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Recognizing the Ghosts in Our Mind
Today is the last day of the retreat. Thay reminds us of the two core qualities to preserve on the path of practice: holiness and humility. Practicing mindfulness in each breath, each stable step, is the way to cultivate the substance of holiness, to connect Buddha nature and sentient being nature—not as opposites, but in harmony, like the lotus embracing the mud. All inner conflicts arise when we divide Buddha nature and sentient being nature into two camps, whereas the teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Heart Sutra clearly state “no pure, no impure” and “the impure makes the pure, the pure is found within the impure.”
Thay emphasizes that the root of all temptations—from the inner Mara to the energies of passion and fear of loneliness—are present in every cell. The way to deal with them is not to struggle, but to recognize them gently: to smile, to let go, to take refuge in the Three Jewels and the Sangha. Precepts and mindfulness trainings are not constraints, but protective practices, helping to prevent spiritual accidents such as emotional entanglements between brothers and sisters in the practice. When we thirst for love and understanding, if we lack mindfulness, we can easily deceive ourselves and stray into delusion.
The key points Thay mentions:
- Buddha nature and sentient being nature are interdependent, inseparable, and need to coexist peacefully like mud and lotus.
- Practice mindfulness to cultivate holiness, to recognize the inner Mara and animal instincts with a gentle smile.
- The Sangha and the precepts are protective practices; take refuge in the Three Jewels so as not to lose the path when passion takes over.
- Recognize the energies of loneliness and passion within us so as not to deceive ourselves, and to devote our youth to the path of true awakening.