Evolution of Buddhist Meditation

Lesson 9
 Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra
Chapter Six Analyzing Yoga
– The Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra（瑜伽師地論）, which explains in detail
both the meditation methods of the Śrāvaka in Śrāvakabhūmi and the
bodhisattva meditation method in the Bodhisattvabhūmi.
– However, to introduce the bodhisattva meditation method, the Śāstra
simply quotes the entire chapter six, titled “Analyzing Yoga”, of the
Saṃdhinirmocana. indicating the significance and authority of the
meditation method presented in Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra.

2
 Can Ancient Buddhist Wisdom
Applies in a Model Day Context?
 A Mahayana Buddhist
Approach for Stress Management,
Awareness Training Program

Venerable SIK Hin Hung & Ms. WU W.Y.Bonnie

Buddhism and Science Research Lab
Centre of Buddhist Studies
The University of Hong Kong
4
 Buddhist context:
The Two Buddhist Paths/Models

1. The Arhart Path (Pathological/medical model)

– More suitable for dealing with individual with more
complicated psychological issues

2. The Mahayana Path (Wellness model)

– More suitable for preventive and group-based
intervention to enhance psychological wellness of
participants

5
 The Arhart path:
a Pathological/ medical
model

• To end suffering, in particularly the suffering of

reincarnation

• Four Noble Truths, a Pathological/medical model

– Suffering, the disease
– Cause of suffering, craving and ignorance
– Cessation of suffering, the cure
– The Path, the medicine (the path is only part of the whole model)
• E.g. Dharma Therapy
 The Mahayana path:
a Wellness model
• Instead of targeting suffering and the elimination of
suffering, a bodhisattva is driven by deep
compassion to save all sentient beings from
suffering

• For a Bodhisattva, suffering is not something to be

eliminated, but a means to develop compassion

• With wisdom and compassion, a Bodhisattva

would have the skillful means to deal with all the
challenges he/she would face while remaining in
samsara to save all beings

7
 Why not a Mahayana Buddhist
Teaching-based Intervention?
• A wellness model on compassion and wisdom might
be more acceptable to the general public when
compared with a pathological/medical model
focusing on impermanence and suffering
• A wellness model would aim to enhance the
participants’ compassion and wisdom regardless of
their individual problems. Therefore, a wellness
model would be suitable to run in a group setting
• A Mahayana Buddhist teaching based wellness
model could be just as effective as the Four Noble
Truths pathological/medical model 8
 Awareness Training Program (ATP),
Evidence-based intervention
• Published in peer-reviewed journal: Mindfulness ( Impact Factor 3.024)
– Wu, B. W. Y., Gao, J., Leung, H. K., & Sik, H. H. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of
Awareness Training Program (ATP), a group-based Mahayana Buddhist intervention.
Mindfulness. doi:10.1007/s12671-018-1082-1

9
The Awareness Training Program (ATP)

• A group-based intervention program based on

Mahayana Buddhist teachings and practices
• It is doctrinally-aligned to a Mahayana Sūtra
• Its theory and practice are coherent
• Duration: 6 weekly 3 hours workshops + 1 weekend
day-retreat

10
Why “doctrinally-aligned”
and “coherent in theory
and praxis” ?
• To avoid the potential danger of inconsistency between theory
and praxis.
– There are thousands of sacred Buddhist texts that belong to many
different schools and lineages, and each has its own emphasis and
theoretical inclination.
– Further complicating the situation is that within both Theravada and
Mahayana Buddhism, there are sub-schools and lineages that each have an
unique theory and praxis.
• Adopting “doctrinally-aligned” approach can ensure that the
theory and praxis that are employed by a Buddhist-inspired
intervention is derived from text(s) that have a similar doctrinal
background in both theory and praxis.
 Objective of ATP
• To promote better stress management and psychological
well being of participants by enhancing their compassion
and wisdom of nonattachment
– Definition of Compassion （慈悲）
• A combination of loving-kindness （慈） and compassion（悲）.
Loving-kindness (Sanskrit, maitrī慈) is defined as the wish for all
sentient beings to have happiness and its causes (Bodhi 1994). Compassion
(Sanskrit, karunā悲) is defined as the wish for all sentient beings to be
free from suffering and its causes (Edo Shonin, Van Gordon, Compare, Zangeneh, &
Griffiths, 2015).

