Insight of interbeing and non-duality

Watch deeply the following video of Dharma talk by Thay Phap Dang about "The Jewels of Plum Village". 

Quote:
(54:00) Insight of interbeing
If you hate someone, it means you hate yourself. Interbeing, interconnectedness. Your suffering is his suffering. Your smile is her smile. So, if you want to punish him, you punish yourself. ... So, insight of interbeing is so crucial. Because usually we attach our ego. So, we forgot about the insight of interbeing, interconnectedness. We are relating, we are connected in the level of human being but also in the level of nature of life.

So, the insight of interbeing means that you are not yourself (alone). So, actually it is the insight of "no self". It's very important teaching of the Buddha. ... And not a separate existence. Interbeing is like that. You are not alone. You can not be alone. ... So, interbeing, interconnectedness is like that. You concern for other people because you are not alone, you can not be alone. 

(1:01:47) Insight of non-duality
(1:03:26) One of the teachings of the Buddha says that there is two views, double views (?) that you are different from him. You are the perceiver and he is the object of your perceiving and different. It means double views. If we are caught in that, we have problems right away. You begin to judge him. You put him in box. Whether a good monk or a bad monk, you know. We already have problems, can not live together. 

So, we have to transcend this double views; I'm different from you. I'm judging you. I am a judge and you become the object of my judging. And that's called non-duality, non-discrimination. You are a pack of my mind. You are the object of my mind. And if I don't change my mind, I can not change you. So, if you don't like someone in the sangha, you change your mind. If there is anybody you don't like in the sangha, you have to change your mind. Non-duality. And the same thing is suffering and happiness. You don't throw away suffering in order to run after happiness. Sufferings make happiness. It's just like garbage make flowers.

Non-duality means no clinging to whatsoever, even enlightenment or happiness.  ... And we will be free from double grasping. Buddha said, called the need to remove that double grasping. We always have that double grasping. And its very deep down, it's controlled by the ego. So, the ego in the back, it's doing all of these judging, discriminating. You see it's very powerful. And very powerful insight (of non-duality), it helps to remove the total of all sufferings. Non-duality. I am you. I am my father. I am my teacher.
:Unquote

(cf.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LA87R7A

Thay Phap Dang

Insight of non-duality and compassion

Listen deeply to the following Dharma talk by Thay Phap Dang about the insight of non-duality and compassion.
http://deerpark.libsyn.com/2017-04-16-thay-phap-dang?tdest_id=113448

Quote:
(50:15)
I don't react to the anger. 
(50:35)
So, if we have an insight, we know how to act. We can endure the violence. We can take the physical pain so that the brother, that man can release some of his violence. And that is called the insight of non-duality. ... So, non-duality trains the energy of compassion. And that's what we need in our society. If somebody kills you, use compassion. Because if not, we will suffer a lot, and somebody (will suffer a lot). So, what we need is actually compassion, the energy of compassion. ... Remember the thresholds to go into the heavenly land and to experience peace, happiness and also compassion. Only compassion can deal with this society full of suffering and the violence.
:Unquote

(My commentary)
Insight of non-duality means understanding the ultimate truth of emptiness (empty of separate existence), interbeing, or the wholeness. So, when we attain insight of non-duality, there will be no separation, no discrimination. I am you and you are me. Your suffering is my suffering and your happiness is my happiness. This insight generates compassion which brings about peace and happiness. 

(cf.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thích Nhất Hạnh and Thay Phap Dang

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 5)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 13-16: Perceptions
(13-14): Impermanence & Craving
Exercise 13-16 are the exercises for attaining full enlightenment and require very deep observation. What we must understand before these exercises is that this world is our mind itself because this world is the object of our mind, or the projection of our mind. In other words, the projection of our mind is this world. The object of mind is the object of perception, the object of perception is the perception (series of notions in the head), so the perception is this world. In other words, the perceived is the perceiver. David Bohm, Quantum physicist, said, "The way we see depends on the way we think." And his statement is consistent with the Buddha's above findings.

