The Forever Changing Self ~ Lotus Link Humanistic Buddhism Class

The nights draw-in earlier during autumn. On Wednesday 31 March, 5 members of the Lotus Link Humanistic Buddhism Class practiced motive meditation under the moonlight in the Field of Merit to contemplate and self reflect. Taking the pruning of plants as an analogy, Venerable Miao Yu explained to the members that all plants need to be pruned in order to flourish into beautiful, healthy plants. Likewise, we need to constantly reflect upon ourselves and work on our shortcomings to improve our practice.
After walking, motive and sitting meditation, the group discussed the suffering of sickness and old age. Venerable Miao Yu told the story of when the Buddha saw the sight of sickness, old age and death which made him determined to find the way to ultimate happiness. The suffering of sickness includes physical and mental suffering and it is through the pain of sickness that we realized the importance of being healthy and the impermanence of our body. Mental health is very important as it has a great affect on our physical being and we are freed from mental suffering when we let go of our desires and attachments.
From the very moment we are in our mother’s body, we are already starting to age. When our physical body starts to fail due to old age and we require others to take care of us, the suffering of old age begins. The members gained further insight on the suffering of sickness and old age and are able to observe how their body changes at every second.