On December 27, 2025 we continued our discussion of DCB26-“How to Realize Prajna.” We again discussed Lesson 39 on the Six Paramitas.
You may still join this class (See instructions at bottom of this article along with links to previous lessons.) and do the following homework. Listening to the same material we discussed last year may be helpful.
HOMEWORK-DCB26: Watch videos from May 4, 11, & 25; June 1, 8, & 22, 2024; and December 6, 13, and 27, 2025. Those attending previous class all have specific assignments from these questions, but all should be prepared to discuss questions 125-138 in Lesson 39 during ZOOM Class. You may also submit your answers via course procedures.
The following are brief summaries of our discussion on December 27 with links to previous classes below. The large bold blue quotes are from a preliminary translation of Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Please note that in this class we heard the understanding expressed by the various participants, which may or may not be correct. To hear the actual quotes from the Buddha Master you need to listen to the classes held in 2024. Also please remember that we are still working with a preliminary and unauthorized translation of the Buddha Master’s teachings so even these “quotes” can only be used for reference.
What are the Six Paramitas?
“The Six Paramitas are as follows: Being giving and charitable saves one from stinginess and greed; that is, one can liberate oneself from stinginess and greed by being giving and charitable. Observing the precepts saves one from violations. Patience saves one from anger and hatred. Exerting effort saves one from laziness. Dhyana saves one from scatter-mindedness. Prajna saves one from ignorance. These Six Paramitas are very important. They all must be practiced by Bodhisattvas in their cultivation.”
How does one practice the Six Paramitas and with whom?
“With respect to being giving and charitable, one should be giving and charitable with one’s wealth, with the Dharma, and with fearlessness. Only then can one save oneself from stinginess and greed. With respect to observing the precepts, by observing the precepts and disciplines, one naturally avoids committing all offenses. If you can be forbearing, then you will naturally not give rise to any thoughts of anger or hatred. No matter who criticizes you, you will not quarrel or fight with him. With respect to effort, when you exert your utmost effort, you will no longer have a lazy mindset. You will not be lazy. With respect to dhyana, if you can achieve it, if you can abide in the state of samadhi, then you will have overcome scatter-mindedness. After you give rise to prajna, you no longer have ignorance. . . Therefore, you should practice the Six Paramitas in your conduct. You practice them yourself and thereby transform others. You cultivate yourself and teach others. This is walking the path to enlightenment. In all matters, we should consider living beings, bringing benefit and happiness to sentient beings through our actions. In all matters, we should bring benefit and happiness to living beings with whom we have karmic affinity. We should also resolve to bring benefit and happiness to living beings with whom we do not have karmic affinity so as to establish new karmic affinities.“
Which of the Paramitas are most important?
“. . . one cannot break up the Dharma of the Six Paramitas that entail great conduct and great compassion, thereby preferentially practicing some of the paramitas to the neglect of others. If one observes the precepts but is not giving and charitable, then one will be unable to take in sentient beings and edify them. If one is giving and charitable but does not observe the precepts, then it will be difficult for one to pursue the cultivation of dhyana and wisdom. If one is patient and forbearing but does not exert effort, then it will be difficult to succeed in one’s endeavor to become enlightened. If one exerts effort but is not patient and forbearing, then it will be difficult for one to eliminate demonic hindrances. All of you disciples understand these last several sentences. I will not explain them. If one has dhyana but not wisdom, then one will be ignorant and stubborn. If one has wisdom but not dhyana, then one will have wild wisdom, worldly emotions, and avidya.”
Can you end the cycle of birth and death if your three karmas are not in correspondence?
“Thus, if your three karmas are not in correspondence, if there is falseness in your three karmas, if you are deceiving yourself, then how can you end the cycle of birth and death? Disciples, think about this carefully.”
The Buddha Master also discussed who does not like to practice the Six Paramitas, the goal of this Dharma, how long we practice the Six Paramitas, and how the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas rely on them. He also used an analogy to explain this lesson as well as defining the meaning of “correspondence” and His interpretation of other commentary on the matter of correspondence and what we need to do each day in regard to this Dharma..
We decided to start a zoom discussion on LFBS class G36-Dharma that Every Buddhist Must Follow as our next course after finishing DCB26. We will probably start G36 this month–maybe as early as January 17, 2026. You should acquire a copy of the text as we will take turns discussing the various questions that have been prepared for the course like we did for P-10. You can purchase books directly from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum (170 E. School St. Covina CA 91723) or pay by credit cad, PayPal. the cost is $36 plus shipping fee. They can ship to your address. Please contact Michelle Chang at (626) 281-6378, (973)337-7539. The museum hours are from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 5:30.
