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Thanh Tri – the 2nd Mind Dharma: SAMYAGDRSTI – PRABHA SAMADHI – Part 7: HOW TO TURN THE BRILLIANT LIGHT (PRABHA) INTO SAMADHI?( Đệ nhị Tâm pháp Thanh trí: CHÁNH KIẾN QUANG MINH TAM MUỘI Bài 7: LÀM SAO ĐỂ QUANG MINH THÀNH TAM MUỘI?)
In Part 6, I’ve reasoned how to turn right view into “brilliant light” (prabha). We also know what should be practiced to get the light of Buddha’s wisdom radiated out from us. The wisdom light shining from Buddhist practitioners are more brilliant than that of devas in the World of Form (Rupadhatu) for it is woven by the Buddha’s right view and powerfully blessed by the buddhas in ten directions. It is not that kind of the light shining from the bulb, the sun, the moon or the flame. The Buddha taught that wisdom light is the most brilliant light which is woven by “quantum particles” of right view which cannot be observed by microscope but in this way: “He comes into the stage where he gets respected by his light of wisdom. He turns out strong ripples of light (radiation biology) which are able to lay impacts on and get respect from other people. Once the practitioner is fully equipped with right view, he will accordingly get the light (prabha) which is capable of attracting good karma or unexpected favorable conditions though being in troubled times”. (Part 6).
Thanh tri Master Thinley Nguyen Thanh
Nonetheless, I’ve also classified the development of right view in Thanh Tri Yoga into part, whole part and completeness – the highest level of the practitioner which is called “samadhi”. The Pali word “samadhi” (三昧 in Chinese) implies the intense concentration of mind. In meditation, the state of one-pointedness of mind is obtained after the practitioner has gone through nine states of mind abiding, from heading the mind, continuous heading, setting the mind, perfect setting…(until one-pointedness).
However, in the practice of samyagdrsti-prabha-samadhi, we do not use visual objects (kasina) like the blue kasina, the yellow kasina, red, white, earth, water, wind, fire or space… but we take right view as our kasina on which we set our mind from part, whole part to completeness (one-pointedness). Hence, the samadhi gained from right view is the result of the combination of both samatha and vipassana. Thanks to these characteristics of right view samadhi (samyagdrsti-prabha samadhi), the practitioner needs not depend on a fixed holy space (meditation chamber, altar or main hall) to attain one-pointedness of mind, but instead he pays attention to right view behavior (body, speech and mind), get accustomed to right view (in part), be familiar with right view (in wholeness) and finally, be always in right view (completeness).
For instance:
When we get acquaintance with someone, we know brief information of them like gender, age or occupation. After getting closer, we know more about phone number, office address, house, hobbies or education. When we become a couple (or close buddy), we’ll know everything about them from personal to family or social aspects. From then on, we know, understand and in some cases, exactly assessed anything related to them.
Nonetheless, in order to make “brilliant light” (prabha) into “samadhi” when the ripples of light are woven into a gem-like mass that produces radiance at night and how the practitioner lives in right view, conducts Dharma affairs with right view and use right view as the “prajna ferry-boat” to cross the samsara’s river to the bank of enlightenment (quoted from Part 6), we should look into following aspects: This is the stage when the practitioner reaches the state of one-pointedness as his mind is inundated with “brilliant light of right view”. He always perceives “which state of his mind is”, let say he lives in right view, considers right view as his close buddy which always accompanies him. He takes right view as the lodestar for the behavior of body, speech and mind and vice versa. At this level, he has good practice of Eight dharmas of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. In Thanh Tri Yoga in particular and in Buddhism in general, eight dharma of taking refuge in the Three Jewels include following rules and practices:
1) Taking refuge in Buddha, we do not worship or bow down before “Devas, Asuras, Demons and Objects”.
2) Taking refuge in Dharma, we do not harm or kill the sentient beings.
3) Taking refuge in Sangha, we should not have close relations with the heathen (in spiritual aspect).
4) Take refuge in the Three Jewels every day.
5) Take refuge in the Three Jewels in the direction we want to go.
6) Always be aware of the source of the Three Jewels’ blessings through the transmission channel of the Guru.
