“Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation Practice” (TTSĐCTTĐB) is a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through these talks, we are guided on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation practice from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, contrary to common belief. Additionally, we will learn about the distinguished and profound Zen masters of Vietnam who are seldom mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey, offering many new insights and practical methods for practice.

Dear community!

TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation Practice,” a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh during the years 1994-1997. Through this series, we will be guided by the Zen Master on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation practice from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam about 300 years before it reached China and continued to spread to China, contrary to the common belief that it came to Vietnam from China. We will also learn about the outstanding and profound Zen masters of our nation who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and interesting journey.

Please forgive the first 2 minutes of the clip being missing the video part. Excerpt from the Dharma talk on November 24, 1994, by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

The talk begins with the origin of the word meditation (Sanskrit: dhyāna) and its names in various languages (Ch’an, Zen, Son…), along with four main explanations by the ancestral teachers about meditation:

1. Contemplating a specific object.
2. Coming into close contact in order to discover the nature of phenomena.
3. Removing elements that cause suffering and restlessness.
4. Burning away afflictions through the power of concentration, like light passing through a lens.

Next, mindfulness (Sati, Smṛti) is regarded as the heart of Buddhist meditation, expressed through mindfulness–concentration–insight in:

• The Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path
• The Three Trainings (ethics–concentration–insight), the Five Faculties, the Seven Factors of Awakening, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness…
  The concept of bhāvanā (cultivation, training the mind) is likened to plowing and sowing the seed of mindfulness, bringing forth the fruits of compassion and insight.

Finally, two key terms:

• Stopping (samatha): calming the mind, pacifying it, focusing on a single object.
• Looking deeply (vipassanā): looking deeply (insight) into the true nature of the object in order to give rise to understanding.
  The talk emphasizes mastering the Dharma door of mindful walking and the technique of “taking refuge” in the breath as a personal Dharma treasure, creating a foundation of peace and the ability to transmit it to others.

TTSĐCTTĐB, abbreviated from “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” is a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through this series, the Zen Master guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam about 300 years before it reached China and continued to spread to China, contrary to the common belief that it came from China to Vietnam. We will also learn about the distinguished and profound Zen Masters of our nation who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey of practice.

Body and mind in harmony create the sacred temple of the spirit; if mindfulness is lacking, that temple becomes desolate. Practicing sitting meditation is to bring the mind back to the body, the body back to the mind, so that we can truly be present in the here and now, nourishing concentration—stable dwelling, the opposite of dispersion. The quality of our sitting depends on ourselves: sitting well is like a mountain, solid and stable; sitting not yet well is like sitting in a dark cave, drifting in the cycle of birth and death. We only need a tree root, an empty house, or a meditation hall, Mount Ta Cu, the sangha, and the right moment, and we already have enough conditions to dwell peacefully in meditation.

Mindful breathing is the means that brings us back to the temple of our body, where we are truly present in the here and now. In the Anapanasati Sutra, the Buddha taught four exemplary kinds of breath. We recognize clearly each breath as follows and maintain mindfulness throughout the in-breath and out-breath without interruption:

• breathing in long
• breathing out long
• breathing in short
• breathing out short
  The continuous flow of the breath is like the sound of a violin, unbroken between the pulling and pushing of the bow, creating the foundation for concentration and the joy of meditation.

All daily activities—sitting, walking, standing, eating, washing dishes, washing clothes—are opportunities to practice mindfulness, keeping body and mind in harmony in the present moment. In the sangha, we nourish mindfulness together and build a common temple that does not become an empty, soulless place. Each mindful step, each slow, gentle movement is a brick that builds a solid sangha, a place where we always find a peaceful refuge.

The breath related to feeling is presented as one-fourth of the Dharma door of the Anapanasati Sutra; feeling is one of the 51 mental formations and is the second aggregate among the five aggregates, together with form, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. The practice is to recognize the body as an “impermanent physiological river,” to nourish joy and then happiness with the conditions that are already present: healthy eyes, a liver that enjoys chocolate, the protection of the sangha. When joy is present, concentration comes naturally; without joy, concentration is weak. The Buddha advises us to generate pleasant feelings with the breath: breathing in and breathing out with joy, then transforming it into calm happiness, which is very different from the unstable state of being “so excited.”