Be sure and enroll in DCB26-Realizing Prajna, if you want to join our long term study of the Heart Sutra or the broader study of C41(A)-the Three Principle Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice. There is an expanded article on C41(A) that explains its scope and content. CLICK for video of that discussion and revised maps of this roadmap to C41(A). DCB26 is one of the Learning from Buddha Seminary (LFBS) courses that are included in C41(A). There is also another article that discusses G03(A) and G03 Evolution of Buddhism, two additional courses that are also part of C41(A).
CLICK for a list of available classes in each of the programs: Auditing, Buddhist Studies, and Xiuxing Seminary. Those with membership in the Xiuxing Seminary Program who are only interested in serious practice and not opening a Dharma Center may also elect to follow the Xiuxing Practice Program and take a seven or thirty-day Solitary Retreat.
Next:
The next class on DCB26 will continue the discussion of Lesson 39 on the “Formal and Main Practices,” at our January 3, 2026, ZOOM session at 9:00 am.
If you have enrolled in C41(A) DCB26 or DCB25 or DCB24 or DCB23 or DCB22 or DCB21, you may continue to use the same ZOOM link to attend the Saturday morning discussions. However, you will need to enroll in the appropriate course to be able to watch the video recordings of the classes, download study materials, or study the related questions.
LINKS TO DATE: DCB26-How to realize Prajna and C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice.
The recordings of the December 27, 2025 DCB26-Lesson 39C class is now available. All of the recordings and summary of ZOOM discussions for DCB21, DCB22, DCB23, DCB24, and DCB26-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra are also now available. You must be enrolled in each of these classes in one of the full membership programs at the LFBS to access the course materials, questions covered (in parenthesis), and/or the class recordings. Please note that these links will only work if you are logged into LFBS with your membership identification number AND are enrolled in this class. CLICK for information on LFBS class P10 or CLICK for Hesperia classes on major concepts or principles contained in the title of Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra.
CLICK for article on the entire text of Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra.
CLICK for article with instructions on how to enroll in LFBS classes and how to register for the ZOOM discussions.
December 27, 2025: Lesson 39C-The Six Paramitas, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (112-124) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
December 13, 2025: Lesson 39B-The Dharma to Pass through Barriers, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (108-111) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
December 6, 2025: Lesson 39A–The Dharma to Pass through Barriers, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (108-110) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
December 6, 2025: Lesson 38D–The Preliminary Practices, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (103-107) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
November 29, 2025: Lesson 38C–The Preliminary Practices, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (95-102) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
November 29, 2025: Lesson 38B–The Preliminary Practices, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (90-94) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
November 22, 2025: Lesson 38A–The Preliminary Practices, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (82-89) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
November 22, 2025: Lesson 37C-Preliminary Practice Dharma, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (79B) and (80-81) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
November 8, 2025: Lesson 37B–Preliminary Practice Dharma, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (67-79A) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
November 1, 2025: Lesson 37A–Preliminary Practice Dharma, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (53-66) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
September 27, 2025: Lesson 36E–H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (44-46, 47-52) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
September 6, 2025: Lesson 36D-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (37-43) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
August 30 2025: Lesson 36C-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (28-36) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
August 23 2025: Lesson 36B-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (18-28) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
August 9, 2025: Lesson 36A-H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Buddha Dharma-Causality and the Rules and Methods of Continual Practice, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra-How to Realize Prajna, (1-17) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
CLICK for article on September 21, 2025 class held at Hesperia on Lessons 5 & 6: Three kinds of Prajna.
CLICK for article on August 17, 2025 class held at Hesperia on Lessons 3 & 4: Introduction to Prajna.
CLICK for article on July 20, 2025 class held at Hesperia on Lessons 1 & 2: Background and Introduction to the Heart Sutra and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra.
CLICK for article on last class held on DCB26 in 2024 and links to videos of all 8 ZOOM class discussions held on DCB26 held from April 20, 2024 to June 22, 2024.
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB25 and links to all 15 ZOOM class discussions on DCB25 held from April 5, 2025 to August 2, 2025,
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB24 and links to all 13 ZOOM class discussions on DCB24 held from January 4, 2025 to March 29, 2025,
January 4, 2025: Roadmap to C41(A)–Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice. Video of class discussion.
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB23 and links to all 13 ZOOM class discussions on DCB23 held from August 24, 2024 to November 16, 2024,
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB22 and links to videos of all 21 ZOOM class discussions on DCB22 held from February 10, 2024 to April 20, 2024 and from June 29, 2024 to August 3, 2024.
CLICK for article on the last class held on DCB21 and links to videos of all 18 ZOOM class discussions on DCB21 held from November 21, 2022 to April 1, 2023. Note: not all of the forwards, notes, and introductions are complete.
CLICK for Background information on Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra and why it is such an important text.
CLICK for information on S01-Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation (SAUMOL) Seminar.
Add comment