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Discourse on the Absolute Truth - Third Talk
This title has been reviewed for accuracy.
Thay details the transformative power of mindfulness and compassion in healing the scars of war, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all beings and the illusion of a separate self. Reflecting on the Vietnam War and advocating for peace since 1966, mindfulness helps embrace suffering, transforming it into tranquility. Understanding the Five Skandhas—form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness—reduces unnecessary suffering. Buddhism recognizes fifty-one mental formations, both wholesome and unwholesome. Consciousness holds these formations, manifesting based on conditions. Meditation nurtures mindfulness, transforming negativity gently. Understanding interconnectedness reveals the absence of a separate self, emphasizing manifestation over creation. The Diamond Sutra teaches recognizing the four marks of existence: self, man, living beings, and lifespan. Understanding interconnectedness reduces hatred and cultivates compassion. Practices shared with prisoners emphasize mindfulness and compassion. The teachings of non-self are tools for liberation, emphasizing aimlessness and present happiness. Meditation reveals timeless essence, freeing from notions of liberation and nirvana. Aimlessness is a tool for immediate happiness, recognizing life’s wonders in the present. Forming mindful lay communities can benefit society, drawing wisdom from monastic practices.
This is the seventh talk in a series of thirteen given during The Eyes of The Buddha, twenty-one-day retreat in the year 2000. Thay offered this talk at the New Hamlet, Plum Village. France.