Sean Champ's List: Dharma Notes

• Today the question of science's interface with wider humanity is no longer a matter of academic interest alone; this question must assume a sense of urgency for all those who are concerned about the fate of human existence.
• Today the question of science's interface with wider humanity is no longer a matter of academic interest alone; this question must assume a sense of urgency for all those who are concerned about the fate of human existence.
• the question of science's interface with wider humanity
• importance of science and technology for understanding the modern world
• the wider implications of the new advances in human knowledge and technological power brought about through science.
• generous time shared with me by Carl von Weizsacker and the late David Bohm
• whom I consider to be my teachers in quantum mechanics
• in the field of biology, especially neuroscience, by the late Robert Livingstone and Francisco Varela
• Mind and Life conferences that began in 1987
• Although Buddhist contemplative tradition and modern science have evolved from different historical, intellectual and cultural roots, I believe that at heart they share significant commonalities, especially in their basic philosophical outlook and methodology.
• both Buddhism and modern science share a deep suspicion of any notion of absolutes, whether conceptualized as a transcendent being, as an eternal, unchanging principle such as soul, or as a fundamental substratum of reality.
• From the methodological perspective, both traditions emphasize the role of empiricism. For example, in the Buddhist investigative tradition, between the three recognized sources of knowledge - experience, reason and testimony - it is the evidence of the experience that takes precedence, with reason coming second and testimony last. This means that, in the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be. Even in the case of knowledge derived through reason or inference, its validity must derive ultimately from some observed facts of experience
• that the empirically verified insights of modern cosmology and astronomy must compel us now to modify, or in some cases reject, many aspects of traditional cosmology as found in ancient Buddhist texts
• Since the primary motive underlying the Buddhist investigation of reality is the fundamental quest for overcoming suffering and perfecting the human condition, the primary orientation of the Buddhist investigative tradition has been toward understanding the human mind and its various functions
• the tremendous potential for transformation that exists naturally in the human mind.
• To this end, the tradition has developed a wide range of contemplative techniques, or meditation practices, aimed specifically at two principal objectives - the cultivation of a compassionate heart and the cultivation of deep insights into the nature of reality, which are referred to as the union of compassion and wisdom
• A note of caution is called for, however. It is inevitable that when two radically different investigative traditions like Buddhism and neuroscience are brought together in an interdisciplinary dialogue, this will involve problems that are normally attendant to exchanges across boundaries of cultures and disciplines
• So long as each of these fingers is connected with the palm of basic human empathy and altruism, they will continue to serve the well-being of humanity
• Scientific communities play a vitally important role in this interconnected world.

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• In 495 AD, the Indian monk Ba Tuo, or Buddhabhadra
• a form of Buddhism known as Xiao Sheng Buddhism
• Shaoshi mountain
• founded the Shaolin Temple on this land.

  • Ba Tuo - founder of the Shaolin Temple
• Emperor Shao Wen
• Ba Tuo
• an Indian prince named Bodhidharma
• was the favorite son of the king of a region that is now part of southern India.
• had two older brothers who feared that their father, the king, would pass them over and bequeath the kingship to Bodhidharma
• Despite being the favorite son of the king, Bodhidharma realized that he was not interested in a life of politics.
• famous Buddhist master Prajnatara
• His master replied that he should go to Zhen Dan
• the name for China at that time
• one of his older brothers had become king of India and that older brother's son had become king after him
• He asked Bodhidharma to stay near the capital, where he could protect and care for him, but Bodhidharma knew that he must go to China as his master had said.
• the king of India ordered that carrier pigeons be sent to China with messages asking the people of China to take care of Bodhidharma.
• In 527 AD, 32 years after Ba Tuo's founding of the Shaolin temple, Bodhidharma crossed through Guangdong province
• practicing Da Sheng (Mahayana) Buddhism.
• In China, he was known as Da Mo.

  • Da Mo - Bodhidharma
• Upon completing his meditation, Da Mo rose and walked away, saying nothing.
• His actions had a profound effect upon his audience. Some people laughed, some cried, some were angry and some nodded their heads in understanding. Regardless of the emotion, everyone in the crowd had a reaction.
• Emperor Wu heard of him

  • certainly cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Wu_of_Han
• invited Da Mo to come to his palace.
• The emperor had erected many statues and temples devoted to Buddhism.
• In talking of his accomplishments, Emperor Wu asked Da Mo if his actions were good. Da Mo replied that they were not. This response surprised Emperor Wu, but they continued talking and eventually Emperor Wu asked Da Mo if there was Buddha in this world. Da Mo replied that there was not.
• Da Mo's replies were a reflection of Emperor Wu. By asking if his actions were good, Emperor Wu was searching for compliments and affirmation from Da Mo. Da Mo denied that Emperor Wu's actions were good because it is the duty of the emperor to care for his people

  • This interpretation may seem to speak more to the author's view of leadership than to the original views by Bodhdidharma.
• through Buddha

  • Through Buddha? but if Buddha  is not in this world, how can action proceed through what is not in this world?
• if one asks if there is Buddha in the world, then one has already answered the question

