September 12, 2010. 113-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh in Singapore during the Peaceful Mind, Open Heart Retreat at the Kong Meng San Pu Jue Zen Monastery. The talk is given in English. The audio link is below and there is also an optional video version.
During the previous four days of the retreat, the community had been exploring the first eight exercises of the Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing (also known as the Anapanasati Sutta). The first eight have the two broad categories of body and feelings, but here we focus on the last eight exercises to mindful breathing – the mind (or mental formation) and the objects of mind. Mind and object of mind are always together. The discourse is explored in more detail in The Path of Emancipation.
9. ‘Breathing in, I am aware of my mind. Breathing out, I am aware of my mind.’ He or she practices like this.
10. ‘Breathing in, I make my mind happy. Breathing out, I make my mind happy.’ He or she practices like this.
11. ‘Breathing in, I concentrate my mind. Breathing out, I concentrate my mind.’ He or she practices like this.
12. ‘Breathing in, I liberate my mind. Breathing out, I liberate my mind.’ He or she practices like this.
13. ‘Breathing in, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Breathing out, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas.’ He or she practices like this.
14. ‘Breathing in, I observe the disappearance of desire. Breathing out, I observe the disappearance of desire.’ He or she practices like this.
15. ‘Breathing in, I observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena. Breathing out, I observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena.’ He or she practices like this.
16. ‘Breathing in, I observe letting go. Breathing out, I observe letting go.’ He or she practices like this.
In this talk, Thay discusses #15 in terms of nirvana and reflects that this is the most wonderful exercise. We can contemplate our true nature. No birth. No death. No coming. No going. That is nirvana. The highest point in Buddhist teaching. God is nirvana.