Transforming Manas - Dharma Talk by Sister Tuệ Nghiêm, 2020 11 29, Plum Village

Sister Tuệ Nghiêm will offer a Live Dharma Talk on Sunday, 29 November, the second-to-last of our 3-month Autumn Rains Retreat, 2020.

About Sister Tuệ Nghiêm
https://plumvillage.org/monastics/dharma-teachers/sr-tue-nghiem/

Translation into French, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese will be available on Zoom: https://plumvillage.zoom.us/j/99146426643?pwd=M3R3ZHdkc2xaeU1YSEhwSHR4R3BMZz09

in the year 2020

we are in the New Hamlet of Plum Village

Right Now in the New Hamlet we have about

I think a congregation of about 65 people
here

But I'm aware that at this very moment

I am also there

in the lower Hamlet, in the Upper Hamlet

and elsewhere, where
friends are joining us

for the sharing this morning.

Mindfulness, Cconcentration and Insight

are the essence of Plum Village practises.

And we know that we are reminded every day

to cultivate the energy of
Mindfulness, concentration and Insight

And our that our whole day
in the monastery

from the very first moment that we wake up

to the last moment
when we are in bed falling asleep,

our practise is, all our practise is

are in cultivating these energies
inside ourself.

And so

its appropriate right,
to mention that over and over again

even though you may have heard this

a thousand times or even more

But it is always a really good reminder

to cultivate mindfulness, concentration
and insight

and especially for many of our friends

who are joining us today, for the talk

many of you may not be

very familiar with this

these practices with mindfulness,
concentration and insight

I wanted just to

mention very briefly what they are
so that we

we know that

meditation practice,
the essence of meditation practice

is to cultivate these energies in us

mindfulness

is the awareness of

what's going on inside our bodies

and our feelings, our mind and our soul

in the surroundings,
what's happening in the surroundings

and mindfulness is like a light

that when we are able to

come back to our breath,
when we are able to make mindful steps

we light up this light in our heart

in our mind so that we can see

clearly we can see

what it is that is unfolding in the
present moment

in the domain of our body

our feelings, our perceptions

our mental formations
and our consciousness

and when we are present

and aware of what is happening

we're truly there

we're present we're focussed

we're not running away anymore in our head

we're there to see

and that's called concentration

we're concentrated in what it is that
we are looking at

of what it is that we are aware

and its that energies

of being present and concentrated

that we begin to see deeply

see deeply into

the causes and conditions,

the roots of
why things are the way they are,

of why we are the way we are

and that's called insight, understanding

and its the understanding, it's the insight

that helps us

to transform the situation

that helps us to be free

from whatever it is

that we are still clinging onto

or whatever it is

that we are not yet free

and so these three energies are very
important

they are the energies of the buddha

inside ourselves, the baby
buddha inside ourselves

these energies once they are activated,
generated, its like

the baby buddha in us
is coming alive

and the stronger these
energies are

and the bigger

that the baby buddha is
inside us

and its such a simple practice,
such simple practices

that we do every day
to generate these energies

breathing, being aware of our breath

being aware of our body
being aware of our steps

being aware of what's happening

in our heart, in our mind
simple practices

but once we are able to be aware

once the energy of mindfulness,
concentration and insight are there

it takes us to a different dimension
of experience of these things

simple isn't it

and do-able also

accessible, do-able practices.

But my question is
for myself and for you is

Why is it that we are
still struggling so much?

Why is it that these practices
are simple,

And yet in our daily life most
of the time we are not mindful ?

Right?

Who among us here
is mindful most of the day?

Can you raise your hand.

I don't see any hands!

I wonder if the lower
hamlet has any hands up

But, anyways, what is it

why is it, that is my question

that I ask every single day

and why is it

that I know these energies are
so important

and I know these energies are
innate in me,

and all I need to do is just
tap into these energies

with all these practices and voila,
I'm enlightened !

And yet its not as simple
to do as it sounds

and its not because

you know I don't have the environment
to do it

its not because my sisters are not

supporting me to practice

there is something about me
about my mind

thats really preventing me

from really dwelling
deeply in the present moment

and from really embracing wholeheartedly

these practices that I know
are so beneficial for me

and that my aspiration as a
monastic is to

really cultivate these energies in me

so that I can be free so that
I can help other people to be free

and to be happy

and so why is it? so that's a question
that I always ask myself.

