Compassionate Healthy Living and Generosity | Dharma Talk by sr Tu Nghiem, 2018 11 04

Everyone is capable of being mindful. Mindfulness helps us to live in the present moment and be truly present for life. The mindfulness trainings when practiced help us to be truly present.

Sr Tu Nghiem covers the 5th and 13th Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing. They are ‘Compassionate Healthy Living’ and ‘Generosity’ respectively.

The 5th Mindfulness training, Compassionate Healthy Living, leads us to examine our lifestyle and look what we are doing to nourish our daily life. Everything whether it be our happiness or suffering, needs food to survive. Looking deeply into the Four Nutriments (edible foods, sense impressions, volition and consciousness) enables us to identify the roots of our suffering and find ways to nourish our happiness. Turning vegan, reducing greenhouse emissions and saving water and electricity are ways to be healthy, reduce the suffering of other beings and protect the environment. Protecting our sense doors and examining our deepest wishes (volition) also help us to deepen our happiness and not repeat patterns of suffering in our lives. Finally our own thoughts and the collective consciousness in our surrounding environment also water our seeds of happiness or suffering in ourselves.

The 13th Mindfulness Training, Generosity, is also a lifestyle choice, it goes beyond offering money and material resources and is reflected by our way of thinking and our actions. We need to give to ourselves as well. Generosity can take the form of non-stealing (not having fear that we will not get what we need), gratitude, conscious consumerism, supporting humanitarian programs, and offering our presence and time for others.

See more Dharma talks by sr Tu Nghiem: https://plumvillage.org/about/dharma-teachers/sr-tu-nghiem/

You can support us by:
- donating: https://plumvillage.org/support
- helping to caption & translate: https://amara.org/en/profiles/videos/plumvillage/ or http://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_panel?tab=2&c=UCcv7KJIAsiddB2YRegvrF7g

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)

Dear respected Thay,

dear brothers and sisters,

dear friends, dear sangha,

today is Sunday, the 4th of November
in the year 2018,

and we are in the Still Water
meditation hall of the Upper Hamlet,

during our three months Rain Retreat.

This morning we shall offer
the 8th Dharma talk of the retreat.

Each Sunday we have been looking
into the 14 mindfulness trainings

of the Order of Interbeing,

or the Tiếp Hiện order,
as Thay named it in 1966,

during the War in Vietnam.

He formulated these trainings
to meet the needs of so many people,

the young and the older ones,

who were searching for ways to understand

and act with compassion
during those desperate, challenging years.

We know that even today, 52 years
after the 14 mindfulness trainings,

or the Tiếp Hiện precepts,

were introduced and practiced,

they still have enormous relevance for us
in the world events we are witnessing

and experiencing.

Because they help us understand deeply

and give us concrete practices to do
in daily life.

The essence of the practice
of these trainings

that we'd like to offer

is to recognize what is happening
in us and around us,

and to know what is there.

In the many retreats that Thay
has led in countries around the world,

for more than 60 years,

he presented the practices of mindfulness
as something all of us can do.

Because we all have this capacity,
this seed of mindfulness in our mind,

in the depths of our consciousness.

But how can we become aware
of this energy of mindfulness,

this capacity in us?

We'd like to offer
that we can become aware

with the two simple practices of
mindful breathing and mindful walking.

We bring our mind back to our body
with our breath and our footsteps.

And we can live in the present moment.

It is very interesting that one word
in Vietnamese, one word for 'mind',

is the word 'tâm'.

And this word also means 'heart'.

So that we can say that both
our mind and our heart are unified

with our practice in the present moment
and with our mindfulness practices.

When our heart and mind are established
with mindfulness, we are truly present

for sitting and walking meditation,
for reciting the sutras,

and for life.

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.

Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

There is no doubt in my mind.

I am absolutely sure of my breathing in
and breathing out,

because I experience it.

By experiencing something,
I know it is true.

In the world we are living in,
we cannot always be certain

of what will happen in the next moment.

But while breathing in and breathing out,
I am certain.

I am certain I am breathing.

This certainty lasts only for the length
of my in-breath and out-breath.

However, it can bring peace and stability.

I am truly present for my breathing in
and breathing out.

Likewise, when I make a step,
I place my foot on the earth

and I experience the footstep.

I am sure that I am making a footstep.

There is no doubt,

because my mind is concentrating
on the experience of walking.

I experience every step that I make.

My heart and mind
are established in mindfulness,

and I am truly present for myself
and for life in me and around me.

