In the Footsteps of the Buddha (4/6) | Fourfold Sangha: The Living Community (Episode #105)

In the Footsteps of the Buddha (6/6) | Loss and Transformation (Episode #107)

This week’s show was recorded using an improvised audio recording setup while the podcast team was on pilgrimage through India. Thank you for your understanding. 🙏 If you wish to support our podcast, please visit this link [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/?form=thewayoutisin]. Thank you! Welcome to a new episode of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/]’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. The final in a series of six episodes recorded during the In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimage, this instalment was made in Sravasti, India, in February 2026. In it, leadership coach Jo Confino [https://www.instagram.com/joconfino/?hl=en] is joined by Zen Buddhist nun Sister Tam Muoi [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/trang-tam-muoi] and Dharma teacher Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/] to share their experiences and reflections as they visit Sravasti and Jeta Grove. They discuss the power of community, and how the sangha held space for grief when co-host Brother Phap Huu received news of his father’s passing.  They further explore themes of impermanence, non-attachment, transformation, the balance between the ultimate and historical dimensions in Buddhist teachings, and the importance of insight and practice. All three share personal stories illustrating these themes and the ways the pilgrimage has deepened their understanding of and connection to the Buddha’s legacy. The episode concludes with the group singing a song composed by a fellow pilgrim, capturing the essence of the ‘way out is in’ teachings. About the pilgrimage: In 1988, Shantum Seth was invited by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to organize a pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Buddha’s life across India. Subsequently, Thay encouraged Shantum to continue guiding such journeys each year, offering pilgrimage itself as a mindfulness practice – one that the Buddha had suggested.  Shantum has been leading these transformative journeys ever since, offering people from around the world the opportunity to follow In the Footsteps of the Buddha with awareness and insight. After 15 years at the United Nations, Shantum left to volunteer with the Ahimsa Trust [https://ahimsatrust.org/], which represents Thay’s work in India and promotes the practice of “peace in oneself and peace in the world”. Through Buddhapath, his expression of Right Livelihood, Shantum continues to guide pilgrimages and share the wisdom and culture of the places he visits in India and across Buddhist Asia, cultivating community through these deeply meaningful journeys. To learn more about upcoming pilgrimages, visit www.buddhapath.com [http://www.buddhapath.com/], or follow Shantum on Facebook and Instagram at @eleven_directions.  Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/], an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Buddhist Mindfulness lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches in India and across the world. A co-founder of Ahimsa Trust, he has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings for the past 35 years, and, since 1988, has led pilgrimages and other multi-faith, educational, cultural, spiritual, and transformative journeys across diverse regions of India and Asia.  He is actively involved in educational, social, and ecological programmes, including work on cultivating mindfulness in society, including with educators, the Indian Central Reserve Police Force, and the corporate sector. Across various Indian sanghas, Dharmacharya Shantum is the primary teacher of different practices of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition. Sister Tam Muoi (Sister Samadhi) is from the UK and was ordained in 2012, becoming a Dharma teacher in 2022. Having encountered the practice whilst living in France, she became engaged in the French lay sangha and was ordained into the Order of Interbeing in 2004. She is actively supporting the recently created Being Peace Practice Centre [https://beingpeace.uk/] in the UK and is deeply committed to the work of healing ancestral harm, and to participation in trainings and retreats exploring White Awareness. Read more here [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/trang-tam-muoi]. ---------------------------------------- Co-produced by the Plum Village App: https://plumvillage.app/ [https://plumvillage.app/]  And Global Optimism: https://globaloptimism.com/ [https://globaloptimism.com/]With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/] Recordist: Ann Nguyen https://ann.earth [https://ann.earth/]Sound editor: Joe Holtaway https://joeholtaway.com [https://joeholtaway.com/]Publisher: Anca Rusu Producer: Clay Carnill https://claycarnill.com [https://claycarnill.com/]Executive Producer: Catalin Zorzini ---------------------------------------- List of resources  Interbeing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing]    Plum Village Tradition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition]  Jeta Grove https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetavana [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetavana]  Mangala Sutta https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%E1%B9%85gala_Sutta [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%E1%B9%85gala_Sutta]  Avalokiteshvara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara]   Song: ‘No Coming, No Going’ https://plumvillage.org/library/songs/no-coming-no-going-song [https://plumvillage.org/library/songs/no-coming-no-going-song]   Anathapindika https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathapindika [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathapindika]   Anuruddha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuruddha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuruddha] Tathagata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gata [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gata]  Shravasti  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shravasti [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shravasti] Sarnath https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath]  Kushinagar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushinagar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushinagar]   Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path]  Anapanasati Sutta https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80n%C4%81p%C4%81nasati_Sutta [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80n%C4%81p%C4%81nasati_Sutta]  Angulimala https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%85gulim%C4%81la [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%85gulim%C4%81la]  Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths]   Poem: ‘Please Call Me by My True Names’ https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/poem-please-call-me-by-my-true-names [https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/poem-please-call-me-by-my-true-names] Laurie Anderson https://laurieanderson.com/ [https://laurieanderson.com/] ---------------------------------------- Quotes “Some non-attachments are more painful than others.” “Thay talked about the fact that we allow 20% attachment; that we need to recognize we’re living in this life. And that we need to honor our feelings and our emotions in the historical dimension, whilst also in the ultimate dimension.” “We can have joy and sadness at the same time. They do not cancel each other out.” “We can have a moment of happiness and a moment of deep sadness, and we can contain both emotions at the same time.” “Because of the years of practice, when the difficult time comes we’re able to meet it with a degree of equanimity and understanding and not be dragged into a vortex of despair and depression. We are able to meet the moment.” “The matter of birth and death is as serious as if your turban is on fire.” “The art of life is increasingly bringing the ultimate and historical dimensions together and recognizing that they inter-are.” “Thay once said that what we practice in Plum Village is insight-based stress reduction or insight-based transformation. And what he meant was that once we’ve had an insight, everything is different. We cannot unlearn something that we’ve learned. And so all of our practice is about developing mindfulness, concentration, which leads to insight that is really understanding.” “There’s no point practicing if we don’t generate some insights.” “The insight is not there to be endlessly repeated, the insight is there to encourage us to practice. It’s like an anchor that helps us to stay put, and then we work at it.” “Peace in oneself, peace in the world.” “Happiness rests within oneself.” “If I want transformation outside, I need to do it inside. And my general upbringing has been to shift outside things outside – not to ignore the injustices outside, but to have the presence and then the wisdom of the community to act in a skillful way.” “In Zen circles we say that practicing with your family is the highest practice, the deepest Zen practice. That’s when you find out how you are doing. Because our parents know us as that stroppy teenager or that difficult child. We can’t float in as a spiritual practitioner; they can see straight through that.”

In the Footsteps of the Buddha (5/6) | The River of Life (Episode #106)

If you wish to support our podcast, please visit this link [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/?form=thewayoutisin]. Thank you! Welcome to a new episode of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/]’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. The fifth in a series of six episodes recorded during the In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimage, this instalment was made in Kushinagar, India, in February 2026. In it, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/br-phap-huu/] and leadership coach Jo Confino [https://www.instagram.com/joconfino/?hl=en] are joined by Zen Buddhist nun Sister Tam Muoi [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/trang-tam-muoi] and Dharma teacher Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/] to reflect on the Buddha’s final days and the legacy and continuation of his teachings. They also discuss Thich Nhat Hanh’s passing and how Plum Village responded to his transition; the responsibility of current and future generations to continue his work and teachings; and the importance of the multi-fold community in preserving and spreading the Buddha’s teachings in a way that is relevant and accessible to the modern world. Furthermore, Shantum Seth provides historical context about the Buddha’s final journey and the events after his passing, including the first Buddhist council and the spread of Buddhism; Brother Phap Huu draws parallels between the Buddha’s and Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings and legacies; and Sister Tam Muoi discusses the importance of the monastic order in continuing the Buddha’s teachings – as well as Thich Nhat Hanh’s vision for the Plum Village tradition to evolve and adapt while staying true to its core principles. About the pilgrimage: In 1988, Shantum Seth was invited by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to organize a pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Buddha’s life across India. Subsequently, Thay encouraged Shantum to continue guiding such journeys each year, offering pilgrimage itself as a mindfulness practice – one that the Buddha had suggested.  Shantum has been leading these transformative journeys ever since, offering people from around the world the opportunity to follow In the Footsteps of the Buddha with awareness and insight. After 15 years at the United Nations, Shantum left to volunteer with the Ahimsa Trust [https://ahimsatrust.org/], which represents Thay’s work in India and promotes the practice of “peace in oneself and peace in the world”. Through Buddhapath, his expression of Right Livelihood, Shantum continues to guide pilgrimages and share the wisdom and culture of the places he visits in India and across Buddhist Asia, cultivating community through these deeply meaningful journeys. To learn more about upcoming pilgrimages, visit www.buddhapath.com [http://www.buddhapath.com/], or follow Shantum on Facebook and Instagram at @eleven_directions.  Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/], an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Buddhist Mindfulness lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches in India and across the world. A co-founder of Ahimsa Trust, he has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings for the past 35 years, and, since 1988, has led pilgrimages and other multi-faith, educational, cultural, spiritual, and transformative journeys across diverse regions of India and Asia.  He is actively involved in educational, social, and ecological programmes, including work on cultivating mindfulness in society, including with educators, the Indian Central Reserve Police Force, and the corporate sector. Across various Indian sanghas, Dharmacharya Shantum is the primary teacher of different practices of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition. Sister Tam Muoi (Sister Samadhi) is from the UK and was ordained in 2012, becoming a Dharma teacher in 2022. Having encountered the practice whilst living in France, she became engaged in the French lay sangha and was ordained into the Order of Interbeing in 2004. She is actively supporting the recently created Being Peace Practice Centre [https://beingpeace.uk/] in the UK and is deeply committed to the work of healing ancestral harm, participating in trainings and retreats exploring White Awareness. Read more here [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/trang-tam-muoi].  ---------------------------------------- Co-produced by the Plum Village App: https://plumvillage.app/ [https://plumvillage.app/]  And Global Optimism: https://globaloptimism.com/ [https://globaloptimism.com/]With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/] Recordist: Ann Nguyen https://ann.earth [https://ann.earth/]Sound editor: Joe Holtaway https://joeholtaway.com [https://joeholtaway.com/]Publisher: Anca Rusu Producer: Clay Carnill https://claycarnill.com [https://claycarnill.com/]Executive Producer: Catalin Zorzini ---------------------------------------- List of resources  The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (3/6) | The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings (Episode #104)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-3-6-the-heart-of-the-buddhas-teachings-episode-104 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-3-6-the-heart-of-the-buddhas-teachings-episode-104] The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (2/6) | Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree (Episode #103)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-2-6-enlightenment-under-the-bodhi-tree-episode-103 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-2-6-enlightenment-under-the-bodhi-tree-episode-103]  The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (1/6) | The Buddha: Down to Earth (Episode #102)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-1-6-the-buddha-down-to-earth-episode-102 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-1-6-the-buddha-down-to-earth-episode-102] Interbeing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing]   Plum Village Tradition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition]  Kushinagar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushinagar [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushinagar]  Blue Cliff Monastery https://www.bluecliffmonastery.org/ [https://www.bluecliffmonastery.org/]  No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering https://www.parallax.org/product/no-mud-no-lotus/ [https://www.parallax.org/product/no-mud-no-lotus/]  The Order of Interbeing https://plumvillage.org/community/order-of-interbeing [https://plumvillage.org/community/order-of-interbeing]  The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Jewels (Episode #89)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-jewels-episode-89 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-jewels-episode-89] Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_Mah%C4%81parinirv%C4%81%E1%B9%87a_S%C5%ABtra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_Mah%C4%81parinirv%C4%81%E1%B9%87a_S%C5%ABtra]  Vinaya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya]  Ashoka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka]  Stephen Batchelor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Batchelor_(author) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Batchelor_(author)]  Bodhicitta https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhicitta [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhicitta]  Sister Dao Nghiem https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-dao-nghiem [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-dao-nghiem]  Letters from Thich Nhat Hanh https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters]  Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths]   Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path]  Vasubandhu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasubandhu [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasubandhu]  Sunyata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81]  King Prasenajit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasenadi [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasenadi]  Kapilavastu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapilavastu_(ancient_city) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapilavastu_(ancient_city)] Mahākāśyapa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81k%C4%81%C5%9Byapa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81k%C4%81%C5%9Byapa]  ---------------------------------------- Quotes “Thay really practiced the present moment, because in the present you’re also practicing impermanence. There’s only one moment to live and to touch life, and that is the very here and now.” “All conditioned reality is subject to decay. Strive on diligently – essentially meaning, Everything is impermanent; keep up the practice.” “Dwelling happily in the present moment is the insight of meditation. But dwelling happily in the present moment doesn’t mean that suffering doesn’t exist; doesn’t mean that our anger and our frustration is not there. But, no matter what the situation is – whether it is loss, grief, frustration, chaos – as a practitioner, we have to have the ability to dwell in the very here and now, and allow ourselves to see that wonder, because that wonder is the light that shines through the darkness, the fog, the chaos.” “When we’re reaching the end of our lives, we want to declutter. We want to put our affairs in order. We want to make sure, to the best of our abilities, that we leave life clean, that we don’t leave arguments, resentments, and suffering behind for the next generation to have to deal with.” “I have never met an individual. I meet the entire lineage of that person stretching back to the beginning of time – because, if there’d been an interruption, then you wouldn’t exist.” “The Buddha said, ‘I’ve never taught with a clenched fist, I have offered all the teachings for you to be calm, peaceful, transform your emotions, and be liberated. And so keep the Dharma as your island and be a light unto yourself, and keep the Dharma as your island.’ So he’s very clear that the Dharma is his continuation; the teachings and practice are his continuation.” “In a country like India, the Buddha exists at a very ambient level, in the way we live our lives and feel the interconnectedness of everything, with nature, with other people.” “If we know how to suffer, we’re going to suffer a whole lot less.” “Thay would always include our lay friends. Whenever he was teaching in any ceremony he would always add, ‘And our lay friends, our sisters and our brothers from the lay community, the multi-fold community.’ He would always correct the language as he went along, even if it wasn’t written down, to include everybody. And this was such a teaching for us that we want to continue it. We do not want to be a monastic community where the monastics are the privileged ones. Instead, we are all practicing together and all have different capacities and different things that we can offer.” “Thay once shared that his vision is that, one day, we’re all walking in the marketplace and see a monk walking by with peace and grace. And that monk is a bell of mindfulness. You see that monk and you stop and just breathe, connecting back to your spiritual dimension. And then you go on.” “Thay empowered us, each of us, and now we can empower so many other people. And I think it’s a reminder that we don’t need to look for the teachers and what impact they had; instead, we can look at the impact we are having every day, in all the interactions we have, in all the people we meet, in all of the thoughts we have and all the words we speak, in all the actions. We, each of us, are a continuation. And we’re not a continuation to one other person; we’re a continuation to all of life. The way we are present in nature is the way that nature can be present for us. The way that we are available to other people then gives people the opportunity to be available to others.” “Everything Thay did, he always reflected back to the Buddha. The Buddha’s whole way of teaching was also to empower everyone he met, to water the seeds of mindfulness and awakening in every person.”

