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NAMO
TASSA
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'THE
BUDDHIST HOUR'
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Hillside
Radio 87.6 FM & 88.0 FM |
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The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast for Sunday 2 September 2001
The
topic of today’s broadcast is:
Duteous is a rare formation exactly paralleled only in beauteous it is kept in being by its metrical convenience, and when used in prose has consequently the air of a poeticism. The ordinary word is dutiful.
Recently a Member of our Centre came to the Teacher to ask permission to learn from another Teacher. He said that he thought that he should have three Teachers in his current lifetime. When this Member was asked which Teacher had advised him to do this, he replied none, that it was his own idea.
Whose instructions was he following that he wishes to quit? Have not poets written about standing firm at your chosen post? Milton (1608-1674) states that;
I did
but prompt the age to quit their clogs,
Lord Alfred Tennyson declares;
Nor at
all can tell
Our Teacher warned him of the dangers of splitting his mind in three.
He explained he would not teach him from now on.
Later that evening he sent our Teacher a fax. He repeated the danger of such an undertaking raised by our Teacher and requested a blessing.
It is known that giving blessings energises the present minds and opinions of the recipients. No blessings could be given in this case, because there is no wish to reinforce the continuation of splitting of the former student’s fractured mind.
When our Teacher explained the danger of the wish for three Teachers amounts to creating a schism within the Teachings as it supposes three different Buddha Dhamma doctrines are to be learnt, not one.
Unfortunately no division of such a split mind is sufficiently strong enough to understand or practice anything taught in Buddha Dhamma because it lacks right view (samma ditthi in Pali).
For most lay persons the safety rule given is one life, one Teacher, unless your Teacher advises otherwise.
For others, it is given as one Temple, one life.
In order to learn, persons must understand the pure reason they have a Teacher.
The Teacher is the major shower of the Middle Way.
The true Teacher has a knowledge of what is path and what is not path and knows the time and place to deliver the given teaching to a given person.
If a person cannot learn from one true Dhamma Teacher it is unlikely that he or she can learn from another true Dhamma Teacher.
In Australia it is difficult to get ideal learning conditions because there is not yet widespread Buddhist culture. For most Teachers, the Student ought to work on the Middle Path for ten or more years under one Teacher before being directed to another Teacher. Otherwise, the needed protection is not possible.
According to the Prajna Paramita text, if there is a severe mismatch between Teacher and pupil it is not conducive for learning.
The Prajna Paramita text expounds how Mara uses a mismatch to obstruct the study of the Perfection of Wisdom.
The Noble task of the Student is to become equal to the Teacher’s attainments as soon as possible by making great effort according to the instructions given. Thus, Mara is defeated on many fronts because the mind is not left unguarded.
The text states that maladjustment can occur between the zealous and the indolent. It may be that the pupil is zealous to copy out the Perfection of Wisdom text, to recite then explain then repeat it, whereas the Teacher is indolent.
Or vice-versa, the Teacher is zealous and the student is indolent.
Either combination is unsatisfactory because the difference can be used by Mara to create obstructions to development.
Maladjustment can be through geographical separation although both be zealous.
It may be that the Teacher may be untiring in his desire to copy out the text of this deep perfection of wisdom, whereas the pupils move off into a different district and cannot help on this task. Or vice versa, the pupils want to copy the perfection of wisdom texts, but the Teacher moves into a different district with the originals of the texts. We assume copyright permission is available.
In a mobile society, such as Australia, work promotion demands may bring geological relocation of Students to a different capital city or overseas. This can separate them from their Teacher.
It may be necessary for them to review their work values if they are to place the learning of Buddha Dhamma as a priority.
It may be one values gain and honour, and the other is easily satisfied. Furthermore, it may be that the teacher attaches weight to gain, honour, and fame and is passionately fond of robes, food, lodgings, and of a supply of medicinal appliances for sickness, whereas the pupils have few wishes, are easily contented, energetic, mindful, inwardly collected, one-pointed in their thought, and wise.
Any resultant discord is seen by the Bodhisattva as Mara’s deed affecting the copying and dissemination of the Perfection of Wisdom texts.