In Exercise 13, you deeply observe the impermanent nature (nature of 'emptiness' in terms of time) of all dharmas (object of mind). Because everything is changing, you can observe the impermanent nature of all objects of your mind. And you observe the impermanent nature of all perceptions because all objects of your mind are the projection of your mind (perceptions). Therefore, this world which is the object of your mind is your perception itself, and it has the impermanent nature. In Exercise 14, you deeply observe the disappearance of craving (negative desire). And you deeply observe the disappearance of idea (thought). Therefore, your craving is just an idea and will disappear after a certain time.

(15-16): No-self & Nirvana
In Exercise 15, you deeply observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena. No-birth and no-death means that nothing can be born and nothing can die. Everything (all human beings, animals, plants, minerals) just continues (keeps living) by changing its forms. So, they can not be born because they have never died, and they can not die because they have never been born. And you deeply observe that everything is made of everything else. In other words, everything else is in everything. Therefore, everything is everything else. You are observing the nature of no-self (nature of 'emptiness' in terms of space) which means that everything is empty of separate existence (separate self). This is  the ultimate truth.

In Exercise 16, you deeply observe letting go of all notions (everything). The extinction of all notions is Nirvana. Because you are convinced that all notions are made up by human ego (separate self, fake self) and all notions are wrong, it is easy for you to throw away all notions. If all notions are extinct, there is no object to think about. So, you will be non-thinking completely and  be able to attain insight  24 hours a day as awareness (non-separate self, true self). Attaining insight means that without making any efforts (without thinking), your calm mind reflects the outside reality like still water (mirror), and your clear mind sees through the inside reality. This is the full enlightenment, so you are fully awake.

(end)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 4)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 9-12: Mental formations & Consciousness
(11-12): Concentration and Liberation
Exercise 11-12 are the Exercise to look deeply the mental formation, attain insight and understand the root cause, generate compassion and transform the mental formation by the energy of compassion. We generate the energy of concentration by looking deeply, we attain the insight (understanding) of the root cause by the energy of concentration, we generate compassion by the energy of insight, and we transform the mental formation such as fear and anxiety by the energy of compassion. Transforming our mental formations is liberating our mind. In other words, the insight (understanding) of the root cause which we attain in Exercise 11 corresponds to the second truth (cause of suffering) of the Four Noble Truths. And the transformation of mental formations which we attain in Exercise 12 corresponds to the third truth (secession of suffering) of the Four Noble Truths.

Afflictions such as fear and anxiety are the cause of suffering. Therefore, as long as you have fear or anxiety, you can not accept yourself unconditionally. Sometimes you may have self-hatred. If you always think too much and if your mind wanders in the past, you suffer from regrets and sorrow, and if your mind wanders in the future, you suffer from fear and anxiety. This vicious circle can not be cut off unless you understand the root cause of suffering through insight. If it can not be cut off, even if you can temporarily stop thinking and become mindful by conscious breathing, you will resume thinking by some chance and return to the state of forgetfulness.

Therefore, in order to stop thinking stably and keep the mindful state for a long time, it is absolutely essential to understand the root cause of suffering through insight. Of course, because the extinction of all notions is not attained yet, thoughts will revive once in a while. That's why real practitioners meditate everyday (Thich Nhat Hanh says that he is meditating 24 hours a day) and never neglect the practice to maintain the mindful state. In order to completely stop thinking 24 hours a day (to be always mindful), attaining full enlightenment through the extinction of all notions is the only way.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LA87R7A

Thay's calligraphy

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 3)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 9-12: Mental formations & Consciousness
(9-10): Selective watering
The objects of Exercise 9-12 are mental formations and consciousness. It may not be easy to understand the difference from the object of Exercise 5-8 (Feelings). In fact, feelings and perceptions (series of notions in the head) belong to 51 mental formations but they are spun off from mental formations because their impact is outstanding. So, there are 49 kinds of mental formations in Exercise 9-12. Meanwhile, there are 8 kinds of consciousness in Buddhism and they are the source of the body, feelings, perceptions and mental formations. 8 kinds of consciousness are the Sense consciousness (five senses), Mind consciousness (conscious mind), Manas (ego) and Store consciousness (Alaya consciousness, subconscious mind).

