The Meaning of the Order of Interbeing
A dharma talk given by Thay on June 11, 2010, at the European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB) in Germany, during a retreat for the Order of Interbeing.
Yesterday afternoon, I finished translating the last sentence of the Chinese version of the Dhammapada. Many of you here have read the Dhammapada translated from Pali, but few have read it from Chinese. The Chinese Dhammapada in the Chinese Canon is richer and has thirteen more chapters than the Pali version. Chapter One speaks about Impermanence. The final sentence of the Chinese Dhammapada reads: "It seems grey hairs have begun to appear on my head. It seems my youth has been stolen. It seems a heavenly messenger has come to inform me, and perhaps I should become a monastic soon." That is the last line of the Chinese Dhammapada. Isn't it wonderful? Whoever has started getting grey hair, please raise your hand. If you haven't ordained yet, consider it. If you are already ordained, ask yourself whether you have truly ordained.
To be born as a human being on this Earth is a great piece of good fortune. We have the chance to stroll through this earthly paradise, and if we do not know how to stroll, it is a great waste. We have a calligraphy phrase that comes from a Chinese poem: "If in this life you do not practice mindfulness, you waste a human lifetime in vain." I translated it into Vietnamese like this: "Without knowing how to stroll in the Pure Land, a human life is lived in vain." Our purpose in coming into this world is to stroll. Strolling is the most important thing. It seems the songwriter Trịnh Công Sơn also realized this when he wrote: "On an early autumn afternoon, listening to the horse's hooves returning to a distant place." We must go out and enjoy the journey. We only need to open our eyes and listen to be in touch with the wonders of life: birds singing, pines rustling, flowers blooming... Our paradise is already here, but we have let someone steal our youth, leaving our hair grey today. We have wasted our time uselessly. Therefore, we must wake up and learn to live the remaining days of our life deeply. Otherwise, it would be a great pity.
The Chinese Dhammapada also begins with a beautiful line: "Wake up, open your heart with joy, and smile." And we have our gatha:
Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand-new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully in each moment
And to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.
When the Buddha was eighty years old, he spent all his time strolling. He went south, went north, went everywhere. Wherever he went, he fully enjoyed the landscape and geography of that region. He was traveling, but he was also teaching. Teaching the Dharma was his way of strolling. He did not waste his time. He knew his remaining time was short, so he cherished every moment left in his life. We can say that in his final years, the Buddha spent a great deal of time strolling.
King Pasenadi was born in the same year as the Buddha and was also eighty years old that year. Seeing the Buddha traveling so much, the king felt inspired to travel too. Seeing the Buddha strolling with the monks and nuns, the king took some of his retinue to travel throughout his kingdom. They were two close friends—one a spiritual king, the other a temporal king. While traveling, the two friends met, and that became their final meeting. The scriptures recorded this meeting in a beautiful sutra called the Dhammacetiya Sutta (The Monument to the Dhamma). If you haven't read it, you should. In it, King Pasenadi praises the Buddha in front of Venerable Ānanda.
Walking meditation is a very important practice in Plum Village. Walking meditation means taking every step in peace and freedom. Walking meditation is the practice of strolling. We often walk as if chased by a ghost. We walk and talk at the same time, so we cannot enjoy our steps. Therefore, practicing walking meditation is learning how to enjoy every single step.
When you drink a cup of tea, you can cherish and hold the tea cup with care, savoring every sip with complete happiness. Those who do not know how to drink tea gulp it down like Coca-Cola. That kind of drinking is called "drinking like a cow." But those who know how to drink tea take small sips, holding the tea in their mouth to feel its sweetness as it goes down. Naturally, even with a small cup of tea, when you lift it to drink, it contains brotherhood, sisterhood, mindfulness, freedom, and peace. Such a cup of tea wakes you up and brings great happiness. That is why we have tea meditation in the Plum Village tradition. Tea meditation means learning to drink tea in mindfulness. Just one cup of tea can bring so much happiness and brotherhood. Sometimes, a whole hour is spent enjoying just one cup of tea.