The practice gradually moves through four breaths related to feeling: awareness of joy, awareness of happiness, awareness of mental formations, calming mental formations. Feeling is contemplated like a mother holding her child: breathing in, we touch the painful feeling; breathing out, we embrace it, and the pain is soothed. When wholesome happiness is brought into awareness, it grows; if happiness contains toxins, mindfulness helps us to stop. Most of our life is neutral feeling—neither pleasant nor unpleasant; when the light of mindfulness shines on it, neutral feeling transforms into happiness, like realizing “not having a toothache” is suddenly a source of joy. Walking meditation, sitting meditation, washing the dishes, cooking rice—all are opportunities to record the conditions for joy and happiness, enriching our store of feelings.

• Lists that cannot be omitted when mentioning specific numbers
  • the five aggregates: form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness
  • the three kinds of feeling: pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neutral feeling
  • the four parts of the 16 breaths: body, feelings, mind, objects of mind

The Buddha, with his boundless compassion, placed awareness of joy and happiness first so that we have enough energy to look deeply into suffering; in this way, true happiness and insight are revealed in every breath.

The four conscious breaths related to feelings focus primarily on sensation, including:

• Joyful feeling: breathing in–out and experiencing a joyful feeling
• Happy feeling: breathing in–out and feeling happiness
• Awareness of feeling: being fully aware of the feeling in the present moment, whether it is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral
• Calming feeling: breathing in–out and calming the feeling

According to the Vimuttimagga, mental formations are explained as feeling and perception, but in these four breaths, the main focus is on taking care of feelings. Feelings can arise from the body (for example, a toothache) or from perception (for example, sad news, fear of snakes). In the five skandhas, feeling lies between form and perception; feeling manifests as a mental formation, and deeply, as a seed in consciousness. Mindfulness needs to embrace, make contact with, and transform feelings, without separating the subject and object of contemplation.

The four breathing exercises in the section on mindfulness of objects of mind are divided into four groups, each group consisting of four breaths to address and take care of each aspect of the human being.

• Group 1 (body): coming back to the body, taking care of the body, becoming familiar with the body, contemplating the body
• Group 2 (feelings): coming back to the feelings, taking care of the feelings, contemplating the feelings, transforming the feelings
• Group 3 (mental formations): recognizing mental formations, watering and developing wholesome mental formations, contemplating and transforming unwholesome mental formations (unwholesome here means disadvantageous to the practice) – in total, there are 50 or 51 mental formations to take care of; if the last four breaths are assigned to the mental formation perception (tưởng), then there remain 49 mental formations
• Group 4 (objects of mind): contemplating objects of mind such as perception, meditating on the relationship between the breath and the objects of mind that are operating

Mindfulness of body–feelings–mind is likened to taking care of a territory, a garden where you are the king or president:
– taking care of the body, uniting with the body to generate joy and ease;
– taking care of feelings such as your own suffering and pain;
– tending and protecting the 49 or 51 mental formations, uncovering and watering wholesome mental formations such as

* faith  
* shame  
* modesty  
* non-greed  
* non-hatred  
* non-delusion  
* diligence  
* lightness  
* non-carelessness  
* equanimity  
* non-harming;  

– guarding against toxins from books, newspapers, television, alcohol, nightclubs by the capacity to “protect the six senses,” allowing or refusing what enters body and mind.

Practicing each breath with 100% of body and mind generates concentration and joy in every moment, transforming each step of walking meditation, each meal, each hour of washing pots and dishes into a festival under the shade of the Dharma. The basic meditation phrases can be varied with each step:

1. In–out–deep–slow (breathing in–out, deep–slow)
2. Here is the Pure Land–the Pure Land is here
3. I have arrived–I’m home

Thanks to this, even at Plum Village one can walk with peace and a value surpassing the festival on Vulture Peak; every moment is a miracle, every person has the capacity to create and share happiness.

