Conquer anger, spread compassion.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH. [02] Love LOVE is what? What is its value? How many love things? Is the love in the Buddha's teachings different from love in the ordinary sense? At the first session we understand what love is? These are issues we can discuss even before we start talking or writing about love. People use many words to talk about love. We write about it, talk about it (it is an essential part of everyday words), read about it, and treat it as the very essence of our lives. We have sayings: "Love has many splendor and splendor", "Love means never saying sorry", "Love makes the earth go round" and there is a slogan like like this: "Make love, not war". Now we come back to the question: "What is love?". The dictionary defines love in a variety of ways, it is a feeling of warmth, tenderness, feelings of deep and tender love for that person or affection for attachment, devotion to a person or people you love; feeling of bond of brotherhood and sympathy for all?, often the passionate affection of one person for another, by the attraction of sensuality and copulation. Appropriately we will begin the discussion here about the definition of a kind of love. Love is a warm, tender feeling towards another person, wishing them to be happy. It is a feeling of tenderness, care, and affection; love is not selfish, does not expect to be reciprocated or not; it is a noble sentiment, overcoming all barriers of religious beliefs, gender, race, country... It extends to all living beings in the universe, including: insects insects, fish, animals and organisms. Love is not petty desires or loving feelings that are closely attached to a person; it is not lustful. It is not sexual or hedonistic gratification. Yes, we must understand that between two lovers there must be love, between husbands and wives. In their relationship there must be care, tenderness and tenderness. Their love cannot be self-interested. It is a mixture of strong hedonistic or sensual appeal. Love is the legal responsibility of change, if an object fails to meet or satisfy a sexual need or desire for the other. Thus this shows that love is interdependent, limited and subjective. We consider it a lowly or less noble sentiment, not noble, purely selfish and ambiguous. All of these will be discussed below. Love is based on the subjective side, it is also appropriate to discuss the problem of lust. So what is lust? Again the dictionary defines it as a craving for gratification of sensations, physical lust, sexual desire; intense sexual desire especially as the search for unbridled gratification, unable to resist lust. Therefore, we can see that the love between two people to a certain extent of sexual desire will be inseparable from each other, it is sexual desire associated with the desire to satisfy feelings. , and that as we know that feeling is so intense and it's taking over, blindly give rise to passionate love and even disappointment. It can fuel rage with jealousy, anger, and frustration when a lover cheats or when love is not reciprocated. And so again, this is not the kind of love we are going to discuss here, for it is a love that is self-seeking and conquers to get desires and satisfactions. However, there are undeniably feelings of tenderness, tenderness, care and love between two lovers, between husbands and wives. They can even be dependent, influenced by each other and by sexual attraction. May be starting from a noble kind of love, they may also love in a greater understanding of a nobler kind of love and eventually appreciate and develop a kind of love that transcends all barriers. obstacles, limitations, and circumstances. So, the kind of love that we will discuss below is the love that is seeking and takes pleasure in making others happy. It is a noble, unselfish sentiment, always expecting the same good results as what we have wished for, without expecting anything in return, not even needing appreciation or gratitude. Giving love just for the sake of tolerance, love is found in the pleasure of seeing joy and happiness flash in the eyes or faces of others (considered as the fruit of love and sharing). ). So it can be said that it is a meaningful reward, making us all try harder and it is evaluated as: "the fruit of love". Always wishing for the best for others, Therefore, in the traditional Buddhist "formula of love", we wish that: "All sentient beings are healthy and happy, free from harm and danger. Body and mind are peaceful, do not have to suffer. May everyone care and take care of each other full of happiness." The very life of the Buddha is a prime example of immense love and affection. It transcends two virtues: Mettà (love, kindness ) and Karuna (compassionate love, compassion), and He gave up the worldly life full of luxury, materialism and pleasure that He lived in order to find the way to liberation, end all suffering. After finding the solution, he shared it with all sentient beings, wishing them to taste the happiness of mindlessness, the happiness of Nibbana that they can achieve in each person's life. through a pure mind. And the Buddha wholeheartedly exhorted all his disciples to go far and spread his teachings to many people so that they too might taste the honey of liberation. He himself is a great teacher, after enlightenment he went tirelessly preaching the Dharma all over India, preaching to all walks of life for 45 years until he passed into Nirvana at the age of 80. The Buddha encouraged his monks and disciples to constantly radiate love and compassion. He suggested to them to pervade and spread all over the world with a heart of love that is as if: "going further, spreading everywhere and endlessly". Regardless of posture, whether walking, standing, sitting, lying down, he also encouraged his disciples to regularly spread loving-kindness and compassion to all living beings. In the Buddha's teaching, there is no room for enmity or jealousy, even the slightest bit. Such a love is a supreme and ultimate love. It is not easy to love wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly, without expecting anything in return. Surely it is extremely difficult for us to develop this love to the point of attaining purity, purity like the Buddha - love that covers all beings, it is not burning or calloused. it is calm and even tempered with wisdom and equanimity. We begin to cultivate this kind of love when we practice loving-kindness meditation and Vipassana insight . Mettà or loving-kindness meditation is a particularly effective weapon against enmity and anger. And through the practice of Vipassanà meditation , love and compassion can also blossom and bloom as we empathize and tie the destiny together that we are all suffering companions in. samara , or in other words we are all in the same boat. In the following pages we will encapsulate our discussion in the development of Mettà .. The practice of Vipassanà meditation is also mentioned by us in another book entitled "Welcome to Vipassanà ". -ooOoo- Cultivation of loving-kindness. METTA BHAVANA (Meditation of Compassion) T constitutional Metta, or loving kindness is especially suitable for those who have the temperament of anger, such as an easy temper, the simmering hatred and found it difficult to forget or forgive, or one who harbors resentment and hatred. For people with such a hot temper will be troubled by anger, they will only find happiness when their temper is regularly exercised. And even those who are calm while practicing this meditation can still benefit a lot, as we all feel uncomfortable or irritated from time to time and it helps us to stay calm after practice. than. There are also other benefits that we will discuss later. Although we are now talking about a benefit of benefits, the practice of Mettà will eventually develop a kind of love that is to love just for the sake of love, just for the sake of alleviating the suffering of others and promote goodwill, cheer and happiness. The benefits we talk about here will later become secondary or trivial. But at the beginning we take it as an incentive to keep practicing. One of the objects of meditation is to concentrate or to designate an object in the mind. When the mind is fixed on an object, it settles down and becomes calm and quiet. At the same time, the tendency to distract the mind is also stopped, at least for the time when the mind is concentrated or absorbed in the object. The mind is very cool and comfortable when we come to the feeling of stillness, quietness without thinking, tranquility in the object of designation, concentration in that object alone. The mind becomes calm, like a candle that burns in the wind without a flash. Of course, the experience of that quiet feeling can only be tasted by himself to understand and enjoy it. The next principle is to designate an object in the mind, fix it on the object of meditation. When meditating on love and compassion, the subject is the concept of love, wishing all sentient beings to enjoy happiness. There are different methods you can use to spread your loving-kindness Mettà and treat it as an object. Here we will discuss one of the methods that can be practiced successfully. The first method is expressed in the following four lines: * Relax, try to get out of harm and danger. * Relax to get out of the pain of the spirit. * Relax to get rid of the pain of the body. * Let yourself be happy. These four lines are easy to remember, meditators need to recite over and over and memorize them in their heads (just reciting in their heads, no need to say them out loud). The mind is like a computer and the mind is to program the mind with thoughts of wishing the best for everyone. Therefore, it can be said that the more filled with these thoughts, the more the heart is filled with love. Because when you meditate, your mind will begin to focus on the subject of love, wishing happiness to everyone. Irrelevant thoughts get rid of it or stay away and eventually they have no entrance. Then the mind will be centered, the object assigned, and you will feel the special states of stillness, silence that we mentioned before. Before we continue we need to explain the meaning of the four lines that we are reciting. Once we understand their importance, we will naturally understand their meanings and implications when we recite or sprinkle good loving meanings. 1) Relax trying to get out of harm and danger. There are two types of harm and danger: internal harm and danger – external harm and danger. Inner harm and danger including our sliding cells such as: greed, hatred, deception, anxiety, anxiety... are the cause of much emotional pain for us. External harm and danger refers to the dangers that we may encounter outside such as: accidents, natural disasters (fires, floods, landslides, earthquakes, etc.) harm us. No one wants to be exposed to these dangers whether they occur internally or externally, although the dangers within are more frightening. Slippage is considered even worse than the dangers within. Having said that, it is we who are the most dangerous enemies to ourselves. If we can overcome, conquering the slips within, we can face the outer obstacles without fear or anxiety. 2) Relax to get rid of mental pain. The meaning of this sentence is very clear. It covers all the pains of the spirit, from the subtle to the gross. It includes pain such as: worry, anxiety, fear, disappointment, sadness, depression, despair or any sick state of mind that can lead to confusion, peace or excruciating pain. No one wants to be in pain or suffering. We want to always be quiet, peaceful and happy. 3) Relax to get rid of the pain of the body Again, the meaning of this sentence is also very clear. It includes all kinds of physical pain from minor physical aches such as colds and headaches to serious pains like cancer and heart disease. No one wants to suffer physically. 