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Dharma Talk – Prajñā, Going Forth (2)
*During the question-and-answer session at Bat Nha Monastery, Thay reminds us—the questions must come from the heart, with the courage to ask what truly relates to our practice, our study of the Dharma, and the transformation of suffering. Each seven-day retreat has only one Q&A session, lasting one and a half to sometimes two hours, precious for the collective benefit of the Sangha and the growth of understanding and love.
*For those who have left home, the goal is not material comfort, position, power, fame, or enjoyment, but to attain wisdom (to untangle our own difficulties and those of others) and love (to embrace all, even those who are difficult to love), to practice in the Sangha, to build brotherhood in harmony, and to use Sangha eyes to help each other grow throughout our lives.
- The application of the teachings must be connected to daily life: the Three Refuges, the Five Mindfulness Trainings, the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path…
- The Sangha is a team of Buddhist engineers, training in “Applied Buddhism,” helping the West untangle personal and social difficulties.
- Self-study must first be solid in the basic Dharma doors (contemplation of the body, contemplation of the mind, regulating the body, mindful breathing, walking meditation…), only then should we read more deeply into other sutras so that insight may bloom.
*Regarding common concerns in the Sangha:
- The merit of our ancestors (innate) gives us good seeds, but we also need a favorable environment for practice and learning (acquired) so that good genes can develop. Bad genes or negative seeds only manifest in unfavorable environments.
- When leaving or changing communities, we should open the door gently so that there remains a chance to return, without coercion, without acting on emotion. Before deciding, return to the practice of sitting meditation or walking meditation, consult the Sangha and the Three Jewels (secretly bow to the Buddha and ask) so that wisdom and love may guide us instead of anger or resentment.
- Rumors and misunderstandings: do not be afraid; the more you listen, the clearer the truth becomes. If there is doubt, gently and directly confirm with the person involved; absolutely do not let hallway gossip block your path of practice.
Each difficulty, each challenge is a subject for the practice of understanding and love, nourishing the monastic ideal right in the present moment; there is no need to wait for a future life to begin.
