Buddhist Monasticism
Buddhist monasticism began about 2,500 years ago in ancient India, during the lifetime of Shakyamuni Buddha. The monks and nuns-sangha as they are called-were wandering mendicants as this was the life style of religious practitioners at that time. Hindu ascetics still follow this tradition today. The sangha depended on the public for their support, going from home to home to receive offerings of food from householders. In turn, the sangha taught the Dharma -- the Buddha's teachings -- to the lay people. During the heavy monsoon rains the sangha would stay in simple dwellings instead of wandering from place to place as they did during the rest of the year. After the time of the Buddha, these communities grew more stable and eventually became permanent residences for monks or nuns.
The lineage of nuns' ordination exists from the time of the Buddha. The first nun was his aunt, who raised him after his mother's death. Although the nuns were subordinate to the monks in terms of institutional power, their spiritual capabilities were recognized. The Therigatha contains teachings from some of the nuns who were highly realized, direct disciples of the Buddha.
From India, Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka in the third century B.C.E. Southeast Asia also became Buddhist, as did present-day Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Buddhism spread to Central Asia and to China from there, as well as from India by sea. From China, Buddhism spread to Korea and Japan. In the seventh century C.E., Buddhism entered Tibet from both China and Nepal. Now it is coming to the West.
There are three levels of nuns' ordination: bhikshuni, siksamana and sramanerika. To receive full ordination, that is to become a bhikshuni, one needs to be ordained by both ten bhikshunis and ten bhikshus (fully ordained monks). Giving the lower ordinations doesn't require as many people. As a result, the situation of ordained women differs in various Buddhist countries due to the level of ordination available to them there.
The daughter of the great Buddhist King, Asoka, brought the bhikshuni ordination from India to Sri Lanka. From Sri Lanka it went to China and then afterwards to Korea. Although the full ordination for men (bhikshu) spread to Tibet, that for women did not because it was difficult for so many bhikshunis to travel over the Himalayas. Thus only the first level of ordination, the sramanerika, spread to Tibet. In later years, the bhikshuni ordination died out in Sri Lanka due to political repression of Buddhism. Currently, Sri Lankan women can take the ten sramanerika precepts. In Thailand, Cambodia and Burma, the men can become bhikshus, yet the female ordained practitioners are in a kind of limbo situation. While they are not really lay people because they have taken celibacy vows, they have not taken the ten precepts of the sramanerika (novice).
The lineage of full ordination, bhikshuni, is flourishing in Chinese and Korean Buddhism, and there has been a resurgence of interest in it among women of all the Buddhist traditions. Some of us have gone to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea or the USA to take the bhikshuni ordination because it isn't presently available in our own Buddhist tradition, and people have begun to discuss how to make it available in these traditions in the future. Introducing the bhikshuni ordination has to be done slowly because it involves major shifts of thinking in the traditions that haven't had the full ordination of women for many centuries.
The external form of Buddhism has changed and adapted to different cultures as it went from one country to another. However, the essence of Buddha's teachings hasn't change. For example, at the time of the Buddha, the robes were saffron in color. In China, only the emperor was allowed to wear that color, so the robes became a more subdued gray or black. Also, according to Chinese culture, exposing one's skin was not polite, so the Chinese robes now have sleeves. The Tibetans didn't have saffron-colored dye, so the color of the robes became a dark saffron, or maroon.
Another example of how the form of Buddhism adapted to different cultures regards how the sangha -- the monastic community -- receives the material requisites for life. In ancient India, the monastics humbly went from door to door to collect alms from the laity who considered it an honor to help religious people in their practice. The Buddha set up the relationship of sangha and laity as one of mutual help. The people who wanted to dedicate their lives fully to spiritual practice wouldn't spend time working, farming, cooking and doing business. They could have more time to study and meditate by receiving support from the people who preferred to live and work in the world. By concentrating on their practice and developing their qualities, the monastics would then be able to teach the Dharma and be an inspirational example to others. Thus the Buddha set up a system of mutual help with one party giving more materially, the other more spiritually. Each person could choose how to help the society.
The tradition of collecting alms continued as Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and the vow not to handle money was strictly kept there. But in Tibet, this wasn't practical. The monasteries were outside the towns, and to walk in the freezing weather every day to go on almsround wasn't practical. Thus, the Tibetans started bringing food to the monasteries, or they would offer money or land so the sangha could get their own food. In China, the Ch'an (Zen) monasteries were far from towns, so the monastics worked the land to grow their food. Thus the economic situation of the sangha differs from country to country, depending on the culture and specific circumstances in each place.
My Experience
I didn't grow up as a Buddhist; my up-bringing was in a Judeo-Christian environment. My family was Jewish, although not very religious, and the community I grew up in was Christian. As a child, I asked many questions, "Why am I here? What's the meaning of life?" Because I grew up during the Vietnam war, I wondered, "Why do some people kill others if they all want to live in peace?" I grew up during the race riots, so I wondered, "Why do people discriminate against others on the basis of their skin color? What does it mean to be a human being? Why can't we live together?" I didn't find answers forthcoming in the community I grew up in. In fact, often my questions were discouraged. I was told, "Just go out with your friends, have a good time and don't think so much." But that didn't satisfy me.
After graduating from UCLA in 1971, I traveled in Europe, North Africa and went overland to India and Nepal to learn more about the human experience. I then came back to Los Angeles and worked in the L. A. City Schools, teaching in an innovative school. One summer I saw a flyer in a book store about a three-week meditation course taught by two Tibetan monks, Lama Yeshe and Zopa Rinpoche. It was summer vacation, so I went. I wasn't really expecting anything-in fact, I didn't know what to expect-and maybe that's why the experience was very powerful for me. The course was set up so that we listened to teachings and meditated on them afterwards. We examined them logically as well as applied them to our own lives.
As I did this, pieces began to fall into place and I began to get little twinklings of answers to the questions that had been with me since childhood. In addition, Buddhism provided many ways of working with situations that happen in our daily life: it gave techniques to transform destructive emotions like jealousy, clinging attachment or anger. When I practiced these, they affected my life in a very positive way. As time went on, the wish grew to become a nun in order to have more time and a more conducive life style for practice. This was my own individual choice, and it's not the one everyone should make. Many people meet Buddhism, practice it and don't get ordained. But when I did some close introspection, it was clear how deep-rooted my selfishness, anger and clinging were. I needed some clear discipline to break the old mental, verbal, and physical habits. Becoming a nun would give me the framework in which to do this transformation, and this in turn, could positively influence others.
