Who Am I? Dhamma Talk With Bhante Assaji

Join Bhante Assaji as he discusses the Buddha's teachings in an easy way to help expand your mind. His words are helpful when you may feel lost or discouraged. He breaks down the words of the Dhamma in this insightful talk. Bhante Assaji has been a practicing monk for over 15 years and is a part of the Blue Lotus Temple International Monastic Team.

Transcript

Good morning everyone. How are you today? So thank you very much for coming today. Today I'm going to share with you three ideas. One day Buddha explained to the monks, To the disciples, We always have to think three ideas. Buddha said one of discourse that Suta's name, Vimansakha in Pali, In English we can translate, Vimansakha means in English exploration or discover. Buddha said we have to explore, We have to discover three things. What is the first one? Buddha said, Ata Vimansakha. Ata means in Pali, Our self. Buddha said we have to explore, We have to discover about our self. That is the first one. Second one is Buddha said, Sankhar Vimansakha. Sankhar means in English thoughts. We have to discover about our thoughts. Third one is Sat Vimansakha. Sat means teacher. We have to find a good teacher to our life. As a human Buddha said we have to always think these three ideas, Our self and our thoughts and to find a good teacher. These three ideas are very important for us. Let's discuss what is the meaning of these three ideas. What is the first one? Ourself. Think about ourself. So why you come here today? Sometimes we ask that question from people. They say, I want to relax. I need to calm down my mind. People have so many ideas. So think you come here today, Meditate or develop some good qualities within yourself. We have different opinions to come here. That's okay. So during the meditation time, We try to understand our mind, Our self. I think some people can remember I told some story. I think one week ago. Usually people are trying to think past and future. But so many times they don't go into think about present moment. Mindfulness meditation means we are going to understand this moment. Present moment. We are trying to understand our mind. So when you are going to understand our self, Who am I? Then we can develop our good qualities. Already we know our mind. We can understand our mind. What is the negative thoughts? What is the positive thoughts? What is the good habit, Bad habit? We can understand. So it is important to understand our self. Think so many times we are trying to understand, We are trying to focus others. Many times we are not going to understand who am I? I have a story to explain this idea. One day one of the sons went to meet his grandfather. And he asked from his grandfather, My dear grandfather, I have a question. I want to understand, I want to know who, What is the meaning of I? Not this I. What is the meaning of I? What is the meaning of me? Please let me know. I don't understand. Then that grandfather told my dear son, We can see three kinds of persons in our self. What is the first one? My dear son, He is very unkind. First I, First me, First person in our self inside is very unkind. Sometimes he is very jealous, He is a very jealousy person. Sometimes he is very lazy. Now you can think already you have that person, He is very lazy. Also he says he is not an emotional person. He don't know what is the fear. He don't want to understand what is the fear. He is a fearless person. Also he don't have enough patience. Sometimes my dear son, That first person is like a rabbit. How about rabbits? They are very innocent. They are very fearful animals. That first person like a rabbit. Also sometimes he is very aggressive. Our first person like this. That grandfather experienced this is our first person inside us. So we can see that first person always we can see. It is normal for us. That grandfather told, Understand your first person. People can see that person always. Who is the second person? That grandfather told, He is totally different. He is very generous. He is very kind person. Understand your second person. We know that two persons are always in our self. This two persons always fight to each other. That grandfather told, My dear son, That two persons always fight to each other. Why they fight? Who is the owner of that two persons? Your self. They need your attention. That is why they are always fighting each other. Sometimes first person come to us. Because he needs your attention. Also sometimes your second person also come to us. Then they are fighting each other. They need your attention. So think, Understand that two person. Think that grandfather told, You know my son, Third person, He is a very special one. He is very important person. How about him? Your first person and your second person they are fighting each other. They are trying to make a decision. Your third person try to settle that two persons. Sometimes your bad situation or sometimes you are taking so many decisions. Your third person try to solve your problem. He try to settle your problem. He is the third person. I think we already have a third person. We have to understand who is my third person. He is try to settle you. He is try to guide you. Then that grandfather told, You know my son, Who is the first person? You have idea? Who is the first person? Your mind. First person is your mind. Who is the second person? Your heart. Second person is your heart. Who is the third person? Who is the third person? Sorry? Humanity. That grandfather told, Your third person is the humanity. Think, We are also doing so many things but our humanity leads us. So that's why Buddha said, Understand our mind. There are three persons. Try to