Feelings in Exercise 5-8 are limited to feelings manifested in Mind consciousness (conscious mind), but mental formations and consciousness in Exercise 9-12 include the seeds of mental formations which are stored in Store consciousness (Alaya consciousness, subconscious mind). So, the realm of Exercise 9-12 is much deeper than the realm of Exercise 5-8. And we take care of both of them (mental formations and the seeds). Briefly, if we water the wholesome seed, the wholesome mental formation will manifest, and if we water the unwholesome seed, the unwholesome mental formation will manifest.

Therefore, the selective watering will be as follows:
1) Water the wholesome seeds.
2) Do not water the unwholesome seeds.
3) Maintain the wholesome mental formation if it is manifesting.
4) Transform the unwholesome mental formation (to the wholesome mental formation) if it is manifesting.
5) Water the unwholesome seed intentionally to let the unwholesome mental formation manifest and to transform it to the wholesome mental formation and return it to Store consciousness as the wholesome seed.
(Note) 5) has a high risk unless you are an advanced practitioner, so is not recommendable for beginners.

If you are mindful, you can recognize what is going on inside and around yourself. So, if you practice the selective watering as soon as you recognize what's going on, you can control your mind as you wish. And it will be wise also that you request people around you to practice the selective watering to you as well as you do it by yourself. This selective watering means the "Right Diligence" of the Noble Eightfold Path.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 2)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 5-8: Feelings
(5-6): Joy and Happiness
Exercise 5-6 (generating joy and happiness) occurs automatically at the same time when we establish ourselves in mindfulness in Exercise 1-2. So, in time series, Exercise 5-6 should be placed as Exercise 3-4 rather than Exercise 5-6. However, joy and happiness belongs to the category of feelings, so I guess that these exercises was placed as Exercise 5-6. Anyway, if mindful breathing is attained in Exercise 1-2, that is a proof that we have returned to awareness (non-separate self, true self). So, we can touch the wonders of life, and joy and happiness can be automatically generated. The expressions of our realization of joy and happiness may be "just blooming like a flower without thinking". If a flower is replaced with a human being, it may be "just smiling without thinking".

Even if you try to concentrate on your breathing, if you have fear and anxiety and can't stop thinking (if you are wandering in the past or the future and can't return to the present moment), unfortunately you are still ego (separate self, fake self) and can't generate joy and happiness. Therefore, those who can't generate joy and happiness by Exercise 1-2, will have no chance to recognize, embrace, relieve the pain and suffering even if they go ahead, because they have no energy of mindfulness. So, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us that we should keep conscious breathing or walking without going ahead until we return to awareness (non-separate self, true self), or until we can practice mindful breathing and walking. In this sense, we can say that Exercise 5-6 is a mean to check whether or not we are practicing Right Mindfulness by ourselves.

(7-8): Painful feelings
Exercise 5-6 are exercises to recognize and keep positive feelings, while Exercise 7-8 are exercises to recognize and calm negative feelings (painful feelings). If the whole body in Exercise 3-4 is replaced with painful feelings, what we are supposed to do in Exercise 5-6 is exactly the same as Exercise 3-4.  By the energy of mindfulness, we recognize our painful feeling, embrace it and calm it by releasing the tension in the feelings.

