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Dharma is the Buddha Dharma also called the Wonderful Dharma. “Wonderful Dharma” means magical, miraculous that cannot measure.

Flowers are Lotus flowers as using the lotus flowers as example. It means using the wonderful dharma to govern the flowers, as a subject for this samadhi.

Samadhi means unmovable or total concentration

Samadhi of the Dharma Flower is one of the samadhi in the Lotus Flower Sutra. This samadhi uses the Samadhi of the Dharma Flower as the name. Wonderful Dharma is a dharma, Lotus Flower is an example. This samadhi is very profound, it is not easy for us to understand, so Buddha use flowers as example, so this samadhi takes the dharma and lotus to give it a name.

Flowers have many different types. There are “wild flowers without fruit”,  flowers that doesn’t bear fruit. For example: those who let go of the truth, lie, just say without actually do it. They are also the examples of pagan . Because of the left-wing views, the facade seems to be very divine, they also use spiritual practice, cultivate all kinds of austerities, but without real results, ultimately not successful. Just like the wildflowers with no fruit.

And there are the “flower bear lot of fruits”, that is, for example, the children make offerings to their parents, to the monk, all kinds of acts of filial piety. Because of taking care their parents, they earn lot of merit. These merits, in the future, will also result in many fruits, either being born in heaven, or being born into the human realm of the rich. It is indeed a fruitful flower.

And there are the “flower bear one fruit”, it is an expression of Pratyekabuddha. Pratyekabuddha cultivates the renunciation, cultivates this practice, then enters the deep mountain forest, to attain only the fruit of the Pratyekabuddha.

And there are tree that bear the fruit then the flower”, like the first level Arhat, they witnessed the result of first level Arhat, but later they still need to continue to cultivate.

And there are tree that have the flower then the fruit”, this is the manifestation of the Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva must first practice, later attain the Bodhisattva fruit.

However, the above-mentioned flowers cannot, for example, be miraculous, nor can they be compared to the lotus. Only the lotus can truly exemplify the dharma, because the lotus is a flower that can bear fruit at the same time, a true representation of the opening of the provisional to manifest the real.

The lotus blooming and bearing fruit simultaneously also represent the “opening of the provisional to manifest the real. The flower blooms along with the fruit. The provisional is the flower. Truth is the fruit. But, to bring truth give provisional , why is there a flower?

Flowers is used because we attached to results. All of the Flower Adornment Sutra, Shurangama and Heart Sutra were to lead to the Lotus Flower Sutra. That is why he spoke those beginning sutra. The Dharma that had spoken before is the provisional dharma,  (the means dharma), but not the true Dharma. Until the time of the Lotus Flower Sutra, the true dharma is revealed, the teaching of the truth, bringing the provisional to show or to express the most visible truth.

The flower that best represent the Samadhi of the Dharma Flower is the lotus, because when the flower blooms the lotus seed appears, to represent the opening of the provisional to manifest the real. Flower dies the lotus seeds are ripen means to leave the provisional to take the truth. Leaving the provisional behind and revealing the real dharma. The highest level dharma is the genuine dharma.

The lotus is an unique flower. It blooms and bears fruit at the same time. When the lotus blooms, the lotus seeds appear. The lotus takes root in the mud and its stem grows up through the water. The flower is neither in the mud nor the water, but blooms above the surface of the water. The root in the mud represents common people. The stem in the water represents those of the small vehicle – Hīnayāna. Common people are attached to existence; the mud is an analogy for “existence.” Those in the small vehicle are attached to emptiness; the stem in the water represents emptiness. The lotus flower, which blooms above the water, represents the transcendence of emptiness and existence and represents the Absolute Principle of the Middle Way in which there is neither falling into emptiness nor going to the extreme of existence. Emptiness and existence are the two “extremes.” To be unattached to either of the two extremes is the Absolute Principle of the Middle Way.