So today we are going to explore why

and also in the context of

what we have been talking about
during this retreat

and also what is happening in the world
right now with discrimination

and the question also came up

where is the discrimination coming
from

is discrimination only happening to

a certain number of people

is it only

in people with particular skin color?

what is it? where is it coming
from?

we learned that

and Thay repeated over and over again

and the Buddha also said

that everything is
a manifestation of our mind,

even our physical body
is a manifestation of our mind

even our physical illness
is a manifestation of our mind

the environment
is a manifestation of our mind

and so, the study of the mind

the understanding of the
mind, its so crucial

in the practice

because without the understanding
of how the mind works

from mind

we will struggle
and we will continue to struggle

and we will always be in the dark

not knowing why we are the way we are

so I'll start with what
Sister [Dang/Lang] Nghiem,

who is here with us now in
in the New Hamlet shared last Sunday

on the

consciousness already

so I'm going to mention again

to refresh our memory

A lot of us here at Plum Village
already know this

but a lot of our friends
may not be very familiar with it

so bear with me Sisters

So we love to use this image,
a circle

as our consciousness

and we learned last week

that there's many different levels
of consciousness

different layers of consciousness

we have learned that
there is store consciousness

which is the depth of our consciousness,

the base of our consciousness,

the foundation of our consciousness,

where

all kinds of seeds

are preserved and kept

all kinds of imaginable seeds

from the most negative

to the most positive, a whole
spectrum of seeds

in here, thats what we've learned
over and over again

and we know on the

on the upper level of consciousness
are the sense consciousnesses

there's one thing I want to mention
about store consciousness,

before I go into sense consciousness

its that store consciousness

its also impermanent and non-self

in the sense that there is always input

and output, that nothing
is static in here

that store consciousness is
made of my own consciousness

the individual consciousness

but its also made of
collective consciousness, so

both

its thanks to impermanence and
non-self that

thats why you know

its individual but

at the same time its collective
and we know that its

its - there's no separate self

in store consciousness

and then on the upper level of
consciousness are the five senses

the eye consciousness, the ear
consciousness, the nose consciousness

the tongue consciousness
and the body consciousness

these are like windows

windows

for us

to come in touch with the
outside world

with store to come in touch
with the outside world

and they do look like windows
don't they

little windows

these are were the inputs come in
and also outputs as well

and the sixth consciousness

is mind consciousness

but today what I wanted to talk about

the manas

our friend

manas, I've always wanted
to talk about manas

and I've never had a chance
to do it

that's because its not
the topic for the discussion

we drew up this diagram

so that we understand the
different levels of consciousness

but we don't say too much

I've never said
a lot on manas

but today this is my topic:

Is manas, the tendencies of manas

and how is that affecting

you know, discrimination and all that.

So Manas,

it's a function of consciousness.

Before I go into manas
let me just talk

a little about the six consciousnesses

because Manas plays with the
six consciousnesses.

are what we call the evolving
consciousness

evolving because it comes out from
store consciousness

it evolves from store
consciousness

Manas is, is one of those evolving
consciousness.

It also comes out of
store consciousness.

It comes from the seed of delusion
and craziness in the store consciousness.

It comes up,

and then Manas comes back down
to store consciousness

kind of like clinging on to part
of the store consciousness

and claims that part

of store consciousness
as its lover,

Its self.

[Bell]

Manas grasps onto store consciousness,
a part of the store consciousness

and considers it its beloved

and identifies it as its self.

As the self.

And,

and so manas is where the belief

or the idea of a
separate self stems from.

It is . . .

It is also the defense mechanism

or the survival instinct inside us.

Manas is the preservation of self.

And there are four characteristics
of Manas.

The first one is called
"nashi" in Vietnamese.

"Nashi" means

it's an ignorance

about self.

It is the . .

the ignorance, the delusion

that claims that there is
a separate self

or separate identity.

"Nakeen" which is

the wrong view of self.

It's a . . .

It's a view, it's a perception.

It's an idea of a separate self

that discriminates self

from things that are non-self.

In other words,

self, my five skandhas,

body,

feelings, perceptions, mental
formations, and consciousness

as my self.

And everything else,
is not self.

And "nyamang," nyamang is
a complex of the self.

It is the pride of the self.

The arrogance

of the self

which is also the cause of
looking down on everything

that is non-self.

And "na-eye" is the love
of the self.

It's the attachment to the self.

Or the clinging to the idea of
a separate entity

a separate identity,

separate existence.

