Are sutras Buddhadharma? Yes but only a part of
Buddhadharma. Will our modern methods used to relieve modern afflictions be
written in sutra written 2500 years ago? Impossible! Hence, sutras may not
fully represent Buddhadharma but the underlying meaning should be learnt and
applied in our daily lives.
Similarly, in Bodhi Meditation, the Meditation of Greater
Illumination (MGI) is not written in sutra. But MGI is Buddha Dharma because it
relieves people of suffering. It cannot be considered unorthodox just because
it is not written in sutra. This applies for all other methods used to help
sentient beings.
In the sutras, it is stated not to attach to Dharma (法执). What does it mean? It means the Dharma
(method/wisdom) in Buddhism is not found in literature/sutras on the surface.
One must understand deeply the underlying meaning in the sutras, apply them in
meditative state, practice them fervently, realise for oneself and liberate
oneself from their afflictions. Most modern scholars used Western “evidence
based approach” to find wisdom in text! They find some sentences in sutra and
compare it to another source to prove if that is correct or wrong. This defeats
the purpose of learning BuddhaDharma. BuddhaDharma is meant to help people and
not for studying in this way. This is what is meant by attachment to Dharma. An
old saying in Taoist text say, “ Tao that can be described is not universal and
eternal Tao, Name that can be named is not universal and eternal name. 道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名.” The state of Zen (Tao) cannot be
described in the text but the text still tried its best to explain this state.
One cannot use the sutras or texts to define BuddhaDharma and what is not in
the sutra is not BuddhaDharma!
There was a man who asked, “Where is the moon?” The other
man pointed to the moon. One cannot grab the man’s hand and say that’s the
moon. Similarly, sutra merely points to the goal of enlightenment. It cannot be
used to define enlightenment.
What then is Buddhadharma?
Buddhadharma is:
1) All encompassing compassion
2) Benefit all sentient beings
3) Liberate from suffering and attain bliss.
3) Liberate from suffering and attain bliss.
More information available at:
1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook
2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website
Author:
Jerome is a Buddhist practitioner that has learnt from Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan traditions and is still learning! He first learnt meditation and Dharma from Theravadan monks and practitioners in the lineage of the Arahant Venerable Amatha Gavesi Maha Thero from Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist temple in Singapore. Then, he completed a Diploma in Buddhism from the Buddhist and Pali College in 2016. He also learnt from Zen Master Wu Jue Miao Tian (85th Zen Patriach) from the LingJi lineage in Taiwan in 2014 - 2015. Subsequently, he learnt from Garchen Rinpoche from the Drigar Thubten Dargye Ling tradition (Tibetan) and attended annual Om Mani Padme Hum and Om Ami Dewa Hrih retreats from 2015 till date. Currently, he is a disciple of Master Jin Bodhi (Mahayana) from Bodhi Meditation in Singapore and is an active volunteer there. Master Jin Bodhi is his main Dharma teacher. Jerome feels that Buddhism is not a religion but is a practical way to reduce our life's problems. The essence of Buddhism is not in the books or sutras but in the way we apply it into our lives. Having understood some aspects of Buddha's teaching, he wants to give back to the society and hopes to share his insights with everyone who has the affinity with him.
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