– Definition of Wisdom of nonattachment

• is the wisdom that arises from learning and understanding the Three
Types of Form（三種法相） and the three types of emptiness or no-
self nature（三種無自性）as taught in the Sandhinirmochana Sūtra

12
 Outline of the ATP
Workshop/Week Main Content
1 Generating Aspiration and Commitment

2 Learning and experiencing the power of awareness

3 Recognizing and understanding the universality of suffering to

generate compassion
4 Cultivating Compassion for oneself and others
Whole Day Retreat (1)
Whole Day Cultivating a deeper understanding of the concept of self
Retreat (2)

5 Developing wisdom through understanding and experiencing

the three kinds of characteristics （三自性） and the three
kinds of essencelessness characteristics（三種無自性性）of
phenomena
6 Discovering the meaning of life

7 Summarizing learning experience and developing

sustainability of practice
 Meditation methods of ATP

• To develop compassion
– the participants were first guided to see the
universality of suffering for both themselves and
other people as a means to develop compassion;
then, they were guided to send compassionate well-
wishes to themselves, other people, and all sentient
beings in succession.

• To develop the wisdom of nonattachment and

overcome the attachment to the concept of “self”
or “I,” which are the sources of human
suffering
– the participants were guided to systematically study
and recognize the emptiness or the three types of no-
self nature（三種無自性）of phenomena.
14
 Meditation Method of the ATP
• Similar to other traditional Buddhist schools, the Sandhinirmochana Sūtra divides the
practice of meditation into two parts: tranquility (śamatha) and observation (vipaśyanā)

Meditation

Śamatha Vipaśyanā
one-pointedness Differentiate &
of mind understanding

To discern and see

clearly the illusory
Searching Watching nature of all mental
objects including images
arisen during the
practice of Samatha

Practice with Concentrate on the

Practice without result of practicing
contemplation on Shapes & forms of
focusing on the searching with Concepts are only
meaning of texts the meaning of continual and stable objects are also
texts mental
attention projections
mental
projections
15
Meditation Method of the ATP

• Practitioners who use this method of meditation focus

on the teaching of the scriptures, and they gather and
summarize them into a collective whole (for example,
a poem or a mantra) to attentively contemplate them
(Keenan, 2000, p. 56).
• The core Buddhist teaching that the participants
learned and memorized in the ATP was the mantra
“Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ,” and the meaning of the
mantra is summarized as follows:

16
 Om Mani Padme Hum
唵嘛呢叭咪吽

Om : Arising, awakening from emptiness

Mani : The jewel that symbolizes

compassion, love and wealth

Padme : The lotus flower the symbolizes

purity, wisdom and peace of mind

Hum : The wish to attain Buddha hood so

that all will be free from suffering
17
Meditation Method of the ATP

The pearl of compassion is entirely auspicious;

The wisdom lotus cannot be tainted;
All phenomena arise interdependently and,
hence, intrinsically non-arising,
May all beings be able to realize these truths.
慈心明珠遍吉祥
智慧蓮花不染塵
因緣而生生不生
普願我等速成就
18
Om Mani Padme Hum
唵嘛呢叭咪吽

19
 Wisdom Gatha

› Impermanent phenomena rise and fall depending

on conditions
› In actuality, they have never arisen, or would they
fall away, and in no way can they be relied on.
› If we conceptually grasp and hold on to them, it
will result in endless conceptual proliferation.
› Furthermore, concepts and meanings are deceptive
and illusory and, hence, should not be indulged in
• 緣生緣滅生滅相
• 不生不滅無可住
• 於中取相成戲論
• 盡為虛妄莫沉醉
Concept of Grasped and Considered-as-a-whole
(遍計所執相)

"The concept of grasped and considered-as-a-whole

refers to the superficial establishing of self-nature and
differences, and even gives them names to express in
language.”
Concept of Grasped and Considered-as-a-whole
(遍計所執相)

"The concept of grasped and considered-as-a-whole

refers to the superficial establishing of self-nature and
differences, and even gives them names to express in
language.”
Concept of Grasped and Considered-as-a-whole
(遍計所執相)

