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Notes on the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness

October 18, 2010 in Uncategorized
TRANSFORMATION AND HEALING

Notes on the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness

The Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, and the Sutra
on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone are three extremely important discourses of the Buddha and are
fundamental to the practice of meditation; they refer to mindfulness practice as the main gate to awakening. The 4
methods are: 1. mindfulness of body, 2. mindfulness of feelings, 3. mindfulness of the mind, 4. mindfulness of the
objects of the mind (dharmas).

In the Establishment known as the body, the practitioner is fully aware of the body, the various parts of the body, the
four elements that comprise the body, and the decomposition of the body as a corpse.

In the Establishment known as the feelings, the practitioner is fully aware of pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings as
they arise, endure, and disappear. He is aware of the feelings which have a psychological basis and feelings which
have a physiological basis.

In the Establishment known as the mind, the practitioner is fully aware of states of mind such as desire, hatred,
confusion, concentration, dispersion, internal formations, and liberation.

In the Establishment known as the objects of mind, the practioner is fully aware of the 5 aggregates which comprises
a person (form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness; the sense organs and their objects,
the factors which can obstruct understanding and liberation, the factors which lead to Awakening, and the Four
Noble Truths concerning suffering and the release from suffering.

The word satipatthana (Sanskrit: smrtyupasthana) is a compound of sati which means mindfulness or
remembering and upatthana which means place of abiding, establishment, or application.

Body, Feelings, Mind, and Objects of Mind

Methods of Practice

To practice meditation is to look deeply in order to see into the essence of things. Due to our insight and
understanding we can realize liberation, peace, and joy. Our anger, anxiety, and fear, are the ropes that bind us to
suffering and if we want to be liberated from them we need to observe their nature, which is ignorance, the lack of
clear understanding. When we misunderstand a friend, we may become angry at him, and because of that we suffer
but when we understand the other person and his situation then our suffering disappears and peace and joy arise.
The first step is awarenss of the object and the second step is looking deeply at the object to shed light on it,
therefore mindfulness means awareness but also looking deeply.

The Pali word, sati, (Sanskrit: smrti) means to stop and to maintain awareness of the object. The Pali word
vipassana (Sanskrit: vipasyana) means to go deeply into that object to observe it. While we are fully aware of and
observing deeply and object the boundary between the subject who observes and the object being observed
gradually dissolves, and the subject and object become one. This is the essence of meditation. Only when we
penetrate the object and become one with it can we understand it. That is why the sutra reminds us to be aware of
the body in the body, the feelings in the feelings, the mind in the mind, and the objects of mind in the objects of mind.

Mindfully Observing the Body

Establishment of mindfulness in the body includes the breath, the positions of the body, the actions of the body, the
parts of the body, the four elements of which the body is composed and the dissolution of the body.

FIRST PRACTICE CONSCIOUS BREATHING

He goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty room, sits down cross-legged in the lotus position, holds
his body straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of him. he breathes in, aware that he is breathing in. He
breathes out, aware that he is breathings out.

The first practice is full awareness of breathing. To succeed, we must put our whole mind into our breath and
nowhere else. As we follow our in-breath, for example, we need to be watchful of distracting thoughts. As soon as
the thought, I forgot to turn off the light in the kitchen arises our breathing is no longer conscious breathing as we
are thinking of something else. We must stay focused on the entire length of each breath. As we breathe our mind is
ONE with our breath and as this happens we understand the meaning of mindfulness of the body in the body.

This practice is valuable because:

1. Conscious breathing aids us in returning to ourselves. In everyday life we get lost in forgetfulness and our mind
chases after thousands of things and we rarely take time to come back to ourselves. When we are aware of our
breath we come back to ourselves, we feel the warmth of our heart and we find ourselves again.

2. The second result of conscious breathing is that we come into contact with life in the present moment, the only
moment when we can touch life. We should not be imprisoned by the past or future. When we follow our breathing
we are already at ease. As we breathe consciously, our breath becomes more regular, and peace and joy arise and
become more stable with every moment. Relying on our breathing we come back to ourselves and are able to
restore the oneness of our body and mind. This integration allows us to be in real contact with what is happening in
the present moment, which is the essence of life.

SECOND PRACTICE FOLLOWING THE BREATH

When he breathes in a long breath, he knows, I am breathing in a long breath. When he breathes out a long
breath, he knows, I am breathing out a long breath. When he breathes in a short breath, he knows, I am breathing
in a short breath. When he breathes out a short breath, he knows, I am breathing out a short breath.'

The practitioner follows his breathing very closely and becomes one with his breathing for the entire length of the
breath, not allowing any stray thought or idea to enter. This method is called, following the breath. While the mind
is following the breath, the mind IS the breath and only the breath. During the process of this practice, our breathing
becomes more regular, harmonious, and calm, and our mind also becomes more and more regular, harmonious,
and calm and this brings feelings of joy, peace and ease in the body.

THIRD PRACTICE ONENESS OF BODY AND MIND

Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.
In this practice you use the breath to bring the body and mind into harmony. The object of our mindfulness is no
longer simply the breath, but the whole body itself, as it is unified with the breath. The practitioner should use
breathing to bring body and mind together as one, so the object of concentration is simultaneously body, mind, and
breathtotal integration. In our daily lives we often find our mind and body separated

FOURTH PRACTICE CALMING

Breathing in, I calm the activities of my body. Breathing out, I calm the activities of my body.

This is a continuation of the third practice and uses the breath to realize peace and calm in our whole body. When
our body is not at peace then our mind will have difficulty being at peace. Our in-breaths and out-breaths should flow
smoothly and lightly. Our breath should be light, smooth and not audible. The more subtle our breath the more
peaceful will be our body and mind. When we breathe in we can feel the breath entering our body and calming our
cells and when we breathe out we feel the exhalation taking with it all our tiredness, irritation, and anxiety. We can
recite this gatha as we breathe: Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.

The essence of meditation practice is to come back to and dwell in the present moment and to observe what is
happening in the present moment. A wonderful moment means that the practitioner can see the wonders of life in
her body, mind, and breathing can make the feelings of peace and happiness stable and strong. We should also
strive to renew ourselves in each moment and become fresh.

FIFTH PRACTICE AWARENESS OF BODILY POSITIONS

Moreover when a practitioner walks, he is aware, I am walking. When he is standing, he is aware, I am standing.
When he is sitting, he is aware, I am sitting. When he is lying down, he is aware, I am lying down. In whatever
position his body happens to be, he is aware of the position of his body.

Meditation is not just practiced in the meditation hall but all day long to help the practitioner remain in mindfulness.
Before beginning any kind of walking meditation, you can recite this gatha: The mind can go in a thousand
directions, But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, a gentle wind blows. With each step, a flower
blooms. When you sit you can recite: Sitting here is like sitting under the Bodhi tree. My body is mindfulness itself,
entirely free from distraction. We can use our breathing in order to be aware of the positions of sitting and standing.

SIXTH PRACTICE AWARENESS OF BODILY ACTIONS

Moreover, when the practitioner is going forward or backward, he applies full awareness to his going forward or
backward. When he looks in front or looks behind, he bends down or stands up; he also applies full awareness to
what he is doing. He applies full awareness to wearing the sanghati robe or carrying the alms bowl. When he eats or
drinks, chews or savors the food, he applies full awareness to all this. When passing excrement or urinating, he
applies full awareness to this. When he walks, stands, lies down, sits, sleeps or wakes up, speaks or is silent, he
shines his awareness on all this.

This practice is the observation and awareness of the actions of the body. Practicing breathing in combination with
reciting a gatha helps us dwell more easily in mindfulness. Mindfulness makes every action of our body more
serene, and we become masters of our body and mind, it nurtures the power of concentration in us. Many gathas in
Gathas for Everyday Use a text by Chinese master Du Ti were taken from the Avatamsaka Sutra. Without
mindfulness our actions are often hurried and abrupt.

SEVENTH PRACTICE PARTS OF THE BODY

Further, the practitioner meditates on his very own body from the soles of the feet upwards and then from the hair
on top of the head downwards, a body contained inside the skin and full of all the impurities which belong to the
body: Here is the hair of the head, the hairs on the body, the nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow,
kidneys, heart liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, bowels, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat,
tears, grease, saliva, mucus, synovic fluid, urine.'

This exercise brings us into even deeper contact with our body. We use conscious breathing in order to observe
mindfully all parts of the body. Breathing in, I am aware of the hair on my head. Breathing out, I know that this is the
hair on my head. Why do we need to observe in mindfulness the different parts of the body? To establish harmony
with our bodies. If our body is not happy then we are not happy. You should touch each part of your body with love.
The second reason for mindfully observing the different parts of the body is that each part can be a door to liberation
and awakening. Observing the interdependent nature of a single hair can help you to see into the nature of the
universe.

EIGHTH PRACTICE INTERDEPENDENCE OF BODY AND UNIVERSE

Further, in whichever position his body happens to be, the practitioner passes in review the elements which
constitute the body: In this body is the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element.'

This practice shows the interrelationship of our body and all that is in the universe. It is one of the principal ways of
witnessing for ourselves the nonself, unborn, and never-dying nature of all that is. We should be aware of the
presence of earth, water, fire, and air elements in our body.

NINTH EXERCISE BODY AS IMPERMANENT

The Nine Contemplations (nine stages of decomposition of a corpse):

1. The corpse is bloated, blue, and festering.

2. The corpse is crawling with insects and worms. Crows, hawks, vultures, and wolves are tearing it apart to eat.

3. All that is left is a skeleton with some flesh and blood still clinging to it.

4. All that is left is a skeleton with some blood stains, but no more flesh.

5. All that is left is a skeleton with no more blood stains.

6. All that is left is a collection of scattered boneshere and arm, here a shin, here a skull, and so forth.

7. All that is left is a collection of bleached bones.

8. All that is left is a collection of dried bones.

9. The bones have decomposed, and only a pile of dust is left.

The practitioner observes mindfully in order to see the corpse at each of these stages and to see that it is inevitable
that his or her own body will pass through the same stages. Its intention is to help us see how precious life is; not to
make us pessimistic, but to help us see the impermanent nature of life so that we do not waste our life. When we
see the impermanent nature of things we appreciate their true value. The 9 contemplations help us see the
preciousness of life. They teach us how to live lightly and freshly, without being caught by attachments and
aversions. The Buddha because he was not attached to things, lived in peace, joy, and freedom with a healthy and
fresh vigor. He always had a smile on his lips and his presence created a fresh atmosphere around him.

Mindfully Observing Feelings

TENTH EXERCISE HEALING WOUNDS WITH THE AWARENESS OF JOY

The purpose of this exercise is to bring about ease, peace, and joy; to heal the wounds of the body as well as of the
heart and mind; to nourish us as we grow in the practice of joy; and enable us to go far on the path of practice.

You can practice according to the exercises which follow:

1. I am breathing in and making my whole body calm and at peace. I am breathing out and making my whole body
calm and at peace.

2. I am breathing in and feel joyful. I am breathing out and feeling joyful.

3. I am breathing in and feeling happy. I am breathing out and feeling happy.

4. I am breathing in and making my mind happy and at peace. I am breathing out and making my mind happy and
at peace.

When the state of happiness is really present, the joy of the mind settles down to allow happiness to become
steadier and deeper. For as long as the joy is still there, there goes with it, to a greater or lesser extent,
conceptualization and excitement. Joy is a translation of the Sanskrit word, piti, and happiness is a translation
of sukha. Someone traveling in the desert that sees a stream of cool water experiences joy. When he drinks the
water, he experiences happiness.

The function of this exercise is to nourish us with joy and happiness and to heal the wounds within us. But we have
no doubts about letting go of this joy in order to embark on the work of observation. Joy and happiness come about
because of physical and psychological conditions, and are as impermanent as all other physical and psychological
phenomena. Only when, thanks to mindful observation, we realize the impermanent, selfless, and interdependent
nature of all that is, can we achieve freedom and liberation.

ELEVENTH EXERCISE IDENTIFYING FEELINGS

There are 3 sorts of feelings: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. The teaching of this exercise is to identify and be in
touch with these feelings as they arise, endure, and fade away. When there is an unpleasant feeling the practitioner
is not in a hurry to chase it away. She comes back to her conscious breathing and observes, Breathing in, I know
that an unpleasant feeling has arisen within me. Breathing out, I know that this unpleasant feeling is present in me.
She is neither drowned in nor terrorized by that feeling, nor does she reject it. This is the most effective way to be in
contact with feelings. If we call a pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feeling by its name, we identify it clearly and
recognize it more deeply. Our attitude of not clinging to or rejecting our feelings is the attitude of letting go and is an
important part of meditation practice. When we are mindful of our feeling, the situation begins to change. The feeling
is no longer the only thing present in us, and it is transformed under the light of our awareness. If we are able to
observe the feeling mindfully we will be able to see its substance and its roots. This empowers the observer.

TWELFTH EXERCISE SEEING THE ROOTS OF FEELINGS

When he experiences a pleasant feeling based in the body, he is aware, I am experiencing a pleasant feeling based
in the body. When he experiences a pleasant feeling based in the mind, he is aware, I am

This exercise is a continuation of the eleventh exercise and has the capacity to help us see the roots and the
substance of the feelings we have. Our feelingspleasant, unpleasant, and neutralcan have a physical,
physiological, or psychological root. When we mindfully observe our feelings, we discover their roots. We have to
look deeply in order to see how these feelings manifest and to understand their true substance. To know a feeling is
not just to see its roots but also to see its flowering and its fruits. We should continue to observe the pleasant feeling
brought about by those words of praise. The work of mindful observation helps us avoid pride or arrogancethe two
things which above all obstruct our progress on the path. We can use conscious breathing to assist us in carrying
out this work of mindful observation. Every time she sees the substance, roots, and effect of her feelings, she is no
longer under the control of those feelings. The whole character of our feelings can change just by the presence of
mindful observation.
The Buddha teaches us not to repress anger, fear or unpleasant feelings but to use our breathing to be in contact
with and accept these feelings, knowing that they are energies which originate in our physiological or psychological
make-up. Mindful observation is based on the principle of nonduality. To repress our feelings is to repress ourselves.
We have to be in contact with and accept feelings before we can transform them into the kinds of energy which are
healthy and have the capacity to nourish us. Our work of mindful observation helps us see that experiencing
unpleasant feelings allows us insight and understanding.

Mindfully Observing the Mind

The Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness lists only 22 mental formations including desire, anger,
ignorance, disturbance, narrowness, limitedness, lack of concentration, lack of freedom, dullness and drowsiness,
agitation and remorse, doubt; their opposites: not desiring, not hating, non-ignorance, non-disturbance, tolerance,
unlimitedness, concentration, freedom, absence of doubt; absence of dullness and drowsiness, absence of agitation;
as well as mindfulness, distaste, peace, joy, ease, and letting go.

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We mindfully( ) observe the arising, presence, and disappearance of the mental phenomena(
) which are called mental formations ( ). We recognize them and look deeply into them in order
to see their substance, their roots in the past, and their possible fruits in the future, using conscious breathing while
we observe. We should remember that when the lamp of mindfulness is lit up, the mental formation under
observation will naturally transform in a wholesome direction.

THIRTEENTH EXERCISE OBSERVING THE DESIRING MIND

Desire means to be caught in unwholesome longing. Form, sound, smell, taste, and touch are the objects of the five
kinds of sense desire, which are desire for money, sex, fame, good food, and sleep. These categories produce
obstacles on the path of practice as well as many kinds of physical and mental suffering.

Whenever the practitioners mind and thoughts turn to desiring, he or she immediately gives rise to awareness of the
presence of that mind. This is a mind longing for wealth. The Satipatthana Sutta also teaches that when desiring is
not present, the practitioner also needs to observe that it is not present. This is the sense of ease which
accompanies the absence of mind desiring reputation etc.

According to the Buddha, true happiness, is a life with few desires, few possessions, and the time to enjoy the many
wonders in us and around us.

FOURTEENTH EXERCISE OBSERVING ANGER

When anger is present in him, he is aware, Anger is present in me. When anger is not present in him, he is aware,
Anger is not present in me. When anger begins to arise, he is aware of it. When already arisen anger is
abandoned, he is aware of it. When anger already abandoned will not arise again in the future, he is aware of it.

This exercise is to observe our anger with awareness. In Buddhism, we learn that a person is comprised of the Five
Aggregates of form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. Anger belongs to the aggregate of
mental formations, and the unpleasant feeling which goes along with anger belongs to the aggregate of feelings.
The first benefit of mindfully observing the presence and absence of anger is that we see that when anger is not
present we are much happier. Anger is like a flame blazing up, consuming our self control, making us think, say, and
do things that we will probably regret later. The second benefit of mindfully observing our anger is that by just
identifying our anger it loses some of its destructive nature. When we are angry, our anger is our very self. To
suppress or chase away our anger is to suppress or chase away yourself. When we are joyful, we are joy. When we
are angry, we are anger. When anger is born, we can be aware that anger is an energy in us, and we can change
that energy into another energy. If we want to transform it first we have to learn how to accept it. When anger arises,
other mental formations, which are lying latent in the depths of our consciousness, are not arising. This deep
consciousness is called alaya by the Vijnanavada school. Joy, sadness, love, hate, are present in alaya when we
are angry but they are lying beneath the surface without manifesting like seeds in the ground. When the mental
formation of mindfulness arises from alaya, it can become the spiritual friend of the mental formation of anger. As we
follow our breathing and sponsor our anger with mindfulness, the situation becomes less and less dangerous.

The point of meditation is to look deeply into things in order to be able to see their nature. Seeing and understanding
are the elements of liberation which allows us to be free of the suffering which always accompanies anger.

Sometimes people try to find ways to express their anger in a less dangerous way. They may go into their room,
close the door behind them, and pound a pillow with all their might. Eventually they will feel exhausted and their
anger will subside but the roots of anger remain untouched and anger can arise again when the conditions arise.
The method of mindful observation in order to see and to understand the roots of our anger is the only method that
has lasting effectiveness.

Mindfulness embraces the feeling as a mother holds her crying child in her arms and transmits all her affection and
care.

FIFTEENTH EXERCISE LOVE MEDITATION

When anger is not present in him, he is aware, Anger is not present in me. When already arisen anger is
abandoned, he is aware of it. When anger already abandoned will not arise again in the future, he is aware of it
When his mind is not attached, he is aware, my mind is not attached. When his mind is not hating, he is aware, My
mind is not hating.

In the Angutarra Nikaya (V. 161), the Buddha teaches, If a mind of anger arises, the bhikku can practice the
meditation on love, on compassion, or on equanimity for the person who has brought about the feeling of anger.
Love meditation is a method for developing the mind of love and compassion. Love is a mind which is intent on
bringing peace, joy, and happiness to others. Compassion is a mind which is intent on removing the suffering which
is present in others. That is the meaning of the phrase, Love is the capacity to give joy. Compassion is the power to
relieve suffering. When love and compassion are sources of energy in us, they bring peace, joy, and happiness to
those dear to us and to others also. The essence of love and compassion is understanding.
In the Satipatthana Sutta we are taught to be one with the object of our observation. If we sit with someone and
follow our breathing and observe mindfully we can be in contact with his or her suffering. The physical and
psychological suffering of that person will be clear to us in the light of our mindful observation.

We can begin our meditation on compassion with someone who is undergoing suffering of a physical or material
kind because that kind of suffering is easy to see. We observe it deeply and have to observe until the mind of
compassion arises, and the substance of the mind of compassion penetrates deep into our being and the mind of
compassion will envelop the object of our observation. If we observe in this way, the mind of compassion will
naturally be transformed into action. We will not just say, I love her very much, but instead, I must do something so
that she will suffer less. The mind of compassion is truly present when it has the capacity of removing suffering.

The person who has made us suffer is suffering too. We only need to sit down, follow our breathing, and look deeply
and naturally we will see her suffering. The suffering has been transmitted from generation to generation, and it has
been reborn in her. If we can see that, we will no longer blame her for making us suffer, because we understand the
way in which she is also a victim. To look deeply is to understand. Once we understand, it is easy to embrace the
other person in our mind of compassion. To look deeply into the suffering of those who have caused us to suffer is a
miraculous gift.

After we experience the fruit of the meditation of compassion, the meditation on love becomes relatively easy. Just
as with the mind of compassion, the mind of love brings peace, joy, and happiness to the practitioner first.

We must be careful not to think that the meditations on love and compassion consist in just sitting still and imagining
our mind of love and compassion will spread out into space like waves of sound or light. Like sound and light, love
and compassion can penetrate everywhere. It is only in the midst of our daily life and in our actual contact with
people and other species, including the object of our meditation, that we can know whether our mind of love and
compassion is really present and whether it is stable.

One word, one action, or one thought can reduce another persons suffering and bring him joy. One word can give
confidence and comfort, destroy doubt, help someone avoid a mistake, reconcile a conflict, open the door to
liberation, and show him the way to success and happiness. One action can save a persons life, or help him take
advantage of a rare opportunity. One thought can do the same, because thoughts lead to words and action. If love
and compassion are in our hearts, every thought, word and deed can bring about a miracle. We must always
remember that love is none other than understanding.

Mindfully Observing the Objects of Mind

SIXTEENTH EXERCISE DISCRIMINATIVE INVESTIGATION

When the factor of awakening, investigation or phenomena, is present in him, he is aware, Investigation-of-
phenomena is present in me, He is aware when not-yet-born investigation-of-phenomena is being born and when
already-born investigation-of-phenomena is perfectly developed.

In order to correct our wrong perceptions, the Buddha teaches us a method of discriminative investigation, which
relates to the Establishment of the mind and the Establishment of the objects of mind. The objects of mind are also
called dharmas (all that can be conceived of as existing. They include: 6 sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue,
body, mind), 6 sense objects (form and color, sound, smell, taste, tactile objects, and mind-objectsevery concept
and everything which belongs to the sphere of memory and mental experience), six consciousness (sight, hearing,
smelling, tasting, touching, mind consciousness). All dharmas are contained within these 18 realms, which include
all psychological, physiological, and physical aspects. All 18 realms are also called objects of mind, including mental
formations. When mind is observing mind, the mind becomes an object of mind. The basic characteristic of all
dharmas is interdependent origination; all dharmas arise, endure, and fade away according to the law of
interdependence. This teaching is crucial because in our daily lives we tend to perceive things as real and
independent of each other.
This method of discriminative investigation begins by classifying the dharmas into categories like the 6 sense
organs, the 6 sense objects, and the 6 sense consciousnesses, namely, the 18 realms, which can be classified
according to the Five Aggregates of form, feeling, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. Form: all
physiological and physical phenomena; feelings: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral; perceptions: basic
conceptualizations and naming; mental formations: psychological states that arise and manifest in us;
consciousness: function of maintaining, cognizing, comparing, storing, and remembering all the seeds.

