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
Pure Transformation and Teaching
Today at the Water of Purity Meditation Hall, Phap Van Temple, Plum Village, the brothers and sisters are welcoming students from Paris for a day of practice organized by the Wake Up group. In America, Google has invited Thay to give a talk to 30,000 employees; in Northern California, Sister Chan Khong together with Brother Phap Nguyen and Sister Huy Danh Trang are preparing a mindfulness practice session. The trip to the United States includes a retreat for congress members in Washington DC, a retreat in Canada that is already full with 800 people, and a week-long calligraphy exhibition at a university there.
A young novice recently ordained wrote a letter sharing his joy when eating a bowl of pumpkin soup—the first spoonful was delicious, but by the fifth or sixth spoonful, the flavor faded. Then he realized it was because he was eating hastily, without mindfulness. When eating slowly, with full concentration, every spoonful was as delicious as the first. Thay also sat eating a kiwi, aware of each spoonful, and recognized that the difference between a monkey and a human is a higher consciousness—knowing clearly that we are eating, breathing, and fully present in that very moment.
Happiness is not only the first moment, but is maintained by awareness. The process of practice consists of three steps:
- Seeing the path—recognizing the moment of awakening when eating the fifth or sixth spoonful of soup
- Practicing the path—immediately applying the method in daily life, so that the seventh and eighth spoonfuls are as delicious as the first
- Realizing the path—experiencing the fullness of mindfulness from beginning to end
In the Buddha’s teaching, mindfulness (smṛti) is the energy of being aware of body, mind, and circumstances right now. When we dwell deeply, the present moment embraces both past and future, expanding space and time; this is the evolution of consciousness—from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens, and moving toward homo conscious. Walking meditation, breathing, eating, brushing our teeth… all can be happiness when we practice mindfulness. The musician Trinh Cong Son also advised us to find small joys in daily life, because meditation and mindfulness help us generate joy, to transform suffering, and to build a happy, harmonious sangha with every step we take.