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The Three Doors of Liberation

Thich Nhat Hanh · January 30, 1994 · Plum Village, France · Audio Only
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The “Gate of Emancipation by Non-attachment” begins with contemplating the interdependent, interconnected, and co-arising nature of all things—looking into our own body to see our father, mother, air, earth, sky, children, and grandchildren… from there, we can transcend the prison of the separate self. Next, the “Gate of Emancipation by Signlessness” helps us not to be deceived by appearances, but to see the signless nature hidden within them. In the Diamond Sutra, there are four notions that we need to contemplate deeply:

  1. The notion of self—seeing that the self is made entirely of non-self elements, so the idea of a separate self dissolves
  2. The notion of person—seeing the non-human elements within every human being
  3. The notion of living beings—seeing the insentient (non-living) elements within every sentient being
  4. The notion of lifespan—seeing that there is neither birth nor death, that we are always dwelling in nirvana

The “Gate of Emancipation by Aimlessness,” or “wishlessness,” is the capacity to stop, not to chase after any further projects, and to recognize that we are already nirvana in this very moment. When we practice aimlessness, we smile and embrace the manifestation of sunlight, the sound of rain, our breath, a meal, a mindful step… without considering them merely as means to some distant goal. From this:

  • we have happiness right in the present moment, even if body and mind are not yet as we wish
  • we do not let worries and suffering overwhelm us, but maintain peace to serve our loved ones and society
  • each day of 24 hours is a gift from the earth and sky, fully received when the mind is aimless, bringing the nirvana of the present moment right where we are living
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Previous Talk January 27, 1994
1h 29m

Basic Buddhist Teachings 21 - The Noble Eightfold Path and the Three Doors of Liberation

Next Talk February 3, 1994
2h 52m

Basic Buddhist Teachings 22 - The Principle of Interdependent Origination