Living Zen Happy Life: Timeless Zen Wisdom for Your Daily Joy and Ultimate Peace

Copyright © 2021 Dharma Master Hsin Tao.

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ISBN: 978-1-9822-7008-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-7009-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-7010-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021911936

Balboa Press rev. date: 06/15/2021

Contents

Preface

Part 1

Unveiling the True Nature of Dharma

Buddhadharma in the Modern Civilized Society

A Little Taste of Emptiness

In the Samsaric Jungle of Cause and Effect

Your Work Is Your Dharma Practice

Your Daily Life Is Your Best Merit Field

Knocking at the Great Door of Awakening

Part 2

Learn to Be a Happy Dharma Practitioner

Meditation Instruction for Beginners

Your Infinite Life

Liberating Oneself from the Maze of Samsara

Not a Companion of the Myriad Dharmas

Cultivation of the Sixteen Beautiful Minds

Preface

Three Yanas, One Dharma

Although the writings collected here are not some word-by-word translation of Dharma Master Hsin Tao’s teachings and thoughts, they are indeed some rare and precious teachings that we have gathered from various sources, for example, Zen talks, private conversations, and public discourses. Most of these materials are directly derived from a Mandarin book by the name of The Zen of Happy Living (快樂生活禪).

Dharma Master Hsin Tao is a rare legend who embodies the integral teachings of the Buddha. He is a living example of the authentic essence, nonsectarian spirit, and universal truth of the dharma, which all of us should admire, if not emulate, on our path to perfect awakening and total freedom. He practices and actualizes the essence of the three yanas, for example, Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantrayana, the major three traditions of contemporary Buddhism, as one dharma. He exemplifies and propagates the genuine spirit of great equanimity, and he truly embodies the living example of three yanas, one dharma.

Hsin Tao means a path with heart in Mandarin. Master Hsin Tao received the Dharma Seal from the Venerable Master Benhuan to become the forty-fourth successor of Linji School (Nanhua Tang Branch). In 2013, Master Hsing Yun appointed Master Hsin Tao to be the forty-ninth holder of Linji School (Zhong Xing Branch).

Besides being a renowned Zen master in Chinese Mahayana Buddhism, the National Buddhist Advisor of Myanmar, Ven. U Kuothala, also bestowed the name U Ku Tha Qla, meaning cleared of obstacles, to Master Hsin Tao. Since then, he has been attired in monastic robe of Theravada tradition in commemorating his heritage.

In terms of Tantric Vajrayana Buddhism, H. H. Kathok Moktsa Rinpoche, one of the five golden throne holders of the Nyingma Katok Monastery lineage, recognized Master Hsin Tao as the unmistaken reincarnation of Chowang Dorje (Vajra of the Lord of Doctrine), one of the great Tantric Mahasiddha who attained rainbow body and was therefore granted the tulku title as His Eminence Pelkyi Dorje (Auspicious Vajra) Rinpoche.

Although these unique teachings of Dharma Master Hsin Tao were carefully selected, compiled, translated, and edited by the Prajna Editorial Group, we sincerely ask for your forgiveness and guidance if there’s any mistakes or misrepresentation. Being aware of our imperfections, we therefore encourage the readers to practice the Four Reliances while reading this book:

1. Rely on the message of the teacher, not on his personality.

2. Rely on the meaning, not just on the words.

3. Rely on the real meaning, not on the provisional one.

4. Rely on your wisdom mind, not on your ordinary, judgmental thoughts.

May you enjoy any liberating wisdom nectar that flows from the sincerest heart of this humble and simple monk. May you grow in your wisdom and compassion and then benefit and liberate others in the same way.

May all beings be well and happy!

Prajna Editorial and Translation Group

Part 1

Unveiling the True

Nature of Dharma

Buddhadharma in the

Modern Civilized Society

Two Types of Buddha

From the perspective of the true nature of our minds, Buddha ultimately means our minds’ true nature. As it was clearly stated in the Zen teaching, The Buddha is your Mind; this very Mind is the Buddha.

So if you want to become fully enlightened just like the historical Buddha, you have to look for and reveal the true nature of your mind: you have to seek and attain the ultimate nature of this mind, which is actually enlightenment itself.

But practically and realistically speaking, we are not yet a Buddha because the causes and conditions are not ripened yet. In the book, we have to go through a lot of difficult practices, hardships, and obstacles in order to achieve that state of perfect enlightenment. We have to practice the bodhisattva path within these six realms for many eons to attain the fruition of bodhi, the supreme and unequaled Buddhahood.

The ultimate Buddha, which is our ultimate nature of mind, and the practical and final Buddhahood, which we need endless practice and endurance to attain, coexist and inter-be at the same time. We need these two, and we can definitely seek and attain them here and now.

The Tao Is Realized by the Mind

The Tao is realized by the mind. All Buddhadharma depends on one condition: clear awareness and perfect understanding.

The term Buddha itself means the Enlightened One, and enlightenment actually means clear awareness and perfect understanding. A Buddha is not bound by a certain shape or form. A Buddha is a light, the light of wisdom and clarity.

The wisdom light of the Buddha shines through all animate and inanimate phenomena. It penetrates existence and nonexistence and dispels all forms of darkness and ignorance.

Buddhadharma Is Not a Religion

The dharma we are practicing is not a form of organized religion. It is simply a set of universal truths that will enhance our knowledge and wisdom about the reality or truth of the universe.