So we know that these four

these four characteristics

are the basis

of this inherent belief,
an idea in a separate self.

And it is also the cause of
a lot of our suffering.

A feeling of separation,

loneliness,

alienation.

I know a lot of us are,

especially during this covid time.

There are a lot of people
out there who are,

who are
feeling really lonely,

really alienated,

and separated from everything

and everyone.

It is also the basis of

all the killing that's happening.

And believe it or not, also
the climate change

is coming up from this.

Because there's this idea that
this is me, I protect myself

and I get, you know,
whatever it is

for my benefit;
for the benefit of the self

disregard of what's
happening with the others.

With the environment,
with the Earth.

And we consume in ways that

are not really in line

with respect

to Mother Earth,
and care for Mother Earth

because we just want to
satisfy our needs.

And our needs are
really bottomless.

Needs,

comfort.

A lot of material things.

I don't know, what do . . . what do
people really need out there, anyways?

A lot of money, maybe?

A lot of consumption?

Yeah, there are so many people
who have so, so much

and there are people who don't
have anything.

And if they could just give
a little bit of what they have

maybe the poor people
or the people who are

in disadvantaged situations could be

could be a great relief for them.

But that's not always the case.
Manas is . . . it's there.

Manas is there and says
"This is me and I have to protect myself

and I need to get for myself.
The more the better.

And who cares about other people?
That's them."

But we know with the climate situation
that's not. The reality is that

what affects

the other is also affecting me.

And we see that very clearly
with the climate change, right?

That what is happening on the
other side of the planet

is affecting us.

And what's affecting us here,
what we are, our behavior here

is affecting people on the
other side of the planet.

There's this interconnectedness that

often we really

don't recognize.

And so . . .

So, Manas,

its function

is . . .

to appropriate a self, right?

And so it avoids

all kinds of suffering.

It avoids suffering.
It runs away from suffering.

It doesn't want to face suffering.

That sounds familiar, doesn't it?

For a lot of us, it is hard
to face our suffering.

It is really overwhelming

to look at our suffering.

Sometimes it's not even
possible for us

to go back to ourselves
and look at our suffering.

Because Manas does not want
to admit there is suffering.

Manas will find all possible ways

to run away from suffering.

And Manas ignores
the goodness of suffering.

We know that in the
Four Noble Truths

the first of those truths
is suffering.

And why is it that

suffering is a noble truth?

It can only be noble truth

when we recognize

that there is suffering.

We admit that we do have suffering
and we are staying with that suffering.

We are recognizing it.

We're facing it.

So that we can understand

the causes and conditions

that brought about the suffering.

Suffering has been made
at some point in our life.

And so . . .

when we are able
to stay with our suffering

when we are able
to practice, embracing,

being mindful of the suffering,
then we can begin to see

the causes and conditions.

And that's the second Noble Truth.

And it's only when we are able
to see the causes and conditions

of our suffering

that we can,

that we can do something
to transform our suffering.

And that's the fourth Noble Truth.

And these practices of the
Noble Eightfold Path

which is the fourth . . .

which is the fourth Noble Truth

are practices that help us
to experience

great happiness

and freedom.

So it's the suffering

that helps us to experience

happiness and freedom.

Manas does not see that.

Manas simply does not want
to face suffering and does not see

that there is goodness in suffering.

And because it doesn't see
the goodness of suffering

it also ignores

the interbeing
between suffering and happiness.

It doesn't see that

the lotuses need mud to grow

and that without the mud

there wouldn't be any lotuses.

And Manas, another function
of Manas is that

it seeks pleasures

regardless of the danger

or negative consequences.

Short-lived pleasures,

pleasures

that would bring along with it
a lot of pain and a lot of suffering.

Manas doesn't care about the
consequences that will come later on.

Manas only wants to
experience pleasure.

And it ignores the danger
of these pleasures.

It ignores the danger of
the pleasure-seeking.

And it also ignores
the law of moderation.

One of the things, when we,
I notice is that

In New Hamlet we cook
really good food

and sometimes

because the food is good

sometimes we take more
than what we need!

And afterward we'll complain,

"Ah, I'm too full" or "I don't feel very
comfortable because I ate too, too much."

Well, that's Manas playing with us.

That Manas doesn't know that
"You know, you just need to eat enough."

That you don't need to

eat too, too much.
Manas doesn't know the law of moderation.

When something that Manas
perceives as being pleasant

good for it, it will hoard.

