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Welcome to episode 84 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhâs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino focus on profound Buddhist sutra The Discourse on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone. Using personal stories and examples, they illustrate the daily relevance of its teachings on being present in the moment, acceptance, and the interconnectedness of all things.
Brother Phap Huu discusses how this sutra emphasizes not dwelling in the past or worrying about the future, but instead being fully present in and accepting of the here and now. He also reflects on recent events in the Plum Village community, such as a fire that destroyed an important building and why this was a profound experience for the community, leading them to grieve the loss while also finding strength in their togetherness.Â
The presenters further explore grieving as a necessary part of the healing process, acknowledging loss rather than trying to bypass difficult emotions; the practice of being fully present (and how to recognize when one is truly present), even in times of chaos and uncertainty; the importance of community, the role of leadership, and the transmission of teachings; the need to accept suffering as a path to greater freedom and understanding; and much more.Â
Co-produced by the Plum Village App:
https://plumvillage.app/Â Â
And Global Optimism:
https://globaloptimism.com/
With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:
https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/
List of resources
Donate to support Plum Villageâs reconstructionÂ
https://plumvillage.org/donate
Interbeing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Â
Sister Hien Nghiem (Sister True Dedication)
https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiemÂ
Sutras
https://plumvillage.org/genre/sutrasÂ
Magnolia Grove Monastery
https://magnoliagrovemonastery.org/
âLetters from Thich Nhat Hanhâ
https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/lettersÂ
âPlum Village Practice Centersâ
https://plumvillage.org/community/monastic-practice-centresÂ
Dharma Talks: âRedefining the Four Noble Truthsâ
https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truthsÂ
Quotes
âThe Buddha taught: âDo not pursue the past. Do not lose yourself in the future. The past no longer is. The future has not yet come. Looking deeply at life as it is in the very here and now, the practitioner dwells in stability and freedom. We must be diligent today. To wait until tomorrow is too late. Death comes unexpectedly. How can we bargain with it? The sage calls a person who dwells in mindfulness night and day the one who knows the better way to live alone.ââÂ
âWe all have an appointment with life every day. And that appointment with life is the very here and now.âÂ
âTo not grieve would be to deny our humanity.â
âWe need the ability to ground ourselves, whether it is through a practice of sitting meditation, walking meditation, or mindful breathing: a place where we can be still and let all of our feelings appear, just like letting a lake become calm, so that we can identify and acknowledge how the world and the situation is affecting us.â
âBuilding my stability just means being able to also recognize the wonders I have in this moment. And that means also coming to community, coming to your loved ones, acknowledging what you have in this moment and what youâve lost.âÂ
âWe have to come together in order to resist. We have to come together in order to speak the voice that is not being heard right now, to show the injustice that is happening.â
âA collective voice is much stronger than an individual.â
âWe have to move with kindness even when we are being treated unkindly; we still have to respond with kindness. That is our vow and nobody can take that away. The only thing that can take that away is our own anger and our own decision about the actions that we take.â
âWe cannot lose the integrity and humanity that we have cultivated and developed. That is the freedom that we have. That is the stability that will be transmitted into the next generation.â
âWhatever emotion weâre cultivating, we will become that emotion. So if we cultivate anger, we will become angry. If we cultivate kindness and peace, but with the Zen sword of strength, then thatâs what we will become.â
âWe are not a creation, we are a manifestation. So we are here because we have been conditioned by many elements.â
âThich Nhat Hanh gives the metaphor of a boat thatâs in danger of sinking. If everyone is panicking, the boat will surely capsize and everyone will be lost. But sometimes it takes just one calm person on board to settle everyone down and save the boat. So thereâs something very powerful about not reacting to everything.â
âIf you know how to suffer, you will suffer much less.â
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12381,238 ratings
đ Get tickets to the live podcast episode in London.
Welcome to episode 84 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhâs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino focus on profound Buddhist sutra The Discourse on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone. Using personal stories and examples, they illustrate the daily relevance of its teachings on being present in the moment, acceptance, and the interconnectedness of all things.
Brother Phap Huu discusses how this sutra emphasizes not dwelling in the past or worrying about the future, but instead being fully present in and accepting of the here and now. He also reflects on recent events in the Plum Village community, such as a fire that destroyed an important building and why this was a profound experience for the community, leading them to grieve the loss while also finding strength in their togetherness.Â
The presenters further explore grieving as a necessary part of the healing process, acknowledging loss rather than trying to bypass difficult emotions; the practice of being fully present (and how to recognize when one is truly present), even in times of chaos and uncertainty; the importance of community, the role of leadership, and the transmission of teachings; the need to accept suffering as a path to greater freedom and understanding; and much more.Â
Co-produced by the Plum Village App:
https://plumvillage.app/Â Â
And Global Optimism:
https://globaloptimism.com/
With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:
https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/
List of resources
Donate to support Plum Villageâs reconstructionÂ
https://plumvillage.org/donate
Interbeing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Â
Sister Hien Nghiem (Sister True Dedication)
https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiemÂ
Sutras
https://plumvillage.org/genre/sutrasÂ
Magnolia Grove Monastery
https://magnoliagrovemonastery.org/
âLetters from Thich Nhat Hanhâ
https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/lettersÂ
âPlum Village Practice Centersâ
https://plumvillage.org/community/monastic-practice-centresÂ
Dharma Talks: âRedefining the Four Noble Truthsâ
https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truthsÂ
Quotes
âThe Buddha taught: âDo not pursue the past. Do not lose yourself in the future. The past no longer is. The future has not yet come. Looking deeply at life as it is in the very here and now, the practitioner dwells in stability and freedom. We must be diligent today. To wait until tomorrow is too late. Death comes unexpectedly. How can we bargain with it? The sage calls a person who dwells in mindfulness night and day the one who knows the better way to live alone.ââÂ
âWe all have an appointment with life every day. And that appointment with life is the very here and now.âÂ
âTo not grieve would be to deny our humanity.â
âWe need the ability to ground ourselves, whether it is through a practice of sitting meditation, walking meditation, or mindful breathing: a place where we can be still and let all of our feelings appear, just like letting a lake become calm, so that we can identify and acknowledge how the world and the situation is affecting us.â
âBuilding my stability just means being able to also recognize the wonders I have in this moment. And that means also coming to community, coming to your loved ones, acknowledging what you have in this moment and what youâve lost.âÂ
âWe have to come together in order to resist. We have to come together in order to speak the voice that is not being heard right now, to show the injustice that is happening.â
âA collective voice is much stronger than an individual.â
âWe have to move with kindness even when we are being treated unkindly; we still have to respond with kindness. That is our vow and nobody can take that away. The only thing that can take that away is our own anger and our own decision about the actions that we take.â
âWe cannot lose the integrity and humanity that we have cultivated and developed. That is the freedom that we have. That is the stability that will be transmitted into the next generation.â
âWhatever emotion weâre cultivating, we will become that emotion. So if we cultivate anger, we will become angry. If we cultivate kindness and peace, but with the Zen sword of strength, then thatâs what we will become.â
âWe are not a creation, we are a manifestation. So we are here because we have been conditioned by many elements.â
âThich Nhat Hanh gives the metaphor of a boat thatâs in danger of sinking. If everyone is panicking, the boat will surely capsize and everyone will be lost. But sometimes it takes just one calm person on board to settle everyone down and save the boat. So thereâs something very powerful about not reacting to everything.â
âIf you know how to suffer, you will suffer much less.â
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