WEBVTT 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:25.940 Dear Thầy, 00:00:26.110 --> 00:00:27.149 Dear Sangha, 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, 00:00:36.700 --> 00:00:38.350 and I thank you deeply. 00:00:38.350 --> 00:00:39.280 30 years? 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:40.280 34 years? 00:00:40.871 --> 00:00:43.840 Yes, that's right. 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:46.875 The family retreats in Honolulu 00:00:46.877 --> 00:00:51.039 You are my continuation body. 00:00:57.861 --> 00:01:06.300 I work as a psychotherapist, and even though I have had such wonderful teachings, 00:01:06.301 --> 00:01:12.416 I found when I was diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago that it was extremely hard. 00:01:12.590 --> 00:01:19.099 And I learned a new way about suffering in my body and mind. 00:01:20.330 --> 00:01:27.199 And because I had a practice, I really did very well through the process. 00:01:28.190 --> 00:01:32.096 But now I work with people with cancer, 00:01:32.096 --> 00:01:37.085 and I have created a mindfulness retreat for people with cancer. 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. 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. 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. 00:02:08.870 --> 00:02:15.714 And anything else you might say that I would like to pass on to this community. 00:02:17.121 --> 00:02:19.316 Thank you. 00:02:22.140 --> 00:02:23.010 In this retreat, 00:02:23.012 --> 00:02:28.384 we have been meditating on this topic. 00:02:30.671 --> 00:02:39.243 We look into the notion of death and fear. 00:02:42.860 --> 00:02:47.277 And we know that when you get the right view, 00:02:47.278 --> 00:02:51.695 you'll be free from fear and despair. 00:02:52.980 --> 00:02:57.119 And that's why if we had the right view, 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. 00:03:08.510 --> 00:03:11.899 When you sit close to a person, 00:03:13.071 --> 00:03:15.543 who is dying. 00:03:16.770 --> 00:03:19.560 And you have that insight of no birth and no death. 00:03:21.470 --> 00:03:23.465 If you have that peace, 00:03:24.670 --> 00:03:27.677 then you can be very helpful, 00:03:27.677 --> 00:03:30.684 and the person who is dying, 00:03:31.601 --> 00:03:37.255 will not suffer and he or she can die peacefully. 00:03:37.750 --> 00:03:42.537 That is in the case of Anathapindika. 00:03:43.580 --> 00:03:45.738 The lay practitioner. 00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:47.661 Anathapindika 00:03:47.661 --> 00:03:51.237 was a lay practitioner. 00:03:51.320 --> 00:03:54.730 He was a businessman. 00:03:56.250 --> 00:04:03.641 And when he traveled to the Kingdom of Rājagaha, the city of Rājagaha, 00:04:03.641 --> 00:04:07.347 he met with the Buddha for the first time, 00:04:07.347 --> 00:04:13.735 and he invited the Buddha to come to his country, the city Savatthi. 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. 00:04:23.601 --> 00:04:28.611 And the day Anathapindika was dying. 00:04:30.002 --> 00:04:38.550 The venerable Sariputra came, together with his younger brother in the Dharma. 00:04:40.130 --> 00:04:43.157 And that was recommended by the Buddha. 00:04:45.650 --> 00:04:55.081 And then during that, during that visit, Sariputra tried to try to help 00:04:55.700 --> 00:05:05.910 Anathapindika to touch the nature of no birth and no death, very skillfully. 00:05:08.860 --> 00:05:16.124 And the story is written down in a Sutra called Teaching Given to The Dying Person. 00:05:17.332 --> 00:05:23.564 And Sariputra is the big brother, the big Dharma brother of all of us. 00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:26.485 He was very skillful. 00:05:30.450 --> 00:05:32.490 Ananda was sitting close to him, 00:05:32.610 --> 00:05:34.079 and the first thing he asked: 00:05:35.140 --> 00:05:36.639 Dear, dear friend. 00:05:38.992 --> 00:05:41.014 How do you feel in your body? 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.249 Is the pain in your body decreasing? 00:05:46.941 --> 00:05:48.619 Or till increasing? 00:05:54.180 --> 00:05:56.249 And that is the question of a doctor. 00:05:56.460 --> 00:05:57.460 Right? 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, 00:06:06.840 --> 00:06:09.089 it is increasing all the time. 00:06:09.630 --> 00:06:10.709 I suffer very much. 00:06:10.980 --> 00:06:12.389 I feel very painful. 00:06:15.453 --> 00:06:19.179 And responding to that, Sariputra said, 00:06:19.179 --> 00:06:20.581 in that case, let us 00:06:22.300 --> 00:06:29.679 meditate on the Three Jewels, the mindfulness of the Three Jewels. 00:06:35.990 --> 00:06:43.418 And this kind of meditation that has the object Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. 00:06:50.440 --> 00:06:54.579 And they offered a guided meditation exercise. 00:06:55.061 --> 00:07:03.569 The two monks were supporting the dying person to practice recollection on the Buddha, 00:07:03.570 --> 00:07:07.990 recollection on the Dharma and recollection on the Sangha. 