In 1968 the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, then a young Buddhist monk, visited the United States. Meeting with church groups, students, and others, he sought to promote peace and reconciliation. Throughout his tour, the gentle monk was well-received, but when he spoke one evening at a wealthy church in St. Louis, he found himself confronted by an angry detractor, who stood up to challenge him. “If you care so much about your people,” demanded the man, “why are you here? If you care so much for the people who are wounded, why don’t you spend your time with them?” Taken by surprise, Thich Nhat Hanh had no choice but to respond. But what could he say? What might be an appropriate response? (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘phillip moffitt’
86. An appropriate response
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged ahimsa, appropriate response, elizabeth bishop, ichigo ichie, norman fischer, phillip moffitt, thich nhat hanh on 30 June 2011| 3 Comments »
One Time, One Meeting 