The thirteenth breath leads us to contemplate the impermanence of all phenomena: momentary impermanence—constant change in each instant, and periodic impermanence—sudden transformation, like water turning to vapor at 100 degrees, or at ages 13–14 when limbs grow awkwardly, the stages of infancy, youth, adulthood, maturity, old age; the tree in winter sheds its leaves, then in spring leaves burst forth. By seeing impermanence, we touch non-self, and then open the door to the peace of nirvana; the three Dharma seals are revealed: impermanence, non-self, nirvana. Impermanence is not negative: it is because the corn seed is impermanent that it can sprout, it is thanks to impermanence that a dictatorship can hope to become a democracy, it is because of impermanence that a liver ailment can heal. Suffering comes when we do not see impermanence; seeing impermanence brings peace.

Practice through four deep contemplative breaths:

• 13: impermanence (anicca)
• 14: letting go, relinquishment
• 15: nirodha—the cessation, transcending birth and death, permanence and annihilation, being and non-being, coming and going
• 16: the peace of nirvana

Non-attachment is illuminated: all phenomena are inherently without craving, it is only due to wrong perception; the five sensual desires—sexual desire, wealth, fame, delicious food, sleep—are like a plastic shrew: when we bite, we suffer. Letting go of the notion of conditioned happiness: “I must have a diploma,” “I must marry that person”—the key to happiness is letting go, not being lured by the bait of power, like Mr. Delors at seventy not running for office. Impermanence and non-self are nirvana; the three faces of a coin all return to the substance of silver, just as impermanence and non-self return to nirvana—touching the joy of the cessation of afflictions.

Dear community! TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation Practice,” a Dharma talk series given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh from 1994 to 1997. Through this series, the teacher guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation practice from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, and then continued to China, not necessarily from China to Vietnam as commonly thought. We will also learn about outstanding and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey.

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

Winter Retreat 1994/5 emphasizes nurturing our inner potential akin to nurturing a child, reflecting on continuous birth and renewal. Parents and ancestors play a vital role in shaping us, akin to God’s continuous creation. Buddha and Jesus were recognized as transformative figures from birth. Plum Village teaches mindfulness practices like breathing, walking, hugging, and sitting to cultivate peace and joy. Transformation through mindfulness is akin to nurturing seeds of consciousness, fostering continuous growth. Faith is rooted in personal experience and mindfulness, transforming suffering into peace. Monastic life emphasizes introspection, mindfulness, and embodying teachings to alleviate suffering and guide others towards liberation.

This talk details directing loving-kindness towards oneself, embracing personal growth, recognizing continual renewal, and preparing for the new year. Reflect on inherited traits, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation involves oneself, loved ones, and those causing suffering. Recognize interconnectedness, cultivate gratitude, and nurture positive traits. Reflect on inherited tendencies, latent qualities, and mindfulness practices to cultivate wholesome qualities and transform unwholesome tendencies. Understand emotions like anxiety and anger, recognizing their impact on well-being. Reconciliation

The Four Noble Truths—suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering—are qualified as noble because the true understanding of them is holy. Looking deeply into the nature of the first truth, dukkha, naturally leads to finding the others. To cultivate this deep understanding and prevent mistaking suffering for happiness, a nine-line meditation practice is offered:

1. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and in mind.
2. May I be safe and free from accidents.
3. May I be free from anger.
4. May I be free from unwholesome states of mind, fear, and worries.
5. May I know how to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.
6. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness within myself.
7. May I learn how to nourish myself with joy each day.
8. May I be able to stay fresh, solid, and free.
9. May I not fall into the state of indifference, nor be caught in the extremes of attachment and aversion.

Peace is a practice enacted through daily activities like walking, drinking tea, and mindful breathing, which the Buddha stated prevents the body and eyes from fatigue while bringing the joy of dwelling in purity. Accidents often arise from a lack of mindfulness, where one mistakes dukkha for sukha like a fish biting plastic bait, or from internal formations like anger and fear. The Sangha offers a safety net, as seen in retreats for war veterans, where collective mindfulness prevents accidents. This meditation on love begins with oneself, as the capacity to love others depends on self-love. Once one is solid and free, the practice extends to a respected person, a neutral person, and finally a person who has caused suffering. Reconciliation is described as unilateral disarmament; by transforming anger and hatred within, one reconciles without needing the other person present.