00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:12.739 And he can learn from their experiences. 00:07:14.123 --> 00:07:18.424 Because Sariputra was a very intelligent monk. 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. 00:07:27.950 --> 00:07:29.300 He was a businessman. 00:07:29.390 --> 00:07:31.850 He had a very lovely heart. 00:07:32.001 --> 00:07:41.021 He helped so many poor, destituted people in the city of Shravasti. 00:07:42.050 --> 00:07:44.269 And that is why they love him so much, 00:07:44.270 --> 00:07:48.790 and they gave him that beautiful name Anathapindika. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:52.819 The one who care for the helpless people. 00:07:54.200 --> 00:07:57.559 His real name is Sudatta 00:07:59.870 --> 00:08:00.870 And. 00:08:03.130 --> 00:08:04.600 He offered the Buddha. 00:08:04.660 --> 00:08:11.020 He had offered the Buddha a beautiful park, to be used as a practice center, 00:08:11.021 --> 00:08:14.326 where people come listen to Dharma talks, 00:08:14.326 --> 00:08:20.004 and practice recitation of the Mindfulness Trainings and Dharma sharing. 00:08:22.690 --> 00:08:28.990 And he encouraged his children to come with him to practice. 00:08:29.950 --> 00:08:36.429 And every time he thinks of the Buddha, the Sangha. 00:08:37.179 --> 00:08:42.339 Every time he does something, he did something to support the Buddha and the Sangha, 00:08:42.339 --> 00:08:47.499 he got a lot of happiness serving the Buddha and the Sangha, 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:50.229 learning the Dhamar brought him a lot of happiness. 00:08:50.921 --> 00:08:53.399 So there are many seeds of happiness, 00:08:55.271 --> 00:08:58.015 planted already in his consciousness. 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. 00:09:08.772 --> 00:09:14.657 And water the seed of happiness already in him, 00:09:14.824 --> 00:09:20.801 feeling of joy and happiness will be water and manifest 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. 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:34.690 I think all psychotherapists have to learn from our big Dharma brother. 00:09:35.050 --> 00:09:36.050 Sariputra. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:44.820 And after 5, 8 minutes of practice, 00:09:48.490 --> 00:09:49.490 Recollecting. 00:09:50.950 --> 00:09:54.279 Recollection of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, 00:09:54.490 --> 00:09:56.590 Anathapindika was able to smile. 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. 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. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:18.629 And that water the seed of happiness 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:26.099 and create a feeling of joy and happiness that will reestablish the balance. 00:10:26.460 --> 00:10:28.890 And the man, the woman will suffer less. 00:10:36.460 --> 00:10:37.460 And then. 00:10:39.630 --> 00:10:40.480 And. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:41.290 And then. 00:10:41.290 --> 00:10:51.548 He, Sariputra, continue with the meditation on the six sense organs. 00:10:51.549 --> 00:10:57.862 which are the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind. 00:10:57.863 --> 00:11:07.330 six sense objects like the form, sound, smell, touch and so on. 00:11:07.330 --> 00:11:08.851 And the six consciousnesses, 00:11:11.190 --> 00:11:19.650 And to help, to help Anathapindika to see that these things are formations. 00:11:21.710 --> 00:11:23.479 They have come from nowhere. 00:11:23.870 --> 00:11:27.860 When conditions are sufficient they manifest like that, 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:32.734 they have come from nowhere and they will go nowhere. 00:11:33.460 --> 00:11:34.539 They will go nowhere. 00:11:34.930 --> 00:11:36.429 No coming, no going. 00:11:36.430 --> 00:11:42.070 That is the insight that you get when you practice like that. 00:11:43.510 --> 00:11:44.470 They focus. 00:11:44.470 --> 00:11:51.120 They try to focus attention on the fact that there are four elements in our body. 00:11:52.330 --> 00:12:00.144 Water, air, heat and soil. 00:12:01.030 --> 00:12:02.409 Inside and outside. 00:12:03.870 --> 00:12:13.830 And to help the dying person see that a human being is made of these elements. 00:12:15.030 --> 00:12:18.419 And when conditions are sufficient, they manifest. 00:12:18.900 --> 00:12:27.840 And when conditions are no longer sufficient, they stop that manifestation and manifest otherwise. 00:12:29.820 --> 00:12:32.940 And there is no birth and no death, no going and no coming. 00:12:34.920 --> 00:12:36.480 And at the end of, 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:39.889 toward the end of the meditation, 00:12:40.340 --> 00:12:41.340 they saw 00:12:43.631 --> 00:12:47.179 Anathapindika cried. 