Stress – by Zen Master Dae Bong



Stress – by Zen Master Dae Bong

Somebody runs a marathon, then maybe they haven’t trained much, then their body will have a lot of stress. Somebody runs a marathon who has trained a lot, then the stress can only come primarily from their mind. So if you want to run a marathon you have to train your body and your mind.

So in our everyday life now, stress is one of the biggest problem people have in the whole world. But most of these stresses come from our mind. Because our life is not that demanding physically. We don’t do physical work 12-14 hours a day. So the stress comes from our mind. If you understand your mind and know how to direct your mind, then you can reduce the stress. Already doctors and many people understand, many problems with the body, stress is a big factor, things like cancer, heart attacks and many things.

So our body has 2 nervous systems. An automatic system and a voluntary system. Automatic system is our heartbeat, our digestion, things like that. Voluntary system is like our big muscles and our thinking.

But most of we are very sloppy about our thinking, so we cannot control our reaction to situations. Then when we have lots of thinking and nervous mental reactions, this pushes the automatic system. Then we have reactions like what you said, knocked down in bed for a while. But you already have some technique, so you do not get knocked down in bed 1 weeks 2 weeks 3 weeks, maybe 1 day 2 days, 1 hour 2 hours then boom you can do it.

But most of us don’t even use that kind of technique. Most people use alcohol, or cigarette or overworking, or some kind of way that is not very skillful. Which usually make our stress or our problems worse. But if we train our mind, if we practice, then we know how to quickly reduce our mental stress.

So I don’t know in Singapore, but in America many many people now interested in meditation. Sometimes they don’t have the same purpose as Zen, find my true nature, save all beings. Maybe people just want to reduce their stress but that is possible. So many people use many different meditation techniques, many kinds, to reduce stress. If we practice, we can do that. Or when stress appears we can more quickly reduce it.

You have stress so I have stress. Then you are not stress then I am not stress. Now this whole world full of stress so I also all the time stress. But that is no problem. That is this world condition. But this causes many many problems in our life.

So spend some time to learn what is our mind and how to deal with it is very important. I know one person in Korea, she is a interesting women, she is a professional golfer. Sometimes she comes in for retreats. One day she came in and say, “I have this problem now.” Then I understood right away. “You go out drinking every night with your boyfriend?” “Ya.” “Why don’t you go to temple sometimes instead at night and do meditation.” “So how about 3 times a week goes to the temple and 4 times drinking or even better 6 times go to meditation and 1 time go out have a good time.”

So that is very important. If we just come to practice once in a while, then we cannot control ourselves. Regular is very important. It is not good or bad. But its just what kind of results do you want. When we really suffer then we go “Oh I need to go practice.” Then 3 days or 1 week retreat, very difficult. My body hurts, my mind hurts, but then after a few days, much better

As soon as we are feeling better, we forget about the temple. Then maybe like this women, 6 months or 1 year later, and we run back to meditation center. Much better to do something everyday. Even a little bit, everybody look at your schedule. You can find one half hour to do some practice. Maybe if you have children and a job then more difficult, but you also have strong motivation. Because if you goof off, soon your husband or wife or children will show you some problem.

So regular practice is very important. If water drops onto a rock, even one drip at a time, drip drip drip drip. Then one day a hole appear. Then drip drip drip, then this rock will break open. So change our karma takes some effort. But this effort isn’t suffering, it is wonderful.

I already told you about the man who complain about when I come zen center at night, I only fall asleep during meditation but if I stay at home I watch TV I don’t fall asleep.

But that time you are not asleep you are controlled by something outside. That’s not yours. Then you cannot bring it out when you need it. But if you go to the meditation center and try in the evening one hour. Even if you sleep a lot, but one moment, even if there is just one moment clear, that is yours, you can bring it out when you need it. That name is virtue, not merit.

Six paramitas are six virtues. That name is paramita. Merit is like a bank account. You do good thing, you get one hundred merit, you use them, it goes zero. Paramita is not like that. When you attain some paramita, even for a moment, without any desire for personal benefit, that’s yours forever.

When you develop some patience, it is not like if you use it one time its gone. Merit is like that. When you develop some patience you can bring it out any time you need it. And if some situation appears and you can’t bring it out, that just means you need more hard training that’s all. So when I get stressed, I just think, more hard training is necessary.

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