Practicing without intelligence is likened to a story from the Sutra of One Hundred Parables, where a fool tries to cure an illness by repeating the name of a bird or eating a drawing of it, rather than making the soup prescribed by the doctor. True practice requires understanding, not mechanical repetition. Deep looking and loving kindness lead to the death of the self-centered, self-sufficient ego and the birth of a liberated self, abandoning the notions of body and lifetime. This preparation paves the way for the next Buddha, Maitreya, the Buddha of Love, who may appear not as a person, but as a Sangha.

This talk details Nh«at Tøam’s birth and the profound experience of seeing the sky for the first time, emphasizing the importance of seeing with “original eyes” to connect deeply with the present moment. Buddha’s gaze exemplifies this clarity. Plum Village practices mindful walking meditation to see anew. Mindfulness and concentration help access nirvana, transcending fears and attachments. Buddha’s teachings in the Lotus Sutra symbolize infinite compassion and enlightenment. Ajita and Maitreya embody loving-kindness, urging compassion for all beings. Mindfulness reveals interconnected suffering, urging mindful consumption. The Five Wonderful Precepts arise from meditation, guiding mindful living. Mindfulness retreats globally show widespread embrace of these precepts, emphasizing simplicity, joy, and peace. Despite initial resistance, embracing mindfulness and precepts leads to profound transformation, embodying the spirit of Maitreya Buddha.

Prajñāpāramitā is personified as the mother who gives birth to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; therefore, the image of “Mother Prajñā” is equivalent to the “Father” in Christianity. Prajñā (prajñā) is all-embracing wisdom, the direct insight into yathābhūtaṃ (the true nature) of the universe, transcending all concepts fabricated by the mind. This seeing of things as they truly are is also called emptiness, but it is not “emptiness” as opposed to “existence”; rather, true emptiness = wondrous existence, transcending the duality of being and non-being.

1. Emptiness of the internal
2. Emptiness of the external
3. Emptiness of both internal and external
4. Emptiness of emptiness (aśūnyatā)
5. Ultimate emptiness (paramārtha-śūnyatā)
6. Emptiness of the conditioned
7. Emptiness of the unconditioned
8. Final emptiness
9. Beginningless emptiness
10. Dispersed emptiness (dispersion)
11. Emptiness of self-nature (svabhāva-śūnyatā)
12. Emptiness of self-characteristics (svalakṣaṇa-śūnyatā)
13. Emptiness of all dharmas (sarva-dharma-śūnyatā)
14. Emptiness of non-attainment
15. Non-emptiness (abhāva-śūnyatā)
16. Emptiness of existence (svabhāva-śūnyatā)
17. Emptiness of non-dharma
18. Emptiness of existent dharma
19. Emptiness of non-existent dharma (abhāva-svabhāva-śūnyatā)

The method to realize the wisdom of Prajñā is “contemplation of emptiness”: step by step letting go of all concepts—permanence, impermanence, self, non-self, being, non-being. In the Elephant-Headed Monastery Sutra and the Diamond Sutra, it is taught: should not abide anywhere (“do not rely on form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma”) in order to give rise to the mind of awakening. The Neither Increasing Nor Decreasing Sutra clearly sets out ten contemplations, internal and external, to break through attachments:

1. Contemplate the internal body as empty
2. Contemplate the external body as empty
3. Both internal and external as empty
4. Do not cling to all-embracing wisdom
5. Do not cling to skillful means of practice
6. Do not cling to stages of realization (the ten bhūmis, the four dhyanas)
7. Do not cling to attained purity
8. Dwell in Prajñāpāramitā
9. Do not be attached to teaching, guiding, or practicing the Way
10. Contemplate sentient beings, giving rise to compassion

Regarding the samādhi of one practice (ekavyūha-samādhi), the Mañjuśrī Sutra teaches:

The Dharma realm is of one form, it is connected only to the Dharma realm.

This means to contemplate and see that all dharmas (Buddhas of the three times, sentient beings, phenomena) are all manifested in one single form. Finally, “to contemplate the body’s true nature, to contemplate the Buddha is the same” (Vimalakīrti Sutra) reminds us: just by looking deeply into the body or into the Buddha’s name, we can see the wondrous true nature right away.