And too much of something
can make you sick, right?

Even the good thing.

Last week Sister (Nhat Ngiem?)
talked about the original fear.

Well, that's the work of Manas.

Manas is afraid of dying,
hunger, loneliness and abandoning.

These are the original fears.

In other words, it's

original desire.

It's deepest desire is to survive.

That's the original desire.

And so it would avoid, it's afraid

of these things: dying,

hunger, abandoning.

And it doesn't see
the danger of these fears

because these fears can
be really overwhelming.

And these fears can lead
to destructive behavior.

And it can prevent us
from recognizing

and enjoying the happiness

in the present moment.

It prevents us from enjoying

whatever it is that we have
in the present moment.

And so it doesn't recognize

and it doesn't enjoy the happiness
in the present moment

because it is always seeking
for happiness

but it seeks for happiness elsewhere

not from here, like in the practice.

And it doesn't see that

the conditions of happiness
are right here and right now.

All we need to do is to go back
and be mindful of what we have

and we see that we have more than
enough conditions to be happy

here and now.

We talked about, you know,
the feelings

and we kind of

mentioned this a little bit.

There are three kinds of feelings, right?

Pleasant feelings, unpleasant feelings,
and the neutral feelings.

So we know that Manas would seek out
the pleasant feeling no matter what

right?

And it would avoid the
unpleasant feeling, right?

But it doesn't recognize
these neutral feelings

that are abundant
in our daily life.

And that with mindfulness
we recognize that these feelings

that we consider neutral,
like a, kind of like a

blah kind of feeling, like
kind of blunt, kind of feelings that

neither excites us nor

creates suffering for us.

These neutral feelings,
if we are aware of them

if we recognize them,
we realize that they are really

conditions for happiness.

And one example that
Thay always talked about was toothache.

That right now a lot of us
do not have a toothache

and we don't recognize the
happiness of not having a toothache.

It is only when we have a
toothache that we realize

that not having a toothache,
that neutral feeling

that we are experiencing
right now of not having a toothache

is an element of happiness.

So we know that where it's
coming from, this kind of attitude

it's coming from Manas.

So next time

next time when we

notice that

we're not appreciating anymore
the conditions we have here now

and not appreciating them

and taking them for granted,
we know that it is Manas

really working to take us away

from appreciating deeply

these neutral experiences

that are really
conditions for happiness.

(Bell)

Manas doesn't see the environment

as itself.

It sees the environment as
different from itself.

and it discriminates.

"This is self, and this is not self."

And so it has a tendency to discriminate,

to reject what is not self.

And so we know that
the root of discrimination

is really

in Manas, in every one of us.

Right? It's in . . . it's a
big part of our consciousness.

This discriminative mind.

The mind that discriminates,
"this is me, and this is mine,

and this is not me and not mine."

And that the only
thing that I care for,

that I protect, that I guard,

with my whole being is this:

my five skandhas.

And everything else is there
to serve these five skandhas of mine.

And so, in the
context of discrimination

we see that everybody
has this seed.

Everybody has the tendency
to discriminate.

Not just people with
a particular skin color.

And often the victims
of discrimination

are also perpetrators
of discrimination

as well.

And that for us to be able to

really transform the discrimination in us

we really need to confront Manas.

And Manas is not something
easy to confront, by the way.

Because store
consciousness and Manas

are functioning in ways

that's not known to our conscious mind.

In other words, we don't really
have access

to how they function.

We can only see different manifestations

in our consciousness now
and then if we are aware of it.

But actually, Manas is working

twenty-four hours a day

and it's affecting
everything about us.

From the way we see our self,
from the way we see other people

from the way we
relate to other people

to the environment,

to everything.

And so, how do we practice?

How do we practice
to shed light on Manas?

How do we practice
to recognize manas?

How do we practice
to be free from manas?

And we know that store
consciousness is impermanent,

and without a
separate self, right?

Manas, the good news
is that manas also is impermanent

and without a separate self.

Manas is the deluded mind in us.
Right?

And it is manas that limits us,

the limitations of our consciousness.

As I'm doing this I think of a horse.

And you know they put like two boards
on the side of the head of the horse

so that the horse
only sees the front

and that he can go
straight to the front

but he doesn't go sideways,
doesn't get distracted.

Manas is like that.

It limits us

from expanding ourselves.

We are unlimited.

We have all these unlimited
potentials inside ourselves.

