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Non-Self and Habit Energies
The teaching of non-self is not merely a philosophy, but a tool of practice that helps us to transform suffering, to live with freedom, understanding, and love. Instead of engaging in debate, the Buddha offered the philosopher a powerful silent response, awakening great doubt in order to lead to great enlightenment. Venerable Ananda and the abbot who practiced for 55 years, though intelligent, were still caught in notions, while those who practiced only a few months with methods like gardening, prostrating with five-point prostrations, and eating with mindfulness could already harvest the fruits of peace and freedom.
The core practices include:
- In prostration, letting go of all possessions thought to be “me,” recognizing oneself as part of the vast, boundless river
- When eating, seeing the tip of the chopstick as the essence of heaven and earth, chewing only the food at the tip of the chopstick, not chewing on past suffering or forecasting the future
- Practicing walking meditation, observing the breath, the steps, smiling to the present moment
- Recognizing and transforming habit energies—the habits and suffering accumulated from the past—by mindfulness whenever they arise
- Protecting each other in the sangha through the sound of the bell, the question “Who are you?” to nurture non-self relationships and avoid delusive thinking
Through the life of the sangha, each person practices for themselves and at the same time together cultivates collective happiness, continuing the path of practice of the Buddha for more than 2,600 years.