Why do we say that the lotus flower represents the Absolute Principle of the Middle Way, the Great Teaching, Perfect and Complete? We say this because the lotus flower’s blooming and bearing fruit simultaneously represent the non-duality of cause and effect. As the cause is thus, thus is the effect. If the cause planted is one of Buddhahood, the effect will be one of Buddhahood. The lotus blooming and bearing fruit simultaneously also represent the “opening of the provisional to manifest the real. The blooming of the lotus represents the “opening” of the provisional dharma. The lotus seeds which are revealed when the lotus blooms represent the real Dharma. Provisional Dharma refers to expedient devices and real Dharma is the genuine, “not-false” Dharma, the Principle of the Real Mark.

If you want to practice the Samadhi of the Dharma Flower, you must understand that cause and effect are not two. The cause is the effect , the effect is the cause. Cause and effect happen at the same time, like a lotus flower. The lotus flower blooms while seeds appear, and when the flower dies the seed’s ripen. That is, the provisional and truth are not two things. The provisional is a skillful means. Truth is unspoiled truth. Because of the truth, we use the mean. Because the truth dharma, we uses the provisional methods. Open the provisional to show the truth. After done showing all the provisional, the truth prevails. Both are not separate things, provisional and truth are not two things, they are one, that is why it is called Samadhi of the Dharma Flower

Lotus flowers bloom and bear fruit and also represent “temporary opening to express the truth. The flowering of the lotus symbolizes the “opening” of the temporary dharma. The Dharma temporarily refers to the existing devices and the Dharma is the true Dharma, “not fake”, the truth of the true imprint.

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara sometime refers as Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva. The name means Self Awareness. Avalokitesvara also means observing the sound of the world. We all know this Bodhisattva, because this Bodhisattva is the most compassionate, like the love of the mother gives the hope to all beings. Therefore, in Asia there is a saying that: Avalokitesvara house, Amitabha gate. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is a great disciple of Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha is the Western Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. On his left is Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, His right is the Great Strength Bodhisattva. They are the three western holy trinity. When Amitabha Buddha leave the position, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara replaced him as the lead dharma teacher. Then when the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara leaves the position the Great Strength Bodhisattva took over as the lead dharma teacher.

Because Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, often manifests into countless bodies to save the sentient beings from suffering, he has the title of Great Compassionate Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. He uses thousands of eyes to illuminate sentient beings floating in the sea of ​​misery, and uses thousands of hands to save sentient beings from the sea of ​​misery, made them return to self peace and happiness.

The twenty-fifth chapter in the Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is The Universal Door Of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, which speaks of the inconceivable divine power of this Bodhisattva. The sixth chapter in the Shurangama Sutra speaks about the technique of entering samadhi through a process of hearing and reflecting.

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Illusory Daily Reflecting Diamond Samadhi

Illusory: means that the nature of consciousness is illusory. There is no certain object, like the spotted flower in the empty space. From the object arises the known. The distinction arise from the view of the objects. From our eye we see the objects. The physical object of the material arise from our organs. The material and the views can’t created by itself, like the grass leaning among each other. The view here is the view of the object. The physical appearance apears because our eyes see the object. That is why it is just the illusory. The view is also illusory

Daily: means daily cultivation

Reflecting: means cultivate through a process of hearing and reflecting until you have total control over sound.

Diamond: sometimes refer as the Prajna Paramita. It has 3 meanings: solid, bright and sharp. The physical of the diamond is solid and indestructible. The property of the diamond is clear and brightness, it can illuminate the darkness of the world. The use of the diamond is its sharpness.

Samadhi: means motionless or stable. The absence of delusions is samadhi. This is the dharma of diamond samadhi. When the practitioner cultivate this samadhi, he will be able to attain accomplishments. This is one of 25 Samadhi methods of cultivation in the Shurangama Sutra, is also the method of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.

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Illusory Daily Reflecting Diamond Samadhi

I entered the flow through hearing and forgot objective states. Since the sense-objects and sense-organs were quiet, the two characteristics of movement and stillness crystallized and did not arise. After that, gradually advancing, the hearing and what was heard both disappeared. Once the hearing was ended, there was nothing to rely on, and awareness and the objects of awareness became empty. When the emptiness of awareness reached an ultimate perfection, emptiness and what was being emptied then also ceased to be. Since production and extinction were gone, still extinction was revealed.

