The Art of Living

The Art of Living Plot Summary

Introduction

Imagine looking up at a beautiful cloud in the sky. In just a moment, it transforms, changing shape before eventually disappearing altogether. Has the cloud died? Where did it go? This simple observation contains profound wisdom about the nature of existence. Our lives, like clouds, are in constant transformation. Understanding this process is key to finding peace amid life's inevitable changes. We all face fundamental questions about our existence. What happens when we die? Is there life after death? Will we see our loved ones again? Rather than relying on faith or belief, these questions can be approached through mindful observation and deep looking. The art of living involves freeing ourselves from three common misconceptions: that we are separate from the world around us, that we cease to exist when our physical body dies, and that happiness exists only in some distant future. Through seven powerful concentrations - emptiness, signlessness, aimlessness, impermanence, non-craving, letting go, and nirvana - we can transform our suffering into understanding and joy, experiencing peace and freedom in the present moment. These insights offer us a path to live deeply and fully, facing dying and death without fear, anger, or despair.

Chapter 1: Emptiness: The Wonder of Interbeing

Emptiness doesn't mean nothingness. When we say something is empty, we mean it's empty of a separate existence. Consider a beautiful flower. Looking deeply, we see that the flower contains soil, rain, sunshine, clouds, and minerals. The entire cosmos is present in this single flower. If we removed any of these "non-flower" elements, the flower would not exist. There would be nothing left that we could call a "flower." The flower is full of everything, yet empty of a separate self-existence. The same is true for us. We too are full of non-us elements while being empty of a separate self. We contain earth, water, air, sunlight, and warmth. We contain our ancestors, parents, education, food, and culture. The whole cosmos has come together to create who we are. To describe this deep interconnection, the term "interbeing" was created. The verb "to be" can be misleading because we cannot be by ourselves, alone. "To be" is always to "inter-be." We inter-are with one another and with all life. This insight of interbeing transforms how we see ourselves and others. When we look at a child, we can see her parents and ancestors in her appearance, actions, and words. Looking into the parent, we can see the child. We don't exist independently. Everything relies on everything else to manifest. This understanding frees us from the prison of seeing ourselves as separate entities. It helps us develop compassion and non-discrimination. When we see that we inter-are with everyone, including those who suffer or cause suffering, we can embrace them all with understanding. The insight of emptiness doesn't require us to get rid of the self. The self is just an idea, an illusion, a wrong view - not reality. We don't need to kill something that isn't there. We simply need to remove the illusion of a separate self through deeper understanding. When we realize we are not limited to our physical body, we can touch freedom from fear. We continue in our actions, in our loved ones, and in everyone whose lives we have touched. As the cloud transforms into rain, snow, or tea, we too are constantly transforming, never truly dying, just changing forms.

Chapter 2: Signlessness: Transcending Forms and Appearances

Death is essential to making life possible. Death is transformation. Death is continuation. When we look at things in the world, we tend to get caught in their appearances or signs. We recognize a cloud by its shape in the sky, and when that shape disappears, we think the cloud has died. But looking more deeply, we understand that the cloud has simply transformed into rain, mist, or snow. The elements that made up the cloud - H2O - still exist in new forms. The cloud hasn't died; it's just playing hide-and-seek! Signlessness is the second door of liberation. It helps us see beyond appearances to recognize the true nature of reality. The Buddha said, "Where there is a sign, there is always deception." Signs are useful for distinguishing things at the level of relative truth, but they can distract us from seeing the profound connections between all things. You too are always changing form. When you look at childhood photos of yourself, you recognize that it's you, yet you look, speak, act, and think differently now. Your form, feelings, perceptions, and consciousness have all changed. You are not fixed or permanent. Our ideas about birth and death are just conventional designations. Looking deeply, you can see that your official birth date is merely a moment of continuation. Before that, you already existed in your mother's womb, and before that, in the elements that formed the sperm and egg. There is no moment when you did not exist. Similarly, your life span is not limited to seventy, eighty, or one hundred years. Your body is not your self; you are much more than this body. You are life without boundaries. To help us understand this boundless nature, we can recognize that we have at least eight different bodies: our human body, buddha body (our capacity for awakening), spiritual practice body, community body, body outside the body (our presence in the world through our actions and creations), continuation body, cosmic body, and ultimate body. When we can experience all these bodies, we live more fully and face the disintegration of our physical body without fear. We can see that we continue in many ways beyond our physical form, just as a cloud watching part of itself become rain can see its continuation. The insight of signlessness helps us understand that nothing is lost. When a loved one dies, they continue in new forms. We can still talk to them, saying, "I know you are there. I'm breathing for you. I'm smiling for you." Looking with the eyes of signlessness, we can see that our true nature is like water - sometimes appearing as a wave, sometimes as vapor, sometimes as rain - but never truly born, never truly dying.

