Brothers and sisters, the Dharmic stupa marks where the Buddha shared his first teaching on the Four Noble Truths, emphasizing suffering (dukkha) as the first truth. Suffering encompasses birth, aging, illness, death, unfulfilled desires, separation from loved ones, and clinging to the self. Understanding suffering reveals its origins (samudaya) and leads to its absence (nirodha), bringing joy. Buddhism offers paths to end suffering (Magha). Buddha taught impermanence and non-self, highlighting suffering arises from ignorance. Practicing joy (mudita) and embracing loving kindness, compassion, and equanimity (the Brahma-viharas) leads to enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes joy and correcting misunderstandings, highlighting the importance of bhikkhunis. Understanding Buddha’s teachings brings peace and joy, avoiding dogmatic practices.

Walking meditation is just walking, not thinking of arrival. Each step should be able to bring us happiness right now and here. We do not need to arrive at the place in order to be happy. Do not consider the walking as a means in order to arrive anywhere, or you sacrifice the walking itself. “There is no way to peace, peace is the way.” Therefore, the place we want to arrive is the very step itself. The secret is to enjoy each step.

The means are also the end. “There is no way to happiness; happiness is the way.” “There is no way to enlightenment; enlightenment is the way.” By making each mindful step, we realize enlightenment right here and now. The final destination is the cemetery, the direction of death. We want to go in the direction of life, which is the present moment, because life is contained only in the present moment.

Walking slowly helps us to realize the way of practice. We walk very slowly, and each half an hour, we will sit down, smile and breathe, and exchange happiness. There will be no talking, just breathing. As soon as we stand up and make steps, there will be no talking. There will only be smiling and breathing.

Dawn Expedition on Ganges River at Varanasi:

The city derives its name, Varanasi, from its location between the two rivers of Varuna and Assi. Historically, it was known as Kashi, the City of Light, and prior to that as Anandavan, the Forest of Bliss, where seekers came to discuss their truth and path to God. As a central pilgrimage point, over a hundred and fifty thousand pilgrims visit daily, fulfilling the tradition of visiting at least once in a lifetime.

It is considered very holy to die in this place, where homes house the dying and invalids attended by priests. At the Main Ghat and Manikarnika, cremation rituals occur alongside the activity of priests performing penance. In the presence of the burning ghats and the commerce of postcards and photos, the message is heard: Buddha is you.

Apple Juice Meditation with Children at Auruvella Village, India. Instructions are provided for the children to join their palms to offer thanks before receiving a box, a sweet, and a biscuit. They are asked to wait to eat and drink until everyone is ready so that all may partake together.

The practice of peace begins with the practitioner, dissolving the distinction between inside and outside. Meditation is the practice of mindfulness, living with awareness to unite body and mind. The Sutra on the Awareness of Breathing offers sixteen ways of breathing to realize peace. Conscious breathing recuperates the person, bringing body and mind into perfect oneness. When the bell sounds, it is an invitation to stop thinking and return to the true self, listening to the sound as the voice of the Buddha. Thinking can be an obstacle to encountering reality; true encounter requires stopping the thinking to see the marvelous reality of the present.

Five specific breathing exercises are detailed to cultivate this awareness:

1. In, Out: Recognizing the in-breath as in-breath and out-breath as out-breath to stop thinking and enter direct contact with life.
2. Deep, Slow: Breathing deeply to nourish every cell and slowing down to enjoy the breath, creating harmony in body and mind.
3. Calm, Ease: Calming the functions of the body and feeling light and at ease.
4. Smile, Release: Smiling to release tension in the facial muscles and letting go of pain and discomfort.
5. Present Moment, Wonderful Moment: Used during walking meditation to establish oneself in the here and now, the only moment where life and enlightenment are found.

Mindfulness extends to daily activities like eating, where one sees the sunshine, clouds, and soil within a piece of bread. Addressing the suffering of begging children requires transforming personal pain into intelligent compassion, rather than simply giving money which may perpetuate a cycle of begging. Peace involves harmony and non-duality; good and evil are of the same reality. Just as a flower is made of non-flower elements like garbage, enlightenment is made of non-enlightenment elements. Anger should not be rejected or vented through pillow pounding, but embraced with mindfulness, allowing understanding to penetrate its roots like sunshine opening a lotus. Finally, Telephone Meditation utilizes the telephone ring as a bell of mindfulness to breathe and smile before answering, ensuring words are as beautiful as gems.