In the Footsteps of the Buddha (4/6) | Fourfold Sangha: The Living Community (Episode #105)

If you want to support our podcast please visit this link [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/?form=thewayoutisin]. Thank you! Welcome to a new episode of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/]’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. The fourth in a series of six episodes recorded during the In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimage, this instalment was made in Vaishali, India, in February 2026. In it, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/br-phap-huu/] and leadership coach Jo Confino [https://www.instagram.com/joconfino/?hl=en] are joined by Zen Buddhist nun Sister Tam Muoi [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/trang-tam-muoi] and Dharma teacher Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/] to discuss new steps in the pilgrimage, like their visit to Nalanda University, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning, and Vulture Peak, where the Buddha gave some of his most important teachings. In Vaishali, the Buddha made the revolutionary decision to ordain the first nuns, which was a significant step towards gender equality in Buddhism. Shantum Seth discusses the historical context and significance of these events and places, the importance of adapting Buddhist teachings to the present day, and a vision for Plum Village India to be a multifold community that embraces diversity and continues the legacy of the Buddha and Thich Nhat Hanh in a way relevant to the current times. Sister Tam Muoi and Brother Phap Huu share their personal experiences and reflections on the role of nuns and the evolution of the Plum Village community, emphasizing the importance of embodying Buddhist teachings, skillfully navigating change, and continuing Thich Nhat Hanh’s legacy of inclusivity and gender equality.  About the pilgrimage: In 1988, Shantum Seth was invited by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to organize a pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Buddha’s life across India. Subsequently, Thay encouraged Shantum to continue guiding such journeys each year, offering pilgrimage itself as a mindfulness practice—one that the Buddha had suggested.  Shantum has been leading these transformative journeys ever since, offering people from around the world the opportunity to follow In the Footsteps of the Buddha with awareness and insight. After 15 years at the United Nations, Shantum left to volunteer with the Ahimsa Trust [https://ahimsatrust.org/], which represents Thay’s work in India and promotes the practice of “peace in oneself and peace in the world”. Through Buddhapath, his expression of Right Livelihood, Shantum continues to guide pilgrimages and share the wisdom and culture of the places he visits in India and across Buddhist Asia, cultivating community through these deeply meaningful journeys. To learn more about upcoming pilgrimages, visit www.buddhapath.com [http://www.buddhapath.com/], or follow Shantum on Facebook and Instagram at @eleven_directions.  Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/], an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Buddhist Mindfulness lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches in India and across the world. A co-founder of Ahimsa Trust, he has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings for the past 35 years, and, since 1988, has led pilgrimages and other multi-faith, educational, cultural, spiritual, and transformative journeys across diverse regions of India and Asia.  He is actively involved in educational, social, and ecological programmes, including work on cultivating mindfulness in society, including with educators, the Indian Central Reserve Police Force, and the corporate sector. Across various Indian sanghas, Dharmacharya Shantum is the primary teacher of different practices of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition. Sister Tam Muoi (Sister Samadhi) is from the UK and was ordained in 2012, becoming a Dharma teacher in 2022. Having encountered the practice whilst living in France, she became engaged in the French lay sangha and was ordained into the Order of Interbeing in 2004. She is actively supporting the recently created Being Peace Practice Centre [https://beingpeace.uk/] in the UK and is deeply committed to the work of healing ancestral harm, participating in trainings and retreats exploring White Awareness. Read more here [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/trang-tam-muoi].  ---------------------------------------- Co-produced by the Plum Village App: https://plumvillage.app/ [https://plumvillage.app/]  And Global Optimism: https://globaloptimism.com/ [https://globaloptimism.com/]With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/] Recordist: Ann Nguyen https://ann.earth [https://ann.earth/]Sound editor: Joe Holtaway https://joeholtaway.com [https://joeholtaway.com/]Publisher: Anca Rusu Producer: Clay Carnill: https://claycarnill.com [https://claycarnill.com/]Executive Producer: Catalin Zorzini ---------------------------------------- List of resources  The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (3/6) | The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings (Episode #104)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-3-6-the-heart-of-the-buddhas-teachings-episode-104 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-3-6-the-heart-of-the-buddhas-teachings-episode-104] The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (2/6) | Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree (Episode #103)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-2-6-enlightenment-under-the-bodhi-tree-episode-103 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-2-6-enlightenment-under-the-bodhi-tree-episode-103]  The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (1/6) | The Buddha: Down to Earth (Episode #102)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-1-6-the-buddha-down-to-earth-episode-102 