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
Mahayāna Vipaśyanā Three: The Art of Sangha Building: Finding Refuge in the Family of Practice
Thầy explores the vital role of the Sangha as a collective vehicle for the bodhisattva vows, moving beyond the pursuit of individual liberation toward the peace and enlightenment of all beings. Thầy emphasizes that a community of practice must be organized as a family, offering a “second chance” and essential roots for those who feel uprooted or alienated by society. True transformation is rarely a solitary effort; it depends on the “non-self” elements of supportive brothers and sisters who walk, smile, and breathe for one another. Building such a Sangha is the highest art of a teacher, as a healthy community allows healing to happen naturally, even without forced effort .
Thầy grounds this collective practice in the Ugradatta Sūtra, which mirrors the growth of the bodhisattva ideal in both lay and monastic lives. This “Mirror of the Dharma” reveals that a layperson can practice as deeply as a monk, as long as they are animated by bodhicitta—the great heart of practicing for the benefit of everyone.
The talk also highlights the inclusive spirit of the Lotus Sutra, which uses reconciliation and love to unite the tradition into one global Mahāyāna family. Ultimately, the Sangha acts as a protective “second family” that nourishes both the student and the teacher through mutual support. Through the story of Claude, a war veteran, Thầy provides living proof that even the deepest wounds can be healed when one is “embraced” by a mindful community . This serves as a profound call to build modern Sanghas that act as inclusive refuges for a suffering world.
This is the third talk in a series of fourteen given during the Looking Deeply in the Mahayāna Tradition, twenty-one-day retreat in the year 1992. Thầy offered this talk at the Lower Hamlet, Plum Village, France.