On July 12 we finished our discussion of DCB25 Lesson 34E using “. . . Which Can Remove All Suffering and Is True, Not False.“ from the Heart Sutra as our text. The following are part of the questions discussed:
What does the book Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra do?
“What this book explains is the wisdom of prajna and its function of illumination to see the state of reality. Illumination to see the state of reality is the inward illumination by prajna whereby one realizes the emptiness of the five aggregates and completely cuts off attachment to self and phenomena. It is entirely because of cutting off by prajna resulting in emptiness that the five aggregates are realized as being empty. The power of prajna itself has been produced. The power produced at this time is no different from the earth, all things, and our original appearance. At this moment, since there is no self and no phenomena, there is none of the sufferings and afflictions. There are also no birth and death that can bind you.“
[The book mentioned here actually refers to the smaller book on the Heart Sutra by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III on which He is elaborating in the series of discourses that make up Expound the Absolute Truth.]What does the phrase “is true, not false” mean?
“The phrase “is true, not false” illustrates that our Buddha, the World-Honored One, the Tathagata, is a speaker of true words, a speaker of words that conform with reality, a speaker of right words. He does not speak lies. He does not engage in frivolous talk.”
[Frivolous talk refers to meaningless, trivial chit-chat or smooth, fancy speech that conceals the truth.]
Who can receive this highest Dharma?
“It is not the case that a Buddha will give the highest Dharma to anyone, no matter who they are. It first must be asked whether one’s body, speech, and mind correspond, whether one is a qualified vessel for the Dharma, whether one truly is a good Buddhist disciple, whether one abides by the precepts, and whether one has bodhicitta. Therefore, a Buddha teaches in accordance with one’s level.”
Why would our chanting of the mantra not induce a timely response?
“That is due to our three karmas not corresponding and our karmic hindrances being too heavy. We are orally chanting the mantra, but our mind is thinking distracted thoughts about a wide range of things, or we are simply not sincere.”
How do Buddhas and Bodhisattvas remove the sins of people?
“How do Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do that? That is done by having people listen to the truths that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas expound. After listening, they have to act accordingly. Only then can they achieve realization and awakening on their own.”
Explain why the principle of Buddha Dharma is the relationship of true emptiness and marvelous existence.
“That is, the principle of Buddha Dharma is the relationship of true emptiness and marvelous existence. That is, after one relies on this essence and its characteristics to activate the illuminating function of prajna, one clearly observes that all phenomena composed of the four great elements are originally and inherently empty. Earth, water, fire, and wind are all empty. There is no need to leave form to realize emptiness. It is not necessary to break away from all scenes of forms in order to realize emptiness. Rather, forms are by nature empty in that they arise through conditions. That is, the fact that forms inherently arise from conditions means that forms are empty in nature.”
Why does the Buddha Master Expound Dharma?
“I do so to repay the four kinds of heavy kindness that I received and to relieve the suffering of living beings in the three lower realms. So many people have exerted painstaking effort on this mandala. Am I qualified to enjoy it? Even if I were a Buddha, I still should feel humble. This all the more applies in that I am an ordinary practitioner. I must use this mandala to expound the Buddha Dharma. I expound Buddha Dharma to repay the kindness of all Buddhas and to repay the kindness of all living beings.”
[Although there are several explanations of the term “heavy kindness“, the most common one is the heavy kindness of parents, the heavy kindness of living beings, the heavy kindness of rulers in one’s country, and the heavy kindness of the Three Jewels.]The ZOOM discussion covered more:
The Buddha Master explained both the exoteric (sutra) and esoteric (mantra) parts of the “Heart Sutra” and what they can do and told us several stories to help explain His teachings. He also explained when the various Dharma Protectors would come to empower and protect us and what would happen if you accept both the sutra and the mantra of the “Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra.” He even gave a prophecy.
Be sure and enroll in DCB25-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: Part TWO-III, 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). DCB25 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 DCB25 will start with a discussion of Lesson 35- “So recite the prajna-paramita mantra, recite the mantra that says: gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.” at our July 26, 2025 ZOOM session at 9:00 am. There will be no ZOOM class on July 19.
Our next class in Hesperia will be held at 19099 Lemon Street on July 20, starting at 10:00 am and continuing until 3:00 pm.
If you have enrolled in C41(A) or DCB25 or DCB24 or DCB23 or DCB22 or DCB21 or DCB26, 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.
TO DATE: DCB25-Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: PART TWO–IV and C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice.
The recordings of the July 12, 2025 DCB25-Lesson 34E 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 now available along with the questions for DCB25. 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.
“. . . Which Can Remove All Suffering and Is True, Not False.“
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.
July 12, 2025: Lesson 34E-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, “. . . Which Can Remove All Suffering and Is True, Not False.“ (237-254) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
July 5, 2025: Lesson 34B-D-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The Great Bright Mantra (197-202), The Supreme Mantra (203-213), The Unequaled Mantra (214-236) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
July 5, 2025: Lesson 34A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The Great Supernormal Mantra (189-196) and (HERE) for recordings of the class.
June 28, 2025: Lesson 34A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The Great Supernormal Mantra (146-188) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
June 21, 2025: Lesson 33B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The Perfection of a Buddha (140-145) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
June 7, 2025: Lesson 33AThe Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The Perfection of a Buddha (104-139) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
May 17, 2025: Lesson 32B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The “Three Times, Anuttara, & Samyak” (84-103) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
May 10, 2025: Lesson 32A–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The “Three Times, Anuttara, & Samyak” (69-83) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
May 3, 2025: Lesson 31-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, The Different Levels of Nirvana (24-68) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
April 26, 2025: Lesson 30–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, “Having forever left inverted dream-thinking, they dwell in ultimate nirvana.” (25-43 ) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
April 19, 2025: Lesson 29C–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, “. . . Bodhisattvas rely on prajna-paramita, and thus their minds have no hindrance.” (18-24) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
April 12, 2025: Lesson 29B–The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, “. . . Bodhisattvas rely on prajna-paramita, and thus their minds have no hindrance.” (13-19) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
April 5, 2025: Lesson 29A-The Great Stage–Wisdom Path of the right view of emptiness, Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Text of the Heart Sutra–IV, “. . . Bodhisattvas rely on prajna-paramita, and thus their minds have no hindrance.” (1-12) and (HERE) for recording of the class.
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 article on last class held on DCB26 and links to videos of all 8 ZOOM class discussions held on DCB26 held from April 20, 2024 to June 22, 2024.
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.
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