The Heart of the Prajnaparamita Sutra tells us that the Bodhisattva, Avalokita, thanks to his observation of the 5
aggregates was able to see the interdependent nature of all dharmas and realize their essential birthlessness and
deathlessness, and transcend the fear of birth and death.

Through discriminative investigation, we realize the interdependent nature of all that is. This is to realize the empty
nature of all things. To be able to end the concept of birth and death is the essential point of discriminative
investigation.

The Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness also describes the mind which is not in a state of ignorance
and confusion, as when we are conscious of impermanence, interdependence, and selflessness; when our mind
rests in Right Views, Right View is one of the eight ways of practice called the Noble Eightfold Path.

A student of Buddhism who does not practice the mindful observation of interdependence has not yet arrives at the
quintessence of the Buddhist path.

SEVENTEENTH EXERCISE OBSERVING INTERNAL FORMATIONS

He is aware of the eyes, (ears, nose, tongue, body, mind) and aware of the form, (sound, smell, taste, touch, objects
of mind), and he is aware of the internal formations which are produced in dependence on these two things. he is
aware of the birth of a new internal formation and is aware of abandoning an already produced internal formation,
and he is aware when an already abandoned internal formation will not arise again.

Internal formations can be classified as two kinds: 1. the Five Dull Knots: confusion, desire, anger, pride, and doubt
and 2. the Five Sharp Knots: view of the body as self, extreme views, wrong views, pervaded views, and
superstitious views (or unnecessary ritual prohibitions). When someone speaks unkindly to us, if we understand the
reason and we do not take the words to heart, we will not feel irritated and a knot will not form in our mind. If we do
not understand the reason and we feel irritated then a knot will form.

Feelings associated with internal formations are usually unpleasant but sometimes internal formations are
associated with pleasant feelings. When we are attached to a form, sound, etc. an internal formation of the nature of
desire is formed. Falling in love is also an internal formation, because in it there is the material of blind attachment.
The phrase to fall in love sounds disastrous. But being in love can be transformed, so that blind attachment,
selfishness and domination are replaced by the capacity to understand and bring happiness to the person we love,
without demanding specific conditions and expecting something in return. To transform being in love in this way is to
transform an internal formation.

If we live according to the teachings of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, we practice mindful observation of
the arising, duration, and transformation of internal formations. In our daily life we practice full awareness in order to
be able to recognize the internal formations just born and find a way to transform it. When it arises for the first time
the know is still very loose and the work of untying it is easy. When we live with another person, we should help each
other transform the internal formations that we have produced in each other.

EIGHTEENTH EXERCISE TRANSFORMING REPRESSED INTERNAL FORMATIONS

He is aware of the eyes, (ears, nose, tongue, body, mind) and aware of the form (sound, smell, taste, touch, objects
of mind), and he is aware of the internal formations which are produced in dependence on these two things. He is
aware of the birth of a new internal formation and is aware of abandoning an already, produced internal formation,
and he is aware when an already abandoned internal formation will not rise again. (This is the same quote from the
sutra as Exercise 17)

The internal formations of desire, regret, anger, fear, feeling worthless have been suppressed in our subconscious
for a long time. Although they are suppressed they are always seeking ways to manifest in our feelings, thoughts,
words, and actions. Internal formations that are repressed cannot appear in a direct and natural way in the
conscious mind. They only disclose themselves indirectly. Thus, we are not aware of their presence although they
continue to tie us up and make us suffer in a latent way.

The method of curing the sorrow which comes when mental formations are repressed is the deep observation of
these internal formations. But to observe them we first have to find ways to bring them into the realms of the
conscious mind. Here we practice conscious breathing in order to recognize our feelings, thoughts, words, and
actions, especially those which arise automatically, as reactions to what is happening. Our reactions may have their
roots in the internal formations buried inside us. During our sitting meditation, because we have closed the doors of
our sensory input in order to stop listening, looking, and reasoning, the internal formations which are buried in us
have the opportunity to reveal themselves in the form of feelings or images which manifest in our conscious mind.

We practice mindfulness in Buddhism as a way of looking after our feelings, being their sponsor in an affectionate,
nonviolent way. When we are able to maintain mindfulness, we are not carried away by or drowned in our feelings or
in the conflicts within ourselves. We nourish and maintain mindfulness through conscious breathing and try to
become aware or our internal formations and conflicts as they manifest. We receive them with love as a mother
takes her child in her arms: Mindfulness is present, and I know that I have enough strength to be in contact with the
knots in me. Without judgment, blame, or criticism for having these feelings or images, we just observe, identify and
accept them in order to see their source and their true nature. If there is pain, we feel the pain but we do not lose
ourselves in it. Even if we cannot see the roots of our internal formations, the fact that we can greet our pain, our
sadness, and our anger in mindfulness already causes the knots to lose some of their strength.

NINETEENTH EXERCISE OVERCOMING GUILT AND FEAR

When agitation and remorse are present in him, he is aware, Agitation and remorse are present in me. When
agitation and remorse are not present in him, he is aware, Agitation and remorse are not present in me. When
agitation and remorse begin to arise, he is aware of it. When already arisen agitation and remorse are abandoned,
he is aware of it. When agitation and remorse already abandoned will not arise again in the future, he is aware of it.

In Buddhist psychology, remorse or regret is a mind function which can be either beneficial or damaging. When it is
used to recognize errors and not commit them in the future then it is a wholesome mental formation. If regret creates
a guilt-complex which follows and haunts us then it is an obstacle to our practice. We have all made mistakes in the
past. We may think that because the past is gone, we cannot return to the past to correct our mistakes. But the past
has created the present, and if we practice mindfulness in the present, we naturally are in contact with the past. As
we transform the present, we also transform the past. If we can transform ourselves we also transform those we love
including our ancestors because they live on through us.

If we take hold of our breathing and live in a mindful way, thus bringing joy and happiness to ourselves and others in
the present moment, we can overcome our complexes of guilt so we are no longer paralyzed by the.

Fear is also a dominant mental formation. The ground of fear is ignorance, the failure to understand our not-self
nature. Avalokiteshvara is the Bodhisattva who has transcended all fear: He offers all beings abhaya which comes
from mindful observation of the no birth, no death, no increase, no decrease nature of all that is. If we can observe
deeply the interdependent and selfless nature of all things, we can see that there is no birth and no death and pass
beyond all fear.

TWENTIETH EXERCISE SOWING SEEDS OF PEACE

When the factor of awakening, joy (ease, letting go) is present in him, he is aware, Joy is present in me. When joy
is not present in him, he is aware, Joy is not present in me. He is aware when not-yet-born joy is being born and
when already-born joy is perfectly developed.

The purpose of this exercise is to sow and water seeds of peace, joy, and liberation in us. Buddhist psychology talks
of seeds as the basis of every state of mind and the content of our consciousness. Seeds which produce suffering
are unwholesome and seeds which produce happiness are wholesome. According to the principle of interdependent
origination, seeds do not have a fixed nature. Every seed is dependent on every other seed for its existence, and in
any one seed, all the other seeds are present. An unwholesome seed can be transformed into a wholesome seed
and vice-versa. This tells us that even during the darkest times of our life wholesome seeds are still within us.

The sutras refer to the mind as a plot ground in which all sorts of seeds are sown. Cittabhumi, the mind as the
earth. If peace and joy are in our hearts we will gradually bring more peace and joy to the world.

The 7th precept of the Order of Interbeing reminds us to practice conscious breathing in order to stay in contact with
the many healing and refreshing elements which are already around us.

The Sutra of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness offers many exercises for living in mindfulness. By the process
of conscious breathing, smiling, walking meditation, sitting meditation, by our way of looking, listening and mindfully
observing, we help the seeds of happiness flourish. The realms of love, compassion, joy, and letting go are the
realms of true joy and happiness. If we have joy and can let go, we can share happiness with others and reduce
their sorrows and anxieties.

CHAPTER SIX: Principles for the Practice of Mindfulness

1. DHARMAS ARE MIND

All four establishments of mindfulness (body, feelings, mental formations, dharmas) are objects of mind. Since the
mind and the objects of mind are one, in observing its objects, mind is essentially observing mind. The word dharma
in this context is understood to mean the object of the mind and the content of the mind. Dharmas are classified as
one of the 12 realms. The first six are sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind). The remaining six
are form (sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas). Dharmas are the object of mind, as sounds are the object of the
ears. The object of cognition and the subject of cognition do not exist independently of each other. Everything that
exists has to arise in the mind. All is just mindBecause of consciousness, all phenomena can exist.

The object of our mindful observation can be our breath or our toe (physiological), a feeling, or a perception
(psychological), or a form (physical). We observe the object of our mind in the way the right hand takes hold of the
left hand. Your right hand is you and your left hand is also you. So the hand is taking hold of itself to become one
with itself.

2. TO OBSERVE IS TO BE ONE WITH THE OBJECT OF OBSERVATION

The subject of observation is our mindfulness, which also emanates from the mind. Mindfulness has the function of
illuminating and transforming. When our breathing, for example, is the object of our mindfulness, it becomes
conscious breathing. Mindfulness shines its light on our breathing, transforms the forgetfulness in it into mindfulness,
and gives it a calming and healing quality. Our body and our feelings are also illuminated and transformed under the
light of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the observing mind, but it does not stand outside of the object of observation. It
goes right into the object and becomes one with it. Because the nature of the observing mind is mindfulness, the
observing mind does not lose itself in the object but transforms it by illuminating it, just as the penetrating light of the
sun transforms trees and plants. If we want to see and understand we have to penetrate and become one with that
object. That is why the sutra says, Observing the body in the body, observing the feelings in the feelings etc. The
description is very clear. The deeply observing mind is not merely an observer but a participant. Only when the
observer is a participant can there be transformation.
In the practice of bare observation, mindfulness has already begun to influence the object of consciousness. When
we call an in breath and in breath, the existence of our breath becomes very clear. Mindfulness has already
penetrated our breathing. If we continue our observation there will no longer be duality between the observed and
observer. Mindfulness and our breath are one. We and our breath are one. If our breath is calm, we are calm. Our
breathing calms our body and our feelings. If our mind is consumed by a sense desire mindfulness is not present.
Conscious breathing nourishes mindfulness and mindfulness gives rise to conscious breathing. When mindfulness is
present we have nothing to fear. The object of our observation becomes vivid, and its source, origin, and true nature
become evident. That is how it will be transformed. It no longer has the effect of binding us. When the object of our
mindful observation is totally clear, the mind which is observing is also fully revealed in great clarity.

3. TRUE MIND AND DELUDED MIND ARE ONE

True mind and deluded mind are two aspects of the mind. Both arise from the mind. Deluded mind is the forgetful
and dispersed mind, which arises from forgetfulness. The basis of true mind is awakened understanding, arising
from mindfulness. Mindful observation brings out the light which exists in true mind, so that life can be revealed in its
reality. Just as the calm sea and rough sea are manifestations of the same sea, true mind could not exist if there
were no deluded mind. In the teaching on the Three Doors to Liberation, aimlessness is the foundation for
realization. What is meant by aimlessness is that we do not seek after an object outside ourselves. If the rose is on
its way to becoming garbage then the garbage is also on its way to becoming a rose. One who observes
discerningly will see the non-dual nature of the rose and the garbage.

To be liberated is not to run away from the 5 aggregates (form, feelings, mental formations, perceptions,
consciousness). The world of liberation and awakened understanding come directly from this body and this world.

4. THE WAY OF NO-CONFLICT

The realization of non-duality naturally leads to the practice of offering joy, peace, and nonviolence. The five
aggregates are the basis of suffering and confusion, but they are also the basis for peace, joy, and liberation.

Mindfulness recognizes what is happening in the body and the mind and then continues to illuminate and observe
the object deeply. During this practice, there is no craving for, running after, or repressing the object. This is the true
meaning of bare observation.

When we accept our body and our feelings, we treat them in an affectionate, nonviolent way. When we are mindful
we can see our roots of affliction clearly and transform them. As long as the lamp of mindfulness shines its light, the
darkness is transformed. We need to nourish mindfulness in ourselves by the practice of conscious breathing,
hearing the sound of the bell, reciting gathas, and many other skillful means.

Mindfulness nourished by conscious breathing takes the feelings in its arms, becomes one with them, calms and
transforms them.

5. OBSERVATION IS NOT INDOCTRINATION

The method of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness is observing deeply in the spirit of not craving and not
feeling distaste. Observe all dharmas but do not have any fixed ideas, just keep on observing mindfully without
comment, without assuming any attitude toward the object you are observing.

CONCLUSION

Mindfulness is the core of Buddhist practice. This practice can be done not only in sitting meditation but also in every
minute of our daily life. In order for the practice to be easy and successful, it is very helpful to practice with a
community, called a sangha.
Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness
Posted on July 22, 2015 by Plum Village

This translation of the Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness has been prepared by Thich Nhat Hanh
from the Satipatthana Sutta (in Pali) and the Majjhima Nikaya 10 (in Chinese).
It appears in Thich Nhat Hanh, Chanting From The Heart (Parallax Press, Rev.Ed., 2006), and is recited regularly at
Plum Village practice centers around the world as part of our daily sitting and chanting sessions.
For commentary, see Thich Nhat Hanh, Transformation and Healing: Sutra on the Four Establishments of
Mindfulness (Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 1990).

Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness

i
I heard these words of the Buddha one time when he was living at Kammassadhamma, a market town of the Kuru
people. The Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, O bhikkhus.
And the bhikkhus replied, Venerable Lord.
The Buddha said, Bhikkhus, there is a most wonderful way to help living beings realize purification, overcome
directly grief and sorrow, end pain and anxiety, travel the right path, and realize nirvana. This way is the Four
Establishments of Mindfulness.
What are the Four Establishments?
1. Bhikkhus, a practitioner remains established in the observation of the body in the body, diligent, with clear
understanding, mindful, having abandoned every craving and every distaste for this life.
2. He remains established in the observation of the feelings in the feelings, diligent, with clear understanding,
mindful, having abandoned every craving and every distaste for this life.
3. He remains established in the observation of the mind in the mind, diligent, with clear understanding, mindful,
having abandoned every craving and every distaste for this life.
4. He remains established in the observation of the objects of mind in the objects of mind, diligent, with clear
understanding, mindful, having abandoned every craving and every distaste for this life.
ii
And how does a practitioner remain established in the observation of the body in the body?
She goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty room, sits down cross-legged in the lotus position, holds
her body straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of her. She breathes in, aware that she is breathing in. She
breathes out, aware that she is breathing out. When she breathes in a long breath, she knows, I am breathing in a
long breath. When she breathes out a long breath, she knows, I am breathing out a long breath. When she
breathes in a short breath, she knows, I am breathing in a short breath. When she breathes out a short breath, she
knows, I am breathing out a short breath.
She uses the following practice: Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole
body. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I calm my body.
Just as a skilled potter knows when he makes a long turn on the wheel, I am making a long turn, and knows when
he makes a short turn, I am making a short turn, so a practitioner, when she breathes in a long breath, knows, I am
breathing in a long breath, and when she breathes in a short breath, knows, I am breathing in a short breath, when
she breathes out a long breath, knows, I am breathing out a long breath, and when she breathes out a short breath,
knows, I am breathing out a short breath.
She uses the following practice: Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole
body. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I calm my body.
Moreover, when a practitioner walks, he is aware, I am walking. When he is standing, he is aware, I am standing.
When he is sitting, he is aware, I am sitting. When he is lying down, he is aware, I am lying down. In whatever
position his body happens to be, he is aware of the position of his body.
Moreover, when the practitioner is going forward or backward, he applies full awareness to his going forward or
backward. When he looks in front or looks behind, bends down or stands up, he also applies full awareness to what
he is doing. He applies full awareness to wearing the sanghati robe or carrying the alms bowl. When he eats or
drinks, chews, or savors the food, he applies full awareness to all this. When passing excrement or urinating, he
applies full awareness to this. When he walks, stands, lies down, sits, sleeps or wakes up, speaks or is silent, he
shines his awareness on all this.
Further, the practitioner meditates on her very own body from the soles of the feet upwards and then from the hair
on top of the head downwards, a body contained inside the skin and full of all the impurities which belong to the
body: Here is the hair of the head, the hairs on the body, the nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, bowels, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat,
tears, grease, saliva, mucus, synovial fluid, urine.
Bhikkhus, imagine a sack which can be opened at both ends, containing a variety of grains brown rice, wild rice,
mung beans, kidney beans, sesame, white rice. When someone with good eyesight opens the bags, he will review it
like this: This is brown rice, this is wild rice, these are mung beans, these are kidney beans, these are sesame
seeds, this is white rice. Just so the practitioner passes in review the whole of his body from the soles of the feet to
the hair on the top of the head, a body enclosed in a layer of skin and full of all the impurities which belong to the
body: Here is the hair of the head, the hairs on the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, bowels, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat,
tears, grease, saliva, mucus, synovial fluid, urine.
Further, in whichever position her body happens to be, the practitioner passes in review the elements which
constitute the body: In this body is the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element.
As a skilled butcher or an apprentice butcher, having killed a cow, might sit at the crossroads to divide the cow into
many parts, the practitioner passes in review the elements which comprise her very own body: Here in this body are
the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground and
lying there for one, two, or three days bloated, blue in color, and festering, and he observes, This body of mine is
of the same nature. It will end up in the same way; there is no way it can avoid that state.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground,
pecked at by crows, eaten by hawks, vultures, and jackals, and infested with maggots and worms, and he observes,
This body of mine is of the same nature, it will end up in the same way, there is no way it can avoid that state.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; it
is just a skeleton with a little flesh and blood sticking to it, and the bones are held together by the ligaments.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; it
is just a skeleton, no longer adhered to by any flesh, but still smeared by a little blood, the bones still held together
by the ligaments.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; it
is just a skeleton, no longer adhered to by any flesh nor smeared by any blood, but the bones are still held together
by the ligaments.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; all
that is left is a collection of bones scattered here and there; in one place a hand bone, in another a shin bone, a
thigh bone, a pelvis, a spinal column, a skull.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; all
that is left is a collection of bleached bones, the color of shells.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; it
has been lying there for more than one year and all that is left is a collection of dried bones.
Further, the practitioner compares his own body with a corpse which he visualizes thrown onto a charnel ground; all
that is left is the dust which comes from the rotted bones, and he observes, This body of mine is of the same nature,
it will end up in the same way. There is no way it can avoid that state.
This is how the practitioner remains established in the observation of the body in the body, observation of the body
from within or from without, or both from within or from without. He remains established in the observation of the
process of coming-to-be in the body or the process of dissolution in the body or both in the process of coming-to-be
and the process of dissolution. Or he is mindful of the fact, There is a body here, until understanding and full
awareness come about. He remains established in the observation, free, not caught in any worldly consideration.
That is how to practice observation of the body in the body, O bhikkhus.
iii
Bhikkhus, how does a practitioner remain established in the observation of the feelings in the feelings?
Whenever the practitioner has a pleasant feeling, she is aware, I am experiencing a pleasant feeling. The
practitioner practices like this for all the feelings, whether they are pleasant, painful, or neutral, observing when they
belong to the body and when they belong to the mind.
This is how the practitioner remains established in the observation of the feelings in the feelings, observation of the
feelings from within or from without, or observation of the feelings both from within and from without. She remains
established in the observation of the process of coming-to-be in the feelings or the process of dissolution in the
feelings or both in the process of coming-to-be and the process of dissolution. Or she is mindful of the fact, There is
feeling here, until understanding and full awareness come about. She remains established in the observation, free,
not caught in any worldly consideration. That is how to practice observation of the feelings in the feelings, O
bhikkhus.
iv
Bhikkhus, how does a practitioner remain established in the observation of the mind in the mind?
When his mind is desiring, the practitioner is aware, My mind is desiring. When his mind is not desiring, he is
aware, My mind is not desiring. He is aware in the same way concerning a hating mind, a confused mind, a
collected mind, a dispersed mind, an expansive mind, a narrow mind, the highest mind, and a concentrated and
liberated mind.
This is how the practitioner remains established in the observation of the mind in the mind, observation of the mind
from within or from without, or observation of the mind both from within and from without. He remains established in
the observation of the process of coming-to-be in the mind or the process of dissolution in the mind or both in the
process of coming-to-be and the process of dissolution. Or he is mindful of the fact, There is mind here, until
understanding and full awareness come about. He remains established in the observation, free, not caught in any
worldly consideration. This is how to practice observation of the mind in the mind, O bhikkhus.
v
Bhikkhus, how does a practitioner remain established in the observation of the objects of mind in the objects of
mind?
First of all, she observes the objects of mind in the objects of mind with regard to the Five Hindrances. How does
she observe this?
When sensual desire is present in her, she is aware, Sensual desire is present in me. Or when sensual desire is
not present in her, she is aware, Sensual desire is not present in me. When sensual desire begins to arise, she is
aware of it. When sensual desire that has already arisen is abandoned, she is aware of it. When sensual desire that
has already been abandoned will not arise again in the future, she is aware of it.
She practices in the same way concerning anger, dullness and drowsiness, agitation and remorse, and doubt.
Further, the practitioner observes the objects of mind in the objects of mind with regard to the Five Aggregates of
Clinging. How does she observe this?
She observes like this: Such is form. Such is the arising of form. Such is the disappearance of form. Such is
feeling. Such is the arising of feeling. Such is the disappearance of feeling. Such is perception. Such is the arising of
perception. Such is the disappearance of perception. Such are mental formations. Such is the arising of mental
formations. Such is the disappearance of mental formations. Such is consciousness. Such is the arising of
consciousness. Such is the disappearance of consciousness.
Further, bhikkhus, the practitioner observes the objects of mind in the objects of mind with regard to the six sense
organs and the six sense objects. How does she observe this?
She is aware of the eyes and aware of the form, and she is aware of the internal formations which are produced in
dependence on these two things. She is aware of the birth of a new internal formation and is aware of abandoning
an already produced internal formation, and she is aware when an already abandoned internal formation will not
arise again.
She is aware in the same way of the ears and sound, the nose and smell, the tongue and taste, the body and touch,
the mind and objects of mind.
Further, bhikkhus, the practitioner remains established in the observation of the objects of mind in the objects of
mind with regard to the Seven Factors of Awakening.
How does he remain established in the practice of observation of the Seven Factors of Awakening?
When the factor of awakening, mindfulness, is present in him, he is aware, Mindfulness is present in me. When
mindfulness is not present in him, he is aware, Mindfulness is not present in me. He is aware when not-yet-born
mindfulness is being born and when already-born mindfulness is perfectly developed.
In the same way, he is aware of the factors of investigation, diligence, joy, ease, concentration, and equanimity.
Further, bhikkhus, a practitioner remains established in the observation of objects of mind in the objects of mind
with regard to the Four Noble Truths.
How, bhikkhus, does the practitioner remain established in the observation of the Four Noble Truths?
A practitioner is aware This is suffering, as it arises. She is aware, This is the cause of the suffering, as it arises.
She is aware, This is the end of suffering, as it arises. She is aware, This is the path which leads to the end of
suffering, as it arises.
This is how the practitioner remains established in the observation of the objects of mind in the objects of mind
either from within or from without, or both from within and from without. She remains established in the observation
of the process of coming-to-be in any of the objects of mind or the process of dissolution in the objects of mind or
both in the process of coming-to-be and the process of dissolution. Or she is mindful of the fact, There is an object
of mind here, until understanding and full awareness come about. She remains established in the observation, free,
not caught in any worldly consideration. That is how to practice observation of the objects of mind in the objects of
mind, O bhikkhus.
vi
Bhikkhus, he who practices the Four Establishments of Mindfulness for seven years can expect one of two fruits
the highest understanding in this very life or, if there remains some residue of affliction, he can attain the fruit of no-
return.
Let alone seven years, bhikkhus, whoever practices the Four Establishments of Mindfulness for six, five, four, three,
two years or one year, for seven, six, five, four, three, or two months, one month or half a month, can also expect
one of two fruits either the highest understanding in this very life or, if there remains some residue of affliction, he
can attain the fruit of no-return.
That is why we said that this path, the path of the four grounds for the establishment of mindfulness, is the most
wonderful path, which helps beings realize purification, transcend grief and sorrow, destroy pain and anxiety, travel
the right path, and realize nirvana.
The bhikkhus were delighted to hear the teaching of the Buddha. They took it to heart and began to put it into
practice.

