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(The Plum Village Online Monastery)

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(Mindful online broadcasts like this)

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(are supported by viewers like you.)

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(Donate at: http:// pvom.org)

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(Thank you for your generosity.)

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(The Plum Village Online Monastery)

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(Thay) Please come closer.

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(Thay) Today, we have a session 
of questions and answers.

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Those who have a question
are invited to come and sit here.

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We will take turns to sit on this chair,

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so that everyone can see us 
before we ask the question.

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We know that a question, a good one,
can benefit many people.

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Therefore, it would be more helpful
to ask a question

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that has to do with the practice,


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to do with transformation and healing.

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You may like to write down your question 
on a piece of paper also,

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if you don't want to come up here.

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But looking from here is so beautiful!

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(Laughter)

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So those of us 
who already have a question,

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please come up and sit around here,

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and we will take turns 
to sit on the chair.

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The practice, according to the tradition:

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Before we ask a question,

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we breathe in and out three times 
with the sound of the bell,

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and everyone is breathing with us.

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Then, we take the microphone

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and we ask the question.

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And we know that a good question
does not have to be very long.

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(Laughter)

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A question is not a statement.

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So please, 
those of us who have a question already,

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come and sit close to Thay
and we will take turns.

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And if you have written a question,


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ask someone to bring it here 
to Brother Mountain,

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who is sitting to the left of Thay.

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From time to time, 
he will read from one of these questions.

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This is your opportunity, please come.

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(Thay laughing)

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Let us listen to the bell and breathe 
before you ask the first question.

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(Half Bell)

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(Bell)

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(Bell again)

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(Bell again)

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Hi,

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My question is:

47
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How do we do 
when we go back to our real home?

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This retreat has been really nice

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But when we go to our real home? 


50
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What recommendations can you give us

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to bring at home and be 
every second of our lives?

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(Br. Mountain) Thay, the...

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(Thay) Please speak in the microphone.

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(Br. Mountain) If I understand correctly, 
the question is:

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"How to bring this practice 
into your daily life?"

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Yes?

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(Repeats question in Spanish)

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We just do it!

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(Laughter)

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Suppose when you turn on the water tap

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and you see the water flowing,

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you pay attention to the water.

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You tell yourself that it's wonderful,

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that the water has come to you,

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to your kitchen, to your bathroom,

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from high up in the mountains,

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from deep in the earth,

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and you feel grateful, you feel happy,

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because the water is there for you.

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That is how to apply 
the teaching of mindfulness

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in our daily life.

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When you brush your teeth,

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you may like to focus your attention 
on brushing your teeth,

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not thinking! 


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Because you have the water, 
the toothpaste, the brush,

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and you still have teeth to brush!

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(Laughter)

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I am over 80 and every time
I brush my teeth,

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I always say:

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"It's wonderful at this age 
to still have some teeth to brush!"

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(Laughter)

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And happiness can come right away.

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And when you cook your breakfast, 
do it mindfully.

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Pouring the water into the kettle,
boiling the water,

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every moment can be a moment of joy.

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Laying the table, preparing your tea,

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everything you do
can be the practice of mindfulness

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and can bring you joy, happiness.

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You are fully present
in the here and the now!

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When you drive your car, 
you can drive it mindfully,

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and enjoy every minute of driving.

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When you walk 
from the parking lot to your school,


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you do the same.

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So just do it!

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And you have verses to memorize

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in order to brush your teeth, to sit down,

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to open your window.

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Every daily act can be accompanied 
by our breathing,

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our recitation of the verse.

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It's very convenient,

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because people who have come before us,

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they have prepared the practice for us.

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And walking in a railway station,
walking at the airport,

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you can always enjoy walking meditation.

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You do not have to set up a separate time
to do meditation.

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But one thing can be said:

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If you have a home to yourself,
in your home town,

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you can create a group of practitioners,
practicing together.

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Every weekend you come together, 
to enjoy walking together,

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sitting together, having tea together,

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sharing the practice together.

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That would be wonderful,

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because that community will help you 
to continue the practice for a long time.

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Otherwise you will be carried away

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and you'll abandon the practice 
after few weeks.

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Good luck!

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(Laughter)

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(Inaudible)

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(Half Bell)

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(Bell)

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( Spanish) My question

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is about the subconscious,
the store, the seeds,

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how mindfulness can help

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to stop the wrong consumption,
the toxins,

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because our being is
from the subconscious

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to consciousness.

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True consciousness.

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(Br. Mountain) There is too much echo, 
so I can't really understand.

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(Br. Mountain) Can you repeat 
the question?

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(Translating what Br. Mountain just said
into Spanish for the lady)

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(Spanish )Yes, my question is...

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(Br. Mountain) How can mindfulness help...

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(Thay) You have to translate
into English later.

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(Brother) Yes.

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(Spanish)... how mindfulness helps
to bring out the subconscious, the mind,

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to stop the toxic seeds
that are in the store consciousness.

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To know how to identify them.

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How mindfulness can
not only plant the seeds,

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but stop the seeds
that have already been planted.

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To be more aware

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of what is already inside.

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(Brother) The essence 
of the question is:

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How can mindfulness help transform
the toxic seeds

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or the seeds of suffering
that are in the store consciousness?

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Mindfulness can recognize...

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the manifestation of a seed.

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In fact, to be mindful is to
be aware of what is going on.

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So from the depth of our consciousness, 
called the store consciousness,

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there are many seeds, 
good ones and negatives ones.

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And every time a good seed comes up 
to the level of the mind

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and you recognize it 
as a good mental formation, 


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like joy, brotherhood, sisterhood, 
forgiveness, and so on.


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So mindfulness recognizes 
the good mental formation

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that has manifested.

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Mindfulness can help to keep it longer
for your nourishment and healing.

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You continue to breathe or walk

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and maintain the energy of love,

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or happiness, or joy,
or brotherhood, alive

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as long as you want.

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That is what you do when a good seed
like love, forgiveness or joy, manifests.

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But when negative seed in you 
begins to manifest:

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fear, anger, sorrow, hate, violence.

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Then mindfulness helps you 
to recognize it:

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"Hello! Good morning my fear, 
I know you are there,"

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"I will take good care of you!"

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So, the first thing mindfulness does 
is to recognize what is there.

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"Good morning my anger, 
I know you are there,"

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"I will take good care of you!"

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And you breathe in and out mindfully,

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and continue to generate 
the energy of mindfulness,

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with which you embrace 
your fear, your anger.

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You are protected 
by the energy of mindfulness,

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because your fear, your anger, 
will not push you

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to do or say things 
that will cause damage

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to you and to the other person.

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So mindfulness protects you,

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if you know how to use 
the energy of mindfulness,

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to recognize and embrace 
your fear, your anger, tenderly,

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like a mother holding a baby.

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Then mindfulness can do more.

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Mindfulness can help you 
to look into that fear, that anger

182
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and see what kind of roots they have.

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It has come from somewhere,
some wrong perceptions,

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something like that.

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With the practice of looking deeply 
into the fear, the anger,

186
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you can recognize the roots 
of your anger, of your fear,

187
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and you get an understanding of it.

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Your understanding 
of the roots of something

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will liberate you from it.

190
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So mindfulness can do many things.

191
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And the practice of mindful breathing, 
mindful walking

192
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can help generate 
the energy of mindfulness,

193
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with which you can nourish yourself, 
and you can heal yourself!

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(Half Bell)

195
00:22:31,427 --> 00:22:38,530
(Bell)

196
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My question is personal

197
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but it can help a lot of people.

198
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At this moment
I am feeling a lot of pain

199
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because I am unable to follow
what makes me happy,

200
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my style of life.

201
00:23:08,611 --> 00:23:10,667
What would be your message

202
00:23:10,827 --> 00:23:13,169
for the people who, as me,

203
00:23:13,369 --> 00:23:16,517
do want to follow a good path,
a safe path

204
00:23:16,855 --> 00:23:19,828
who want to follow
what makes us happy

205
00:23:20,853 --> 00:23:23,813
but we fight against
a lot of negativity,

206
00:23:24,697 --> 00:23:27,241
messages of...
insanity,

207
00:23:27,564 --> 00:23:30,841
but we feel that
that is a wrong path.

208
00:23:31,141 --> 00:23:33,071
Thank you.

209
00:23:41,623 --> 00:23:45,168
(Br. Mountain) The question is:

210
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How can we find a new path for society?

211
00:23:50,604 --> 00:23:52,896
How can we find a new path

212
00:23:53,146 --> 00:23:58,440
and nourish our aspiration
in this society?

213
00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,579
And what would be Thay's message 
for young people?

214
00:24:01,689 --> 00:24:04,313
What would be Thay's encouragement
for young people...

215
00:24:04,443 --> 00:24:09,316
considering the society is not 
a very healthy place?

216
00:24:09,426 --> 00:24:13,206
What can we do?

217
00:24:24,486 --> 00:24:30,662
When we look at an adult

218
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and see that that person is not happy,

219
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we cannot believe what that person 
tells us about happiness,

220
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or the path leading to happiness.

221
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Because if the path is correct,

222
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then the person would not be 
the way he or she is!

223
00:25:14,559 --> 00:25:23,109
So what that person recommends us to do
may not work.

224
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Sometimes they recommend us 
to do something,

225
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but they don't do it themselves!

226
00:25:40,545 --> 00:25:44,368
So we have to be careful.

227
00:25:47,706 --> 00:25:50,249
So we can...

228
00:25:53,029 --> 00:25:59,499
we can make a decision 
based on our own experience.

229
00:26:03,989 --> 00:26:08,209
Whatever you do 
that brings you true happiness,

230
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you believe that.

231
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That is the right thing to do.

232
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What you say can bring you happiness
and can bring the other person happiness.

233
00:26:23,002 --> 00:26:26,048
We can believe in that kind of thing,

234
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and you can continue 
to say things like that.

235
00:26:30,462 --> 00:26:36,442
So it's much safer to base it 
on our own experience of life.

236
00:26:38,597 --> 00:26:48,377
I think the first thing is to have 
a correct idea about happiness,

237
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because everyone has an idea of happiness.

238
00:26:55,259 --> 00:27:02,009
Our idea of happiness may be the obstacle
for our true happiness.

239
00:27:03,990 --> 00:27:10,295
So you have to look, look deeply,

240
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and have your own idea of happiness.

241
00:27:17,937 --> 00:27:25,757
Many people believe 
that power, fame, diplomas,

242
00:27:30,504 --> 00:27:33,434
money, sensual pleasures,

243
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can make you happy.

244
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But when you observe,

245
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you can see that many people...

246
00:27:41,406 --> 00:27:44,216
who have plenty of these things 
still suffer a lot.

247
00:27:45,780 --> 00:27:47,962
So you don't believe it.

248
00:27:48,472 --> 00:27:53,922
You feel that when you have 
understanding and love in you,

249
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you are happy.

250
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You look around, 
you see people who are not so rich,

251
00:28:03,649 --> 00:28:05,235
who are not powerful,

252
00:28:05,395 --> 00:28:08,985
but who have plenty 
of understanding and compassion.

253
00:28:09,615 --> 00:28:11,415
You see them happy.

254
00:28:11,775 --> 00:28:14,765
So you tell yourself:
that's what I want!

255
00:28:16,425 --> 00:28:19,335
I want to be happy like him, like her,

256
00:28:19,865 --> 00:28:23,135
and in order to do that,

257
00:28:23,755 --> 00:28:28,565
I have to cultivate 
more understanding and compassion...

258
00:28:29,611 --> 00:28:31,267
and love.

259
00:28:31,897 --> 00:28:35,041
Because it's very difficult to live 
with a person

260
00:28:35,181 --> 00:28:38,337
who cannot understand you.

