Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh (gebore Nguyễn Xuân Bảo) (11 Oktober 1926, Huế (Unie van Indo-China) – 22 Januarie 2022, Huế (Viëtnam)  was 'n Viëtnamese Boeddhistiese monnik, vredesaktivis, digter en skrywer en het  'n groot deel van sy lewe in Frankryk gewoon. Thích kom van “Thích Ca” of “Thích Già” en beteken “behoort tot die Sakya-stam.” Sy volgelinge het hom Thay genoem (Thây is Viëtnamees vir onderwyser). Hy word erken as die hoofinspirasie vir "betrokke Boeddhisme".

Biografie
Thich Nhat Hanh het sy ouerhuis in 1942 op die ouderdom van sestien verlaat om 'n Zen-monnik te word. Na 'n verblyf in 'n klooster het hy in 'n verlate tempel in Saigon ingetrek. Tussen 1960 en 1963 studeer hy vergelykende kultuur aan die Princeton-universiteit in die Verenigde State. Hy het die SYSS (School for Youth Social Service) gestig, wat dorpenaars wat onder meer onder die Viëtnamoorlog gely het, gehelp het om gebombardeerde dorpies te herbou.

Ten spyte van erge politieke opposisie het hy die Boeddhistiese Van Hanh Universiteit in Viëtnam in 1964 gestig. Die regime het hom as 'n bedreiging beskou, wat hom gedwing het om sy vaderland in 1966 te verlaat. Dit was die begin van sy ballingskap waarop hy baie aangrypende gedigte geskryf het. Tydens sy daaropvolgende reise na die VSA het hy vir vrede met regeringsleiers gepleit. In 1967 is hy deur Martin Luther King genomineer vir die Nobelprys vir Vrede vir sy pasifistiese aktivisme. Ten spyte van King se sterk aanbeveling, het die komitee besluit om, soos die jaar tevore, glad nie enige prys toe te ken nie.

Van 1966 tot sy dood het hy 'n kloostergemeenskap en lekegroep 'Orde van Interwese' (Tiep Hien in Viëtnamees) gelei wat bewustheidsopleiding en betrokke Boeddhisme onderrig. In 1972 het hy 'n politieke vlugteling in Frankryk geword. In 1982 stig hy die Boeddhistiese sentrum Plum Village, 'n meditasiegemeenskap in die Dordogne. Hy het kloosters in New York, Parys, Hong Kong, Australië en sy geboorteland Viëtnam gestig.

Op 11 November 2014 is hy in die waakeenheid van 'n hospitaal in Bordeaux opgeneem met 'n ernstige breinbloeding.  Op 3 Januarie 2015 is aangekondig dat hy amptelik uit sy koma ontwaak het en die gesigte van geliefdes kon herken. Sedertdien kon hy nie praat nie, maar het aktief gebly as 'n geestelike leier. Hy het 'n geruime tyd in die VSA deurgebring vir mediese konsultasies. In November 2018 het die Viëtnamese owerhede hom toegelaat om terug te keer na sy worteltempel Tu Hieu in Viëtnam, met die wens om die laaste dae van sy lewe daar deur te bring.

Hy is op 22 Januarie 2022 dood ná komplikasies van sy beroerte sewe jaar tevore.

Bibliografie

 A Pebble for Your Pocket, Full Circle Publishing, 2001, 
 Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames, Riverhead Trade, 2002, 
 At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk's Life, with Jason Deantonis (Illustrator), Parallax Press, 2016, 
 The Moon Bamboo, Parallax Press, 1989, 
 Be Free Where You Are, Parallax Press, 2002, 
 Being Peace, Parallax Press, 1987, 
 Buddha Mind, Buddha Body: Walking Toward Enlightenment, Parallax Press, 2007, 
 Cultivating The Mind Of Love, Full Circle, 1996, 
 Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm, HarperOne, 2012, 
 Fragrant Palm Leaves: Journals, 1962–1966, Riverhead Trade, 1999, 
 Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers, Riverhead Books, 1999, 
 Hermitage Among the Clouds, Parallax Press, 1993, 
 How to Eat, Parallax Press, 2014, 
 How to Fight, Parallax Press, 2017, 
 How to Love, Parallax Press, 2014, 
 How to Relax, Parallax Press, 2015, 
 How to Sit, Parallax Press, 2014, 
 Is nothing something? : Kids' questions and zen answers about life, death, family, friendship, and everything in between, Parallax Press 2014, 
 Living Buddha, Living Christ, Riverhead Trade, 1997, 
 Love Letter to the Earth, Parallax Press, 2012, 
 Mindful Movements: Ten Exercises for Well-Being, Parallax Press 2008, 
 No Death, No Fear, Riverhead Trade reissue, 2003, 
 No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering, Parallax Press, 2014, 
 Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha, Parallax Press, 1991, 
 Old Path, White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha Blackstone Audio, Inc.; 2016, 
 Our Appointment with Life: Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone, Parallax Press, 1990, 
 Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, Bantam reissue, 1992, 
 Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child, Parallax Press, 2010, 
 
 Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise, HarperOne (1705), 2015, ASIN: B014TAC7GQ
 Teachings on Love, Full Circle Publishing, 2005, 
 The Art of Communicating, HarperOne, 2013, 
 The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now, HarperOne, 2017, 
 The Art of Power, HarperOne, 2007, 
 The Blooming of a Lotus, Beacon Press, 2009, 
 The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion, Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Diamond Sutrs, Parallax Press, 1992, 
 The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Broadway Books, 1999, 
 The Heart Of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, Full Circle, 1997, ,  (2005 Edition)
 The Miracle of Mindfulness, Rider Books, 1991, 
 The Miracle of Mindfulness: A Manual on Meditation, Beacon Press, 1999,  (Vietnamese: Phép lạ của sự tỉnh thức).
 The Novice: A Story of True Love, HarperCollins, 2011, 
 The Other Shore: A New Translation of the Heart Sutra with Commentaries, Palm Leaves Press, 2017, 
 The Path of Emancipation: Talks from a 21-Day Mindfulness Retreat, Unified Buddhist Church, 2000, 
 The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh, Shambhala Pocket Classics, 2012, 
 The Raft Is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward a Buddhist/Christian Awareness, Daniel Berrigan (mede-outeur), Orbis Books, 2000, 
 The Sun My Heart, Parallax Press, 1988, 
 Thich Nhat Hanh: Essential Writings, Robert Ellsberg (Editor), Orbis Books, 2001, 
 Touching the Earth: Intimate Conversations with the Buddha, Parallax Press, 2004, 
 Transformation and Healing: Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, Full Circle, 1997, 
 True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart, Shambhala Publications, 1997, 
 Under the Banyan Tree, Full Circle Publishing, 2008, 
 Understanding Our Mind, HarperCollins, 2006, 
 Vietnam: Lotus in a sea of fire. New York, Hill and Wang. 1967.
 You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment, Shambhala Publications, 2010, 
 Your True Home: The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh, Shambhala Publications, 2011, 
 Zen Keys: A Guide to Zen Practice, Harmony, 1994, 
 Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet, Harper Collins, 2021,

Verwysings

Boeddhisme
Geboortes in 1926
Sterftes in 2022