Five mindfulness trainings as the way out

Bhiksuni Thich Chan Dang Nghiem (True Adornment with Non-Discrimination)

"Dear Thay,

Sometimes there are moments that I don't want to live anymore. Then I feel like a bird locked up in a cage. How can I take care of that feeling?"

A child asked my teacher this question at a Question and Answer session with children on July 22nd, 2003. In the Discourse on the Middle Way1, the Buddha talked about Right View, and he described people with Right View like this: "They understand, for example, that suffering comes to be when conditions are favorable, and that it fades away when conditions are no longer favorable." We must ask ourselves, which favorable conditions might have caused a child to feel such despair and helplessness? Which favorable conditions might have caused a home to become suffocating and unsafe? What has come to be?

Because society is sick, families are sick

In our time, child abuse, domestic violence, divorce, HIV infection, drug overdose and suicide take place daily. Families across the world suffer from these problems and more. These family problems simply reflect the collective consciousness of our society, where elements of competition, violence, anger, hatred, fear, discrimination, sexual promiscuity and excessive consumption are glamorized by the media and exercised by known public figures. When dangerous bacteria or viruses are circulated in the bloodstream, they can invade organs in the body, causing them severe and possible fatal infections. Similarly, when the mainstream society is full of stress, violence, rage, fear and exploitation, these elements penetrate our senses and our minds through everything we see, hear, and perceive. These poisons further corrode the ethical and moral values in our families and society.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings as the response

The family unit must be healed, so that the next generations may have a future. To this end, a collective awakening is essential and urgent. All peoples of the world need to be awakened to the Right View that there are favorable conditions for suffering; that we are all contributing to these conditions as well as suffering from them; and that we must transform our environment, so that the wholesome elements may flourish and the unwholesome elements are not fed daily. The Five Mindfulness Trainings, taught since the time of the Buddha, as seen in the "Discourse to the White-Clad Disciple" and revised by the Plum Village Sangha, have the capacity to address our present dilemma, offering the way out for the world. The Five Mindfulness Trainings reflect clearly the teachings of the Buddha '.and give concrete practices that are applicable to people of different ages, genders, cultures, and religions. In the Plum Village tradition, we also have the 'Two Promises' for children to practice.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings are the path that humanity may follow in order to rebuild our environment with awareness, beauty, and wholesomeness, thus reclaiming true peace and happiness in ourselves, our families, and our society.

The First Mindfulness Training: Protection of Life

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.

The Second Mindfulness Training: Generosity

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to cultivating loving kindness and learning ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I will practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

The Third Mindfulness Training: Proper Sexual Conduct

Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.

The Fourth Mindfulness Training: Loving Speech and Deep Listening

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am determined to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I will not spread news that I do not know to be certain and will not criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I am determined to make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

The Fifth Mindfulness Training: Mindful Consumption

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in ту body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self transformation and for the transformation of society.

The First Promise' to be practiced by children: "I vow to develop understanding, in order to live peacefully with people, animals, plants, and minerals."

The 'Second Promise' to be practiced by children: I vow to develop my compassion, in order to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals."

The practice of awakening

Before we examine the mindfulness trainings individually, we can first reflect upon them as a whole in the spirit of Buddhism and especially in the spirit of Mahayana teachings and practices.

'Buddha' means the one who is awake and aware. The phrase "Aware of the suffering caused by" at the beginning of each mindfulness training underlines this Buddha nature in each one of us. Indeed, mindfulness is the energy of all Buddhas, because it allows us to know what is going on in the present moment, what we should do, and what we should not do in response to the particular situation. Thus, mindfulness facilitates the collective awakening of the first two Noble Truths, propelling compassionate and effective actions. The term 'mindfulness...2 B CONTINUED