Healing Through Buddhist Teachings: ACE Your Mind with Inner Peace

Ching Pan
November 12, 2024

On October 25, 2024, just ahead of the Medicine Buddha Dharma Service, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Hsi Fang Temple welcomed attendees to its “Thanks Buddha It’s Friday” (TBIF) English lecture series. Inspired by Medicine Buddha’s compassionate approach to healing, Venerable Zhi Xing, who leads the Social Education & Outreach Department at FGS Hsi Lai Temple, shared on the topic “Inner Peace: Healing the Mind Through Buddhist Teachings.” Venerable Zhi Xing introduced the 61 participants—joining online and in person from North America and Indonesia—to the “ACE Prescription,” a practical approach based on Buddhist wisdom to help cultivate inner peace, clarity and resilience amid life’s many demands.

Venerable began by inviting the audience to reflect on the “rollercoaster” of emotions experienced throughout a single day—how our moods can rise and fall with changing circumstances or information. This emotional ride illustrates what Buddhism calls the “Truth of Suffering (Dukkha).” Through the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha outlined a path out of suffering, echoed in FGS founding master Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s words, “Where There Is Dharma, There Is a Way.” Venerable explained that our minds are like fields needing careful cultivation through Buddhist principles and like factories requiring wisdom and practice to ensure quality. While we may not control external events or challenges, each setback can become a turning point, where crisis transforms into opportunity, and every challenge becomes a blessing if met with the right mindset.

Venerable went on to explain the “ACE Prescription.” The “A” stands for Awareness: after noticing a negative emotion, pause and allow your mind to settle instead of reacting. Next is “C” for Clearly Seeing, recognizing the true nature of the people or situations that trigger emotional responses. Finally, “E” stands for Experience: accept, process, and eventually let go of those emotions.

"How heavy is a glass of water?" Venerable posed this question to illustrate the nature of emotional burden. The weight of the glass depends on how long you hold it—over time, even light things feel heavy, just as holding onto emotions eventually becomes overwhelming. The key, Venerable emphasized, is to “let go.” Avoid becoming entangled in emotions, and approach situations with empathy, pausing to consider another perspective. Quoting Most Venerable Hsin Bau, “To gain wisdom, you must be willing to dive into the sea of suffering,” reminding attendees that every challenging person and experience presents an opportunity to grow.

One attendee, Sonnei Garc, asked how to handle feelings of helplessness about “war,” a situation beyond individual control. Venerable Zhi Xing encouraged the audience to remember the boundless impact of good intentions, urging everyone to generate positive thoughts and compassionate intentions, praying that all beings may find peace and freedom from suffering.