BLIA South Island NZ YAD Class Week 4 - Transcribing Sutras
The fourth class for BLIA South Island NZ YAD was held on 15th September, with six students attending and BLIA South Island Director committee Kok Wei Low lecturing. The task for that day was to transcribe sutras, and they did so with a respectful spirit to calm their hearts.
Next, Kok Wei shared some Buddhist lessons on the meaning of Dependent Origination. Kok Wei said that the combination of ‘cause’ and ‘affinities’ is that which produces cause and effect. Cause is the main pre-condition, while affinities is secondary to that. The combination of cause and affinities gives rise to the fruit or ‘effect’. Much like what the scriptures say, “All arise from causes and affinities, and all shall perish with them“. When we are stressed, upset, or angry, it bears ‘effect’ of greed, hatred and obsession being the ‘cause’ that brought it. If we have a pure heart, that is also a fruit or ‘effect’ that comes from our understanding of the Noble Eightfold Path. All of this is what the Buddha has referred to as “suffering, gathering, extinction and righteousness”.
One student asks: “What is the significance of recognizing dependent origination?”. Kok Wei explained that it is by understanding the fact that is Dependent Origination, that one will then see the inevitability of all, and thus show gratitude. Since every matter will have its origin and demise, we should learn to go with the flow. It is also because of this, that hope exists, and when the right cause and affinities are aligned, we will see that everyone can become a Buddha.
Towards the end of the class, Kok Wei led the students the evening chant. All of the students were very pleased with the lessons that day and remarked on how the sutra transcribing allowed them to gather the pieces of their scattered mind and focus solely on the act of transcribing. Other than that, the class on “Dependent Origination” taught them that every matter in the world happens for a reason – because of their cause and affinities. So just as we need to understand dependent origination, it is more important so as to create good seeds that will sprout good fruits.