Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh: Ritual, Mindfulness and Profound Humanity
Thich Nhat Hanh, the revered Zen Buddhist monk who helped pioneer the concept of mindfulness and socially engaged Buddhism has died at the age of 95 on January 22, 2022. He had established monasteries in his native Vietnam, France, Australia and the US.
Ceremonies honoring his legacy and teachings offer a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the pomp and hierarchy of traditional Buddhism, balanced with the pure sincerity of the nuns, monks and laypeople who will carry on his work.
Sitting in rows in the spare meditation halls, monks and nuns dedicated to non-attachment struggle to hold back tears as they recite familiar sutras.
The monks and nuns guiding the ceremonies and meditations are the definition of what we Westerners call “mindful.” Calm, graceful and grounded. They glide in perfect stillness to offer tea and incense to the spirit of their teacher. They ring the massive singing bowl with exquisite minimalism.
And yet, the mundane surrounds even the most advanced disciples: they stand, they sit, they adjust and fuss with their robes, they pass along song books, they look around and then down at the ground, they sing in a ragged unison. Of course, there are announcements. In other words, they too, are deeply human.
“Breathing In, I Feel The Quality of Thay Breathing.
Breathing Out, I Enjoy the Quality of Breathing With Thay.
In Quality,
Out Enjoy.”
“Discourse on Love (Kinh Thương Yêu) ♫ (From the Plum Village Chanting Book 3)
He or she who wants to attain peace should practice being upright, humble, and capable of using loving speech. He or she will know how to live simply and happily, with senses calmed, without being covetous and carried away by the emotions of the majority. Let him or her not do anything that will be disapproved of by the wise ones.
And this is what he or she contemplates: May everyone be happy and safe, and may all hearts be filled with joy. May all beings live in security and in peace – beings who are frail or strong, tall or short, big or small, invisible or visible, near or faraway, already born, or yet to be born. May all of them dwell in perfect tranquility. (B)
Let no one do harm to anyone. Let no one put the life of anyone in danger. Let no one, out of anger or ill will, wish anyone any harm.
Just as a mother loves and protects her only child at the risk of her own life, cultivate boundless love to offer to all living beings in the entire cosmos. Let our boundless love pervade the whole universe, above, below, and across. Our love will know no obstacles.
Our heart will be absolutely free from hatred and enmity. Whether standing or walking, sitting or lying, as long as we are awake, we should maintain this mindfulness of love in our own heart. This is the noblest way of living.
Free from wrong views, greed, and sensual desires, living in beauty and realizing Perfect Understanding, those who practice boundless love will certainly transcend birth and death. (BB)
[Etena sacca vajjena sotthi te hotu sabbada (3x) By the firm determination of this truth, may you ever be well.
”
Meditation Practice Honoring Thich Nhat Hanh - Plum Village. - In Quality, Out Enjoy