Embedded Files
The Order of Interbeing was founded by and continues to be inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet, and peace activist. Thay (teacher), as he is called by his friends and students, was born in central Vietnam in 1926.
Tiep means "being in touch with" and "continuing."
Hien means "realizing" and "making it here and now."
The Order of Interbeing was founded by and continues to be inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet, and peace activist. Thay (teacher), as he is called by his friends and students, was born in central Vietnam in 1926. He became a novice monk in the Vietnamese Thien tradition at 16 years of age and received full monastic ordination six years later. By his early twenties he was a national known poet and writer, focusing his attention on ways to make Buddhist practice applicable to everyday life and social issues.
The aim of the Order is to actualise Buddhism by studying, experimenting with, and applying Buddhism in modern life with a special emphasis on the bodhisattva ideal. The Order of Interbeing was founded within the Linji School of Dhyana Buddhism. It is grounded in the Four Spirits: the spirit of non-attachment from views, the spirit of direct experimentation on the nature of interdependent origination through meditation, the spirit of appropriateness, and the spirit of skillful means. All four are to be found in all Buddhist traditions.
Thich Nhat Hanh, Founder of Tiep Hien
Discourses of the Buddha
A collection of the Buddha's sutras
that come out of the Plum Village tradition.
Liturgy
Prayers, chants, and practices from "Chanting From the Heart" by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Tu Hieu Root Temple Gate
Original Six Tiep Hien Members
Meanings of Tiep Hien
Tiep:
Receive the Ancestral Lineage
Continue the Buddha
Touch the Wonder of Life (The Unity of Mind and World)
Hien:
The Present Moment; The Pure Land; Reality As It Is
That which is happening now
Make our objectives become real (Realizing our Aspirations/Practice)
Adapt appropriately and skillfully
The teachings and practices below help us to understand the many unfolding meanings of the phrase "Tiep Hien." Like a finger pointing to the moon, these guidelines serve as a compass, helping to point all, in our individual and collective spiritual journeys, on the path of awakening toward our true nature.
Our true nature is filled with beautiful qualities--clarity of intention, friendliness to all, compassion steeped in the wisdom of life’s realities, impermanence, interdependence, and lack of a solid, separate self.
As we grow in these understandings, may qualities of relationship bear fruit— generosity in seeing others "just like me," living life with an ease and openness to all, touching joys and sufferings present in each moment with a flexibility and curiosity to life.
Please explore them and their many teachings and practices at your own pace.
Tiep: To receive direct transmission of the good and beautiful qualities that our Dharma ancestors have handed down through the ages.
This is the first meaning embedded in the Vietnamese word Tiep and pertains especially to becoming and being a living exemplar of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings and spirit of Tiep Hien in daily life and one’s way of being in the world—that is, “embodying” the Dharma.
How our teachers and mentors model and embody Dharma practice in their being and doing in daily life is one way they transmit the practice. We can receive transmission and learn how to be and do ourselves simply by observing such practitioners in the sangha—watching closely with full attention how they walk, stand, sit, interact, participate in groups, invite the bell with mindfulness and concentration, share the Dharma, or lead meditation. As many have observed, how Thay enters the meditation hall is a complete, unspoken “Dharma Talk.”
Personal Reflection:
🔹 What am I learning about how to embody the Dharma by watching how others practice?
🔹 What actions of my body, speech, and mind might I need to change to more fully embody the Dharma in my own life?
🔹 How am I cultivating equanimity, relaxed presence, and ease in my daily life, activities, and interactions with others?
🔹 How am I taking refuge in the three jewels?
Tiep: to continue the aspirations of our teacher and lineage by receiving transmission of our teachers’ aspirations and practicing to realize these aspirations.
This is the second meaning embedded in the Vietnamese word Tiep.
Personal Reflection:
🔹 How am I cultivating my student-teacher relationship with my teacher?
🔹 How deeply do I understand, appreciate, and feel connected to the Plum Village tradition and lineage?
