Come and see.
- The Buddha
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Why Meditate?
People meditate for various reasons. The practice of meditation develops our ability to sustain awareness of our experience in the present moment without judgement. Meditation helps cultivate concentration and insight leading to wisdom and compassionate action for ourselves and others.
Meditation can also be an opportunity to take a mental vacation from your to-do lists for the future and regrets about the past. If you feel anxious about letting go of these mental formations, don’t worry, they’ll come right back when you are done meditating.
Meditation and mindfulness practice are used in many contexts for stress reduction, pain relief, etc. Mindfulness practice is under current research and a number of benefits have already been identified.
Do I have to be a Buddhist to do this practice or participate in River Oak Sangha activities?
No.
Why do we bow?
Bowing in this practice is an adaptation of a traditional way to show respect. This is an optional practice.
What is the purpose of bell ringing?
With the sound of the bell, we can relax and return to the present moment.
Why don't people in the group talk to me at the beginning of the evening?
We typically practice noble silence at the beginning of the evening, so we may not greet first time visitors or guests until later in the evening.
We hope that you find the experience of noble silence to be welcoming and refreshing.
Glossary:
Thay. Pronounced like “tie.” A Vietnamese term of honor meaning “Teacher.” This is an affectionate and respectful term often used to refer to Thich Nhat Hahn or other teachers.
Do I have to be a Buddhist to do this practice or participate in River Oak Sangha activities?
No.
Why do we bow?
Bowing in this practice is an adaptation of a traditional way to show respect. This is an optional practice.
What is the purpose of bell ringing?
With the sound of the bell, we can relax and return to the present moment.
Why don't people in the group talk to me at the beginning of the evening?
We typically practice noble silence at the beginning of the evening, so we may not greet first time visitors or guests until later in the evening.
We hope that you find the experience of noble silence to be welcoming and refreshing.
Glossary:
Ahimsa. Non-harming. Before we act out of compassion or kindness, we first do not harm ourselves or other beings.
Bodhisattva. Literally a Bodhi (awake) or enlightened being similar to Christian saints or angels. Bodhisattvas are symbols or embodiments of various skillful qualities such as compassion (Avalokiteshvara) and wisdom (Manjushri). In the sangha, we sometimes invoke the names of various bodhisattvas in order to cultivate those qualities in ourselves.
Buddha. Buddha is a title meaning “one who is awake.” The historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gotama, lived in northern India and Southern Nepal around 500 B.C.E. He attained enlightenment at the age of 35 and taught for 45 years dying at the age of 80. He is also known as Shakyamuni Buddha (the Sage of the Shakya clan) and the Tathagata “The One Gone (beyond suffering)." The Buddha is the first of the three refuges, the other refuges being the Dharma and Sangha. Buddha also refers to our own Buddhanature or innate capacity to awaken.
Buddhism. Buddhism is the name given by Western scholars to the teachings of the Buddha. The main schools of Buddhism are the Theravada (Way of the Elders), Mahayana (Greater Vehicle), and Vajrayana (Diamond or Thunderbolt Vehicle). Each school contains many lineages, which are direct lines of teachers extending back to the Buddha. The River Oak Sangha is part of the Vietnamese Zen (Thien) lineage within the Mahayana tradition, but we have Buddhists from other schools and lineages as well as non-Buddhists practicing with us.
Community of Mindful Living (CML). Established in Berkeley, California in 1983 and incorporated in 1990 in California as a nonprofit religious organization, CML provides support for individuals and meditation groups worldwide who wish to practice in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition. The CML is guided by the Order of Interbeing's Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings for Engaged Buddhism. For more information about CML, click here.
Dharma. The teachings of the Buddha. Also translated as the law or truth, the dharma is simply the reality of the way things are. Suffering arises when we are not content with the way things are. Dharma is the second of the three refuges, the other refuges being the Buddha and Sangha.