When you attain the essence of dharma, you will be free from all fears and pain. You will be liberated from all anxieties and negative emotions about birth, old age, sickness, and death. By practicing and actualizing the dharma, you attain ultimate peace and absolute immortality, the sublime state of your body, mind, and consciousness.

The Journey of the Dharma Is a Rational Path of Learning and Contemplation

If you claim to be a dharma practitioner but are easily caught up in all sorts of emotional turbulences and nuances, then you are not really a genuine practitioner; you are just a superstitious believer. You are probably just admiring or praying to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, or some iconic sangha figures. You are worshipping idols, just like those who chase after superstars and celebrities.

If you are emotional, then you need to fill yourself with rational intelligence and dharmic wisdom. If you are superstitious, you need to look within and seek your innermost ultimate refuge, which is your true mind, your Buddha nature.

You must awaken the Buddha within. Look inward, find the bright light of your true mind, and shine on.

Benefit Others as Much as You Can

What is the purpose of practicing the dharma? To heal the mental diseases of yourself and others.

What’s the purpose of becoming a monk or nun? To totally uproot the defilements of ignorance or unknowing.

What’s the ultimate goal of actualizing the Buddhadharma? To benefit all sentient beings—selflessly, holistically, and unconditionally.

The Three Main Principles of Dharma

1. To liberate oneself and others from the cyclic existence of birth and death

2. To cut off or uproot all afflictive emotions (kleshas)

3. To solve the Zen koan of this:

• When you are born, where do you come from?

• When you die, where do you go?

• What is this pure and clear mind?

Practice According to Wakefulness: Live According to the Law of Karma

The whole purpose of Buddhist education is to train your mind, to teach you the art of radical awakening. We must therefore practice and carry our conduct in accordance with our own inner awakenings, and we must conduct our spiritual lives according to the principle of the bodhi mind (Bodhicitta). And then we must follow the universal law of karma (causality; cause and effect) in our day-to-day living.

It is enough if we can follow these two principles. Through inner awakenings, you realize the ultimate nature of all phenomena. Through the working of karma, you can also benefit and liberate all sentient beings meticulously and effectively. That’s all.

It’s Up to You—Really

Your physical body is just like a knife. You can use it to save someone, but you can also use it to kill another person. Through your body, speech, and mind, you can accumulate countless virtues and merits, but you can also create tremendous negative karma.

Our physical existence is nothing but a useful tool, and we are the masters of this useful tool. We constantly create our own futures through what we think, say, and do. Our precious human life is such a wonderful tool, so use it wisely and nicely.

Appreciate Your Life

Appreciate your life; don’t kill yourself please. As long as you are alive, you are free to choose your state of being. Treasure this precious human rebirth. Choose happiness, freedom, and joy, and most importantly, utilize this precious but impermanent life force to practice dharma and to benefit others.

No Escape

No fear. No worries. No escapes. Face life as it is. Do not run away from it.

Radical acceptance is needed if you want to attain total transformation.

Be the Master of Your Own Life

The Buddha said, There’s a True Master of your life, hidden within You—but nobody realizes its True Nature.

How sad it is. We have this inner treasure, but we are so caught up with outer appearances such as name, fame, power, wealth, desires, and hatred that our own inner masters have become slaves of their own confusion and delusions. How sad is this!

Come back to your own true self, so that you can become the master of your own life, reclaim your birthright to fly freely and soar higher, and transcend all worldly entanglements. As Rumi the Mystic once said, You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?

This is the ultimate meaning of practicing and realizing the Buddhadharma.

Your Buddha Nature Cannot Be Attained

Your Buddha nature is the innermost core of your being. It is your true mind, your real self, and your source/home. It cannot be attained, simply because it’s none other than you. Your Buddha nature is naturally perfect; it doesn’t need more perfection. Your nature of mind is primordially pure, clear, and flawless from the very beginning. Hence, no fabricated effort or striving is needed to make it more perfect than it is.

And when you understand yourself, you will understand the true nature of the universe because ultimately you and the universe are inseparably one.

You suffer when you work too hard and think too much. Just relax your body and mind. Don’t torture yourself with unnecessary burdens and pressure. Instead of striving hard to be a good Buddhist or to become a Buddha, just be your true self. All good things begin from there; you have to do it inside out.

The Buddhadharma is akin to a compass of your life or a GPS through which you will find your true way to return home. Treasure this compass/GPS and follow its guidance carefully. Have faith that it will bring you home in the quickest and most accurate way possible.

Through the direction and guidance of Buddhadharma, you will enter into the sacred realms of liberation, enlightenment, and pure consciousness.

This is a journey within. Look inward, find peace and bliss within, and rest your mind in such wonderful feelings of coming home.

Uncompounded Dharma

All expedient methods or skillful means are worldly dharmas. The ultimate dharma has no skillful means. It is the one and only. It is unconditional, boundless, and inconceivable. It’s uncompounded dharma—pure, clear, and primordially pristine.

The Three Jewels

We take refuge in the three jewels: the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. The Buddha is actually our source of perfect enlightenment. The dharma is our path that leads to this enlightenment. And the sangha is our spiritual guide, mentor, or companion.

After taking refuge, you then have the teacher (Buddha), the path (dharma), and the spiritual mentors (sangha) with you. They will travel along with you on this path of awakening and enlightenment. When you have the blessings of the three jewels, you’ll travel safely and reach your innate home, your true source and ultimate refuge of your life.

Who Is the Enlightened One?

The Buddha is the Awakened One. We take refuge in Him so He can inspire us and teach us various methods of gaining liberation and enlightenment. If we follow His guidance and teaching, we will return to our inner home of peace