"The concept of grasped and considered-as-a-whole refers to the

superficial establishing of self-nature and differences, and even gives them
names to express in language.
Concept of Grasped and Concept-has-no-intrinsic-
Considered-as-a-whole nature Nature
(遍計所執相) (相無自性性)
 Meditate to Develop a Taste of
Tranquility and Peace of Mind

1. Mental constructs and deliberations will result in

endless conceptual proliferation.
2. Although these mental constructs appear to be
there like images on a mirror, in fact, their true
nature is all illusory like smoke. Let them go!
3. Compare the state of seeing them as form vs.
seeing them as illusory and smoke-like
4. No more noise and disturbance from words
concepts and thinking
5. Just the natural in-breath and out-breath of the
present moment
6. And/or the chanting of Om Mani Padme Hum
25
Empirical Research & Findings of the
ATP
 Research Design & Objective

• Experimental design
– randomized-controlled trial (RCT) to
compare the experimental group with
the waitlist control group

• Objective
– To test the effectiveness of the ATP

27
 Participants
• Why Middle-aged working adults in Hong Kong ?

Hong Kong: stressed-out city Average annual working hours

97% HK adults with sub-health symptoms

Most affected: middle-aged people
(Chung et al., 2013).

Chronic stress: risk of

developing mental illness, and
even death.
 Participants

• Inclusion criteria
– aged 30 to 60
– working adult
– education level reached upper secondary or above
– self-reported at least moderate distress with score ≥ 4 (out
of 7) in one of the following aspects: work, family, love
affairs, interpersonal relationship, financial, health or social
environment
Consolidated
Enrollment Assessed for eligibility (n= 420)
Standards of
Reporting Trials Excluded (n=298)
s Did not meet inclusion criteria (n=254)
(CONSORT) s Unavailability to participate the whole or part
of ATP (n=11)
diagram s Unavailable to come to the briefing session and
baseline assessment (n=4)
s Lost contact (n=2)
showing the s Declined to participate in research(n=1)
s Did not include because the optimal group size
flow of and target sample size were met (n= 26)

participants Randomized (n=122)

Allocated to ATP (n= 61) Allocation Allocated to waitlist control group (n=61)
s Received allocated intervention (n=57) s Withdrew (n=2)
s Did not receive allocated intervention - Unavailable to attend the program (n=
(n=4) 2)
- Unavailable to attend the program
(n=3)
- Lost interest in attending (n=1)

s Discontinued after 1st session because Follow-Up s Withdrew (n=2)

of a conflict between work and program - Illness (n=1)
schedules (n=1) - Lost interest in attending (n=1)

s Withdrew (n=2) 3-month Follow-Up s Withdrew (n=1)

- Lost contact (n=1) - Unavailable because of a busy schedule
- Unavailable because of a busy work (n=1)
schedule (n=1)

Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (n= 61) Analysis

Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (n= 61)
Per-protocol (PP) analysis (n= 54)
s Excluded those who had withdrawn at Per-protocol (PP) analysis (n=56)
post intervention or 3-month follow-up s Excluded those who had withdrawn at
(n= 7) post intervention or 3-month follow-up
(n= 5)
 Demographic characteristics
ATP(n=61) % Control (n=61) %
Gender Female 43 70.5 44 72.1
Age Mean (SD) 46.33(8.35) 46.82 (7.95)

Education Level Marital Status

100% 100% 5% 8% Separated /
Postgraduate
90% 31% 90% Divorced
34%
80% 80%
70% 70% 49% 41%
Post- Married
60% 60%
31% 30% Secondary/University
50% 50%
40% (Degree course) 40%
30% 18% 16% Post- 30% 52% Single
46%
20% Secondary/University 20%
10% 20% 20% (Non-degree course) 10%
0% 0%
Upper Secondary
ATP Control ATP Control
(n=61) (n=61) (n=61) (n=61)
31
 Demographic characteristics
Religion
2% 3%
100% 3% 2%3% Others
5%
90%
25% 23% Christianity
80%
70%
Catholicism
60%
50%
Buddhism
40% 66% 69%
30% Nil
20%
10%
0%
ATP (n=61) Control (n=61)
32
 Measurements
• Self-reported psychosocial questionnaires
– Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
– Orientation to Life Questionnaire(SOC)
– General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)
– Nonattachment Scale (NAS)
• Neuro-scientific measurement
– Electroencephalogram (EEG): to collect the brain electronical
signals at scalp
– Event-related potential (ERP): to measure the instant brain
response to emotional stimuli
• Physiological measurement
– electrocardiogram (ECG): to measure the physiological changes
of the heart induced by emotional stimuli
33
Results of the Self-reported
Psychosocial Measures

