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The door of faith, the door of contemplation, the door of action – the way to pray to God and the Buddha
When faced with states of confusion, turmoil, or suffering—that is, “confusion”—the most important thing is to return and take refuge in the island within, that is, to come back to the breath in order to calm the body and mind right in that moment. Simply knowing “I am doing the best thing I can do at this moment,” we immediately attain a minimum of peace, because mindful breathing brings calm to the body and mind, opening the way for deeper insight.
The Dharma talk distinguishes three “doors” of practice, each with its own value but different place in the Buddha’s path:
- The door of faith (Bhakti Yoga)—the path of devotion, placing full trust and love in an object (the Buddha, Bodhisattva, or God).
- The door of insight (Jñāna Yoga)—the path of looking deeply, discovering Buddha-nature right within oneself.
- The door of action (Karma Yoga)—the path of mindful action, transforming every act—from scrubbing pots and washing dishes to great endeavors—into the practice of mindfulness.
In the Buddha’s teaching, the door of insight is considered the most important, while the doors of faith and action are supporting conditions that help us move from calming (samatha) to looking deeply (vipashyana), and then to wisdom.