Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a world-renowned spiritual teacher, poet, and peace activist. His groundbreaking teachings on mindfulness, global ethics, and peace are highly respected around the world.
Soon after his ordination as a monk in Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh began to develop a vision of an engaged Buddhism that could provide immediate answers to society's needs. In his homeland, he was already a well-known teacher and social worker when he was exiled for his peace work. In the West, he played a key role in spreading the practice of mindfulness, and he founded mindful communities (sanghas) around the world. His teachings have moved and influenced countless human beings around the globe.
Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) was a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, peace activist, and spiritual leader. Born in central Vietnam, he became a novice monk at an early age and later pursued studies in Buddhism, philosophy, and comparative religion.
Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings emphasized mindfulness, compassion, and engaged Buddhism—the application of Buddhist principles to address social and environmental issues. He coined the term "interbeing" to convey the interconnectedness of all life.
During the Vietnam War, Thich Nhat Hanh advocated for peace and reconciliation, working to bridge divides and heal suffering. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967.
In the 1960s, he founded the Order of Interbeing and later established Plum Village, a Buddhist practice center in France. His teachings on mindfulness meditation gained popularity worldwide and influenced fields such as psychology and holistic health.
Thich Nhat Hanh's written works, including "The Miracle of Mindfulness" and "Peace Is Every Step," offer practical guidance for integrating mindfulness into daily life. His teachings emphasize the cultivation of inner peace and the transformation of suffering.
His legacy includes the establishment of mindfulness retreats, the Plum Village tradition, and global peace initiatives. Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings continue to inspire individuals seeking personal well-being, social harmony, and a deeper connection to themselves and the world.
Thich Nhat Hanh explains, that our suffering comes from our wrong perceptions, from our misunderstanding. The practice of meditation, the practice of looking deeply has the purpose of removing wrong perceptions from us. If we are able to remove our wrong perceptions we will be able to be free from the afflictions and the sufferings that always arise from wrong perceptions.
