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The Meaning of the Word "Monk"
The term monastic day is profoundly different from the day of ordination: the one who “leaves home” is called a monastic, in contrast to the lay friend—one who lives in the world. At Plum Village, the two designations “monastic” and “lay friend” are encouraged instead of “monk/nun” and “Buddhist,” while “Dharma friend” is used for both, as we are all brothers and sisters on the path of practice. The Winter Retreat carries the theme “the art of happiness,” with two main points:
- Cultivating happiness—transforming each moment into a flower of peace, like a Buddhist engineer who knows how to use the breath, a smile, and mindful steps to generate joy right away.
- Transforming suffering—taking care of sorrow, anger, despair, jealousy, fear, and hatred, turning them into peace; mastering this art is the foundation for helping ourselves and others.
True happiness transcends mere “pleasure” (sensation), requiring the foundation of “ease” so that “joy” can be deep and lasting. Through sitting meditation or walking meditation, without expecting anything, simply “dwelling peacefully” in the present moment, we realize:
- “Nothing to do. Nowhere to go.” Just breathing, sitting, walking, happiness is already present.
- Dwelling happily in the present moment: living joyfully in the here and now, each breath helping body and mind to relax and heal.
In the eyes of the Buddha, the three poisons that block happiness are:
- Bottomless craving, always wanting more.
- Anger, which makes the mind suffer.
- Ignorance—not recognizing that we already have enough conditions for happiness.
Understanding and transforming these three is the very foundation of true peace. When the Sangha is harmonious, practicing breathing, walking, and sitting together, we share both suffering and happiness—the priceless treasure of monastic life. The Pure Land is not somewhere far away, but right where we are living: every meal, every moment of dwelling peacefully is the Pure Land in the present moment.