4) Let yourself be happy. Here, we mean that day by day all beings can live peacefully and happily. We all need to get down to business with the daily chores and take responsibility for it. Students need to study while adults have to earn a living. We need to have harmonious and friendly relationships with those around us, such as: colleagues, friends, relatives, family members and people who love us. If we do not treat them well, life will be difficult and difficult. So, if we want to be liked by everyone, let's have little or no conflicts, and let's have more goodwill, sympathy and understanding. Then we also need to do our job well. We need to do the work efficiently or else we will have a lot of problems. On the other hand, every day we need to take care of our health: physically and mentally. Because of this body, we need to eat, wear, take medicine when sick... These are also daily chores and we need to continue to live and do them calmly and happily. And also need mental care. We need to purify our mind by meditating, practicing regularly, cultivating good moral character, and displaying and behaving wisely. So when we say, "Let yourself be happy". This is a general statement that covers all aspects of daily life. So you can judge that the four lines starting from: "take it easy and try to get out of harm and danger", are inclusive of all people want. Fully understanding the importance of these four lines, our spread of loving-kindness will take on more meaning. -ooOoo- Self-practice M o t sit in meditation posture is normal: sitting cross-legged on the floor with your back straight (or on a chair because he can not sit on the floor). Close your eyes, relax your whole body and recite four sentences in your head (don't read it out loud or say it out loud, just say it in your head). Repeat four sentences over and over for ten minutes, thirty minutes, or more than an hour. Continue chanting one hundred times, one thousand times, One hundred thousand times, one million times. For how long and how many times it is not necessary. Just think, think, just think. It's just a short way of programming. We are programming in our minds the thought of loving-kindness and goodwill towards all sentient beings. When we chant we don't need to think about the meaning of these sentences because we already know its importance. Naturally and gradually when we recite the feeling of love, compassion and goodwill towards all sentient beings will pervade and pervade us. We will be filled with a sense of harmlessness, we do not want to harm or hurt others or harbor any anger or malice towards any person. It was a really nice feeling. When we chant or sprinkle loving-kindness in this way the mind will naturally become focused on one object and calm. The mind will become calm, quiet and equanimous. These sentences can flow on their own as smoothly as the radio is turned on. Sometimes because the mind calms down we may forget to recite or we may jump to another sentence. That is only natural. Once we become aware we just have to repeat it as usual. In this way meditation will naturally develop. There is no need to rush or speculate in advance to attain jhāna, it will come naturally once you have mastered and memorized the work. -ooOoo- How does meditation come about ? C basil're scattered mind when we recite the words on. When the mindfulness is memorized, the mind becomes concentrated or concentrated on one object, such as loving-kindness or spreading loving-kindness. The wandering mind then stops and is in a state of spreading loving-kindness. When the mind wandering stops is when the state of thinking about this or that, worrying, contemplating, contemplating... stops, the mind settles down, concentrates on one object. During concentration, a calm and peaceful mind will arise spontaneously. People who meditate will feel comfortable, light and comfortable. It is a very interesting and exciting feeling that only meditators can taste. It relieves tension from the usual habit of the mind of being constantly drawn in and consumed by thinking, worrying or worrying. This calmness in meditation is very calming and does not evoke pleasure. This is a happiness greater than any other happiness to which man's "form" is free to indulge. This is the kind of happiness the Buddha extolled - not the worldly pleasures of having pleasant sights, sounds, smells, feelings... This pleasure the Buddha considered low and insignificant and brought pain as it would defile the mind. However, meditation to achieve a feeling of happiness or well-being must be experienced and enjoyed. Once the meditator has tasted it, he will be less drawn to pleasurable pleasures, less enslaved to pleasure. Having tasted noble spiritual happiness or happiness that is not earthly, he will be better able to test his own pleasure desires. He enjoys enjoying the noble feeling of spiritual happiness. Technically, when the mind has concentrated the five hindrances (nìvaranas) are overcome. They are: a craving for pleasure, two aversion, malice or anger, three laziness, lethargy such as: doze, drowsiness, lethargy, fourth restlessness and mind Everyone is wandering, worried and nervous, five is doubt (about training in concentration...). So, when a meditator has concentrated, the mind will be steady and steady, and the five hindrances that are considered bad states of mind will naturally disappear. When this hindrance disappears, the mind becomes concentrated. The mind no longer craves or covets pleasurable pleasures during meditation. The mind is no longer angry or aversion, no longer sleepy or sluggish, restless or worried or doubtful. Thus, the mind becomes calm, content, and peaceful. In this stillness the five factors of attraction (jhana, jhāna) arise. They are: Vitakka: commonly understood as the first effort of the mind. This means that the mind is hitting the target, is pointing directly at the object of meditation. Tam no longer wanders. Vicara: or the sustained effort of the mind (Fourth). That is, the mind is fixated on the object, staying there, a brief but continuous state of mind repetition, or acting on the object. Vitakka directs the mind to the object while vicara causes the mind to act on the object and stay there. As a result, Pìti ( Phi ) is the mental refreshment that will