The Bodhi tree is an ancestor that has absorbed the element of enlightenment, no longer seeing birth and death. While some may project sadness onto the tree regarding the day of Parinirvana, it remains joyful, having attained enlightenment with the Buddha. Sitting under its shade, the present moment is realized as the best moment through breathing and smiling. It was here that the Buddha discovered the truth of dependent co-arising. Prior to this, attempts to liberate a “self” independent of conditions through austerity, self-mortification, or concentrating on limitless space, boundless consciousness, and the sphere of nothingness had failed.

Abandoning the fear of happiness and the suppression of the body, Siddhartha accepted the pleasant feeling of a cool breeze and the nourishment of food. Enlightenment is not attained by running away from the five skandhas, but by looking deeply into the nature of form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. Through this deep observation, the truth of non-self is revealed; a Bodhi leaf cannot exist alone but is made of sunshine, clouds, and earth. Reality is defined by the principle: “This is because that is. This is not because that is not. This is born because that is born. This is destroyed because that is destroyed.”

This insight unfolds into the teachings of emptiness, meaning things rely on others to exist; impermanence, which is the transformation of things; non-self; and non-duality, where the flower and the garbage are seen as relying on one another. Finally, the teaching of non-attainment reveals that there is nothing to obtain, as everything is already present. Buddha nature is the capacity to wake up to these truths within oneself. The appointment with peace and enlightenment is found only by accepting things as they are in the here and now.

The birth of Siddhartha Gautama is a collective realization, an event in which all of humanity participated. Rather than viewing the Buddha as a permanent self traveling through time, his presence is understood through the light of nonself, where being is a constant movement of input and output with the cosmos. We deserve a Buddha in the present moment, who exists in our hearts as the capacity to remain calm and lucid, much like a single person who inspires confidence on a boat of refugees during a storm. We must be attentive to recognize this presence, which may not appear with a halo or robes, but as a brother we have lost.

The narrative examines the life of the Prince, emphasizing his reality as a human being rather than a god, noting that legends like the seven steps and lotus flowers betray his human nature. His upbringing included learning the Vedas and the three basic principles of the Brahmanical doctrine:

1. The sacred texts are revealed only to Brahman priests.
2. Brahma is the highest being ruling the cosmos and the base of everything that is.
3. Ritual chanting and recitation possess the power to modify the situation of the universe.

At age nine, during a plowing ceremony, he entered meditation for the first time after witnessing the suffering of an earthworm and the reality of living beings eating one another, realizing that ritual chanting could not relieve this suffering. Disillusionment with political power and the inability to help others while bound by personal anger and ambition led to the decision to leave home. Following the birth of his son Rahula, Yasodhara experienced three dreams predicting his departure:

1. The city’s beautiful white cow escaping and refusing to return.
2. The flag pole on the Sumeru Mountain breaking in the wind amidst falling celestial flowers.
3. Waking to find Siddhartha missing and his ornaments turning into dust and a snake.

The account concludes with Siddhartha leaving the palace, cutting his hair at the Anoma River, and exchanging his royal garments for the robe of a hunter to enter the forest as a monk.

The true revolution involves reorganizing daily life to care for the immediate needs of the suffering, represented by the child Babita, rather than neglecting the present for a future political victory. A simple life offers more time for oneself and others, contrasting with the stress and unhappiness often found in materialistically wealthy societies. Two main ideas are proposed for consideration: first, that the Buddha was a human being, not a god, meaning every person, regardless of caste or gender, has the capacity for understanding and compassion; and second, that happiness does not depend on material possessions. The story of the monk Bhaddiya illustrates that a life free from the anxiety of wealth and power allows for true joy and the freedom to serve others.

Effective social work requires education, such as family planning, and genuine action rather than superficial appearances or elaborate receptions. Trusting young people is essential, as demonstrated by the School of Youth for Social Service in Vietnam. During the war, young social workers used mindfulness and non-violent symbols to evacuate civilians from battle zones. In one instance, a young monk successfully negotiated the removal of anti-aircraft guns from a campus to prevent bombing. Mindfulness and conscious breathing are vital tools in dangerous situations, exemplified by an encounter with an armed American soldier where maintaining a peaceful presence and overcoming fear prevented violence.

