1 00:00:24,940 --> 00:00:25,940 Dear Thầy, 2 00:00:26,110 --> 00:00:27,149 Dear Sangha, 3 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:36,069 I had the blessing of receiving teachings from you for such a long time since the 1980s, 4 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:38,350 and I thank you deeply. 5 00:00:38,350 --> 00:00:39,280 30 years? 6 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:40,280 34 years? 7 00:00:40,871 --> 00:00:43,840 Yes, that's right. 8 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,875 The family retreats in Honolulu 9 00:00:46,877 --> 00:00:51,039 You are my continuation body. 10 00:00:57,861 --> 00:01:06,300 I work as a psychotherapist, and even though I have had such wonderful teachings, 11 00:01:06,301 --> 00:01:12,416 I found when I was diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago that it was extremely hard. 12 00:01:12,590 --> 00:01:19,099 And I learned a new way about suffering in my body and mind. 13 00:01:20,330 --> 00:01:27,199 And because I had a practice, I really did very well through the process. 14 00:01:28,190 --> 00:01:32,096 But now I work with people with cancer, 15 00:01:32,096 --> 00:01:37,085 and I have created a mindfulness retreat for people with cancer. 16 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:46,583 And I know well that the fear is so different when the fear of death is not abstract. 17 00:01:46,583 --> 00:01:56,991 It's in your own body and the fear of uncertainty where people live constantly from test to test. 18 00:01:58,340 --> 00:02:07,123 And I would love any teachings that you might give us on how to work with these deep fears. 19 00:02:08,870 --> 00:02:15,714 And anything else you might say that I would like to pass on to this community. 20 00:02:17,121 --> 00:02:19,316 Thank you. 21 00:02:22,140 --> 00:02:23,010 In this retreat, 22 00:02:23,012 --> 00:02:28,384 we have been meditating on this topic. 23 00:02:30,671 --> 00:02:39,243 We look into the notion of death and fear. 24 00:02:42,860 --> 00:02:47,277 And we know that when you get the right view, 25 00:02:47,278 --> 00:02:51,695 you'll be free from fear and despair. 26 00:02:52,980 --> 00:02:57,119 And that's why if we had the right view, 27 00:02:57,420 --> 00:03:06,673 not as a theory but as a real experience, and that it can help people a lot. 28 00:03:08,510 --> 00:03:11,899 When you sit close to a person, 29 00:03:13,071 --> 00:03:15,543 who is dying. 30 00:03:16,770 --> 00:03:19,560 And you have that insight of no birth and no death. 31 00:03:21,470 --> 00:03:23,465 If you have that peace, 32 00:03:24,670 --> 00:03:27,677 then you can be very helpful, 33 00:03:27,677 --> 00:03:30,684 and the person who is dying, 34 00:03:31,601 --> 00:03:37,255 will not suffer and he or she can die peacefully. 35 00:03:37,750 --> 00:03:42,537 That is in the case of Anathapindika. 36 00:03:43,580 --> 00:03:45,738 The lay practitioner. 37 00:03:46,820 --> 00:03:47,661 Anathapindika 38 00:03:47,661 --> 00:03:51,237 was a lay practitioner. 39 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,730 He was a businessman. 40 00:03:56,250 --> 00:04:03,641 And when he traveled to the Kingdom of Rājagaha, the city of Rājagaha, 41 00:04:03,641 --> 00:04:07,347 he met with the Buddha for the first time, 42 00:04:07,347 --> 00:04:13,735 and he invited the Buddha to come to his country, the city Savatthi. 43 00:04:13,736 --> 00:04:21,867 and he offered him a practice, a park, a lovely park to be served as a practice center. 44 00:04:23,601 --> 00:04:28,611 And the day Anathapindika was dying. 45 00:04:30,002 --> 00:04:38,550 The venerable Sariputra came, together with his younger brother in the Dharma. 46 00:04:40,130 --> 00:04:43,157 And that was recommended by the Buddha. 47 00:04:45,650 --> 00:04:55,081 And then during that, during that visit, Sariputra tried to try to help 48 00:04:55,700 --> 00:05:05,910 Anathapindika to touch the nature of no birth and no death, very skillfully. 49 00:05:08,860 --> 00:05:16,124 And the story is written down in a Sutra called Teaching Given to The Dying Person. 50 00:05:17,332 --> 00:05:23,564 And Sariputra is the big brother, the big Dharma brother of all of us. 51 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,485 He was very skillful. 