Abbot President Visited Massachusetts Buddhist Association in Boston to Deliver a Dharma Talk on the Path to Happiness

Venerable Guo Huei (果暉法師), the Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM), visited Boston from July 31 to August 3, 2024 to extend his loving care, and was warmly welcomed by the local followers. On the morning of August 3 at 10 a.m., the Abbot President was invited to deliver a Dharma talk titled "A World of Blessings" at the DDM Massachusetts Buddhist Association for nearly a hundred attendees. He emphasized that "peace of mind is the greatest happiness," and shared stories from daily life that deeply resonated with the audience.

During the talk, the Abbot President guided the audience of all ages in understanding how to observe and recognize the key Buddhist concepts of suffering (duḥkha), emptiness (śūnyatā), impermanence (anitya), and no-self (anātman), in addition to the law of cause and effect, and cause and conditions, through examples from everyday life. He began by discussing the basic principles that physical health requires an active lifestyle while mental health requires stillness. In addition, he further elaborated on the principles and methods of attaining peace in mind, body, family, and career.

"With peace of mind, we'll have peace in life, which is the greatest blessing." The Abbot President mentioned that peace of mind involves the ability to take good care of our own mind by maintaining inner calm and stability under any circumstances. It is also the realization of "Spiritual Environmental Protection." Therefore, if we want to be physically and mentally at ease and harmonious with ourselves and others, we must know how to live in the present without worrying about the future. The Abbot President pointed out that all phenomena in the world are intricate and complicated, but they all follow nothing but the principle of cause and effect as well as cause and conditions, which has no unchanging nature. Meanwhile, with the reflection on the truth and falsehood of "names", he guided everyone to deepen their understanding of the concepts of emptiness and impermanence. He mentioned that emptiness signifies the absence of true existence, and all phenomena in the world are impermanent. Using various examples, the Abbot President illustrated that our body cells are constantly forming and perishing, as are life and death, and light and darkness, since there are two sides to every coin. When we learn to shift our mindset, life becomes more flexible.

The Abbot President encouraged everyone to understand the principle of dependent origination, form good connections with others, and avoid comparison with others or even with ourselves. In doing so, we will gain the wisdom that frees ourselves from worries, and generate the compassion that eliminates hostility towards others. In addition to applying the Four Steps for Handling a Problem and the Four Ways to Cultivating Blessings, he also encouraged everyone to recite the name of Guanyin Bodhisattva more often, while contributing to the best of one's ability to others, one's own family, the society as a whole, and the world.

After concluding his Dharma talk at Massachusetts Buddhist Association in Boston, the Abbot President gifted two books to attendees, hoping that everyone would share the teachings of "A World of Blessings" to everyone around them. Beginning August 4, the Abbot President will visit Dharma Drum Retreat Center and Chan Meditation Center in New York to continue his 2024 North America outreach to connect with more devotees.



Original Chinese text / Chang Yao-chung (張曜鐘)
Photos / Venerable Yan Hai (演海法師)
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, Anne (麗萍)