If, on the contrary, the Teacher may have few wishes, be easily contented, quite detached, energetic, wise, whereas the pupils have many wishes and are attached to gain, honour, fame, and to success, discontentment can arise.
The prime task of the Student is to defeat Mara’s control of his or her minds.
The pure task of the Teacher is to teach techniques for achieving this goal.
One may be lovely in his or her character, the other is not.
It may be that the pupil is full of faith, lovely in his or her character, and desirous of copying, expounding, and repeating this deep perfection of wisdom, whereas the Teacher has no faith, is not lovely in his or her character, and does not desire to copy, expound, and repeat this deep perfection of wisdom texts.
Or, on the contrary, it may be that the teacher is full of faith, lovely in his character, and desirous of giving this deep perfection of wisdom so that it may be copied out and its meaning understood, whereas none of this is found in the pupil.
This type of mismatch is viewed as another deed of Mara that affects the study of the Perfection of Wisdom texts and their propagation.
Examples are numerous in the text.
The one is generous, the other stingy.
For a lay person, wise economic formulae are disclosed. It is recommended that no more than one quarter of the total assets be given away, otherwise there would be poverty in the family.
Another example of a mismatch is where one may be willing to give advice, the other may not willing to accept advice.
Yet another example is where one requires a brief explanation; the other gives a detailed one.
Furthermore, it may be that the teacher understands as soon as the main points are mentioned, whereas the pupil needs elaborate instructions, cannot understand unless all the details are explained, and insists on verbal expressions being laboriously explained. Or conversely, the pupil understands at a mere hint, whereas the teacher needs lengthy explanations.
The Teacher ought to study much skill in means to suit the capacity of a given student.
One may have a higher knowledge of the Dharma (as expounded in) the Sutras, while the other has not. Moreover it may be that the Teacher knows the expositions of Dhamma, that is the Discourses, Discourses of Prose and Verse Mingled, Predictions, Verses, Summaries, Origins, Thus-was-said, Birth-Stories, Expounded Texts, Marvels, Tales and Expositions, whereas the pupils do not.
In that case, the Student ought to study much to make up the cultural knowledge difference.
The variations appear endless.
One may be endowed with the six perfections, the other is not. It may be that the Teacher is endowed with the six perfections whereas the pupil is not.
The student must practice hard to catch up on kasina practice to obtain the missing perfections.
One may have skill in means, the other has not. The Teacher may have skill in means with regard to the six perfections, whereas the pupils have none. The Student must do the work required.
One may have a powerful memory, the other has not.
In addition, the Teacher may have acquired the Dharanis, whereas the pupils have not. This mismatch is also a ground for Mara’s work.
One loves to write this text, the other does not.
Also the Teacher may be willing to copy out, bear in mind, recite, and repeat: attend, whereas the pupils have no such desires.
The one has sense desires, the other is free from them. Furthermore it may be that the Teacher is free from sense desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, excitedness and sense of guilt, or doubt, whereas the pupils are not free from them. This mismatch is ground for Mara’s work.
Some persons delight at the thought of going to a blissful existence.
Someone will come along to those who copy: who wisely attend to this deep perfection of wisdom, and praise life among the different kinds of gods. ‘So happy is life among the gods, in the world of sense desire because of the enjoyment of sense pleasures, in the world of form because of its calm. All this, however, is impermanent, ill, empty, not the self or belonging to a self, doomed to reversal, cessation, and stopping. It is much better to use your merit in human birth to attain the fruit of a Streamwinner here and now.
Some Teachers are fond of solitude, some pupils are fond of company.
It may be that the teacher lives alone, and does everything by and for himself or herself, whereas the pupil prefers the company of others. Or, conversely, the pupil may wish to go where the Teacher is, but the Teacher gives him or her no opportunity to do so.
Such a mismatch can cause trouble for them.
One may need material help, the other is unwilling to give it.
The Teacher is willing to give this perfection in wisdom in return for some material help, but the pupil does not wish to approach him or her for fear of having to offer it.
This lack of DANA may be another cause of discord.
The one goes to a place of danger, the other to a safe place.
Furthermore, the Teacher may want to go to a district where he is in danger of his life, but the pupil does not want to go there.