52 00:05:30,450 --> 00:05:32,490 Ananda was sitting close to him, 53 00:05:32,610 --> 00:05:34,079 and the first thing he asked: 54 00:05:35,140 --> 00:05:36,639 Dear, dear friend. 55 00:05:38,992 --> 00:05:41,014 How do you feel in your body? 56 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,249 Is the pain in your body decreasing? 57 00:05:46,941 --> 00:05:48,619 Or till increasing? 58 00:05:54,180 --> 00:05:56,249 And that is the question of a doctor. 59 00:05:56,460 --> 00:05:57,460 Right? 60 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:06,839 And Anathapindika said, dear Venerables, it doesn't seem that the pain in my body is decreasing, 61 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:09,089 it is increasing all the time. 62 00:06:09,630 --> 00:06:10,709 I suffer very much. 63 00:06:10,980 --> 00:06:12,389 I feel very painful. 64 00:06:15,453 --> 00:06:19,179 And responding to that, Sariputra said, 65 00:06:19,179 --> 00:06:20,581 in that case, let us 66 00:06:22,300 --> 00:06:29,679 meditate on the Three Jewels, the mindfulness of the Three Jewels. 67 00:06:35,990 --> 00:06:43,418 And this kind of meditation that has the object Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. 68 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,579 And they offered a guided meditation exercise. 69 00:06:55,061 --> 00:07:03,569 The two monks were supporting the dying person to practice recollection on the Buddha, 70 00:07:03,570 --> 00:07:07,990 recollection on the Dharma and recollection on the Sangha. 71 00:07:09,620 --> 00:07:12,739 And he can learn from their experiences. 72 00:07:14,123 --> 00:07:18,424 Because Sariputra was a very intelligent monk. 73 00:07:18,433 --> 00:07:26,735 He knew that Anathapindika I had taken a lot, a great deal of pleasure serving the Buddha and the Sangha. 74 00:07:27,950 --> 00:07:29,300 He was a businessman. 75 00:07:29,390 --> 00:07:31,850 He had a very lovely heart. 76 00:07:32,001 --> 00:07:41,021 He helped so many poor, destituted people in the city of Shravasti. 77 00:07:42,050 --> 00:07:44,269 And that is why they love him so much, 78 00:07:44,270 --> 00:07:48,790 and they gave him that beautiful name Anathapindika. 79 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,819 The one who care for the helpless people. 80 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,559 His real name is Sudatta 81 00:07:59,870 --> 00:08:00,870 And. 82 00:08:03,130 --> 00:08:04,600 He offered the Buddha. 83 00:08:04,660 --> 00:08:11,020 He had offered the Buddha a beautiful park, to be used as a practice center, 84 00:08:11,021 --> 00:08:14,326 where people come listen to Dharma talks, 85 00:08:14,326 --> 00:08:20,004 and practice recitation of the Mindfulness Trainings and Dharma sharing. 86 00:08:22,690 --> 00:08:28,990 And he encouraged his children to come with him to practice. 87 00:08:29,950 --> 00:08:36,429 And every time he thinks of the Buddha, the Sangha. 88 00:08:37,179 --> 00:08:42,339 Every time he does something, he did something to support the Buddha and the Sangha, 89 00:08:42,339 --> 00:08:47,499 he got a lot of happiness serving the Buddha and the Sangha, 90 00:08:47,500 --> 00:08:50,229 learning the Dhamar brought him a lot of happiness. 91 00:08:50,921 --> 00:08:53,399 So there are many seeds of happiness, 92 00:08:55,271 --> 00:08:58,015 planted already in his consciousness. 93 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:08,759 And insight of Sariputra is if we focus attention on the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. 94 00:09:08,772 --> 00:09:14,657 And water the seed of happiness already in him, 95 00:09:14,824 --> 00:09:20,801 feeling of joy and happiness will be water and manifest 96 00:09:20,802 --> 00:09:27,275 and they will create a balance between the joy and the pain, and the man will suffer less. 97 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:34,690 I think all psychotherapists have to learn from our big Dharma brother. 98 00:09:35,050 --> 00:09:36,050 Sariputra. 99 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,820 And after 5, 8 minutes of practice, 100 00:09:48,490 --> 00:09:49,490 Recollecting. 