Thay explains how the Vietnam War moved him to develop engaged Buddhism as a practice of “the spiritual dimension” as the essential foundation for the “action dimension” of working to help victims of war while creating the conditions for peace. This practice is best if guided by a community, one “that follows the line of the practice of calm, of tranquility, of compassion, of insight,” as modeled by a Buddhist Sangha. Such a community is less likely to “act out of anger and despair,” which ultimately propagates more war. Practicing happiness, as Thay defines it, means learning to take care of anger, hatred, and despair, rather than feeding our suffering with retaliation and revenge, which only escalates violence, or seeking escape from our suffering in consumable toxins, such as alcohol or media, which only feeds more suffering. In response to a question from a Jewish friend in attendance, Thay focuses the second half of the talk on what “action,” fully understood, really means. In Buddhism, actions—thought, speech, and deed—are a human being’s only true belongings, and the consequences of one’s actions can persist to impact lives for many generations. Thay speaks especially to anger and the risks of making decisions about people’s lives from a place of anger. The question becomes, “Are we able to distinguish the kind of action that will bring destruction and suffering from the kind of action that can bring only the protection of life and friendliness and peace and safety?,” to which Thay answers, “Yes.”
Meditation and mindfulness can prepare us to think, communicate, and make decisions based upon calmness, compassion, lovingkindness, and longsightedness, rather than upon reactive hatred, revenge, terrorism, and retaliation. “And,” as Thay teaches us, “the only way to do it is to live deeply each moment of our daily life, to produce the energy of mindfulness in order to see exactly what kind of thinking, what kind of action, what kind of speech that can surely bring more safety to us and to the people we love.” Mindfulness helps discern right action, in contrast to divisive and destructive action. Cultivating mindfulness enhances deeper understanding, compassion, and harmony within oneself, in relationships, in communities, and between conflicting parties.

This was a public talk given during the Israel Tour in the year 1997. Thay offered this talk in Tel Aviv, Israel.