Thich Nhat Hanh Dharma Talks

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There is Action but no Actor Jul 05, 2012

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June 10, 2012. 102-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the seventh dharma talk (of 15). We begin with two chants: Les Vision Profond (French) and Hien Tien Thanh Tinh (We are Truly Present). Interbeing of the entire cosmos. The flower is interacting with the entire cosmos. Topics Suffering and happiness Being and non-being Fourth Mindfulness Training - deep listening Readings From The Discourse on Emptiness in its Ultimate Meaning Monks, when the eye arises, there is no place from which it comes; when it ceases, there is no place to which it goes. Thus, the eye, without any real substance, arises; having arisen it will finally have to cease. It is a result of some action but there is no actor at all. And from The Paramartha Gathas of Asanga Gathas on the Absolute Truth 5. All conditioned things undergo change at every instant. Their abiding is not something real, much less their function. All we can say is that their arising is their function and their arising is also the agent. 6-7. Eyes cannot see form, ears cannot hear sound, the nose does not smell scent, the tongue does not taste an object, the body does not feel touch, the mind does not recognize objects of mind. However in the organs and objects of sense there is no one who maintains or begins the perception.

The Temple of Brotherhood Jul 03, 2012

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June 9, 2012. 127-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the sixth dharma talk (of 15). Just prior to this session, those attending the retreat received a 86-page booklet with sutras and a Letter to a Young Scientist. Three energies of practice Mindfulness Concentration Insight The practice of looking deeply along with a discussion of zen history. Tang Hoi, a vietnamese monk, brought zen to China. Zen. Chan. Thien. Dhyana. Four Notions of Letting Go (from Diamond Sutra) Self Man Living being Life span Thay spends the majority of talk teaching on self. A similar teaching is also found in Sutra #296 from Samyukta Agama. We read from The Paramartha Gathss of Asanga Gathas on the Absolute Truth (verses 1-2) 1. There is absolutely no subject, no agent and no one who enjoys the fruit of action (no one who feels). No dharma (phenomenon, object of mind) has any function. Nonetheless the passing on of one effect to another does take place. 2. There are only the 12 limbs of existence, the aggregates, the realms (ayatanas) and the worlds (dhatus) that are always changing. When we observe thoroughly and contemplate these things we shall not find a separate self anywhere. Twelve Ayatana Eyes (form) Nose (smell) Tongue (taste) Ears (sound) Body (touch) Mind (objects of mind) There is no "self" in this. The 18 dhata includes all the twelve above plus the following: Eye consciousness Nose consciousness Tongue consciousness Ears consciousness Body consciousness Mind consciousness Why do you think the "self" doesn't change when everything else does? At 1:28, Thay reads (not provided in the book) the Sutra #300 from Samyukta Agama. We continue with verse 44 from the same text above, followed by a portion of the "Discourse on the Middle Way" 44. Living beings is the name of a continuous stream and all phenomena as the object of perception are only signs. Therefore there is no real change of birth into death and death into birth and no person who realizes nirvana. At the end of talk, Thay provides commentary on why the Buddha had to continue the practice beyond enlightenment.

The Impermanence of Consciousness Jun 30, 2012

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June 7, 2012. 99-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from New Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the fifth dharma talk (of 15). This is an excellent session of questions and answers. Questions What is the difference between feelings and mental formations? Is euthanasia okay? Is it Right Action? Can we relieve physical Pain? How do I practice with the teaching of inferiority and equality complexes? How can we support out dharma teacher when s/he is not so skillful? How do I practice with the last four exercises from the sutra on the full awareness of breathing? Question on consciousness and impermanence. What happens to the mind after the body dies? How can you take refuge in the sangha if you don't trust? How can we build trust? Severe mental illness, such as bipolar, requires medicine to balance emotion. Can you clarify this as it relates to the practice?