7) If, after having taken refuge in the Three Jewels, we meet troubles or difficulties, then let face them peacefully as a kind of purification because these accidents are not caused by us in this life but they are karmic seeds from previous lives that inevitably ripen into a fruition.
8) The Guru represents the Three Jewels. Guru devotion is the foundation of enlightenment.
“The Guru is more benevolent than the Buddha. His words are more important than the sutra” (Atisha).
If the “brilliant light of right view” (samyagdrsti-prabha) is seen as the stage of examination and practice, then the “right view samadhi” (samyagdrsti samadhi) is the application of Dharma which, as reasoned in Vajrayana, is the Application Bodhicitta on the basis of “benefitting all sentient beings”. Based on the teachings of the Buddha and aryias, the practitioner develops and applies Bodhicitta flexibly and effectively through proper epistemology and methodology on each subject or circumstance. For instance, the practitioner does not attach to vegetarian diet or meat eating provided it is convenient for the sentient beings; the practitioner does not feel inferior about his current job though it is unfortunately in contradiction with the precepts, because he thoroughly understands the right view of liberation and the principle of causality. At the level of right view samadhi, the practitioner is always sensitive to the good, bad or neutral (neither good nor bad), irrespective of any manifestation they may show. Activities like charity, almsgiving, making offerings, worship, repentance, chanting of Buddha’s name or mantra recitation seem to be Buddhist but in fact, they are not considered Buddhism for falling into 14 following failures:
xzIf, after having been born a human being, one gives no heed to the Holy Doctrine, one resembles a man who returns empty handed from a land rich in precious gems; and this is a grievous failure.- If, after having entered the door of the Holy Order, one returns to the life of a householder, one resembles a moth plunging into the flame of a lamp; and this is a grievous failure.
- To dwell with a sage and remain in ignorance is to be like a man dying of thirst on the shore of a lake; and this is a grievous failure.
- To have a spiritual practice that is not used to remedy four kinds of evil karma (killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconducting, and speaking of untruth) is to be like leaning an axe against a tree trunk; and this is a grievous failure.
- To know the moral precepts and not apply them to the cure of obscuring passions is to be like a diseased man carrying a bag of medicine which he never uses; and this is a grievous failure.
- To preach religion and not to practice is to be like a parrot saying a prayer; and this is a grievous failure.
- The giving in alms and charity of things obtained by theft, robbery or deceit, is like trying to wash a sheepskin coat in plain water; and this is a grievous failure.
- The offering of deities of the meat obtained by killing living beings is like offering a mother the flesh of her own child; and this is a grievous failure.
- To exercise patience for merely selfish ends rather than for doing good to others is to be like a cat lying in wait for a mouse; and this is a grievous failure.
- Performing meritorious actions in order merely to attain fame and praise is like bartering the mystic wish granting gem for a pellet of goat’s dung; and this is a grievous failure.
- If, after having heard much of the Doctrine, one’s nature will be unattuned, one is like a physician with a chronic disease; and this is a grievous failure.
- To be erudite in precepts yet ignorant of the spiritual experiences which come from applying them is to be like a rich man who has lost the key of his treasury; and this is a grievous failure.
- To attempt to explain to others doctrines which one has not completely mastered oneself is to be like a blind man leading the blind; and this is a grievous failure.
- To think an experience resulting from a technique is supreme is to be like a man who mistakes copper for gold; and this is a grievous failure.
Why is that? Because by the sense of discrimination on the basis of the brilliant light of right view samadhi, the practitioner is able to see the true nature of things and phenomena, thus discerns the appropriate application of Dharma in each circumstance. It’s not by chance that I listed six superior advantages of a practitioner who is fully equipped with right view in Part 6. Nonetheless, the fulfillment of the 2ndMind Dharma of Thanh Tri: samyagdrsti-prabha-samadhi requires gradational steps, initially from the fundamental definition of right view, different perceptions of right view, benefits of right view and dis-benefits of wrong view, to higher levels like how to be equipped with comprehensive right view and how to gain brilliant light of right view… . Without these gradational steps, there’s no way of attaining samadhi, just like we must learn to walk before we can run. Besides, unlike non-Buddhist sects whose practices show a tendency to increase magics or mind-reading ability, the practice of 2ndMind Dharma will lead to the magic of “preaching and converting sentient beings”, i.e employing right view to fight against wrong view, taking each word or sentence as a weapon to break down the stronghold of attachment of the sentient beings, bringing them out of delusion to enlightenment. More reasoning about this matter will be presented to you in Part 8.
