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Only After Receiving the Elixir of Transformation Can We Return Home
There are two fundamental starting points in the practice: the Buddha’s heart is connected with love, and the “immortal bone” symbolizes longevity and immortality. The journey to the celestial cave—as in the story of Lưu Thần and Nguyễn Triệu—is a metaphor for the determination to transform the ordinary bone into the immortal bone with the elixir of the Dharma. If you have entered the celestial cave but have not yet transformed your bones, you are not permitted to give up; once the transformation is complete, everywhere becomes your homeland, dwelling peacefully in the Sangha and the present moment. The story also reminds us of the lesson to cherish the present, to let go of things—even beautiful things—that cannot be held onto forever, and to recognize that our simple origins always return to the human heart.
The method of daily practice is to drink the medicine of the Dharma, nourishing five important energies to transform body and mind:
- Faith (tín) – trust in the fruits of direct experience
- Diligence (tấn) – persistent and steadfast effort
- Mindfulness (niệm) – the energy of awareness in the breath
- Concentration (định) – the energy of dwelling peacefully with the sound of the bell
- Insight (tuệ) – the energy of liberation through deep understanding
When our cells are healthy and radiate peaceful energy, in all four postures of the body (the four dignities), we can also shine that energy. In the great assembly, peaceful energy resonates through constructive interference, creating a collective elixir. The monastic life allows us the “luxury” of sitting meditation and walking meditation without any goal, healing the wounds of our times. Faith is the first current of electricity; with just faith and diligence, we will flow like a river with the Sangha, joyful in every moment of practice.