Thích Nhất Hạnh

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, author, poet, and teacher. He was born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo on 11 October 1926 and passed away on 22 January 2022. He is widely known as the "father of mindfulness" and had a major influence on how people practice Buddhism in the West.

In the 1960s, Nhất Hạnh helped start the School of Youth for Social Services and created the Order of Interbeing. He spoke out against the war in South Vietnam and was exiled in 1966. In 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. Nhất Hạnh founded the Plum Village Tradition and spent many years at the Plum Village Monastery in southwest France. He traveled the world giving talks and retreats, teaching people how to use deep listening to solve conflicts peacefully.

Nhất Hạnh introduced the idea of "engaged Buddhism" in his book Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire. After many years away, he was allowed to return to Vietnam in 2005. He eventually went back to his "root temple", Từ Hiếu Temple, near Huế, where he lived until he passed away at the age of 95.

Early life

Thích Nhất Hạnh was born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo on 11 October 1926, in the city of Huế in central Vietnam. He grew up in a big family and was the fifth of six children. When he was very young, he lived with his extended family at his grandmother's home. As a child, he felt happy when he saw a drawing of a peaceful Buddha. One day on a school trip, he visited a mountain where a hermit lived. After drinking from a natural well there, he felt very calm and decided he wanted to become a Buddhist monk. With his parents’ permission, he began his training when he was 16 years old.

His family included the poet Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, who wrote the book Lục Vân Tiên. His father worked for the French administration, and his mother took care of the home.

Names applied to him

Thích Nhất Hạnh was known by many names throughout his life. When he was a boy, he had a family name for school and a nickname that friends used. As he began his journey as a Buddhist, he received special names that marked each step. When he became a monk, he was given the name Nhất Hạnh.

The name “Thích” is used by many Buddhist monks and nuns in East Asia. It comes from the name of the Buddha’s family. Buddhist people often receive new names as they follow their spiritual path. For Thích Nhất Hạnh, one name meant “Clear Light,” and another meant “Meeting Spring.” His main name, Nhất Hạnh, can be thought of as “One” and “Action,” showing ideas of quality and goodness. His followers often called him “teacher” or “Zen Master Nhất Hạnh.” Main article: Vietnamese name Shakya East Asian Buddhism refuge Three Jewels given name right conduct

Education

At age 16, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined the monastery at Từ Hiếu Temple, where he learned from Zen Master Thanh Quý Chân Thật. He studied for three years as a novice, learning about Vietnamese traditions of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. He also studied Chinese, English, and French.

He later attended Báo Quốc Buddhist Academy but left in 1950 because he felt it lacked philosophy, literature, and foreign languages. He moved to Ấn Quang Pagoda in Saigon and became a monk in 1951. He sold books and poetry to support himself while studying literature, philosophy, psychology, and science at Saigon University, earning a degree in French and Vietnamese Literature.

In 1955, he returned to Huế and worked as an editor for a Buddhist publication for two years until it was stopped because some senior monks disagreed with his views. He taught at a high school and continued writing about uniting Buddhist groups in South Vietnam. He also taught Buddhism at several temples in Saigon, including Xá Lợi Pagoda, until his classes were stopped because some people did not agree with his teachings. Later, he studied at Princeton University and taught at Columbia University and Cornell University, learning many languages including French, Classical Chinese, Sanskrit, Pali, and English.

Career

Activism in Vietnam 1963–1966

In 1963, Thích Nhất Hạnh returned to South Vietnam to help restructure Buddhist groups. He worked to bring together different Buddhist groups into one Unified Buddhist Church. He pushed for ending the Vietnam War and creating centers to support peaceful social work based on Buddhist teachings.

In 1964, Thích Nhất Hạnh’s students started a press to publish books about peace. Later, the government closed a journal he edited because it talked about peace, which some thought was unsafe.

School of Youth for Social Service (SYSS)

In 1964, Thích Nhất Hạnh started the School of Youth for Social Service. This group sent young people to help in villages, building schools and health clinics. They helped many communities during the war.

