Home Is Not Yet the Return: The True Refuge of the Soul

Have you ever returned home after a long day, closed your bedroom door, and lain down on the bed, only to find your mind still wandering through the office, replaying praise and criticism, or planning for tomorrow? We often think we have come home, yet it seems we have not truly returned.

In a sharing session at the ceremony laying the foundation stone for a temple, Venerable Thich Chan Quang revealed one of the most profound philosophies: the true place of return is not merely our house, but our own body and mind. Let us explore this journey of returning together.

### Why Does Building a Temple Bring Great Blessings from Merit?

The teacher recounted that when we help build a temple, even if it is just one roof beam or one brick, cause and effect (karmic law) ensures we will never experience homelessness across countless lifetimes. But whether these blessings from merit are great or small depends on something else: the practice within that temple.

"People practice there. It is in that practice that lies something priceless... It is the transformation of the mind through spiritual cultivation that turns worldly merit into infinite merit."

If a temple lacks practice, does not enshrine the Buddha, then contributing labor to its construction yields no great merit. However, when the Buddha is present, when the Sangha practices, and when devotees come here to transform their souls, the merit of those who contributed is multiplied many times over. Therefore, when each of us visits a temple, let us first engage in practice so as not to betray the efforts of those who made contributions.

### The House Is Not Yet the Place of Return

The teacher used an analogy: people go out into the world, and everyone wishes to return. They return home because it is a place where they need not wear masks, where they can be comfortable and relaxed. But is arriving home truly being home? The teacher posed a question: "What is a place closer than our house for us to return to? It is our very own body."

In reality, many people arrive home, yet their mind still wanders to the ends of the earth. We sit in our rooms thinking about all sorts of things: someone praised us, someone disliked us, this song was good, that song was bad. The mind never stops running. Thus, the true place of return must be where the mind finds refuge, and the closest such place is this physical body.

### The Body Is the True Place of Return

The teacher shared that in the Nikaya sutras, the Buddha taught: "Breathing in, I know my whole body; breathing out, I know my whole body." Initially, the teacher read this repeatedly without understanding, assuming it was basic doctrine. But upon practicing, he realized this was the secret key to finding refuge.

"Only when we take refuge in the body is this mind truly at peace... Knowing clearly that the mind takes refuge in the body, and that the body returns to itself, is precisely the ancient teaching of the Buddha."

When we are aware of the entire body—whether standing, walking, lying down, or sitting—and when we appreciate every movement and every breath, we are truly present. We no longer chase after idle thoughts. This is the first step of returning.

### Breath: The Doorway to the Spiritual World

From the body, we move gradually into the breath. When we take refuge in the body, we perceive the column of breath entering and leaving. The teacher said: "Once you grasp the breath, the mind snaps into meditative concentration, and suddenly a new spiritual world opens up." The breath is the bridge from body to mind, the place where the mind stops and begins to enter samadhi.

### Facing the Mind: The Final Place for Cleansing

After entering meditative concentration, we begin to see our mind clearly. The mind has both good and bad aspects. Good aspects include faith in the Buddha and ideals for living well. Bad aspects remain rooted in greed, hatred and delusion. The teacher emphasized: "By nature, we are all flawed beings. The Buddha said sentient beings are inherently ignorant. Until one attains Arhatship, everyone remains under the veil of ignorance." It is precisely because we see our own flaws that we must cultivate ourselves. And when we clear away the fetters, we truly arrive home—at our spiritual home.

### Practice Returning Right Now

We do not need to travel far. Right now, relax your entire body and feel the breath entering and leaving. Be aware of your body as you sit, stand, or walk. This is the beginning of the return. Each time you practice, each time you remember your body and breath, you draw closer to peace and closer to your Buddha-nature.

Please visit a temple, sit in meditation, and practice with the breath. As the teacher advised: "Only when you return to Vien Giac Temple and learn to take refuge in the whole body, knowing the whole body clearly, will you find true peace." This is also how we repay the gratitude owed to those who built this temple.

May you begin your journey of true return from your very own breath.