develop. The meditator will feel comfortable, relieved. He enjoys other kinds of pleasurable sensations such as a pleasant feeling of vibrancy moving through his entire body. Sometimes he has a feeling of Pitì lightheadedness such as: his limbs suddenly rise, rise or jerk, or his body floats. Sukkha (Bliss), or happiness also develops. This sukkha is like pitì but more elegant or sublime. So when Sukkha arises, the coarse piti will fall and the meditator feels very light and comfortable. As the sutras teach it is "a feeling of immediate lasting comfort". The meditator is contented and at ease. In this state he no longer craves pleasurable sensations which may now be seen as gross and low, hot and agitated rather than quiet and mellow like meditative bliss. with a virtuous spirit. Ekaggata (One- pointedness ): the concentration on an object of mind. Finally the value of ekaggata was arisen. The mind becomes steady and still, focusing on an object like a lamp that burns steadily in the absence of wind, or as if it has been firmly attached to a pillar that cannot be moved. This meditator who has passed through this Ekaggata can clearly see that his mind is steadying and becoming still, like a pillar of stone that has been firmly buried and cannot be shaken. These five factors also appear during entering meditation, the meditation occurring during the interval of those five jhāna factors that will herald the emergence of the jhāna, Jhana. But while entering this state the meditator remains unstable and obstacles can still intrude and disturb the meditation. However, when the mind attains the five jhānas, these five hindrances become solid and the hindrances completely disappear. So when the jhāna is acquired, the meditator is less likely to be interrupted and the meditators can now concentrate for five, ten, twenty, thirty minutes, an hour or maybe more. for many days without any disturbance of obstacles. How long he can maintain this state will depend on his skill in practice and strength of meditation (samadhi). Even when an interruption occurs he can easily restore his concentration by continuing to radiate loving-kindness. It is stated in the Commentary that for a good meditator, when he loses five jhāna factors for some unworthy reason he can restore it without difficulty. Mettabhavana (compassion meditation) is a part of brahma-vihara meditation that includes love (Metta), compassion (karuna), altruistic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha) ): compassion and equanimity. According to the Visuddhi Magga (Path of Purity), meditators can immediately attain the first three jhānas with the subjects of love (Metta), compassion (karuna) and the joy of altruism (mudita), while the fourth jhāna can be attained in the subject of equanimity (upekkha). To cultivate these attractive factors there are exercises listed in the Visuddhi Magga. But time does not allow us to list the exercises here. However, a meditator who radiates loving-kindness according to the four lines of the formula we mentioned above can achieve a good level of concentration. If he practices hard and often he can achieve the five attractions in a static state. Or his practice will be the foundation for the later development of jhāna. As we have discussed in the previous sections, the basic principle in the development of meditation is to prevent the five hindrances from approaching and the five attraction factors must become strong and arise. -ooOoo- How long should a meditator spread his mind? The answer is: - The longer the better. While concentrating and practicing diligently, the meditator radiates loving-kindness throughout the day and night, while sitting or walking, and even in daily activities such as: eating, bathing, washing... the meditator can concentrate practice for days, weeks, and months. But most people don't have the ability to focus their efforts on practice. They can practice to their fullest extent. You can spread the mind from ten minutes to an hour after waking up every morning. Even spreading loving-kindness for just five minutes is better than not scattering loving-kindness at all. While continuing with your daily routine. You can spread loving-kindness anytime, anywhere. You can spread it while you are walking somewhere, while you are in the office, the workshop, while eating, bathing... Spreading loving-kindness by chanting in your mind according to the four lines of the recipe is very simple. andø finally loving-kindness will come very easily and smoothly. After a hard day's work until evening or past midnight, you can properly spread loving-kindness in a quiet sitting posture. When a meditator practices regularly he will feel at ease and in the end he is helpless but full of goodwill towards everyone. He will not harbor resentment or hatred, nor will he have any wishes or desires to have it all. He also won't get angry or irritated easily. He will become more patient and tolerant. That's the great fruit of practice. We should all get into the habit of spreading mettā. The Buddha himself spread Metta loving-kindness daily and he advised his followers to do the same. Scattering the word Metta is a good way to keep the mind pure and healthy. Our mind often wanders everywhere, reacting with greed, anger, deception, worry, anxiety... But when we are spreading loving-kindness, we are replacing thoughts. is not as healthy as pure, healthy thinking. Thus our mind calms down and becomes centered easily while we do whatever we do. Anger has been curbed and for this reason will result in our mind being less anxious and completing our daily tasks more efficiently. Spread loving-kindness towards ourselves. As mentioned above, when you begin to practice mettā you can radiate loving- kindness to yourself by briefly reciting four lines: - Relax trying to get out of harm and danger. - Relax to get out of the pain of the spirit. - Relax to get out of the pain of the body. - To make yourself happy. However, we don't need to spread it for long this way, as it is only the starting point of your practice. Perhaps