understand what is the importance for you. Understand your third person. So try to develop your good qualities. Try to understand your mind. That's the first one Buddha said. Try to understand your mind. Try to understand yourself. Second one is Sankharvimansakha. Sankharv means thoughts. Think, During the meditation time so many thoughts come to you. Just one moment, One minute, Thousands of thoughts come to us. Can we count? There are thousands of thoughts. We cannot count. Sometimes our mind goes into the past. Mind goes into the future. So many thoughts come to us. So we have to understand our thoughts. It could be good or bad. Then we can organize our mind. We can understand our mind situation. So that's why it's important to understand our thoughts. One day Buddha explained, My teachings is like a sea. How about sea? So many rivers come to sea. Different villages from different countries. So after that all the rivers go to the sea. We cannot say this is Lake Michigan or this is Great Lakes or this is Fox River. We cannot say this is Lake Michigan or this is Lake Michigan. Because also all the rivers go to the sea. So my teachings are like a sea. Someone wants to develop their good qualities. There are so many ways to go there. We can change our thoughts. So you think you decide to come today. Sometimes your first person comes to us. Sometimes your second person. But finally you came to here. So also I have a different story to explain this second idea. There was a huge company. That company produced damage proof glasses. So annually this company arranged an award ceremony. They want to find a best sales representatives. Then they find one person and they are going to give a special award to that person. Then all the employees worked very hard to be a best sales representative. Then after the end of the year they arranged an award ceremony. Most of people, Most of the employees, They made more than 1000 dollars for the company. Many employees. But there was one employee, He made more than 10000 dollars for the company. He got an award, Best employee of the year. Best salesperson of the year. Then the president of the company was very happy. He said, I am very proud of you. Please tell me how you do your sales to the people, To the customers. He said, I am going to meet the customers. I take just only 5 minutes for one customer. It means for one day I can meet so many customers. Then I go to them with glasses and hammer. How about their glasses? Damage proof glasses. What I do, I hit to the glasses with the hammer. Then they can see our glasses are damage proof. Exactly they are going to buy it. That is my trick. This is my method to develop our product. Then what did other employees follow in the year? That all the employees follow that winner's method. They all did that method. After second year, They arranged an award ceremony too. They were excited. Same person won the award this year too. But they improved their products more than last year because everybody tried to follow that winner's method. Then the president got the award. Same person. He asked, I am very surprised. Last year you won the award. Also this year too. What you did this year? He said, It is very simple. I did like last year. What he did? He went to the people with the hammer and he hit to the glass. Then they saw. He said, This year what I did, I went to meet the customers with the glass and hammer. What I did, I gave to them glass and hammer. They thought, You can hit the glasses now. They experienced themselves. And they bought our glasses. That is my method. I changed my idea. I think about different ways. Then I got a result. This story gave us a good message. We have to think different ways. There are so many ways to be a good person, Develop power qualities. That is why Buddha said, My teachings like a river. There are so many ways. We have to think different ways. There are so many rules, So many methods. We can follow. Try to think different ways. So we have to understand our thoughts. It is very important. What is the last one? Buddha said, We have to find a good teacher. Who is our first teacher? Our parents. They guide us very well. That is why Buddha said, Our first teachers are our parents. They always focus you, Follow you. What we did, As a childhood, We also follow them. Now your children follow you. So Buddha said, We have to find a good teacher to guide us. We have a, Buddha also guide us very well. He gave us such wonderful teachings. Also Jesus. So many teachers in this world, So many people follow them. I am not going to tell you, Please find a specific teacher for you. I am not going to tell you. You can find, You can choose who is the best for me. It could be your friends, It could be your different people. But Buddha said, We have to find noble friends. It is very important because noble friends guide us very well. So that is why Buddha said, We have to find a good teacher because they always guide us very well. You know, Usually Buddha what did, Buddha's disciples sometimes give a talks. So what Buddha did, Buddha participate with them and Buddha listening to the talk. And after the talk, He always encourage his residents. You did a great talk. And it is very beautiful, He encourage his disciples. That is the teacher's method. They do like that. So we have to find a good teacher to our life. It is very important. So these three things Buddha said, We always have to explore, Always have to discover what is the best one. Think about ourselves. Second one, Try to understand our thoughts. Third one, Try to find a good teacher to your life. So try to understand, Try to be a loving kind person. And thank you very much. Have a good day.