[Music]
um
the tradition of the three months rain
retreat goes back to the time of the
buddha
and his monastic community throughout
the year the monks and nuns would travel
from village to village to practice and
share the dharma
with those they encountered
but during the rainy season to not
unintentionally harm crops
insects or even themselves during their
travels
the buddha and his community would
remain in one place
to deepen their spiritual practice with
the guidance of the buddha
and his senior students
[Music]
oh
tai has kept this beautiful tradition
alive
for the plum village community it is an
opportunity for each of us to deepen our
practice
focus on our studies and develop our
roots in our sangha
having time to nourish brotherhood and
sisterhood
joy harmony and our aspiration
of serving all living beings
all that is left is for us to continue
to learn to open our hearts
and our minds
[Music]
in the plum village tradition we sit
just to enjoy sitting there is nowhere
to go
and nothing to do we can just enjoy
sitting there
following our breathing enjoying
being alive
each day we take this opportunity
to be with whatever is present in us
without being carried away
our mindful breathing is our anchor
and whenever thoughts arise we simply
recognize them
smile to them and allow them to pass
like clouds moving across a windy sky
sitting in this way we can get into deep
contact
with life in the very here and now
walking in meditation means to walk in
such a way
that we know we are walking
we walk relaxingly enjoying
every step we set ourselves free
from our thinking our regrets about the
past
our fears and anxieties about the future
or our preoccupations in the present
with each step we arrive in the here and
the now
with the energy of mindfulness even
eating
can become sacred
we have a chance to get into deep
contact with the miracle of food
and the people surrounding us
mindfulness allows us to see the wonders
of earth and sky in what we are eating
and drinking we can see
the hard work and all the causes and
conditions
that have brought it to us in this
moment
and our hearts are filled with gratitude
[Music]
meditation is not only done in a
monastery or temple meditation
can be applied into our daily life
our breath is always present for us
which gives us an opportunity to
practice mindful
breathing with mindful breathing
we can generate the energy of
mindfulness
which helps us to be established in the
here and now
mindfulness also allows us to be in
touch with the beauty
in the present moment
[Music]
in this way simple acts like preparing a
meal
can be a moment of happiness and
relaxation
in our daily life
[Music]
with the energy of mindfulness we can
touch life deeply
throughout the day this is engaged
[Music]
buddhism
[Music]
do
you
dwelling in the present moment
we have a chance to touch the nature of
reality
we are able to recognize the
interdependent nature
of all that is
enjoying a cup of tea in mindfulness
we can see clearly that the cup of tea
cannot exist
by herself alone
she depends on the clouds the rain
the tea farmer and the earth for her to
manifest
we can see clearly that without any one
of these conditions
the tea would not have a chance to
manifest
we humans are also not of the nature of
a separate we also
rely on many conditions for us to be
we must learn to see the earth as part
of us
the environment is not outside of us we
are the environment we must see
that our happiness is the others
happiness
and their suffering is also our
suffering
we are all interconnected
the way we live and care for the present
moment
is how we are creating a future for ours
and our children
knowing this can be a wake-up call for
all of us
to give rise to an aspiration to be more
mindful
in our daily life in order to be in
touch with the wonders of life
have time for our loved ones transform
discrimination in us
touching the inside of inter being and
cultivating
understanding and love as a way of
living
we are all children of mother earth
let us together heal and protect her
for our past present and future