In 1977, I took sramanerika vows in Dharamsala, India, and spent many years studying and practicing in India and Nepal. As Buddhism began to spread to the West, my teachers were asked to open centers in other countries, and they sent their older students to help set these up. So, I spent nearly two years living in Italy, and three years in France, going back to India in between. In 1986, I went to Taiwan to take the bhikshuni ordination, which was a very powerful and inspiring event in my life. Later my teacher asked me to go to Hong Kong and then Singapore to teach. And now, I'm in the midst of an eight-month teaching tour of the States and Canada. So I have been a wandering, homeless nun, just like those at the time of the Buddha; only now we travel by plane!
What was it that attracted me to Buddhism? There were several things. In the first course, Zopa Rinpoche said, "You don't have to believe anything I say. Think about it, check it logically and through your own experience before believing it." I thought, "Whew, that's a relief," and listened because there was no pressure to believe anything. In Buddhism it's very important to reflect on the meaning of the teachings, to examine them deeply. This gives rise to faith, but not in the sense of blind faith. Faith, in Buddhism, is confidence that comes from learning and understanding. This inquisitive approach fits in with my upbringing. I like discussion and debate, and appreciate the freedom to ask questions and challenge what is said. This is possible with Buddhism.
Buddhism is open to scientific investigation. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has participated in several conferences with scientists and is eager to learn about research. He has even given permission for scientists to run EEGs and other tests on meditators in order to explain from a scientific viewpoint what is happening during meditation. His Holiness has also said that if science can definitely prove something, we Buddhists must accept it, even if it contradicts what is said in the scriptures. I find the openness to scientific investigation refreshing.
Buddhism and science are similar in explaining the universe in terms of cause and effect. That is, things don't happen without cause or by accident. Everything happens due to causes. The present is a result of what has existed in the past, and we are now creating the causes for what will exist in the future. This isn't predetermination by any means; rather, there is a link between the past and the future and things don't exist as isolated events in space. While science deals with cause and effect in the physical domain, Buddhism explores how it functions in a mental one.
When applied to our human existence, cause and effect becomes a discussion of rebirth. Our consciousness doesn't exist without causes. It's a continuation of the conscious experience that we had prior to this birth. Similarly, our consciousness will continue after our death. In other words, our body is like a hotel that we temporarily live in, and death is similar to checking out of one room and into another. Just as we don't cling to hotel rooms because we know we're just there temporarily, we don't need to fearfully cling to this body as a permanent personal identity.
I found this discussion of rebirth very stimulating. Although I wasn't convinced about it at first, as I examined it logically and listened to stories of people who remembered their previous lives, it began to make more sense to me. Although I don't remember my previous lives, when I look at my own experience, the theories of rebirth and karma can explain it. For example, Buddhism accepts the influence that genetics and the environment have upon us. However, the influence of genetics and the environment alone doesn't suffice to explain my experience. Why did I become a Buddhist? Why did it strike such a deep chord in me that I decided to become a nun? Genetically, there are no Buddhists in my family tree. Environmentally, there weren't any in my childhood. I grew up in a middle class community in southern California and had very little exposure to Buddhism except in social studies class. Yet somehow when I came in contact with the Buddha's teaching, something clicked, and it did so strongly that I wanted to dedicate my life to the path of spiritual transformation. It seems that one possible explanation would be that there had been some familiarity with Buddhism in previous lives. There was some imprint, some connection with Buddhism that lay dormant in my youth. When I was twenty, if someone had told me I would be a Buddhist nun, I would have told them they were completely crazy. I had no intention to be religious or to be celibate at that age! When I later met Buddhist teachers, this interest came out, much to my own surprise.
Another thing that sparked my interest in Buddhism was its psychological dimension, especially the discussion about the disadvantages of self-centeredness and the specific techniques to develop love and compassion. As a child, I heard people say, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." But I grew up during the Vietnam war and didn't see a lot of love in society. Nor did I understand how we were supposed to love everybody because there seemed to be a lot of obnoxious people around! Buddhism explains a step-by-step method how to diminish anger, how to see others as lovable, how to let go of the fear of opening ourselves so that we could genuinely care for others. I was very attracted to these qualities and to the systematic way to train our mind along these lines.
I was also attracted to Buddhism because for over 2,500 years people have practiced the teachings -- the Dharma -- and attained the results the Buddha described. In this day of the American spiritual supermarket, when there are so many self-declared teachers of a myriad of spiritual paths, Buddhism is one that was tried and true for centuries. The fact that the teachings have been preserved, practiced and passed down purely is important.
The practice of meditation also appealed to me. Buddhism describes specific techniques for quieting the mind and for getting to know ourselves. In Buddhism, there isn't a split between intellect and feeling or between intellect and intuition. They can help each other. In other words, if we use our mind astutely, if we employ reason to examine our experience, an inner transformation of our feelings, of our mental state, will come about. Experience and intellect can be combined instead of seen as a dichotomy as we so often see them in the West. This enables them to complement each other and produce internal growth, rather than conflict.
Bringing Buddhism to the West
As a first generation Buddhist nun in the West, I face many challenges and my "upbringing" as a Buddhist nun has been different from that of Asian nuns, who have long-standing Buddhist traditions and institutions in their cultures. They take ordination, enter the monastery, and pick up what it means to be a nun by osmosis, through living in the community. They receive instruction in their own language and have the support and approval of the society around them.
The situation is very different for Western nuns. Western society doesn't understand what people like me are doing. "Why do you shave you head? Why do you wear funny clothes? Why are you celibate? Why do you sit on the floor with your legs crossed and eyes closed?" There aren't monasteries in the West for us to move into where we can get a good Buddhist education. Although many Asian teachers have established Dharma centers in the West, they are primarily designed to suit the needs of lay Buddhists who work and have families. So many nuns go to India to receive teachings and to practice, thus encountering the bureaucratic, financial and health-related difficulties associated with living there.
Financial support for Western nuns has not been readily forth-coming. People in the West usually think that we're already taken care of by a large umbrella organization like the Church, so they don't think to make donation for our sustenance. Another difficulty for the nuns is lack of role models. For those following Chinese Buddhism, this is less of a problem because the Chinese nuns are active and educated. However, for those of us in the Theravada or Tibetan traditions, there are few living role models, although there were many great female practitioners throughout history. In my instance, I am a Western woman, while the majority of role models in the tradition are Tibetan men.
