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The Continuation of a Practitioner
When entering monastic life, even without “flowers and fruits” in the biological sense, one can still generate abundant spiritual “flowers and fruits”: books, Dharma doors of practice, love, and insight that continue the ancestral stream. The Sangha is likened to a spiritual family, where the teacher is like a parent, elder brothers and sisters and younger siblings are like siblings, nourishing each other with mindful breathing, a smile, and the practice of the true Dharma.
Looking deeply into suffering to see the way out, the teaching outlines the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path:
- Suffering – all the suffering in body and mind
- The cause of suffering – the origin of suffering
- The cessation of suffering – the possibility of ending suffering
- The path leading to the cessation of suffering – the eight methods of practice that lead to liberation
The story of Brother Chân Sinh, who suffered from a terminal illness, illustrates the power of mindfulness practice: breathing in, the mind becomes calm; breathing out, a smile; walking meditation and total relaxation help prolong life, nourish the life of insight, and nurture love for oneself and the community. Facing impermanence, each moment lived deeply with love and insight is the most miraculous moment.