Q2 · Week 17 — Mindfulness & the Four Noble Truths

This Week’s Path

Overview 本週重點

This week we learn to master the mind. We imagine our busy thoughts as bubbles floating above our heads — and we practice breathing in, breathing out, and gently blowing them away. From this calm and focused mind, we take our first look at the Four Noble Truths, the heart of the Buddha’s teaching: that suffering is real, but peace is possible on the path.

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.

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.

Vocabulary

單字 · Tap 🔊 to listen

Listen, repeat, and say each word out loud three times. 點 🔊 聽發音，跟著大聲念三次。

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

Sentence Patterns

句型 · Key Patterns

Pattern 1 · Stating an intention

When I am ___, I will ___.

·When I am angry, I will breathe slowly.

·When I am worried, I will blow the thought bubble away.

·When I am distracted, I will bring my mind back.

Pattern 2 · How meditation helps

Meditation helps me ___.

·Meditation helps me with my homework.

·Meditation helps me pay attention.

Pattern 3 · Calling your mind back

My mind is wandering. I will bring it back.

·Focus on the blue firefly.

·Inhale, exhale, and blow the bubble away.

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.

The Principle: Mindfulness & the Four Noble Truths

正念 · 四聖諦

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.

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。）

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。）

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。）

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。）

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？

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.

Practice: The “Blowing Away Bubbles” Log

吹散氣泡紀錄表 · 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.

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.

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.

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

Mini Quiz

小考 · Check yourself

Choose the best answer for each question. Tap an answer to see why. 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!”

You answered 0 of 10 · Correct: 0

Mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths