Dear Sangha,

Our longtime friend and dharma teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn, Mitchell Ratner, will be giving a Dharma talk at the WMC online gathering this Sunday evening. Meditation will begin at 6:30pm with Mitchell’s talk to follow:

Dear WMC Friends,

In late December, 2022, I traveled to Vietnam to be part of “In the Footsteps of Thay,” an 18-day pilgrimage, and to explore Vietnam on my own for 12 days. This Sunday evening I am honored to share some reflections with the WMC. I will focus especially on three places associated with spiritual traditions that deeply influenced the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay):

Chua Dau, the oldest Buddhist Temple in Vietnam, where in the third century Meditation Master Tang Hoi trained, taught, and wrote commentaries on the Anapanasati (Mindfulness with Breathing) Sutra and othersutras. 

Yen Tu Mountain, where Trần Nhân Tông, the third Emperor of the Tran Dynasty, after abdicating in favor of his young son, ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1295. He became a beloved teacher and founded the “Bamboo Forest School of Zen Meditation.”  

Tu Hieu Monastery (established in 1847), where Thay trained for five years as a novice, served as the abbot in absentia for almost 40 years, and returned for the final four years of his life.

I would also like to share about how the trip not only deepened my understanding of Thay’s life and teachings, but also helped me reflect on how I have experienced historical continuity, emotional relatedness, spiritual inspiration, and the capacity to be “at home in the world.” 

Many blessings,

Mitchell Ratner