When we drink tea like that, or when we eat our meals, we enjoy every morsel of food. We eat gently, slowly, enjoying the flavor of every herb and piece of tofu. We eat in a way that generates happiness and freedom—very different from how pigs eat in their pen. We are aware of every strand of vegetable, every piece of tofu... Eating in a way that brings peace, comfort, freedom, and brotherhood. Two or three times a day, we have the opportunity to practice this. Sitting and eating together is a practice. We do not rush through the meal just to finish it. We eat as a practice, and eating to generate happiness is also strolling. Just like when you have a cup of ice cream, you eat it so that every spoonful brings enjoyment and peace.
In France, they sometimes advertise yogurt like this: "This yogurt is delicious. Eat it slowly so it lasts longer." A human life is the same. We must live gently, savoring and enjoying every single moment. The moments life offers us to live must be cherished; we must live deeply and freely. To do so, we must learn, rely on the Sangha, and practice step by step. Otherwise, a lifetime is wasted. No one stole your youth. It is because we did not know how to live and cherish it. We wasted our own youth. Now our hair is grey; the heavenly messenger has arrived. The white hair on our head is a bell of mindfulness. If we continue living like this, this body will disintegrate very quickly. So we must wake up and learn to live in a way that leaves no regrets, living so that every moment of daily life becomes a legend for our descendants. Our ancestors lived like that in the past, and now we must do the same.
In the recent retreat for German speakers, the retreatants were very happy. They deeply cherished walking meditation. When they saw me holding the hands of two young children, walking on the green grass among yellow and purple flowers, they clearly saw that this was the garden of paradise—there was no need to go anywhere else, and every step was a pleasure. We enjoy every step, just as we enjoy every sip of tea or spoon of ice cream. "Why rush and hurry, only to trip on stones and get caught in ropes?" Walk so that every step is peace and happiness. This is why the Plum Village practice is to walk without talking. If you talk while walking, you can no longer enjoy your steps, just as talking while eating prevents you from enjoying your food.
In our community, there are those who can walk like this; they enjoy every step. They do not lose their youth; they do not lose their paradise. When I see my students walking like that, I feel very happy. I say: "These people can continue me; they can continue the Buddha." By taking such steps, we continue the career of the Buddha, the Patriarchs, and the Teacher. We have a habit of losing ourselves. We just heard instructions on walking meditation and silence, but as soon as we step outside, we talk loudly and lose our steps immediately.
During the German retreat at the EIAB in June 2010, there were over six hundred retreatants. The monks and nuns gave their whole hearts to organize it. The monastics and lay practitioners worked diligently to serve the retreat, and they were richly rewarded. You did everything—cooking, cleaning, sweeping, taking out the trash—out of love. Just seeing the joy, happiness, smiles, and transformation of the retreatants is a wonderful reward. Seeing our German friends practice with happiness and transformation brought great joy to the monastics. We wish for others to be happy, and now that wish has come true. We want happiness for ourselves, but seeing others happy makes us twice as happy. What we receive is far greater than what we give.
A retreat with many experienced practitioners is bound to succeed, because that is our solid foundation. A new practitioner looks to the left and sees someone walking mindfully; looks to the right and sees another walking mindfully, at ease, and at peace; looks ahead and sees someone walking mindfully and peacefully; looks behind and sees steps taken in ease. In such an environment, the new practitioner can only move forward, not backward. How could anyone walk hurriedly when everyone else is walking in mindfulness? Therefore, when participating in a retreat, we must contribute our part. Beyond our personal practice, we must enjoy every moment of the retreat—enjoy every breath, every step, every smile—and that is our gift to ourselves and to everyone else in the retreat.
Brother Pháp Ấn shared a story about a priest who attended the retreat. He was deeply impressed to see such a large crowd of practitioners staying quiet, attentive, listening to the talks with all their heart, engaging in Dharma sharing wholeheartedly, and eating in silence. He wished the congregation in his own parish could do the same. This does not mean we are already perfect. We can do better. We can walk better. We can practice conscious breathing better. We can use loving speech better. We can practice noble silence better. And we must acknowledge that our German friends practiced with all their hearts. Partly because they were supported by the monastics and lay friends here, and partly because they cherished the five days they had to practice with us.