These difficulties have led me to look deep inside and gradually to accept the situation, instead of wasting time wishing it were different. Buddhism contains methods for transforming adverse circumstances into the path, and in this way I've discovered advantages to being a first generation Western nun. First, in Asia, it is easy to rely on the Buddhist environment all around to give one the energy to practice. In the West, the environment is often the opposite; it tries to convince us that material possessions, sex, beauty, prestige, but not religion, bring happiness. To survive in this environment, we have to look deeply within ourselves to find inspiration and spiritual energy. This forces us to understand the purpose and methods of religious practice, because it's either sink or swim. I've had to accept that what I experience -- the opportunities as well as the obstacles -- is the result of my previously created actions, or karma. Knowing that what I think, say and do now will create the causes for future experiences, I must think carefully and be mindful in the present.
Bringing Buddhism to the West is a challenge, because we're trying to bring the essence of a religion or a spiritual path from one culture into another. Buddhism in Asia is mixed with Asian culture, and sometimes it is difficult to figure out what is Buddhism and what is culture. When I first became a nun, I wasn't aware of the difference between culture and essence, between form and meaning. In my mind, it was all Buddhism and I tried to adopt it the best I could. Thus, I tried to act like the Tibetan nuns, who are meek and quiet. They would never think of speaking to a group like this or of writing a book or of challenging what has been said. Tibet is a very patriarchal society. Although in the family and in business men and women are more or less equal, in Tibet's religious and political institutions they aren't. The Tibetan nuns' shyness could be a sign of their humility, which is a quality to be cultivated on the path, or it could be a reflection of lack of self-confidence or the social expectations regarding how they should behave. I can't say. In any case, I tried for a few years to be quiet and unobtrusive like them, but a certain tension developed until I had to say, "Hold on, something isn't working. This isn't me. I was brought up in the West, have a college education and have worked in the world, unlike the majority of the Tibetan nuns. It doesn't make sense for me to act like them; I have to act according to my culture." Coming to terms with this was a major turning point. I came to understand that spirituality is a process of inner transformation; it's not about squeezing myself into an artificial image of a good nun. It is okay to have an outgoing and straight-forward personality, but I need to transform my motivations and internal attitudes.
In 1986, I went to Taiwan to take bhikshuni vows, and stayed in Chinese monasteries for two months, which was a wonderful experience. Again, I was faced with the question, "What is Buddhism and what is culture?" I had "grown up" as a Buddhist in the Tibetan culture, and suddenly I was in a Chinese monastery, wearing Chinese robes, which are very different from the Tibetan ones I was accustomed to. Chinese culture is formal and things are done in a precise way, while Tibetan culture is much more relaxed. The Chinese nuns continuously had to fix my collar and adjust how I held my hands in prayer. In Tibetan monasteries we sit down during communal prayers, while in the Chinese monasteries, we stand up. My legs swelled because I wasn't used to standing hour after hour; I was used to sitting hour after hour! There were many changes like that: instead of prayers in Tibetan, they were in Chinese. The way of bowing was different, the etiquette was different.
This forced me to ask, "What is Buddhism?" It made me also acknowledge that I am not a Tibetan although I have spent years in that tradition; I'm not Chinese although I spent time there too. I am a Westerner and have to bring the essence of this religion into my own cultural context. That's a huge challenge, and we have to proceed slowly and carefully. If we discard everything we don't feel comfortable with, there's the danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water, of discarding or distorting the essence of the precious teachings in our attempt to free it from cultural forms which aren't our own. We are challenged to go beyond superficial discriminations to deep examination of what is spiritual practice.
It has become clear to me that spirituality isn't the clothes, the prayers, the monastery, the form. Real spirituality has to do with our own heart, our own mind, how we relate to people and how we relate to ourselves. It doesn't have color, shape or form, because our consciousness is without form, and this is what practice transforms. Nevertheless, since we live in society, we will evolve ways of sharing our internal understanding with others in ways fitting to our culture.
Western culture will influence Buddhism as it's practiced here. For example, in the West democracy is valued, while in Asia society is more hierarchical. If one is old, one's opinion is listened to; if one isn't, one's opinion doesn't have much weight. In fact, it would be considered inappropriate to challenge the elders' authority and wisdom. In the West, we are encouraged to express our opinions and we run organizations on a more democratic basis. As Buddhism comes to the West, I believe many of the hierarchical ways of thinking and acting will be left behind. On the other hand, anarchy isn't beneficial; we certainly need leaders, we need guidance from those with more wisdom than us. The Buddha set up the sangha community on a democratic basis with the monastics meeting and making decisions together. Yet, those who participated in the decision making were those with experience, not those who were new to the practice and lacked clarity about the path. Hopefully, our way of working together in Western Buddhist organizations can be similar to the Buddha's original intention.
In addition, the movement towards gender equality will influence Buddhism in the West. For example, in general the Tibetan nuns don't get the same education as the monks. Due to His Holiness the Dalai Lama's influence, this has begun to change in recent years, but it's still not equal. On the other hand, Western nuns and monks study in the same classes together, and my teachers give both nuns and monks positions of responsibility in Dharma centers. Women will be leaders in the Western Buddhist community. They will receive the same education as the men, and hopefully, the same respect and support. Although gender bias still exists in the West, we have the opportunity to establish new Buddhist institutions here that are more appreciative of women. In Asia, this will take longer because people's values are different and reforming existing institutions is sometimes more difficult than creating new ones.
Western Buddhism will also be influenced by social activism. During the Buddha's time, monastics were not encouraged to become involved in social issues or social welfare projects. Instead, they were to study, meditate, and by gaining realizations of the path, help society. But our social structure is different now as are the problems facing us. In ancient India, if one had a turn for the worse, the family would help out. One wouldn't wind up in the streets. Nor was there nuclear threat or danger from environmental pollution. Also, due to the Christian influence here, people expect monastics to be involved in charitable work. Therefore, His Holiness the Dalai Lama encourages us to learn from the Christians and to offer direct benefit to the society. This doesn't mean that all Buddhist monastics should run hospitals and schools. Rather, if it is suitable for one's practice and personality, one has the freedom to do that.
In the West, the relationship between monastics and lay followers will change. Western lay people aren't content simply to offer support and services so that the monastics can practice. They want to study and meditate as well. This is excellent. However, I hope that they will continue to support monastics, not because monastics are an elite, but because it helps everyone when some people devote their entire lives to study and practice. If we can help some people practice more diligently, then by gaining experience in the path, they'll be able to guide and teach us better.NAM MO CAKYA MOUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.31/8/2016.MHDT.

