0:00:08.290,0:00:10.755 And if you are a good practitioner 0:00:11.835,0:00:15.800 you have enough mindfulness in order to 0:00:21.000,0:00:23.260 handle 0:00:24.840,0:00:26.580 whatever 0:00:26.780,0:00:28.740 needs to be handled. 0:00:30.485,0:00:33.595 Suppose anger is coming up 0:00:33.595,0:00:36.005 in you, as an energy. 0:00:40.300,0:00:43.665 As a practitioner, you don't allow anger to be alone 0:00:45.365,0:00:46.745 in you, 0:00:46.785,0:00:50.145 because if you let anger be alone in you, 0:00:50.415,0:00:53.225 anger will cause a lot of damage 0:00:53.225,0:00:56.515 in your body, in your mind 0:00:56.625,0:00:58.325 and maybe around you. 0:00:58.755,0:01:02.965 And that is why you practise mindfulness of anger. 0:01:03.605,0:01:07.075 Breathing in, I know anger is in me. 0:01:07.575,0:01:09.225 Breathing out, 0:01:09.315,0:01:11.725 I smile at my anger. 0:01:11.795,0:01:14.275 I embrace my anger. 0:01:21.615,0:01:24.105 You have a seed of anger 0:01:25.405,0:01:27.465 deep within yourself, 0:01:30.455,0:01:34.600 but you also have a seed of mindfulness deep within yourself. 0:01:34.685,0:01:37.715 You have a seed of compassion within yourself. 0:01:39.975,0:01:42.300 When anger is touched, 0:01:42.600,0:01:44.975 when the seed of anger is touched 0:01:44.975,0:01:47.185 it manifests 0:01:47.205,0:01:48.705 into 0:01:48.745,0:01:52.135 a kind of energy called "anger". 0:01:59.875,0:02:03.745 Suppose this is your consciousness. 0:02:04.245,0:02:06.165 It has two layers. 0:02:06.440,0:02:09.345 The lower layer is called 0:02:09.345,0:02:13.025 Store Consciousness 0:02:14.915,0:02:17.135 and the upper layer is called 0:02:17.135,0:02:20.125 Mind Consciousness. 0:02:21.825,0:02:24.595 You have a seed of anger here. 0:02:25.305,0:02:28.385 You also have a seed of joy 0:02:28.385,0:02:31.375 of mindfulness, of compassion, 0:02:31.375,0:02:33.285 of non-discrimination. 0:02:33.285,0:02:35.995 You have a seed of anger, of despair 0:02:35.995,0:02:38.515 of jealousy, of discrimination 0:02:38.715,0:02:41.725 in the depths of your consciousness. 0:02:42.895,0:02:45.485 But when the seed of anger 0:02:45.485,0:02:48.015 is left alone there 0:02:48.015,0:02:50.525 in the Store Consciousness, 0:02:50.895,0:02:55.595 you don't water it, no one comes and touches it, you are OK. 0:02:55.995,0:02:59.095 You can laugh, and you may have a good time. 0:03:00.125,0:03:05.025 But that does not mean you do not have the seed of anger in you. 0:03:06.275,0:03:09.495 As soon as you hear someone saying something 0:03:09.495,0:03:13.175 or doing something, the seed of anger in you is touched 0:03:14.165,0:03:17.245 and it becomes a zone of energy 0:03:17.555,0:03:21.005 in the realm of Mind Consciousness. 0:03:25.585,0:03:27.485 in Buddhism 0:03:27.485,0:03:31.185 we call it a Mental Formation. 0:03:32.075,0:03:34.935 Anger is a Mental Formation. 0:03:42.775,0:03:47.145 In my tradition, we speak of 0:03:47.815,0:03:50.875 51 categories of Mental Formations. 0:03:54.885,0:03:58.165 We have the seed of discrimination in us. 0:03:58.375,0:04:00.515 We have a seed of 0:04:00.915,0:04:03.685 non-discrimination in us. 0:04:07.625,0:04:09.465 That is true. 0:04:11.385,0:04:14.715 If the seed of discrimination is watered every day 0:04:14.715,0:04:16.895 it becomes very important 0:04:18.685,0:04:20.185 and 0:04:20.185,0:04:23.965 it doesn't allow the seed of non-discrimination to manifest. 