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The Mirror of the Inner Mind and the Truth of Loving
Today I will tell the sad story of Thiếu Phụ Nam Xương, a young woman who patiently waited for her husband for nearly four years during the Viet–Trung war, gave birth to a son, and had to shoulder the burden of raising him alone. Misunderstanding arose when the child answered that his father only appeared at night, causing Trương Sinh to suspect his wife of infidelity. He coldly abandoned her, performed the ancestral rites alone, and the child had to endure a “frozen hell” from the womb until, after twelve years, the truth was finally revealed. Suffering spreads through wrong perceptions—deluded thoughts—and through spiritual toxins such as doubt, arrogance, ignorance, craving, anger, and wrong views, which obscure true love.
The Buddha teaches us to use mindfulness, meditation, and the mirror of our own mind to clearly distinguish between the real snake and the illusory rope, and to let go of wrong perceptions. When we suffer because of someone we love, do not hold on to pride; instead, honestly share your feelings to open the door of liberation. Happiness is available right in the present moment, and can be practiced through walking meditation, eating in silence, and “dwelling happily in the present moment.”
Two basic lessons:
- Clean the mirror of your mind every day with mindfulness and meditation, always asking yourself, “Are you sure?” before rushing to any conclusion
- When you suffer because of someone you love, have the courage to share your feelings to resolve misunderstandings, instead of silently enduring