Today is 11st of Jan 2020. The 5th day of 9 days meditation retreat at Phuoc Son monastery, Vietnam. Guided meditation in the 1st-morning session.

We all must not do bad, do good, and clean the mind to be stable and pure. All these three actions are the object to be mindful at every present moment. No killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no telling lies, no using drugs and alcohol are the basis of not doing bad. Sharing what we have, helping what we can, caring, and protecting the others are the basis of doing good deeds. Continuous mindfulness on one of the objects within our body and mind in order to be aware of our own present likes or dislikes or absence of mindfulness is the purification of the mind. There is much knowledge about doing good deeds, there are also many things to do in doing good deeds; we must be able to do the most needed ones also. Now we all are trying to know and do the most important of all. This is a great benefit that we can know and practice. This is not teaching or learning of Buddhist literature, just doing good deeds practically to know the Truth by our own wisdom and experiences. If we are able to use the guidance and power of Buddha Dhamma and Shanga, we all are sure to get success.

Most methods are attachments because they emphasize mindfulness with limits. This method, this master, this center, 7 days, or 10 days… are limited. Most of the people are not easy to know about doing all kinds of good deeds including Dana, Sila, and Bhavana. But it’s easy to know this master; this method; this meditation center; seven or ten days retreat… they are easy to understand. If they can understand about doing good deeds very well, they are sure to detach. But they are not. That’s why they cannot detach from the masters, methods, meditation centers, retreat durations. The more they meditate like that, the stronger attachment they have. That’s why they need to detach. That’s why I need to teach about detachment, I need to teach something with different time lengths, places, masters; this is helpful to detach. For those who can stay and meditate in our center, they are sure to detach from their attachment which is concerned with meditation. If they learn about detachment, they will be able to do that.

To detach from practicing meditation, we emphasize volunteering. To detach from volunteering they need to practice meditation. To detach from doing good deeds part-time, we need to do good deeds full-time. To detach from doing good deeds all the time, we need to do good deeds part-time. To detach from doing good deeds alone, we need to do good deeds with others. To detach from doing good deeds with others, we need to do it alone. To detach from this meditation center, we need to stay in other meditation centers. To detach from the outside objects of mindfulness: breathing, itching, pain,… we need to be mindful of our knowing mind. To detach from our knowing mind, we need to be mindful of our present actions of mindfulness. Being a nun, a layperson is not much important. Not to do bad, to do good, and to purify the mind are the most important. But to detach from a lay person’s life, we need to ordain as a monk or a nun. This is a practice of detachment. If we can detach, we will be free; if we cannot detach, the mind cannot be stable and pure.

If we can stay at a monastery or a meditation center, it is better to be a nun. As a layperson we are free to stay anywhere; but as a monk or nun, we have difficulties, especially shelter. If we have shelter, it’s better to do good deeds as a monk or nun. Because as a layperson, you are not much concerned with monks, nuns, and the other laypeople. But being as a monk or nun, you are concerned with the Shanga and devotees. As a nun, you can do more; you don’t know how much you can do because of no limit. As a layperson, there are many limits. You should try it if you can. Now you have to rely on your relatives because you are a layperson. If you become a nun, you don’t need to rely on your relatives or accommodation, you can stay in our nursing house or Thabarwa Nature Center (TNC) in Hochiminh city. There are also many ones around the world. If you can detach from your life as a layperson, your mind and life will be free for sure. Because of not having enough knowledge and abilities of a nun, you may have difficulties at the beginning but later it will be great. You should try it because you have a chance to do it; even if there is no chance, you should try because you are free to experience by yourself. It is very useful for the other also. As a layperson you don’t have much chance to share what you know. As a nun, you have chances to share your experiences with other nuns and laypeople.

In fact the most needed in a monastery or meditation center is monks and nuns; the money is easy to receive but new monks and nuns are difficult to get. In our center, only monks and nuns are doing many things because we emphasize volunteering such as patient care, old-aged care; there are also some babies and children who need to be taken care of, that’s volunteering. Cooking, driving, cleaning all are volunteering. As a nun, it’s more suitable than a monk who is not much free while nuns are freer to help others with mindfulness and detachment, to meditate in their daily lives. Besides you can meditate by yourself or you can go to meditation retreat also. You are free in our center, everyone is free there. If you are able to do it, let do it; if you cannot do, no need to do it. You can meditate or volunteer with your wishes or desires. If you are mindful to be aware of you arising and passing away activities, mind, and your changing desires. This is also right, you need to be skillful practicing again and again; you need to endure. You need to be mindful for yourself as well as the others, not only the body but also the mind. We need to be aware of ever-new-impermanent nature at every present moment. You can try. You should try.