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The Heart of Cultivating Mindfulness in Daily Life

The mind spins through all six sense doors. Trying to track each one—“Now the mind is seeing form”—you can’t keep up. It sees for a flash, then it’s hearing sound. The mind is too fast for that. So adjust the method. When the eye sees something, notice the change in the heart. You see a beautiful flower—delight arises. Know that delight. This one mind knows it. You hear a bird sing—it’s lovely. Joy arises. Know the joy. That’s practice.

Let the senses function normally. Let them encounter the world. But when contact stirs a shift in the heart—be aware. This is the heart, the key, the secret of cultivating *sati* in daily life. It lies in reading the heart—not in forcing yourself. Not in avoiding sights, sounds, smells, tastes. No need to run. Let contact happen as it naturally does. But when it does, and the heart shifts— If happiness arises, know it. If suffering arises, know it. If wholesome or unwholesome states arise, know them.

Be mindful of the mental formations

In our practice, we must remain mindful of mental formations. Our minds are in constant fabrication, concocting happiness, suffering, good, and evil. If we are not mindful, mental formations will overpower our minds. When they concoct happiness, we get lost in enjoyment. When they concoct suffering, we become anxious and sad. When they concoct wholesomeness, …

At the moment, there’s a Chinese course with over 100 Chinese people attending. Learning Dhamma feels like when you cannot see the wood for the trees. Sometimes it feels really difficult, but in reality, it’s just so basic. It’s all just a simple thing, yet many people have to practice diligently. Back when I studied …

Observing Phenomena Watching all of you seated both inside and outside this room, including those joining us on Zoom, I notice a shared condition, where you are engrossed in fabrication. You cannot tell that your minds constantly engage in fabrication in various ways. When you yearn for the good, you fabricate tranquility, manipulating the mind …

There’s a candlelight procession yesterday. There were many people. The procession took an hour and a half. We’ll move this ceremony to the church once it’s finished. The procession will take less time there. Many people here are Chinese. I feel for them. They sought Dhamma and took a long trip to get here. Some …

It’s strange that we prefer to walk around the temple with a candle rather than listen to the Dhamma. There were fewer people this the morning. Merits are our supports. The journey in the cycle of death and rebirth is long. All merits are our supports, making the journey convenient and comfortable. Without merits to …

Makha Bucha day (Māgha Pūjā) is the day when the Buddha laid down strategy for propagation of the Dhamma; what is the principal of propagation, what to propagate, the conducts of the propogators, what kind of Dhamma should be taught. Those of us who work with spreading the Dhama can look into this. It is …

Dhamma isn’t just about transcending the world. There are 2 parts to it. The part for staying with the world and for transcending the world. Most people here are laypeople, so we must learn the worldly part of dhamma. Then, we’ll be able to live in the world with appropriate happiness. People don’t have true …

At this time, the Chinese students will be returning home, returning to celebrate the Chinese New Year, to visit their parents. Normally, there are many Chinese students at the temple. It’s pitiful. They come seeking Dhamma. The Dhamma can be easy, and it can also be difficult. It’s easy for those who have accumulated virtues …

It’s almost the end of the year. This is a time for wishing others well. Last year we did the same thing, just like the year before that. Wishing people well is encouragement. It’s nothing more. If you want a Vara (blessing), you have to do it yourself. Vara means an excellent thing. Vara is …

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The Heart of Cultivating Mindfulness in Daily Life

Be mindful of the mental formations

Rules of Dhamma Practice

Observing Phenomena

From Composites to Non-Composite

Method to free the mind from influx

Check your own mind

Dhamma for laypeople

New karma is the indicator

Five Hindrances