Humans can only live up to 30, 000 days. It is actually very limited, if counted in days. Living the 30, 000 days, are you happy, healthy, joyful, and wealthy? Do you have someone who loves you or someone you love? If you lack a bit in all these aspects, you’ll lack a sense of happiness a great deal. Through meditation, the sense of happiness brought by each part will increase. We welcome you to come to Bodhi Meditation Center to meditate often.

Bodhi Meditation brings people health and happiness all over the world. Please remember Bodhi Meditation is for health and for happiness. This is our purpose. If one lives unhappily and unhealthily, they may lack the sense of happiness in the most part of their life. You work hard and toil for a purpose. Many have not thought about their health. The purpose is to have a happy life, right?

If you are unhealthy, half your happiness is gone. It is especially so when illnesses cause great pain. Some illnesses are pain free until you die. Though some illnesses don’t cause death, they create great pain, such as neck pain, shoulder pain, or lower back pain, which is not like a kidney illness. You have pain whenever you work. You feel pain when combing your hair or washing your hands. It is troublesome, but it will not cause death. Do you feel happiness? You would be happy if you will not die, but you cannot be happy when you have pain! Though you don’t die from the pain, you suffer, and medical means are of no avail. There are many such illnesses. Of course, death is not a solution.

We wish to live a healthier, longer life, trying to live to over 80 years old. That is the happiest state. This is the wish I hope to promote and achieve. Though we have to leave the world eventually, our quality of life will vary with our health. If we live with a lot of pain, we suffer more. On average, our life lasts only 30, 000 days at most. It is not long, is it? Many have not counted how many days they can live. Hearing it is 30,000 days, we know it is really not much. Your savings are more than $30,000, but you can only live for 30,000 days. It is actually very short. In those 30,000 days, are you happy, healthy, joyful, and rich? Are you loved? Also, do you have someone to love?

If you lack a bit in each of these, your sense of happiness will be much less. The above mentioned can be increased through some practice. Each aspect will increase. To achieve health and happiness, we meditate. It develops our wisdom. We may not achieve Buddhahood, but we become a healthier, happier human. If you suffer greatly every day, though you are human, you are in pain. So, you are an unhealthy, unhappy person. However, after we do some practice, we gain wisdom. When I was young, I had a feeling that a valve seems to exist. If this valve is closed, it seems some part is powered off. No nutrients go there. Some day, this valve is switched on. All parts of your body and wisdom are illuminated.

Thus, meditation has such an effect. It turns on the “valve” of wisdom and energy. Wow. This person has become smart, and their eyes brighter. He has become happy and joyful. When walking, his back has straightened. In the past, the valve was blocked. The person was dispirited. So, meditation has such a stimulating function. It is truly special. What our dharma school wants to teach or our purpose is: Actually, it has four Chinese characters. Health and Happiness. If you are not healthy, how can you achieve happiness? If you are not healthy, you may not become enlightened, right? All your energy is focused on pain, “Oh, my leg hurts.”

You may not become enlightened. People with daily pain may still become enlightened, but it is hard for them to become enlightened. Because their energy is dispersed by the pain of illness. Thus, please practice diligently. Many of our dharma teachings ask people to cultivate their minds. They train us to have  the correct understanding of things. Once our mind is balanced, we will have balanced health. If either side of our body is hot or cold, it is wrong. So, we pursue this path to balanced health. Thus, I hope everyone practices diligently.

The benefits of meditation practice are limitless, numerous, and unimaginable. Numerous illnesses come from our mind, thoughts, and judgments. Only with a very broad mind, can we not be hurt. We conduct ourselves differently upon hearing criticisms, some still smile and are not upset. But some explode or pull out a knife,  after hearing just one sentence of scolding. Their body is huge, but their mind is as tiny as a sesame seed. Even if we are small and weak physically with loose muscles, if we are compassionate, we will be as broadminded as an ocean, embracing all. We dare to shoulder, accept, and tolerate everything. Will there be any affliction? Even if we have a fake compassionate heart, often thinking this way can also allow us to dissolve those afflictions, and we will not have these illnesses. Many tumors come from afflictions. Tumors in many ladies’ breasts are caused by anger and desire. Their unsatisfied emotions cause the illness. When your heart blockages stay long, they will become tumors. Thus, if our mind is as broad as an ocean, we can be carefree, dissolve all pains and illnesses, and open the door to longevity. When all illnesses disappear, we will become healthy and live long. Our life and wisdom will be free flowing and smooth. With such a mind, some practice, and merit and virtue, you will be healthy, happy, and at ease every day, as compassion is the most beautiful. Treat others with compassion, so everyone is happy.