❛ A way to master his mind is to let it be comfortable. Please, let it be natural activities, let go of all try to achieve something. Promoting the attitude, the DAC is a huge obstacle for the practice.END=NAM MO CAKYA MOUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.31/8/2016.MHDT.

❛ Một cách để làm chủ tâm mình là để cho nó được thoải mái. Hãy thư thái, để nó được tự nhiên hoạt động, buông bỏ mọi cố gắng muốn đạt được một điều gì. Thái độ tăng tiến, thủ đắc là một chướng ngại rất lớn cho sự tu tập. HET=NAM MO BON SU THICH CA MAU NI PHAT.( 3 LAN ).GIAO HOI PHAT GIAO VIETNAM TREN THE GIOI.TINH THAT KIM LIEN.THICH NU CHAN TANH.GIAC TAM.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.31/8/2016.MHDT.

Birth and Death.

1. Good practice is to ask yourself: "why was I born?" Morning, noon, afternoon, evening ... every day ask yourself questions .

2. Birth and death of me is just one. You can't have something that the other doesn't. One sad lamented when anyone dies, and cheerful when seeing a child at birth. Real passion and playfulness! If you want to cry, be crying at is anybody born. Let's cry the cause, the original ones cry, because you will not die.

3. Sets in the belly of one very happy stars! Not really comfortable! Try think! Just living in a small hut a day, enough discomfort going all the back doors Closed! are you have taste of misery! Phew! So that in the belly of one to nine months! You also want to born again? You must know is located in the abdomen not comfortable at all, but you still want to thun top modals in dark old rut? Don't contacts input wires Slipknot!

