• It forms the foundation for ethical conduct and the path to enlightenment.
• By cultivating right resolve, individuals can develop a more peaceful and compassionatemindset.
• It helps to overcome negative mental states like attachment, hatred, and ignorance, which are sources ofsuffering.

In essence, right resolve is about aligning one's intentions with the principles of the Noble Eightfold Path, which areaimed at achieving freedom from suffering and cultivating a fulfilling life.

Our speech is rooted in our thinking, and our thinking is rooted in our understanding.

If our speech is not compassionate, somehow our understanding is skewed, or we might say, deluded. We maybe clinging to a view of superiority or inferiority. We may feel we are being victimized, or that we are not being respected or appreciated enough. Then anger arises, and words or actions emerge.

But it began with a view of ourselves or the other, which we held to be truth, then we operate from that view. We may be judging the other or the situation from a sense of ego where we feel everything is permanent, and somehow the other person is jeopardizing that permanence.

Sometimes we say to ourselves, “Where did that come from?” when things come out of our mouths or the mouths of others. We have to try to find the seed of dissatisfaction that is sprouting, and perhaps pull the weeds.

When we have a recurring negative view, words, actions… we call that our Karma. That which keeps bringing us down to less productive peaceful communication. The critical/judging person, the “know-it-all”, the “one-upmanship” etc.

We all have our skewed views, delusion, and it can be reflected in our personal suffering, and the suffering we create in others.

So we go back to purifying our views, remaining resolved to break out of our negative patterns, and practicing kind speech, regardless of how we perceive things, or how we feel. Fake it till you make it. Just like exercising changes to body to be healthier, practicing kind speech, whether we feel like it or not, reprograms our thinking to be healthier. 

​In the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness — the Buddha teaches us to observe the mind as mind — not its content, but its state, its clarity or confusion, its calm or agitation.
 
This meditation is not about chasing thoughts, analyzing them, or identifying with them. It is about observingthe qualities that color the mind, and witnessing the impermanence of mental events. Over time, this gentle, steady observation reveals that the mind is not a fixed entity, but a dynamic and shifting field ofawareness.

​It is easy to be the observer of others. We might think, “He’s grumpy today” or “She’s so easy to bearound.” But can we turn that same awareness inward?
 
That is the goal of mindfulness of thought processes — to become the observer of our own mind. To say:

​“Ah, restlessness is here.” 
“Ah, irritation has arisen.”
“The mind is craving comfort.”
 
As we develop this skill of observing our thought patterns, we begin to see clearly how certain thoughts arise, dominate, and fade. And more importantly — we start to carry this awareness with us throughout the day. This gives us the freedom to counter thought patterns that weigh us down, and to plant the seeds of peace and clarity.
 
We have been studying the Eightfold Path for many weeks now. Sometimes we forget all the other steps and think the goal is just to sit in meditation all day in peace. But the reality is — we learn mindfulness so we can do the other seven steps better: to speak more wisely, to act more skillfully, to bring more clarity andcompassion into our daily lives. The Buddha's teaching is to become free from our suffering. Increasing our mindfulness increases our chances of having less suffering and more peace in our lives.

​When we meditate, we learn to “quiet” these thought processes. By not judging, and just observing, we begin to put space between this flow of thoughts and our observing mind. As this space grows, the mind gets quieter and quieter — so quiet you can hear a pin drop.
 
Instead of being dragged around by our thoughts, stillness begins to emerge. In this stillness, concentration is naturally developed.
 
This is what we will focus on in our next few sessions: deepening stillness and cultivating strong concentration (samādhi).

Notice the quality of your mind and the impermanence of your thoughts.
 
Ask yourself:

• Is the mind calm or restless?
• Focused or distracted?
• Is there clarity or confusion? Joy or aversion?

 
As thoughts arise, watch them without clinging or pushing away. Let them appear and dissolve like ripples on water. Simply notice:
​
“This, too, is a thought.” 
“This, too, is passing.”
 
Let your awareness rest in the space between the thoughts — that silent space where stillness begins to bloom.

In the Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta (SN 22.95), the Buddha offers this reflection:
 
“Just as a bubble, a mirage, a dream, or a magical illusion has no true substance, so too the mind and itscontents should be seen as impermanent and empty of self.”
 
