Peace and War with Thich Nhat Hanh

The topic of peace and nonviolence lends itself easily to a presentation of basic Buddhist teachings. Thanks to the writings and witness of Thich Nhat Hanh, such a presentation can utilize a combination of stories, poetry, discussion, and theoretical exposition, yielding a rich classroom experience with the potential to transform students’ understanding.

This paper presents the outline of a lesson previously taught by the presenter. The pedagogical design is concerned with two major points. First: how can real-life stories connect seamlessly with Buddhist teaching? Second: how can students be challenged to think through their own assumptions and views through the lesson? In structure, the lesson is divided into three segments, each of them escalating the level of challenge posed to the students. The first segment tells stories from Nhat Hanh’s own experience during the Indochina War and the Vietnam War. The second segment presents his reflection on the US military response to the September 11 attack of 2001. The final segment concludes with Nhat Hanh’s poem, “Please Call Me by My True Names,” which he composed in 1978 after hearing the tragic news of the raping of a Vietnamese girl by a pirate.

Basic Buddhist concepts are introduced to students throughout the stories concerning the Indochina War, the Vietnam War, and Sept 11. These concepts include: samsara and nirvana, awakening/enlightenment, Buddha nature, right/wrong perception, inner peace and social peace, and interbeing (dependent co-arising). Guided by the stories and these concepts, students are invited to ponder on the root cause of violence, the possibility of real peace in the world, and the means to achieve it. The lesson culminates with a discussion on the poem “Please Call Me by My True Names.” The provocative poem confronts students with the radical Buddhist teaching of nonduality and the oneness of ultimate reality.