What's the quintessence of the Heart Sutra?
-
Yes.Originally posted by sinweiy:
Amtf,
i just recalled 6th Ch'an Master Hui Neng, over heard this phrase and got enlightened.
/\
He(the fifth patriarch) knocked the mortar thrice with his stick and left. Knowing what his message meant, in the third watch of the night I went to his room. Using the robe as a screen so that none could see us, he expounded the Diamond Sutra to me. When he came to the sentence, "One should let the mind rise without any attachment," I at once became thoroughly enlightened, and realized that all of the Dharmas are not detached from the Self-nature.
- the Platform Sutra
when Master Hui Neng said:
There is no Bodhi-tree,
Nor stand of a mirror bright.
Since all is Void,
Where can the dust alight?
At that time, he only knew 'there is nothing'. It was not until he heard yin wu shuo zhu... then he realized 'there is something that is nothing'.
BTW, when the fifth patriarch covered him with his robe, it was not only for screening but also for mind to mind transmission. ThatÂ’s the main reason why Master Hui Neng can be enlightened at that moment. Imaging how many times it would takes us to listen to that to be enlightened? -
Originally posted by Eye in the Sky:
Yes, your approach sounds very Ch'an to me. IÂ’m glad you shared it with us. That's something used very often by many ChÂ’an masters before our time. But I donÂ’t use this approach often now. Because ppl are not as simple as before now. But I still use it when I think itÂ’s the right time for a particular person. Because that would depend on what stage of mind the person is in now. If he is ready, then itÂ’s a piece of cake.
... [b]sleeping is not sleeping ... exactly ... when you said this, did you realised something has happened in your mind, should be a sharp transition??
the first 'sleeping' is the PHYSICAL state (like lying on the bed ... of which you may be thinking in your head)
the second 'sleeping' should not be intrepreted as the same as the first 'sleeping' but actually the opposite of the first, not like awake and not being conscious, but the MENTAL state.
opposite not in terms of the usual way of opposites (like fat and thin), but states of mind!!! States of mind!
In a way, by you saying "seeping is not sleeping" you have generated your own KOAN to trigger a transition in your mind where the truth is caused to be 'released' ... you just need to 'catch' it ... although it's better that this happens without actually doing it this way.
I once helped someone 'see' the TRUTH which he later shared his experience with me. I saw that I can take advantage of a situation. I noticed that we are in a big crowd of people. I asked him to be aware of his mind, what it is thinking ... then I told him that his zip is down!!! He was so embarrased. I told him not to think of what's outside but what's his mind is thinking. The 'huge' transition that occured in his mind ... like a big KOAN, although in a different form, made him see the TRUTH.
[/b] -
Very good question indeed.Originally posted by Eye in the Sky:wonderful 'description'!
ever wondered why the symbol of Buddhism, the swastika, is like that?
But I am not talking about the question as a koan or finger to find the TRUTH. Because the truth is when we find out about the TRUTH, we only know what the TRUTH is. We still donÂ’t know how it works. What does swastika have to do with our Buddha nature in terms of science? Why Buddhism and many other cultures use it as an important symbol? I would like to cover some of that.
I think swastika is something worth studying for scientists. And I think it has very much to do with the original topic here. How does our awareness work? In this world of duality, whatÂ’s its physical characteristics?
This is what I have speculated so far. It works something like anti-matter such as a positron. As a matter of terminology, we identify the electron as having the left hand spin. The positron then spins to the right. Scientists had proved the existence of anti-matter although it cannot be captured so far. Figure below shows the collision trace of a positron and electron when they smash each other.
PositronÂ’s trace is the pink one.
When a positron hits an electron, both particles will vanish and release huge amount of energy. Our awareness may have the same physical characteristics as anti-matter. For instance, a special form of light that can’t be detected by our modern instruments yet. The light creates mirrored matter or reflection of itself so to constitute the universe. So that at the molecule level, they spin reversely. When our awareness is enhanced through practicing Buddhism, it will ‘hit’ and remove our karma and consciousness the same as anti-matter destroys matter, so that we’ll be enlightened again.
