Lotus Underground: Recent Episodes
M.C. Owens
Dedicated to the memory of Mikeal Rogershttps://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/mikeal-rogers-obituary?id=58676316
Bhadramāyākāra-vyākarana Sutra The Prediction of the Magician Bhadra’s EnlightenmentMahāratnakūṭa Sūtra (#21)Translated and recited by M.C. OwensText version: https://snapdragon-fir-e8e.notion.site/21-Bhadram-y-k-ra-vy-karana-Sutra-The-Prediction-of-the-Magician-Bhadra-s-Enlightenment-b18dca2b224b403292fa6c156046e339
The Conduct and Vows of SamantabhadraConclusion of the Avataṃsaka SutraTranslated from the Chinese by Dharmamitra (Kalavinka Press, 2022)Recited by M.C Owens www.lotusunderground.com
Turning the Dharma WheelSaturday mornings, 9:00-10:30am (Pacific)September 21 – November 23, 2024Tuition: $300 All Classes are held live on Zoom with recordings of every class available to student's afterwards. A traditional way of learning Buddhism is called Anguttara, ‘adding one’ – wherein the teachings of the Buddha are presented numerically in increasing order, such as the Three Poisons, the Four Noble Truths, and the Five Aggregations. This 10-week course uses a similar method of interlocking systems of ideas to explore fundamental Buddhist concepts and their interrelations. The ideas presented in each week’s session increase in complexity and build on previous session topics, thus 'turning the Dharma wheel.’ This course also introduces early Buddhist texts, modern interpretations of Buddhist practice, and the transcendent applicability of Buddhism.
Suguṇadeva Sutra ('Inconceivable State of Buddhahood')Ratnakuta Sutra collection #35 Translated from the Chinese version of Bodhiruci and recited by M.C. Owens, August 2024 Text version:https://lotus-underground.super.site/resources/library/sutras/ratna-pitaka/35-suguadevaputra-stra
Samantamukha Sūtra ('Universal Gateway')Mahāratnakūṭa, sūtra #10Translated and recited by M.C. Owens
THE ŚŪRAṄGAMA SUTRA: Being Indestructible A ten-week sutra study courseThursday evenings, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm (PT)April 18 – June 20, 2024 Tuition: $300The Śūraṅgama Sutra is a mysterious sutra found in the Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist canons, and is a foundational text for the Zen and Vajrayana traditions, where it is used as a primer for beginners. Surprisingly, significant parts of this sutra were first translated in English in 1871, followed by a translation that appeared in Dwight Goddard’s A Buddhist Bible in 1932, where it became influential among Jack Kerouac and the ‘beat spiritualists’ of the post-war era. The sutra is a long dialogue between the Buddha and Ānanda on the nature of mind and consciousness, a format reminiscent of the ‘pointing-out’ instructions of the Dzogchen tradition and the Zen practice of ‘directly pointing at the mind’. This ten-week course will explore the major chapters of this important text and provide an overview of the entire sutra and its history.ESCAPE FROM SAMSARA: Introduction to World-Systems A presentation on Buddhist CosmologySaturday May 18, 20249:00am – 11:00pm (Pacific)This class by donation, suggested fee : $45A cosmology is an understanding of where the world and the beings in it came from, what they are made of, and what happens to them when they decay. When studying Buddhism, it is helpful to be familiar with the basic tenets of traditional Indian cosmology, and some of the unique features of Buddhist cosmology that developed from them. This visual presentation uses art and iconography from a variety of traditions to create an immersive experience that explores several alternative views of creation, space and time, multiple heavenly and hellish realms, and the abodes of the gods, while laying out a Buddhist cosmological roadmap to liberation - from Samsara to Nirvana.LUSB 2024 SUMMER RETREATI am in the planning stages of a multi-day, in-person sutra study retreat. The retreat will run approximately 2-3 days in length, and will most likely be held in Northern California, in mid -to -late August this Summer. I am trying to get a sense of how many people would be interested in attending so I can locate an appropriate location and lodging. The retreat would revolve around the reading and discussion of a particular sutra in structured sessions, with ‘monastery style’ days, including communal vegan/vegetarian meals, silent meditation sessions, opportunities for physical practice, and time for solitary reflection. If you are interested and would like to hear more please register at LotusUnderground.com