34
 Baseline Characteristics

• Are there any differences in the characteristics across

the groups at baseline?
• Results
– the participants in the two groups did not differ in their
demographic characteristics
• Chi-squared tests for the categorical variables
• independent sample t-tests for continuous variables
– the various psychological scores and age between these two
groups were found to be equivalent at baseline
(p < .05, equivalence criterion was set at 20% of the mean
of ATP group)
• two one-sided tests for equivalence (TOST; Rogers, Howard, &
Vessey, 1993)
 Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
Overall Effect size (Partial Eta Squared ηp 2)
Interaction η2p
Analysis/ F p Pre-post- Pre-post Pre-
Measure follow-up follow-up
PSS 14.96 <.001 .12 .15 .16
Effect size:
PSS small = 0.01
23 medium = 0.06
22 22.15 large = 0.14
21 20.75
20 19.83
Mean 19.77
19 ATP
Score 18.15
18 Control
17.58
17
16
15
Baseline Post Post-3 36
 Sense of Coherence (SOC)
Overall Effect size (Partial Eta Squared ηp 2)
Interaction η2p
Analysis/ F p Pre-post- Pre-post Pre-
Measure follow-up follow-up
SOC 7.48 <.001 .06 .05 .10

SOC
62
60 60.35
58
57.64
Mean 56 55.34 ATP
Score 54 54.00
54.67 Control
52 52.89
50
48
Baseline Post Post-3 37
 General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)
Overall Effect size (Partial Eta Squared ηp 2)
Interaction η2p
Analysis/ F p Pre-post- Pre-post Pre-
Measure follow-up follow-up
GHQ 15.10 <.001 .12 .16 .13

GHQ
17
16 15.98

15 15.61 15.61
14.75
Mean 14 ATP
Score 13
12.01 Control
12
11.59
11
10
Baseline Post Post-3
38
 Nonattachment Scale (NAS)
Overall Effect size (Partial Eta Squared ηp 2)
Interaction η2p
Analysis/ F p Pre-post- Pre-post Pre-
Measure follow-up follow-up
NAS 17.29 <.001 .13 .17 .14

NAS
130 127.87 128.77
125

Mean 120 118.36

ATP
115.46
Score 115 115.58 Control
111.49
110

105
Baseline Post Post-3
39
 Mediation Analysis
• Mediation is a hypothesized causal chain in which one variable
affects a second variable that, in turn, affects a third variable (Kenny,
2018).
• We hypothesized that wisdom in the form of nonattachment would
be the mediating factor of the outcome measures.

PSS/ SOC/
ATP
GHQ

NAS
 Mediation diagram summarizing hierarchical linear regression and
bootstrap analyses using nonattachment as a mediator of the effect of
the intervention at post-3 follow-up

PSS / SOC / GHQ

HLR: -3.55***( -1.85*) / 6.60***( 2.99*) Pre score
/ -4.13***(-2.57**) PSS / SOC / GHQ
BS: -3.55[-4.98, -2.12]( -1.85[-3.26, -0.44]) / HLR: 0.85***/ 0.76***/
6.60[3.63, 9.57]( 2.99[0.040, 5.94]) 0.78***
/ -4.13[-5.58, -2.67](-2.57[-4.06, -1.08]) BS: 0.85[0.73, 0.96]
/ 0.76[0.65, 0.87]
/0.78[0.66, 0.90]
ATP Post-3 score

