Mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths

本週重點

Overview

💬 English Goal

英文目標

Use the pattern “When I am ___, I will ___.” with the future tense “will” to state an intention, and learn calm-mind vocabulary: meditation, calm, focus, suffering, cause, enlightenment, inhale, exhale.

使用「When I am ___, I will ___.（當我……時，我會……。）」這個句型搭配未來式「will」來說出一個心願，並學習讓心平靜的單字：meditation（靜坐）、calm（平靜）、focus（專注）、suffering（苦）、cause（原因）、enlightenment（覺悟）、inhale（吸氣）、exhale（吐氣）。

🪷 Spiritual Goal

佛學／心靈目標

Practice Mindful Looking (Sammā Sati 正念) as a form of meditation, and meet the Four Noble Truths (四聖諦): suffering, its cause, its end, and the path — knowing that we can find peace even when life is hard.

把「正念地觀看（Mindful Looking，Sammā Sati 正念）」當作一種靜坐來練習，並認識「四聖諦」：苦、苦的原因、苦的止息，以及通往止息的道路——明白即使生活很難，我們也能找到平安。

單字 Vocabulary

點 🔊 聽發音

聽、跟著念、大聲說三次。

meditation(n.)	禪修／冥想
calm(adj.)	冷靜的／平靜的
focus(v.)	專注
wander(v.)	遊離／分心
suffering(n.)	苦
cause(n.)	因／原因
inhale(v.)	吸氣
exhale(v.)	呼氣
enlightenment(n.)	覺悟／成道

句型 Sentence Patterns

Key Patterns

Pattern 1 · Stating an intention

When I am ___, I will ___.

When I am angry, I will breathe slowly. 當我生氣時，我會慢慢呼吸。

When I am worried, I will blow the thought bubble away. 當我擔心時，我會把那個念頭泡泡吹走。

When I am distracted, I will bring my mind back. 當我分心時，我會把我的心帶回來。

Pattern 2 · How meditation helps

Meditation helps me ___.

Meditation helps me with my homework. 靜坐幫助我寫功課。

Meditation helps me pay attention. 靜坐幫助我專心。

Pattern 3 · Calling your mind back

My mind is wandering. I will bring it back.

Focus on the blue firefly. 專注在那隻藍色的螢火蟲上。

Inhale, exhale, and blow the bubble away. 吸氣，吐氣，把泡泡吹走。

✏️ Grammar Focus · Future tense with “will” for intention

We use will + (base verb) to say what we plan or choose to do: I will meditate to be calm. · When I am sad, I will breathe. The verb after will never changes — it stays simple: I will focus, she will focus, they will focus. This is a promise to your own calm mind.

我們用「will +（原形動詞）」來說出我們打算或選擇要做的事：I will meditate to be calm.（我會靜坐讓自己平靜。）· When I am sad, I will breathe.（當我難過時，我會呼吸。）will 後面的動詞永遠不變——它保持原形：I will focus、she will focus、they will focus。這是對你自己那顆平靜的心許下的承諾。

故事 The Story

Story

1. Suffering (苦) — Life has hard moments. Not getting what you want, or getting what you do not want, hurts. （苦：得不到想要的，就會痛苦。）

1. 苦（苦）——人生有些艱難的時刻。得不到想要的，或得到不想要的，都會讓人痛苦。（苦：得不到想要的，就會痛苦。）

2. The Cause (因) — Much of this pain comes from wanting things very strongly or disliking things very strongly. （集：痛苦來自貪愛與排斥。）

2. 集（因）——這些痛苦大多來自於非常強烈地「想要」某些東西，或非常強烈地「討厭」某些東西。（集：痛苦來自貪愛與排斥。）

3. The End (滅) — Peace is possible. Even when we are hurt, a calm mind can rest. The bubbles can stop growing. （滅：放下執著，平安是可能的。）

3. 滅（滅）——平安是有可能的。即使我們受了傷，一顆平靜的心也能安歇。泡泡可以不再長大。（滅：放下執著，平安是可能的。）

4. The Path (道) — We live each day with peace and wisdom — being kind, paying attention, and breathing through the hard times. （道：以平安與智慧而活，就是覺悟之路。）

4. 道（道）——我們每天帶著平安與智慧而活——做個善良的人、用心觀照、在艱難的時刻好好呼吸。（道：以平安與智慧而活，就是覺悟之路。）

🤔 Check your understanding

What is the First Noble Truth about? 第一聖諦在說什麼？
What causes a lot of our suffering? 什麼是造成痛苦的「因」？
How can breathing help when a worry-bubble grows? 當憂慮的氣泡變大時，呼吸如何幫助你？

佛法小品 The Principle

Principle

Mindfulness means watching the mind with kindness. When a busy thought rises like a bubble, we do not fight it — we notice it, breathe, and let it float away. With a calm and focused mind, the Buddha invited us to look honestly at life through the Four Noble Truths.