4. Why was I born? We are born to no longer have to born again.

5. When does not understand is death, the life has a lot of trouble.

6. the Buddha taught Ananda the consistent Sir impermanence, contemplate the death in each breath. We have to understand death. We die to live. This sentence mean? Death is the cessation of all disbelief, all title and live in the present. Not tomorrow we die, we die right now. You can do this? If done , then no matter what the theme of peace and tranquility will come to you.

7. close to me death right in the breath.

8. If know coaching and practice properly then you will not fear every time sick and no longer mourn the death of a loved one. When right on hospital treatment shall be settled that: healed then good which does not heal are also good. If the doctor said I have cancer and will die in the next few months then I will message advising doctors that: "be wary, death also are coming to find him ! The problem is who to go ahead and go after that. " Doctors can't cure or prevent death. Only the new Buddha is this. So don't wait any longer without the use of drugs of the Buddha?

9. If you are scared of the disease, if you fear death, let's see if bars them from where . They come from? They come from the birth. So, don't be sad when people die, their suffering in this life have gone, death is a natural story. If you want sad, sad when someone born poor "life instead! They came back again. They're going to have to suffer and die. "

10. Who knows the clear sense that every legal world without nature. So, Who knows not happy or sad because they don't get swept under the France world always turn this change. Become happy is born. Become sad. Dead again is born, and born again to death. Live and die every minute in the shootout of the endless round of birth and death.

The body

11. If this body can say all day it will say to us: "You are not the boss of me ! You know? " In fact, it is talking to us, but it uses the language of the Dhamma to say we should not understand .

12. Everything on this world doesn't depend on us. They follow the natural trend. The body has its own access road, we cannot interject. We can make this body a little more beautiful, more attractive and clean in a few moments as the girls to long fingernails and pink lipstick, created charming looks beautiful . But when old age to one as one's body is the way ... like, beyond our control. Only one thing we can do is, is that how beautiful his soul.

13. If this body really is mine then it will follow your orders. When we say: "old Ops!" or "you're not prohibited are pain!", it has to listen to me? Do not! It didn't care to comments of us all. We are just tenants rather than owners of "the House". If think this body is mine, I will know how miserable when had to depart. Actually, there's one we live, there's something trying or sustainability that we can hold.

The breath

14. From the opened life until depart the world that you don't have any breath of conscious moments on out in your body then you 've been living far away left to yourself.

15. Time is the breath of the US in the present.

16. You told that you are too busy so no time to meditate? You have time to breathe? Meditation is your breath. Why you have time to breathe without time to meditate. The breath is something living of life. If you are aware that Dhamma is the life of your life then you will feel that the breath and the practice of the Dhamma as important as each other.

Dhamma

17. The Dhamma? Nothing is not the Dhamma.

18. The Dhamma taught me what? The Dhamma taught us how to live. Dhamma used many ways to teach us: over rocks, through trees ... and through what was lying ahead. So, please keep in mind the purity, stillness to learn how to look, how consistent. You will see the whole Dhamma at the show itself here and now. You have to search the place and wait longer?

19. First of all, must use the reflection to find the Dhamma. When caught early understand the Dhamma, let's embark on the practice. When practicing you will gradually see the Dhamma. And once found Dhamma, you with the Dhamma is one and you have the fun of Chu Buddha.

20. Find the Dhamma in mind you to clearly see what's right, what's wrong, something balanced and something not egalitarian.

21. Only a truly magical thing, that's the magic of Dhamma. The other is the magical art of swapping songs make us depart reality, depart the correlated trongđời human life, in death and liberation.

22 Please turn your job into the Dhamma. If felt good not nice then take a look inside yourself. If already know the mistakes that still do then there is negativity.

23. Hard to find people who know to listen to the Dhamma; hard to find people who remember and practice the Dhamma; hard to find who are the Dhamma and sees the Dhamma.

24. If there are mindfulness we will see all are all Dhamma. Look at the beasts fleeing danger, we will see that they also like us. They are fleeing misery and tìmđến happy place. Beast also fear, fear of death as well. When a right according to the truth, we will see animal species and humans have nothing different. We are the guys in the old birth companion pain dead.

25. The practice of the Dhamma will complete in place of nothing, where let go, empty place, where the burden has been put down, don't depend on time or space. That's where the termination.

26. The Dhamma is not away to Sea Sky, blind pastes or where the Elves reside. The Dhamma is right in here. Dhamma related to us, to what we are doing in the present. The Buddha wants us in contact with the Dhamma, but we're only exposed to words, books and classics ... that is in contact with the shadow of the Dhamma and not in contact with the foot of the Dhamma has to be the Buddha's teaching. If only the stars can be called good practice and the right message. It was straying too far from it.

27. Go observe yourself, sometimes happily happy, sometimes sad, sometimes suffering comfortable pleasant, sometimes slacking beggar thy spirit ... all of the Dhamma. You 've seen the Dhamma? Want to understand the Dhamma, you must look, must read his own experience.

28. When listening to the Dhamma you must expand your mind and stay in the heart. Don't try to accumulate, hold on to the memories of what we have heard. Please Let the Dhamma in mind you free show presentation. Please Let the Dhamma in every minute. What is ready to be stored will be kept in a natural way doesn't need you.