Walking meditation is practiced not to arrive, but to find peace in every step. Regarding tourism in India, it is advised to show affection to begging children without giving money, which can encourage hardship, and instead support organized social work. A local social worker details specific challenges in the Dapodi slums, including resistance to vaccination, the need for pre-primary education, and difficulties in securing government grants for hostels and women’s employment programs. The practice of Dharma provides the strength and clarity needed to navigate these difficulties and determine right action.

Buddhahood is inherent in everyone, including those in untouchable circles like Sunita, who makes great progress and is respected by monks and lay people. The notion of caste is created by man, but a human being has the capacity of waking up. Prakriti, of the Matanga family, falls in love with the Venerable Ananda. The Buddha teaches her that true love is not possession, which would destroy Ananda, but rather supporting his holy life to help everyone. She becomes a disciple under Bhikkhuni Khema, a former queen who transformed her pride into practice.

Attempts to discredit the Buddha include Miss Cinca, who feigns pregnancy before the assembly, and the murder of the nun Sundari, used to frame the Sangha. The True Dharma is proclaimed like a lion’s roar, waking people who consider the impermanent as permanent and suffering as joy. It is free from four kinds of traps:

1. Sensual pleasures.
2. The trap of knowledge, which acts as a prison preventing higher understanding.
3. Ritual performances.
4. The concept of Atman.

Dependent co-arising is the essence of reality. Sariputra, falsely accused of pushing a monk, compares his practice to earth, water, and fire—elements that neutralize clean and dirty things without pride or resentment—and likens himself to a poor child with nothing to be proud of. The fierce killer Angulimala chases the Buddha, who states that he has stopped all evil actions while Angulimala has not. Angulimala vows to protect life, ordains as the monk Ahimsaka, and transforms totally. He later uses the truth of his rebirth into the Dharma to assist a woman in difficult labor.

On the mountain Gayasisa, known as the Elephant Head Mountain, the Buddha delivered the Fire Sermon to one thousand monks who were former disciples of the three Kassapa brothers. This location later became the site where Devadatta attempted to split the community by leading five hundred monks away to establish an independent Sangha, though Sariputra and Moggallana eventually brought them back. Fulfilling a promise made to King Bimbisara prior to his enlightenment, the Buddha traveled to Rajgir. The King, impressed by the congregation, offered a meal at his palace and subsequently presented the Venuvana, the Bamboo Grove, to the community. This became the first Buddhist monastery, where the tradition of the rain retreat was established to prevent monks from stepping on tiny animals during the wet season.

Sariputra and Moggallana, originally disciples of the skeptic Sanjaya Belatthiputta, sought a true teacher. Upon seeing the monk Assaji walking with peace and joy, Sariputra asked for the essence of the Dharma. Assaji recited a gatha stating that things come to be because of conditions and cease to be because of conditions. This insight brought the vision of the Dharma to Sariputra and Moggallana, leading them to join the Buddha. Later, Sariputra’s uncle, Dighanakha, visited the Bamboo Grove claiming to hold no views. The Buddha taught him that views should not be held as absolute truth, using the analogies of a finger pointing to the moon and a raft used to cross to the other shore. Hearing this discourse on non-attachment to concepts and the nature of dependent origination, Sariputra attained full enlightenment.

The physician Jivaka and the singer Ambapali also visited the Bamboo Grove, with Jivaka providing guidance on hygiene such as using water filters. In response to questions, the nature of beauty is described as dependent on the five skandhas: form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. True beauty is defined as the freedom acquired after enlightenment. The discussion touches upon the earth-touching mudra, Bhumisparsha, used when the Buddha called the earth to witness his practice against Mara. The Jataka stories are affirmed as scientifically valid regarding the continuity of life forms, and the example of Anathapindika, a merchant known for helping the destitute, serves as an inspiration for charity and looking deeply at the suffering of children.

Meditation takes many forms beyond sitting, including washing, cooking, and breathing, performed in mindfulness to observe feelings and perceptions deeply. While sitting under the Bodhi Tree, the history of the Buddha is recalled, from his time practicing self-mortification at Dungeshwari mountain to his realization that mindfulness is the essence of Buddhist practice. This essence is central to the Seven Factors of Enlightenment and the Noble Path of the Eight Correct Practices, Bat Chanh Dao. The Path of Eight Correct Practices was the subject of the Buddha’s first Dharma talk at Deer Park and his final instruction to Subhadda before attaining Mahaparinirvana.

