Who is Thich Nhat Hanh?
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh was a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered around the world for his pioneering teachings on mindfulness, global ethics and peace.
Hopping Tree Sangha:
Who We Are
Mindfulness:
The Heart of the Our Practice
The Hopping Tree Sangha is one of many meditation communities (sanghas) around the world studying and practicing Buddhism through the teachings of the Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.
Many people are familiar with Thich Nhat Hanh (called “Thay” by his students) through one of his earliest books, The Miracle of Mindfulness.
The Buddha teaches that mindfulness is at the heart of an awakened life. Mindfulness is the practice of keeping our full attention on everything we do so that, for example, as we walk, we know we are walking; as we wash the dishes, we know we are washing the dishes, as we are experiencing an emotion, we are aware that we are feeling that emotion.
Mindfulness is being awake to the miracles of life. As Thay writes in The Miracle of Mindfulness, “…I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, the black curious eyes of a child, our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
Thay has also contributed to the renewal of Buddhism by bringing practice out of the monastery and into the lives of lay people. As a young monk in Vietnam, he learned about the Buddha’s teachings and felt the importance of working in a practical way to relieve the suffering he saw around him in his country. In this way, he practiced compassion in ordinary life, and so developed his commitment to a path of engaged Buddhism.
Thay’s Vision of Community
In Buddhism, the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are referred to as the Three Jewels. Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is a fundamental practice in Buddhism.
“When we take refuge in the Buddha, we express our trust in our capacity to walk in the direction of beauty, truth, and deep understanding. When we take refuge in the dharma we enter the path of transformation, the path to end suffering. When we take refuge in the sangha, we focus our energies on building a community that dwells in mindfulness, harmony, and peace. The Three Jewels are not notions. They are our life.” (from The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings, by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Sometimes practitioners have paid attention to the Buddha and the dharma, but not paid as much attention to the sangha. A sangha is a community of people practicing together. Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes the fundamental importance of learning the teachings, meditation, and supporting each other as essential ways to build a spiritual practice. Sanghas are inclusive and open to those who are interested. There is no recruitment or requested commitment. Membership is formed by individuals who wish to further their spiritual practice in Buddhism.
It is important to remember to cultivate the sangha as part of our practice. The Buddha’s disciple, Ananda, once said to his teacher, ``It seems to me that half of the spiritual life is association with good and noble friends.” The Buddha replied, “Not so, Ananda. The whole of the spiritual life is association with good and noble friends, with noble practices and with noble ways of living.”
There is a fourfold sangha: nuns, monks, laywomen and laymen. Our sangha includes people near and far, living and no longer living, who support and inspire our practice of understanding and compassion. Our sangha also includes the trees and sky and all places and experiences that nurture our ability to dwell in the present moment.
In our Western culture, it is difficult to practice alone. We receive many messages encouraging us to look out for ourselves only, to accumulate possessions and experiences, to strive for the future when we will finally have enough or finally be happy. We need the support of a community to help us remember our true home. Thay often encourages us to “look with sangha eyes.” This means remembering the whole community and considering the good of the community, in our relationships and in our practice together. It means paying attention to a brother or a sister in the sangha who may need our support or encouragement. It means making our sangha one that is welcoming to new members, and listening to the guidance from sangha members. It is important for us to ask ourselves how we can serve and support the sangha. Keeping the connection between the Three Jewels- the Buddha, dharma, and sangha- is our practice. When we take care of our sangha, we nurture the Buddha within ourselves and serve the dharma as well.
Sangha Care Group
The Sangha Care Group, newly re-formed since the Covid-19 pandemic to address new issues and support the sangha, usually meets twice per month, every other Friday @1-2:30 pm. All are invited to attend on Zoom by sending a request below or you can also email us below with any questions.
Engaged Buddhism
If we take to heart the path of compassion, the path of alleviating suffering in the world, our hearts open to those who suffer and we want to respond with wise action. Often this means addressing not only the suffering at hand, but also working to change the causes of suffering. During the Vietnam War, Thay developed his commitment to engaged Buddhism. He was joined by students, as well as by monks and nuns, in many different projects of service. Engaged Buddhism can take many forms from simple acts of daily life to more organized action.
DANA
While Hopping Tree practice opportunities are offered free of charge, your financial support is appreciated. It allows us to pay the monthly cost of Zoom, and to contribute to the Interfaith Opportunities Network activities or other causes we agree upon together. Thank you for your support and for your practice.
Suggested donation is $5 per week.
Venmo #HoppingTree
Further Reading
Thay has written many many books about Buddhist teachings and practicing mindfulness in our everyday lives. Some of his most beloved books included:
The Miracle of Mindfulness
Peace is Every Step
Being Peace
For a Future to be Possible
Living Buddha, Living Christ
The Energy of Prayer
The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
The World We Have
These are available at bookstores and through www.parallax.org.
Additional Resources
River Valley Sangha meets Mondays form 6-7:30 at Edwards Church, 297 Main St., Northampton, MA. E-mail is: rivervalleysangha@gmail.com. Contact person is Nic Tuff.
Morning Sun Mindfulness Practice Community is a residential lay community in Alstead NH that offers days of mindfulness and programs for children and adults.
Plumline has additional online resources to look up online Sanghas by Location and by interest all over the world.
Blue Cliff Monastery is the closest Monastery in the Plumvillage tradition, a mindfulness practice center and monastic training center, located in southern Catskills in Pine Bush NY. Founded by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author, and peace activist--our beloved teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh.
Plum Village, near Bordeaux in southwest France, is the largest international practice center in the Plum Village tradition, and the first monastic community founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) in the West. Plumvillage.org