29. The presentation to the Dhamma, you don't push yourself. The Dhamma will smoothly in a natural way, to adapt to the circumstances and consistent with what is happening in the present. Each person has the speed and the ability to collect different, when you stay on the right scale, the Dhamma will flush overflow. The Buddha understood thoroughly. He used natural methods to teach. Not You have supernatural powers specifically to teach, but Mr sharp before the spiritual needs of the people who came to see him, and he taught moral right according to their spiritual needs.

The heart and mind

30. only a book worth reading, that is his own mind.

31. the Buddha taught us to make certain all what do we mind suffering while meditating. Affliction distressed, not mind suffering. We don't know what is the mind, something is troubling the brain. What do not unsatisfactory, we don't want to see. Our life miserable no! The miserable in here is not satisfied, not satisfied with life. Indeed, the only miserable affliction only.

31. The world is burning ngụt, interpreters covered. In the hot, mind instead of changed from love to hate. How to make the mind quiet NET security will bring about tremendous benefits to the world.

32. If your mind at peace, the happiness where you peace and happiness also. When opening your minds in bloom wisdom then anywhere you look to is the truth. The truth everywhere, something else to spend a while know read the letter then in tournaments you can also read the letter.

33. If you feel not satisfied in one place, you will feel not satisfied everywhere. There is no place outside makes you uncomfortable. Where the discomfort lies within you.

34. Look at his mind. People who carry heavy objects doesn't see anything, but people also look at see. The farmers give up everything, let go of all, you will be relieved.

35. capital safety net Center. When the mind out of NET security stillness insecurity disorder will jump in. When seen to be unsafe this disorder then NET security stillness will return.

36. Buddhism is the Center's Director. That's it! Who would work the mind, people that practice Buddhism.

37. When the lights Dim, you can not see the arachnoid John at the corner of the room, but the light you can see clearly to wipe away. Also, when in the morning you will see clearly the negativity to subtract.

38. The training of the mind is not the same as coaching body. Want a strong body to catch the body manifest , but want a strong mind to keep the mind at rest.

39. Because of not seeing yourself so people make all messed up. They don't look at the center of his own. When about to do what mistakes, they look ahead, look after the preview has not seen his mother? Her husband? His wife? My baby see? If no one saw, they rush off right now. That is they humiliate themselves. There is a thing they forgot they are seeing them !

40. Use the mind to listen to the Dhamma, do not use the ear.

41. the Fight against negativity is war fighting inside. Use the bomb ammo guns to fight is the war fighting on the outside. The other guys win is the way of the world. Win yourself làđường the entrance of the Dhamma. We are not fighting against anyone that war to conquer his Center, main persistence against all the emotional pulse of yourself.

42. The rain come from? It comes from the dirty water on the ground and vaporized. Weird how? As for the negativity, you can also do so, if you let it do.

43. the Buddha taught us please review guess yourself that don't consider the other guys guess good how bad their oil . The Buddha only just for me the way and said: "truth is such that". Our minds have to be so?

Impermanence

44. The current world France through the change. You can't fight or prevent them. Think of the view, you can breathe in that don't breathe out? Do so feel comfortable? Or breathe out that don't breathe into will be like? We do not want change but things constantly change!

45. If know that things are changing, you also wonder wonder, think what wiggle butt! Any of what you just told myself: "well, one more thing!" That's all.

46. The speech ignores the impermanence is not your words.

47. If you see clearly the changes, then you will see the no change. The no change here is: things can't change . If understand that only the change is never changed , then change you understand to be the Buddha, and you can respect the donation a way right.

48. If you say that you have a prime result first Holy, be Holy first degree ceremony, wealthy girl came. He will tell you that all are not firmly. If you encounter the second Holy ranks, hãyđến, wealthy girl. He will tell you that all nothing for sure. If you encounter a third Holy ranks, make to the wealthy girl. He just said no firmly. If you get the Holy steps Wednesday, please to Louis. He will tell you that all is not completely better. You will hear from the Scriptures that: "all are not firmly. Don't stick stuck on anything. "

49. I sometimes visit the Temple of the ancient tower. A few places were broken. Can one of you I complain: "sorry." I replied: "If there is no disruption, No Buddha, Dhamma. It broke so requ because it seamlessly integrates with the Buddha.

50. All over the world are going the natural way. No science can hinder steps away of them. You can get to the dentist for dental care. But the dentist has teeth care oil you how thoroughly , in the end, they also go by the way of them. Even the dentist damaged teeth also. All things ended and then also disintegrate.

51. What is sustainable certainly this? Nothing beyond suffering. Suffering come and go. Happy back to the place of suffering. And so forever. In addition to that story out there is nothing anymore. But we are the ones who lost the road non-stop runs and capture exercise. Education is not really lost , just eleventh-hour change.

Career

52. Who do not understand the Dhamma when doing sexual harassment thing, they often look around to see if anyone saw not. But our industry is always watching us. Can't get rid of the fruit industry.

53. The onions well brings good fruit. Administrative action brought bad results Don't expect bad spirit, Chu, who hid you hid will protect your face. Also don't trust the good days, bad days. It is these things are not true. You will always wait wait on good, good, good, good years now, this deity, Saint francs. Trust in those that only brings suffering to you only. Please look into the conduct and words of you, look at your career. You will reap the healing results, do evil you will bring results.

