1 00:00:08,290 --> 00:00:10,755 And if you are a good practitioner 2 00:00:11,835 --> 00:00:15,800 you have enough mindfulness in order to 3 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,260 handle 4 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:26,580 whatever 5 00:00:26,780 --> 00:00:28,740 needs to be handled. 6 00:00:30,485 --> 00:00:33,595 Suppose anger is coming up 7 00:00:33,595 --> 00:00:36,005 in you, as an energy. 8 00:00:40,300 --> 00:00:43,665 As a practitioner, you don't allow anger to be alone 9 00:00:45,365 --> 00:00:46,745 in you, 10 00:00:46,785 --> 00:00:50,145 because if you let anger be alone in you, 11 00:00:50,415 --> 00:00:53,225 anger will cause a lot of damage 12 00:00:53,225 --> 00:00:56,515 in your body, in your mind 13 00:00:56,625 --> 00:00:58,325 and maybe around you. 14 00:00:58,755 --> 00:01:02,965 And that is why you practise mindfulness of anger. 15 00:01:03,605 --> 00:01:07,075 Breathing in, I know anger is in me. 16 00:01:07,575 --> 00:01:09,225 Breathing out, 17 00:01:09,315 --> 00:01:11,725 I smile at my anger. 18 00:01:11,795 --> 00:01:14,275 I embrace my anger. 19 00:01:21,615 --> 00:01:24,105 You have a seed of anger 20 00:01:25,405 --> 00:01:27,465 deep within yourself, 21 00:01:30,455 --> 00:01:34,600 but you also have a seed of mindfulness deep within yourself. 22 00:01:34,685 --> 00:01:37,715 You have a seed of compassion within yourself. 23 00:01:39,975 --> 00:01:42,300 When anger is touched, 24 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,975 when the seed of anger is touched 25 00:01:44,975 --> 00:01:47,185 it manifests 26 00:01:47,205 --> 00:01:48,705 into 27 00:01:48,745 --> 00:01:52,135 a kind of energy called "anger". 28 00:01:59,875 --> 00:02:03,745 Suppose this is your consciousness. 29 00:02:04,245 --> 00:02:06,165 It has two layers. 30 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,345 The lower layer is called 31 00:02:09,345 --> 00:02:13,025 Store Consciousness 32 00:02:14,915 --> 00:02:17,135 and the upper layer is called 33 00:02:17,135 --> 00:02:20,125 Mind Consciousness. 34 00:02:21,825 --> 00:02:24,595 You have a seed of anger here. 35 00:02:25,305 --> 00:02:28,385 You also have a seed of joy 36 00:02:28,385 --> 00:02:31,375 of mindfulness, of compassion, 37 00:02:31,375 --> 00:02:33,285 of non-discrimination. 38 00:02:33,285 --> 00:02:35,995 You have a seed of anger, of despair 39 00:02:35,995 --> 00:02:38,515 of jealousy, of discrimination 40 00:02:38,715 --> 00:02:41,725 in the depths of your consciousness. 41 00:02:42,895 --> 00:02:45,485 But when the seed of anger 42 00:02:45,485 --> 00:02:48,015 is left alone there 43 00:02:48,015 --> 00:02:50,525 in the Store Consciousness, 44 00:02:50,895 --> 00:02:55,595 you don't water it, no one comes and touches it, you are OK. 45 00:02:55,995 --> 00:02:59,095 You can laugh, and you may have a good time. 46 00:03:00,125 --> 00:03:05,025 But that does not mean you do not have the seed of anger in you. 47 00:03:06,275 --> 00:03:09,495 As soon as you hear someone saying something 48 00:03:09,495 --> 00:03:13,175 or doing something, the seed of anger in you is touched 49 00:03:14,165 --> 00:03:17,245 and it becomes a zone of energy 50 00:03:17,555 --> 00:03:21,005 in the realm of Mind Consciousness. 