I have many thoughts and feelings on the recent death of Thich Nhat Hanh. There are far too many for me to express here so I will keep this brief. His book “No Death, No Fear” immediately comes to mind. I will say I was very fortunate to encounter him. I cannot possibly relate all that I have learned and the experiences I have had at Blue Cliff Monastery. Though I do not identify as a Buddhist I have able to learn about mindfulness which has been applicable in my personal and professional life. Most importantly I realized that peace is possible and attainable through the practice an informed, assertive, compassion. If you have any interest in his work there are many places to start. “The Miracle of Mindfulness” and “Creating True Peace: Ending Violence in Yourself, Your Family, Your Community, and the World” are good places to start.
“When you practice looking deeply, you see your true nature of no birth, no death; no being, no non-being; no coming, no going; no same, no different. When you see this, you are free from fear. You are free from craving and free from jealousy. No fear is the ultimate joy. When you have the insight of no fear, you are free. And like the great beings, you ride serenely on the waves of birth and death.”
– From “No Death, No Fear”