261
00:28:39,267 --> 00:28:41,796
You see? Very frustrating!

262
00:28:43,206 --> 00:28:45,955
So you don't want to be 
like him, like her.

263
00:28:46,645 --> 00:28:51,535
You want to be a person
who has a lot of understanding.

264
00:28:52,381 --> 00:28:56,070
It's very pleasant to be with someone
who can understand you.

265
00:28:57,390 --> 00:29:01,510
And to understand is a power.

266
00:29:04,659 --> 00:29:07,813
Not money - understanding is a power.

267
00:29:09,273 --> 00:29:12,770
When you love someone,
if you understand him or her,

268
00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:15,288
you are a true lover.

269
00:29:15,768 --> 00:29:18,797
So cultivating understanding 
is a practice.

270
00:29:19,607 --> 00:29:22,553
If you do not have the time 
to look deeply,

271
00:29:22,663 --> 00:29:25,302
you cannot understand.

272
00:29:25,422 --> 00:29:31,292
You have to understand first of all
the suffering in you and the other person.

273
00:29:33,765 --> 00:29:37,284
So cultivating understanding 
is very important.

274
00:29:38,044 --> 00:29:43,924
When you have understood,
love and compassion are born.

275
00:29:45,649 --> 00:29:48,709
And love is another kind of power.

276
00:29:49,139 --> 00:29:51,903
Love has the power to heal.

277
00:29:53,673 --> 00:29:56,732
When you have true love in you,
you can heal yourself

278
00:29:56,922 --> 00:30:00,145
and you can help to heal the other person.

279
00:30:00,885 --> 00:30:06,781
So understanding and love are two powers

280
00:30:07,871 --> 00:30:12,161
and with them you can create happiness,

281
00:30:15,241 --> 00:30:19,081
restore communication, reconcile.

282
00:30:25,318 --> 00:30:28,834
You are determined 
to go in that direction,

283
00:30:29,694 --> 00:30:35,914
not running after fame, power, 
money, sensual pleasures,

284
00:30:36,334 --> 00:30:41,460
but taking your time to cultivate
more understanding

285
00:30:42,310 --> 00:30:44,596
and love and compassion.

286
00:30:45,106 --> 00:30:49,496
Even if you live a very simple life,

287
00:30:50,336 --> 00:30:54,211
you can be a very happy person.

288
00:30:55,791 --> 00:31:01,477
I think the young people have 
the power to do it.

289
00:31:02,317 --> 00:31:07,569
They don't have to follow any tradition.

290
00:31:08,789 --> 00:31:11,176
They can find their own way.

291
00:31:15,140 --> 00:31:18,970
They can practice true love, 
true understanding,

292
00:31:18,970 --> 00:31:20,806
brotherhood, sisterhood,

293
00:31:20,806 --> 00:31:26,156
in order to make themselves happy
and to stop suffering.

294
00:31:27,354 --> 00:31:34,464
If they can succeed, they can inspire 
many people to do the same.

295
00:31:57,766 --> 00:32:01,276
(Half Bell)

296
00:32:02,925 --> 00:32:10,202
(Bell)

297
00:32:27,989 --> 00:32:31,339
(Man) First
I would like to thank you, Thay,

298
00:32:31,479 --> 00:32:34,479
on behalf of everyone

299
00:32:34,601 --> 00:32:37,601
(inaudible)

300
00:32:44,194 --> 00:32:45,823
English or Spanish?

301
00:32:46,013 --> 00:32:47,133
(Br. Mountain) Both.

302
00:32:47,713 --> 00:32:50,713
(Man replying but inaudible)

303
00:32:55,518 --> 00:32:59,048
(Man asking question, 
inaudible due to echo)

304
00:32:59,338 --> 00:33:04,248
...Mindfulness speaking, 
mindfulness walking...

305
00:33:06,238 --> 00:33:08,878
mindfulness eating...

306
00:33:10,078 --> 00:33:13,788
But the last few days you spoke about...

307
00:33:14,558 --> 00:33:16,948
(Laughing)

308
00:33:18,668 --> 00:33:21,938
Mindfulness (Spanish) "of suffering"

309
00:33:23,928 --> 00:33:26,908
....the minfulness of suffering.

310
00:33:27,128 --> 00:33:31,601
(Spanish) For me, that is
a little more difficult.

311
00:33:32,357 --> 00:33:37,289
(Spanish) To be mindful of the suffering

312
00:33:38,379 --> 00:33:41,379
to avoid (inaudible).

313
00:33:41,710 --> 00:33:44,450
So Thay, I would like to ask you.

314
00:33:44,650 --> 00:33:48,426
Could you explain a little bit more
about mindfulness of suffering?

315
00:33:48,616 --> 00:33:51,834
Because I find this very difficult,

316
00:33:51,984 --> 00:33:56,884
because it sometimes generates
a negative state of mind.

317
00:34:00,828 --> 00:34:03,784
(Brother) The essence
of the question is

318
00:34:03,904 --> 00:34:07,241
that Thay has spoken about 
different types of mindfulness practices,

319
00:34:07,421 --> 00:34:11,233
and Thay has also spoken about
mindfulness of suffering.

320
00:34:11,443 --> 00:34:14,413
When our friend practices 
mindfulness of suffering,

321
00:34:14,533 --> 00:34:19,035
it brings up negative feelings
or thoughts or emotions.

322
00:34:19,333 --> 00:34:20,831
(Man) Towards myself.

323
00:34:20,891 --> 00:34:23,091
(Brother) For yourself?
(Man) Yes.

324
00:34:23,311 --> 00:34:26,783
(Brother) So how to work
with the mindfulness of suffering,

325
00:34:26,893 --> 00:34:28,211
how to practice?

326
00:34:28,361 --> 00:34:30,021
(Man) Clarify the practice.

327
00:34:30,171 --> 00:34:33,219
(Brother) If Thay can clarify
what it means

328
00:34:33,830 --> 00:34:36,187
by working with
mindfulness of suffering.

329
00:34:38,070 --> 00:34:42,980
(Thay) Mindfulness of suffering
is a very important practice.

330
00:34:48,241 --> 00:34:54,001
Mindfulness, first of all, 
is the kind of energy that helps you

331
00:34:54,461 --> 00:34:57,374
to know what is going on.

332
00:34:59,184 --> 00:35:02,037
When suffering is coming up,

333
00:35:02,505 --> 00:35:05,825
you should know that suffering is there.

334
00:35:06,727 --> 00:35:10,454
That is mindfulness of suffering.

335
00:35:10,948 --> 00:35:14,664
Most of us do not want to do it,

336
00:35:15,517 --> 00:35:21,997
because we feel that when we get in touch 
with the suffering inside,

337
00:35:22,367 --> 00:35:26,644
we will be overwhelmed by it.

338
00:35:28,016 --> 00:35:32,862
So everyone is trying to run away
from their own suffering.

339
00:35:35,718 --> 00:35:39,605
They try to cover up the suffering inside.

340
00:35:40,287 --> 00:35:43,906
When you pick up a newspaper to read,

341
00:35:44,593 --> 00:35:47,167
when you turn on your television,

342
00:35:47,491 --> 00:35:50,398
maybe it's not 
because you need to do that,

343
00:35:50,788 --> 00:35:53,770
but you do that in order 
not to have to get in touch

344
00:35:53,930 --> 00:35:56,214
with the suffering inside.

345
00:35:57,102 --> 00:36:01,910
So pick up the phone and talk to someone,

346
00:36:02,210 --> 00:36:04,601
take the car and go out,

347
00:36:05,414 --> 00:36:10,794
we do many things in order 
not be in touch with the suffering inside.

348
00:36:13,672 --> 00:36:18,463
The suffering inside remains the same
and continues to grow,

349
00:36:19,942 --> 00:36:24,928
because you do not know 
how to take care of suffering inside

350
00:36:25,108 --> 00:36:27,090
and how to transform it.

351
00:36:27,544 --> 00:36:32,540
So mindfulness of suffering is 
first of all to have the courage...

352
00:36:32,780 --> 00:36:37,130
to go home to yourself
and recognize that suffering is there.

353
00:36:40,266 --> 00:36:43,921
And then, as I have said several times,

354
00:36:45,141 --> 00:36:49,409
you can use the energy of mindfulness 
to embrace your suffering,

355
00:36:49,409 --> 00:36:51,420
your fear, your anger.

356
00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:55,250
If you know how to do it,
then you will suffer less.

357
00:36:56,739 --> 00:36:59,403
It's like a mother holding her baby,

358
00:36:59,573 --> 00:37:03,396
the baby suffers less after a few minutes.

359
00:37:06,041 --> 00:37:09,361
I have also said 
that if you are a beginner,

360
00:37:09,731 --> 00:37:15,611
you may like to borrow 
the energy of mindfulness of someone else

361
00:37:15,741 --> 00:37:19,439
in order to help you 
to embrace your suffering.

362
00:37:21,461 --> 00:37:24,143
Three or four people sitting with you,

363
00:37:24,333 --> 00:37:26,151
breathing with you,

364
00:37:26,391 --> 00:37:29,209
and offering their energy of mindfulness,

365
00:37:29,799 --> 00:37:33,575
to help you to recognize 
and embrace the pain in yourself.

366
00:37:33,955 --> 00:37:36,723
That is brotherhood, sisterhood.

367
00:37:37,653 --> 00:37:42,523
If you live
in the heart of a practice community,

368
00:37:43,173 --> 00:37:46,615
you profit from the 
collective energy of mindfulness,

369
00:37:46,615 --> 00:37:49,272
of the community.

370
00:37:53,930 --> 00:37:56,318
We have learnt a very important thing:

371
00:37:56,318 --> 00:37:59,300
if you know how to suffer,

372
00:38:00,324 --> 00:38:03,228
you suffer much less.

373
00:38:05,202 --> 00:38:09,180
That is an art,
to suffer is an art.

374
00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:12,216
Everyone has to suffer,

375
00:38:12,716 --> 00:38:14,892
including the Buddha,

376
00:38:15,182 --> 00:38:17,280
including Jesus Christ.

377
00:38:17,788 --> 00:38:20,626
But those of us who know how to suffer,

378
00:38:20,726 --> 00:38:23,326
we suffer much, much less.

379
00:38:29,314 --> 00:38:31,460
We have to learn.

380
00:38:32,722 --> 00:38:37,450
If you have the energy of mindfulness,
you can go back to yourself.

381
00:38:38,512 --> 00:38:43,684
You are not afraid of being overwhelmed 
by the suffering inside.

382
00:38:48,610 --> 00:38:52,460
With that energy of mindfulness,
you can embrace your suffering.

383
00:38:53,100 --> 00:38:55,967
Even smile to your suffering,

384
00:38:56,954 --> 00:38:58,952
as a mother holding her child.

385
00:38:59,052 --> 00:39:01,228
If you know how to do that,

386
00:39:01,318 --> 00:39:04,237
in three, five or eight minutes,
you suffer less.

387
00:39:06,086 --> 00:39:10,260
The energy of mindfulness is holding 
the energy of anger,

388
00:39:10,260 --> 00:39:12,570
of fear, of despair.

389
00:39:13,468 --> 00:39:15,296
Two kinds of energy.

390
00:39:15,296 --> 00:39:18,462
They are not fighting each other,

391
00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:22,518
but one is holding the other.

392
00:39:22,628 --> 00:39:26,717
Very non-violently, very tenderly.

393
00:39:28,318 --> 00:39:32,065
That is what everyone should learn,

394
00:39:32,065 --> 00:39:38,375
it is possible 
to embrace our pain tenderly,

395
00:39:38,535 --> 00:39:40,327
with compassion.

396
00:39:41,075 --> 00:39:46,722
That helps you to get a relief
after a few minutes of practice.