Every member of the Order of Interbeing must be a pillar, a source of inspiration. The brown robe symbolizes humility. When we put on the brown robe, we must prove that we are humble. In Vietnam, brown is the color of farmers, the color of modesty. Brown is also the color of great courage and strength—a quiet strength, silent yet noble. When wearing the monastic brown robe, we must embody that spirit of humility. We do not consider ourselves superior or entitled. We possess spiritual strength, and that strength is not noisy, but very quiet. That is the meaning of the color brown. The same applies to lay members of the Order of Interbeing: when wearing the brown lay jacket, they carry that same spirit of humility and the power of silence.
The Meaning of "Tiếp Hiện" (Interbeing)

The term Tiếp Hiện has many layers of meaning. First is the word Tiếp, which has three meanings:
To receive (Tiếp nhận): What do we receive, and from whom? We receive goodness, beauty, insight, and virtue from our ancestors. We receive the wonderful Dharma—the seed of wisdom—from our spiritual ancestors as our capital. Therefore, the first duty of an Order member is to receive the beauty and wisdom passed down by our ancestors. For example, when Thay invites the bell, you can learn how he does it. Yet, after two or three years of ordination, some still cannot invite the bell properly; the sound remains harsh or blocked. That is because one has not observed attentively to receive it.
Whether lay or monastic, when we are truly present and close to Thay or our elder brothers and sisters, we can learn a lot and receive very quickly. The way Thay walks, stands, and interacts with others is a transmission. We only need to observe to receive it. We receive from the Buddha, the Patriarchs, Thay, and those who came before us. Sometimes, those who arrived after us have received before us, so we must learn from them too, even from those younger than us. Receiving here means receiving an inheritance—not of money or jewels, but of the Dharma. Ask yourself: How much have I received? The Patriarchs truly want to give, but we may not be willing or able to receive. As the poet Xuân Diệu wrote: "Giving so much, yet receiving so little," disappointing the giver. Learning and practicing are processes of receiving. We must be present to receive, and once we have received, we can continue the stream.
To continue (Tiếp nối): Whom do we continue? We continue the Buddha, the Patriarchs, Thay, and our ancestors. A filial child continues the aspirations of their parents. A devoted student continues the work of their teacher. To continue, we must receive the vows and practice from the Buddha, the Patriarchs, and Thay.
To touch (Tiếp xúc): What do we touch? First, we touch the wonders of the present moment—the miraculous life present within and around us. Otherwise, a human life is wasted. But to touch life, we must be present. Touching in this way nourishes us, transforms us, and helps us grow. Touching also means touching the suffering within ourselves and in our families and society. Once we understand this suffering, we know what to do and what not to do to transform it. On one hand, we touch wonders for nourishment; on the other, we touch suffering to understand, love, and transform. That is the meaning of Tiếp.
The word Hiện has four meanings:
The present (Hiện tại): What is present right now is life, the Pure Land. Hiện is sometimes translated as kiến, meaning to see what is happening around us.
The present Dharma / Realities (Hiện pháp): What is taking place in the present moment. It also means seeing what is right before us—the Sangha, the pine trees, the rain, the sun... We must touch all of these. The real suffering in life is also what we see and must touch. We do not stay in an ivory tower of imagination, logic, or ideology. We must touch reality and its wonders directly. By touching what is actually happening, we can practice Aiming at the Present Moment as Our True Home (Hiện Pháp Lạc Trú - Dwelling happily in the present moment).
To manifest / Realize (Thực hiện): Making our aspirations concrete. Our spiritual realization is an act of manifestation. Our dream and vow are to attain freedom. We do not want to live a life of entanglement and bondage. We want freedom because only freedom brings true happiness. So we want to tear through the nets of craving, hatred, and jealousy that imprison us. Those nets entangle us, and we want to break free. Monastics practice like deer escaping a trap, running freely in all four directions. That was the praise of a heavenly being upon seeing the monastics strolling without being caught in any net. "Like deer freed from a trap, running freely in all directions." As the Buddha said in the sutras.
There is a short sutra in the Āgamas. One summer, a group of monastics held a retreat in a forest. They practiced sitting meditation, Dharma sharing, and silent meals very happily for three months. Some heavenly beings in the forest felt very happy benefiting from their presence. But after three months, the monastics departed, leaving the forest empty and sad. One heavenly being sat crying.
Another asked: "Why are you sitting there crying?" 
The first replied: "Because for three months, monastics stayed here practicing sitting, Dharma sharing, and eating in silence with so much peace. Now they have all left. Where did they go?"
