Dharma sunshine and Dharma rain

On Friday, the heat, frustration of travel, changing schedules, close quarters, and fatigue seemed to set in for many of us. For much of the day, things seemed discombobulated, out of sync. But a good nap, some cool drinks, and a walk around town restored our spirits.

Nha Trang, like most of the cities in Vietnam we have visited, seems to be on the verge of an economic boom. There are numerous large hotels being built within a short distance of the beach. What was once a sleepy fishing village is now a destination for tourists from Asia and from the West. There is good diving here, so we see dive shops and companies offering outings. The beach is lovely, wrapping around a bay and looking across at mountains that seem to rise straight out of the sea. I haven't been in the water yet, but I'm told it's wonderful—very warm, which is wonderful by my standards! It seems the currents are also strong.

This is the first place I've seen a lot of litter. One of my friends here, who lives in India, said it was the first place she'd been that reminded her of India in that way. It would seem important, if Nha Trang really wants to capitalize on tourism, that they find a way to stem the tide of litter.

We went this morning to Long Son Pagoda, which was founded in the late 19th century. There is a huge white statue of the Buddha at the top of a hill on the property. He gazes out over the city and can be seen from many places down below.

The abbot of Long Son is an old friend of Thich Nhat Hanh, and many greetings were exchanged between the two octogenarians. There was clearly a great deal of affection. At one point, Thich Nhat Hanh commented that the abbot had been “a cute novice,” and that even now that he was older, he was so fresh and lively that he could “take a bite out of his cheeks,” which, in fact, do look a lot like apples. We were served lunch there today. Two soups, one warm and one cold...fresh pineapple...a salad of mushrooms with tomato sauce...vegetables...fried tofu croquettes...and the most divine coconut buns for dessert. As with all the temple food we've enjoyed, this was prepared with so much love that you could taste it!

The cathedral, which we visited yesterday, is also built on a promontory. Mass was taking place as we arrived just after 5, so we enjoyed a little of the beautiful ceremony, which concluded with some of the congregation walking out to a small alcove with a statue of the Virgin Mary to pray before leaving.

This afternoon, I've had some time to go back through the notes I've taken during some of Thay's Dharma talks. Much of the time, I just listen—a practice we call “Dharma rain,” just soaking up the teaching the way the earth soaks up the rain. But sometimes, the teachings are so wonderful, that I just have to make a note or two. Here are a few excerpts. If you do not understand them, treat them like Dharma rain.

Anger is like a fist. Mindfulness is like an open hand that can embrace it, like a mother who drops everything to attend to a crying child. We should acknowledge the suffering and embrace it. This is our practice.

We are like clouds. Clouds are not born, nor do they die. They can change form. They can become rain or snow. But they do not die. The cloud is in our tea, as water. The cloud is in our bodies, as blood. In the relative/conditioned realm, birth and death exist. But in the ultimate realm, they do not. We think when we die, we will no longer be here. We think when our loved ones die, that they are no longer around, but that is not true. Yesterday's cloud is today's rain. Our loved ones are still there and may be close to us. Like clouds, we manifest when conditions are appropriate and change forms when conditions are no longer appropriate.

Breathing in, I invite my father to breathe in with me.
Breathing out, I feel joy.
Breathing in, I smile to the mother within me.
Breathing out, I invite my mother to breathe out with me at the same time.
The two of us together, breathing in, what great joy.
Breathing out, I invite my mother to breath out with me at the same time.
The two of us breathing out together, such great joy.
Breathing in, I fell well.
Breathing in, do you feel well, mother?
Breathing out, I feel light.
Breathing out, do you feel light, mother?
Today I am here with my father.
Today, I invite my mother to sit with me.
It is a great joy.

(With love to my parents, who are with me here, now, and always.)