wholesome factors”. With the sense of “Craving the right dharma; wanting to know the teaching. Thus, the strong desire to become a Buddhist practitioner and assiduously cultivate oneself in the practice of Buddhist principles.”

6. Please share an example of when neutral feelings arise? What are the karmic implications of neutral feelings?

~> An ordinary person, maybe not easy to notice their neutral feelings, which appear in between pleasant feelings and unpleasant feelings. Coupled with not taking any obvious action (mentally, bodily and verbally), human beings barely notice those neutral feelings.

~> However, when people get involved with more and more Dharma Practices, they will see the neutral feelings easier and more clearly, on what they see, hear, taste etc. Actually, the practitioners are training themselves to see things / phenomenal as they are, when they do that (just seeing / merely hearing etc.) their ups and downs in the feelings are controllable by their mindful practices. As a result, they are experiencing more and more neutral feelings.

~> Neutral feelings don’t have strong and obvious karmic forces compared to pleasant and unpleasant feelings, hence, their karmic force is just maintaining a person’s life silently.

~> Some of our “automatic actions”, such as blinking our eyes unintentionally, breathing and heart beating, are related to the neutral feelings.

The Way — Noble Eightfold Path

Related to The Way to Buddhahood verse: no. 79

Verse 79

That which can eliminate suffering and accumulation 

Is only the way of the One Vehicle. 

The three studies and the eightfold right path 

Can lead to Nirvāṇa.

Article Reading: 

(1) The Noble Eightfold Path by Walpola Sri Rahula

(2) The Noble Eightfold Path of Organic Gardening by Wendy Johnson

* suggestion: read both articles, start with the article by Ven. Rahula for definition of Eightfold Path, then only follow by the sharing by Wendy, see how she applies the Eightfold Path in daily living.

Food for thought:

How do you perform the Eightfold Path in your daily life or work?

Questions on Jan 17th (replied on 2021-01-23):

1. How do the 3 poisons (greed, hate, ignorance) contribute to each step on the noble eightfold path?

~> any kind of poison can ruin our Path in whole. However, we still can analyze them separately:

~> ignorance mainly affects our Right Understanding and Right Thought (we can’t get a clear understanding and right thinking because of ignorance or wrong views)

~> hate will influence our Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood (we normally out of control verbally and physically when we were angry, and those misbehavior will affect our livelihood in certain scale)

~> greed typically affects our Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration (when we irrationally “attach to” and “crave for” something or someone, our focusing mind will become weak due to the distractions)

2. How can we apply "right livelihood" in the modern world when everything is so interconnected?

~> You are definitely right that nowadays we are so interconnected, compared to the living style in the past which was not so complicated.

~> To overcome this dilemma, my suggestion is do our best to avoid below situations while we make money for living :

(1) the resources that related to killing people or human trafficking

(2) the resources that related to stealing or fraudulence 

(3) the resources that related to debauchery, especially things that destroy the harmonious family life of others

(4) the resources that related to false speeches mainly on the issues that involved lawsuits and will put people into prison.

~> in short, do our best to decrease the harm to oneself and others

3. What is meant by "Idle chatter" ? We talked about how during the pandemic older people and lonely people just need to be heard.

~> accompanying older people and lonely people during the pandemic and listening to them, even telling jokes to make them happy and laugh occasionally, I don’t think those are “idle chatter". 

~> “idle chatters” are something purposeless, useless and innutrition; however, talk to older people and lonely people, we have an obvious purpose which at least for maintaining their health physically and mentally.

4. Right effort seems to be categorized differently by different masters mainly how it relates to the different factors? Can you explain why this would be so and how we should view it?

~> Since there are three essential elements of Buddhist practice—moral conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom, when Right Effort is put into the practice of moral conduct, then this Right Effort will definitely be related to Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood.

~> Similarly, when we focus our Right Effort on Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration, then it will definitely can be categorized into the group of Mental Disciplines (the focused mind)

~> And that’s why different masters will relate it to the different factors.

5. Is right understanding the same as "Right View"?

~> Yes.

Questions on Jan 31st (replied on 2021-02-02):

1. What are the pratyekabuddhas? we understand that they are on the Mahayana path.

I see that they are talked about in detail in Chapter 5. Should we go there next?

When we talk about “the ultimate spiritual achievements” in Buddhism, there are four different categories, which are: śrāvaka 聲聞, pratyekabuddha 緣覺, bodhisattva 菩薩 and Buddha 佛

And, they all are enlightened beings, regardless of the school of Theravāda or Mahāyāna. 

The characteristic of pratyekabuddhas are :

(1) solitary realizer, which means their realization needs nobody to guide them, they can achieve enlightenment by themselves. Hence, they usually appeared in the period when the world didn't have any Buddha. And, that’s why sometime we translate pratyekabuddhas as 獨覺in Chinese. The first character 獨 means solitary, and the second character 覺 is enlightenment (or realize).

