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Practicing for Everyone
Practicing returning to the five skandhas helps us to deeply touch the joy and happiness that are already present, as well as the suffering and inner tension. The Four Noble Truths consist of the first two truths: suffering and its causes; and the latter two: happiness and the path that leads to happiness. Suffering and happiness are intimately, organically connected and always transforming into each other—like mud that nourishes the fragrant lotus, or how flowers can become compost, and compost can become flowers. A practitioner needs to have the courage to face suffering, not to run away from it but to look deeply in order to understand its roots, while at the same time making contact with happiness so that it can grow.
There are three main sources of energy to generate happiness in every moment:
- letting go—releasing attachments, joy born from letting go, happiness born from letting go
- mindfulness—mindfulness in the breath, in each step, in a smile, in daily activities; joy born from mindfulness, happiness born from mindfulness
- concentration—samadhi gives rise to joy and happiness from mindfulness
Mindfulness and concentration cannot be bought or sold; they must be generated by ourselves. We need a practice center, a Sangha, to learn how to create the energy of mindfulness. Without mindfulness and concentration, suffering can easily dominate us; when our mindfulness and concentration are still weak, we need the collective energy of the Sangha to embrace and transform our suffering. In our personal suffering, there is also the suffering of our ancestors, our homeland, our country; even wounds of sexual trauma can reach up to 25%. Only when we look deeply and embrace our suffering with the right Dharma door of the Four Noble Truths can we heal ourselves and share compassion with others.