51 00:03:25,585 --> 00:03:27,485 in Buddhism 52 00:03:27,485 --> 00:03:31,185 we call it a Mental Formation. 53 00:03:32,075 --> 00:03:34,935 Anger is a Mental Formation. 54 00:03:42,775 --> 00:03:47,145 In my tradition, we speak of 55 00:03:47,815 --> 00:03:50,875 51 categories of Mental Formations. 56 00:03:54,885 --> 00:03:58,165 We have the seed of discrimination in us. 57 00:03:58,375 --> 00:04:00,515 We have a seed of 58 00:04:00,915 --> 00:04:03,685 non-discrimination in us. 59 00:04:07,625 --> 00:04:09,465 That is true. 60 00:04:11,385 --> 00:04:14,715 If the seed of discrimination is watered every day 61 00:04:14,715 --> 00:04:16,895 it becomes very important 62 00:04:18,685 --> 00:04:20,185 and 63 00:04:20,185 --> 00:04:23,965 it doesn't allow the seed of non-discrimination to manifest. 64 00:04:24,095 --> 00:04:26,095 If the seed of anger 65 00:04:26,635 --> 00:04:29,335 becomes stronger and stronger every day 66 00:04:29,335 --> 00:04:31,235 the seed of compassion 67 00:04:31,255 --> 00:04:33,305 has less chance... 68 00:04:34,305 --> 00:04:36,595 And that is why 69 00:04:37,775 --> 00:04:40,695 every time a negative seed is touched 70 00:04:40,985 --> 00:04:42,805 and manifests 71 00:04:44,455 --> 00:04:46,695 we have to take care of it. 72 00:04:47,655 --> 00:04:49,655 That is why 73 00:04:50,325 --> 00:04:53,925 I spoke about mindfulness of anger. 74 00:04:54,505 --> 00:04:55,505 When... 75 00:04:55,535 --> 00:04:58,405 Mindfulness is the capacity 76 00:04:58,405 --> 00:05:01,185 of knowing what is happening. What is happening is 77 00:05:01,185 --> 00:05:03,255 anger has manifested. 78 00:05:03,935 --> 00:05:06,825 So as a practitioner, you ask 79 00:05:06,825 --> 00:05:11,535 the seed of mindfulness to manifest at the same time. 80 00:05:12,285 --> 00:05:13,485 And if you are 81 00:05:13,575 --> 00:05:15,605 a diligent practitioner 82 00:05:16,875 --> 00:05:20,945 the seed of mindfulness in you is strong enough 83 00:05:22,515 --> 00:05:24,000 and it's very easy for you 84 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:24,900 to touch 85 00:05:24,900 --> 00:05:25,865 and invite it 86 00:05:25,865 --> 00:05:27,245 to come up; 87 00:05:27,855 --> 00:05:31,215 and it will come up and become a zone of energy. 88 00:05:36,105 --> 00:05:38,755 Suppose anger 89 00:05:38,755 --> 00:05:40,655 is energy 1, 90 00:05:40,655 --> 00:05:43,875 mindfulness is energy 2. 91 00:05:46,955 --> 00:05:51,085 Mindfulness is mindfulness of something 92 00:05:51,715 --> 00:05:53,235 and here 93 00:05:53,235 --> 00:05:55,765 mindfulness of anger. 94 00:05:56,455 --> 00:05:59,000 Mindfulness here has 95 00:06:00,245 --> 00:06:03,695 The following function: recognizing. 96 00:06:03,695 --> 00:06:05,755 Recognizing 97 00:06:11,555 --> 00:06:14,365 anger as anger. 98 00:06:15,675 --> 00:06:17,825 Mindfulness of breathing... 99 00:06:17,825 --> 00:06:20,525 Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath. 100 00:06:20,775 --> 00:06:23,835 Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath. 101 00:06:23,835 --> 00:06:26,705 Recognizing in-breath as in-breath. 102 00:06:26,705 --> 00:06:29,885 Recognizing out-breath as out-breath. 103 00:06:30,305 --> 00:06:33,235 Recognizing drinking as drinking, 104 00:06:33,495 --> 00:06:37,145 recognizing walking as walking. That's the nature, 105 00:06:37,145 --> 00:06:39,505 the function of mindfulness. 