9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [The Plum Village Online Monastery] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Mindful online broadcasts like this are supported[br]entirely by donations.] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Donate at http:pvom.org][br][Thank you for your generosity.] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Good morning dear friends,[br]today is the fifth of September 2015, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we are on the last day[br]of our retreat in Blue Cliff Monastery, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in a beautiful hall, all together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 With the children we already saw[br]the nature of interbeing of all that is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We looked into the cookie, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we saw all the non-cookie elements[br]that are the cookie. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The cookie is made up[br]of non-cookie elements, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this is true for all that is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 During this retreat we have been looking[br]at the 16 exercises of breathing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We already looked into 12, and today[br]we're going to look into the last four. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'll write them on the board. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I hope somebody took[br]a picture, for the records. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is us, eating the cookie.[br]In case you didn't know. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The cookie manifested itself as joy,[br]right here on the board. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Contemplating impermanence. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Contemplating throwing away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Contemplating non-desire. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Contemplating cessation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'd like to start with 'Throwing away'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This contemplation has also been called:[br]'Contemplating letting go', 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I like 'throwing away',[br]which we use also, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because throwing away, for me[br]clearly indicates an insight. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The things you throw away[br]are the things you don't need, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they are of no use to us,[br]that is what we throw away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Once we have the insight, 'I really[br]don't need this, this is of no use to me', 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's easy to just throw it away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we have been talking[br]about multitasking at this retreat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I find myself sometimes[br]multitasking during my walking; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my body is walking but my mind is doing[br]something else: I am multitasking. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then I stop; we have a practice[br]of stopping the NST radio station: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Non Stop Thinking channel. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So when I'm walking[br]and I find myself thinking, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I look for a moment into the thought[br]to see whether it is useful at all, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I can tell you, most of my thoughts[br]are utterly useless. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And once I see this: throw it away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's fun, you may like to try it, if you[br]find yourself multitasking in that way. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just throw it away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It makes us light and it allows us[br]to be present for what is, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to touch the wonders of life,[br]and see more of this earth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We all have drawers,[br]cabinets, we have a fridge, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and in there we keep things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 From time to time we clean up. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We open the fridge and we look[br]at everything that's in the fridge: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 'This is outdated, sorry,[br]kept it too long'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We open our file cabinet,[br]we go through all the drawers, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we go through all the documents,[br]some dating from 1964, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 'Is this still applicable?' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 OK, shall I archive it for history's sake[br]or shall I throw it away? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We go and we create space[br]for other things to be possible. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We also have a mental filing cabinet,[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a mental archive, where we[br]keep a lot of things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In this cabinet there is this one drawer[br]that is called 'perceptions'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Another one is called 'Notions'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Another one, 'views'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And they are filled with perceptions,[br]with views, with notions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's good from time to time[br]to stop to look into them, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and to see: are they really useful? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Are they out of date?[br]Have they ever been useful? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Have they served myself?[br]Others? The world? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Have they caused suffering? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And throw them away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So we're free to look at what[br]is there, right on front of us, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and to see what is needed to respond[br]appropriately to the situation, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 be it ourselves, others, or the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So throwing away is a wonderful practice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We look at something, we ask ourselves,[br]'Am I sure that I still need this?' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If not, we throw it away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And for the just-in-case people among us: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you can always check it again,[br]and then you throw it away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So throwing away is a daily practice, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and it will contribute greatly[br]to our well being, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the well being of others,[br]and everything that is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we speak of throwing away[br]in this context here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we speak of throwing away our views[br]and our notions that we hold onto, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that have not served us, that have not served anybody, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in fact they have caused a lot[br]of suffering to ourselves and others. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Together, we would like[br]to look a little bit into that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To do that we're going to look[br]into the Three Doors of Liberation, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 together with the Three Dharma Seals. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 For people taking notes,[br]something to put in you archive, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'll write it on the board. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'll try to write big enough for you to read: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Emptiness; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Signlessness; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - and Aimlessness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We combine them with[br]the Three Dharma Seals: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Emptiness is non-self; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Signlessness is Impermanence; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - and Aimlessness is Nirvana. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Any teaching that reflects[br]the Three Dharma Seals 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is an authentic teaching of the Buddha. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That is how we can see this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So these Three Doors of Liberation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Caughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 -- I'm sorry, I can't turn away[br]from the microphone -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 these Three Doors of Liberation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are what we turn to in our daily life[br]for support and also for healing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have already looked[br]at the non-self nature of the cookie, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we know that the cookie is empty[br]of a separate individual self, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all the elements that it is made up of,[br]we would classify as non-cookie. