Showing results by narrator "Thích Nhất Hạnh" in All Categories

One of the most powerful acts of devotion is also one of the most simple: bowing down and surrendering to the earth. This is the basis for "The Five Prostrations", a time-honored Buddhist meditation practice that joins the mind and body. On Touching the Earth, Buddhist masters Thich Nhat Hanh and Sister Chan Khong update this ancient teaching for the modern student. You learn each phase of this practice, which will help empty your body of resentment while opening it to compassion for all life.

In this classic 1989 talk, Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh uses flower arranging as a metaphor for establishing harmony both within ourselves and in our families. Thay, as his followers call him, says: “Beauty is the aim of our art, of our action. We want to arrange flowers because we want life to be beautiful. If you take care of your flower, you will become fresh, smiling, and you will recognize people around you as flowers, too. In that way, you have been rearranging these flowers, making them smile again.”

On August 24, 2010 a dharma talk was given by Thich Nhat Hanh in Upper Hamlet, Plum Village, Dharma Cloud Temple. The talk occurs during the Retreat for Young People with the theme "Truly Alive". They feel alive to me when he begins by saying this is “dharma talk a la carte”. We are reminded about peace, understanding, and compassion. The premise of this discussion is that even if we do get what we need, we still suffer. Examples of this are everywhere.

Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us to practice metta mediation in the first three days of the new year. On the first day we practice for ourselves. On the second day we practice for the other person we love. On the third day we practice for the other person (or institution) that makes us suffer. Concrete practices are described for the coming year.

We begin with two chants from the monastics. Mindfulness practice of the sequoia tree, the sky. Thich Nhat Hahn speaks of an Albert Camus’ book called The Stranger. Here, too, the prisoner talks about truly seeing the sky. This is awakening. Camus called this a moment of consciousness. Many people are living as if we are dead. The blue sky is a wonder of life. Awakening. Can we wake up? Mindful breathing. Resurrection. From forgetfulness to mindfulness. The miracle of the resurrection. This is not dogma. When we wake up, then we can get in touch with the wonders of life.

In the Buddhist teaching of love, there are four elements. The first is maitri - friendship, brotherhood, loving-kindness. And the second is karuna - capacity to understand the suffering and help remove and transform it - compassion. Mudita is the third element - joy - your joy is her joy, her joy is our joy. The last element is upeksha - nondiscrimination. This is a higher form of love. The four qualities have no limits - infinite love - these elements are also called the four unlimited minds.