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
The Fourteen Verses – On Samatha and Vipassana 2
Unmindful consumption waters negative seeds in us (anger, fear, jealousy) and nourishes our suffering. Mindfulness acts as a protective energy:
- Stop watering (cease unmindful consumption),
- Come into contact with the wonders of life to nourish positive seeds,
- Lift the embargo: allow pain and anger to arise and offer them a “bath of mindfulness” (breathing, walking, sitting) in order to recognize, embrace, and soothe these mental formations.
Deep looking, supported by the concentration born from mindfulness, allows us to contemplate suffering until we identify its source of nourishment (the second noble truth). It also invites us to:
- touch our impermanence and non-self (like a river or a cinema of successive images),
- let go of all chasing and all fear,
- dwell peacefully in the present moment (seventh verse),
- reveal deep insight (the fourth noble truth) leading to transformation and liberation.
Wrong perceptions are the foundation of our suffering