I know that peace and happiness
are possible by being truly present.

With each step I arrive,

I arrive in the here and now
and in the present moment.

Each step is a step of freedom,
of peace, of joy,

of happiness.

When I am established in mindfulness,

sitting meditation is an opportunity
to come back to myself,

to experience my in-breath
and my out-breath,

and the calm and the peace
that are available

with our simple
breathing in and breathing out.

I can create peace in myself and offer
peace to those around me and the world.

No matter what we have
experienced in the past,

the present moment gives us the chance

to renew our life, to be happy,
to be peaceful and to be joyful.

So let us live deeply
in the present moment.

Let us establish ourself
in the present moment.

When our heart is established
in the present moment,

we have a second chance, a third chance

a fourth chance, to be happy.

We only have to let go of the past,

especially if the past
has brought suffering.

Letting go is a source
of happiness and joy.

We can just let go.

And then, later on we'll be able
to calm our mind and look deeply

to discover the causes
of suffering, the roots,

what has contributed to our suffering.

So let us have a moment of letting go,

let us just be able to listen
to the sound of the bell.

I listen, I listen,

this wonderful sound
brings me back to my true home.

I come back to myself.

And as we are listening
to the sound of the bell,

we'll enjoy our breathing.

(Bell)

(Bell)

So, what helps us to be present for life,
and to live life beautifully

and offer peace to the world,

are the practices
of the mindfulness trainings.

We have the 5 mindfulness trainings,

that were revised in the year 2009,

and we also have
the 14 mindfulness trainings.

There are additional trainings
for the monastics,

the 10 Novice Precepts,
mindfulness trainings,

the 6 shikshamana for the nuns,

and then, the full ordination for bhikkus,
which are 250 precepts

and for fully ordained bhikkshunis, 348.

But today we will look into the
5th and the 13th mindfulness trainings

of the Order of Interbeing,
the Tiếp Hiện order.

The 5th mindfulness training is:
Compassionate, Healthy Living.

We'll read the fifth mindfulness training.

Compassionate, Healthy Living.

Aware that true happiness is rooted in
peace, solidity, freedom and compassion,

we are determined not to accumulate wealth
while millions are hungry and dying,

nor to take as the aim of our life fame,
power, wealth, or sensual pleasure,

which can bring
much suffering and despair.

We will practice looking deeply into
how we nourish our body and mind

with edible foods, sense impressions,
volition and consciousness.

We are committed not to gamble or to use
alcohol, drugs or any other products

which bring toxins into our own
and the collective body and consciousness

such as certain websites,
electronic games, music,

TV programs, films, magazines,
books and conversations.

We will consume in a way that preserves
compassion, well-being and joy,

in our bodies and consciousness,

and in the collective body
and consciousness of our families,

our society, and the Earth.

This training speaks to me
of a lifestyle.

Creating a happy lifestyle
of healthy living,

and learning how to take care
of our body and mind,

and cultivating understanding
and compassion

for all living beings,
and other people on this planet

who don't share the same favorable
conditions that we have.

Because there is poverty
and hunger on this planet,

and people are dying
from these conditions.

Excuse me.

We want to live simply and create a
lifestyle of peace, solidity and freedom

that is also compassionate.

To live this way, we will not chase after
fame, power, wealth or sensual pleasure,

but instead, cultivate our compassion
and awareness of our connectedness

with all of life.

This is interbeing.

We inter-are.

Other people influence us and
we are influenced by others,

not only people, but all of life,
animals, plants and minerals.

The lifestyle that Thay
created for us at Plum Village

involves balancing four aspects
of our daily life:

mindfulness practices, study,
service to the community, and play.

I've added relaxation.

Maybe that is a way of playing also.

We have one day devoted to relaxation,
which is Lazy Day.

And that is tomorrow for all of us.

By living with this balance,
we have more inner peace and freedom.

Freedom from stress and worry.

Following the daily schedule here
gives us solidity.

We have heard from one of our brothers

that the schedule
is like our spinal column,

the back bone providing
stability to the community.

Stability to our lives.

And yet, at the same time,
the schedule is flexible.

Changes happen.

And even with changes,
everything is held together.

So we ask, how can we nourish this
lifestyle for ourself and others?

One way is by practicing to look deeply
into how we nourish our body and mind.

And, what are the elements
that will give us a healthy lifestyle?

The Buddha said everything
needs food to survive.