54. a practice of making right decisions you will make for the old career takes off. Everything came and went, and then destroy. You make sense and leave them under happenings. As well as two original trees, if you fertilize and irrigate water to the original point of this tree and leave its other plants then you from needing to see a fret at the lush tree and a maple tree còm tree realms.

55. Some of you, thousands of miles from Europe or America of bygone, to meditate this Pong Pa Institute to learn the Dhamma. You have to go through many hardships to reach this place. While there, there are people in the way of Zen just one wall without even stepping foot in the portal. Think you have a good career.

56. Do something bad you can't go anywhere. The oil no one saw you go again, you also found himself. Away down deep pit you also find yourself in it. There is no way to escape the industry has created. Also, why do you not see the pollution? You see all the net traffic,-an , freed, afflictions-You found it all.

Meditation

57. be embarking on the meditating, do not go running around waiting to meet the future Buddha. You have to go around enough.

58. I hear someone complain: "Oh, very bad year for me." "Why?" "I am in pain throughout the year. I don't meditate Nothing . " The box! If they do not meditate when they approached death meditation? If feeling energetic, you think they would meditate? Do not. They only lost in happiness. If they suffer they still not meditating. They also lost in misery. I don't know of any time they think they have to meditate.

59. I 've qui định timeline and the rules of the school of meditation. From the need to replace the modified anymore. Who would want to change, that person had no intention here to meditate. So then how do you expect to see something; they always oil lying asleep next to me goes well no I. The oil they have to sleep next to the Buddha to go anymore they also never saw the Buddha if they can't meditate.

60. Don't think just sitting in your eyes is to meditate. If think so, instead rushing changed that thought go. Meditate steadily is keeping oil at mindfulness in all, are standing, are away, sitting or lying. After hours of sitting meditation flush did don't you think that meditation; to know that it is only the position. If so you will have real peace. Dầuđang where you also have to always live in meditation, always keep in mind mindfulness.

61. "blood Oil dried meat, dried up just encase skeletal skin ... we will not leave this place if not privileged." Read this verse you think you have to take the forces try; you have to do like the Buddha. But you forgot to think that your car is too small and very Buddha vehicle is tremendous. With small cars like this, how in just one time you can carry everything. Buddha is a story that is a different story.

62. I go everywhere to find a place to meditate; I don't know that it is available here, in my heart. Meditation is right in you: birth, old age, death, pain is right in you rather than not somewhere far away. I go everywhere until prostrate want winded, new at the stop, and when it stopped I realized that what I find ... right out of me.

63. Not meditating to find natural way that to end the suffering.

64. Don't stick stuck on the image or the light in meditation; don't be up down under them. The light show at the great meditation in College? The lamp's light press. light or picture in mind while meditating does not help us end the negativity.

65. Don't meditate nothing other then you would blind and deaf. Not easily see the Dhamma . You have to meditate to see what you've never seen. Not the new born you have as a teacher immediately. You have to go to school and do the pupil before. You just saw was a sour taste of lemon as you tasted lemon.

66. When meditating if there is any thought to say: "that's not my job!"

67. When feeling lazy I have to meditate. Not just the feel at the full capacity or new comfortable meditation. It is practiced according to the word of the Buddha. We only meditate when comfortable. But where to go to find comfort. Want to cut off the craving that you practice? craving

68. Always close the Café yourself while doing any work whatsoever. Just read the book well not start b. anything. On the day passed but we can't see ourselves. Who knew meditation is the meditation effort really to know.

69. There are many ways to meditate, but all are back: Please to all things natural. Escape the battlefield, wholesome place to cool. Why not try it? Do you dare?

70. Only think to meditate without any other bait drop is not operating ball, remove the thựcđể get the vague, false.

71. When the new meditation for a few years, I still not yet confident. After you have more experience I know believe in my heart. When you have a profound understanding as this then any what happened you may leave them natural and everything just came and went. You will reach a place where you will know what to do.

72. Stick stuck into the NET security is also worse than is delivered dynamically insecurity. Because at least you want to escape the traffic , whereas you are satisfied with the NET security and not proceed further. When meditating mind peace tranquility, nonchalantly continue the meditation that don't stick stuck on them.

73. To meditate is suicide and the feeling of the mind. Don't run under or fight. Breathing continues while you work. Nature of lo's nature. The effort is our mindfulness, look inside to a clear consciousness. Meditation is.

74. Not meditate properly then the mind will trekking delivered . Mind trekking agitated other not dead. Wondering you see enough time to meditate when you're about to die is not. Please frequently ask: "when I die?" Practice in this way, you will awaken in all the time, always present consciousness and self mindfulness follow, wisdom, seeing things as real and very clear. Mindfulness Center, keepers, look out for help the mind to know the feeling kicked in at all times, day and night. Have mindfulness is there NET security and autonomy.

75. the basics first in meditation is to honestly and seriously. The second is the caution to prevent the wrong action. The third is to be at least expecting and know enough. If you know a student in speech and tri in everything then will see himself; the mind will no longer wander vôđịnh which is about, and hue.