you recite these lines for about ten minutes or just a few minutes as you begin to sit. Then you can change to give it to others, thinking that if you wish good things for yourself, you also wish for all sentient beings. Then you can pour loving-kindness completely on yourself and immediately spread loving-kindness to others, meaning that you wish them to be as happy as you are. In the Visuddhi Magga it is taught that the meditator can never obtain jhāna by radiating loving-kindness towards himself. Therefore, giving to himself is only for the purpose of using himself as a typical example. With that in mind he wishes that all the good things that come to him will also come to all sentient beings. It helps to awaken goodwill and the desire to bring abundance of health and happiness to others. Other Ways of Spreading Kindness In addition to the usual method of radiating loving-kindness to all sentient beings, the meditator can also radiate loving-kindness specifically to a certain person or group of people. He can spread charity to a friend, a colleague, a superior, a teacher, a wife or a husband to a loved one, relative, parent, child, etc. . Wherever he may be he can be a person who spreads love, always thinking: May all sentient beings around me be free from harm and danger... the meditator can spread love. to specific groups such as to all female beings (such as animals, insects, feminine entities) to males, to all ariyas (noble beings who attained saints) ), anariyas (ordinary people who become saints), to all mankind, devas (devas) and to all apaya beings (those who are suffering in the painful circumstances of the earth). hell, the animal world, ghosts and demons). A meditator can radiate loving-kindness in all directions, to all sentient beings in the east, south, west, north, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, up, and down directions. He can spread love according to each region, each location, for example, first to all living beings in the house, then outward to the neighboring houses, districts, provinces, cities, and countries. , the world and the universe . As we have seen we can practice many different exercises during Mettà meditation. It was a really fun exercise. In the Visuddhi Magga, the practice to cultivate jhāna begins with the individual scattering of loving-kindness, such as: first the meditator radiates loving-kindness to the beloved, then to the person he loves most. then to the unknown and to the enemy (who is always hostile and opposed to him). In this method, since the meditator is just beginning to see each individual as an object, it would certainly not be appropriate to spread loving-kindness to a member of the opposite sex as there will be If the danger of craving for pleasure and sensuality arises and the mind is polluted with disease, only a pure mind should arise when practicing Mettà. But when the meditator is radiating loving-kindness to all sentient beings, that is obviously including both the female and the male. Since the initial step of the cultivation of jhana is when the meditator chooses the individual, he should not choose the opposite sex. But when he eventually becomes familiar with the practice, there's no reason why he shouldn't choose the opposite sex, Because Mettà is love and it doesn't make sense if we can't carry out this love to our parents, grandparents or husband or wife and children because they are of the opposite sex. . The meditator should therefore understand that the guided exercise in the Visuddhi Magga is only seen as a concentrated cultivation of the jhānas, then be careful not to choose a member of the opposite sex. However, at a later stage, the meditator can radiate loving-kindness to any person, otherwise Mettà meditation would not be Mettà, if it did not do the work of containing, all-inclusive, transcending all. barriers and without distinctions of race, religion, sex... But when the meditator practices spreading loving-kindness to a member of the opposite sex on personal grounds, anyway he We should also be wary of the intrusion of the desire for pleasure and sensuality. As we have said just to cultivate Jhana, meditators should not choose a member of the opposite sex on personal grounds. Visuddhi Magga also points out that a meditator should not spread loving-kindness towards a dead person because he is unable to concentrate while meditating. When a person died, he was transferred, reborn into the new world and it was seen as a dead person, not an appropriate subject for the cultivation of Jhana in Metta meditation. But we can also do it, if we are not practicing for the sake of attaining the five jhanas and long concentration, but just for the sake of spreading mettà, thinking this way: "Think of it imagine that, no matter what world he is reborn now, he is free from harm and danger...". In my opinion, doing this will not harm when the mind is always clean, wishing all the best to others. Practice mindfulness and spread love Metta. L Uyen collective love Metta and mindfulness can be a powerful combination. For example, in daily life we ​​can be mindful of stretching as much as possible into our daily activities and mental states instead of letting our mind wander around. Then sometimes we can also mix mindfulness with mettà in this way our mind will be kept cleaner and healthier. With the practice of spreading Mettà love and mindfulness. We will focus more on everyday tasks. We will worry less and live happier, more comfortable lives. When meditating, the meditator should find a balance between the practice of Metta and vipassana (vipassana and mindfulness). Vipassana meditation gives us the wisdom and understanding of transience whereas Mettà is a matter of samatha and thus can only bring about a state of tranquility. So meditators should not neglect vipassana meditation. At first, the meditator learns to meditate, of course, he needs a lot of time to concentrate on practicing it. But after he has gained some skill and progressed in his practice, he should balance it with vipassana meditation. It helps the