The Path of Eight Correct Practices consists of:

1. Correct View: Both a fruit and a cause of practice, it requires the absence of five wrong views: believing the body is the self (Than kien); oblique views of reality as permanent or dualistic (Bien kien); attachment to views as absolute truth (Kien thu kien), illustrated by the story of the father holding a bag of ash; and believing that rituals or taboos bring enlightenment (Gioi cam thu kien).
2. Correct Thinking: Useful when expressing direct experience of life rather than metaphysical speculation.
3. Right Speech: Builds mutual understanding and avoids four categories of wrong speech: not telling the truth (vọng ngữ); exaggeration; using “two tongues” (lưỡng thiệt) to please different people; and using gross words or swearing (Chửi bới).
4. Correct Action: Karma is realized through the body, speech, and thinking, encompassing both action as a cause (Karma-hetu) and action as a fruit (Karma-phala).
5. Right Livelihood: Illustrated by the monk (bhikshu) begging for food with three purposes: to cultivate humility, to practice equanimity and impartiality, and to share the Dharma through thân giáo (teaching by body/action).
6. Right Energy: Using energy regularly rather than exhausting oneself in short bursts, practicing for joy and peace in the present and future.
7. Right Mindfulness: Living daily life mindfully in the present moment, contrasted with wrong mindfulness which focuses on a distant future or deity.
8. Right Concentration: Confronting reality and suffering rather than escaping into the four formless absorptions: limitless space, limitless consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.

These eight branches are linked, where victory in one influences the others. The teaching is at the core of the Buddha’s Dharma, specifically rooted in the Satipatthana Sutta, the sutra on the four foundations of mindfulness. This manual is essential for practice, memorization, and consultation throughout life and at the moment of death.

The physical body is not important; the body of the teaching, the Dharmakaya, remains. The Buddha cannot be found in form, or rupa, nor in sound, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, or consciousness. Just as a leaf cannot be separated from non-leaf elements like sunshine and clouds, the Buddha cannot be put in a frame. Regarding whether the Buddha continues after passing away, four categories of answers are proposed: yes, he continues to be; no, he will not continue to be; he both continues and doesn’t continue; and he neither continues nor does not continue. None of these correspond to reality. Reality in itself is Tathata, Suchness. The Buddha is the Tathagata, he who comes from Suchness and goes to Suchness, dwelling always in reality and free from birth and death.

Sudatta Anathapindika, a wealthy layperson, is guided on his deathbed by Sariputra to practice that the eye is not me, the nose is not me, the tongue is not me, the ear is not me, and the body is not me. He contemplates that form is not me, sound is not me, taste is not me, and that eye consciousness and nose consciousness are not me. He sees he is not conditioned by form, sound, or taste, nor by birth and death. Similarly, the monk Vakkali is taught that he who sees the Dharma sees the Buddha. Vakkali confirms he knows that form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent, and that he is free from all these five skandhas.

Birth and death are two aspects of the same thing, happening every moment. Visakha, who desired many descendants, learns that if she had as many children and grandchildren as people in Sravasti, she would mourn ten, nine, or seven people every day. In the body, cells die every minute, yet they accept the passing of fellow cells calmly to help with the birth of new cells. Death is the condition of birth. Elders in Vietnam prepare for dying in a joyful, calm manner, selecting their own coffins and clothes without fear. One should not be identified with ash in a container, but rather seen as becoming many things at the same time, such as a flower.

The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, delivered by the Buddha in Shravasti, sums up the teachings on breathing into sixteen exercises. Conscious breathing acts as a mediator, uniting the body and mind to cut through the continuous tape of thinking and allow one to be fully present. This practice is the starting point of meditation, enabling one to be in touch with life in the here and now.

The practice is supported by specific gathas to aid mindfulness. “In, Out” identifies the breath, creating concentration. “Deep, Slow” improves the quality of breathing and being. “Calm, Ease” calms the activities of the body and mind. “Smile, Release” brings relaxation, joy, and the letting go of obstacles like worry and anger. “Present Moment, Wonderful Moment” establishes the practitioner in the reality of life, winning the battle against forgetfulness.

