Thích Nhất Hạnh

Thích Nhất Hạnh, born on October eleventh, nineteen twenty-six, was a prominent Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, poet, and peace activist. He is widely recognized as the father of mindfulness and a significant influence on the Western interpretation of Buddhism. As the founder of the Plum Village Tradition, he played a crucial role in the development of engaged Buddhism, which emphasizes the application of Buddhist principles to social issues.

In the mid-1960s, Nhất Hạnh co-founded the School of Youth for Social Services and established the Order of Interbeing. His outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War led to his exile from South Vietnam in nineteen sixty-six. In recognition of his efforts for peace, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. in nineteen sixty-seven.

Throughout his life, Nhất Hạnh founded numerous monasteries and practice centers, dedicating many years to the Plum Village Monastery, which he established in nineteen eighty-two in southwest France. He traveled extensively, offering retreats and teachings that promoted deep listening as a means of resolving conflict and fostering peace. His book, Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire, introduced the term 'engaged Buddhism' to a wider audience.

After a lengthy exile of thirty-nine years, he was allowed to visit Vietnam in two thousand five. In two thousand eighteen, he returned to his root temple, Từ Hiếu Temple, near Huế, where he lived until his passing in two thousand twenty-two at the age of ninety-five.