106 00:06:39,505 --> 00:06:42,915 So the energy of mindfulness generated by your breathing, 107 00:06:42,915 --> 00:06:44,395 your walking, 108 00:06:44,395 --> 00:06:46,245 has the capacity of recognizing 109 00:06:46,245 --> 00:06:47,655 anger as anger. 110 00:06:47,655 --> 00:06:48,955 Breathing in 111 00:06:48,955 --> 00:06:51,895 I know the anger is in me. 112 00:06:52,275 --> 00:06:54,005 Breathing out 113 00:06:54,075 --> 00:06:57,700 I take good care of my anger. 114 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,775 Recognizing anger and embracing anger, 115 00:07:09,675 --> 00:07:11,975 this is an art, 116 00:07:11,975 --> 00:07:15,545 this is a practice. This is no fighting. 117 00:07:15,545 --> 00:07:18,505 Mindfulness is generated 118 00:07:18,505 --> 00:07:20,805 not to fight anger 119 00:07:20,805 --> 00:07:24,285 but to recognize anger and to hold anger 120 00:07:24,285 --> 00:07:26,395 very tenderly. 121 00:07:26,675 --> 00:07:28,935 That is Buddhist practice. 122 00:07:28,965 --> 00:07:36,725 You do not transform yourself into a battlefield... The good fighting the evil, that's not Buddhism; 123 00:07:37,815 --> 00:07:42,025 because you have mindfulness, but you have also anger. 124 00:07:42,105 --> 00:07:46,095 And mindfulness plays the role of an older sister, 125 00:07:46,215 --> 00:07:47,795 holding 126 00:07:47,795 --> 00:07:50,445 the angry, suffering younger sister 127 00:07:50,645 --> 00:07:53,385 and help her to transform. 128 00:08:01,865 --> 00:08:03,555 A mother 129 00:08:04,055 --> 00:08:06,465 is working in the kitchen 130 00:08:07,115 --> 00:08:09,445 and she hears her baby crying 131 00:08:10,055 --> 00:08:12,925 and she's very much careful of her baby; 132 00:08:13,045 --> 00:08:14,805 so she stops 133 00:08:14,935 --> 00:08:17,385 her work in the kitchen, she puts down 134 00:08:17,725 --> 00:08:20,355 whatever she is holding and she goes 135 00:08:20,355 --> 00:08:23,415 to the room of the baby and the first thing she does 136 00:08:23,415 --> 00:08:27,600 is to pick up the baby and hold the baby tenderly in her arms. 137 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:34,415 That's the mother. She does not know what is wrong with the baby yet, 138 00:08:34,555 --> 00:08:36,055 but 139 00:08:36,055 --> 00:08:39,135 the first thing she does is to pick up the baby 140 00:08:39,135 --> 00:08:41,335 and hold him mindfully. 141 00:08:41,395 --> 00:08:44,405 We do the same thing, as practitioners. 142 00:08:44,405 --> 00:08:48,185 Every time anger, or despair comes up 143 00:08:48,915 --> 00:08:51,095 we generate 144 00:08:51,335 --> 00:08:54,035 the energy of mindfulness 145 00:08:54,035 --> 00:08:58,275 in order to recognize and to embrace tenderly, 146 00:08:58,535 --> 00:09:00,335 tenderly. 147 00:09:04,705 --> 00:09:06,695 And if we know how to practise 148 00:09:06,695 --> 00:09:09,965 mindful walking, or mindful breathing, 149 00:09:09,965 --> 00:09:12,755 we continue to generate mindfulness 150 00:09:12,755 --> 00:09:17,115 and we have that energy, in order to recognize and to embrace 151 00:09:17,145 --> 00:09:20,355 and we can bring relief; 152 00:09:20,695 --> 00:09:23,745 because mindfulness as an energy 153 00:09:23,745 --> 00:09:27,215 is embracing anger as another source of energy 154 00:09:27,215 --> 00:09:31,245 tenderly. Big brother, younger brother. 