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Life Is Based on Perspective
Thầy shares the focus of the Summer Retreat: the Buddha’s path of understanding, love, and peace. He explores how we can embody the Dharma in our daily lives to nourish joy and happiness within ourselves and others. Using the Chinese story of the farmer Tái, Thầy illustrates the practice of accepting life’s unfolding without labeling events as strictly positive or negative. He teaches that our experience depends on how we handle each situation, noting: “So nothing is only bad, nothing is only good. If you know how to handle, and then the good things will come from everything.”
The talk emphasizes mindful walking, breathing, and being fully present to appreciate the beauty of the Earth and the wonders of life. Thầy explains how the Plum Village practices of mindful breathing, walking, sitting, and listening to the bell foster deep healing and transformation. As Thầy describes it, “Our practice in Plum Village is to go home to the present moment, to our true home in the here and the now. And every breath, every step brings us to our true home.”
Finally, Thầy introduces an updated version of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Revised after eight months of dedicated practice by the community, these trainings embody the Buddha’s teachings and ethical vision. Transcending religious boundaries, they offer a concrete path of practice for everyone and are available in Vietnamese, English, and French.
This the first talk in a series of sixteen given during the Summer Opening in the year 2009. Thầy offered this talk at the Lower Hamlet, Plum Village, France.
This talk was given by Thich Nhat Hanh to begin the summer opening on July 8, 2009, in Lower Hamlet, Plum Village, France.
Part of the following collection
Oh My Happiness: The Story of Baddhiya