397
00:39:47,105 --> 00:39:54,101
So we should remember
that someone who knows how to suffer,

398
00:39:54,377 --> 00:39:56,884
will suffer much less.

399
00:39:58,098 --> 00:40:00,736
And then he can go further,

400
00:40:00,976 --> 00:40:03,484
he can make good use of suffering

401
00:40:03,484 --> 00:40:08,772
in order to create understanding,
compassion and happiness.

402
00:40:10,924 --> 00:40:17,610
Suffering has a role to play
in creating happiness.

403
00:40:20,252 --> 00:40:24,431
It's like when you grow lotus flowers,
you need the mud.

404
00:40:26,112 --> 00:40:29,489
Without the mud, 
lotus flowers cannot grow.

405
00:40:30,289 --> 00:40:32,597
It's the same with happiness.

406
00:40:32,597 --> 00:40:35,071
Happiness is a kind of lotus

407
00:40:35,651 --> 00:40:40,374
and it needs some kind of mud,
in order to grow.

408
00:40:42,311 --> 00:40:45,043
The process is like this:

409
00:40:45,043 --> 00:40:47,167
there is suffering,

410
00:40:48,227 --> 00:40:55,077
and there is mindfulness
that can look deeply...

411
00:40:55,077 --> 00:40:58,057
into the nature of suffering.

412
00:40:59,013 --> 00:41:02,899
We listen, we look deeply,

413
00:41:02,899 --> 00:41:08,229
and from that kind of practice,
called mindfulness of suffering,

414
00:41:08,237 --> 00:41:13,007
understanding and compassion are born.

415
00:41:13,767 --> 00:41:17,493
Understanding of suffering,

416
00:41:18,233 --> 00:41:23,372
compassion coming out of 
that kind of understanding.

417
00:41:25,911 --> 00:41:31,943
Understanding and compassion
are the very foundation of happiness.

418
00:41:33,743 --> 00:41:37,583
We know that understanding and compassion
come from the mud,

419
00:41:39,359 --> 00:41:41,709
come from suffering.

420
00:41:42,489 --> 00:41:47,059
So there is a very deep connection
between suffering and happiness,

421
00:41:48,519 --> 00:41:52,775
like the connection
between the mud and the lotus.

422
00:41:53,977 --> 00:41:58,414
If you try always 
to run away from suffering,

423
00:41:58,544 --> 00:42:01,073
you have no chance.

424
00:42:01,516 --> 00:42:06,847
You have to see the goodness of suffering.

425
00:42:09,514 --> 00:42:14,594
The goodness of suffering - 
(French) la bienfaisance de la suffrance.

426
00:42:15,470 --> 00:42:21,163
It's like the mud,
the mud is essential for the lotus.

427
00:42:22,470 --> 00:42:29,128
So suffering is essential
for the making of understanding and love,

428
00:42:29,858 --> 00:42:33,278
which are
the very foundation of happiness.

429
00:42:34,031 --> 00:42:37,579
When you have seen that 
you have Right View.

430
00:42:38,749 --> 00:42:45,025
Right View is the first element 
of the Noble Path leading to happiness.

431
00:42:46,009 --> 00:42:51,021
You don't have any discrimination 
any more.

432
00:42:51,971 --> 00:42:57,011
You know that there is a deep connection
between suffering and happiness.

433
00:42:58,611 --> 00:43:03,569
If you know how to make
good use of suffering,

434
00:43:04,109 --> 00:43:08,462
you can create a lot of understanding
and compassion

435
00:43:08,887 --> 00:43:12,757
that can create happiness in you
and in the other person.

436
00:43:13,859 --> 00:43:17,579
So there are two things
we have to remember concerning suffering:

437
00:43:18,559 --> 00:43:21,684
if you know how to suffer,
you suffer less;

438
00:43:22,887 --> 00:43:25,991
if you know how to make good use
of suffering,

439
00:43:26,101 --> 00:43:28,411
you can create happiness.

440
00:43:29,101 --> 00:43:33,470
That is why mindfulness of suffering
is very, very important.

441
00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:37,458
We should not try 
to run away from suffering,

442
00:43:37,738 --> 00:43:40,916
pretending that it's not there.

443
00:43:42,406 --> 00:43:46,986
In our civilization,
most people do that.

444
00:43:48,240 --> 00:43:52,666
They pretend that there is no suffering

445
00:43:53,266 --> 00:43:58,826
and they buy, they consume,
in order to cover up the suffering inside.

446
00:44:01,716 --> 00:44:05,014
We consume not because we need to consume.

447
00:44:06,454 --> 00:44:11,768
There are people who go 
to look for something to eat,

448
00:44:13,146 --> 00:44:16,469
but they are not hungry at all.

449
00:44:19,042 --> 00:44:23,052
They eat because they want to forget
the suffering inside.

450
00:44:23,532 --> 00:44:25,304
Eating is one way,

451
00:44:27,392 --> 00:44:31,808
one of the ways to help us to run away

452
00:44:32,380 --> 00:44:37,387
and not to have to confront,
to get in touch with the suffering.

453
00:44:40,543 --> 00:44:43,553
We can practice by ourselves,

454
00:44:44,173 --> 00:44:49,813
but if we have a community of practice
supporting us,

455
00:44:51,233 --> 00:45:01,435
the practice of mindfulness of suffering
can be easier,

456
00:45:03,475 --> 00:45:09,179
because we have brothers and sisters
in the practice supporting us.

457
00:45:10,451 --> 00:45:13,597
They provide understanding and compassion,

458
00:45:13,887 --> 00:45:16,475
and with that kind of collective energy,

459
00:45:16,665 --> 00:45:22,097
we can easily recognize and embrace
our suffering.

460
00:45:24,639 --> 00:45:26,045
Clear?

461
00:45:26,165 --> 00:45:27,654
(Laughter)

462
00:45:27,694 --> 00:45:29,564
Thank you.

463
00:45:32,972 --> 00:45:37,262
We'll read from one written question.

464
00:45:42,473 --> 00:45:44,163
Bell, the bell.

465
00:45:44,784 --> 00:45:46,078
(Laughter)

466
00:45:46,258 --> 00:45:48,464
(Half Bell)

467
00:45:51,541 --> 00:45:59,329
(Bell)

468
00:46:14,858 --> 00:46:19,447
(Br. Mountain) "The errors of the past
have caused a lot of suffering"

469
00:46:19,557 --> 00:46:21,905
"and are very difficult to liberate."

470
00:46:21,955 --> 00:46:26,584
"My errors have created in the past
quite a heavy burden."

471
00:46:26,884 --> 00:46:30,843
"How can I forgive myself
for this pain I've caused"

472
00:46:31,333 --> 00:46:35,303
"and how to be sure
that I've forgiven others?"

473
00:46:36,181 --> 00:46:39,950
"What can I do if I offer 
forgiveness and reconciliation"

474
00:46:40,040 --> 00:46:41,696
"again and again to others,"

475
00:46:41,786 --> 00:46:45,402
"but the others don't respond positively"

476
00:46:45,482 --> 00:46:49,135
"and they keep the door closed?"

477
00:47:00,468 --> 00:47:02,511
This is a very good question.

478
00:47:03,391 --> 00:47:05,478
(Laughter)

479
00:47:15,007 --> 00:47:26,743
First of all, everyone can learn 
from their own mistakes, unskillfulness.

480
00:47:27,803 --> 00:47:31,373
All of us are unskillful at times.

481
00:47:35,915 --> 00:47:38,009
Even the Buddha as a teacher,

482
00:47:38,179 --> 00:47:40,616
he was unskillful at times,

483
00:47:40,806 --> 00:47:43,734
and he learnt from his unskillfulness.

484
00:47:55,754 --> 00:47:58,062
(Laughter)

485
00:48:01,373 --> 00:48:07,567
So first of all, we should remember
that we are a human being,

486
00:48:08,427 --> 00:48:11,757
and we can be unskillful at times.

487
00:48:17,857 --> 00:48:22,439
The practice of mindfulness 
can always transform,

488
00:48:24,451 --> 00:48:27,355
even transform the past.

489
00:48:29,541 --> 00:48:32,127
You think that the past is already gone

490
00:48:32,237 --> 00:48:35,425
and you can't do anything 
concerning the past,

491
00:48:36,258 --> 00:48:38,489
but that is not true.

492
00:48:38,869 --> 00:48:40,963
You can change the past,

493
00:48:41,633 --> 00:48:45,454
because the past is still there 
in the present.

494
00:48:46,334 --> 00:48:49,845
The wound of the past is still there
in the present moment

495
00:48:50,275 --> 00:48:52,605
and you can touch it.

496
00:48:54,695 --> 00:49:01,145
Suppose in the past you have said 
something unkind to your grandma,

497
00:49:06,078 --> 00:49:08,590
and now you regret it.

498
00:49:09,230 --> 00:49:13,880
Your grandma is no longer there
for you to say sorry.

499
00:49:18,721 --> 00:49:22,741
You have that complex of guilt 
following you all the time,

500
00:49:24,602 --> 00:49:28,094
but according to this practice,
you can do something.

501
00:49:31,424 --> 00:49:34,239
You breathe in and out mindfully,

502
00:49:34,359 --> 00:49:39,679
and you recognize that your grandma
is still alive in every cell of your body.

503
00:49:40,981 --> 00:49:43,446
You continue your grandma.

504
00:49:44,296 --> 00:49:46,586
That is the truth.

505
00:49:46,867 --> 00:49:50,307
The genes of your grandma are in you.

506
00:49:52,565 --> 00:49:56,543
Your grandma has not really died.

507
00:49:57,163 --> 00:49:59,551
She continues in you.

508
00:50:00,311 --> 00:50:05,041
So having seen your grandma in you,
you say:

509
00:50:05,241 --> 00:50:06,893
"Grandma, I am sorry."

510
00:50:09,987 --> 00:50:12,175
"I was not skillful."

511
00:50:13,065 --> 00:50:15,753
"I promise you that from now on,"

512
00:50:15,943 --> 00:50:19,683
"I will never say 
something like that again."

513
00:50:22,199 --> 00:50:27,629
And if you are sincere, mindful, 
determined,

514
00:50:29,345 --> 00:50:32,571
then you can see your grandma in you,
smiling,

515
00:50:33,431 --> 00:50:36,289
and you are healed,
you are healed.

516
00:50:37,769 --> 00:50:40,559
So you can transform the past.

517
00:50:41,945 --> 00:50:46,493
You make an aspiration,
a strong aspiration,

518
00:50:47,523 --> 00:50:51,301
that from now on, you will not say 
things like that any more.

519
00:50:51,461 --> 00:50:54,223
You will not do things like that any more.

520
00:50:54,553 --> 00:50:56,939
That is a powerful energy,

521
00:50:57,439 --> 00:51:01,709
that can transform even the past
and you feel lighter. Lighter!

522
00:51:12,723 --> 00:51:16,581
During the Vietnam war,
there was an American soldier

523
00:51:18,141 --> 00:51:21,301
who killed five children in Vietnam.

524
00:51:26,567 --> 00:51:34,193
His unit was destroyed by the guerillas,

525
00:51:35,133 --> 00:51:37,781
so he was very angry.

526
00:51:38,161 --> 00:51:40,271
He came back to that village,

527
00:51:40,941 --> 00:51:43,115
looking for a way to retaliate.

528
00:51:44,534 --> 00:51:47,769
He brought with him a bag of sandwiches,

529
00:51:51,924 --> 00:51:55,059
and he put explosives in the sandwich.

530
00:51:56,507 --> 00:51:59,870
He left them by the gate of the village.

531
00:52:00,760 --> 00:52:04,860
He hid himself
and he saw five children coming out,

532
00:52:06,020 --> 00:52:08,681
and enjoying eating the sandwiches.