Chapter 3: Aimlessness: Finding Freedom in the Present Moment

You already are what you want to become. You are a marvel. You are a wonder. Many of us have been running all our lives, feeling that we need to go somewhere, achieve something, or become someone else to find happiness. The concentration on aimlessness teaches us that the present moment is the only time and place where we can find everything we've been looking for, including love, freedom, peace, and well-being. Aimlessness doesn't mean doing nothing. It means not putting something in front of you to chase after. When we remove the objects of our craving and desires, we discover that happiness and freedom are available to us right here in the present moment. We have a habit of running after things, sacrificing our life chasing after objects of craving or striving for success. We may even lose our freedom and happiness in our efforts to be mindful, to be healthy, to relieve suffering in the world, or to get enlightened. We disregard the wonders of the present moment, thinking that heaven and the ultimate are for later, not for now. Learning to stop is essential, though it takes training. As soon as there is stopping, there is happiness and peace. When we stop, it looks as if nothing is happening, but in fact everything is happening. We are deeply established in the present moment, touching our cosmic body and eternity. There is no more restlessness, no more seeking. In Plum Village and other mindfulness practice centers, practitioners stop whenever they hear the sound of a bell. They return to their breathing and arrive in their body in the here and now, relaxing and enjoying the present moment. The art of happiness is living deeply in the present moment. If we continue to hold on to a dream for something in the future, we lose the present moment. And if we lose the present, we lose everything - freedom, peace, joy, and the opportunity to touch the Kingdom of God, to touch nirvana. The Gospel of Matthew tells of a farmer who discovers treasure hidden in a field and sells everything to buy that field. That treasure is found only in the present moment. You need only one moment of awakening to realize that what you are looking for is already there, in you and around you. Freedom is a practice and a habit. We need to train ourselves to walk as a free person, sit as a free person, and eat as a free person. Our true self is already there within us, and as soon as we can see it, we become a free person. We have been free from beginningless time. We just need to recognize it. Whatever we are doing, we can do it with ease and freedom, touching the ultimate dimension of reality with every step and every breath.

Chapter 4: Impermanence: Embracing Change as a Path to Joy

Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible. Without impermanence, life could not exist. A seed could never become a plant; a child couldn't grow into an adult; healing and transformation would be impossible; we could never realize our dreams. Impermanence is not bad news - it's what makes life possible. It can bring happiness just as easily as it can bring suffering. Because of impermanence, despotic regimes fall, illnesses can be cured, and the four beautiful seasons come and go. Contemplating impermanence helps us touch freedom and happiness in the present moment. It helps us see reality as it is, so we can embrace change, face our fears, and cherish what we have. When we can see the impermanent nature of a flower, a pebble, the person we love, our own body, our pain and sorrow, or even a situation, we can make a breakthrough into the heart of reality. There's a difference between understanding impermanence as a notion and experiencing it as an insight. The notion of impermanence is like a match, and the insight of impermanence is like the flame. As the flame manifests, it consumes the match, which we no longer need. What we need is the flame, not the match. The insight of impermanence has the power to liberate us. Imagine someone you love has just said something that made you angry, and you want to punish them by saying something unkind back. But then you remember to close your eyes and contemplate impermanence. You imagine your beloved three hundred years from now, nothing but ash. You suddenly realize how foolish it is to be angry. Life is so precious. The insight of impermanence burns away the anger, transforming it into love. When we touch impermanence deeply, we also touch no self. Impermanence and no self are not two different things. In terms of time, it's impermanence, and in terms of space, it's no self, emptiness, interbeing. They are different words for the same reality. Impermanence means that nothing can remain the same in two consecutive moments. Every second, the cells in our body, as well as our feelings, perceptions, ideas, and states of mind, are changing. When we can embrace impermanence, we allow each other to change and grow. From one day to the next, we are neither the same nor different. And this is good news - in this moment you are new and your loved one is new, and that is why you are both free. Our suffering is impermanent, and that is why we can transform it. And because happiness is impermanent, we have to nourish it. By understanding and embracing impermanence, we can live deeply and fully, treasuring each moment and each relationship, knowing that change is inevitable but also full of possibility.