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:55.100 And Ananda did not understand the meaning of this tear. 00:12:56.660 --> 00:12:57.830 He was very concerned. 00:12:59.030 --> 00:13:00.080 He said : Dear friend, 00:13:02.350 --> 00:13:03.350 Why do you cry? 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:10.270 You didn't. 00:13:10.270 --> 00:13:12.240 You did not succeed in the meditation, 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:13.500 in the guided meditation? 00:13:15.500 --> 00:13:18.250 No, Venerable Ananda. 00:13:18.780 --> 00:13:20.100 I did it very well. 00:13:20.730 --> 00:13:23.879 I succeed fully in my guided meditation. 00:13:24.715 --> 00:13:26.891 Are you regreting something? 00:13:28.020 --> 00:13:29.279 You still regret something? 00:13:29.850 --> 00:13:32.609 No, Venerable Ananda, I don't regret anything. 00:13:34.590 --> 00:13:35.909 And so why do you cry then? 00:13:38.770 --> 00:13:42.640 And Anathapindika said to Ananda. 00:13:45.780 --> 00:13:48.460 Venerable Ananda, I cried because I am so moved. 00:13:49.890 --> 00:13:56.684 I have served the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha for more than 30 years, 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. 00:14:05.530 --> 00:14:09.284 The teaching of no birth and no death, I'm free now. 00:14:09.680 --> 00:14:10.909 I'm not afraid of dying. 00:14:11.450 --> 00:14:14.029 I know the nature of no coming, no going. 00:14:18.210 --> 00:14:19.649 I can see my continuation. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:22.349 Ananda said. 00:14:22.380 --> 00:14:27.480 Dear friend, you don't know but that teaching, we, monastics, receive almost every day. 00:14:31.681 --> 00:14:34.704 Anathapindika said: Dear Venerable Ananda, 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, 00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:48.016 but they are those of us who are not too busy. 00:14:50.770 --> 00:14:56.500 And we are ready to receive that wonderful teaching and put it into practice. 00:14:56.530 --> 00:15:03.270 So please go back to the Buddha, our teacher, and tell him that there are laypeople, 00:15:03.271 --> 00:15:08.749 who can receive and put into practice this kind of deep teaching. 00:15:10.881 --> 00:15:16.888 And then he spoke for a sake, in the name of the lay community. 00:15:19.800 --> 00:15:23.130 And Ananda said, Don't worry, my friend, 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. 00:15:33.280 --> 00:15:34.389 And after that, 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:38.869 Anathapindika die peacefully with a smile on his lips. 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. 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.620 We had to study. 00:15:53.540 --> 00:15:54.540 We had to practice. 00:15:55.250 --> 00:16:04.423 And we can be very helpful in making the people who die suffer less, 00:16:04.423 --> 00:16:08.903 who are dying slowly, suffer less. 00:16:10.810 --> 00:16:17.769 But even if we do not have cancer, or cancer has been healed, 00:16:17.830 --> 00:16:18.940 we have to practice. 00:16:19.090 --> 00:16:21.515 He had to continue to practice. 00:16:23.570 --> 00:16:28.760 Because you don't practice, it can come back and it can grind you quickly. 00:16:29.570 --> 00:16:32.995 So it's very important that you keep the practice alive, 00:16:32.995 --> 00:16:39.740 and you're always have the Sangha behind you to to support you in practice. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:47.150 There's a friend in Montreal, Canada. 00:16:49.201 --> 00:16:55.410 His doctor gave him only three months to live, 00:16:56.075 --> 00:17:01.484 but after he met the Sangha and attended one retreat, 00:17:01.485 --> 00:17:07.862 he took in the practice into his heart and practices. 00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:12.619 And he lived for more than ten years. 00:17:15.550 --> 00:17:20.828 But because after that, his wife 00:17:24.290 --> 00:17:25.290 needs something, 00:17:28.650 --> 00:17:34.103 have some kind of relationship that make him suffer and he could not 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:40.380 preserve, continue this practice. 00:17:41.610 --> 00:17:45.930 And that is why the situation deteriorated very quickly and he died. 00:17:47.430 --> 00:17:51.490 I think we need to be in touch with the Sangha always. 00:17:51.490 --> 00:17:59.520 And when something like that happened, we had to to renew our practice, 00:17:59.520 --> 00:18:03.161 to lean on the Sangha, otherwise, 00:18:09.270 --> 00:18:10.589 We will suffer like that. 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:13.370 That. 00:18:13.370 --> 00:18:15.290 That friend in Canada. 00:18:21.210 --> 00:18:23.639 And this teaching is not only for. 00:18:24.790 --> 00:18:26.290 Psychotherapist. 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:32.470 This teaching is all of us, monastics and lay practitioners alike.