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-1-6-the-buddha-down-to-earth-episode-102] Interbeing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing]   Plum Village Tradition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition]  Nalanda University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda_University [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda_University] ‘Female Buddhas: A Revolution for Nuns in the Plum Village Tradition’ https://plumvillage.org/articles/female-buddhas-a-revolution-for-nuns-in-the-plum-village-tradition [https://plumvillage.org/articles/female-buddhas-a-revolution-for-nuns-in-the-plum-village-tradition]  Mahayana https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana]  Flower Sermon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon]  New Heart Sutra translation by Thich Nhat Hanh https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation]  Sister Chan Duc https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-chan-duc [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-chan-duc]  Sister Chan Khong https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong [https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong]  The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Jewels (Episode #89)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-jewels-episode-89 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-jewels-episode-89] Pratimokṣa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratimok%E1%B9%A3a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratimok%E1%B9%A3a]  Joan Halifax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Halifax [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Halifax] Sutras: ‘The Ten Great Aspirations of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’ https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/the-ten-great-aspirations-of-samantabhadra-bodhisattva [https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/the-ten-great-aspirations-of-samantabhadra-bodhisattva]  Vaishali https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)] Notre Dame Academy, Patna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_Academy,_Patna [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_Academy,_Patna]  Theravada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada] Kapilavastu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapilavastu_(ancient_city) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapilavastu_(ancient_city)]  The Order of Interbeing https://plumvillage.org/community/order-of-interbeing [https://plumvillage.org/community/order-of-interbeing] Sujata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_(milkmaid) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_(milkmaid)]  Kisa Gotami https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisa_Gotami [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisa_Gotami]  Patacara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patacara [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patacara] Khema https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khema [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khema]  King Prasenajit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasenadi [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasenadi]  Bodhi tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree]  Brahmajala Sutra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmaj%C4%81la_S%C5%ABtra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmaj%C4%81la_S%C5%ABtra]  Sariputra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%81riputra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%81riputra]  Nagarjuna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna] Vasubandhu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasubandhu [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasubandhu]  Padmasambhava https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmasambhava [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmasambhava]  Xuanzanh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang]  Visakha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakha] Theragatha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theragatha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theragatha]  Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths]   Vinaya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya]  Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path]  ---------------------------------------- Quotes “Thay knew that the harmony of energies is so important to success, as well as to creation and to living organisms. You need all the elements. You can’t cut one off, because that’s discrimination. Thay continues to keep pushing boundaries in the context of Buddhism, of traditions. In very traditional monasteries and temples, the nuns can’t teach the monks. Even today, in 2026. In some of the institutes in Vietnam, in China, the nuns are still on one side, the monks on the other side. The nuns have to wear one color, the monks another. But Thay unifies all in brown.” “‘If, ten years after I’ve transitioned, Plum Village looks exactly the same, Thay will be very disappointed.’ I really took that as his empowerment. We need to keep moving forward. We’re in a river. We cannot stop the river. The river needs to carry on flowing.” “The precepts are your teachers. And when the time comes, keep renewing the precepts to make them relevant.” “I can make change by embodying my practice.” “The full inclusion of everyone can bring balance to a community.” “Plum Village is not just monks and nuns; Plum Village is a multifold sangha.” “If we don’t adapt to the current generation, even if we have all the amazing teachings, if they’re not relevant to people then the tradition will die.” “Buddhism is very inclusive; there’s a lineage for everyone.” “A great reminder is to embody the change – and not just to have a sign or shout about it, because that doesn’t have the impact of harmony.”

