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Thich Nhat Hanh · November 26, 2013 · Hermitage, Plum Village, France · Monastic talk
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In a Dharma talk given on November 26, 2013, at the Phuong Khê Inner Monastery, Plum Village, France, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh expressed his wishes regarding his legacy and remembrance. He emphasized that building a stupa for him at the Ancestral Temple would be meaningless if his teachings were not continued. Thich Nhat Hanh strongly opposed the idea of placing his ashes in a stupa, stating that he is not merely a handful of ashes. He is a living, dynamic reality present everywhere—in his monastic disciples, lay practitioners, and in places where mindful practices such as walking meditation, sitting meditation, Dharma discussions, silent meals, and Earth Touching ceremonies occur. He did not want to be confined to a small urn within a stupa, as it would be a waste of temple land.

Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that a stupa had already been built for him at Dinh Quan Temple. He instructed that if a stupa must exist, it should bear the inscription: “There is nothing inside.” If people still did not understand, it should also state: “There is nothing outside either.” And if further clarification was needed, it should conclude with: “If there is anything, it is in your steps and your breath.” This was his message to the monks and nuns at Dinh Quan Temple in Hanoi and the Ancestral Temple. He urged them not to waste time and resources on building a stupa for him. Instead, he suggested that if a stone is available, it should be placed in the manuscript of one of his books, such as “The Miracle of Mindfulness,” as it would embody him more than a stupa with a handful of ashes. He advised scattering the ashes to nourish plants and trees, allowing the continuation of life.

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