Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session
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0:03 - 0:06Br. Phap Huu: Good morning,
dear respected Thay, -
0:06 - 0:11dear brothers, dear sisters,
dear friends. -
0:11 - 0:16I hope you had a relaxing
and lazy morning. -
0:16 - 0:19You could sleep in
and feel more rested -
0:19 - 0:25and enjoy the wonderful space
provided for us -
0:25 - 0:32to be in touch with our breath,
with the trees, with the space. -
0:32 - 0:38We have an opportunity
for questions & answers. -
0:38 - 0:48This is a great opportunity
to put into words something -
0:48 - 0:53we may have been chewing on
for a long time. -
0:53 - 1:00But with regards to the practice
of mindfulness and meditation. -
1:00 - 1:06the teachings of Plum Village,
and looking back -
1:06 - 1:11at our way of life,
our happiness, our suffering -
1:11 - 1:16and how to apply the practice
in our daily lives. -
1:16 - 1:22This is an opportunity to ask questions.
We call it "Asking from the heart." -
1:22 - 1:28We tend to come more
towards the intellect, -
1:28 - 1:36but here in Plum Village
we always encourage to ask: -
1:36 - 1:41How do we bring these teachings
into our daily life? -
1:41 - 1:47This is more important to us
than philosophy. -
1:47 - 1:52And we have children with us.
I'm surprised they are here. -
1:52 - 1:56I thought you would
enjoy more laziness. -
1:56 - 2:04It is a wonderful tradition to have
space for the children to ask questions. -
2:04 - 2:10We would like to offer space to the kids
to ask three to four questions. -
2:10 - 2:17A good question can benefit many of us.
It doesn't have to be long. -
2:17 - 2:21It can be clear and simple.
-
2:21 - 2:29We have our brother filming the session.
-
2:29 - 2:37Please raise your hand if you
prefer not to be on camera -
2:37 - 2:42and our brother will know. He will
focus the camera on the monastics. -
2:42 - 2:55So you can be at ease if you would like
to ask a question, but not be filmed. -
2:55 - 3:01Before we listen to a question,
we will listen to a sound of the bell -
3:01 - 3:06to come back to our breathing,
and then we ask the question. -
3:06 - 3:11So, we would like to invite
the children first. -
3:11 - 3:17If there is a child with a question,
you are welcome to come up -
3:17 - 3:27and sit on this chair and breathe with us.
And then you can ask your question. -
3:27 - 3:33Do any of you have a question?
-
3:33 - 3:42We do.
-
4:03 - 4:22[sound of the bell]
-
4:23 - 4:30Dear community, this is the first
question. Our friend will ask in Italian. -
4:30 - 4:35Giacomo: [Italian] If there is
something that we like to do, -
4:35 - 4:41and we see someone else
do something that we might not like, -
4:42 - 4:47but so many people are doing it,
why do we end up doing that, too? -
4:48 - 4:52Voice offscreen: I will try to translate it
and Giacomo can help me -
4:53 - 4:56if it's not correct, because
you speak English quite well? -
4:58 - 5:03I think the idea is: We know what we want,
what we like to do. -
5:04 - 5:08But then we see others do something
that we don't approve of. -
5:05 - 5:09Br. Phap Linh: Thank you.
That's a great question. -
5:09 - 5:11We don't like what they're doing.
-
5:12 - 5:21Why do we end up doing what they're doing
even though we don't like it? -
5:25 - 0:03Br. Phap Huu: Do you need translation?
-
Not SyncedWe could all ask ourselves that question
at the level of the whole planet. -
Not SyncedWhy, when there are things that we know
we don't want to do, or we don't like, -
Not Syncedbut we see that society is going that way,
and we end up doing it as well. -
Not SyncedThat can happen with a group of friends,
or in a choice of career that we make, -
Not Syncedor how much money we think we need,
where we should live, -
Not Syncedwhat lifestyle we think we should have.
It's all a similar problem. -
Not SyncedWe get pulled into things that
at some level we don't want to do, -
Not Syncedbut we find ourselves doing anyway.
-
Not SyncedSo ... I think the first question
that I would ask. -
Not SyncedYou started by saying that we know
what it is that we like to do. -
Not SyncedWe know what we want.
I'm not sure that that's true. -
Not SyncedWe kind of know.
But do we really know? -
Not SyncedDo we know with the power,
with the strength, -
Not Syncedthat would be enough to stop us
from getting pulled into things -
Not Syncedthat we don't want to do?
-
Not SyncedSo we know a little bit.
-
Not SyncedBut could we make that more clear?
-
Not SyncedWhat is it that we want to do
and what is it we do not want to do? -
Not SyncedThat takes contemplation. In a way,
that's what meditation can be for. -
Not SyncedOur teacher used to ask us to go
and quietly sit in the forest -
Not Syncedand ask ourselves:
What is my deepest desire? -
Not SyncedWhat is the thing that I want most of all?
-
Not SyncedBecause when we know that really clearly,
it makes it much easier to say No -
Not Syncedwhen other people are trying
to pull us into something. -
Not SyncedThat's the first thing. Do we really know
what it is we do and don't want to do? -
Not SyncedAnd the second thing is that
there's a competition in us, -
Not Syncedbecause we like two things:
-
Not SyncedWe like to do the thing we want to do,
but we also like to be with our friends. -
Not SyncedWe like to feel connected to others.