The sixteen exercises are divided into four groups dealing with the body, feelings, the mind, and objects of the mind:

1. Identifying the in-breath and out-breath.
2. Recognizing the length of the breath, maintaining mindfulness throughout.
3. Breathing in and being aware of the whole body.
4. Calming the whole body and mind.
5. Feeling joyful, producing joy to nourish oneself.
6. Feeling happy.
7. Being aware of the activities of the mind (feelings).
8. Making the activities of the mind calm and at peace.
9. Being aware of the mind and mental formations.
10. Making the mind happy and at peace.
11. Concentrating the mind to generate understanding.
12. Liberating the mind, seeing the value of things without being enslaved by them.
13. Observing the impermanent nature of all dharmas.
14. Observing the fading of all dharmas.
15. Contemplating liberation.
16. Contemplating letting go (upeksha), releasing clinging and ignorance.

Sitting in a famous center of learning, the history of Mahayana Buddhism unfolds through figures like Nagarjuna, author of the Madhyamaka Shastra Karika, and Aryadeva, who propounded the teaching of emptiness, sunyata. In the fifth century, Asanga and Vasubandhu systematized the teaching of Vijnanavada, the doctrine of Consciousness Only. This teaching is vital for rooting Buddhism in the West through the door of psychology, provided it is modified to be practical rather than highly theoretical. Later figures like Dignaga and Dharmakirti introduced logic and epistemology, but the center eventually became too speculative and intellectual.

The wiping out of Buddhism in India resulted from specific causes. First, it became an elite system of learning, losing ground with the population by not maintaining a strong relationship with the grassroots. Second, it relied too heavily on royal patronage. Third, prideful debates with Brahmanical philosophers created hostility, leading to the burning of the library and eventual destruction by Muslim invasion. In contrast, the Buddha utilized loving speech and mindful dialogue. In a meeting with the Brahmana Sonadanda, the Buddha inquired about the five conditions required to be a real Brahmana:

1. The person should look beautiful in appearance.
2. He has to master the technique of chanting and reciting the Vedas.
3. He has to be of pure blood for at least seven generations.
4. He should possess virtues, the moral quality of a gentleman.
5. He should possess wisdom or insight.

Through dialogue, it is established that only the last two conditions, moral quality (sila) and insight (prajna), are essential. These two qualities help purify each other, just as one foot washes the other. The Buddha’s gentle manner won the hearts of the people, showing that loving kindness leads to better results than the harmful debates that later characterized the university. Observing the ruins of this place offers an insight into impermanence, reminding us that while everything is bound to be disintegrated, we can live life fully, peacefully, and happily in the present moment.

Retracing the footprints of the Buddha from Vaishali to the Sala forest, the journey includes a visit to the village of Buddhatola, where the locals display immense generosity and maintain a simple spiritual life. In Bhandagama, the teaching centers on sila, samadhi, and prajna—precepts, concentration, and understanding. Precepts are presented not as commandments imposed by an authority, but as the practice of mindfulness necessary for safety and happiness, much like observing the rules of the road. The Kalama Sutra is discussed as the charter for free inquiry, urging practitioners to use their own intelligence to determine if a teaching results in joy and peace rather than relying on tradition, authority, or rumors.

As the path leads to Pava, Cunda the blacksmith offers the last meal of sukara mushrooms. Despite experiencing violent pain, care is taken to assure Cunda that his offering is of equal merit to the first meal offered by Sujata. Arriving at the Sala grove in Kushinagar, the sun sets and flowers fall as the final instructions are given. Subhadda becomes the last disciple, receiving the teaching of the Noble Eightfold Path. It is revealed that all present have attained one of the four fruits of the practice:

1. Stream Entering
2. One Returning
3. No Returning
4. Arhatship

Entering deep concentration, the final admonition is given: “Things are impermanent. Please do strive in order to attain your own liberation.” Following the Parinirvana, the Malla people organize a grand funeral, and the cremation awaits the arrival of Mahakasyapa. The relics are subsequently divided into eight portions for distribution among different kingdoms. Months later, the first international Buddhist council is convened in Rajagriha. Ananda, initially excluded for lacking full liberation, meditates diligently and attains enlightenment in the moment between standing and lying down, securing his place in the council to recite the Dharma.