Thoughts may appear solid, urgent, or even real — but seen clearly, they have no lasting substance.They arise due to conditions and vanish when those conditions change.
 
Seeing this directly brings freedom.

​We’re not trying to get rid of thoughts. We’re learning to see clearly — to understand the moods and states of our own mind as they arise, shift, and fall away. This is freedom — not being ruled by what we think, butgently aware of how our mind moves, moment to moment.
 
“Just as a man stands at the shore and watches the waves rise and fall — So too does the
wise person observe the mind and its passing states.”

The mind is a mirror, clear and wide. 
Thoughts are like wind — they pass, they slide. 
No need to push, no need to hold.
Just let awareness silently unfold.
 
Meditation Song: This Too Will Pass

We are finally at the Eighth Factor: Right Concentration. But what is right concentration? The word concentration has multiple meanings. You read on laundry detergent labels “concentrated”, meaning thereis little or no dilution with other ingredients like water, or fillers.

When we speak of the concentrated mind, it too is free of dilution… or another term more commonly used in the practice: Free of Delusion, the unnecessary or watered down ingredients of our minds and are only left with stillness, and emptiness.

Concentration also means being very focused. Like concentrating on our work, no ADHD, or distractedness. When we are focused, it is like being in a tunnel with no other exit but what is right in front of us at that moment.

In the Heart Sutra, which is an explanation of the realization of emptiness, it speaks of going beyond all thatour individual minds experience, and becoming awakened. Awakened to the unborn, universal compassion and wisdom. In right concentration we are able to go journey across the sea of suffering (our scattered mind caught up in the perceptions of our senses) and enter into the deep peace of awakening.

These concepts can be hard to connect to. Stories sometimes help make things clearer. So, we will take a look at two stories the Buddha used to explain right concentration.

The Farmer Who Waters the Wrong Field – Misplaced Focus

A farmer asked the Buddha why his meditation wasn’t working. The Buddha replied: “You are like a manwatering a neighbor’s field, then wondering why your crops do not grow. Your mind is on the past, on resentment, on gain and loss. Bring your attention home—to this breath, this step, this moment.”

The Lotus that Grew in Still Water – Stillness Reveals Truth

A disciple once asked, “Master, why must we still the mind?”
The Buddha pointed to a pond muddied by a thrown stone. “Can you see your reflection?”
“No, Master.”
 
Then they waited. Slowly, the water stilled, and the disciple saw his face.
“Only in stillness,” said the Buddha, “do we see things as they truly are.”
 
Right concentration allows the mind to settle so that wisdom can arise—like a calm pond reflects the moon.

Our minds drift, entangled in a flood of information,
Forgetting the past, forgetting the lessons of life.
But with contemplation — looking deeply into each moment —
The luminous stream of mind reveals endless experience.
A supermarket of data overwhelms our brains,
Old memories fade beneath the pressure of the new.
Yet in truth, the mind becomes clouded and confused,
As fresh impressions sweep away the traces of the past.
Look back — a month has already slipped away,
So many feelings, countless passing moments.
Can you recall them clearly? They’re hard to grasp.
But with steady meditation, the mind will shine bright.
Strange reactions arise in daily life,
Not born from anything present here and now —
They spring from past-life causes and momentum,
And meditation illuminates them all.
Sustain your contemplation — observe the mind each moment.
Past experiences return in clear awareness.
Consciousness stretches continuously across lifetimes,
And the practitioner sees wisdom naturally unfold.
​Each sensation, each extraordinary reaction —
Through mindful observation, the impermanent flow is known.
In deep meditation, all phenomena are illuminated,
And from this timeless stream, Nirvāṇa is revealed.

Practice: Observing the Stream of Mind

1. Sit comfortably, close the eyes, and bring attention to the breath.
2. Without trying to control them, begin observing thoughts as they arise.
3. Notice how they form, linger briefly, and dissolve — like ripples on water.
4. When a reaction or memory appears, silently note: “arising… passing.”
5. Reflect: If each thought is impermanent, who is the “I” that thinks?

​
Optional Contemplation:
Recall a strong emotion from a month ago. How vivid is it now? Can you find where it “exists”? This helps reveal the emptiness (śūnyatā) of mental phenomena.

