by Paul Lenda
January 22, 2022
from Shift Website

Planet Earth saw an incredibly luminous light transition today.

Thich Nhat Hanh was was 95 when he crossed over.

 

After suffering a stroke in 2014, he was sequestered to a monastery in Hue, Vietnam until today, when he died peacefully in his sleep at 00:00 AM, 22 January 2022.

Vietnamese Zen Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh (known also as Thay - teacher) was a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered around the world for his pioneering teachings on mindfulness, global ethics and peace.

Thay has been the most extraordinary teacher, whose peace, tender compassion, and bright wisdom has touched the lives of millions.

Whether we have encountered him on retreats, at public talks, or through his books and online teachings - or simply through the story of his incredible life - we can see that Thay has been a true bodhisattva, an immense force for peace and healing in the world.

Thay has been a revolutionary, a renewer of Buddhism, never diluting and always digging deep into the roots of Buddhism to bring out its authentic radiance.

Thay has opened up a beautiful path of Engaged and Applied Buddhism for all of us:

the path of the Five Mindfulness Trainings and the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing...

As Thay would say,

"Because we have seen the path, we have nothing more to fear."

We know our direction in life, we know what to do, and what not to do to relieve suffering in ourselves, in others, and in the world; and we know the art of stopping, looking deeply, and generating true joy and happiness.

Now is a moment to come back to our mindful breathing and walking, to generate the energy of peace, compassion, and gratitude to offer our beloved Teacher.

It is a moment to take refuge in our spiritual friends, our local sanghas and community, and each other.

Let us each resolve to do our best over the coming days to generate the energy of mindfulness, peace, and compassion, just as Thich would continue doing if he was still here with us in physical form.