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Joyful Student Practice, Sangha Harmony, and the Question of Euthanasia
This talk addresses several questions from young people:
- How to apply meditation in our busy lives as university students?
- What to do if we get distracted during sitting meditation?
- How to resolve conflicts between Sangha members?
- What is the Buddhist view concerning euthanasia?
The key to applying meditation in daily life is to make the practice enjoyable and pleasant. The essence of meditation is to be there 100 percent. This can be practiced by eating an apple mindfully: first, breathing to become free from afflictions like worries and fear, then recognizing the apple as a miracle. When you are real, everything around you becomes real. When eating, you eat only the apple, not your projects or worries. The real miracle is to walk on the earth. Meditation is to go back to the here and now and recognize the conditions of happiness that are already there, such as having eyes in good condition, a heart that functions normally, and strong feet. For students, the joy must be in the learning itself, not for the sake of a diploma, which is only a byproduct.
If you get distracted during sitting meditation, choose a subject that is interesting and has to do with your daily life. The first five minutes should be used to calm and relax the body. Sitting is a privilege, a chance to be yourself and feel alive. To resolve conflicts between Sangha members, practice Beginning Anew. If you suffer because of another person, go to them directly and ask gently why they said or did what they did. Regarding euthanasia, it is possible to say yes, but each case must be considered differently. We must rely on the insight of the Sangha, the Sangha Eyes, to make such an important decision and prepare ourselves in advance.