When leaving Vaishali, the Buddha looks back with the eyes of the elephant king to embrace the city’s beauty. In a conversation with King Prasenajit, the metaphor of four huge mountains crushing in from the north, south, east, and west is used to describe the inevitability of birth, old age, sickness, and death. The only answer to this impending reality is to live one’s days in mindfulness. Regarding King Ajatasatru’s ambition to invade the Vajji Republic, the Buddha outlines seven things that keep a nation strong and undefeatable:

1. Frequently gather to discuss the problems of the nation.
2. Realize unity and harmony in these discussions.
3. Respect the laws that have been decreed.
4. Listen to the voice and advice of the elders.
5. Do not commit acts of oppression against those who have no power.
6. Protect the ancestral temples.
7. Listen to and act according to the advice of wise men.

Conflict between the Sakyas and Koliyas over irrigation water is resolved when the Buddha asks if water is more precious than human life. Before leaving Vulture Peak, the Buddha addresses the community on the seven ways to prevent the deterioration of the Sangha:

1. Monks should meet each other very often.
2. Concord and harmony should be the essence of these meetings.
3. All monks should live according to the precepts they have received.
4. Monks should listen carefully to their elders who have deep experience in the Dharma.
5. Remember to live a simple life.
6. Maintain a manner of quiet, tranquility, and mindfulness.
7. Live in mindfulness of the body, feelings, mind, and dharmas.

Upon the death of Sariputra, Ananda feels he has lost his lucidity and strength, but is reminded that his brother in the Dharma did not take these qualities away with him. The assassination of Moggallana and the passing of King Prasenajit mark a period of loss, met with deep, quiet love. Stupas are discussed as reminders for practice, similar to the bell or touching one’s shaved head, though building a stupa for a teacher who practices non-self may go against their wishes; scattering ashes in nature aligns better with the practice. The precepts are described as a living tree that must grow and adapt to modern conditions to remain vital.

Following enlightenment, the Buddha remained for seven weeks around the Bodhi Tree, practicing walking meditation and interacting with village children, including Sujata and the buffalo boy Svastika. These interactions inspired the Sutra on Buffalo Herding, where eleven ways of taking care of water buffaloes are compared to eleven ways of being a monk. Traveling to the Deer Park, the Buddha reunited with five former ascetic companions who became his first disciples. The Sangha expanded with the ordination of Yasa, a wealthy young man weary of sensory indulgence, his parents who became the first lay disciples receiving the Five Precepts, and Yasa’s four friends: Vimala, Subahu, Punnaji, and Gavampati. Once the community reached sixty monks, they were sent out to share the Dharma, utilizing a simple ordination of shaving the head, donning a yellow robe, and taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

While traveling alone, the Buddha encountered a group of young men searching for a woman who had stolen from them. He asked whether it was better to search for the woman or to search for oneself, teaching that one can only see the true beauty of a tree or life when fully present and peaceful. Playing a flute to demonstrate that the highest level of art requires the highest level of spiritual development, he inspired the young men to ordain. The Buddha then engaged Uruvela Kassapa, a leader of five hundred fire-worshipping ascetics. Through dialogues regarding the essence of life, the nature of the Five Aggregates, and the reality of suffering, the Buddha challenged the efficacy of prayer, comparing it to standing on a riverbank asking the other shore to come over rather than using a boat or raft to cross.

Uruvela Kassapa, along with his brothers Nadi Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa and their one thousand disciples, cut off their hair knots and became monks. To this vast assembly, the Buddha delivered the Fire Sermon, proclaiming that everything—forms, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness—is burning with the fire of ignorance, hatred, and desire. Leading the new community to the capital of Magadha, the Buddha met King Bimbisara. The King rejoiced that his three wishes had been fulfilled: to be installed as king, to meet a good teacher, and to receive the teaching from that teacher. To support the large Sangha, the King offered the Bamboo Forest, Venuvana, establishing the first monastery.

The physician Jivaka advises the Buddha to renounce Devadatta, leading Sariputra and Moggallana to publicly declare that Devadatta no longer belongs to the community. Concurrently, Prince Ajatasattu, influenced by Devadatta, usurps the throne from his father, King Bimbisara. Despite the King’s abdication, he is imprisoned and starved, eventually dying despite the Queen’s secret efforts to sustain him. Devadatta orchestrates three attempts on the Buddha’s life: sending an assassin who is converted by the Buddha; rolling a boulder down Vulture Peak which injures the Buddha’s foot; and releasing a wild elephant, which the Buddha tames using the call of the elephant queen.

