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Educational Theory of Plum Village 22
The Five Bodies of Buddha and the Meaning of the Human Body
This Dharma talk focuses on the twenty-second postulate about Buddha bodies, with five bodies mentioned (there may be six or seven). The first body is the sentient being body (human body), a necessary condition for achieving enlightenment. The human body has physiological advantages such as a highly developed brain and the ability to use two hands, helping humans recognize their condition - unlike animals that live primarily by instinct. The challenges humans face are opportunities to overcome and transform, thereby reaching the state of enlightenment.
Other Aspects of Buddha Bodies
Thay explains the body outside the body (belonging to space) - the extension of the body beyond the layer of skin and flesh, where we recognize others as ourselves; and the continuation body (belonging to time) - the continuation like clouds and flowers. The Dharma body is not just teachings but love, mindfulness energy and concentration, expressed through each solid step. The Dharma realm body is the foundation of all life, where all phenomena blend together to create life. The Dharma realm nature is the ontological ground of all phenomena, having the characteristic of no-birth, no-death - that is Nirvana. The human body has many profound aspects, at least six bodies: the physical body, continuation body, the body outside the body, Dharma body, Dharma realm body, and Dharma realm nature body.
Non-self and Practice
The Buddha taught that what we call “I am” is just a delusion. Non-self brings ease, suffering arises from the self. When practicing walking meditation, chanting properly, we are no longer separate individuals, but become a river, merging into the body and mind. The energy of mindfulness connects all individuals into a collective, creating harmony, like atoms in a laser beam emitting powerful light when they enter the same phase. Practicing non-self is not just a philosophy but daily practice, helping us overcome complexes and achieve true happiness.
The Twenty-Three Propositions of Plum Village Teachings