The latest update out of Plum Village brings wonderful news for students and friends of Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay). As of yesterday, January 3rd, Thay is no longer in a coma. The update states that he has had his eyes open, has smiled and laughed, and recognizes familiar faces. He is, however, still not able to speak. Thay’s physical condition remains stable, and thanks to the excellent care Thay has received from the medical staff, he is able to enjoy... Read more
From all of us to all of you, many wishes of joy, peace, and happiness this holiday season. For many Americans and Europeans, the cultural trappings of Christmas make it a default holiday, even those who have long since given up believing in Santa and Christianity and Consumerism and all of the other things that make the holiday so… special. In my family this is a time for togetherness, and that tends to focus on the dining room table. Whether it’s for meals,... Read more
As Christmas and the New Year approach, and the darkest days come and pass, many people across the world continue to hold Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) in their hearts. The latest update from Plum Village, sent out last week, tells us that he is still in a coma but showing signs of wakefulness. The update continues, “There have been times when Thay had his eyes open for more than two hours, and is responsive, but he is not yet showing... Read more
This is a repost of a 2010 piece that was recently brought to my attention. Since work and travels have kept me away from the blog for a while and may do so for the coming weeks, I thought I’d share this again with some minor updates. And so here we go… ~ My thanks to Adam (of Home Brew Dharma) for pointing me to NellaLou at Smiling Buddhist Cabaret who has a great article (or should I say novella) today that begins by noting:... Read more
We share again the latest from Plum Village on Thich Nhat Hanh’s (Thay’s) health. Plum Village November 30, 2014 To all Plum Village Practice Centers, To all Practice Centers and Sanghas World Wide, To our Dear Beloved Friends, As the Winter Retreat continues to unfold in all our practice centers in Europe and America, Thay’s condition in the hospital remains stable. Thay continues to rest peacefully with the ticking clock on his pillow, and we sense that he is relying... Read more
Hmm… I almost put up scare quotes around ‘Eastern Philosophy’ – but then I thought I’d just put them up around ‘Eastern’ – and then just around ‘Philosophy’ – but perhaps each, separately, needed its own scare quotes. Then again, what exactly is an ‘infographic’? Scare quotes and worries about definitions aside (do some research and decide for yourself what these words mean), I was sent this the other day and found it interesting and useful enough to warrant sharing.... Read more
Plum Village has put out another update on Thay’s health today. It is brief and reproduced in full here: Official Announcement Re: Thay’s current condition Plum Village, 22 November, 2014 To all Plum Village Practice Centers, To all Practice Centers and Sanghas World Wide, To our Dear Beloved Friends, The doctors have expressed surprise at Thay’s resilience and stability over the last week, as the intensive treatment continues. Thay’s blood pressure and pulse are stable, he is still breathing on his... Read more
The temperatures have cooled and life has slowed down significantly here in Bodhgaya over the last week or two. Last Friday was the last day for teaching I’ve since enjoyed a few days of grading, paperwork, catching up with people, and a general, relieved sense of laziness. On Thursday I went out for Lhabab Düchen, one of the most important days of the year in Tibetan Buddhism, and made my way to the Mahabodhi Temple. On that day it is said that one’s... Read more
See updates at bottom – or, for those who won’t make it that far, Plum Village has posted a second official update including the following: In the early morning, Saturday, November 15, Thầy opened his eyes for the first time since his cerebral hemorrhage, to look at his attendants for a brief moment. He was very conscious and attentive to what was happening around him, lifting his left hand to touch the attendant next to him. Since then, he has also opened his... Read more
One of my favorite non-Buddhist religions to teach and to study is Jainism, which is a bit like Buddhist asceticism on steroids. Jains also share a deep respect for non-human animals and generally act on that in compassionate ways that put most other religions to shame. The religion is small, limited mostly to India, though there are Jains all over the world, so they rarely get much press. Yesterday I received the following newsletter from a Jain list I am on... Read more
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