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We call this interbeing: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 everything needs everything else[br]in order to manifest. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A few days ago, you practiced[br]the Five Touchings of the Earth? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Looking deeply into yourself? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we practice[br]the Five Touchings of the Earth 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we look deeply into ourselves,[br]we see our parents, our ancestors, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 spiritual and blood ancestors,[br]we see our land ancestors, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we also see the earth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We see all our non-self ancestors,[br]all non-self elements. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we really, really touch[br]our interbeing nature, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when we really touch this insight,[br]when we have this insight of non-self, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we will take good care of ourselves[br]by taking care of our non-self elements, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we will take good care[br]of the non-self elements 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by taking good care of ourselves. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We know that the earth[br]is hurting right now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we look into ourselves,[br]we will see that we are the earth: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the cookie, where did it come from? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We eat the cookie, we become the cookie,[br]we eat the carrot, we become the carrot, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we breathe the air, we are the air. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The earth ís our body, we don't have[br]a body outside of the earth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This insight, we need to take[br]some time to look into this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The earth is out body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We take care of our body in many ways,[br]we go to the hairdresser 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 -- well, we don't 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but most people do -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 well in sòme way we take care of our hair,[br]we wash our bodies, we clean it, feed it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when it hurts, we do something[br]to relieve the pain, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we go and see a doctor,[br]we keep ourselves healthy -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Can we do the same thing with the earth? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It is our body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This insight will make it very easy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to live a in way that reflects[br]that the earth is our body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How often do we use our car? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Or an airplane? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What do we eat? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is what we eat healthy for our earth? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Does it make our earth healthy? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What we eat, does it contribute[br]to the health of the earth? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Since the earth is our body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Plum Village, the last few years[br]we have been vegan. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Also in that light: the earth is our body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, you may like to look[br]into the earthbody. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We all need to look into the body[br]of the earth being our body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have no body outside of the earthbody. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we have a difficulty, we can[br]take refuge in all our non-self elements, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like our ancestors, our blood ancestors,[br]our spiritual ancestors, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they are in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we look at our hand [br]-- let's look at our hand -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our hand has been[br]transmitted to us by our parents. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They have transmitted[br]their whole being to us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, looking at our hand, we know it's made[br]of the cells of the body of our parents: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it is our parents' hand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our parents' hand is the hand[br]of our ancestors, of our grandparents, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our great-grandparents,[br]of all our ancestors; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all our blood ancestors[br]are present in our hand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Somewhere along that line of ancestors,[br]there are those who are compassionate, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who are loving, who are caring,[br]they are in our hands. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we look into our hand,[br]we also see our spiritual teachers. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our spiritual teachers[br]who are transmitting to us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 their understanding, their love[br]and their compassion. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's in our hand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's in our mind, it's in our hand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's right here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, let us just look[br]at our hand a little bit, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and become aware[br]of the ancestors present in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are the continuation of our ancestors,[br]blood as well as spiritual ancestors. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, if there is a moment [br]where there's a storm raging in our mind, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when we are sad or angry or in despair,[br]we can call on our ancestors in our hand, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 their care, their understanding,[br]their compassion. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, we can close our eyes and call[br]on our ancestors in our hand, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and allow our ancestors[br]to put their hand on our head, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 gently, lovingly and caring. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can feel the energy of understanding[br]and compassion flow into our bodies, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we can hear their breathing,[br]steady and calm. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is also Thay's hand on our head. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 After a few moments, we will calm,[br]the storm has calmed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We could hear them say, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 'Breathe, my dear,[br]it will be okay, it will be okay.' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As the storm has calmed, we can see[br]more clearly what is happening, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we know what to do and what not to do. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let us enjoy the sound of the bell, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and just enjoy that energy we just received[br]from our blood and spiritual ancestors. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are much larger than we think we are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are our ancestors, we can call[br]on them any time we need support. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Everything is impermanent, nothing remains[br]the same for two consecutive moments. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Impermanence, we can bring to mind[br]when we are in a difficulty, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like when there is a storm[br]raging in our mind: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that storm is impermanent, as we just saw. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I like to say, 'this too will pass.' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 'This too will pass.' It's impermanent. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 On the other hand, when we're[br]looking at impermanence, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we become aware[br]of the preciousness of all that is: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the preciousness of life,[br]the preciousness of our beloved ones, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the preciousness[br]of the flower, of everything, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we will enjoy it and treasure it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We do not know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how long we will be able to enjoy them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We treasure, and while we treasure[br]their presence we are nourished. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are nourished by it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we will do everything we can today[br]to make them happy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to make the flower happy,[br]the earth, our beloved ones. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To make ourselves happy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so that we will not have regrets later. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But is we do have regrets[br]there is a way to heal them, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I will come to that later. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thanks to impermanence, life is possible. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have a seed,[br]and the seed becomes a flower. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If it weren't for impermanence,[br]the seed would never become a flower. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The flower becomes a seed again,[br]and the seed becomes more flowers. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The seed is a seed, but when I look deeply[br]into the seed, we will see the flower. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When I look deeply[br]into the flower, I see the seed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So the seed is a seed,[br]and the flower is a flower: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they inter-are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Zen terms they call this: 'not two'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not two. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If you've ever visited[br]Zen temples in China, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they have a gate, and it's[br]kind of a tradition that on the gate 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 there is a character, a Chinese character,[br]that means: not two. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It is the heart of the practice,[br]to touch this 'not two'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not two. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We already have had guided meditations,[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have looked into ourselves[br]as a five year old child. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is the five year old child[br]the same as we are now, an adult? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yes? No? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Neither the same, nor different. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not two. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've looked into our mother,[br]our father, as five year old children, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've looked into ourselves,[br]are we the same or different? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not two. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Look at anything, it is not two. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we really look deeply[br]into impermanence, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we touch the signlessness,[br]the nature of signlessness of all that is, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and when we touch that, we can[br]overcome our grief and our fear. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You may or may not know most of monastics[br]like hiking in the mountains. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm one of the monastics that likes[br]to go hiking with other monastics. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 On one of our hiking trips[br]in the Alps a few years ago, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was lying on my back, having a nap[br]after lunch, and then I woke up. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We were in a valley, high up[br]in the mountains, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so there is a valley[br]and there are just some peaks, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 very sharp high peaks that you need to -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what would you call it, mountain-climb,[br]you need an axe or something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and ropes and things to get up,[br]we decided not to go that day 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we just enjoyed the valley,[br]high up in the mountain -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I opened my eyes and I was[br]looking at this clear blue sky. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The peaks on one side, a wide open valley,[br]and some more peaks there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then, just at the edge[br]of the peak of the mountain, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I saw something whitish, but very vaguely, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and kept looking and it became[br]whiter and whiter and whiter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and whiter and --[br]a white cloud manifested. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Out of the blue. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 -- Maybe that's where[br]the expression comes from? -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That white cloud just manifested itself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and as I was looking at this wonder[br]of this white cloud manifesting itself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all of a sudden a thought came, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ooh, what if it gets denser and denser[br]and it will rain and no shelter. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's another way of looking at this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If it gets denser and denser,[br]what will become of that cloud? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Rain. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The cloud will continue[br]to manifest itself as rain, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like we've seen in the cookie. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As rain, good. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's time for tea anyway, so the rain,[br]the cloud as rain will become my tea, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I will drink my cloud as tea,[br]and then I will probably have to pee -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in a while. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Pee my cloud; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in fact I will be returning the cloud[br]to where it originally came from, partly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Return the cloud to the earth, which will[br]be turning to vapor at a certain point. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The vapor will rise up again into the air, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the atmospheric conditions,[br]weather conditions, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it will come together,[br]and there will be another cloud. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A cloud never dies. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A cloud never dies, and this[br]is the same with everything. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Things manifest, or stop to manifest, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 according to causes and conditions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The French scientist and chemist[br]Antoine Lavoisier said: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Nothing is created and nothing is lost,[br]everything transforms." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A cloud never dies. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we know also of the law of[br]conservation of matter and energy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we cannot create matter,[br]we cannot create energy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We cannot destroy:[br]matter can become matter, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 matter can become energy, energy energy, [br]energy can manifest as matter, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 matter as matter as energy -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's a journey with[br]no beginning and no end. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, what we tend to call birth or death[br]are moments of continuation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That is the nature of[br]no birth and no death: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 moments of continuation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just because we do not see something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the form, in the sign that we're[br]used to, doesn't mean it's not there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's difficult to see vapor,[br]but the vapor is there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we will see it in water form, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In our breath. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In fact, the cloud,[br]we're breathing in and out clouds. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Are you aware of that? Nice. We don't[br]just drink it, we also breathe our cloud. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I like that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So this is signlessness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Signlessness is not a theory, it is a practice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I ordained first[br]in a Japanese tradition in Japan, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in a temple tucked away in the mountains[br]on the northern shore of Japan. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Shortly after I ordained, about six weeks, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I received a telephone call[br]from one of my siblings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 telling me my mother[br]had been taken to hospital. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I had asked her, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "If anything happens to you or mother,[br]please let me know as soon as possible. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Don't ring me to tell me[br]when the cremation will be. