Day 2 - Thich Naht Hanh

See first post on this subject for introduction. This is from day 2, July 11, 2005:

The Buddha and who he is - he's not a God, he is a human being just like us. He became a wonderful teacher and cultivates great love and understanding. At age of 80 he died. He has many disciples. They also practices like him. They are like a cultivation of him. Transforming suffering and cultivating love and understanding. I and you have accepted the Buddha as your teacher. 2,600 years since the Buddha existed. Buddha means cultivating an awakening.

How to cultivate the Buddha in a beautiful way? When the Buddha's physical body was about to die, he was worried his disciples might cry. There are at least 2 bodies of the Buddha: the physical and the dharma. You must take care of your dharma body.

When you express understanding and compassion and forgiveness, you are generating the living dharma. The living dharma always makes you and other people happy.

We have at least 2 bodies - people see my physical body. When I speak, act, the dharma body may manifest. The Buddha is in us. The Buddha can be recognized in the dharma.

When the Buddha's physical body was about to die, he was afraid his disciples would cry. There is an island inside you - you can take refuge. Don't take refuge in anyone else. It's an island that you feel safe, protected, calm. There are days when you feel it's not your day. You fail in everything. You suffer, get very angry. You get frustrated. It is time to take refuge. You must close your windows - eyes, ears, mouth, nose, body, etc. Stop everything. Don't try anymore. You want to get the feeling of warmth. You have to collect everything and tidy up.

atta dipasarana (self island refuge)
Ways to take refuge. . . Mindfulness, meditation, walking meditation where every step bring you home. Remember the teaching of the Buddha when we are tired.

Sugata - the happy one.
The freer you are, the happier you are. Happiness is born from suffering like the Lotus plant needs mud. You can not recognize suffering unless you suffer. It will be easier to recognize peace if there was war. Mindfulness is happiness because you recognize you are without suffering. Suffering can help us become more understanding and compassionate. Because you can recognize the path to happiness. Like the role of the mud for the Lotus.