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Beginning Anew
Beginning anew is a practice that uses the substance of mindfulness to touch life, because life is available only in the present moment. According to the Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone (Bhaddekaratta Sutta), the wise person does not regret the past or worry about the future, but dwells solidly and freely in the present moment. Those bound by the past or future are likened to people buried alive, and their lives are merely a dream. To avoid being swept away by the whirlwind of society like the red dust in The Tale of Kieu, the practitioner needs to take hold of their destiny through the practice of dwelling happily in the present moment, walking, standing, lying, and sitting in mindfulness to nourish the energy of determination.
The process of beginning anew consists of two elements: repentance and vows. Repentance is seeing the mistakes and unskillfulness caused by forgetfulness and delusion; vowing is the determination not to repeat them and to open up a new path. Past suffering can become compost to nourish future happiness if we know how to transform our mind. The practitioner practices calming the mind to look back at the garden of the mind, where seeds are sown and the three karmas of body, speech, and mind are created. The text mentions four specific karmas that need repentance:
- Killing.
- Stealing.
- Sexual misconduct.
- Lying.
Instead of reasoning and blaming, which cause long-lasting internal formations and a deep chasm of separation, the practice requires watering the seeds of love and understanding, and avoiding watering the seeds of suffering in others. Only with understanding can there be love; deep looking helps give rise to compassion, likened to the pure nectar that extinguishes afflictions and the boat of the true Dharma that carries us across the path of resentment. A life of awakening includes practicing smiling, breathing, using loving speech, and repaying the gratitude to parents, teachers, and friends with one’s own peace and stability.