Thich Nhat Hanh, 95, Dies in Vietnam

The renowned Vietnamese Zen teacher, author, poet, and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh died at Tu Hieu Temple, his root monastery near Hue, Vietnam, on January 22, 2022. He was 95 and had been convalescing since a brain hemorrhage several years ago.

Considered the father of the modern engaged Buddhism movement, he had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thich Nhat Hanh at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. © Simon Chaput

There has been an outpouring of recognition and respect from mainstream media around the world (links to several articles are below). His center in France, Plum Village, issued this statement:

“Thây has been the most extraordinary teacher, whose peace, tender compassion, and bright wisdom has touched the lives of millions. Whether we have encountered him on retreats, at public talks, or through his books and online teachings—or simply through the story of his incredible life—we can see that Thây has been a true bodhisattva, an immense force for peace and healing in the world. Thây has been a revolutionary, a renewer of Buddhism, never diluting and always digging deep into the roots of Buddhism to bring out its authentic radiance.

“Thây has opened up a beautiful path of Engaged and Applied Buddhism for all of us: the path of the Five Mindfulness Trainings and the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing. As Thây would say, “Because we have seen the path, we have nothing more to fear.” We know our direction in life, we know what to do, and what not to do to relieve suffering in ourselves, in others, and in the world; and we know the art of stopping, looking deeply, and generating true joy and happiness.

“Now is a moment to come back to our mindful breathing and walking, to generate the energy of peace, compassion, and gratitude to offer our beloved Teacher. It is a moment to take refuge in our spiritual friends, our local sanghas and community, and each other.”

Buddhist Film Foundation Executive Director Gaetano Kazuo Maida offered this personal note:

“I first encountered Thây in the late ‘80s at a retreat at Omega Institute for Vietnam War veterans, survivors and, importantly, peace activists. Here was this calm and focused Vietnamese monk bringing his insights and, dare I say it, love, to bear on the continuing pain and confusion of Americans who had lived through that war on one side or the other. I was photographing the weeklong event for East/West Journal and I could see through my lens and could feel in my body the deep effect he was having on all the participants. I drew the organizers aside afterwards and said something like, “I’ve been photographing Buddhist teachers and centers around the country for a while now, and have not come across anyone as unique and powerful for Americans as Thây. More people need to know about him; you should make a film,” and I went home.

“Six months later I got a call from Arnie Kotler, one of those organizers, and he said, “How’s the film coming along?” At the time I was producing a film about homelessness in New York City (Rock Soup, directed by Lech Kowalski) and replied, “Oh, you know, it’s a struggle with the police, and the camps in the parks, and the antagonisms in the streets…” and he interrupted and said, “No, no, the film about Thây!” and I said, “Oh, that’s your film, you should be doing that.” “We’re not filmmakers,” he said, “you are…” 

“Somehow we got started filming, first at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, where Thây had gathered a group to protest the threatened war in Iraq (the first one), and eventually we filmed at Plum Village (more than once), retreats in Malibu, Montecito, Spirit Rock, and Omega, and a sold-out lecture at Berkeley Community Theater, while also gathering footage from Vietnam (including Thây’s own archival footage from the days during the war). In those days (early ‘90s), Thây traveled with just one attendant and his close associate Sister Chân Không, and our crew often outnumbered them. (Later, he tended to travel with hundreds of monks and nuns.)

“We put together a rough short (52 minutes) to use to raise funds for what looked like would be a trilogy of films: Healing the Wounds of War (veterans and survivors), Village of Peace (Plum Village), and Peace Is Every Step (the life and work of Thich Nhat Hanh). We held a fundraising screening in Berkeley for an audience of 1,000, and I was joined in conversation onstage by Maxine Hong Kingston and Robert Thurman. We hoped to attract some donations beyond the ticket sales, but at the end of the screening all we heard was, “How can we get the video tape?” and we realized that we had to let the film go as it was for the moment. Actor Ben Kingsley graciously agreed to record a narration track and we got the video out. Peace Is Every Step, in all of its various formats, has reached millions (including television audiences in Europe, North America, east Asia, and Australia), and was, along with Mickey Lemle’s film about the Dalai Lama, Compassion In Exile, instrumental in the creation of our nonprofit distribution service Festival Media.

“In many ways, Thây inspired me to move into a more active life. After meeting him I joined with a few friends to help found Tricycle, and Buddhist Film Foundation is a direct outgrowth of my years with the magazine (our film festival was originally planned as a Tricycle project). Because of him I met many who became friends, including Joan Halifax, Joanna Macy, Stephen and Martine Batchelor, Shantum Seth, Maxine, Arnie, Jack Kornfield…the list goes on. 

“Palms together in gratitude to Thây. 

“And deep appreciation for the work of Simon Chaput, John Knoop, Lesley Asako Gladsjo, George Csicsery, Mo Husseini, Emmy Scharlatt, Ed Rudolph, Alan Barker, Jeff Wayman, Wendy Apple, Brenda Ray, Lori Muttersbach, Mark Kitchell, Haydn Reiss, Kaz Tanahashi, Ayelet Maida, and so many others who helped make Peace Is Every Step possible.”

BBC obituary
Fresh Air
Guardian obituary
Lion’s Roar obituary
National Public Radio obituary
The New York Times obituary
Tricycle obituary
Vox obituary

Photograph of Thich Nhat Hanh on the Peace Is Every Step DVD cover © Simon Chaput.
Peace Is Every Step DVD © Festival Media.