Thich Nhat Hanh
(b. 1926),Vietnamese Buddhist master. Known to followers as Thay (spiritual teacher), Thich Nhat Hanh is a peace activist, scholar, and writer. During the Vietnam War, he lobbied in the United States and Europe against the war and advocated a negotiated settlement. Martin Luther King, Jr. nominated him for the 1967 Nobel Peace Prize. He led the Buddhist delegation to the Paris peace talks. He was exiled for his pacifist views and now lives in France.
In the early 1960s, he studied and taught in U.S. universities. In Vietnam he organized wartime relief through the School of Youth for Social Service (established 1964). He also established the Buddhist University in Saigon and a publishing house. In France he founded the Unified Buddhist Church (1969) and Plum Village as a retreat center (1982). Similar centers were established in the United States. He lectures across the globe on mindful living. He conceives of religion as action-oriented and makes religion accessible to the public by projecting it as something joyful, not solemn. His teachings are practical and not aimed exclusively at followers of a particular faith. He has written many books, including Being Peace (1988), Our Appointment with Life (1990), The Art of Mindful Living (1992), Peace Is Every Step (1992), Living Buddha Living Christ (1995), and The Long Road Turns to Joy (1996).
Further Reading
Thich Nhat Hanh. (1999) The Blooming of a Lotus. Delhi: Full Circle.
——. (1997) Transformation and Healing. Delhi: Full Circle.
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