  • Koan (?)
• Buddha is a matter of faith, you either believe in your heart or you do not. In questioning the existence of Buddha, Emperor Wu had demonstrated a lack of faith.
• Da Mo's answers enraged Emperor Wu
• he ordered Da Mo to leave his palace and never return. Da Mo simply smiled, turned and left.
• continued his journey
• Nanjing
• the Flower Rain Pavillion
• a Buddhist monk, who was lecturing
• Shen Guang.
• Shen Guang had at one time been a famous general.
• Sometimes Shen Guang would speak and Da Mo would nod his head, as if in agreement. Sometimes Shen Guang would speak and Da Mo would shake his head, as if in disagreement. As this continued, Shen Guang became very angry at the strange foreign monk who dared to disagree with him in front of this crowd
• The beads struck Da Mo in his face, knocking out two of his front teeth. Da Mo immediately began bleeding. Shen Guang expected a confrontation; instead, Da Mo smiled, turned and walked away.
• This reaction astounded Shen Guang, who began following after Da Mo.
• Seated by the river there was an old woman with a large bundle of reeds next to her. Da Mo walked up to the old woman and asked her if he might have a reed. She replied that he might. Da Mo took a single reed, placed it upon the surface of the Yangzi river and stepped onto the reed. He was carried across the Yangzi river by the force of his chi
• Shen Guang ran up to where the old woman sat and grabbed a handful of reeds without asking. He threw the reeds onto the Yangzi river and stepped onto them. The reeds sank beneath him and Shen Guang began drowning. The old woman saw his plight and took pity on Shen Guang, pulling him from the river.
• the old woman admonished him. She said that by not asking for her reeds before taking them, he had shown her disrespect and that by disrespecting her, Shen Guang had disrespected himself.
• also told Shen Guang that he had been searching for a master and that Da Mo, the man he was following, was that master. As she said this, the reeds which had sunk beneath Shen Guang rose again to the surface of the river and Shen Guang found himself on the reeds being carried across the Yangzi river.
• that the old woman by the river was a Boddhisatva
• Da Mo was nearing the location of the Shaolin Temple. The Shaolin monks had heard of his approach and were gathered to meet him. When Da Mo arrived, the Shaolin monks greeted him and invited him to come stay at the temple. Da Mo did not reply but he went to a cave on a mountain behind the Shaolin Temple, sat down, and began meditating.
• The cave in which Da Mo chose to meditate
• Da Mo sat facing a wall in the cave and meditated for nine years
• Da Mo did not respond but he stood up, walked down to the room, sat down, and immediately began meditating. Shen Guang followed Da Mo to the Shaolin temple and stood guard outside Da Mo's room. Da Mo meditated in his room for another four years. Shen Guang would occasionally ask Da Mo to teach him, but Da Mo never responded
• In anger and frustration Shen Guang demanded to know when Da Mo would teach him.
• Da Mo responded that he would teach Shen Guang when red snow fell from the sky.
   Hearing this, something inside Shen Guang's heart changed and he took the sword he carried from his belt and cut off his left arm. He held the severed arm above his head and whirled it around. The blood from the arm froze in the cold air and fell like red snow. Seeing this, Da Mo agreed to teach Shen Guang.
• Da Mo took a monk's spade and went with Shen Guang to the Drum Mountain
• because it is very flat on top
• Da Mo dug a well.
• and dug a second well
• dug a third well on the Drum Mountain
• Shen Guang returned to Da Mo and agains asked to be taught. Da Mo returned to the Drum Mountain and dug a fourth and final well
• This mind-to- mind, heart-to-heart communication is called "action language" and is the foundation of the Chan Buddhism which Da Mo began at the Shaolin Temple.
• Shen Guang was given the name Hui Ke and he became abbot of the Shaolin temple after Da Mo.

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• Karthar Rinpoche, one of the greatest teachers in the United States,
• “Do you need a kata or anything?” said the nice conference worker.
• a kata (white scarf)
• He is, in my thoughts, the perfect embodiment of the Buddha!
• I followed no protocol. Usually, people bow three times to Rinpoche in the traditional method, but my mind, completely gone, just sat in a chair not following any formality whatsoever. How many times, I wonder, have people like me walked into this kind of room and asked Rinpoche questions? What goofy questions and informalities has this high lama answered?
• “Will you point out my mind?” I asked him.
• “Since the teaching today is on pointing out the mind, I am not giving out any instructions in interviews.”
• Startled, I could feel silence deepening. Perhaps I should have been smart enough to know that the silence I felt was the mind instruction! But, the current state of my mind could not take the power of silence.

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• Japhy is of the opinion that what makes someone a Buddhist is their aspiration to become a Buddhist.
• “Interest in the subject of Buddhism is not sufficient if you don’t have the aspiration to become a Buddhist.”

• Japhy wants nothing to do with deciding who is or is not a Buddhist.

   

  “Some people have tried to hang this on me. They obviously don’t know me.”
• there are no accidental Buddhists. People just don’t wake up one morning a Buddhist.

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• What is ignorance but our wisdom unaware of its own emptiness

• We need to not only know the dharma but also to be prepared to stand and deliver it when our teacher puts us on the spot.

   

  Only then can you be said to know the dharma.
• He had a great comeback, “No precious human births were wasted in the writing of this blog.”
• This is in no way about picking sides and dividing readers over a perfectly reasonable difference of opinion on a subject of concern for Buddhists.

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