-
Not SyncedWe like to not stick out,
so that we're not left out of the group. -
Not SyncedIf there's a group going one way, a strong
part of us wants to be part of the group. -
Not SyncedEven if they're doing something
we don't really want to do. -
Not SyncedThere are two different pulls.
One is: I need to be part of the group. -
Not SyncedI am in danger if I'm not
part of the group. -
Not SyncedThere's a very old feeling in our bodies.
For a long time, maybe millions of years, -
Not Syncedif we didn't belong to the group,
we wouldn't be able to survive. -
Not SyncedWe would die. So there's a
strong need to be part of the group. -
Not SyncedAnd when that need is in conflict
with this other part of us that says: -
Not Synced"I don't want to do what they're doing",
it's difficult. -
Not SyncedIt depends which one is stronger.
But it helps just to know that. -
Not SyncedYou're here, we're all here. We've heard
about the energy of mindfulness. -
Not SyncedThe energy that allows us to be aware
what's going on inside and around us. -
Not SyncedThat is the capacity to recognise:
"I want to be part of the group." -
Not SyncedWhen you can see and recognise it,
you also have a bit more freedom. -
Not Synced"I know, I hear you. I hear the part
of me that wants to jump in, -
Not Syncedbut I can also say No thank you."
-
Not SyncedSometimes in a group,
when there's one person that says: -
Not Synced" No. Actually, I don't want to do that."
-
Not SyncedThen maybe there's two or three
or four other people in the group -
Not Syncedwho also feel uncomfortable.
Once that one person has said no, -
Not Syncedthey can also say: "Actually,
I also don't want to do that." -
Not SyncedAnd suddenly, the whole group
can change direction -
Not Syncedbecause one person had
the freedom and the courage to say No. -
Not SyncedIt's like you are watching
what's happening around you, -
Not Syncedbut a part of you is watching
what is happening inside of you. -
Not SyncedIt's like you have an eye tracking:
"I want to jump in, -
Not Syncedbut I also don't feel comfortable
with what we're doing." -
Not SyncedAnd then you get to choose.
-
Not SyncedBecause otherwise you jump in
before you even know. -
Not SyncedIt just happens, and then later,
maybe a day, maybe a week later, -
Not Syncedyou realize you didn't want to do that.
But with the energy of mindfulness, -
Not Syncedyou have more time,
you have more freedom to choose. -
Not SyncedAnd then maybe many other people
in the group will thank you later -
Not Syncedbecause they also didn't want to do that.
-
Not SyncedAnd thanks to you,
they had the choice to say No. -
Not SyncedMaybe as a society we're a bit like that.
-
Not SyncedWe rely on a few people with the strength
and awareness to say no to the current -
Not Syncedthat is taking us in the direction
of destroying the planet -
Not Syncedand causing suffering to each other.
-
Not SyncedMaybe if a few of us can see us and say:
"We don't want to go that way", -
Not Syncedthen others can get to also say No
and go a different way. -
Not SyncedThank you for your question.
-
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
-
Not SyncedGirl: (French) Do plants
have a nervous system? -
Not SyncedFor example if you snap a twig,
are you hurting the tree? -
Not SyncedBr. Phap Linh: Do the plants
have a nervous system? -
Not SyncedFor example if you break a branch,
does it hurt the plant? -
Not SyncedBr. Phap Huu: The quickest answer
is "Oui" - yes. -
Not SyncedBr. Phap Linh: I can add a little bit.
-
Not SyncedI would say the answer is yes and no.
-
Not SyncedBecause they don't exactly
have a nervous system like ours. -
Not SyncedThere's no central brain where
all the nerve impulses arrive. -
Not SyncedIt's been a question in science
for a long time. -
Not SyncedAnd most scientists have said:
"No, plants don't feel anything." -
Not SyncedBut it's changing. So in recent years,
there are a few scientists -
Not Syncedfinding evidence to say that plants
do feel and we still don't know how. -
Not SyncedBut we know that there are electrical
signals passed through the plant cells - -
Not Syncedall cells are electrical in nature,
just like nerve cells. -
Not SyncedThey're not exactly like brain cells,
-
Not Syncedbut they are similar enough
that there is a Spanish scientist -
Not Syncedwho really believes, and has good
evidence to show, that plants can feel. -
Not SyncedOne of the ways they can test this
is by using anaesthesia. -
Not SyncedIf you have to go to a hospital
to have surgery, -
Not Syncedthey give you an injection or a gas
that makes you fall asleep, -
Not Syncedso you don't feel any pain.
-
Not SyncedFor a long time, everybody thought
that only works on humans and animals. -
Not SyncedBut plants respond to anaesthesia
in very much the same way, -
Not Syncedto being put to sleep.
-
Not SyncedThis is all very new research.
You ask a very good question. -
Not SyncedYou could make
a whole career as a scientist -
Not Syncedout of trying to answer that question.
-
Not SyncedBut that's answering
at the level of the head. -
Not SyncedThere's also an answer
at the level of the heart. -
Not SyncedIt's the answer that Thay Phap Huu gave
-
Not Syncedand it's the answer you already know.
-
Not SyncedWe don't feel comfortable
to break a plant for no reason. -
Not SyncedWe feel like maybe we should
respect them a little bit more. -
Not SyncedWe should care for them
a little bit better. -
Not SyncedMaybe we should not be so sure
that it is only us who can feel things. -
Not SyncedIf we're very sure,
we can cause a lot of harm -
Not Syncedwe can be very careless.
