Janna · Aug 22, 2026
COMING TO THIS LIFE
After the meditation session, everyone gathered around for some tea talk.
One practitioner spoke up:
- Can anyone please give me an answer to why we come to this life?
After a moment of surprise and silent reflection, a person replied:
- We come to life to enjoy good things, including this meditation.
Another said:
- We come to this life to improve ourselves, to learn good things, which include meditation.
Someone added:
- We come to this life to find out who we are, where we come from, and where we are going to. This practice of meditation is a method to help us find that answer.
And then another said:
- We come to this life to take a difficult exam. And for those passing it, a great reward awaits. Practicing meditation is a challenging task in this exam.
Then another added:
- We come to this life to complete the things not yet done from previous lives, in which practicing meditation is an unfinished task.
There were many insightful answers. Finally, Mr. Minh shared his opinion:
- We come to this life with the responsibility to make this world a better place, so that everyone can enjoy happiness together, learn lessons of life together, pass the exams together, be kind to one another, and most importantly, practice this priceless meditation together.
Another meditator revealed:
- Whenever my mind is quiet, I feel very blissful, and I no longer want to care about anything outside, or bother with anyone else. However, this state never lasts long, only for a few days.
Mr. Hai replied:
- We have two extremes: one is being infatuated with everything and then entangled in all kinds of suffering; the other is being serene and then wanting to ignore life, to live irresponsibly. Both are two big holes on either side that we can easily fall into. The most correct answer is the swinging rope between those two holes. We have to somehow balance on that rope, which means, using mindfulness to keep ourselves from being entranced by impermanent things, which will lead to suffering; and also from being deceived by serenity, and become irresponsible for life.
We have to somehow quiet our mind, so that we have the wisdom to look at life calmly, but not become irresponsible for life.
Everyone nodded in agreement. It's really not easy to balance between these two extremes.
Then, Mr. Hai looked at an old man wearing glasses and asked:
- Is this your first time being here?
The old man replied:
- Yes, it is. I am a retired university professor. I have learned about meditation for a long time. Someone told me about this meditation hall, so here I come. I like your thought of keeping peaceful minds while caring for life.
Mr. Hai asked:
- Who introduced you to this meditation hall?
The old professor told his story:
- Once I went to a park to enjoy the fresh air, when suddenly it started to rain. Then there came an old man holding a raincoat for me not to get wet. After it stopped raining, we went to a coffee shop and had a small talk. That man was amazingly wise. He mastered everything in the world, and he could even read my mind and know about my whole life. I admire him very much. When we were about to leave, he told me about you and this meditation hall. He advised me to practice meditation with you. He told me to speak to you that he was your old friend, Minh.
The cup of tea from Mr. Hai's hand fell to the ground and broke. Everyone was startled, looking at Mr. Hai, wondering how the old man's story made him so emotional. Tears appeared on Mr. Hai's normally calm face.
If we all understand that people coming to this life are responsible for building a better life to enjoy true happiness together, this Earth will continue to peacefully go around the Sun forever. Unfortunately, very few people realize this responsibility, so most of them get lost. People only look for pleasure, so they easily become irresponsible with life.
Those who have a high sense of responsibility for life will deserve great happiness. However, no happiness can compare with the joy of deep serenity. And the joy of the serenity must be deep enough to overcome human egos.
Written by
Janna
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