Sariputra and Moggallana visit Devadatta’s new community at Gayasisa. While Devadatta rests, they teach the Dharma with such clarity that they convince over three hundred monks to return to the Buddha. King Ajatasattu, now tormented by nightmares and mental illness following his father’s death, is overwhelmed by remorse after recalling his father’s tender care. Jivaka guides the fearful King to the Mango Grove to seek the Buddha’s counsel.

The King asks about the tangible effects of the spiritual life, prompting the Buddha to deliver the Samannaphala Sutta on the fruit of the monk’s practice. The Buddha details these fruits:

1. The recovery of human dignity, where a person recovers their value as a human being.
2. Safety and a lack of fear through the observation of precepts.
3. Lightness and freedom, possessing only a robe and bowl with nothing to lose.
4. Perfect peace and fearlessness, living without enemies in the world.

Following this teaching, the King recovers his health, and Devadatta eventually returns to take refuge in the Buddha before his death.

The community gathers on Gridhrakuta Mountain to witness sisters and brothers solemnly taking the vow to receive, study, and practice the precepts of the Order of Interbeing. Ordinands bow to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha in gratitude towards parents and all beings in the animal, vegetable, and mineral worlds who provide support and nourishment. The life of a close disciple is described as full of beauty, peace, and the Dharma.

During the hair cutting, the true mind is determined to lead the way to the non-conditioned, no longer bound to anything. The song is of the lovely teaching and the fragrance is the essence of truth. Receiving the nectar of Bodhi allows the mind of enlightenment to appear in its wholeness.

With the removal of hair, the way becomes wide open, and suffering and illusion are to be entirely ended. Hands that have practiced loving kindness and a heart where compassion has never ceased to grow support a vow that can transform the world in all the ten directions.

Walking meditation is a crucial practice that enables living mindfully and stopping at every moment in daily life, whether drinking, sitting, or lying down. Diligent practice brings about a change in how life is lived. The story of the bandit Angulimala illustrates this: while chasing the Buddha, he demanded the Buddha stop. The Buddha replied, “I have already stopped. It is you that has not stopped,” meaning he had stopped on the way of doing bad things, while the bandit continued to run.

The purpose of walking meditation is to learn how to live in the present moment. Walking is not for arriving; walking is for stopping. Although we are used to running toward a destination, we must resist the tendency to accelerate and instead walk leisurely and peacefully. Often, the destination is not as pleasant as anticipated, such as a tiring meeting, making the act of going more important than the arrival.

The final destination is the grave or the cremation stupa, a future of death, so there is no need to hurry. To go in the direction of life is to go to the present moment. The left foot goes to the present moment, and the right foot goes to the present moment. Practicing this way even once a day has a significant influence on daily life. The keyword is to stop running.

Upekkha, or equanimity, is the practice of letting go and seeing that everything contains everything else. In the flower, one sees the garbage, and in the garbage, the flower; a good gardener knows garbage can be recycled into a rose. Equanimity is non-discrimination, refusing to take sides even in conflict, just as right cannot exist without left. It involves accepting all feelings, including anger, recognizing them as energy to be transformed rather than enemies to be combated.

Understanding non-dualism is essential for understanding Upekkha. Good and evil, Buddha and Mara, are interdependent, helping each other stand out like day and night. In a story depicting a dialogue between the Buddha and Mara, the Buddha welcomes Mara warmly as an old friend. Mara expresses exhaustion with his role of speaking in riddles and wearing paper clothes, while his disciples speak of liberation. Conversely, the Buddha shares the difficulties of his own role, being turned into a commercial item and worshipped for donations. They realize that each must play their own role well, without the intention to exchange them.

The insight of non-duality serves as a bridge for dialogue between Buddhists and Christians, addressing the ontological separation between Creator and creature. While traditional views separate God from the world, theologians like Paul Tillich view God as the ground of being, similar to water being the ground of all waves. Life and death are also non-dual; life is made of a series of deaths, and death of a series of lives. By viewing God through the lens of Mother Nature or the Earth, who brings beings to life millions of times, the distance between these spiritual traditions narrows, allowing for a balance of Yin and Yang.