Notes from Thich Nhat Hanhs The Miracle of Mindfulness

October 18, 2010 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Keep your attention focused on the work, be alert and ready to handle ably and intelligently any situation which may
arisethis is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves. It is the miracle which can call back in a flash
our dispersed mind and restore it to wholeness so that we can live each minute of life. Consider for example a
magician who cuts his body into many parts and places each part in a different regionhands in the south, arms in
the east, legs in the north, and then by some miraculous power lets forth a cry which reassembles every part of his
body. Mindfulness is like that!

Mindfulness is at the same time a means and an end, the seed and the fruit. When we practice mindfulness in order
to build up concentration, mindfulness is the seed. But mindfulness itself is the life of awareness: the presence of
mindfulness means the presence of life, and therefore mindfulness is also the fruit. Mindfulness frees us of
forgetfulness and dispersion and makes it possible to live fully each minute of life. Mindfulness enables us to live.

You should know how to breathe in order to maintain mindfulness. Breath is the bridge which connects life to
consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath
as the means to take hold of your mind again.

The Sutra of Mindfulness teaches the method to take hold of ones breath in the following manner: Be ever mindful
you breathe in and mindful you breathe out

In a Buddhist monastery everyone learns to use breath as a tool to stop mental dispersion and to build up
concentration power. Concentration power is the strength which comes from practicing mindfulness.

For beginners the method, following the length of the breath, the student lies, back down, on the floor:

Although inhaling and exhaling are the work of the lungs, and take place in the chest area, the stomach also plays
a role. The stomach rises with the filling of the lings. At the beginning of the breath the stomach begins to push out.
But after inhaling about two-thirds of the breath, it starts to lower again.

Why? Between your chest and stomach there is a muscular membrane, the diaphragm. When you breathe in
correctly the air fills the lower part of the lings first, before the upper lungs fill with air, the diaphragm pushes down
on the stomach, causing the stomach to rise. When you have filled your upper lungs with air, the chest pushes out
and causes the stomach to lower again.

That is why, in former times, people spoke of the breath as originating at the navel and terminating at the nostrils.
When doing this exercise dont prop on a pillow, one should like on his or her back with a thin blanket or mat with
two arms loosely at the sides. Focus your attention on your exhalation and measure how long it is. Measure it slowly
by counting in your mind: 1, 2, 3After several times you will know the length of your breath: Perhaps it is 5. Now
try to extend the exhalation for one more count. When you reach 5 rather than immediately inhaling as before, try to
extend the exhalation to 6 or 7. When you have finished exhaling, pause for an instant to let your lungs take in fresh
air on their own. Let them take in just as much air as they want without making any effort. The inhalation will
normally be shorter than the exhalation. Practice like this for several weeks. Continue to measure your breath while
walking, sitting, standing, and especially whenever you are outdoors. While walking you might use your steps to
measure your breath. After a month the difference between the length of your exhalation and inhalation will lessen,
gradually evening out until they are of equal measure. In order to measure your breath you can count or use a
rhythmic phrase that you like. For example, if the length of your breath is 6, you might use instead of numbers six
words, My heart is now at peace. If you are walking each step should correspond with one word.

Your breath should be light, even, and flowing, like a thin stream of water running through the sand. Your breath
should be quiet, so quiet that a person sitting next to you cannot hear it. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and
find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be
used.

When you sit down to meditate begin by watching your breath. At first breathe normally, gradually letting your
breathing slow down until it is quiet, even and the length of the breaths are fairly long. From the moment you sit
down to the moment your breathing has become deep and silent, be conscious of everything that is happening in
yourself.

Counting your breath

Making your breath calm and even is called the method of following ones breath. If it seems hard you can first begin
by counting your breath. As you breathe in, count 1 in your mind, and as your breathe out count 1 and so forth.
Continue through 10 and return to 1 again. This counting is like a string which attaches your mindfulness to your
breath. The exercise is the beginning point of becoming completely conscious of your breath. Without mindfulness
you will lose count. Once you have reached a point where you can truly focus your attention on the counts, you have
reached the point where you can abandon the counting method and concentrate solely on the breath itself.

When you are upset or dispersed and find it difficult to practice mindfulness, return to your breath. Learn to practice
breathing in order to regain control of body and mind, to practice mindfulness, and to develop concentration and
wisdom.

Breath is aligned to both body and mind and it alone is the tool which can bring them both together, illuminating both
and bringing both peace and calm.

A person who knows how to breathe is a person who knows how to build up endless vitality: breath builds up the
lungs, strengthens the blood, and revitalizes every organ in the body. They say that proper breathing is more
important than food. Breath is a tool. Breath itself is mindfulness. The use of breath as a tool may help one obtain
immense benefits, but these cannot be considered as ends in themselves. These benefits are only the by-products
of the realization of mindfulness.

One hour if meditation a day is good but not enough. you need to practice meditation when you walk, stand, lie
down, sit, and work, while washing hands, washing the dishes, seeping the floor, drinking tea, talking to friends, or
whatever you are doing. When you are thinking about other things as you do them that means you are incapable of
living during the time you are doing that task. Each act is a rite, a ceremony. Each act must be carried out in
mindfulness.

Each person should try hard to reserve one day out of the week to devote entirely to their practice of mindfulness.
While still lying in bed, begin slowly to follow your breathslow, long, and conscious breaths. Then slowly rise from
bed, nourishing mindfulness by every motion. Once up brush your teeth, wash your face, and do all your morning
activities in a calm and relaxing way, each movement done in mindfulness. Follow your breath, take hold of it, and
dont let your thoughts scatter. Each movement should be done calmly. Measure your steps with quiet, long breaths.
Maintain a half smile. Spend at least half an hour taking a bath. Bathe slowly and mindfully, so that by the time you
have finished you feel light and refreshed. Afterwards you may have chores but whatever the tasks do them slowly
and with ease, in mindfulness. Dont do any task in order to get it over with. Resolve to do each job in a relaxed way,
with all of your attention. Enjoy and be one with your work. Without this the Day of Mindfulness will be of no value.
The feeling that any task is a nuisance will disappear if it is done in mindfulness. Take the example of the Zen
Masters. No matter what task or motion they undertake, they do it slowly and evenly, without reluctance. For those
just beginning to practice, it is best to maintain a spirit of silence throughout the day. Keep talking to a minimum and
whatever you sing or speak do so in mindfulness. It is possible to sing and practice mindfulness at the same time
just as long as one is conscious of the fact that one is signing and aware of what one is singing. But be warned that
it is much easier to stray from mindfulness when talking or singing if your meditation strength is still weak. At
lunchtime prepare a meal for yourself. Cook the meal and wash the dishes in mindfulness. In the morning, after you
have cleaned and straightened up your house, and in the afternoon, after you have worked in the garden or watched
clouds or gathered flowers, prepare a pot of tea to sit and drink in mindfulness. Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if the axis on which the whole earth revolvesslowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual
moment. Only this actual moment is life. In the evening you might read scripture, write letters, or do anything else
you enjoy outside of your normal duties during the week. But whatever you do, do it in mindfulness. Eat only a little
for the evening meal. Later, around 10 or 11 oclock as you sit in meditation; you will be able to sit more easily on an
empty stomach. Afterwards you might take a slow walk in the fresh night air, following your breath in mindfulness
and measuring the length of your breaths by your steps. Finally, return to your room and sleep in mindfulness.

Why should you meditate? First of all, because each of us needs to realize total rest. Even a night of sleep doesnt
provide total rest. It is possible to find total rest in a sitting position, and in turn to advance deeper in meditation in
order to resolve the worries and troubles that upset and block your consciousness.

Both knees should touch the floor. Back should be straight. Neck and head should be aligned with the spinal column,
straight but not stiff or wood like. Keep your eyes focused a yard or two in front of you. Maintain a half-smile. Follow
your breath and relax all of your muscles. Concentrate on keeping your spinal column straight and following your
breath. As for everything else, let it go. Place your left hand, palm side up, in your right palm. Let all the muscles in
your hands, fingers, arms, and legs relax. Let go of everything. Hold on to nothing but your breath and the half smile.
The technique for obtaining this rest lie in two things: watching and letting go. Watching your breath and letting go of
everything else. Release every muscle in your body. After 15 minutes or so, it is possible to reach a deep quiet, filled
with inner peace and joy. Maintain this quiet and peace. If you sit correctly, it is possible to find total relaxation and
peace right in the position of sitting.

Visualization: Imagine yourself as a pebble which has been thrown into a river. The pebble sinks through the water
effortlessly. Detached from everything, it falls by the shortest distance possible, finally reaching the bottom, the point
of perfect rest. You are like a pebble which has let itself fall into the river, letting go of everything. At the center of
your being is your breath. You dont need to know the length of time it takes before reaching the point of complete
rest on the bed of fine sand beneath the water. When you feel yourself resting like a pebble which has reached the
riverbed that is the point when you begin to find your own rest. You are no longer pushed or pulled by anything.

The ease of sitting depends on whether you practice mindfulness a little or a lot each day. And it depends on
whether or not you sit regularly.

The goal of meditation is to go much deeper than relaxation. Relaxation is the necessary point of departure, once
one has realized relaxation; it is possible to realize a tranquil heart and clear mind. To realize a tranquil heart and
clear mind is to have gone far on the path f meditation. To take hold of our mind you must practice mindfulness of
the mind and know how to observe and recognize the presence of every feeling and thought which arises in you.
This must be done at all times, during your day-to-day life no less than during one hour of meditation.

During meditation all sorts of thoughts will arise but if you do not practice mindfulness of breath, these thoughts will
lure you away from mindfulness. But the breath isnt a means to chase away thoughts and feelings. Breath remains
the vehicle to unite body and mind and to open the gate to wisdom. Just acknowledge the presence of thought and
feelings, dont chase them away. Do not let any thought or feeling arise without recognizing it in mindfulness, like a
palace guard who is aware of every face that passes through the front corridor.

Dont be dominated by distinguishing between good and evil thoughts and create a battle within. Just acknowledge
wholesome and unwholesome thoughts. Our thoughts and feelings are us; they are a part of ourselves. We are both
the mind and the observer mind. Therefore chasing away or dwelling on any thought isnt important, what is
important is awareness. Sutra on mindfulness, Buddha always stressed, mindfulness of feeling in feeling,
mindfulness of mind in mind. The Sutra says that the mind is like a monkey swinging from branch to branch through
a forest. In order not to lose sight of the monkey by some sudden movement, we must watch the monkey constantly
and even be one with it. Mind contemplating mind is like an object and its shadowthe object cannot shake the
shadow off. The two are one. Wherever the mind goes it still lies in the harness of the mind. The Sutra sometimes
uses the expression Bind the monkey to refer to taking hold of the mind. But the monkey image is only a means of
expression. Once the mind is continually and directly aware of itself, it is no longer like a monkey. There are not two
minds, one which swings from branch to branch and another which follows after to bind it with a piece of rope.

During the first 6 months of meditating try only to build up your power of concentration, to create an inner calmness
and serene joy. You will shake off anxiety, enjoy total rest, and quiet your mind. You will be refreshed and gain a
broader, clearer view of things and deepen and strengthen the love in yourself.

Sitting meditation is nourishment for your body and your spirit.

The Five Aggregates

Every object of the mind is itself mind. Dharmas are grouped into five categories:

1. bodily and physical forms

2. feelings

3. perceptions

4. mental functionings

5. consciousness

The fifth category contains the other 4 and is the basis of their existence.

The first object of contemplation is our own person, the assembly of the 5 aggregates in ourselves. You contemplate
right here and now on the 5 aggregates which make up yourself. You are conscious of the presence of bodily form,
feelings, perception, mental functionings and consciousness. You observe these objects until you see that each of
them has intimate connection with the world outside yourself. If the world did not exist then the assembly of the 5
aggregates could not exist either.

Consider a table. It exists from non table elements (the forest, the carpenter, the nails etc.) If you return any of these
non table elements to their source then the table would not exist. A person who can look at the table and see the
universe is a person who can see the way. If we contemplate the 5 aggregates in a stubborn and diligent way, we,
too, will be liberated from suffering, fear, and dread.

Meditation on interdependence is to be practiced constantly, not only while sitting, but as an integral part of our
involvement in all ordinary tasks. We must learn to see that the person in front of us is ourselves and that we are
that person. We must be able to see the process of inter-origination and interdependence of all events, both those
which are happening and those which will happen.
We must also look death in the face, recognize and accept it, just as we look at and accept life. Meditate on the
corpse until you are calm and at peace, until your mind and heart are light and tranquil and a smile appears on your
face. Thus, by overcoming revulsion and fear, life will be seen as infinitely precious, every second worth living.

Sitting in mindfulness, both our bodies and minds can be at peace and totally relaxed. This state of peace and
relaxation differs fundamentally from the lazy, semi-conscious state of mind that one gets while resting and dozing.
Sitting like this is like sitting in a dark cave. In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy but alert and awake.
Meditation is not evasion it is a serene encounter with reality. Be like a lion going forward with slow, gentle, and firm
steps.

For beginners I recommend the method of pure recognition: recognition without judgment. Feelings, whether of
compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both
are ourselves. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.

In a family, if there is one person who practices mindfulness, the entire family will be more mindful. Because of the
presence of one member who lives in mindfulness, the entire family is reminded to live in mindfulness. Only by
practicing mindfulness will we not lose ourselves but acquire a bright joy and peace.

We ought to listen to music or sit and practice breathing before every meeting or discussion.

Tolstoy Emperor story moral: Remember that there is only one important time and that is now. The present moment
is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person you are with, who is right before you, for
who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future? The most important pursuit is making the
person standing at your side happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life.

EXERCISES IN MINDFULNESS

1. Half-smile when you first wake up in the morning. Hang a branch, any other sign, or even the word smile on the
ceiling or wall so that you see it right away when you open your eyes. This sign will serve as your reminder. Use
these seconds before you get out of bed to take hold of your breath. Inhale and exhale three breaths gently while
maintaining the half smile. Follow your breaths.

2. Half-smile during your free moments. Anywhere you find yourself sitting or standing, half-smile. Inhale and exhale
quietly 3 times.

3. Half-smile while listening to music. Smile while watching your inhalations and exhalations.

4. Half-smile when irritated. When you realize you are irritated, half-smile at once. Inhale and exhale quietly,
maintaining the half-smile for three breaths.

5. Letting go in a lying down position. Lie down on your back on a flat surface without the support of a mattress or
pillow. Keep your two arms loosely by your sides and your two legs slightly apart, stretched out before you. Maintain
a half smile. Breathe in and out gently, keeping your attention focused on your breath. Let go of every muscle in your
body. Relax each muscle as though it were sinking down through the floor or as though it were as soft and yielding
as a piece of silk hanging in the breeze to dry. Let go entirely, keeping your attention only on your breath and half
smile. Think of yourself as a cat, completely relaxed before a warm fire, whose muscles yield without resistance to
anyones touch. Continue for 15 breaths.

6. Letting go in the sitting position. Sit in the half or full lotus, or cross-legged, or your two legs folded beneath you,
or even on a chair, your two feet touching the floor. Half smile. Inhale and exhale while maintaining the half smile.
Let go.

7. Deep breathing. Lie on your back, breathe evenly and gently, focusing your attention on the movement of your
stomach. As you begin to breathe in, allow your stomach to rise in order to bring air into the lower half of your lungs.
As the upper halves of your lungs begin to fill with air, your chest begins to rise and your stomach begins to lower.
Dont tire yourself. Continue for 10 breaths. The exhalation will be longer than the inhalation.

8. Measuring your breath by your footsteps. Walk slowly and leisurely in a garden, along a river, or on a village path.
Breathe normally. Determine the length of your breath, the exhalation and the inhalation, by the number of your
footsteps. Continue for a few minutes. Begin to lengthen your exhalation by one step. Do not force a longer
inhalation. Let it be natural. Watch your inhalation carefully to see if there is a desire to lengthen it. Continue for 10
breaths.

9. Counting your breath. Sitting or walking inhale and be mindful, I am inhaling, one. When you exhale, be mindful
that I am exhaling, one. Remember to breathe from the stomach. Continue to 10 and then start over. Whenever
you lose count, return to one.

10. Following your breath while listening to music. Listen to a piece of music. Breathe long, light, and even breaths.
Follow your breath, be master of it while remaining aware of the movement and sentiments of the music. Do not get
lost in the music, but continue to be master of your breath and yourself.

11. Following your breath while carrying on a conversation. Breathe long, light, and even breaths. Follow your breath
while listening to a friends words and to your own replies. Continue as with music.

12. Following the breath. Sitting or walking begin to inhale from the stomach mindful that, I am inhaling normally.
Exhale in mindfulness, I am exhaling normally. Continue for three breaths. On the fourth breath extend the
inhalation, mindful that, I am breathing in a long inhalation. Exhale in mindfulness, I am breathing out a long
exhalation. Continue for three breaths. Now follow your breath carefully aware of every moment of your stomach
and lugs. Follow the entrance and exit of air. Be mindful that I am inhaling and following the inhalation from its
beginning to its end. I am exhaling and following the exhalation from its beginning to its end. Continue for 20
breaths. Return to normal. After 5 minutes, repeat the exercise. Remember to maintain the half smile while
breathing.

13. Breathing to quiet the mind and body to realize joy. Sitting in a comfortable position with a half-smile follow your
breath. When your mind and body are quiet continue to inhale and exhale very lightly, mindful that, I am breathing in
and making the breath-body light and peaceful. I am exhaling and making the breath-body light and peaceful.
Continue for three breaths giving rise to the thought in mindfulness, I am breathing in and making my entire body
light and peaceful and joyous. Continue for three breaths and in mindfulness give rise to the thought, I am
breathing in while my body and mind are peace and joy. I am breathing out while my mind and body are peace and
joy. Maintain this thought in mindfulness from 5-30 minutes, or for an hour, according to your ability and to the time
available to you. The beginning and end of the practice should be relaxed and gentle. When you stop gently
massage your eyes and face with your two hands and then massage the muscles in your legs before returning to a
normal sitting position. Wait a moment before standing up.

14. Mindfulness of the positions of the body. This can be practices in any time and place. Begin to focus your
attention on your breath. Breathe quietly and more deeply than usual. Be mindful of the position of your body. Be
mindful of the purpose of your position.

15. Mindfulness while making tea. Prepare a pot of tea to serve a guest or drink by yourself. Do each movement
slowly in mindfulness. Do not let one detail of your movements go by without being mindful of it. Take hold of your
breath if your mind strays.

16. Washing the dishes. Wash the dishes relaxingly, as though each bowl is an object of contemplation. Consider
each bowl as sacred. Follow your breath to prevent your mind from straying. Consider washing dishes as the most
important thing in life.

17. Washing clothes. Scrub the clothes relaxingly. Hold your attention on every movement of your hands and arms.
When you have finished scrubbing and rinsing, your mind and body should feel as clean and fresh as your clothes.
Remember to maintain the half smile and take hold of your breath if it wanders.
18. Cleaning house. Move slowly, three times more slowly than usual. Fully focus your attention on each task.
Maintain mindfulness of the breath, especially when your thoughts wander.

19. A slow motion bath. Allow yourself 30-45 minutes to take a bath. Dont hurry for even one second. From the
moment you prepare the bath water to the moment you put on clean clothes, let every motion be light and slow.

20. The pebble. While sitting still and breathing slowly, think of yourself as a pebble which is falling through a clear
stream. The pebble sinks through the water effortlessly. Detached from everything, it falls by the shortest distance
possible, finally reaching the bottom, the point of perfect rest. You are like a pebble which has let itself fall into the
river, letting go of everything. At the center of your being is your breath. You dont need to know the length of time it
takes before reaching the point of complete rest on the bed of fine sand beneath the water. When you feel yourself
resting like a pebble which has reached the riverbed that is the point when you begin to find your own rest. You are
no longer pushed or pulled by anything.

21. A day of mindfulness. Set aside one day of the week that accords with your own situation. Forget the work you
do during the other days. Do not organize meetings or have friends over. Do only such simple work as house
cleaning, cooking, washing clothes, and dusting. Once the house is neat and clean, and all your things are in order,
take a slow motion bath. Afterwards, prepare and drink tea. You might read scripture or write letters. Afterwards take
a walk to practice breathing. During all activities maintain mindfulness. While reading follow what you are reading,
while writing follow what you are writing. Follow the same procedure for listening to music or talking to a friend. In
the evening prepare yourself a light meal. Sit in meditation for an hour before you go to bed. During the day, take
two walk of half an hour to 45 minutes. Instead of reading before you go to bed practice deep relaxation for 5-10
minutes. Be a master of your breathing. Breathe gently, following the rising, the lowering of your stomach and chest,
your eyes closed. Every movement during this day should be at least 2 times slower than usual.

22. Contemplation on interdependence. Find a photo of yourself as a child. Sit comfortable. Begin to follow your
breath. After 20 breaths, begin to focus your attention on the photo in front of you. Recreate and live again the five
aggregates of which you were made up at the time the photo was taken: the physical characteristics of your body,
feelings, perceptions, mind functionings, and consciousness in the present moment. See the five aggregates which
make up yourself. Ask the question, Who am I? The question should be deeply rooted in you, like a new seed
nestled deep in the soft earth and damp with water. The question, Who am I? should not be an abstract question to
consider with your discursive intellect. The question Who am I? will not be confined to your intellect but to the care
of the whole of the five aggregates. Dont try to seek an intellectual answer. Contemplate for 10 minutes, maintaining
light but deep breath to prevent being pulled away by philosophical reflection.

23. Yourself. Sit in a dark room by yourself, or alone by a river at night, or anywhere else where there is solitude.
Begin to take hold of your breath. Give rise to the thought, I will use my finger to point at myself, and then instead
of pointing at your body point away in the opposite direction. Contemplate seeing yourself outside of your bodily
form. Contemplate seeing your bodily form present before youin the trees, the grass and leaves, the river. Be
mindful that you are in the universe and the universe is in you: if the universe is, you are; if you are, the universe is.
There is no birth. There is no death. There is no coming. There is no going. Maintain the half smile. Take hold of your
breath. Contemplate for 10-20 minutes.

24. Your skeleton. Lie on a bed or on a mat or on the grass in a position in which you are comfortable. Dont use a
pillow. Begin to take hold of your breath. Imagine all that is left of your body is a white skeleton lying on the face of
the earth. Maintain the half smile and continue to follow your breath. Imagine that all your flesh has decomposed and
is gone, that your skeleton is now lying in the earth 80 years after burial. See clearly the bones of your head, back,
your ribs, your hip bones, leg and arm bones finger bones. Maintain the half smile, breathe very lightly, your heart
and mind serene. See that your skeleton is not you. Your bodily form is not you. Be at one with life. Live eternally in
the trees and grass, in other people, in the birds and other beasts, in the sky, in the ocean waves. Your skeleton is
only one part of you. You are present everywhere and in every moment. You are not only a bodily form, or even
feelings, thoughts, actions, and knowledge. Continue for 20-30 minutes.

25. Your true visage before you were born. In a comfortable sitting position concentrate on the point of your lifes
beginningA. Know that it is also the point of beginning of your death. See that both your life and death are
manifested at the same time: See that you are at the same time your life and your death; that the two are not
enemies but two aspects of the same reality. Then concentrate on the point of ending of the twofold manifestation
Bwhich is wrongly called death. See that it is the ending point of the manifestation of both your life and your death.
See that there is no difference before A and after B. Search for your true face in the periods before A and after B.

26. A loved one who has died. Sit in a comfortable position and begin to take hold of your breath. Contemplate the
body of a loved one who has died and know clearly that the flesh has decomposed and only the skeleton or ashes
remain. Know clearly that your own flesh is still here and in yourself are still converged the five aggregates of bodily
form, feeling, perception, mental functionings, and consciousness. Think of your interaction with that person in the
past and right now. Maintain the half smile and take hold of your breath. Contemplate this way for 15 minutes.

27. Emptiness. Sit in a comfortable position and regulate your breath. Contemplate the nature of emptiness in the
assembly of the five aggregates: bodily form. feeling, perception, mind functionings, and consciousness. Pass from
considering one aggregate to another. See that all transform, are impermanent and without self. The assembly of all
phenomena: all obey the law of interdependence. Their coming together and disbanding from one another
resembles the gathering and vanishing of clouds around the peaks of mountains. Neither cling nor reject the five
aggregates. Know that like and dislike are phenomena which belong to the assemblage of the five aggregates. See
clearly that the five aggregates are without self and are empty, but that they are also wondrous, wondrous as is each
phenomena in the universe, wondrous as the life which is present everywhere. Try to see that the five aggregates do
not really undergo creation and destruction for they themselves are ultimate reality. Try to see by this contemplation
that impermanence is a concept, non-self, and emptiness. You will see that emptiness is also empty, and that the
ultimate reality of emptiness is no different from the ultimate reality of the five aggregates.

28. Compassion for the person you hate or despise most. Sit quietly. Breathe and smile the half smile. Contemplate
the image of the person who has caused you the most suffering. Regard the features you hate or despise the most
or find the most repulsive. Try to examine what makes this person happy and what causes suffering in his daily life.
Contemplate the persons perceptions; try to see what patterns of thought and reason this person follows. Examine
what motivates this persons hopes and actions. Finally consider the persons consciousness. See whether his views
and insights are open and free or not, and whether or not he has been influenced by any prejudices, narrow-
mindedness, hatred, or anger. See whether or not he is master of himself. Continue until you feel compassion rise in
your heat like a well filling with fresh water and your anger and resentment disappear. Practice this exercise many
times on the same person.

29. Suffering caused by the lack of wisdom. Sitting in a comfortable position begin to follow your breath. Choose the
situation of a person, family, or society which is suffering the most of any you know. This will be the object of your
contemplation. In the case of a person, try to see every suffering which that person is undergoing. Begin with the
suffering of bodily form (sickness, poverty, physical pain) and then proceed to suffering caused by feelings (internal
conflicts, fear, hatred, jealousy, a tortured conscience). Consider next the suffering caused by perceptions
(pessimism, dwelling on his problems with a dark and narrow viewpoint). See whether his mind functionings are
motivated by fear, discouragement, despair, or hatred. See whether or not his consciousness is shut off because of
his situation, because of his suffering, because of the people around him, his education, his propaganda, or lack of
control of his own self. Meditate on all these sufferings until your heart fills with compassion like a well of fresh water,
and you are able to see that the person suffers because of circumstances and ignorance. Resolve to help that
person get out of his present situation through the most silent and unpretentious means. In the case of a family,
follow the same method. Go through all the sufferings of one person and the on to the next person until you have
examined the sufferings of the entire family. See that their sufferings are your own. See that it is not possible to
reproach even one person in that group. See that you must help them liberate themselves from their present
situation by the most silent and unpretentious means possible. In the case of a society, take the situation of a
country suffering war or any other situation of injustice. Try to see that every person involved in the conflict is a
victim. See that no person, including all those in warring parties or in what appears to be opposing sides, desires the
suffering to continue. See that it is not only one or a few persons to blame for the situation. See that the situation is
possible because of the clinging to ideologies and to an unjust world economic system which is upheld by every
person through ignorance or through lack of resolve to change it. See that two sides in a conflict are not really
opposing, but two aspects of the same reality. See that the most essential thing is life and that killing or oppressing
one another will not solve anything. Remember the Sutras words: In the time of war Raise in yourself the Mind of
compassion Help living beings Abandon the will to fight. Wherever there is furious battle Use all your might To keep
both sides strength equal And then step into the conflict to reconcile (Vimalakirti Nirdesa). Meditate until every
reproach and hatred disappears and compassion and love rise like a well of fresh water within you. Vow to work for
awareness and reconciliation by the most silent and unpretentious means possible.

30. Detached action. Sit comfortable and follow your breath. Take a project you believe to be important as the
subject of your contemplation. Examine the purpose of the work, the methods to be used, and the people involved.
Consider first the purpose of the project. See that the work is to serve, to alleviate suffering, to respond to
compassion, not to satisfy the desire for praise or recognition. See that the methods used encourage cooperation
between humans. Dont consider the project as an act of charity. Consider people involved. Do you still see in terms
of ones who serve and ones who benefit? If you can still see who are the ones serving and who are the ones
benefitting your work is for the sake of yourself and the workers, and not for the sake of service. The Prajnaparamita
Sutra says, The Bodhisattva helps row living beings to the other shore but in fact no living beings are being helped
to the other shore. Determine to work in the spirit of detached action.

31. Detachment. Sit comfortably, follow your breath. Recall the most significant achievements in your life and
examine each of them. Examine your talent, your virtue, your capacity, the convergence of favorable conditions that
have led to success. Examine the complacency and arrogance that have arisen from the feeling that you are the
main cause for such success. Shed the light of interdependence on the whole matter to see that the achievement is
not really yours but the convergence of various conditions beyond your reach. See to it that you will not be bound to
these achievements. Only when you can relinquish them can you really be free and no longer be assailed by them.
Recall the bitterest failures in your life and examine each of them. Examine your talent, your virtue, your capacity,
and the absence of favorable conditions that led to the failures. Examine to see all the complexes that have arisen
within you from the feeling that you are not capable of realizing success. Shed the light of interdependence on the
whole matter to see that failures cannot be accounted for by your inabilities but rather by the lack of favorable
conditions. See that you have no strength to shoulder these failures, that these failures are not your own self. See to
it that you are free from them. Only when you can relinquish them can you really be free and no longer assailed by
them.

32. Contemplation on non-abandonment. Sit comfortably and follow your breath. Apply one of the exercises on
interdependence: yourself, your skeleton, or one who has died. See that everything is impermanent and without
eternal identity. See that although things are impermanent and without lasting identity, they are nonetheless
wondrous. While you are not bound by the conditioned, neither are you bound by the nonconditioned. See that the
saint, though he is not caught by the teaching of interdependence, neither does he get away from the teaching.
Although he can abandon the teaching as if it were cold ashes, still he can dwell in it and not be drowned. He is like
a boat upon the water. Contemplate to see that awakened people, while not being enslaved by the work of serving
living beings, never abandon their work of serving living beings.

Mindfulness in Malaysia: Teachings on Love & Interdependence

September 27, 2010 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Just a few hours after my 4:30am flight landed in Kuala Lumpur I found myself at a Malaysian University with
hundreds of Chinese-Malaysian Buddhists and the monks and nuns from Plum Village for a day of mindfulness. I
had traveled to Malaysia primarily to see my teacher, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Zen master, and poet, Venerable
Thich Nhat Hanh speak at a day of mindfulness, This is a Happy Moment: Becoming Truly Alive and give the
keynote address at the first World Buddhist Conference, Living in Harmony When Things Fall Apart.

When I was on retreat at Deer Park monastery this past summer the Abbot, Brother Phap Dung, said to me, I make
sure I never let my gas tank go below 80. Well, I was nearing the 79 mark when I boarded my flight to KL but the
past few days have been filled with inspiring teachings given by world renowned Buddhist scholars and activists and
Ive returned to Delhi nourished with a heart filled with love, hope and gratitude.
I feel so blessed to have received these teachings and feel it is my duty to share the Dharma with anyone who is
interested. For a brief summary of the teachings I received, conference presentations and some of my reflections
from the past few days Ive spent in Malaysia.

This is a Happy Moment: Becoming Truly Alive

If your cup is small, a little bit of salt will make the water salty. If your heart is small, then a little bit of pain can make
you suffer. Your heart must be large. Thich Nhat Hanh

My exhaustion from travel, lack of sleep and mental agitation melted when I came into Thays (students of Thich
Nhat Hanh call him, Thay which means teacher in Vietnamese) beautiful, loving, gentle presence. My
understanding and practice of mindfulness is rooted in the teachings of my guru, Thich Nhat Hanh. The day began
with mindful walking. When introducing the practice my teacher said: Our teacher is the Buddha and every step
brings us back to the here and now. We breathe in mindfully to become aware we are alive. We walk as a free
person, as a Buddha. We are a free person when we let go of the past and the future. We are inhabited by the
energy of the Buddha when we walk in mindfulness. What we are looking for is happiness, peace and love. This
moment can be a happy moment. As we walk, embrace the collective energy of the Sangha to transform you. We
will walk like a formation of birds and generate the energy of mindfulness, concentration and insight. Always finding
creative, humorous ways to connect with his students, my 84 year old teacher even made a reference to Michael
Jackson and said with a smile, This is it, like Michael Jackson.

As we walked as a Sangha, as a formation of birds, I followed my breath with every step, I have arrived. I am home.
In the here. In the now. I am solid. I am free. In the ultimate I dwell, and I just felt peace and joy. After walking
meditation, Thays teachings were essentially on love, centering on the the bhrahma viharas also known as the
four immeasurables or the four divine abodes: loving kindness (maitri), compassion (karuna), joy (mudita), and
equanimity (upeksha). My teacher presents these qualities as the foundation for true love and wrote a beautiful
book, Teachings on Love, that details how these qualities contribute to true love. Teachings on Love was one of the
first Thich Nhat Hanh books I ever read so it was wonderful to have him give these teachings to reinforce the
importance of the brahma viharas. This book states that the Buddhas teaching on love are very clear and concrete
and when we put these teachings of the brahma viharas into practice then our heart blooms like a flower. Thay
stressed that love and understanding make us happy and alive and when we have cultivated loving kindness,
compassion, joy and equanimity within then we can make other people happy. Maitri (loving kindness) comes from
mitra which means friendship and it is the capacity to offer happiness but you can only offer someone else
happiness when you understand their suffering. Karuna (compassion) is the ability to remove suffering. So a
practitioner of maitri and kaurna has the capacity to offer happiness. In order to understand someone elses suffering
we must look deeply and listen to them. The First Noble Truth is suffering, the Second Noble Truth is the nature of
our suffering. We must look deeply in order to understand our suffering and its origin and this leads to the Third
Noble Truth which is the cessation of suffering and the Fourth Noble Truth is the path to end suffering. Unfortunately,
in our modern society the path the suffering is covered up by consumption.

Thay stressed that we must first understand our own suffering before we can help another person understand their
suffering. At Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanhs practice center in Bordeaux, France, he held a retreat with Israelis and
Palestinians. He shared that only when they could understand and see the suffering of each other were they able to
build peace. Understanding is not only the foundation of love but also peace.

Love for another is only possible when you love yourself. Self-love is the foundation for loving another person if you
dont understand yourself or understand how to transform your suffering then you cannot help others. Understanding
oneself and ones own suffering you become free. Maitri and karuna are two energies that can help you relieve your
own suffering and help others suffer less. When your loved one is expressing their upset feelings Thay reminded us
not to interrupt as they speak or else that will ruin our session of deep listening. When we listen deeply we must only
breathe in and out with the sole purpose of helping our loved one to empty his/her heart. When we are listening
deeply we must only listen, we do not correct wrong perceptions, we follow our breath and we do not get irritated or
angry, in the future we can help our loved one correct their wrong perceptions but initially we only listen. We can
even evoke the name of Kuan Yin and as her disciple we listen to our loved ones. He reminded us that when we
listen deeply, we are the arm of Kuan Yin, the Chinese version of the male god or Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara, who
is seen as the deity of compassion in Buddhism.

Thay shared that true love in us and in our partner or those we care for should bring us mudita or joy in every
moment. Equanimity or upeksha stresses inclusiveness and ensures that in true love happiness is not an individual
matterthe happiness of a father and son, mother and daughter are one. These elements can grow and grow
continuously. Each practitioner should be able to cultivate and generate more love every day. Thay ended with one
of my favorite quotes: If your cup is small, a little bit of salt will make the water salty. If your heart is small, then a
little bit of pain can make you suffer. Your heart must be large. True love is without frontiers, it is unlimited. The
more understanding we put into our heart, the larger it growsUnderstanding is what makes your heart grow.

As Thay spoke I thought a lot about whether or not I really understood the suffering of my students. While I definitely
try Im not sure how successful I am in truly understanding the suffering of my students. Its challenging in an 85
minute period with so many objectives to accomplish to feel like I can understand deeply the nature of the suffering
of each student but I must try and Ive made this a focus for me this quarter. How do the brahma viharas influence
my work in the classroom with my students? The teachings are simple but the practice is very hard but it is only the
application of the teachings in our lives that will transform ourselves and the world.

After Thays inspiring teachings on love we engaged in the practice of mindful eating and teachings by the most
senior female monastic in our tradition, Sr. Chan Khong, who is looked at as Thays Chief of Staff. Sr. Chan Khong
led us in the practice of deep relaxation and touching of the earth. The day ended with a Dharma sharing in small
groups. It was so wonderful to be with the Sangha, my spiritual family.

World Buddhist Conference: Living in Harmony When Things Fall Apart

The World Buddhist Conference was organized by three Malaysia based groups, the Buddhist Gem Fellowship, the
Buddhist Missionary Society and the Young Buddhist Association. The conference brought together more than 500
Buddhists from more than 12 countries, representing various lineages in the Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana
traditions. There were three distinct sessions that focused on managing relationships, engaging society, and
protecting the world. The title of the conference was living in harmony when things fall apart and the enduring
understanding I believe every conference attendee left with was that in order to have harmony and peace in the
world we have to have harmony and peace within ourselves and the application of basic Buddhist teachings enable
us to do that. One of the eminent speakers, Venerable Tejadhammo Bhikku, a Theravadan Monk shared that in the
Pali Cannon, the term harmony is never divorced from its musical origins which means it arises and comes into
being constantly, it needs to be sustained, is dynamic and not static. Every single day things fall apart and we must
learn how to maintain harmony in ourselves and in the world. An Australian native, Venerable Tejadhammo talked
about rips which I understood from my few surfing experiences in Bali and Hawaii. A rip is a current in the ocean
that can pull you far away from shore. The only way you can escape a rip is not to try and swim against it but rather
become aware of what you are in, allow the rip to take you into the ocean where it will eventually lose its power and
then you can swim back in a slightly different direction. Venerable Tejadhammo encouraged us to live into the
turbulence with a lot of trust, confidence and faith. In response to my question about faith in the Buddhist context
on a retreat in India, my teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, told me that faith is having confidence in my own Buddha nature
and my ability to skillfully handle whatever life may throw my way. I tend to think of the First Noble Truth of suffering
as impermanence, inevitable change and uncertainty and am learning to move with those changes and become
more comfortable with not knowing and with uncertainty.

My teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, gave the keynote address at the conference entitled: Living Together in Harmony. In
introducing my teacher, Dr.Wei, President of the Buddhist Gem Fellowship, a trained economist and Chairman of the
Malaysian Tourism Board shared that Nhat stands for one and Hahn stands for action and his insight could help
the multi-ethnic, multi-religious country of Malaysia promote harmony and unity in diversity. During my brief time in
the country it was clear that the concept of One Malaysia needs a lot of work, the segregation between ethnic-
religious groups was very evident.

Thay spoke beautifully about how through right thinking and right action peace and harmony can remain even when
the whole world seems to have turned upside down. In the talk he submitted to the conference which differed slightly
from what he shared live in his keynote address he focused on the importance of creating harmony in the family
through deep listening and loving speech. He also spoke about the importance of having a kalyanamitra or spiritual
friend who is able to support us in our practice and nurture right thinking and right action. Im blessed with smany
kalayanamitras in my life! Right thinking and right action can be expressed through the five mindfulness trainings
(which are a modern interpretation of the Buddhas five precepts): Reverence for Life, True Happiness, True Love,
Loving Speech and Deep Listening, Nourishment and Healing. I took refuge in these trainings more than two years
ago and theyve helped me bring love, peace and harmony to myself without which I am unable to bring love, peace
and harmony to others. During the Q & A session, one of the Sisters told a story of a young woman who had the
trainings on her iPod and how she reads them until her mind is clear. I read them every morning and whenever I am
faced with an ethical dilemma I also turn to the trainings and focus on them until my mind is clear. Here are the
trainings:

Sisters and brothers in the community, this is the moment when we enjoy reciting the Five Mindfulness Trainings
together. The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are a
concrete expression of the Buddhas teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of
right understanding and true love, leading to healing, transformation, and happiness for ourselves and for the world.
To practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or Right View, which can remove
all discrimination, intolerance, anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we are
already on the path of a bodhisattva. Knowing we are on that path, we are not lost in confusion about our life in the
present or in fears about the future.

Reverence For Life: Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the
insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals.
I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in
my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from
dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in
order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.

True Happiness: Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am
committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to
possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material resources with those
who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate
from my own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion;
and that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware
that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and that I can live happily in the
present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am
committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and reverse
the process of global warming.

True Love: Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and
learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual
desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am
determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to
my family and friends. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples
and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to
learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and
inclusiveness which are the four basic elements of true love for my greater happiness and the greater happiness
of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.

Loving Speech and Deep Listening: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen
to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and
to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations.
Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire
confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful
breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be
found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will
speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of
difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that
can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and
inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.

Nourishment and Healing: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating
good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking,
and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods,
sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any
other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines,
books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing,
healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor
letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up
loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in
a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and
consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.

In Venerable Wei Wus response to Thays lecture he shared: Living in accordance to the five Mindfulness Training
of protecting life, acting with generosity, being responsible for ones sexual behavior, speaking lovingly and listening
deeply as well as nourishment and healing is the key to heal our personal lives and the life of our society and all this
has to start within the family. Oftentimes I encounter spiritual seekers from the West in India. They are sincere and
come to India to engage in deep practice but many of them have horrible relationships (if any relationship at all) with
their parents. Our parents are our source and while Thay always stresses the importance of creating harmony in all
of our relationships we should especially create harmony with our family first. I think it was Ram Dass who said
something along the lines of, You think you are enlightened? Go spend a week with your family.

Thay also quoted the French philosopher Sarte who said, Man is the sum of his actions. With right thinking we can
gain the insight of interbeing which is Thays term for the fundamental Buddhist teaching of dependent origination or
co-arising and with this understanding we can engage in right action.

In Dr. David Loys response to my teachers lecture he shared a beautiful quote from the well known Indian
nondualist, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look
outside and see that I am everything, that is love. And between these two, my life turns. Loy then spoke about how
Thay calls upon us to overcome the illusions of our separateness. The root of our suffering is sense of separation
and as each of us is not separate from other people, so our families are not separate from other families and social
institutions. Family breakdown reflects a larger social breakdown, and we cannot expect to resolve the former apart
from changes to the latter. The most important point is not to preach but to set an example. One of the main things I
learned as a parent is that, when I became angry at my son for doing something that I didnt like, what he really
learned from me is that its okay to get angry at people when they do something you dont like. This implies that
when my child develops values that I dont like, the first place for me to look is in the mirror. A focus on values,
however, should not overshadow another concern: developing healthy habits. The most important Buddhist principle
of all is the emphasis on mindfulnessthat is, on ones awareness and attention. One way to understand the
distinction between delusion and awakened is the difference between awareness struck in unhealthy grooves and
awareness liberated from such ruts. What I do determines the kind of person I become. An anonymous verse makes
this point very well: Sow a thought and reap a deed. Sow a deed and reap a habit. Sow a habit and reap a character.
Sow a character and reap a destiny. This gives us insight into how karma works, and it is also consistent with
Buddhist teachings about non-self. Buddhism starts with what I think because that determines the intentions that
motivate my actions, and actions repeated become habits. Habits create my character because my sense of self is
actually composed of habitual ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. This sense of self determines how I relate to the
world and thereby strongly affects how the world relates back to me. Dr. Loy also urged us to be motivated by
kindness and that in order to transform the quality of our lives we must first transform our intentions and motivations.
Training our minds will transform ourselves and therefore the world and how we relate to the world. To address the
crisis we face there needs to be a marrying of the inner transformation Buddhism can provide (meditation teaches us
how to transform our suffering) and the social transformation modernity has brought us.

