Thich NhaT Hanh (b. 1926)

Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the greatest contemporary Buddhist teachers and the most famous master of Vietnamese Buddhism. He developed his own brand of syncretic teaching and practice and has been most successful in popularizing Buddhism in the West. He is a noted poet, artist, writer, creator, and innovator. He has written more than 85 books, including Peace Is Every Step, Being Peace, Touching Peace, Call Me by My True Names, Living Buddha, Living Christ, and Teaching on Love and Anger.

[Page 1283]Thich Nhat Hanh was born at Tha Tien, Quang Ngai. His teacher was the 41st-generation teacher of Lamte Zen. He was ordained in 1949. In 1950, he cofounded An Quang Buddhist Institute and Phuong Boï Monastery. In 1961, he went to Princeton University and Columbia University. In 1963, he cofounded Van Hanh University and La Boi Press in Vietnam. In 1964, he founded the School of Youth for Social Services.

At the end of the Vietnam War, he was barred from returning home. He lived near Paris and then continued his international fight for peace. In 1969, he established the Unified Buddhist Church in France, which brings together Theravada and Mahayana traditions.

In 1982, he founded Plum Village, a grouping of five hamlets around Duras, east of Bordeaux, France. It is his home base and a major monastery, hosting more than 100 nuns and monks, and novices from Vietnam and the West. He teaches there publicly on Sundays. In 1983, he founded the Community of Mindful Living in Berkeley; in 1997, the Green Mountain Monastery and Maple Forest, Vermont; and then in 2000, Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California. He has spoken for peace in many world meetings. The Vietnamese government approached him in 2004 to return and play a role in Vietnamese society, so he went back home to work toward the reconciliation of the people and their leaders.

Not only is Vietnamese Buddhism syncretic, but Thich Nhat Hanh personalized it even further. He popularized the term engaged Buddhism, which can be credited to the 13th-century King Tran Nhan Tong. His teaching is close to that of the eighth-generation teacher of the Lieu Quan School (1670–1742), a reformed Zen school popular in central Vietnam.

He founded the Order of Inter Being in 1964 and drafted the “14 Mindfulness Trainings.” He holds that women are equal to men. He has made Meditation Walk a common daily practice even for lay people, whereby the disciples walk as slowly as possible to attune their body to the land, the universe, and the spirit. His communities are based on a democratic management style, respect for seniority, and automatic self-regulation.