正念是指帶著善意觀看自己的心。當一個忙碌的念頭像泡泡一樣冒出來，我們不和它打架——我們注意到它，呼吸，然後讓它飄走。帶著一顆平靜又專注的心，佛陀邀請我們透過「四聖諦」誠實地看待人生。

🌟 You are the master of your thoughts 你是念頭的主人

The Four Noble Truths are not sad news — they are a map. They tell us that suffering is real, but it is not the end of the story: there is a way to peace. Each time you stop, inhale, exhale, and blow a thought bubble away, you take a small step on the path to enlightenment. The same kindness you practiced in earlier weeks (Karuṇā and Mettā) is part of this same path.

四聖諦不是壞消息——它是一張地圖。它告訴我們：苦是真實的，但這不是故事的結局：有一條通往平安的路。每一次你停下來、吸氣、吐氣、把一個念頭泡泡吹走，你就在「通往覺悟的道路」上往前走了一小步。你在前幾週練習過的那份善意（慈，Karuṇā；慈愛，Mettā）也是這同一條道路的一部分。

練習 Practice

Homework

Practice mastering your mind every day this week. Choose the tier that fits you — stopping to breathe is the practice. 每天練習，選一個適合自己的等級。

Beginner 入門

Draw & trace

Ages 5–8 · new learners

Draw a picture of yourself meditating. Draw 3 bubbles above your head with 3 things that make you happy. Then trace and complete two sentences.

畫一張你自己在靜坐的圖。在你的頭上畫 3 個泡泡，裡面寫上 3 件讓你開心的事。然後描寫並完成兩個句子。

Trace“Meditation helps me be calm.” · “I am on the path.”

Intermediate 中級

3 sentences

Ages 9–12 · developing fluency

Think of a time you felt sad or angry this week. Write 3 sentences using the “When I am ___, I will ___.” structure.

想一想這個星期裡你覺得難過或生氣的一次經驗。用「When I am ___, I will ___.（當我……時，我會……。）」的句型寫 3 個句子。

ExampleWhen I have too much homework, I will breathe to be calm. When I am sad, I will blow away the thought bubbles.

Advanced 進階

A reflection

Ages 13–16 · fluent speakers

Write a short paragraph (5–8 sentences) explaining the Four Noble Truths in your own words, and how meditation helps you find peace in daily life.

寫一段短文（5–8 個句子），用你自己的話解釋四聖諦，以及靜坐如何幫助你在日常生活中找到平安。

PromptWhy can we have peace even when we are suffering? How does breathing help you find the “End of Suffering” every day?

小考 Mini Quiz

Check Yourself

選出最適合的答案，點選後會看到解析。

Question 1 of 10

Which word means “禪修／冥想”?

Correct: B. Meditation (禪修／冥想) is the practice of calming and focusing the mind. Suffering = 苦; wander = 分心.

Question 2 of 10

Complete the intention: “When I am angry, I ___ breathe slowly.”

Correct: A. We use will + base verb to state an intention: “I will breathe slowly.”

Question 3 of 10

In our practice, a “thought bubble” is something you should…

Correct: C. We inhale, exhale, and blow the bubble away — we notice the thought kindly and let it float off, instead of letting it grow.

Question 4 of 10

Which sentence uses “will” correctly for the future?

Correct: D. After will, the verb stays in its simple base form: will focus — never will focuses or will to focus.

Question 5 of 10

The First Noble Truth tells us that…

Correct: C. The First Noble Truth (苦) says suffering is real — not getting what we want, or getting what we don’t want, hurts.

Question 6 of 10

According to the Second Noble Truth, much of our suffering comes from…

Correct: A. The Second Noble Truth (因/集) points to strong desire and dislike as a cause of much of our pain.

Question 7 of 10

Which two words are opposites about breathing?

Correct: B. Inhale = 吸氣 (breathe in) and exhale = 呼氣 (breathe out). They are opposites.

Question 8 of 10

When your mind drifts during practice, you can say…

Correct: D. Mindfulness is gentle. When the mind wanders, we kindly notice and bring it back — again and again.

Question 9 of 10

What does the Third Noble Truth (the End) teach us?

Correct: C. The Third Noble Truth (滅) gives us hope: a calm mind can rest in peace even in hard moments.

Question 10 of 10

The class affirmation this week is…

Correct: A. Each kind, mindful step is part of the journey — so we say together, “I am on the path to enlightenment!”

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