I asked Dr. Loy and my elder monastic brothers and sisters in my tradition who were representing, Thich Nhat Hanh,
to give their thoughts on a nondual approach to education. Brother Phap Dung, the Abbot at Deer Park Monastery,
spoke about bringing the practice of insight and nondualism and interbeing to educators and he described the
retreats he has held with parents and their children and professors and their students. He shared that when they
practice together they lose their concept and titles. Teachers and parents suffer with hierarchy, power or inferiority. At
Deer Park parents are taught to nonparent and instead of reprimanding they come back to breathing and this helps
parents and teachers recognize the source of speech or action before they speak or act which promotes right
thinking and right speech. We have a history from our childhood and we bring that into our teaching and parenting
environment and continue this cycle. A practice to help teachers and parents is to reflect on the 5 year old child
within to see and feel their tenderness and vulnerability. When we do this we see our children and students and that
there really is no difference between us. Dr. Loy shared that Rudolph Steiner who founded the Waldorf Schools
would ask students: Do you love your teacher? And then ask teachers, Do you love your students This exercise is
a test of nonduality in the classroom. Loy also spoke to the importance of reducing competitiveness and reminded
me of Yeats remark that education is not filling a pail but lighting a fire.

Another question asked for clarification on the term socially engaged Buddhism and my elder Dharma brother
shared that engaged Buddhism is when we use our daily life as our practice. We cannot choose our circumstances
but we can choose how we respond. Even when we are busy we can enjoy our in breath and out breath and be
present for others when they are suffering. He also stated that while we will not allow our Sangha to be political
instrument we will speak out against an injustice. In order to share deeply, we must share our understanding in the
spirit of deep listening and loving speech. Politics can be expression of awakening. Meditation is an expression of
love. Only when we are aware of the situation can we respond skillfully. Socially engaged Buddhism is Buddhism
that enters into the world and this is the Bodhisattva ideal.

One of the speakers, Ms. Anchalee Kurutach, shared a definition of socially engaged Buddhism from Donal
Rothberg and Hozan Alan Senauke: Socially engaged Buddhism is a Dharma practice that flows from the
understanding of the complete yet complicated interdependence of all life. It is the practice of the bodhisattva vow to
save all beings. It is to know that the liberations of ourselves and the liberation of others are inseparable. It is to
transform ourselves as we transform all our relationships and our larger society. It is work at times from the inside
out and at times from the outside in, depending on the needs and conditions. It is to see the world through the eye of
the Dharma and to respond emphatically and actively with compassion.

Managing Relationships

After the reflections on my teachers keynote address the next session focused on managing relationships. The first
speaker was Dr. Tan Eng Kong, a medical doctor, consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He focused on the
second part of the conference theme, Things Fall Apart and presented how he attempts to blend western concepts
of psychology and ancient insights of the Buddha. He stressed the importance of communication, compassion, and
continuous connections in order to nurture and nourish relationships. His understanding of communication combines
the Buddhist principles of Right Speech, Right Actions, and Right Livelihood that constitute our ethical foundations
and the importance of nonverbal communication as expressed in Western Psychology (facial expressions and body
language). Compassion for Tan Eng Kong is our capacity to be kind, gentle, understanding and accepting because
we wish to reduce the pain and suffering of another especially when they are vulnerable. He spoke about the
brahma viharas, and writes: When we are in states of loving-kindness, metta, our warmth, respect and friendliness
sustains our intimate relationships. Secondly we need compassion for each others shortcomings and sufferings. Our
capacity for altruist joy, helps us to enjoy and celebrate each others strengths and successes. And finally, equanimity
gives us the calmness we need when we are in the face of conflicts and challengesit helps us to respond wisely
rather than act foolishly. Continuous connecting refers to our human need to connect deeply and be emotionally
related to others for a normal sense of well-being. As he listens Dr. Tan Eng Kong is relaxed, he keeps his mind
open, follows his breath. In deep listening he listens to what is behind the words. Every message has a feeling, an
emotion, and he is moved into understanding the feeling of a speaker.
Venerable Geshe Tenzin Zopa spoke about Transforming the Demon Within Oneself. Geshe said that things fall
apart because of negative karma. He shared the prayer, Never commit non-virtue. Commit only wholesome virtue.
Subdue ones mind. This is the teaching of the Buddha. The first two lines address the impact of cause and effect
(karma) and the third line addresses our minds. Geshe writes, Our minds are filled with delusions of every kind but
in particular, the primary six root delusions (anger, ignorance, attachment, pride, doubt and wrong view) flow from
the root delusion of the ignorant mind. As long as one does not subdue or transform these delusions, resultant
negative emotions will arise as the demon within oneself. The fourth line says that transforming ones mind is the
teaching of the Buddha. The elimination of delusions and karma is all about transforming our afflictive emotions and
delusions. The general antidote to these delusions is to cultivate the altruistic attitude (or Bodhichitta) in its two
aspects of conventional altruistic mind and ultimate altruistic mind. When one refers to the ultimate, this is within
the context of selflessness/emptiness. The specific antidotes to delusions are as follows: For ignorance, the antidote
is the wisdom realizing emptiness. For anger, the antidote is patience. For attachment, the antidote is recognizing
the unattractive aspects of samsaric existence. For pride, the antidote is humility. For doubt and wrong view, the
antidote is the wisdom realizing emptiness. All three yanas (Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana) have the Four Noble
Truths as their foundation. Karma teachings are common to all the three yanas without which, there is no
enlightenment. It is important to have a clear understanding about karma: Karma has four characteristics 1.
Results from karmic action are certain (positive actions produce positive results; negative actions produce suffering).
2. Karma increases. 3. One does not encounter experiences that one has not created the cause for. 4. Karma
committed does not disappear on its own. For karmic action to be complete, there needs to be four factors present
1. The intention; 2. The object to commit the action upon; 3. The action itself; 4. The result that one intended and a
sense of satisfaction when it happens. If all four actors are present when an act is committed one will experience all
the three types of results of karma, namely (a) ripened results (b) results similar to the cause (c) environmental
results. We should reflect on our own daily lives and see the kind of karma we commit. As a Buddhist practitioner,
one should always live in respect of the karma teachings with the great inspiration of Bodhichitta, the altruistic mind.
Bodhichitta can simple be described as compassion combined with the acceptance of responsibility by oneself, to
help liberate all beings from suffering. Loving kindness, equanimity, compassion are the necessary steps towards
developing the fruit of Bodhichitta, which requires courage to accept such a responsibility to free all beings from
Samsara. Like the bird which requires two wings to fly across the ocean, in order to go beyond Samsara, the
Buddhist practitioner needs to cultivate both Bodhichitta and the wisdom realizing selflessness/emptiness of self and
phenomena. Geshe inspired us to practice, understand and sincerely apply the Buddhas teachings with respect to
karma.

Venerable Bhante Tejadhammo spoke about Living With Purpose in Turbulent Times. He began by saying the one
yana is not enough and as he said this I was so pleased to see many traditions within the three yanas represented
at the conference. He shared that urbulence is relative, what is turbulent for one person will not be for another. He
urged us to listen to the Buddhas teachings with our heart. The Buddhas favorite image of turbulence in the Pali
sutras is water/floods. He cited Samyutta Nikaya Part 1 where a devata asks the Buddha, Sir, how did you cross the
flood? The Buddha answers, By not halting, friend, and by not straining I crossed the flood. The devata then asks,
But how is it, dear sir, that by not halting and by not straining you crossed the flood? The Buddha answers, When I
came to a standstill friend, then I sank; but when I struggled, then I got swept away. It is in this way, friend, that by
not halting and by not straining I crossed the flood. The Buddha associates the flood with Samsara, he enters into
Samsara but he doesnt struggle against it, he doesnt push forward straining out of it. He moves with it yet is free of
it and in the movement he transcends it. Bhante said that our biggest problem is an obsession with having to know
everything. We dont have to know everything but we may have an experiential knowledge. He told us to be patient
with all that is unsolved in our hearts and to try to love the questions themselves. He ended with quoting from Rilke
in Letters to a Young Poet when he responds to a young mans questions about the things of life: relationships,
work, art etc.: You are so young, so before all beginning, and so I must beg you as much as I can, dear sir, to be
patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart, and to learn to love the questions themselves like locked rooms
and books written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you
would not be able to live them. And the key is this, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, without
hardly noticing, you will live along some distant day into the answers.

During the Q & A the speakers asked us to practice right speech between this moment and the time we go to sleep.
Buddhism is not going to save anyone as a religion or institution. It never has and never will, what will liberate us
and others is when the teachings are put into practice. I was also reminded that when the Buddha visited his
disciples he asked 3 very simple questions: 1. Are you well? 2. Do you have enough to eat? 3. Are you dwelling in
harmony? If you answered yes he would ask, Good, tell me how you do it. The concern of the Buddha is basic. Dr.
Tan Eng Kong mentioned that it is the personhood of Thich Nhat Hanh that inspires him. He shared: Everyday I
make mistakes, I hope they are getting less and less and I often apologize and simply say, I am sorry. There is no
such thing as compassion fatigue there is no giver and receiver, how can you be fatigued? An occupation is different

from a vocation. I feel blessed that my occupation and vocation are the same

Engaging Society

The focus of the next session was on engaging society. The first speaker, Roshi Joan Halifax, (who Ive admired for
quite some time) shared her work with the Upaya Prison Project which seeks to help prisoners cultivate
wholesome and prosocial changes of mind and behavior that are sustainable upon release, such as compassion,
insight and honesty, and that decrease the likelihood of return to addiction or prison. I found Roshi Joans presence
beyond inspiring and she spoke with so much heart throughout the conference, her sharing touched me deeply. She
began her presentation by reminding us that the Buddha taught one thing and one thing only, suffering and the end
of suffering. She accompanied her teacher, Roshi Bernie Glassman to Auschwitz in 1997. This visit combined with
her exploration of the suffering of prisoners brought her into a context where tremendous human suffering had
transpired. The victims in Auschwitz were victims of ignorance and those who are incarcerated suffer because of
structural violence. The United States houses 25% of the worlds prison population. 2.5 million men, women and
children are incarcerated in the US. Her stories about working with prisoners made me think deeply about how
crimes committed are systemic and due to societal breakdowns. Bearing witness is a profound process of listening
without judging and without prejudice. Her work rests on three tenets of the Zen Peacemaker Order: not knowing,
bearing witness, and healing. She writes: not-knowing may seem strange to some of us. Conceptual knowledge is
so valued in the world. Yet in many cultures wisdom is equated not with knowledge but with a kind heart of
openness. Wisdom, said one Zen teacher, is a ready mind, a mind and heart that can be both tender and strong in
the face of that which seems unbearable. This fresh and open mind is the mind that does not rely on facts or
knowledge or concepts. This is the courageous mind that is able to separate from the familiar landscape of mental
busyness and dwell in the still reality of how things are, rather than how we think they should be. The second tenet,
bearing witness, reminds us to be fully present for what isour lives and the world just as they are. In doing so we
are called upon to continually cross the threshold of our story. Out of expectations, concepts, ideas, beliefs, and
fears, most of us fabricate a story of how things are. We defend ourselves against the fear of pain with our story. We
like to use it as a buffer against the impermanence of the present moment. To bear witness to the story and then go
beyond it is one of the ways in which we express our compassionsharing the suffering and joy of others and being
in touch with our own situation as well. The third tenet, healing, asks us to make a whole cloth of all the pieces of our
lives, to include everything present in the moment and to reject nothing. In the midst of suffering, dying, death, and
uncertainty, we are able to appreciate the warmth of the sun. Through not-knowing and bearing witness, our
capacity to include all the ingredients of the present moment increases. This enables us to serve others in whatever
way we can by expanding the horizon of our lives beyond our small selves. The tenets are an expression of the
three jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, the awakened nature of all beings; Dharma, the ocean of wisdom and
compassion; and sanhga, the interdependence of all creations.

Roshi Joan Halifax stressed that in the world today we still persist on a dualistic view. Inmates are physically
removed from society and they are who they are because of what we give them. The conference literature detailed
curricula for teaching inside a detention center, it states: In mindfulness training we have a chance to be alone with
our mind, to let it become still, to give up telling our story over and over again to ourselves. Paying attention for a
period of quiet time teaches us patience. In learning to pay attention to the moment at hand, we learn to see the
truth of this very present moment. Out of this truth comes wisdom. With wisdom comes new life. In addition to the
periods of mindfulness training, the course includes stretch exercises (yoga), slow movement exercises (Tai Chi
Chuan), and anger management exercises. Course Objectives: To reduce stress among inmates, thereby lessening
aggressive behavior between inmates. To reduce addiction, relapse and prison entry recidivism. To improve
concentration skills during GED study. To improve the quality of inmates lives, so that they can focus attention on
those life changes necessary for re-entry into society. Course format: The course class will meet for two hours each
week. Pre- and post-intervention ratings of anger and anxiety will be done in an effort to determine the validity of this
course. The literature then went through 20 lessons including topics such as: Guidelines for an Ethical Life;
Developing the Ability to Concentrate; Developing Mental Stability; Developing a Positive Mental Attitude; Working
With Forgiveness; Cultivating Kindness in Stressful Situations; Cultivating Compassion in Stressful Situations;
Cultivating Altruism in Stressful Situations; Cultivating Mental Balance in Stressful Situations; Cultivating Generosity,
Ethicality, Patience, Enthusiasm, Mindfulness, Wisdom; Working With Physical Pain; Working With Mental pain;
Exploring Self Responsibility and Interconnectedness; Learning the Relationship Between Cause and Effect;
Working with Inclusiveness, Dealing With Prejudice; Transforming Fear; Discovering the Relationship between the
Relative and Absolute; Building Trust in Yourself; Developing the Inquiring Mind; Learning Nonviolent
Communication. Each topic includes an objective, exercise, and rationale for the lesson. Each week of the 8 week
course built upon the week before using Jon Kabat-Zinns Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program.

Venerable Thubten Chodron spoke about Bringing Harmony to the Work Place. She shared that the human mind
has the ability to create suffering no matter how good the conditions of our mind are. Stress in workplace comes
because our priorities are confused. We havent clearly thought about the meaning and purpose of our lives, we just
do as we are told and follow along until the time of death comes. She writes, Most people spend a good part of their
day at work, so it is important to be able to incorporate our Dharma practice into this area of our life. We can do this
in several ways: generating good motivation, being mindful of how we interact with others, and counteracting old,
habitual, dysfunctional behaviors. Our motivation is key because it influences the choices we make and determines
the karmic or ethical value of what we do and how we do it. We need to ask: What is our real motivation for going to
work? To become well-known in the field? To be praised? To feel successful? Imagine expanding our motivation,
thinking: Today I am going to work to bring happiness into the lives of my colleagues, clients and customers. I greet
them with friendliness, speak the truth to them, and treat them honestly and with respect because I want to bring
harmony to their lives and my own. Take your time in contemplating the meaning of this motivation so that it will
remain steadfast in your mind during the day. During the day, practice being mindful of how you speak and act
towards others. Be aware of the intentions that lie behind those actions. If you notice that your mind is getting
agitated, aggravated, annoyed, jealous, or arrogant, stop and breathe. Come back to the beautiful and inspiring
motivation that you generated in the morning and remember why you are working. Very often we get stuck in
habitual behaviors that we do not even recognize, even though they interfere with creating a good environment at
our workplace. Attached to praise and seeking a good reputation, we defend our ego. We want to hear only good
comments and dont want to hear anything bad about ourselves, and we are in the habit of assuming that any
question or even a small comment is meant as criticism of who we are as a person. This oversensitivity is based on
believing that we are so very importantthis is the work of our self-centered thought, which is the real enemy that
destroys our peace and happiness. Meditation on the disadvantages of attachment to fame and reputation and the
faults of self-centered thought will help correct this. Lacking self-confidence, we seek others support and think that
by making one person in the office look bad, it means all the rest of us are good. When there is conflict in the office,
we need to talk with the people concerned instead of involving the entire workplace. Thubten Chodron also urged
us to stop being competitive and instead be more cooperative and look at our lives as having a common goal to
benefit society. We have two choices when we work with people we dont like: 1. We complain 2. We find a way to
make our mind happy. People want to change others but that is not a choice, we have to work with our own minds.

Buddhist activist, Anchalee Kurutach, spoke about Relieving the Pain of the Neglected. She shared the story of
when the Buddha attends to the sick Bhikku Ptigatta Tissa. She asked us to think about what we would do when
faced with someone whose body was covered with sores and pus oozing from their infected skin. What would we
do? Would we care for the sick? She then spoke about her work with teaching Cambodian refugees in Thailand
English and how while she worked very hard to plan her lessons and loved her students she failed to find the root
cause of their suffering. She writes, Two major defilements contribute to our neglect of others paingreed and
ignorance. We live in the world that conditions us since childhood to compete with one another and to be greedy for
ourselves and our loved ones. Often, we say right away when encountering an oppressive situation that it is due to
karma. That is, people must accept their poor fates because they did something in the past that resulted in them
being unfortunate in the present. In this way, we do not see it as our responsibility to make any changes toward the
betterment of society. Ignorance is a deeply rooted factor in our failure to help relieve suffering both in ourselves and
in others. It is easy enough to point to where there is pain and suffering. We may donate clothes, medicine or money
to the needy. These charitable deeds are important and needed. But, as a socially engaged Buddhist, I also
contemplate whether these acts lead to the transformation of suffering or whether they merely provide temporary
reliefs of suffering. This is the key question in my practice and in my involvement with the volunteer work I do.

Rites of Passage and Being With the Dying

Sunday morning began with a special talk given by Roshi Joan Halifax that moved me to tears. She began with a
quote from the Mahabharata when Yudhishthira askes, What is the most wondrous thing in the world? And the
response is: The most wondrous thing is that people are dying and we do not think it will happen to any of us. She
urged us to practice the truth of our own mortality and bring it more vividly into our own awareness. Placing such a
focus on our mortality is really swimming upstream in our global culture and society. She quoted a physics professor
from my alma matter, Amherst College, Arthur Zajonc who wrote inMeditation as Contemplative Inquiry: Imagine
that half the world is hidden from you. Half of the person sitting across from you has never been appreciated, half of
the garden has never been seen or smelled, half of your own life has never been truly witnessed and appraised. If
we fail to attend to the interior of self and world then, indeed, half the world is missed. When we turn toward
contemplation, we are turning to the forgotten half, toward that half of the world which modestly and patiently awaits
our freely given attention. While the rest of the world is on red alert, shouting for every minute of our conscious life,
the equally important interior dimensions of existence wait quietly. When it seems impossible to find the time to
meditate, we can remind ourselves of these facts. We give so much time to the demands of the world; isnt it proper
and even essential to give time to the silent half of the world that patiently waits us? Shouldnt we give as much time
to the inner as we do to the outer?

Roshi Joan Halifax has dedicated more than forty years to working with the dying and as she shared she stressed
the importance of recognizing our interior life and the development of mental qualities based in the brahma viharas.
She had lost her eyesight when she was a young girl for two years and as a result she was forced to recognize her
interior life. Halifax writes, Catastrophe is usually the circumstance that liberates strength, wisdom and kindness
from within the suffocating embrace of fear. Dying, we can be more alive. Being present and giving care in the midst
of a meltdown of mind or life can seed compassion. This is how we mature, and how transparency and intimacy are
engendered. Our very physical and psychic vulnerability, if we allow it, shows us the path and the present. It can
also nurture gratitude and humility. Contemporary scientists tell us that a living system, which is robust is one that
often breaks down and learns how to repair itself. This is the essence of the spiritual path, a series of breakdowns
that allow us to discover the truth that threads all of life into a whole cloth.

During her talk, Halifax spoke about how death in our culture is a rite of passage and caregivers play a key role
during these changes that take place. She also touched on how the tenets of the Zen Peacemaker Order have been
guidelines for her work with death and dyingSitting with a dying person, I can only not-know. Sitting with a dying
person, I can only bear witness. Sitting with a dying person, I can heal. The Three tenets come from life. They also
were discovered not simply in the confrontation with suffering but in the experience of meditation. Using
contemplative practices that help deepen our capacity for concentration, openness and insight, we can gradually
expand the horizons of our hearts until they are big enough to include everything, including the reality of death and
the fact that even when someone dies, well, it may not be a pretty picture. During her talk she showed photos of
the dying and the dead and I found this incredibly moving. While I am anything but a cerebral Buddhist the
photographs had a deep impact in my heart and mind and I appreciated her use of them during the presentation.
She concluded by saying: Let us awaken. Do not squander your life.

After Roshi Joan Halifax spoke there was a panel discussion about her talk and a beautiful Q & A session. She
mentioned the neuroscience research being conducted and the domains in which she works: Attentional Balance
(experience of attention can be sustained for very long periods of time); Emotional Balance (the importance of
watering the seeds of altruism); Metacognitive Stability (guiding your thoughts and actions in a congruent way with
your intentions so you are not a toy of emotions or mass of reactivity and you learn to actualize the vow I vow to
transform suffering and bring that vow to your moment to moment experience; Resilience (increasing a zone of
resilience in your life has 5 challenges: 1. vital exhaustion, 2. secondary trauma, 3. moral distress 4. horizontal
violence. 5. structural violence).

Halifax also made a clear distinction between empathy and compassion. Empathy is the experience of feeling with
someone. It is an isomorphic experience of affective resonance with an individual and brain research shows that this
occurs in the insular part of the brain. Compassion is another order of experience. It is a feeling for, concern for the
individual and it is a complex mental quality which includes empathy but also the capacity to distinguish between self
and other at some point so you dont go into empathetic over-arousaldifferent parts of the brain are activated. It is
a feeling of being able to respond. This feeling is located in the left prefrontal cortex. Now we have scientific
evidence of what the Buddha preached. We can generate our capacity for more compassion through meditation.
Venerable Thubten Chodron also shared that compassion does not mean you are a doormat. Compassion means
we want someone to be free of suffering and the causes of suffering and this reminded me of Pema Chodrons
discussions on idiot compassion and the importance of balancing compassion with wisdom. Thubten Chodron also
stated that compassion means you stand up for what is right when it is necessary to end suffering and the causes of
suffering.

Venerable Tejadhammo shared that it is important to balance our emotions and intentions when we work with death
and dying and it is important to understand that being present with a dying person is to share their suffering.