Nothing can survive
without nourishment, without food.

Our happiness needs to be nourished
by positive thinking.

As one example,

when we think negative thoughts
of judging and blaming,

we are in the process of
nourishing our suffering.

And when we speak using words of
judgment, and blaming, and anger,

we speak to others in that way,

we nourish their suffering.

When we say kind things,
how we appreciate others,

how we love them,
when we thank people,

we are nourishing their happiness.

All we know a very wonderful practice
that Thay has given all of us,

it's the practice of Beginning Anew.
mindful communications.

When we learn

how to use language in a way that waters
the very best seeds in our consciousness

and, at the same time,
the consciousness of other people.

So the Buddha understood very deeply
the truth that everything needs nutriments

and he described four nutriments.

These four nutriments are:

edible food, sensory impressions,
volition, and consciousness.

Depending on what is consumed,
what food, what sensory impressions,

that means what we receive
through our eyes,

our ears, our nose, our tongue,
our body and our thoughts

depending of the nature of
what is received or consumed,

there will be suffering, or happiness.

But the examples the Buddha gave were
clearly to help us understand more

what causes suffering.

And it was connected to
the Second Noble Truth,

trying to find the roots of suffering
by looking at our consumption.

So we consume by eating edible food,
with sensory impressions.

The third nutriment is volition.

And that is our deepest wish,
our motivation.

Then, the fourth food
is our consciousness.

It's both the individual
and collective consciousness

of society and the world.

So, the first edible food,

in this morning I will

offer sources of suffering
in terms of the four nutriments.

And I will also offer ways we can nourish
happiness with the four nutriments.

Edible food.

We want to have compassion for our body,

and for what we eat.

Every living being wants to live
and suffers if they are killed.

Animals suffer enormously
in the slaughter houses

hearing other animals before them
being killed.

They have fear and despair.

The Buddha and his monastics went
on a daily alms round begging for food.

And that is how they sustained their life.

They went from house to house to receive
whatever the lay people had to offer

for their nourishment
and to give them energy to practice.

It is said that the Buddha told his monks

that, "If you suspect or even know
that an animal has been killed

by the householders, by that family
just to feed you,

please, do not accept that food.
Do not eat it.

Because we want to eat with compassion,

and not be the cause of suffering
to any animal or other living beings."

So, for example, perhaps

a housewife saw, "Oh!

Maybe tomorrow the Buddha
and the monastics will come to our house.

They were in the neighboring village
but perhaps today they will come,

and I will have the honor,
we will have the honor of offering a meal

to the Buddha and his disciples,
to receive merit."

So maybe the wife thought: "Dear husband,
can we kill three of our chickens

to offer to the Buddha? Can we kill
five chickens?"

This may have been the thought. And
the Buddha did not want that to happen.

So we want to eat with compassion,

and to eat so that while we eat, there has
been the least amount of suffering.

For example, we can reflect on a carrot.

Perhaps a carrot suffers
when it is pulled up from the earth

to be prepared for our meal.
Perhaps there is suffering.

But when we compare the suffering of
a plant, like a carrot, or the broccoli,

or a potato, or...

Asparagus, whatever. If we compare that
with the suffering that a lamb,

or a calf, or a cow experiences,

we will choose to eat the food
that has not suffered so much.

In our daily recitation of the five
contemplations before lunch,

we hear the third contemplation, that
says: We will keep our compassion alive,

by eating in such a way, that reduces
the suffering of living beings,

preserves our planet, and
stops contributing to climate change.

In the year 2007, Thay requested

that Plum Village and all of the
Plum Village communities and monasteries

changed from a vegetarian diet
to a plant based vegan diet,

based on the information, in that year,
that the lay practitioners had given him.

Twelve years ago, there wasn't
as much information available.

The information was just
starting to be shared,

things were beginning to be discovered

about how animals are treated when
they are raised for food for human beings.

So based on what the lay friends
had shared with Thay,

Thay decided that it would be
a more compassionate lifestyle

for the animals and for us
if we changed to a vegan diet.

So all of our retreatants when
they come to Plum Village, all of you,

you have the opportunity to eat
a vegan diet for one week or longer

when you are with us,
for your time with us.

And we hope you enjoy it.

It's wonderful cooking from
our Vietnamese monastics

and other monastics
of the Asian countries.

They offer the very finest recipes that
they've learned in their home countries.

We know that now there is
a lot of information available

on wholesome, healthy food,
what to consume.

