Dharma Gems

Discuss and learn about the traditional Mahayana scriptures, without assuming that any one school ‘owns’ the only correct interpretation.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Amitabha Buddha is contained within the hearts of all living beings and living beings are contained within Amitabha’s heart. This is the phenomenon and the noumenon.
Master Hua
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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In all worlds, six times during the night and day,
You look upon each and every being,
Manifesting great compassion.
To you whose intention is to help, I pay homage.
(XXI, 56)

In all the worlds in the ten directions, the Buddha constantly, rousing himself six times by day and night, looks on each and every being and manifests great compassion, thinking, “Who is ailing, who is flourishing, whom should I help, and how?” This is the essence of his compassion. Its function is to bring benefit to all sentient beings. So homage is paid to him who has this intention to help.
Mipham Rinpoche comments on this Sutralamkara verse in A Feast of the Nectar of the Supreme Vehicle.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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The world has not been created by anyone, not by any person or by any god. Not by any Bodhisattva, and not by any Buddha. Heaven and earth have their own life.
Now this question is about where the limits of the world, the limits of the mind and the limits of the Dharma Realm are. But none of these have a limit. If you force it and say there are limits, then their limits are in space, but since they are in space, you cannot find limits there. If you want to find their limits, from the time you are born until you die you won’t be able to find them. Because of this, what use is there in seeking these limits? They fundamentally don’t exist, so what are you doing by looking for them?
Master Hua
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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Therefore, Ānanda, do not be judgmental regarding people. Do not pass judgment on people. Those who pass judgment on people harm themselves. I alone, or one like me, may pass judgment on people.
AN 6:44
As for the places to which someone else’s mind proceeds,
one may be mistaken about them, for they are hard to know.
Therefore one must not make false assessments
with regard to any being.

It is only someone possessed of all-knowledge
who can fully know their minds’ states
and the subtle and secret places to which they may proceed.
Hence, with regard to judging other beings,

the Buddha said, “It is only those who are my equals
who can pass judgment on other beings.”
If the Buddha himself spoke in this manner,
who then could have the ability to pass judgment on others?

If one merely observes someone’s outward deportment
and thereby presumes to assess his inner virtue,
one will ruin one’s own one’s roots of goodness
just as a flooding river may collapse its own banks.
Nagarjuna, Treatise on Ten Grounds
Last edited by Nicholas Weeks on Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Malcolm
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Re: Dharma Gems

Post by Malcolm »

Nicholas Weeks wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:07 pm
Therefore, Ānanda, do not be judgmental regarding people. Do not pass judgment on people. Those who pass judgment on people harm themselves. I alone, or one like me, may pass judgment on people.
AN 6:44
Great advice, you should follow it.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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Malcolm wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:29 pm
Nicholas Weeks wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:07 pm
Therefore, Ānanda, do not be judgmental regarding people. Do not pass judgment on people. Those who pass judgment on people harm themselves. I alone, or one like me, may pass judgment on people.
AN 6:44
Great advice, you should follow it.
Of course. All Buddhists should try to follow it.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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When a noble disciple contemplates upon the Enlightened
One, at that time his mind is not enwrapped in lust, nor in
hatred, nor in delusion. At such a time his mind is rightly
directed towards the Perfect One (Tathāgata). And with a
rightly directed mind the noble disciple gains enthusiasm
for the goal, enthusiasm for the Dhamma, gains the delight
derived from the Dhamma. In him thus delighted, joy arises;
to one who is joyful, body and mind become calm; calmed in
body and mind, he feels at ease; and if at ease, the mind fi nds
concentration. Such a one is called a noble disciple who among
humanity gone wrong, has attained to what is right; who
among a humanity beset by troubles, dwells free of troubles.
AN 6:10
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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Though one may conquer many times a thousand men in battle, yet he is the noblest victor who conquers himself. Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. No god or devil can defeat a person who is self-subdued & ever restrained. Dhammapada
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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Homage to the Great Compassionate One

1. The Dharma taught by Buddhas perfectly relies on two realities: the conventional reality of the world
and ultimate reality.
2. The conventional has two aspects: one that is mistaken and one that is correct. The former is twofold:
the moon [reflected on] water and the conceptions of bad doctrines.
3. Something that is pleasing only as long as it is not examined, which arises and ceases to exist and
which is capable of causal efficiency, is held to be correct convention.
4. The ultimate is one only. Others maintain that it is twofold. How can the nature of reality (chos nyid),
which cannot be established as anything, be two, three, and so on?
Entry to the Two Realities (Satyadvayāvatāra), James Apple translation.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dharma Gems

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More from Atisha...
8. [Reality is] devoid of entity and nonentity, free from conceptions, free from objects, without support, without basis, without coming or going, unexemplified,
9. ineffable, invisible, unchanging, and unconditioned. If a yogi realizes that, the afflictive and cognitive obstructions are eliminated.[...]

16c–e. The articles of dharma are said to number 84,000. All of them are inclined toward and lead to this [ultimate] reality.
17ab. One is liberated by understanding emptiness. All meditational development is for this purpose.[...]

19. The Ācārya Candrakīrti has stated as follows: “Conventional reality functions as a means, and ultimate reality functions as the goal. Those who do not understand the difference between the two have a bad understanding and get a bad rebirth.”
20. The ultimate cannot be understood without relying on the conventional. Without the stairway of correct convention a wise man cannot ascend to the top of the palace of reality.
21. When the conventional that appears is analytically examined just as it, nothing whatsoever is found. The unfindable is itself the ultimate and the nature of reality abiding from the beginning.
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