Dharma Discussion. At the end of our Wednesday night meetings after meditation practice, ceremonies, or teachings offered by the evening's facilitator, we engage in dharma discussion. This discussion is intended to be a safe, supportive and confidential time for asking questions or sharing with the group what is going on in your practice. The person talking practices mindful speech while the listeners practice deep and compassionate listening.
Dharma Discussion. At the end of our Wednesday night meetings after meditation practice, ceremonies, or teachings offered by the evening's facilitator, we engage in dharma discussion. This discussion is intended to be a safe, supportive and confidential time for asking questions or sharing with the group what is going on in your practice. The person talking practices mindful speech while the listeners practice deep and compassionate listening.
Dukkha. Suffering. The Buddha taught two things: the existence (reality and source) of suffering and how to end suffering. A certain amount of suffering is inherent in life. Other suffering we add or create for ourselves. The teachings of the Buddha address the second kind of suffering.
Eightfold Path. The eightfold path is divided into ethical, meditation (mind development), and wisdom aspects. The three ethical branches of the eightfold path are: Wise Speech, Wise Action, and Wise Livelihood. The three meditation branches are: Wise Effort, Wise Concentration, and Wise Mindfulness. The two wisdom branches are: Wise View and Wise Intention.
Engaged Buddhism. This is what Thay said about Engaged Buddhism in an interview in the July 2003 edition of Shambhala Sun magazine:
To link to the entire interview, click here.
Photo of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thay in 1966
Engaged Buddhism. This is what Thay said about Engaged Buddhism in an interview in the July 2003 edition of Shambhala Sun magazine:
Engaged Buddhism is just Buddhism. When bombs begin to fall on people, you cannot stay in the meditation hall all of the time. Meditation is about the awareness of what is going on-not only in your body and in your feelings, but all around you.
When I was a novice in Vietnam, we young monks witnessed the suffering caused by the war. So we were very eager to practice Buddhism in such a way that we could bring it into society. That was not easy because the tradition does not directly offer Engaged Buddhism. So we had to do it by ourselves.
That was the birth of Engaged Buddhism.
That was the birth of Engaged Buddhism.
Buddhism has to do with your daily life, with your suffering and with the suffering of the people around you. You have to learn how to help a wounded child while still practicing mindful breathing.
You should not allow yourself to get lost in action.
Action should be meditation at the same time.
You should not allow yourself to get lost in action.
Action should be meditation at the same time.
To link to the entire interview, click here.
Five Mindfulness Trainings. An elaboration by Thich Nhat Hahn of the five non-harming precepts: not to kill, not to steal, not to commit sexual misconduct, not to say what is untrue, and not to use intoxicants to the point of heedlessness. To display the five mindfulness trainings, click here.
Four Noble Truths. The four noble truths were described in the Buddha's first public teaching. They are suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, and the (eightfold) path leading to the end of suffering.
Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings. Foundational teachings and practices for people practicing in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn. To display the fourteen mindfulness trainings, click here.
Gassho. Japanese term for bowing.
Noble Silence. When we are not having dharma discussion or participating in readings or ceremonies, we generally keep noble silence as a way of practicing and cultivating mindfulness.
Noble Silence. When we are not having dharma discussion or participating in readings or ceremonies, we generally keep noble silence as a way of practicing and cultivating mindfulness.
Meditation. Bhavana usually translated as meditation, literally means development or cultivating (of mind). There are a number of meditation techniques, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist. Some of the main Buddhist meditation techniques are shamatha (calming or tranquility), samadhi (concentration), sati (mindfulness), and vipassana (insight).
Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of cultivating intentional awareness of one's ongoing present moment experience. This awareness has an open, non-judgmental quality, without pushing away or clinging. Practice of mindfulness can lead to the development of equanimity and serenity even in the face of unpleasant experiences. Initially practiced during meditation, with additional practice and effort mindfulness can be incorporated into our daily activities.