0:04:24.095,0:04:26.095 If the seed of anger 0:04:26.635,0:04:29.335 becomes stronger and stronger every day 0:04:29.335,0:04:31.235 the seed of compassion 0:04:31.255,0:04:33.305 has less chance... 0:04:34.305,0:04:36.595 And that is why 0:04:37.775,0:04:40.695 every time a negative seed is touched 0:04:40.985,0:04:42.805 and manifests 0:04:44.455,0:04:46.695 we have to take care of it. 0:04:47.655,0:04:49.655 That is why 0:04:50.325,0:04:53.925 I spoke about mindfulness of anger. 0:04:54.505,0:04:55.505 When... 0:04:55.535,0:04:58.405 Mindfulness is the capacity 0:04:58.405,0:05:01.185 of knowing what is happening. What is happening is 0:05:01.185,0:05:03.255 anger has manifested. 0:05:03.935,0:05:06.825 So as a practitioner, you ask 0:05:06.825,0:05:11.535 the seed of mindfulness to manifest at the same time. 0:05:12.285,0:05:13.485 And if you are 0:05:13.575,0:05:15.605 a diligent practitioner 0:05:16.875,0:05:20.945 the seed of mindfulness in you is strong enough 0:05:22.515,0:05:24.000 and it's very easy for you 0:05:24.000,0:05:24.900 to touch 0:05:24.900,0:05:25.865 and invite it 0:05:25.865,0:05:27.245 to come up; 0:05:27.855,0:05:31.215 and it will come up and become a zone of energy. 0:05:36.105,0:05:38.755 Suppose anger 0:05:38.755,0:05:40.655 is energy 1, 0:05:40.655,0:05:43.875 mindfulness is energy 2. 0:05:46.955,0:05:51.085 Mindfulness is mindfulness of something 0:05:51.715,0:05:53.235 and here 0:05:53.235,0:05:55.765 mindfulness of anger. 0:05:56.455,0:05:59.000 Mindfulness here has 0:06:00.245,0:06:03.695 The following function: recognizing. 0:06:03.695,0:06:05.755 Recognizing 0:06:11.555,0:06:14.365 anger as anger. 0:06:15.675,0:06:17.825 Mindfulness of breathing... 0:06:17.825,0:06:20.525 Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath. 0:06:20.775,0:06:23.835 Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath. 0:06:23.835,0:06:26.705 Recognizing in-breath as in-breath. 0:06:26.705,0:06:29.885 Recognizing out-breath as out-breath. 0:06:30.305,0:06:33.235 Recognizing drinking as drinking, 0:06:33.495,0:06:37.145 recognizing walking as walking. That's the nature, 0:06:37.145,0:06:39.505 the function of mindfulness. 0:06:39.505,0:06:42.915 So the energy of mindfulness generated by your breathing, 0:06:42.915,0:06:44.395 your walking, 0:06:44.395,0:06:46.245 has the capacity of recognizing 0:06:46.245,0:06:47.655 anger as anger. 0:06:47.655,0:06:48.955 Breathing in 0:06:48.955,0:06:51.895 I know the anger is in me. 0:06:52.275,0:06:54.005 Breathing out 0:06:54.075,0:06:57.700 I take good care of my anger. 0:06:59.000,0:07:03.775 Recognizing anger and embracing anger, 0:07:09.675,0:07:11.975 this is an art, 0:07:11.975,0:07:15.545 this is a practice. This is no fighting. 0:07:15.545,0:07:18.505 Mindfulness is generated 0:07:18.505,0:07:20.805 not to fight anger 0:07:20.805,0:07:24.285 but to recognize anger and to hold anger 0:07:24.285,0:07:26.395 very tenderly. 0:07:26.675,0:07:28.935 That is Buddhist practice. 0:07:28.965,0:07:36.725 You do not transform yourself into a battlefield... The good fighting the evil, that's not Buddhism; 0:07:37.815,0:07:42.025 because you have mindfulness, but you have also anger. 