(Bell) (Bell) Now you can visualize a cloud in the sky. Maybe one part of the cloud
has become the rain. We should be aware that only half of the cloud
remains in the same form but half of the cloud
has taken another form. And you cannot say that the rain
is less beautiful than the cloud or the cloud is
less beautiful than the rain. They can be both beautiful. When you live with your beloved one, be aware that he or she
is a kind of cloud. You are also a kind of cloud and you are not
entirely here in this body, because everyday you produce thoughts, speech and action that continue you. So it´s like a cloud in the sky, every day the cloud can produce rain and snow or hail. We can see the continuation
of the cloud already, even if the cloud
is still there in the sky. We human beings we produce thoughts,
speech and action every day. And that is our continuation. We have to meditate in order to see us
not only in this body, but outside of this body. Now I can see myself
not in this body only. I can see myself in my friends,
in my disciples, in my work, in many things. And if you want to recognize me,
don't look in this direction, this is only a small part of me. So the person you believe
that is already lost, he is not lost,
he is still there in other forms. Look for him in you,
look for him in your children. That person is still available
in the here and the now. So when you look at the rain or the tea, if you recognize your cloud
in the rain or the tea, then, your sorrow will vanish. You know that your cloud
is still there in new forms, and you can talk to your cloud,
you can be with your cloud. That is what we call signlessness. You are not caught by a particular form. You can recognize your beloved one
in many other kind of forms. I think it is easy enough to see
the father in the children. You can talk to the father
through the children, and you can take care of the father
by taking care of the children. Not only he is in the children
but he is in you. But the fact is that
nothing is born, nothing dies. It is impossible for a cloud to die, so it's impossible for anything to die,
to become nothing. That is why meditation on death
is so helpful. Meditation on death helps you
to see that there is no death. There is no birth and death,
there is only transformation. Nothing can be lost. Sometimes your beloved one
can hide himself or herself and take another form,
so that you 'll know better how to cherish his presence. In the Lotus Sutra, there is a a chapter talking about a doctor who has the power to heal. And his children rely on his presence. "We have a father that can heal us, so we don´t need
to take the medicine, we don´t need to do anything". So the doctor wants to help them and he goes away
and sends words home that he is already dead. And the children cry ,cry, and cry
and begin to drink the medicine and they get healed. So the father has to hide himself
in order to help his children to take the medicines. Many of us are like that. We don´t cherish enough
the presence of our beloved one until we no longer see that familiar form. And we learn. We learn and we heal, and we rediscover our beloved one
in other forms. The meditation on death is
a very important meditation. When you meditate on death,
you love life more, you cherish life more. We can learn many lessons. Mindfulness allows us
to recognize and cherish and treasure what is still available, so that in the future we'll not say, "While the person was alive, I was
not aware of his, her precious presence". That is why it is so important
to go home to the here and the now and recognize and cherish
all the positive elements that are still available. With the practice of mindfulness
you can look deeply and you can discover the nature
of no birth and no death and find out that nothing can die, nothing can be lost. Every day I live with my sangha, monastic and lay sangha, monks, nuns, lay practitioners, and I find out that
my sangha looks exactly like the sangha of the Buddha. They have very much the same problems,
the same joy, the same happiness the same suffering, the same problems. And I feel that the Buddha
and the sangha of the Buddha is available to me
in the here and the now. I don´t miss the Buddha,
I don´t miss the sangha of the Buddha, because I am able to see
the Buddha and his sangha in my sangha. Because my sangha is first of all
the continuation of the Buddha's sangha. We have the Buddha available. We have the sangha of the Buddha
available today. So there is no way to be sorrowful. (Bell) (Bell) Subtitles by the Amara.org community
so... the silence in the kitchen.. her empty desk chair in her bedroom... that's still my friend, isn't it. When I see those things there's so much sadness for a time.... it's a really rich feeling right now... I told somebody that hurt is good because it shows we care... it's easy stuff to say.. this is new. I guess I want a hug...im so grateful I'm willing to feel this and express it. It just is and I don't want to hide from it.
Thanks for sharing this. Great talk.
Wow he is so wise this was hard to watch without tearing up. Thank you for sharing.