After the presentation on Death and Dying Dr. Loy gave a presentation about a fairly new US based organization,
Buddhist Global Relief, created in response to a beautiful article by Venerable Bhikku Bodhi entitled, A Challenge to
Buddhists: Seeing the immensity of the worlds anguish has raised in my mind questions about the future prospects
for Buddhism in the West. Ive been struck by how seldom the theme of global sufferingthe palpable suffering of
real human beingsis thematically explored in the Buddhist journals and teachings with which I am acquainted. It
seems to me that we Western Buddhists tend to dwell in a cognitive space that defines the first noble truth largely
against the background of our middle-class lifestyles: as the gnawing of discontent; the ennui of over-satiation; the
pain of unfulfilling relationships; or, with a bow to Buddhist theory, as bondage to the round of rebirths. Too often, I
feel, our focus on these aspects of dukkha has made us oblivious to the vast, catastrophic suffering that daily
overwhelms three-fourths of the worlds population. An exception to this tendency may be found with the Engaged
Buddhist movement. I believe this is a face of Buddhism that has great promise, but from my superficial readings in
this area I am struck by two things. First, while some Engaged Buddhists seek fresh perspectives from the Dharma,
for many Buddhism simply provides spiritual practices to use while simultaneously espousing socio-political causes
not much different from those of the mainstream Left. Second, Engaged Buddhism still remains tangential to the
hard core of Western interest in Buddhism, which is the Dharma as a path to inner peace and self-realization. If
Buddhism in the West becomes solely a means to pursue personal spiritual growth, I am apprehensive that it may
evolve in a one-sided way and thus fulfill only half its potential. Attracting the affluent and the educated, it will
provide a congenial home for the intellectual and cultural elite, but it will risk turning the quest for enlightenment into
an private journey that, in the face of the immense suffering which daily hounds countless human lives, can present
only a resigned quietism. It is true that Buddhist meditation practice requires seclusion and inwardly focused depth.
But wouldnt the embodiment of Dharma in the world be more complete by also reaching out and addressing the
grinding miseries that are ailing humanity? I know we engage in lofty meditations on kindness and compassion and
espouse beautiful ideals of love and peace. But note that we pursue them largely asinward, subjective
experiences geared toward personal transformation. Too seldom does this type of compassion roll up its sleeves
and step into the field. Too rarely does it translate into pragmatic programs of effective action realistically designed
to diminish the actual sufferings of those battered by natural calamities or societal deprivation. By way of contrast,
take Christian Aid and World Vision. These are not missionary movements aimed at proselytizing but relief
organizations that provide relief and development aid while also tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
Similarly, the American Jewish World Service doesnt aspire to convert people to Judaism but to express Judaisms
commitment to social justice by alleviating poverty, hunger, and disease among the people of the developing world
regardless of race, religion, or nationality. Why doesnt Buddhism have anything like that? Surely we can find a
supporting framework for this in Buddhist doctrine, ethical ideals, archetypes, legends, and historical precedents. I
recognize that many individual Buddhists are actively engaged in social service and that a few larger Buddhist
organizations work tirelessly to relieve human suffering around the globe. Their selfless dedication fully deserves
our appreciation. Unfortunately, their appeal has as yet been limited. Buddhist teachers often say that the most
effective way we can help protect the world is by purifying our own minds, or that before we engage in
compassionate action we must attain realization of selflessness or emptiness. There may be some truth in such
statements, but I think it is a partial truth. In these critical times, we also have an obligation to aid those immersed in
the world who live on the brink of destitution and despair. The Buddhas mission, the reason for his arising in the
world, was to free beings from suffering by uprooting the evil roots of greed, hatred, and delusion. These sinister
roots dont exist only in our own minds. Today they have acquired a collective dimension and have spread out over
whole countries and continents. To help free beings from suffering today therefore requires that we counter the
systemic embodiments of greed, hatred, and delusion. In each historical period, the Dharma finds new means to
unfold its potentials in ways precisely linked to that eras distinctive historical conditions. I believe that our own era
provides the appropriate historical stage for the transcendent truth of the Dharma to bend back upon the world and
engage human suffering at multiple levelseven the lowest, harshest, and most degrading levelsnot in mere
contemplation but in effective, relief-granting action illuminated by its own world-transcending goal. The special
challenge facing Buddhism in our age is to stand up as an advocate for justice in the world, a voice of conscience
for those victims of social, economic, and political injustice who cannot stand up and speak for themselves. This, in
my view, is a deeply moral challenge marking a watershed in the modern expression of Buddhism. I believe it also
points in a direction that Buddhism should take if it is to share in the Buddhas ongoing mission to humanity.

Buddhist Global Relief is conducting many worthwhile projects all over the globe. In fact, they are conducting a walk
in a few weeks for World Food Day in New Jersey not too far from the home of my parents!

Protecting the World

We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness. Thich Nhat Hanh

I came to realize clearly that mind is no other than mountains and rivers and the gret wide earth, the sun and the
moon and the stars. Dogen

Studying the Buddha way is studying oneself. Studying oneself is forgetting oneself. Forgetting oneself is being
enlightened by all things. Being enlightened by all things is to shed the body-mind of oneself, and those of others.
No trace of enlightenment remains, and this traceless enlightenment continues endlessly.- Dogen

The focus of the final session was on Protecting the World. In his presentation, Healing Ecology, David Loy
shared that there are parallels between our perpetual individual predicament, according to Buddhism, and the
present situation of human civilization which implied that the eco-crisis is as much a spiritual challenge as a
technological one. The fundamental Buddhist teaching of no-self makes us realize that the self is a psychological
and social construction, which is by definition ungrounded and ungroundable, and therefore always insecure. Our
constructed self is best understood as a process or work in progressPerhaps our problem is not self-love but a
profound misunderstanding of what ones self really is. Without the compassion that arises when we realize our
nondualityempathy not only with other humans but with the whole biosphereit is becoming likely that civilization
as we know it will not survive the next few centuries. Nor would it deserve to. He presented:

1. The self is a psychological constructlink between our suffering and delusive sense of self

2. Involving a sense of separation from the world which causes suffering

3. This anxiety includes confusion about who I am and the meaning of my life

4. In response, I try to ground myself in ways that make my situation worse

5. I cannot get rid of the self but i can realize that it is empty

6. This realization frees and empowers me to help others

Given the state of our planet Loy said we need eco-sattvas whose primary role is to heal the earth.

In Doing Our Part, Venerable Thubten Chodron asked us to think about how we relate to environmental
degradation and to stop blaming others. Every piece of paper we use is an opportunity to care about the
environment. Tonglen practice is insignificant to but it keeps our heart open so we do not fall into laziness. We must
think about our role in destroying the worldwhen we are in our cars we should think about the human beings that
are going to die of climate change that is related to our cars, we also need to think about the corporations that
produce the products we buy. She shared that at a conference she attended last year she learned about a new
psychological ailment called: climate anxiety or environmental anxiety. This refers to when people look at the
environmental devastation and become fearful, angry, anxious, or apathetic in response. Chodron writes, The
Buddha knew that just because something is difficult, it doesnt mean we give up and dont act. Instead he called up
his hope, optimism, and joyous effort and did whatever he could, and so must we to heal the natural environment.
Acting in a more environmentally conscious manner in our own lives is an antidote to feelings of despair,
helplessness, and anger. We must do our parthowever big or small that may beto lessen and stop climate
change and the destruction of nature. In this way our lives will be meaningful and our minds optimistic as we bring
the Buddhist principles of interdependence, wisdom, and kindness into our daily actions.

In Awakening WITH the World Anchalee Kurutach inspired me with her story about working with victims of
domestic violence and her call for Buddhists to live the Bodhisattva vow with socially engaged Buddhism. That we
are not free until all beings are free is daunting. It is much easier to focus on our internal liberation, taking refuge in
our own cushion. After all, those who brave their souls and march on to save the world at any cost are often
crushed along the way when they realize the world cannot be saved. But does it have to be one way or the other?
Can we truly see the interdependence of the liberations between self and others? Socially Engaged Buddhism offers
a clear path. A meditation practice does not save battered women. Law enforcement, education system, health care
system, societal values, spiritual teachings, family support, for example all play a vital role in her safety.

During the final Q&A I was reminded that while I focus on this moment, I must do it within the context of big mind.
We practice in the present moment and this moment is valuable because right now it is the only moment for
practicing and it creates causal energy. On my way back to Delhi I was fortunate enough to travel with a lovely
Tibetan Buddhist Monk who is a student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, my friend, Kabir Saxena. Spending time with Kabir
also reminded me of the larger context of the dharma and the deep teachings in the Tibetan tradition about karma. In
the tradition of my teacher we dont subscribe to reincarnation in the traditional sense but rather continuation where
we continue on all of the elements and all of the lives of those weve touched. Dr. Loy even commented that science
hasnt proved rebirth and that was the accepted belief of the day during the Buddhas time but this is something we
may want to approach with agnosticism and this reminded me of the writings of Stephen Batchelor and his
book, Buddhism Without Beliefs.

The conference ended with the organizer, Benny Liow, summarizing each talk and sharing my favorite lines from the
Avatamsuka Sutra which speak to our interconnectedness, lack of a separate self, and how we exist in others: Far
away in the heavenly abode of the great God Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning
artificer in such a manner that it stretches out indefinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes
of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel at the nets every node, and since the net itself is infinite in
dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a
wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will
discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only
that, but that each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that the process
of reflection is infinite. The Avatamsaka Sutra, Francis H. Cook: Hua-Yen Buddhism: The Jewel Net of Indra,
1977

The World Buddhist Conference sought to teach us that if we understand the Buddhas teachings, we will see life in
perspective and be able to cope with our lives when things fall apart and emphasize how basic Buddhist concepts
can change the way we look at life so that we can experience true happiness. To close the conference we engaged
in sharing the merit which is the traditional way of ending a session of formal practice or teaching. A
representative from each yana shared as we all stood up and sent out the merit of our practice to all sentient beings.
In the tradition of my teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, we chant the following:

Joyfully Sharing the Merit

Blessed Ones who dwell in the world, grant to us compassion.In this and countless lives before, from beginningless
time,our mistakes have caused much suffering to ourselves and others.We have done wrong, encouraged others to
do wrong, and given our consent to acts of killing, stealing, deceiving, sexual misconduct, and other harmful actions
among the Ten Unwholesome Deeds. Whether our faults are known to others or whether they are hidden, they have
brought us to the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals,causing us to be born in places filled with pain and
suffering.We have not yet had the chance to realize our full potential.Today we are determined, with one-pointed
concentration,to repent the obstacles of our past unwholesome actions. Blessed Ones, be our witness and look
upon us with compassion.We surrender before you and make this aspiration:If at all within this very life and
countless lives before, we have given, even if only a handful of food or simple garment;if we have ever spoken
kindly, even if only a few words;if we have ever looked with eyes of compassion, even if only for a moment;if we
have ever comforted or consoled, even if only once or twice;if we have ever listened carefully to wonderful
teachings,even if only to one talk;if we have ever offered a meal to monks and nuns, even if only once;if we have
ever saved a life, even if only that of an ant or a worm;if we have ever recited a sutra, even if only one or two lines;if
we have ever been a monk or a nun, even if only for one life;if we have ever supported others on the path of
practice, even if only two or three people;if we have ever observed the mindfulness trainings, even if imperfectly;all
of this merit has slowly formed wholesome seeds within us.Today we gather them together like a fragrant flower
garland and, with great respect, we offer it to all Awakened Ones a contribution to the fruit of the highest path.
Opening our hearts wide to the Perfect Highest Awakening,we are resolved to attain Great Understanding.We will
realize compassion and embody deep love.We will practice diligently, transforming our sufferingand the suffering of
all other species.Please transfer the merits of body, speech, and mindto the happiness of people and all other
beings.Apart from bodhicitta and apart from the thirst for great understanding and the embodiment of love,there is no
other desire within us.All Buddhas in the Three Times and the Ten Directionshave offered their merit as we are doing
today.Repenting all our faults, we joyfully contribute to the immeasurable ocean of merit and the towering peaks of
the Highest Understanding.The Buddhas and the Ancestral Teachers are the light which shows us the way. In this
solemn moment, with all my lifes force,I come back to myself and bow deeply with respect.

The Key to Happiness: Notes from Thich Nhat Hahns Commentary on the Sutra on the Full Awareness
of Breathing
August 29, 2010 in Book Excerpts, Dharma Teachings (Notes) | Leave a comment
These are my notes from a few years ago

Meenas notes from Thich Nhat Hahns Commentary on the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing

Three sutras fundamental to the practice of meditation are Anapanasati, Satipatthana (Four Establishments of
Mindfulness), and Bhaddekaratta Sutta (Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone). In the Southern traditions
these are regarded as the most important texts on meditation. Thay feels that if we understand these sutras we will
have a deeper vision and comprehensive grasp of t he scriptures classified as Mahayana, just as after we see the
roots and trunk of a tree we can appreciate its leaves and branches more deeply.

The 16 methods of inhaling and exhaling, in combination with the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, are the
essence of the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. Breathing is a means of awakening and maintaining full
attention in order to look carefully, long, and deeply, to see the nature of all things.

Everything that exists can be places into one of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness (the body, feelings, mind,
and objects of the mind).

The 16 methods of breathing in and breathing out can be divided into 4 groups of four methods each. The first group
uses the body as the object of Full Awareness; the second uses the feelings; the third uses the mind; and the fourth,
the objects of the mind.

If the methods of fully aware breathing are practiced continuously they will lead to the realization of the Seven
Factors of Awakening.

Analysis of Sutras content

The first part describes the circumstances under which the teaching was delivered. The second section is the heart
of the sutra. It elaborates the 16 methods of fully aware breathing in connection with the Four Establishments of
Mindfulness.

Four Preliminary Exercises: Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

1. Breathing in a long breath, I know I am breathing in a long breath. Breathing out a long breath, I know I am
breathing out a long breath.

2. Breathing in a short breath, I know I am breathing in a short breath. Breathing out a short breath, I know I am
breathing out a short breath.

3. Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.

4. Breathing in, I calm my whole body. Breathing out, I calm my whole body.

These exercises of fully aware breathing help us return to our body in order to look deeply at it and care for it. In our
daily lives, it is important that we create harmony and ease in our body and to reunite our body and mind. In the first
two exercises the object of our awareness is the breath itself. Our mind is the subject, and our breath is the object.
Our breath may be short, long, heavy, or light. Practicing our awareness this way we see that our breathing affects
our mind, and our mind affects our breathing. Our mind and breath become one. We also see that breathing is an
aspect of the body and that awareness of breathing is also awareness of the body. In the third exercise the breath is
connected with our whole body, not just a part of it. Awareness of the breathing is, at the same time awareness of
our whole bodyour mind, breath, body are one. In the fourth breathing exercise, our bodys function begins to calm
down. Calming the breath is accompanies by calming the body and the mind. Our mind, our breathing, and our
body are calmed down, equally. In these 4 exercises, we can realize the oneness of body and mind. Breathing is an
excellent tool for establishing calmness and evenness.

The Second Four Exercises

5. Breathing in, I feel joyful. Breathing out, I feel joyful.

6. Breathing in, I feel happy. Breathing out, I feel happy.

7. Breathing in, I am aware of my mental formations. Breathing out, I am aware of my mental formations.

8. Breathing in, I calm my mental formations. Breathing out, I calm my mental formations.

The second four exercises help us return to our feelings in order to develop joy and happiness and transform
suffering. Our feelings are us. If we do not look after them, who will do it for us? Every day we have painful feelings,
and we need to learn how to look after them. Teachers and friends can help but we have to do the work. Our body
and our feelings are our territory and we are responsible for that territory. As a result of conscious breathing and
calming the body, joy, a pleasant feeling arises. In the 6th exercise, joy is transformed into peace and happiness,
and we are fully aware of it. The 7th and 8th exercises bring our attention to all feelings that arise, whether produced
by the body or the mind. The minds functions include feelings and perceptions. When we are aware of every bodily
and every mental action, we are aware of every feeling. The 8th exercise calms the body and mind and makes them
peaceful. At this point we can perfectly and completely unify body, mind, feelings, and breath.

The Next Four Exercises

9. Breathing in, I am aware of my mind. Breathing out, I am aware of my mind.

10. Breathing in, I make my mind happy. Breathing out, I make my mind happy.

11. Breathing in, I concentrate my mind. Breathing out, I concentrate my mind.

12. Breathing in, I liberate my mind. Breathing out, I liberate my mind.

The third group of four exercises have to do with our mind which refers to the activities of our mind. These exercises
help us deal with whatever mental formations are present, cultivating mental formations that are beneficial, and
being in touch with and transforming mental formations that are not beneficial. Mental formations are part of our
territory. They are seeds buried deep in our consciousness that we do not touch often enough, seeds of love,
understanding, compassion, joy, knowing right from wrong, the ability to listen to others, nonviolence, and the
willingness to overcome ignorance, aversion and attachment. Through the practice of mindfulness, we learn to
identify these traits in us and nurture them. When we survey our territory we also find destructive traits, such as
anger, despair, suspicion, pride and other mental formations that cause suffering. With the aid of mindful breathing
we learn to take full responsability for restoring our territory and taking good care of it. The 10th exercise makes our
mind happy because it is easier for the mind to becom concentrated when it is in a peaceful, happy state than when
it is filled with sorrow or anxiety. We are aware that we have the opportunity to practice meditation and that there is
no moment as important as the present one. Calmly abiding in the present moment, immense joy arises each time
we touch in ourselves the seeds of faith, compassion, goodness, equanimity, liberty, and so on. These seeds are
buried deep in our consciousnes, and we only need to touch them and water them with conscious breathing for them
to manifest. The 11th exercise of using the mind to observe the mind brings us into deep concentration. Mind is the
breath. Minds is the oneness of the subject that illumines and the object that is illuminated. Mind is peace and
happiness. All mental formations that manifest in the present moment can become objects of our concentration.
12th exercise can release the mind to freedom, if it is still bound. Mind is bound eithr because of the past or the
future, or because of other latent desires of anger. With clear observation, we can locate the knots that are binding
us, making it impossible for our mind to be free and at peace. We loosen the knots and untie the ropes that bind oru
mind. Looking deeply at the nature of mental formations such as fear, anger, anxiety, and so on brings about the
understanding that will liberate us.

Four Final Exercises

13. Breathing in, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Breathing out, I observe the impermanent nature
of all dharmas.

14. Breathing in, I observe the dissapearance of desire. Breathing out, I observe the dissapearance of desire.

15. Breathing in, I observe cessation. Breathing out, I observe cessation.

16. Breathing in, I observe letting go. Breathing out, I observe letting go.

Mind cannot be separated from its object. Mind is consciousness, feeling, attachment, aversion and so on.
Consciousness must always be conscious of something. Feeling is always feeling something. Loving and hating are
always loving and hating something. This something is the object of the mind. Mind cannot arise if there is no
object. Mind cannot exist if the object of mind does not exist. The mind is, at one and the same time, the subject of
consciousness and the object of consciousness. All physiological phenomena, such as the breath, the nervous
system, and the sense organs; all psychological phenomena, such as the earth, water, grass, trees, mountains, and
rivers, are objects of mind, and therefore are all mind. All of them can be called dharmas. The 13th breathing
exercise sheds light on the everchanging, impermanent nature of all that existsthe psychological, the physiological,
and the physical. Breathing itself is also impermanent. The insight into impermanence iis also very important
because it opens the way for use to see the interrelated, interconditioned nature as well as the selfless nature
(nothing has a separate, independent self) of all that exists. The 14th exercise allows us to recognize the true nature
of our desire, to see that every dharma is already in the process of disintegrating, so that we are no longer
possessed by the idea of holding on to any dharma as an object of desire and as a separate entity, even the
physiological and psychological elements in ourselves. The 15th exercise allows us to arrive at the awareness of a
great joy, the joy of emancipation and the cessation of illusion, by freeing us from the intention to grasp any notion.
The 16th exercise illuminates for us what it is to let go of ourselves, to give up all the burdens of our ignorance and
grasping. To be able to let go is to already have arrives at liberation.

The Four Establishments of Mindfulness

4 Establishments are:

Body

Feelings

Mind

All dharmas (objects of mind)

We practice full awareness of these 4 establishment through conscious breathing. The key to observation
meditation is that the subject of observation and the object are NOT regarded as separate. Students of meditation
have to remove the boundary between subject and object. When we observe something, we are that thing. Non-
duality is the key word. Observation meditation is lucid awareness of what is going on in the 4 establishments:
body, feelings, mind, and all dharmas. To suceed in this work we must go beyond attachment and aversion.

The 7 Factors of Awakening

This sectiosn discusses the arising, growth and attainment of the 7 Factors of Awakening, through abiding them in
conjunction with concious breathing.

1. Full attentions is the main Factor of Awakening. Full attention is awareness, being fully awake.

2. The work of observation to shed light on the object of our dharmas and see clearly all that exists is investigation of
dharmas.

3. Energy is perseverence and dilligence.

4-5. Joy and ease are wonderful feelings nourished by energy.

6. Concentration gives rise to understanding. When we have understanding we can go beyond all comparing,
measuring, discrimination, and reacting with attachment and aversion.

7. Going beyond is letting go. Those who arrive at letting go will have the bud of a half-smile, which proves
compassion as well as understanding.

Emancipation

In this section the Buddha reminds us that the Seven Factors of Awakening, if practiced diligently, lead to true
understanding and emancipation.

A Point of View on Practice

Six Wonderful Dharma Doors: counting, following, stopping, observing, returning, and calming

Counting is an excellent technique. Breathing in, count one, and so on. This method can help us refrain from
dwelling on troublesome thoughts; instead we concentrate on breathing and the number. When we have developed
some control of our thinking we can abandon counting and just follow our breath.

Meditation has 2 aspects: stopping (shamatha) and observing or looking deeply (vipshyana)

Stopping is concentration and looking deeply is insight. We stay with one object in order to observe it and look
deeply into it. In this way, stopping and observing become one. Thanks to our ability to stop we are able to observe.
The more deeply we observe the greater our concentration becomes.
Subjects of Practice

We practice stopping and observing in order to arrive at liberation, freedom from being bound. bound to what? First
of all, falling into forgetfulness, to losing our mindfulness. We live as if we are in a dream. We are dragged into the
past and pulled into the future. We are bound by our sorrows, by holding onto anger, unease and fear. Liberation
here means transforming and transcending these conditions in order to be fully awake, at ease and in peace, joyfully
and freshly.