0:07:42.105,0:07:46.095 And mindfulness plays the role of an older sister, 0:07:46.215,0:07:47.795 holding 0:07:47.795,0:07:50.445 the angry, suffering younger sister 0:07:50.645,0:07:53.385 and help her to transform. 0:08:01.865,0:08:03.555 A mother 0:08:04.055,0:08:06.465 is working in the kitchen 0:08:07.115,0:08:09.445 and she hears her baby crying 0:08:10.055,0:08:12.925 and she's very much careful of her baby; 0:08:13.045,0:08:14.805 so she stops 0:08:14.935,0:08:17.385 her work in the kitchen, she puts down 0:08:17.725,0:08:20.355 whatever she is holding and she goes 0:08:20.355,0:08:23.415 to the room of the baby and the first thing she does 0:08:23.415,0:08:27.600 is to pick up the baby and hold the baby tenderly in her arms. 0:08:28.200,0:08:34.415 That's the mother. She does not know what is wrong with the baby yet, 0:08:34.555,0:08:36.055 but 0:08:36.055,0:08:39.135 the first thing she does is to pick up the baby 0:08:39.135,0:08:41.335 and hold him mindfully. 0:08:41.395,0:08:44.405 We do the same thing, as practitioners. 0:08:44.405,0:08:48.185 Every time anger, or despair comes up 0:08:48.915,0:08:51.095 we generate 0:08:51.335,0:08:54.035 the energy of mindfulness 0:08:54.035,0:08:58.275 in order to recognize and to embrace tenderly, 0:08:58.535,0:09:00.335 tenderly. 0:09:04.705,0:09:06.695 And if we know how to practise 0:09:06.695,0:09:09.965 mindful walking, or mindful breathing, 0:09:09.965,0:09:12.755 we continue to generate mindfulness 0:09:12.755,0:09:17.115 and we have that energy, in order to recognize and to embrace 0:09:17.145,0:09:20.355 and we can bring relief; 0:09:20.695,0:09:23.745 because mindfulness as an energy 0:09:23.745,0:09:27.215 is embracing anger as another source of energy 0:09:27.215,0:09:31.245 tenderly. Big brother, younger brother. 0:09:32.425,0:09:36.075 Although the mother has not 0:09:36.075,0:09:38.485 realized what is wrong with the baby, 0:09:38.485,0:09:41.195 the fact that she is holding the baby tenderly 0:09:41.195,0:09:44.295 can already bring a relief to the baby, and the baby 0:09:44.295,0:09:45.995 may stop crying; 0:09:45.995,0:09:47.905 and if the mother continues 0:09:47.905,0:09:50.405 to hold the baby tenderly with mindfulness 0:09:50.405,0:09:52.825 she will find out what is wrong. 0:09:52.825,0:09:55.725 The baby might be hungry, 0:09:55.725,0:09:58.545 The baby may have a fever 0:09:58.825,0:10:01.605 or the diaper may be too tight. 0:10:01.975,0:10:04.015 As a mother 0:10:04.075,0:10:06.785 she can find it out very quickly. 0:10:06.785,0:10:08.865 As a practitioner 0:10:08.885,0:10:10.085 you can 0:10:10.085,0:10:12.345 find out very easily 0:10:12.925,0:10:16.145 why this anger [is there]; 0:10:16.615,0:10:19.905 and you can see the roots of that anger. 0:10:19.925,0:10:22.685 You will find the nature of that anger, 0:10:22.685,0:10:24.780 the root of the anger. 0:10:28.960,0:10:31.940 If the mother finds out what is wrong 0:10:31.945,0:10:34.820 with the baby, she can fix the situation 0:10:34.820,0:10:38.120 very quickly. If the baby is hungry 0:10:38.120,0:10:40.460 she can give her son some milk. 0:10:41.920,0:10:45.160 If the diaper is too tight, she can just 0:10:45.695,0:10:48.125 undo it and do it again. 