May all sentient beings always achieve the state of awakening.
Om Mani Padme Hum
A rainy afternoon on the peak of Phu Van Mountain, January 16, 2019
Thinley – Nguyen Thanh
Vietnames version: Đệ nhị Tâm pháp Thanh trí: CHÁNH KIẾN QUANG MINH TAM MUỘI Bài 7: LÀM SAO ĐỂ QUANG MINH THÀNH TAM MUỘI?
THANH TRI – THE 2ND MIND DHARMA: SAMYAGDRSTI – PRABHA SAMADHI
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
PART 2: WHAT IS RIGHT VIEW?
PART 3: RIGHT VIEW IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS”
PART 4: GAIN FROM RIGHT VIEW, LOSE OF WRONG VIEW
PART 5: HOW TO BE EQUIPPED WITH THE FULL RIGHT VIEW
PART 7: HOW TO TURN THE BRILLIANT LIGHT (PRABHA) INTO SAMADHI?
PART 8: THINGS TO NOTICE AS YOU PRACTICE SAMYAGDRSTI – PRABHA SAMADH
PART 9: HOW DOES THE 2NDMIND DHARMA WORK?
PART 10: WORDS FROM A MAN WHO WISHES TO BE THE 3RD HARDLY MET PERSON
Dear holy Guru
Actions speak louder than words.One cannot simply become a Buddhist merely through words, instead it’s his/her actions that determine their Buddhist philosophy.
Let the Guru live long and all the sentinel beings have the peacefulness and calmness attained by Buddha
Dear guru
Thank you for this article. I bow my head before your lotus feet.
The radiaion of budha is far more bright than sun. It is not seen by eyes but can be feel. This radiation comes from single minded meditation. This single minded meditation comes from right view. The right view not only comes from sitting on cushion, tuning bell, visualization, etc., .but to see our body, speech and mind. For perfecting our body, speech and mind we have to practice bodhichita. For doing bodhichita we should have to do work with right intention. But this is the problem where we have to develop right intention. We always do work with bad intention. Guru please give us blessings to overcome this problem.
May guru and dakini live long for the sake of all sensient being. May guru teachings spread all over the world for peace and happiness.
May all sensient being attain enlightenment.
Om mani padme hum.
Dear Guru,
I thank you for this wonderful article you gave to me I understand that having a right view will lead to enlightenment and you equally teached us the right process to follow in other to turn the brilliant light that will enable me to have the right view. Please I am happy to find the true religion of buddah may you always lead me with the spirit of righteousness to serve you diligently and to receive your blessing that come from you.
Guru may you leave long for the seek of sentient being.
Kính bạch Thầy!
Con xin phép được dịch comment của bạn đọc Simon Michael sang tiếng Việt như sau:
Kính bạch Thầy!
Con cảm tạ ơn Thầy đã viết bài viết tuyệt vời này. Thầy dạy con hiểu rằng có chánh kiến sẽ có được giác ngộ và Thầy cũng chỉ dạy chúng con phương thức, quy trình để thực hành, diễn tập nhằm đạt được quang minh và phương thức này cũng giúp chúng con có được chánh kiến.
Con vô cùng hoan hỷ khi được học Phật pháp từ Thầy.
Con cầu nguyện Thầy từ bi chỉ dạy con cho con có được chánh niệm, tinh tấn hành pháp, sùng kính vị Thầy để nhận được ơn phước từ Thầy.
Con cầu nguyện Thầy trụ thế lâu dài vì sự lợi lạc của tất cả chúng sanh.
Dear Guru thanks for sharing this article.
It’s a interesting article explaining the grievous failures resulted from wrong method of practicising dharma or meditation techniques. Thanks for explaining the importance of taking refugee in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
May Guru and his consort live long for sake of other beings and get enlightened.
May all beings be free from suffering and get enlightened.
Om Mani Padme Hum!!!
Thank you for sending your enlightened words Guru.
Kính bạch Thầy!