PSS / SOC / GHQ PSS / SOC / GHQ

HLR: 16.39*** HLR: -0.11***/ 0.23*** / -0.098***
BS: 15.46[9.29, 21.6] Change in NAS BS: -0.11[-0.15, -0.070]
/ 15.85[9.78, 21.9] / 0.23[0.14, 0.31]
/ 15.86[9.74, 22.0]
from baseline to / -0.098[-0.14, -0.056]
post-3 follow up
 Conclusion from Self-reported Psychosocial
Measures Findings
• Findings indicated that
– ATP is effective in improving stress levels, sense of
coherence, psychological wellbeing and wisdom of
nonattachment of middle-aged working adults, and
– the therapeutic improvements were maintained at the 3-
month follow-up.
– wisdom in the form of nonattachment (NAS) served as the
key component of ATP to mediate the improvement of the
levels of perceived stress (PSS), sense of coherence (SOC)
and psychological wellbeing (GHQ).
Acknowledgement

44
 Timeline of Major Buddhist Events
Date Major Buddhist Events World Events Important Buddhist Meditation
texts
6th Century BC Life of Buddha (566-486) Confucius孔子(551-479) ü Dvedhavitakka Sutta:Two
Sorts of Thinking
ü Nagara Sutta:The City
ü Satipatthana Sutta
4th Century BC The Mahasanghika school （大眾部）Aristotle (383-322)
parts ways with Theravadins（上座
部）
3th Century BC King Asoka’s son established Qin Shi Huang built the Great
Buddhism in Sri Lanka (247 BC) Wall秦皇築長城(250)
Alexander the Great
invaded India (327)

2nd Century BC Pali Canon written down. Han Dynasty漢朝(BC206-

Beginnings of Mahayana Buddhism
and the appearance of Early
Mahayana sutras.
Buddhist missionaries arrived China
and translated the 'Sutra of Forty-two
Sections' into Chinese
1st Century AD Composition of Lotus Sutra and other
Mahayana Buddhist texts.
Buddhism enters Central Asia and
China.
2nd Century AD Nargarjuna, founder the school of
Madhyamika
AD220)
Julius Caesar (100-44)
Jesus Christ (0-33AD). Sandhinirmochana Sutra or "Sūtra
Under the influence of of the Explanation of the Profound
Gandhara Culture, the Buddha Secrets," 解深密經
is now represented in art as
human form.
The height of the Roman Vimuttimagga ("Path of Freedom"
Empire 解脫道論) by Arahant Upatissa
4th Century Asanga and his brother Eastern Jin Dynasty東晉
Vasubandhu popularized the Tao YuanMing陶淵明,
teaching of the Yogacara school (365-427 )
Vajrayana developed in India.
5th Centurty Buddhaghosa composes the Southern and Northern Visuddhimagga,
Visuddhimagga and major Dynasties南北朝（420- the path of Purification
commentaries in Sri Lanka 581） 《清淨道論》by
雲崗石窟 Buddhagosa
6th Century Bodhidharma founder of Ch'an Emperor Wu of Liang梁 The Treatise on the Two
(Zen) arrives in China from 武帝 (464-579). Entrances and Four
India. (526) Practices《菩提達磨略辨
大乘入道四行》
7th Century Hsuan-Tsang (602-664) Tang Dynasty began on The Sixth Patriarch Platform
Princess Wen-ch'eng enter Tibet 618AD Sutra《六祖壇經》
(641)
The Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng
六祖惠能（638-713）
8th Century Padmasambhava entered Tibet Li Bai李白（701-762）
(786), and founded the Nyingma Moslem invasion of
order Central Asia (760)

9th Century Wu Chang persecution of End of Tang Dynasty唐滅 Tsig-sum nèdék, The Three
Buddhism （907） Statements that Strike the
武昌滅佛(845) Essential
Chinese Chan Buddhism
 The Special
Transmission from the Buddha

• I have the eye of true Dharma,

• 吾有正法眼藏，
• the marvelous mind of Nirvāṇa,
• the true form of the formless, • 涅槃妙心，實相無相，
• 微妙法門，
• the subtle and wondrous Dharma
teaching • 不立文字，教外別傳，
• that does not rest on words or letters • 付囑摩訶迦葉。
but is a special transmission outside
of the scriptures.
• This I entrust to Mahākāśyapa
 The Charisma
of the Patriarchs

