We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Basic Buddhist Teachings (Spring) 23 - Seeing the Nature
A baby’s birth does not come from nothing, but is the result of a continuous “stream” of dependent arising: the true nature of no birth, no death, no coming, no going is always present in every moment. When we look deeply into the “birth” of Gabriel or the “second birth” in the monastic life of Sister Bich Nghiem, we see there is no real “beginning” or “end”—there is only manifestation and hiding. Past, present, and future inter-are and interpenetrate; each breath, each falling cell, or each peaceful step today nourishes our ancestors, our descendants, and the cosmos, and at the same time is nourished by the cosmos in return.
Avoiding the two wrong views of permanence (that everything is unchanging) and annihilation (that everything disappears absolutely), the middle way leads to insight—seeing clearly the true nature that is neither permanent nor annihilated, neither existent nor non-existent. When mindfulness shines its light, the fear of birth and death dissolves, giving rise to the mind of great fearlessness. Practice not only helps reduce suffering but also allows us to approach our true nature through the three basic trainings:
- non-greed
- non-anger
- non-ignorance