-
Not SyncedBut if we're not sure,
if there's a part of us wondering: -
Not Synced"Will the tree feel it
if I break the branch?" -
Not Syncedthat little space of openness, of
"I don't know, maybe the tree can feel it" -
Not Syncedcan make us more careful.
-
Not SyncedNot only as individuals,
but collectively as a species. -
Not SyncedThere's an awakening happening
in the whole of society. -
Not SyncedThere are more and more people
waking up to the suffering -
Not Syncedthat we are maybe causing to
not just the animals that we kill to eat, -
Not Syncedbut also to the trees that we cut to
build houses, like this meditation hall, -
Not Syncedthe paper that we use in the toilet,
or to write on. -
Not SyncedMaybe it is impossible to live completely
without hurting anything. -
Not SyncedIt's actually really hard.
-
Not SyncedBut maybe there's a way to live
where we cause as little harm as possible. -
Not SyncedWe try to do less damage.
Maybe we can't do no damage. -
Not SyncedBut I'm sure we can do less damage.
-
Not SyncedThank you for your question.
-
Not SyncedBr. Phap Huu: One more question
from the children sangha. -
Not SyncedIf there are no more questions
from the children sangha, -
Not Syncedyou are welcome to stay or
you are welcome to go out and play. -
Not SyncedI was told there's no children program,
but there's a lot of space. -
Not SyncedSo feel free.
-
Not SyncedAnd now we'd like to offer space
for the bigger children. -
Not Syncedif you have questions from the heart,
you are welcome to come up -
Not Syncedjust like the children to ask
your questions to all of us adults. -
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
-
Not SyncedWoman: Okay. I'm nervous.
Lots of people. -
Not SyncedIt's a question I've had
in my head for some months. -
Not SyncedIt's about how to handle
the suffering that is attached -
Not Syncedto a mental formation that has its
beginning somewhere during childhood, -
Not Syncedsomething traumatic that happened.
-
Not SyncedBecause it's different to handle emotions
that come back in a never-ending circle, -
Not Syncedor an emotion that comes from something
that happens in a moment and goes away. -
Not SyncedI'd like a little advice how to do it.
-
Not SyncedIt confuses me to learn something that
helps me to always be happy or be at peace -
Not Syncedbut without wanting that the pain
goes away. It's like a contradiction: -
Not SyncedHow to embrace it without getting
caught in it, or holding it back. -
Not SyncedThe concrete question is: How can I see
when something that comes up -
Not Syncedneeds to be embraced, or I can just
let it go and focus on something else, -
Not Syncedor how can I see the point
where I'm holding it back? -
Not SyncedThis difference where I'm embracing it
or where I'm getting stuck on it. -
Not SyncedHow to let it go
without wanting to let go. -
Not SyncedI hope you understand it.
-
Not SyncedBr. Phap Huu: Thank you for your question.
-
Not SyncedI will share from my own experience
as a practitioner. -
Not SyncedFirst of all, we have to understand that
meditation is not to get rid of feelings. -
Not SyncedWe don't practice it to have a single
field of emotions that we feel is us. -
Not SyncedBut meditation, mindfulness,
is the ability to stop, -
Not Syncedto recognise what is happening,
what is present. -
Not SyncedName it. To identify it.
To call it by its name. -
Not SyncedAnd that is acceptance.
-
Not SyncedFor me, a good word that I use,
particularly with emotions -
Not Syncedand feelings that are very linked
to childhood experiences, -
Not Syncedis to befriend it.
To befriend that emotion, that feeling. -
Not SyncedWe can have a natural reaction, like
trying to get rid of it, or run from it. -
Not SyncedI've run away from particular
emotions for a very long time. -
Not SyncedLike you shared in your question,
it doesn't go away. -
Not SyncedThe word that we use
in our training is 'transformation'. -
Not SyncedWe can transform a seed, a feeling
that we have experienced -
Not Syncedinto another feeling.
-
Not SyncedInviting another feeling
to embrace and take care. -
Not SyncedMindfulness is an energy
that we can cultivate -
Not Syncedto befriend these emotions.
-
Not SyncedThe practice of our arriving
in every moment is the present moment. -
Not SyncedThe present moment
is the place where life truly is. -
Not SyncedWhere we can invite that emotion
to be present, to embrace it -
Not Syncedwith our present moment of who you are.
-
Not SyncedI can say that all of us have suffered.
-
Not SyncedSuffering is a noble truth.
We all can understand suffering. -
Not SyncedIt can make us relate to one another.
-
Not SyncedSuffering can also be a prison.
We can be attached to our suffering. -
Not SyncedAnd the suffering we tend to be
attached to might not be the feeling, -
Not Syncedbut it's the story.
-
Not SyncedEvery time that emotion, that feeling,
comes up, that story is recalled. -
Not SyncedOur practice is to identify the story.
Recognise the story, embrace it, -
Not Syncedbut have the mindfulness of this present
moment that I am not in that situation. -
Not SyncedI am a new me today.
-
Not SyncedThis new me has the ability to embrace.
-
Not SyncedTo recognise. And to tell the child
that was wounded inside: -
Not Synced"Yes, I have suffered,
I have experienced such pain. -
Not SyncedBut in this present moment, I have
other energies that I can cultivate." -
Not SyncedLove for oneself. Compassion.
