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The Path of Transformation through Meditation - Dharma Talk by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh - In Orange County
The Four Noble Truths consist of four truths:
- The Truth of Suffering – the presence of suffering in life.
- The Truth of the Cause of Suffering – the origin of suffering.
- The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering – the possibility to transform suffering into happiness.
- The Truth of the Path – the path of practice that leads to that transformation, which is Meditation (Dhyāna/Jhāna), meaning to work with the mind, using the breath and mindfulness to nourish the “seeds” of awareness, love, and understanding.
In the practice of meditation, there are two main functions:
- Samatha (stopping): to stop, to dwell peacefully in the present moment, to calm the mind when anger or anxiety arises.
- Vipassana (looking deeply): to use concentration to look deeply into the nature of mental formations such as anger and fear, in order to transform the seeds of suffering into flowers of understanding and compassion.
Conscious breathing and the gentle smile are two simple yet wondrous means, to be applied in every moment—when anger arises in the family, when sharing a meal, when caring for the body through massage, or when contemplating the “five-year-old child” within us—helping us to return to the present moment, to heal the zones of suffering in body and mind, and to nourish happiness right in this very moment.