We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Walking in the Kingdom of God
This title has been reviewed for accuracy.
Thầy reminds us that we’re surrounded by wonders, and the true nature of all things is no birth and no death. When we look deeply—when we meditate—we see that nothing can come from nothing. There’s no death, only transformation. Something manifests as one thing and then manifests as another thing. The scientific understanding of matter and energy supports this view. In the Buddhist tradition, we are manifestations, not creations.
To encounter the wonders of life, we must go home to our self. We can do this by mindful walking and mindful breathing. Home is the here and the now.
The dharmakāya—the world of phenomena—is the same as the Kingdom of God. “Dharmadhātu” means the realm of the dharma—the cosmos. A practitioner of Buddhism has three bodies. The first is the physical body, and the second is the Dharma body—our spiritual practice. The third body is the Sangha, a community of practitioners who support and sustain our practice.
Thầy relates the story of Vakkali, which emphasizes the importance of focusing on the Dharma body of the Buddha rather than on his physical body. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Dharma body means the body of the Dharma. Mahāyāna sūtras point out that the Buddha didn’t die but is present everywhere in the cosmos. For this reason, if we contemplate a flower, we can receive teachings from the Buddha.
To experience the Kingdom of God, we must be free, and we become free by being mindful. Freedom is a practice, and it can become a habit. Enlightenment is being aware that we’re alive in the here and the now, and we celebrate every moment of our life.
As we walk, with each in-breath, we say, “I have arrived, arrived, arrived,” and with each out-breath, we say, “I am home, home, home.” We are healed with every breath and every step. Practicing within the collective energy of the Sangha allows transformation and healing to happen much more easily.
This talk was given during the Spring Retreat in the year 2014. Thầy offered this retreat at the Upper Hamlet, Plum Village, France.