Sabbāsava Sutta ('All the Taints')Majjhima Nikāya #2 Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu BodhiRecited by M.C. Owens, February 2024
The Way to Brahmā - Tevijja Sutta ('The Three Knowledges')Dīgha Nikāya ("Collection of Long Discourses") #13Translated by Maurice WalsheRecited by M.C. Owens
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra(Complete Recitation)Translated and recited by M.C. Owens, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Fourteen: EntrustmentTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensNovember 20, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Thirteen: Dharma OfferingsTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensOctober 20, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Twelve: Seeing Akṣobhya BuddhaTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensSeptember 27, 2023
Welcome to another semester of the Lotus Underground School of Buddhism (LUSB). This Fall I will be offering three courses: an advanced sutra study course on one of my favorite sutras from the Ratnakūṭa (‘Heap of Jewels’) called the Universal Gateway to the Inconceivable. I will be holding a four-part meditation workshop on the Foundations of Mindfulness called Acts of Remembrance. And, there will be an opportunity for you or someone you know to take my Turning the Dharma Wheel course, the first part of the LUSB Introduction to Buddhism. All courses are held on-line via Zoom with the recordings available to participants afterwards. TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL: Introduction to BuddhismSunday mornings, 9:00 - 10:30am (Pacific), 10 week courseOctober 1 – December 3, 2023 Tuition: $300A traditional way of learning Buddhism is called Anguttara, ‘adding one’ – wherein the teachings of the Buddha are presented numerically in increasing order, such as the Three Poisons, the Four Noble Truths, and the Five Aggregates. This 10-week course uses a similar method of interlocking systems to explore fundamental Buddhist concepts and their interrelations. The ideas presented in each week’s session increase in complexity and build on previous session topics, thus 'turning the Dharma wheel.’ This course also provides an introduction to Buddhist texts, modern interpretations, and the transcendent applicability of Buddhism.This is the first course in a three-part series that make up the LUSB Introduction to Buddhism. Advanced Sutra Study Course: The Universal Gateway to the InconceivableThursday evenings, 6:00pm - 7:30pm (Pacific), 6 week courseOctober 5 – November 9, 2023Tuition: $200The Universal Gateway is a deceptively brief sutra that is as complex as the better known Heart Sutra. This sutra is a series of short poems recited by the Buddha that describe entry into different samādhis (‘meditative absorptions’) by observing various characteristics of reality, such as sights, sounds, scents, flavors, etc., to the very characteristics of being and non-being. The poems weave together multiple elements of Mahāyana Buddhism: cosmology, samādhi, as well as the teaching of Emptiness, which is the underlying theme of the poems. The course is a deep dive into this contemplative and beautiful sutra full of big ideas, presented as a thousand-petalled lotus flower made of the seven treasures.Meditation Workshop: Acts of Remembering Tuesday evenings, 6:00pm - 7:30pm (Pacific), 4 week courseNovember 7 - 28Tuition: $125Smṛti is one of the earliest terms used in Buddhism for meditation. In the modern world it is commonly translated as ‘mindfulness’, however it is helpful to know that the word smṛti indicates something like ‘remembering’ or ‘recalling’, and is traditionally contrasted with the more receptive act of śruti, ‘hearing’. There are many ways to understand how the act of remembrance relates to Buddhist meditation and other aspects of psycho-physical practice. This meditation workshop presents the traditional satipaṭṭhāna system of Buddhism, a four-step practice that gets progressively deeper as the object of focus, or mindful awareness, shifts from mindfulness of the body to bodily sensations, followed by mindfulness of mind-states themselves, and finally mindfulness of the very principles (dharmas) governing the construction of mind-states. Broken into four evenings, each session will include a guided meditation, periods of silent sitting, in addition to analytical discussion of these foundational ideas, and their numerous sub-categories.