Courage. Solidity. -
Not SyncedIn this present moment,
by embracing this pain, -
Not Syncedwe don't just get lost in this story.
-
Not SyncedIt's like when we've been slapped.
We're not being slapped again. -
Not SyncedBut this time we are aware of that pain
and we are telling ourselves -
Not Syncedthat in that moment,
I'm cultivating something new. -
Not SyncedSo you are healing the child.
You are transforming it -
Not Syncedto live, deeply, this present moment.
-
Not SyncedAnd this is the work of transformation
for the samsara, the cycle. -
Not SyncedTo have an opportunity to stop.
-
Not SyncedOn a personal note:
I've practised for more than 20 years. -
Not SyncedFear is a seed that is still
very present in me. -
Not SyncedIn particular situations, maybe if
I meet somebody who reminds me -
Not Syncedof someone who offered
a lot of pain to me, -
Not Syncedthat seed of fear gets watered.
-
Not SyncedBut now as a practitioner,
I'm not afraid. -
Not SyncedI can become aware of my body.
-
Not SyncedYour body will have reaction
to the fear that is channeled. -
Not SyncedThe first place of mindfulness
is the body. -
Not SyncedI come back, I recognise the fear.
-
Not SyncedI know exactly where
the reaction is coming from. -
Not SyncedI bring my mindfulness
to those body parts. -
Not SyncedI calm the nervous system
with mindful breathing, -
Not Syncedwith total relaxation.
And in this moment of recognition, -
Not SyncedI tell myself: "Phap Huu, don't be afraid.
You're much more than that emotion." -
Not SyncedYou have many other wonderful emotions.
-
Not SyncedI call up the other emotions.
I have confidence in my practice. -
Not SyncedI know how to breathe.
Nobody can take that away. -
Not SyncedI know how to be present.
-
Not SyncedI have learned to recognise
how to be myself. -
Not SyncedTo be with my loved ones.
-
Not SyncedI know how to do it.
-
Not SyncedMindfulness is also remembering.
Remembering how to. -
Not SyncedHow to be in the moment
where you can be solid. -
Not SyncedSo our practise of this present moment
-
Not Syncedis training to take care
and to heal the wounds. -
Not SyncedAs a mindfulness practitioner,
-
Not Syncedwe have to have the ability to know
when it's enough to be with suffering. -
Not SyncedWe can be very ambitious
as a practitioner. -
Not Synced"The monks, the nuns,
are telling me to recognise my suffering. -
Not SyncedOK, I see it. And now
I want to transform it all." -
Not SyncedDon't do that. It's a dark hole.
-
Not SyncedBe generous and patient with yourself.
-
Not SyncedFor us, the practise is a path
of transformation. It takes time. -
Not SyncedWe have to develop the joy and
the happiness in the present moment. -
Not SyncedTo also let the wounded child know
that you have the ability -
Not Syncedto live happily in this present moment.
-
Not SyncedThis doesn't mean
"to have something to be happy". -
Not SyncedBut in this moment, I am present.
I still have the ability to recognise -
Not Syncedthe simple joy, the wonderful
conditions that are there. -
Not SyncedRecognising pain is a happy condition.
-
Not SyncedKnowing what to do,
what not to do. -
Not SyncedI hope that helps. Thank you.
-
Not SyncedWoman: Can I say one more thing?
-
Not SyncedSo it's important not to identify
with the emotion, or with this thing. -
Not SyncedI understand it.
-
Not SyncedAnd to know that I can decide
when I look at it and when not. -
Not SyncedBecause it really was like you said.
I thought: "Let's look at it" for years. -
Not SyncedBr. Phap Huu: Yes and no.
-
Not SyncedTo not be caught and
just identify as one emotion. -
Not SyncedAs one past story.
-
Not SyncedBecause we are
a continuous stream of life. -
Not SyncedIf we are just caught in one story,
we'll become a victim of the story forever -
Not SyncedBut our practise is to identify:
"Yes, in this moment, I am angry." -
Not Synced"That is just one emotion, though."
-
Not SyncedIn this moment, I can invite
and invoke other energies. -
Not SyncedAnd therefore, you are
more than that emotion. -
Not SyncedI've done this myself: Feel very entangled
in an emotion, in a story. -
Not SyncedAnd I see myself as just that.
-
Not SyncedBut our mindfulness
of coming home to oneself, -
Not Syncedwe know we are much more than just that.
-
Not SyncedWe are a continuation of our ancestors.
-
Not SyncedWe are a continuation of this earth.
-
Not SyncedSometimes, I take refuge
in land ancestors. -
Not SyncedI am much more than just this suffering.
-
Not SyncedBut also to own our suffering,
and be responsible to transform it. -
Not Synced'Cause I've met people, sorry,
I'm going on a little bit long. -
Not SyncedI've met people who've become
very attached to their suffering. -
Not SyncedAnd that suffering
becomes a way to blame life. -
Not SyncedAnd using that as an excuse.
