image source: plumvillage.org, School of Youth for Social Service brochure, photo caption: “Teaching village children games”
Monday, August 19, we will meet online.
Dear Friends,
This week: we will meet Monday evening, Aug. 19, from 7-8:30PM EDT online, Wednesday morning, Aug. 21, from 7-8AM EDT in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW), and Friday, Aug. 23, 12-1PM EDT online.
On Monday night, we will finish our summer book club reading of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Fragrant Palm Leaves. We will be reading through to the end.
Camille will facilitate and we will be discussing pages 179 - 212.
Please note there is no need to own the book or read the section in advance to enjoy the practice with us. Nor is there a need to attend every practice to benefit from the readings, as each Monday practice will continue to be a stand alone and complete practice. For an introduction to the book, read this.
In this section of the book, Thay moves between living in Saigon and in the “self-help villages” in rural Vietnam, which he has helped create along with the School of Youth for Social Service (SYSS).
While life in the villages continues to be challenging, the villagers are supported and encouraged by Thay, his friends, the monks, and many volunteers at the SYSS. The projects that the workers have started support the educational, health, and social needs of the villagers. Communication goes well in these villages as the SYSS encourages the villagers to be fully engaged in their own wellbeing and that of their neighbors.
Even though there is still the constant threat of war and more suffering, Thay shares that we don’t need to hate the enemy but to look at those who we believe are causing our suffering, with the “eyes of love and compassion.” He shares more about his ideas of “Engaged Buddhism,” that when we go out to help our neighbors, we are doing good, and because of that, good can come to us and all beings. All people can benefit – spiritually and physically. To me, I can clearly see that the Buddha’s insight of “Great Compassion” is really what we call interbeing: “We are in everything and everything is in us.”
Thay’s friend Thu, a worker at the SYSS, was asked by a villager, “How much money do you make working here?” Here is how he replied:
“We are not working for money, but for merit, Uncle. Our teacher says that doing good works to help our friends in the village builds merit, the same as doing good works for the temple. The temple provides us with food and a little bus money, that is the only salary we receive.”
Thay is delighted with Thu’s response. He says, “Thu’s words expressed the meaning of Engaged Buddhism. Merit is an important concept to Asian people. In Sanskrit, merit is called Punya. In every pagoda in Vietnam, especially in the countryside, laypeople find time to help with whatever work needs to be done. They believe that work done for the pagoda will bear good fruits – material and spiritual.”
Thay shares that people like Thu are giving birth to Engaged Buddhism:
“Engaged Buddhism in Vietnam teaches that good works do not need to be reserved for the pagoda, but can be extended to towns and villages.” Thu explained …, “People are suffering so much that even the Buddha no longer sits in the temple all the time. The Buddha himself goes out to the people.”
Some of the last words of Thay’s journal are shared below. This is the day before he leaves for the United States, not knowing that he will be exiled and not able to return to his “blessed homeland” for many many years:
“If some day you receive news that I have died because of someone’s cruel actions, know that I have died with my heart at peace. Know that in my last moments I did not succumb to anger. We must never hate another being. If you can give rise to this awareness, you will be able to smile. Remembering me, you will continue on your path. You will have a refuge that no one can take from you. No one will be able to disturb your faith, because that faith does not rely on anything in the phenomenal world. Faith and love are one and can only emerge when you penetrate deeply the empty nature of the phenomenal world, when you can see that you are in everything and everything is in you.”
I am extremely humbled by this section and all sections of this beautiful book, Fragrant Palm Leaves. To look at all beings with the “eyes and love and compassion” – even with someone that has caused you, your loved ones, or the bigger world harm – can be extremely difficult, and sometimes seemingly impossible. However, as I focus on what I know I can do now by helping others who are suffering, might I be able to do the former? Perhaps as I aspire to do this, I will be able to generate more love and compassion to all beings.
I am sad the book has ended, but it continues in my thoughts and actions. How might Thay’s actions and ideas come to fruition in your life? Could it be through your actions and thoughts?
I look forward to seeing you on Monday night and am very interested in your experience with this book, or other books, or your practice.
With much love,
Camille