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If possible, let me know beforehand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, I was only there for six weeks[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I went to my master[br]and shared this with him, and he asked me, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Would you like to go home,[br]to be with your mother?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I said, "Yes." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And within two days I was back in Europe. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 All our siblings were there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we were all at our mother's [br]bedside when she passed away, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I realized what a privilege that was[br]for our mother and for us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She was very peaceful,[br]breathing, no sign of fear. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We asked her whether she would like us[br]to recite her favorite prayers; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 she was Catholic. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She nodded, and we did. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We sang, and she passed away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just like that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Outside was a beautiful day,[br]blue sky and snow on the ground. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We stayed there telling her[br]how beautiful it was outside. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So beautiful, so peaceful, so calm. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was only there for a very short time,[br]and then I was back in Japan. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It was not until I was sitting in my room, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I sat down and thought,[br]'oh, I'm going to write a letter to mom.' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then I thought, wait a minute,[br]no, she just passed away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At that time I was just recently ordained, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I didn't really know much about[br]the teaching of no birth and death. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I didn't know it very well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I sat down -- well I was sitting down --[br]but I continued to think, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 where is mom now? Where is she? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What happened to her? I know her body --[br]I know what happened to her body, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it was cremated, ashes were distributed[br]over the ocean as she has wished, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but where -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you know, mom is more than her body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What happened? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I couldn't figure it out. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But I wanted a reply. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I thought, well, what was mom,[br]besides a physical body? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What did I call mom? Not just[br]her body, other things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this is how I quite naturally,[br]without knowing -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just about anything about[br]the teachings of no birth and no death -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What was mom? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Immediately came to my mind:[br]love for nature. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Everything she liked: love for nature,[br]poetry, music, dance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Her sense of humor. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Her total acceptance[br]of her children, as we were. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We didn't need to be different. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She loved us as we were. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Her capacity to face difficulties, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even what we saw, being blown away[br]at sometimes by a difficulty, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to fall over, to get back onto her feet,[br]and to continue her perseverance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Friends were always welcome,[br]there was always a bed in the house. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There was always a bed[br]for us in the house, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even long after we had[br]built our own life, if you like. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In cases we needed it, it was there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She was Irish, a Quak woman, spirited. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I looked into 'what was my mother' and saw 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all her strengths and all her weaknesses. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then I thought,[br]but all that is still there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Nature is there, and the love[br]for nature is still there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in me, in my siblings, in others. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Poetry is there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 dance, music, sense of music is there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 perseverance is there,[br]it is all still there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's just not all together[br]in one form as I am used to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 have seen it in that[br]particular manifestation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But all my non-mom elements[br]were all still there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I had always been close to my mom, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I take after her if you like,[br]we had many things in common, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but when I saw this --[br]I found my mother inside. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I thought, everything she was, still is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And it brought me[br]great relief of my grief. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I still missed her presence,[br]physical, if you like, in some way. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But the grief, was not there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just gratitude, gratitude, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and joy of having found my mother inside. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we enjoyed poetry together, music,[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was not supposed to dance[br]in that Zen temple, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I know it was there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I recognized her strengths in me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It took me a little bit more time[br]to recognize and say, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Yes, the weaknesses are also in me." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And now we practice together, we nourish[br]together and we transform together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So it became very clear:[br]my mother is still there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I am my mother's continuation,[br]my siblings are my mother's continuation, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my mother continues in many, many ways. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now I think, how about my continuation,[br]I don't have children, how about that? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think I need to breathe a little bit. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let's enjoy the sound of the bell. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Nothing is ever lost. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A little over ten years ago,[br]a group of us visited Israel. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Jerusalem we visited the wall. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Very powerful energy[br]in the whole of Israel, everywhere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It calls for presence. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As I was standing in front of the wall,[br]I put my hands against the wall. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The stones were warm,[br]and I stood there breathing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then inside of me, came this thought,[br]kind of this voice saying, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 nothing is ever lost,[br]no thought is ever lost. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I thought, all my thoughts,[br]they don't disappear? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There're not lost? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay tells us that our thoughts[br]wear our signature, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that our thoughts[br]are our continuation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When I was standing there at the wall, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I thought, nothing ever lost, no thoughts,[br]no words, no action ever lost, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it only transforms. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I wondered about the unskillful thoughts[br]I had, the unwholesome thoughts I've had, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the unskillful words I've spoken,[br]the unskillful actions I've committed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They're not lost? I found it scary. