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Dharma Talk by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh on the Topic of Vietnamese Youth at the University - Organized by the Offering Committee
Young Vietnamese overseas grow up between two cultures, East and West, carrying with them both conflict and opportunity. Through the story of little Truc—six years old, living between Vietnam and France, sometimes “very Vietnamese,” sometimes “very French”—we realize that:
- Living in both cultures, like “a fish swimming in two streams,” brings freedom and happiness.
- Children need to contemplate images and activities of Vietnam (ao dai, language, Vesak celebrations…) to “look in the mirror” and recognize themselves as Vietnamese without any coercion.
The transmission of “cultural seeds” to our children and grandchildren is very important:
- Preserving gestures and customs (breathing, smiling, a rose pinned to the pocket, burning votive papers with remembrance) is the true essence of culture.
- Respecting the body as a sacred gift from our ancestors helps children understand their own value, so they do not become like a “banana” (yellow on the outside, white on the inside).
- In the family, only understanding can lead to love: hidden knots of suffering can only dissolve when parents and children know how to listen and share, like the miracle between father and son in Los Angeles.- The story of the lion and the monkey in the sutras is a mirror: when invited to “reflect on their true nature,” children will naturally recognize and return to their cultural roots.