0:10:49.425,0:10:52.495 So after having embraced 0:10:52.495,0:10:53.795 tenderly 0:10:54.225,0:10:56.005 your anger 0:10:59.145,0:11:01.735 you might like to continue 0:11:01.875,0:11:04.365 the practice of mindful breathing, 0:11:04.365,0:11:06.315 the practice of mindful walking 0:11:06.315,0:11:09.115 and look deeply into the nature 0:11:09.115,0:11:11.625 of your anger, and find out 0:11:11.625,0:11:14.335 what is the root of your anger. 0:11:14.675,0:11:19.605 Recognizing, embracing and looking deeply. 0:11:23.485,0:11:26.095 Because mindfulness 0:11:26.155,0:11:28.755 is the kind of energy 0:11:29.675,0:11:32.475 that carries with her 0:11:32.485,0:11:35.815 the energy of concentration. 0:11:38.025,0:11:40.375 Wherever mindfulness is 0:11:40.375,0:11:42.115 concentration is [there] also. 0:11:42.125,0:11:45.155 When you are mindful of your in-breath 0:11:45.285,0:11:48.255 you are concentrated on your in-breath. 0:11:48.925,0:11:51.405 When you are mindful of your tea 0:11:51.405,0:11:53.405 you concentrate on your tea. 0:11:54.745,0:11:56.935 And that is why 0:11:56.935,0:11:59.685 the more powerful mindfulness is 0:11:59.685,0:12:02.755 the more concentration you get; 0:12:02.755,0:12:05.575 and with that mindfulness and concentration 0:12:05.575,0:12:09.325 you practise looking deeply and you will get an insight. 0:12:21.075,0:12:24.325 And that insight is going to liberate you, 0:12:24.755,0:12:27.465 transform your anger. 0:12:31.345,0:12:33.985 There is a story 0:12:33.985,0:12:36.305 of a young boy 0:12:36.685,0:12:39.855 who used to come to Plum Village every summer 0:12:39.965,0:12:43.325 with his younger sister, 0:12:45.235,0:12:48.255 and they practise mindfulness 0:12:48.255,0:12:50.455 as children. 0:12:51.255,0:12:54.885 The boy had difficulties with his father, 0:12:58.495,0:13:00.815 he blamed his father. 0:13:01.595,0:13:04.395 Every time he fell down and got hurt 0:13:04.395,0:13:07.195 his father always shouted at him 0:13:07.195,0:13:09.535 instead of coming and help him. 0:13:10.275,0:13:13.135 So his relationship with his father 0:13:13.135,0:13:14.705 was difficult, 0:13:14.755,0:13:17.595 and he vowed when he grows up he would not be 0:13:17.595,0:13:18.895 like his father; 0:13:18.895,0:13:21.455 if he had children and then if 0:13:21.455,0:13:23.905 his child fell down and got hurt 0:13:23.905,0:13:27.515 he would not shout at him; instead he would come and try to help. 0:13:27.575,0:13:28.975 That was 0:13:28.975,0:13:30.765 his determination. 0:13:31.055,0:13:33.605 One day he was playing 0:13:33.605,0:13:36.535 in the lower hamlet, at Plum Village, 0:13:36.825,0:13:38.995 and his sister 0:13:38.995,0:13:42.165 while playing with another little girl on a hammock 0:13:42.165,0:13:44.965 fell down and got hurt, 0:13:45.435,0:13:46.955 and blood 0:13:47.445,0:13:50.035 was coming out. Suddenly 0:13:50.035,0:13:52.995 he found himself very angry; 0:13:54.515,0:13:56.925 he wanted to shout "Stupid! 0:13:57.005,0:13:58.865 How could you 0:13:58.865,0:14:01.335 do something like that?" 0:14:05.595,0:14:08.625 And because he had been practising 0:14:08.625,0:14:11.375 mindfulness, he was able 0:14:11.675,0:14:13.905 to refrain from shouting 0:14:14.765,0:14:16.905 and he recognized 0:14:17.185,0:14:20.415 that he was exactly like his father. 