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Eleven: Practices of the BodhisattvaTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensSeptember 5, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra Chapter Ten: Accumulation of Fragrances Buddha Translated and recited by M.C. Owens August 15, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra Chapter Nine: The Dharma Door of Nonduality Translated and recited by M.C. Owens July 21, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra Chapter Eight: The Way of the Buddha Translated and recited by M.C. Owens June 30, 2023
THE TEN STAGES: An Introduction to the Bodhisattva Path Thursdays, 6:00 - 7:30pm (Pacific) June 29 - August 31, 2023 Tuition: $300
The Ten Stages (bhūmi) describe the process of awakening (or ‘enlightenment’), from the initial determination to do so all the way to the attainment of Buddhahood. This ten-step rubric is the foundation of the Bodhisattva Path and it comes from an early Mahāyāna sutra simply known as the Ten Stages Sutra, in which each stage is associated with different practices, teachings, and contemplation exercises. This course is a ten-week exploration of each Stage of the Path. We will read portions of the Ten Stages Sutra, explore commentaries of The Stages, and consider its relevance to our lives today.
EMPTINESS: The Wisdom of Nāgārjuna Sundays, 9:00am - 10:30am (PT) July 9 - August 26, 2023 Tuition: $250
Śūnyatā, translated most often as ’emptiness,’ is possibly the most difficult Buddhist concept to understand. In early Buddhist writings, the term is often synonymous with the concept of ‘no-self’ (anattā), or it is described as a meditative experience completely devoid of sensory perception. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, however, śūnyatā is more closely associated with the teaching of dependent-origination (pratītyasamutpāda) and is interpreted as the lack of inherent nature (svabhāva) of any individuated phenomena, self or otherwise. The primary teacher of Emptiness in this sense, and its broader implications, is undoubtedly the Indian Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna. This course is a line-by-line reading of Nāgārjuna’s commentarial poem the Śūnyatāsaptatikārikā (’Seventy Verses on Emptiness’).
For more information or to register go to www.LotusUnderground.com
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra Chapter Seven: Observing Sentient Beings Translated and recited by M.C. Owens June 9, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Six: The InconceivableTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensMay 19, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Five: MAÑJUŚRĪ INQUIRES ABOUT ILLNESSTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensMay 5, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Four: The BodhisattvasTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensApril 14, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Three: The DisciplesTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensMarch 31, 2023
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa SūtraChapter Two: Expedient MeansTranslated and recited by M.C. OwensMarch 8, 2023
The Irreversible Wheel: The Eight Schools of Buddhism Saturdays, 9:00am - 10:30amMarch 25 - May 13, 2023 Tuition: $250Way of the Vajra: Introduction to Tantric BuddhismSundays, 9:00am - 10:30amApril 2 - May 21, 2023Tuition: $250Mother of Buddhas: The Perfection of Wisdom Sutra Thursdays, 6:00pm - 7:30pmApril 6 - May 25, 2023Tuition: $250
Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra Chapter One: Buddha Lands Translated and recited by M.C. Owens February 17, 2023
Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra (The Lion's Roar of Queen Śrīmālā)Sutra recitation by M.C. Owens 1-25-2023
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- LUSB WINTER CLASSES - - - - -THE WHEEL OF BECOMING6-week introductory course on Dependent-OriginationSaturdays, 9:00am – 10:30am PTJanuary 21 – February 25, 2023Tuition: $180TATHATĀ: The Meaning of True Suchness8-week intermediate course on the Awakening of Faith in the MahāyānaSundays, 9:00am – 10:30am PSTJanuary 22 – March 12, 2023Tuition: $250 REVEALING THE SECRET An 8-week advanced study of the Saṃdhinirmocana SūtraThursdays, 6:00pm — 7:30pm (PST)January 12 — March 2, 2023Tuition: $250