The second replied: "They went to Kosala, Vaisali, and elsewhere. They are free human beings, like deer escaping a trap, running freely in all four directions. That is how free and happy the disciples of the Buddha are."
The short verse says:
Like deer escaping a trap,
Running freely in all directions,
The monastic disciples of the Buddha
Are truly that free.
Manifestation does not mean building an institution. Even the EIAB is not the most important realization. True manifestation is spiritual attainment. The main task of a practitioner is to realize freedom. That is the goal and direction of a monastic. As students of the Buddha, whether monastic or lay, we do not want a life of bondage. If we want freedom, we must apply ourselves to the practice. That daily effort constitutes the true value of a practitioner, liberating us from the nets of status, fame, and attachment. What we seek is liberation and freedom.
Modernization / Actualization (Hiện đại hóa): Adapting the practices so they are suitable for the modern age, fitting both the truth and the capacity of the people.
With all these meanings of Tiếp Hiện, it is difficult to translate into English. That is why we provisionally translated it as the Order of Interbeing. Those who do not know Vietnamese need to learn the meaning of these two words to understand the nature and direction of the Order.
With these ideas, we can understand what it means to have an active Buddhism in the world—what we call Engaged Buddhism—rather than a Buddhism confined to monasteries. A monastery is not a reality cut off from the world. It should be seen as a nursery for growing young plants. When those plants grow strong enough, they are planted out in society. Buddhism exists for the sake of the world, not for the sake of Buddhism itself. Without the world, there would be no need for Buddhism. Our monasteries and practice centers must serve as nurseries where we are protected and given conditions to grow. Once mature, we must go out into society to serve. That is Engaged Buddhism. Even while inside the monastery, the intention to enter the world is already present; studying and practicing are simply preparation.
The Order of Interbeing – An Extended Arm

In China, they used the term "Humanistic Buddhism" (Nhân gian Phật giáo), meaning Buddhism among human beings. "Human realm" refers to the human world. Buddhism belongs right here in society. "Humanistic Buddhism" is simply "Engaged Buddhism." Since the 1930s, about eighty years ago, a movement for Engaged Buddhism began in Vietnam. Buddhist journals at that time spoke of "Humanistic Buddhism" and "Buddhism entering life."
Growing up around the age of ten, I was influenced by this movement. Reading books and magazines, I learned that in the past, Buddhism played an important role in bringing peace and stability to the nation. History shows that during the Lý and Trần dynasties, Buddhism flourished. From the kings and officials down to the common people, everyone practiced. It was the spiritual life force, the Dharma body of an entire nation. The kings of the Lý and Trần dynasties were deeply devoted practitioners. The first king of the Trần dynasty, Trần Thái Tông, though a political leader facing countless court issues, still practiced meditation and six daily periods of repentance.
At twenty, King Trần Thái Tông possessed a great determination to practice. He carried deep pain in his heart, but by overcoming it, he committed to the path and succeeded. He mastered Buddhist teachings, practiced meditation, and wrote works that remain today. His 43 Zen koans and the Six Periods of Repentance show that even amidst politics, he made time to study and practice. Every two hours of work, he paused to practice for twenty minutes before continuing his duties. Could President Obama do that today? A spiritual lifestyle nourishes us and keeps us strong to be good leaders. So let us not say: "Oh, I am too busy to sit or walk in meditation." A king could do it; we cannot use busyness as an excuse.
Engaged Buddhism did not start in 1930; it has been in our tradition for a very long time. It is not a new trend, and we are simply its continuation. We have works like Today's Buddhism, Modernized Buddhism, and Engaged Buddhism. Once we understand Tiếp and Hiện, our journey becomes simple: moving from Engaged Buddhism to Applied Buddhism.
While we have the term "Engaged Buddhism," we now also have "Applied Buddhism," similar to applied science or applied mathematics. When teaching about the Three Jewels, explaining the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, we must show people how to apply these teachings to daily life. During this German retreat, we had a talk on applying the teachings of the Three Jewels. How do we practice taking refuge? Reciting "I take refuge in the Buddha" or "Buddha saraṇaṃ gacchāmi" is merely a declaration. We must generate the energy of Mindfulness, Concentration, and Insight. Only when that energy protects us are we truly sheltered by the Three Jewels.