0:14:23.425,0:14:25.535 Instead of trying 0:14:26.775,0:14:28.575 to come and help 0:14:28.575,0:14:30.605 his sister, 0:14:31.255,0:14:34.085 he had the tendency to shout at her. 0:14:35.305,0:14:37.055 He hated 0:14:37.405,0:14:40.495 what he had within himself. 0:14:41.235,0:14:44.465 So when he practised 0:14:45.125,0:14:47.035 mindful breathing 0:14:47.035,0:14:50.035 he knew that this is the continuation 0:14:50.035,0:14:52.785 of his father inside of him; 0:14:53.245,0:14:55.855 he is not different from his father 0:14:56.055,0:14:58.145 and with that insight 0:14:58.525,0:15:02.665 he turned around and practised slow walking, 0:15:02.995,0:15:06.355 when he had seen someone coming to help his sister; 0:15:06.355,0:15:09.315 and during slow walking 0:15:09.315,0:15:11.305 he recognized that 0:15:11.305,0:15:14.845 he is the continuation of his father. The energy of anger 0:15:14.845,0:15:17.785 has been transmitted by his father 0:15:17.825,0:15:20.295 and if he does not practise 0:15:20.295,0:15:23.305 he is going to become exactly like his father 0:15:23.305,0:15:24.955 and he will treat 0:15:24.955,0:15:28.915 his children, in the future, in the same way. 0:15:28.915,0:15:31.335 That is called Samsara, 0:15:31.425,0:15:33.525 continuation. 0:15:34.025,0:15:37.135 And suddenly he had a desire, 0:15:37.225,0:15:39.615 that he had to go home and tell his father that 0:15:39.615,0:15:41.925 he has exactly the same kind of energy 0:15:41.925,0:15:46.175 and he would invite his father to practise with him. 0:15:46.425,0:15:49.485 And when that intention was born in him 0:15:49.485,0:15:52.365 his anger and resentment towards his father 0:15:52.365,0:15:54.815 began to dissolve. 0:15:57.985,0:16:00.465 What kind of insight 0:16:00.465,0:16:02.185 did he get? 0:16:02.245,0:16:03.855 He got the insight that 0:16:03.865,0:16:06.755 he is exactly like his father, 0:16:06.755,0:16:09.925 he has the same kind of habit energy. 0:16:10.905,0:16:13.585 And that is why he wanted to practise. 0:16:13.585,0:16:17.005 And he saw himself as a victim of that energy, 0:16:17.005,0:16:18.975 a victim of the transmission 0:16:18.975,0:16:21.185 of that habit energy; 0:16:21.185,0:16:24.915 and he saw that his father also was a victim 0:16:25.075,0:16:27.475 of that transmission too. His father 0:16:27.475,0:16:29.275 might have got it from 0:16:29.275,0:16:31.185 his own father. 0:16:31.495,0:16:36.305 And when he had that insight, his anger 0:16:37.755,0:16:40.295 vis-à-vis his father just 0:16:41.505,0:16:43.105 stopped. 0:16:43.145,0:16:45.995 He got a transformation. I think 0:16:46.435,0:16:49.405 for a young man of 12 0:16:49.405,0:16:51.015 that is a remarkable 0:16:51.655,0:16:53.595 achievement. 0:16:53.985,0:16:59.225 It is insight that transforms our afflictions; 0:17:01.185,0:17:03.945 and mindfulness has the power 0:17:03.945,0:17:07.565 of recognizing, embracing, looking deeply, 0:17:07.565,0:17:11.605 getting the insight that transforms you, 0:17:11.840,0:17:15.720 that makes you free. 0:17:19.900,0:17:24.800 Transformation, healing, freedom. 0:17:35.500,0:17:44.920 And when the young man was liberated, the father in him was liberated; and the ancestors in him were liberated 0:17:44.955,0:17:48.815 and [so was] the circle, the realm of the samsara.