The details of this talk focus on the three-month winter retreat at Tu Niem Pagoda in New Hamlet, where the monks and nuns do not leave the monastery and receive support from lay practitioners. During the retreat, the use of phones, emails, computers, and transportation is limited to maintain concentration. Walking meditation, personal practice journal keeping, maintaining silence, and sincere communication help strengthen brotherhood and self-mastery. Awareness of the six senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—helps control oneself and support the community. Space and time are interconnected, containing the past, present, and future, and are influenced by both physical objects and consciousness. In Buddhism, non-action is not separate but deeply integrated with action; everything depends on conditions to exist. Walking meditation helps touch the ultimate dimension and transcend birth and death, reaching the door of no birth where there is no birth and death.

This 58-minute dharma talk is the second half of a talk offered on November 17, 2005 at the New Hamlet, Plum Village. Thay continues a discussion from the earlier dharma talk. When we make a statement in Buddhism, it should help to transform and to present the truth. Buddhism is not a philosophical position. Zen is free from notions, statements. For example,

Space is a conditioned dharma. Space is not a conditioned dharma. Dharma and the non-dharma.

Does Buddhist fundamentalism exist? Are there those who have gotten dogmatic about the dharma. Buddhism should be free from dogma, but there is some dogmatism in Buddhism too. Why isn’t this a good thing?

The truth of interbeing. At the cellular level and in nature. In heart of reality there is cruelty, violence, and a struggle for survival. In the heart of reality there is also wisdom, compassion, and togetherness. And this is the foundation of reality.

We conclude with a brief teaching on Buddhism and science.

Note: this description was automatically sourced from existing YouTube descriptions and other sources. Please ‘Suggest Edit’ if it’s incorrect.

Details of this talk include Thich Nhat Hanh’s sharing about two main propositions related to space and unconditioned phenomena. He explains that space is related to time, objects, and consciousness, and all phenomena are either conditioned or unconditioned depending on the perspective. He emphasizes that concepts do not fully reflect the truth and that we need to look into their true nature. In Buddhism, conditioned refers to existing things, while unconditioned is the state of neither arising nor ceasing. He explains that Nirvana is the absence of ignorance and afflictions, but the five aggregates and the material of life still exist. He distinguishes between form and nature, explaining that Nirvana is not a phenomenon but the true nature of all phenomena. He concludes that the practice of meditation helps to realize the unborn and undying nature, and that Nirvana is the common ground of everything.

The Three Doors of Liberation in Buddhism

Concentration is an important mental state, translated as “dhyana” in Chinese - the act of maintaining a stable, uninterrupted mind. This is one of the five important mental formations in practice.

Thich Nhat Hanh speaks about three core concepts in Buddhist teachings:

1. Emptiness
2. Signlessness
3. Aimlessness

These three concepts should not be understood as doctrines but as tools to help deepen understanding of the world in both the historical dimension and the ultimate dimension (Nirvana). To use them effectively, they must be transformed from ideas into concentration. These are the three doors of liberation (three liberations) that help free us from suffering, anxiety, and fear.

The Concept of “Emptiness”

“Empty” is more accurate than “nothingness.” It means no separate existence, but rather interdependence with other factors. Understanding the concept of “emptiness” is understanding dependent origination.

For example, a flower depends on the sun, light, seeds, and soil. If those elements are removed, the flower cannot exist.

According to Nagarjuna: “All phenomena arise from dependence and manifest, they are called empty because they do not have separate existence.“

The Concept of “Signlessness”

“Where there is a sign, there is deception“ (Diamond Sutra). Perception arises from signs, and when we are caught in signs, we are deceived.

Seeing with the eyes of signlessness helps us see that space, matter, and energy are not separate but interconnected. For example, a cloud: when it is no longer in the sky, we say the cloud is gone, but in reality, the cloud still exists in the form of rain or snow.

The Concept of “Aimlessness”

Aimlessness does not mean having no purpose, but rather desirelessness. When we set goals for our lives, we often chase after them without realizing the value of the present moment.

Seeking Nirvana or God is like looking for water in the waves - it is laughable. The wave does not need to seek water because it is already water. Life is like water, there is no need to search.

“Happiness is not something that comes after we achieve our goals, but the journey itself brings happiness.“ It is important to recognize each step, each present moment is the ultimate dimension we seek.