-
Not SyncedAnd our teacher shared with us
that we all have the right to suffer. -
Not SyncedBut it is our responsibility to
transform it. This is it. Thank you. -
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
-
Not SyncedPaolo: This matter about gardening
and nourishing our seeds. -
Not SyncedHelp me to understand and to cope,
I would say, with my inconsistency. -
Not SyncedHaving both grown, beautifully,
my seeds of generosity, and greed. -
Not SyncedOf welcoming, loving,
and of anger. -
Not SyncedDealing with this source of having both
parts, and experience in both parts. -
Not SyncedThis is one big topic I'm working on.
-
Not SyncedBut my question is about
gardening others' gardens. -
Not SyncedOf course, unwillingly, I also grew anger
and pain and sadness and distrust -
Not Syncedin people I love.
It's very convenient for me to say: -
Not Synced"Oh, I'm a new Paolo. I'm in the moment.
The past is the past, don't worry." -
Not SyncedIt's very convenient for me.
-
Not SyncedBut I understand that this is
not so easy for the other, -
Not Syncedbecause the pain is not mine.
-
Not SyncedWhat can I do about the pain
that I generated, over many years maybe, -
Not Syncedand how can I deal with it today?
-
Not SyncedBr. Troi Bao Tang: Dear Thay,
dear community, and dear friends. -
Not SyncedIt's true that our mind is like a garden.
-
Not SyncedWhen we go to the garden, we may find
beautiful plants that we love. -
Not SyncedFlowers, trees, et cetera.
-
Not SyncedBut we will also find grass,
and the plants we don't really like. -
Not SyncedBut they are all there. This is
one thing we first have to accept. -
Not SyncedThat everything is organic
and they are all there. -
Not SyncedAnd they all can be transformed, too.
-
Not SyncedThe place where the nettles grow,
if we want to change it into flowers, -
Not Syncedit's possible.
-
Not SyncedBut we can also allow the nettles
to be there and see the goodness of it. -
Not SyncedSo for me, for example, when I practise,
-
Not Syncedin the beginning I thought I could
take away all of the bad seeds in me. -
Not SyncedAnd to have no more bad seeds,
only good seeds. -
Not SyncedI imagined, if I practised, and one day
I would not have anger any more, -
Not Syncedit means I am emotionally handicapped.
-
Not SyncedAnd I don't want to be like that.
-
Not SyncedI want to feel alive.
-
Not SyncedBut to do that, I need to have
enough energy of mindfulness -
Not Syncedin the present moment,
to recognise that something is arising -
Not Syncedthat I don't appreciate.
-
Not SyncedSomething that can cause
suffering for myself and for others. -
Not SyncedSo that is why navigating
our action is very important. -
Not SyncedFirst, recognise what is happening in us,
and then we navigate our action. -
Not SyncedThe fourth mindfulness training
is very helpful to do that. -
Not SyncedWhen we recognise that
we are in a strong emotion, -
Not Syncedwe practise not to speak
and not to act, but instead, -
Not Syncedto recognise it and
practise with that seed. -
Not SyncedUntil you feel you have enough calm.
Then you can start to communicate. -
Not SyncedTonight we will learn more about that,
in the practise of loving speech. -
Not SyncedSo let's say we have done a thing
that caused suffering in the past -
Not Syncedand it has become a burden for us.
Maybe it makes us feel guilty. -
Not SyncedIt makes us feel like we have
to take the responsibility for that. -
Not SyncedSo in the practise,
feeling regret is very healthy. -
Not SyncedIt is not good,
it is not bad to feel regret. -
Not SyncedBut that regret, if it has grown
into a burden for our mind, -
Not Syncedthen it is not very good,
then it is not healthy for us. -
Not SyncedSo one thing we can practise is
to change the direction of our guilt -
Not Syncedinto an aspiration.
Into the aspiration of practising. -
Not SyncedSo let's say, I get triggered and I cannot
stop myself from saying something. -
Not SyncedTo make people feel pain, for example.
-
Not SyncedIf one time I feel
I'm not doing it successfully, -
Not SyncedI know that I can do it better next time.
-
Not SyncedAnd I need to make a real effort
to do better the next time. -
Not SyncedUntil I'm able to stop my speech,
that is already good enough. -
Not SyncedBecause if we are not able
to save the people in the past, -
Not Syncedwe can still save the people
in the present moment. -
Not SyncedAnd we can save the people in the future.
-
Not SyncedBut this moment is very crucial
to cultivate that aspiration to -
Not Syncedpractise and embrace that.
And to not be afraid of it. -
Not SyncedSo, when we practise like that,
we also have self-compassion, -
Not Syncedthat we have a weakness inside,
that we can still embrace. -
Not SyncedWhen you are able to be present
for your loved ones, -
Not Syncedthat is already good enough
to transform the past. -
Not SyncedWe are made people suffer
in the past unconsciously, -
Not Syncedbecause we didn't have enough
energy of mindfulness at the time. -
Not SyncedBy generating energy of mindfulness
and aspiration to do it better, -
Not Syncedwe can do it now.
-
Not SyncedIn our practise, we have a lot of methods,
we call them dharma doors, -
Not Syncedlike touching of the earth, cultivating
joy and happiness in the present moment, -
Not Syncedthat will help us to be more attentive.
-
Not SyncedIn the practise, we should
not be afraid of failure. -
Not SyncedThere's no failure actually.
We just need to exercise and to practise. -
Not SyncedThank you for the question.
-
Not SyncedBr. Phap Huu: Can I add one thing?
-
Not SyncedIf we have hurt another garden,
very simple, but very difficult: -
Not SyncedApologise.