🔹 How have I experienced the living Plum Village tradition in person or through online Plum Village resources, visiting a Plum Village monastery, or participating in a Plum Village retreat?
🔹 How deeply do I understand, affirm, and aspire to help realize my sangha's vision and mission?
🔹 What are my personal aspirations around transmitting the Dharma, ending suffering, and benefitting others?
🔹 How am I becoming a continuation of my Buddhist lineage?
Tiep: to be in touch with the present moment, with the fullness of life
This is the third meaning embedded in the Vietnamese word Tiep and pertains primarily to the fourth through seventh Mindfulness Trainings.
Seeing clearly and looking deeply puts us in touch both with the miracle and beauty of life present in and around us, and with the suffering that co-exists with all the wonders of life. Being in touch is the first step toward understanding suffering. With understanding comes knowing what to do and not to do to transform and heal the suffering in the world. Understanding is the basis for wise action. Looking deeply into and understanding the world, we also see and understand our own minds.
Personal Reflection:
🔹 How am I practicing mindfulness to deepen present-moment awareness in my life?
🔹 Am I becoming increasingly open to recognizing my own suffering as it arises, being present to it, looking deeply to understand it, and responding with kindness and compassion to heal and transform it?
🔹 How willingly do I accept responsibility for my own suffering--realizing the truth that all suffering originates in my own mind and letting go of any lingering tendency to assign blame, resist, resent, turn away from or dwell in my own suffering?
🔹 How is my clinging to the “mind of dissatisfaction” loosening?
🔹 What progress am I making toward breaking free from my own historical conditioning?
🔹 Am I becoming kinder to myself and others when harmful habits or habit energies arise?
🔹 How am I living the truth that “Just like me, all beings want to be happy and free from suffering?”
Hien: to touch peace and happiness for ourselves and others here and now, in every present moment
This is the first meaning embedded in the Vietnamese word Hien and pertains primarily to the seventh Mindfulness Training.
Buddhism teaches that peace, happiness, and freedom are all available to us here and now, in every moment. We do not need to create or change anything, to get anywhere or accomplish anything in order to experience peace and happiness. Healing and transformation help us to touch these qualities more easily, often and fully, but this kind of “ripening” is not a prerequisite for experiencing happiness or ease. As human beings, peace and happiness are always available to us here and now as our birthright.
Practice is not a means to achieve a goal of future happiness and ease. Practice is about being awake here and now, about consciously being now that which we are seeking. We embody peace—we feel peaceful-- even as we work for peace in the world or practice tonglen on the cushion. As Thay teaches, “There is no way to peace; peace is the way.” We enjoy our meditation practice as we open to feeling peaceful and fully alive on the cushion. We become happier, more peaceful and at ease in all our doing and being throughout the moments of our lives.
Personal Reflection:
🔹 How do I feel when practicing formal meditation? Am I peaceful and at ease? Is my enjoyment of practice and enthusiasm for meditation growing?
🔹 How am I touching or experiencing happiness and ease off the cushion? Am I becoming happier and enjoying life more? Am I suffering less?
🔹 Am I becoming more open-hearted, relaxed, and at ease in my relationships with family, friends, people at work, sangha members, and others?
🔹 How am I embodying peace and ease when conflict or stress arises? Am I increasingly able to be present with calm and ease, even when sailing in troubled waters?
🔹 How is my practice supporting my own emotional healing—e.g., my ability to let go of anger, worry, self-doubt, and other painful emotions?
Hien: to see clearly what is happening in the present moment
This is the second meaning embedded in the Vietnamese word Hien and is essential to strengthening the seventh Mindfulness Training.
This teaching points to the Dharma door of living peacefully and joyfully by being fully in touch with whatever is happening in the present moment. We are aware, mindful, attuned to sense perceptions, awake, fully present. We touch and experience reality deeply. We practice seeing clearly and cultivating right view in accord with Buddhist teachings of the three seals—impermanence, non-self, and suffering. As we become more present, touch reality more deeply, and see more clearly what is actually going on, we grow in realization of the seventh Mindfulness Training: “Dwelling happily in the present moment.”
