What is an Engaged Buddhist Response to Suffering? | Brother Phap Linh (Br. Spirit)

This Dharma Talk was recorded on June 12, 2024 in New Hamlet, Plum Village France. It is the 6th talk of the series of talks published from the 2024 June Retreat held in Plum Village, France, with the theme: ""Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times: Applied Ethics."

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"In this powerful talk, Brother Phap Linh offers a compelling and comprehensive response to critics who have said that the Plum Village Community is ""not doing enough"" and ""is no longer Engaged Buddhism"". He explains how our ""faith"" can be limited by our worldview, and that the ""awakened way of living"" is a powerful, engaged response to the suffering of the world.

Brother Phap Linh begins with an explanation of the teaching of the Five Powers, in particular the first power, ""Faith"". What do we have faith in as a Buddhist practitioner?
When we are confronted with suffering, how do we respond? Are we able to be with the discomfort of not knowing what to do or how to help? Have we trained our mind to be with uncertainty?

He explores the Buddhist understanding of action, which is present-centered, and deeply nuanced, a field of action that is far broader than ""saying things online"". Is it possible to engage in actions for justice without blaming?

Looking at the arc of Thich Nhat Hanh's life, Brother Phap Linh explains how the evolution of his teaching was a ""crescendo"" of Engaged Buddhism. The choice to focus his attention on creating residential communities of mindful living was a deep response to the roots of suffering in society and the world. Thich Nhat Hanh realized that people are already overwhelmed, and that only when mindfulness practice can give people the relief and space they need, can they have the capacity to truly feel the pain and suffering of others and the world, and then be able to have energy to take action.

This is only possible with deep, right mindfulness - mindfulness as the ""holy spirit"" rather than a diluted, extracted ""mindfulness for stress relief"". With a spiritual practice and spiritual community, the field of action is not limited to material action. Deep, awakened action in one place is action everywhere. "


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