The teachings of Tripitaka Dharma Master and Shakyamuni Buddha

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In this thread (which may be very short from my side) I would like to show that the teachings of Tripitaka Dharma Master are actually the teachings of the Buddha. They are the teachings of the Buddha in that they are a manifestation the most direct teachings given by the Buddha in the Suttapitaka of the pali canon. What is specific for these teachings is that they do not appeal to the intellect but to immediate understanding of the meaning of the practice instruction given. Such kind of teachings I prefer to call "yoga instructions" in that they do not apply reasoning, intellectual analysis of terms and terminology but they directly advise how to practice the mental yoga that will inevitably result in liberation. Elsewhere such kinds of teachings have been called "pith instructions".

I do no intend to elaborate much on words and terminology to support by means of argument and reasoning why the teachings are identical in meaning (as to what this mental yoga "is") although being different in wording but I leave it up to the reader to see (or not to see). In most cases just quoting relevant passages or sentences may suffice to show (provided there is openness to recognize the basic "pattern").


The challenge involved in such kinds of yoga teachings is that actually there needs to be a sort of intellectual grasping initially simply because the instructions are verbal instructions (how could it be otherwise?) that need to be understood as to their verbal meanings. However the application of the yoga method itself is beyond the intellect. So the challenge is "How to do the leap from understanding the instruction given as verbal teachings to the practice of mental yoga?" But honestly ... isn't this the challenge involved in all dharma teachings?


As a sidenote:
One could extend the comparison of teachings even further showing that the yoga instructions given by Tripitaka Dharma Master and the Buddha actually do not differ from the yoga instructions given by the great master Longchempa. But since this may touch and stir some sectarian issues I am going to refrain from it thus focusing on what in the tibetan camp is called "sutrayana" and not touching any sectarian "superiority" and/or "esoteric" claims.

Last but not least ... what I have written in this OP are just intentional thoughts. I have no idea or concept about how to procede but will post in this thread only if something relevant pops up in my mind and I am in the mood to do so. So it could happen that this OP is the first and last of my posts in the context of this thread

[Hanzze]

much mudita, that you have learned to laugh about your self when you start to try to compare. *smile* I am sure we will also have joy if you start to express your ideas.

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Ahhh ... I knew that you cannot resist 

much mudita, that you have learned to laugh about your self when you start to try to compare. *smile*

There is neither "try" nor "compare?" Why? Since trying is not trying and comparing is not comparing

I am sure we will also have joy if you start to express your ideas.

As I have stated above I will not express my ideas.

[Hanzze]

Ahhh ... I knew that you cannot resist 

Ohh, you mind reading siddhi *smile* Where ever a refection starts.

much mudita, that you have learned to laugh about your self when you start to try to compare. *smile*

There is neither "try" nor "compare?" Why? Since trying is not trying and comparing is not comparing

So it's more a "Give it a try if I get the message of the teachings of Tripitaka Dharma Master and Shakyamuni Buddha"?

I am sure we will also have joy if you start to express your ideas.

As I have stated above I will not express my ideas.

Unconditioned conditioned, sorry I forgot. *smile* So they (the comparing teachings) choose each other by them self.

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much mudita, that you have learned to laugh about your self when you start to try to compare. *smile*

There is neither "try" nor "compare?" Why? Since trying is not trying and comparing is not comparing

So it's more a "Give it a try if I get the message of the teachings of Tripitaka Dharma Master and Shakyamuni Buddha"?

No try. It is already there. I will just provide the quotes (if i will).

I am sure we will also have joy if you start to express your ideas.

As I have stated above I will not express my ideas.

Unconditioned conditioned, sorry I forgot. *smile* So they (the comparing teachings) choose each other by them self.

Now you have got it

[Hanzze]

Then, take a  and let it come unconditioned conditioned, willingly unwilling. *smile*

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Yes ... let go of being a hungry ghost, Hanzze

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Thank you Hannze for your assistance in this first lesson !

What was this first lesson about?

It's been a preparatory teaching, tibetans call preparatory teachings "Ngöndro"

So we just completed the "Ngöndro" of quieting mind.

A quiet mind is the requisite for understanding.

Understanding is fostered by learning which leads to "understanding of the known" (nataprinna). Further analysis leads to "understanding by scrutinization" (tiranaparinna).
The highest understanding finally is perfected understanding which is understanding as abandonment (pahanparinna).

(Thanks to Bhikkhu Bodhi for this!)


These three forms of understanding is what the teaching of the Buddha is about and the highest one, the perfected understanding/wisdom as abandonment is what manifests in the teachings of Tripitaka Dharma Master and what is taught by the teachings of Tripitaka Dharma Master.