Order of Interbeing

Thích Nhất Hạnh created the Order of Interbeing between 1964 and 1966. This group teaches people to live with mindfulness and compassion, following principles that support peace and helping others.

During the Vietnam War

During the war, Thích Nhất Hạnh spoke out for peace in the United States. He met with important leaders and wrote books and articles about his ideas for ending the conflict. He was accused of working against the government and was not allowed to return to Vietnam for many years.

Refuge in France

In 1966, Thích Nhất Hạnh moved to Paris and worked for peace through talks and writing. He started centers for Buddhist practice and wrote books teaching people how to live mindfully every day.

Plum Village

In 1982, Thích Nhất Hạnh and his colleague Chân Không started Plum Village Monastery in France. This became a large center for Buddhist practice and welcoming people from around the world.

Writings

Thích Nhất Hạnh wrote over 130 books, many about mindfulness and Buddhist teachings. His books have been translated into many languages and helped people learn how to live with more peace and awareness.

Later activism

Later in life, Thích Nhất Hạnh spoke out for many causes, including helping people who were treated unfairly and protecting animals. He also supported efforts to work together for a better world, including helping with important agreements on taking care of our planet.

Relations with Vietnamese governments

Thích Nhất Hạnh had a changing relationship with the government of Vietnam over the years. He stayed away from politics but did not agree with some policies of the South Vietnamese government, especially regarding certain groups. Because of this, the government did not allow him to return when he was abroad in 1966.

His relationship with the communist government of Vietnam was also difficult. The government did not trust him and sometimes limited his activities.

In 2005, after many discussions, the Vietnamese government allowed Nhất Hạnh to visit Vietnam again. He was permitted to teach, publish books, and travel with members of his Order. His return created some debate, with some people feeling the government was using the visit to show that religious freedom was improving, even though many still faced restrictions.

In 2007, Nhất Hạnh returned again. During this visit, he suggested that the government should allow more freedom for religious groups. Some officials disagreed with this idea.

In 2008, some statements Nhất Hạnh made led to pressure from another country, which affected his time in Vietnam. This resulted in some difficulties for his followers at a monastery they were using. Authorities eventually took actions that caused trouble for many monks and nuns there.

Religious approach and influence

Main article: Plum Village Tradition

Thích Nhất Hạnh mixed ideas from many Buddhist traditions, like early Buddhist schools, Mahayana, and Zen, along with Western psychology, to teach mindfulness and meditation in a new way. He was a big leader in the movement called Engaged Buddhism, which encourages people to work actively for positive change in the world. He believed everyone should help create a better society.

Nhất Hạnh changed old Buddhist rules into "mindfulness trainings" to focus on positive actions. For example, instead of just not stealing, he taught people to stop unfair practices that hurt others. He also created a special set of mindfulness trainings for his community, the Order of Interbeing. He introduced a new way of thinking called "interbeing," which shows how everything in the world is connected. He taught deep Buddhist ideas through simple stories and phrases, like "no mud, no lotus," to help people understand important truths.

Nhất Hạnh was also known for bringing Buddhist teachings to the West, where he became very famous for teaching mindfulness. His book The Miracle of Mindfulness helped people learn how to be calm and present, influencing many areas like psychology and medicine. He worked with people of different religions to promote peace and understanding, making friends with leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas Merton.

Final years

In November 2014, Nhất Hạnh had a serious health issue and was taken to the hospital. After many months of recovery, he left the clinic in France. In July 2015, he traveled to San Francisco for more intensive care. He returned to France in January 2016 and later went to a temple in Thailand. Even with help from doctors, he could no longer speak for the rest of his life.

In November 2018, Nhất Hạnh returned to Vietnam to live out his final days at Từ Hiếu Temple. Though he could not speak, he showed his wish to return through gestures. In January 2019, a member of his community shared that his health was stable, and he enjoyed being outdoors when the weather allowed.

Death

Nhất Hạnh passed away at his home in Từ Hiếu Temple on 22 January 2022 at the age of 95. Many people, including leaders from different countries, expressed their sadness at his passing. His funeral lasted several days, ending with a ceremony where his remains were scattered in temples.