Thầy begins this talk by pointing out that each of us is building our past in every moment—a past that lies in front of us, not behind—which is why he stresses Right Thinking, Right Speech, and Right Action.

He then asks, “What prevents us from producing good thoughts, from saying good things, and from doing good things?” Thầy teaches that we all have the seeds of understanding, compassion, and forgiveness within us, and that the Buddha and God are “in every cell of our body.”

Thầy describes Dharma talks at retreats as a rain that waters these seeds, and relates the story of four men at a retreat in Oldenburg, Germany, who reached out by telephone to reconcile with their fathers. Using loving speech, he says, is a revolutionary act—but not one we can force.

Thầy also tells of a young woman who could not bring herself to speak kindly to her mother. With Sister Chân Không’s advice, she trained herself, and one day she tried. Her mother’s happiness took her completely by surprise.

Thầy then turns to Right View as the ground of Right Thinking, Speech, and Action, and to the practice of looking deeply that makes it possible.

Thầy concludes the talk by asking everyone in the Sangha to speak to one person with whom they have difficulty using loving speech. If they find this isn’t possible, they must look deeper to find compassion for that person’s suffering.

This talk is from a series given during the 90-Day Fall Retreat in the year 2004. Thầy offered this talk at the Lower Hamlet, Plum Village, France.