533
00:52:09,061 --> 00:52:13,922
After that, the children 
showed the signs of sickness

534
00:52:14,042 --> 00:52:16,653
and they cried, they yelled,

535
00:52:16,923 --> 00:52:20,575
and their mothers came out
and tried to help.

536
00:52:21,655 --> 00:52:24,586
But the soldier knew 
that nothing could be done,

537
00:52:25,826 --> 00:52:29,356
because the village was so far
from a city.

538
00:52:31,748 --> 00:52:37,298
He saw the five children dying
in the arms of their mothers.

539
00:52:40,564 --> 00:52:44,794
The soldier survived the war
and went back to America.

540
00:52:46,610 --> 00:52:49,020
He could no longer sleep.

541
00:52:51,598 --> 00:52:56,742
Every time he found himself
with a few children in the same room,

542
00:52:57,512 --> 00:53:00,342
he could not stand it,
he had to run out of the room.

543
00:53:02,083 --> 00:53:05,535
He could not share the story with anyone,

544
00:53:05,975 --> 00:53:07,525
until one day,

545
00:53:12,797 --> 00:53:17,434
we offered a retreat for war veterans
in California,

546
00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:21,512
and he came.

547
00:53:23,000 --> 00:53:29,410
After four days of practice, 
he got enough trust.

548
00:53:31,667 --> 00:53:38,447
During the sharing, he told us the story,
crying a lot.

549
00:53:44,693 --> 00:53:46,823
I was in the group.

550
00:53:48,707 --> 00:53:52,127
I promised to give him a consultation.

551
00:53:55,699 --> 00:54:00,420
I told him: "Daniel, 
you have killed five children."

552
00:54:01,750 --> 00:54:03,530
"That is the truth."

553
00:54:04,496 --> 00:54:06,543
"And you suffer."

554
00:54:07,076 --> 00:54:09,943
"But now there are other children
who are dying"

555
00:54:11,428 --> 00:54:15,028
"in Africa, in Asia, in many countries,"

556
00:54:15,938 --> 00:54:18,939
"and even in America,
children are dying."

557
00:54:19,559 --> 00:54:21,580
"There are poor people."

558
00:54:22,040 --> 00:54:26,154
"There are children who only need
one tablet of medicine"

559
00:54:27,024 --> 00:54:29,834
"in order for their life to be saved."

560
00:54:30,287 --> 00:54:34,058
"Thousands and thousands of children
like that are dying all over the world."

561
00:54:34,848 --> 00:54:41,438
"If you make the aspiration to go to them,
every day you can save five children."

562
00:54:42,766 --> 00:54:47,816
"You don't have to lie down 
in the corner of the past"

563
00:54:48,346 --> 00:54:50,266
"and suffer like that."

564
00:54:50,356 --> 00:54:52,709
"If in the past you have 
killed five children,"

565
00:54:52,889 --> 00:54:55,641
"then today, you can save five."

566
00:54:55,721 --> 00:54:59,065
"If you can save five today,
five tomorrow,"

567
00:54:59,235 --> 00:55:03,763
"then you can see the five you killed
begin to smile in you"

568
00:55:03,903 --> 00:55:06,533
"and you are healed."

569
00:55:07,669 --> 00:55:11,459
So he followed those instructions.

570
00:55:13,487 --> 00:55:17,875
I could see the transformation 
and healing taking place

571
00:55:18,725 --> 00:55:22,655
right during the time he listened
to the advice,

572
00:55:23,515 --> 00:55:26,199
because during the time he listened to me,

573
00:55:26,369 --> 00:55:28,253
he made that vow:

574
00:55:28,613 --> 00:55:31,623
"I will go out and try to save children."

575
00:55:32,023 --> 00:55:34,687
"I am young enough to do the work."

576
00:55:36,237 --> 00:55:41,241
The tremendous amount of energy
given to him by that aspiration...

577
00:55:42,081 --> 00:55:44,811
began to heal him right away.

578
00:55:45,727 --> 00:55:50,877
After that he practiced helping
children in the world to survive.

579
00:55:56,073 --> 00:55:58,203
He was healed.

580
00:55:58,653 --> 00:56:02,393
He married a dentist in England

581
00:56:03,303 --> 00:56:05,382
and lead a normal life.

582
00:56:06,102 --> 00:56:08,462
This is a real story.

583
00:56:09,836 --> 00:56:16,927
So the fact is that you can 
liberate yourself from the past,

584
00:56:17,167 --> 00:56:19,437
from the prison of the past.

585
00:56:20,820 --> 00:56:27,030
You can make a strong determination,
a strong aspiration, to go and help:

586
00:56:27,850 --> 00:56:30,716
to help the people who are abused,

587
00:56:30,788 --> 00:56:34,278
to help the people who are victims
of sexual abuse, and so on.

588
00:56:35,778 --> 00:56:38,148
And then you can heal yourself.

589
00:56:40,306 --> 00:56:45,646
That is the power of aspiration -
the [third] nutriment we call "volition."

590
00:56:50,162 --> 00:56:53,722
If you have transformation 
and healing in you,

591
00:56:56,408 --> 00:56:59,546
you become a pleasant person,

592
00:57:00,444 --> 00:57:03,404
you are full of compassion, understanding,

593
00:57:04,354 --> 00:57:10,179
and your presence is very fresh,

594
00:57:11,179 --> 00:57:13,890
very pleasant for other people.

595
00:57:14,580 --> 00:57:20,210
If you propose to him or to her
the practice of reconciliation

596
00:57:21,510 --> 00:57:24,406
and if the other person refuses to do it,

597
00:57:25,226 --> 00:57:27,544
it's because you are not fresh enough,

598
00:57:27,632 --> 00:57:30,510
you have not healed yourself enough.

599
00:57:32,802 --> 00:57:37,572
You have to show yourself
as someone who has transformed,

600
00:57:38,252 --> 00:57:42,170
who has healed himself, or herself.

601
00:57:45,598 --> 00:57:51,228
The healing in you will help start
the healing in the other person.

602
00:57:52,284 --> 00:57:54,460
There are many ways.

603
00:57:56,830 --> 00:58:00,838
You can write him or her a letter of love.

604
00:58:02,048 --> 00:58:07,138
You can ask a friend to talk to him or her
on your behalf.

605
00:58:11,172 --> 00:58:13,662
There are many ways to do it.

606
00:58:16,180 --> 00:58:20,680
If you have already 
reconciled with yourself,

607
00:58:21,878 --> 00:58:25,566
renewed yourself to become a new person,

608
00:58:25,796 --> 00:58:29,538
then transforming him,
reconciling with him,

609
00:58:29,788 --> 00:58:31,729
becomes much easier.

610
00:58:32,259 --> 00:58:38,327
If you still find it difficult 
to invite the other person to reconcile,

611
00:58:38,546 --> 00:58:43,057
it's because you have not started
the process of reconciliation from within.

612
00:58:45,007 --> 00:58:48,624
If you have, 
then you have healed yourself.

613
00:58:49,844 --> 00:58:55,914
Then it will be much easier to help him
to reconcile,

614
00:58:56,914 --> 00:58:59,362
with himself and with you.

615
00:59:01,605 --> 00:59:03,000
OK?

616
00:59:03,690 --> 00:59:05,530
(Br. Mountain) Thank you, Thay.

617
00:59:22,778 --> 00:59:25,064
(Half Bell)

618
00:59:28,938 --> 00:59:36,129
(Bell)

619
01:00:00,207 --> 01:00:01,403
Well...

620
01:00:01,865 --> 01:00:03,836
(Spanish) Sorry, in Spanish.

621
01:00:06,503 --> 01:00:11,057
First, I would like to thank you,

622
01:00:11,565 --> 01:00:14,207
because until yesterday,

623
01:00:14,972 --> 01:00:21,966
I thought I was practising
mindful listening properly,

624
01:00:23,351 --> 01:00:26,526
just because I tried
to listen to every word


625
01:00:26,758 --> 01:00:29,259
that the other person was saying.

626
01:00:29,566 --> 01:00:31,825
Yesterday I understood

627
01:00:32,065 --> 01:00:34,660
that my practice was not right,

628
01:00:34,906 --> 01:00:38,069
because no matter
how hard I tried to listen,

629
01:00:38,292 --> 01:00:41,166
if I did not add compassion,

630
01:00:41,627 --> 01:00:46,785
the practice was not going to improve.

631
01:00:48,503 --> 01:00:50,735
I thank you for that.

632
01:00:51,028 --> 01:00:53,433
My question has nothing to do with myself,

633
01:00:53,926 --> 01:00:55,807
it has to do with my daughter.

634
01:00:56,128 --> 01:00:58,006
She is 3 years old.

635
01:00:58,965 --> 01:01:06,832
I wish she will not need to be 35
to begin to practice mindfulness,

636
01:01:07,294 --> 01:01:09,898
as it happened to her mother.

637
01:01:10,057 --> 01:01:12,926
I want to begin to practice with her,

638
01:01:13,165 --> 01:01:16,970
but everyone tells me
that she is still too young.

639
01:01:17,367 --> 01:01:23,011
I see that children live more
in the present moment than us, adults.

640
01:01:23,470 --> 01:01:26,365
But they do it for short periods.

641
01:01:27,027 --> 01:01:31,268
I don't want to begin with
formal practices too early,

642
01:01:35,059 --> 01:01:39,825
because it would not be
appropriate for her age.

643
01:01:40,380 --> 01:01:44,929
Is there a good age

644
01:01:45,114 --> 01:01:49,565
to begin the practice of mindfulness
with children?

645
01:01:53,658 --> 01:01:58,667
(Br. Mountain) So I will try to touch
the essence of the question.

646
01:01:58,857 --> 01:02:01,388
She has a daughter 
who is 3 years old

647
01:02:01,588 --> 01:02:04,414
and she would like 
to teach her mindfulness

648
01:02:04,564 --> 01:02:08,292
and start already with the seed
of mindfulness at that age,

649
01:02:08,392 --> 01:02:13,902
and not wait until her daughter is 35
to start the practice of mindfulness.

650
01:02:14,052 --> 01:02:19,862
So is there any good age
to start teaching mindfulness to children?

651
01:02:20,022 --> 01:02:25,412
Some people say she's too young
for me to teach her mindfulness.

652
01:02:25,692 --> 01:02:27,548
She's only 3 years old.

653
01:02:27,778 --> 01:02:31,428
Is there a good age to start teaching
mindfulness to children?

654
01:02:35,594 --> 01:02:40,458
(Thay) You can teach 
your child mindfulness,

655
01:02:40,846 --> 01:02:46,339
even when your child 
is still inside of you!

656
01:02:46,339 --> 01:02:47,958
(Laughter)

657
01:02:58,401 --> 01:03:01,168
You practice mindful breathing

658
01:03:01,358 --> 01:03:03,344
and you talk to your child:

659
01:03:03,484 --> 01:03:06,205
"Breathing in, I know you are there"

660
01:03:06,325 --> 01:03:08,285
"and I am so happy."

661
01:03:09,350 --> 01:03:14,870
You are mindful of the presence 
of the baby in yourself.

662
01:03:16,818 --> 01:03:22,478
If you are mindful, the child in you 
is mindful at the same time,

663
01:03:22,618 --> 01:03:29,779
because you and him or her 
are not two entities.

664
01:03:36,058 --> 01:03:38,876
Everything you eat is for your child.

665
01:03:39,156 --> 01:03:42,484
Everything you drink is for your child.

666
01:03:45,664 --> 01:03:49,889
Your happiness is your child's happiness.

667
01:03:50,549 --> 01:03:53,499
Your anger is your child's anger.

