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About the Form of Practice
Thich Nhat Hanh's
lineage, the School of the Bamboo Forest, has been influenced by the
Theravadin Buddhism prevalent in Southeast Asia, as well as by Zen and
Mahayana Buddhist schools found in China and Japan. Thich Nhat Hanh's
teaching combines both forms of practice. Emphasis is placed on basic
Buddhist mindfulness practices found in Theravadin texts such as The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing and The Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness.
By bringing body, mind, and breath into oneness through the practice of
sitting meditation, the practitioner is able to become concentrated, to
look deeply, to understand, and to love. Drawing up Mahayana texts such
as The Heart Sutra and the Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion Sutra,
the practitioner comes to understand "inter-being" with all life, and
acts appropriately. Throughout, emphasis is placed not only on formal
sitting and walking meditation, but also upon how to incorporate basic
Buddhist mindfulness practice into our daily activities.
Nominated by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1966,
Thich Nhat Hanh
is Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, scholar, and peace activist. He is
the founder of Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon, and the author
of a number of books, including:
- The Miracle of Mindfulness
- Being Peace
- Living Buddha, Living Christ
- Friends on the Path
At his community, Plum Village in France, he teaches, writes, and leads retreats. |