The Three Dharma Seals and Nirvana

The Three Dharma Seals in Zen Buddhism are:

1. Impermanence
2. Suffering
3. Non-self

Meanwhile, other scholars mention:

1. Impermanence
2. Non-self
3. Nirvana

Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes Nirvana as the important seal, helping to realize that suffering is not due to things but due to perception. “Nirvana is the return place of all dharmas, it is the ultimate dimension.“

The Four Dharma Seals are also mentioned:

1. Impermanence
2. Suffering
3. Emptiness
4. Non-self

Impermanence is a concept that can be understood, but to truly live with impermanence, one must see impermanence in everything, thereby realizing non-self and Nirvana. Non-self is the bridge to Nirvana.

True happiness is only achieved when living in the spirit of emptiness, signlessness, aimlessness, impermanence, non-self, and Nirvana - transforming these abstract concepts into a way of living in daily actions.

The details of this talk focus on the Treatise on the Ten Stages, specifically the eleventh stage concerning mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom, considering it the core of practicing the Buddha’s teachings. To attain liberation, one must practice the threefold training of mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. When one reaches the stage of no more learning, it means the practice is perfected, and there is no need to learn anymore. Mindfulness is the source of energy that illuminates life, helping to maintain mindfulness in all daily activities. Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes that maintaining mindfulness helps avoid forgetfulness and live with awareness. He explains that mindfulness is like the electric current that activates all the cells in the body, similar to the Bose-Einstein Condensate principle where all atoms operate in unison. He also connects Buddhism and science, emphasizing that understanding impermanence, non-self, and interdependence is crucial. He mentions that the precepts in Buddhism are like traffic laws, helping to maintain mindfulness and avoid danger. He concludes by emphasizing that keeping the precepts with joy and pride is the way to maintain true mindfulness.

The details of this talk include an explanation that precepts and mindfulness are concrete expressions of mindfulness, originating from the nature of mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes that precepts need to be presented in the form of mindfulness to avoid becoming restrictive and losing freedom. He introduces the Four Right Efforts, which include recognizing negative influences and stopping their development by replacing them with positive ones. He mentions the three fundamental principles in Buddhism: embracing precepts, embracing meditation practices, and embracing sentient beings. He explains that practice needs to maintain mindfulness and precepts, helping to achieve happiness and liberation by recognizing the conditions of existing happiness and avoiding wrongful actions. He concludes by explaining that recognizing suffering helps maintain happiness and seeks ways to continue happiness without falling into suffering, while also needing to view everything in the light of mindfulness practice.

This talk focuses on the 18th lesson in the series “On the Wheel of Dharma” about free will. In philosophy, the question of whether free will exists remains controversial. People often feel trapped in a cycle of negative emotions such as depression, leading to the belief that everything is predetermined by habits and automatic reactions. For example, difficulties in marriage make many think that divorce is the only solution, but the problem persists if the way of reacting does not change. Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes that living mindfully and with awareness helps break this negative cycle. He offers specific methods such as spending at least 3 minutes each day practicing mindfulness, paying attention to small actions like drinking tea or brushing teeth. This helps control negative emotions and achieve true freedom. He also notes that freedom does not come naturally; it requires effort to achieve through daily mindfulness practice.

This talk focuses on explaining the deep-rooted causes of suffering, which not only stem from desire but also from wrong views, wrong thinking, wrong speech, and wrong livelihood. The Buddha meticulously prepared before spreading the Dharma, particularly emphasizing that the correct path is the Noble Eightfold Path, consisting of eight right practices leading to the cessation of suffering. Thich Nhat Hanh introduces “Engaged Buddhism,” applying Buddhist theory to daily life, and organizes retreats specifically for various groups such as businesspeople, police officers, lawyers, teachers, and prisoners to reduce stress and transform suffering. He emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and recognizing negative emotions to avoid falling into deeper negative psychological states. A fundamental method is simply recognizing all thoughts and negative emotions, looking deeply into their origins to avoid being influenced by wrong views and wrong thinking. He also mentions the example of the “second arrow” to explain that properly handling the initial problem prevents additional suffering.

An Arhat is also a true Bodhisattva - this statement reminds us that there is no distinction between the Hinayana and Mahayana. Arhat is often translated as “worthy of offerings,” meaning deserving of reverence, or “no longer born,” meaning no longer subject to rebirth. “Unborn” in Buddhism means “undying” and represents the ability to eradicate afflictions, suffering, and ignorance. The World-Honored One is also called an Arhat, one of His ten noble titles.

