Reminding us of our luminous true nature, Jack invites us into the war-free zone of the heart, and leads a chant of the mantra ‘Namoh.’
In this Dharma Talk from Spirit Rock Meditation Center on 12/10/2007, Jack Kornfield shares reflective wisdom pointing to our innate capacity for love, compassion, metta, and joy. Exploring how our heart can be a war-free zone no matter the outside circumstances, he offers insight into the modern human predicament, before closing with a powerful and harmonic group chanting of the mantra ‘Namoh.’
This talk from Jack Kornfield was originally published on DharmaSeed.org
Luminous True Nature
Opening by sharing a humorous and enriching poem and story diving into the nuances of taking a human incarnation, Jack offers us the Buddha’s luminous message that we are all born with the innate capacity for love, compassion, generosity and forgiveness—states of being which can be expressed as long as we are not lost in identification with the fear body of the small self. From here, he relays what he learned from Cambodian Buddhist master, Maha Ghosananda.
“We each have a capacity for love, compassion, generosity, forgiveness… In some way, we can develop these qualities, but in another more fundamental way they are our true nature, and when the stuff that gets in the way of them is released, they shine.” – Jack Kornfield
David & Ethan Nichtern explore temporal luminosity in the modern age, on Ep. 59 of The Road Home
No Enemy, No Harm // War-Free Zone of the Heart (18:44)
Reflecting on how what we give our attention to is what will grow and blossom within our lives, Jack offers wisdom from The Dhammapada pointing to the notion that if we hold no enemy inside, the enemy outside can inflict on us no real harm. Through this lens, he shares how if we want to end war and divisive politics, we first have to make our own hearts a war-free zone.
“What we turn our attention to, what we give our attention—that place will flower, will blossom, will grow. And if we give our attention to love, it grows. If we practice it, we remind ourselves, and our capacity becomes stronger.” – Jack Kornfield
“If there is no enemy within, then the enemy outside can do us no real harm.” – The Dhammapada
Jack offers us the capacity for compassion during times of war, on Ep. 145 of Heart Wisdom
Love & Compassion // Namoh Chant (39:00)
Relaying wisdom learned from Abraham Maslow, Viktor Frankl, and David Roche; Jack explores how even during times of war, as much as we need food and air, we need love and compassion just as much. From here, he shares insight into how we can live our humanity from a place of joy and presence. To close, he offers a short meditation and a harmonic and powerful group chanting of the mantra ‘Namoh.’
“The truth is that we need love and compassion as much as we need food and air. And you don’t have to have food. shelter, social needs, and creative needs met in order to love or care for someone.” – Jack Kornfield