meditator to find balance in himself. For example, he may practice Mettà for a few minutes and then switch to vipassana. Or if he meditates Mettà in the morning, then in the afternoon he can practice vipassana. Ultimately, it helps the meditator find a good balance. (According to the guidance of vipassana meditation, beginners can refer to the book: "Invitation to Vipassana meditation which contains explanations of the principles and benefits of mindfulness, and meditation instructions." basic and simple are also presented there). The benefits of Metta meditation. A person who consistently practices Metta meditation can expect up to 11 benefits: 1) He sleeps easily: So it is an effective remedy for insomnia. The meditator does not need to take sleeping pills or tranquilizers that can bring dangerous side effects. Therefore, for those insomnia diseases, you should practice Mettà meditation. Even the meditator can spread love until he falls asleep. In the Visuddhi Magga it is mentioned that the meditator of Mettà falls asleep as if trying to attain meditation. Moreover, he slept comfortably, without tossing, tossing and snoring like others. 2) Waking up like a blooming flower: Instead of waking he grunted, snored or rolled over, he woke up comfortably without twisting. He is ready to start a new day with an optimistic, exhilarating and cheerful demeanor. 3) He dreams without nightmares: He did not dream that he was being chased by bandits, wanted to run but couldn't, tripped over a cliff or fell into a deep hole or was haunted by ghosts, demons... instead if he had a dream, he seeing interesting dreams or signs of victory, future prospects such as flying through the nine clouds, seeing beautiful sights or listening to Dharma and giving alms... Or he sleeps peacefully. I do not dream. 4) He is loved by everyone : This means he will have no enemies. People like him because of his loving-kindness nature and his habit of spreading loving-kindness. He will easily make friends and always get along well. Everyone feels a positive energy or vibe because of the benevolent love he always radiates. These are valuable benefits, since we don't have enemies so we don't have to worry about others trying to harm us. Having more friends also makes our lives happier. Besides, we will find people's help and cooperation wherever we go. 5) He is protected by the invisible, the gods: The hidden person as a form and the animal will also help him. That is also a good thing. We don't need to worry about being possessed by the devil or having a dog bark and bite us or get bitten by a snake. This happened during the Buddha's lifetime. Once, a group of monks were sitting in the forest meditating when they were harassed by some form. These forms have very scary faces and make terrifying noises to frighten these monks. Then these monks flew to the Buddha and he advised them to return to the forest and spread mettà. These monks followed His advice and these methods not only stopped harming them but also protected them. It is mentioned in the sutras that such practices even cleaned the monks' resting place and prepared warm water for them. After the last three months, the monks attained Arahantship in the forest. Another story is mentioned in the Visuddhi Magga, where a Visakha monk was about to leave his hut in the forest on the island of Tambapani (like Sri-Lanka) when a tree form appeared before him, and lamented. . The monk asked, "Why are you crying so hard?" The soul replied, "Because He is going away." The monk asked, "What good is it for you to live here?" Venerable One, during your stay here, the manners are very kind. Now that he is gone, they begin to argue and engage in gossip." The monk said, "If my life here makes you here make you live well, then that's a good thing." And he stayed there, and there he attained Nirvana. As for the example in modern life today, there are monks in Burma who are famous for their Mettà meditation who once reported for some reason why a swarm of angry bees attacked the people around them. him and strangely it didn't attack him at all. The hive is destroyed and in a chaotic scene they fly to sting everyone. The monk told everyone to run away from this place trying to escape the bees. Indeed, the bees did not sting Him and even when He went to the hive to find the cause of their anger. Fierce bees flew out of the hive like a downpour, but still they did not sting him. The monk reported this incident in his sermon as an encouragement to people to practice Metta meditation. On another occasion while I was in Burma, I saw a sparrow flying towards the monk's grave and perched on his shoulder. The bird rested for a while before it flew away. And while the monk was concentrating on his Mettā meditation, he was standing and spreading Mettā while waiting for the other monks to knock on the lunch bell, when the bird suddenly flew towards him. Considering all these examples, the meditator can praise the merits of Metta meditation. No exercise is considered light. 6) The gods protect and protect him: When the meditator is esteemed by the gods, they will then protect him. An example mentioned before is the case of monks who were first disturbed by the gods while meditating in the forest. After persuading the fairies by scattering mettà. These monks were further protected by the gods that they spent three months in the forest protecting them. They themselves can meditate without any problem. Was meditating in the forest also a factor in their attainment of arahantship in the last three months? Today, if the fairies take care to protect us, we can sometimes miraculously escape dangers. Our best protection and refuge, of course, is truth and good virtue. If we do good deeds, they are really not afraid of anything. Because good deeds will give good results. There is a saying that: the Dharma protects those who support the Dharma. So we live by the Dharma, the Dharma will protect us. Yes, this is the best protection. Therefore, a person who practices Mettà and follows the Dharma will be protected. This is the real protection that Buddhists should practice instead of acquiring a spell whose effectiveness is questionable. The Buddha considered the practice of resorting to magic spells as a bad thing and was discouraging and discouraging whatever was involved. 