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay teaches us, if we've had[br]a thought, our continuation, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we're not so happy about that thought, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we can think another thought,[br]to balance it out, to neutralize it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If we've said something, we arere not[br]happy about, say something else, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that you are happy about, that makes[br]you happy, that makes others happy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that contributes to the well-being. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have an action we're not happy about,[br]do something you'll be happy about, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for your benefit, the benefit of all,[br]the benefit of the cosmos. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I thought, wow, this is what I call[br]empowerment, this is empowerment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It was so healing to hear that,[br]so healing, it was just what I needed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is an empowerment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The five mindfulness trainings[br]we looked at together, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the fourteen mindfulness trainings[br]we looked at together 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and heard being recited yesterday, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they are a very good guideline for that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To think, to speak, to act,[br]in order to balance, to neutralize, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to unwholesome thoughts, words and actions[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that are there in the cosmos,[br]either produced by us or by others. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we think, speak or act wholesomely, [br]we neutralize any unwholesome thought, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 any unwholesome word,[br]any unwholesome action that is there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not just our own. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is hope. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is the practice we can do,[br]any moment, anywhere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Maybe, we have another bell. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can breathe, breathe[br]and come back to ourselves, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 find our stability, our freedom, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we will send out stability and freedom[br]as our continuation into the cosmos. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our path is a path -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 into happiness, into well-being,[br]from ill-being to well-being. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If we have many desires -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all those things that we think[br]we need in order to be happy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I call them the 'ifs' and the 'whens'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If this were only different,[br]I would be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 One of our sisters[br]shared with me many years ago, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that part of her body was sick,[br]and she felt very sad. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then she decided to look into her body,[br]and look into all the parts of her body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She then said, "You know what, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I realized, one part of my body is sick,[br]and the other parts are still healthy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then I asked my healthy parts, to send[br]their love and energy to my sick part, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I felt much better." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I thanked her for her sharing.[br]Not the 'if', but what can I do, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how can I respond to the situation? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The 'ifs' and the 'whens': 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When I have this, when I'm wealthy,[br]when I'm famous, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when I will be more powerful,[br]then I will be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So if we can throw away[br]the 'whens' and the 'ifs' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and stop running after all those things,[br]when we come back to the present moment, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we will see we already have[br]enough conditions to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There are enough conditions to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We may see that, thát moment we are[br]waiting for, is actually this moment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This moment ís the moment[br]we are waiting for. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It is that moment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We will see that 'this' is 'it'. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No need to run after anything anymore. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There is nothing lacking,[br]as our brother said. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we touch non-self[br]and impermanence deeply, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we touch our true nature,[br]which is Nirvana. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No coming, no going, no birth, no death, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not same, not different,[br]no being, no non-being. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We find Nirvana[br]in impermanence and non-self. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I didn't write it on the board,[br]but you can imagine, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 impermanence and non-self on the top,[br]line underneath: Nirvana. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Simple equation[br]-- to write on the board, I mean -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughing) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then we have time to practice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've been here over one week together, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this retreat was scheduled to happen[br]in the physical presence of Thay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Was Thay here, was Thay not here?[br]Is Thay here, is Thay not here? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I see -- means yes? Here? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 OK, yes, here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 All together, we've made manifest Thay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is: breathing in, breathing out.[br]Enjoying our breathing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is: enjoying our steps.[br]Thay is: mindful eating. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is: deep listening.[br]Thay is: loving speech. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is: compassion.[br]Thay is understanding. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We cannot find Thay outside of that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is nothing other than that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so together we have made manifest Thay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is here, and we can touch Thay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay is in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are in each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have shared, whoever[br]we have touched, we are in them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By whomever we have been touched,[br]in our education for instance, at school, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they are in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So we are in each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are in you, you are in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we can nourish[br]each other in each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can enhance[br]each other in each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can transform[br]each other in each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We cannot take each other[br]out of each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We inter-are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You may like to study 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the sixteen exercises of breathing,[br]full awareness of breathing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the light of the practice[br]of the five mindfulness trainings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the fourteen mindfulness trainings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You will see, they inter-are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It will help you[br]to concretely practice them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So study the sixteen in the light[br]of the five and the fourteen, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 study the five and the fourteen[br]in the light of the sixteen exercises. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They inter-are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Dear friends, we know you are there,[br]and we are so happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Happy continuation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Bell rings) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [The Plum Village Online Monastery] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Mindful online broadcasts like this[br]are supported entirely by donations.] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Donate at http://pvom.org] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Thank you for your generosity.] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [The Plum Village Online Monastery]