In the Footsteps of the Buddha (3/6) | The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings (Episode #104)

If you want to support our podcast please visit this link [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/?form=thewayoutisin]. Thank you! Welcome to a new episode of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/]’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. The third in a series of six episodes recorded during the In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimage, this instalment was made in Rajgir, India, in February 2026. In it, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/br-phap-huu/] and leadership coach Jo Confino [https://www.instagram.com/joconfino/?hl=en] are again joined by Dharma teacher Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/] to discuss the foundational initial teachings of the Buddha: the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, Non-Self, and the Fire Sermon. Together, they also share personal experiences of encountering the Buddha’s teachings, practicing Thich Nhat Hanh’s wisdom in daily life, highlighting the transformative power of mindfulness, community, the realization of non-self, and more. About the pilgrimage: In 1988, Shantum Seth was invited by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to organize a pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Buddha’s life across India. Subsequently, Thay encouraged Shantum to continue guiding such journeys each year, offering pilgrimage itself as a mindfulness practice—one that the Buddha had suggested.  Shantum has been leading these transformative journeys ever since, offering people from around the world the opportunity to follow In the Footsteps of the Buddha with awareness and insight. After 15 years at the United Nations, Shantum left to volunteer with the Ahimsa Trust [https://ahimsatrust.org/], which represents Thay’s work in India and promotes the practice of “peace in oneself and peace in the world”. Through Buddhapath, his expression of Right Livelihood, Shantum continues to guide pilgrimages and share the wisdom and culture of the places he visits in India and across Buddhist Asia, cultivating community through these deeply meaningful journeys. To learn more about upcoming pilgrimages, visit www.buddhapath.com [http://www.buddhapath.com/], or follow Shantum on Facebook and Instagram at @eleven_directions.  Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/], an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Buddhist Mindfulness lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches in India and across the world. A co-founder of Ahimsa Trust, he has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings for the past 35 years, and, since 1988, has led pilgrimages and other multi-faith, educational, cultural, spiritual, and transformative journeys across diverse regions of India and Asia.  He is actively involved in educational, social, and ecological programmes, including work on cultivating mindfulness in society, including with educators, the Indian Central Reserve Police Force, and the corporate sector. Across various Indian sanghas, Dharmacharya Shantum is the primary teacher of different practices of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition. Co-produced by the Plum Village App: https://plumvillage.app/ [https://plumvillage.app/]  And Global Optimism: https://globaloptimism.com/ [https://globaloptimism.com/]With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/] Recordist: Ann Nguyen https://ann.earth [https://ann.earth/]Sound editor: Joe Holtaway https://joeholtaway.com [https://joeholtaway.com/]Publisher: Anca Rusu Producer: Clay Carnill https://claycarnill.com [https://claycarnill.com/]Executive Producer: Catalin Zorzini ---------------------------------------- List of resources  The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (2/6) | Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree (Episode #103)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-2-6-enlightenment-under-the-bodhi-tree-episode-103 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-2-6-enlightenment-under-the-bodhi-tree-episode-103]  The Way Out Is In: ‘In the Footsteps of the Buddha (1/6) | The Buddha: Down to Earth (Episode #102)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-1-6-the-buddha-down-to-earth-episode-102 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/in-the-footsteps-of-the-buddha-1-6-the-buddha-down-to-earth-episode-102] Interbeing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing]   Plum Village Tradition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition]  Old Path White Clouds https://www.parallax.org/product/old-path-white-clouds [https://www.parallax.org/product/old-path-white-clouds] Sister Chan Khong https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong [https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong]  Rajgir https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgir [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgir]  Bodhi tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree]  Sujata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_(milkmaid) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_(milkmaid)]  Magadha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadha] Poem: ‘Please Call Me By My True Names’ https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/poem-please-call-me-by-my-true-names [https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/poem-please-call-me-by-my-true-names] Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths]   Vinaya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaya]  Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path]  Duhkha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Du%E1%B8%A5kha [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Du%E1%B8%A5kha]  Dignaga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dign%C4%81ga [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dign%C4%81ga]  The Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anattalakkha%E1%B9%87a_Sutta [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anattalakkha%E1%B9%87a_Sutta]  The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Jewels (Episode #89)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-jewels-episode-89 [https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-jewels-episode-89]  Kosala Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosala_kingdom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosala_kingdom]  Kashyapa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyapa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyapa]  Kalachakra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalachakra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalachakra]  Joan Halifax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Halifax [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Halifax]  ---------------------------------------- Quotes “Suffering is all around us. Hell is in the here and now. We have to collectively have the determination, as the Buddha did, not to deprive ourselves from food, from nutriment, but to understand the sources of our suffering – as well as the sources of the path of liberation.”  “The teaching of the Four Noble Truths is the understanding of suffering. We all have suffering. This is the shared experience of us all. We are all equal because we all suffer. In spite of status, class – whatever labels humanity may have for one another – suffering is a truth that none of us can ignore or can escape.” “We only have so much time on this planet. But there’s so much we can direct our attention towards. What are the seeds we are watering every day? The diligence of watering our consciousness and the seeds that become the action.” “We have to see the Buddha a little bit like a doctor. We have to see suffering as a disease, a universal disease. You might think it’s very obvious that we all suffer, that we all get angry, that we are all separated from the ones we love, that we have sickness and old age. But it wasn’t a universal idea. Some people said, ‘This life is bliss.’ So when we start with the primacy of suffering, that in itself is a revolutionary moment.” “As somebody who really is imbued with the Buddha’s teachings, I feel that all human beings experience suffering. And that in itself is revolutionary, saying, ‘This is where it starts.’ Because a lot of it is about escaping from the present, escaping from this world. Most teachings are around something which will come hereafter – but the Buddha is saying, ‘Come back to now; feel, understand your mind, see that your mind is creating your reality.’”  “Thich Nhat Hanh always emphasized that people talk about Buddhism being about suffering. But he said, ‘No, it’s the third noble truth. It is about the releasing of suffering and the transforming of suffering into joy and happiness. That’s very important; don’t get stuck in the suffering. That’s why the first noble truth is a noble truth, because you use the suffering as a compost for happiness.”  “Siddhartha touched the reality that life and death are just a game of hide and seek. They are just labels.” “Acceptance, and being with all the conditions in the present moment, is a superpower. You cannot escape the present moments – except by being in your suffering and your wishful thinking. But once you arrive in the here and now, and you embrace these realities, you are free.” “This is because that is. This is not because that is not.” “‘Thay, what happens when I die?’ Thay said, ‘I haven’t died yet, I don’t know. But what I can tell you is what happens when we are very much alive.’ Let’s come back to that present moment, to that insight.”  “Thay spoke so eloquently of the second teaching, the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta; the sutra on non-self. Under the tree, the Buddha looked at the Bodhi leaf and said, ‘Ah, in that leaf is the sunshine, the earth, the rain, the seed, everything. And if you take one of those elements out of that leaf, the leaf won’t exist as we know it now.’ And that was his deep realization.”  “One Buddha is not enough.” “The Buddha is the sangha.” “I’d been a political activist looking for a way of being peace, not fighting for peace. I had a lot of anger in me and I really felt I touched peace for the first time in that walking meditation – as a visceral experience, not as an idea, not as the concept of wanting peace, but as something that I could embody.”

In the Footsteps of the Buddha (2/6) | Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree (Episode #103)

If you want to support our podcast please visit this link [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/?form=thewayoutisin]. Thank you! Welcome to a new episode of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh [https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/]’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. The second in a series of six episodes recorded during the In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimage, this instalment was made in Bodh Gaya, India, in February 2026. In it, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu [https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/br-phap-huu/] and leadership coach Jo Confino [https://www.instagram.com/joconfino/?hl=en] are joined again by Dharma teacher Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/] to discuss the journey of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, before he reached enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya. It covers Siddhartha’s early life, the various ascetic practices he tried, his finding of the middle way between extreme asceticism and hedonism and going through various stages of meditation and insight, to becoming the awakened one, and his first teaching. Together, the three participants further reflect on the relevance of the Buddha’s journey to their own spiritual practices; the challenges of maintaining mindfulness and presence in the modern world; the importance of the sangha in the Buddhist tradition; and how the Buddha’s teachings emphasize the interconnectedness of all things. About the pilgrimage: In 1988, Shantum Seth was invited by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to organize a pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Buddha’s life across India. Subsequently, Thay encouraged Shantum to continue guiding such journeys each year, offering pilgrimage itself as a mindfulness practice—one that the Buddha had suggested.  Shantum has been leading these transformative journeys ever since, offering people from around the world the opportunity to follow In the Footsteps of the Buddha with awareness and insight. After 15 years at the United Nations, Shantum left to volunteer with the Ahimsa Trust [https://ahimsatrust.org/], which represents Thay’s work in India and promotes the practice of “peace in oneself and peace in the world”. Through Buddhapath, his expression of Right Livelihood, Shantum continues to guide pilgrimages and share the wisdom and culture of the places he visits in India and across Buddhist Asia, cultivating community through these deeply meaningful journeys. To learn more about upcoming pilgrimages, visit www.buddhapath.com [http://www.buddhapath.com/], or follow Shantum on Facebook and Instagram at @eleven_directions.  Shantum Seth [https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/], an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Buddhist Mindfulness lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches in India and across the world. A co-founder of Ahimsa Trust, he has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings for the past 35 years, and, since 1988, has led pilgrimages and other multi-faith, educational, cultural, spiritual, and transformative journeys across diverse regions of India and Asia.  