On November 29, 2025 we continued our discussion of DCB26-“How to Realize Prajna.” We continued with Lesson 38 on the Preliminary Practices, including the Four Unlimited States of Mind.
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 103-107 in Lesson 38 and questions 108-124 in Lesson 39 during ZOOM Class. You may also submit your answers via course procedures.
The following are brief summaries of our discussion on November 29 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.
Once you have a foundation of the Ten Wholesome Behaviors, what is the next step?
” . . . You should go a step further by rigorously implementing the Four Limitless States of Mind. On that foundation [of the Ten Wholesome Behaviors], you then carry out the Four Limitless States of Mind, establishing virtuous conduct. To cultivate the Four Limitless States of Mind, one first must set in motion the implementation of effects as well as causes. That is, the relationship of cause and effect must be activated. That means you must actually carry out those states of mind.”
What is the First Limitless State of Mind?
“May all living beings forever have peace of mind and happiness as well as the causes of peace of mind and happiness. That is, we should arouse this mental resolve whereby we wish that all living beings, all that have life, including you disciples, forever live in peace of mind and happiness. We even wish that the causes they plant are all causes of peace of mind and happiness. The future effects yielded from such causes will of course be peace of mind and happiness.”
The Second?
“May all living beings forever be free from the myriad sufferings and the causes of the myriad suffering. We should wish that all living beings leave pain and suffering as well as all of the causes of the myriad sufferings. We should wish that all forms of suffering are unable to touch them, including even the causes of suffering.
The Third?
“May all living beings forever have the happiness of no suffering, and may my heart be joyful of this. If any living being is in a state free of pain and suffering, a state of happiness, my heart will be happy. I will always be happy and joyful over that.
And the Fourth?
“May all living beings forever stay far away from a mind of greed and anger, and may they abide in non-differentiating generosity. We wish that all living beings, all that have life, forever break away from the mind of an ordinary being that has the hindrances of greed, anger, ignorance, conceit, doubt, and so on. We wish that they cut off their attachment to their eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and destroy their attachment to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and objects of mind. We wish that they abide in the state of non-differentiating generosity. That means abiding in the state of emptiness where all phenomena are equal, abiding in the essential emptiness of the three times.
Is compassion limited to human beings?
“We should likewise generate the Four Limitless States of Mind to non-human living beings.”
The Buddha Master also discussed the sequence we should use in the implementation of these states as to whom be apply them first, second, and so forth; the relationship of our three karmas to the four unlimited states; and the sequence we follow in actually cultivating each of the four states–which one do we do first, second, etc.? He also discussed the three stages that the practice of the Four Limitless States of Mind is divided into and gave examples of each.
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 December 6, 2025, ZOOM session at 9:00 am. We will probably also start Lesson 39 on the “Dharma to Pass Through Barriers” and possibly the Six Paramitas and the matter of “correspondence.”
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 29, 2025 DCB26-Lessons 38B and 38C classes 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 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.
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