I was listening to a few talks today, of this Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced Tic Naat Haan), a Buddhist Monk who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. He talks of mindful meditation and being passionately present in the moment. With mindfulness and concentration, he says we can be happy by surrendering to suffering, understand the suffering and converting it to an energy of compassion. Under suffering he puts all the feelings of fear, anger, despair, pain and such. First compassion for oneself and then how the compassion can get extended to the external world.
He talks in the context of everything as in Inter-being, everything existing as part of the whole, the Buddhist version of Tat Tvam Asi. I am that. Interbeing points to the the absence of a separate self identity and thus to the interconnectedness, interdependence, and interpenetration of all beings, which realization enables a connect with life, with others, with all of creation. Again, talks of how it's necessary to love oneself, how if you cannot love and be nice to yourself, you cannot give love and compassion to another.
An interesting concept he talks about is also the interconnectedness and interdependence of suffering and happiness. He says there cannot be one without the other, and how happiness being sustained is a continuing process. He's like, you think Buddha didn't have headaches? or he didn't get rheumatism? He did....Happiness has a tendency to move into suffering. But its about how large your heart can get, and how much compassion you can build into it. And that's the effort that enables you to hold it and spread it to wherever there is suffering.
Another thing that caught my attention was how compassion is an energy that is created and needs nourishment to grow and if one is caught in a situation that has a lot of energy drain, like a chronic illness or other difficulties, a collective energy nourishment and restoration is needed, like from the sangha or community, and that helps reconnect.
On a more practical plane, he speaks of 4 seemingly simple truths to resolve any issue, macro or micro, issues between countries, communities, war, terrorism or between individuals, relationships between father and son, boss and employee, husband and wife or best friends.
He talks in the context of everything as in Inter-being, everything existing as part of the whole, the Buddhist version of Tat Tvam Asi. I am that. Interbeing points to the the absence of a separate self identity and thus to the interconnectedness, interdependence, and interpenetration of all beings, which realization enables a connect with life, with others, with all of creation. Again, talks of how it's necessary to love oneself, how if you cannot love and be nice to yourself, you cannot give love and compassion to another.
An interesting concept he talks about is also the interconnectedness and interdependence of suffering and happiness. He says there cannot be one without the other, and how happiness being sustained is a continuing process. He's like, you think Buddha didn't have headaches? or he didn't get rheumatism? He did....Happiness has a tendency to move into suffering. But its about how large your heart can get, and how much compassion you can build into it. And that's the effort that enables you to hold it and spread it to wherever there is suffering.
Another thing that caught my attention was how compassion is an energy that is created and needs nourishment to grow and if one is caught in a situation that has a lot of energy drain, like a chronic illness or other difficulties, a collective energy nourishment and restoration is needed, like from the sangha or community, and that helps reconnect.
On a more practical plane, he speaks of 4 seemingly simple truths to resolve any issue, macro or micro, issues between countries, communities, war, terrorism or between individuals, relationships between father and son, boss and employee, husband and wife or best friends.
1. I am there for you
2. I know you are there for me
3. I know you suffer, and need help, I am there for you
4. I suffer, and I’m trying my best, I need help
This viewed in the context of interconnectedness and interdependence, takes on a whole different significance. And practiced, creates love that can start within and then grow, in a relationship and beyond, to embrace the whole world.
Inter dependence based on love and only love will dissolve all hatred and create a pure synergy of faith trust peace.Earth will be a wonderful planet then. Hopes should not flounder
ReplyDeleteLet's keep faith.
Yes, yes and yes. Just reading your comment gave me another surge of faith.Thanks for that.
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