This short teaching is excerpted from the full Dharma talk "Be Patient Like The Earth" given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh on July 18, 1999, Lower Hamlet, Plum Village France.

🔔 Video transcript.

-------

"We've been in pain. There are days we stay up all night. Our heart feels like it breaks into pieces. It's because that person is not nice to us. Their words show that there's no love, gratitude, nor appreciation in their heart. They betray us and are unfaithful time after time. And our heart bleeds. And we've been in pain because of them for years.

"So what are we supposed to do now? The answer is we have to practice like the earth."

-------

✩ Full talk's Vietnamese title: "Kiên Nhẫn Như Đất | TS Thích Nhất Hạnh(18-07-1999, Xóm Hạ, Làng Mai)"

✩ Full talk originally posted by Làng Mai (Plum Village's Vietnamese YouTube Channel) on November 12, 2022

✩ Excerpt’s original title: “3 Bước Mở Rộng Trái Tim – Trích Pháp thoại Sư Ông Làng Mai 18/07/1999”

✩ Excerpt originally posted by TCT Phượng Trần (Sakura-Lotus Sangha) on April 08, 2023

✩ Talk given: July 18, 1999, Lower Hamlet, Plum Village France

✩ Excerpt's length: 15 minutes 58 seconds

✩ Watch the full Dharma talk with English subtitles and transcript here.

-------

SPECIAL THANKS

The translation of this Dharma talk will never be possible without Sister Sắc Nghiêm (Sister Rupa)'s valuable advice, and without the help of Sister Xướng Nghiêm for the Sino-Vietnamese words and Dharma Teacher Chân Cơ (Maple Village Sangha, Canada) for French words that Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh used throughout this talk.

-------

📌 RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

Thich Nhat Hanh, 2004, Touching The Earth: 46 Guided Meditations For Mindfulness Practice (Revised Edition), California, USA: Parallax Press.

. Chapter 38: "Protecting the Earth"

. Chapter 39: "Oneness with the Earth"

. Chapter 40: "Rescuing All Beings"

. Chapter 41: "The Earth as a Solid Place of Refuge"

Note: It's most ideal to practice touching the earth with all the texts offered in this book in a period of 3 months, 6 months or so. However, if time and space is not on your side, just pick one of those recommended above.

-------

REFERENCES (Resources used to translate this Dharma talk): Please kindly visit the Video Transcript link for the full list.

-------

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