Update: You can now find the English version here! ChatGPT Translation: Why It's Not Easy to Start Practicing - A Lecture by Dr. Hong Wenliang + Biography of Zen Master Hong Wen Liang
[8:27 AM, 8/21/2020] John Tan: Wow did u read all? Essentially covers all the important points. 👍
I think 洪文亮 is probably the only Zen master that is in perfect alignment with all my insights and experiences.
[8:52 AM, 8/21/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Havent read.. going to read
[8:52 AM, 8/21/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[8:53 AM, 8/21/2020] John Tan: Read the whole piece...many important points.
[8:53 AM, 8/21/2020] John Tan: A bit long
[12:19 PM, 8/21/2020] John Tan: But his explanation on the part between appearance and external reality imo opinion is no good.
[7:05 PM, 8/21/2020] Soh Wei Yu: This article is from 1992 [it says Dilgo Khyentse passed way 1 year before that speech was made]
修行为何不易上路——洪文亮医师演讲实录(转贴)
Link to article: http://zhunti.shixiu.net/thread-298-1-1.html
(Zen Master Hong Wen Liang also received Dzogchen teachings from Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche in the USA)
1995年,在另一個機緣下,洪師在美國和「南開諾布」仁波切見了面。仁波切見到洪師非常高興,立刻邀請洪師到仁波切在美國的道場,並且將大圓滿法傳給洪師,並在洪師離開的時候,仁波切把所有密法的法本都交給洪師帶回台灣。- http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_62ea3f0a0100ge2q.html
p.s. for my compilation of Zen Master Hong Wen Liang's articles, check out https://app.box.com/file/259267347989?s=ceb9i7wsk0lkfl2sjex97ai56l1k52pf
Found a Chinese Ch'an Master who clearly had insights into anatta, dependent origination and emptiness. John Tan and I thinks his expressions are good. He seems to have progressed from true self, one mind, into anatta and emptiness.
Ven. Chi Chern 釋繼程
Flipped through the following books:
https://www.ddc.com.tw/search_list.php?c=1&s=2&k=%E9%87%8B%E7%B9%BC%E7%A8%8B
默照365
禪悟之道
禪觀生死
John Tan and I thinks this book by Peter Brown is good. Worth reading. As JT says, his insight is higher than anatta/post anatta. I wrote a critique in 2013 and said his insight sounded substantialist/one mind, but clearly his insights have deepened since (or I simply misjudged him earlier on).
Amazon's A.I. is getting more intelligent at recommending me good books.
Update: Seems like John Tan didn't find it as impressive as he thought it will be, nonetheless I still think it's a good read and the insight of anatta is there.
“U can really sell
.
After
reading half of the book...so so only. Initially I was quite impressed
with certain passages u sent me about his understandings on:
1. appearances as presence
2. how he sees through conventions.
3. vibrancy of aliveness through Yoga.
The
word "yoga" in his book title misled me...lol. I thought he was a yogi
with deep anatta insight, clear abt deconstruction techniques on
conventional and conceptual constructs and more importantly on yoga
energy system which will b quite rare.
But nothing about that after buying and reading the book...
”
[9:00 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: U finished reading?
[9:50 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Almost
[9:56 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Im still beginning.. think his insight is anatta but a bit of subsuming
[9:56 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: ?
[9:58 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Depends, seems like he feels that presence is real...
[10:05 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Also how one deconstructs conventional reality also crucial. Not mentioned at all...clearly knowing the relationship between mental constructs and presence is pivotal...he talked too much abt presence...lol
[10:05 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[10:05 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: He said presence cannot be found besides experienced characteristics?
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Yes that is good
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Seems like dogen and soto zen people also talk about everything being real
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: But they dont necessarily use the word presencr
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Their definition is different
[10:07 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Coz the word "existence" has different meaning.
[10:07 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: All Buddhism need to know the importance of 幻
[10:08 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: 如梦幻泡影 (like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow)
[10:08 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[10:09 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: But the emphasis that things appear but do not exist may not b clear to many.
[10:11 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: “So, this is a very strange state of affairs we find; ultimately unfindable experiential characteristics that turn out to be nothing more than Presence, and ultimately unfindable Presence that turns out to be nothing more than experiential characteristics. Unfindable Presence appearing as actual Radiance (energetic experiential characteristics),”
[10:11 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: So to him presence is both unfindable and actual
[10:11 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Lol
[10:12 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Just different words
[10:12 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: “and unfindable Radiance appearing as actual Presence.”
[10:13 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: As long as the insight is there is good enough
[10:13 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Unfortunately nothing about energy system
[10:13 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: And deconstruction clarity
[10:14 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Rob is much better quality book
[10:16 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[10:16 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: He use ultimate analysis for example to deconstruct time
[10:16 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: And talk about not being attached to even eternal now
A summary of Seeing that Frees by Rob Burbea.
[11:59
PM, 8/10/2020] John Tan: This is a really good quality book by Rob
Burbea. Easy to read, lots of tips for practice and full of valuable
pointers. Should put into our blog, preferably "must read" section.
[12:00 AM, 8/11/2020] Soh Wei Yu: you mean the summary or the book itself?
[12:00 AM, 8/11/2020] John Tan: Summary
[12:01 AM, 8/11/2020] Soh Wei Yu: ok i post
[12:03 AM, 8/11/2020] John Tan: Almost attempts to integrate everything...
[12:03 AM, 8/11/2020] John Tan: Lol
[12:04 AM, 8/11/2020] John Tan: Maybe I should buy the book...but the section on cause and effect and production is too short.
[12:05 AM, 8/11/2020] Soh Wei Yu: ya i think so.. i remember hale oh likes it very much i think
[12:05 AM, 8/11/2020] Soh Wei Yu: too bad rob burbea died recently from cancer
[12:08 AM, 8/11/2020] Soh Wei Yu: haven't read the book before though. think will get it
[12:08 AM, 8/11/2020] John Tan: Yes
[12:09 AM, 8/11/2020] John Tan: Go read about the summary...u will understand why it is good guide for practice.
Link to buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-That-Frees-Meditations-Emptiness-ebook/dp/B00SI7PQD8
This is a reminder that if you are interested in Arcaya Malcolm Smith's teaching on Dzogchen -
Dzogchen Retreat with Arcaya Malcolm - please sign up now. R
egistration for TWS online retreat closes in 2 days, Aug. 7th.
I can't say everyone is going to resonate with these teachings, since it depends on one's proclivities, etc. But personally, John Tan and I find what Arcaya Malcolm Smith teaches to be highly resonating, so both of us will be attending the online retreat.
[12:16 AM, 8/5/2020] John Tan: https://youtu.be/QYcMqaAtmZ4
[12:17 AM, 8/5/2020] John Tan: I like guy newland.
[12:18 AM, 8/5/2020] John Tan: Dzogchen, madhyamaka from Nyingma perspective...he choose mipham beacon of certainty
[12:19 AM, 8/5/2020] John Tan: Go watch
[12:34 AM, 8/5/2020] John Tan: Damn happy listening to this youtube