The Pursuit of Happiness, Bliss and understanding Sufferings
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There is something that I feel has been largely misunderstood and I wish to clarify. Our forum name is ~ Buddhism: Wisdom Bliss ~... understandably, since this is a Buddhist forum, there is 'Buddhism', and since we wish to attain Buddha's enlightenment and wisdom, there is the word 'Wisdom', but why 'Bliss'? Bringing Bliss to Humanity was what the Tathagathas told my master to do! But what has bliss got to do with Buddhism? People question this because they are stuck to worldly point of view and they think that hapiness is money, material possessions, a great partner, etc etc... you know better.
We want all these things due to our ego and cravings. But ego and craving are never extinguished by the fulfilment of desires. It just gets greedier and greedier. You will know this by observing a baby grow towards adulthood. As he grows older he is less easily satisfied and demands more. It becomes a habit. (note: habits can be brought over to the next life!) This is not bliss but suffering. Dukkha. Unfortunately we are not even aware. (note: Not aware = ignorance. Awareness is the nature of the Buddha.)
Actually Dukkha in Buddhism is very wide. Much wider than most of us would have imagined. When Buddhism says 'suffering is an inevitable part of life', people may only think of physical pain, but the nature of Dukkha is much more than that. The state of mental afflictions is itself dukkha. If we attach to something impermanent it is dukkha. We feel anxious, despairing, frustrated, irritated, upset, disappointed, discomfort, anguish, painful and disgusted, all these are dukkha.
Sometimes we have a success and feel very satisfied with our own performance. However, this satisfaction itself is again Dukkha , simply because it does not stay forever. In a higher stage of meditation practice, you do not feel any mental annoyance at all. It is very calm and peaceful. It is called Sukha - happiness. Again, this happiness is Dukkha, not because it causes unhappiness or suffering at that moment but because it does not stay forever. It changes. It starts and finishes. So it is Dukkha. You see Dukkha does not cover only the negative side of life but the positive one as well.
When we understand this, we will know why even the heavens in the six realms cannot escape this (dukkha), and it is only by the honest cultivation of the Dharma will we be able to be freed from sufferings and attain the Highest Bliss. After all, all the tripitaka and twelve divisions (teachings Buddha expounded) all point humanity towards true Bliss. Therefore I say Dukkha is perhaps one of the most misunderstood concept - the reason why Buddhism is sometimes seen as pessimistic. But the concept of Dukkha is not pessimistic.
see: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/page4.htm (concept of Dukkha)Originally posted by An Eternal Now:A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!" "It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly. A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!' "It will pass," the teacher replied matter-of-factly.
Zen story
The following conversation took place when my Master came to Singapore for a great dharma discussion session in 1989.
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/buddhism.htm#dharmatalk
Question: The title of your Dharma talk is Human Bliss Culture; why then when you answer questions from the audience you did not mention Human Bliss Culture at all? Many of my friends here and I would like to know what is Human Bliss Culture.
The culture of Buddhism is Bliss Culture
Answer: It is because the bliss culture that you have in mind and what I have in mind are different. The bliss culture that you have in mind may be how to prosper with great wealth and fortune, or how to have a good wife in order for the family to have bliss. In this manner, the definition of bliss is too narrow! We need to know that the culture of Buddhism is the real bliss culture. If everybody is able to attain the ultimate Nirvana, then this is indeed the real bliss culture.Nibbana is the highest Bliss. - Dhammapada
The purpose of our learning Buddhism is to distance from suffering and attain happiness. Many people think that to distance from suffering and attain happiness means going to the Western Pure Land. In fact, it is not only this. When we distance from suffering and attain happiness, we have to instantaneously distance from suffering, instantaneously attain happiness and liberation. Some people may be suspicious; how can liberation be attained so easily? In fact, it is very simple. If someone scolds you, and you apologize to him, then that is a small liberation. If someone hits you, and you retaliate; an eye for an eye, then isnÂ’t that very miserable? What happen if that results in loss of life? Even though you are rude to me, I will still apologise very politely to you. IsnÂ’t that being liberated? This is Jen Chen BuddhismÂ’s teaching of liberation. If whilst alive, we cannot even attain small liberationÂ’s like this, then what more to say of liberation after death? In the course of our daily lives, if we are liberated at every moment, then in time to come we will be able to attain the great liberation. Please think it over, isnÂ’t this a very blissful? This is but to use a small matter to illustrate the path of liberation. If we are able to understand more of the Buddha-Dharma and apply them in our life, family, society, country, and to the extent of the entire humanity of the world, then isnÂ’t this a great bliss culture? Therefore, we say that the culture of Buddhism is Bliss Culture. -
hmm
noleh wisdom bliss is the gratification of the mind upon hearing the
teaching of our Compassionate Buddha mah
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Hmm how is that so..?Originally posted by bohiruci:hmm
noleh wisdom bliss is the gratification of the mind upon hearing the
teaching of our Compassionate Buddha mah
I think hearing is one matter.. accepting and practising is the other. -
well, for those who really troubled , listen to His teaching is the first step mahOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:Hmm how is that so..?
I think hearing is one matter.. accepting and practising is the other.
i mean for very basic beginner . -
I see.. true.. sometimes reading the dharma can liberate the person immediately if he understands and accept it.Originally posted by bohiruci:well, for those who really troubled , listen to His teaching is the first step mah
i mean for very basic beginner . -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Bringing Bliss to Humanity was what the Tathagathas told my master to do.
