The Buddha taught: "Hatred never ceases by hatred. Hatred only ceases by love. This is an ancient and eternal law." With tragedies like Charlottesville and the reaction of the president highlighting the forces of hate in our country in these crazy times, how can we avoid giving in to the same reaction within ourselves? How can we acknowledge our repugnance and activated feelings without adding more ill will as we emerge with a wise response? Teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela and the Buddha help us hold this all with a dharmic perspective.
Various ways to practice Right Concentration focusing on the lived experience of knowing, experiencing, feeling, sensing, discovering, becoming intimate with the breath.
What stops us from realizing Truth? We face the human condition besieged with obstacles in the mind that can be overcome with a total commitment to giving up our many forms of addiction. We learn to stay present and to develop the enlightenment factors which defy all the hindrances until we see the jewels in the mind that are brighter than the sun. These are the gifts of the Path. A talk given during a 7 day Satipaññā Insight Meditation Toronto retreat at Chapin Mill Retreat Centre, Batavia, Rochester, NY.