7 methods for putting the Anapanasati Sutta into practice:

1. Following the breath in daily lifeeliminating forgetfulness and unecessary thinking (Exercises 1-2)

2. Awareness of the body (Exercise 3)

3. Realizing the unity of body and mind (Exercise 4)

4. Nourishing ourselves with the joy and happiness of meditation (Exercise 5-6)

5. Observing our feelings (Exercises 7-8)

6. Caring for and liberating the mind (Exercises 9-12)

7. Looking deeply in order to shed light on the true nature of all dharmas (Exercises 13-16)

When we practice sitting we should always begin with following our breath and nourishing ourselves with the joy of
meditation and only after should we go into the other subjects. The 5th subject should be practiced when oru mind
becomes agitated or ill at-ease and the 7th subject is the door that opens onto liberation from birth and death. The
first 6 emphasize stopping and looking deeply but the 7th emphasizes looking deeply but we can only embark on
that once we develop the capacity to concentrate our mind with great stability.

The First Subject of Full Awareness: Following the Breath in daily Life, Eliminating Forgetfulness and Unnecessary
Thinking (Exercises 1-2)

Breathing in, I know I am beathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

1. Breathing in a long breath, I know I am breathing in a long breath. Breathing out a long breath, I know I am
breathing out a long breath.

2. Breathing in a short breath, I know I am breathing in a short breath. Breathing out, I know I am breahthing out a
short breath.

It is important we learn to practice Full Awareness of Breathing during our daily lives. Usually when we perform
these tasks our thoughts wander, and our joy, sorrow, anger and unease follow close behind. We enter the present
moment by becoming aware of our breath. Breathing in and out, we can smile to affirm that we are in control of
ourselves. Through Awareness of Breathing, we can be awake in, and to, the present moment. Being attentive, we
already establish stopping and concentrating the mind. Most of our daily activities can be accomplished while
following our breath. When our work requires special attentiveness we can unite Full Awareness of Breathing with
the task itself like carrying a pot of boiling water, repairing something etc. We can nourish this awareness with our
breath, Breathing in, I am aware my hands are carrying a pot of boiling water. But it is not enough to combine
awareness of breathing with tasks that require so much attention. We must also combine Full Awareness of our
Breathing with every movement of our body: Breathing in, I am sitting down. Stopping the random progression of
thoughts and no longer living in forgetfulness are giant steps forward in our meditation practice. We can realize this
by following our breath and combining it with awareness of each daily activity. Some people have no peace or joy
because they cannot stop their incessant thinking. Thinking too much can give us headaches and our spiritual power
diminishes. By following our breath and combining conscious breathing with our daily activities we can cut across
the stream of disturbing thoughts and light the lamp of awakening. Our breath is usually short at first but as we
practice it gets longer, slows down and deepens. It is not important to make your breath long or short, it is important
to recognize it.

The Second Subject of Full Awareness: Awareness of the Body (Exercise 3)

3. Breathing in, I am aware of my while body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.

With this exercise we embrace our body with mindfulness rather than just embracing our breathing. We recognize
the presence of our body and we return home to be one with it. Breathing is the vehicle that brings us home, to our
body. If we do not come back to our home and cae for it, who will? We embrace a wounded body, care for it, and
heal it with right mindfulness. In the Anapanasati Sutta, the Buddha teaches four exercises in connection with the
body, but in the Satipatthana Sutta many more methods are taught: 1. Breathing. 2. Recognizing the body, calming
the body. 3. Recognizing the positions of the body. When standing, sitting, walking, or lying down, you know you are
standing, sitting, walking, or lying down. 4. Recognizing actions of the body: bending down, drinking tea, etc. If your
actions are hurried and forgetful you recognize that and your hurriedness and forgetfulness disappear. 5. Observing
different parts of the body.

During the practice of meditation mind and body are united. The Buddha taught walking meditation and we can use
ideas from the Anapanasati Sutta to help us succeed in our walking. We can take one step and say, In, silently. It
means, Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in. For as long as the in-breath lasts, we continue stepping with our
left foot. As soon as the out-breath begins, we begin stepping with our right foot and say the word, Out silently,
which means, Breathing out, I know I am breathing out. We just take a step and know we are breathing in, and we
take a step and know we are breathing out. That is all we need to do. After practicing In, Out four or five times our
breath will become deeper and slower quite naturally. Sometimes we practice observing different parts of our body,
one by one, and then observe the whole body. We can start with our hair, Aware of my hair, I breathe in. Smiling to
my hair, I breathe out, and then we survey all the different parts of our body, down to the tips of our toes. Right
mindfulness is a ray of light that recognizes different parts of our body, helps us become acquainted with them, and
shows us how to take care of them. In half an hour we can scan the 36 parts of our body named in the Satipatthana
Sutta. During this practice difficult feelings can arise but in that case do not push the feelings away. Instead just look
at it and say, Breathing in, I am aware that I am anxious, and then continue observing your body under the
supervision of the Full Awareness of Breathing. The secret of practicing this second subject of Full Awareness,
Awareness of the Body, is to concentrate your mind and observe each organ of the body in full awareness.

The Third Subject of Full Awareness: Realizing the Unity of Body and Mind (Exercise 4)

4. Breathing in, I calm my whole body. Breathing out, I calm my whole body.

Now that we have observed our whole body we can bring peace and calm to it. Sometimes our body does not
function peacefully. In this practice allow your breathing, your body, and your observing mind to all become one.
Subject and object are empty. Subject and object are not two.

The Fourth Subject of Full Awareness: Nourishing Ourselves With the Joy and Happiness of Meditation (Exercises
5-6)

5. Breathing in, I feel joyful. Breathing out, I feel joyful.

Those who practice meditation should know how to nourish themselves with the joy and happiness of meditative
concentration, in order to reach real maturity and help the world. Life in this world is both painful and miraculous. Joy
is a positive psychological and physiological state.

6. Breathing in, I feel happy. Breathing out, I feel happy.

This exercise helps us feel happiness as we breathe in and out. Happiness is easiest when our body and mind are
at ease, free of excessive worries and preoccupations. Happiness is more than joy. According to the Buddhist
teachings, joy is less pure because it contains excitement. If we are too excited about the future how can we enjoy
the present moment? The Buddha never criticized joy, we need joy very much but we also need to go futher than joy.
To succeed in the practice we must experience joy and happinessit is not enough to repeat the words.

The Fifth Subject of Full Awareness: Observing Our Feelings (Exercises 7-8)

7. Breathing in, I am aware of my mental formations. Breathing out, I am aware of my mental formations.

Mental formations are psychological phenomena. There are 51 mental formations according to the Mahayana
School and 52 according to Theravada. Feelings are one of them. In the 7th and 8th exercises mental formations
simply mean feelings. Some feelings are rooted in our body, such as a toothache of a headache. Feelings that are
more rooted in our mind arise from our peceptions. When you feel sad remember that it will not last forever.
Whatever feeling is present, we identify it, recognize that it is there, and shine the dun of our awareness on it. If we
have an unpleasant feeling, we take that feeling in our arms like a mother holding her crying baby. The mother is
mindfulness and the crying baby is the unpleasant feeling. Mindfulness and conscious breathing are able to calm
the feeling. If we do not hold the unpleasant feeling in our arms but allow it just to remain in us, it will continue to
make us suffer. Breathing in, I touch the unpleasant feelings in me. Breathing out, I touch the unpleasant feeling in
me. In Buddhist meditation looking deeply is based on nonduality. We do not view irritation as an enemy, we see
that irritation is the present moment and we breathe in and out this awareness. We treat our irritation with
compassion, every feeling is a field of energy. Feelings originate in the body or in oru perceptions. Insomnia we feel
fatigue which originates in the body. Seeing a rope as a snake we may cry out in fear but fear is a feeling and
mistaking the rope for a snake is an inaccurate perception. If we live our daily lives in moderation, keeping our
bodies in good health, we can diminish painful feelings that originate in the body. When we observe a feeling deeply,
we recognize the multitude of causes near and far that helped bring it about, and we discover the very nature of
feeling.

8. Breathing in, I calm my mental formations. Breathing out, I calm my mental formations.

We use our conscious breathing in orer to calm and transform the energy of our feeling. It is like riding a bicycle. As
long as we continue to pedal, we will move forward, but as soon as we stop, we will lose our balance and fall off. We
have to keep following our breathing for the feeling of calm to transform. Hello fear. Come here. I shall look after
your.

The Sixth Subject of Full Awarenes: Caring for and Liberating the Mind

9. Breathing in, I am aware of my mind. Breathing out, I am aware of my mind.

The 9th exercise recognizes the other mental formations aside from feelings. It is the first of the group of four
exercises that belong to the field of the mind. In the Sutra of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, we are taught
to observe the mind in the mind. It means we should observe mental formations in the spirit of non-duality, with no
barrier between the subject and object of observation. When we look at the blue sky, the boundary between the
observer and the infinite blue sky disappears, and we feel a deep contact between ourselves and the blue sky.
When a grain of salt standing next to the sea asks, How salty is the sea?, he is told that the only was to know is to
jump into the sea and become one with it. Mind here is compose of psychological phenomena, including perception,
thinking, reasoning, discriminating, imagining, and all the activities that have their roots in the subconscious. As soon
as any psychological phenomena arises we should breathe in and out and identify it. As we continue to observe it,
we can see its connection with the whole of our mind. The meaning of the 9th exercise is: I breathe in and out and
identify the mental formation that is present at this moment in me. To identify a mental formation with the help of
conscious breathing means to recognize, embrace, and become one with that mental formationit does not mean to
drown in that mental formation, because the subject that is recognizing, embracing, and becoming one with the
mental formation is the energy of mindfulness. When our mindfulness is one with the mental formation, the mental
formation quite naturally changes for the better. The first 4 breathing exercises help us become one with our
breathing and drop all thinking, discriminating ideas, and imaginings. The second four exercises get us in touch with
our feelings. The 9th exercise helps us identify psychological phenomena, such as thoughts or imaginings as they
arise. Citta refers to all psychological phenomena, such as feelings, perceptions, thoughts, reasoning, and so forth,
along with their objects. Mind is a river of psychological phenomena that is always flowing. To know how to identify
psychological phenomena as they arise and develop is an important part of meditation practice. When we recognize
the mental formation that is manifesting in us, we recognize whether it is wholesome or unwholesome. Once our
mind is able to identify what is happening, we will be able to see clearly our mental formation and make it calm. Just
that will bring us peace, joy, and stillness.

10. Breathing in, I make my mind happy. Breathing out, I make my mind happy.

The 10th breathing exercise is intended to gladden the mind. Compare this with the 5th and 6th exercise. The 5th
aims at the experience of joy, the 6th at the experience of happiness. To gladden the mind is to see the beneficial
mental formations that are within us like faith and confidence in the path. You can practice the 10th exercise by,
Breathing in, I recognize the mental formation of non-violence in me. Breathing out, i feel happy.

11. Breathing in, I concentrate my mind. Breathing out, I concentrate my mind.

The 11th method aims at concentrating our mind on a single object. We bring all our power of concentration and
place it on the mental formation that is present. Whether the mental formation is positive or negative we recognize it
and call it by its name, directing all our mental energy upon it. We embrace it and look deeply at it, and doing this
already begins the work of transforming that negative mental formation. It is like waking up on a cold morning and
lighting a fire. The cold air is warmed by the warm air of the fire. We do not need to open the door and force the cold
air out to make the room warm. All we have to do is tend the fire. In the case of a negative mental formation, all we
have to do is look after it with warmth of the fire of our mindfulness. Only by concentrating on the object can we
observe it. The object of our mind is lit up by our observation, like a performer standing in a spotlight on the stage.
The object might be moving in time and space, since it is alive. But our mind is also alive, and in the state of
concentration, subject and object become one. Breathing is an object of our mind and we pull all our attention on our
breath and our mind and our mind and breath become one. That is concentration. Only if there is concentration can
the work of looking deeply take place.

12. Breathing in, I liberate my mind. Breathing out, I liberate my mind.

The twelfth exercise aims at untying all the knots of the mindthe sorrows and meories of the past, the anxieties and
predictions concerning the future, feelings of irritation, fear, and doubt in the present, or confusion created by
inaccurate perceptions. Only by concentrating the mind do we have the capacity to observe, illumine, and be
emancipated from obstacles. When we say, liberate the mind what we are referring to is any mental formation that
makes us suffer or pushes us in the wrong direction. Breathing in, I open my heart for all the knots to be untied.
Breathing out, I open my heart for all the knots to be untied.

The 7th subject on Full Awareness: Looking Deeply in order to Shed Light on the True Nature of All Dharmas
(Exercises 13-16)

13. Breathing in, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Breathing out, I observe the impermanent nature
of all dharmas.

All phenomena are impermanent. Understanding impermanence is not a matter of words but a matter of practice.
Only through our daily practice of stopping and looking deeply can we experience the TRUTH of impermanence.
Looking deeply we realize that impermanence is neither good nor bad. Impermanence also means interdependence.
Impermanence also means signlessness (alakshana). The categories of perception and thought are signs. A
wave can be high or low but the essense is neither high or low. All signs, high or low cannot touch the essence
of water. When we begin the practice, we want things to be permanent and we think things have a separate self.
Whenever things change, we suffer. To help us not suffer, the Buddha gave us the truths of impermanence and non-
self as keys. When we look deeply at the impermanent nature of all things and no-self we are using those keys to
open the door to reality or nirvana. The reality of everything that exists is its signlessness since it is a reality that
cannot be grasped by concepts and words. Because it cannot be grasped it is empty. Emptiness here does not
mean nonexistent as opposed to existent, it means signless, free from all imprisonment by conceptsbirth/death,
pure/impure etc. Impermanence also means aimlessness (apranihita) the presense of everything that exists is not to
attain a final goal.

14. Breathing in, I observe the dissapearance of desire. Breathing out, I observe the dissapearance of desire.

The fourteenth exercise looks deeply in order to shed light on the true nature of all dharmas and the true nature of
our desire. We see that happiness does not lie in ideas about what we realize in the future, and for that reason we
are no longer attached to the objects of our desire that we thought would bring us future happiness. A practitioner
should clearly observe the impermanence and fading nature of all things including the Five Aggregates that
comprises his or her own self. The Nine Contemplations were a special practice used during the time of the Buddha
where you observe the decomposition of a corpse.

15. Breathing in, I observe cessation. Breathing out, I observe cessation.

The fifteenth exercise helps free us from individuality so that we can become a part of the whole universe. Nirodha is
the Sanskrit and Pali word and it means cessation of all erroneous ideas, of all notions that keep us from directly
experiencing the ultimate reality, and of all suffering born of our ignorance. Cessation of ideas like birth and death,
increasing and decreasing, coming and going. We have to go beyond these ideas because they form the basis of
our suffering. When we look deeply and see that reality is beyond ideas then that leads to cessation.

16. Breathing in, I observe letting go. Breathing out, I observe letting go.

The 16th exercise, like the 15th, aims at helping us look deeply in order to shed light on giving up desire and
attachment, fear and anxiety, hatred and anger. The more we let go, the happier we become. We do not let go of
reality but we do let go of wrong perceptions about reality. We have to practice letting go of our ideas in order to see
life everywhere, beyond space and time. Letting go means giving up every comparison, seeing that the boundary
between ourselves and others is not real. Let go in order to be everything and to be completely free.

Summary

The order of the 16 Breathing Exercises is the order of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness: body, feelings, mind,
and objects of mind. The intelligent practitioner knows how to regulate and master his or her breath, body, and mind
in order to enhance the power of concentration before proceeding in the work of looking deeply to shed light.
Meditation rpactice is nourishing for body and mind, and can also expand our vision. Expanded vision enables us to
go beyond passionate attachment or aversion to life. It makes us joyful, calm, stable, tolerant, and compassionate.

Notes from Thich Nhat Hanhs The Miracle of Mindfulness

October 18, 2010 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Keep your attention focused on the work, be alert and ready to handle ably and intelligently any situation which may
arisethis is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves. It is the miracle which can call back in a flash
our dispersed mind and restore it to wholeness so that we can live each minute of life. Consider for example a
magician who cuts his body into many parts and places each part in a different regionhands in the south, arms in
the east, legs in the north, and then by some miraculous power lets forth a cry which reassembles every part of his
body. Mindfulness is like that!
Mindfulness is at the same time a means and an end, the seed and the fruit. When we practice mindfulness in order
to build up concentration, mindfulness is the seed. But mindfulness itself is the life of awareness: the presence of
mindfulness means the presence of life, and therefore mindfulness is also the fruit. Mindfulness frees us of
forgetfulness and dispersion and makes it possible to live fully each minute of life. Mindfulness enables us to live.

You should know how to breathe in order to maintain mindfulness. Breath is the bridge which connects life to
consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath
as the means to take hold of your mind again.

The Sutra of Mindfulness teaches the method to take hold of ones breath in the following manner: Be ever mindful
you breathe in and mindful you breathe out

In a Buddhist monastery everyone learns to use breath as a tool to stop mental dispersion and to build up
concentration power. Concentration power is the strength which comes from practicing mindfulness.

For beginners the method, following the length of the breath, the student lies, back down, on the floor:

Although inhaling and exhaling are the work of the lungs, and take place in the chest area, the stomach also plays
a role. The stomach rises with the filling of the lings. At the beginning of the breath the stomach begins to push out.
But after inhaling about two-thirds of the breath, it starts to lower again.

Why? Between your chest and stomach there is a muscular membrane, the diaphragm. When you breathe in
correctly the air fills the lower part of the lings first, before the upper lungs fill with air, the diaphragm pushes down
on the stomach, causing the stomach to rise. When you have filled your upper lungs with air, the chest pushes out
and causes the stomach to lower again.

That is why, in former times, people spoke of the breath as originating at the navel and terminating at the nostrils.

When doing this exercise dont prop on a pillow, one should like on his or her back with a thin blanket or mat with
two arms loosely at the sides. Focus your attention on your exhalation and measure how long it is. Measure it slowly
by counting in your mind: 1, 2, 3After several times you will know the length of your breath: Perhaps it is 5. Now
try to extend the exhalation for one more count. When you reach 5 rather than immediately inhaling as before, try to
extend the exhalation to 6 or 7. When you have finished exhaling, pause for an instant to let your lungs take in fresh
air on their own. Let them take in just as much air as they want without making any effort. The inhalation will
normally be shorter than the exhalation. Practice like this for several weeks. Continue to measure your breath while
walking, sitting, standing, and especially whenever you are outdoors. While walking you might use your steps to
measure your breath. After a month the difference between the length of your exhalation and inhalation will lessen,
gradually evening out until they are of equal measure. In order to measure your breath you can count or use a
rhythmic phrase that you like. For example, if the length of your breath is 6, you might use instead of numbers six
words, My heart is now at peace. If you are walking each step should correspond with one word.

Your breath should be light, even, and flowing, like a thin stream of water running through the sand. Your breath
should be quiet, so quiet that a person sitting next to you cannot hear it. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and
find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be
used.

When you sit down to meditate begin by watching your breath. At first breathe normally, gradually letting your
breathing slow down until it is quiet, even and the length of the breaths are fairly long. From the moment you sit
down to the moment your breathing has become deep and silent, be conscious of everything that is happening in
yourself.

Counting your breath

Making your breath calm and even is called the method of following ones breath. If it seems hard you can first begin
by counting your breath. As you breathe in, count 1 in your mind, and as your breathe out count 1 and so forth.
Continue through 10 and return to 1 again. This counting is like a string which attaches your mindfulness to your
breath. The exercise is the beginning point of becoming completely conscious of your breath. Without mindfulness
you will lose count. Once you have reached a point where you can truly focus your attention on the counts, you have
reached the point where you can abandon the counting method and concentrate solely on the breath itself.

When you are upset or dispersed and find it difficult to practice mindfulness, return to your breath. Learn to practice
breathing in order to regain control of body and mind, to practice mindfulness, and to develop concentration and
wisdom.

Breath is aligned to both body and mind and it alone is the tool which can bring them both together, illuminating both
and bringing both peace and calm.

A person who knows how to breathe is a person who knows how to build up endless vitality: breath builds up the
lungs, strengthens the blood, and revitalizes every organ in the body. They say that proper breathing is more
important than food. Breath is a tool. Breath itself is mindfulness. The use of breath as a tool may help one obtain
immense benefits, but these cannot be considered as ends in themselves. These benefits are only the by-products
of the realization of mindfulness.

One hour if meditation a day is good but not enough. you need to practice meditation when you walk, stand, lie
down, sit, and work, while washing hands, washing the dishes, seeping the floor, drinking tea, talking to friends, or
whatever you are doing. When you are thinking about other things as you do them that means you are incapable of
living during the time you are doing that task. Each act is a rite, a ceremony. Each act must be carried out in
mindfulness.

Each person should try hard to reserve one day out of the week to devote entirely to their practice of mindfulness.
While still lying in bed, begin slowly to follow your breathslow, long, and conscious breaths. Then slowly rise from
bed, nourishing mindfulness by every motion. Once up brush your teeth, wash your face, and do all your morning
activities in a calm and relaxing way, each movement done in mindfulness. Follow your breath, take hold of it, and
dont let your thoughts scatter. Each movement should be done calmly. Measure your steps with quiet, long breaths.
Maintain a half smile. Spend at least half an hour taking a bath. Bathe slowly and mindfully, so that by the time you
have finished you feel light and refreshed. Afterwards you may have chores but whatever the tasks do them slowly
and with ease, in mindfulness. Dont do any task in order to get it over with. Resolve to do each job in a relaxed way,
with all of your attention. Enjoy and be one with your work. Without this the Day of Mindfulness will be of no value.
The feeling that any task is a nuisance will disappear if it is done in mindfulness. Take the example of the Zen
Masters. No matter what task or motion they undertake, they do it slowly and evenly, without reluctance. For those
just beginning to practice, it is best to maintain a spirit of silence throughout the day. Keep talking to a minimum and
whatever you sing or speak do so in mindfulness. It is possible to sing and practice mindfulness at the same time
just as long as one is conscious of the fact that one is signing and aware of what one is singing. But be warned that
it is much easier to stray from mindfulness when talking or singing if your meditation strength is still weak. At
lunchtime prepare a meal for yourself. Cook the meal and wash the dishes in mindfulness. In the morning, after you
have cleaned and straightened up your house, and in the afternoon, after you have worked in the garden or watched
clouds or gathered flowers, prepare a pot of tea to sit and drink in mindfulness. Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if the axis on which the whole earth revolvesslowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual
moment. Only this actual moment is life. In the evening you might read scripture, write letters, or do anything else
you enjoy outside of your normal duties during the week. But whatever you do, do it in mindfulness. Eat only a little
for the evening meal. Later, around 10 or 11 oclock as you sit in meditation; you will be able to sit more easily on an
empty stomach. Afterwards you might take a slow walk in the fresh night air, following your breath in mindfulness
and measuring the length of your breaths by your steps. Finally, return to your room and sleep in mindfulness.

Why should you meditate? First of all, because each of us needs to realize total rest. Even a night of sleep doesnt
provide total rest. It is possible to find total rest in a sitting position, and in turn to advance deeper in meditation in
order to resolve the worries and troubles that upset and block your consciousness.

