September 16, 2010. 127 minute dharma talk in English with consecutive translation into Chinese. This is the second day of the retreat in Malaysia taking place at Tiara Beach Resort in Port Dickson.
The bell is a significant element in many practitioners experience. How the bell sounds can effect our practice as well as the practice of those around us. The first 25-minutes Thay gives a review on how to correctly invite the bell.
A common story given in dharma talks is that one given by the Buddha where a person goes into the cellar, brings up a bag of different types of beans, opens the bag and identifies the different types. The Sutra on the Contemplation of the Body is the same where we can apply mindfulness to the different parts of the body. We are reminded to spend more time on those parts that suffer. Bringing our awareness to those elements of the body can help bring healing and happiness. This contemplation also includes being aware of the position of our body (sitting, standing, walking, lying down, etc.) – we are aware when we’re in these positions.
A good practitioner should know how to handle painful feelings and not to run away from them , sometimes by listening to music, eating, and other entertainment. We need to use mindfulness to transform our pain. Transforming, by embracing, our pain can cultivate happiness. If you are a beginner, you may not have enough mindfulness yet. In that case, you can borrow the energy of mindfulness from the sangha. Thay provides a brief review of sangha and how it has unfolded in the west.
How do we bring a moment of joy, of happiness? Letting go (including the idea of happiness), mindfulness, concentration, and insight.