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
Sutra on the Contemplation of the Nature of Interbeing 3
The 90-day Winter Retreat at the Hall of a Thousand Stars begins with the counting of tokens ceremony and the formal entering of the retreat. In the morning, we recite the sutra “Strolling in the Ultimate Dimension” – the concept of “strolling” is both “enjoyment” and carries the meaning of a space of freedom without aim, comparable to the French expressions “se promener” or “flâner.” This morning, I saw six deer strolling in the field, a symbol of a free spirit.
We study two gathas, number 10 and 18:
- “When all suffering phenomena have ceased, and all formations are extinguished, there is serene and peaceful stillness” – when suffering and formations (physical, physiological, psychological phenomena) have ended, peace is revealed.
-
“The bhikshu who knows himself, no longer seeks” – that is nirvana, where the spirit “strolls” in absolute freedom.
The cessation of formations is not destruction, but a state of calm, without agitation. Suffering arises from mistaken perceptions about self and object, not from the formations themselves.
The path of practice is named by koans:
- Who are you?
-
Who is the Buddha?
inviting us to look directly into non-self, where the subject and object of mindfulness are not separate, like the wind blowing without a blower. Nirvana is the living reality in each breath, each step, the cooling of the fires of craving, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, and views – manifesting in daily life as non-craving and non-anger.