The Emotions That Nourish Us: The Driving Force of Living According to the Buddha

Have you ever wondered: what is it that truly sustains this life? When you wake each morning, what makes you rise from bed and begin a new day? It is not rice, not money, not even the air we breathe — something far deeper sustains us, and that is emotion. In the dharma talk "The Emotions That Nourish Us," Thầy Thích Chân Quang opened a wonderful perspective on the driving force of human life according to the Buddha's teachings.

What, in the end, do we live for?

If you asked each person, you would surely receive different answers: some live on rice, on money, on knowledge, on moral principles, on air. But the Buddha taught that all of these are only necessary conditions; the sufficient condition is emotion. Thầy Thích Chân Quang emphasized: "In truth, we live because of our emotions." In the teaching of the twelve links of dependent origination, ignorance leads to clinging to self, clinging to self leads to desire, and desire is nourished by feeling — by emotion. Emotion is like an undercurrent, urging us to act, to strive, and to experience this life.

Love and hate are the driving force behind every action

Why do we go to the temple? Because we love the temple, not because of a delicious buffet meal. Why do we busy ourselves with work? Because we want to live, and we fear death. It is this love of life and fear of death that sends us hurrying and toiling through the world. Thầy Thích Chân Quang explained: "It is through love and hate that we live in this world." Loving something noble makes us strive; hating something makes us turn away. Emotion is the wellspring of every decision, even the smallest ones.

Sacred emotions transform a person

To illustrate the power of emotion, Thầy told of a poor student who received tuition money from a revered teacher. The feeling of reverence stirred by the teacher's selflessness nourished the young man's heart and transformed him into a good person for the rest of his life. In contrast, there was a martial arts student who trained in order to take revenge, living fueled by hatred — and that, too, was the force driving him forward. Thầy concluded: "We live because of love and hate." Emotion can lead us to heaven or to hell, depending on the material we choose to nurture within our hearts.

The refined soul lives amid nature and human kindness

A person with a sensitive heart, wisdom, and virtue will see beauty even in things that seem meaningless. A flower petal falling on one's head, the sound of a temple bell drifting through the night, the laughter of a child, the wrinkles on a father's face, a mother's smile — all of these can stir deep feelings within us. Thầy Thích Chân Quang shared: "For those who possess refinement, sensitivity, wisdom, and virtue, a flower petal falling upon their head is a wondrous gift from nature." It is precisely such emotions that help us awaken to many things in life and love life all the more.

From martial arts to the way of martial virtue: emotion elevates art into a path

In the martial arts gathering, we saw that martial arts are not merely combat, but an art form — and beyond that, a path. When nourished by an artist's soul, the martial artist expresses skillfulness, humility, and beauty in every movement. Thầy Thích Chân Quang affirmed: "A true martial artist is truly an artist." It is the love of beauty that elevates martial arts into a way of life. The bond formed between the two schools revealed a great emotion: no jealousy, no distinction of great or small, only love and mutual respect.

Three sources of emotion that nourish the spirit

In Buddhism, there are three most wondrous emotions: reverence and love for the Buddha, reverence and love for the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), and reverence and love for those who truly practice the way. Thầy Thích Chân Quang encouraged each of us to nurture these three emotions:

Being moved by the Buddha — the pure sage of perfect compassion and wisdom.

Being moved by the Buddha's teachings — the lofty truths that make our hearts tremble.

Being moved by the noble ones — those who live rightly and walk among us in this world.

Thầy closed with these heartfelt verses:

The Tathagata is pure and boundless, So I bow down in reverence and love. Compassion radiates in every direction, So how much love and reverence could ever be enough? Wisdom shines boundless and bright, So I honor and cherish it absolutely. Extraordinary merit is passed down, Nourishing me as I grow along the spiritual path.

Emotion is a sacred flame that illuminates our lives. If we know how to nurture positive emotions, we will live with peace, happiness, and be of benefit to the world. Let us begin today — each time we see a falling petal, hear a bell, or meet a good person, let our hearts be moved. It is precisely these moments of being moved that will nourish our souls and bring us closer to the Buddha and to all that is sacred.