The Buddha was born in 560 BC and entered nirvana in 480 BC. About 140 years later, the Sangha divided into the Mahāsāṃghika and the Sthavira schools; another 200 years after that, the Ekavyāvahārika school appeared, advocating the doctrine of “self” as a reaction to the mechanical understanding of non-self. In the 3rd century BC, King Ashoka unified India, erected Pali pillars inscribed with the Dharma, and sent missionary delegations in all directions—among them, his son Mahinda went to Sri Lanka—expanding the Dharma from the Ganges basin to Gandhara, Kashmir, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Burma.

During Ashoka’s time, the Sthavira tradition was divided into:

1. The Vibhajyavāda school, which analyzed each dharma in detail.
2. The Sarvāstivāda school, which upheld the doctrine of “all exists.”
   From these arose the Theravāda school, which was transmitted to Sri Lanka, and the Chinese translations of the Sarvāstivāda texts, including the Madhyama Āgama (222 sūtras), Saṃyukta Āgama, Ekottara Āgama, and Dīrgha Āgama. The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Four-Part Vinaya) is widely used today, whereas previously the Sarvāstivāda’s Ten-Recitation Vinaya was prevalent.

Buddhism entered Vietnam by sea in the 1st century CE, with Indian merchants settling in Luy Lâu, bringing relics, chanting texts, and Indian knowledge such as calendars, medicine, and astronomy. In Luy Lâu, there were about 500 monastics, both local and foreign. Mouzi composed the Mouzi Lihuolun in Chinese; Zen Master Tang Hoi (the son of the merchant Khương Cư), who grew up in Giao Chỉ, translated Sanskrit texts into Chinese, compiled the Lục Độ Tập Kinh and the preface to the Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra, and then went to Eastern Wu to establish Kiến Sơ Temple, thus initiating Buddhism in the Jiangnan region.

We sit in meditation not only for ourselves, but for our ancestors, our parents, our grandparents, and our descendants; our solidity, our ease, and our smile are gifts offered to all generations, in accordance with the insight of interbeing in the Avatamsaka Sutra. Each step of walking meditation is the same—not poetry, but a profound truth: one solid step brings benefit to all. Reconciling with an elder brother or younger brother in the Dharma is to reconcile for the Buddha, for our teacher, for our parents, and for our children and grandchildren. Every activity—scrubbing pots, chopping wood, cooking, smiling, making peace—is a practice of interbeing with all; each victory over delusion, anger, and craving is a collective victory for the whole community.

Master Khuong Tang Hoi (early third century) was the first in Giao Chau—Vietnam—to clearly record the thought and method of Mahayana meditation, including:

1. The six paramitas: generosity, mindfulness trainings, inclusiveness, diligence, meditation, and insight.
2. The six terms of breathing: counting, following, calming, looking deeply, returning, and resting.
   Meditation is to remove the five hindrances (sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, doubt) so that the mind becomes upright and unified, like a mirror that has been cleaned so that the true light can shine forth.

An Ban Thủ Ý, from the Sanskrit Anapana (“breathing in, breathing out”) and “thủ ý” (mindfulness), is a Mahayana method of mindful breathing contemplation, practicing awareness of inhalation and exhalation, in order to keep the mind dwelling peacefully in the present moment and to transform suffering. According to Master Tang Hoi, An Ban consists of six types of mindful breathing contemplations to counteract the six sense objects — the six sense organs and the six sense objects — forming the twelve bases, giving rise to the six consciousnesses, collectively known as the eighteen elements. These six bases are:

1. Internal bases (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind)
2. External bases (form, sound, smell, taste, touch, dharma objects)
   The contact between the internal and external bases easily gives rise to wrong perceptions; mindfulness through the breath is like six “soldiers” guarding the six sense organs, preventing delusive thoughts and maintaining presence in the here and now.