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Gaṅgottara Upāsikā Sutra (The Laywoman Gaṅgottara)Recitation by M.C. Owens 12-20-2022From the Mahāratnakūṭa collection, sutra #31
Sumatidārikā Paripṛcchā Sūtra ('Questions of Sumati') From the Ratnakuta Sutra collection, #30
Sutra recitation by M.C. Owens November 8, 2022
Translated from Taishō Tripiṭaka volume 12, number 336
Vipallasa Sutta ('Inversion') Anguttara Nikaya 4.49 Introduction and sutra recitation by M.C. Owens
LUSB - FALL SEMESTER CLASSES
TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL 10-week course on essential Buddhist teachings Saturdays, 9:00am – 10:30am PT October 1 – December 10, 2022
A traditional way of learning Buddhism is called Anguttara, ‘adding one’ – wherein the teachings of the Buddha are presented numerically in increasing order, such as the Three Poisons, the Four Noble Truths, and then the Five Aggregations. This 10-week course uses a similar method of interlocking systems to explore fundamental Buddhist concepts and their interrelations. The ideas presented in each week’s session grow in complexity and systematically build on previous session topics, thus ‘turning the wheel of Truth,’ or Dharma. This is the first of a three-part Buddhist Studies Program, designed to introduce basic Buddhist practices, philosophy, and history. Even if you are already familiar with these teachings, the intention of this course is to present them in a new way.
EIGHT SCHOOLS OF BUDDHISM 8-part series on the History of Buddhism Tuesdays, 9:00am – 10:30am PT September 20 – November 8, 2022
The ‘Eight Schools’ is a traditional Buddhist classification system from medieval China and Japan that categorizes different Buddhist practices and communities that arose in India during the first thousand years of Buddhist history, from approximately 400 BC to 600 AD. This course uses a similar classification system to present the origins and foundational teachings of eight major trends in Buddhism found in the world today, which are essentially remnants of the schools from this medieval system. This course is the third part of the LUSB Buddhist Studies Program, designed to show how the essential teachings and deeper philosophies presented in the first two courses have been put in to practice throughout history.
ADVANCED STUDY: MIND-ONLY BUDDHISM 8-week advanced course on Yogacara Buddhism Thursdays, 5:30pm – 7:00pm PT September 15 – November 3, 2022
One of the oldest philosophical questions concerns the relationship between ‘mind’ and ‘matter’ - the mental world of ideas and thought, and the physical world experienced by our senses. Are mind and consciousness simply emergent results of the physical world, or is ‘the physical world’ merely an idea entertained by a conscious mind?
This course is an introduction to the ‘mind-only’ teaching of Yogacara Buddhism, an idealistic school of Buddhism that arose around the the 4th-century AD in the Gandharan region of what is today Afghanistan. This school has come to represent the so-called ‘Third Turning’ (or phase) of the teachings of the Buddha, in which the concept of Emptiness (indicative of the ‘Second Turning’), is taken to the logical conclusion that the ‘physical world’ is merely a conscious construction, similar to, but not the same as, a dream. The focus of this course will be understanding the Yogacara model of eight consciousnesses, which includes the so-called ‘Storehouse Consciousness’ or ālaya-vijñāna.
This course in available to participants who have already taken the Turning the Dharma Wheel course and the Wheel of Becoming course on Dependent-Origination. If you have not taken the LUSB introductory courses but would still like to attend, please let me know as there is always room for exceptions.
Vajra Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra Translation and sutra recitation by M.C. Owens August 3, 2022
Nakulapita Sutta ('To Nakulapita') Samyutta Nikaya 22(1) Sutra recitation by M.C. Owens , July 1, 2022
LIGHTNING-LIKE AWARENESS An 8-week course on the Vajra Sutra
Saturdays, July 9 - August 27 9:00-10:15 AM (Pacific Time) Tuition: $200
All Classes are held live on Zoom with recordings of every class available for participants afterwards (for lifetime access.)