7) Fire, poison and weapons will not harm him: In the Visuddhi Magga mentioned two events that happened during the Buddha's lifetime. One case of a devout Buddhist female Uttara was jealously sprinkled with hot oil by another woman. But that Buddhist was not burned at all. That hot oil when splashed on her body naturally turned into cold water. Another incident of a seven-year-old young monk, Sankicca uncle was not injured when cut by a knife. There were a few robbers who wanted to kill him to offer as a sacrifice to their gods. But when they cut Him with their swords, the blows were returned. The sword could not cut this young monk. Amazed and awestruck by such a thing, There is also a story about a cow nursing her calf, when the hunter launched a spear towards it. The javelin bounced back simply because of the extraordinary inner strength of motherly love. Therefore, the most powerful force is love and charity! As for the poison, one time my master, a seventy-year-old man, recounted his personal experiences. When he was young, he was doing Mettà meditation when he was stabbed by the poisonous scales of a fish. At that time, he was trying to save the fish in the pond that were drying up, when suddenly he was stabbed by a fish that was waving its scales. His hand was bleeding, but he felt no pain and no effects of the poison. On another occasion, he was trying to save a dog that had fallen into a well. He managed to pull the dog close to the mouth of the well and pulled the dog up by hand, when the dog bit him. It was like a frightened animal trying to grab anything that could climb and its sharp teeth clung to his hand in order to climb. My master pulled it up and again he said he had no pain and felt no effects of the poison even though his hand still had a scar. So sometimes even though the meditator is cut off unintentionally, the power of the Mettà meditation he practices can still protect him from pain or the effects of poison. 8) His mind is easily concentrated Those who always radiate loving-kindness and compassion, their mind concentrates very quickly, there is no slowness or sluggishness in concentration. This is because meditation calms the mind and keeps it clean, focusing on one object and making the mind healthy. So the habit of the mind of wandering aimlessly and leading to distraction is cut back. This leads to better concentration while doing anything. So then he can do his job better. As far as meditation is concerned, of course, concentration will also become easier and easier as he practices regularly. 9) His facial expression is calm, delicate: He or she will have a calm and delicate countenance. This beauty comes from the heart. It is shown by his calm, serenity and radiant expression. A person who practices Mettà does not need to use cosmetics, the beauty of Mettà is natural while the beauty of makeup is artificial. Even if she puts on pretty makeup, she's still ugly or disgusting if she has a bad temper or gets angry. That is why the Buddha pointed out all kinds of incense: frankincense and jasmine, which fly against the wind only the fragrance of the virtuous and that incense spreads in all directions. Therefore, if he can enjoy true beauty, the beauty that comes from the heart, he should cultivate loving-kindness and keep the precepts. Then, even if he does not have a good physical appearance, he will have a radiant and serene face that will be attractive, attractive and loved by everyone. 10) He is at peace, peacefully: We all have to die one day, even though our daily life often shows that we have completely forgotten about it. Just as when he was alive he lived a good moral life, so when he died he died peacefully. Living a good and peaceful life means living nobly, upholding moral values ​​and honesty, dying peacefully means dying peacefully, being cared for and peaceful without fear or temptation. do not cry or grieve. A Metta meditator lives with a heart full of love wishing that all sentient beings will live so well. He lives a virtuous life, it is love that has given him strength and is showing through his words and actions. Therefore, when death was near he was prepared. He calmly and peacefully left. When he thinks about his life, he will not regret having lived a life filled with love and virtue. Therefore, in the Visuddhi Magga it is stated that he died peacefully, peacefully like falling asleep. In Buddhism, we are taught that it is important to die peacefully because our future life depends on the final moment of our thought. If we die with a bad thought, we will be reborn in a bad place, then with a good thought, we will be reborn in a good place. To die in the meditation of loving-kindness Metta means that we are sure to have some good life - where we can continue to strive, to strive for Nibbana, their ultimate result. We end all sorrow and suffering 11) If he does not attain "Arahantship", after death he will be reborn in the "Brahma" world: So, a meditator of Mettà, if he regularly practices will attain the five trivial jhana attraction, he is sure to be reborn in the world of the god Brahma. In this fairy world, people live in richness, full of material and enjoy a happy spiritual life. Of course, if he can attain arahantship then he will have an ultimate life. Arahant means attaining the ultimate result of Nirvana, such as: no longer having to be reborn, ending the cycle of birth and death, the cycle of suffering and love. However, in order to attain Arahantship he must practice vipassana meditation. Hence in the previous section we emphasized the need to strike a balance between the practice of mettā and vipassana meditation. Even if you just practice Vipassana meditation, it is not easy to attain Arahantship in a present life. It is very possible to have to be reborn many more lives. He still has