BuddhismÂ’s swastika spins to the right which I think may have something to do with anti-matter like light vortex that is capable of destroying all our barriers and make us An-Hsiang. So the swastika could be dynamic and spinning all the time. But this is purely a speculation. Since you asked, so I answered. -
Amtf,Originally posted by namelessness:...he expounded the Diamond Sutra ...
Yes. btw, oops,
'yin1 wu2 shuo3 zhu4' is from Diamond Sutra rather than from Heart Sutra. Although both are still prajnaparamita. 
/\ -
The entire universe which consumes us all is based on a set of laws dualistic in nature - gravity (attraction and repulsion), electromagnetism, weak and strong molecular bonds, etc.Originally posted by namelessness:So the swastika could be dynamic and spinning all the time. But this is purely a speculation. Since you asked, so I answered.
In 'The life of the Cosmos' by Lee Smolin, our universe in our current state and form, existed because it has to obey and operate within a very restricted region of requirements. Without this strict obedience and adherence, our universe as we know it will never exist.
Meaning ... outside this region of restriction, moleculars will not be able to bond for e.g. No Hydrogen, Oxygen, Helium, etc 'nuclear fuels' for stars, and of course life on earth as we know it simplistically said.
What this discovery is saying is that because of this restriction, the 'Creator' of the universe had the hands tied when 'creating' this universe and us, so to speak. That is if you believe in a 'Creator', then another way of saying, is that the powers are actually limited, and not so all-powerful as believed by people.
I don't think one should relate or find a scientific analogy or meaning to the swastika, as doing so is limiting Zen/Ch'an/Buddhist philisophy to what it is not intended to be from the beginning of its transmission to the people by Buddha.
"In our minds, can we really fly ... beyond the limits of the universes" -
Who really is to know that ie what goes on in his head and mind.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Nope, the Buddha closes his eyes during his sleep.
Ok, time for me to sleep, I'm not a Buddha yet.
Who really is to know that when he closes his eyes he is actually sleeping. We think he is sleeping as his manisfestation is 'telling' us so but is he really?
I think it is wasting our timie and energy as a human form to think that to be enlightened we have to be 'like' Buddha, 'act' like Buddha, 'sleep' like Buddha, 'walk' like Buddha, 'breathe' like Buddha, 'live' like Buddha completely. Remember ... there is 'no mirror to polish'.
Cut to the chase ... 'attack' the koans that life is showing you, feel your mind, feel the transitions, and REALISE that you are already enlightened.
Forget about what Buddha is like, forget his image, he is a distraction only made by yet-to-be-enlightened people ... find the TRUE BUDDHA ..
NOT Buddha is BUDDHA! -
Exactly, they are all pointing at the same moon. Btw, I happened to notice your signature and like it very much.Originally posted by sinweiy:Amtf,
Yes. btw, oops, 'yin1 wu2 shuo3 zhu4' is from Diamond Sutra rather than from Heart Sutra. Although both are still prajnaparamita.
/\
"Enlightenment is to turn around and see MY own mistake, Other's mistake is also my mistake. Others are right even if they are wrong. i'm wrong even if i'm right. " - Master Chin Kung
Reminds me what Master Hui Neng said:
He who treads the Path in earnest
Sees not the mistakes of the world;
If we find fault with others
We ourselves are also in the wrong.
When other people are in the wrong, we should ignore it,
For it is wrong for us to find fault.
By getting rid of the habit of fault-finding
We cut off a source of vexation.
When neither hatred nor love disturbs our mind
Serenely we sleep with two legs stretching out.
Those who intend to be the teachers of others
Should themselves be skilled in the various expedients.
When the disciple is free from all doubts
It indicates that his Self-nature has been found.
ItÂ’s really not easy to do that. Since I joined this forum, I have really learned a lot from you guys. You are all my teachers. Thanks.