DESCRIPTION: The Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, ‘The Sutra That Cuts Like Lightning’, is more commonly known as the Diamond Sutra, and is one of the most influential Mahayana Buddhist sutras. It is among the oldest known discourses on developing enlightened awareness and the 'perfection of wisdom'.
This course is a line-by-line reading and study of the Vajra Sutra, enabling a deep understanding of its meanings, and its significance within the broader context of Buddhism. We will trace the text's possible origins, and reflect on its contemporary use and related practices.
Saṅgārava Sutta ('To Saṅgārava') Samyutta Nikaya 46.55(5)
Sutra Recitation by M.C. Owens 6-1-2022
WHEEL OF BECOMING - 6 week course in Dependent Origination w/ M.C. Owens May 17 - June 21, 2022 Tuesdays, 9:00am - 10:15am PACIFIC Tuition: $150 For more information go to - www.LotusUnderground.com
DESCRIPTION: Pratītyasamutpāda ('Dependent Origination') is a Buddhist term for the principle that all phenomena arise and exist only in dependence upon other phenomena and, therefore, have no inherent self-nature. To understand this fundamental concept, this six-week course uses the traditional 12-Link 'Chain of Causation' structure to demonstrate the ‘self’-perpetuating, cyclical nature of existence.
Mula Sutta ('The Roots') Anguttara Nikaya #69(9) Sutra Recitation by M.C. Owens 5-1-2022
THE HEART SUTRA An 8-week in depth study with M.C. Owens New Class Starting April 23rd, 2022
Saturdays: 9am - 10:15am (PDT) April 23rd - June 11th, 2022 Tuition: $200
Class will live on Zoom with recordings of each class available for participants afterwards.
The Heart Sutra is by far the most popular sutra in the Buddhist world today, chanted aloud by Buddhists daily, regardless of sectarian affiliation. In addition to being the most ubiquitous sutra, it is also one of the smallest - consisting of a mere 25 lines of Sanskrit, or 260 characters in the standard Chinese version.
This course is an in-depth, word-by-word study of the Heart Sutra focused on understanding its underlying teaching of ‘Emptiness’, the philosophical foundation of Mahayana Buddhism. The course will also present the contested origins of the sutra and its various interpretations by different schools of Buddhism.
Sāmaññaphala Sutta ('Fruits of the Homeless Life') Dīgha Nikāya #2 Sutra Recitation by M.C. Owens 3-31-2022
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ('Turning the Dharma Wheel') Sutra recitation and discussion by M.C. Owens Recorded March 1, 2022
From the Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi Sutta 45.11
TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL w/ MC Owens Tuesdays, March 8th - May 10th 9am - 10:15am (PT) Tuition: $220 Classes are live on zoom, with recordings of each class available to participants.
Course Description: A traditional way of learning Buddhism is called Anguttara, ‘adding one’ – wherein the teachings of the Buddha are presented numerically in increasing order, such as the Three Poisons, the Four Noble Truths, and the Five Aggregations. This 10-week course uses a similar method of interlocking systems to explore fundamental Buddhist concepts and their interrelation. The ideas presented in each week’s session grow in complexity and systematically build on previous session topics, thus ‘turning the wheel of Truth,’ or Dharma.