76. At first glance the beginning you rush , rush to go back, and rush to stop. You continue to meditate like for to when you come to a place, in which seem to go to nor correct, go back and also not true, stop a possible nor true. The world is ending. No stopping, no go, no about. The world is ending. Right there , you will see nothing.

77. It should be remembered that you meditate not to achieve "something" is not to the exclusion of "something". Not to meditate with the craving that with equanimity. If you "want" anything, you have to come out of meditation.

78. the framework of moral truth. No need to explain the gab. Remove the hate and love to all things natural. That's the thing I do in practice.

79. Ask sai proves you are still skeptical. Meditation is only good when it's pretty helpful to the pubs close. But see the truth or not, depending in the practice.

80. The practice is learning how to remove discharge and not to increase the stickiness. Enlightenment will come when you terminate the libido.

81. If you have enough time to mindfully, you have enough time to meditate.

82. Question: When meditating if there are a lot of changes taking place in the mind, you should learn them or just record to come out of them?

Answer: Find a person passing, if that is the stranger you will wonder: "who's that? He's gone where? Do? ". If it's someone you just noted the passing of him.

83. "wishing well" while meditating can be friends or enemies. If it is you, it makes me want to meditate, to want to learn, wants to end the agony of pain. If the enemy, it will make us wish what has not yet happened, to his audience there was what that object that does not have. But in the end, we must discharge all desires, even dream of enlightenment, liberation, new .

84. Question: do I need to process every day?

Answer: ask yourself who consider themselves French himself, for himself. A can today are angry or something. Monks that may not need to ask me this, right?

85. The body is the set of four . We used the mechanism to describe things, but we get stuck into the edit mode and view them as something real there. As people and things named such. Now, we try to return to the era before all things , and gọiđàn him as "woman" and she is "man", then what's the difference ? But, now has stick stuck on the name and the mode specified , and then should we have a war on sex and the other war categories. Meditation is look penetrates all of this to be able to reach the place unconditionally and peace, not war, not hatred.

87. Many people who become monks because of the faith, but later on they giẵm up the teachings of the Buddha. They have more extensive knowledge, but they are not good practice. Indeed, today there are very few people who actually practice.

88. Theory and practice-what is the name of the medication and the latter is known to go in search of drugs and medication.

89. The sound-you like birdsong, but hate the car. You fear the buried people, and , and you want to live in the Woods alone. Please go and take care of children. "" Here is the practice.

90. A Tan sa di asked that a student must meditate. Ajahn Chah replied:

-Same as the old students.

-Old students how to meditate?

-Remained the same.

91. He said that the teachings of the Buddha are very true, but difficult to implement in the society. Like they say: "I was young, no chance to meditate, when old I would meditate." You can say: "now I don't have time left to eat when I am old I will eat?" If the lesser bamboo rat on you a fire Red, you will jump up. Yes, but because living in this society so you can't avoid it.

92. Sex, Lily, is sixth in the practice of Buddhism. About keeping guns clean body. And the place of residence of the mind. So, in the practice must have full , defined, hue. Like a medicinal tree cut three sections, but also just a piece of wood. Cannot export body hard going, also can not take hard. We must practice with both body and mind. As such, the intended hue is a harmonious gathering, working together.

Africa falls

93. A grave old stuff Grandma from a neighboring province to Wat Three Pong pilgrims. Mrs. dear with Ajahn Chah that she can only be in here for a short time only because she had to return home to watch her great-granddaughter who change considered. She also ladies with Ajahn Chah was because she was too old so please give her a short French.

Ajahn Chah replied, her listen in! here no one off, just like that. No one is the owner, no one, no one child no one good, no bad, no one, no one. That was it ... that's all. All are empty, just different elements of nature mutual effects. No one is born that nobody died . People would talk about the death of that person is talking like a baby does not understand anything. In the language of the mind, that is the language of the Buddha Dharma, there is no story there.

94. the basics of the teachings of the Buddha is to clearly understand the ego is just as inane. But people learn Dhamma creates the notion of ego, so they don't want to see suffering or hardship. They want everything easy, comfortable. They want to end the suffering, but if they are still the ego, how to end suffering.

95. Once you understand then things are easy, simple and direct. When things start, please understand that we are empty, not ours. When things start, understand the predicament that they are empty, not ours. So they disappear immediately. Do not assimilate them with her, also don't be yourself is the owner of them. If you think this is enough câyđu of you then you will know how painful when anyone it fork cabin. Understand that you will balance. When the mind to balance then that is the Chief Scout, the teachings of the Buddha, the Chief foot leads to liberation.

96. It is not good research to learn something beyond good bad. They usually say: "I would like this, I will like there." But they never say: "I will be nothing because no really I am." That's what they need to learn that they cannot bear to school.

97. When understood egolessness, then the burden of life will be put down, will peace with everything. No longer stick stuck in ego, happiness, then there will be real happiness. Get rid of discharge in a natural way, no need to debate tough fights, discharge, merely how things just leave it like that--not holding, not sticky, freedom.

98. The body includes four elements: Earth, water, wind, fire. When they combine to form the body, we call them is man, woman, give them a name to can easily recognize them, but in fact no one in it at all-only the Earth, water, wind, fire only. Don't be excited or too sticky stuck to the body. If really look inside, you will find no one in it at all.END=NAM MO CAKYA MOUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.31/8/2016.MHDT.