The three core abilities of an Arhat (three virtues) include:

• Virtue of cutting off: the ability to sever and let go of afflictions and attachments
• Virtue of loving-kindness: opening the heart to love and help all beings without discrimination
• Virtue of wisdom: understanding the nature of the universe and the suffering of oneself and others

Buddhism is a humanistic path, emphasizing that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas are us. The World-Honored One, even after enlightenment, still bears the human condition with ordinary experiences. Deifying Him is a mistake, because if He were merely a deity, it would be difficult for us to follow. “Living beings and Buddha are not two” indicates that sentient beings and Buddha are not two separate entities, and Buddha-nature exists in all sentient beings. Everyone has the potential to become a Buddha, and once they become a Buddha, they continue to live as a human, manifesting the beauty of the integration between spirituality and everyday life.

The Five Bodies of Buddha and the Meaning of the Human Body

This Dharma talk focuses on the twenty-second postulate about Buddha bodies, with five bodies mentioned (there may be six or seven). The first body is the sentient being body (human body), a necessary condition for achieving enlightenment. The human body has physiological advantages such as a highly developed brain and the ability to use two hands, helping humans recognize their condition - unlike animals that live primarily by instinct. The challenges humans face are opportunities to overcome and transform, thereby reaching the state of enlightenment.

Other Aspects of Buddha Bodies

Thay explains the body outside the body (belonging to space) - the extension of the body beyond the layer of skin and flesh, where we recognize others as ourselves; and the continuation body (belonging to time) - the continuation like clouds and flowers. The Dharma body is not just teachings but love, mindfulness energy and concentration, expressed through each solid step. The Dharma realm body is the foundation of all life, where all phenomena blend together to create life. The Dharma realm nature is the ontological ground of all phenomena, having the characteristic of no-birth, no-death - that is Nirvana. The human body has many profound aspects, at least six bodies: the physical body, continuation body, the body outside the body, Dharma body, Dharma realm body, and Dharma realm nature body.

Non-self and Practice

The Buddha taught that what we call “I am” is just a delusion. Non-self brings ease, suffering arises from the self. When practicing walking meditation, chanting properly, we are no longer separate individuals, but become a river, merging into the body and mind. The energy of mindfulness connects all individuals into a collective, creating harmony, like atoms in a laser beam emitting powerful light when they enter the same phase. Practicing non-self is not just a philosophy but daily practice, helping us overcome complexes and achieve true happiness.

The details of this talk focus on the 32nd precept of Plum Village, “No self, but still there is rebirth,” emphasizing that everything is impermanent and interdependent. Birth and death are like gateways; existence before and after this process continuously maintains what is called samtati. Thich Nhat Hanh explains that understanding impermanence and overcoming delusion and anxiety is crucial, rather than trying to understand the process of birth and death. He warns against the tendency to deify the Buddha and turn Buddhism into a religion of deities, instead keeping the Buddha as an ordinary human being. He emphasizes that everything is continuously changing and interdependent, not requiring a fixed “self” to exist. In the practice, it is necessary to avoid wrong views and achieve the state of no-self to find liberation in the present moment. He warns that deifying the Buddha easily leads to losing the serene essence of Buddhism, and that each moment continuously follows one another according to the principle of cause and effect.

A human being is a continuous stream of the five skandhas—not separate, always changing, and interdependent with other streams of phenomena—and cannot be regarded as a fixed “self.” The teaching of non-self, one of the three Dharma seals (impermanence, non-self, nirvana), affirms that within the stream of phenomena there is no unchanging entity. The five skandhas—

1. form
2. feelings
3. perceptions
4. mental formations
5. consciousness
   —combine and flow together like a river; the notion of a permanent self is only an illusion.

There are three mistaken views about self and the skandhas that the Buddha taught:

1. Identifying the self with the skandhas (taking the five skandhas as the self).
2. Separating the self from the skandhas (the self stands apart and possesses the skandhas).
3. Mutual existence: within the self there are the skandhas and within the skandhas there is the self (two entities interwoven)—this is the subtlest way of seeing.

When we contemplate impermanence and non-self, we see “interbeing”: not only do the streams of the five skandhas continue, but the streams of phenomena interpenetrate one another like cloud—rain—river, with no absolute boundaries. Even neuroscience and modern thought have not found a permanent “I”; all mental formations (such as sadness, anger, thoughts) are only successive “moments,” creating the illusion of a permanent subject. Non-self is not a dry philosophy but a practice of contemplation, helping us let go of wrong views, give rise to compassion, and take responsibility to protect one another and the Earth.

We have two kinds of truth: conventional truth—the truth in daily life with pairs of opposites (father–son, above and below, beginning and end)—and ultimate truth—the true nature, seeing that father and son are not two separate realities but inter-are (the son is the future of the father, in the father there is the son and vice versa). When we understand rebirth through ultimate truth, we no longer look at reincarnation in a simple or superficial way.