At lot of research is being done
on plant based diets, wholefood diets.

Some people say that to eat more healthily
we should reduce, limit or not eat

any consumption of foods
that have been processed,

that have been manufactured,
and are packaged.

Because they can contain
chemical additives

to prolong their shelf life in stores, and
may have too much salt, too much sugar

and hydrogenated oils or trans fats
that are not good for our health.

But if you do this research,

and truthfully I've only had the Web,
the Internet, to look into this topics,

I've discovered that
some of the information

is contradictory and confusing.

So I share that with you,

and then, we simply do our best.

We know that if we follow a vegan diet,

we need to supplement our diet
with vitamin B12.

And pay attention to getting all of
the nine essential amino acids

that are necessary for protein synthesis,

for our muscles,
for the neurotransmitters in the brain,

and for a healthy immune system.

A plant based diet will give us
the amino acids,

will give us enough, but perhaps
not of all the nine essential,

but we know we can get enough
including beans, nuts, seeds, grains,

and healthy oils, such as olive oil
or flax seed oil, as well as avocados,

vegetables and fruits.

The plant based

sources of amino acids that
will give us the nine essential ones

are, eating soy, tempeh, quinoa
and () or pakchoi.

But speaking of controversy,
soy is somewhat controversial.

Some people are not allowed to eat soy.

But we have others -

We know that by gradually shifting to
a vegetarian or a more plant based diet,

we can also contribute
to preserving our planet,

and help reduce the impact of global
warming and climate change.

There is information that with

animal agriculture, which means
raising animals

so that they can be used as food,

and this includes the "élevage",
the raising cows and other farm animals,

especially the cows, they discovered that
the cows emit methane gas

and carbon dioxide in their process of
digesting the grass that they eat.

And these gases are quite toxic
to the environment,

they increase the greenhouse gases.

But they -

But we know in practicing
the third mindfulness training

we don't force others to adopt our views.

And it is a lifestyle for some people,

cattlemen,

the meat and dairy industry,
it is a lifestyle.

So we don't force others but
we can make choices for ourselves.

Here, at Plum Village we do
the practices of recycling,

we have one no-car day,
we don't use the automobile

and that reduces the carbon

monoxide- carbon dioxide emissions.

We conserve the resources of water
by taking shorter showers.

And one way to conserve water

is we wet the body, turn off the water,
soap, wash yourself,

turn on the water and rinse.

We used to do this

in the Green Mountain Dharma Center,
in Four Hartland -

Four -

Four Corners, in Hartland, Vermont.

In this practice center were sister
Chan Duc, True Virtue, was the abbess

and this was already in the year 2003,
when I was there.

In the bathroom and the bathtub
we had a very large container

to hold the water.

So, if we wanted to bathe,
we would fill it up with hot water,

and just like the kind of bathe
that I just described, we wet, we soaped,

and then we would rinse our body.

And there was like a pitcher,

and we would rinse ourselves in that way.

This is very much like
how they bathe in India.

I remember during - bathing this way
when we were in Vietnam,

in some of the temples.

And so, there are ways to conserve water
not letting it run all the time

during a long, long shower.

Another way of taking a shower
in the winter, I'll share with you.

(Laughter)

is every other day.

(Laughter)

Up to you. However, no.
There is a third method, my friends.

(Laughter)

We learned this from one of our sisters

who was a doctor of traditional
Chinese medicine. She knew a lot.

She had her own practice before ordaining.

It's based on the meridians and everything
that she understood.

What she said was, to take a-

To bathe in the winter with a shower, you
first wet your body from the waist down.

Okay?

So with more warm that hot water you wet,
turn off the water, soap, rinse. Okay?

The next part of your body that you wet
is from the neck to the waist. Okay?

So, yes, the same.
You wet, you soap, and you rinse

but the other parts of the body
are getting wet also, and that's fine.

They've been wet and they're warm now.

Because the hot water has

flown over there, flowed over there.

And the third part
is that we wet our head.

And we soap, and we rinse.

So we really take the shower
from the bottom up.

A little bit opposite to gravity,
but I do it.

And I've discovered I don't have a chill.

I do it that way.

So, it's very interesting how we can
conserve the natural resources.

And I remember that

there was a need to reduce
the use of nuclear energy,

so they produced the low wattage
light bulbs now.

And they've been available
for many, many years.

When these light bulbs were first
produced, manufactured, I remember reading

that the country of Australia,
the Prime Minister decided

that the whole country would change.

