Taming Emotions
The Dharma lesson “Điều phục cảm xúc” (Taming Emotions) at the 2024 Summer Retreat, given by Dharma teacher Thích Tánh Mẫn.
Joy, sadness, sulking, anger, envy, jealousy, delight, cheerfulness, affliction, unease, worry, happiness,… all of these are nothing other than what we call emotions.
Surely every human being has these emotions. However, depending on our understanding, learning and experience,… each of these emotions can be present in us with different shifts: less or more, coarse or subtle. And naturally they do not stay in us forever if we have mindfulness and awareness to transform and tame our emotions.
Taming emotions is recognising clearly what happens in us when we come into contact with things and phenomena outside, or what may arise right within our own body. What we need to do is look as honestly as possible at what those emotions are. Is it anger, sadness, joy, unease or happiness,…? Where do these emotions come from? Do they come from ourselves, or are they brought by things and phenomena outside? Or we can ask ourselves: why do I have this emotion? If it comes from envy, anger, jealousy,… within us, we should acknowledge it truthfully as such. Only then can we transform the negative emotions within us. From there, we will no longer be pulled and led by emotions; we do not depend on emotions, because we are the masters of our emotions.
In life we have many different relationships, which include our responsibilities and duties. We cannot avoid negative emotions arising; however, if we learn to accept and transform them, those negative emotions will become a driving force for us to rise, to see clearly what the nature of this life is, and that it is simply so.
Let us not demand too much of others, not force others to do exactly as we wish, not require others to be perfect while we ourselves are truly not yet perfect. Everyone has their weaknesses; what matters is that we know how to Understand and Love one another, and this life will become beautiful and happy.
Lão Vô Danh