Con xin phép được dịch comment của bạn đọc John Mruk sang tiếng Việt như sau:
Kính bạch Thầy!
Con cảm tạ ơn Thầy đã ban cho chúng con những lời dạy khai sáng trong bài viết này.
Dear guru
Nice article. I enjoy it a lot.
Thank you.
Dear guru
Great article. I hope find my brilliant light some day.
By the way, im excited to get my spiritual name. I been waiting a lot of time.
Thank you very much. Blesings.
I will give you tantra name tomorrow!
Namo Buddhay…..
Resp
Holly Guru it’s very nice article…
I thanks to u give very much information about dhama in ur article….And I really enjoy….And very much help of ur article for me in my life….
Thanks again Holly Guru
Your comment made me happy!
Dear Guru,
I have read this article. I would like to express my gratitude to Guru’s wisdom words , which are leading us to the path of liberation.
As Guru has instructed in this article: the “brilliant light of right review” (samyagdrsti-prabha) is seen as the stage of examination and practice. And which I should examine and practice in this stage would be the 8 rules and practices already mentioned in bold words in this article (the eight dharma of taking refuge in the Three Jewels). In order to move from the stage “brilliant light of right view” (samyagdrsti-prabha) to the stage of “right view samadhi” (samyagdrsti samadhi), the main point that I should focus would be the application of Bodhicitta on the basic of “benefiting all sentient beings”, flexibly and effectively helping sentient beings access to right view on each particular circumstance. However, as Guru has reminded in this article: “we must learn to walk before we run”. I understand that I should go or understand gradually from fundamental step like definition of right view, different perceptions of right view, benefits of right view and dis-benefits of wrong view, to higher levels like how to be equipped with a comprehensive right view, how to gain brilliant light of right view, etc. I understand that without these based steps, I could not build up a steady “castle of right view”, then I might get lost in the trap of ignorance and keep wandering in this Saha world.
Thank you Guru for your wisdom words. May Guru and his consort have good health and live long for the sake of all sentient beings.
May the epidemic of Covid-19 come to end soon.
May all sentient beings attain the happiness of Buddha’s nature.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Holy Guru,
I bow my head before your lotus feet!!! Thank you for sharing this article with us. The more I read, the more I realize how far away I actually am. It appears to me that nothing is simply surface deep. Before coming to chanhtuduy.com I was completely lost and only knew what little I had learned from reading books. Which honestly wasn’t much. Now that I have the light of your guidance I am able to learn more and slowly find my way out of the darkness. I think my biggest hindrance currently is attachment. Without your teachings I wouldn’t have able to pinpoint this obstacle and call it by name because I was a very selfish person and I only cared about myself and what I wanted. I am deeply grateful for what you are doing for all sentient beings and I want you to know that I hope to one day repay the kindness and compassion that you have showed to so many of us by showing others the same kindness and compassion. Thank you so much!!!
May Guru live a long and healthy life for the sake of all sentient beings
May all sentient beings achieve the happiness of Buddha’s nature
May the global pandemic caused by the Corona virus soon end
Om Mani Padme Hum
Yes, I waiting for it!
Thank you Guru!!!
Kính Bạch Thầy .
Con đã đọc xong bài này rồi ạ .
Con rất hoan hỉ với công hạnh luận giải của vị Thầy, về chánh kiến quang minh tâm mụi dúp chúng con hiểu được nhiều giáo lý nhà Phật khi chúng con đọc bài comment trang bị chánh kiến cho bản thân thì biết cách phân biệt đâu là nhóm người chiên đi deo nhân tà kiến cho chúng sanh khác hôm này con gặp phải một người A nói chuyện với người B rằng hôm nay tôi bán đất là nhờ mấy đứa con con nghe như vậy thì con biết là người A là có phép của linh cần rồi con không nói tiếng nào mà niệm thần chú lầm trong tâm vậy là người A nói là lúc xưa nếu như không có vị thần buốn mặt thì Đức Phật khó mà đất đạo vị thần đó là bà la môn còn nghe đến đây thì con trả lời người A rằng Đức Phật là bậc tòn giác ngày là pháp vươn hoàng vũ còn vị thần bốn mặt kia là bà la môn là ngoại đạo thì người A đứng lên khó chịu với con rồi bỏ đi chỗ khác điều này cho con cảm niệm được rằng con rất ơn phước khi con được hạnh ngộ vị Thầy ngày đã từ bi chỉ dạy con biết nhận thức về người nào là học trò của linh cần . Con cầu nguyện sức khỏe và sự trường thọ của vị Thầy vì lợi lạc của chúng sanh con cầu nguyện cho vi khuẩn corona xóm ngày được tiêu trừ Om Ah Hùm.