Change and use
the low wattage light bulbs.

So, I was very impressed
that the whole country did that.

And now, we are using these light bulbs,

and we are able to help the planet.

Every effort helps, even if we do not see
the immediate global results.

What if we have a pause now.
We can develop the habit of pausing,

and bring the pause habit
back to your daily life.

And when we pause, we will simply stop
and enjoy our breathing.

We'll listen to a sound of the bell.

(Bell)

(Bell)

So the second nutriment
that the Buddha described

is the food of sensory impressions.

Just as suffering can be caused
by eating without compassion,

the Buddha said that suffering
can be caused and will be caused

if our six sense organs, our eyes,
our ears, our nose, our tongue,

our body, and our mind are in contact
with objects that are harmful,

such as seeing violent movies, hearing
people fighting, arguing and yelling,

smelling unpleasant odors
from decaying material,

tasting food that is absolutely
too sour or not fresh anymore,

or violence against our body
with physical abuse.

And then, with negative thinking,
this thinking that we cannot stop

for ourselves.

So what we receive through our five
sense organs will water or wake up

or activate seeds

that contain the experience and memories
that normally lie sleeping

in the depths of our consciousness.

If what we receive is frightening,
violent, and has craving,

then, if we have had
these experiences in the past,

like these experiences
that we are seeing now,

the past experiences may manifest
and come up again.

And we will live those experiences
from the past.

So we have our practices of mindfulness
to help us be in touch

with what emotion is coming up,
what thought, or what feelings.

And we can take care of whatever
is coming up from the past

by stopping, by calming, by nourishing,

our confidence that the past
is no longer there.

We are living now in the present moment,
things are different, it is safe now.

So we use our mindfulness,
basic simple practices to calm our mind.

And to help us come back
to the present moment.

The mindfulness training advises us
to not go to certain websites, see films

or read certain books
or hear conversations

that create suffering in us.
We need protection.

Just as our skin protects our body
from harmful elements,

we need our mindfulness energy to help us
not water our seeds of suffering

by being in contact with what is toxic.

I'd like to share with you an experience
that some of us,

a small group of monastics had.

Once we went to a country

to share the practices, lead retreats and
days of mindfulness with the local sangha.

And we were coming back from
one of the afternoon activities.

To return to the place where
we were staying during our time there,

we had to use the metro,
the subway system, the underground.

And the brother who was
very familiar with this city

knew how to guide us

to make the change to the next metro line
that would take us back.

So he knew exactly

what hallways we had to go into,
what stairs, he knew very well.

And we were following him.

At one point, he was ahead, at one point
he turned around and he said to us,

"Look straight ahead".

We were in a hallway, a corridor,
we hadn't entered there yet.

"Look straight ahead", he said.

Wow! We were so curious.

(Laughter)

What is it that we shouldn't look at?

So we were so curious, we looked.

(Laughter)

To the right and the left.

We looked to see what it was
we shouldn't look at.

So what we saw was advertising, yes.

And,

on both sides, on the right and the left,
there were photographs of

young women in their 20
wearing bikini bathing suits.

And there was no space
between the young women, they were just -

You couldn't put your eyes between
the bodies, they were just so close.

No place.

On both sides, right and left.

And -

So, our brother knew the practice
very well of protecting the eyes,

protecting the sense organs.

After we saw what we shouldn't look at,
we looked straight ahead.

(Laughter)

So it was in the month of May, and,

of course, it's the time when people
begin to think of going to the beach,

and buying bathing suits, so, yes.
Advertising.

If we are living in cities,
we can be aware of advertising,

and to know whether to look,
how long to look, or don't look.

There is a wonderful verse that we read,
to protect and transform

we must always pay careful attention
when sense organs touch sense objects.

So habit energies can
gradually be transformed.

So, we may have habit energies
related to our senses,

in terms of taste, eating,
drinking, or whatever habit energies

that are formed when we use
our sense organs,

and when they have contact
with sense objects.

We have received habit energies from our
parents, our ancestors, and from society.

We know that our sense organs
can also bring us happiness,

so it's not just a matter of their
bringing suffering, when we have contact,

no, they can bring us happiness.

There are five universal mental formations
that are always present.

And they are, contact, we have contact
with our eyes with what we see.

Contact, and then we may pay a little more
attention to what is before us.

Contact, attention.

Feeling. If it is pleasant,
maybe we'll feel a pleasant feeling.