There is something that I feel has been largely misunderstood and I wish to clarify. Our forum name is ~ Buddhism: Wisdom Bliss ~... understandably, since this is a Buddhist forum, there is 'Buddhism', and since we wish to attain Buddha's enlightenment and wisdom, there is the word 'Wisdom', but why 'Bliss'? [b]Bringing Bliss to Humanity was what the Tathagathas told my master to do! But what has bliss got to do with Buddhism? People question this because they are stuck to worldly point of view and they think that hapiness is money, material possessions, a great partner, etc etc... you know better.
We want all these things due to our ego and cravings. But ego and craving are never extinguished by the fulfilment of desires. It just gets greedier and greedier. You will know this by observing a baby grow towards adulthood. As he grows older he is less easily satisfied and demands more. It becomes a habit. (note: habits can be brought over to the next life!) This is not bliss but suffering. Dukkha. Unfortunately we are not even aware. (note: Not aware = ignorance. Awareness is the nature of the Buddha.)
Actually Dukkha in Buddhism is very wide. Much wider than most of us would have imagined. When Buddhism says 'suffering is an inevitable part of life', people may only think of physical pain, but the nature of Dukkha is much more than that. The state of mental afflictions is itself dukkha. If we attach to something impermanent it is dukkha. We feel anxious, despairing, frustrated, irritated, upset, disappointed, discomfort, anguish, painful and disgusted, all these are dukkha.
Sometimes we have a success and feel very satisfied with our own performance. However, this satisfaction itself is again Dukkha , simply because it does not stay forever. In a higher stage of meditation practice, you do not feel any mental annoyance at all. It is very calm and peaceful. It is called Sukha - happiness. Again, this happiness is Dukkha, not because it causes unhappiness or suffering at that moment but because it does not stay forever. It changes. It starts and finishes. So it is Dukkha. You see Dukkha does not cover only the negative side of life but the positive one as well.
When we understand this, we will know why even the heavens in the six realms cannot escape this (dukkha), and it is only by the honest cultivation of the Dharma will we be able to be freed from sufferings and attain the Highest Bliss. After all, all the tripitaka and twelve divisions (teachings Buddha expounded) all point humanity towards true Bliss. Therefore I say Dukkha is perhaps one of the most misunderstood concept - the reason why Buddhism is sometimes seen as pessimistic. But the concept of Dukkha is not pessimistic.
The purpose of our learning Buddhism is to distance from suffering and attain happiness. Many people think that to distance from suffering and attain happiness means going to the Western Pure Land. In fact, it is not only this. When we distance from suffering and attain happiness, we have to instantaneously distance from suffering, instantaneously attain happiness and liberation. Some people may be suspicious; how can liberation be attained so easily? In fact, it is very simple. If someone scolds you, and you apologize to him, then that is a small liberation. If someone hits you, and you retaliate; an eye for an eye, then isnÂ’t that very miserable? What happen if that results in loss of life? Even though you are rude to me, I will still apologise very politely to you. IsnÂ’t that being liberated? This is Jen Chen BuddhismÂ’s teaching of liberation. If whilst alive, we cannot even attain small liberationÂ’s like this, then what more to say of liberation after death? In the course of our daily lives, if we are liberated at every moment, then in time to come we will be able to attain the great liberation. Please think it over, isnÂ’t this a very blissful? This is but to use a small matter to illustrate the path of liberation. If we are able to understand more of the Buddha-Dharma and apply them in our life, family, society, country, and to the extent of the entire humanity of the world, then isnÂ’t this a great bliss culture? Therefore, we say that the culture of Buddhism is Bliss Culture.[/b]
What you mean by this? The Buddhas of the 10 directions asked ur master to bring bliss to humanity? -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Ok. Back to topic. 'Any Christian-turned-Buddhist converts', as I have mentioned briefly in the first few posts, my master, my dharma teacher, and many people in my dharma centre were ex-Christians.
My Master for instance used to be an ex-Christian Pastor himself. I may have mentioned this several times in different posts, whether briefly or more in details, but I will elaborate on that now.
My Buddhist Master (Shi Fu) first went into spirituality after an incident when he was 12 years old. He was returning from school and along the way on the mountain (in China), a blizzard struck and he sought to take cover in a cave. It was so cold that he was going to freeze to death. At that time, he witnessed a divine sign. Huge words in red appeared in the sky, telling him "Humanity's bliss awaits you to be found". From that point he had the strength and survived and thought it was a miracle from God.
So this is how he became a Christian pastor. He was quite an active pastor in preaching and also wrote Christian books (he passed one of his Christian books with his author name to some of the Christians in U.S who visited him before just to show that he really was a pastor). Then at times, he was aggressive in evangelising and went on to insult Buddhism and degrade Buddhism as a superstitious and demonic religion. That was during his university days if I'm not wrong. His university lecturer heard about his aggressive evangelism and spoke with him about it. The lecturer asked him why is he doing this? My master replied "because the other pastors did so, if I didn't do it, the other pastors will say that I do not know how to preach"... thus he followed them. His university lecturer then told him that it was not the right way - people disliked it, and it will even bring down the university name. He asked my master to study the Buddhist teachings, and from that, write a critique based on his understandings.
So this is the turning point... my master researched into all the Buddhist teachings and could not find anything to write in his critique. On contrary, he agreed on all of the teachings! This is the teachings that will truly bring bliss into humanity. (He always say that Buddhism is the Culture of Bliss.. my dharma centre website is www.humanbliss.com.sg) That is when he begin to truly regret and repent his earlier actions to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.... he turned into a Buddhist monk as a result. He often says "even blapshemy can become a 'yuan' for one to encounter Dharma". Sometimes inconceivable.