Both knees should touch the floor. Back should be straight. Neck and head should be aligned with the spinal column,
straight but not stiff or wood like. Keep your eyes focused a yard or two in front of you. Maintain a half-smile. Follow
your breath and relax all of your muscles. Concentrate on keeping your spinal column straight and following your
breath. As for everything else, let it go. Place your left hand, palm side up, in your right palm. Let all the muscles in
your hands, fingers, arms, and legs relax. Let go of everything. Hold on to nothing but your breath and the half smile.
The technique for obtaining this rest lie in two things: watching and letting go. Watching your breath and letting go of
everything else. Release every muscle in your body. After 15 minutes or so, it is possible to reach a deep quiet, filled
with inner peace and joy. Maintain this quiet and peace. If you sit correctly, it is possible to find total relaxation and
peace right in the position of sitting.

Visualization: Imagine yourself as a pebble which has been thrown into a river. The pebble sinks through the water
effortlessly. Detached from everything, it falls by the shortest distance possible, finally reaching the bottom, the point
of perfect rest. You are like a pebble which has let itself fall into the river, letting go of everything. At the center of
your being is your breath. You dont need to know the length of time it takes before reaching the point of complete
rest on the bed of fine sand beneath the water. When you feel yourself resting like a pebble which has reached the
riverbed that is the point when you begin to find your own rest. You are no longer pushed or pulled by anything.

The ease of sitting depends on whether you practice mindfulness a little or a lot each day. And it depends on
whether or not you sit regularly.

The goal of meditation is to go much deeper than relaxation. Relaxation is the necessary point of departure, once
one has realized relaxation; it is possible to realize a tranquil heart and clear mind. To realize a tranquil heart and
clear mind is to have gone far on the path f meditation. To take hold of our mind you must practice mindfulness of
the mind and know how to observe and recognize the presence of every feeling and thought which arises in you.
This must be done at all times, during your day-to-day life no less than during one hour of meditation.

During meditation all sorts of thoughts will arise but if you do not practice mindfulness of breath, these thoughts will
lure you away from mindfulness. But the breath isnt a means to chase away thoughts and feelings. Breath remains
the vehicle to unite body and mind and to open the gate to wisdom. Just acknowledge the presence of thought and
feelings, dont chase them away. Do not let any thought or feeling arise without recognizing it in mindfulness, like a
palace guard who is aware of every face that passes through the front corridor.

Dont be dominated by distinguishing between good and evil thoughts and create a battle within. Just acknowledge
wholesome and unwholesome thoughts. Our thoughts and feelings are us; they are a part of ourselves. We are both
the mind and the observer mind. Therefore chasing away or dwelling on any thought isnt important, what is
important is awareness. Sutra on mindfulness, Buddha always stressed, mindfulness of feeling in feeling,
mindfulness of mind in mind. The Sutra says that the mind is like a monkey swinging from branch to branch through
a forest. In order not to lose sight of the monkey by some sudden movement, we must watch the monkey constantly
and even be one with it. Mind contemplating mind is like an object and its shadowthe object cannot shake the
shadow off. The two are one. Wherever the mind goes it still lies in the harness of the mind. The Sutra sometimes
uses the expression Bind the monkey to refer to taking hold of the mind. But the monkey image is only a means of
expression. Once the mind is continually and directly aware of itself, it is no longer like a monkey. There are not two
minds, one which swings from branch to branch and another which follows after to bind it with a piece of rope.

During the first 6 months of meditating try only to build up your power of concentration, to create an inner calmness
and serene joy. You will shake off anxiety, enjoy total rest, and quiet your mind. You will be refreshed and gain a
broader, clearer view of things and deepen and strengthen the love in yourself.

Sitting meditation is nourishment for your body and your spirit.

The Five Aggregates

Every object of the mind is itself mind. Dharmas are grouped into five categories:

1. bodily and physical forms

2. feelings
3. perceptions

4. mental functionings

5. consciousness

The fifth category contains the other 4 and is the basis of their existence.

The first object of contemplation is our own person, the assembly of the 5 aggregates in ourselves. You contemplate
right here and now on the 5 aggregates which make up yourself. You are conscious of the presence of bodily form,
feelings, perception, mental functionings and consciousness. You observe these objects until you see that each of
them has intimate connection with the world outside yourself. If the world did not exist then the assembly of the 5
aggregates could not exist either.

Consider a table. It exists from non table elements (the forest, the carpenter, the nails etc.) If you return any of these
non table elements to their source then the table would not exist. A person who can look at the table and see the
universe is a person who can see the way. If we contemplate the 5 aggregates in a stubborn and diligent way, we,
too, will be liberated from suffering, fear, and dread.

Meditation on interdependence is to be practiced constantly, not only while sitting, but as an integral part of our
involvement in all ordinary tasks. We must learn to see that the person in front of us is ourselves and that we are
that person. We must be able to see the process of inter-origination and interdependence of all events, both those
which are happening and those which will happen.

We must also look death in the face, recognize and accept it, just as we look at and accept life. Meditate on the
corpse until you are calm and at peace, until your mind and heart are light and tranquil and a smile appears on your
face. Thus, by overcoming revulsion and fear, life will be seen as infinitely precious, every second worth living.

Sitting in mindfulness, both our bodies and minds can be at peace and totally relaxed. This state of peace and
relaxation differs fundamentally from the lazy, semi-conscious state of mind that one gets while resting and dozing.
Sitting like this is like sitting in a dark cave. In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy but alert and awake.
Meditation is not evasion it is a serene encounter with reality. Be like a lion going forward with slow, gentle, and firm
steps.

For beginners I recommend the method of pure recognition: recognition without judgment. Feelings, whether of
compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both
are ourselves. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.

In a family, if there is one person who practices mindfulness, the entire family will be more mindful. Because of the
presence of one member who lives in mindfulness, the entire family is reminded to live in mindfulness. Only by
practicing mindfulness will we not lose ourselves but acquire a bright joy and peace.

We ought to listen to music or sit and practice breathing before every meeting or discussion.

Tolstoy Emperor story moral: Remember that there is only one important time and that is now. The present moment
is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person you are with, who is right before you, for
who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future? The most important pursuit is making the
person standing at your side happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life.

EXERCISES IN MINDFULNESS

1. Half-smile when you first wake up in the morning. Hang a branch, any other sign, or even the word smile on the
ceiling or wall so that you see it right away when you open your eyes. This sign will serve as your reminder. Use
these seconds before you get out of bed to take hold of your breath. Inhale and exhale three breaths gently while
maintaining the half smile. Follow your breaths.
2. Half-smile during your free moments. Anywhere you find yourself sitting or standing, half-smile. Inhale and exhale
quietly 3 times.

3. Half-smile while listening to music. Smile while watching your inhalations and exhalations.

4. Half-smile when irritated. When you realize you are irritated, half-smile at once. Inhale and exhale quietly,
maintaining the half-smile for three breaths.

5. Letting go in a lying down position. Lie down on your back on a flat surface without the support of a mattress or
pillow. Keep your two arms loosely by your sides and your two legs slightly apart, stretched out before you. Maintain
a half smile. Breathe in and out gently, keeping your attention focused on your breath. Let go of every muscle in your
body. Relax each muscle as though it were sinking down through the floor or as though it were as soft and yielding
as a piece of silk hanging in the breeze to dry. Let go entirely, keeping your attention only on your breath and half
smile. Think of yourself as a cat, completely relaxed before a warm fire, whose muscles yield without resistance to
anyones touch. Continue for 15 breaths.

6. Letting go in the sitting position. Sit in the half or full lotus, or cross-legged, or your two legs folded beneath you,
or even on a chair, your two feet touching the floor. Half smile. Inhale and exhale while maintaining the half smile.
Let go.

7. Deep breathing. Lie on your back, breathe evenly and gently, focusing your attention on the movement of your
stomach. As you begin to breathe in, allow your stomach to rise in order to bring air into the lower half of your lungs.
As the upper halves of your lungs begin to fill with air, your chest begins to rise and your stomach begins to lower.
Dont tire yourself. Continue for 10 breaths. The exhalation will be longer than the inhalation.

8. Measuring your breath by your footsteps. Walk slowly and leisurely in a garden, along a river, or on a village path.
Breathe normally. Determine the length of your breath, the exhalation and the inhalation, by the number of your
footsteps. Continue for a few minutes. Begin to lengthen your exhalation by one step. Do not force a longer
inhalation. Let it be natural. Watch your inhalation carefully to see if there is a desire to lengthen it. Continue for 10
breaths.

9. Counting your breath. Sitting or walking inhale and be mindful, I am inhaling, one. When you exhale, be mindful
that I am exhaling, one. Remember to breathe from the stomach. Continue to 10 and then start over. Whenever
you lose count, return to one.

10. Following your breath while listening to music. Listen to a piece of music. Breathe long, light, and even breaths.
Follow your breath, be master of it while remaining aware of the movement and sentiments of the music. Do not get
lost in the music, but continue to be master of your breath and yourself.

11. Following your breath while carrying on a conversation. Breathe long, light, and even breaths. Follow your breath
while listening to a friends words and to your own replies. Continue as with music.

12. Following the breath. Sitting or walking begin to inhale from the stomach mindful that, I am inhaling normally.
Exhale in mindfulness, I am exhaling normally. Continue for three breaths. On the fourth breath extend the
inhalation, mindful that, I am breathing in a long inhalation. Exhale in mindfulness, I am breathing out a long
exhalation. Continue for three breaths. Now follow your breath carefully aware of every moment of your stomach
and lugs. Follow the entrance and exit of air. Be mindful that I am inhaling and following the inhalation from its
beginning to its end. I am exhaling and following the exhalation from its beginning to its end. Continue for 20
breaths. Return to normal. After 5 minutes, repeat the exercise. Remember to maintain the half smile while
breathing.

13. Breathing to quiet the mind and body to realize joy. Sitting in a comfortable position with a half-smile follow your
breath. When your mind and body are quiet continue to inhale and exhale very lightly, mindful that, I am breathing in
and making the breath-body light and peaceful. I am exhaling and making the breath-body light and peaceful.
Continue for three breaths giving rise to the thought in mindfulness, I am breathing in and making my entire body
light and peaceful and joyous. Continue for three breaths and in mindfulness give rise to the thought, I am
breathing in while my body and mind are peace and joy. I am breathing out while my mind and body are peace and
joy. Maintain this thought in mindfulness from 5-30 minutes, or for an hour, according to your ability and to the time
available to you. The beginning and end of the practice should be relaxed and gentle. When you stop gently
massage your eyes and face with your two hands and then massage the muscles in your legs before returning to a
normal sitting position. Wait a moment before standing up.

14. Mindfulness of the positions of the body. This can be practices in any time and place. Begin to focus your
attention on your breath. Breathe quietly and more deeply than usual. Be mindful of the position of your body. Be
mindful of the purpose of your position.

15. Mindfulness while making tea. Prepare a pot of tea to serve a guest or drink by yourself. Do each movement
slowly in mindfulness. Do not let one detail of your movements go by without being mindful of it. Take hold of your
breath if your mind strays.

16. Washing the dishes. Wash the dishes relaxingly, as though each bowl is an object of contemplation. Consider
each bowl as sacred. Follow your breath to prevent your mind from straying. Consider washing dishes as the most
important thing in life.

17. Washing clothes. Scrub the clothes relaxingly. Hold your attention on every movement of your hands and arms.
When you have finished scrubbing and rinsing, your mind and body should feel as clean and fresh as your clothes.
Remember to maintain the half smile and take hold of your breath if it wanders.

18. Cleaning house. Move slowly, three times more slowly than usual. Fully focus your attention on each task.
Maintain mindfulness of the breath, especially when your thoughts wander.

19. A slow motion bath. Allow yourself 30-45 minutes to take a bath. Dont hurry for even one second. From the
moment you prepare the bath water to the moment you put on clean clothes, let every motion be light and slow.

20. The pebble. While sitting still and breathing slowly, think of yourself as a pebble which is falling through a clear
stream. The pebble sinks through the water effortlessly. Detached from everything, it falls by the shortest distance
possible, finally reaching the bottom, the point of perfect rest. You are like a pebble which has let itself fall into the
river, letting go of everything. At the center of your being is your breath. You dont need to know the length of time it
takes before reaching the point of complete rest on the bed of fine sand beneath the water. When you feel yourself
resting like a pebble which has reached the riverbed that is the point when you begin to find your own rest. You are
no longer pushed or pulled by anything.

21. A day of mindfulness. Set aside one day of the week that accords with your own situation. Forget the work you
do during the other days. Do not organize meetings or have friends over. Do only such simple work as house
cleaning, cooking, washing clothes, and dusting. Once the house is neat and clean, and all your things are in order,
take a slow motion bath. Afterwards, prepare and drink tea. You might read scripture or write letters. Afterwards take
a walk to practice breathing. During all activities maintain mindfulness. While reading follow what you are reading,
while writing follow what you are writing. Follow the same procedure for listening to music or talking to a friend. In
the evening prepare yourself a light meal. Sit in meditation for an hour before you go to bed. During the day, take
two walk of half an hour to 45 minutes. Instead of reading before you go to bed practice deep relaxation for 5-10
minutes. Be a master of your breathing. Breathe gently, following the rising, the lowering of your stomach and chest,
your eyes closed. Every movement during this day should be at least 2 times slower than usual.

22. Contemplation on interdependence. Find a photo of yourself as a child. Sit comfortable. Begin to follow your
breath. After 20 breaths, begin to focus your attention on the photo in front of you. Recreate and live again the five
aggregates of which you were made up at the time the photo was taken: the physical characteristics of your body,
feelings, perceptions, mind functionings, and consciousness in the present moment. See the five aggregates which
make up yourself. Ask the question, Who am I? The question should be deeply rooted in you, like a new seed
nestled deep in the soft earth and damp with water. The question, Who am I? should not be an abstract question to
consider with your discursive intellect. The question Who am I? will not be confined to your intellect but to the care
of the whole of the five aggregates. Dont try to seek an intellectual answer. Contemplate for 10 minutes, maintaining
light but deep breath to prevent being pulled away by philosophical reflection.

23. Yourself. Sit in a dark room by yourself, or alone by a river at night, or anywhere else where there is solitude.
Begin to take hold of your breath. Give rise to the thought, I will use my finger to point at myself, and then instead
of pointing at your body point away in the opposite direction. Contemplate seeing yourself outside of your bodily
form. Contemplate seeing your bodily form present before youin the trees, the grass and leaves, the river. Be
mindful that you are in the universe and the universe is in you: if the universe is, you are; if you are, the universe is.
There is no birth. There is no death. There is no coming. There is no going. Maintain the half smile. Take hold of your
breath. Contemplate for 10-20 minutes.

24. Your skeleton. Lie on a bed or on a mat or on the grass in a position in which you are comfortable. Dont use a
pillow. Begin to take hold of your breath. Imagine all that is left of your body is a white skeleton lying on the face of
the earth. Maintain the half smile and continue to follow your breath. Imagine that all your flesh has decomposed and
is gone, that your skeleton is now lying in the earth 80 years after burial. See clearly the bones of your head, back,
your ribs, your hip bones, leg and arm bones finger bones. Maintain the half smile, breathe very lightly, your heart
and mind serene. See that your skeleton is not you. Your bodily form is not you. Be at one with life. Live eternally in
the trees and grass, in other people, in the birds and other beasts, in the sky, in the ocean waves. Your skeleton is
only one part of you. You are present everywhere and in every moment. You are not only a bodily form, or even
feelings, thoughts, actions, and knowledge. Continue for 20-30 minutes.

25. Your true visage before you were born. In a comfortable sitting position concentrate on the point of your lifes
beginningA. Know that it is also the point of beginning of your death. See that both your life and death are
manifested at the same time: See that you are at the same time your life and your death; that the two are not
enemies but two aspects of the same reality. Then concentrate on the point of ending of the twofold manifestation
Bwhich is wrongly called death. See that it is the ending point of the manifestation of both your life and your death.
See that there is no difference before A and after B. Search for your true face in the periods before A and after B.

26. A loved one who has died. Sit in a comfortable position and begin to take hold of your breath. Contemplate the
body of a loved one who has died and know clearly that the flesh has decomposed and only the skeleton or ashes
remain. Know clearly that your own flesh is still here and in yourself are still converged the five aggregates of bodily
form, feeling, perception, mental functionings, and consciousness. Think of your interaction with that person in the
past and right now. Maintain the half smile and take hold of your breath. Contemplate this way for 15 minutes.

27. Emptiness. Sit in a comfortable position and regulate your breath. Contemplate the nature of emptiness in the
assembly of the five aggregates: bodily form. feeling, perception, mind functionings, and consciousness. Pass from
considering one aggregate to another. See that all transform, are impermanent and without self. The assembly of all
phenomena: all obey the law of interdependence. Their coming together and disbanding from one another
resembles the gathering and vanishing of clouds around the peaks of mountains. Neither cling nor reject the five
aggregates. Know that like and dislike are phenomena which belong to the assemblage of the five aggregates. See
clearly that the five aggregates are without self and are empty, but that they are also wondrous, wondrous as is each
phenomena in the universe, wondrous as the life which is present everywhere. Try to see that the five aggregates do
not really undergo creation and destruction for they themselves are ultimate reality. Try to see by this contemplation
that impermanence is a concept, non-self, and emptiness. You will see that emptiness is also empty, and that the
ultimate reality of emptiness is no different from the ultimate reality of the five aggregates.

28. Compassion for the person you hate or despise most. Sit quietly. Breathe and smile the half smile. Contemplate
the image of the person who has caused you the most suffering. Regard the features you hate or despise the most
or find the most repulsive. Try to examine what makes this person happy and what causes suffering in his daily life.
Contemplate the persons perceptions; try to see what patterns of thought and reason this person follows. Examine
what motivates this persons hopes and actions. Finally consider the persons consciousness. See whether his views
and insights are open and free or not, and whether or not he has been influenced by any prejudices, narrow-
mindedness, hatred, or anger. See whether or not he is master of himself. Continue until you feel compassion rise in
your heat like a well filling with fresh water and your anger and resentment disappear. Practice this exercise many
times on the same person.
29. Suffering caused by the lack of wisdom. Sitting in a comfortable position begin to follow your breath. Choose the
situation of a person, family, or society which is suffering the most of any you know. This will be the object of your
contemplation. In the case of a person, try to see every suffering which that person is undergoing. Begin with the
suffering of bodily form (sickness, poverty, physical pain) and then proceed to suffering caused by feelings (internal
conflicts, fear, hatred, jealousy, a tortured conscience). Consider next the suffering caused by perceptions
(pessimism, dwelling on his problems with a dark and narrow viewpoint). See whether his mind functionings are
motivated by fear, discouragement, despair, or hatred. See whether or not his consciousness is shut off because of
his situation, because of his suffering, because of the people around him, his education, his propaganda, or lack of
control of his own self. Meditate on all these sufferings until your heart fills with compassion like a well of fresh water,
and you are able to see that the person suffers because of circumstances and ignorance. Resolve to help that
person get out of his present situation through the most silent and unpretentious means. In the case of a family,
follow the same method. Go through all the sufferings of one person and the on to the next person until you have
examined the sufferings of the entire family. See that their sufferings are your own. See that it is not possible to
reproach even one person in that group. See that you must help them liberate themselves from their present
situation by the most silent and unpretentious means possible. In the case of a society, take the situation of a
country suffering war or any other situation of injustice. Try to see that every person involved in the conflict is a
victim. See that no person, including all those in warring parties or in what appears to be opposing sides, desires the
suffering to continue. See that it is not only one or a few persons to blame for the situation. See that the situation is
possible because of the clinging to ideologies and to an unjust world economic system which is upheld by every
person through ignorance or through lack of resolve to change it. See that two sides in a conflict are not really
opposing, but two aspects of the same reality. See that the most essential thing is life and that killing or oppressing
one another will not solve anything. Remember the Sutras words: In the time of war Raise in yourself the Mind of
compassion Help living beings Abandon the will to fight. Wherever there is furious battle Use all your might To keep
both sides strength equal And then step into the conflict to reconcile (Vimalakirti Nirdesa). Meditate until every
reproach and hatred disappears and compassion and love rise like a well of fresh water within you. Vow to work for
awareness and reconciliation by the most silent and unpretentious means possible.

30. Detached action. Sit comfortable and follow your breath. Take a project you believe to be important as the
subject of your contemplation. Examine the purpose of the work, the methods to be used, and the people involved.
Consider first the purpose of the project. See that the work is to serve, to alleviate suffering, to respond to
compassion, not to satisfy the desire for praise or recognition. See that the methods used encourage cooperation
between humans. Dont consider the project as an act of charity. Consider people involved. Do you still see in terms
of ones who serve and ones who benefit? If you can still see who are the ones serving and who are the ones
benefitting your work is for the sake of yourself and the workers, and not for the sake of service. The Prajnaparamita
Sutra says, The Bodhisattva helps row living beings to the other shore but in fact no living beings are being helped
to the other shore. Determine to work in the spirit of detached action.

31. Detachment. Sit comfortably, follow your breath. Recall the most significant achievements in your life and
examine each of them. Examine your talent, your virtue, your capacity, the convergence of favorable conditions that
have led to success. Examine the complacency and arrogance that have arisen from the feeling that you are the
main cause for such success. Shed the light of interdependence on the whole matter to see that the achievement is
not really yours but the convergence of various conditions beyond your reach. See to it that you will not be bound to
these achievements. Only when you can relinquish them can you really be free and no longer be assailed by them.
Recall the bitterest failures in your life and examine each of them. Examine your talent, your virtue, your capacity,
and the absence of favorable conditions that led to the failures. Examine to see all the complexes that have arisen
within you from the feeling that you are not capable of realizing success. Shed the light of interdependence on the
whole matter to see that failures cannot be accounted for by your inabilities but rather by the lack of favorable
conditions. See that you have no strength to shoulder these failures, that these failures are not your own self. See to
it that you are free from them. Only when you can relinquish them can you really be free and no longer assailed by
them.

32. Contemplation on non-abandonment. Sit comfortably and follow your breath. Apply one of the exercises on
interdependence: yourself, your skeleton, or one who has died. See that everything is impermanent and without
eternal identity. See that although things are impermanent and without lasting identity, they are nonetheless
wondrous. While you are not bound by the conditioned, neither are you bound by the nonconditioned. See that the
saint, though he is not caught by the teaching of interdependence, neither does he get away from the teaching.
Although he can abandon the teaching as if it were cold ashes, still he can dwell in it and not be drowned. He is like
a boat upon the water. Contemplate to see that awakened people, while not being enslaved by the work of serving
living beings, never abandon their work of serving living beings.