ATTENDING TO THE DHARMA TO ENTER THE PATH (OUTLINE) October 2010

Attending to the Dharma to Enter the Path The Benefits of Hearing (Pg 29-30) The Ways to Listen (Pg 30-33) Entering the Path (Pg 33-46) – (A) The Method: Associating with Good and Knowledgeable People – (B) The Requirements: (a) Avoiding the Eight Obstacles (b) Attaining a Human Form – (C) The Goal: The Mutually Dependent Three Layers of Motivation 2/4/20162

Benefits Hearing Dharma (p.29-30) All the scriptures say that if one wants to learn and practice the Buddha Dharma, hearing the Dharma is a must. If one does not hear any of it, how can one learn: – a. about emancipation from birth to death, – b. about the blissful land and Amitabha Buddha, – c. about the way to self-realization, – d. about the true Dharma of Buddhism, – e. about taking refuge? 2/4/20163

Benefits Hearing Dharma (p.29-30) (cont’d) Verse 17 By hearing one knows all dharmas; By hearing one can halt the advance of all evils; By hearing one can end meaningless matters; By hearing one can attain Nirvana. Note: All the merits of the Buddha Dharma come from hearing the Dharma. 4

Benefits Hearing Dharma (cont’d) 3 Sources Hear Dharma – From the Buddha – From the Buddha’s disciples – From the scriptures Since Sakyamuni Buddha has entered Nirvana, we hear the Dharma only from his disciples. Even though all the buddhas of the ten directions are expounding the Dharma, we cannot hear them speak unless we have learned and practiced to a very high level. Hearing the scriptures means to take the past as one’s teacher and understanding the Buddha Dharma through the sutras and discourses. Hearing the Dharma from the Buddha’s disciples or from a reading of the sutras are therefore both called attending to the Dharma. 2/4/20165

Benefits Hearing Dharma (cont’d) Hearing the scriptures means to take the past as one’s teacher and understanding the Buddha Dharma through the sutras and discourses. Hearing the Dharma from the Buddha’s disciples or from a reading of the sutras are therefore both called attending to the Dharma. 6

Benefits Hearing Dharma (cont’d) Merits – One knows the dharmas – Good dharmas Bad dharmas Faulty dharmas Faultless dharmas and so forth. One knows what should be included or abandoned in one’s practice. – One halts all evils – evil thoughts or evil actions – both physical and verbal. – One puts an end to all sorts of meaningless matters. – From listening to the true Dharama and practicing according to the proper way, one attains the emancipation of Nirvana. 2/4/20167

Ways to Listen (p.30-33) Verse 18 Like a vessel to hold water, Like a seed to be planted in the ground, One should avoid the three mistakes By listening attentively, thoughtfully, and mindfully. 2/4/20168

Ways to Listen (p.30-33) Two metaphors to illustrate 3 mistakes to be avoided when attending to the Dharma. – First Metaphor: suppose it is raining, one puts out cups to catch the water, one should avoid: Placing the cup upside down on the ground. Putting out a cup that has filthy or poisonous substances inside, so that the water obtained is harmful. Putting out a cup that, although clean and poison free, is cracked and leaks 2/4/20169

Ways to Listen (p.30-33) (cont’d) Inattention to the Dharma is similar. – Those who do not pay attention, do not concentrate, are like the upside-down bowl: even though they may listen, they do not hear. – People may concentrate on hearing the teachings but have prejudices, doubts, and perverted views – like the filth and poison in the cup; then not only do they not develop merit from listening to the true Dharma, they may even commit the offence of slandering the Dharma. 2/4/201610

Ways to Listen (p.30-33) (cont’d) – Peoples’ minds may be without prejudices or doubts but nonetheless are scattered and busy; then, like the cracked cup, they soon lose everything. By making these three mistakes – one will not receive the merits of hearing the Dharma. So listen attentively, thoughtfully, and mindfully. 2/4/201611

Ways to Listen (p.30-33) (cont’d) Second Metaphor: is of planting grain or beans: – Seeds scattered onto sand and rock will not germinate. – Seeds scattered onto soil covered with thick, coarse undergrowth may germinate but will not grow. – Seeds scattered onto fertilized soil clear of undesirable weeds will, if not planted deep enough soon be eaten by birds. 2/4/201612

Ways to Listen (p.30-33) (cont’d) Hearing the Dharma – being influenced through listening – is the Dharmic seed of the resolution to transcend the world. Avoid the three mistakes and be sure to hear well, consider well, and remember well. 2/4/201613

Verse 19 Think of oneself as being sick, in need of a doctor and medicine; Thinking of the need to be treated intensively; One should follow what one has learned and practice it. The Buddha has said that the Dharma is like a mirror. Sakyamuni Buddha said that He, appeared in the world for the sake of curing sentient beings’ three physical illnesses – aging, sickness, and death – and their three mental illnesses – desire, anger, and ignorance. The Buddha is the supreme medical doctor, the Dharma is the excellent medicine, and the Sangha is the nurse. 2/4/201614

When listening to the Dharma, one should have the following thoughts: Sick. – If one does not think that one is sick, or if one knows that one is sick but does not want any treatment, then there is no reason to seek the Buddha Dharma. Needing a doctor. – Having recognized that one’s illnesses cannot be treated by ordinary people, one must seek the Buddha’s disciples, those who teach the Dharma, the excellent doctors who can cure serious illnesses. Needing medicine. – Those who teach the Dharma are like doctors. After they have given instructions on the method of practice, one has to take the Dharma medicine. Otherwise, it is like reading the prescriptions only, this will not do any good. Needing intensive treatment. – The serious illnesses of birth and death are fatal. If one is fortunate, one may meet an excellent doctor with excellent medicine, which one must take for a long time before on can see therapeutic effects. 2/4/201615

When listening to the Dharma, one should have the following thoughts: (cont’d) Note: Many students of Buddhism want to see results immediately. Having practiced very little and not finding relief from the three physical illnesses, they are disappointed and become lazy. The Buddha Dharma is not just any kind of knowledge, much less is it a pastime. It is for persons who realize they are sick and in need of an excellent doctor and the medicine of the Dharma. One should follow what one has learned from the true Dharma, practicing with the utmost determination. 2/4/201616

When listening to the Dharma, one should have the following thoughts: (cont’d) “The Dharma is like a MIRROR,” the Buddha said – it is for SELF- REFLECTION - that which one needs in order to see one’s faults or merits. If one has a lot of FAULTS, one should feel ashamed, REPENT, and stay away from them. If one sees that one has MERITS, one should be HAPPY. If one has no merit, one should PRACTISE DILIGENTLY. Most important is that you PRACTISE after you have heard it! 2/4/201617

Discussions: Working to earn a living, taking care of a family, studying for a degree and so on, is like being a master of many trades. Despite all that, you are here to study the Dharma. Do you experience problems in hearing the Dharma? Explain your situation. Discuss your solutions. 2/4/201618

THE END ANY QUESTIONS? 2/4/201619