-
Not SyncedSay "I'm sorry."
-
Not SyncedAnd why is it so difficult,
even for us practitioners? -
Not SyncedBecause we think we're right.
-
Not SyncedAnd I share this from my own
experience of living in this community. -
Not SyncedWe work with brothers and sisters
365 days. We smile a lot, -
Not Syncedbut we also get angry at each other.
-
Not SyncedAnd even in our greatest intention
of doing things for "the greater good", -
Not Syncedwe will still make each other suffer.
-
Not SyncedAnd my biggest growth as an individual
is learning to say sorry. -
Not SyncedWithout explaining.
-
Not SyncedEvery time I've made someone suffer
in the past, I had a reason to do so. -
Not SyncedWe all do this.
-
Not SyncedOur practise of the present moment,
now I've learned, when somebody expresses -
Not Syncedtheir pain and hurt to me,
of what I've done to them, -
Not Syncedmy mind will go into the garden right away
and say: "Yes but, I gave you good manure, -
Not Syncednow you're a better person," and you find
every reason to justify your action. -
Not SyncedAnd I've learned that
that doesn't do me any good. -
Not SyncedIt only feeds my own ego. It only
makes the other person hate me more -
Not Syncedbecause I don't listen.
-
Not SyncedAnd the biggest support and practise
in that moment is to bow and to say: -
Not Synced"I'm so sorry I made you suffer."
-
Not SyncedBecause what is real is that
that person is suffering. That is real. -
Not SyncedThat, for me, is what
I have learned to accept. -
Not SyncedAnd our practise is
to help remove the knot. -
Not SyncedAnd we will hear the practise
of beginning anew this afternoon. -
Not SyncedBut this is the biggest practise
of taking care of one's garden -
Not Syncedand of each other's garden:
Beginning anew. -
Not SyncedTo recognise the pain that we have
offered, even from a good intention. -
Not SyncedBut your action has made
that person suffer. -
Not SyncedAnd just to accept,
you accept the suffering. -
Not SyncedMaybe, in my critical mind, there's
still a part of me: "I had to say that." -
Not Synced"I had to do that."
But that's not important. -
Not SyncedThat's already in the past.
-
Not SyncedThe present is: "You suffer. It was
my words. It was my choice of action. -
Not SyncedI will learn from this.
I will reflect on these actions." -
Not SyncedAnd in this way, you offer
the other garden understanding. -
Not SyncedBecause when someone suffers,
what they want the most, -
Not Syncedin my understanding, is to be heard,
to be seen, and to be accepted. -
Not SyncedIf we're too proud of our garden,
then we are not supporting and helping. -
Not SyncedWe're just showing off.
-
Not SyncedAs a practitioner, there are moments
to come back to humility, -
Not Syncedto be humble, so that we know
we're not always right. -
Not SyncedAnd we still have compost
that we need to take care of. -
Not SyncedThat, for me, is bruising,
it's painful, -
Not Syncedbut it gives us an opportunity
to continue to grow. -
Not SyncedThat is the wisdom of nature.
-
Not SyncedThat it's always growing.
It's learning from its mistakes. -
Not SyncedAnd the garden continues
to bloom it its four seasons. -
Not SyncedThank you.
-
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
-
Not SyncedWoman: I have more of a kid's question.
-
Not SyncedIt's a little bit concerning the saying:
A cloud never dies. -
Not SyncedSometimes we have conversations with
children about death and reincarnation. -
Not SyncedMy son often says:
I don't like this reincarnation, -
Not Syncedbecause you won't be my mother in
another life, and my dad won't be my dad. -
Not SyncedIt's difficult to have answers. Here,
we really feel that the body never dies, -
Not Syncedkind of like composting.
And reincarnation really talks to me. -
Not SyncedAlso the heritage of our ancestors
and the lineage. It's all a bit blurry. -
Not SyncedI thought that maybe
you could be clearer. -
Not SyncedBr. Phap Linh: I'll see
if I can summarise the question -
Not Syncedto make sure we understood.
-
Not SyncedThere's two types of teaching
on continuation, reincarnation, rebirth. -
Not SyncedIn one type, it seems to be that there is
something like a soul, or a person, -
Not Syncedthat gets reincarnated. And
that person has a kind of continuity. -
Not SyncedAlthough the relationships might change.
-
Not SyncedBut it's that person that
then appears in another body. -
Not SyncedAnd then according to Thay's teaching,
it's something more blurry. -
Not SyncedWe don't see ourselves exactly
as a separate entity or person -
Not Syncedthat gets reincarnated, because
we are already all of our ancestors -
Not Syncedand all of our descendants.
-
Not SyncedAnd we are the whole cosmos.
-
Not SyncedSo who dies, and who is reborn?
-
Not SyncedCould it be more clear?
-
Not Synced[laughter]
-
Not SyncedI think it's quite clear.
-
Not SyncedThere's a part of us that still
doesn't quite trust or believe -
Not Syncedthat we are already each other.
That we are already the earth, -
Not Syncedthe stars, the entire cosmos.
The past, the future. -
Not Synced"Yeah, OK, I guess, intellectually, I
kind of understand this interconnection. -
Not SyncedBut why is it that I feel things
that you don't feel? -
Not SyncedOr I see things from a point of view
and you have a different point of view." -
Not SyncedWe are different.
-
Not SyncedWe do seem to be different.
