Community of Mindfulness New York Metro
Inspired by the Teachings and Practice of Thich Nhat Hanh
Samsara is Nirvana?
A Day of Mindfulness June 16, 10:00am-4:30pm.
At The Riverside Church, 20-T
"Nothing is born, nothing dies.
Nothing to hold onto, nothing to release.
Samsara is nirvana.
There is nothing to attain.
When we realize that afflictions are no other than enlightenment,
We can ride the waves of birth and death in peace,
Traveling in the boat of compassion on the ocean of delusion,
Smiling the smile of non-fear."
Thay teaches us that "In the historical dimension, every dharma is a conditioned dharma. In the ultimate dimension, every dharma is an unconditioned dharma." "If we are skillful we can touch Nirvana with our insight into interdependent co-arising, impermanence and non-self. We see that Nirvana lies right here in the present moment: in the table, the chair, the mountain, the cloud and each cell of our body."
In this Day of Mindfulness we allow the 'ordinary' experiences of our breath and body; sensations and mental activities to reveal 'nirvana,' the 'unconditioned,' the 'Silence that is called Great Joy.' We will cultivate mindfulness, concentration and insight through the practices of breath awareness, sitting and walking meditations, mindful eating and we will maintain noble silence throughout the Day.***
[Noble Silence means: we refrain from all talking and "chit-chat"
except during Dharma Sharing.
Thus we support our Sangha Friends in their practice. And the 'outer silence' allows us to look more deeply into our own life. We allow the calmness and silence to penetrate our flesh and bones.]
Date/Time: Saturday June 16, 10:00am-4:30pm. [Come for all or part of the Day.]
Location: The Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Avenue, 20-T, NY, NY 10025.
10:00-12:50pm: Sitting and Walking Meditation, Mindful Movements, Personal Practice Time.
1:00-1:50: Lunch. Eaten together in mindfulness and silence. [Bring your own vegetarian lunch.]
2:00-2:40: Total Relaxation.
2:50-3:30: Walking and Sitting Meditation.
3:40-4:25: Dharma Sharing. Close the Day.
Beginners Welcome. Chairs and Cushions Provided.
Please do not wear fragrances.
Bring your own vegetarian lunch.
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The Buddha taught that [instructions to Bahiya].
"Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress."
"Every authentic teaching of the Buddha must bear Three Dharma Seals: impermanence, non-self and nirvana. The first Dharma Seal is impermanence. Nothing remains the same for two consecutive minutes.... The second Dharma seal is non-self. If you believe in a permanent self...a separate independent self, your belief cannot be described as Buddhist. Impermanence is from the point of view of time, non-self is from the point of view of space. The third Dharma Seal is nirvana, which means "extinction," the extinction of afflictions and notions.... We try to grasp the world of our projections and we suffer. Nirvana, the extinction of all afflictions, represents the birth of free" [Thich Nhat Hanh]
The Path of Practice
Meditating on the nature of interdependence
Can transform delusion into enlightenment.
Samsara and suchness are not two.
They are one and the same.
Even while blooming, the flower is already in the compost,
And the compost is already in the flower.
Flower and compost are not two.
Delusion and enlightenment inter-are.
Don't run away from birth and death.
Just look deeply into your mental formations.
When the true nature of interdependence is seen,
The truth of interbeing is realized.
Practice conscious breathing
To Water the seeds of Awakening.
Right view is a flower
Blooming in the field of mind consciousness.
When sunlight shines,
It helps all vegetation grow.
When mindfulness shines,
It transforms all mental formations
We recognize internal knots and latent tendencies
So we can transform them.
When our habit energies dissipate,
Transformation at the base is there.
The present moment
Contains past and future.
The secret of transformation
Is in the way we handle this very moment.
Transformation takes place
In our daily life.
To make the work of transformation easy,
Practice with a Sangha
Nothing is born, nothing dies.
Nothing to hold onto, nothing to release.
Samsara is nirvana.
There is nothing to attain.
When we realize that afflictions are no other than enlightenment,
We can ride the waves of birth and death in peace,
Traveling in the boat of compassion on the ocean of delusion,
Smiling the smile of non-fear."
[From Transformation at the Base, Thich Nhat Hanh]
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