When we recognize our feelings, we are witnessing or observing our feelings. Therefore, we are not the feelings. Our true self is awareness (awakened consciousness) who is witnessing our feelings. So, we don't have to be overwhelmed even by our strong emotions like despair. If we just keep observing it, it will disappear in time. Feelings are impermanent (always changing) and are like a temporary storm, so should not panic and react right away.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 1)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 1-4: Body
(1-2): Breathing
These first two exercises (conscious breathing) are very important. That's because we are supposed to stop thinking, or perception, and establish ourselves in mindfulness through this initial conscious breathing. In other words, we are supposed to transform ourselves from ego (separate self, fake self) to awareness (non-separate self, true self, Dharma body) through this initial conscious breathing. If we can stop thinking, this transformation automatically occurs in a moment. However, if a person has strong fear or anxiety, that person can not stop thinking because s/he keeps thinking even though s/he tries to concentrate on breathing.

We need to keep in mind that if we do not establish ourselves in mindfulness at this initial stage, we will not be able to expect the effects of the third exercise and after. Thich Nhat Hanh says that one in-breath (a few seconds) is enough to return to our true self. And I understand that what he means by this statement is this initial conscious breathing.

(3-4): The whole body
When we have established ourselves in mindfulness through the first two exercises (conscious breathing), awareness (awakened  consciousness) will be able to automatically recognize what is going on inside and around us by the energy of mindfulness. In fact, we will be able to recognize everything at once (we attain various insights at the same time), but in the 16 exercises on mindful breathing we will be aware of them step by step in order. The objects we recognize are 5 aggregates (the five Skandhas) which constitute a human being, namely body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. Concretely speaking, we will recognize and calm them in the following order; Exercise 3-4: body, 7-8: feelings, 9-12: mental formations and consciousness, 13-16: perceptions. 

First of all, in Exercise 3-4 we will recognize the pain in the whole body and release the tension of the painful part. Since the body and the mind are closely interacting with each other, we can not concentrate and establish ourselves in mindfulness if the physical pain is intense. Therefore, first of all, we start with checking the health of the whole body with a ray of mindfulness like X-ray, and caring the unhealthy part well by embracing them. As mentioned above, the energy of mindfulness has the function to recognize, to embrace, to ease and relieve the pain and suffering. In addition, as soon as we establish ourselves in mindfulness, there will be the effect of stopping, resting, calming and healing at once.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

Right Thinking

Watch deeply to the following Dharma talk about Right Thinking by Sister Jina.

The followings are excerpts.

(27:03～)
Right Thinking means Right View. Our thinking comes from our view. And Right View means seeing the interbeing nature of all that is, seeing the impermanent nature and non-self nature of all that is, seeing that self is made of non-self elements. 

(53:22～)
Right Thinking is also being aware of impermanence. There is a sentence that I use when I get caught into thinking. "The things are going to stay like this forever." When I find myself in a situation that I find difficult, I tell myself, "This too will pass." And this gives me energy. I'm no longer lost in despair. 

(55:31～)
Right Thinking is also an expression of non-self. To know that happiness is not an individual matter. When my sister is not happy, I can not be happy however hard I try. Somehow, her pain is my pain although I don't want to accept that. But my experience is that I can not be really happy. 

(59:41～)
4 questions to ask to ourselves (given by Thay):
1) Are you sure?
2) What am I doing?
3) Hello, habit energy!
4) To generate the mind of love, the deep wish to cultivate the understanding and compassion

(1:13:27～)
Whatever I'm doing, my physical actions always bring my mind back to my body. And when I find myself being carried away by some very exciting thought, (but in the end it's not so exciting at all), I can let it go and come back to my training to bring the mind home to the body. In that way, we develop. You need so appropriate attention. And we will have peace and calm to look deeply to see the non-self and impermanent nature of all that is. That is Right Thinking. So, let's start by practicing becoming aware of our daily thinking. That may be the door to Right Thinking.

(My commentary)
"Right Thinking means Right View." is a good expression. That's because this is possible through non-thinking. (Namely, Right View ⇒ (non-thinking) ⇒ Right Speech and Right Action) In other words, Right Thinking means non-thinking. That's why Right View can be directly the basis of Right Speech and Right Action, without passing through Thinking process. So, Right View must be directly linked to the senses without passing through feelings and perceptions.