101 00:09:50,950 --> 00:09:54,279 Recollection of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, 102 00:09:54,490 --> 00:09:56,590 Anathapindika was able to smile. 103 00:09:58,860 --> 00:10:07,559 So sitting close to the dead bed of someone, you have to recognize the seeds of happiness in him or her. 104 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:14,730 You have to inquire and you will say something to water the seed of happiness in him or her. 105 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,629 And that water the seed of happiness 106 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:26,099 and create a feeling of joy and happiness that will reestablish the balance. 107 00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:28,890 And the man, the woman will suffer less. 108 00:10:36,460 --> 00:10:37,460 And then. 109 00:10:39,630 --> 00:10:40,480 And. 110 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:41,290 And then. 111 00:10:41,290 --> 00:10:51,548 He, Sariputra, continue with the meditation on the six sense organs. 112 00:10:51,549 --> 00:10:57,862 which are the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind. 113 00:10:57,863 --> 00:11:07,330 six sense objects like the form, sound, smell, touch and so on. 114 00:11:07,330 --> 00:11:08,851 And the six consciousnesses, 115 00:11:11,190 --> 00:11:19,650 And to help, to help Anathapindika to see that these things are formations. 116 00:11:21,710 --> 00:11:23,479 They have come from nowhere. 117 00:11:23,870 --> 00:11:27,860 When conditions are sufficient they manifest like that, 118 00:11:27,860 --> 00:11:32,734 they have come from nowhere and they will go nowhere. 119 00:11:33,460 --> 00:11:34,539 They will go nowhere. 120 00:11:34,930 --> 00:11:36,429 No coming, no going. 121 00:11:36,430 --> 00:11:42,070 That is the insight that you get when you practice like that. 122 00:11:43,510 --> 00:11:44,470 They focus. 123 00:11:44,470 --> 00:11:51,120 They try to focus attention on the fact that there are four elements in our body. 124 00:11:52,330 --> 00:12:00,144 Water, air, heat and soil. 125 00:12:01,030 --> 00:12:02,409 Inside and outside. 126 00:12:03,870 --> 00:12:13,830 And to help the dying person see that a human being is made of these elements. 127 00:12:15,030 --> 00:12:18,419 And when conditions are sufficient, they manifest. 128 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:27,840 And when conditions are no longer sufficient, they stop that manifestation and manifest otherwise. 129 00:12:29,820 --> 00:12:32,940 And there is no birth and no death, no going and no coming. 130 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:36,480 And at the end of, 131 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:39,889 toward the end of the meditation, 132 00:12:40,340 --> 00:12:41,340 they saw 133 00:12:43,631 --> 00:12:47,179 Anathapindika cried. 134 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,100 And Ananda did not understand the meaning of this tear. 135 00:12:56,660 --> 00:12:57,830 He was very concerned. 136 00:12:59,030 --> 00:13:00,080 He said : Dear friend, 137 00:13:02,350 --> 00:13:03,350 Why do you cry? 138 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:10,270 You didn't. 139 00:13:10,270 --> 00:13:12,240 You did not succeed in the meditation, 140 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:13,500 in the guided meditation? 141 00:13:15,500 --> 00:13:18,250 No, Venerable Ananda. 142 00:13:18,780 --> 00:13:20,100 I did it very well. 143 00:13:20,730 --> 00:13:23,879 I succeed fully in my guided meditation. 144 00:13:24,715 --> 00:13:26,891 Are you regreting something? 145 00:13:28,020 --> 00:13:29,279 You still regret something? 146 00:13:29,850 --> 00:13:32,609 No, Venerable Ananda, I don't regret anything. 147 00:13:34,590 --> 00:13:35,909 And so why do you cry then? 148 00:13:38,770 --> 00:13:42,640 And Anathapindika said to Ananda. 149 00:13:45,780 --> 00:13:48,460 Venerable Ananda, I cried because I am so moved. 150 00:13:49,890 --> 00:13:56,684 I have served the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha for more than 30 years, 151 00:13:56,685 --> 00:14:03,479 but I have never received such a wonderful teaching and practice, that can liberate me like today. 