We are much more than we think we are.

We contain the whole universe.

We are a miracle

of life.

We are a miracle of life. We are
a part of these wonders of the universe.

And yet . . .

we only see ourselves this much.

This is how much we see ourselves.

Through our suffering

through these dramas
that are happening every day.

Through the power
struggles that we are having.

And so because manas,

it's impermanent,

which means that
it can be transformed.

Which means that
we can really

go beyond these limitations

to experience ourself
as a true miracle of life.

So where do we begin?

We begin with mindfulness,
concentration, and insight. Right?

That's the key . . .

in helping to, in
transforming Manas.

It's really mindfulness,
concentration and insight.

The practice is

In other words we are using

So the mind consciousness,
(referring to) six consciousnesses,

the mind consciousness

is . . . .

The mind consciousness
relies on manas to manifest.

So the basis of mind
consciousness, is manas.

But at the same time

mind consciousness

can do the work

of cultivating mindfulness,
concentration and insight.

In other words,

the mind consciousness

that can bring the light into manas

and shed the light on manas.

And so when we train manas,
I mean mind consciousness

through the practices of
mindfulness, concentration and insight.

We are really

we are really bringing the light in

and we are really creating

neuropathways.

We are educating manas

to see

interbeing,
the nature of interbeing,

to see the nature
of interconnectedness,

to see

interdependence arising.

Because we know
that manas does not

see interconnectedness, interbeing.

Manas only sees discrimination
between self and not-self.

And we're bringing this
insight down to manas.

And we have all our
practices in our daily life

it's really about bringing the
light of these insights

into manas.

So, when we talk about
mindfulness, concentration and insight

the real practice is for us to stop

so that we can look deeply, right?

In order to have this insight.

The insight of interconnectedness,
the insight of interbeing.

The insight of non-self.

And that these insights
we kind of download

download them to manas

so that

manas

can be educated, and can be transformed.

So, all our practices are really

to educate manas.

But there are some
practices that I found really

really helpful.

One of those practices
that I really enjoy

is the practice of the gathas.

We think that gathas are
only used for novices, right?

But actually they're really

they're really powerful tools

to help us to look deeply.

They're not just helping
us to be present

in everything that we do.

But also they help us
to look deeply as well.

How many of us here practice the gathas?

You think the older sisters don't
really practice the gathas anymore?

You think you're beyond that, right?

Well . . .

I found them really useful

to help me to look deeply.

And the other, and I will read
some of the gathas later on

that are so useful in helping
us to see the interconnectedness,

the interbeing nature.

The other practices are
the guided meditations.

The guided meditation exercises

that we've been doing
during this Rains Retreat

are very deep guided
meditation exercises

that help us to see

our true nature.

The nature of no birth and no death.

And that every time we have a
chance to go for sitting meditation

we have a chance to use these
guided meditations

to cultivate the insight

of interconnectedness

of interbeing.

And they help us to reflect.

But a practice that
I really enjoy doing

is the practice of eating.

Because that's the most

concrete

practice that helped me to see

the interconnectedness,
the interbeing nature.

The food

that I consider

part of the environment that
manas considers not itself.

You know, as you eat this food
with mindfulness

you realize that this food
that you're chewing

it's becoming a part of you.
You cannot live without food, right?

We need this food for survival.

So in a sense, this food

once it gets into our body
it's part of us, right?

But think about it.
Where's the food coming from?

Ok, a few things - the sunshine,
the rain, the earth, the air

farmers that bring them

my sisters who cook them.

These elements that are
non-food elements

are really also

a part of me because
without these elements

I wouldn't be able to survive.

I wouldn't be able to have food to eat.

So in a sense these elements
are also me. A part of me.

They are indispensible for my survival.

Manas doesn't see that, right?

We know that manas doesn't see that.

But with mindfulness practices

we're seeing that insight.

We're seeing that true reality.

And so the practice of eating meditation

It's a really powerful practice

for us to help experience
the insight of non-self.

Of interconnectedness,
of interbeing.

And when we are able to eat
in that way, with this insight

we bring in the light into manas.

So that manas can see

that the environment is also a part of us.

That we are the environment

and the environment is us.

And so . . .

sometimes

when we eat here in the New Hamlet
we like to eat together

in groups.

And then we chit chat
from the beginning to the end.

And we miss that opportunity

to experience this insight.

And even if we're having
twenty minutes of silent meal

a lot of time we're having this
conversation in our head.

