On November 22, 2025 we continued our discussion of DCB26-“How to Realize Prajna.” We finished Lesson 37 on the practice Dharma including how we repay our karmic debts. We began Lesson 38 on the actual Dharma Practices including the Three Pure Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Behaviors.
You may still join that 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, 2024. Those attending previous classes all have specific assignments from these questions, but all should be prepared to discuss questions 90-107 in Lesson 38 during ZOOM Class. You may also submit your answers via course procedures.
The following are brief summaries of our discussion on November 22 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 they can only be used for reference.
How do you pay your karmic debts after you are enlightened?
“The two layers of causality span the three times. However, in the future, after you have accomplished nirvana with great utilization of complete awareness, you will have effortless, unimpeded mastery. Nothing you experience will entail suffering. You will then naturally be able to pay those karmic debts. You will have no concerns about paying those karmic debts. That state is described with the saying, “Even if one climbs a mountain of swords, one is calm. Even if one ingests poison, one is at ease.” Do you understand? At that time, paying karmic debts will be like child’s play. You can have fun making the repayment by shape-shifting. After shape-shifting, it will not matter to you whether you live or die. You will not care even if the body you shape-shifted into dies from being cut by a knife. Do you understand? Everything will be illusory, false phenomena. There will then be no suffering. This is something that happens after you become liberated.”
How do we repay our karmic debts?
“All I can say is now that we have understood this principle, we should promptly plant good causes. The good causes will then mature first. When the good causes mature, they will occupy the positions that the bad causes would otherwise occupy in the order of retribution. The bad causes will then not emerge to effectuate retribution since they will be pushed toward the future to effectuate retribution. When a certain good cause of ours is about to end, another directly planted cause that is even better will mature and bear fruit. The bad causes will again be pushed toward the future. Before bad causes have time to bear fruit and completely close on us, we will have already realized prajna and become liberated. At that time, we will have accomplished the Bodhisattva state. We will then repay our karmic debts. This is the relationship of cause and effect. Thus, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not ignore the law of cause and effect.”
What are the “Three Sets of Pure Precepts” for achieving accomplishment?
“Everyone should put into practice the Three Sets of Pure Precepts. This is very important. They are the fundamental precepts for achieving accomplishment. The Three Sets of Pure Precepts are: The first is the Disciplinary Precept to Prevent Evil. I vow to cut off all evil within me. There is no evil that I will not cut off. . . The second is called the Precept Relating to the Cultivation of Goodness. I vow to practice all types of goodness. There is no type of goodness that I will not practice. . . The third is the Precept to Save Living Beings. “
CLICK for article on “The Three Groups of Purifying Precepts” for more specifics and background information on their evolution within the various traditions of Buddhism.
What are the Ten Wholesome Behaviors?
“(1) One does not kill living beings; rather, one frees captive living beings. . . (2) One does not steal; rather, one performs charity. . . (3) One does not engage in sexual misconduct; rather, one practices pure behavior. . . (4) One does not lie; rather, one speaks the truth. . . (5) One does not engage in frivolous, ornate, or fancy speech; rather, one speaks words that are substantive and straightforward. . . (6) One does not speak divisively; rather, one speaks words that bring about peace and accord. . . (7) One does not speak harshly; rather, one speaks gentle words. . . (8) One is not greedy; rather, one cultivates the view of the impurity of whatever one desires. . . (9) One is not angry; rather, one cultivates the view of loving-kindness and compassion. . . (10) One is not ignorant; rather, one cultivates the view of causes and conditions.”
The Buddha Master provided examples to explain the workings of causality and what we must do before we can save living beings. He also told us what we should contemplate when we take those three precepts and asked us if we have abided by them. In addition, He warned us how to watch out for fake masters and why we needed to and how to follow the Ten Wholesome Behaviors. He also explained the specifics of the Ten Wholesome Behaviors.
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 38-“The Preliminary Practices” with the “Four Limitless States” at our November 29, 2025 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 November 22, 2025 DCB26-Lesson 37C and 38A class are 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.
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.
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