The monastic and lay community are practicing together during the 2004 Rainy Season Retreat from January 4 to March 14 at Deer Park Monastery. This 76-minute dharma talk in the Ocean of Peace Meditation Hall takes place on Wednesday, January 28, 2004. Both audio and video versions are available with this post.
Today we have a session of questions and answers from the retreat attendees.
- A question of a dream and a sacred story. Practice means enjoyment. This is a question from an author of children’s books.
- How do we practice to remain in the pure land? How do we cultivate our merits? This was a question from Sister Dang Nghiem asking about remaining in the community as a monastic. What can we offer as monastics? Thay teaches on three kinds of offering – money, dharma, and non-fear – and the four kinds of pleasures.
- A question about sangha-building, conflict, and not escaping into our lives. Where does individual practice intersect with sangha practice? Can there be harmony in the sangha when there isn’t harmony in the sangha? Thay shares briefly on the seven steps of reconciliation and how the lay students can use the vinaya to build lay sangha. A mindfulness practice center is inside.
- A question about negativity. As a person who works with children and adults with very severe disabilities. They often have very negative things to say based on their life experiences. As I write a book about their experience, do I share of these negative aspects?
- A question about action – my role and contribution in the world to reduce suffering, particularly in social justice action.
If you appreciate this teaching, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing efforts of the online monastery. Please make a note with your donation that it was because of this talk.