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Another method of quieting mind goes like that: 

Bodhidharma, the First Ancestor of Zen, was sitting in his cave, facing the wall, when Huiko showed up and demanded that Bodhidharma teach him. Some accounts say that when Bodhidharma ignored him, Huiko cut off his own arm to show his seriousness.

Finally, Bodhidharma agreed to teach Huiko, and asked him what his problem was.

"My mind has no peace," Huiko said.

"Bring me your mind and I'll give it peace," Bodhidharma said.

"I can't find my mind," Huiko said, after a search.

"There," Bodhidharma said. "I've given it peace."

http://sites.google.com/site/sittingfrogzen/no-personal-salvation

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"Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with consciousness at the eye, disenchanted with contact at the eye. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye, experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.

"He grows disenchanted with the ear...

"He grows disenchanted with the nose...

"He grows disenchanted with the tongue...

"He grows disenchanted with the body...

"He grows disenchanted with the intellect, disenchanted with ideas, disenchanted with consciousness at the intellect, disenchanted with contact at the intellect. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the intellect, experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: He grows disenchanted with that too. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'"

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.028.than.html

Tripitaka Dharma Master says:

"Mind does not arise in accordance with Dharma, and mind does not extinguish in accordance with Dharma. This is called Dharma."

"Neither abiding in abiding, nor abiding in non-abiding, but abiding according to Dharma - this is called abiding in Dharma."

"Dharma is no-mind, ... Dharma is speechless, ... Dharma is without interpretation, ... Dharma is without knowledge, ... Dharma is without this and that, ..."

"Even though mind has entered delusion, you must not produce a thought of delusionlessness. When mind arises, rely on Dharma to gaze at the place it arises from. If mind discriminates, rely on Dharma to gaze at the place of discrimination. Whether greed, anger, or stupidity, rely on dharma to gaze at the place they arise from. Not seeking the place they arise from is cultivating the path. If there is arising of mind, then investigate and, rely on dharma, tidy up!"

"When the practitioner himself realizes that delusion has arisen, then, relying on Dharma, he gazes and brings about its exhaustion."

"When Dharma is Dharmaless, it is called comprehending Dharma. No matter what he meets, he directly comprehends."



excerpt from The Bodhidharma Anthology, J. L. Broughton

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... the excellent thoroughbred of a man is absorbed dependent neither on earth, liquid, fire, wind, the sphere of the infinitude of space, the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, this world, the next world, nor on whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, or pondered by the intellect — and yet he is absorbed. And to this excellent thoroughbred of a man, absorbed in this way, the gods, together with Indra, the Brahmas, & Pajapati, pay homage even from afar:

'Homage to you, O thoroughbred man.
Homage to you, O superlative man —
you of whom we don't know even what it is
dependent on which
you're absorbed.'"


http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.010.than.html

Tripitaka Dharma Master says:

"Mind does not arise in accordance with Dharma, and mind does not extinguish in accordance with Dharma. This is called Dharma."

"Neither abiding in abiding, nor abiding in non-abiding, but abiding according to Dharma - this is called abiding in Dharma."

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SN 35.27 Full understanding

"Bhikkhus, without directly knowing and fully understanding the all, without developing dispassion towards it and abandoning it, one is incapable of destroying suffering.
"And what bhikkhus is the all ...?
The eye and forms and eye-consciousness and things to be cognized by eye-consciousness. The ear and sounds and ear-consciousness and things to be cognized by ear-consciousness. The nose and odours and  nose-consciousness and things to be cognized by nose-consciousness. The tongue and tastes and tongue-consciousness and things to be cognized by tongue-consciousness. The body and tactile objects and body-consciousness and things to be cognized by body-consciousness. The mind and mental phenomena and mind-consciousness and things to be cognized by mind-consciousness.
...
This, bhikkhus, is the all without by directly knowing and fully understanding which, without developing dispassion towards which and abandoning which, one is incapable of destroying suffering.
...

B. Bodhi's translation of SN

Tripitaka Dharma Master says:

"Mind does not arise in accordance with Dharma, and mind does not extinguish in accordance with Dharma. This is called Dharma."

"Neither abiding in abiding, nor abiding in non-abiding, but abiding according to Dharma - this is called abiding in Dharma."

"If there is arising of mind, then investigate and, rely on Dharma, tidy up!"



excerpt from The Bodhidharma Anthology, J. L. Broughton

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...
The way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base is just this Noble Eightfold Path
...
The way leading to the cessation of contact is just this Noble Eightfold Path
...
The way leading to the cessation of consciousness is just this Noble Eightfold Path

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html

Tripitaka Dharma Master says:

"The non-production of consciousness due to forms is called not seeing forms."