Sudatta, a wealthy merchant from Sravasti, travels to Rajagriha and is deeply moved upon hearing the title “Buddha” from his brother-in-law. Unable to sleep, he visits the Bamboo Grove before dawn, where the Buddha calms his fears and accepts him as a disciple. Seeking to establish a dwelling for the Buddha in Sravasti, Sudatta attempts to purchase a park from Prince Jeta, who jestingly demands the land be covered in gold. Sudatta fulfills this condition, and together they establish the Jetavana monastery under the supervision of the Venerable Sariputra.

King Prasenajit, initially skeptical of the Buddha due to the influence of other religious leaders, challenges the teaching that love implies worry, anxiety, and despair. Upon realizing his own vulnerability regarding his daughter, Princess Vajiri, the King visits the Jetavana Grove. He questions the Buddha’s maturity, prompting the Buddha to list four things one should not look down upon simply because they are small or young:

1. A sparkle of fire
2. A small snake
3. A baby prince
4. A young monk

The Buddha instructs the King on the true nature of love, defined as Maitri (loving kindness) and Karuna (compassion). True love offers joy and removes suffering without conditions, possessiveness, or frontiers, and requires a deep understanding of the other person’s aspirations and pain. To ensure love is not destructive, one must have the courage to ask loved ones, “Do I love you properly?” or “Does my love make you suffer?” In their final meeting at age eighty, the King expresses his profound faith in the Sangha, noting their composed mindfulness and lifelong dedication, shortly before falling victim to a coup d’état.

The sudden passing of a close friend, Michel Mounet, brings shock and a confrontation with the nature of loss. The pain of such an event can be soothed by invoking a fresh image from the depths of consciousness, such as the memory of a child named Bé Trúc. Preserving beautiful images in the subconscious, the alaya vijnana, is essential to save us and establish balance during difficult situations.

Impermanence is often understood theoretically rather than as a reality of each second. It is a positive, crucial factor for life; without it, a seed could not become a plant. There are two kinds of impermanence:

1. Gradual impermanence, or sát na vô thường.
2. Abrupt impermanence, or nhất kỳ vô thường, such as a sudden accident.
   Action, or karma, involves both cause and fruit, manifesting as individual retribution and collective retribution. No karma is entirely individual; joy, sorrow, and actions like pollution or drunk driving affect the collective.

The story of Patacara, who lost her husband, two children, and parents in forty-eight hours yet attained enlightenment, illustrates the capacity to transform misfortune into practice. While Victor Hugo viewed man as a helpless reed bending under the wind, the Buddhist answer to insecurity is to live each moment fully in mindfulness. By living deeply now, regret is avoided when impermanence strikes. The person is an assembly of seeds, or bijas, and amassing a treasure of beautiful seeds allows one to establish balance and touch the wondrous things of life.

Kaludayi invites the Buddha to return to Kapilavastu, where the Buddha and three hundred monks settle in the Nigrodha Grove. During an alms round, King Suddhodana is upset to see his son begging in the streets, viewing it as beneath their warrior tradition. The Buddha explains that he belongs to the race of monks and that begging is a practice of the Dharma, used to cultivate equanimity, humility, and to restore human dignity without discrimination. Reconciled, the King invites the Buddha to the palace. Lady Yasodhara instructs young Rahula to ask his father for his heritage. The Buddha leads Rahula back to the monastery, where the family reunites with tears of joy.

Nanda, the Buddha’s half-brother, is led to the monastery and ordained, despite his engagement to a beautiful lady. Rahula also asks to become a monk. Being too young for full precepts, he is ordained by Sariputra as a crow-chasing novice. King Suddhodana, grieving the loss of his lineage, tells the Buddha that the separation between father and son is like a knife that cuts through the skin, gets into the flesh, hits the bone, and strikes the marrow. The Buddha comforts his father, explaining that Nanda and Rahula are practicing to realize peace, joy, and to become better human beings.

Inspired by the Buddha, six Sakyan nobles decide to renounce the world: Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, Bhagu, Kimbila, Devadatta, and Ananda. They leave with the barber Upali, giving him their jewelry. Upali, realizing that possessing such treasure brings only fear and anxiety, decides to become a monk as well. The princes request that Upali be ordained first so he becomes their senior in the Dharma, helping them cultivate humility. Later, the Venerable Bhaddiya exclaims Oh my happiness! twice during meditation. He explains that as a governor guarded by soldiers, he lived in fear, but now, having no possessions and sleeping in the forest, he is completely free of anxiety.