Order of Interbeing (OI). The Order of Interbeing was formed by Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in the mid-1960s, at a time when the Vietnam War was escalating and the teachings of the Buddha were desperately needed to combat the hatred, violence, and divisiveness enveloping his country. In Vietnamese, the Order of Interbeing is the Tiep Hien Order. Tiep means "being in touch with" and "continuing." Hien means "realizing" and "making it here and now." From its inception and in the present, the Order has been comprised of all four membership categories of the original Buddhist community--monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. For more information about the OI, click here.
Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of cultivating intentional awareness of one's ongoing present moment experience. This awareness has an open, non-judgmental quality, without pushing away or clinging. Practice of mindfulness can lead to the development of equanimity and serenity even in the face of unpleasant experiences. Initially practiced during meditation, with additional practice and effort mindfulness can be incorporated into our daily activities.
Order of Interbeing (OI). The Order of Interbeing was formed by Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in the mid-1960s, at a time when the Vietnam War was escalating and the teachings of the Buddha were desperately needed to combat the hatred, violence, and divisiveness enveloping his country. In Vietnamese, the Order of Interbeing is the Tiep Hien Order. Tiep means "being in touch with" and "continuing." Hien means "realizing" and "making it here and now." From its inception and in the present, the Order has been comprised of all four membership categories of the original Buddhist community--monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. For more information about the OI, click here.
Pali. The language of the earliest Buddhist scriptures of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Some common terms in Pali are dhamma, nibbana, kamma, sutta, and sati. See Sanskrit for similar terms.
Sangha. The community of mindfulness practitioners. This can refer to just monks and nuns or to the four-fold sangha of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. The Sangha is the third of the three refuges, the other refuges being the Buddha and the Dharma.
Sangha. The community of mindfulness practitioners. This can refer to just monks and nuns or to the four-fold sangha of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. The Sangha is the third of the three refuges, the other refuges being the Buddha and the Dharma.
Sanskrit. The language of the earliest Buddhist scriptures of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Some common terms in Sanskrit are dharma, nirvana, karma, sutra, and smrti. See Pali for similar terms.
Sutra. A chapter or discourse in the Buddhist scriptures. Famous examples are the Heart of Prajnaparamita (Perfect Understanding) Sutra and the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra. Buddhists may recite or chant sutras during ceremonies, or listen to, read, study or discuss sutras with others to develop insight into the Buddha's teachings.
Thich Nhat Hanh. A Vietnamese Buddhist monk born October 11, 1926. Teacher, author, poet, peace activist and founder of the Order of Interbeing and the Community of Mindful Living, he is now based in France at Plum Village. He has founded a number of monasteries and retreat centers world-wide including Deer Park Monastery located in Escondido, CA. For more information about Thich Nhat Hahn, click here.
Sutra. A chapter or discourse in the Buddhist scriptures. Famous examples are the Heart of Prajnaparamita (Perfect Understanding) Sutra and the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra. Buddhists may recite or chant sutras during ceremonies, or listen to, read, study or discuss sutras with others to develop insight into the Buddha's teachings.
Thich Nhat Hanh. A Vietnamese Buddhist monk born October 11, 1926. Teacher, author, poet, peace activist and founder of the Order of Interbeing and the Community of Mindful Living, he is now based in France at Plum Village. He has founded a number of monasteries and retreat centers world-wide including Deer Park Monastery located in Escondido, CA. For more information about Thich Nhat Hahn, click here.
Thay. Pronounced like “tie.” A Vietnamese term of honor meaning “Teacher.” This is an affectionate and respectful term often used to refer to Thich Nhat Hahn or other teachers.
Three Refuges or the Triple Gem. The three refuges are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. "Taking refuge" is a way to commit more formally to mindfulness practice.
Zafu and zabuton. Japanese terms for a meditation cushion and meditation mat. Zafus and zabutons as well as meditation benches and chairs are available for use in the Meditation Pavilion.
Zen. A Japanese term for a style of meditation and Buddhist practice. It means concentration meditation (otherwise known as Samadhi) and comes from Pali “Jhana” and Sanskrit “Dhyana.” When these terms traveled to China, they become “Ch'an.” Ch'an then became “Zen” in Japan, “Seon” in Korea, and “Thien” in Vietnam.