152 00:14:05,530 --> 00:14:09,284 The teaching of no birth and no death, I'm free now. 153 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:10,909 I'm not afraid of dying. 154 00:14:11,450 --> 00:14:14,029 I know the nature of no coming, no going. 155 00:14:18,210 --> 00:14:19,649 I can see my continuation. 156 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,349 Ananda said. 157 00:14:22,380 --> 00:14:27,480 Dear friend, you don't know but that teaching, we, monastics, receive almost every day. 158 00:14:31,681 --> 00:14:34,704 Anathapindika said: Dear Venerable Ananda, 159 00:14:34,704 --> 00:14:43,339 of course there are lay people who are so busy who have no time to receive this kind of teaching and practice, 160 00:14:43,340 --> 00:14:48,016 but they are those of us who are not too busy. 161 00:14:50,770 --> 00:14:56,500 And we are ready to receive that wonderful teaching and put it into practice. 162 00:14:56,530 --> 00:15:03,270 So please go back to the Buddha, our teacher, and tell him that there are laypeople, 163 00:15:03,271 --> 00:15:08,749 who can receive and put into practice this kind of deep teaching. 164 00:15:10,881 --> 00:15:16,888 And then he spoke for a sake, in the name of the lay community. 165 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,130 And Ananda said, Don't worry, my friend, 166 00:15:25,910 --> 00:15:32,699 after this, I will go back right away to the Lord and tell him about your request. 167 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:34,389 And after that, 168 00:15:34,580 --> 00:15:38,869 Anathapindika die peacefully with a smile on his lips. 169 00:15:43,130 --> 00:15:50,972 So the Sutra, the teaching, given to the dying person is available in the Plum Village chanting book. 170 00:15:51,620 --> 00:15:52,620 We had to study. 171 00:15:53,540 --> 00:15:54,540 We had to practice. 172 00:15:55,250 --> 00:16:04,423 And we can be very helpful in making the people who die suffer less, 173 00:16:04,423 --> 00:16:08,903 who are dying slowly, suffer less. 174 00:16:10,810 --> 00:16:17,769 But even if we do not have cancer, or cancer has been healed, 175 00:16:17,830 --> 00:16:18,940 we have to practice. 176 00:16:19,090 --> 00:16:21,515 He had to continue to practice. 177 00:16:23,570 --> 00:16:28,760 Because you don't practice, it can come back and it can grind you quickly. 178 00:16:29,570 --> 00:16:32,995 So it's very important that you keep the practice alive, 179 00:16:32,995 --> 00:16:39,740 and you're always have the Sangha behind you to to support you in practice. 180 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:47,150 There's a friend in Montreal, Canada. 181 00:16:49,201 --> 00:16:55,410 His doctor gave him only three months to live, 182 00:16:56,075 --> 00:17:01,484 but after he met the Sangha and attended one retreat, 183 00:17:01,485 --> 00:17:07,862 he took in the practice into his heart and practices. 184 00:17:08,660 --> 00:17:12,619 And he lived for more than ten years. 185 00:17:15,550 --> 00:17:20,828 But because after that, his wife 186 00:17:24,290 --> 00:17:25,290 needs something, 187 00:17:28,650 --> 00:17:34,103 have some kind of relationship that make him suffer and he could not 188 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,380 preserve, continue this practice. 189 00:17:41,610 --> 00:17:45,930 And that is why the situation deteriorated very quickly and he died. 190 00:17:47,430 --> 00:17:51,490 I think we need to be in touch with the Sangha always. 191 00:17:51,490 --> 00:17:59,520 And when something like that happened, we had to to renew our practice, 192 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,161 to lean on the Sangha, otherwise, 193 00:18:09,270 --> 00:18:10,589 We will suffer like that. 194 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:13,370 That. 195 00:18:13,370 --> 00:18:15,290 That friend in Canada. 196 00:18:21,210 --> 00:18:23,639 And this teaching is not only for. 197 00:18:24,790 --> 00:18:26,290 Psychotherapist. 198 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:32,470 This teaching is all of us, monastics and lay practitioners alike.