155 00:09:32,425 --> 00:09:36,075 Although the mother has not 156 00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:38,485 realized what is wrong with the baby, 157 00:09:38,485 --> 00:09:41,195 the fact that she is holding the baby tenderly 158 00:09:41,195 --> 00:09:44,295 can already bring a relief to the baby, and the baby 159 00:09:44,295 --> 00:09:45,995 may stop crying; 160 00:09:45,995 --> 00:09:47,905 and if the mother continues 161 00:09:47,905 --> 00:09:50,405 to hold the baby tenderly with mindfulness 162 00:09:50,405 --> 00:09:52,825 she will find out what is wrong. 163 00:09:52,825 --> 00:09:55,725 The baby might be hungry, 164 00:09:55,725 --> 00:09:58,545 The baby may have a fever 165 00:09:58,825 --> 00:10:01,605 or the diaper may be too tight. 166 00:10:01,975 --> 00:10:04,015 As a mother 167 00:10:04,075 --> 00:10:06,785 she can find it out very quickly. 168 00:10:06,785 --> 00:10:08,865 As a practitioner 169 00:10:08,885 --> 00:10:10,085 you can 170 00:10:10,085 --> 00:10:12,345 find out very easily 171 00:10:12,925 --> 00:10:16,145 why this anger [is there]; 172 00:10:16,615 --> 00:10:19,905 and you can see the roots of that anger. 173 00:10:19,925 --> 00:10:22,685 You will find the nature of that anger, 174 00:10:22,685 --> 00:10:24,780 the root of the anger. 175 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,940 If the mother finds out what is wrong 176 00:10:31,945 --> 00:10:34,820 with the baby, she can fix the situation 177 00:10:34,820 --> 00:10:38,120 very quickly. If the baby is hungry 178 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,460 she can give her son some milk. 179 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,160 If the diaper is too tight, she can just 180 00:10:45,695 --> 00:10:48,125 undo it and do it again. 181 00:10:49,425 --> 00:10:52,495 So after having embraced 182 00:10:52,495 --> 00:10:53,795 tenderly 183 00:10:54,225 --> 00:10:56,005 your anger 184 00:10:59,145 --> 00:11:01,735 you might like to continue 185 00:11:01,875 --> 00:11:04,365 the practice of mindful breathing, 186 00:11:04,365 --> 00:11:06,315 the practice of mindful walking 187 00:11:06,315 --> 00:11:09,115 and look deeply into the nature 188 00:11:09,115 --> 00:11:11,625 of your anger, and find out 189 00:11:11,625 --> 00:11:14,335 what is the root of your anger. 190 00:11:14,675 --> 00:11:19,605 Recognizing, embracing and looking deeply. 191 00:11:23,485 --> 00:11:26,095 Because mindfulness 192 00:11:26,155 --> 00:11:28,755 is the kind of energy 193 00:11:29,675 --> 00:11:32,475 that carries with her 194 00:11:32,485 --> 00:11:35,815 the energy of concentration. 195 00:11:38,025 --> 00:11:40,375 Wherever mindfulness is 196 00:11:40,375 --> 00:11:42,115 concentration is [there] also. 197 00:11:42,125 --> 00:11:45,155 When you are mindful of your in-breath 198 00:11:45,285 --> 00:11:48,255 you are concentrated on your in-breath. 