Chapter 5: Non-Craving: Discovering You Already Have Enough

As soon as we realize that in this very moment we already have enough, and we already are enough, true happiness becomes possible. The art of happiness is the art of living deeply in the present moment. The here and now is the only time and place where life is available and where we can find everything we are looking for, including love, freedom, peace, and well-being. Each of us has a big block of craving inside. We're always looking outside ourselves for something to make us feel satisfied and complete - whether it's food, sensual pleasures, money, relationships, social status, or success. But as long as we have the energy of craving in us, we're never satisfied with what we have and who we are right now, and true happiness is not possible. The energy of craving pulls us into the future, making us lose our peace and freedom in the present moment. The Buddha used the image of a fish biting on attractive bait. The fish doesn't know there's a hook hidden in the bait. It looks delicious, but as soon as the fish bites, it gets caught. Similarly, we run after things that seem very desirable - like money, power, and sex - without realizing the danger in them. We destroy our body and mind chasing after these things, yet still continue pursuing them. Once we can see the hook, whatever we're craving simply won't be appealing anymore, and we'll be free. True happiness doesn't depend on external conditions. It doesn't depend on how much money we have, or what kind of job, car, or house we own. It depends on our capacity to cultivate compassion and understanding and bring nourishment and healing to ourselves and our loved ones. All of us need to love and be loved. But if we don't yet love or understand ourselves, how can we blame others for not loving or understanding us? Freedom, peace, love, and understanding are not things we can obtain from outside. They are already available within us. Many of us experience restlessness - the opposite of feeling at ease and comfortable in ourselves. We do everything in a hurry, rushing from one thing to the next. Wherever we are, we always think we should be somewhere else. We may take refuge in work, films, TV, the internet, or computer games to distract ourselves from painful feelings inside. But these distractions only provide temporary relief. The energy of mindfulness helps us identify what we're running away from and take the chance to stop, embrace our feelings, and truly take care of ourselves. It is possible to learn to sit in peace, breathe in peace, and walk in peace. Being at peace is an art we cultivate with daily mindfulness practice. Whether this moment is happy or not depends on you. It's you who makes the moment happy, not the moment that makes you happy. With mindfulness, concentration, and insight, any moment can become a happy moment. Your quality of life depends on your awareness of all the conditions of happiness that are available to you now.

Chapter 6: Letting Go: The Courage to Transform Suffering

When we know the art of how to suffer, we suffer much less. We're able to make use of the mud of our suffering to grow lotuses of love and understanding. Living fully and deeply requires courage. If we cannot be happy right here and right now, we need to ask ourselves why. What's weighing us down or pulling us away from the present moment? The art of living happily is also the art of transforming our afflictions. We may be entangled by our projects, work, and fast-paced way of living. We may be caught up in craving or restlessness. We may be blocked by sorrow, anger, or fear. A relationship may have become overgrown with misunderstandings. All these things prevent us from touching the happiness, peace, and freedom available in the present moment. To disentangle ourselves, we need courage and determination. It takes courage to change our livelihood to align with our deepest values. It takes determination not to get carried away by projects that make us stressed and overworked. It takes courage to sit down with a loved one and open up communication. Each of us needs to identify what entangles us so we can cut ourselves free. How long do you have left to live? What is so important that you let it get in the way of your chance to live deeply and happily? Sometimes the obstacle to our happiness is not something we can easily cut through or let go of. A deep feeling of sorrow or despair may establish itself in our hearts, and we need both the fearlessness of a warrior and the skill of an artist to transform it. The practice of mindful breathing and walking can help overcome depression, despair, anger, and fear. Every step and every breath can bring healing. When our suffering is overwhelming, we need to let go of the idea that our suffering is our own, that this body is our self. The insight of interbeing and no self helps us see that our suffering is not ours alone. It may have been transmitted to us by our parents, grandparents, or ancestors who never had a chance to transform their pain. When we transform our suffering, we do so not only for ourselves but also for all our ancestors and descendants. We should not be afraid of suffering. We should be afraid only of not knowing how to deal with our suffering. Handling suffering is an art. If we know how to suffer, we suffer much less, and we're no longer afraid of being overwhelmed by the suffering inside. The energy of mindfulness helps us recognize, acknowledge, and embrace our pain, which can already bring some calm and relief. Like a mother lovingly embracing a crying baby, mindfulness embraces our suffering with gentleness and compassion. When suffering is embraced by mindfulness, it begins to transform.