That we missed out

the experience, also
the practice of really seeing

the interconnectedness between
ourself and the food,

between ourself and the environment.

And there are so many
beautiful gathas for eating

and one of the gathas that
I like to read here is

Eating in the Historical Dimension.

I am in the life of my ancestors.

So I'm feeding myself but at the
same time I'm feeding my ancestors

because my ancestors are
not outside of me.

My ancestors are in
every cell of my body.

That insight, manas does not see.

And with this gatha, this practice
we're training manas to see that.

An open and upward path
for the descendants.

So my children are also

a part of me.

We are monastics. We don't
have blood children.

But maybe my spiritual children.

Well, I wouldn't say children, but
I would say, people who are

affected by my presence
and my practice.

Whether directly or indirectly, right?

Because we know that

energies are something

that travel through space and time,

that it's not just confined to my body.

And that my awakening

can contribute to the
collective awakening of humanity.

We learned that.

And so . . .

my practice, my peace
may be affecting other people

in that way.

So in a sense,

they are affected by my practice,

they are affected by our practice,
and they are

continuation of us.

Just like we are a continuation of Thay

and we are continuation of
the ancestral teachers

and of the Buddha.

And then another

another opportunity

for us to practice

not just once, but many times

It's going to the toilet.

It's urinating, defecating.

It's a really peaceful time.

You're not distracted by anyone.

And it's a wonderful
opportunity to really see

the input and output

directly.

To see whatever it is
you have taken up

in your meal, you've taken in

it's now becoming a part of the earth.

And a gatha that I really enjoy

Urinating in the Ultimate Dimension

A wonderful exchange takes place.

The cosmos and I inter-are.

There's no increase or decrease.

In Vietnamese, the cosmos and I inter-are

(Speaking Vietnamese) I like that better
than "the cosmos".

It's a reminder (Vietnamese) means "I"
(Vietnamese word) "you - person."

"You" it could be the cosmos, could be
the flowers, it could be my sister.

You and I inter-are.

And that's like a constant,
that's a really

a constant reminder every time
I'm sitting, you know

on the toilet.

That I am connected with my sisters.

I am connected with the food that I eat.

And this is another experience for us

to taste the insight

of interbeing and interconnectedness.

And then there's taking a shower ourself.

Unborn and indestructible,

beyond time and space.

Transmitter and inheritor are one.

This body of mine

and that of my parents

are connected, are deeply connected

in the wonderful nature of reality.

So these gathas,

these gathas were written by Thay.

And they help enormously,

they help me enormously in

reflecting, in my reflections,

in my practice of looking deeply.

And I also encourage my
mentees to write gathas

so that we can practice.

Gathas . . .

things that we have
not had a gathas.

And we create them
so that we can practice them.

And the breathing

The breathing, we think,
well, for us

when we are able to
come back to our breathing

it helps to cut off all, dispersed
thoughts and thinking, right?

So that we can be really
present here and now.

But also the breathing, it's not
just serving us in that way.

But when you

breathe

and you're really there

what do you see?

We're taking in this air,

this air that we think, that
manas thinks is the environment.

That it's not itself.

We're taking it in. We are

indispensible without this air.

We cannot survive without this air.
This air is becoming a part of mine.

And the air that I'm breathing now

may be the air that you just breathed out.

And just that fact

it's that simple reflection and practice

of conscious breathing can help us

experience

the interconnectedness,
the interbeing nature

of ourselves, with
everything there is.

And we think they're so simple
practices but they're so powerful.

They're so powerful

in shedding of the light,
bringing in the light

into our mind.

In order to set us free.

Free from the grasping of manas

and the manipulation of manas.

And so . . .

And, so in a sense, manas

it's like the mud of consciousness, right?

And the insights are like lotuses.

This insight that we practice to
cultivate they're like lotuses.

And the practice is not
about throwing away the mud.

We don't want to throw away manas.

We don't want to erase manas
from our consciousness.

Because when we are

when we train manas,
when we practice mindfulness

and we download these insights
of interbeing, interconnectedness

of non-self into manas

manas transforms.

When manas transforms
it becomes a wisdom.

It's called the wisdom
of non-discrimination.

(Speaking Vietnamese)

It's a wisdom that
frees us from all views.

Views of me, and not me.

Views . . .

that discrimate

us and them.

And also it frees us
from all attachments,

all attachments to
views of a separate self.

