The Heart of Buddha's Teachings

[TheAlertDriver]

Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to these forums but I wanted to share something with you. I'm not really a religious person but I've been reading on spirituality lately and have found some great insightful books. One book in particular that has helped me a lot in dealing with anxiety, loss, hell even ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation by Thich Nhat Han.

I bought this book because I was curious about Buddhist philosophy and beliefs and what I found was a very helpful compilation of teachings that can be applied to everyday life situations and to improve how we experience life as a whole. Aside from peace and dealing with crises it helps with attention/focus, diligence, empathy, I could go on... If anyone has read it feel free to comment on how it influenced you. If you haven't well I just wanted to share and I hope you consider getting it, it's a really good book and it won't interfere with any other beliefs you may already hold.

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360857814l/209574.jpg

[Pompey Bum]

Thanks AD. I haven't read that one, but it sounds similar to a classic work of the 20th century called The Heart of Buddhist Meditation by Nyanaponika Thera. By similar, I mean that they sound like the same kind of Buddhism: Mindfulness. I can see how that approach would might really help with anxiety or ADHD. It's nice that you've found something that helps you. Good luck with it.

[TheAlertDriver]

I haven't read that one Pumpey but you're right the essence of it all is Mindfulness. Its amazing how something as simple as truly being present can bring so much peace and better performance all around. Meditation has also done wonders for me, helping me be more mindful throughout the day.

[Zippy]

I have practiced mindfulness meditation off and on for around three years and also found it very helpful. It's amazing how, after doing it daily for a while, you become much more conscious of your own though processes and better able to address 'unskillful' thoughts, bringing your attention back to the present moment.

Good luck with your practice TheAlertDriver.

[NikolaiI]

Oh, I didn't notice this thread! Thanks for sharing. Hanh has been one of my biggest inspirations for years now. I have only read one of his books, and that one not all the way through, but I've listened to a lot of his dharma talks. About 5 years ago I spent a few weeks listening to him, Tara Brach, and Gil Fronsdal, it changed my life a good deal. I consider him to be one of, if not the, wisest, most compassionate, peaceful and intelligent teachers of peace in the world today.

I've studied Buddhism a great deal since I was young, and chanted and meditated a lot, but walking through the woods, or even quiet peaceful streets, while listening to Dharma talks of Tara's was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. It helped me reach peace and strength and learn how to always find that. . and when you find peace, that gives you so, so much strength. :-)

Tara and Thay (a nickname for Hanh, Vietnamese for teacher) are similar in a lot of ways, but they work very well together.

Two of the gatas that Thay shares are very lovely -

"The mind can go in a thousand directions,
but on this lovely day, I walk in peace.
With each step, a gentle wind blows,
wtch each step a flower blooms,"

and "I have arrived,
I am home,
In the here and in the now."

In various places in the dharma talks he mentions these. . they're very good meditations. . along with chanting various mantras, I used to sing these softly while walking through the woods, a very good meditation.

Of the many dharma talks that were very wonderful from Hanh, this one always stood out to me as one of the most lovely.

http://zencast.org/zencast_89_being_peace



One of the other practices I practiced, for maybe five years, is the practice of writing down positive messages. Things like "I am strong," "I am healthy," "I am at peace," in cursive on paper. . . basically the theory was related to William James' work in Varieties, in the 4th chapter; but the reasons are - there are so many random suggestions in the world, on TV and advertisements, a lot of which have nothing to do with us; by doing this practice, I channeled my energy along positive lines, along healing channels. . . It helps in any endeavor. It especially helps to unify one's energy, so that you're not divided against yourself. Powers Within, by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, first clued me in to the fact that we get so much more done if we're unified, and we're not working against ourselves.

But this practice helps in so many ways - it's not specifically breath meditation, but it makes every kind of endeavor easier - if you're working on calming body and mind, focusing, healing, or any other thing.

Later on I heard a nice phrase from Thay that summed it up nicely - regaining our sovereignty.

[NikolaiI]

So I often like to read the quotes of various individuals, it's a good way to get a gist of what they stood for, and how they impacted the world. I selected a few from Thay, for another site, but the other day I thought I'd post them here. They're a good sort of over-view of what Thay teaches.



“Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. Every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.”

“The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person joy.”

“When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.”

“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.”

“I am inviting you to go deeper, to learn and to practice so that you become someone who has a great capacity for being solid, calm, and without fear, because our society needs people like you who have these qualities, and your children, our children, need people like you, in order to go on, in order to become solid, and calm, and without fear.”

“A human being is like a television set with millions of channels. We cannot let just one channel dominate us. We have the seed of everything in us, and we have to recover our own sovereignty.”

“When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.”

“It is possible to live twenty-four hours a day in a state of love. Every movement, every glance, every thought, and every word can be infused with love.”


“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos — the trees, the clouds, everything.”


they're from here- http://www.uth.tmc.edu/pathology/hematopathology/Nguyen/TNH-Quotes-2.htm

and, the website of Plum Village, the monastery and community where they live, is here: http://plumvillage.org/

[JDW89]

I think I may go for this book