This is another example of mismatch that could make the Students life difficult.
In other cases, the Teacher goes to a place which is short of food, and the pupil refuses to come with him. The teacher may want to go to a place which is short of food and water, but the pupil will not want to go there.
The result of the perfection of wisdom means beings can forsake their defilements.
It is vital to get authentic texts to study.
Mara arranges counterfeit Teachings of the (Perfection of Wisdom). Those who copy these spurious texts will develop obstacles. A Bodhisattva should avoid these corrupt texts or translations by applying the usual benchmarks used by practitioners.
Which are the deeds of Mara that a Bodhisattva should recognise and avoid?
Mara will produce counterfeits of the Perfection of Wisdom and the other perfections, and of the 18 kinds of emptiness.
Mara produces a longing for undesirable things.
Mara, will conjure many hundreds and thousands of Bodhisattvas and the Student will feel longing for those illusory magical creations conjured up by Mara, and as a result he or she will fail to win all-knowledge. And why?
Because in this deep perfection of wisdom no form exists, no feeling, no enlightenment. And when no form exists: no enlightenment, there also Buddha's, Bodhisattvas, and Disciples do not exist. And why? Because all dharmas are in there own-being empty. This is a high order of knowledge (about 10th order) yet obtainable by persons in this Dhamma ending age. Because nevertheless it can be obtained by strong practice by a few persons it is still taught for their benefit. They are ripe to hear teachings. It is not uncommon for visiting grandmasters to this country to invigorate a popular talk with precise instructions in this area directed towards perhaps one per cent of a mass audience of 10 000 persons.
In essence, the text gives examples of what is true Buddha Dhamma practice and what is not.
The Buddha Dhamma Teacher ought to expound clear and truthful teachings to the student. The student should put the instructions into practice without too much notion of an “I, my, me” and concentrate on the present happenings in every moment.
Why? Because the real problem lies not with the Dhamma Teacher, but with the Student.
Many persons shop to seek the permissive Teacher, they seek the easy path, the most comfortable option, or the so-called ‘feel good’ alternative. This an error.
This search is not Buddha Dhamma practice so it can not be praised and blessed.
It is a great blessing to have a Teacher who will reveal the path that is correct, regardless of how it may make you feel in the short term. Students ought practice for the next 20 years till they mature their insight. Keeping precepts is vital to success.
Rare is a chance to meet great Teachers of Buddha Dhamma in Victoria. When a window of opportunity opens, we ought plan to be there.
Next year, will be the opening conference of the Australasian Buddhist Convention Week. This opening conference of the Buddhist Convention Week in June 2002 is a rare opportunity to listen to renowned Buddhist scholars present the essence of Buddha’s timeless Doctrine and Practice.
The conference will address the widely growing interests of the global community in Buddhist Teachings and practice.
This historic two day conference will focus on the Buddhistic approach to the development of the mind, paramount in overcoming the challenges to finding peace in today’s materialistic world.
Participating in the conference will enable you to:
May our listeners consider planning time next year to attend this rare event.
May our listeners find a suitable Buddha Dhamma Teacher and a suitable text and practice to realise, each for himself or herself.
May our listeners develop better learning conditions to practice Buddha Dhamma this very life.
May all beings be well and happy.
This script was written and edited by: John D. Hughes, Julian Bamford, Julie O’Donnell, Leanne Eames, Evelin Halls, Jocelyn Hughes, Lisa Nelson and Pennie White.
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References
Conze, Edward. 1975. The Large Sutra on Perfection Wisdom, ‘with the divisions of the Abhisamayalankara’ Chapter 41 pp 338-345 University of California Press, Ltd.
Oxford 1985. The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, third edition , p. 351, quote 7, p.539, quote 21 Oxford University Press.
The Buddhist Foundation (Vic.) Australia Inc. 130 Station Street, Fairfield, Vic 3078 Australia. Tel: (+61) 3 9465 8236 AH: (+61) 3 9853 2471 Fax: (+61) 3 9489 5749 email: bfvmelb@mail.com website: www.bfv.org
Fowler, H.W. 1990. Fowlers Modern English Usage A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. Document
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