​Today we are going to talk about the mind as a mirror. So we can understand even more clearly the impermanence of all things, and how this connects to an understanding of being free from Karma.

​What would the mind freed from Karma look like? Notice how different, and sometimes similar our interpretations are. Where do these interpretations come from? What would it be like if our minds were unconditioned and unbound?

• It no longer arises based on greed, hatred, or delusion.
• Thoughts may still appear, sensations still occur, but they are not grasped at, resisted, or owned.
• Life flows without “I” and “mine.”

“Just as a lotus grows unstained from the mud, so the awakened mind functions in the world yet is untouched by it.”

• The karmic mind is reactive — it clings to pleasure, resists pain, judges, craves, and fears.
• The liberated mind responds rather than reacts. It meets experience with clarity and equanimity.
• Emotions arise but pass like clouds — they do not solidify into identity or action rooted in ignorance.

“Contact still occurs, but no craving follows.” — Visuddhimagga

• The Buddha often described the liberated mind as like a mirror: it reflects everything clearly but retains nothing.
• All phenomena — pleasant or unpleasant — are seen as they truly are, empty of self and impermanent.

“The mind, like a polished mirror, shows all forms but clings to none.”

• Freed from egoic motives, actions are not karmically driven — they are natural expressions of wisdom and compassion.
• Such a mind acts without attachment to outcome, without pride in virtue, without expectation of reward.

“Action remains, but the actor disappears.”

To describe such a mind, the scriptures and masters use many metaphors:
​

• Ocean Mind: Deep, still, and vast — waves (thoughts) may arise, but the ocean remains unmoved.
• Mirror Mind: Reflective and pure — nothing clings, nothing stains.
• Wind in Space: Movements occur but do not disturb the vastness of space.
• Fire Without Fuel: Past karma burns out, and no new fuel is added. The fire of becoming ceases.

​Freedom from karma is not achieved by suppression or escape, but by deep understanding:

• Seeing that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory (dukkha), and not-self.
• Training the mind in mindfulness (sati) and concentration (samādhi) so that reactions slow and wisdom arises.
• Living with ethics and compassion to purify intention.

Ultimately, the path leads to a mind that acts without acting — fully engaged with life, yet untouched by karmic bondage.

​A mind free from karma is:

• Awake and unconditioned — no longer creating new causes of suffering.
• Peaceful and luminous — like a mirror reflecting phenomena without attachment.
• Compassionate and wise — acting spontaneously for the benefit of beings without self-centered motive.
• Beyond birth and death — not seeking, fearing, or needing to become anything.

“There is, monks, an unborn, unbecome, unmade, uncompounded. Were there not, there would be no escape from what is born, become, made, and compounded.”

Purpose

To cultivate direct insight into the nature of mind — clear, reflective, and naturally free — by observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise and pass without attachment.

This practice helps weaken karmic conditioning and reveal the luminous, non-grasping quality of awareness.

Instructions

Take three slow, mindful breaths. With each exhalation, feel the body settle deeper into stillness.

“With each breath, let the body become still.
Let the breath flow naturally.
Let the mind begin to rest, open, and receptive.”


Step 1: Chant the Mantra

Chant the mantra Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng three times to polish the mirror of your mind.

Step 2: Visualizing the Mind as a Mirror (5 min)

Now, introduce the central image:

“Imagine your mind as a perfectly clear mirror — still, spacious, and reflective.
Everything that arises — thoughts, feelings, sensations, sounds — is simply a reflection appearing on its surface.
The mirror does not cling to the reflection.
It does not chase it away.
It simply reflects.”

As each new thought or sensation appears, silently note: reflection.
See how it appears, changes, and fades — while the mirror itself remains unchanged.

Step 3: Observing the Nature of Reflections (7–10 min)

Chant the mantra Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng three times to polish the mirror of your mind.

As you continue resting in this mirror-like awareness, deepen the contemplation:

• Notice that pleasant thoughts arise — they are reflections.
• Notice that unpleasant emotions arise — they too are reflections.
• Notice that memories, plans, images, and stories all come and go — none of them stick to the mirror.

“The mirror is never stained by what it reflects.
Anger may pass across it, joy may dance upon it, sorrow may cloud it — but the mirror remains unchanged.
It is open, receptive, and luminous.”

