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may 2008 VIETNAM photos courtesy of the Lang Mai website Return to Vietnam for Vesak May 2008 “Life is every step. Healing is every step. Miracle. Freedom.” In the Autumn 2008 issue of the Mindfulness Bell, we published several articles on the biannual United Nations Day of Vesak, which was held for the first time in Vietnam. We are pleased to continue our coverage of that historic event. Inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh’s lifelong teachings on Engaged Buddhism, the conference explored “Buddhist Contributions to Building a Just, Democratic, and Civilized Society.” Five thousand Buddhist monastics and laypeople from all over the world participated. Thich Nhat Hanh was the main keynote speaker and many of Thay’s students made presentations on various panels. Four of those talks are reproduced here. Before the conference Thay gave a series of retreats, culminating in a seven-day retreat in English at Golden Lotus Hotel in Hanoi. Four hundred people attended; in this issue we offer reflections from two of the retreatants. From Vietnam several monks and nuns traveled to Hong Kong, where a strong Sangha has developed in recent years. Sister Hanh Nghiem shares her thoughts about the Buddha’s Enlightenment Retreat, where “Mindful breathing was our peace, joy, and freedom.” 10 Winter/Spring 2009
may 2008 VIETNAM I am a Vietnamese-born Australian citizen. While attending a winter retreat at Plum Village in November 2007, I got in touch with my ancestral roots on a level that over the last twenty-three years has been unacknowledged and unexplored, almost foreign. “Boi dap goc re, khai thong suoi nguon” (nourishing our roots, clearing our streams) were the themes at Plum Village that awoke a deep gratitude and curiosity about my blood ancestors. I realized that my existence came from a life force that runs through my parents, grandparents, and continuing back and back through many generations before them. Growing up in a generally individualistic society has distanced me from my roots. Ironically, this has created a blank space that allows me to bring a beginner’s mind to explore and understand myself through knowing my ancestors. What better way to find answers to these questions than a trip to Vietnam! And what better conditions than Buddhist retreats — with opportunities to deeply contemplate myself and hence my ancestors in me! It was particularly meaningful to be able to do this with my parents. Dharma Rain at Bat Nha The first retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh or Thay (Vietnamese for Teacher) was a five-day retreat at Prajna Monastery in Bao Loc, Lam Dong province. The spacious monastery and temperate weather of the green highlands near central Vietnam were ideal conditions for practice. In total there were approximate 3500 people of all ages attending this retreat. I was surprised to see so many young people there, some as young as fifteen — students and young people working in business, film industry, social work, health, etc. They all shared a search for meaning as well as relief from the difficulties faced in their increasingly demanding and pressured environment. Vietnamese people really enjoy socializing; in particular they like to be lively and vocal. However, during meals together and walking meditation all one could hear were the click-clacking of plastic cutlery and crockery, or the melodies of bird songs and rustling of leaves. Thay spoke lovingly to the young people about having ideals and purpose in life, recounted funny love stories, and explained how having values or guiding principles as outlined in the Five Mindfulness Trainings can help restore and improve the quality of our relationships. He urged the young people to be determined and diligent in their practice of returning to the present moment by focusing on their breathing as they go about daily tasks. He explained how to listen deeply to cultivate understanding and Beginning Anew, a practice of reconciliation and expressing hurt in a constructive way. Brother Phap An gave a compelling account of his personal experience in dealing with a block of suffering he had gained during his childhood as a result of the war. Brother Nguyen Hai’s explanation on the Five Mindfulness Trainings contributed to inspiring about a third of participants to take the commitment to study and practice the Mindfulness Trainings and take refuge in the Three Jewels. The regular afternoon exercise time came to life with traditional Vietnamese games such as bamboo stick jumping and Vietnamese hacky-sack, singing songs of meditation and joyful practice, or just walking around the beautiful gardens of Prajna. Retreating to My Roots By Loan To Phan Loan between her parents at the Sangha’s Parents Appreciation Day Together we listened and shared deeply our inner suffering, challenges, and experiences in living the Buddhists teachings. The question-and-answer session contained some queries about forming and maintaining a Sangha for young people. As a Viet-kieu I was impressed at the openness, depth and wisdom my young Vietnamese friends had drawn from their experiences. For some, Thay’s Dharma talk was a confirmation of their hard-earned life lessons, while for others the retreat planted a seed of curiosity about what it means to live engaged Buddhism. The pouring monsoon, symbolising Dharma rain, came down generously as we shared deeply our experiences of life’s challenges the Mindfulness Bell 11
Page 1: Winter/Spring 2009 A Publication of
Page 4 and 5: Dear Thay, dear Sangha, A Journal o
Page 6 and 7: dharma TALK Thich Nhat Hanh in Indi
Page 8 and 9: dharma TALK Someone looking at you
Page 10 and 11: dharma TALK who are helping. What i
Page 14 and 15: may 2008 VIETNAM and successes duri
Page 16 and 17: may 2008 VIETNAM This was a promise
Page 18 and 19: may 2008 VIETNAM The mind can go in
Page 20 and 21: talks from VESAK to embody mindfuln
Page 22 and 23: talks from VESAK These few examples
Page 24 and 25: talks from VESAK Saving Indra’s N
Page 26 and 27: talks from VESAK factories gained o
Page 28 and 29: talks from VESAK assassination, ter
Page 30 and 31: dying into LIFE Halong Bay, Vietnam
Page 32 and 33: dying into LIFE finish hers, she of
Page 34 and 35: dying into LIFE We need to learn to
Page 36 and 37: dying into LIFE Resurrection in the
Page 38 and 39: dying into LIFE Racism is a collect
Page 40 and 41: dying into LIFE suffering is being
Page 42 and 43: dying into LIFE The Guest This bein
Page 44 and 45: sangha NEWS Protestant pastor, who
Page 46 and 47: sangha NEWS described, among other
Page 48 and 49: ook REVIEWS and Eve Merriam are amo
Page 51: NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID P

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