199 00:11:48,925 --> 00:11:51,405 When you are mindful of your tea 200 00:11:51,405 --> 00:11:53,405 you concentrate on your tea. 201 00:11:54,745 --> 00:11:56,935 And that is why 202 00:11:56,935 --> 00:11:59,685 the more powerful mindfulness is 203 00:11:59,685 --> 00:12:02,755 the more concentration you get; 204 00:12:02,755 --> 00:12:05,575 and with that mindfulness and concentration 205 00:12:05,575 --> 00:12:09,325 you practise looking deeply and you will get an insight. 206 00:12:21,075 --> 00:12:24,325 And that insight is going to liberate you, 207 00:12:24,755 --> 00:12:27,465 transform your anger. 208 00:12:31,345 --> 00:12:33,985 There is a story 209 00:12:33,985 --> 00:12:36,305 of a young boy 210 00:12:36,685 --> 00:12:39,855 who used to come to Plum Village every summer 211 00:12:39,965 --> 00:12:43,325 with his younger sister, 212 00:12:45,235 --> 00:12:48,255 and they practise mindfulness 213 00:12:48,255 --> 00:12:50,455 as children. 214 00:12:51,255 --> 00:12:54,885 The boy had difficulties with his father, 215 00:12:58,495 --> 00:13:00,815 he blamed his father. 216 00:13:01,595 --> 00:13:04,395 Every time he fell down and got hurt 217 00:13:04,395 --> 00:13:07,195 his father always shouted at him 218 00:13:07,195 --> 00:13:09,535 instead of coming and help him. 219 00:13:10,275 --> 00:13:13,135 So his relationship with his father 220 00:13:13,135 --> 00:13:14,705 was difficult, 221 00:13:14,755 --> 00:13:17,595 and he vowed when he grows up he would not be 222 00:13:17,595 --> 00:13:18,895 like his father; 223 00:13:18,895 --> 00:13:21,455 if he had children and then if 224 00:13:21,455 --> 00:13:23,905 his child fell down and got hurt 225 00:13:23,905 --> 00:13:27,515 he would not shout at him; instead he would come and try to help. 226 00:13:27,575 --> 00:13:28,975 That was 227 00:13:28,975 --> 00:13:30,765 his determination. 228 00:13:31,055 --> 00:13:33,605 One day he was playing 229 00:13:33,605 --> 00:13:36,535 in the lower hamlet, at Plum Village, 230 00:13:36,825 --> 00:13:38,995 and his sister 231 00:13:38,995 --> 00:13:42,165 while playing with another little girl on a hammock 232 00:13:42,165 --> 00:13:44,965 fell down and got hurt, 233 00:13:45,435 --> 00:13:46,955 and blood 234 00:13:47,445 --> 00:13:50,035 was coming out. Suddenly 235 00:13:50,035 --> 00:13:52,995 he found himself very angry; 236 00:13:54,515 --> 00:13:56,925 he wanted to shout "Stupid! 237 00:13:57,005 --> 00:13:58,865 How could you 238 00:13:58,865 --> 00:14:01,335 do something like that?" 239 00:14:05,595 --> 00:14:08,625 And because he had been practising 240 00:14:08,625 --> 00:14:11,375 mindfulness, he was able 241 00:14:11,675 --> 00:14:13,905 to refrain from shouting 242 00:14:14,765 --> 00:14:16,905 and he recognized 243 00:14:17,185 --> 00:14:20,415 that he was exactly like his father. 244 00:14:23,425 --> 00:14:25,535 Instead of trying 245 00:14:26,775 --> 00:14:28,575 to come and help 246 00:14:28,575 --> 00:14:30,605 his sister, 247 00:14:31,255 --> 00:14:34,085 he had the tendency to shout at her. 248 00:14:35,305 --> 00:14:37,055 He hated 249 00:14:37,405 --> 00:14:40,495 what he had within himself. 