Dear Holy Guru,
I have thoroughly read and enjoyed the well crafted paper of Part 7 on ‘How to Turn the Brilliant Light (Prabhu)’.The paper posits that the bright light of Buddhist Practitioners far outshines that from devas in this world of form because the Buddhist light is woven with Buddha’s Right View and powerfully dressed by the Buddha’s in the Ten Directions.What is more,such divine lights unlike electric bulbs,unlike the sun,the moon,unlike a flame.Rather,as wisdom light it is woven by quantum particles which are not observable even under a microscope but is nevertheless able to influence conduct by attracting positive karma on account of Right View illumy.
The paper classifies the development of Right View from Part to Whole, from Part to Completeness wherein the Apex point is SaMadhi meaning intense concentration/pointedness of mind.Some stages of development are addressed for mind abiding namely: from heading of mind to continuous heading, to setting the mind,to perfecting the setting.In all these, visual objects are dispensed of:no blue/yellow kasinas,no fixed temple,no fixed hall, no fixed meditation chamber,no fixed holy space.Instead,what is needed is a combination of Samatha and Vipasana.Attention must be paid to Right View behavior,body speech,mind getting used to Right View in all its ramifications and in wholeness and Completeness.For instance,it is critical to conduct life affairs/Dharma affairs as a boat to cross Samsara to the bank of Enlightenment.Important Aspects of good Practices of the 8 Dharma of taking Refuge in the Three Jewels and such that: we do not worship nor bow before devas,Asuras,demons and objects,we do not associate spiritually with headend,we take Refuge in the Three Jewels every day and in every direction we wish to go and bring aware that the Guru is the source of the blessings of the Three Jewels,that the Holy Guru represents the Three Jewels.Where inauspicious events occur thereafter,that is as a result of past bad karma and such opportunity is made available for our purification.WeWe should engage in charity, almsgiving, worship,Chanting of Buddha’s name,mantra recitation, should not practice meriterous action for Fame/praise,we should not preach Dharma without practicing,we should not preach Dharma when our understanding of same is defective,after joining a holy order one should not go back to be a householder,we should not give to charity and almsgiving what has been ill gotten, should not practice Dharma for selfish vreasons.Finally,we note that the fulfillment of of 2nd Mind Dharma, moving from Prabha to SaMadhi is gradational,from fundamental definition of Right View to different perceptions, to benefits of Right View,to disbenefits of Wrong View,to comprehensiveness,to brilliant light of Right View.And all these should be employed to preaching and converting sentient beings Away from Wrong View to Right View such that they all break down attachments and attain liberation and ultimately Enlightenment .All these must be devoid of pegan meditation magic.Yet, in accomplishing all these,we must learn to walk before we run
Holy Guru,this paper is a masterpiece both in content, context and in presentation.You made a masterly use of figures of speech.
I bow before your Lotus Feet
May the Guru ever continue to enjoy good health coupled with Long Life.
Namo Sunyataya
Thank you for your comment! As usual, I enjoyed reading your flow of thoughts which carries the main points of the teaching. I am delighted to see how you invested your time in reading and summarizing the lessons coherently and concretely. The series was built to help the learners to understand the development of right view accumulation from part to completeness, as you already recognized. Likewise, the learners will equip themselves with the right view gradually and automatically when they read and comment on chanhtuduy.com day by day, which is exactly what you have been doing diligently. Keep up the good work!
My Dear Holy Guru.
I am humbled and overwhelmed by your sacred response to my feeble attempt to understand your exalted work.I bow before your Lotus Feet.I promise to polish my diligence even more to enable me fully take Refuge under the Three Jewels.May the Guru ever continue to enjoy good health coupled with Long Life for service to all sentient beings.
Namo Dharmaya
Thank you for teaching more deep insight into right view.
Om Mani Padme Hum