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

2. Master Ren-jun (仁俊法師) and Bhikkhu Bodhi
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
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 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 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.

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

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