This is a 13-minute excerpt from the Dharma talk given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh on September 28, 2003, in Upper Hamlet, Plum Village France, in the Autumn Retreat.

🔔 Video transcript

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"On Thursday, we raised the question, 'If we can't tell what makes us happy right now, how can we tell what will make us happy in the future?' That question is very important.

"That question has something to do with another question, which is 'Is it possible to have happiness in the present moment?' Do we have enough conditions to be happy in the present moment?

"First, let us try defining what happiness is. Happiness, first of all, is a feeling—a feeling which we call 'a pleasant feeling.' However, a pleasant feeling is not necessarily happiness.

"You know, our heart and mind play a very important role. Our heart and mind are not just pleasant feelings—not just feelings.

"In Buddhist literature, the word 'lạc' (happiness) usually goes hand in hand with 'an' (peace), making the term 'an lạc' (peace and happiness) 'An' means 'peace.' 'Lạc' means 'happiness.' Happiness usually goes hand in hand with peace. That's why, when there's no peace, there's not necessarily happiness.

"Although we're drinking wine, although we're eating food very pleasant to the taste buds, although we've just won the lottery, if there's no peace in our heart and mind, that's not necessarily happiness.

"When we drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, do drugs, or have sexual intercourses, there are pleasant feelings. However, in such pleasant feelings, try asking ourselves whether there's peace or not."

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✩ Full talk's Vietnamese title: "Thế Nào Là Hạnh Phúc? TS Thích Nhất Hạnh, Xóm Thượng, Làng Mai 28.09.2003"

✩ Full talk originally posted by Làng Mai (Plum Village's Vietnamese YouTube channel) on Mar 3, 2022

✩ Full talk given: on September 28, 2003, in Upper Hamlet, Plum Village France, in the Autumn Retreat

✩ Excerpt's length: 13 minutes 31 seconds

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RELEVANT MATERIAL

Recognizing Non-Afflictive States as “Happiness” (Pleasant Feelings), Instead of “Nothing” (Neutral Feelings) (November 26, 2009) by Thich Nhat Hanh

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REFERENCES (Resources used to translate this Dharma talk)

Please kindly refer to the Video Transcript link to see the full list.

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Republished on the Plum Village App with kind permission of Thich Nhat Hanh's Talks channel 🙏