We should remember that when the lamp of mindfulness is lit up, the mental formation under observation will naturally transform in a wholesome direction.

Practicing Buddhist meditation is not a way of avoiding society or family life. The correct practice of mindfulness can help us bring peace, joy, and release both to ourselves and to our family and friends as well. Those who practice mindful living will inevitably transform themselves and their way of life. They will live a more simple life and wil

And if we look more deeply, we will see that neutral feelings can become joyful feelings, and that suffering and happiness are interdependent. Suffering is, because happiness is; and happiness is, because suffering is.

“Bhikkhus, how does a practitioner remain established in the observation of the mind in the mind? “When his mind is desiring, the practitioner is aware, ‘My mind is desiring.’ When his mind is not desiring, he is aware, ‘My mind is not desiring.’ When his mind is hating something, he is aware, ‘My mind is hating.’ When his mind is not hating, he is

The coming-to-be of one dharma is dependent on the coming-to-be, endurance, and destruction of other dharmas, in fact, of all other dharmas. Dharmas do not have independent existence. They are empty of a separate, independent existence.

The cause of ill-being is our ignorance. Because we are not able to see that the true nature of life is impermanence, selflessness, and interdependence, we become attached to things, believing that they are permanent. From this thinking arise the roots of affliction and the internal formations, or knots: craving, hatred, pride, doubt, and so forth.

As we have already seen, the function of this exercise is to nourish us with joy and happiness and to heal the wounds within us. But we have no doubts about letting go of this joy in order to embark on the work of observation. Joy and happiness come about because of physical and psychological conditions, and are as impermanent as all other physical

As we follow our breathing and sponsor our anger with mindfulness, the situation becomes less and less dangerous. Although the anger is still there, it gradually loses its strength and begins to transform into another kind of energy, like love or understanding.

The second result of conscious breathing is that we come in contact with life in the present moment, the only moment when we can touch life. The life which is in us and around us is wonderful and abundant. If we are not free, we cannot be in contact with it, and we are not really living our lives. We should not be imprisoned by regrets about the pa