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Public Talk San Jose
At Plum Village, we only sing songs that are self-composed; we do not sing heart-wrenching songs from the outside world. The Buddha taught us not to pursue the past or the future, because the past is already gone and the future has not yet come; only the present moment, recognized with heart and mind, can show us how to live alone in peace. Brother Michael and his girlfriend once lived happily abroad, but after reading the book Peace is Every Step, they returned to Plum Village and ordained together with the mind of a Bodhisattva. Their love became more pure, bringing happiness to many practitioners. Now, there is a monastic community of Western origin from 25 countries, establishing a solid foundation for Western Buddhism.
The sangha recites the Incense Offering and the Heart Sutra in English, as the practitioners come from many nations. In the recitation, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, through the insight of Prajñāpāramitā, clearly sees the emptiness of the five skandhas:
- form is emptiness, emptiness is form
- feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are also not different from emptiness
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no birth, no death, no defilement, no purity, no increase, no decrease
Next comes the most precious mantra: Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha, inviting us to cross over to the shore of enlightenment.
“Finding Each Other” is a song about the first love with the World-Honored One, the longing to search for Him since childhood, passing through the hell of Avīci, and finally realizing that He is always present, peaceful, neither born nor dying. The song was set to music by musician Anh Viet from Thay’s poem, included in the collection “Drops of Emptiness” commemorating 15 years of Plum Village, published after six months of editing.
Sitting Still and Looking Deeply