Language

Watch this talk

Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

The title, description and transcript may contain inaccuracies.

Het Edele Achtvoudige Pad

Thich Nhat Hanh · June 18, 2010 · EAIB, Germany · Audio Only
Feedback

To meditate means to look deeply to see that we are not just inside of our body, but also outside, continued by our thought, speech, and action. We are like a cloud that has become rain and sees itself in the cornfield and river. If a thought of anger or discrimination was produced in the past, the practice is to go back to the present moment and determine to produce a thought of inclusiveness and forgiveness. This thought has the power to neutralize the past and heal the world. The fourth element of the noble path is Right Livelihood, engaging in a job that does not do harm to humans and nature, and provides opportunities to practice Right Thinking, Right Speech, and Right Action.

The next element is Right Diligence, which functions as an art rather than requiring muscles. It involves managing the seeds (bija) in store consciousness and mental formations (citta samskara) in mind consciousness. The practice involves four aspects:

  1. Doing our best not to give negative seeds like anger and craving a chance to manifest, which requires practicing Right Consumption regarding media and conversation.
  2. If a negative mental formation manifests, helping it go back to the store consciousness as soon as possible. This is “peg changing” or “CD changing,” where a positive seed is invited up to replace the negative one.
  3. Finding ways to help wholesome seeds like enlightenment, compassion, joy, and forgiveness to manifest.
  4. When a good seed has manifested, trying to keep it there as long as possible.

Right Mindfulness allows us to know what is going on in the realm of thinking, speaking, and acting. Right Concentration helps us to get insight more quickly. The concentration of impermanence must be maintained day and night (samadhi), allowing us to see that nothing stays the same. When we touch the nature of impermanence in ourselves and others, anger vanishes. The three concentrations, or three doors of liberation, are:

  1. Emptiness – nothing can be by itself alone; everything inter-is and is empty of a separate self.
  2. Signlessness – not being caught by the appearance or form, recognizing that we cannot pass from being into non-being.
  3. Aimlessness (apranihita) – not running after something, realizing you are already what you want to become and that there is nowhere to go.
read more

Part of the following collection

161 videos
250h 41m

Recently Added Talks

Curated by Jonas Czech
Previous Talk June 17, 2010
1h 19m

Hoe Oefenen We Juiste Zienswijze

Next Talk June 20, 2010
1h 8m

Living Together in Harmony and Joy