Perception is the next. We mat think,
"Oh! This is very nice".

Volition is the final.

Volition will lead to action sometimes.

Contact, attention, feeling,

perception, volition.

But we can always be aware
of all five steps to stop it.

My experience and my practice,
when I'm weak,

there is contact, volition, action.

Contact, I see the chocolate.
I take the chocolate.

But if mindfulness is there,
contact, I don't want sugar,

I don't touch it.

So, we can use our mindfulness,
our mind consciousness, to help us.

I'd like to share a very short

event that was very pleasant.

Using the ears.

There is a story of a seeker
who went to a Zen master, and said:

"How can I enter the way?"

The master said: "Do you hear the sound
of the mountain stream?"

- Yes, I hear the sound.

The master said: "Enter there."

That's beautiful, isn't it?

The master said: "Be present.
Establish your mindfulness.

Go to the stream. Sit down. Listen to it
with all of your attention.

Listen to it with your heart.

Listen to it with your heart and mind
established in mindfulness,

stop thinking of the past and the future.

Just be present.
Then, you have entered the way.

The way of living deeply
in the present moment

with peace, solidity, and freedom."

We know the master did not mean:

"Go to the mountain stream, take off
your sandals and step in the water."

He didn't mean that.
He meant enter in another way.

So the third nutriment is volition.

Volition can be described
as our deepest wish, our aspiration,

what motivates us to think, to speak
and to act.

It could be described
as the aim of our life.

If we want fame, power, wealth,
or sensual pleasure,

and we have so much ambition, then
we will pursue these things at any cost,

even if that means we have no time to be
present with our family or loved ones,

or to be present for ourself. Then,
this kind of volition brings suffering.

So we don't want to have to chase

after earning more money,
or having more material possessions.

But sometimes we can't stop ourself.

Volitions are sometimes connected with
strong habit energies.

So the habit energy compels us to do
and repeat what causes suffering.

So one way to change our volitions
is to change our lifestyle.

And to recognize the suffering that
our lifestyle may be causing

to our family and friends.

So we look deeply to see
what is preventing our freedom.

Where we are caught,

and what ideas keep us so attached to
our achieving or obtaining this or that.

And then, we need the help and the support
of our family and friends, and sangha

to help us remember

we need to observe we're following
the patterns of behavior

that we want to change.

We need a sangha, spiritual friends,

who won't judge us or criticize us,

but will lend their compassionate,
mindful support

as we practice to transform these habits.

We know volition can have a very
positive way of expressing itself.

If we want to help others,

to offer happiness and joy to others,
and relieve their suffering,

and if we have a deep aspiration
to work for the healing of our planet,

protect the lives of animals,

we can do this by working in
permaculture farms, happy farms,

and these volitions
will not create suffering.

These are the deepest volitions
of a bodhisattva, an awakened being.

These expressions will help us take care
of ourselves and also others.

Ten days ago, there was
an ordination of ten novices,

seven monks and three nuns.

They have the deep aspiration
to be bodhisattvas,

and they have chosen a lifestyle

that will facilitate
their realizing their aspiration.

In their ceremony, they repeated the vow,

"Shaving my hair completely,
I make the great vow today

to transform all my afflictions in order
to bring happiness to all beings."

Everyone who is here,

everyone who has come to
Plum Village or other centers,

you have the volition to practice,

to learn more about mindfulness,
to transform your suffering,

to bring happiness to all beings. So,
it's not limited to any group of people.

We all have this volition.

The members of the Order of Interbeing
also have this volition.

And they are leading
the practices in the world

to help people with the practices
of the 5 and the 14 mindfulness trainings.

So, the truth is we're bodhisattvas.
Let us enjoy our lifestyle.

The fourth nutriment is described
as consciousness.

Our consciousness, our mind is influenced

by the environment
in which we live and work,

as well as by the thoughts we think.

So we should be very attentive to the
environment in which we spent our time.

Working environments and home environment,

because it will water the seeds
in the depths of our consciousness.

If we are in an environment
for the most part

where people practice the 5 and the 14
mindfulness trainings,

where there is respect
and reverence for life,

and people's property,
and relational commitments,

and with deep listening, loving speech,
mindful consumption,

then, our consciousness will be nourished.

It will be healthy.

It will be nourished
by what is true, and beautiful,

and suffering won't be produced.

However, if we are
in a collective environment

that is full of hatred, violence, fear,
discrimination and intolerance,

this suffering will be -

This environment will bring
suffering to our consciousness.

