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Bôí Kieu
Number 58: I startled and I woke up from a deep dream. The mountains and the rivers have been listening with the ears of Chung Tu Ky. This refers to the story of a musician who played for nature until he found a woodcutter, Chung Tu Ky, who had the capacity to truly listen and understand his music. The practice is to awaken every moment to the reality that the world is waiting for your “music”—your mindfulness in every step and breath. Deep listening to oneself allows for the discovery of one’s highest motivation, dissolves loneliness, and enables the understanding required to love others.
Number 9 advises that true love involves embracing both the positive qualities and the weaknesses of another; one who has escaped a difficult environment can return to help others do the same. Number 164 speaks to the aspiration to deepen practice not just for oneself, but for society and the nation; this Bodhicitta must be nourished and protected within a Sangha. Number 18 reminds a practitioner to maintain the “beginner’s mind” and original vows of service. “Remembering” signifies mindfulness, and “words” refers to loving speech and deep listening. Work is a means of practice, so there is no need to hurry, but rather to enjoy every moment.
Number 29 asks: What joy can surpass the joy we are experiencing in this moment? It is not necessary to remember all teachings, but to understand and apply them. Doing one thing at a time in mindfulness—such as breathing or touching the earth together—is “doing it well” and brings the greatest joy. Number 105 notes that when the practice takes root and brings true nourishment, letting go of attachments becomes easy, like the breaking of dawn. Finally, Number 116 addresses the grief of losing a loved one. Through deep looking, one realizes the loved one has not ceased to exist but is present within oneself and the surroundings, just as a cloud is present in the rain.