The psychology of An Ban Thủ Ý is based on the teachings of store consciousness and seeds, describing the three stores – the storehouse, the object of storage, and the attachment to self – which are without beginning or end, the “soil for planting seeds” that receives all dharmas. The method of practice includes:

• The six wondrous Dharma doors – counting the breath, following the breath, stopping, contemplating, returning, and purifying – to burn away afflictions and cleanse the “mud,” revealing the great mirror-like wisdom
• The sixteen methods of mindful breathing (breathing in/out long or short, calming the body, feeling pleasant/unpleasant sensations, generating joy, happiness, etc.) help to nourish mindfulness, joy, happiness, and concentration
  Without forcing, the practitioner “breathes in knowing that he is breathing in, breathes out knowing that he is breathing out,” letting the breath lead to calmness, helping the mind to be clear and opening the door of insight.

Dear community,

TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through this series, the master guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, and then continued to China, not the other way around as commonly thought. We will also learn about distinguished and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey.

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

Thích Nhất Hạnh’s “The Lively Tradition of Buddhist Meditation” (TTSĐCTTĐB) is a series of Dharma talks given between 1994-1997. In this series, the Zen master guides us through the historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, contrary to common belief. The talks also introduce us to distinguished and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey, offering new insights and practical meditation methods.

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

Dear community,

TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh from 1994 to 1997. Through this series, the teacher guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation practice from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, and then continued to China, contrary to the common belief that it came from China to Vietnam. We will also learn about outstanding and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey.

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

Beginning with the poem Dwelling in the World, Enjoying the Way by Trúc Lâm Đại Sĩ, with images of Zen harmonizing within the world:
– Though sitting in the city, one lives with the simplicity of the mountain forest; when myriad karmas settle down, the true nature is at ease, and for half a day, body and mind are free.
– When craving ceases, there is no longer any longing for pearls or precious jade; when right and wrong fall silent, one can hear the orioles sing and the swallows recite their verses.
– Many people admire blue rivers and green mountains, but how many truly recognize the pink peach blossoms or the green willows? The silver moon in the blue sky shines over the vast universe, and the soft willows and flourishing flowers bring joy to all beings under the sun of wisdom in the deep forest.

Next comes the compass for the path of practice:

1. Freedom of mind (an unburdened heart) is the only Dharma door — “Once the heart is free, no other method is needed.”
2. Preserve and kindle the bright nature to subdue wandering thoughts, cut off self and others, reveal the true diamond form, and realize the wondrous mind of perfect enlightenment.
3. Pure Land is the pure heart right here and now; Amitabha is the radiant nature, there is no need to drift toward the Western Realm.
4. Practice is simple: eating vegetables and fruits without minding bitterness or sourness, wearing paper or oak-bark robes without distinguishing between black or white; living with humanity and righteousness, treasuring three tiles more than a grand mansion, valuing half a hut more than the heavenly palace.

“TTSĐCTTĐB” – The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation – is a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh during the years 1994-1997, guiding listeners through the historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam before spreading to China, emphasizing that Buddhism arrived in Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China. The series also introduces outstanding and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned, opening up a long and fascinating journey of practice.

Note: This description is automatically taken from existing YouTube descriptions and other sources. Please ‘Suggest an edit’ if it is inaccurate.

TTSĐCTTĐB, abbreviated from “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” is a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through this series, the Zen Master guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China and continued to spread to China, contrary to the common belief that it came from China to Vietnam. We will also learn about the distinguished and profound Zen Masters of our nation who are seldom mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey of practice.

Dear community,

TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation Practice,” a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through this series, Thay guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation practice from India to Vietnam and China. We discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India into Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, and then continued on to China, rather than coming from China to Vietnam as we often think. We also learn about distinguished and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey.

During walking meditation at Lower Hamlet, mindfulness is the lifeline that connects the individual with the sangha, with ancestors, and with the Buddha. Each step not only nourishes the energy of peace and happiness within ourselves, but also radiates to everyone—those who are ill, those who are absent, our ancestors, and our spiritual lineage. Being fully present “here and now” is the measure of our inner freedom, helping body and mind not to be carried away by the past or the future. When we practice walking meditation, sitting meditation, eating, or working, just by maintaining mindful breathing, we are already “putting our practice into action” and harvesting insight.

