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Non-violence
*During the summer retreat, many practitioners gather and each person takes on many responsibilities. At that time, “to love is not to enjoy, but to serve” requires us to maintain our stability, to be at ease, and to be filled with compassion in order to care for all kinds of people—those who are difficult, demanding, or lacking in mindfulness—helping them to leave the Village with a light heart and to bring peace and happiness back to their families. Taking care of practitioners is both a practice of mindfulness and a work of helping the world, based on understanding “worldly energies” (earth, water, fire, wind) and “worldly feelings” (the soul, circumstances, and aspirations of living beings), just as the Buddha did, so that we can truly embrace and share in the suffering.
*The key point of a true Sangha is harmony, “like the leaves on a maple branch,” each leaf keeping its own place, yet together creating a wondrous beauty; that beauty has deep healing power. The foundation of harmony is the teaching of the Six Harmonies—six ways of being in harmony—together with the precepts and mindful manners. When each member practices the precepts and mindful manners, even though they are different, they are still in harmony like one body, creating trust and bringing peace and happiness to the community and to society.
*Training body and mind in the Sangha is likened to training a horse:
- There are horses that need a gentle method (stroking, gentle words).
- There are horses that require a strong method (the whip, stern words).
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There are horses that need a combination of both, depending on the moment.
And the lesson of respecting the potential of small things is illustrated through four images:
- A tiny spark, the size of a needle tip, can burn down an entire forest.
- A newborn baby, weighing only a few kilograms, can grow up to be a king.
- A young snake, though small, has venom that can be dangerous with a single bite.
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A novice monk, after only a few years of practice, already carries the seed of wisdom.
We must not only rely on an external teacher but must train ourselves, dwelling in the precepts and mindful manners with each step, each breath, in order to transform our habit energies, to be solid, and to bring happiness to everyone.