If a strong thought pulls you in, gently return to the image of the mirror. Let awareness reflect without grasping.

Step 4: Returning and Dedicating

Short reflection or dedication:
​
“May I remember that my true mind is like a mirror —
Clear, vast, and unstained by the passing reflections of thought and emotion.
May I meet each experience with openness and equanimity.
May this clarity guide me and benefit all beings.”

Last week we talked about The Mind as a Mirror, using the Rorschach ink blot we explored how we all project our thoughts onto the world around us, and mix up the story from the reality. This week we are going to talk No Self –

To see no-self is not to erase our individuality, but to loosen our grip on the idea that we exist apart from others.

The mantra Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng purifies the self-centered mind — the one that says "I am right", "you are wrong", "this is mine", "that is yours".
​
This week we practice swapping selves: entering the world of another person to see not only their suffering, but also how they might see us. Through this, the rigid shell of “I” softens into the fluid truth of inter-being.

You will need:

• A small mirror (hand-sized)
• A smooth stone or pebble

Step One – The Self (the Stone)

• Hold the stone in your hand. Feel its weight, its boundary, its firmness.
• Say quietly: “This is me — solid, separate, contained.”
• Reflect on how we move through life like this stone — defining our edges, defending our shape.

Step Two – The Other (the Mirror)

• Now hold the mirror before you. Gaze into it. Say: “This is the other — reflecting me, yet not me.”
• Notice: when you move, the reflection moves; when you frown, it frowns.
• The mirror shows that what we project onto others — anger, joy, fear — comes back to us.

Step Three – The Swap

• Place the stone on the mirror and look at the reflection of both together. Imagine becoming the reflection instead of the holder — step into the other’s place. Say silently: “Now I am you. From where you stand, how do I appear?”
• See yourself as they might see you — your tone, your posture, your words. Feel their emotions toward you: confusion, care, fear, love. Then gently switch again — back to yourself.
• Repeat this a few times, noticing how perception changes with each exchange.
• You may realize there is no fixed boundary between the two — only movement and reflection.

When we truly swap places, we discover that the other also carries a story about us.
Perhaps they see us as impatient, distant, or kind. Can we accept being seen — even misunderstood — without closing our heart?
​
To see through their eyes is to glimpse the karmic web connecting both beings.
Just as we suffer when unseen, others suffer when we refuse to see them.
The mantra becomes a bridge of empathy:

“Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng — may the veils of misunderstanding fall away.”

• Keep the mirror and stone somewhere visible. Each time you notice them, silently repeat:

“There is no me without you, and no you without me.”

• When in conflict, pause and imagine how your actions look through the other’s eyes.
• At night, ask:

“Whose reflection did I see clearly today? Whose did I cloud with judgment?”
​

​Humility is often misunderstood as self-deprecation or weakness. In the Buddhist sense, humility is truth — the recognition that there is no separate “self” to elevate or defend.

When the personal mind opens into the vast, universal mind, the illusion of separateness begins to dissolve. The small self that clings, competes, and wants recognition gives way to the clear, compassionate awareness that simply is.

“When my mind opens to the universal mind, the wisdom that unfolds can touch the universal truth in others.”
​
Humility, then, is the fragrance of awakening — the natural state of a mind that no longer needs to grasp at being “the one who knows.”

​When preparing a teaching about Mu A Mu Sa and childhood healing, inspiration flowed freely. The topic aligned beautifully with the teacher, and the lesson touched many hearts. But afterward, when praise arose, so did the subtle desire to take credit.

This is the dance between wisdom and ego, inspiration and pride. Inspiration comes from beyond — from the universal field of awareness. We are the instruments, not the composers.

Many years ago, I saw a movie called Amadeus about Mozart. At some point in the movie, he was asked, “Where do you get your ideas, your inspiration for the music you compose?” He answered, “I just hear it in my mind, and write down what I hear.”

Dharma, the wisdom and knowledge of universal compassion, is always speaking, playing, and awakening. We just need to be aware.

“It’s like listening to music and knowing when the note is right — as if I am listening to someone else composing through me.”

When we try to claim the song as “mine,” the music falters. When we surrender, the melody flows again. Similarly, when we are critical of others, thinking, “They did it wrong, or I could do it better” — that is another example. But it could be that we are being inspired to do things differently, and each of us is playing our own melody from which the music can be heard.