Right View means insight (understanding). Only if we are mindful and concentrated, we can attain insight. In other words, only if we return to our true self by stopping thinking, we can attain Right View (insight) by looking deeply (concentration). The following is the whole picture. 

stop thinking ⇒ return to true self ⇒ mindfulness ⇒ look deeply (concentration) ⇒ insight (understanding) ⇒ love and compassion ⇒ transformation⇒ peace ⇒ joy and happiness

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/walking-meditation-62204227

Image of insight

My question to Thich Nhat Hanh

Please refer to my following post to Thay's Facebook page. 
https://www.facebook.com/thichnhathanh/posts/10154349910279635?comment_id=10154350854029635&notif_t=like&notif_id=1480597439075147
Recently I feel that there is a contradiction in Thay's teaching. My question is "How can those who have fear and anxiety return to true self?" I want to ask this question because my understanding of Thay's teaching is based on the following flow (1) and my experience is based on the following flow (2).

(1) mindfulness = stop thinking ⇒ concentration = deep looking ⇒ insight = understanding the root cause ⇒ generate love and compassion ⇒ transformation

(2) understanding the root cause = insight ⇒ unconditional self-acceptance = unconditional self-love ⇒ no fear and insecurity ⇒ non-thinking ⇒ mindfulness 

To summarize the above two flows,
(1) Mindfulness (to stop thinking) is essential to understand the root cause of our suffering.
(2) Understanding the root cause is essential to stop thinking (mindfulness).

The following is my post.
Quote:
How can those who have fear and anxiety return to true self? They can't stop thinking even though they try conscious breathing or walking unless they understand the root cause of their fear and anxiety. To recognize suffering, embrace it, relieve it and look deeply into it, we need to stop thinking first.

Who observes the thoughts (brain)? I understand that's awareness (awakened consciousness). Only if we can stop thinking (stop using our brain), awareness revives. Awareness has just been covered up by ego (separate self). This is my experience. So, I am convinced that brain (maybe left cerebral hemisphere) can stop thinking. In other words, human beings can just bloom like a flower without thinking. Without thinking, awareness always attains insight. 

My answer to my above question is as follows: We need to be fed up with our suffering and strongly want to change ourselves. Then we will have more chance to attain insight of the root cause of suffering. Once we attain the insight, we can accept ourselves unconditionally and stop thinking because we have no fear and insecurity anymore. So, conscious breathing or walking doesn't work for those who have fear and insecurity to stop thinking and to be mindful.

Unconditional self-acceptance is the key. For that, we need to understand the root cause of our suffering through insight. And for the insight, we need to be mindful and concentrated. However, those who have fear and insecurity can't stop thinking through conscious breathing and walking to be mindful. And the truth is that most people think, which is a proof of having fear and insecurity. In this sense, it can be said that mindfulness can't be attained through conscious breathing and walking only. 

I hope that Thay will answer to my important question. This is not for myself because I understood the root cause of my suffering through insight before starting to learn and practice Thay's teaching. Thay's answer will benefit a lot of Thay's followers and practitioners.

We, as humans on this planet, can exist without thought if we revive awareness (non-separate self, true self). I (awareness) am experiencing it 24 hours a day. In other words, I am stopping and meditating 24 hours a day. I am sure that fully enlightened people like Thay must be also experiencing the same thing. And you may not believe it but you revive awareness during your deep sleep state because you can't think. Furthermore, all animals, plants and minerals are always awareness because they don't think.

That "if" is a big IF because it means self-transformation from separate self to non-separate self. The extinction of all notions is essential for the full enlightenment. For that, we need to understand that all notions (thoughts) are wrong through the ultimate truth of emptiness (interbeing, non-separation, non-discrimination, non-duality, wholeness). 