He is actively involved in educational, social, and ecological programmes, including work on cultivating mindfulness in society, including with educators, the Indian Central Reserve Police Force, and the corporate sector. Across various Indian sanghas, Dharmacharya Shantum is the primary teacher of different practices of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition. ---------------------------------------- Co-produced by the Plum Village App: https://plumvillage.app/ [https://plumvillage.app/]   And Global Optimism: https://globaloptimism.com/ [https://globaloptimism.com/] With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ [https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/] ---------------------------------------- Recording by Ann Nguyen https://ann.earth [https://ann.earth/] Sound editing by Joe Holtaway https://joeholtaway.com [https://joeholtaway.com/] Publishing by Anca Rusu Produced by Clay Carnill https://claycarnill.com [https://claycarnill.com/] Executive Producer: Catalin Zorzini ---------------------------------------- List of resources  Interbeing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing]   Plum Village Tradition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition]  Old Path White Clouds https://www.parallax.org/product/old-path-white-clouds [https://www.parallax.org/product/old-path-white-clouds] Kaundinya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaundinya [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaundinya] Sister Chan Khong https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong [https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong]  Bodhi tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree]  Bodh Gaya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya]  Sujata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_(milkmaid) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_(milkmaid)]  Mahavira https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavira [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavira]  Kumbh Mela https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbh_Mela [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbh_Mela]  Maulana Azad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maulana_Azad [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maulana_Azad]  Dalit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit]  Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths]  Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path [https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path]  ---------------------------------------- Quotes “We think we’re practicing for ourselves only, but there are invisible connections that we may not see. So your own practice, your own transformation, your decision-making can shift a whole lineage that precedes you. Without even doing much. It’s just some decisions; it’s almost like the turning of the dharma wheel, something in our whole lineage. And it’s true for a lot of my Western monastics; they might be the first in their whole ancestral lineage to be on the path of love and understanding. So you’re not doing this for yourself only, you’re doing this for your whole lineage.”  “Everyone on this pilgrimage, in this room right now, sitting, I invite you to plant that seed to see that this journey is not yours alone. There’s a deep interbeing and it’s a weaving of past, present, and future.”  “I got involved in activist politics, organizing big demonstrations, going to jail, organizing in a big way. But then I burnt out and found that I was very angry. And that anger was actually infusing my action, and I realized I was also part of the problem. So I had to find a way of being peace, not just fighting for peace.”  “In the Indic civilizational system, at least in some traditions, and especially in the Brahmanical system – I don’t call it Hinduism – we have four stages of life. The first is what we call brahmacharya: the celibate life, when you’re a student. The second stage is the grahasthi, where you become a family person and have children and build up the family. And the third is vanaprastha: sort of a forest dwelling, but more like social work; your children are getting married and you get involved more in society, like a philanthropist. And the fourth stage is sannyas, where you actually leave the family, break your ties, and become, in effect, dead to the family and take the path of a monastic. So the Buddha is saying, ‘You don’t need to wait till you’re an older person. Start now. Don’t waste your life. The path of awakening can be walked when you’re young, too.’” “Having children is courageous; you’re taking on responsibility for future generations, and that’s not easy. I feel that’s why we need a sangha of parents, friends. They say it takes a village, but it takes the global humanity, eight billion people, to create a civilizational shift. And that’s what we’re trying to do, to make the world a better place.”  “Courage is a moment-to-moment act. It’s not just a moment; it’s each day we get up and say, ‘Okay, it’s a blessing we have this life for these 24 hours. Can I, in some way, make it better? Can I not make it worse? Can I enhance the life of people around me and keep being mindful?’ The word ‘Buddha’ just means to be awake. So how can we really be awake? We can be awake by being mindful: being attentive, breathing in, breathing out. That’s a moment of awakening, to be present. The Buddha became a full-time Buddha, but we can do it moment-to-moment, as little, part-time Buddhas. I think all of us can touch it – and that requires courage, too, to be diligent in our practice; it’s very easy to get distracted so we need to watch our mental state of irritation, anger, jealousy, whatever comes up. I have eyes to see – wow, that’s a miracle. That’s, again, a type of awakening. So I think this path is the path of courage.”  “You can share the same bed with someone, but if you don’t share an aspiration, it can cause immense suffering.” “The problem with the middle path is that it’s not a single line. It is an appropriate response to a particular situation. The middle part requires attentiveness, mindfulness, moment-to-moment. You might think drinking water is an appropriate action, but if you’ve had a stomach operation, drinking water might kill you. So something simple like that has to be appropriately done; the middle way is appropriate to time and place.”  “We can’t start off on the middle path. We have to understand our suffering deeply in order to know the middle path, to know the two extremes in order to find that path.”  “That’s why retreats are so important: we step away from the world to realize what our deepest aspiration is. And then we can go back with a new set of eyes.”