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Open the six tied knots

Sense-objects and Sense-organs: Your mouth chanted “Namo Amitabha Buddha”, your ears listen to the sound. Ignored the rest of the world, just chant and listen to your own voice.

The first knot – Quiet state. After haft an hour chanting “Namo Amitabha Buddha”, you stop chanting using your mouth, instead you start chanting in your mind. At this time, there is no sound (the defiling object) so you don’t hear the sound with the ear drum anymore, but only listening to the chanting sound inside. At this time the practitioner does not let the mind wandering to the sound from the mouth, but turns his hearing toward his own true nature, so that the Buddha’s name, Amitabha, is flowing constantly and endlessly into a flow of mind. Hearing and Reflecting means that you don’t listen to the outside sound, but instead, return back, listen inside, to hear your own nature. It also means that the sound flows thru out the body and the mind. Special attention should be given to this stage: not listening to the mouth consciousness, not in the ear consciousness, not in mind consciousness …, but your own nature.When you stop listening to the noise outside, your self-nature is still and quiet. It also mean you have reach the first stage, Escape the sound. Escape means freedom. Sound is noise around you. Also mean you are free from the noise of the world. When this quietude reaches an ultimate point, the appearance of movement and stillness cease as well. At this point, you have untie the first knots of sound restriction

The second knot of stillness: Skandha of Form – When reaching the peak of silence, the sense-objects and sense-organs are calm, the two characteristics of movement and stillness crystallize and will not rise. That means the source of the six sense-organs and six sense objects cease as well. It was severed. Here one enters the flow of his own self-nature. When that happens, your self-nature is still and quiet. When this quietude reaches an ultimate point, the appearance of movement and stillness cease as well. Basically, movement appears as movement and stillness as stillness. But now, although these two characteristics are as clear as crystal, they do not arise. At this point, you have untie the second knot of stillness. The movement and stillness are no longer exist means you are no longer restricted by the skandha of form.

The third knot of organ – Skandha of Feeling – After that, gradually advancing, the hearing and what was heard both disappear. As this pure and clear state of quiet increase. Day by day, it became more full and complete. The hearing that was capable of hearing the self-nature eventually disappeared. It too is gone. The ability to hear and the objects of hearing both vanish. The organ of the ear that capable of hearing, and the self-nature of what was being heard, but now they are also gone. Once the hearing ends, there is nothing to rely on. Since the hearing-nature is gone, there is no attachment. At that time the mind that does not dwell by the sound, your feeling and reaction to negative sound start ceasing to exist. At this time, you have untie the third knot of the organ. Free from negative feeling.

The fourth knot of awareness – Skandha of Thinking – At the stage, you should not stop at this moment. When the ability to hear and the objects of hearing both vanish, the thing that remain is the “Awareness”, your own ego. That is why you must continue to cultivate to the point of no place to reside, to the point of awareness and the objects of awareness become empty. Even the perception of awareness vanishes, is emptied out. At that time, you have untie the fourth knot. You are free from random thinking, dreaming when sleep

The fifth knot of emptiness – Skandha of Activity – When the emptiness of awareness reach an ultimate perfection stage, you still continue to cultivate. At this time, you reflect on what is empty and what is being emptied, to the point that emptiness and what was being emptied then also cease as well. The emptiness of the nature of awareness reaches an ultimate state of perfection. At this point there isn’t even any emptiness, then you have untie the fifth knot of emptiness.

The sixth knot of the mind – Skandha of Consciousness – Since production and extinction are gone, still extinction is revealed. Emptiness and what was being emptied then also cease as well. At this point the only left is the thought of extinction. But if there is extinction, there is production. That is why you can’t give up. Continue to cultivate to the point that the mind subject to production and extinction vanished. At this point the thought of extinction is no longer exist, then you have untie the sixth knot of the mind.

Production and extinction vanished, the genuine bliss of still extinction manifested. The two word, production and extinction are the knots of life and death. These six knots are the dharma of production and extinction. The knots are not easy to untie, you have to eliminate all of the thought of extinction before you can reach the point of production and extinction completely vanished. Now, the six knots are untied, the six skandha are completed destroyed, dream is not longer exist, the truth has revealed, meaning the Production and extinction vanished, the genuine bliss of still extinction manifest.