Zen Roots, and the Plum Village Dharma Seal

Thay is in the 42^nd generation of Zen Master Lin Chi; we, his students, are in the 43^rd generation. In the 35^th generation of Master Lin Chi there was Master Lieu Quan, who began a new, Vietnamese dharma line of which Thay belongs to the 8^th generation, and we his students to the 9^th generation. The majority of Vietnamese Buddhists belong to the Lieu Quan dharma line.  

In Plum Village, our practice carries a lot of Zen aspects, especially our focus on generating mindfulness in all aspects of daily life, and our reliance on the three trainings of mindfulness (smrti), concentration (samadhi) and insight (prajna) as the path to liberation. Our tradition is strongly rooted in the teachings of Master Lin Chi, especially the teaching that “to walk on Earth is a miracle” （ 地行神通 ）. In many talks, Thay and the monks and nuns of Plum Village have continued Master Lin Chi’s Zen teaching in the form of a new Dharma Seal, which is at the same time a continuation of the Buddha’s phrase, “dwelling happily in the present moment.” Any teaching of Plum Village must bear the Dharma Seal, “I have arrived, I am home.”  

This Dharma Seal is saying that we can touch nirvana, or the Pure Land, here and now, in the present moment.  We don’t have to search for a Pure Land that is far from  us in space or in the future. The Pure Land is available to us 24 hours a day. The question is: Are we are available to the Pure Land? It is not a separate reality from suffering.  We believe that “pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.”  

This understanding is very useful for social action. In normal daily life, people might encounter a lot of difficulties; but as soon as they are able to return to their practice, to the awareness of breathing, right there they can be in touch with the freshness and coolness of nirvana. Nirvana has the capacity to cool, to extinguish the fire of afflictions in our body and mind; and as soon as we are able return to awareness of our breathing, in that moment we can touch nirvana deeply.  

So, as bodhisattvas, we continue to do the work of transforming society, and as a practical matter we don’t hope to reach a place where there is no suffering. Suffering has to exist as the raw material for the bodhisattva to do the work of transformation. There can not be a Pure Land without suffering. Plum Village has come to a new definition of the Pure Land: where understanding and compassion are, there is the Pure Land. From this Zen perspective on the reality of our suffering and our happiness, we encourage people to maintain their practice in every moment of their daily life, continuously. Whether sitting, walking, sleeping, or engaging in any other kind of activity, we all are encouraged to touch the Pure Land in every moment as we practice walking in mindfulness, sitting meditation, listening to the sound of the bell, and mentally reciting various gathas for various activities. Plum Village has introduced the portable Pure Land -- just like a portable phone (or: instant coffee -- instant Pure Land). We can have a Pure Land, instantly, wherever we go!

Practicing contemplation and action together, we base our actions only on the ground of stability, clarity and compassion. Then every action can be right action. We can build a temple, work in a hospital, or start a business, but we do not lose our stability, clarity and compassion to projects and stress.