to work hard, make a lot of effort and know the right path to paramis (the excellent results from previous lives) to be able to perform well in this life. Finally, the Buddha affirmed in the Maha-Satipatthana Sutra that one who practices vipassana meditation can attain arahantship after seven days or seven years. They can obtain the three past, û "anagami - an-na-ham, non-returner" and at a lower rank than the arahant. However, if they do not become saints they can be assured of being reborn in a good place, where they can continue to strive for arahantship. -ooOoo- Conquer anger and spread love C basil I forbid end our article here with the heading "tame the rage and spread the love". We have shown the harmful effects of anger and how to overcome it through mindfulness and wise reflection. We have also presented the method of Mettà-bhavana as: meditation on loving-kindness as a weapon against anger. We have discussed in detail the various benefits that meditators can gain through the practice of Metta meditation. We hope that readers near and far will spend a lot of time trying to practice the different methods of instruction and cultivate and cultivate loving-kindness. All these methods are based on the teachings of the Buddha, and we are confident that those who try to practice will not be disappointed. You will find it very enjoyable to see the progress in your soul and you will gain greater control over your mental actions in the present life. In the end we all need to live in wisdom with love and compassion. We need to do what we can for their loved ones by guiding them in wisdom and compassion. And we are also starting to establish a stable temper and think that it can lead to we come to wisdom and compassion. When we are not capable of doing harm, then we are not easily angry at anything, just in a cool and steady state of mind, capable of judging any situation that arises calmly and intelligently answering, we will live a peaceful and happy life. When all anger finally disappears and only wisdom and compassion guide our actions, we will have lasting happiness in this present life, not samsara in the next. The end of suffering, the end of the long journey of wandering in samsara (samsara) from one event produces another, from one suffering comes another. Yes, when we reach the stage of full maturity in wisdom and loving-kindness, this cycle of birth and death will come to an end. And the Buddha affirmed that Nirvana will be our world. We don't know exactly what Nirvana is, but the Buddha has repeatedly assured us that in Nirvana, all sufferings are eliminated, ceased, and there is only peace and true serenity. The vase is reigning. It is bringing a message of hope: Nirvana can be attained in this life, and is moving towards the path of no more samsara . All Buddhists will reach Nirvana because that is their ultimate goal and for those who are skeptical of themselves, we suggest that they lose nothing by going. follow the path of love and wisdom that the Buddha passed and tested in themselves through the teachings of the Master. All beings should cultivate the path of love, compassion, and wisdom that ultimately leads to the cessation of suffering and the realization of Nirvana, the ultimate happiness. -ooOoo- The end Magical mountain K hi do you get angry, go into ice away! Stand still there! Still! Do nothing! Do not say anything! Even a word. Completely still and silent. Completely ignore the person or thing that makes you angry or upset. Then watch this heart-mind, watch the tension, the squeeze, the hurt, the feeling of suffocation and the emotion. Then observe more closely and see that the poison secreted when angry will gradually calm down and disappear. If you can't do that, let your soul fly, fly through the clouds and slowly land on the mountain you like best: in the retreat, the field, the smooth green forest, the white rose gardens or million red or yellow roses, all your favorite colors. Inhale the pleasant scents and fresh mountain air, listen to the melody of the spring wind on the plateau..., step into the cool, clear springs, bathe under the wonderfully pleasant showers of the waterfall.. Watch the fish swimming around in the lake. Butterflies fluttering around the lilies...listening to the croaking frogs and chirping birds... it's all so pleasant, comfortable and warm in the magical mountain in the heart. your, Then look at the person you were about to get angry with... and smile at him - see how your anger dissipates. After bathing in the cool springs of the gentle hill, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the strange shimmering rays, how can you be angry with him, her or any other person? any more. Love song I can be happy and I can protect my happiness and live without enmity. All sentient beings can live in prosperity and happiness; They have joyful souls. All living beings have the ability to live, whether sick or healthy, whether small or large, sentient or inanimate, living near or far from a being born or to be born. Let them enjoy rejoicing. Hope no one deceives anyone, does not say harsh words to each other. I hope not out of anger or hatred that we wish to harm each other. Just as a mother protects and protects her only child from trouble, so too, with an infinite loving heart I love all sentient beings, I am overflowing with love for all mankind, limitlessly above and around me, so I cultivate boundless affection for all mankind. Standing or walking, sitting or lying down, during my sleepless time, I cherished the thought that this method of expressing love was the ultimate in the world. Therefore, I should give up arrogant discussions and debates, I walk uprightly, with integrity, endowed with wisdom, I suppress lust for emotional pleasures, and I never had to be reincarnated. This may well be the result of the conditions that are leading them to Nirvana. All sentient beings can escape the dangers of old age, disease, and death. May all sentient beings be liberated . -ooOoo-END=NAMO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.8/6/2021.