Regarding the Vietnamese Buddhist tradition, Giao Chau underwent more than a thousand years under the domination of the Han and Tang dynasties, yet still produced many great monks. Venerable Tỳ Ni Đa Lưu Chi (571–602) translated the Sutra of the Elephant-Headed Monastery and the Mahāvaipulya Dhāraṇī Sūtra, embodying the spirit of “total retention”—preserving the Buddha’s teachings in their entirety. Dharma teachers such as Vận Kỳ, Khuy Sung, Đại Thừa Đăng… studied in India and Java, bringing back scripts, meanings, and dhāraṇī mantras. Thanks to this, Vietnamese temples became centers of culture, education, healing, and the transmission of the Dharma amidst times of suffering.

The practice of being present is the essence of both walking meditation and sitting meditation, helping each step and each breath become freedom and ease, not only for ourselves but also for our ancestors, our family, those we love, and even those we have not yet been able to love. This freedom is the foundation of happiness, and each peaceful step or mindful breath is a victory, a glory. During 40–50 minutes of walking meditation or in a sitting meditation session, we sharpen our inner freedom, build mindfulness and concentration, so that each moment of dwelling in the present becomes the most vibrant moment.

While sitting and walking meditation, we use some of the sixteen methods of mindful breathing, combined with the gathas practiced at Plum Village, for example:

• Breathing in, I know I am breathing in – Breathing out, I know I am breathing out
• Breathing in, I feel healthy – Breathing out, I feel light
• Breathing in, my mind is calm – Breathing out, I smile
• Dwelling in the present moment, it is a wonderful moment
  When practicing, you may choose a single gatha to repeat until it becomes natural, use a meditation sheet as you would a musical score, or bring a small cup of tea for tea meditation, helping to orchestrate the music of presence and support the Sangha around you.

Unilateral disarmament is a Dharma door for beginning anew, to transform hatred and anger with anyone, even if they are very far away, through deep looking with mindfulness. To practice reconciliation, you do not need to meet face to face; you only need to dwell in the here and now, look deeply into the roots of suffering, let go of delusion, and you have already forgiven, already disarmed yourself, and sent the energy of compassion to the other person.

The historical premise marks two Zen masters of the Vinitaruci school:

1. Phap Thuan (died in 991), a scholar skilled in technology and literature, assistant to King Le Dai Hanh, who served the Song dynasty envoy and composed the Bodhisattva Repentance Text.
2. Van Hanh (ordained at 21, passed away in 1018), advisor to Le Dai Hanh, who advocated for Ly Cong Uan to ascend the throne, drew the plans for the citadel of Thang Long, contributed to 215 years of peace for Dai Viet, and was praised by King Ly Nhan Tong in the poem “Van Hanh embraces the three times, truly fulfills the ancient prophecies…”

Taking each step on the land of Plum Village: every step contains life, purity, joy, and ease; to walk like that is Earth-Conquering Miraculous Power, a simple miracle praised by Zen Master Linji. When suffering has ripened, just one mindful step can transform suffering into happiness. Happiness depends on the degree of ease, letting go of projects, nourishing mindfulness in every act: walking, drinking tea, washing clothes. Without wholehearted investment, we cannot taste peace; on the contrary, a step taken in ease naturally reveals the Dharma body, one with the Dharma body of the Buddhas.

The Fivefold Dharma Body grows as we practice, and is the most precious offering:

• the body of mindfulness trainings (Shila Kaya)
• the body of concentration (Samadhi Kaya)
• the body of insight (Prajna Kaya)
• the body of liberation (Vimokṣakāya)
• the body of knowledge of liberation

The body of mindfulness trainings begins with the Five Mindfulness Trainings:

• reverence for life
• social justice, not depriving other species of their conditions for life
• protecting happiness, avoiding sexual misconduct
• deep listening, skillful loving speech
• keeping body and mind free from toxins of delusive consumption

With mindfulness trainings, there is mindfulness; with mindfulness, there is concentration; concentration gives rise to insight; insight leads to liberation and the knowledge of liberation, that is, freedom from craving, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. Offering incense, bowing, working, walking meditation, sitting meditation—all practices aim to nourish these five elements, so that the gentle joy transforms suffering, and the torch of the Dharma body shines brightly right in the present moment.

Dear community,

TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” a Dharma talk series delivered by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through this series, the Zen Master guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation practice from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, and then continued to China, contrary to the common belief that it came to Vietnam from China. We will also learn about outstanding and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey.