-
Not SyncedWe seem to have our personalities
and characteristics. We're not identical. -
Not SyncedAnd yet we are, each of us,
manifestations of the whole. -
Not SyncedIt's very strange.
-
Not SyncedIt's OK for it to be strange.
-
Not SyncedOf course there's a part of us
that would like it to be clear. -
Not SyncedSort of explainable. Simple.
-
Not SyncedBut I think that would be more boring.
-
Not SyncedSo I like to kind of rest in the mystery.
-
Not SyncedI acknowledge the part of me
that wants to know. -
Not SyncedBut I also see its limitations.
-
Not SyncedThat part of me that wants
to grasp and explain, in words: -
Not Synced"It's like this, and then it's like that",
make a nice picture, -
Not SyncedI go: "Hello! I see you. You can rest.
Take a break. This is another part of us." -
Not SyncedIt doesn't need to resolve it.
It can dwell peacefully in the mystery. -
Not SyncedMy experience of it is that it's
a much more alive place to be. -
Not SyncedI think it's beautiful that
at the heart of reality, -
Not Syncedat the heart of the present moment,
at the heart of life, of us, -
Not Syncedthere is something that cannot be grasped.
-
Not SyncedThat cannot be explained.
-
Not SyncedI prefer it like that.
-
Not SyncedNo?
-
Not SyncedIt's so much more fun.
-
Not SyncedIf it was all explainable, you could just
write it down and you'd be done. -
Not Synced"OK, now we know.
What else should we do?" -
Not SyncedIt's kinda boring.
-
Not SyncedFor me, a part of the practise is
to recognise the part of me -
Not Syncedthat wants to know in that kind of way.
It doesn't mean that we can't know. -
Not SyncedIt's just another kind of knowing.
-
Not SyncedWe do know. We already know
that it's a different kind of knowing. -
Not SyncedIt's a knowing that
can't be said in words. -
Not SyncedIt can't be grasped.
-
Not SyncedBut it can be experienced.
-
Not SyncedSometimes it's a little glimmer,
a little flash of that knowing. -
Not SyncedYou feel it. You feel connected.
-
Not SyncedYou feel at peace.
-
Not SyncedI think that is something
that we can settle into. -
Not SyncedAnd there's words that can take us there.
-
Not SyncedTo some extent or another.
-
Not SyncedEven stories, or poems.
-
Not SyncedWhy do we sit here, talking,
if it can't be said? -
Not SyncedWhy did Thay give so many talks,
thousands of talks. He kept talking -
Not Syncedabout something that can't be said.
-
Not SyncedBecause if he did that and we continue
to do that, it's not completely useless. -
Not SyncedI observe what we're doing here now
and I find it very beautiful. -
Not SyncedThat we're sitting here and
not looking at our phones -
Not Syncedand not distracting ourselves
on our phones. -
Not SyncedWe're sitting here and
there's something happening -
Not Syncedto all of us by the fact
of sitting here together. -
Not SyncedIt's a bit hard to grasp
what exactly is going on. -
Not SyncedWhat are we doing? It might
not be exactly what we think. -
Not SyncedBut I think the fact that
we are sitting here -
Not Syncedand maybe all of us, or most of us,
are aware of our breathing, -
Not Syncedaware of the sensations in our body,
maybe noticing some discomfort -
Not Syncedin the present moment
and accepting it, -
Not Syncedthat's a kind of awakening for me.
It's a kind of rebirth. -
Not SyncedMy ancestors didn't do this
50 years ago. A 100 years ago. -
Not Synced150 years ago. They didn't
have a way to do this. -
Not SyncedTo sit together in a room
to cultivate stillness, -
Not Syncedto cultivate awareness of their bodies,
of their feelings, thoughts ... -
Not SyncedBut now we are doing that.
-
Not SyncedThanks to one man, Thay,
he was exiled, he lived in the West, -
Not Syncedand he saw that maybe
there was something -
Not Syncedthat we needed
to cultivate a little bit more. -
Not SyncedAnd so that stream of wisdom and practise
joined all of our streams of lineage, -
Not Syncedof culture, education, transmission,
inheritance, suffering and happiness. -
Not SyncedSo something is being awakened.
Somebody is being reborn. -
Not SyncedBut I don't know if it doesn't
belong to any of us individually. -
Not SyncedWe're all changing, together.
-
Not SyncedWe're all transforming together.
-
Not SyncedAnd I can't say that I understand it.
-
Not SyncedOr that I can know it exactly.
-
Not SyncedBut I can feel that it's important.
-
Not SyncedAnd I can talk to my ancestors.
-
Not SyncedI ask them how they would
like to continue. -
Not SyncedWhat direction they would like to go in.
-
Not SyncedAlmost all of them. Not quite all of them,
some of them are still negotiating, -
Not Syncedbut pretty much all of them
are very, very happy to be here. -
Not SyncedTo live like this.
To do these things together. -
Not SyncedIt would be kind of sad if they had
to just continue to be themselves. -
Not SyncedSo the change and the fact that
we inter-are is an amazing thing. -
Not SyncedIt's a wonderful thing.
It's what liberates us. -
Not SyncedWe don't have to keep continuing the
same patterns of suffering, of confusion. -
Not SyncedWe can also get beyond the stories of
who we were and the pains we experienced. -
Not SyncedWe can start to soften that and
let that go a little bit and experience -
Not Syncedwhat it might be to live as a community.