The concept of body–mind and the three truths:

1. Two dualistic views: mind as a product of the brain, or as an independent entity.
2. Three foundational truths to transcend dualism:
   1. Impermanence
   2. Non-self
   3. Interbeing
3. Karma consists of three parts—mental karma, verbal karma, and bodily karma—all are energies that continue the flow of samsāra in every moment. Thought and speech are manifestations, capable of bringing happiness or suffering; we use right speech and right thinking to nourish wholesome energy. When we directly experience impermanence, non-self, and interbeing, we see the stream of Samtati (the unceasing flow) of the five skandhas, and are liberated from the views of permanence, annihilation, and self.

Interbeing of Suffering and Happiness – Ill-being (dukkha) and well-being (sukha) are two organic realities that cannot be separated: only when we experience suffering do we truly appreciate happiness; deep meditation helps us to recognize the roots of our suffering, so that we can transform it and open the door to well-being.

Afflictions and enlightenment also inter-are, like flowers and garbage: instead of running away, we should learn to take care of our afflictions in order to nourish awakening. In the Sangha, brotherhood and sisterhood are precious jewels, nourishing and sustaining our collective happiness – to lose the Sangha is to lose this brotherhood and sisterhood, like “throwing away the baby with the bathwater.”

Two practical proposals were made to UNESCO:

1. “A Global No Car Day” – to encourage at least 10,000 people to make the aspiration not to use their cars one day a week, in order to protect the environment and promote peace.
2. To establish a center for nonviolence training for teachers at all levels, using methods of walking meditation, recognizing and transforming anger, to sow the seeds of a culture of peace right in our schools.

In the Sangha, the Buddha body and the Dharma body are truly present; these three precious bodies – Buddha body, Dharma body, and Sangha body – collectively called the three bodies or the Three Jewels, exist right within the physical body of living beings. Seeking outside is not the spirit of the Buddha’s way; when we transcend the notion of inside and outside, we can touch the three bodies right in the present moment. The Dharma body and the Sangha body interweave to form the Buddha body, and within the Buddha body are contained both the Dharma body and the Sangha body. One who does not have a Sangha is like an orphan on the path of practice, for without the Sangha, the Buddha and the Dharma do not manifest.

Practice, or Bhavana, is to sow wholesome seeds in the mind so that the three bodies reveal themselves like fruit arising from Mother Earth. Just as a garden has both flowers and garbage, the true Sangha has both the flowers of wisdom and the weeds of affliction; we transform the garbage into green compost to nourish the flowers of enlightenment. Observing the precepts, mindfulness, and ease are the foundation to transform the Sangha body into the true Sangha, creating freedom and happiness. The measure of prosperity is not production or consumption, but the true happiness of the practicing community.

List of three elements that constitute the holiness in a practitioner

1. Precepts – Sila brings freedom in every aspect (Pratimoksha)
2. Ease – dwelling peacefully in the present moment without attachment
3. Mindfulness – awareness of each step, word, and action

The details of this talk include Thich Nhat Hanh’s sharing on the 27th proposition related to continuous practice to transform afflictions and enlightenment. He uses the image of the lotus and the mud to illustrate that suffering is necessary for happiness, emphasizing that paradise cannot exist without suffering. He explains that deep understanding of suffering helps us transform it and that running away from suffering never leads to happiness. He mentions that every thought and action affects the world around us and that we need to take care of our mind by transforming negative thoughts into positive ones. He concludes that the awareness of impermanence and non-self helps us see the Pure Land within ourselves. A questioner shares difficulties in maintaining focus, and Thich Nhat Hanh explains that concentration arises from mindfulness and that focus helps us understand reality clearly. He concludes that meditation is the art of living beautifully and exploring oneself, and it should not become a compulsory formality.

In this Dharma Talk, Thich Nhat Hanh explains that liberation is not about eliminating or maintaining specific entities, but understanding that everything is a concept. He emphasizes that the self is just a notion and through practice, we can liberate ourselves from this notion. He also explains that liberation transcends both the notions of being and non-being, birth and death. He illustrates that liberation is not escaping from samsara but freeing ourselves from concepts. He also speaks about perceiving the beauty of life by recognizing everything as part of a common essence and warns about the danger of “dual grasping.” He explains that the blue sky and white clouds, grass and sky all share the same nature and that crying and sorrow arise from not recognizing the dual manifestation between subject and object. He concludes that consciousness affects how we view the world and that each person has their own perspective based on their mood and thoughts.