Simply speaking, you may think too much. Who thinks? It is not true self. It is ego (fake self) who was made up by your wounded inner child (true self in babyhood) for self protection from your parents. So, you need to find out what happened in your babyhood. That is the root cause of your fear and insecurity. Through insight, I saw everything in a flash and understood the root cause. "No wonder!" was my first impression.
:Unquote

(My commentary)
My answer to my above question is as follows:
① Intention: being fed up with our suffering and strongly want to change ourselves
② Determination: self-transformation
③ Insight: understanding the root cause of our suffering
④ Unconditional self-acceptance = Unconditional self-love
⑤ No afflictions: no fear and insecurity
⑥ Non-thinking: stopping thinking
⑦ Mindfulness, Concentration, Insight

Unconditional self-acceptance is the foundation for mindfulness. Without unconditional self-acceptance, mindfulness is not possible because we can't stop thinking. No unconditional self-acceptance, no mindfulness. For unconditional self-acceptance, we need to understand the root cause of our suffering through insight. Once we attain insight of the root cause of our suffering, we can stop thinking because we have no fear and insecurity anymore. So, the fruit of understanding the root cause of our suffering is mindfulness. Mindfulness can't be attained through conscious breathing or walking only. For understanding the root cause of our suffering, we need to be fed up with our suffering and strongly want to change ourselves.

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/3-versions-of-oneself

Dualistic notions and The three doors of liberation (2)

Read deeply the following article regarding The Doors of Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh.
http://www.lionsroar.com/the-doors-of-liberation-may-2014/
The followings are key phrases.

Quote:
2. Signlessness (Formlessness)

A sign marks the appearance of something, its form. We recognize things based on their sign, but we are often fooled by the outer form of things. The Buddha said, “Where there is a sign, there is deception.”

It’s impossible to pass from being into nonbeing. Your beloved one is still somewhere there. If you have the wisdom of signlessness, you can still recognize your beloved one in her new forms.

We are not only the body, thoughts, and feelings we have right now. Every thought, word, and action we produce continues after our bodies have disintegrated. We don’t need to worry about no longer existing. Our forms change, but nothing is lost.

3. Aimlessness

Aimlessness means you don’t put anything in front of you as the object of your pursuit. What you are looking for is not outside of you; it is already here. You already are what you want to become. Concentrating on aimlessness releases your longing and craving for something in the future and elsewhere.

You may be running all your life instead of living it. You may be running after happiness, love, romance, success, or enlightenment. Concentrating on aimlessness consists of removing the object of your pursuit, your goal.

This insight helps you stop running. Only when you stop running can you get the fulfillment and happiness you have been looking for. ... You are the manifestation of the cosmos. You are wonderful just like that.

We are taught to think that if we are aimless, we won’t get anywhere. But where are we going? We think we are born and we have to achieve something before we die. ... Even before the moment of conception, the seeds of the child existed in other forms. Point B is a moment of continuation. There is no beginning.

We believe that at birth we passed from nonbeing into being, and we believe that at death we will pass from being back into non- being. Looking deeply into our notions of being and nonbeing, aware of the emptiness and signlessness of all things, we touch the reality of the birthless and deathless nature of all things.

When we walk through the doors of liberation, we extinguish all notions. There is no longer any need for fear. If the wave knows how to rest in the water, she enjoys going up and she enjoys going down. She’s not afraid of being and nonbeing. She’s not afraid of coming and going. She is capable of touching the ocean in herself. The three doors of liberation remind us that we are no different than the wave: empty, signless, and able to touch the ultimate inherent in us at any moment.

:Unquote

(My commentary)

"touching the ocean" means to touch the whole cosmos, awareness, non-separate self, or true self. And the wave is liken to ego, separate self, or fake self. All we need is to transform ourselves from ego to awareness. In other words, All we need is to revive awareness in us. I understand that the best method is mindfulness. But I find so many fake mindfulness in the world. Right Mindfulness must enable us to stop thinking. You can check your mindfulness teacher by asking, "Do you think?". If your teacher answers "Yes", s/he is a fake mindfulness teacher. If your teacher is a true mindfulness teacher, s/he must answer, "No, I attain insight without thinking."

(Cf.) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WBTLNEU

Thích Nhất Hạnh