Chapters

People's Peace Treaty

Thich Nhat Hanh · October 23, 2003 · Upper Hamlet, Plum Village, France

Thầy offers his perspective on resolving conflict based on Buddhist teachings as well as his own experience of war in Vietnam. Thầy underlines the importance of not taking sides in a conflict, of building brotherhood and practicing compassionate listening.

Thầy talks about the School of Youth for Social Service and the important support its members offered to the villages. Thầy stresses the importance of never letting despair take over, and reminds us that we can go always take refuge in the island within ourselves, our true home that nobody can take away from us, in order to care for and nourish ourselves. We need a spiritual dimension, says Thầy, to be strong enough, to be compassionate enough to face difficult situations. Furthermore, Thầy explains in detail what a peace treaty is in Plum Village and offers that as a path to resolve conflicts with other groups of people and reach reconciliation.

This is the fourth talk in a series of five given during the Israeli-Palestinian retreat in the year 2003. Thầy offered this talk in the Upper hamlet, Plum Village, France.

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Part of the following collections

Israeli–Palestinian Retreat — 2003

From the Living Gems Curation Team

It Takes Two

From the Living Gems Curation Team

Previous Talk October 22, 2003

The Path to the Pure Land

Next Talk October 24, 2003

Questions and answers

Transcript

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Founding of the School of Youth for Social Service

00:00:14

[Three sounds of the bell.]

00:01:52

Good morning, dear friends. Today is October the 23rd in the year of 2003 and we are in Upper Hamlet during our IP retreat.

00:02:39

In 1964, I helped found the School of Youth for Social Service in Vietnam forty years ago. [Thay writes on the board.] We founded the School of Youth for Social Service in a situation of war and we help to deal with the problem of violence, poverty, sickness, and social injustice. And in our School of Youth for Social Service, we train young monks and young nuns and young laymen, laywomen to do the social work. And we went to the countryside and to help peasants to rebuild their villages, to improve their quality of life. We help them in many ways: education, health, economic, and organization. [Thay writes on the board.]

Education and Community Building

00:04:38

There are villages where there was no school and children had to work very young in order to help their parents. They helped with cultivating the land, fishing, doing other things

00:06:19

Legal Aid and Sustainable Development

00:07:36

00:09:19

00:10:10

00:12:17

00:13:16

The Importance of Winning Hearts

00:14:14

Responding to the Ravages of War

00:16:24

00:18:02

Choosing Hope Amid Despair

00:20:22

00:21:26

The Impermanence of War

00:23:11

00:24:12

00:25:58

Overcoming Anger and Despair

00:26:32

00:28:34

00:29:03

00:30:37

00:32:31

The True Home Within

00:34:52

Misguided Actions Born of Fear

00:37:13

00:38:41

00:40:12

00:41:07

00:42:32

The Challenge of Non-Partisanship

00:44:03

00:45:24

00:46:11

00:47:58

00:51:49

The Profound Impact of War on Individuals

00:52:10

00:54:13

00:57:18

00:59:10

01:01:05

01:01:35

01:02:24

Meditation as Survival in Re-education Camps

01:04:42

01:07:00

Rescue Operations for Boat People

01:09:20

01:11:53

01:13:07

01:13:34

01:15:44

01:17:50

01:19:44

01:21:06

01:22:23

01:23:04

01:25:05

The Path to True Peace

01:26:30

01:27:38

01:29:26

01:30:51

01:32:39

01:33:46

01:34:40

01:36:09

01:38:48

01:41:46

01:42:09

Miscommunication and Wrong Perceptions in Personal Relationships

01:42:42

01:44:36

01:46:09

01:48:47

01:50:45

01:53:20

01:54:58

01:56:28

The Importance of Careful Diagnosis in Treatment and Perception

01:57:31

01:58:20

02:00:10

02:01:20

02:01:31