This talk details the process of cleaning both the inner and outer spaces before the retreat, removing unnecessary personal items such as computers, phones, private food, and unhealthy CDs. If there are items that do not align with the spirit of practice, place them in a box and ring the bell to celebrate the act of letting go. Each person needs to clean from within their soul to their external circumstances, adhering to the rules of eating, offering meals, and studying Buddhist scriptures during the ceremony. It is important to practice meditation correctly and attentively in every activity each day. When participating in walking meditation with the community, one should arrive on time, maintain mindfulness, and practice mindful walking with each step, and consult the mindfulness guide when encountering issues. Wishing the community a peaceful and happy winter retreat, building many wholesome relationships.

This Dharma Talk took place at Thể Nghiêm Temple, New Hamlet, during the Winter Retreat on November 16, 2006, focusing on the 30th and 31st definitions of Dharma according to Plum Village. Dharma is understood not as a specific object, but as a process, a continuously occurring event and the object of the mind, including form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma. In the realm of dharma, there are 18 realms consisting of six sense bases (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind) and their corresponding six sense objects, leading to six consciousnesses, forming the eighteen realms. Dharmas exist independently but are all objects of consciousness. Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes that dharma and self do not exist independently; they are interconnected and are manifestations of consciousness. He warns about the distinction between subject and object, called “double grasping,” and that everything is impermanent, like a dream, illusion, bubble. He also shares that all circumstances reflect our consciousness and that the living environment affects the state of the soul. He concludes that everything is interconnected and interdependent, not existing completely independently.

Store consciousness (Alaya Vijnana), also called store or background consciousness, and in Sarvāstivāda known as mula vijnana, is the foundation where habits and experiences are accumulated throughout our lifetime—beginning from when we are still in our mother’s womb. Through the function of habit energy (huân tập), store consciousness not only records information brought by the five sense organs but also transforms experiences into deep-seated habits. For example, when practicing to brush your teeth with your left hand, although it is awkward at first, through patient observation and restraining the right hand, store consciousness gradually trains the left hand to become skillful.

The method of learning at Plum Village is entirely based on the principle of habit energy:

1. There is no coercion, only listening to chanting and allowing the teachings to naturally penetrate the mind.
2. Choosing a practice environment in the monastery, avoiding negative habit energies from outside schools.
3. Mindfulness, concentration, and insight are used to illuminate and intervene, transmitting insight down to store consciousness, ripening the seeds of wisdom.

Thanks to this, the practitioner no longer lives according to the automatic programming of store consciousness but actively nourishes wholesome energies, transforms suffering and attachment, so that the insight of impermanence, non-self, and interbeing can sprout and bear fruit.

Conditions, feelings, aggregates, sense bases, realms, and consciousness are presented in many different models, not fixed or opposed to each other, but merely as skillful means for practice. For example, conditions can be divided into 4, 6, 9, 10, or 12 links—the 12 links of dependent arising (from delusion to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, etc.) are just a familiar model. Feelings are often spoken of as three types (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral), but in the Plum Village tradition, a fourth type is added—mixed feeling (both painful and pleasant at the same time). Regarding aggregates, besides the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness), one can speak of two aggregates (name and form) or four aggregates (body, feeling, mind, objects of mind), because consciousness is the ground of all mental formations.

Sense bases and realms are also flexible: the twelve sense bases (six sense organs—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; six sense objects—form, sound, smell, taste, touch, mental objects) when combined give rise to the six consciousnesses, forming the eighteen realms. Expanding further to include the seventh consciousness (Manas), the eighth (Alaya), and the ninth (Amala), one can arrive at 21, 24, or even 27 realms. Similarly, the “16 breathing exercises” (divided into four breaths for body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind) were originally designed for easy memorization, but now can be expanded to more than 20 breaths, adding breaths on impermanence, non-self, non-desire, dependent arising, and the breath of cessation (Niroda), which reminds us of the ontological ground of no birth and no death. These models are not absolute truths but serve the practice, encouraging flexibility, creativity, and letting go of dogmatism.

Impermanence, non-self, dependent origination, emptiness, signlessness, aimlessness, mindfulness, concentration, and insight are the very heart of Buddhist wisdom, in harmony with the spirit of science and able to support modern science. Secondary teachings such as the Pure Land or details about the Buddha’s life do not affect the path of practice; what is important is to dwell in true insight, with a mind that is light and not attached to anything.

The teachings are only skillful means—like a raft to cross the river—helping us to give rise to liberating insight, and then they must be let go of. The initial right view of impermanence, non-self, mindfulness, concentration, and insight is only a notion, which needs to be “burned away” by the insight of non-discrimination. When engaging in dialogue with science, we do not bring dry theories but bring the practice of mindfulness to show that mind and matter are not separate, to go beyond dualistic grasping, and to develop deep intuition through mindfulness and concentration.