Chapter 7: Nirvana: Touching the Ultimate Here and Now

Nirvana is a pleasant state of coolness and freshness that we can all touch in this very life. By using mindfulness, concentration, and insight to transform our suffering, we can touch nirvana in the here and now. Nirvana is not some distant place in a distant future. The word "nirvana" comes from an ancient rural dialect of India. It describes the pleasant experience of the cooling of ashes after a fire has completely gone out. The Buddha used this word to describe the cooling of the flames of our afflictions. Many of us are burning in the fire of craving, fear, anxiety, despair, or regret. Our anger, jealousy, or ideas about death and loss can burn us up inside. But when we transform our suffering and remove our wrong ideas, we naturally touch a refreshing peace. This is nirvana. There is an intimate connection between suffering and nirvana. Without suffering, how could we recognize the peace of nirvana? Without the hot coals, we cannot have the cool ashes. Suffering and awakening go together. As we learn to handle our suffering, we are learning to generate moments of nirvana. Nirvana doesn't have to be something big that we spend a lifetime practicing for. Each of us can touch small moments of nirvana every day. When we remove the thorns of affliction one by one, we experience relief - we experience nirvana. The Buddha taught that we can enjoy nirvana with our very body. We need our body - our feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness - to touch nirvana. When we cool the flames of anger and transform it into compassion, this is the experience of nirvana. When we experience the peace and freedom of walking meditation, we are touching our cosmic body; we are touching nirvana. When we stop running, let go of worries about the future and regrets about the past, and come back to enjoy the wonders of life in the present moment, that is when we touch nirvana. Many people mistakenly think that nirvana describes a blissful state or place we enter after death. But this is very misleading. It suggests we cannot touch nirvana when alive; we have to die to get there. This is not what the Buddha taught. Nirvana is associated with life in the here and now. One of the greatest misunderstandings has been to define nirvana as a kind of "eternal death" that ends the cycle of reincarnation. The true nature of reality transcends all notions of being and nonbeing, birth and death. Nirvana is the ultimate dimension. It is the extinction and letting go of all notions and ideas. The concentrations on emptiness, signlessness, aimlessness, impermanence, non-craving, and letting go all help us break through to the true nature of reality. By contemplating deeply our physical body and the realm of phenomena, we get in touch with nirvana - the true nature of the cosmos - and we experience peace, happiness, and the freedom of non-fear. We are no longer afraid of birth and death, being and nonbeing. To touch nirvana is to realize the insight of no birth and no death in our daily life.

Summary

The seven concentrations explored in this book offer a practical path to freedom, peace, and happiness in our daily lives. By understanding emptiness, we see our deep interconnection with all life. Through signlessness, we recognize that forms and appearances are constantly changing, yet nothing is ever lost. Aimlessness teaches us that what we're seeking is already here in the present moment. Impermanence shows us that change makes life possible and beautiful. Non-craving helps us realize we already have enough to be happy. Letting go gives us the courage to transform our suffering. And nirvana reminds us that peace and freedom are available right now. These insights transform how we live each moment. We learn to cherish our relationships, reconcile with loved ones, and face difficulties with compassion and understanding. We discover that our life spans far beyond our physical bodies through our many different bodies - our spiritual practice, our community, our continuation in others, and our cosmic nature. The immediate product of practicing mindfulness is joy, solidity, and happiness in every moment. Whether walking from the parking lot to the office or washing dishes, every step and action can be peace, freedom, and healing. Time is not money - time is life, and time is love. By reclaiming our freedom to enjoy the wonders of life, we cultivate the best kind of adaptation to pass on to future generations - the capacity to live with awareness, compassion, and joy.

About Author

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Thich Nhat Hanh

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.

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