Thich Nhat Hanh: Zen Master and Simple Monk (Episode #8)

Welcome to episode eight of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s 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 episode, on the eve of Thich Nhat Hanh’s 95th birthday (or continuation day), presenters Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and lay Buddhist practitioner and journalist Jo Confino take a walk down memory lane, remembering behind-the-scenes stories about Thay (Vietnamese for “teacher”): the humble monk, rather than his well-known public persona as spiritual teacher.They do so in Sitting Still Hut in Upper Hamlet, Thay’s residence during his years in Plum Village. By taking a tour of the hut, they trace the teacher’s daily routine and linger over the minimal but essential objects in his life. With fine strokes, the conversation portrays Thay the gardener and community builder, his (compassionate) fierceness, his incredible memory, and his ability to turn complex teachings into simple, accessible ones. 

Through many memories, Jo and Phap Huu muse about minimalism, sharing, consumerism, simplicity, the beginner’s mind, being grounded, nourishing humility and humbleness, the power of smiles, and some of Thay’s major teachings and legacies.Befittingly, Brother Phap Huu ends the episode with a guided meditation.

Happy continuation day, dear Thay!

Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/

And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/

With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/

List of resources 

A Precious Gift for Thich Nhat Hanh’s 95th Continuation Day: Deep Listening for Mother Earthhttps://plumvillage.org/articles/giftforthay/

The Toadskin Hut and Paths of Legendhttps://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/the-toadskin-hut-and-paths-of-legend/

Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flameshttps://www.parallax.org/product/anger/

Sister Chan Khonghttps://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong/

Dalai Lamahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama

Joan Miróhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mir%C3%B3

Beginner’s mind (shoshin)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin

Plum Village Practice Centershttps://plumvillage.org/monastic-practice-centres/

Plum Village Hamletshttps://plumvillage.org/retreats/visiting-us/hamlet/

Deer Park Monasteryhttps://deerparkmonastery.org/

Quotes“Simplicity and nothing extra: everything in the hut is something that he uses and has a meaning.” 

“Humility comes through action; not through what you say, but through how you live.”

“Meditation is the capacity to really be in the present moment to connect to oneself and to others.”

“In Buddhism, we have to learn to identify the simple joys in our life and our simple happiness. We may think that happiness is something very far away, something that we have to work hard to achieve. But if you touch the present moment and are really in touch with what you have right here, right now, are you sure that those conditions aren’t enough for you to be happy?”

“Thay made the teachings so simple just by the way he walked, by the way he was there with us.”

“Thay’s way of renewing Buddhism is to make the teachings of the Buddha and the teachings of mindfulness part of everyday life. And it’s not something that you seek for 10 or 20 years of practice, then say, ‘I got it’; you can say ‘I got it’ in this very moment.” 

“It’s only when you go very deep into something that you can make it simple.”

“In our daily life, it is okay to make mistakes. But to continue, to move forward, we have to stand up and we have to clean up our mistakes.”

“Thay often talks about the fact that the Buddha was not a god, but a human being. And I think, by teaching that, he’s saying that anyone can be like the Buddha. The Buddha wasn’