Teaching in Virginia Beach in April 2024, Venerable Thay Thanh said to the sangha “We are not the body. We are the awareness of our body (through our six senses consciousness).”
When Thay Thanh said this, it reminded me that for many of us, we perceive the body to be our “self.” The Buddha tells us in many sutras that if we perceive the concept of self “…as it actually is with proper wisdom…” we will see that self “…is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.” (MN 8 Sallekha Sutta).
Take some time to think about these teachings. How do you perceive your being? Are you a physical being, a being of awareness or a combination of these? Which of these has the most emphasis in your life?
(Venerable Thich Chuc Thanh is the Dharma Master at Dong Hung Temple. This quotation is part of a continuing collection from his dharma talks given in Virginia Beach, VA and Southern Shores, NC beginning in 2015. The quotation title and commentary are by temple member Mark Palamara.)