And this kind of environment
will also bring suffering

to our families, society and the Earth.
So we want to transform

the collective consciousness
of this planet, and we can do it,

we are doing it by nourishing
our body and mind

with our practices
of the mindfulness trainings.

Let's have a moment of nourishing
peace and relaxation

by listening to a sound of the bell.

(Bell)

(Bell)

The next mindfulness training
we will look at this morning

is the 13th, called Generosity.

"Aware of the suffering
caused by exploitation,

social injustice, stealing,
and oppression,

we are committed to cultivating
generosity in our way of thinking,

speaking, and acting.
We will practice loving kindness

by working for the happiness of people,
animals, plants, and minerals,

and sharing our time, energy, and material
resources with those who are in need.

We are determined not to steal

and not to possess anything
that should belong to others.

We will respect the property of others,

but will try to prevent others from
profiting from human suffering

or the suffering of other beings."

In a sense, this mindfulness training

is also a lifestyle.

It invites us to cultivate
the quality of generosity in ourselves,

and to bring happiness to others.

We can notice that we have this quality

when we are willing to share our time,
and energy, and material resources,

to help others.

But it does not require that we have
money or material resources to give.

Generosity is reflected in our way
of thinking, speaking, and acting.

I've noticed when
I have gratitude in my heart,

I am so thankful for all the conditions
that are available

for me to practice, to be in the sangha,

to have the basic necessities,
and even more,

to live in a beautiful environment,

to have the love and support of others,

then, naturally generosity flows.
It flows easily from our hearts.

We've seen how beautifully our friends
who come to practice with us

are so generous in sharing
their time and their energy.

They have already given material support,
they do it in so many ways.

During our big retreats, we receive many-
We receive volunteers who come

to support us in the service,
and the sharings,

and the practice.

In our hamlet, there are friends
who are sharing their time now

to share their skills with languages.

So our sisters practice pronunciation
in English and French.

Yes, there are so many ways
that generosity is being offered.

We learned from one of our senior monks,

I remember this was
in one of his Dharma talks,

that a man came to him and said that
he wasn't able to give.

He had a lot of difficulty giving,
and he wanted help

to be able to change
and to be able to give.

So the brother told him,
and I hope I have the story right,

but it sounded good to me,
so I share it with you.

So the brother told him,
gave him an apple and said,

"Okay, put the apple in your right hand.

Now, give the apple to your left hand.

Then, give the apple back
to your right hand.

And continue to do that.

Keep giving yourself the apple.

Letting the right hand
give to the left hand

and the left hand give to the right hand."

And the retreatant said
it was very effective.

So we want to give ourself also
what we need.

Sometimes we need
a little bit more time for ourself,

a little bit more space,
a little bit more rest,

a little bit more of this or that.

But it means we've taken the time
to get in touch with

what our needs are.

And then when we know a little bit more
what our needs are,

we can ask others for their support

or let people know

how they can provide a little need
and make a request.

I also discovered when there is generosity
in my heart and mind

there is no thought of stealing.

Some times we steal because we have fear.

Fear that we won't have enough,

we can't meet our needs
or the needs of those we love,

fears that others will get

what we should have.

So the stealing is perhaps based
on fear and anxiety in the future.

Or even in the present moment.

Now, there are
many more forms of stealing.

In the past we thought of the big stealing
as robbing a bank.

But now there are others ways there,

with the world of the Internet
and electronic devices,

there is the possibility
of stealing electronically,

pirating email accounts, viruses, hacking,
all that sort of stuff.

We can't see the person or the persons

but our server will let us know,
"Someone has just entered your account.

You want to secure it?"
"Yes."

But we don't know enough, really.

In our precepts we know

that something is not stolen as long as
it has been given to us.

So we ask permission. May I borrow this?
May I use it?

If we can't find the person to ask
permission to borrow or use something,

then we leave a note.

"I couldn't find you, so I borrowed
your pen and I will return it."

So, again, our mindfulness practice
and reading the mindfulness trainings

helps remind us

that we don't have to steal.

We can take time to see
that we have enough already

and we can ask if we need something.

Generosity and gratitude
are one way of cultivating

the opposite energy of stealing.

Last summer we learned from one of
the retreatants in our discussion group

that in her family
they have a gratitude jar.

And the whole family,
each member in the family

takes turns of writing a gratitude,
something they are grateful for.

As soon as a gratitude comes up.

