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you will not react with anger. Instead, you will quiet your mind in order to discover why that person is angry at you. By looking deeply, you<br />
can uncover the causes that led to the person’s anger. If you see that you bear responsibility for angering the person, you will not become<br />
angry, but you will accept that your own misconduct has contributed towards creating his anger. If you are without blame, you can try to<br />
see why the person has misunderstood you. Then you can find a way to help him understand your true intentions. In this way, you will avoid<br />
causing more suffering to both yourself and the other person.<br />
“Your majesty and honored guests! All suffering can be overcome by looking deeply into things. On the Path of Awareness, we learn to<br />
follow our breath to maintain mindfulness. We follow the precepts in order to build concentration and attain understanding. The precepts<br />
are principles of living which foster peace and joy. Practicing the precepts, our ability to concentrate develops, and we are able to live with<br />
greater awareness and mindfulness. Mindfulness nurtures the capacity to illuminate the true nature of our mind and our environment. With<br />
that illumination comes understanding.<br />
“Only with understanding can we love. All suffering is overcome when we attain understanding. The <strong>path</strong> of true liberation is the <strong>path</strong> of<br />
understanding. Understanding is prajña. Such understanding can only come from looking deeply into the true nature of things. The <strong>path</strong> of<br />
precepts, concentration, and understanding is the <strong>path</strong> which leads to liberation.”<br />
The Buddha paused for a moment and then smiled before continuing to speak. “But suffering is only one face of life. Life has another<br />
face, the face of wonder. If we can see that face of life, we will have happiness, peace, and joy. When our hearts are unfettered, we can<br />
make direct contact with the wonders of life. When we have truly grasped the truths of impermanence, emptiness of self, and dependent<br />
co-arising, we see how wondrous our own hearts and minds are. We see how wonderful our bodies, the branches of violet bamboo, the<br />
g<strong>old</strong>en chrysanthemums, the clear stream, and the radiant moon are.<br />
“Because we imprison ourselves in our suffering, we lose the ability to experience the wonders of life. When we can break through<br />
ignorance, we discover the vast realm of peace, joy, liberation, and nirvana. Nirvana is the uprooting of ignorance, greed, and anger. It is<br />
the appearance of peace, joy, and freedom. Honored guests, take time to look at a clear stream or a ray of early morning sunshine. Can<br />
you experience peace, joy, and freedom? If you are still locked in the prison of sorrow and anxiety, you will be unable to experience the<br />
wonders of the universe which include your own breath, body, and mind. The <strong>path</strong> I have discovered leads to transcending sorrow and<br />
anxiety by looking deeply into their true nature. I have shared this <strong>path</strong> with many others and they, too, have succeeded in discovering it for<br />
themselves.”<br />
Everyone was deeply touched by the Buddha’s Dharma talk. The king’s heart welled with happiness as did Queen Gotami’s and<br />
Yasodhara’s. They all wanted to learn more about the methods of looking deeply into the nature of things in order to attain liberation and<br />
enlightenment. After the Dharma talk, the king escorted the Buddha and the bhikkhus to the outer gates. The guests all congratulated the<br />
king on his son’s great attainment.<br />
Nigrodha Park was soon transformed into a monastery. The ancient fig trees that grew there provided cool shade. Many new bhikkhus<br />
were ordained, and many laypersons, including a number of young people of the Sakya clan, took the five precepts.<br />
Yasodhara made frequent visits to the Buddha at Nigrodha Park, accompanied by the queen and young Rahula. She listened to his<br />
Dharma talks and in private asked him about the relation between practicing the Way and performing social service. The Buddha showed<br />
her how to observe her breath and practice meditation in order to nourish peace and joy in her own heart. She understood that without<br />
peace and joy, she could not truly help others. She learned that by developing deeper understanding, she could deepen her capacity to<br />
love. She was happy to discover that she could practice the way of awareness in the very midst of her efforts to serve others. Peace and<br />
joy were possible right in the very moments she was working. Means and ends were not two different things.<br />
Queen Gotami was also making great progress in the practice.