668
01:03:54,929 --> 01:03:58,608
If you conceive a baby,
you have to be very careful.

669
01:03:59,037 --> 01:04:01,308
You have to be very mindful.

670
01:04:03,611 --> 01:04:06,234
Anything you consume 
of the Four Nutriments,

671
01:04:06,484 --> 01:04:09,294
the child consumes also.

672
01:04:09,970 --> 01:04:15,488
So be gentle, 
consume only the healthy things,

673
01:04:16,998 --> 01:04:19,329
in terms of the Four Nutriments:

674
01:04:19,499 --> 01:04:23,439
what you read, what you listen to,

675
01:04:24,549 --> 01:04:30,128
what you eat, 
what you hear as conversation.

676
01:04:30,348 --> 01:04:32,686
They will go directly to the baby.

677
01:04:33,066 --> 01:04:40,216
So your practice of mindfulness is
the practice of mindfulness of your child.

678
01:04:41,730 --> 01:04:48,700
So you can begin at a very early age
with your child.

679
01:04:59,575 --> 01:05:07,065
The baby may not understand yet
the talking of adults,

680
01:05:11,813 --> 01:05:19,713
but the baby can be aware of the energy
that you radiate.

681
01:05:21,861 --> 01:05:28,850
If father and mother are in harmony,
loving each other,

682
01:05:29,160 --> 01:05:31,580
the baby feels that.

683
01:05:33,142 --> 01:05:39,355
Don't say that he does not understand
what we are saying to each other yet.

684
01:05:39,485 --> 01:05:41,545
Don't do that.

685
01:05:42,592 --> 01:05:45,513
The baby may not understand 
what you are saying,

686
01:05:45,943 --> 01:05:51,123
but the baby can feel
the harmony or disharmony between you.

687
01:05:53,908 --> 01:06:03,247
So your practice of mindfulness,
of reconciliation, of harmony...

688
01:06:03,707 --> 01:06:08,287
has a direct impact on your child.

689
01:06:11,411 --> 01:06:13,878
When you hold your baby,

690
01:06:14,118 --> 01:06:18,123
if you hold your baby in mindfulness,

691
01:06:18,773 --> 01:06:20,883
the baby feels that.

692
01:06:21,674 --> 01:06:24,284
That is a way to teach mindfulness.

693
01:06:27,184 --> 01:06:30,336
When you feed your baby 
with your own milk,

694
01:06:31,476 --> 01:06:33,838
you are aware of that,

695
01:06:34,248 --> 01:06:36,489
you feel the happiness,

696
01:06:37,029 --> 01:06:41,546
so the baby not only is feeding himself
from the milk,

697
01:06:41,866 --> 01:06:44,343
but from your love too.

698
01:06:44,923 --> 01:06:49,773
So you can teach the baby mindfulness
right away in the beginning.

699
01:06:54,141 --> 01:06:59,911
I remember at a Dharma talk in Germany,

700
01:07:00,857 --> 01:07:06,267
there were 1000 people in the talk.

701
01:07:07,403 --> 01:07:09,245
I remember in the front row,

702
01:07:09,545 --> 01:07:15,215
there were 3 or 4 mothers,
breast-feeding their babies.

703
01:07:17,608 --> 01:07:21,968
The atmosphere in the talk
was very, very peaceful,

704
01:07:23,921 --> 01:07:29,081
because we practiced mindful breathing,
mindful smiling.

705
01:07:30,539 --> 01:07:32,513
It was very nice.

706
01:07:33,343 --> 01:07:39,746
Before I started the talk,
I looked at the babies.

707
01:07:40,376 --> 01:07:42,966
They were so happy, so calm.

708
01:07:43,242 --> 01:07:48,192
They were getting the nutriments
not only from the breast of their mother,

709
01:07:48,702 --> 01:07:51,843
but they were getting nutriments

710
01:07:52,083 --> 01:07:56,993
from the collective energy
of mindfulness and compassion

711
01:07:57,763 --> 01:08:00,080
generated by the practice.

712
01:08:00,822 --> 01:08:07,452
So children, they know the value
of the practice of mindfulness.

713
01:08:12,958 --> 01:08:17,748
When you are about to have breakfast
with your child,

714
01:08:19,666 --> 01:08:26,792
if the child is 3, or 4, or 5 years old,
you can say:

715
01:08:28,586 --> 01:08:33,703
"Darling, it's wonderful 
that we have breakfast together."

716
01:08:34,273 --> 01:08:36,914
You show your appreciation...


717
01:08:37,244 --> 01:08:43,431
that mother and son, mother and daughter,
are there having breakfast together.

718
01:08:43,801 --> 01:08:46,421
You cherish every moment.

719
01:08:50,746 --> 01:08:55,836
There is a mantra that we practice
in Plum Village.

720
01:08:58,791 --> 01:09:04,111
From time to time, we remind 
the other person or people...

721
01:09:06,259 --> 01:09:13,269
that the moment we spend together
is a wonderful moment.

722
01:09:16,826 --> 01:09:20,396
That can be practiced with children too.

723
01:09:21,794 --> 01:09:27,194
The mantra is: "This is a happy moment."

724
01:09:28,515 --> 01:09:31,574
"This is a wonderful moment."

725
01:09:31,834 --> 01:09:34,544
"Don't you agree?"

726
01:09:35,122 --> 01:09:39,402
"This is a legendary moment
that we share with each other."

727
01:09:40,180 --> 01:09:47,210
That mantra, we can practice,
we can pronounce, several times a day.

728
01:09:49,546 --> 01:09:52,996
I myself practice that mantra a lot
with my students.

729
01:09:54,642 --> 01:09:58,842
Walking together, sitting together,
eating together,

730
01:10:01,041 --> 01:10:04,095
we remind each other
that this is a wonderful moment.

731
01:10:05,345 --> 01:10:10,195
We are still alive, 
we are sharing a cup of tea.

732
01:10:11,860 --> 01:10:14,040
This is always possible.

733
01:10:17,611 --> 01:10:21,607
So children are receptive 
to that kind of practice.

734
01:10:23,027 --> 01:10:25,417
They know that 
we appreciate their presence.

735
01:10:26,772 --> 01:10:31,512
We offer attention to them,
and they are happy.

736
01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:35,700
They learn in a way
that we cannot conceive.

737
01:10:37,784 --> 01:10:42,504
They learn without knowing
that they are learning.

738
01:10:43,710 --> 01:10:47,990
We transmit the practice of mindfulness
by our way of life.

739
01:10:51,619 --> 01:10:55,196
If the parents smoke and drink alcohol,

740
01:10:55,596 --> 01:10:58,526
the children will smoke and drink alcohol.

741
01:10:59,181 --> 01:11:03,869
If the parents practice mindfulness,
loving speech, and deep listening,

742
01:11:04,209 --> 01:11:06,094
then the children will do it.

743
01:11:06,394 --> 01:11:09,424
They do not have to know
that they are learning.

744
01:11:10,592 --> 01:11:14,902
So the learning, the practice,
can be non-formal.

745
01:11:16,848 --> 01:11:20,446
You don't have to say that,
"I am practicing mindfulness."

746
01:11:21,016 --> 01:11:25,554
You just enjoy the practice
of mindfulness, of breathing,

747
01:11:25,754 --> 01:11:28,126
walking, eating and so on.

748
01:11:28,406 --> 01:11:31,956
That will have an effect on the children,

749
01:11:32,366 --> 01:11:34,352
even the very young ones.

750
01:11:36,679 --> 01:11:40,139
Three years old may be too late!

751
01:11:41,127 --> 01:11:43,537
(Laughter)

752
01:12:06,034 --> 01:12:07,658
(Half Bell)

753
01:12:12,026 --> 01:12:19,451
(Bell)

754
01:12:32,875 --> 01:12:36,315
Dear Thay, dear brothers and sisters,

755
01:12:37,995 --> 01:12:42,735
I want to deeply thank you
for sharing your time with us.

756
01:12:44,955 --> 01:12:48,925
My question is regarding hurt kids.

757
01:12:51,467 --> 01:13:00,357
How can we guide them, 
help them to look deeply,

758
01:13:01,178 --> 01:13:07,566
and try to understand the root cause
of their suffering,

759
01:13:08,626 --> 01:13:12,475
such as anger, anguish, or fear,

760
01:13:14,184 --> 01:13:16,994
when they are small?

761
01:13:23,393 --> 01:13:28,803
(Br. Mountain) So the question is
about children:

762
01:13:29,063 --> 01:13:31,388
How to guide them to look deeply,

763
01:13:31,708 --> 01:13:35,210
and try to understand the cause
of these children's suffering

764
01:13:36,140 --> 01:13:39,175
- anger, anguish, fear -

765
01:13:39,526 --> 01:13:41,311
so how to help them?

766
01:13:41,311 --> 01:13:42,977
Any particular age?

767
01:13:43,137 --> 01:13:46,318
(Lady) Maybe six, seven or eight.


768
01:13:46,628 --> 01:13:49,309
(Br. Mountain) Six, seven or eight.

769
01:13:49,819 --> 01:13:54,739
So how to help little children 
understand the cause of their suffering?

770
01:14:04,817 --> 01:14:09,129
We should not try 
to give the teaching...

771
01:14:10,779 --> 01:14:14,219
orally only,

772
01:14:15,718 --> 01:14:19,268
because often it does not work.

773
01:14:23,166 --> 01:14:28,096
As teachers, we have 
the tendency to explain.

774
01:14:31,546 --> 01:14:35,001
In order to explain, we have to use words.

775
01:14:37,109 --> 01:14:39,940
That may turn them off.

776
01:14:41,032 --> 01:14:45,281
They are not interested 
in words and concepts.

777
01:14:55,495 --> 01:15:01,897
I think we should use 
very simple expressions,

778
01:15:02,497 --> 01:15:04,727
simple, simple words.

779
01:15:15,897 --> 01:15:18,429
Suppose when...

780
01:15:21,327 --> 01:15:25,337
when we have anger in us,

781
01:15:28,116 --> 01:15:33,666
when mother has anger in herself,

782
01:15:42,114 --> 01:15:47,189
if the child wants her 
to do something,

783
01:15:48,209 --> 01:15:51,359
to say something, for him.

784
01:15:53,668 --> 01:16:00,606
If the mother realises that it's not good
to do it, to say it,

785
01:16:00,876 --> 01:16:03,256
when she's angry,

786
01:16:03,681 --> 01:16:06,950
she may tell her child

787
01:16:07,320 --> 01:16:10,998
that Mummy does not feel good in herself.

788
01:16:11,458 --> 01:16:13,691
Mummy is a little bit angry.

789
01:16:14,261 --> 01:16:19,646
You should allow Mummy 
to breathe, to walk,

790
01:16:19,906 --> 01:16:22,949
in order to calm herself first.

791
01:16:23,884 --> 01:16:26,344
You can do it like that.

792
01:16:26,834 --> 01:16:28,832
That is teaching.

793
01:16:31,722 --> 01:16:34,902
You teach by your own life.

794
01:16:37,950 --> 01:16:42,430
If they see you practicing 
when you are angry,

795
01:16:44,055 --> 01:16:45,915
they will believe you.

796
01:16:47,428 --> 01:16:49,714
Next time when they get angry,

797
01:16:50,844 --> 01:16:52,964
you may say something:

798
01:16:53,194 --> 01:16:56,154
"Darling, why don't you do it like Mummy?"

799
01:16:57,553 --> 01:17:01,159
"Don't say anything, don't do anything,"

800
01:17:01,339 --> 01:17:05,707
"it may do harm to yourself
and to others."

801
01:17:06,487 --> 01:17:09,048
"Do like Mummy, just breathe"

802
01:17:09,508 --> 01:17:11,458
"and know that we are angry."

