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"The Vietnamese Buddha Way: Seeds from the Fire of Suffering"
The Winter Retreat at Plum Village summarizes fifteen years of the tradition of meditation practice, from India to Vietnam, China, and to the Dharma door of Engaged Buddhism. The Vietnam War is likened to a forest fire that helped the seed of Buddhism to sprout, giving rise to a Dharma door of living in the midst of life, engaging and facing suffering through the Four Noble Truths and the path of liberation from suffering. During the Tran dynasty, Buddhism was unified under Truc Lam, with 15,000 monks receiving ordination within seven or eight years, demonstrating that Buddhism was engaged in society, harmonizing politics and spirituality.
Many very practical Dharma doors help to transform body and mind right in the present moment:
- The Dharma door of intestinal cleansing purifies the body, extending life by ten years
- The Dharma door of prostrations (five prostrations and three prostrations) releases resentment and practices non-self
- Walking meditation, each step as solid as a lion, with a smile and mindful breathing
- The breathing exercise “in, out, deep, slow” nourishes Dharma joy without waiting for the future
- The practice of “looking again through the lens” transforms our way of seeing so that every ordinary experience becomes happiness
Practice right in the present moment, dwelling in the breath, the smile, the sound of the bell, the food, meeting the Sangha, so that every moment becomes a miracle. Body, speech, and mind—every gesture is considered the practice of mindfulness—not accumulating for the future but living fully in the present, so that Buddhism is the path of realization right in our body and consciousness.