Thich Nhat Hanh was a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk who was a pioneer of mindfulness, helping bring the practice to the West.
- Died: Saturday, January 22, 2022 (Who else died on January 22?)
- Details of death: Died in Vietnam at the age of 95.
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Anti-war activism
Nhat Hanh entered a Buddhist monastery at age 16, devoting his life to the faith. He became a teacher, first leaving Vietnam in 1961 to serve as a guest lecturer at Princeton University and Columbia University. Nhat Hanh returned to Vietnam in 1963 to work toward peace during the long and violent war that raged in his homeland, bringing aid to the people and urging North and South Vietnam to work together to end the war. When Nhat Hanh left Vietnam again in 1966 to tour the world calling for peace, his home country banned him from returning.
Teaching mindfulness
Exiled from Vietnam, Nhat Hanh became a powerful symbol of peace, nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He established the Plum Village Monastery in southwest France and began spreading his teachings throughout the West. Nhat Hanh wrote dozens of books guiding readers toward peace and mindfulness, and he made Buddhism accessible by suggesting that inner peace can be achieved through living an ordinary life with awareness of things like breath and joy. It was the beginning of the mindfulness movement, and Nhat Hanh attracted Western followers who were less interested in traditional Western religion but loved the spirituality they found in his teachings. Mindfulness grew to become a popular 21st century practice. Nhat Hanh became known as Thay, Vietnamese for teacher.
Return to Vietnam
Nhat Hanh first returned to Vietnam in 2005, almost 40 years since his exile began. He traveled the country and published several of his books in Vietnamese, though he received criticism for not speaking out against religious oppression in the country. Nhat Hanh returned for another tour in 2007. In 2018, after suffering a stroke in 2014 that left him unable to speak, Nhat Hanh went to Vietnam a final time, with the intention of living his final days at Từ Hiếu Temple, where he first took his vows.
Notable quote
“A Buddha is someone who is enlightened, capable of loving and forgiving. You know that at times you’re like that. So enjoy being a Buddha.” —from Nhat Hanh’s book “Your True Home”
Tributes to Thich Nhat Hanh
Full Obituary: New York Times