(2) self-enlightened one, who lives apart from others and attains enlightenment alone, or for himself, making a contrast with the altruism of the bodhisattva.

(3) they usually enlightened through contemplation of dependent arising, especially as defined in the twelve dependent origination, so one of the Chinese translation for pratyekabuddhas is 緣覺. The first character 緣 is dependent origination, and the second character 覺 is enlightenment.

2. What is meant by one vehicle?---is it the only way to practice? Some of us agreed with this statement while others wondered. Maybe the question is ...Is the only way to practice the Bodhisattva path? even for different capacities?

First of all, the idea of “vehicle（乘）” is a cart literally. A transportation that takes people to an ultimate place, which is the ultimate spiritual achievement, the so-called Nibbana / Nirvana, the goal of the Buddhist Path.

Sometime, we saw “lesser vehicle” and “great vehicle” in the doctrines, there should be no demeaning to any party, because both can achieve enlightenment. However, lesser vehicle can just bring one person to the goal, while the great vehicle is like a big coach or big cruise that can bring many people to the ultimate destination in one time.

When the “vehicle (乘）” refers to “path”, then it means the Buddhist Way. There are many combinations to say the way/path. Sometimes, we call the Buddhist Way as Middle Path, and here you have learned the phrase “One Vehicle”, it is just as same as the Only Path or the One Way.

Either Only Path, the One Way or the One Vehicle here, is referred to the practices which will bring us to achieve the ultimate spiritual achievement.

If we still ask, “what's that Only Path?” We can say that the Noble Eightfold Path is that so-called The Only Path. We also can say that, all the practices mentioned in the book (The Way to Buddhahood) is that so-called The Only Path. This is because all the practices mentioned in the book are interrelated with the Noble Eightfold Path.

Lastly, can we say that “the three essential elements of Buddhist practice—moral conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom” as “The Only Path / One Vehicle”? Absolutely, because when we expand the practices, they are also related to the Noble Eightfold Path.

3. Is Accumulation referring to the 12 links of dependent origination?

~ In short, Yes. 

~ The 12 links of Dependent Origination is actually pointed out as “the cause of suffering”, which means it explains “the reasons why we have all sorts of suffering”.

~ “the cause(s)”, and “the reason(s)” are the factors that make us suffer, or we can say it the other way round, we accumulate all sorts of suffering from those  “the cause(s)” and “the reason(s)” .

~ All  “the cause(s)” and “the reason(s)” here, we usually translate into “Accumulation” in English, and it is actually “the Second Noble Truth” in the Four Noble Truth.

Questions on February 7th (replied on 2021-02-10):

In the article the author says:

RIGHT VIEW is to have no fixed view of what a garden is and to allow the voice of the uncultivated watershed to guide the design.

How should we interact in our daily life with no fixed view? While practicing right/view?

~> RIGHT VIEW is to have "No fixed view on something or somebody”, is a casual way to highlight “the view of impermanence” and “the  view of no-self”.

~> In daily life, we do our best to make sure everything runs smoothly, then we will easily fall into the view of “I must get this outcome”, “I should get that as consequences” etc. We assume that everything/everyone will go our way, that is the so-called “fixed view” and tend to leave behind the Right View teachings.

~> The author suggests “No Fixed View” for us to cultivate our Right View. Once we do our best in all aspects of our life, and the rest is just to be ready to accept all the possible results. Be grateful for everything that turns out great, and learn to accept and improve if out of our expectations.

Find your Entrance for The Practice of Bodhicitta

 Related to The Way to Buddhahood verse: no. 115

Some enter with the faithful vow; 

Some enter with wisdom, some with compassion.

Article Reading: 

The Three Essential Virtues by Master Yin Shun, translated & published by Hwa Tsang Monastery Australia 

Food for thought:

Recall and share : In the very beginning, which aspect of Buddhism (in terms of philosophical, social welfare or admiring the attainment) has caught your attention and lead you into the dharma practicing?

The Most Important Precepts for Bodhisattva

 Related to The Way to Buddhahood Verse no. 122 :

Withdrawal and loss of bodhi mind, 

Jealousy, stinginess, anger, and arrogance 

Obstruct the acts of benevolence 

And violate the precepts of the Great Vehicle.

Article reading:

The Enemy Within by Dalai Lama

Food for Thought:

“Abstain from jealousy, stinginess, anger, and arrogance” are considered as most important precepts for a bodhisattva. Why is/are the reason(s) that you can think of for this statement?

The Bodhisattva Aspiration

 Related to The Way to Buddhahood verse: no. 114

Not tolerating the decline of the noble teachings,

Not tolerating the suffering of sentient beings,

Through the arising of great compassion,

Enter into the Great Vehicle.

Article Reading: 

An Everyday Aspiration by Manjusura

Food for thought:

How can I turn my common daily task into an Everyday Bodhisattva Aspiration?