Think of yourself as a handcrafted instrument — the product of many lifetimes of effort.
Some instruments are finely tuned; others still rough. Yet the music — the Dharma — comes from beyond all instruments.

Through Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng, we learn to hear when we play a “flat note.” Moments of irritation, pride, or self-importance are signals that we need to tune our strings again — with mindfulness, compassion, and honesty.
​
“Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng helps us hear when we hit a bad note — helping us see where we need to tune our instrument.”

Invite participants to choose a simple activity this week — perhaps preparing food, speaking in a group, or writing something creative.

As they do it, silently repeat the mantra:
Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng.

Then observe:

• When does the thought “I am doing this” or perhaps more often, the thought “He/she is doing it wrong” appear?
• What happens when that thought dissolves, and the action flows naturally?

Afterward, reflect:
“When I disappear, what remains is just the doing — calm, humble, complete.”

Sit together in silence, holding the mantra softly in the heart.

Visualize your mind as a simple, beautiful instrument being tuned by the gentle vibration of the mantra.

Each note — pride, anger, or confusion — is adjusted back into harmony with the universal sound.
​
End with a collective recitation:
🕉 Na Mo Ta Mo Ta Mo Da Ra Houng
“May I dissolve into the music of truth.”

​To meditate on compassion, as taught by the Bodhisattvas, is to step beyond the small boundaries of the self and into the boundless heart of the universe. The Bodhisattva’s compassion is not merely a feeling—it is an active, living force, like sunlight that warms all without judgment, like rain that nourishes all without preference.

When we sit in meditation, breathing with awareness, we begin to see that every being—human, animal, seen, and unseen—carries joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, just as we do. With each breath, we soften the walls we have built around our heart. With each moment of stillness, we dissolve the rigid edges of our mind.
The Bodhisattva reminds us that to truly open the heart is to welcome all beings as part of ourselves, for in truth, there is no separation. Through this compassion, we rejoin the great fabric of the universe, remembering that we have never been apart from it. Our love becomes vast, without limit, without condition. We no longer ask who is worthy of our kindness, for in the Bodhisattva’s eyes, every being is worthy.

This is the love that heals—the love that touches the deepest wounds and brings them back to wholeness. In living this compassion, we plant seeds of peace in every heart we meet, and those seeds, in time, blossom into a more awakened world.
​
As our compassion deepens, so too does our wisdom, until we realize that to love without limit is itself the path to enlightenment.

There was once a farmer who worked hard to protect his crops. One year, wild deer kept sneaking into his field, eating the vegetables he depended on. At first, he grew angry and set traps to drive them away. But each time he saw the deer struggling, his heart softened. He realized they were simply hungry—just like him. So instead of building higher fences, he began planting a small patch of vegetables at the edge of his field, just for the deer.

At first, his neighbors laughed. But as the months passed, they noticed something: the deer stopped destroying the main crops. They ate what was freely given, and the farmer’s harvest flourished.
​
The farmer discovered something profound: when he shared with compassion, both he and the deer were nourished. His kindness didn’t diminish his life—it expanded it.

Sit comfortably. Let your spine be tall but relaxed, your hands resting gently in your lap. Close your eyes.

Take a slow, deep breath in… and a slow, gentle breath out. Feel the Earth holding you.

As you breathe, imagine a soft golden light surrounding you. This is the light of compassion, the same light carried by countless Bodhisattvas who vow to help all beings.

Breathe in through your nose into the lower belly; breathe out through your mouth, softly chanting: Mu A Mu Sa.
​
Bring to mind someone you love deeply. Silently say:
May you be safe. May you be free from suffering. May you be at peace.

Now imagine a stranger and offer the same wishes.

Next, think of someone with whom you have difficulty. Even if resistance arises, breathe gently and send them compassion.

Let the golden light expand outward—filling the room, the city, the country, and finally the entire Earth.
​
Every being is bathed in this light. In this moment, all are safe. All are loved. All are free from suffering.

Song: The Compassionate Eyes Upon All Being

Like the farmer who shared his crops, when we live with compassion, no one loses. Compassion nourishes us all.
​
Mu A Mu Sa is not only a mantra—it is a reminder that the heart of the universe beats within us, and that every breath can be an offering of love.