Honoring Our Teacher Thay: 2-Year Memorial Ceremony

Thay’s Disciples

The following is a letter to Thay from his disciples in Plum Village, France.

Your life is your message

Dear Beloved Thay,

As we sit in the gentle embrace of our worldwide Plum Village Sangha, penning this letter to you, our heart is filled with a profound sense of gratitude and reverence. It has been two years since your physical presence returned to Mother Earth; yet, your presence and spirit continue to illuminate the path for us, your students and followers.

As students, we had the honor and privilege of walking beside you, absorbing the depth of your wisdom and the boundless compassion that you embodied. Your teachings were not just lessons; they were living experiences that infused our daily life and interactions. Your presence was a sanctuary of peace, a testament to the power of mindfulness and loving-kindness.

You taught us, through your own luminous example that even in the face of adversity and hardship, the flame of aspiration can burn brightly, undiminished. Your life was your message, embracing the mud and lotus of life, pieced together from the cloth of resilience and an unwavering commitment to peace. In the darkest of times, you remained a beacon of hope, demonstrating that inner peace is the foundation for the peace of humanity.

Your journey was not just your own. It became our journey too. Through your eyes, we learned to see the world with compassion and understanding. You showed us the interbeing of all life, reminding us that we are not separate but deeply connected to each other and to the Earth. Your teachings on mindfulness, on cherishing every moment, on living fully and lovingly, are gifts of immeasurable value.

As we continue to walk the path you have laid before us, we feel a deep commitment to be a continuation of your legacy. Your guidance lives on in each of us, your students, as we endeavor to embody in our thoughts, words, and actions, the Dharma doors you have transmitted to us. We aspire to be mindful, to cultivate peace and understanding in our hearts, and to extend that peace to the world.

Your physical absence is felt deeply, yet we find solace in knowing that you are still with us, in the rustle of the leaves, in the stillness of meditation, in the smiles we share, in the silent moments of reflection and in this living community, your masterpiece. You taught us that life is impermanent, but love and understanding are a legacy that endures from generation to generation.

Thank you, dear Thay, for your unwavering guidance, your endless compassion, and the invaluable lessons that continue to guide us. We vow to carry forward the torch of your teachings, ensuring that the essence of Plum Village continues to flourish and touch the hearts of many.

With deepest gratitude and love,
Your students

The following is a letter to Thay from his international monastic disciples gathered in the Từ Hiếu Root Temple for Thay’s 2-year memorial.

Ocean of smiles

Dear Beloved Thay,

We are here. Here in the Root Temple, here at our roots, at our home. Thank you Thay for guiding us home, to our breath, to our steps, and to this deeply familiar land of our spiritual ancestors.

Over the last few days more than four hundred of your monastic disciples, gathered from all over the world, have been walking together in peace and gratitude along the paths here that you have loved so deeply. Have you been enjoying our laughter around the fires? Have you been enjoying the sangha’s “ocean of smiles”? Could you feel the moment when we sang “I have arrived, I am home” around the half moon pond? We could feel you smiling in the ultimate dimension as our voices rippled over the calm temple waters in Vietnamese, English, German, French, Thai and Chinese. Your children have come home, to express our gratitude to our roots, to our spiritual ancestors, and to you, our beloved teacher.

We remember you once saying, under the shade of the pine trees at your hermitage in France, that the root temple’s lands are vast. The territory of Tu Hieu extends far beyond Hue, to France, Germany, the US, Thailand, Australia and Hong Kong. Our spiritual ancestors are present in all our monasteries on various continent. Six decades ago you stepped out of the temple gate here and brought the Dharma to the West. Today your children, monastic and lay, from over thirty countries in the ten directions, have returned home to the source to touch the Earth and pay our respects.

Dear Thay, we feel your absence keenly, and yet at the same time we know you are still with us. We are climbing the hill of the 21st century with you in our hearts and our steps. Going forward as a community, we can feel your energy of patience, gentleness and trust. You taught us how to accept each other and cherish our differences, to embrace the mud and the difficulties. Thank you, dear Thay, for giving us permission to be authentic and human. We are committed to keeping our communication open so we can trust each other and the collective insight. The path of transformation you have laid out for us is practical and real, and we have nothing to fear.

We know it is your greatest happiness to feel the Dharma continuing in so many different lands. The monastic and lay disciples of the Root Temple are spread far and wide, sharing the riches of Vietnamese Buddhist spiritual culture that you have taught us. In our time of stress and injustice, your teachings and practices continue to be a balm that brings relief and healing to families, relationships, workplaces and movements for change. Monastic and lay teachers are learning how to guide the next generation through the ocean of your Dharma. We are learning to keep refreshing our Dharma doors so they stay practical, relevant and adapted to our different environments and challenges. Your students are continuing you in so many diverse ways, each with their own style and voice. So many young people are flocking to your community on every continent, to find meaning and purpose, just as they did when you started teaching here in Vietnam over 60 years ago.

You gave everything to build the beloved community, and today we make the vow to do our best to take care of each other, to stay on the path, and together carry the torch of your teachings into the future. We promise to be real, to be natural, and to embrace each other and the path ahead with patience, compassion, courage, and trust, just as you taught us.

Dear Thay, we know that you are much more than your physical body. You are your teachings, your sangha, your immense compassionate action in the world. You are present wherever one of your students is taking a mindful breath or mindful step. You are also present in your cosmic body, just as the cosmos is present in you. And so, every time we enjoy the golden daffodils, the purple bamboo, the view from the mountain peak, or the gentle creek winding its way to the ocean, we will enjoy these wonders with your eyes and with your smile.

You have said, “Time is stilled in eternity, where love and the beloved are one.” Dear Thay, you are present here with us in this very moment, as we climb the hill of the 21st century together. What you have not yet completed, we promise to complete for you. We would like to express our deep love and gratitude as we make the vow to carry your teachings, compassion, and insight far into the future.

This is a legendary moment. This is a happy moment,
Your students

Thay’s 2-year memorial ceremony

On 29 January, more than 400 monastics from all Plum Village centers, alongside venerable monks and nuns of Hue and lay practitioners from over 30 countries gathered in Tu Hieu Root Temple to honor Thay. This grand memorial ceremony recognized Thay as the Fifth Patriarch of Tu Hieu and the founder of the Plum Village tradition.