Bhayabherava Sutta ('Fear & Dread') Majjhima Nikaya #4 (The Middle-length Discourses)
Read by M.C Owens 1-24-2022
The Noble Eightfold Path - Part Eight Right Concentration - Sammā-samādhi
Sutra recitation and discussion by M.C. Owens
The Noble Eightfold Path - Part Seven Right Mindfulness - Sammā-sati
Sutra discussion by M.C. Owens
The Noble Eightfold Path - Part Six Right Effort - Sammā-vāyāma
Brahmana Sutta ('To Unnabha, the Brahmin)SN 51.15 Sutra discussion by M.C. Owens
he Noble Eightfold Path - Part Four Right Livelihood - Samyag-ājīva
Sutra discussion by M.C. Owens
The Noble Eightfold Path - Part Four Right Action - Sammā-kammanta
The Devadaha Sutta (At Devadaha) From the Majjhima Nikāya ('Middle-Length' Discourses of the Buddha)Sutta # 101
Sutra recitation and discussion by M.C. Owens
The Noble Eight-fold Path - Part Three Right Speech - Sammā-vācā
The Abhayarajakumara Sutta (To Prince Abhaya) From the Majjhima Nikāya ('Middle-Langth' Discourses of the Buddha)Sutta # 58
Sutra recitation and discussion by M.C. Owens
The Noble Eight-fold Path - Part Two Right Intention - Samo Sankappo
From the Samyuta Nikāya ('Connected' Discourses of the Buddha) Sutta #45.8
Sutra discussion by M.C. Owens
The Noble Eightfold Path - Part One Right View - Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta
From the Majjhima Nikāya ('Middle-Length' Discourses of the Buddha) Sutta #9
Sutra dicussion by M.C. Owens
Culagosinga Sutta ("Short Discourse at Gosinga") Majjhima Nikāya #31
Read by MC Owens, 3-12-2020
Neither Perception nor Nonperception Dharma Talk by M.C. Owens Given at San Francisco Dharma Collective on Dec 27, 2019
Part 4 of 4
Infinite Nothingness Dharma Talk by M.C. Owens Given at San Francisco Dharma Collective on Dec 20, 2019
Part 3 of 4
Infinite Consciousness Dharma Talk by M.C. Owens Give at San Francisco Dharma Collective on Dec 13, 2019
Part 2 of 4
Infinite Space Dharma Talk by M.C. Owens Give at San Francisco Dharma Collective on Dec 6, 2019
Part 1 of 4
Bahuvedanīya Sutta (Pali, "Many Kinds of Sensations") Majjhima Nikāya 59
Recited by MC Owens, 10-10-2020
Ādittapariyāya Sutta (Pali, "Fire Sermon Discourse") Saṃyuttanikāya 35.28
Recited by MC Owens, 9-15-2020
PRAJÑAPARAMITA HEART SUTRA Recited by M.C. Owens, 2020
The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, while practicing the profound prajñaparamita, clearly saw that the five aggregates are empty; thus, overcoming all suffering.
Sariputra, form is no different from empty; empty no different from form. Form is just empty; empty just form. Sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness are also like this.
Sariputra, this is the emptiness of all dharmas: they neither arise nor cease; are neither defiled nor pure, and neither increase nor decrease. For this reason, within emptiness there is no form. No sensation, perception, conditioning or consciousness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind. No sight, sound, scent, taste, touch or thought. No seeing,…not even thinking. No ignorance nor end of ignorance, Not even aging and death, nor end of aging and death. No suffering, its origin, cessation or the path. No wisdom and no attainment.
Since nothing is attained, bodhisattvas maintain prajnaparamita. Then their heart is without hindrance, and since without hindrance, without fear; escaping upside-down, dream-like thinking and completely realizing Nirvana.
All buddhas of all times maintain prajnaparamita, thus attaining anuttara-samyak-sambhodi.
Hence know, prajnaparamita is the all-powerful mantra, the great enlightening mantra, the unexcelled mantra, the unequaled mantra, able to dispel all suffering. This is true, not false.