250 00:14:41,235 --> 00:14:44,465 So when he practised 251 00:14:45,125 --> 00:14:47,035 mindful breathing 252 00:14:47,035 --> 00:14:50,035 he knew that this is the continuation 253 00:14:50,035 --> 00:14:52,785 of his father inside of him; 254 00:14:53,245 --> 00:14:55,855 he is not different from his father 255 00:14:56,055 --> 00:14:58,145 and with that insight 256 00:14:58,525 --> 00:15:02,665 he turned around and practised slow walking, 257 00:15:02,995 --> 00:15:06,355 when he had seen someone coming to help his sister; 258 00:15:06,355 --> 00:15:09,315 and during slow walking 259 00:15:09,315 --> 00:15:11,305 he recognized that 260 00:15:11,305 --> 00:15:14,845 he is the continuation of his father. The energy of anger 261 00:15:14,845 --> 00:15:17,785 has been transmitted by his father 262 00:15:17,825 --> 00:15:20,295 and if he does not practise 263 00:15:20,295 --> 00:15:23,305 he is going to become exactly like his father 264 00:15:23,305 --> 00:15:24,955 and he will treat 265 00:15:24,955 --> 00:15:28,915 his children, in the future, in the same way. 266 00:15:28,915 --> 00:15:31,335 That is called Samsara, 267 00:15:31,425 --> 00:15:33,525 continuation. 268 00:15:34,025 --> 00:15:37,135 And suddenly he had a desire, 269 00:15:37,225 --> 00:15:39,615 that he had to go home and tell his father that 270 00:15:39,615 --> 00:15:41,925 he has exactly the same kind of energy 271 00:15:41,925 --> 00:15:46,175 and he would invite his father to practise with him. 272 00:15:46,425 --> 00:15:49,485 And when that intention was born in him 273 00:15:49,485 --> 00:15:52,365 his anger and resentment towards his father 274 00:15:52,365 --> 00:15:54,815 began to dissolve. 275 00:15:57,985 --> 00:16:00,465 What kind of insight 276 00:16:00,465 --> 00:16:02,185 did he get? 277 00:16:02,245 --> 00:16:03,855 He got the insight that 278 00:16:03,865 --> 00:16:06,755 he is exactly like his father, 279 00:16:06,755 --> 00:16:09,925 he has the same kind of habit energy. 280 00:16:10,905 --> 00:16:13,585 And that is why he wanted to practise. 281 00:16:13,585 --> 00:16:17,005 And he saw himself as a victim of that energy, 282 00:16:17,005 --> 00:16:18,975 a victim of the transmission 283 00:16:18,975 --> 00:16:21,185 of that habit energy; 284 00:16:21,185 --> 00:16:24,915 and he saw that his father also was a victim 285 00:16:25,075 --> 00:16:27,475 of that transmission too. His father 286 00:16:27,475 --> 00:16:29,275 might have got it from 287 00:16:29,275 --> 00:16:31,185 his own father. 288 00:16:31,495 --> 00:16:36,305 And when he had that insight, his anger 289 00:16:37,755 --> 00:16:40,295 vis-à-vis his father just 290 00:16:41,505 --> 00:16:43,105 stopped. 291 00:16:43,145 --> 00:16:45,995 He got a transformation. I think 292 00:16:46,435 --> 00:16:49,405 for a young man of 12 293 00:16:49,405 --> 00:16:51,015 that is a remarkable 294 00:16:51,655 --> 00:16:53,595 achievement. 295 00:16:53,985 --> 00:16:59,225 It is insight that transforms our afflictions; 296 00:17:01,185 --> 00:17:03,945 and mindfulness has the power 297 00:17:03,945 --> 00:17:07,565 of recognizing, embracing, looking deeply, 298 00:17:07,565 --> 00:17:11,605 getting the insight that transforms you, 299 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:15,720 that makes you free. 300 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:24,800 Transformation, healing, freedom. 301 00:17:35,500 --> 00:17:44,920 And when the young man was liberated, the father in him was liberated; and the ancestors in him were liberated 302 00:17:44,955 --> 00:17:48,815 and [so was] the circle, the realm of the samsara.