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The Tale of Kieu – Through the Eyes of Mindfulness, Talk 8
Thúy Kiều wakes up in the middle of the night after a dream of meeting Đạm Tiên, struggling against the fear of a dark and uncertain future (verses 211–218). Alone, she hesitates through the long night, thinking of the distant road ahead, her solitude and fear vividly described; the more she contemplates her own suffering, the more waves of sorrow surge, and she sobs through the night. From this state of mind, the Dharma talk on transformation emphasizes the need to “invest” in friends and the sangha—like gathering firewood for the winter—so that each day:
- In the morning, offer someone a moment of joy
- In the afternoon, help someone suffer less
Thanks to this, when suffering comes, at least one friend who understands and loves us, who supports us, will lessen our pain and keep us from feeling lonely.
When reading The Tale of Kiều with mindfulness, we recognize every character within ourselves—from Thúy Kiều, Trác Tuyền, Giác Duyên, Thúc Sinh, Từ Hải to Hoạn Thư, Tú Bà, Ưng Khuyển—learning from their wholesome seeds and transforming the unwholesome seeds. In verse 2249 and onward, Từ Hải’s army beats drums to welcome the bride, surrounds the cities of Vô Tích and Lâm Truy, and brings Thúy Kiều back to the camp: crimson flags, war drums resounding; ten generals remove their armor in greeting, palace maidens welcome her to the bridal chamber; finally, the tiger canopy opens in the center of the camp, Lord Từ and his lady sit together to judge cases, and Kiều will first repay kindness, then seek justice.
