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The Needle and Thread of Understanding and Love
The marriage between a groom of Catholic roots and a bride of Buddhist roots is a major step forward, proving that love can transcend religious barriers to achieve success. Buddhism and Christianity did not come into existence to separate or cause suffering to human beings; a narrow-minded attitude is not in accord with the spirit of the founders of these traditions. The Dharma talk clearly distinguishes between two terms: solitude and loneliness. Solitude is the capacity to live alone, knowing how to return to the present moment to get in touch with the wonders of life and enrich one’s inner life. Without the capacity for solitude, the life of living together (living as two) will become impoverished because there is nothing to offer each other, leading to boredom and loneliness even while living together.
The secret to happiness is to enrich oneself every day with spiritual capital so that love becomes sustainable. Human beings can inherit a “double culture” or two spiritual roots, for example, being both Vietnamese and American, or practicing Buddhism while preserving Christian roots. A person with two roots will be richer than a person with only one. The younger generation has the mission to dismantle the barriers of separation and heal the wounds of humanity, as described in the poem Needle and Thread by Xuan Dieu, consisting of 16 words: “Bound by barbed wire, the borders bleed. The pain of separation, how can one bear it for eternity?”
The final part consists of Plum Village songs, which include specific practice contents:
- The Two Promises: I promise to open my heart of love and seek ways to protect life; I promise to open my heart of understanding to be able to love and live together with everyone and every species.
- The Three Jewels: Returning to take refuge in the Buddha (the one who shows the way), taking refuge in the Dharma (the path of love and understanding), and taking refuge in the Sangha (the community living in mindfulness).