• Danxia(739-824) burning
the Buddha Statue
• 丹霞燒佛
 The Charisma
of the Patriarchs
Linchi’s Shouts
• Sometime the person is taken but not the objects;
• Sometime the objects are taken but not the person;
• Sometime both the person and objects are taken;
• Sometime both the person and objects are not taken
•
• 人天眼目曰：「臨濟喝」四料簡
• 有時奪人不奪境；
• 有時奪境不奪人；
• 有時人境俱奪，
• 有時人境俱不奪。
 =

• A Monk asked Master Tung Shan,

"What is Buddha?"
• Tung Shan, "Three catties of flax.“
– 洞山和尚(807-869 )、因僧問、如何是佛。
– 山云、麻三斤。
=

• Another monk asked Master Yun

Men, "What is a Buddha?"
• The master answered, "Sanitary
straw (i.e. toilet paper)."
– 僧問云門：如何是佛？門云：干屎
橛。
 Master Leung Shan

• The Gardener: ‘What to do when

• 梁山上堂，果出問曰：“家 family thieves are hard to guard?’
賊難防時如何？” • Shan: “if you can identify them there
• 山雲：“識得不為冤。” would be no injustice.”
• 曰：“識得後如何？” • Gardener: “what to do after you
• 山雲：“貶向無生國裏。” identify them?”
• 曰：“莫是他安身立命處也 • Shan: “deport them to the country of
無？” non-arising”
• 山雲：“死水不藏龍。” • Gardener: “is there where they will
domicile and live?”
• Shan: “stale water can not
accommodate a dragon.”
54
 Master Leung Shan
• Gardener: “What would it be like
to be a dragon in living water?”
• 曰：“如何是活水裏 • Leung: “Creating ripples, yet not
龍？” regarding them as waves.”
• 山雲：“興波不作浪。” • Gardener: “What to do when all
• 曰：“忽然傾湫倒嶽時 of a sudden the oceans and
如何？” mountains all collapses?”
• 梁山果然從法座上走下，• Leung descends from the platform
把住雲：“闍梨！莫教 and hold the Gardener by the
濕著老僧袈裟角。 hand and said, “please don’t wet
the corner of this old monk’s
Kāṣāya”
55
l Thousand feet of winching line, dangles straightly
downs.
l Just the sway of a ripple, thousand waves follow.
l The night is quiet, water is chilly, and the fishes
are not biting.
l Fully laden, the vessel vacuously carry the moon’s
luminous gloss, return.

千尺絲綸直下垂
一波才動萬波隨
夜靜水寒魚不食
滿船空載月明歸
 Bodhidharma on the
Two Entrances and the Four Practices
 Bodhidharma on the
Two Entrances and the Four Practices
Why?

• Good people die

tragically
• Bad people live
happily ever after
Cognitive Dissonance
(認知失調)
 Why? I don’t understand?

How would you explain such phenomena if

you believe in:
• Monotheism: one God
• Atheist: no god
• Ordinary Hong Kong Chinese
• Buddhism
Enhancing Comprehensibility

Enhancing comprehensibility from

three aspects:
1. More spiritual
2. More realistic
3. More ultimate

62
 What do you see? How do you feel?

In three aspects:
1. More spiritual in comprehending
2. More realistic in comprehending
3. More ultimate in comprehending
Mind of Equanimity
捨心、平常心

• Equanimity (upekkha) is a
perfect, unshakable balance
of mind, rooted in insight.
• True equanimity can only be
attained by being in harmony
with the Dharma.
 Implications of
the Law of Dependent Origination
Levels of All things arise from a cause.
Understanding The Tathagata has explained their cause
And the cessation of the cause of these things.

Human and • If this exists, that exists; • Karma is not a punishment and
Celestial if this ceases to exist, reward system, but a natural law
Vehicle that also ceases to exist" of how the world function
Sound-hearing • If this exists, that • 12 links of dependent origination,
(Sravaka) exists;…… the origin of suffering and the
Vehicle • Impermanent, suffering escape from suffering
and non-self • Elimination of desire and
defilement

Bodhisattva • Neither arise nor cease, • Non-attachment

Vehicle • Emptiness nature • Skillful means
 Bodhidharma on the
Two Entrances and the Four Practices