"Not seeing one thing is called seeing the path."




excerpt from The Bodhidharma Anthology, J. L Broughton

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Bhikkhus, dwell with yourself as an island, with yourself as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge. When you dwell with yourself as an island, with yourself as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge, the basis itself should be investigated thus: 'From what are sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and dispair born? How are they produced?'
...
SN22.43 (B. Bodhi)

Tripitaka Dharma Master says:


"When the worldy morons encounter a devilish, cock-and-bull fellow who babbles a demonic line, they come up with a demonic interpretation and use it as compass. This is beneath comment. How can they perform the function of a great thing? Hearing that a certain person leads a group of millions, their mind is triggered into motion."


"In the Dharma of cultivating the path, the vital energy of those who obtain their understanding through the medium of written word is weak. If one obtains his understanding from events, his vital energy will be robust. Those who see Dharma from the medium of events never lose mindfulness anywhere. When those whose understanding is from the medium of the written word encounter events, their eyes are beclouded. To discuss events from the point of view of the sutras and treatises is to be estranged from Dharma. Though one may chat about events and listen concerning events, it is not as potent as personally experiencing events with the body and mind. If someone's understanding that events are Dharma is deep, then worldly people will not be able to fathom him. Even if the cultivator of the path time and again has his belongings stolen by thieves, he will not have a mind of attachment and will not even be vexed. If he is time and again cursed and slandered by others, he will not be vexed. If one is like this, his mind of the path will gradually strengthen. It will accumulate over years without end, until he spontaneously has no mind toward any disagreeable and agreeable thing. Therefore he who is not bound up with events can be called the bodhisattva of great power. If one wishes to make the mind of cultivating the path robust, he should send mind outside the boundaries of the norms."




excerpt from The Bodhidharma Anthology, J. L. Broughton

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SN35.92 Malunkyaputta (B. Bodhi)
...
"What do you think, Mahalunkyaputta, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those forms cognizable by the eye that you have not seen and never saw before, that you do not see and would not think might be seen?"

"No, venerable sir."

"Do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those sounds cognizable by the ear that you have not heard and never heard before, that you do not hear and would not think might be heard?"

"No, venerable sir."

"Do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those odours cognizable by the nose that you have not smelled and never smelled before, that you do not smell and would not think might be smelled?"

"No, venerable sir."

"Do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those tastes cognizable by the tongue that you have not tasted and never tasted before, that you do not taste and would not think might be tasted?"

"No, venerable sir."

"Do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those tactile objects cognizable by the body that you have not touched and never touched before, that you do not touch and would not think might be touched?"

"No, venerable sir."

"Do you have any desire, lust, or affection for those mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that you have not cognized and never cognized before, that you do not cognize and would not think might be cognized?"

"No, venerable sir."

"Here, Malunkyaputta, regarding things seen, heard, sensed and cognized by you: in the seen there will be merely the seen; in the heard there will be merely the heard; in the sensed there will be merely the sensed; in the congized there will be merely the cognized.
"When, Malunkyaputta regarding things seen, heard, sensed and congized by you, in the seen there will be merely the seen, in the heard there will be merely the heard, in the sensed there will be merely the sensed, in the cognized there will be merely the cognized, then, Malunkyaputta, you will not be 'by that'. When, Malunkyaputta, you are not 'by that', then you will not be 'therein'. When, Malunkyaputta, you are not 'therein', then you will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. this itself is the end of suffering".

Master Yüan says:

"The Dharma has no big or small, form or characteristic, high or low. It is as if within your residence there were a great stone in the foreground of the garden. Should you fall asleep on it or sit on it, you would neither be alarmed nor fearful. Suddenly you get the idea to create an image. You hire someone to paint a Buddha image on it. When your mind creates the interpretation 'Buddha', then you fear commiting a sin and no longer dare to sit on top of it. It is the original stone, but this Buddha interpretation was created by your own mind. What is mind like? It is always your mind-consciousness brush painting and creating these interpretations. You yourself bring on the anxiety. You yourself bring on the fear. In reality within the stone there is neither sin nor merit. Your mind itself creates these interpretations. It is as if someone were to paint the form of yaksas, ghosts, dragons, and tigers. He himself paints them, but when he looks at them in turn, he himself gets fearful. In the paint ultimately there is no locus to be feared. It is always your mind-consciousness brush discriminating and creating these interpretations. How could there be one thing? It is always your false thought creating these interpretations."




excerpt from The Bodhidharma Anthology, J. L Broughton