Similarly, when practicing the verse:
I take refuge in the island of self. Mindfulness is the Buddha, shining far and near. Breathing is the Dharma, protecting body and mind. The five skandhas are the Sangha, working in harmony.
We must breathe in such a way that every in-breath and out-breath generates Mindfulness, Concentration, and Insight. In doing so, we embody the energy of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and we are truly safe. When feeling lost, helpless, or overwhelmed, that is when we need to take refuge in the Three Jewels. Doing so makes us true members of the Order of Interbeing. We must establish a solid practice.
Whenever we face difficulties or feel overwhelmed, we should know how to regain balance, ease, and stability through taking refuge. Taking refuge is a practice, not a declaration or a mere belief. When shaken, relying on Mindfulness, Concentration, and Insight restores our stability and clarity. We then know what to do and what not to do, keeping ourselves safe. That is Applied Buddhism.
If we talk brilliantly about the Three Jewels but cannot apply the teachings, it is only theoretical Buddhism. Many Western universities offer doctorates in Buddhist Studies, but that is not Applied Buddhism. One may master Tibetan, Pali, or Sanskrit and know the Tripitaka thoroughly, but if one cannot handle distress or difficulties, that knowledge does not help.
When teaching the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, or the Seven Factors of Awakening, everything must be applicable to daily life. We can give wonderful talks on the Lotus Sutra or the Avatamsaka Sutra, but those may only satisfy the intellect. We must ask:
» How do I apply the Lotus Sutra to resolve my suffering and despair?
» How do I apply the Diamond Sutra?
» How do I apply the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path?
That is Applied Buddhism, which completes Engaged Buddhism. Studying Buddhism purely academically or theoretically is not what the Buddha intended. We must learn Applied Buddhism—applying every lesson we receive. As Dharma teachers, monastics must offer Applied Buddhism to those who come to them, serving as living examples of the practice. We only teach what we actually do.
Whether you are a layperson, a trainee teacher, or a full Dharma teacher, the principle remains the same. We do not learn in order to show off knowledge during Dharma discussions or talks. We only share what we actually practice. If you teach walking meditation, practice it successfully first. Otherwise, refrain from teaching it for now. This is teaching through being (thân giáo)—teaching with your life. Some practitioners do not like giving Dharma talks, yet they are wonderful teachers because their walking, standing, sitting, lying down, and interacting reflect harmony and peace. They are living Dharma talks—precious gems in the Sangha. This is not limited to monastics. Many lay practitioners practice deeply, quietly, and wisely. Throughout Vietnamese Buddhist history, lay people like Thiều Chửu and Tâm Minh Lê Đình Thám practiced so solidly that monastics deeply respected them as teachers. Layman Lê Đình Thám always wore his lay robe and bowed to the monastics before teaching them scriptures, and the monastics held him in high esteem. They were respected not for wealth or power, but for their solid practice. They spoke what they lived.
In principle, there is no barrier separating the monastic and lay communities from practicing and working together. Because our mission is to bring Buddhism into life and make it applicable in all situations, we need many Dharma teachers. The Order of Interbeing serves as an extended arm of the monastic Sangha reaching out into society. Monastics also enter society, but their numbers are not enough. For example, every country in Europe wants an annual retreat; if monastics fulfilled every request, no one would be left at Plum Village to maintain the practice centers.
Therefore, we need strong residential Sanghas as anchor bases. Centers like Plum Village, the EIAB, Blue Cliff, Deer Park, and Thailand must maintain a solid fourfold community practicing year-round. When organizing retreats elsewhere, monastics can take turns going. Thus, lay Order members are essential extended arms reaching into society. We need thousands of lay Interbeing members to organize, teach, and guide. Naturally, we do not do the work of academic professors; we organize practice and embody it. We must master the practices and Applied Buddhism—finding joy in sitting, walking, and noble silence. We must be capable of building local Sanghas where members live together in happiness, brotherhood, and sisterhood, inspiring trust in their communities.
This responsibility belongs to lay Interbeing members. Monastics will support you, but lay members must build these local Sanghas in cities like Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels, and New York. Your brown jacket represents humility and the power of silence. Build local Sanghas free from competition, filled with love and yieldings. If we are united and happy, our good reputation will spread, bringing joy to Thay and the tradition. Once lay Sanghas are happy, collaborating harmoniously with the monastic Sangha becomes natural.
