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Our Children Flesh
June 12, 2012. 111-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Upper Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the eighth dharma talk (of 15).
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment (relaxation, joy, investigation, etc.) are discussed, along with the separate investigation of phenomena and noumenal. We should not mix up the two dimensions of conventional and ultimate. When considering the Four Noble Truths, the first two must be investigated in the realm of conventional truth. Conditional Dharma. The same cloud can be both investigated from conventional truth and ultimate truth.
The Second Noble Truth and the Fifth Mindfulness Training can be described in terms of food, or nutriments. The Sutra of the Son’s Flesh gives this teaching on nutriments. Thay explains the Four Kinds of Nutriments: edible foods, sensory impressions, volition, and consciousness. He discusses Mencius’ Mother (China); also known as Meng Ze. Thay would like to see the Sutra on Four Kinds of Nutriments in the next edition of the chanting book.
The ultimate is free from the notion of being and non-being. Nirodha (the third noble truth) and nirvana represent the ultimate truth. The third noble truth is the noble eightfold path, and the second noble truth is the ignoble path. The ground of right view gave birth to the Five Mindfulness Trainings.
Bringing the practice to schools is emphasized, and Thay suggests that we should train the trainer. Mindful consumption is highlighted as the way, and the practice of eating in mindfulness is encouraged. The second source of nutriment includes sensorial impressions such as books, magazines, and the internet. The third source of nutriment is volition, and the fourth source is consciousness.
Thay also responds to a journalist from the Indian Times, discussing what a journalist should do when hearing terrible news in the early morning. He emphasizes practicing the Fifth Mindfulness Training to protect ourselves and mentions that walking meditation is a kind of consumption. The story of the mother of Mencius (Meng Zi) is shared to illustrate these teachings.
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