803
01:17:12,296 --> 01:17:17,316
"If we know how to breathe like that,
walk like that,"

804
01:17:17,466 --> 01:17:19,383
"then we will feel better."

805
01:17:19,503 --> 01:17:22,261
"Why don't you hold Mummy's hand"

806
01:17:22,451 --> 01:17:26,549
"and we will breathe together,
make a few steps together."

807
01:17:27,755 --> 01:17:30,027
That is teaching.

808
01:17:31,276 --> 01:17:35,434
The same thing is true 
with other mental formations,

809
01:17:36,594 --> 01:17:40,294
like fear, jealousy and so on.

810
01:17:42,843 --> 01:17:52,115
So there is a kind of teaching
called teaching by your own life,

811
01:17:53,555 --> 01:17:55,104
by your own body.

812
01:17:55,524 --> 01:17:57,874
This is very good.

813
01:17:58,229 --> 01:18:04,609
So as a teacher, I know the value
of that kind of teaching.

814
01:18:08,269 --> 01:18:10,937
You teach by the way you walk,

815
01:18:11,997 --> 01:18:14,251
by the way you sit down,

816
01:18:14,571 --> 01:18:17,011
by the way you eat,

817
01:18:17,617 --> 01:18:19,629
by the way you look,

818
01:18:19,909 --> 01:18:23,139
by the way you react to a provocation.

819
01:18:25,395 --> 01:18:30,675
That teaching is well received
by the young people.

820
01:18:31,323 --> 01:18:34,303
You don't have to use a lot of words.

821
01:18:38,771 --> 01:18:41,561
Another question from the floor.

822
01:18:44,232 --> 01:18:46,627
(Br. Mountain) Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

823
01:18:46,827 --> 01:18:50,463
this is a question from a man, I guess,

824
01:18:50,653 --> 01:18:52,504
because it says:

825
01:18:52,594 --> 01:18:56,634
"How can men today 
avoid becoming soft men?"

826
01:18:58,682 --> 01:19:03,859
"How can men become more confident,"

827
01:19:04,219 --> 01:19:06,609
"without becoming aggressive?"

828
01:19:07,436 --> 01:19:13,316
"How can a man avoid becoming a soft man?"

829
01:19:14,284 --> 01:19:20,928
Sometimes men, maybe in Spain,
have been aggressive in the past

830
01:19:21,068 --> 01:19:23,235
and now when we practice,

831
01:19:23,435 --> 01:19:26,606
we become soft, 
very receptive and attentive,

832
01:19:26,736 --> 01:19:29,476
and maybe we become too soft.

833
01:19:30,082 --> 01:19:31,930
Too soft!

834
01:19:32,880 --> 01:19:35,156
(Laughter)

835
01:19:48,059 --> 01:19:52,309
Yesterday, we spoke about Noble Silence,

836
01:19:55,037 --> 01:19:58,317
a kind of silence that is very powerful.

837
01:20:00,087 --> 01:20:02,607
It's not oppressive at all.

838
01:20:03,986 --> 01:20:05,736
It's very alive.

839
01:20:06,681 --> 01:20:10,307
When we stop our talking,

840
01:20:11,577 --> 01:20:13,615
when we stop our thinking,

841
01:20:13,896 --> 01:20:16,655
we breathe, we become alive,

842
01:20:17,236 --> 01:20:23,087
we are aware of being with each other

843
01:20:23,577 --> 01:20:27,577
and that kind of silence is very powerful.

844
01:20:28,339 --> 01:20:30,320
In the Buddhist tradition,

845
01:20:30,690 --> 01:20:36,830
they describe the silence 
as "thundering silence."

846
01:20:38,001 --> 01:20:40,201
Powerful like thunder.

847
01:20:42,152 --> 01:20:44,064
(French) The thunder.

848
01:20:44,495 --> 01:20:46,764
Thundering silence.

849
01:20:47,587 --> 01:20:53,037
There are those who believe that 
when they have too much compassion,

850
01:20:53,537 --> 01:20:55,553
they become very soft,

851
01:20:56,204 --> 01:20:58,164
and that is not true.

852
01:20:58,846 --> 01:21:00,806
Compassion is not soft.

853
01:21:01,763 --> 01:21:05,188
Compassion is very, very powerful.

854
01:21:10,678 --> 01:21:13,802
When you have great compassion,

855
01:21:14,272 --> 01:21:20,417
you can die, you are ready to die
for the sake of helping people.

856
01:21:21,367 --> 01:21:23,497
You are very powerful.

857
01:21:26,490 --> 01:21:34,700
It is violence that makes you weak,

858
01:21:36,302 --> 01:21:37,987
because you are weak,

859
01:21:38,147 --> 01:21:40,686
that is why you need a gun,

860
01:21:41,016 --> 01:21:42,869
you need an army.

861
01:21:45,774 --> 01:21:48,310
If you are really powerful,

862
01:21:48,625 --> 01:21:51,338
you can help many people around,

863
01:21:51,808 --> 01:21:53,993
many countries around,

864
01:21:54,233 --> 01:21:55,843
and you are safer.

865
01:21:56,601 --> 01:21:59,151
If you are too afraid,

866
01:21:59,761 --> 01:22:02,671
you need a gun, you need an army.

867
01:22:04,569 --> 01:22:07,795
That is why cultivating compassion,

868
01:22:08,868 --> 01:22:11,234
you protect yourself much better

869
01:22:12,017 --> 01:22:16,984
than with an army, with a gun.

870
01:22:19,222 --> 01:22:22,762
If you carry a gun, 
that means you are afraid,

871
01:22:24,220 --> 01:22:26,140
you are fearful.

872
01:22:36,228 --> 01:22:39,117
Compassion makes us...

873
01:22:42,871 --> 01:22:46,221
Compassion gives us a lot of energy.

874
01:22:51,659 --> 01:22:59,829
With compassion, you can do everything
in order to help people.

875
01:23:01,502 --> 01:23:03,034
You are not afraid.

876
01:23:04,847 --> 01:23:06,565
In the Lotus Sutra,

877
01:23:06,795 --> 01:23:11,125
compassion is described as "thunder."

878
01:23:14,303 --> 01:23:18,379
It's like a cloud, a big cloud in the sky.

879
01:23:19,062 --> 01:23:22,122
It looks very soft,

880
01:23:23,807 --> 01:23:27,941
but a cloud can generate thunder,

881
01:23:28,721 --> 01:23:30,741
lightning and thunder.

882
01:23:32,119 --> 01:23:34,499
So in the Lotus Sutra,

883
01:23:34,659 --> 01:23:38,268
compassion is described 
as lightning and thunder.

884
01:23:38,528 --> 01:23:40,928
Very, very powerful.

885
01:23:43,360 --> 01:23:46,499
If you have violence in you,

886
01:23:46,819 --> 01:23:51,569
your nature is weak, and not powerful.

887
01:23:53,045 --> 01:23:55,061
But if you have compassion in you,

888
01:23:55,191 --> 01:23:57,011
you are really powerful.

889
01:23:59,103 --> 01:24:02,983
With violence in you, you suffer.

890
01:24:09,580 --> 01:24:14,138
Children, adults, teenagers,

891
01:24:15,298 --> 01:24:19,284
if they have a lot of violence in them,

892
01:24:19,584 --> 01:24:21,075
then they suffer,

893
01:24:21,195 --> 01:24:23,365
and we can see the suffering.

894
01:24:23,966 --> 01:24:25,986
And they are weak.

895
01:24:27,834 --> 01:24:31,338
If we cultivate compassion, 
we are healthy,

896
01:24:32,695 --> 01:24:34,970
and we are powerful.

897
01:24:37,039 --> 01:24:39,309
Violence makes you sick.

898
01:24:41,354 --> 01:24:47,344
It is destroying our health,
physical and mental.

899
01:24:48,358 --> 01:24:49,858
Violence.

900
01:24:52,462 --> 01:24:57,612
When you produce a thought 
full of hate and violence,

901
01:25:00,342 --> 01:25:04,872
that thought begins to destroy you
and destroy the world.

902
01:25:07,149 --> 01:25:10,078
But if you have Right Understanding,

903
01:25:10,348 --> 01:25:14,994
you generate a thought 
of compassion, of understanding.

904
01:25:15,984 --> 01:25:18,904
That thought begins to heal you

905
01:25:19,194 --> 01:25:21,564
and begins to heal the world.

906
01:25:23,842 --> 01:25:26,588
That is the practice of Right Thinking:

907
01:25:26,828 --> 01:25:28,608
thinking in such a way

908
01:25:28,868 --> 01:25:33,028
that you can generate 
understanding and compassion.

909
01:25:35,381 --> 01:25:37,991
That is real power.

910
01:25:42,699 --> 01:25:47,219
Compassion can be expressed 
in the way you think,

911
01:25:48,157 --> 01:25:51,187
in the way you speak,

912
01:25:52,365 --> 01:25:55,435
and in the way you act.

913
01:26:02,241 --> 01:26:09,181
If you are motivated by the desire 
to help a person to suffer less,

914
01:26:10,087 --> 01:26:16,037
you can use loving speech,
compassionate speech.

915
01:26:16,915 --> 01:26:19,935
What you write down in a letter,

916
01:26:20,255 --> 01:26:22,464
what you say,

917
01:26:22,524 --> 01:26:25,966
what you tell him or her 
on the telephone...

918
01:26:26,386 --> 01:26:29,616
has so much compassion.

919
01:26:31,980 --> 01:26:35,620
When you are able 
to say something compassionate,

920
01:26:36,326 --> 01:26:39,024
you feel wonderful within yourself,

921
01:26:39,324 --> 01:26:41,224
you can heal yourself.

922
01:26:47,069 --> 01:26:50,919
You can begin to help 
heal the other person.

923
01:26:52,696 --> 01:26:56,026
So compassion has the power to heal.

924
01:27:02,090 --> 01:27:04,430
That is why all of us have to learn

925
01:27:04,798 --> 01:27:09,068
how to generate 
the energy of compassion in us.

926
01:27:09,986 --> 01:27:12,320
If we want to heal ourselves,

927
01:27:12,431 --> 01:27:16,011
we have to generate
the energy of compassion.

928
01:27:16,191 --> 01:27:18,498
If we want to heal our family,

929
01:27:19,248 --> 01:27:22,420
make our family happy, harmonious again,

930
01:27:22,608 --> 01:27:28,218
we have to generate, 
to cultivate compassion.

931
01:27:28,428 --> 01:27:31,438
If we want to heal our community,

932
01:27:32,791 --> 01:27:36,157
our city, our nation,

933
01:27:36,607 --> 01:27:40,837
we have to cultivate more compassion.

934
01:27:41,709 --> 01:27:47,120
Compassion comes from understanding,
understanding suffering:

935
01:27:47,350 --> 01:27:51,097
our own suffering
and the suffering of the other person,

936
01:27:51,277 --> 01:27:55,487
even the suffering of the people
who we believe to be our enemies.

937
01:27:56,454 --> 01:28:00,134
They have a lot of suffering 
in themselves also.

938
01:28:04,458 --> 01:28:08,878
So the answer to our situation 
is compassion.

939
01:28:10,575 --> 01:28:18,042
And medically speaking, 
doctors are beginning to understand

940
01:28:18,302 --> 01:28:21,262
that compassion has a healing power.

941
01:28:22,420 --> 01:28:25,206
If you have so much hate,
and despair, and anger,

942
01:28:25,376 --> 01:28:27,207
then it's difficult to heal.

943
01:28:27,447 --> 01:28:29,676
But if you have compassion,

944
01:28:29,966 --> 01:28:32,066
it's easier to heal yourself.

945
01:28:33,234 --> 01:28:35,056
At Stanford University,

946
01:28:35,228 --> 01:28:40,016
they have begun to study
the healing power of compassion.