Personal Reflection:
🔹 How is my present-moment awareness deepening and clarifying?
🔹 What is my experience of the present moment? How often am I present to what I’m doing when I’m doing it, and how often is my mind elsewhere—e.g., thinking about what’s next rather than fully experiencing what’s going on as it’s going on? Am I generally experiencing routine activities such as brushing my teeth or walking down the hallway fully as I’m brushing or walking?
🔹 What am I seeing when I consider the question, “Is it true?” in relation to my perceptions or views?
🔹 How is my understanding of self changing? My attachment to self and self-cherishing loosening?
🔹 What wholesome and unwholesome seeds arise for me, and how do I respond?
🔹 What habits or lingering reactivities get in the way of my dwelling happily in the present moment?
Hien: acting to realize our aspirations and objectives in the world
This is the third teaching embedded in the Vietnamese word Hien.
This third meaning of Hien captures the need to make our understanding and compassion real in the world, to move beyond intellectual understanding into action. First we act to realize true freedom within ourselves, which brings true happiness—an abiding sense of joy, calm, peace of mind, and ease of being. Then we share this realization with others, helping these qualities to flower harmoniously within others and in the world at large. Thay calls this movement the “ripening or realization of our practice.” This meaning reminds us of our Bodhisattva vow. We publicly affirm our intention and commitment to act for the benefit of others, to relieve the suffering of all beings. In the concluding words of the OI ordination ceremony for transmitting the 14 Mindfulness Trainings, we hear the following call to action:
“Ordinees, you have received the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing. You have taken the first step on the path of the Bodhisattvas: the path of great understanding of Bodhisattva Manjushri that puts an end to countless wrong perceptions, prejudice, and discrimination; the path of great compassion of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who loves, values, and protects the life of all species and listens deeply to the cries of all species far and near in order to help them; the path of great action of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, who takes every opportunity to create love, understanding, and harmony in the world.”
Personal Reflection:
🔹 What are my deepest aspirations for myself and the world? How am I acting in the larger world to realize my Bodhisattva vow, to apply the teachings and mindfulness trainings daily in my life?
🔹 How has my capacity for listening deeply to others growing? Am I becoming better able to be fully present with ease even when stress, conflict, anger, hurt, or suffering is present? More openhearted, compassionate and understanding toward myself and others? Less critical, judgmental, or blaming?
🔹 How is the practice of nonattachment to views affecting my relationships and interactions with others?
🔹 How is my attention shifting away from self-cherishing to fulfilling my vow to benefit others?
🔹 What opportunities for selfless service am I identifying and offering? How am I practicing from an increasing place of generosity in my commitment to benefit others?
🔹 How am I using my skills and talents in the service of sangha building and benefitting others? Am I growing in confidence and ease in doing so?
Hien: to make the Dharma pertinent to the needs and culture of modern times
The fourth and final meaning of Hien emphasizes the importance of tailoring Dharma practice and teaching to meet the needs of modern people, times, and cultures.
The Buddha modeled this practice of making the Dharma pertinent to his students throughout his teaching years. He chose examples and stories that he knew his intended audience would understand, speaking in ways that made the Dharma appropriate and accessible to people in all walks of life. Thay has done the same, offering teachings and books tailored to both the Vietnamese and to the American experience. We see our teachers engaging in this practice when they offers teachings on the hindrances that they find characteristically American, such as self-hate and difficulty trusting. Teachers also tailor the teachings to make the Dharma accessible for children and young adults.
Personal Reflection:
🔹 Am I gaining confidence in sharing my understanding, practice, experience, and realization of the Dharma with others who are not Dharma practitioners? With children and adults of different ages, cultures, ethnicities or life experiences?
🔹Can I share my experience, understanding, and practice with others in ways that inspires appreciation of how beneficial and meaningful Dharma practice can be?
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