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Please Call Me by My True Names
The true home is life in the present moment, where there is no discrimination, prejudice, or hatred. The true home is not limited by geographical location, culture, or race, and it does not lie in the past or the future. From the perspective of race, a human being is made of many different elements, including four elements:
- Indonesian
- Melanesian
- Mongolic
- Negritos
The attitude of clinging to our own cultural values or ways of thinking will create a prison of confinement and cause isolation. Letting go of the superiority complex helps us open our hearts to learn from other cultures, ways of behaving, and ways of thinking. Practicing mindfulness and dwelling in the present moment helps us touch the Pure Land right here and right now, putting an end to anxiety, searching, or regret.
Looking deeply helps us recognize that each person is both the victim and the one who causes harm; both the poor child and the bomb maker; both the child victim and the sea pirate. When we attain the wisdom of nondiscrimination and look at all beings with “the eyes of compassion,” anger and blame will disappear, giving way to the energy of compassion. When there are no longer enemies or a discriminating mind, the mind will be as light as a cloud and attain true happiness.
Part of the following collection
Trịnh Công Sơn - A Prayer for the Homeland