Bhante has translated into Czech language the classic text ‚Sandhinirmocana Sutra‘ (解深密經) in English ‚Sutra of Untying the Knots‚. The book has just been released. More information here:
Language: English
We have launched a facebook page. It’s an public page, you do not need your own facebook account. It is bilingual page (Czechoslovak and English).
Recordings and transcripts
New recordings and transcripts from Bhante’s courses were added. You can find them in the Downloads section.
Shamata Course
Theme: Shamata Course
Date: 09.10. 2018
Place: International Buddhist Accademy, Kathmandu Nepal (www.internationalbuddhistacademy.org)
Audio: Download or Archive.org
Text
Bhante Dhammadipa shows in this article that in China and other Far East countries, where Chinese Buddhism spread at the early stages of Mahāyāna Buddhism, traditional methods of Buddhist practice, as explained in the Āgamas, were in practice, but reinterpreted from the Mahāyānistic understanding. Eventually, in the periods following the decline of the Tang Dynasty those practices were mostly abandoned and replaced by pure Mahāyānistic meditation practices, especially those of the Chan (Zen) and Pure Land schools. It can be clearly seen from the meditation treatises discussed in this article, which are attributed to Kumārajīva, the most popular translator of Indian Buddhist literature in China. Actually, as Western researchers show, these treatises are likely to be notes of Kumārajīva’s disciples, introduced into meditation by him.
Video
Warm-up and Qigong exercise from Dhammarama.
Warm-up:
Qigong:
Video
Video with Ven. Dhammadipa from the 21-day retreat at the Chuang Yen Monastery (US).
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFulZEK-bOIn32e8UDmtpW0u_4jbOOERu&feature=view_all
Analysis of the middle path
Article: Analysis of the middle path
(10.3.2018)
download: GoogleDrive, Facebook
We would like to recall content of the Bhante Dhammadipa courses in Zaježová or Sněhov this year for those who have not been able to attend it.
We have been practicing breath meditation according to the Northern Tradition, thus meditation with a non-dualistic object. Madhjanta Vibhanga – An Intermediate Way Analysis attributed to Bodhisattva Maitreya, has become the theoretical starting point for the practice.
This text belongs to the group of those who has more practical aspect of meditation than the philosophical. Its goal is to make our efforts on the way efficient, not to waste time and strength – which is often the case. One of the main reasons why this is (and that applies to the Southern Tradition too) is the poor knowledge of the object of meditation.
Madhjanta Vibhanga has seven chapters. 1-3 speaks of a gocara – pasture for cows – about the object which is grazing by cow – yogi.
The 1st chapter discussed by Bhante this year in Zaježová deals with the properties of the object (it’s title is Lakshana) and answers the key question – what the properties have WHAT we actually want to know.
Chapter 2 was interpreted by Bhante in Sněhov. It’s title is Varana – Obstacles. Its purpose is to describe what prevents us from knowing the Reality as it is.
The following chapters await us in the future:
Chapter 3 – Tatva – Reality (non-dualistic fact) describes the object as it is,
Chapter 4 – Pratipaksha – Opposites which we need to know to get rid of the obstacles,
Chapter 5 – Avasta – Stages of path and obstacles associated with it,
Chapter 6 – Fruits of the path,
Chapter 7 – Mahayana – the highest vehicle.
As in the past, the recordings of Bhantes lectures (Bhante lectures in Czech language these two courses) are available at www.dhammadipa.cz.
JH
Sandhinirmocana Sutra – Sutra of Untying the Knots
Article: Sandhinirmocana Sutra – Sutra of Untying the Knots
(11.2.2018)
download: GoogleDrive, Facebook
Exquisite language talent allows Bhante Dhammadipa to translate from and to different languages. Now we have the opportunity to get his Czech translation of the classic text ‚Sandhinirmocana Sutra‘ (解深密經) in English ‚Sutra of Untying the Knots‘.
This sutra belongs to the middle age of Mahayana Buddhism. This version that has been translated to Czech now, is the version that has apperead at the beginning of the Gupta dynasty, at the time of the golden age of the boom of Indian culture and writing in Sanskrit. According to tradition, this sutra existed in the extensive version of the hundred thousand verses and in a version reduced to one thousand five hundred verses. A shorter version retained in Tibetan and Chinese is the basis of this text.
The compound word ’sandhinirmocana‘ has five meanings in the sense of solving or explaining nodes or secrets: First, the text explains the deep meaning of the concept of the Thrue Body (dharmakaya), otherwise difficult to understand. Secondly, it unties firm knots, such as the knots of saturation of consciousness with ignorance (avidyavasana), which are the laypersons, the disciples and Buddhas for themselves (Pratyekabuddhas) unable to untie. Third, it explains the wisdom that reveals the mystery of truth. Fourth, it reveals the knots that need to be untied. Fifth, it explains the revelation of the mystery of the ultimate meaning of the doctrine.
The work is divided into the following chapters:
Chapter 1. – INTRODUCTION
Chapter 2. – ABOUT THE ULTIMATE TRUE
Chapter 3. – ABOUT THE CONSCIOUSNESS, MIND AND DUALISTIC WAY OF THINKING
Chapter 4. – ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF ALL THINGS
Chapter 5. – ABOUT THE NON-ESSENCE OF ALL THINGS
Chapter 6. – ABOUT YOGA
Chapter 7. – ABOUT (six) PERFECTIONS (parami)
Chapter 8. – ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TATHAGATAS
The text of this script as well as the basic part of the ‚Discourse on the Stages of Yogic Practice‘ (Yogacarabhumi-Sastra) can be divided into three parts. The second to fifth chapters explain the scope of yoga, sixth and seventh chapters explaining the right acting according to yoga (acara), and chapter eight explains the implications of yoga practice (phala). If we add a part of the introduction chapter, which explains the causes of the teaching of this sutra, the content of the sutra consists of four basic parts. Some scholars are talking about five parts. The end of the eighth chapter, which is explaining the name under which the sutra is to be worshipped, is considered to be the fifth part, as it forms a particularly important part of the text.
Bhante Dhammadipa’s Czech translation of ‚Sandhinirmocana Sutra‘ was published in cooperation with the Dhammadipa Foundation and Taiwan foundation “Buddha Educational Foundation“. Now we are looking for and agreeing on how to distribute the book. When everything is ready, we will announce here on Facebook how the Czech translation can be obtained.
JH
Comparative Study of Northern and Southern Abhidharma Traditions
The Pure Land Assembly and Hong Kong University (Centre of of Buddhist Studies) organized Bhante’s serie of lectures on Abhidharma. We thank them very much, they are very kind, they recorded the lectures and share it with us. These lectures can be found on a website of The Pure Land Assembly or in a our audio recordings archive.
Bhante prepared text materials for these lectures. It is listed on The Pure Land Assembly website below the video or it can be downloaded here from archive.org.
Text: download or archive.org
