In 1972, Matthieu Richard, a young and promising French biologist, decided to become a Buddhist monk in Tibet.Over the past 35 years, the world has come to know him as a devoted monk, the interpreter for the Dalai Lama, and the author of “The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life”, which is a collection of dialogues between himself and his father, the renowned philosopher Jean-Francois Revel.
On his recent visit to Thailand, Venerable Richard offered words of practical and universal wisdom.
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Ask yourself, in your life, what are the moments of a genuine sense of fulfillment. Are they when you get more money, or are they the times when you spend with friends, family or nature?
What do we want in life?
We have to begin thinking about what really matters. There are things that matter, things that really matter, and things that really, really matter. Those are the things you need to know.
And if you see that the things that really, really matter take up only five per cent of your time, then something is wrong. Then you should do something that can fulfill your aspirations to engage in what really, really matters to you.
Genuine happiness is not an endless succession of pleasure. It is an optimal way of being that really gives you resources to deal with the ups and downs in life.
Pleasure changes all the time. I drink a cup of tea, it is very delicious. Three cups of tea, enough. Twenty cups, I get sick. The pleasurable can turn unpleasant.
Happiness is not like that. The way of well-being is the opposite. No matter what happens, it is acceptable - getting a pot of tea, fine, not getting one is also fine.
Our control of the outer world is limited. The outer world is always changing; sometimes, it is illusory. It is best to control the way we experience things - how we translate our experience: into happiness or suffering.
You need to know what kinds of mental states will destroy your happiness: are they jealousy, anger, obsession? And there are other mental states that you don't want to suppress, like altruism and compassion.
If you genuinely build up more compassion, more inner peace, inner freedom and inner strength, day after day, they grow and grow, and you become stronger and less vulnerable to the changes outside.
Slowly, you will become a better person, and you will feel better. Others will appreciate you. When faced with adversity, you will not be discouraged. Faced with success, you will not be presumptuous. Good criticisms, very good. Bad criticisms, it is alright. You can manage and deal with whatever happens. You keep your balance. That is the result of change. That is the real criterion: slow and real change.
Genuine happiness is not an endless succession of pleasure. It is an optimal way of being that really gives you resources to deal with the ups and downs in life.
Pleasure changes all the time. I drink a cup of tea, it is very delicious. Three cups of tea, enough. Twenty cups, I get sick. The pleasurable can turn unpleasant.
Happiness is not like that. The way of well-being is the opposite. No matter what happens, it is acceptable - getting a pot of tea, fine, not getting one is also fine.
Our control of the outer world is limited. The outer world is always changing; sometimes, it is illusory. It is best to control the way we experience things - how we translate our experience: into happiness or suffering.
You need to know what kinds of mental states will destroy your happiness: are they jealousy, anger, obsession? And there are other mental states that you don't want to suppress, like altruism and compassion.
If you genuinely build up more compassion, more inner peace, inner freedom and inner strength, day after day, they grow and grow, and you become stronger and less vulnerable to the changes outside.
Slowly, you will become a better person, and you will feel better. Others will appreciate you. When faced with adversity, you will not be discouraged. Faced with success, you will not be presumptuous. Good criticisms, very good. Bad criticisms, it is alright. You can manage and deal with whatever happens. You keep your balance. That is the result of change. That is the real criterion: slow and real change.
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Photo location: Bang Saphan Noi, Prchuabkhirikan province
wow. that's a cool photo.
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