When we can really see
that my sisters

are really me.

My sisters are part of me.

This air that I'm breathing
is part of me.

That I'm actually swimming

every moment of my life

in this

a part of me that's outside of me.

When we have this insight,

the wisdom of non-discrimination,
we see wonders and miracles

unfolding

in every moment of our life.

The beauties and the goodness that's
unfolding in every moment of our life.

Recently I've . . . every morning
when I go into sitting meditation

and I look around at my sisters,
the Sangha, and I thought

"Wow, how beautiful."

How wonderful it is

that we had voluntarily

woke up pretty early in the morning

came into the hall

and just sat down together
not doing anything.

Sat down and breathed.

Sounds beautiful?

And yet, a lot of time we don't
really recognize that.

That alone is

it's already something really beautiful.

(Bell)

and I'm coming in and I sat down

and I'm breathing in the air that
my sisters breathed out.

I'm also breathing their smells.

(Laughs)

They're becoming a part of me.

Your consciousness is
affecting my consciousness.

You're nourishing me
with your practice.

You're feeding me
with your practice.

And I don't know how your practice is,
but the fact that you're coming in

and sitting there

you are nourishing me.

And yesterday one of the sisters said

"I don't know what it is with
the New Hamlet sisters

but every morning, everyone
is there, in the hall!"

Which is really good news, right?

That everyone is in the hall.

We really enjoy the practices
and we really enjoy being together.

And that's the signature
of the New Hamlet.

Right sisters?

(Laughs)

And so the mud becomes lotus.

When there is the wisdom
of non-discrimination

we see the lotuses in the mud immediately

and then the mud is no longer
"the mud."

But at the same time
we see the mud

as lotuses.

When manas is free

from these wrong

perceptions and

wrong beliefs in a separate self

it sees non-discrimination.

It is the wisdom of non-discrimination.

And at the same time

store consciousness is also free.

Free from the grasping of manas.

And store consciousness becomes wisdom.

It's called the Wisdom of
the Great Mirror.

(Speaking Vietnamese)

It's a wisdom of utmost clarity
and purity

where there is no obstruction whatsoever.

And so it's like a mirror
that reflects everything as they are

in store consciousness.

It is . . . suchness

and the true nature.

Our true nature.

Our true nature of reality.

And also mind consciousness
which is

stemming from manas

is also transformed and becomes

a wisdom called (Vietnamese)

It's the capacity to see deeply into

hearts and minds of ourselves
and of all beings.

It's like having psychic power,
isn't it?

To see what's going on in the
hearts and minds of everybody.

To see, we look into the hearts
and minds of others

not to discriminate, not to judge

but to see ways, in order to help.

To see appropriate ways

to help relieve the suffering

and also to see clearly, practices

and teachings that can be
appropriate to that particular person

to that particular heart and mind.

That's psychic power, isn't it?

And the five senses

the five sense consciousnesses
are also transformed.

They become . . . (Vietnamese)

It's a wisdom that allows us

to realize miracles

in the work of serving.

So, these wisdoms

are like miracles.
Like psychic power.

And it's not far-fetched.

It is within our mind.

It's already there.
It's being covered

by

the deluded mind,
our deluded mind, by manas.

When we practice mindfulness,
concentration, and insight

in our daily life

we actually

are transforming manas.

And also transforming the root

of the tendency to discriminate

in us, so that we can become the light,

the bodhisattavas to guide people

towards great freedom,

great happiness,

towards awakening.

And it's not just the individual awakening

but it's the collective awakening.

And we learned that the individual
is made of the collective.

When there is awakening
in the individual

there's also awakening in the collective.

And so each one of us
takes up the practice so that

we can . . . we can wake up.
We can be awakened.

And it is our awakening that we contribute

to the collective awakening of humanity.

So it's a really beautiful endeavor

that every one of us

is embarking on

and taking up

as our lives and purposes.

The endeavor

to experience

interconnectedness,
to experience

the beauty, the goodness, the truth

in us and around us.

Not just for our own benefit
and our own awakening

but also for the collective

awakening of humanity.

So thank you so much for being part of

this journey with us all.

And happy continuation on
this path, on this journey.

So let us . . .

listen to the three sounds of the bell.

Listen while we are

aware of our breathing
and of our body.

Listen in order

to quiet down our mind

to see the oneness

between ourselves and
the air and the sun

and the earth

and my community

and I.

(Inviting the Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Light bell)

(Light bell)