What is Right Thinking

Summary

This talk presents a Dharma teaching on the deep interconnection between suffering and happiness, delivered during a retreat on 12 June 2013. The speaker, Thich Nhat Hanh, addresses the Sangha and frames the session with chants and references to Sakyamuni Buddha, setting a contemplative tone before moving into practical instruction. The central message is that suffering and happiness are not opposites that can be separated; rather, they coexist and condition one another, much like the left and right sides of a sheet of paper. In the same way, a lotus flower cannot grow without non-lotus elements such as sunshine, rain, cloud, and especially mud. Suffering is described as the “mud” necessary for the growth of happiness, understanding, and compassion. A major theme is non-dualistic or “right” thinking. The speaker contrasts ordinary dualistic thinking, which assumes happiness must be found by escaping suffering, with a more profound view taught by the Buddha: suffering can be transformed into insight and compassion when it is understood deeply. The talk emphasizes that the kingdom of God, or the Buddha’s pure land, is not a place without suffering, but a place where beings know how to make good use of suffering to create happiness. In this view, a truly happy person is one who has cultivated understanding and compassion, because these are the foundations of genuine well-being. The talk then turns to the practice of mindful breathing as a concrete method for transformation. The speaker explains several exercises from the Buddhist tradition: becoming aware of the in-breath and out-breath, following the breath all the way through, generating joy and happiness through breathing, recognizing painful feelings, and calming painful emotions. Mindfulness is presented as an energy that first recognizes what is happening in the body and mind, then embraces and calms it. The speaker compares this to a mother holding a crying baby: the mother may not yet know the cause of the baby’s suffering, but her tenderness already brings relief. Likewise, a practitioner can begin to relieve pain simply by recognizing and holding it with mindfulness instead of running away from it. Another important point is that mindfulness naturally contains concentration and insight. When one is truly mindful of the breath, concentration arises; when one sees clearly that one is alive and present, insight or enlightenment arises. The speaker stresses that people often live without awareness of their own aliveness, especially when absorbed in computers or daily busyness. Mindful breathing and mindful walking bring the mind home to the body and to the present moment, where conditions for happiness are already available. The practice is not about forcing joy, but about becoming aware of the conditions that allow joy to arise naturally. The talk also develops the Buddhist teaching on true love, described through the four immeasurables or Brahma Viharas: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Loving-kindness is defined as the capacity to offer happiness; compassion as the capacity to remove suffering; joy as the ability to share happiness; and equanimity as the absence of separation between self and other. The speaker insists that true love requires understanding, especially understanding the suffering, loneliness, and difficulties of the other person. Without understanding, attempts to make someone happy may actually increase suffering. True love is therefore not merely good intention, but a skillful, compassionate, and inclusive way of being. The relational dimension of the teaching extends beyond couples and families to society and the world. The speaker explains that the suffering in each person carries the suffering of parents, ancestors, nation, and society. By understanding one’s own suffering and the suffering of loved ones, one can begin to understand collective suffering and respond with compassion. True love, then, becomes a force for healing not only in personal relationships but also in the wider community. The talk concludes by returning to the practice of walking meditation, especially the phrases “I have arrived” and “I am home,” which express the realization that the present moment is the true kingdom of God or pure land. The speaker encourages the Sangha to walk and breathe in a way that generates collective mindfulness, joy, and healing, making the present moment a lived reality rather than an abstract idea.