To live as the world. As forests. Clouds. -
Not SyncedOf course there's still a part of us
which seems to be very concerned -
Not Syncedwith what happens to this body,
these feelings, these thoughts. -
Not SyncedBut from time to time we get to experience
something that stretches us a little bit, -
Not Syncedthat goes beyond the immediate concern
for this part of the whole. -
Not SyncedAnd I find that interesting.
I find it kinda healthy. -
Not SyncedI'm still gonna do my best
to take care of this bit. -
Not SyncedBut I like to practise daily stretching
the envelope of what I think I am. -
Not SyncedI find it changes my view
in interesting ways. -
Not SyncedIt changes my priorities
in interesting ways. -
Not SyncedWhat if I'm actually also the forest?
What does the forest think? -
Not SyncedWhat does it need, what does it feel?
Can I feel what it feels? -
Not SyncedAm I already feeling what it feels?
-
Not SyncedIs something that I'm feeling actually
not to do with what I think it is, -
Not Syncedbut it's actually a manifestation
of the feelings of the earth, -
Not SyncedI just misidentified it?
-
Not SyncedI find that very interesting.
To experiment with my boundaries. -
Not SyncedLet them be more flexible.
-
Not SyncedAnd I think Thay showed us that
again and again and again. -
Not SyncedOf course he had his body
and his feelings and his thoughts. -
Not SyncedPersonality. One that we loved.
-
Not SyncedBut I could feel many times that he
wasn't as concerned about just this part, -
Not Syncedthe body, as you might think.
-
Not SyncedHe wasn't afraid.
-
Not SyncedHe would sometimes make this gesture.
-
Not Synced"Don't get attached to the body, to the form;
-
Not SyncedThay is the tiniest part of what I am."
-
Not SyncedSo even if our personality
gets reincarnated somehow, -
Not Syncedinto another body, it's OK.
But that's not all we are. -
Not SyncedIt's a very small part of who we are.
-
Not SyncedSo maybe it doesn't matter
as much as we think. -
Not SyncedWhat happens to the little
of reality that we identify with as self. -
Not SyncedIn the many ways that we can apply
the practise that Thay has offered us, -
Not Syncedto experiment with being more flexible
with what it is that we think we are, -
Not Syncedlike right now we can sit here and think
of our own individual needs and wants. -
Not SyncedThere's probably things that we want.
-
Not SyncedWe'd like to feel better. Less
uncomfortable. Happier. More peaceful. -
Not SyncedThere's things pulling at us inside.
-
Not SyncedBut it's also possible to look around
to sort of feel into the space of the room -
Not Syncedand to feel: "Oh, there's something really
interesting happening here. -
Not SyncedWhy have a couple of hundred people
chosen to spend their Thursday morning -
Not Syncedsitting still and listening deeply
to each other and to themselves? -
Not SyncedI wonder what's happening."
-
Not SyncedIt's a very strange thing. I don't know
in how many parts of the world -
Not Syncedthis is happening right now.
In how many places is this going on? -
Not SyncedNot many. I find it really interesting.
-
Not SyncedThere is something happening
which we are a part of, -
Not Syncedbut that we're not exactly doing.
-
Not SyncedWe get focused a lot on "What is it
that I'm doing, my choices?" -
Not SyncedBut there's so much of our life
that is not doing. -
Not SyncedWe are co-being. Co-manifesting.
-
Not SyncedSo. I don't think it's any clearer.
-
Not SyncedBut I think it's also OK.
-
Not SyncedBr. Phap Huu: Dear community.
I think we have to end -
Not Syncedbecause we don't want to
overtake our joyful and lazy day. -
Not SyncedThere's just one part I want to share.
It's the "Sorry" part -
Not Syncedwhich was the first
action of recognising suffering. -
Not SyncedBut if there is some misunderstanding
about the situation, there's always -
Not Synceda time and space to clarify,
to come back and to resolve any conflict -
Not Syncedthat has been established.
It's not just "I'm sorry", and that's it. -
Not SyncedIf there is wrong perception,
when we are talking about the garden, -
Not Syncedif there is real wrong perception,
and there is miscommunication, -
Not Syncedthe practise is to find a time and space
to communicate and resolve, -
Not Syncedso that the relationship
can be re-established. -
Not SyncedNormally, when somebody
is sharing their suffering, -
Not Syncedit's just very easy to get very defensive.
-
Not SyncedThat defensiveness blocks
the heart to connect. -
Not SyncedWe have to be very mindful of
our judgment and our righteousness. -
Not SyncedThen we create space in order to resolve.
-
Not SyncedThank you.
-
Not SyncedThank you, dear friends, for being present.
-
Not SyncedFor listening with open hearts.
-
Not SyncedLet us listen to three
sounds of the bell together. -
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
-
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
-
Not Synced[sound of the bell]
- Title:
- Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session
- Description:
-
This session was recorded during our first week of the Plum Village Summer Opening retreat in July 2023.
Thumbnail photo credit ©Jerome Cabeen -- jeromecabeenphotography.com
Please participate in supporting Thich Nhat Hanh’s community and legacy at: https://plumvillage.org/support
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- Video Language:
- English
- Duration:
- 01:16:22
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for Direction, Aspiration, and Obstacles on the Path | A Monastic Q&A Session |