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

Thích Nhất Hạnh’s “Truyền Thống Sinh Động Của Thiền Tập Đạo Bụt” (The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation) is a series of Dharma talks given between 1994-1997. In this series, Thích Nhất Hạnh guides us through the historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam centuries before it reached China, contrary to common belief. The series also introduces us to distinguished and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey, offering new insights and valuable lessons.

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

TTSĐCTTĐB, abbreviated from “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” is a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh between 1994 and 1997. Through this series, the Zen Master guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India to Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China and continued to spread to China, contrary to the common belief that it came from China to Vietnam. We will also learn about the distinguished and profound Zen Masters of our nation who are seldom mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey of practice.

Dear community,

TTSĐCTTĐB stands for “The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation,” a series of Dharma talks given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh from 1994 to 1997. Through this series, the teacher guides us on a historical journey of Buddhist meditation from India to Vietnam and China. We will discover that Buddhism was transmitted from India into Vietnam hundreds of years before it reached China, and then continued on to China, rather than coming from China to Vietnam as we often think. We will also come to know the outstanding and profound Vietnamese Zen masters who are rarely mentioned. This is a long and fascinating journey.

Karma has three types: bodily action, verbal action, and mental action. A thought is an action, a seed that can produce fruit, causing the world to vibrate and affecting the moon and stars. Within karma, there is karmic cause (Hetu) and karmic fruit (Karmaphala). Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in a novel: “L’homme est la somme de ses actes,” man is the sum of his own actions. When an action of body, speech, or mind arises and leads us in the direction of suffering or happiness, that force is called leading karma. When that karma ripens and manifests fully, it is called completing karma. Alaya consciousness, or maturation consciousness, is where wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral karmas ripen, creating the totality of life like a “concoction.”

In the Sarvastivada version of the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, there is mention of internal formations, which are blocks formed within the mind due to the contact between the six sense organs and the six sense objects. These internal formations can be painful feelings or pleasant feelings, and mind consciousness often increases their intensity. To transform them, we need to recognize the thought right in the present moment, using the light of mindfulness to shine upon it instead of pushing it away. Compared to Western psychotherapy which is only about 100 years old, meditation practice has a history of thousands of years. In the United States, the four professions that enter mental hospitals the most are:

1. Dentists
2. Lawyers
3. Doctors
4. Psychiatrists

Happiness is a collective matter, not an individual one; the practitioner needs to practice right within the family and society instead of running away. The Dharma talk analyzes the groups of mental formations:

• Four indeterminate mental formations (can be wholesome or unwholesome depending on the case): regret, sleepiness, initial application of thought, sustained application of thought.
• Wholesome mental formations: faith, shame, bashfulness, non-craving, non-anger, non-ignorance, diligence, pliancy, non-laxity.

Non-attainment means not holding on to any dharma, because “attainment” is a mental formation not in concord with the mind, not mind and not form. The Prajnaparamita Sutra emphasizes non-attainment together with no suffering, no origination, no cessation, no path, and no wisdom—there is nothing for us to cling to or seek. The principle of non-attainment helps us return inward to discover the Buddha nature that is always present, just as the Buddha, on the night of enlightenment, realized that awakening is inherently available in himself and in all beings.

The doors of liberation in original Buddhism, further explored by the Mahayana, include:

1. Emptiness: not clinging to an independent self-nature
2. Signlessness: not having a fixed form
3. Aimlessness: nothing left to do, dwelling peacefully in the present moment

The Zen school of the Gateless Gate advocates sudden enlightenment, complete awakening that does not unfold gradually. Four examples illustrate that enlightenment does not depend on age or experience:

1. A newborn prince contains the substance of kingship
2. A tiny spark can burn down an entire forest
3. A small snake can still be deadly
4. A young monk can fully embody holiness

Atomic scientists have also recognized the signless nature of subatomic particles—sometimes wave, sometimes particle—opening the door to a deeper understanding of the ontological ground of all phenomena. Practicing mindfulness in sitting, walking, and standing at ease is the practice of non-attainment and aimlessness, opening the heart so that the sunlight of insight can shine within, dissolving all entanglements and attaining true freedom.