947
01:28:40,845 --> 01:28:46,130
Thay was invited to speak at Stanford

948
01:28:46,290 --> 01:28:50,228
about the practice of compassion,

949
01:28:50,448 --> 01:28:53,568
and someone asked 
exactly the same question.

950
01:28:55,769 --> 01:28:59,009
Is it not true that 
compassion makes you weak?

951
01:29:00,170 --> 01:29:02,186
No, the opposite.

952
01:29:02,446 --> 01:29:04,926
Compassion makes you very strong.

953
01:29:20,546 --> 01:29:22,216
Bell first.

954
01:29:23,442 --> 01:29:25,016
(Bell)

955
01:29:28,952 --> 01:29:37,619
(Bell)

956
01:29:57,723 --> 01:29:59,332
I would like to ask:

957
01:29:59,482 --> 01:30:04,112
If someone, at one moment,
comes to me for help,

958
01:30:04,922 --> 01:30:09,246
and I cannot (inaudible) for that person,

959
01:30:09,586 --> 01:30:12,724
and I have that moment,

960
01:30:12,934 --> 01:30:17,062
when I tell that person 
to embrace the pain,

961
01:30:17,442 --> 01:30:19,422
to embrace the suffering.

962
01:30:19,689 --> 01:30:22,267
What if the person doesn't accept

963
01:30:22,477 --> 01:30:25,367
and maybe gets mad?

964
01:30:25,678 --> 01:30:28,538
How can I keep helping the person?

965
01:30:28,958 --> 01:30:31,429
I only have maybe a few minutes,

966
01:30:31,519 --> 01:30:34,709
and then this person will go away.

967
01:30:36,907 --> 01:30:40,727
(Br. Mountain) (Spanish) Could you ask
the question in Spanish?

968
01:30:41,128 --> 01:30:45,692
(Spanish) If someone
comes to me for help

969
01:30:46,223 --> 01:30:48,976
and I have a limited time,

970
01:30:49,600 --> 01:30:55,929
and I try to help him
and tell him to embrace his suffering,

971
01:30:56,151 --> 01:30:58,484
his sorrow, his hate,

972
01:30:58,675 --> 01:31:02,514
and that person at that moment
refuses to do it

973
01:31:02,828 --> 01:31:05,459
and gets even more angry,

974
01:31:05,800 --> 01:31:10,396
How can I help that person
in that limited time I have?

975
01:31:12,308 --> 01:31:16,206
(Br. Mountain) So somebody comes to her,
asking for help,

976
01:31:16,346 --> 01:31:19,934
but she doesn't have 
much time to offer to this person,

977
01:31:20,294 --> 01:31:25,525
and she tells this person that
she just needs to embrace her suffering,

978
01:31:25,685 --> 01:31:27,876
or anger, or whatever emotion,

979
01:31:28,106 --> 01:31:32,197
but that person reacts,
they don't want to hear that.

980
01:31:32,407 --> 01:31:35,369
With this limited time that I have,

981
01:31:35,759 --> 01:31:39,349
how can I help this person transform?

982
01:31:40,374 --> 01:31:45,875
So basically, she says to this person
that she needs to embrace her suffering,

983
01:31:46,505 --> 01:31:50,334
but the person reacts
and doesn't want to embrace the suffering.

984
01:31:50,884 --> 01:31:55,474
And she doesn't have much time available
to help the person.

985
01:31:58,492 --> 01:32:01,532
What work do you do? 
What is your profession?

986
01:32:01,652 --> 01:32:04,873
Is this something professional?

987
01:32:07,377 --> 01:32:13,247
(Lady) I am a teacher, 
but I also help people with problems.

988
01:32:17,188 --> 01:32:21,858
(Br. Mountain) So... a teacher,
and you help people professionally?

989
01:32:22,129 --> 01:32:25,502
(Lady) Teaching, yes, it's my profession.

990
01:32:25,852 --> 01:32:30,412
And I help people... (inaudible)

991
01:32:33,813 --> 01:32:36,943
(Thay) 
(Speaking in Vietnamese)

992
01:32:37,963 --> 01:32:42,644
(Br. Inclusiveness) 
(Replying in Vietnamese)

993
01:33:20,408 --> 01:33:22,818
If we are so busy,

994
01:33:23,886 --> 01:33:26,686
if we do not have the time,

995
01:33:27,604 --> 01:33:29,644
we cannot do anything.

996
01:33:31,380 --> 01:33:35,040
So the problem is to arrange 
that you have plenty of time.

997
01:33:39,366 --> 01:33:42,308
(Laughter)

998
01:33:54,384 --> 01:34:01,480
There are those of us
who are doctors,

999
01:34:03,160 --> 01:34:05,183
lawyers,

1000
01:34:06,650 --> 01:34:13,110
and who are able to help people,

1001
01:34:17,079 --> 01:34:24,046
but our capacity is limited.

1002
01:34:25,849 --> 01:34:31,013
So many of us have become monks and nuns
in order to have more time.

1003
01:34:31,743 --> 01:34:33,293
(Laughter)

1004
01:34:34,013 --> 01:34:36,561
Because as a monk or nun

1005
01:34:37,438 --> 01:34:40,076
you don't have to make a living.

1006
01:34:40,875 --> 01:34:43,194
You don't have to make a living.

1007
01:34:45,424 --> 01:34:49,729
You don't need a private house, 
you don't need a salary.

1008
01:34:50,054 --> 01:34:52,563
You don't need

1009
01:35:01,161 --> 01:35:06,098
a private bank account
and so on.

1010
01:35:06,588 --> 01:35:12,367
So you have plenty of time to practice
helping yourself

1011
01:35:14,123 --> 01:35:16,681
and helping other people.

1012
01:35:20,020 --> 01:35:25,780
So one of the ways to have the time
is to live a simple life.

1013
01:35:29,645 --> 01:35:33,975
Especially and if possible to live
in a community.

1014
01:35:35,641 --> 01:35:40,019
You don't need
a private car, a private house,

1015
01:35:40,829 --> 01:35:45,709
a private bank account and so on.

1016
01:35:46,559 --> 01:35:48,539
You have plenty of time.

1017
01:35:49,491 --> 01:35:52,939
That is what the Buddha and his monks did.

1018
01:35:53,719 --> 01:35:57,889
They had plenty of time walking, sitting, 
helping people.

1019
01:36:05,901 --> 01:36:11,321
Time is not money.

1020
01:36:14,105 --> 01:36:18,935
But in our society,
many people think of time as money.

1021
01:36:19,793 --> 01:36:21,813
Time is to make money.

1022
01:36:24,181 --> 01:36:26,336
Time is much more than money.

1023
01:36:26,540 --> 01:36:31,089
Time is life, and time is love.

1024
01:36:33,106 --> 01:36:37,523
You are given years,
months and days

1025
01:36:38,013 --> 01:36:39,874
and hours and minutes

1026
01:36:40,007 --> 01:36:45,497
in order to live your life and to love,
not to make money.

1027
01:36:46,117 --> 01:36:52,831
If your priority is to make money,

1028
01:36:53,236 --> 01:36:58,442
then you don't have the time
to do the work of loving.

1029
01:36:59,468 --> 01:37:01,638
You have to love yourself.

1030
01:37:02,367 --> 01:37:05,286
Do you have the time to love yourself?

1031
01:37:05,696 --> 01:37:12,106
To take care of your body, 
to take care of your feelings and so on?

1032
01:37:13,626 --> 01:37:15,477
If you don't have the time to do that,

1033
01:37:15,768 --> 01:37:18,705
how can you help another person?

1034
01:37:24,084 --> 01:37:27,724
If you don't have the time,
how can you love?

1035
01:37:31,330 --> 01:37:35,660
Everything you do in your daily life
is an act of love.

1036
01:37:37,728 --> 01:37:41,375
Everything you say, everything you do
in your daily life

1037
01:37:41,815 --> 01:37:46,355
can be an act of love,
that is possible.

1038
01:37:49,456 --> 01:37:54,316
So please, 
reconsider the way you use your time.

1039
01:37:54,967 --> 01:37:58,197
What are you doing with your time?

1040
01:37:58,760 --> 01:38:06,296
Your time is to be,

1041
01:38:07,869 --> 01:38:11,250
to live your life and to love.

1042
01:38:13,329 --> 01:38:19,309
Look at the people in our society,
the way they make use of their time.

1043
01:38:20,075 --> 01:38:25,915
They don't have the time
to breathe, to sit, to walk,

1044
01:38:26,953 --> 01:38:29,037
to enjoy being alive,

1045
01:38:29,989 --> 01:38:32,557
to look at their children.

1046
01:38:37,874 --> 01:38:39,774
We are always in a hurry.

1047
01:38:41,156 --> 01:38:43,806
So there must be a kind a revolution.

1048
01:38:46,490 --> 01:38:50,680
Those of us who have chosen
to be monks and nuns

1049
01:38:51,188 --> 01:38:56,238
or the lay practitioners
who are living in the community,

1050
01:38:57,086 --> 01:38:59,793
we want a lot of time

1051
01:39:01,062 --> 01:39:04,671
so that we can
take care of ourselves fully.

1052
01:39:05,501 --> 01:39:09,811
Heal ourselves and help heal 
and help other people.

1053
01:39:10,823 --> 01:39:17,213
When we organize a retreat, 
we do it as an act of love.

1054
01:39:26,647 --> 01:39:32,497
When we see the people
transformed and healed,

1055
01:39:32,947 --> 01:39:34,919
that is our reward.

1056
01:39:36,261 --> 01:39:38,836
That is the benefit we get.

1057
01:39:39,499 --> 01:39:42,323
When we see people suffering less,


1058
01:39:42,666 --> 01:39:46,163
beginning to smile,
reconciling with each other,

1059
01:39:46,413 --> 01:39:48,002
we are very happy.

1060
01:39:48,452 --> 01:39:51,142
We see that our life has a meaning.

1061
01:39:52,804 --> 01:39:56,224
This is nourishing us a lot.

1062
01:39:57,174 --> 01:39:59,904
So every one of us has to sit down

1063
01:40:00,151 --> 01:40:04,361
and reconsider how do we use our time.

1064
01:40:05,202 --> 01:40:10,202
Do we have the time
to love, to serve?

1065
01:40:11,321 --> 01:40:14,940
Do we have the time
to take care of ourselves?

1066
01:40:15,180 --> 01:40:18,936
Heal ourselves
and help heal our society?

1067
01:40:19,899 --> 01:40:21,529
This is the question.

1068
01:40:22,424 --> 01:40:26,014
And you have to give
the answer by yourself.

1069
01:40:46,373 --> 01:40:47,912
(Bell)

1070
01:40:51,152 --> 01:40:56,948
(Bell)

1071
01:41:16,097 --> 01:41:18,379
(Spanish) Dear Thay,

1072
01:41:19,509 --> 01:41:23,161
(inaudible)

1073
01:41:26,501 --> 01:41:34,375
How can we protect our Sangha,

1074
01:41:35,900 --> 01:41:40,448
especially if it is a very young Sangha,

1075
01:41:41,324 --> 01:41:44,820
composed by young people

1076
01:41:45,369 --> 01:41:50,650
who have few experience
with the practice?

1077
01:41:51,254 --> 01:41:56,392
How can we protect ourselves
when there are frailties?

1078
01:41:57,500 --> 01:41:59,346
(Brother) When there is what?

1079
01:41:59,466 --> 01:42:01,376
(Spanish) Frailties.

1080
01:42:03,789 --> 01:42:05,556
(Brother) Weakness?

1081
01:42:08,295 --> 01:42:11,112
(Br.Mountain) Can you
repeat the question?