In the future, I hope we have longer retreats for Order members to deepen their practice, nourish their ideal, and fulfill the responsibilities entrusted by the Buddha and Patriarchs. If our local Sangha remains disorganized and unable to live in love and harmony, we have not yet succeeded. Who is responsible for making the Sangha beautiful and harmonious? You are! As Order members, you carry this responsibility. We cannot blame others; we must recognize where our own practice, humility, or power of silence needs deepening.
There is much work to do, including revising the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing. The beauty of the Fourteen Trainings was incorporated into the revised Five Mindfulness Trainings, but the recent insights of the Five Trainings have not yet been brought back into the Fourteen. The current Five Trainings are wonderful—the result of two years of Sangha contemplation—and the Fourteen can be made even deeper.
For example, the Fourth Training speaks of "Awareness of Suffering":
"Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful living, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and the earth. I vow not to overlook suffering or close my eyes to it..."
This is Tiếp—touching suffering. We have much work to do, and this work is itself part of our practice. We should form a committee to study and revise the Fourteen Trainings. While widely praised, their expression can be made more complete. Currently, the Fourth Training speaks of touching suffering to cultivate compassion, but it misses mentioning touching one's own suffering first. Only when we understand our own pain can we truly understand the pain of others.
The current text focuses on reaching out to help others and waking people up to global suffering through media and reports. But it lacks emphasis on recognizing and looking into the roots of suffering within oneself. A major weakness of modern people is running away from their own pain, covering it up through consumption, media, and the internet. We consume not out of need, but to avoid touching the pain inside. That is failing to practice Tiếp. We must touch the wonders of life, but we must also touch our own suffering to find its roots. Once we understand our pain, we know how to transform it and stop causing pain to others. Just as with love: if we cannot love and care for ourselves, we cannot love or care for others.
I have asked a few monastics and lay friends to form a committee and prepare an Interbeing Council to revise the Fourteen Trainings. Certain trainings can be combined to make room for new ones, such as updating the First Training on fanaticism and dogmatism to include the insight of non-duality, eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
Today, non-dual insight is essential not only in ethics and society, but also in science, where the separation between mind and matter, subject and object, creates great obstacles. Bringing non-dual wisdom into the First Training will help dissolve discrimination. The Five Mindfulness Trainings already reflect this Bodhisattva ideal, and practicing them fully brings immense happiness.
Throughout forty-five years of teaching, the Buddha continually adapted his methods. We must do the same. The wheel of the Dharma moves forward. Over thirty years, Plum Village has continually innovated new methods to help people effectively. We should not remain satisfied with the current form of the Fourteen Trainings. We need an Interbeing Council to approve these updates so that the Fourteen Trainings become as rich as—or even richer than—the new Five Trainings.
In science and technology, new computers and software are developed every year; textbook editions are updated annually. In Buddhism, we must also progress and push the wheel of evolution forward so that Buddhism continues to offer spiritual leadership. Members of the Order of Interbeing must know that they stand at the forefront, carrying this work that the Buddha and Patriarchs expect of us.
We have many Dharma endeavors ahead, and we must undertake them in the spirit of practice—seeing them as opportunities for growth rather than mere work, finding joy in the process. We need energy and the vitality of the Dharma. At my age, I still have energy; I continue translating sutras with great joy, finding it easier and clearer over time. I feel immense joy translating, teaching, practicing, walking, and guiding others. It is a matter of energy. If you lack energy, it is because you lack a deep vow. You must want to do something meaningful for your homeland, ancestors, and society. You need an ideal, a strong vow, and faith.
Those among us—monastic or lay—who lack enthusiasm or hesitate to practice are simply lacking the life force of the Dharma, lacking a fire in their heart. Every member of the Order of Interbeing must carry a fire in their heart that propels them forward. When you move forward with a vow, you find happiness in everything—whether sweeping, cooking, watering vegetables, or cleaning toilets. That goal is not fame or status, but great love, allowing us to become worthy continuations of the Buddha, the Patriarchs, and Thay.
This article was translated into English from https://langmai.org/cong-tam-quan/dong-tu-tiep-hien/u-nghia-cua-dong-tu-tiep-hien/
↑Back to Top