c


        

   

18/06/2010

ThichNhatHanh Hong Kong Tour 2010: Engaged Buddhism and his lifeƞs

work

Raymond Lam

November is a special month for Hong Kong, because ThichNhatHanh will

be visiting Asiaƞs World City with the theme: Ơ Happiness is here and nowơ.

The message that contentment can be realized in the present moment

with mindfulness remains extremely pertinent for a vibrant but stress -filled

city like Hong Kong. Yet happin ess is never complete without morality.

There is a distinctly ethical dimension to mindfulness. NhatHanh places

heavy emphasis on Engaged Buddhism, which has become popular with

younger generations because of its emphasis on action and social

awareness. This feature builds on last weekƞs introduction to this unique

teacher and includes a short list of recommended books for interested

readers. More introductory reviews will follow as NhatHanhƞs arrival draws

closer.
Formally, growth in Dharma can be said t o begin when one agrees with

the Four Noble Truths and accepts them as the starting point of Buddhism.

But ThichNhatHanh goes one step further and points out that the Perfect

One loves all beings without exception. So great is the Buddhaƞs

compassion that he reveals himself through endless means to save

suffering beings in the universe. To follow the Buddha's example is to

engage with the world morally and responsibly. By practicing Engaged

Buddhism, disciples are able to translate Buddhist philosophy into

everyday life.

In this sense, NhatHanh does not feel limited by religion and sectarian

boundaries. One striking similarity that he shares with other leaders

renowned for their social work is the emphasis on healing oneself as well

as the Ơenemyơ. He warns that we may have good intentions while feeling

the allure of the Ơenemy mindsetơ. It is a mindset that is based on

vindictiveness and retribution rather than interbeing and relationship.

While Buddhism teaches the objectivity of morality and justice, Nha tHanh

emphasizes that mindfulness will make us more receptive to healing and

reconciliation, which go beyond punishment and revenge. This is an

extremely noble task to undertake, considering different factions pillaged

his homeland during the Vietnam War. But Martin Luther King Jr.

nominated NhatHanh for the Nobel Peace Prize precisely because of this

religious commitment to healing.

ƠI do not personally know of anyone more worthyƦ than this gentle

Buddhist monk from Vietnam. I know ThichNhatHanh, and am privileged

to call him my friendƦ He is a holy man, for he is humble and devout. He

is a scholar of immense intellectual capacityƦ he is also a poet of superb

clarity and human compassionƦ

The history of Vietnam is filled with chapters of exploitation by outside

powers and corrupted men of wealth, until even now the Vietnamese are

harshly ruled, ill-fed, poorly housed, and burdened by all the hardships

and terrors of modern warfare.

ThichNhatHanh offers a way out of this nightmare, a solution acceptable

to rational leaders. He has traveled the world, counseling statesmen,

religious leaders, scholars and writers, and enlisting their support. His

ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to

world brotherhood, to humanityơ (January 25, 1967).

=

  e
   elp u 
uer

 
lve
pp y, bu
  e


e e, e re u


 y 
e
 e 
 je
 


eq
y, p
vey

ppe
  evey 
y e 
. T    e





 =

  E
e B 
  e 
e
e



e p e p.

     c
 

O  P
 , W e C
 (P


x Pe, 1991): M
y ee   b

p y


 e B
 e
 T  =

  

 qe 
epee,

p


 
 b 
 ee 
 q
y 

 e B ee Oe
  e

e

 p e 
e   
 y, e,
 p e. T e M
e

 
e
 bee   e e
 ,
 
p

e
 
ye e

 . T  b



pee
e
 ve y 


  e

B
 e 
  e,
  e
y 
e
 
y ev
e 
 

 evey
y b ev


ve
 
e. T  
 e

 p

 
 e
 D

.

T e D

 Pe: S
e
 Le e 
 Ve
 (P


x Pe,

2007): I
e
 =

  
 e

 p 
,
 e e
y e
e p
 
  e

 Ve
ee 
ye  
e


e. C

e
e b
  b
 
 e 
e e
y 

evy, e

,
 . =

 
 
 
y,
 
p

y,


e

y,
 
 e
vy 
e
ve

pey
 Ve
ee



ve 
 eve  e
e

e
 
 
 , Pe S
.

Bey
  v
e


e


v y e
 
e 
  
pv
e

 
   e
e, T e D

 Pe  ee
e
 


y
e 
 e 
e

b
  e 
ve p
y
 =

 

e
.

T e A
 P
e (
peOe, 2008): P
e ,

 
 e Ze

M
e, 
e
y e

 
be 
e  

ppee



 e. T  

ep

b
  e 
e
 p
e e
 
e

ee 

  ee 
  ey  be
e




 ee


 e . I   b
ve b

, =

 b
 y
e 
  e 


p
e pe
p e
e 
e 

e  e 
  , e,
   

v . T ey
e  e pe
p e 
e
 e e 
 
 eeve y;

 ey
e  e e
e 
 
 j
 e


 q
e,
  ey
e

 e 
 e
 
 e 
e   e 
b e 
p e
e. Ie





 
 p
e



ee, =

 
e e  


 
e-ex
e  y e 
 
be p
e ,

 e 


e
y

 e p

e.