We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Poetry Reading 2
I have wandered through countless perilous paths of life, from the wilderness to the hell of Avici, hiding a stone’s tear in my heart, simply because of “hunger, cold, longing, wishing to find the way back to the realm of everlasting, wondrous peace.” Finally, the late-night moon appears in the mirror of the moon—“each moment becomes miraculous,” “every flower, pebble, and leaf looks at me with the smile of the Tathagata—the smile of no birth and no death,” and “I have found the Tathagata, which is also to have found myself.”
Thay reminds us that love must be nourished every day; if “we starve love, it will die, and when love dies, nothing remains.” Love, according to the Dharma, contains the four elements of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and inclusiveness, and “is like a flower, needing care in order to live long.” Despair, anger, and hatred, if “composted” according to the Buddha’s teaching, “can become the flowers of love.”
The practice of love is expressed through the Five Mindfulness Trainings:
- Not killing—protecting life with a heart of compassion.
- Not stealing—practicing generosity, sharing time and talent.
- Not engaging in sexual misconduct—respecting and protecting fidelity.
- Not lying—using loving speech, listening deeply and sincerely.
- Not consuming toxins—consuming with mindfulness, avoiding mental poisons.
Reciting the trainings every half month and participating in Dharma discussions helps “deeply practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings,” nourish love, and “bring happiness to oneself, one’s family, and humanity.”
