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The Meaning of Good and Evil

Thich Nhat Hanh · August 10, 1994 · Plum Village, France
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Forty-one years ago, Thay Thanh Tu began to establish the Nam Viet Buddhist Studies Institute at An Quang Pagoda, with the mission to clarify and strengthen the essence of Vietnamese Zen, which had once been weakened by the influence of Esoteric Buddhism and Pure Land. Throughout that time, Thay:

  • established many Zen monasteries, guiding the practice of self-reliance for awakening
  • trained thousands of monks and nuns, and tens to hundreds of thousands of lay friends through recorded Dharma talks
  • became known as the “Cassette Master” for teaching the Dharma through tapes, yet remained a shining example of leadership in Vietnamese Zen

The core teachings Thay shared:

  1. In practice, it is necessary to have both spiritual friends (gentle words) and unwholesome friends (strict words); both are benefactors who help us awaken, avoid complacency, and mature on the path
  2. Everyone has Buddha nature inherently; all have the same capacity to become Buddhas, differing only in the effort of practice and letting go of pride
  3. Two foundational insights in chanting the Lotus Sutra:
    • everyone is a benefactor who helps us practice
    • everyone will become a Buddha, so we keep an equal mind and do not look down on anyone
  4. The spirit of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen is encapsulated in four verses of the First Patriarch Truc Lam:
    In life, rejoice in the Way, accord with conditions,
    When hungry, eat; when tired, sleep at once.
    The treasure is in your own house, stop searching outside,
    Facing circumstances with no mind, why ask about Zen?
    This helps us live freely, let go of the six sense objects, and realize freedom right in each moment of the present.
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Previous Talk August 9, 1994
1h 40m

Awakening Happiness: The Path of Mindfulness and Love

Next Talk August 11, 1994
1h 44m

The Practice of Love