And they write their gratitude,
they put it in the jar

and then, the family gets together
and they take out all the gratitudes

of the family members
and they read it together

in their circle of friendship.

It's so wonderful,
and it's a happy moment.

So some of us are doing that this winter
with our three months retreatants.

Inviting everyone to write a gratitude
daily, if we can.

We put the gratitude in the jar, and
once a week we read all the gratitudes.

Continuing with looking into generosity,

it's a practice we do when we want
to help alleviate the suffering caused

by exploitation, social injustice,
stealing, and oppression.

When we want to think of ways
that we can give in order to help others.

Exploitation, social injustice,
stealing and oppression

come in many forms now,

and create much suffering for those
who are caught in those situations.

These situations exist now
in many countries,

and in countries that
are described as developing.

Countries of Africa, Asia,
Central and South America,

the Caribbean and Dominican Republic,
as I've read are such countries.

So, with our bodhisattva aspiration
we want to see how we, as consumers,

can help end the inequalities

and exploitation that have existed there.

So, we now know
that there is something called

The World Fair Trade Organization.

Fair Trade is now a global network of
324 organizations in over 70 countries.

And in France, I believe
the organization is called 'Équitable',

something like that.

So, if we see a product
that has this logo,

this word, Fair Trade, we know
that the farmers and the workers

have worked under conditions
that have given them

a decent salary, a fair salary,
they have not been exploited, a good wage.

They've had good working conditions

and they have a voice in selling
their products to the world market.

And not only that, but they have
decent housing and medical care.

We know it's not perfect everywhere, but
there has been some wonderful changes.

So if we want to purchase in a mindful
way, we can look for this assurance.

Work of the fair trade products
that we can buy, that are available,

they are bananas, coffee, cacao,
the chocolate,

tea, cotton for making fair trade
clothing, flowers, sugar and gold.

So as consumers, we know we can
perhaps pay just a little bit more,

this is the expression of our generosity,
by buying these products.

And we know that the people
in the developing countries will benefit.

This is what we are told.

Another example of practicing generosity
is available to us

when we support the humanitarian programs

in Vietnam that Thay and sister
Chan Khong started

to bring hope and relief to families
and children in Vietnam after the war.

These humanitarian programs
have existed for 42 years now.

And we can support and sponsor a young
child 2 or 3 years old up to 6 years old

in nursery schools who live
in remote mountain villages,

but also in small fishing villages
in Central Vietnam.

These children have parents
who have to work during the day.

So the children are left alone.

But with our sponsoring and support,

nursery schools and creches
have been developed where they go

and the children have activities
and are assured a nutritious noon meal,

a nutritious lunch and a snack. And
they have teachers looking after them.

So, for as little as 1 euro a day, 1 euro,
we can support a child.

But if we don't have 1 euro a day,
we can give 10 euros a month,

which is about 33 euros () a day.

This generosity on our part
goes a long, long way,

to create happiness and well-being
for the future generations.

We know that Thay is now in Vietnam,
in his root temple.

And everyone is benefiting from
his generosity to go there,

to be with the people, with the -

He will offer his time, energy and
presence to be there, to support everyone.

There is a wonderful web page.

In French, there is one word, it says,
pourlesenfantsduvietnam.com.

One word. I don't know the English web page
but I'm sure every country,

European countries have this program,
Germany, Italy, and the UK have it as well.

Let's enjoy the sound of the bell
for the conclusion.

Thank you for your patience.

These trainings contain a lot.
So I found myself

giving my time, energy,
to understanding them,

and creating this sharing.

(Bell)

(Bell)

So to conclude,

let us invite Thay, so to speak,

to end this Dharma talk by listening
to some selections from his poetry.

So we'll be using our ears

listening to some very
beautiful lines he wrote

that will nourish our appreciation
of beauty and happiness.

We remember the Zen master who invited his
student to listen to the mountain stream

as a way of entering the way.

We know Thay already entered the way
a long, long, long time ago.

As a young monk, he was already -
He had already entered the way.

But he wrote in one of his poems:

"I see a clear stream,
flowing between cracks in the rocks,

its water laughing,
while the trees whistle.

I see a clear stream,
flowing between cracks in the rocks,

its water laughing,
while the trees whistle.

Together we celebrate a morning of peace.

Let us accept one another.

Let us share the vision
and make it possible

for Great Love to arise."

Thank you, dear friends,
for your listening.

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)

(Bell)