Therefore, proclaim the prajnaparamita mantra; recite the mantra thus:
Om Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
Aśokadatta Sutra ("The Gift of Fearlessness") MC Owens
Recorded live from Kairos, an island of time on the international date-line. June 19, 2020
Āneñjasappāya Sutta ("The Way to the Imperturbable") M. C. Owens
Recorded live from Kairos, an island of time on the international date-line. May 22, 2020
Satipatthana Sutta ("Foundations of Mindfulness") M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective March 1, 2020
Anapanasati Sutta ("Mindfulness of Breathing") M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective March 8, 2020
Suguna Deva Sutra ("Demonstration of the Inconceivable State of Buddhahood') - Part Four M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective January 26, 2020
Suguna Deva Sutra ("Demonstration of the Inconceivable State of Buddhahood') - Part Three M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective January 19, 2020
Suguna Deva Sutra ("Demonstration of the Inconceivable State of Buddhahood') - Part Two M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective January 12, 2020
Suguna Deva Sutra (Demonstration of the Inconceivable State of Buddhahood) - Part One M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective January 5, 2020
Potthapada Sutta - Part Two (On the States of Consciousness) M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective December 15, 2019
Potthapada Sutta (On the Four Formless Realms) M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective December 8, 2019
Nakulapita Sutta M. C. Owens
Sariputta's discourse to the layman Nakulapita on the Five Skandhas and Anatman ("No Self")
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective November 24, 2019
Brahmajala Sutta ("Brahma's Net") Part Three "The 62 views" M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective November 17, 2019
Brahmajala Sutta ("Brahma's Net") Part One On morality M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective November 3, 2019
Bodhisattva Vimaladana Sutra ("Stainless Giving") Part Two M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective September 22, 2019
Bodhisattva Vimaladana Sutra ("Stainless Giving") Part One M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective September 15, 2019
The Laywoman Gangottara Sutra M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective August 25, 2019
Vajra Prajnaparamita Sutra (a.k.a the Diamond Sutra) M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective August 11 & 18, 2019
Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective August 4, 2019
PRAJÑAPARAMITA HEART SUTRA
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, while practicing the profound prajñaparamita, clearly saw that the five aggregates are empty; thus, overcoming all suffering.
Sariputra, form is no different from empty; empty no different from form. Form is just empty; empty just form. Sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness are also like this.
Sariputra, this is the emptiness of all dharmas: they neither arise nor cease; are neither defiled nor pure, and neither increase nor decrease. For this reason, within emptiness there is no form. No sensation, perception, conditioning or consciousness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind. No sight, sound, scent, taste, touch or thought. No seeing,…even no thinking. No ignorance nor end of ignorance,…even no aging and death, nor end of aging and death. No suffering, its origin, cessation or the path, No wisdom and no attainment.
Since nothing is attained, bodhisattvas maintain prajnaparamita. Then their heart is without hindrance, and since without hindrance, without fear; escaping upside-down, dream-like thinking and completely realizing Nirvana. All buddhas of all times maintain prajnaparamita, thus attaining anuttara-samyak-sambhodi.
Hence know, prajnaparamita is the all-powerful mantra, the great enlightening mantra, the unexcelled mantra, the unequaled mantra, able to dispel all suffering. This is true, not false. Therefore, proclaim the prajnaparamita mantra; recite the mantra thus:
Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
Culasunyata Sutra ("Short Discourse on Emptiness") M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective July 28, 2019
Metta Sutra ("Loving-Kindness") M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective July 21, 2019
Samagama Sutra ("On Disputes, Litigation, Settlements and Principles of Cordiality") M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective July 14, 2019
Mahanidana Sutta ("Chain of Causation") M. C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective July 7, 2019
Surangama Sutra ("The Indestructible")- Part 4 M. C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective June 30, 2019
Surangama Sutra ("The Indestructible")- Part 3 M. C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective June 23, 2019
Surangama Sutra ("The Indestructible")- Part 2 M. C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective June 16, 2019
Surangama Sutra ("The Indestructible")- Part 1 M. C. Owens
大佛頂如來密因修證了義諸菩薩萬行首楞嚴經 "The Sūtra on the Śūraṅgama Mantra that is spoken from above the Crown of the Great Buddha's Head and on the Hidden Basis of the Tathagata's Myriad Bodhisattva Practices that lead to their Verifications of Ultimate Truth."
