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Spring - The Recorded Sayings of Linji

Thich Nhat Hanh · April 25, 2004 · Lower Hamlet, Plum Village, France

A person who is at ease is someone who is completely free from ambition, anger, jealousy, worry, and all negative mental formations, thanks to right understanding—a deep insight of wisdom in place of “right view.” When true insight is present, one is no longer caught in the four notions of birth, abiding, change, and destruction of all phenomena:

Birth (arising)
Abiding (existing)
Change (altering)
Destruction (disintegrating)

The spirit of “being master wherever you are, establishing the Way wherever you dwell” is to be the master of oneself in any circumstance, without acting, justifying, or blaming, but taking responsibility and transforming oneself. All names, teachings, and “robes” are only provisional means; let go of them all to touch the true person, the person at ease.

A miracle is not to walk on fire, water, or clouds, but to take each mindful step on the earth—the miracle of walking on earth. In that moment, the mind is free, at peace, able to manifest in all forms, to touch the Buddhas and the Pure Lands in all directions, wherever you are. The teachings are like a raft that helps us cross to the shore of awakening, not objects of worship; the teachings only have value when they are practiced to bring about true liberation and dwelling in peace.

Previous Talk April 18, 2004

1h 13m