Your Mother’s Hand, the Nectar of Love Jun 29, 2012

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June 6, 2012. 114-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Upper Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the fourth dharma talk (of 15). We begin with chanting followed by the main talk about 10-minutes into the recording. Topics of the Talk Harmonizing body, breath, and mind. Sangha Subject | Object

Time is Only Made of Non-Time Elements Jun 27, 2012

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June 4, 2012. 185-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Upper Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the third dharma talk (of 15). We begin with 10-minutes of chanting followed by the main dharma talk by Thay. After some mindful movements, we continue (at 2:10 into recording) with University of Virginia Astrophysicist Professor Trinh Xuan Thuan interviewing Thay. Topics of the Talk Obstacles of Buddhist Practice Knowledge Afflictions Four Foundations of Mindfulness Body Feelings Mind (51 mental formations) Objects of Mind ('nature' for the scientist) From the objects of mind we have "double grasping" and the "perceived and perceiver" - entanglement. Two Realities Ultimate Historical A=A?B (science) A?A=A (Buddhism) Interview Question 1: Buddhism says that one has to get rid of all previous knowledge, to have a clear mind. I think in science one has to know things that were done before, but keep a clear and open mind. Does Thay agree with this? Question 2: You said something about inanimate matter has intelligence. I'm not sure this is the current scientific view now. Even if you claim that an electron has consciousness, then I say that we have to say there are varying degrees of consciousness. I would say that an electron is very different from a human being. An electron has mass, its electric charge, and its spin, that's it. Once you've seen an electron, you've seen them all. Also, a flower. Chimpanzees have some human notion, so close to us in genes. I think there are different degrees of consciousness, and we cannot put everything on the same level. What is your response to that? Question 3: What is the concept of time in Buddhism? We have the impression that time passes, from the past to the present to the future. In science we learn that past, present and future are always there, and time is not the same for everyone, depending on the movement of the observer. Although there is a psychological time that seems to be there. That is the physical conception of time. So what is the Buddhist concept of time? Question 4: I like Buddhism not only because I was raised in it, but because it is very logical. It has the spirit of experimentation that a scientist would accept. The mind is the instrument. Objective and subjective reality, that's something true. As a scientist I realize that an observer is very important as part of what he sees. If you say that there is no objective reality independent of the mind, do you think, for example, that if you do not look at the moon, the moon does not exist? Do you really believe that an alternate universe without consciousness would not exist, if no one could be conscious of it?

The Science of Happiness Jun 26, 2012

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June 3, 2012. 103-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the second dharma talk (of 15). Topics Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing - exercises 5-8 Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path Three Concentrations

The Degree of Freedom Jun 25, 2012

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June 2, 2012. 82-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the first dharma talk (of 15). Topics Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing - the first four exercises Walking Meditation - arriving in the here and now Our teacher and the sangha feels very relaxed. In no hurry. We have 3-weeks to practice and learn. 0:00 The Practice of Listening to the Chant 21:30 Namo'valokiteshvaraya Chanting by the Monks and Nuns of Plum Village 43:30 Main Talk

Who is the Buddha? May 30, 2012

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May 27, 2012. 65-minute recording given at New Hamlet, Plum Village by Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a Day of Mindfulness. We learn who the Buddha is through the teachings of the Buddha. When we bow to the Buddha, we should see our true connection. Interbeing. The Buddha is enlightened with deep understanding and compassion. How can we produce it? The first step is awareness of suffering. The four noble truths. The Buddha is a human being. He is not a god. The Buddha is made of non-Buddha elements. Thay then makes the connection to the planet and science. The Buddha can be a sub-atomic particle. We hear two questions from the audience. How can we handle out habit energy in daily life? How can I heal violence around me? Thay reminds us the 21-day retreat begins in a few days. This will be part of our 30-year anniversary. For each dharma talk during the retreat, we will sit together in silence for 8-minutes. Stop our thinking and feel the presence of ourselves and others. There should be no noise during this time. Thay also wrote an intimate letter to a young scientist in preparation for retreat.

Where Can We Practice Mindfulness? May 28, 2012

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May 24, 2012. 55-minute recording given at Lower Hamlet, Plum Village by Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a Day of Mindfulness. Thay announces the next ordination for novices will be on July 4. The practice of Plum Village is mindfulness in order to transform and nourish. We can generate and store mindfulness with any action.

What is True Love? May 27, 2012

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May 20, 2012. 73-minute recording given at Lower Hamlet, Plum Village by Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a Day of Mindfulness and the monastics begin with two chants. The Buddha taught loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Thay thinks we can add two new elements to True Love: Trust. Confidence. Thay teaches on all these elements in addition to a brief examination of the Diamond Sutra as it relates to Interbeing.

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