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective June 9, 2019
Selections from the Surangama Sutra, The Lotus Sutra, and the Medicine Buddha Sutra with M.C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective May 26, 2019
Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng M. C. Owens
Introduction to Zen Buddhism
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective May 13, 2019
Samdhinirmocana Sutra ("Revealing the Hidden Meaning") M. C. Owens
Introduction to Yogacara Buddhism, the "Mind-Only" school
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective May 6, 2019
Avatamsaka Sutra ("Flower Garland") M. C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective April 28, 2019
"The Demon General Atavaka Dharani Sutra" Esoteric Buddhist Traditions
M. C. Owens Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective April 21, 2019
The Assalayana Sutta From the Majjhuma Nikaya, the Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, #93
M. C. Owens Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective April 7, 2019
The Universal Gateway of Manjusri (Sutra # 10 of the Maharatnakuta Sutra)
Sutra recitation by M.C. Owens, adapted from the English translation by the Buddhist Association of the United States.
Recorded on April 6, 2019
The Universal Gateway of Manjusri - Part Two (Sutra # 10 of the Maharatnakuta Sutra) M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective March 31, 2019
Part 3 of 3
The Universal Gateway of Manjusri - Part Two (Sutra # 10 of the Maharatnakuta Sutra) M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective March 24, 2019
Part 2 of 3
The Universal Gateway of Manjusri - Part One (Sutra # 10 of the Maharatnakuta Sutra) M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective March 17, 2019
Part 1 of 3
The Universal Gateway of Avalokitesvara (Ch. 25 of the Lotus Sutra) M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective March 10, 2019
Vimalakirti Sutra - Part Three M.C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective March 3, 2019
Part 3 of 3
Vimalakirti Sutra - Part Two M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective February 24, 2019
Part 2 of 3
Vimalakirti Sutra - Part One M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective February 17, 2019
Ch. 1 - Ch. 6 of the Vimalakirtinirdesa Sutra, translated into English from the Tibetan by Robert Forman
Part 1 of 3
Bhaddekaratta Sutta ("A Single Excellent Night") - Part Two M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective December 23, 2018
The Prajnaparamita Sutra in One Letter
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective February 3, 2019
The Perfection of Wisdom M.C. Owens
Recorded at the San Francisco Dharma Collective January 27, 2019
Part Two of the Eight Schools of Buddhism Series
Bhaddekaratta Sutta ("A Single Excellent Night") M. C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective December 16, 2018
The Bhaddekaratta Sutta, from the Majjhuma Nikaya, the middle-length discourses of the Buddha. “Let not a person revive the past Or on the future build his hopes; For the past has been left behind And the future has not been reached. Instead with insight let him see Each presently arisen state; Let him know that and be sure of it, Invincibly, unshakably. Today the effort must be made; Tomorrow Death may come. who knows? No bargain with Mortality Can keep him and his hordes away, But one who dwells thus ardently, Relentlessly, by day, by night — It is he, the Peaceful Sage has said, Who has had a single excellent night.”
Dharmachakrapravartana Sutra (Turning The Dharma Wheel) M. C. Owens
Recorded at San Francisco Dharma Collective January 13, 2019
Part One of the Eight Schools of Buddhism Series
The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, from the Samyutta Nikaya, the Connected discourses of the Buddha. The first teaching of the Buddha. “These two extremes should not be followed… What two? Indulgence in sensual pleasures from sensual objects, which is low, vulgar, the way of ordinary people, ignoble, and unbeneficial; and the indulgence in self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble and unbeneficial. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata has realized the Middle Path, which gives rise to vision and knowledge, leading to tranquility and to insight, to enlightenment, to Nirvana.”