1082
01:42:11,522 --> 01:42:16,407
(Spanish) How can we,
my Sangha friends and myself...

1083
01:42:16,557 --> 01:42:21,644
(Br.Mountain) How can my friends 
of the Sangha and myself...

1084
01:42:22,610 --> 01:42:24,922
... protect our Sangha...

1085
01:42:25,002 --> 01:42:27,612
(Brother) ...how can we
protect our Sangha...

1086
01:42:27,752 --> 01:42:30,403
...especially if it is a young Sangha...

1087
01:42:30,832 --> 01:42:34,432
(Brother) ...especially
if it's a young Sangha?

1088
01:42:35,372 --> 01:42:37,432
Yes, it is OK.

1089
01:42:38,508 --> 01:42:40,934
(Brother) You said something more.

1090
01:42:41,080 --> 01:42:44,246
-It is a young Sangha.
-(Brother) It's a young Sangha.

1091
01:42:44,483 --> 01:42:48,118
-We are all young people...
- (Br.) We are all quite young...

1092
01:42:48,233 --> 01:42:51,544
-...with little experience...
-(Br.)...with little experience...

1093
01:42:51,672 --> 01:42:55,540
-...in the practice.
-(Br)...in the practice.

1094
01:42:56,168 --> 01:42:59,364
(Br. Mountain) So how can we
protect our Sangha

1095
01:43:00,110 --> 01:43:04,574
because we are a young Sangha,
we have little experience.

1096
01:43:24,843 --> 01:43:31,633
Building a Sangha
is a very basic practice.

1097
01:43:38,060 --> 01:43:43,460
If you have an aspiration,

1098
01:43:45,593 --> 01:43:47,558
a deep aspiration,

1099
01:43:47,808 --> 01:43:52,128
if you have a dream to realize,

1100
01:43:54,087 --> 01:43:59,337
you cannot do it 
without a community.

1101
01:44:15,655 --> 01:44:22,605
And that is why, building a community 
is very important.

1102
01:44:24,289 --> 01:44:27,149
The Buddha, after enlightenment,


1103
01:44:29,412 --> 01:44:34,542
knew that he needed a Sangha
in order to realize his dream,

1104
01:44:36,090 --> 01:44:39,480
offering the practice
and help change the world.

1105
01:44:41,396 --> 01:44:46,396
So he spent his time looking for friends

1106
01:44:46,796 --> 01:44:50,628
and set up a community of practice.

1107
01:44:54,186 --> 01:45:00,336
And at the end of the first year
after enlightenment,

1108
01:45:00,676 --> 01:45:04,466
he already had a community 
of one thousand people.

1109
01:45:05,794 --> 01:45:12,604
He spent his time training them
how to walk.

1110
01:45:13,598 --> 01:45:18,356
How to walk mindfully and generate peace 
and joy with every step.

1111
01:45:18,586 --> 01:45:22,186
How to hold their bow,
how to sit, how to breathe.

1112
01:45:23,828 --> 01:45:26,008
So you will do the same.

1113
01:45:27,544 --> 01:45:30,130
With young members of the Sangha

1114
01:45:30,220 --> 01:45:35,730
the first thing you do is not to organize.

1115
01:45:37,222 --> 01:45:42,082
For other people, we have to organize
so that we can practice together.

1116
01:45:43,363 --> 01:45:47,189
We should practice sitting together,

1117
01:45:47,437 --> 01:45:51,655
walking together,
eating together, sharing together

1118
01:45:52,405 --> 01:45:55,727
in such a way, that every time we do that

1119
01:45:56,417 --> 01:45:59,146
we create more brotherhood
and sisterhood

1120
01:45:59,617 --> 01:46:01,934
and mutual understanding.

1121
01:46:02,440 --> 01:46:08,980
We learn to make decisions
together by consensus.

1122
01:46:11,512 --> 01:46:14,052
We try to listen to each other.

1123
01:46:14,754 --> 01:46:17,634
We try to understand different views.

1124
01:46:18,410 --> 01:46:21,357
We try to combine all these kind of views


1125
01:46:21,487 --> 01:46:24,927
in order to make a synthesis of all views

1126
01:46:26,525 --> 01:46:32,115
and we make a decision collectively.

1127
01:46:33,996 --> 01:46:41,711
Only when we have enough harmony,
brotherhood, sisterhood, joy

1128
01:46:42,071 --> 01:46:47,321
should we organize a day of mindfulness
or a retreat of mindfulness

1129
01:46:47,711 --> 01:46:49,868
and invite other people to come.

1130
01:46:53,724 --> 01:46:59,874
We operate as a Sangha
and not as individuals.

1131
01:47:01,122 --> 01:47:05,502
An individual, no matter
how talented he is or she is

1132
01:47:07,087 --> 01:47:09,627
cannot realize the big dream.

1133
01:47:10,061 --> 01:47:14,081
So we learn to organize,

1134
01:47:14,421 --> 01:47:21,989
to lead a retreat as a Sangha
and not as a person.

1135
01:47:22,499 --> 01:47:24,336
An individual.

1136
01:47:25,604 --> 01:47:28,329
In Plum Village, we try to do that.

1137
01:47:29,558 --> 01:47:33,138
It's the Sangha who makes the decision

1138
01:47:35,437 --> 01:47:37,337
and not a person.

1139
01:47:38,123 --> 01:47:44,983
For this trip to Spain, organizing the 
retreats and the public talks

1140
01:47:45,373 --> 01:47:47,243
the Sangha did everything,

1141
01:47:48,183 --> 01:47:51,797
including choosing the title
of the talk and the retreat.

1142
01:47:52,109 --> 01:47:54,369
Thay did not have to do anything.

1143
01:47:54,509 --> 01:47:56,429
He just obeyed the Sangha.

1144
01:47:57,187 --> 01:48:01,477
So you have plenty of time to walk,
to sit, to breathe.

1145
01:48:02,207 --> 01:48:03,817
It's very good.

1146
01:48:04,030 --> 01:48:08,782
We should operate as a Sangha, 
not as individuals.

1147
01:48:10,473 --> 01:48:15,014
If you are able to build a Sangha 
with harmony and brotherhood,

1148
01:48:15,181 --> 01:48:19,864
you can do a lot of things
in order to help people to suffer less.

1149
01:48:21,066 --> 01:48:29,356
Building a Sangha is
the most noble thing to do for a person.

1150
01:48:32,385 --> 01:48:37,945
When I met with Dr. Martin Luther King
for the first time in Chicago,

1151
01:48:42,654 --> 01:48:46,301
in 1966, we discussed about that.

1152
01:48:46,704 --> 01:48:50,593
Because he knew that without a Sangha,
without a community

1153
01:48:51,113 --> 01:48:53,733
he could not realize his dream.

1154
01:48:54,951 --> 01:48:59,461
A year before that, he spoke
with the theme "I have a dream".

1155
01:49:02,779 --> 01:49:04,355
I told him that:

1156
01:49:04,501 --> 01:49:08,050
"Your dream cannot become true
if you don't have a community."

1157
01:49:08,180 --> 01:49:09,940
And he agreed.

1158
01:49:10,076 --> 01:49:13,295
I was using the word Sangha,

1159
01:49:14,541 --> 01:49:18,592
but he used the word 'beloved community'.

1160
01:49:20,182 --> 01:49:24,652
The second time we met was in Geneva.

1161
01:49:26,086 --> 01:49:29,116
We attended a Peace conference.

1162
01:49:29,618 --> 01:49:34,358
We had the opportunity to discuss more
about building a Sangha.

1163
01:49:37,717 --> 01:49:42,667
Unfortunately, he was assassinated

1164
01:49:45,650 --> 01:49:48,130
not very long after that.

1165
01:49:49,054 --> 01:49:57,984
So, I made the vow
to continue to build the Sangha,

1166
01:49:58,914 --> 01:50:02,494
not only for us, but for him.

1167
01:50:03,949 --> 01:50:06,661
Building a Sangha is very important.

1168
01:50:07,608 --> 01:50:12,201
With a Sangha, you can maintain 
your practice for a long time.

1169
01:50:13,144 --> 01:50:17,842
With a Sangha, you have an instrument
to help people.

1170
01:50:18,532 --> 01:50:21,367
People can come
and take refuge in the Sangha,

1171
01:50:21,482 --> 01:50:24,562
learn the practice
of healing and transformation.

1172
01:50:25,564 --> 01:50:32,592
So everyone of us who finds
the practice of mindfulness useful

1173
01:50:33,182 --> 01:50:36,488
should go home, to his city

1174
01:50:36,858 --> 01:50:41,918
and look around and identify
elements of a future Sangha.

1175
01:50:42,814 --> 01:50:48,524
We should set up a group of people,
learn to sit together, walk together,

1176
01:50:48,694 --> 01:50:52,702
breathe together,
create brotherhood and sisterhood.

1177
01:50:53,390 --> 01:50:58,230
Then we will be able to help many people.

1178
01:50:59,519 --> 01:51:03,619
Schoolteachers have to set up 
their Sangha of schoolteachers.

1179
01:51:04,362 --> 01:51:08,941
Psychotherapists also have to set up 
Sanghas of psychotherapists.

1180
01:51:09,981 --> 01:51:19,651
Doctors, nurses, even business leaders
have to come together and set up a Sangha

1181
01:51:19,821 --> 01:51:22,481
in order to support each other.

1182
01:51:22,860 --> 01:51:24,913
We all need a Sangha.

1183
01:51:25,383 --> 01:51:29,269
Without a Sangha,
Thay cannot do anything.

1184
01:51:29,539 --> 01:51:33,171
So he is taking refuge in the Sangha.

1185
01:51:33,869 --> 01:51:37,182
We always operate as a Sangha.

1186
01:51:37,354 --> 01:51:44,254
If the Sangha has harmony, brotherhood,
you can do a lot of things.

1187
01:51:48,953 --> 01:51:51,944
(inaudible)

1188
01:51:54,683 --> 01:51:59,290
Today we have walking meditation again,

1189
01:52:00,060 --> 01:52:05,987
but we should go with the same speed,

1190
01:52:08,136 --> 01:52:11,165
we should not walk too slow.

1191
01:52:12,228 --> 01:52:17,757
We should not create a traffic jam.

1192
01:52:18,407 --> 01:52:20,286
(Laughter)

1193
01:52:20,936 --> 01:52:24,745
Breathing in 2 steps, 
breathing out 3 steps,

1194
01:52:25,155 --> 01:52:29,855
and do not allow the line
to be broken as yesterday.

1195
01:52:31,006 --> 01:52:36,896
We can enjoy every step and we are aware
that we are walking with a community.

1196
01:52:37,296 --> 01:52:41,628
We flow like a river
and not drops of water.

1197
01:52:41,961 --> 01:52:43,857
(Laughter)

1198
01:52:51,656 --> 01:52:53,486
(Bell)

1199
01:52:55,082 --> 01:53:02,203
(Bell)

1200
01:53:06,958 --> 01:53:10,145
That's long enough, that's good.

1201
01:53:10,905 --> 01:53:12,881
Thank you.

1202
01:53:13,441 --> 01:53:20,151
We shall gather and begin
our walking meditation in...

1203
01:53:21,848 --> 01:53:23,567
(Br. Inclusiveness) 30 minutes,

1204
01:53:24,347 --> 01:53:26,587
...in half an hour.

1205
01:53:35,528 --> 01:53:41,464
(The Plum Village Online Monastery)

1206
01:53:41,531 --> 01:53:47,609
(Mindful online broadcasts like this)

1207
01:53:47,837 --> 01:53:53,864
(are supported by viewers like you.)

1208
01:53:54,076 --> 01:54:00,512
(Donate at http://pvom.org)

1209
01:54:01,312 --> 01:54:09,946
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